Tigers 4, Orioles 1: Troy Melton returns and the Tigers win a game

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 24: Troy Melton #52 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles during game two of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After yet another gut-wrenching loss in the first of two on Sunday, the Detroit Tigers and their fans really needed a win. They got it with some early offense and strong performances from Troy Melton, Tyler Holton, and Drew Anderson, who closed out a 4-1 victory with a nice six-out save.

Facing lefty Trevor Rogers, the Tigers started this one with a single from Matt Vierling. Kevin McGonigle followed with a grounder to first and Pete Alonso fired to second to get the lead runner but they couldn’t turn the double play. Dillon Dingler went down and launched a breaking ball high and deep over the left field wall, and it was 2-0 Tigers before a lot of fans found their seats. Riley Greene took a called strike three, and Jahmai Jones flew out to center field for the final out of the frame.

As uncertain as the Tigers future is right now, Troy Melton is going to be part of it, so it was great to see him back on the mound making his first start of the season. Melton had a minor elbow sprain early in spring camp and the Tigers immediately shut him down and took plenty of time to make sure he was 100 percent before letting him ramp up.

Melton got fly outs from Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson to begin his outing. He got into a 3-1 count against Adley Rutschman and challenged him with a 96.7 mph fastball. The Orioles catcher took a huge hack but Melton won out as he lifted a routine high fly to right field.

Spencer Torkelson and Hao-Yu Lee hit the ball hard in the second, but the Tigers went hitless. Kevin McGonigle made a nice pick on a hot Pete Alonso grounder to start the bottom half. Melton’s velo was very good early on. His command was a little rougher, and he left a splitter up against Samuel Basallo that was smoked into center for a one-out single. Leody Taveras grounded out, but Colton Cowser drew a walk on a 3-2 fastball that was initially called a strike but was challenged correctly. Blaze Alexander strafed a line drive that was heading down the left field line but Kevin McGonigle made a great leaping catch to prevent at least one run.

Melton was attacking the zone and looked 100 percent, but it was still his first start of the season and his command wasn’t real sharp in terms of the life on his stuff nor location early on. He also hasn’t thrown more than 65 pitches, and only got one rehab start in against Triple-A hitters, so it’s going to be a while before he’s up to full strength.

You’ll recall that Melton has always been a starter, but pitched in a mixed role last year and had a problem with his splitter against left-handed hitters. He has plenty of strengths in his fastball and breaking stuff to build from this season but getting that splitter dialed will be important.

Short, Vierling, and McGonigle all popped out in the top of the third. Melton jammed Jackson Holliday, who popped out, and Taylor Ward grounded out. A nasty fading splitter and then a 97.3 mph heater up and away dusted Gunnar Henderson for the third out of the third inning.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the fourth, with Jahmai Jones lining out to Holliday at second to end the top half. Emblematic of how his season has gone.

Melton started the fourth with a walk of Rutschman and then Alonso padded a grounder up the middle for a single to get Rutschman to third. He scored on a Samuel Basallo sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 Tigers. Melton blew Taveras away for his second strikeout, and so it was up to Cowser, who bounced out to Torkelson to end the inning.

Torkelson drew a walk to open the fifth inning. Wenceel Pérez showed bunt first pitch but pulled it back and took a ball. He tried again 1-1 and fouled it off to the first base side, then pulled a hard ground ball through the left side of the infield for a single. Lee flew out to center field, but not quite deep enough into this tiny outfield to get Torkelson to third. Rogers was really nibbling by this point and Short worked a full count and fought off a fastball before walking to load the bases with one out.

That brought the top of the order up, and if the Tigers were going to break this losing streak they needed to cash some of these chips with Vierling and McGonigle next up.

Rogers tied Vierling up and he popped out near the Orioles dugout, so it was up to the Kid, and the Kid came through. McGonigle got into a full count after Rogers started off ahead, and then rifled a single into center field to score Torkelson and Pérez. Short moved to third, and it was 4-1 Tigers.

That ended Rogers’ outing. Craig Albernaz turned to right-hander Andrew Kittredge instead, facing Dingler. McGonigle stole second base to get into scoring position without a throw. Kttredge bounced a slider on the eighth pitch of that at-bat, and the bases were loaded with two outs for Riley Greene. The Orioles pitching coach came out to chat with his pitcher, and let’s not forget the Orioles are struggling too.

