The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to complete a sweep of the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their opening-round playoff series. The Thunder won the first three games by an average of 16.7 points. Phoenix’s season will end with another loss in the series. If the Thunder close out the Suns, they will face the winner of the Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Lakers series.
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns
Game 1:Thunder 119, Suns 94 Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107 Game 3:Thunder 121, Suns 109 Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (9:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock) *Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD) *Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
Interim manager says the situation is ‘pretty clear’
Michael Carrick ruled out any reversal of Casemiro’s departure from Manchester United in the summer after the Brazilian scored in ’s 2-1 win against Brentford.
The midfielder’s header on 11 minutes was his ninth goal in the Premier League, second only for United to Benjamin Sesko, who registered just before half-time to seal victory.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 21: Dustin May #3 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot park on April 21, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals begin one of their toughest stretches of the young season as they kick off a 4-game series in Pittsburgh Monday night. Dustin May (3-2 with a 5.84 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals. Mason Montgomery will make the start for the Pirates. First pitch scheduled for 5:40pm St. Louis time Monday.
Beau Greaves has made darts history by becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking title. The 22-year-old beat three former world champions at the Players Championship in Milton Keynes, seeing off Rob Cross, Gary Anderson and Michael Smith.
Greaves completed a nailbiting 8-7 victory over Smith in the final with a stunning 142 checkout. She said: “I can’t believe it. I was up a fair few legs and I started to think about it. It caught up with me.
The Timberwolves announced Monday, April 27 that an MRI revealed Edwards suffered a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
This comes as the Timberwolves are looking to close out the Nuggets in Game 5, which is scheduled for Monday night at 10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Denver). Minnesota has taken a 3-1 series lead and got a massive boost from backup guard Ayo Dosunmu, who scored 43 points in Game 4.
Here’s everything you need to know about Anthony Edwards’ status for Monday’s game against the Nuggets:
Is Anthony Edwards playing tonight vs. Nuggets?
No, the Timberwolves have already ruled Edwards out for this game and for others beyond, listing him as week-to-week. The team is expected to provide an update on his progress when it becomes available.
How long could Anthony Edwards be out?
With the caveats that every injury is unique and that different players can react differently to the same ailments, fans can look at one of Edwards’ opponents in the series as a possible barometer for what to expect.
Granted, teams have the luxury of time and patience during the regular season to ensure their players are fully healthy before making a return. The Timberwolves, in this case, do not have that luxury.
Minnesota has taken a 3-1 series lead over Denver, but the second round of the NBA Playoffs will start next week. And if Minnesota advances, it will likely face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs, a very formidable opponent.
Anthony Edwards injury
The injury occurred with 2:45 left in the first half, when Edwards jumped vertically to defend a Cameron Johnson layup during a fastbreak drive. When Edwards landed, his left knee appeared to hyperextend as his weight came down, and he immediately grabbed at the area, writhing in apparent discomfort. Edwards slapped the court a few times in obvious frustration.
Athletic trainers rushed over as Edwards popped up to his feet. The trainers helped Edwards hobble off the floor, as he did not put any weight on the injured leg.
The trainers helped him toward the tunnel, though they didn’t immediately usher Edwards to the locker room, momentarily examining him in the tunnel.
Anthony Edwards stats
In 61 games this season, Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points (which ranked third in the NBA behind only Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. His field goal percentage (48.9%) and 3-point percentage (39.9%) were also career bests.
In February, he was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star team.
Former Knicks sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo became the fourth player over the past two playoffs to go down with a season-ending Achilles injury.
DiVincenzo suffered the devastating injury just 79 seconds into the first quarter of Minnesota’s Game 4 matchup with the Nuggets on Saturday night.
The shooting guard lofted up a three, then went down with the non-contact injury as he planted his leg going after the offensive rebound.
He immediately signaled towards the bench and left to the locker room.
DiVincenzo was able to walk off under his own power, but was later shown around halftime leaving the stadium in a wheelchair and a splint.
He was ruled out and the diagnosis was confirmed postgame.
