ABU DHABI, UAE - OCTOBER 2: Deuce McBride of the New York Knicks arrivals for the game against the Philadelphia 76ers as part of 2025 NBA Global Games Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena on October 1, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, The United Arab Emirates. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks and their fans have had plenty of rough patches over the last few weeks, and the most recent updates regarding Deuce McBride’s injury don’t help.
On late Thursday afternoon, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that the backup guard could still “miss the remainder of the regular season.”
This isn’t a complete surprise, as the initial reports indicated that McBride may be out until the playoffs. But it is a reminder that McBride, who many had hoped would come back a bit earlier, could still not see the court again until the postseason. And it puts the Knicks, who have left fans wanting more even though they have a strong regular-season record, in a tough position.
Apologies and I corrected this error: he could miss the remainder of the regular season. Expected was not the right word. Was told a 6 to 8 week recovery. https://t.co/3G0bzbduwt
Either Deuce comes back closer to the six-week point—which is April 9th—and has a very short period to ramp up and get back in rhythm… or he comes back closer to the eight-week mark—April 23rd—and has to find his way back in the middle of the first round, with the Knicks’ regular-season finale scheduled for April 12th and the postseason proper set to start on April 18th.
In the meantime, the Knicks will continue to miss McBride’s shooting and point-of-attack defense, and will now have the tough task of trying to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference standings without one of their most impactful players.
McBride, who has continued to travel with the team since undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia, was having a career year, averaging 12.9 PPG, 2.8APG, and 2.6 RPG, while shooting an impressive 42% from three.
New York won’t complain much if Deuce comes back right by the start of the playoffs, but the lack of any announcement or report about a comeback timeline does leave some room for concern about a quicker-than-expected rehab.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Grant Nelson #16 of the Brooklyn Nets plays defense during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets are signing Grant Nelson to their squad on a 10-day contract. Nelson has spent the season with Brooklyn’s G-League squad, the Long Island Nets, on a regular G League contract.
Mike Scotto of Hoopshype was first with the news …
The Brooklyn Nets are signing Grant Nelson to a 10-day contract, agent Max Wiepking of Gersh Sports told @hoopshype. Nelson has averaged 11 points on 55% shooting from the field and 6.0 rebounds with the Long Island Nets in the G League. pic.twitter.com/69CHDRzuTz
The signing will give the Nets six rookies for at least the next 10 days. Such contracts can be extended a second 10 days, essentially giving Nelson a three-way tryout for the 15th standard contract created at the deadline when the Nets added two players in trades while waiving three players.
Nelson, a 23-year-old seven-foot power forward, went undrafted out of Alabama last June. After playing for the Nets in the Las Vegas Summer League, he signed a non-guaranteed camp deal with Brooklyn in October, but was waived at the end of preseason and assigned to Long Island. He has spent the entirety of his rookie year at Nassau Coliseum.
Following his seven-week layoff due to left knee soreness, Nelson has gotten back on track, despite a minutes restriction. In the 15 games – all starts – since, his per 36 numbers are 24 and 12.
In 23 total outings at the G League level, Nelson has averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 19.1 minutes per game. He’s made close to 60% of his shots from the floor and over 80% of his shots from the foul stripe.
“I really like the coaching staff,” Nelson told NetsDaily early on in the season. “I like the plan they had. There’s a lot that goes into it. My agent knows a lot more than me, so I just really trusted his plan, and I feel like this is a great spot to be. I like my teammates, coaches, and the system.”
Back in January, ND also spoke with Nelson about his knee injury and how the Brooklyn performance and medical staffs helped resolved it. “I’ve been dealing with knee soreness for I don’t know how many years, really, since I started college. It was kind of just affecting how I was playing, and I had to get it over with and get all the rehab done, and get it back to feeling 100%. The performance staff here did a great job. Everyone really cares about me, and that meant a lot.”
Since he returned from the layoff, Nelson has been on an injury restriction playing between 16 and 27 minutes. In 15 starts, he’s averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes.
Nelson also spoke about his goals, which included a two-way spot with Brooklyn. “That’s been a goal of mine since the Summer right after the draft to get a two-way spot with Brooklyn. I’m still competing for it, and I’m still fighting for it, but hopefully soon.”
