TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: RJ Barrett #9 & Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors celebrate after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, if you were paying attention to the NBA Playoffs Friday night, you’ll most likely agree with us that there’s no question about what today’s Gold will be.
With the seconds running down in overtime, RJ Barrett got a pass out at the top of the key from Toronto teammate Scottie Barnes, and put up a long three.
It took a very high bounce off the rim, which was straight out of Hollywood. It seemed to go up, and up, and up…and by the time it came down, more than another full second had come off the clock, making it next to impossible for Cleveland to top that shot.
Making it even sweeter? Barrett is playing in his hometown. Okay, he’s actually from the suburb of Mississauga, but big whoop. He’s a hometown kid who people will be talking about for years after that shot.
You may remember that a few years ago, Barrett was criticized for his poor outside shooting. We linked to a video of him just grinding in the gym, trying to refine his shot.
What you saw against Cleveland was no miracle. It’s a guy who put in the time, and when he was called upon, he was ready.
Here are some other videos of what folks in Toronto will be calling The Shot.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 01: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners rolls in the outfield after making a catch during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park on May 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Royals 7, Mariners 6
Your Apple TV Winning Moment: Julio Rodríguez, +0.43 WPA Setting your apple on fire: Bryan Woo, -.038 WPA
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura elevates toward the rim after driving against Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half of Game 6 on Friday night in Houston. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
LeBron James knew what was at stake in this first-round playoff series and that it was on his shoulders to meet the moment and have his teammates follow his lead.
James simply elevated his play like he has so many times over his illustrious 23-year NBA career, playing with a purpose and willing the Lakers to a 98-78 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night at Toyota Center.
His 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds is why the Lakers won the best-of-seven series, 4-2, over the Rockets and why L.A. will meet the defending NBA champion Thunder on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
James and the Lakers had been on the verge of collapsing in these playoffs, their commanding 3-0 lead cut to 3-2.
But the Lakers and James let the Rockets know they were going to stay the course in Game 6 by building a 25-point lead in the third quarter.
Rui Hachimura let James and the Lakers know he had come to play, scoring 21 points on eight-for-15 shooting and a sizzling five for seven on three-pointers. Hachimura also had six rebounds.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart dives behind Rockets center Alperen Sengun for a loose ball during the first half of Game 6. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Austin Reaves started in Game 6 and Luke Kennard, who had started the first five playoff games and the last five regular-season games, came off the bench. Reaves did his part for the Lakers with 15 points.
Deandre Ayton had just seven points, but his 16 rebounds and defensive presence was just as powerful.
Marcus Smart was the defensive catalyst for the Lakers. He had two blocks, one in which he just raised up to swat a shot by Tari Eason in the third quarter while then falling down backward in the process. Smart scored seven points, but it was his defense that helped the Lakers limit the Rockets to 34.2% shooting and 17.9% from three-point range.
After grabbing his last rebound with 3 minutes and 17 seconds left with the Lakers leading by 26 points, James raised his hand to come out of the game. He left with 3:07 remaining having played 37 minutes.
The Lakers built a 19-point lead in the second quarter, doing it behind James’ thrust and a strong defense that stifled the Rockets early in the period.
James had 18 points in the first half, shooting seven for 14 from the field and two for four from three-point range to help the Lakers keep a 49-31 lead at the half.
He also had four assists and three rebounds.
Lakers forward LeBron James, center, is fouled by Rockets center Alperen Sengun, right, on a layup in the first half of Game 6. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
On the defense, the Lakers worked hard and put the Rockets on their heels in the first 24 minutes.
The Lakers held the Rockets to 28.6% shooting and 16.7% from three-point range. The Rockets turned the ball over 10 times in the first.
James then opened the third quarter with a turnaround move in the post to give the Lakers a 20-point lead.
Returning to Houston for another game was not the end of the basketball world for the Lakers.
Even if all the momentum had shifted away from the Lakers and to the Rockets, L.A. still had the lead in the series.
Even if the Lakers had failed to close out the Rockets twice and had seen their three-game lead drop to one game, L.A. had no choice but to be ready for the next moment.
In the eyes of Lakers coach JJ Redick and his group, being back here is “exactly where we’re supposed to be.”
“So, you certainly don't want to drop two games in a row,” Redick said. “You certainly don't want to feel like you've given the other team confidence and momentum. But prior to the series, and if you said we were up 3-2, coming here for a close-out game and AR would be back, we'd be ecstatic.
"So, I said this after Game 2, that this thing was just getting started. I don't think any of us expected a full sweep. We know they're a great basketball team and they were going to continue to play, continue to fight. We've got to match that tonight.”
Noah Schultz was utterly brilliant over six innings on Friday, earning his second career win. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The White Sox have been worse than .500 all season long, so declaring them a must-watch team seems a bit hyperbolic.
But Friday’s 8-2 annihilation of a Padres team very strong out of the gate — 5 1/2 games better than Chicago entering play — touched on the three players most likely to make you stop whatever you’re doing and stare.
