Stephen Curry injury update: Warriors star listed as out vs. Lakers

theGolden State Warriorsare going to rest Stephen Curry in their Thursday evening game against theLos Angeles Lakers.

Curry waslisted out on the latest NBA injury reportdue to management of a right knee injury that has been described as runner's knee.

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The 38-year-old returned against the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings after missing 27 games from Feb. 3 to April 2. He scored 29 points against the Rockets on April 5 and 17 against the Kings on April 7.

Curry has averaged 27 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists appearing in 41 games for theWarriorsthis season. He has shot the ball at an efficient clip, a norm for the 12-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer.

byNeo

in

April 09, 2026

Stephen Curry injury update: Warriors star listed as out vs. Lakers

theGolden State Warriorsare going to rest Stephen Curry in their Thursday evening game against theLos Angeles Lakers. Curry wasli...

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Thunder lock up the No. 1 seed for the 3rd straight season, putting the champs in elite NBA company

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — For the third straight season, the road to the NBA title goes through Oklahoma City.

Thunder Clippers Basketball

And this latest No. 1 seed has put the Thunder in some storied basketball company.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his defending champs became the seventh team in NBA history to finish with its conference's best regular-season record in at least three consecutive years whenOklahoma Citywrapped up the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming playoffs witha 128-110 victoryover the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

The list of NBA teams who topped their conference standings in at least three straight seasons encompasses most of the greatest groups of the past half-century: The dominant Celtics teams of the 1970s and 1980s, the Showtime Lakers, the storied 1990s Chicago Bulls, the 2000s Lakers and the 2010s Golden State Warriors.

After comfortably holding off the Clippers for their 19th win in 20 games, the defending NBA champion Thunder (64-16) joined that elite group by clinching the top seed over San Antonio (61-19) and the league's best overall record.

The Thunder said they don't take this achievement for granted, even as they move on to chase bigger goals over the next two months.

“It feels better for sure, not only because we've had to weather a little more (adversity)," said MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 20 points and 11 assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. “But just repeating something and doing it again is always a little bit harder. It's a little more challenging. The league gets better. Players get better. For us to still have the best overall record through those ups and downs speaks volumes to the team. ... We always say at the beginning of the season that no matter what happened, we have to earn what we get to make it to the playoffs and our seeding, and we earned the first overall seed.”

The Thunder have been a powerhouse ever since they broke through two seasons ago to claim the best record in the West with 57 victories. After winning 68 games last year, they've become only the third team in NBA history to win at least 64 games in back-to-back seasons, joining the 1995-97 Bulls and the 2015-17 Warriors.

But they all know the playoffs are a stiffer test, and Oklahoma City will attempt to become the first team to win titles after having the NBA’s best record in back-to-back seasons since Michael Jordan’s Bulls did it in 1996 and 1997.

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“It's a great accomplishment,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “No two seasons are the same, and this season was a lot different experience. ... When you win the championship, that kind of hangs over you as a team the next year. Everybody — including ourselves — you judge yourself against that. It's incredibly hard to be present in the next regular season. I learned so much from this team, because their ability to come in every day and just embrace the day and the challenge that we had that day is really impressive, and it's why I think we had the season that we did.”

Indeed, Oklahoma City began this season with a 24-2 surge that had the basketball world wondering whether this was the best regular-season team in NBA history. Injuries slowed the Thunder to a mere 18-12 from mid-December to the All-Star break — but they've regained their ruthless momentum with a 22-2 rampage since then.

The Thunder were at least tied for first place in the conference for every day of the season, becoming only the seventh such wire-to-wire winner in league history. Golden State did it most recently in 2016.

“I thought we did a good job of fighting through everything we saw this year, and it’s paid off,” said Chet Holmgren, who scored 30 points against the Clips.

The injury problems might have prevented the Thunder from chasing the best single-season records in NBA history, but they also might have left Oklahoma City a bit fresher for the playoff challenges ahead: Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace are the only players to appear in 70 games this season.

The Thunder have two more games before several days off to prepare for another postseason run, and Gilgeous-Alexander thinks they'll be ready.