Now, though, it appears that Nelson may be trying out for the standard deal. The Nets three two-way slots are all filled.
Nelson, who played three seasons at North Dakota State before transferring to Alabama where he played his final two seasons of college ball was seen as among the most athletic bigs in the NCAA last season, his big moment coming in March Madness vs. Cooper Flagg and Duke…
The kind of athleticism Grant Nelson can bring to Nets. From March Madness last year. https://t.co/C3SLp3JhZc
The call-up is a testament to Nelson’s hard work this season, even dealing with a nagging knee injury. He fought through the injury, rehabbed, and played better than he had been.
The deadline for the Nets to sign Nelson to a two-way spot is next Wednesday, March 4 if they chose to retain him as a two-way. The Nets also announced that Ben Saraf is returning from Long Island and Drake Powell will replace him on G League assignment. Saraf has spent the most time in the G League this season with 21 games, Powell the least with two.
Riley Martin hasn’t yet pitched in a regular-season major league game, but this might be the year. The 6’1”, 215 pound Salem, Illinois native has been in the Cubs’ system for five years, rising slowly through the ranks with so-so results until 2025, when he posted a 6-2 record, a 2.69 ERA, two holds and four saves in 63 innings pitched over 47 games. He logged 80 strikeouts but he did issue 35 free passes. A 1.19 WHIP indicates his success, as well.
He was added to the 40-man roster in November 2025.
Martin throws a fastball that sits around 94 miles per hour, a sinker at 92, a slider around 88, and a curve and change that sit around 85. He didn’t throw the sinker in 2025, preferring his four-seam and curve, with the slider a distant third in terms of use. Fangraphs likes his FB, slider, and curve — the FB is 50/50, the slider 55/55, and the curve a nice 70/70. They do give him 20/20 for command — he throws hard, you know.
He was pick No. 22 in the sixth round in 2021, out of Quincy University.
Martin is 27 (turns 28 in a few weeks), so he’s no spring chicken, but perhaps he’s figured things out. No doubt Josh could tell you more if you ask nicely. He’ll pitch in Spring Training so we’ll all be able to see, and that data will be added to last spring’s numbers. It would be far-fetched, I think, to expect him to break camp on Opening Day, but seeing him in Wrigley is very possible — most projection systems like him to taste the coffee this year.
Los Angeles, CA - April 30: LeBron James #23 along with teammate Austin Reaves, center, and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 101-96 to win game 5 of a first round NBA basketball game and advance to the next round at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Regardless of where any of us fell on the spectrum of belief that the Lakers could actually be a championship contender this season, we could all agree that their most realistic path to reaching that status would be on the offensive side of the ball.
Sure, they added some free agents who could help bolster their defense, but those players were never going to tip the scales so severely to catapult the team into the upper echelons of the league on that side of the ball.
No, if the Lakers were going to win — and win big — they’d do it by being such a force on the offensive side of the ball that opponents wouldn’t be able to keep pace.
Despite a record that has them 10 games over .500 on the season and one of the 10 best records in the league heading into Friday’s games, the Lakers have not been the offensive juggernaut one might expect, even when contextualizing that record through the lens of all the injuries the team has had this season.
Yes, the Lakers, currently 11th in offensive rating, have been mostly a top-10 offense all year and have been particularly strong at the end of close games, where they’re the best clutch offense in the league. But hovering around 10th while boasting a great finishing kick is not the same as outpacing opponents over the course of full games and making every sort of defense pay.
Which brings us to the big three of Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Any shortcomings on that side of the ball rightfully put them squarely in the crosshairs. This team is built around their offensive prowess and the idea that together, and when staggered into different lineup groupings, they’d be able to lift the Lakers over the course of a full 48 minutes to put the screws to any defense in the league.
Indvidually, while things have not always been perfect — see the end of the team’s loss against the Magic on Tuesday — all three have mostly been holding up their end of the bargain.
Luka is leading the league in scoring and is third in assists while boasting shooting percentages in line with his career marks from the field overall, behind the arc and at the foul line. He remains a top-five MVP candidate and is on pace to make another All-NBA First Team.