First off, and most substantially, it was a masterpiece start by Noah Schultz, in just his fourth career outing — although it didn’t begin as such. Schultz’s outing began miserably, a miserable first inning that found the wunderkind southpaw walking two Padres on, balking the runners to second and third, and then filling the bases with a third walk. However, the lefty attacked Ty France with three straight fastballs for strikes, generating a ground out to escape the jam.
And from there, that was all she wrote. After throwing just 15 of 29 pitches for strikes in the first, Schultz melted through the next three innings with 20-of-27 strikes, one single and zero walks.
Even better, Padres starter Germán Márquez, who’d already had a sloppy and inefficient first frame, was even worse in the second, issuing four walks. Three of those walks scored on a Sam Antonacci single, Andrew Benintendi sac fly and an Austin Hayes ground out. Then, with two on and two out with a full count, Munetaka Murakami took over the MLB lead in home runs and gave the White Sox a 6-0 lead with a no-doubter to right-center:
Our second must-watch player continues to place himself in rare air in MLB history. Per Sarah Langs, Murakami now ranks third all-time in home runs through 32 career games. Something tells me he is going to be No. 1 on the list by the time we get to Game 50 or so.
And finally, must-watch ABs come from Colson Montgomery as well. And Colson extended the White Sox rout with a first-pitch screamer out to right-center with two outs in the fifth:
That homer should have been a two-run shot, as right before Colson’s clout Miguel Vargas connected on a superb hustle double, turning a standard single to center into a two-bagger with an aggressive, hard cut at the first base bag. Vargas beat the throw but was ruled out on the field; the appeal at second was denied, backed by a claim that Vargas drifted off of the bag during his slide.
Schultz ended up going a scoreless six innings and holding 88.9% of the Padres lineup hitless (Fernando Tatís Jr. was the only one to touch him, with a single in the third and triple in the sixth). The southpaw did not walk a single batter after the first inning, and struck out two.
Kudos to the offense as a whole tonight, for being smart enough to sense that Márquez was on the ropes struggling to get his knuckle-curve over the plate and working at-bats deep. Eight batters had worked counts at least five pitches deep through the first 3 1/3 innings of the game.
Three singles in the eighth rounded the White Sox run total up to eight.
The Padres did finally rally off of the eminently-hittable Osvaldo Bido in the eighth, stringing a walk and three singles together to puncture the scoreboard with two runs.
DENVER, CO - May 1: Colorado Rockies Jose Quintana (62) pitches in the second inning during a game between the Atlanta Braves and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies came out hot.
The Atlanta Braves stirred in the fourth, pushed again in the seventh, and fully woke up in the eighth and ninth.
A 6-0 Colorado lead became an 8-6 loss at Coors Field. The Braves improved to 23-10, while the Rockies fell to 14-19.
For a while, it looked like enough. Colorado built its lead behind a five-run first inning, Mickey Moniak’s ninth home run of the season, and six superb innings from José Quintana. Atlanta answered late, turning Colorado’s best version of the night into a loss.
The Rockies made Atlanta uncomfortable early
The night started with a little weirdness, which felt appropriate.
Atlanta put traffic on the bases in the top of the first before the Rockies escaped with one of the stranger double plays they will turn this season. Ezequiel Tovar and Edouard Julien appeared to miscommunicate around second base, but Colorado still managed to get the force before completing the play at first. Atlanta challenged the call, and the replay was close enough to feel like a coin flip.
Tie stays the same.
The call stood, the Rockies escaped, and then they made Atlanta pay.
Colorado’s five-run first was built on pressure. Hunter Goodman supplied the first real crack, ripping a ground-rule double to left-center to score Julien and move Moniak to third. The Braves helped the inning along from there, but the Rockies had already started it with the thing that mattered most: hard contact.
Then Moniak made sure the early lead did not feel like a first-inning accident.
His ninth home run of the season was not cheap, not Coors-aided, and not subtle: 105.5 mph off the bat, 439 feet, and into the right-center seats to make it 6-0 in the second inning.
At that point, the Rockies had made Grant Holmes work, made Atlanta play from behind, and made the best team in baseball look uncomfortable.
Quintana kept the night under control
For a while, Quintana made it stand.
Quintana did not overpower Atlanta, because that was never the assignment. He did something more important for this version of the Rockies: he kept the night under control.
The veteran lefty worked six innings, his longest start of the season, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He did it with the full veteran-lefty toolbox, mixing 31 four-seamers, 18 curveballs, 15 changeups, 12 slurves, and nine sinkers over 85 pitches.
The only real damage was Matt Olson’s solo homer in the fourth. Olson is having the kind of season where pretending he will stay quiet for nine innings feels like bad writing, and he got Quintana for one. Fine. Against this lineup, the Rockies could live with one swing.
Quintana made sure it did not become an inning.
It was more than Colorado could have reasonably expected entering the night. Quintana limited damage, avoided free passes, and continued a run of excellent starts from Rockies pitchers.
Holmes’ final line was not pretty — five innings, seven hits, six runs, five earned, three walks, four strikeouts, and one home run — but after Colorado’s early burst, he still absorbed five innings for Atlanta.
That mattered later.