"We understand how to win, and the formula for winning," said Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored at least 20 points in his 141st consecutive game despite not making a free throw for the first time all season. “We understand that everybody doing that is the key to success. It's not the razzle-dazzle and the stuff that's cute. Understanding that getting the job done every night, and how to get it done, I think we've built that muscle more than anything.”

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

byNeo

in

April 09, 2026

Thunder lock up the No. 1 seed for the 3rd straight season, putting the champs in elite NBA company

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — For the third straight season, the road to the NBA title goes through Oklahoma City. Thunder Clippers B...

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Can the Suns' 'Big 3' round into shape for the postseason?

PHOENIX — On the morning of the much-needed Suns-Rockets reunion in the desert, the scene at Verizon 5G Performance Center largely mirrored the current state of affairs. Jalen Green was stationed at the far east corner of the gym, working on live reads with the help of a teammate and assistant. Superstar guard Devin Booker could be seen at the opposite end of the floor, operating out of the mid-post with another assistant. Dillon Brooks, who recently returned from a broken left hand, had already left for the day.

It was a brief but adequate depiction of the Suns’ stop-start season, an injury-riddled campaign that has limited Phoenix’s three best players to just 102 minutes together heading into Tuesday night. With just three games remaining in the regular season, the lack of continuity hasn’t exactly been a deterrent — Suns head coach Jordan Ott has done a quality job making lemonade out of an assortment of lemons — but there are still wrinkles to iron out ahead of the postseason.

“Game reps are obviously the most important piece to it all,” Ott said following Phoenix’s 119-105 loss to Houston on Tuesday night. “Thankfully Dillon and Jalen have played together, and at times, two of the three have played together. I think that’s the unique challenge, all three of them out there at the same time. But we’ve talked about it, we’ve practiced as much as we can practice. We always try to keep those guys [together] just to get the extra reps together. Continue to look at it and we gotta speed it up.”

(Tuesday night was basketball’s version of Inglourious Basterds, equal parts aggression and comedy. It’s clear that there’s no love lost between the two franchises, but between Green’s and Amen Thompson’s brotherly tension, Brooks’ and Kevin Durant’s enjoyable back-and-forth, and the sheer physicality from both sides, it was a necessary game. The Rockets needed a reminder of the brand of ball they used to brandish, and the Suns needed a wake-up call as to what’s in store. Houston had 24 offensive rebounds for goodness sake, scoring 37 points off said second-chance opportunities and eliminating a 21-point first-half deficit in the process.)

Understanding the Suns’ “struggles” (perhaps too harsh a word) incorporating their three-headed monster requires the context of both what has presented itself and also how well other lineups have played. Phoenix, up until this point, has essentially played teams to anet neutralwhen Green, Brooks and Booker share the floor, being outscored by one point in 219 possessions together, according to PBP Stats. They aren’t dominating opponents in the way that might have been hoped or expected at the outset, but not overwhelmingly losing those minutes, either. (It’s a testament to Ott, as previously mentioned, that Phoenix is actually outpacing teams bynearly six points per 100 possessionswhen all three are off the floor.)

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Following the game, Ott maintained the stance that his team, while knowingly ineffective on the defensive glass, tends to find other ways to win the possession battle. There were a plethora of warning signs going up against a large, physical Rockets team while committing to deploying smaller, quicker lineups — with Brooks or Royce O’Neale at the four — but the playoffs are a much more complex process than an early April game. The Suns remain one of the league’s most prominent offensive rebounding units since the All-Star break, grabbing the third-most boards in the NBAand continuing to excel in their transition defense. They understand their length limits threats as they send multiple bodies back, allowing just 1.09 points per chance, which ranks fifth in the league. More players sprinting back also means more opportunities to set up defensively and force turnovers — which makes sense given that the Suns are fifth in opponent transition turnover rate.