Austin Reaves, meanwhile, is having the best statistical season he’s had in his 5-year career, scoring 25 points and dishing out over five assists a night while shooting 50% from the field, 37% from behind the arc, and 87% from the foul line. Before his calf injury cost him over a month, Austin was on pace to make his first All-Star game.
LeBron’s production is not where it’s been in recent seasons, but he’s still scoring nearly 22 points and handing out seven assists a game, is shooting 50% from the field and, after a slow start, is back to 75% from the foul line.
Besides raw points per game, the only real decline he’s shown statistically on offense is from behind the arc where he’s shooting just 30% from deep after consecutive seasons that saw him hit 37% and 41%. But, even disregarding his age, the only player averaging as many points and assists as him while shooting as well from the field overall is Nikola Jokic.
However, when they’ve shared the court as a trio this season, things have not always lined up.
This season, the NBA’s worst offense is the Indiana Pacers, who have an offensive rating of 108.7. To put this number into context, it’s a full 12 points per 100 possessions worse than the league’s best offense, the Nuggets. When the trio of Dončić, James, and Reaves share the floor, the Lakers’ offense is just 106.7, two points worse than the bottom-dwelling Pacers.
Should this be a huge cause for concern? Well….yes and no.
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10, 2025: Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) and Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) look at the scoreboard with the team down by double digits against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena on December 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
It’s pretty clear that when these three share the floor, there’s a replication of skill sets and not yet much chemistry on how to elevate each other through the natural way each of them likes to play. When the team is not running organized sets or specific plays, there can be a tendency to play too much standard pick-and-roll or isolation basketball where one of the Luka, Bron or Reaves just commandeers the possession while the other stars stagnate.
This can often lead to one- or no-pass possessions where LeBron might get a post-up and look to bully his man in the paint or Luka/Austin simply call for a ball screen that turns into a fairly predictable outcome where either they shoot themselves or the player they pass to shoots.
There are also countless freelance possessions a game where one of the three — and it’s Dončić who does this the most — will hunt their own offense early in the shot clock without making a single pass at all. How many times have you seen Luka take an early clock stepback three when both LeBron and Austin are in the game?
And while he has the ball the most and can be singled out, it’s not just Luka who can play on an island in this way. Again, just as I can see in my mind’s eye Luka taking that early clock three, I can envision Austin dribbling up high and calling for a pick so he can go into his dance and try to get a shot up for himself. Or I can visualize LeBron dribbling above the break and going into a backdown of his defender to try to post up, only to take a contested fadeaway.
They all have this tendency and it’s too baked into the culture of freelancing on offense by relying on the individual greatness of a singular shot creator. And these sorts of actions don’t do much to elevate the other stars on the court who don’t have the ball, as they often end up watching their teammate go and try to cook the defense.
On the flip side, heading into Thursday’s game in Phoenix, the sample size for these three playing together this season is not yet very big at just 213 minutes. Further, 94 of the 213 minutes this trio has played come from the original starting lineup head coach JJ Redick deployed with Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura flanking his three stars. This group has posted a particularly abysmal offensive rating of 97.6 in those minutes, drastically underperforming the offensive talent on the floor.
There is a longer discussion to be had about why this group isn’t meshing, but putting that to the side for a moment, there are a couple of lineups where by simply making a single substitution — either swapping out Rui for Marcus Smart like the team has of late in the new starting lineup or, alternatively, Ayton for Jaxson Hayes — where the five on the floor are considerably better offensively and perform much closer to expectations:
These numbers mirror what the Lakers did with all three on the floor last season, where the team posted a 117.8 offensive rating, which was buoyed mostly by the team’s small-ball look where those three were flanked by Rui and Dorian Finney-Smith. Those groups posted a 124.9 offensive rating, which is a hint that the team might have more small-ball looks in its future now that everyone is healthy.
Heading into the Suns game, surrounding the team’s big three with Smart and Rui has led to a 132.0 offensive rating — though only in 12 minutes. Not a sizable enough sample to latch onto as meaningful, but in line with the team’s success last year in a similar lineup construction.