The lead stopped growing
The Rockies’ offense quieted after Moniak’s homer.
Former Rockie Anthony Molina, cut loose by Colorado this offseason, threw clean sixth and seventh innings for Atlanta, helping the Braves keep the game close enough for their lineup to matter late.
The Rockies did enough early. Every starting position player reached base at least once except Willi Castro, who still drove in a run with a first-inning groundout. Contributions were not hard to find. But the game never became a full Coors Field avalanche.
And against Atlanta, that left the door open.
Then the monster woke up
Zach Agnos made the seventh interesting, but not dangerous. Atlanta scratched across a manufactured run after an Austin Riley single and a Jake McCarthy error, but Agnos kept the damage there. He got Jorge Mateo to roll over softly for the final out, then bounced off the mound with a little extra juice as the Rockies carried a 6-2 lead into the eighth. For seven innings, the Rockies had subdued the monster
In the eighth, it came looking for a fight.
Agnos returned for a second inning of work and ran into traffic, putting two on with one out and Olson coming to the plate. The Rockies went to Jaden Hill, asking him to face the hitter who had already provided Atlanta’s only real damage. Hill walked him.
Then came the swing Colorado had spent the night avoiding: an opposite-field triple that cleared the bases and cut the lead to 6-5.
One batter later, a sacrifice fly brought home the tying run. 6-6 Just like that, the comfortable version of the game was gone.
Hill struck out the final batter to keep the inning from getting worse, but the damage had already changed the night.
Colorado had a chance to answer right away against Didier Fuentes in the bottom of the eighth when Tyler Freeman was hit by a pitch to open the inning, but the response never came. Troy Johnston hit the ball hard, only to ground into a double play, and Castro popped out to send the game to the ninth still tied.
The Rockies had absorbed the punch. They had not answered it yet.
The ninth broke it
Juan Mejía started the inning with a leadoff walk, and from there Atlanta’s contact got loud in a hurry. Michael Harris II followed with the swing that made it feel fatal, launching a two-run homer to give the Braves an 8-6 lead.
After seven innings of clean, controlled baseball, the Rockies gave the Braves the one thing they had mostly avoided all night.
Free traffic. Atlanta turned it into the lead and didn’t give it back.
Fuentes picked up the win, improving to 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. Mejía took the loss, falling to 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA. Robert Suarez handled the ninth for Atlanta, working around a Brenton Doyle single to finish the comeback.
Seven innings were not enough
That is the hard part.
There was plenty worth liking. Quintana was excellent. The first inning was the kind of pressure inning this team has struggled to create in recent years. Moniak’s homer was loud enough to make the night feel real.
For seven innings, the Rockies had the Braves where they wanted them.
Then Atlanta woke up.
Up next
The Rockies continue their three-game series with the Braves on Saturday night at Coors Field. Atlanta will send Chris Sale to the mound, while Colorado’s starter has not yet been officially announced. It should be Chase Dollander.
If that holds, it will be a fascinating test.
Sale enters 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts in six starts. Dollander has been excellent in his own right, entering 3-2 with a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts over 32 innings across seven games. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. MT.
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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 (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a couple of losses, the Lakers finally finished off the Rockets, beating them 98-78 in Game 6 to advance to the second round.
Los Angeles went on an impressive 13-1 run to start the second quarter, giving them control of the game and they never looked back.
The Lakers started this game by scoring a pair of baskets in the paint. Tari Eason started off hot for the Rockets, converting on his first two shots, and after a three by Jabari Smith Jr., Houston was in front 10-6.
Points in the paint continued to be the focus for the purple and gold and after a dunk from Rui Hachimura, they had their first lead of the game.
Unfortunately for LA, Houston had a much more balanced attack. Alperen Şengün scored inside and after an Eason dunk, the Rockets were back in control.
With Austin Reaves starting, Luke Kennard was relegated to the bench and got his first minutes midway through the first quarter. He hit a corner three to give LA back the lead and end his two-game drought of not making a beyond-the-arc basket.
Jake LaRavia added a three of his own, making it a 9-0 run for Los Angeles.
Smith Jr. ended the scoring drought for the Rockets by knocking a pair of free throws, but LA was still ahead by five.
In the closing minutes of the quarter, the Lakers bricked all their shot attempts, but so did the Rockets, leaving LA ahead 23-18 after 12 minutes.
END OF 1: Lakers lead 23-18. Rui Hachimura leading with seven points, three rebounds. Austin Reaves five points. One three each from Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia. Lakers have three offensive rebounds while the Rockets have none (!)
In the second quarter, the Lakers got their offense going with a LeBron basket. Jake LaRavi added a three and, after another basket by James, LA was on a 7-0 run and Luka Dončić was jokingly signaling for Houston to call a timeout.
The Rockets didn’t, but after another basket from James, they took Luka’s advice and asked for a stop in play.
Houston finally scored off a free throw, but LaRavia immediately responded with a fastbreak dunk. This second-quarter shift from LaRavia was his best play of this series.
The Rockets literally couldn’t score, missing 15 consecutive shots. Reed Sheppard finally scored on a layup, but by then the Lakers were up 38-21.
