The WNBA said it is looking into hateful comments made during the season opener between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky on Saturday in Indianapolis.

‘The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms – they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter,’ the league said in a statement.

While the league didn’t specify what the allegations are, a person with knowledge of the situation told IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, it’s directed toward hateful comments to Sky forward Angel Reese.

‘The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sports,’ the players’ union said in a statement.

A rivalry between Reese and Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been going on since their college days, and it’s been no different in the WNBA. There was anticipation for the season beginning with the two stars starting their second-year campaigns against one another, but it got heated during the contest.

With less than five minutes left in the third quarter, Clark intentionally fouled Reese on the arm and shoved her as the Chicago star went for a layup. Reese immediately got up and appeared to say something to Clark as she went toward her before Indiana forward Aliyah Boston intervened. Clark walked away while the situation was quickly deescalated by the players on the court and coaching staff.

Referees reviewed the play and upgraded the foul by Clark to a Flagrant 1, while Boston and Reese were given offsetting technical fouls.

Reese was heavily booed by the Indiana crowd during player introductions and throughout the game, but the intensity picked up as she shot the free throws following the Flagrant 1 call.

Indiana won the contest 93-58. Clark finished with a game-high 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the third triple-double of her career, while Reese had 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

The Oklahoma City Thunder did what they needed to do.

They beat the Denver Nuggets 125-93 in Game 7 on Sunday, advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2016 and for the fifth time since the franchise moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008.

The top-seeded Thunder will play the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves for a spot in the NBA Finals, starting with Game 1 on Tuesday in Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

OKC broke open a close game in the second quarter, finishing the final 3:11 on an 18-5 run for a 60-46 halftime lead. The Thunder’s dominance continued in the third quarter, leading 72-50 and 96-69. The margin grew to 106-74 early in the fourth, and Nuggets interim coach David Adelman pulled his starters, including Aaron Gordon who played with a strained left hamstring he sustained in Game 6.

The Thunder sat their starters when MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3-pointer made it 114-76 with 7:47 remaining in the game.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 35 points and added four assists, three rebounds and three steals, and All-Star forward Jalen Williams had 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Gordon delivered a valiant effort basically on one leg. He had eight points and 11 rebounds, but he attempted just four shots and wasn’t close to 100%.

Nuggets MVP finalist Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Christian Braun scored 19 points.

Read what you missed and see highlights from Sunday’s Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7:

Game 7 highlights: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93

Final: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93

Nuggets pull starters, empty bench down 32

Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman threw in the towel with 9:36 remaining in the fourth quarter. With the Nuggets trailing 106-74, Adelman emptied his bench and pulled his starters from the game. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneau followed suit and pulled his starters with 7:40 remaining in the game while up 38 points.

End of Q3: Thunder 97, Nuggets 72

The Thunder are firing on all cylinders and are one quarter away from the team’s first Western Conference Finals since 2016. The Thunder led by as many as 27 points and have a 25-point heading into the fourth quarter.

Four of Oklahoma City’s starters are in double figures, led by 23 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-3 from three. Chet Holmgren already has a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Thunder recorded 12 steals and three blocks and scored 22 points off 17 Denver turnovers. Oklahoma City is also winning the fast break (20-9) and points in the paint (58-32) battle by a wide margin.

Nikola Jokic is on triple-double with with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jamal Murray has 11 points, shooting 5-of-15 from the field and 1-of-8 from three.

Watch: Cason Wallace dunks on Nikola Jokic

Wallace posterized the three-time MVP. He showed off his hops by slamming down a dunk on Jokic to put the Thunder up 78-57with 6:31 remaining in the third quarter.

Turnovers are a problem for Nuggets, again

Just like it was in Game 6, turnovers have also become an issue for the Denver Nuggets in Game 7.

During Sunday’s Western Conference semifinal elimination game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver committed 12 turnovers in the first half, which helped spark the Thunder on massive runs.

Oklahoma City outscored the Nuggets by 19 points in the second quarter to take a 14-point lead into halftime, though the Thunder actually went on an extended 44-20 run going back to the one-minute mark of the first quarter.

Turnovers have been the difference. The Thunder are swarming and deflecting the ball, particularly when the Nuggets push it into the low post. The double — and sometimes triple — teams have led to poked balls that the Thunder have used for breakaway buckets.

The Thunder have scored 12 points off turnovers, while the Nuggets haven’t scored a single point off of the 3 Oklahoma City turnovers. The Thunder recorded 8 steals in the first half; the Nuggets swiped the ball just 3 times, by comparison.