Unfortunately, Greene got ahead 2-0 but swung at a sinker up on the outer edge and grounded out to first. I’ve mentioned this a few times, but one of the cascading effects of this misery is that the Tigers are rarely getting to a team’s worst relievers, which is where a lot of the addition run scoring and stat padding happens. They got a chance there and couldn’t capitalize. Would it cost them? Eh, probably considering how things are going.

Melton started the inning at 55 pitches. He got Alexander and Holliday to hit the ball to Pérez for a quick two outs. Taylor Ward popped out on a cutter, and we were on to the sixth with Melton looking as though he had at least another inning in him.

Right-hander Albert Suárez took over for the Orioles in the sixth. He used to be a sinkerballer but is now a mediocre, very fly ball prone pitcher who doesn’t strike many hitters out. Colt Keith took over for Jahmai Jones, hitting fifth. He flew out to right field and Torkelson followed suit. Pérez grounded out to shortstop, and now things would get very interesting.

Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Pete Alonso were due up for the third time against Melton, who started the inning at 65 pitches. If they could get through this inning and add on another run or two, that would probably be enough.

Henderson fought off a couple of tough two strike pitches, but a perfect back foot slider got the whiff. Melton missed with four straight to Rutschman as he looked to be running out of gas. That brought Alonso to the dish. Drew Anderson and Tyler Holton were warming at this point. Dingler went out to the mound, presumably to tell him this was his last batter and to just empty the tank. A slider got Alonso off balance and he lifted a pop fly to Pérez. That was it for Melton, and the Tigers couldn’t be happier with his first outing.

Melton’s final line was 5.2 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K. Plenty to build on for the young right-hander, who isn’t much more than a rookie himself.

Holton took over to face the dangerous Samuel Basallo, and carved him up with a flurry of good sweepers to end the inning. Stiill 4-1 Tigers.

Suárez got Lee on a grounder to Holliday at second to open the seventh inning. Short followed with a single to right field to turn the lineup over, and Vierling dug into the box. He smoked a drive to the warning track in right center field but Taveras ran it down. McGonigle bounced out to first to send it to the bottom half.

Taveras put up a lengthy fight against Holton, but grounded out to Short for the first out. A nice changeup got a whiff from O’Neill, and Blaze Alexander flew out weakly to right field to end the inning.

While we begged for one more run, Dingler popped out and Greene grounded out to start the eighth. Colt Keith came through with a line drive single to right field and then took third as Torkelson followed suit with another lined single to right. Unfortunately, Pérez hit an opposite field fly ball out to Taylor Ward to end the two-out threat.

With Kyle Finnegan, Will Vest, and Kenley Jansen burnt for the day, Drew Anderson came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth. He got ahead of Holliday 0-2, but the young hitter worked back into a full count. A fastball up and in was pulled just foul with near home run distance, but a changeup down the middle induced a weak fly ball to center field. Ward followed with a flared single to right field. Henderson popped up on a changeup as well. Kick change, ftw. Anderson stayed on the attack against Rutschman, mixing mostly 96-97 mph fourseamers in between changeups, but after starting ahead, the Orioles catcher took some decent pitches to work it full. A filthy kick change that disappeared like a splitter drew a wild whiff to send this to the ninth.

The Tigers went in order quickly, and so it was up to Anderson to finally get the Tigers a win. It didn’t start well. He walked Alonso and Basallo both, but Fetter came out in pretty animated fashion. Presumably “throw #$%$#%# strikes!” was part of the message. Anderson rebounded by punching out Taveras and O’Neill. He got ahead of Alexander 1-2 and whiffed him on a nasty changeup that was foul tipped into Dingler’s glove.

Nice moxie from Anderson there. After a nice eighth, things looked sketchy after two walks to start the ninth, but he pulled it together to strike out the side as the Tigers snap an eight-game losing streak.

The Tigers are 21-33, and they’ll head home now for an off day before welcoming in the Los Angeles Angels for three on Tuesday. Suffice it to say, whatever slim hopes are left depend heavily on the Tigers ripping through numerous series victories in a row. Nothing for anyone, including the fans to do, but take it one game at a time.

I would’ve bet Kevin was the gene edited one in the family.

Casey at the bat: Giants 8, White Sox 5

Casey after the bat | (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)

The mighty Casey may be fated to strike out sooner or later. Still, today was not that day, as Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt and first baseman Rafael Devers ran wild on Sox pitching this afternoon, driving in all eight San Francisco runs in the White Sox 8-5 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park.