Sheppard scored again on a three and then Smith Jr. had a putback dunk to give the Rockets some offensive life.
The Lakers maintained their advantage with some timely baskets, including a gorgeous spin move by Reaves inside.
Slowly, but surely, the Rockets began chipping away at the deficit with some free throws and defensive stops. After an Amen Thompson layup, Houston was down by just single digits.
The Lakers continued to apply pressure on the rim and while it didn’t lead to makes, it did force the Rockets to foul and send them to the line.
In the final moments of the second quarter, LeBron dished the ball to Hachimura for a three and then scored himself to send the Lakers to the locker room in front 49-31.
Halftime: Lakers 49, Rockets 31
After trailing 16-11 midway through 1Q, LA has outscored HOU 38-15. Their defense has been suffocating. Offensively, they’re taking care of the ball and dominating the offensive glass. LeBron has 18/3/5 — he’s been amazing. Rui has 10 points.
LA came out firing on all cylinders to start the second half. LeBron scored on the first possession, Hachimura knocked down a three and, after a basket by Reaves, LA was up by 20 points.
The Lakers shifted into cruise control in the third, but Hachimura remained hot while the Rockets struggled to score or go on any kind of significant run. Reaves continued to look more and more comfortable in his second game back, beating Şengün to the rim for a smooth layup.
Add in an impressive block by Smart on Eason’s dunk attempt and it was becoming increasingly clear this wasn’t going to be Houston’s night.
The Rockets finished the quarter with a 7-0 run to give themselves a puncher’s chance entering the fourth. Still, LA was in full control, leading 71-55 with 12 minutes left to play.
The final period was more of the same for the Lakers. Hachimura hit a three to start the fourth and LeBron scored inside. After a Deandre Ayton putback, the lead was once again up to 20 points.
The Rockets continued to struggle, unable to knock down any shots. Houston didn’t make their second field goal until there was 6:57 left in the game.
Meanwhile, Hachimura kept on scoring on mid-range shots and was clearly in the flow state, slicing through the Houston defense.
Midway through the fourth, Sheppard hit a three. He was the only Rocket that had anything going. However, Smart responded with a three of his own, making it 91-67 Lakers.
Then Jaxson Hayes had a slam dunk and Lakers head coach JJ Redick cleared out the benches as the game was over.
Key Player Stats
LeBron was magnificent in this game. His play is the main reason this contest was an easy win for Los Angeles. He ended the night with 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Hachimura was a laser throughout the night, scoring 21 points and going 8-14 from the field with six rebounds. Austin Reaves struggled with his shot from distance, but got to the rim repeatedly to finish with 15 points on 7-14 shooting.
Ayton had just seven points, but grabbed 16 rebounds. Marcus Smart had a masterful game, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist.
LaRavia had seven points, Hayes had five points and four rebounds and Kennard had three points, three rebounds and three assists.
The Mets won Friday's series opener at the Los Angeles Angels, scoring four runs across the sixth and seventh innings as they started their nine-game road trip on a high note.
Takeaways
In Christian Scott's first start since he "couldn't throw the ball over the plate" -- last Thursday's 10-8 win against the Minnesota Twins -- he rebounded with his best MLB start since July 8, 2024, when he went 5.2 IP and allowed one hit in the Mets' 8-2 loss at the Pittsburgh Pirates. Scott tied his career high with eight strikeouts, a feat that he set May 11, 2024, when he threw six frames in the Mets' 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves. His return from Tommy John surgery has been a winding one, but Scott showed promise Friday. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and, most importantly, walked none.
Francisco Alvarez and Marcus Semien delivered in the Mets' three-run sixth inning, capitalizing on the Angels' weak bullpen. Alvarez's one-out single put the Mets on the board before Semien, who left the bases loaded via an inning-ending flyout in the fourth, redeemed himself with a two-out single that scored Juan Soto and Alvarez to tie the game at 3-3.
Ronny Mauricio snapped his 0-for-12 draught with the go-ahead home run on a one-out solo shot to right-center field, showing why the Mets cannot give up on him. He launched his first homer of the season in a clutch moment, rebounding from an inning-ending double play that killed the Mets' third and a fifth-inning flyout to center field when it looked like New York would get shut out.
Soto returned to the outfield for the first time since last Wednesday's reactivation from the injured list, and he looked at home after eight games as the Mets' designated hitter. Soto's 1-for-3 night featured a second-inning walk and the aforementioned single in the sixth inning that sparked the Mets' three-run wakeup. In a struggling Mets offense, the lineup needs Soto healthy and humming. He took a subtle but big step by playing a clean game in the field and coming through at the plate.
Carlos Mendoza's bullpen combination of Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams was lights out. The four relievers each went an inning after Scott's exit, retiring 12 straight to end the game. Weaver (hold) and Williams (save) each struck out two.
Who's the MVP?
Walbert Urena, who stifled the Mets with one hit through five innings until Bo Bichette's comebacker knocked the 22-year-old RHP out of the game on the sixth's first at-bat. Urena, in his fifth MLB outing (third start), allowed one run on two hits while striking out four and walking three over five-plus frames. He threw 41 strikes on 68 pitches before exiting. When he did, the Angels unraveled.