Still, having Brooks, Booker and Green requires a certain order of operation, maintaining a healthy shot and usage circulation while embracing the learning chemistry curve. Ott’s lineup against Houston — with Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin as additives — has played at a breakneck 114.98 pace over 17 minutes this season. It’s an extremely small sample size, but an important one. The Suns coughed up the ball a whopping 19 times Tuesday, a good chunk of them live-ball turnovers. Playing at extremely high speeds — the Miami Heat, for context, lead the NBA in pace at nearly 10 possessions fewer — tends to lead to mistakes. When those three have been on the floor,nearly half of their turnovers are of the live-ball family.

Phoenix needs more possessions like these over the next three games, simple sets that afford all three being involved. The play below incorporates Green’s initiation, Booker’s gravity and Brooks’ improved shot-making, ultimately maximizing the Suns’ spacing to generate a high-quality look.

But all roads, even in losses, lead back to Booker. The star guard led all players in scoring with 31 points on 7-for-16 shooting, including an efficient 15-of-16 from the charity stripe. Booker is the straw that stirs Ott’s drink, a blend of high-usage, high-efficiency centripetal force that consistently puts pressure on opposing defenses. Booker is among the top 25 in bothpoints and assists per game, has further leaned into his driving ability andgravity—sixthin frequency since the break — and is still a top-40-ish player bymost advanced metric models. Surrounding Booker with shooters and mobile bigs has worked thus far; Phoenix is top five in 3-point rate and makes, and top 10 in conversion rate — and it’s no surprise the Suns aresix points better per 100 possessionswhen Booker’s on the floor.

In the playoffs, however, teams will certainly load up on Booker and force the Suns to take advantage of 4-on-3 possessions. This is a strong, confident Phoenix group backed by a top 10-defense, an abundance of pace and space, elite shooting, skilled bigs and an architect in Ott that is just now getting his best tools together. Their dreams of escaping the play-In have been vanquished, but getting their Big 3 on the same page — and quickly — is the next most important item on the agenda. Sometimes the simplest answer is the most obvious.

“We are trying to get better and be perfect for 48 minutes, so that has been our focus for the last few weeks,” Grayson Allen said. “Not looking ahead but thinking ahead and thinking ahead on what we are prepared for and that is the postseason. It will be the same thing these last few games, try and put perfect stretches together.”

byNeo

in

April 09, 2026

Can the Suns' 'Big 3' round into shape for the postseason?

PHOENIX — On the morning of the much-needed Suns-Rockets reunion in the desert, the scene at Verizon 5G Performance Center largely mirr...

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2026 NFL mock draft with trades: Jets get more picks, Chargers fill need

It’s mock draft season as the 2026 NFL draft is fast approaching.

Pittsburgh is the host city of the 91stedition of the NFL draft. It’s the first time the Steel City’s hosted the draft since 1948.

Indiana product and Heisman Trophy recipient, Fernando Mendoza, is the surefire No. 1 pick after a national championship winning season. But this year’s draft is a mystery after the Las Vegas Raiders presumably get their quarterback with the top overall selection.

A total of 257 players will be selected throughout the three-day event. USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon makes some draft predictions in his 2026 first round mock draft:

1. Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza is one of the biggest locks at No. 1 in recent memory. The only question is how many games Mendoza will start as a rookie now that the Raiderssigned a bridge QB and mentor Kirk Cousins. Mendoza is a polished quarterback, accurate passer and a good processor.

2. New York Jets – Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Reese has the versality to play on the line of scrimmage or off the ball. At 6-foot-4, he has the length, athleticism and quickness to be a standout edge rusher. Reese would be an ideal fit in New York’s 3-4 defense.

3. Arizona Cardinals – Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

The Cardinals have a plethora of holes – as do most teams at the top of the draft. Arizona could target an offensive tackle with an offensive-minded first-year head coach in Mike LaFleur. But Bailey is too intriguing of a prospect to pass up. Bailey is explosive at the line of scrimmage with multiple go-to moves.

4. Tennessee Titans – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Titans have to supply second-year QB Cam Ward with more weapons. Who better than the best running back in this year’s draft? Many scouts believe Love is the top offensive player in this year’s class. The Titans had the 30thranked run offense in the NFL in 2025.

5. New York Giants – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

The Giants already have a stout front seven. Plugging in Styles at linebacker alongside Tremaine Edmunds would only bolster the unit. New York could also pivot and target an offensive player, but Styles is an elite tackler and boasts the athleticism that will immediately translate to the NFL.