So, is the glass half-empty or half-full? I guess it depends on the night and how generous you want to be towards the team.
I could argue that, despite those two straight losses against Boston and Orlando that both left a sour taste in our mouths (and a third against the Suns on Thursday), the Lakers have a couple of lineups they can turn to that, even if it’s only small margins, are showing they can be successful together when the team has its three best players on the court together.
Those groups still aren’t scoring to the level they could be, but with better commitment to running more organized offense rather than freelancing, the team has shown it can be a high-functioning half-court offense that puts defenses in situations with few good choices.
That said, there’s also an argument to be made that this team has not shown a proclivity to commit to playing that way at all. There’s also an open question of whether health will permit the team to play these better-fitting lineups together as consistently as needed and whether Redick will even lean into those lineups to the degree that the small data samples imply he should.
Sticking with the lineup point a bit further, of all the combinations of the Lakers’ three stars, there are not many variations that have shown to be a net positive this year. When any of the Dončić, LeBron, or Austin trio play by themselves, the Lakers have a positive net rating.
But of the Dončić/Reaves, Dončić/James, and James/Reaves pairings when the other star is off the court, only the Luka and Austin duo have posted a positive net rating this season.
There’s an argument to be made, then, that instead of tethering Austin and LeBron in the way he does to start the second and fourth quarters, Redick could lean more into exploiting the Luka and Austin duo while forming a more athletic and defensive-oriented lineup around LeBron, as was the case when Reaves was out with his calf injury.
Whatever decisions are made, though, need to happen now. Coming out of the All-Star break is a massive sprint to the finish line where the playoffs are the ultimate goal. Injuries have not allowed the team to get the footing through information gathering it would have liked, but the race does not stop so that you can get your bearings.
The Lakers do not have the time to falter or linger on ideas that have not yet panned out. Here’s hoping they can find their way and do it now. Because if they don’t, they’ll have a very long offseason to consider where they went wrong…again.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Soccer star Lionel Messi was knocked to the ground by a fan and a security guard at the end of Inter Miami's friendly match in Puerto Rico.
Inter Miami was playing Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle in Bayamón on Thursday when a fan ran to the center circle and grabbed Messi by the waist before both were pulled down by a security guard.
Messi appeared to be unharmed. The Argentine star immediately got up and walked to another part of the pitch.
It happened around the 88th minute of the exhibition tour match. Several fans jumped onto the pitch at Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium.
The match was originally scheduled for Feb. 13, but was postponed because Messi felt discomfort in his leg during the previous exhibition match against Barcelona SC of Ecuador.
Santiago Morales and Messi scored in the 16th and 70th minutes respectively to give Inter Miami a 2-1 win.
Miami, which started its MLS season with a 3-0 loss to LAFC, faces Orlando City next Sunday.
A lot of Rays’ changeups are getting better. Jesse Scholtens has one of them. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A few Rays pitchers have debuted new pitch shapes this spring — and they all have one thing in common: they’re offspeed pitches. That’s not a coincidence.
There are two ways to increase VAA separation: change vertical movement on the fasball or the offspeed, or change location. Lowering the “induced vertical break” (IVB, or how much the pitch rises due to backspin) on the offspeed pitch is usually the easier lever, and doing so naturally drives the pitch lower in the zone. Shape and location aren’t independent variables.
We have limited video in Spring Training, so we won’t be able to analyze all the grip changes at the moment, and the Hawkeye data can wobble in small samples, so exact numbers matter less than trends. But pitch-shape trends stabilize relatively quickly. What we’re seeing looks intentional.
Joe Boyle
There’s been some excitement surrounding Boyle bringing back his old breaking ball shape, but maybe the more interesting thing to follow will be his splitter. It was a new pitch for him in 2025, but you wouldn’t know it based on the results. Boyle threw his offspeed offering over 15% of the time to each side of the plate. It was a fine taste-breaker to RHB (.282 wOBA against, 26.9% whiff rate), but it really shined against LHB (.080 wOBA against, 34.3% whiff rate). He zoned it at a surprisingly average rate, but its location consistency graded well below average.