It’s the second straight series loss for the Sox, who are back to .500 after a blissful week-and-a-half above the breakeven point. Fresh off the remarkable feat of allowing an entire grand slam within the first six pitches of the game, it looked like it was going to be another rough one for Robbie Ray when Chase Meidroth came out swinging for his second leadoff home run of the season.

Unfortunately, Noah Schultz once again struggled somewhat out of the gate, walking Willy Adames to open the game before back-to-back doubles from Schmitt and Rafael Devers made the Sox lead as short-lived as Arson Judge’s time with the Giants.

On a more promising note, Schultz did not offer up any more free passes after batter number one, which makes it just one walk over his last 43 batters. Although the results still aren’t there — Schultz did wind up getting tagged for six runs over four-plus innings — the sudden descent from the 17% walk rate he ran over his first five starts is probably a more important takeaway than the runs, or dearth of strikeouts. If Schultz can consistently throw strikes, he’s going to be effective. Point blank. He’s not there yet, but as long as he can continue avoiding free baserunners, the results are going to follow sooner or later.

Two more of those six earned runs came in the fourth inning, when Schmitt’s reign of terror hit its apex with a home run to bring San Francisco’s lead to 4-1.

Still, this White Sox team doesn’t quit. Before talking about what happened next, I want to be clear and say that, like the quintessential modern baseball fan, I am generally opposed to sacrifice bunts in the way they’ve been traditionally used. The LaRussa methodology, so to speak.

However.

I also believe there are still scenarios where it makes sense in context, even if it doesn’t. One of those contexts was the fifth inning today, when Tristan Peters was entrusted with no outs to lay down a bunt to move runners to second and third. Ordinarily, a questionable move when one is chasing a few runs. But consider this: Tristan Peters is better at bunting than he is at hitting for power, and the on-deck hitter, Luisangel Acuña, has been flat-out terrible at hitting all around this season.

Acuña hit a sacrifice fly before Chase Meidroth struck out to end the inning, which comes full circle on a successful sac bunt situation, if you ask me. The numbers say that neither Peters nor Acuña was terribly likely to get on base, much less notch an extra-base hit to drive those runners in. Considering how Peters and Jarred Kelenic swung them out of a first-and-second-with-less-than-two-outs situation a couple of innings later, I’m okay hedging for a single run when they would have been otherwise as likely as not to come away with nothing.

Though he avoided more grand slams, Robbie Ray still had a tenuous (at best) idea of where the ball was going this afternoon, racking up six walks before getting driven out of the game in the fifth inning. There was no single big hit that got the Sox back in the game, but a bases-loaded ground out by Colson Montgomery, followed by a single from Edgar Quero, was enough to knot things up at four.

This version of the comeback kids was sadly short-lived, as Schultz’s half of the fifth inning nearly mirrored Ray’s. A double and a hit batter to start the inning ended Schultz’s afternoon. Unlike the Sox offense, the up-to-this-point-struggling Rafael Devers took full advantage, becoming the first opposing batter in 56 career appearances to take Grant Taylor deep.

Taylor will now hold his place in history with the eighth-most games pitched to start a career without giving up a longball.

That was more or less it for the excitement in this one. Miguel Vargas did get a hold of one, his 12th of the year, so if nothing else, his All-Star campaign is still rolling strong despite an underwhelming road trip.

There wasn’t any action the rest of the way. Still, we did see some interesting bullpen usage from Will Venable, who curiously deployed Seranthony Domínguez in the seventh inning of a game in which he trailed by three runs. Between this and Grant Taylor’s save last Tuesday, Venable is giving us a bit more to think about at the back end of the bullpen moving forward. Domínguez’s appearance today was, to me, at least a little eyebrow-raising in tandem with Tyler Davis’s 1 2/3 IP appearance today, in which he once again looked all the part of a solid big league reliever.

There will surely be some noise about sending Schultz back down to Charlotte after this performance, but I’d be shocked to see him anywhere but the big league rotation the rest of the way. He’s got little left to prove in the minor leagues; if this front office has any real designs on competing in 2027 or 2028, then right now is the time to let Schultz get through his growing pains. Look at Davis Martin — these things simply take time, and while this unexpected spurt of competitiveness has been exciting, we shouldn’t forget that time is one thing the Sox do still have in their back pocket. For now, at least.