6. Cleveland Browns – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Tate possesses good agility and body control, which helps him run the route tree. Jerry Jeudy was Cleveland’s only wide receiver with over 25 receptions last season. Tate would be a nice complement to Jeudy – and aidwhoever starts at QB.

7. Washington Commanders - S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The run of Ohio State players continues as Downs is the fourth Buckeye selected in the first seven picks. Downs is a playmaker in the defensive backfield. He possesses good ball skills. He can play in the box and line up at nickel corner. Plus, he has the IQ to be an anchor in Washington’s secondary.

8. New Orleans Saints – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

New Orleans ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in total offense last season. Chris Olave, who is routinely on the trading block, is entering the final year of his contract. Tyson will give the Saints necessary insurance if Olave leaves or would create a solid one-two punch on the outside for promising young QB Tyler Shough.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

The Chiefs need a disruptive playmaker other than Chris Jones on their defensive line. Plenty has been made ofBain’s arm length, but he’s the most polished edge rusher in this year’s class. He has explosive hands plus an assortment of moves to shed blocks.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Bengals had the worst total defense in the AFC last season. Cincinnati needs to upgrade multiple spots on defense. Delane is a physical corner who plays well in press coverage. He was consistent in coverage throughout his college career.

11. Miami Dolphins – WR Makai Lemon, USC

Someone has to catch passes in Miami after the rebuilding DolphinsreleasedTyreek Hill andtradedJaylen Waddle. Lemon has sure hands and produces. The 5-foot-11 WR is best suited in the slot in the NFL.

12. Dallas Cowboys – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Dallas finished 2025 with the NFL’s worst pass defense. The Cowboys’ inability to get after the QB and shortcomings at cornerback both played a role in the team’s poor pass defense. Many believe McCoy would’ve been the best corner in this year’s draft before a torn ACL cost him the entire 2025 season.

13. Los Angeles Rams – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami

There’s certainly a possibility Mauigoa gets drafted within the top 10. But if he’s available at No. 13, it’s hard to believe the Rams pass on him. Mauigoa can start right away at right tackle. He’s the top tackle in this year’s draft.

14. Baltimore Ravens – OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

The Ravens must beef up their interior, especially after losing center Tyler Linderbaum. Ioane is the top-rated guard in this year’s draft. He’s a tough mauler of a guard who can help pave the way for more rushing lanes for Derrick Henry.

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15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami

Tampa Bay has needed more pass rush juice for a while. Mesidor is a physical edge rusher who plays with a high motor. The Bucs saw what Mesidor can do as an edge rusher right down the road in the Sunshine State.

16. Trade: New York Jets trade pick to Carolina Panthers – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

With Sadiq slipping a little bit, the Panthers trade up to select the top tight end in the draft. The Panthers need more firepower on offense – Carolina didn’t have a tight end produce more than 30 catches in 2025 – and Sadiq can line up all over the field. He’s athletic and can keep the chains moving. The rebuilding Jets get additional draft capital in exchange to add to their nine total draft picks.

17. Detroit Lions – OL Spencer Fano, Utah

Fano seems like a quintessential Lions pick. The Utah product is the top offensive linemen available and has position flexibility. He can play guard or tackle. Detroit’s O-line ranked 31stin pass block win rate last year, perESPN.

18. Minnesota Vikings – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Replacing long-time veteran Harrison Smith with Thieneman would be a seamless transition. Thieneman is a center fielder at safety with good speed and size.

19. Trade: Carolina Panthers trade pick to New York Jets – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

With multiple needs on both sides of the football, it makes sense for the Jets to trade down in an attempt to gain more assets. The Jets don’t have an adequate replacement afterthey shippedCB Sauce Gardner to Indy. Terrell is a smart instinctive cornerback with good football bloodlines. His brother, A.J., is the Falcons’ top cornerback. Opposing QBs had a league best 110.9 passer rating versus the Jets defense.