Thunder forward Jalen Williams, who scored 17 points in the first half on 8-of-12 shooting, has been the main beneficiary of the steals, getting a trio of easy transition layups and dunks off of steals.

Halftime: Thunder 60, Nuggets 46

The Thunder went on an 18-5 run to close the first half with a 14-point lead over the Nuggets, marking their largest of the game, 60-46. Turnovers have been costly for the Nuggets and Oklahoma City has capitalized. Denver has turned the ball over 12 times in the first half, surrendering 12 points as a result.

After struggling in Game 6 with only six points, Jalen Williams came alive in the second quarter and scored 17 points, in addition to three assists and one steal. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 12 points. The Thunder have doubled the Nuggets in points in the paint (40-20) and fast-break points (5-10).

Nikola Jokic has 17 points and six rebounds for the Nuggets, while Christian Braun has 12 points. Jamal Murray has been quiet so far with only four points in the seventh Game 7 of his career. Aaron Gordon, playing with a strained left hamstring, has eight points and eight rebounds.

End of Q1: Denver 26, Thunder 21

The Nuggets led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, but the Thunder closed the quarter on a 11-5 run to come within five points of Denver. Christian Braun has a team-high nine points. Nikola Jokic added seven points, four rebounds and three assists. Aaron Gordon, who is visibly limping as he plays through a hamstring strain, collected five rebounds and scored three points.

Oklahoma City is shooting 38.5% from the field, compared to 45.0% for Denver. Chet Holmgren has a team-high six points and four rebounds.

What time is Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7?

Game 7 of the Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series will tip off Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

How to watch Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7: TV, stream

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
• TV: ABC
• Stream: Sling TV, YouTube TV, Fubo (free trial)

Watch Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 on Fubo

Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon has strained hamstring, will start

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon will try to play with a strained left hamstring against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinals series Sunday.

Gordon has been listed as questionable but participated in pregame warmups, and the Nuggets then upgraded his status to available and put him in the starting lineup.

Gordon didn’t do any strenuous jumping or running during his warmup. He sustained a left hamstring strain chasing a loose ball late in the Nuggets’ 119-107 Game 6 victory against the Thunder. It won’t take long to see what Gordon can provide.

Nuggets starting lineup today

Thunder starters for Game 7

Isaiah Hartenstein stats

Hartenstein averaged career-highs in points (11.2), rebounds (10.7) and assists (3.8) in 57 regular season games this year. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists through six games of the conference semifinals vs. Denver.

Michael Porter Jr. stats

In 77 games in the regular season, Porter averaged 18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. However, Porter has struggled in the conference semifinals, averaging only 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists in six games against the Thunder while playing with an injured shoulder.

Nuggets vs. Thunder Game 7 predictions

With Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon playing with a hamstring strain, Denver’s chances to upset the No. 1 seed Thunder on the road become far more precarious.

Lorenzo Reyes: Oklahoma City, 107-102

Heather Tucker: Denver, 108-105

Jeff Zillgitt: Oklahoma City, 110-95

Nuggets vs. Thunder NBA playoff schedule, results

(Oklahoma City wins series 4-3)

• Game 1: Nuggets 121, Thunder 119
• Game 2: Thunder 149, Nuggets 106
• Game 3: Nuggets 113, Thunder 104 (OT)
• Game 4: Thunder 92, Nuggets 87
• Game 5: Thunder 112, Nuggets 105
• Game 6: Nuggets 119, Thunder 107
• Game 7: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93

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The news that’s emerged about Caleb Williams and how he wanted to circumvent the draft process or, more specifically, prevent the Chicago Bears from selecting him (the team that has buried the careers of numerous quarterbacks) is of course interesting.

That part of this recent Williams story isn’t the most interesting part.

I’ll tell you what is.

In the ESPN story that originates from Seth Wickersham’s upcoming work, ‘American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,’ is this stunning piece of information about Williams and the Bears’ coaching staff: “At times, Williams said he would watch film alone, with no instruction or guidance from the coaches. ‘No one tells me what to watch,’ Caleb Williams told his dad. ‘I just turn it on.’”

Wut?

I suspect in the coming days Williams will attempt to clean this quote up, lessen its impact, portray it differently. That’s because there are so many damning aspects to this remark it’s difficult to find a place to start.

We need to break this down like forensic scientists and try to understand exactly what Williams is saying. First, what did Williams mean exactly by ‘no one tells me what to watch?’ Did the way he watched film at USC not translate to the NFL?

Or did Williams mean he needed the Bears’ coaching staff to explain how they watched film? Or that he needed help with what to look for in the NFL?

Either way, it cannot be overstated how much of an indictment this is of the Bears and last season’s since-fired coaching staff. More on that in a moment.