As Boyle develops more feel for the new pitch, his splitter’s ceiling rises. The shape has already taken a leap forward as he’s now killing some more vertical movement on the pitch (nearly 3 IVB last season, now showing -2 IVB so far this spring) – leading to more optimal VAA separation from his fastball and likely more consistent locations down in and below the zone. The wider IVB gap should push what was average VAA separation into plus territory.
Assuming this new shape holds, improved chase rates will follow. Boyle has the highest ceiling of any Rays pitcher not named Shane McClanahan or Brody Hopkins. His command and control gains coupled with his refined arsenal could make him a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Yoendrys Gomez, Jesse Scholtens, and Ian Seymour
YoGo is also the beneficiary of improved IVB separation between his fastball and offspeed pitch. The vertical movement on the pitch has gone from nearly 7 inches to approximately 2. Again, exact numbers are less important than the trends here given the sample size.
Another former White Sox pitcher, Scholtens joined the Rays late last season and has since held on to a 40-man spot despite the significant turnover this offseason.
Scholtens didn’t pitch in 2024 due to TJS and didn’t pitch a ton in 2025 as he was just coming back. However, his offspeed pitch is noticeably different in Spring Training right now — he has gone from roughly 3 inches of vert on the pitch to it flirting with negative IVB (meaning that it drops more than can be attributed to the force of gravity), and also running over 12 inches armside (up from 4).
Seymour had average VAA separation between his fastball and changeup last season with above average velocity separation. So far this spring, his changeup is coming in with about 5.5 IVB – down from roughly 9 last season – so we can expect even better results from what’s already a plus pitch.
But that didn’t stop the Rays from helping Woodford tinker with his changeup; he’s leaning into his strengths and making it an even weirder pitch by cutting off even more horizontal break. The graphs of offspeed (changeups and splitters) below show just how extreme that shape is. The red circle is his shape sat last season when it was already an outlier, and the green circle is an approximate range of where it’s sitting now in Spring Training:
That’s an outlier, but for good measure, this is how it compares to offspeed pitches from a similar arm angle bucket:
The single dot near his new pitch location is Logan Gilbert, who still throws from a significantly higher slot than does Woodford.
The Rays used to identify outlier offspeed pitches, but now they’re manufacturing them. Trading for Jeffrey Springs, Zack Littell, Edwin Uceta, and Ryan Pepiot was largely about identifying pitchers with desireable offspeed pitches and then optimizing that usage. But this spring we’re seeing something different: the shapes on offspeed pitches are changing throughout the organization, not just the usage rates.
This mirrors something that’s been going on throughout baseball. As Lance Brozdowski has pointed out, changeups across the league are getting better, or at least more optimized for vertical separation from the fastball.
Fascinating to see the league embrace the depth changeup / kick-changeup.
Look at the % of changeups thrown >84 mph with *less* than 2” induced vertical break (a bunch of drop)…
This is because, over the past few years, teams have gotten a lot smarter about how pitch grip and seam orientation affect the release characteristics and the path of the ball in flight, and have become adept at using their pitching labs to help pitches make small adjustments for meaningful results. The Yankees have gotten a lot of attention for their work with seam orientation throughout their org, most saliently with Luke Weaver.
But the initial Spring Training numbers make clear that similar work with on offspeed shape optimization is happening in Tampa Bay as well.
Arsenal and Liverpool will fancy their chance of making the quarter-finals, while Manchester City and Newcastle face tougher routes
The Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain last summer was probably Enzo Maresca’s finest hour as Chelsea manager. He devised a gameplan, pinging balls over Nuno Mendes for Cole Palmer to chase, backed up by Malo Gusto, that tore the European champions apart in the first half. Liam Rosenior may try to exploit the same vulnerability, but this is a Chelsea that look weary, their exertions in the US perhaps having left them fatigued.
TAMPA, FL - JUNE 03: Threshers mascot Phinley and home plate umpire Emil Jimenez go over the ground rules with the Threshers and Fire Frogs coaches before the Florida State League game between the Florida Fire Frogs and the Clearwater Threshers on June 03, 2018, at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With this, the final name has been registered and we have a list.