20. Dallas Cowboys – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

McNeil-Warren can line up close to the line of scrimmage or play center fielder in Dallas’ defensive backfield. The Cowboys have an opportunity to help their poorest secondary in a big way in the first round.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

Freeling has good length and athletic ability at tackle. OT Broderick Jones suffered a season-ending neck injury last season and hasn’t proved to be the long-term solution at the position.

22. Trade: Los Angeles Chargers trade pick to Cleveland Browns – OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

The Browns move up as the top tackles continue to come off the board. The Browns have revamped their offensive line this offseason, and the Lomu addition continues those efforts. The Chargers are prime candidates to trade down because they own just five total picks in this year's draft. The Chargers could fill a need at edge or guard later in the first or second round.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – OT Blake Miller, Clemson

Standout right tackle Lane Johnson isn’t getting any younger. Miller is a potential replacement. He’s a natural right tackle with impressive fundamentals at the position.

24. Trade: Cleveland Browns trade pick to Los Angeles Chargers – Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson

Clemson players go back-to-back. The Chargerslost Odafe Oweh, who thrived as their third edge rusher, in free agency. Los Angeles needs to find a long-term replacement for Khalil Mack. The Chargers traded a couple picks down and got a player who fills an area of need. Parker is a powerful edge rusher and stout run defender with impressive size.

25. Chicago Bears – Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The Bears have a glaring hole at edge rusher. Chicago ranked 31stin pass rush win rate, perESPN. Faulk is a little raw as a pass rusher, but he has good traits and moves well.

26. Buffalo Bills – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

After acquiring DJ Moorevia trade, the Bills add more firepower to their wide receiver room. Concepcion showed good separation skills in college. He’s at his best in short and intermediate routes.

27. San Francisco 49ers – CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

The 49ers could draft an edge rusher here to pair with Nick Bosa, but a cornerback room with Deommodore Lenoir and Cisse is intriguing. The 6-foot corner has the length and athleticism to play outside corner.

28. Houston Texans – OG Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M

Fixing theoffensive line is top priority for the Texansthis offseason. Houston ranked had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last year. Bisontis can start at guard as a rookie.

29. Kansas City Chiefs – CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

Cornerback is a glaring need for the Chiefs. It’s going to be tough to replace cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, but Hood is a good start. Hood is a polished corner who plays with a physical style.

30. Miami Dolphins – OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Proctor was one of the best tackles in college football last season. The behemoth offensive lineman is a bulldozer. There’s also talk that he could slide inside and play guard.

31. New England Patriots – WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

The Patriots would love to see a player like Cooper fall to them. Cooper was Fernando Mendoza’s top target at Indiana last season. Cooper can play outside or inside. His ability to make catches in traffic is impressive.

32. Seattle Seahawks – RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Price is a smooth runner with good instincts and vision. He made a name for himself in his own right playing with Notre Dame teammate Jeremiyah Love. The Seahawks lostSuper Bowl 60 MVPKenneth Walker III in free agency and Zach Charbonnet is recovering from a knee injury.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL Draft 2026: First round mock includes two trade predictions

byNeo

in

April 09, 2026

2026 NFL mock draft with trades: Jets get more picks, Chargers fill need

It’s mock draft season as the 2026 NFL draft is fast approaching. Pittsburgh is the host city of the 91stedition of the NFL draft...

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When is the Artemis II splashdown in California? See time, location

The Artemis II astronautsare on their way home and preparing for a water landing off the coast of California, leaving the moon in the rearview mirror after becoming thefirst humans in more than 50 yearsto travel near Earth's celestial neighbor.

The most important leg ofthe historic moon missionis complete afterthe four astronautsspent hours Monday, April 6, making observations of the moon's far side, which is permanently faced away from Earth. The close approach, known asa lunar flyby, was a trailblazing moment inspaceflight, taking astronautsReid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover of NASA, as well as Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, thefarthest any human has been from Earth.

This handout image released by NASA shows a fully illuminated Moon, with the near side at top, dark lava plains, and the Orientale basin, with parts of the far side visible, on April 6, 2026. The four astronauts embarking on NASA's lunar flyby became on April 6 the humans to travel furthest from our planet, as they get set to view areas of the Moon never before seen by the naked eye. The Artemis II team broke the previous record set by 1970's Apollo 13 mission, which they are expected to surpass by approximately 4,105 miles (6,606 kilometers) when they reach this journey's anticipated furthest distance from Earth -- 252,760 miles -- later today.