It’s been noted that Williams himself isn’t quoted on this. His father is. A number of former NFL players didn’t seem to care either way. Some of them obliterated Williams for not being more aggressive in learning how to watch film on his own.

Former Packers wide receiver James Jones, a Bears critic (because, well, he’s a Packer), blasted Williams.

‘I don’t know Caleb Williams personally, man, you know what I mean? And I don’t want to call (anyone) a liar, but I played a long time in the National Football League,’ Jones said. ‘…There is time in a day to where we watched film as an offense, to where we watch film as a position group.

‘So you’re not going to sit up here and tell me that you (didn’t watch) film with your quarterbacks or you didn’t watch film with your offense because you do. They put that in the schedule.’

But it seems the issue was Williams’ uncertainty when watching film alone as opposed to in position groups.

Former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, the crankiest old man in any room, went a step further and called Williams entitled.

‘When you think about this, I think a lot of these kids and their parents are nowadays and that the level of entitlement is breathtaking,’ Esiason said. ‘It’s no wonder why he failed initially and it’s no wonder why the coach got fired. So now they go out and get an offensive coach in Ben Johnson and you know what? Now it’s on (him). It’s going to be on (him) to live up to these so-called lofty expectations that he has for himself and that his father has for his son.’

(You can almost hear Esiason’s old man ramblings careening off clouds.)

It’s true that on rare occasions we’ll hear about players who don’t individually study film. Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski, an infamous lunkhead, once admitted he didn’t watch film, and instead got human cheat sheet Tom Brady to summarize the key plot points for him like Brady was ChatGPT.

‘I don’t watch film,’ Gronkowski told the Manning brothers in 2021 on their ‘Monday Night Football’ alternate broadcast. ‘I do go up to Tom, because I know Tom watches like, I don’t know, 40 hours of film a week.’

‘My teammate (Cameron Brate) just asked me the other day, ‘Rob, I have a serious question: Do you ever watch film?’ And I said, ‘No, I don’t. I just run by guys, if I’m feeling good, I’m feeling good,” Gronkowski recalled. ‘So I don’t watch film. I do watch film when the team is showing it.’

‘(I’ll ask), ‘Tom, who is covering me, and what type of coverages are they doing?’ I go, ‘That’s why I love playing with you Tom, you know everything,” Gronkowski said.

(All of that is so Gronk.)

Wickersham told the story to Fox 32 in Chicago that when veteran quarterback Alex Smith, the former No. 1 overall pick, came into the league he also wasn’t told what to look for when watching film and did so alone. When Smith later went to Kansas City, he helped teach Patrick Mahomes how to watch film as a pro.

Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan said before the 2025 draft he didn’t do individual film study when in college.

‘I don’t like watching film either,’ McMillan said. ‘I don’t ever need to watch it by myself because we go over it as a receiver group.’

So, yes, not every player watches film, but it remains extremely rare for quarterbacks in football today to be left on his own to do it. It simply does not happen with any sort of regularity.

Maybe this is an indictment of Williams but I don’t think so. This is more about the Bears. This is a massive, gigantic, almost incomprehensible failure of the franchise.

How does the staff, namely former head coach Matt Eberflus, and former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, not notice this issue? Or did they know and ignore it? There are so many questions here.

What’s not in question is the Bears again proving their quarterback dysfunction. This is such a good example of why. It’s almost comical. You can’t imagine some of the great franchises in the league doing this today. Teams take so much care in how they treat quarterbacks. Educate them. Protect them. They are the NFL’s equivalent of the rarest of diamonds.

There seems to be so much more to this story. There’s a lot we don’t know, but from what we do, this is quarterback malpractice.

It’s true that this offseason the Bears have done a great deal to try to help Williams. They got a new offensive-minded head coach in Ben Johnson, more offensive line help and weapons. Maybe that all works and the Chicago QB Dysfunction Era will end. But what this story shows is that the dysfunction in the Bears organization when it comes to quarterbacks dies hard.

What quarterbacks look for in film study (or are supposed to) are all the trickeries and tells in defenses. Not to mention what they learn about their own offense (and themselves) from watching practice film. Yes, coaches can relay a lot of that, but it’s better if you can digest it on your own. Brady wasn’t born with the ability to decode a defense. He learned so much of that from study. All of the great ones do. There’s no film gene.

Brady has spoken about how Bill Belichick taught him how to break down film. Brady would expand on Belichick’s instruction and become one of the great film studiers of all time. It got to the point where Brady knew some defenses better than they knew themselves.