Jalen Brunson and the rest of DiVincenzo’s former Knicks teammates received the news following their victory over the Hawks, and the captain immediately reached out.
“I talked to him, he seems in good spirits,” Brunson said Monday. “He’s formulating a plan and I wish him nothing but the best, it just sucks to see -- after the game that was like the first thing I heard, and I looked it up and saw it.
“That’s my brother, tough to see, but he’ll be back stronger.”
DiVincenzo was capping off another strong season with the Timberwolves, in which he appeared in all 82 regular season games and shot 38 percent from three-point land.
The Cubs welcomed back a member of their Opening Day bullpen before Monday night’s game in San Diego when they activated right-hander reliever Phil Maton from the 15-day injured list.
Maton had been placed on the IL April 10 (retroactive to April 8) with right knee tendinitis. He had posted a 13.50 ERA (six earned runs in four innings) before the IL stint. He threw one scoreless inning in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa last Friday.
Maton had been signed to a $6 million deal this past offseason with an $8.5 million team option or $3 million buyout for 2027. His last three relief seasons had been very good, with a combined 3.15 ERA in 202 relief appearances covering 191.1 innings, with 215 strikeouts and only 16 home runs allowed. Hopefully Maton can get back to that level of performance; the Cubs surely need it.
Charlie Barnes, who was recalled Sunday along with Yacksel Rios, was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. Barnes threw three innings for the Cubs May 13 in Philadelphia, allowing four runs (three earned), the last game the Cubs lost before the 10-game winning streak.
But the Cubs still need more relief help. And so this seems a good place for me to ask you this: Jordan Romano, who had been very good from 2021-23 with 95 saves for the Blue Jays, has been pretty bad the last three seasons for the Jays, Phillies and Angels. This year Romano had a 10.13 ERA and 2.125 WHIP in 11 games (eight innings) for the Angels, who designated him for assignment Sunday.
Once Romano clears waivers, assuming he opts for free agency, worth a flyer? The Cubs can use just about any live arm they can find. Let us know what you think in the comments.
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 24: Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
A lot of playoff basketball happened yesterday, but perhaps the biggest story was Victor Wembanyama’s triumphant return from concussion protocol. After banging his chin on the court and exiting Game 2, which the Spurs lost, he was cleared to travel with the team but missed Game 3 in Portland, which the Spurs won. He finally returned for Game 4 and helped lead the Spurs to one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history, as they became the first team to win by +15 points after being down by +15 at halftime.
It all started as a feel-good story, with Wemby returning five days after the concussion, which is the beginning of the average return window of 5-7 days. Then, things got interesting immediately after the game. First, while being interviewed by ESPN’s Malika Andrews on the court, he mentioned the Spurs were great at handling his concussion but he was “very unhappy with the way the protocol was handled by other parties,” calling it “funny” before a befuddled Andrews moved on.
"I had lots of emotions in me before the game, obviously excitement. Frustration. I let it all out tonight."@wemby joins @malika_andrews after his Game 4 return 👽 pic.twitter.com/XESKky8EaB
After that had raised some eyebrows, he was unsurprisingly asked to elaborate on what he meant at the start of his press conference in front of a gaggle of curious reporters. After a long, thoughtful pause, he had this to say:
“I won’t get into the details. I don’t want it to become a distraction. Ask me again after the season. All the doctors, especially on the Spurs, but the doctors all around, they were great, took great care of me. But the way the situation was handled was very disappointing. Not on the Spurs. But as I say, I won’t get into details.”
Then, when asked to elaborate more, the feed was suddenly muted to viewers. (And yes, this did in fact happen. I was watching it live on the Spurs’ YouTube page, and my mind immediate said, “Huh, they just muted him”.)
LMFAOOOO
Wemby was about to start talking trash about that NBA and they IMMEDIATELY cut his microphone OFF 😭😭
So is that in fact what happened, or was it just a coincidence that the NBA’s official feed lost sound when it did, then magically recovered for the next question? If it was it intentional, was it because they were afraid Wemby was about to say something he shouldn’t? That then begs the question, what did he say during those seconds when the mic was cut and no one outside the room could hear? Fortunately for us, YouTuber Chaz NBA found feed from a mic from inside the room … and Wemby didn’t say anything that he hadn’t already said: simply that he was fine with the Spurs but not the process (mic cut at the 1:54 mark, you can tell when the sound transitions from clear to distant and echoey).