As my friend Sean Anderson likes to say, West Coast games don’t count, as far as I’m concerned. The Sox are back at home for Memorial Day tomorrow afternoon, when Sean Burke will take the mound on Meidroth’s bobblehead day against the Minnesota Twins. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. CT, and we’ll see you there!


Who was the bright spot of today’s loss?
 
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Who was the cold cat of today’s loss?
 
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Rockets star Kevin Durant makes 12th All-NBA appearance

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball during the West First Round Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers game on April 21, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant is celebrating another successful season in the NBA with his 12th All-NBA honor of his career.

With his 12th All-NBA appearance, Durant joins an elite club of basketball greats, which includes:

  • Jerry West
  • Dolph Schayes
  • Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon
  • Dirk Nowitzki
  • Julius Erving
  • Bob Cousy
  • Shaquille O’Neal
  • Karl Malone
  • Tim Duncan
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • LeBron James

Here’s a list of the All-NBA teams that the voters chose:

First: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham

Second: Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell

Third: Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, Jalen Johnson, Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren

In his first season with the Rockets, Durant averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in 78 appearances with the team. It’s the most Durant has played in a single season since the 2018-19 campaign, when he also had 78 appearances for the Golden State Warriors just before tearing his Achilles in that year’s NBA Finals.

To play that long and to still be at an All-NBA level this late into his career is extraordinary and the Rockets should not take that for granted.

While the Rockets may not have moved forward in their quest for a championship after bringing Durant in from a trade with the Phoenix Suns, having him on the roster makes them dangerous on any given night.

TDS community, how do you feel about Durant making the All-NBA team? Let us know in the comments section below.

Knicks’ Jalen Brunson makes All-NBA Team; Karl-Anthony Towns snubbed

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 25: Jalen Brunson #11 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during Round 1 Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is celebrating his third consecutive All-NBA appointment, being named to the second team for a third straight year.

Here’s a look at how all the All-NBA teams shook out.

First: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham

Second: Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell

Third: Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, Jalen Johnson, Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren

Brunson was the final player named to the second team, receiving 49 second-team votes and 50 third-team votes. One voter left him off the ballot completely.

This season, Brunson averaged 26 points, 6.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just under 37 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson did all of this while leading the Knicks to 53 victories and the third seed in the Eastern Conference. He has continued his All-NBA level throughout the postseason as the Knicks find themselves one win away from advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

Towns had a case to join Brunson on the All-NBA list, but the big man came up just short. He was the 17th-highest vote getter, with one second-team vote and 11 third-team votes. Towns averages 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and three assists per game in his second season with the Knicks.

Posting & Toasting community, what do you make of the All-NBA teams? Should Brunson have made the First Team? Who was the biggest snub next to Towns? Chime off in the comments section below.

Will Carter Yakemchuk Make The Senators Out Of Camp Next Season?

The Senators don’t have a lot of blue-chip prospects knocking on the NHL door right now. But one that will command plenty of attention at training camp this fall is former first-round pick Carter Yakemchuk.

After spending this past season with the Belleville Senators, the 20-year-old right-shot defenceman appears to be tracking exactly the way Ottawa hoped when they selected him seventh overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

The question now is whether Yakemchuk has done enough to seriously challenge for an NHL roster spot next season.

Sens Nation with THN's Steve Warne discusses the recent report that the Sens may be interested in G Devon Levi.

The short answer is... maybe.

Yakemchuk’s first pro season was productive and encouraging, and he certainly has a penchant for good first impressions. In his first AHL season, he had 40 points in 54 games. In his first regular season and first Stanley Cup Playoff games, he had 2 points in each contest.

But his ability to create offense from the back end has never been in question. It was about learning the defensive side of the game and improving his skating.

“I thought it was definitely a big learning year for myself, but I thought overall improved throughout the year, so I was pretty happy with it,” Yakemchuk told broadcaster David Foote in an interview posted this week on B-Sens YouTube channel

One of the biggest moments of his season came when he earned his first NHL recall and got the opportunity to make his NHL debut with Ottawa.

“I think I’d go with that for sure,” Yakemchuk said. “It was awesome. I mean to have my family there, and (for them) to be able to watch that game was awesome. Because obviously, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So just to share that moment with them, it was awesome.”

But making the awesome jump from first-year AHL player to full-time NHL player is never easy for young defencemen, especially on a Senators team that’s now in a legitimate playoff window, way past development mode.