“I asked Tom once, ‘Is that film study why you are so confident out there?’” Damon Huard, Brady’s backup from 2001-2003, once explained. “He said, ‘Yeah, it’s awesome.’”

Williams was apparently in the film room. Just alone. Which is extremely Bears-ian.

It’s been over two months since veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers became a free agent, and he still hasn’t signed with a team.

According to one recent report, that may change in the next couple of weeks.

In April, the former New York Jets quarterback told the Pat McAfee Show that he was dealing with matters in his ‘personal life,’ which were part of what was holding him back from deciding on where he’d play in 2025.

On Friday, sportswriter Ian O’Connor, who published a Rodgers biography in 2024, joined Pittsburgh radio station 93.7 The Fan to discuss Rodgers’ looming decision. In his interview, O’Connor said he believes the veteran quarterback will sort out those ‘personal issues’ and sign with a team – ostensibly the Pittsburgh Steelers – by the start of mandatory minicamp in early June.

‘Talking to a couple other people close to Aaron, I think I have a sense of what it (the issues) might be,’ the biographer said. ‘I’m not comfortable repeating it right now, but I don’t think it would prevent him from playing football with the Steelers.

‘I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], ‘Listen, I’m gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all.”

O’Connor said he spoke to 250 people when writing his Rodgers biography, ‘Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers,’ giving him more authority on Rodgers’ mindset than most other writers. O’Connor said that he’s continued to reach out to those close to the veteran quarterback, which gave him the sense that Rodgers will be ready to make an official decision by the end of May.

The Steelers have been the primary team connected to Rodgers throughout his free agency. They held off on signing one of the other top veteran free-agent quarterbacks early in free agency – though Pittsburgh did bring back Mason Rudolph on a short-term deal – and drafted former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh has three quarterbacks on their active roster, none of whom were full-time NFL starters in 2024: Rudolph, Howard and former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson.

In 2024, his second and final year with the Jets, Rodgers had a completion rate of 63% with 3,897 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. New York let Rodgers know the team planned to go in a different direction in February.

The Steelers will open the 2025 regular season in East Rutherford, New Jersey for a Week 1 game against the Jets.

Philadelphia Phillies closer Jose Alvarado has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for exogenous Testosterone, MLB announced Sunday.

Alvarado, who has a team-leading seven saves in seven opportunities, is in his ninth major league season – playing his first four with the Tampa Bay Rays and the past five with the Phillies.

Under MLB rules, the left-hander will be able to return for the Phillies’ final 37 games of the regular season, but will be ineligible for any potential playoff games.

Despite the Phillies signing free agent closer Jordan Romano this past offseason, Alvarado, 29, has been more effective in the closer’s role. He has a 4-1 record and 2.70 ERA over 20 appearances – while Romano is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and four saves in six opportunities.

Coach Steve: Is it safe for youth athletes to take dietary supplements?

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The NASCAR Cup Series takes over historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina on Sunday for the annual NASCAR All-Star Race.

Twenty-three drivers will race for a $1 million prize under the lights in prime time, with 20 qualifying automatically, two gaining entrances to the race through the All-Star Open and the final berth being awarded to the winner of the fan vote. This year’s All-Star Race will also be longer, going from 200 laps to 250 laps on the 0.625-mile track.

But before the drivers can tackle the All-Star Race, they had to compete in heat races on Saturday to set Sunday’s starting lineup. The heats also allowed drivers to get a feel for racing conditions on the short track. Brad Keselowski was fastest in qualifying and won the first of two heat races to lock up the pole position for Sunday’s race. Christopher Bell won the second heat race and will start on the outside of the front row.

The All-Star Open will precede the All-Star Race on Sunday, giving fans two events on Sunday to get their motors revved. Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race and All-Star Open:

Carson Hocevar wins NASCAR All-Star Open

Carson Hocevar took charge on the final restart on Lap 84 of 100 to surge to the lead in his No. 77 Chevrolet and win the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Open. John Hunter Nemecheck, in the No. 42 Toyota, finished second. With the results, Hocevar and Nemechek advanced to their first NASCAR All-Star Race. Noah Gragson won the fan vote for the third consecutive season and will also transfer to the All-Star Race.

The three drivers will start the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, in the rear of the field behind the 20 automatic qualifers.

NASCAR All-Star Open hits halfway point

The yellow flag waved for a compeition caution on Lap 50 in the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Open. Shane Van Gisbergen led all 50 laps. The race is scheduled to go 100 laps, but there will be one attempt at overtime, if necessary, at the end of the race.

The top two finishers plus the All-Star fan vote winner will transfer to the NASCAR All-Star Race later tonight and will start in the rear of the field.