Ramon Marquez – 136 Zach McCambley – 45 Griffin Burkholder – 16 Keaton Anthony – 13 Alex McFarlane – 10 Seth Johnson – 8 Mavis Graves – 1
Kind of fitting that Marquez finishes off this list. A 19 year old kid that has a tough changeup and the makings of a decent fastball, he’s one of those arms that can be dreamt on whenever he is able to arrive. The Phillies might see their system take off a bit in the eyes of national people if players like Marquez can take a step forward this year. It looks like he has the basis to do so.
2025 stats (with complex league and Clearwater)
14 G (12 GS), 55 IP, 30.3 K%, 7.1 BB%, 0.65 HR/9, 4.42 ERA (3.36 FIP)
Marquez throws hard for his age, albeit with downhill plane and movement that makes it vulnerable to contact. His best pitch, and maybe the best individual pitch in the system, is a Bugs Bunny changeup that generated an elite miss rate (just over 60%!) last season. It has an absurd amount of sinking and tailing action, and is absolutely the kind of pitch that could spearhead a relief profile on its own. Marquez also has a fringy slider that sometimes has a cutter look and velo, and he might be suited to have an explicit cutter rather than the hybrid look of his current breaker.
And there you have it. You have spoken, we have listened and these are the top twenty prospects in the Phillies’ system according to The Good Phight community.
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 12: Konnor Griffin #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat during a spring training workout at Pirate City on February 12, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While spending my summer in Pittsburgh last year (having never lived there before), I realized just how important the Pittsburgh Pirates are to the city and its fanbase. The organization, alongside the other major teams in the Steel City, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins, is the lifeblood of one of the nation’s most blue-collar cities.
However, despite the team being essential to the everyday lives of those who wander the streets and suburbs of Pittsburgh, the Pirates did not deliver good baseball for much of the season. For the fifth time in the last seven years, they finished dead-last in the NL Central. Though they were able to play some meaningful series at the end of the season, it was merely because the opposing teams were in a playoff hunt, not what Pirates fans want to see at all from their favorite team.
Last season was simply a fiasco for on and off-field reasons. Pirates fans who attended games at the beautiful PNC Park chanted for Bob Nutting to sell the team over and over again throughout the season, even just seven games into the season, when a plane flew overhead that suggested he do so. There were other series, like their embarrassing weekend against an also-abysmal White Sox club, where fans were vocal. Manager Derek Shelton was fired after an abysmal 12-26 start and replaced by Don Kelly, who saw some improvement in the team’s record by year’s end (59-65) but still struggled during stretches to turn things around.
Despite all of these negatives, there are, of course, a couple of positives to come out of this offseason and what could bring fans back to PNC Park.
First, the most obvious one: Paul Skenes.
Last year, Skenes was fantastic. In his second season in MLB, he started 32 games, pitched 187.2 innings, and finished with a 1.97 ERA. It was the first sub-2.00 ERA season since Justin Verlander with the Houston Astros in 2022. He recorded 216 total strikeouts — his first 200+ strikeout season and good enough to overtake Mitch Keller as the Pirates franchise record holder for single-season strikeout total —and, biggest of all, won the National League Cy Young Award. His 217 ERA+ was the best in all of MLB, and his 6.5 fWAR was the highest in the NL and only 0.1 behind Detroit Tigers ace (and American League Cy Young Award winner), Tarik Skubal. Skenes was the Bucs’ first Cy Young Award winner in 36 years, dating back to erstwhile Yankees up-and-comer Doug Drabek.
The next is a player whose name has been near or at the top of every major scouting list (and is showing why in spring training): Konnor Griffin.
Last season at the age of 19, Griffin shot through the Pirates’ minor league system, making it all the way up to the Altoona Curve in Double-A after starting at the Single-A level. He played only 21 games, but in 83 at-bats, he slashed .337/.418/.542 for an OPS of .961, after batting at least .325 with an OPS of .930 in A-ball. At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, the Pirates’ ninth overall selection in the 2024 draft is lighting up spring training now and could be in contention for the major league roster, as the part of his game many say is the most impressive (outside of his physical capabilities) is his mature approach at the plate and in the field.