After a 2-8 record in the past two playoffs, it won’t be enough to just make the playoffs next season, and head coach Travis Green will want more reliability and structure on the back end, not less.

That’s where Yakemchuk’s camp battle gets interesting.

His challenge will be proving he can defend consistently enough to earn Green’s trust. Yakemchuk acknowledged that his goal is to improve in all areas this summer, particularly his skating.

“I think skating for me is the biggest thing I want to improve on. Obviously to play in this league or in the NHL, you’ve got to be a good skater, so that’s something I’ll be working on in the summer.”

After Yakemchuk tore up the preseason in the fall of 2024 (7 points in 4 games), the Sens had to be tempted to keep him around. But for his own good, they didn’t want to rush him unnecessarily. If they made that decision again this fall, it might be partially for the team’s good as well.

At the same time, the right side of Ottawa’s blue line isn’t exactly locked down at the moment. If it stays that way, and Yakemchuk arrives at camp a little quicker and more polished defensively, there’s absolutely an opportunity there to win a job.

By Steve WarneThe Hockey News

This story was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. Click on the latest headlines below to read the latest stories there:

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Barracuda Defenseman Set to Return to Sweden for 2026-27 Season

One of the San Jose Sharks' pending unrestricted free agents has already gotten his plans for the 2026-27 season sorted out.

Defenseman Lucas Carlsson has signed with Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish Hockey League. His newly-signed contract with Djurgårdens runs for four seasons and upon expiration, he'll be 32 years old.

Carlsson spent the majority of his time in the Sharks organization with their American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, but he did play a few games at the NHL level as well. 

During his two seasons as a member of the Sharks organization, Carlsson played 103 games for the Barracuda. From the blue line, he scored 22 goals and 49 points during that time.

Carlsson also played in 13 games at the NHL level for the Sharks, all of which came during the 2024-25 season. He scored a goal and had four points during his limited opportunities with the Sharks. 

Prior to his NHL career, Carlsson played in the SHL for Brynäs IF. In his SHL career, he's appeared in 136 games, scored 14 goals, and tallied a total of 38 points. Given the nature of his contract, it's likely we've seen the last of Carlsson in North America.

Knicks' Mike Brown: OG Anunoby 'got robbed' of NBA All-Defensive First Team

Knicks wing OG Anunoby "got robbed" of the 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive First Team, coach Mike Brown said Sunday in Cleveland during a Zoom with reporters.

"I got one more thing before I'm taking off -- you guys can all print this," Brown, who made the case in early April, said at the end of his media availability. "Great players out there -- I'm not discounting anybody -- but freakin' OG got robbed. He should've been First Team All-Defense -- First Team All-Defense. The versatility that he brings to this team, we're a top five defensive team -- top five defensive team. OK?

"The versatility that he brings -- and everybody always says, 'Oh, you got KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns), you got Jalen (Brunson), blah, blah, blah.' The versatility that that guy brings to this team is off the charts, and I hope the voters get it next time around. I'm happy he's Second Team -- he deserves something -- but it was wrong."

Before Brown's statement, Anunoby said earlier in the video call that he was honored to be mentioned but "hoping" to make the First Team.

"It was cool to get the recognition, you know," Anunoby said. "... Second Team is cool. I was hoping I got First Team -- I thought I should've gotten First Team -- but Second Team is just as good."

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson, Oklahoma City Thunder center-forward Chet Holmgren, San Antonio Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama and Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert got the nod for the First Team.

"He's been tremendous, obviously, defensively," Brunson said of Anunoby. "And I think him being able to guard 1 through 5 on any given night has really been a big part of who we are and what we're allowed to do on defense because of him. ... Any publicity is good publicity, but I think he was well deserving of the First Team."

Anunoby made the cut for the Second Team with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Thunder guard Cason Wallace, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.

"There's a lot of great defenders in the league, so to be recognized as one of the 10 premier ones is really cool ... now just focus on the rest of the playoffs," Anunoby said.

Avalanche vs Golden Knights Anytime Goal Scorer Predictions & Parlay for Game 3

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Nathan MacKinnon scored seven goals over his first nine playoff games but has yet to open his account in the conference finals.

My Avalanche vs. Golden Knights goal scorer predictions expect that to change, with MacKinnon headlining the list.

Let's take a closer look at my NHL picks for Sunday, May 24.