To be clear, I am not a conspiracy theorist, and maybe the rabbit hole I’m about to dive down is an overreaction, but this still leaves many questions to unravel beyond whether this was intentional or not, so let’s break it down. First, there’s the question who exactly is Wemby upset at? The NBA has clear concussion protocol standards that he followed: he waited 24 hours to return to lite activity and completed the mandatory 48 hours with no contact allowed. He was symptom free by then, so he proceeded through all the cognitive and neurological testing required to be cleared to play. He (and the Spurs) reportedly felt he was ready to go for Game 3 but was not cleared to play, and it took up until an hour before Game 4 before he was finally cleared.
It would be understandable that he’s frustrated it took that long if he felt he could have played sooner, so again, does this answer who he’s upset at? He clearly stated it’s not the Spurs or their doctors, so the obvious answer would be the other party involved: the NBA. So the next question is why, and how much are they actually involved in this process?
This led me to consult with the NBA’s official concussion protocol rule for the zillionth time in the last week, and this jumped out at me in a new light. Under section 5.B.iv, which is the “Return to Participation” section, it says the following:
A team physician has discussed the return-to-participation process and decision with the Director of the NBA Concussion Program. Note that, to promote the consistency of player care, the final return-to-participation decision is to be made by the player’s team physician.
That last sentence is interesting. This “note” seems to put it more the team physician’s hands, even though it’s in conjunction with the “Director of the NBA Concussion Program” (whoever that is). So if the NBA ultimately does have final say, as has been widely reported, why that little note? It adds unnecessary confusion. Regardless, the most likely conclusion is the Spurs’ physician gave him the clear before Game 3 but this so-called Director did not. That would answer what “other party” Wemby is upset with.
Now the question becomes why was there disagreement, and was there more to this than simply two dissenting medical opinions? Was the NBA hoping to extend the series? (Probably not, but if so, it didn’t work.) Are they simply being overly cautious due to the lawsuits the National Football League is facing due to revelations of medical issues head injuries can cause later in life? Quite possibly, as they should, but this not-a-conspiracy-theorist has another thought.
What if the NBA simply didn’t like the optics of Wemby returning from a concussion, sustained in a high profile game on national television, in just three days? The moment went viral and had doctors and “medical experts” from all over giving their own takes and opinions on national television and social media, with most saying he should wait at least a week (despite no two cases being alike and them not having access to him or his medial files).
As previously noted, the average return time from a concussion in the NBA is 5-7 days, and Game 3 didn’t fit that timeline. Game 4 did, but just barely, and it sounds like even then the Spurs and Wemby had to work to convince the league he should be cleared. That brings us to our final question: why did the mic go out during Wemby’s press conference?
As shown above, he didn’t say anything that hadn’t already been said, but was there an agreement between him and the league that he had to stay quiet about the topic if he returned? Did he break a gag order, or did the league feel like he was about to go a step too far when they (allegedly) hit the mute button? We all know that Wemby is confident and brutally honest, sometimes to a fault, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind even if it brings about scrutiny (like his “ethical basketball” comments). Maybe that had the NBA worried. (If there is some sort of conspiracy going on here, maybe Pablo Torre can help us find out, just like when he exposed Kawhi Leonard and Uncle Dennis’ shenanigans.)
Who knows if Wemby will be asked about it again after the season, as he suggested. Maybe it will never come back up, or maybe he’ll endure a fine and speak out someday. There’s no telling at this point, but there sure are a lot of coincidences and unanswered questions here that will leave us wondering. The good thing is, assuming the Spurs take care of business and finish off the Trail Blazers, we don’t have to worry about any what-ifs coming from this incident.
Wemby is the potential face of the league who has a mind and a mouth and is not afraid to use them. That is undoubtedly good for him and the league, but also means there may be more times where they’ll have tell him to be quiet, and this could be the first in a long line of “Wemby vs. The Establishment” moments. Only time will tell.