During the Pittsburgh Penguins' locker cleanout day on Friday, one of their longtime stars addressed some of the uncertainty concerning his future with the organization.
Evgeni Malkin, 40, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and as of now, he does not have a new contract for next season. He and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas plan to meet before Malkin heads home to Russia for the summer, but in the meantime, he addressed the Pittsburgh media Friday for what could be his final time in a Penguins' uniform.
Malkin - drafted second overall in 2004 - has spent all 20 of his NHL seasons with the Penguins, and, for the first time, there seems to be some uncertainty about his future in Pittsburgh. With the direction the Penguins are headed in terms of getting younger - and him turning 40 this summer - it remains unclear whether or not Dubas will re-sign Malkin, who has amassed 533 goals and 1,407 points in his NHL career and was above point-per-game for the first time in three years this season.
Even if Dubas and the Penguins have not yet come to a decision regarding Malkin, it's clear what Malkin wants, as it has been for a long time and after 20 years of playing with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang.
"Now I want more, you know?" Malkin said. "It's different emotion when you play playoffs. Fans are crazy. First game against Philly, in warmup, it's probably, like, 18,000 already here. Again, yeah, I want to play again, for sure. It’s special two guys for me. Love to play together. And yeah, we're not happy we lost, but we try to fight every game. But sometimes, you're losing.
"But again, these are two special guys. I hope we play together one more year. But if not, I have great 20 years together. And never forget."
Malkin also made it clear that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh - and would accept a role change if he stays - but he would be willing to sign elsewhere if Dubas and the Penguins decide to go in a different direction.
"It's fine if I start wing next year. It’s coach wants me, and I help second line to play wing, it's fine. Nothing changes (for) me like crazy. Just, like, a little bit," Malkin said. "But I think it worked this year. I play not bad. I think it's play with Tommy [Tommy Novak] and Chinny [Egor Chinakhov]. But we see what coach wants (from) me. And it's always, like, you talk to individual, like with coach, and he tell you what role he wants to see (from you on) team. But for me, it's not been a problem."
He added: "I mean, I want to play NHL, for sure. But again, I know it's not easy for Kyle. Maybe he wants new blood here. I understand it's business, and I understand he wants maybe new team, see new faces here. But for me, I want to play one more year in the NHL. I'm not looking back to KHL, play in Russia.
The 41-year-old superstar finished with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Lakers beat the Rockets 98-78 in Game 6.
He produced 18 points and was responsible for seven of Los Angeles' 18 successful shot attempts from the field throughout the first two quarters of play.
During the game, James reached 1,500 career playoff points as a member of the Lakers.
He reached the mark with a 4-foot, two-point shot, giving the Lakers a 32-18 lead with 9:26 left in the second quarter. James entered Game 6 with 1,489 playoff points for the Lakers.
LeBron James career playoff points
James is currently the NBA’s all-time leader with 8,428 career points scored in the postseason. He scored a career-high 748 during the 2017-18 postseason while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The most he scored in a single postseason with the Miami Heat was 697 in 2011-12. He finished with 580 with the Lakers on the way to winning the 2019-20 NBA title.
It's no secret that the Yankees are on the verge of a roster crunch when it comes to their starting pitching.
Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole are both expected to rejoin the team before the end of June, and that means two spots in the rotation are needed to facilitate their returns. Rodon will likely take the spot of rookie Elmer Rodriguez, who was just called up this week, but whose spot will Cole take?
Will Warren is an option, but if he continues to pitch the way he did in Friday's 7-2 win over the Orioles, the Yankees may have to look elsewhere.
Warren struck out nine batters, allowing two runs (one earned) across 6.1 innings on just three hits and one walk. He's now 4-0 with a 2.39 ERA and 46 strikeouts in seven starts this season. Warren has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his seven starts, the most in the majors.
"We say he’s the guy we haven’t talked about, and it’s just been the body of the work, starting from spring training, has been excellent over and over again," Aaron Boone said. "Stuff’s been excellent, the strike-throwing is there, he was just in command. ... Just another really strong performance."
Warren had few words when talking about his recent success, almost bashfully when speaking about it, but boiled it down to confidence.
"Feel good," Warren said. "Confident taking the mound every five days."
But it's a bit more than that. Boone pinpoints the experience Warren has gained after pitching most of the 2025 season. Warren made 33 starts and pitched to a 9-8 record and a 4.44 ERA, and while it wasn't great, the trial-by-fire the young right-hander had to endure is seemingly paying off in the early going this season.
Two examples of that learned experience appeared in Friday's game.
Pregame, Warren and Austin Wells figured out that the changeup against lefties will work. Warren threw that pitch 12 times on Friday, 11 to left-handers, and got three whiffs. Of the three hits allowed, only one came off a left-handed bat.
The second was adjusting mid-game. Warren recognized early that he wasn't executing with his four-seamer and so he went more to the offspeed stuff and it worked. Warren throws his fastball 43 percent of the time, which went down to 32 percent on Friday.