Bubba Chandler’s another young player looking to make his impact on the major league roster for the Pirates. After finishing with a record of 4-1, an ERA of 4.02, a 3.20 xFIP, and an fWAR total of 0.9 in 31.1 innings pitched, the 23-year-old is continuing to try to build a resume that can keep him around PNC Park.
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the Pirates, while they do have these young, up-and-coming names blasting through their minor league system, have actually spent money this offseason on known MLB commodities. Despite not landing Kyle Schwarber, the Pirates traded for two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, came to terms with DH Marcell Ozuna (who’s hit 100 homers across the last three seasons), signed lefty reliever Gregory Soto, outfielder Jake Mangum, and lefty reliever Mason Montgomery, and inked 2025 All-Star first baseman/DH Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal.*
*This is somehow the biggest free agent contract for a position player in Pirates history.
Will they be good next season? Despite FanGraphs’ somewhat-rosy 82-win, second-place projection, probably not. In particular, it’s hard to envision them finishing with a better record than the ever-innovative Brewers. Aside from the Andrew McCutchen-led mini-renaissance from 2013-15, the Pirates have almost exclusively floundered since the early ’90s, and more struggles would unfortunately be nothing new in the Steel City. But with Kelly at the helm, general manager Ben Cherington finally spending a little bit of money, and the continuing improvement of the young players in the rotation and around the roster, there’s potential for the Pirates to start making some noise in the NL Central.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Alex Carrillo (84) throws weighted wall ball drills during the New York Mets spring training workouts at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Alex Carrillo has had a rather arduous road in his professional career, one that eventually resulted in his major league debut in 2025.
Carrillo, now 28 years of age, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers out of Faulker University, an NAIA school in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2019. He lost his 2020 season to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was promptly released by the Rangers after appearing in only three games in their organization, all in the Arizona Rookie League.
He got back on the mound in 2021 in independent ball, signing with the New York Boulders of the Frontier League. He did not perform all that well, earning a 7.11 ERA in 19 innings. He moved onto the Mexican League for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, playing both for the Tigres de Quintana Roo, earning a 8.49 ERA in 29.2 innings, and 8.06 ERA in 22.1 innings, respectively.
2024 saw him move back to the Frontier League, this time with the Washington Wild Things, where he had his best season by a mile. He had a 3.31 ERA, striking out 49 batters in 35.1 innings, which earned him his opportunity with the Mets.
Signed prior to the 2025 season, Carrillo was a mainstay in the Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse bullpens before eventually getting a call to the Majors in June. While he was far from incredible for the Mets, giving up seven runs (four homers) in 4.2 innings pitched, even making it from where he started is impressive in and of itself.
Carrillo is bullpen depth, which is something you can never have too much of. While the performances were never really there for Carrillo, save for his 2024 showing for the Wild Things and solid showings in both Double and Triple-A (his Triple-A ERA was actually above average, earning an ERA- of 84, because the offensive environment is absurd there), he continues to get chances due to a hard fastball and an ability to generate whiffs. He can touch triple digits, which will get whiffs at any level, and his 35% and above strikeout rate at both stops last season is a testament to that.
While, at the end of the day, it is not a likely scenario that sees Carrillo end up as a high-leverage reliever, stranger things have happened on the pitching side of the game — Reed Garrett is a good example of how a cutting edge pitching apparatus can take a guy from having 6.00 ERA’s in the Major Leagues to being an important reliever with a few changes. It is hard to predict pitchers, and who will break out, and what organizations have cooking behind the scenes with these arms (and if whatever they have cooking can stick), but a pitcher who throws hard and generate whiffs is going to get some chances, and at the very least be a valuable reliever in Triple-A while providing short-term cover for the big league team.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after being mentioned during the Athletics Hall of Fame induction at Sutter Health Park on September 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There were only 12 hitters in all of Major League Baseball in 2025 who logged over 650 PA and sported an on-base percentage over .360. Cincinnati Reds centerfielder TJ Friedl was one of them, and he was joined by a cast of characters who you may recognize – Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Geraldo Perdomo, Vlad Guerrero, Jr., Rafel Devers, Fernando Tatis, Jr., Matt Olson, Yandy Diaz, Kyle Schwarber, and Jose Ramirez.