While the Portland Trail Blazers threw intrigue into the mix with their Game 2 win, the San Antonio Spurs have restored order to the proceedings in this first round.
My Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions and same-game parlay expect the series to end in five games, thanks, in part, to Stephon Castle on Tuesday, April 28.
Our best Trail Blazers vs Spurs SGP for Game 5
The San Antonio Spurs struck gold when they had the No. 1 pick three years ago, drafting Victor Wembanyama. They were bolstered when De’Aaron Fox forced his way to their roster in a trade last season. But the piece that may make San Antonio a long-time force came in the 2024 draft, snagging Stephon Castle at No. 4 overall.
He may be the perfect complement to Wembanyama, able to score on his own but also excelling at facilitating for others.
Castle’s scoring has come in handy in this series, scoring at least 16 points in each game and averaging 21.8 points per 34 minutes.
That is an odd stat, but it is an intentional one. When Castle has played at least 34 minutes, he has cleared this points prop. When the Spurs have led by so much that he can rest easy, he has not.
But facing elimination, the Portland Trail Blazers should force San Antonio to stay engaged through much of the fourth quarter, no matter the Spurs’ lead. That does not mean the game will tighten, simply that Castle will play plenty to again score 20+ points while continuing to shoot 42.9% from deep in this series.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Apr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Hey look, Roman Anthony’s back! That’s nice. The Sox are in Canada for the first time this year to take on the Blue Jays tonight at 7 p.m. Here’s who’s playin’ behind Ranger Suarez:
As for the World Series American League Champions, Dylan Cease leads the Blue Jays on what I understand to be Ernie Clement jersey night (not a joke):
A Monday night tripleheader of NBA playoff games on NBC and Peacock wraps up with the Denver Nuggets trying to stave off elimination by the injury-depleted Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round series.
The odds are stacked against Denver: Teams that lead 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have 95.6% of advancing to the next round (285-13). But the last two rallies from a 3-1 deficit were managed by the Nuggets in the 2020 playoffs — over Utah in the first round and the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Timberwolves have won Game 5 in the previous three playoff series that they took a 3-1 lead. But Minnesota will be without the starting backcourt of Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards after both guards were injured during the 112-96 victory in Game 4.
The end of the game also featured a bench-clearing altercation between Denver center Nikola Jokic and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels. The NBA fined Jokic and Julius Randle for their actions.
See below for additional information on the Timberwolves-Nuggets game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets game preview:
In the absence of DiVincenzo (ruptured right Achilles suffered less than 2 minutes into the first quarter) and Edwards (bone bruise and hyperxtended left knee), guard Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to score a career-high 43 points in Game 4.
"With the magnitude of the playoffs, this ranks No. 1," Dosunmu said. "I’m living in the moment, and this sounds clichéd, but I won’t take this for granted."
Minnesota likely will need more solid performances from Dosunmu to close out Denver and to go deep in the playoffs. DiVincenzo (who had been one of four players to start all 82 regular-season games) underwent season-ending surgery Sunday, and Edwards will be out for multiple weeks.
"Losing those two guys was really tough," Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said. "Tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime and kind of reset things. We really had a team effort, everybody chipped in."
The Nuggets will need improvement from Jokic, who is having the least efficient series of his playoff career (which covers 98 games). The three-time MVP who is a finalist again this season, is shooting 39.1% from the field and 18.5% on 3-pointers. He made only 7 of 26 field goals in Game 3, his career-low (26.9%) for a playoff game (he'd never made fewer than 47% from the field or 22% on 3-pointers).
Jokic has struggled with 3-point shooting since returning from a 16-game absence in January for a left knee injury.
“It’s a little bit of everything," Jokic said after Game 4. "I’m not shooting the ball really well, especially from the 3. (Minnesota center) Rudy (Goebert) is doing a good job with being physical, testing the officials, contesting shots. He’s a really good defender. And not just him, they play very good … they’re big, long, tall, handsy, trippy, they’re bumping you.”