What time does the NASCAR All-Star Race start?

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race starts at 8 p.m. ET at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. It will be preceded by the NASCAR All-Star Open, which begins at 5 p.m. ET.

What TV channel is the NASCAR All-Star Race on?

FS1 is broadcasting the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race and the All-Star Open.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR All-Star Race?

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race can be live streamed on Max and the FoxSports app. Viewers can also stream the race on Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch the NASCAR All-Star Race on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR All-Star Race and All-Star Open?

• The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race is 250 laps around the 0.625-mile oval for a total of 156.25 miles. All laps count, and there will be a competition break at or around the 100-lap mark.
• The All-Star Open is 100 laps. All laps count, and there will be a competition break at or around Lap 50. There will be one attempt at NASCAR Overtime if necessary. The top two finishers plus the All-Star Fan Vote winner will transfer to the All-Star Race and start in the rear of the field.

Who won the most recent NASCAR All-Star Race?

Joey Logano dominated the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race, leading 199 of 200 laps before holding off Denny Hamlin by 0.636 seconds.

What is the lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Race?

The starting lineup for the 2025 NASCAR All-Star race was determined by the results of Saturday’s heat races. Heat 1 results determined the inside row to start Sunday’s race, while Heat 2 results determined the outside row (car number in parentheses):

1. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford … Fastest in qualifying
2. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota … Heat Race No. 2 winner
3. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 2nd place
4. (22) Joey Logano, Ford … Heat Race No. 2 2nd place
5. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 3rd place
6. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 2 3rd place
7. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford … Heat Race No. 1 4th place
8. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 2 4th place
9. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 5th place
10. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford … Heat Race No. 2 5th place
11. (21) Josh Berry, Ford … Heat Race No. 1 6th place
12. (99) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 2 6th place
13. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota … Heat Race No. 1 7th place
14. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota … Heat Race No. 2 7th place
15. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 8th place
16. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford … Heat Race No. 2 8th place
17. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 9th place
18. (51) Harrison Burton, Ford … Heat Race No. 2 9th place
19. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet … Heat Race No. 1 10th place
20. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota … Heat Race No. 2 10th place
21. All-Star Open winner
22. All-Star Open 2nd place
23. Fan vote winner

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi is in the starting lineup as Inter Miami returns to action against in-state rival Orlando City on Sunday night.

The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Chase Stadium, and will begin a Sunday Night Soccer doubleheader to cap MLS Rivalry Week – L.A. Galaxy will host Los Angeles FC in the second match at 9 p.m. ET.

Inter Miami has won just one match in its last six contests across all competitions, so expect Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates to lead the way for a much-needed victory.

Inter Miami enters the match ranked fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference with 22 points behind Philadelphia Union (29 points), FC Cincinnati (29 points), Columbus Crew (27 points) and Nashville (24 points). Orlando City is ranked seventh behind New York City FC, although both clubs have 21 points.  

Inter Miami has four MLS regular-season matches remaining, while Messi is expected to join Argentina for two World Cup qualifying matches in early June, before the Club World Cup begins on June 14.

Messi contract talks: When will he re-sign with Inter Miami?

Lionel Messi is under contract this season, but Inter Miami wants to extend the World Cup champion.

Before Sunday’s match, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said of a possible extension for Messi: “Hopefully in a few weeks, we can have some news about Leo because I think it will be very, very good for the club, for the fans, and for MLS.”

Is Messi playing vs. Orlando City? Inter Miami lineup today

Yes, Messi was announced as a starter by Inter Miami before the match. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs:

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Orlando City match on TV, live stream?

The match is available on the Apple TV+ channel, and MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

What time is Inter Miami vs. Orlando City match?

The match begins at 7 p.m. ET (8 p.m. in Argentina).

Is Luis Suarez playing tonight vs. Orlando City?

Suarez is also listed in the starting lineup, and returns after missing the last two Inter Miami matches due to personal reasons.

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City prediction

Inter Miami 2, Orlando City 1: Messi scores a goal and has an assist in a 2-1 victory for Inter Miami against Orlando City. — Safid Deen, Lionel Messi reporter.

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City betting odds

Inter Miami enters the match as the favorite (-130), while a draw (+290) has slightly lower odds than a win by Orlando City (+300), according to BETMGM.

Messi to join Argentina before Club World Cup

Messi has been called up by the defending World Cup champions for qualifying matches for the 2026 tournament. Argentina will visit Chile on June 5, and host Colombia on June 10.

Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule

• May 24: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
• May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET
• May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET

Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup

• June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
• June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
• June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)