MacKinnon will have power-play mate Cale Makar back in action tonight, as well.

Avalanche vs Golden Knights goal scorer predictions for Game 3

Player to score a goalOdds
Avalanche Nathan MacKinnon+105
Avalanche Brock Nelson+335
Golden Knights Tomas Hertl+350
💲Goal scorer parlay: Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Tomas Hertl +2000

Goal scorer pick: Nathan MacKinnon (+105)

I'm backing Nathan MacKinnon to have a strong volume game, and his shot output correlates strongly with his goal scoring. MacKinnon found the back of the net in 62% of his games when attempting seven shots or more this season, and he has attempted at least seven shots in five of his last six.

Focusing specifically on this matchup, MacKinnon has generated 45 shot attempts over five games against the Vegas Golden Knights this year — including 11- and nine-attempt performances while John Tortorella was behind the bench.

The Colorado Avalanche desperately need a win and will rely heavily on MacKinnon to lead the charge. That means a ton of offensive zone starts and extra ice time for the Rocket Richard winner. Bet him to find the net up to -111.

Goal scorer pick: Brock Nelson (+335)

Brock Nelson has scored just twice in the playoffs despite creating 24 scoring chances and 4.03 expected goals.

That is highly abnormal, as Nelson has scored more goals than expected in 11 consecutive years.

He is a consistently excellent finisher, and I want to buy the dip. Even with this cold stretch, Nelson has found the back of the net in 32% of all games this year. A +335 price tag implies a 23% chance of scoring.

I think the fair price is somewhere in the middle, and would back Nelson up to +270.

Goal scorer pick: Tomas Hertl (+350)

Tomas Hertl is not playing a lot at 5-on-5, but he's getting a steady dose of offensive zone starts, which helps him maximize his minutes.

Nobody on the Golden Knights has recorded more shot attempts, scoring chances, high-danger chances, or created more rebounds than Hertl in this series.

He is also skating on a talented top power-play unit, playing a net-front role and looking to pounce on loose pucks sprayed to the net.

Hertl's a big threat to an Avalanche team that hasn't gotten high-danger saves consistently since the first round. I'd back him to +310.

Avalanche vs Golden Knights anytime goal scorer parlay (+2000)

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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All-NBA teams revealed: Who made the list

The best of the best in the NBA have been honored.

The league announced its 2025-26 All-NBA selections Sunday, May 24, and a pair of players led the way with unanimous selections.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning, two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player, and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić were the only two players to receive 100 first-place votes.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama nearly made it three, but one panelist gave him a second-place vote.

A panel of 100 media members voted to select the All-NBA teams. Voters were asked to appoint five players to the first team, five to the second and five to the third. Then, the votes were tallied and added up and ranked in numerical order.

First-team votes were worth five points; second-team votes were worth three and third-team votes were worth one.

2025-26 All-NBA first team

*Total points in parenthesis

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City (500)
  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (500)
  • Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (498)
  • Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers (482)
  • Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (414)

2025-26 All-NBA second team

*Total points in parenthesis

2025-26 All-NBA third team

*Total points in parenthesis

  • Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (168)
  • Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets (149)
  • Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks (125)
  • Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons (121)
  • Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder (87)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: All-NBA teams revealed: Who made the list

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama headline All-NBA Teams

It’s a little strange to see the All-NBA Teams list and not see LeBron James on there. This is the first time in more than two decades that LeBron did not make an All-NBA Team (he didn't play the minimum 65 games to qualify for the ballot).\

Consider it another sign of the changing of the guard in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama — the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year — led the list of players to be named to an All-NBA Team. Those 15 players were announced on Sunday. Here is how the voting shook out:

All-NBA

First Team

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)
Nikola Jokic (Denver)
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio)
Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers)
Cade Cunningham (Detroit)

Second Team

Jaylen Brown (Boston)
Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland)
Kevin Durant (Houston)
Jalen Brunson (New York)

Third Team

Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia)
Jamal Murray (Denver)
Jalen Duren (Detroit)
Jalen Johnson (Atlanta)
Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)

The team was voted on by a panel of 100 media members.

Notes and thoughts on this vote:

• There was a pretty steep drop-off between the players who made All-NBA and those who didn't. Holmgren had the fewest points of any player on the teams, with 87 (eight second-team votes, 63 third-team votes). The next three players on that list (with their points): Portland's Deni Avdija (26), New York's Karl-Anthony Towns (14), and Toronto's Scottie Barnes (9).

