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UNREAL: LUKE LITTLER JOINS TAYLOR AND ANDERSON IN THE HISTORY BOOKS AFTER DOMINANT WIN

Luke Littler crushes Ryan, Searle 6-1 to reach his third consecutive world final. He faces Gian van Veen tonight at Ally Pally!

Unreal: Luke Littler joins Taylor and Anderson in the history books after dominant win
Littler reaches third straight final

Luke Littler barely broke a sweat as he crushed Ryan Searle 6-1, locking in a World Darts Championship final against Gian van Veen.

At just 18, Littler played out of his skin—averaged 105, fired in 10 180s, and nailed a 110 checkout. That’s three finals in a row for him now, putting him in the company of legends like Dennis Priestley, Phil Taylor, and Gary Anderson.

Van Veen’s win was wild, too. He went toe-to-toe with his idol, Gary Anderson, and came out on top 6-3. Now he’s set for the big showdown with Littler on Saturday.

Searle tried to put up a fight, but Littler just wouldn’t let up. He nailed 59% of his doubles, kept finishing on tops, and closed out the match in style. The only thing missing? That elusive nine-darter. It’s been bugging him. He got close—twice in the sixth set, actually—but Searle stole the leg with a jaw-dropping 170 checkout.

Still, it’s been a career-best run for Searle. He jumps up to number eight in the world, and honestly, he’s earned it. He’s done all this while dealing with autosomal dominant optic atrophy, an eye condition that sometimes leaves him blind to where his darts even land. Didn’t stop him from reaching the semis, dropping just two sets along the way.

But Littler was a different beast. He admitted he was frustrated at the start, going 1-0 down, but then he just switched on. “I went 1-0 down and was not the happiest. I thought I didn't play that well. Everyone knows I just want to go 1-0 up and get into that lead.” He made it look easy after that. He also gave Searle his due: “Big shout out to Ryan. He’s done amazing this tournament. He can be proud.”

Van Veen’s win, by the way, guarantees him the world number three spot, no matter what happens in the final. If he wins the whole thing, he leapfrogs Luke Humphries for the number two ranking. Big stakes, big night ahead.

KENDRICK BOURNE REVEALS THE STRICT DISCIPLINE THAT SPARKED THE PATRIOTS' TURNAROUND

Kendrick Bourne speaks out! Discover why he thinks Mike Vrabel is the right fit and why he’s eyeing a 2026 return to the 49ers.

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Kendrick Bourne tops the list of receivers San Francisco wants to retain

Kendrick Bourne’s path through the NFL has zigzagged all over – some highs, plenty of lows, and now, another fresh start. He took a shot with the Patriots in 2025 after building his reputation with the 49ers. But honestly, that New England chapter ended before it even got going. Bourne didn’t just slip out the back door. He left with a lot to say about what he saw brewing in New England as Mike Vrabel took charge.

Once Vrabel arrived, you didn’t need to listen for rumours about a culture shift; it was obvious. Bourne noticed right away. He’s already got his eyes set on home, back with the 49ers, but even from a distance, he could see the Patriots were heading somewhere new long before their record showed it.

Talking about his exit from New England, Bourne didn’t sugarcoat anything. Losing the job itself wasn’t the hardest part. What stung was watching Vrabel put his stamp on the team, laying down the kind of structure and discipline Bourne knew would eventually pay off. He was blunt; things just felt different under Vrabel compared to before.

He put it like this: “After going through OTAs and camp with Vrabes, you just knew. Nothing against Mayo, but he just wasn’t ready. With Vrabes, the structure was totally different in how we studied, how we met, and just the whole vibe. Honestly, I was sad about it.”

This wasn’t just a guy being bitter. Bourne respected what was happening in New England and genuinely wished he could have been part of it, especially with a Super Bowl push on the horizon. He even admitted he’d wanted to be in that locker room when the Patriots finally made it back to the big stage.

Now he’s back with the 49ers, hoping to stick around. At 30, Bourne wants a new contract in San Francisco. He had a solid 2025, racked up 551 yards, picked up a contract bonus, and gave the offence a spark. The 49ers needed reliable hands, and Bourne delivered. He’s clear: he wants to stay, but only if the deal makes sense for him.

So now, the offseason gets interesting. Bourne knows where he fits best, but he’s still keeping an eye on what’s building in New England. That mix of looking back and chasing what’s next makes this part of his career one to pay attention to.

MRI SCARE: STEVE KERR ADMITS STEPH CURRY’S "NEBULOUS" KNEE MAY REQUIRE SECOND IMAGING

Warriors crisis! Discover why Steph Curry may need another MRI and how Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear shifts GSW to the play-in.

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Warriors star to undergo new MRI as knee pain lingers

The Warriors have been scrambling since Jimmy Butler went down with that ACL tear. He’s done for the year, and now Stephen Curry has to carry the offence on his own.

Right after the All-Star break, the Warriors are sitting in eighth place out West. That’s already shaky, and now Curry’s dealing with a knee injury too. The team calls it runner's knee; basically, he just needs time to heal. But then Steve Kerr gave an update that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Turns out, Curry might need another MRI. He tried to push through a full workout, but his knee just wasn’t right. Now, they’re waiting on imaging to figure out how long he’ll actually be out.

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis still hasn’t suited up for Golden State. If Curry misses significant time, everyone else needs to step up in a big way. The Warriors already have one of the most average offences in the league, 15th at the break. No curry, and things get ugly fast. He’s already missed 16 games this season, and the team went 6-10 without him.

Losing Butler already knocked the Warriors out of serious contention. They’re pretty much locked into the play-in. Unless Curry suddenly goes supernova, it’s hard to see them catching the Thunder or making any real noise out West.

So, what’s next? The front office tried to swing big at the deadline, going after Giannis Antetokounmpo, though who knows if the Bucks ever really considered it. Giannis stayed put, but you can bet the Warriors will chase him again this summer.

If that doesn’t work, they’ll turn to other stars. They know the championship window is closing with Curry still on the roster. He’s still elite, but time’s ticking.

LeBron James even comes up as a possibility. If he declines his player option and hits free agency, maybe he’d team up with Curry for one last run at a ring.

Most likely, though, Golden State will look at trades instead of free agents to try to reload. Curry’s health isn’t what it used to be, and the Warriors know they have to make the most of whatever prime he’s got left.

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