"The ability to execute what I wanted to do wasn't there tonight, so we kind of shifted," Warren said. "More offspeed than I’m used to. Just being able to shift and still have confidence throwing out there and getting the results was nice, too."
That perception and confidence is serving Warren well
"We're just talking about a young, talented guy that's shown really good aptitude over the years, and I think a love for the craft and an expectation to be really good," Boone said of Warren's improvement. "He's not satisfied. For all the good he did last year, he’s not satisfied.
"He’s continued to lean into his strengths while also attacking some of his weaknesses…really understanding more this year and doesn’t have to nibble as much. He trusts his stuff in the zone. He knows he can beat you in a lot of different ways."
"Another year under my belt. You learn a lot out there," Warren said of his improvements. "Talk about it in here all you want, but it’s about getting your feet wet and learning as the game goes long. Have a solid staff to ask questions and learn from. It’s a mix of that."
Yankees starters have posted a major league-best 2.70 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 32 starts this season, and Warren has contributed greatly to that. He's pitched at least 6.0 innings in his last three starts, and the Yankees are 6-1 in Warren's starts this year.
So, what will happen when reinforcements do come?
Warren said there's "friendly competition" among the Yankees' starters. While they all want each other to succeed and feed off each other, they have fun trying to outdo the last starter. But Warren knows it's out of his control and all he can do is keep doing what he's doing.
"We’re going to have the best staff in all of baseball when [Rodón/Cole] come back," Warren said. "Best pitchers are going to pitch the majority of innings. I gotta make sure I keep going out there and doing my job."
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 01: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves circles the bases after hitting a 2 RBI home run against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Coors Field on May 01, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This Braves road trip couldn’t have started much worse, with the team facing a 5-0 deficit in the first inning.
It ended, though, like so many games have this season. With Atlanta celebrating a victory.
The Braves rallied from a 6-0 second-inning deficit for an 8-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a nine-game road trip Friday night in Denver, securing their 12th comeback victory of the season.
The Braves (23-10) got a run back on Matt Olson’s 10th homer in the fourth inning and another on Jonah Heim’s RBI groundout in the seventh.
The real damage, though, was done in the eighth, when Atlanta loaded the bases with one out before Mauricio Dubon promptly unloaded them with a three-run triple down the right-field line. Austin Riley — who had a two-hit night — tied the game in the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly down the right-field line.
After a scoreless eighth from Didier Fuentes, a leadoff walk in the Braves ninth put a runner on for pinch hitter Michael Harris II, who is still producing despite being limited with a sore quad, lofting a go-ahead two-run homer to right with an assist from the thin Denver air.
Robert Suarez worked a scoreless ninth for his first save, preserving Fuentes’ bad night.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Dubon each had two hits as well for the Braves.
It’s tied for the franchise’s largest-ever comeback at Colorado. And given how it started, it’s that much more impressive.
Atlanta was in a 3-0 hole before Grant Holmes recorded an out in the bottom of the first. On the play where the Braves finally recorded an out, the Rockies tacked on two more runs thanks to a Matt Olson throwing error.
When the dust had finally settled after a first inning which saw the Rockies bring 10 batters to the plate, the Braves were in a 5-0 hole.
Colorado made that 6-0 when Mickey Moniak led off the second with a moonshot to right.
But for as bad as Holmes was early, he saved his outing, relatively speaking, over his final four innings. After a 38-pitch first inning, he needed just 49 pitches to get through the second through fifth.
After the Moniak homer, Holmes allowed just one more hit, one more walk and no strikeouts over his last four innings. At the time, it seemed that was just going to be a good thing for the preservation of the bullpen on the fourth day of a stretch which will see the Braves play on nine straight days.
But as the offense woke up, it wound up being critical that Holmes settled in to keep Atlanta’s dangerous offense in striking distance.
Anthony Molina, called up the major league roster on Friday, followed with two no-hit innings where he allowed just one walk.
After the Rockies had five hits and six runs in the opening one-plus inning, they managed just three hits the rest of the way.
Mind you, it wasn’t a particularly great game for the Braves offense either, which started slow and finished 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
But this team has shown time and time early again this season that it doesn’t need to play its best game to win.
That was certainly the case Friday night at Coors Field.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was win or go home for the Toronto Raptors on Friday night as they hosted game six IN the 6ix against Cleveland. After losing game five, the Raptors either had to win to force a game seven or be eliminated from the playoffs. There were a few tough blows for the Raptors before the game even started, with Brandon Ingram being a late scratch due to a heel injury he’s been battling for a while now. He joined Quickley on the bench, meaning the Raptors were down two starters.
Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter filled those spots for the Raptors instead. The atmosphere in Toronto was absolutely rocking as the game started, and the Raptors fed into it immediately. They played tough defence, got stops, and were sharing the ball enough to gain a 10-point lead at halftime.
Despite the steallar play in the first half, the Raptors’ tired legs got ahead of them in the second half. The Cavaliers slowly inched back until it was a one posession game. Of course, because why not in this series, the game went to overtime. Overtime ended up being a gritty rock fight (shocker), but a highlight was Jamal Shead’s sixth foul being overturned by a well timed coach’s challenge.