Denver’s offense has plummeted over three consecutive losses, averaging 102 points per game (27 below the average in winning the 13 previous games in a row).
“It’s honest conversations," Denver head coach David Adleman said about the team's response to the slump. "Because that’s all you got. There’s a million narratives out there, people write stories, there’s social media, there’s all the crap. But it’s about us in the room, bottom line.’’
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 22: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after striking out during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field on April 22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PITTSBURGH — So much for the Flyers’ commanding lead.
They have themselves a series.
The Flyers suffered a 3-2 loss Monday night to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Game 5 of this best-of-seven first-round playoff matchup.
Rick Tocchet’s club now heads home with its series advantage whittled down to 3-2. The Flyers knew eliminating a team like Pittsburgh was going to be a challenge.
“There’s no way that group’s going to go away,” Tocchet said before the game. “No chance.”
The Flyers showed some resolve, but they couldn’t overcome multiple deficits. They erased a 2-0 hole in the second period on goals from Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim.
Kris Letang, though, responded to regain the Penguins their lead before intermission. Pittsburgh closed the door in the third period.
“They’re an experienced group that has been in this situation before,” Cam York said before the game. “They’re not just going to go away easy. I think we wanted them to go away a little bit easy last game and that obviously wasn’t the case. … We’ve got to bring our A-plus game to take these guys out.”
The Flyers dropped consecutive games for just the second time since Feb. 26.
On Letang’s goal, the Flyers’ netminder tried to glove a high shot. The puck ended up ricocheting off the boards and then Vladar’s skate as Pittsburgh took its lead back.
The Penguins struck just 2:45 minutes into the game. Elmer Soderblom scored from the slot after Anthony Mantha had a textbook forecheck on Rasmus Ristolainen.
Vladar gave his team a really solid third period, but the Flyers couldn’t rally.
Arturs Silovs, making his second straight start for Pittsburgh, stopped 18 of the Flyers’ 20 shots.
He denied Porter Martone with under a minute to go.
The Flyers’ league-worst power play went 0 for 2 and is just 2 for 15 in the series.
The 22-year-old said he was “stoked” to play and he looked it. His second-period goal came just 12 seconds after Connor Dewar had the building abuzz. The Penguins’ fourth-line winger took advantage of the Flyers failing to clear the zone and cushioned his team’s lead to 2-0.
But Bump quickly quieted the crowd with an excellent move to the net.
The rookie winger was noticeable from the onset. On his first shift, he fired a shot and had a hit.
Bump did exactly what the Flyers were hoping for in his postseason debut. He’ll definitely always remember PPG Paints Arena. His first goal in both the regular season and playoffs came here.
• Sidney Crosby exited briefly in the second period when a shot from his teammate nailed his left leg.
The future Hall of Fame center returned and assisted Letang’s go-ahead goal.
Crosby has put up back-to-back multi-point efforts after recording just an assist through the first three games.
• The series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 26: Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Cam Sanders (64) during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 26, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pirates added pitching depth over the weekend to help their bullpen during an extended stretch without an off day.
Pittsburgh recalled right-handed reliever Cam Sanders during the Milwaukee series and remains with the Pirates for the first of four against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Braxton Ashcraft was placed on the bereavement list as a corresponding move. Ben Cherington said the expectation is that Ashcraft will return to the Pirates during the Cardinals series.
Ashcraft is in line to start on Tuesday night at PNC Park.
Sanders joins the team for the second time this season, looking for a longer stay than before.
He pitched two innings on Sunday in a 5-0 loss to the Brewers. Sanders didn’t allow a run on one hit, one walk, and struck out one hitter.
Sanders’ previous outing on April 18 was a struggle. He failed to record three outs and allowed four runs on three hits and a walk against Tampa Bay. Both outs were strikeouts, but promoted Sanders to be sent back down the next day.
The Pirates play their seventh of a 13-game stretch without an off day, concluding on Sunday hosting the Reds.
The team will have the first three Mondays of May off.
The 16-12 Pirates face an important early-season stretch against the Cardinals and Reds in a jam-packed NL Central as all five teams are over .500.