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A look at Artemis around the far side of the moon

This handout image released byNASAshows a fully illuminated Moon, with the near side at top, dark lava plains, and the Orientale basin, with parts of the far side visible, on April 6, 2026. The four astronauts embarking on NASA's lunar flyby became on April 6 the humans to travel furthest from our planet, as they get set to view areas of the Moon never before seen by the naked eye. The Artemis II team broke the previous record set by 1970's Apollo 13 mission, which they are expected to surpass by approximately 4,105 miles (6,606 kilometers) when they reach this journey's anticipated furthest distance from Earth -- 252,760 miles -- later today.

In the days ahead, the crew members aboard NASA's Orion capsule will now make the trek back home and prepare for a splashdown off the California coast.

Want to follow along with the rest of the test flight, which will pave the way for a possible2028 moon landing?

Here's what to know about the Artemis II splashdown, as well as how you can use NASA's official tracker to keep up with their journey.

Artemis II:Why are we going back to the moon? NASA Artemis campaign targets Mars

Where is the Artemis II splashdown in California?

The astronauts are now making a four-day journey back to Earth, using our planet's gravity to naturally "slingshot," orpull Orion back home, negating the need for propulsion or much fuel.

Once Orion blazes through Earth's atmosphere, a protective heat shield will be cast off to make way for parachutes to deploy and slow the vehicle down.

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See photos from space during NASA's Artemis II mission so far

The capsule will then make a water landing likely Friday, April 10, in the Pacific Ocean near California off the coast of San Diego, after which five orange airbags will inflate around the top of the spacecraft and flip the capsule into an upright position. After the landing, the crew would exit the vehicle onto a U.S. Navyrecovery vesselwithin about two hours.

When is the Artemis II splashdown in California?

The Artemis II astronauts' Orion is scheduled to splash down at about 5:07 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10.

Artemis II and it’s crew of four lift off from Kennedy Space Center April 1, 2026 on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> People set cameras to photograph NASA's Artemis II lunar flyby mission, with the next-generation moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule, on Pad 39B ahead of the launch of the Artemis II mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., March 31, 2026. The rocket is scheduled for an April 1, 2026, 6:24 p.m. launch of the 10-day mission.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The countdown clock runs as NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft sit on Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Photographers set up remote cameras inside Pad 39B March 31, 2026 in advance of the launch of Artemis II.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The Highland Mint in Melbourne, Fla. has minted an Artemis II collector coin.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft rest on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on March 31, 2026, ahead of the crewed lunar mission.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See the moment Artemis II lifts off for historic moon mission

Artemis IIand it’s crew of four lift off from Kennedy Space Center April 1, 2026 on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

"Following splashdown, recovery teams will retrieve the crew members using helicopters and deliver them to the USS John P. Murtha. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-flight medical evaluations in the ship’s medical bay before traveling back to shore to meet with an aircraft bound for NASA Johnson (Space Center)," a NASA press release said.

Artemis II tracker: Follow moon mission location

Want to follow the astronauts along the Artemis II lunar journey? NASAhas an Artemis II trackeravailableonlineand on itsmobile appthat allows users to see where Orion is, how fast it's traveling and how far the spacecraft is from both the Earth and the moon.

The mobile version for smartphones even includes an augmented reality feature that allows users to move their phones to see where Orion is relative to Earth.

The tracker, officially referred to as the "Artemis Real-time Orbit Website" (AROW), uses data collected in real time by sensors on the Orion spacecraft sent to the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. That information will be constantly updated beginning about one minute after liftoff until Orion begins its re-entry into Earth's atmosphere about 10 days later.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Artemis II splashdown time, location for San Diego landing

byNeo

in

April 09, 2026

When is the Artemis II splashdown in California? See time, location

The Artemis II astronautsare on their way home and preparing for a water landing off the coast of California, leaving the moon in the r...

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