It was a one-point game in the waning seconds as the Raptors had the posession, and who else to have the ball in his hands than RJ BARRETT? In another Raptors playoff moment that involved a gravity-defying rim bounce, the ball went in, giving the Raptors the lead. What a moment for the hometown kid.
RJ Barrett is averaging 24.3 points in the series, the most in a single postseason in Raptors franchise history.
According to Scottie, RJ looked at him and said “I got you Scott” before making the series-saving shot. The Raptors win the game 112-110. You can’t script it any better than that.
Scottie Barnes had a massive game, just coming up huge in every way with a 25 point, 14 assist, 7 rebound, 3 steal, 3 block stat line. The MVP chants he got were well deserved as the was everywhere for his team. RJ Barrett scored 24 points of his own along with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Ja’Kobe Walter had 24 points as well, with 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block.
So much about this game proved the growth of the Raptors in the past 12 months. A year ago, they were a lottery team — now? They are holding their own in a playoff series off of some incredible performances. They are winning these clutch game situations. No matter how game seven goes, there is so much to look on in this Raptors series as a success.
It’s not just the growth of Barnes either, though that’s a highlight. It’s the way Barrett has stepped up, the way Jamal Shead has been so important on the floor — so much so that Darko risked a challenge to keep him in the game. It’s the way Ja’Kobe Walter had that next man up mentality, or the way this team has stayed in the series despite being down two starters for most of the series. So much about this series has showed the progression of the Raptors, but also who they should focus their team building efforts on going into next season.
The Raptors have never won a playoff game Cleveland. Ever. How poetic would it be for this team to break that streak? They have proven time and time again that they are gritty, that they don’t give up. Of course, this series has far exceeded expectations of what people thought was possible from this team, but getting the win and going to round two would just be beyond any expectations. It would be fun. Raptors fans haven’t had much of that in the past few years. Let’s keep it going. Back to Cleveland we go.
May 1, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (20-12) failed to get their bats going in a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals (19-13) Friday night at Busch stadium in St. Louis. The L.A. bats didn’t muster much against the Marlins this week, including in Wednesday’s series finale. They got their first day off in two weeks, and a break was what we thought they needed.
Unfortunately the slumping offense continued for the Dodgers to sour the start of the road trip. The offense has only scored four runs the last three games. Shohei Ohtani went 0-for-5 with a strikeout, and his batting average has now dipped to .261 on the season. Overall, they went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Small Mistakes add up in 3-Run First
Sheehan made 30 pitches and surrendered four base hits including a home run in a disastrous chain of events in the first inning. A throwing error by Smith and scoring balk called on Sheehan minutes after the fact added fuel to the fire before Gorman dealt the big blow.
With Nolan Gorman batting, Iván Herrera scored on a balk. The umpires convened for a seemingly long time, and they came back to call the balk to bring in the first run of the inning for St. Louis.
Miguel Rojas missed the tag on a pickoff attempt of Iván Herrera on second base. Will Smith’s throw sailed by Rojas into center field and allowed the runners to move to second and third with two outs for third baseman Nolan Gorman.
Then the big blow came. Nolan Gorman crushed a Sheehan four-seamer for a two-run home run to make it 3-0.
After Pages singled, Max Muncy doubled deep off the center field wall on an 0-2 Liberatore pitch to get the Dodgers on the board. Muncy now has 11 hits in his last 10 games.
Sheehan had a nice bounce back inning in the second and retired the side in order, but Alec Burleson took another two-strike pitch deep in the third for a solo home run to make it 4-1.
Smith and Teoscar Hernández opened the fourth inning with back-to-back singles, but the promising start quickly faded and ended in Pages who grounded into a double play.
Jordan Walker went 3-for-3 against Sheehan, doubling with two out in the bottom of the fifth to chase Sheehan from the game. Jake Dreyer came in and did his job to retire the dangerous Gorman and send the game to the sixth.
Smith’s ABS Success Expands with Challenge at the Plate
Smith has been effectively using ASB challenges behind the plate to nab strikes back this season, but he also won a challenge as a batter at the plate to give the Dodgers another opportunity with a runner in scoring position with the first walk of the night for the Dodgers.
A nine-pitch plate appearance by Hernandez brought up Tucker with the bases loaded and one out. The Dodgers doubled their score on a Tucker sac fly. It was also the final batter for Liberatore. Pages lined out to center against St. Louis reliever George Soriano to strand another two runners.
Walker picked up his fourth run of the game, a double off Alex Vesia in the bottom of the seventh. A throwing error on Hernandez allowed Walker to reach third. The Red Birds scored their third run of the inning against Edgardo Henriquez after a spicy Masyn Winn hit-by-pitch and scoring groundout.
Hyeseong Kim doubled with two outs in the top of the ninth to give Ohtani one more opportunity. The slumping slugger flied out to center field to end the game and seal the third consecutive loss for the Dodgers.