• Avdija and Towns would have made the Third Team if Doncic and Cunningham had not been granted exceptions after falling short of the league's 65-game rule. Also, that would have bumped Brown and Leonard up to First Team.

• Kevin Durant makes history as the first player ever to make an All-NBA team with five different franchises.

• The only players to unanimously make the First team were Gilgous-Alexander and Jokic.

• Victor Wembanyama was not unanimous, he had 99 first-team votes and one for the second team.

• Notable players who did not meet the 65-game threshold to qualify for All-NBA (besides LeBron) include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Edwards, and Stephen Curry.

Tyrese Maxey earns first All-NBA honors with 2025-26 third team selection

Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey reacts in the second quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

From the 21st pick in the draft to one of the 15 best players in the league.

The NBA has announced their All-NBA teams for the 2025-26 season, revealing that Tyrese Maxey has been selected for the first time in his career. He joins Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, and Jamal Murray for those honors.

Leading the league in minutes per game, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals a night. He did so on 46.2/36.7/89.2% shooting splits, earning his second All-Star selection back in February. Maxey becomes the first Sixer to make an All-NBA team since Joel Embiid’s MVP year back in 2023 and the first non-Embiid Sixer to earn the honors since Ben Simmons in 2019-20.

Maxey’s spot on an All-NBA started to be penciled in at the very start of the season when Maxey came out of the gates hot, averaging 32 points per game over the first month and a half of the season. His production tailed off a bit as his workload caught up with him, and suffered a finger injury in March that put him in danger of missing the 65-game threshold for awards.

He returned a week early, clearing that benchmark by five games and navigating his team through the Play-In tournament as the Sixers again lost Embiid to a freak injury right before the playoffs.

Had his production been able to withstand his heavy workload, he only averaged a measly 26.5 points per game since the calendar flipped to 2026, there was definitely an argument for him to make second team. He was the leading third-team vote getter and received 36 votes for second-team.

This is also the first step in another leap Maxey can make, this one being financial. ESPN’s Bobby Marks has already run the numbers as Maxey will be eligible for the Super-Max extension in the 2027 offseason should he make an All-NBA team again next year.

Sharks Alumni to Collide in AHL Western Conference Final

Four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization will compete in the American Hockey League's Western Conference Final, three currently play for the Colorado Eagles while there's one former Shark on the Chicago Wolves.

Starting with Colorado, Jacob MacDonald, Keaton Middleton, and Daniil Gushchin are all set to suit up in the Western Conference Final. 

MacDonald originally joined the Sharks organization in the middle of the 2022-23 season as a part of the deal that sent Ryan Merkley and Matt Nieto to the Colorado Avalanche. Known for his ability to play both on the wing and on defense, MacDonald played 59 games for the Sharks across two seasons. He scored eight goals and had 15 points during his time with the team in teal. When his contract with the Sharks expired, he returned to the Avalanche organization, signing a two-year contract.

Middleton never suited up for the Sharks at the NHL level, spending his entire time as a member of the organization playing for the San Jose Barracuda, often alongside his older brother, Jacob Middleton. The younger Middleton spent two seasons with the Barracuda, playing 102 games with the Sharks' farm team. He scored 10 goals and has 26 total points during his time with the Barracuda before moving to the Colorado Avalanche organization for the 2020-21 season.

Last but not least, Gushchin, the Sharks' third round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, spent parts of four seasons bouncing between the Barracuda and the Sharks. At the NHL level, he appeared in 18 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored two goals and had five points. He was much more effective at the AHL level though, scoring 70 goals and 150 points in 182 games. 

The Sharks traded Gushchin to the Avalanche this past summer, getting Oskar Olausson in return. 

In the other locker room, there's just a single Sharks alumnus on the Chicago Wolves, Givani Smith. After spending parts of two seasons in the Bay Area, Smith was traded to the Colorado Avalanche alongside Mackenzie Blackwood ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. 

During his time with the Sharks, Smith played in 42 games, registering a single goal and four points during that time. He also recorded 50 penalty minutes with the Sharks. 

The AHL's Western Conference Final will kick off this Thursday as the Chicago Wolves visit the Eagles in Loveland, Colorado.

Luka Dončić named to First Team All-NBA, earning sixth All-NBA selection

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half of a game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

While Luka Dončić’s Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge was approved by the NBA, making him eligible for end-of-season awards, the voters still left him off their MVP ballots. However, Luka will not go empty-handed regarding NBA accolades this year as he was named First Team All-NBA on Sunday.