Roki Sasaki (1-2, 6.35 ERA, 1.81 WHIP) starts the second game of the series, coming off one of his best MLB starts so far (4:15 p.m.; FOX). Michael McGreevy (1-2, 2.97 ERA, 0.90 WHIP), the California native, starts for the Cardinals.
Because the Buffalo Sabres managed to finally return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011, it ended what was the longest active postseason drought in the NHL.
Unfortunately, it means that the Detroit Red Wings, who haven't qualified since 2016, now own that distinction.
Adding insult to injury for the current Red Wings is that so many players, some of whom played in Detroit as recently as this and last season, have played key roles in their new respective club's playoff success.
Not only did Vladimir Tarasenko, who managed just 11 goals with the Red Wings last season, more than double his total this year with the Minnesota Wild and help them secure their first playoff series win in 11 years, but another former Red Wing has also helped his new club advance for the first time in nearly twice as long.
Goaltender Alex Lyon, now with the Sabres after playing two seasons in Detroit, made 25 saves to help Buffalo clinch their playoff series over the Boston Bruins. In doing so, the Sabres are on to the second round for the first time since 2007.
Lyon was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Red Wings in 2023 after he'd served as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky during what would be their first of three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final. During his time with the Red Wings, Lyon went 35-27-6 with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
Following Detroit's acquisition of John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks last offseason, and with Cam Talbot still under contract for another year, Lyon was deemed expendable.
He joined the Sabres, signing a two-year, $3 million contract with a $1.5 million cap hit.
And so far, the move has paid off in spades for the Sabres.
Lyon overtook former Sabres (and Red Wings) goaltender Dominik Hasek in the club record books for most consecutive victories, and is now the first Sabres goaltender since former Michigan State Spartan Ryan Miller 19 years ago to win a playoff series.
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TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts from the court against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew a chance at ending the series. Now they’ll face the Toronto Raptors for a Game 7 in Cleveland.
Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – Single Rims
I’ve seen enough. The NBA should invest in double rims, preferably ones that cause shots to rattle out more often.
Please, I’m begging you.
LOSER – Late Game Turnovers
Jokes aside, the Cavs had a golden opportunity to end the series. A one-point lead with the shot clock off and the ball in their hands.
They turned it over.
I understand having Dennis Schroder on the floor. He’s your slipperiest player who can dash into the backcourt and guarantee the ball is put into play. From there, however, problems emerge.
Let’s maybe use one of your timeouts before trying a jump pass? Especially when tossing a grenade to your team’s worst free-throw shooter (who also happens to be straddling the sideline and is smothered by an elite defender).
It’s not Schroder’s fault that Mobley lost the ball. But the process was questionable, and the results speak for themselves.
Worse, this isn’t even the first time the Cavs turned it over in a similar position. In Game 4, they choked away a late lead after Donovan Mitchell was forced into an eight-second violation.
LOSER – The Backcourt (for three quarters)
This has been the story of the series. The Cavs’ backcourt, to varying degrees, has thrown a 2-0 lead down the drain with some truly abysmal road performances.
We’ll start with the less egregious offender.
If you could magically remove the possessions where James Harden threw the ball straight to a Raptors defender, then I wouldn’t have many complaints. Hell, even cutting that number in half would be pretty sweet. But even with Harden raising the floor by keeping the offense alive in the non-Mitchell minutes, his erradic turnovers have led directly to Toronto’s fastbreaks, which have broken Cleveland’s back.
The Raptors had 25 points off turnovers tonight. Harden finished with 4 turnovers.
That pales in comparison to Donovan Mitchell. Who, by all accounts, has been awful since Game 2.
You can afford to have your best player struggle in the playoffs. That’s bound to happen for at least a game or two. But four out of six? That’s downright diabolical. That’s the stuff that causes you to rethink the future of your entire franchise.
Mitchell was once again out of sorts. Totally thrown out of whack by the Raptors’ swarming defense. He shot 2-10 from deep, mostly on desperation attempts — and failed to register an assist until the closing minutes despite commanding so much defensive attention.
These two would turn it around significantly. But the first three quarters are still important!
WINNER – The Fourth Quarter Rally
Alright, you don’t get within seconds of closing out a series without doing at least a few things right.
Mitchell turned it on in the fourth quarter. He finally broke free from Toronto’s shackles and found a nice home for himself in the mid-range. His floater helped fuel the comeback while Cleveland’s defense continued to ratchet up the intensity.
The Cavs held the Raptors to just 12 points in the fourth quarter. That’s as good as it gets defensively. If the Cavs could have been more effective on offense (only scoring 23 points themselves), they might have avoided overtime altogether.
This is where Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen deserve their flowers.
The two bigs came up huge throughout the rally. Mobley, in particular, scored 7 points in the clutch without missing a shot. He hit a corner three-pointer to cut into the lead, and then scored in isolation to force overtime in the final seconds.
Allen wasn’t as active in the scoring department but he applied maximum pressure on the glass. Allen grabbed contested board after contested board, helping the Cavs end possessions and extending them on the other side of the floor.
For a minute, this felt like the moment Cleveland was going to break through and prove they’re ready for the moment. Now they face elimination on Sunday.