This is his sixth All-NBA selection, but his first in a purple and gold uniform.

Luka is joined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham on the First Team.

Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson made the Second Team. Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey and Jamal Murray were on the Third Team.

Luka received 91 First Team votes and nine Second Team votes.

With LeBron James and Austin Reaves both failing to reach the 65-game threshold to be eligible, no other Lakers received All-NBA honors. Last year, the roles were reversed as LeBron was an All-NBA player and Luka was ineligible due to injury.

Luka had an incredible season that deserves to be celebrated. He made the All-Star team, representing the Lakers in the game for the first time in his career. He was the NBA’s scoring champion, averaging 33.5 points per game. He was also the only player to earn Western Conference Player of the Month honors multiple times this season, those coming in Januaryand March.

In March, he was particularly impressive. He scored 60 points on the road against the Heat, led the Lakers to a 15-2 record, and had 600 points in the month.

Only 10 players in NBA history have accomplished that feat. And that list includes players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Jerry West.

Now, Luka adds another All-NBA selection to his resume, making him just one of the 50-plus players to make the team six or more times.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Hamilton elated after beating Verstappen to second ‘in good day of racing’ at Canadian GP

  • British driver enjoys best finish at Ferrari

  • ‘I am much, much happier in the car’

Lewis Hamilton was thrilled with his second place at the Canadian Grand Prix in what he called “the greatest job in the world” after a great fight with his old adversary Max Verstappen and expressed how excited he was to be back in a wheel to wheel contest, enthused with his and his Ferrari team’s performance.

“I love this job it’s the greatest job in the world, I never take that for granted,” he said. “To have a good battle with Max finally, I’m really, really grateful. I am so, so happy. It’s good day of racing, overall, a solid weekend. I felt the whole team have done an amazing job.”

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It’s time for Playoff Basketball: San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Game 4

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 22: An overall photo of the Frost Bank Center during the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals on MAY 22, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.

Tonight’s game is almost a must-win game for the Silver and Black, as they need a victory tonight to avoid a trip to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night with elimination on the line. If anyone would have told me early in the season that the Spurs would be in the conference finals at the end of may with a chance to even up the series 2-2, I would have been ecstatic. But after watching the playoff run so far with the Spurs, I don’t want this to end yet. The Spurs need to keep extending the series until they can take it all the way to the Finals to meet a well-rested Knicks squad, who are murderizing the Cavs on the other side of the bracket.

Game 3 started out well for the home team, as the Spurs rushed out to a 15-0 lead, but unfortunately for the home team, the game isn’t over after the first 5 minutes, and they were thoroughly outplayed after the initial run and lost the game by 15. It was the first game where the Spurs weren’t just outschemed by a more experienced coach, but were neutralized by superior play of the opponent. I have been pretty critical of the physical play style of OKC, but that was not the reason the Spurs lost Game 3. The Thunder played with more energy and got an excellent effort up and down the roster as every player who hit the court made a significant contribution. For the Spurs, Wembanyama had a good but not great game, and the Spurs elite guard trio, struggling with injuries, couldn’t be dominant enough to make up for the lack of production from the San Antonio bench, who were bleeding points every minute they were on the court. If the Spurs want to avoid facing elimination on Tuesday, players like Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant will need to step up, and Julian Champagnie will need to hit some shots to relieve some of the defensive pressure on Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox.

The Spurs aren’t listing any players on the injury report, but both Fox and Harper have been dinged up, and won’t be at full speed tonight. They are going to go, and maybe that will inspire some of their teammates to help them to a win. Ajay Mitchell is out tonight, and Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable. I doubt that JDub will play tonight, but if he does, he won’t be at full speed. With all that’s gone wrong in this series, the Silver and Black have a great opportunity for a win tonight to even up the series, and guarantee at another home game on Thursday in the Frost Arena. Let’s see the Spurs conquer adversity tonight, and give the fans another chance to cheer on their team. The Spurs have not lost three games in a row all season, and you definitely don’t want that to happen for the first time in the playoffs. LETS GO SPURS!

Game Prediction:

Carter Bryant has a breakout game and hits six three point shots as the Thunder are busy triple teaming Wembanyama.

San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 4
May 24, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Streaming: Peacock
TV: NBC
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