It’s a testament both to Friedl’s durability last season and to his ability to consistently find his way to first base, something bolstered by his 11.8% walk rate. Even at age 30 and with a manager in Terry Francona who’s not asking him to swipe bags the way he once did, it’s almost impossible to imagine there being a better, more classic prototype on the Reds roster for the team’s leadoff man, and it sure seems that Francona is married to that idea heading into the 2026 season, too.
So, the lineup begins with TJ. After that, though, there’s a lot of moving and shaking that could go on, especially on days when the club faces off against a lefty.
What we do also know is that Francona seems wed to the idea of keeping Elly De La Cruz in the #3 spot in the lineup rather than moving him up to hit right behind Friedl. Francona has also spoken repeatedly about how prodigal son Eugenio Suárez brings both thump to the middle of the order and ‘protection’ for Elly from pitchers who might otherwise try to pitch around him, and that leads to a pretty easy assumption that Geno will be the team’s cleanup hitter.
1, 3, and 4 seem to be pretty well etched in stone, at least for the start of the season. Where the rest of the dominos fall, though, seems very much up in the air.
It’s impossible to think at this juncture that Sal Stewart should be hitting anywhere other than as high in the lineup as he can be slotted. If 1, 3, and 4 are set on most days, that would sure suggest he’s ripe for the #2 spot in between TJ and Elly, one of the rare bats who’s both patient enough at the plate to work a count (and let a leadoff guy run, if need be) but who can also plate everyone with one mighty swing. If it were up to me, the Reds regular batting order would begin with Friedl, Sal, Elly, and Geno, and that would be borderline non-negotiable.
Early in spring camp, though, it sure seems like Francona is leaning towards keeping Matt McLain in the #2 spot, however. Perhaps that’s just a manager doing his best to boost the confidence of one of his most talented, albeit most injured regulars, as McLain hit just .220/.300/.343 overall last year (and an even more putrid .215/.306/.304 in 298 PA hitting in the #2 spot last year). For the record, Cincinnati’s collective production from the #2 spot in the order in 2025 produced just a 68 wRC+ and .273 wOBA, both of which ranked 2nd to last overall.
The middle and back-half of the Reds regular batting order seems deeper on paper than it’s been in quite some time, though it’s a malleable mash of hitters who, in any given one-month stretch, could be better or worse than every player on the team. We’ve seen the streakiness first hand from the likes of Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson, Noelvi Marte, and Will Benson, and the back of JJ Bleday’s baseball card sure suggests he’s pretty much in the same boat. Regardless of the handedness of the pitcher on the mound on any given day, it’s more likely than not that that core ends up occupying spots 5-8 on most days, with the lone exception being when Dane Myers is in outfield on days a left-hander is starting against them. Unless, that is, Nate Lowe rakes through Cactus League play and cements himself as a key part of this offense despite coming into camp on an unheralded minor league deal.
Ke’Bryan Hayes, whom I really hope rarely gets more than 2 PA per game, is going to hit 9th. At least, I sure as hell hope that’s how this works.
If it were purely up to me, which it is not, here’s how I’d roll out the lineup against a RHP:
TJ Friedl – CF
Sal Stewart – 1B
Elly De La Cruz – SS
Eugenio Suárez – 3B
Nate Lowe – DH
Spencer Steer/Will Benson/JJ Bleday – LF
Tyler Stephenson – C
Noelvi Marte – RF
Matt McLain – 2B
The Hayes trade still baffles me, but at least he’d be around for the late innings defensively.
On days when a LHP is on the bump, my personal lineup would look more like this:
Matt McLain – 2B
Sal Stewart – 1B
Elly De La Cruz – SS
Eugenio Suarez – DH
Spencer Steer – LF
Tyler Stephenson – C
Dane Myers – CF
Noelvi Marte – RF
Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
How would you build a regular Reds lineup, and how would you tweak it when facing a southpaw? How would you build both through the lens of Terry Francona’s spectacles, since that’s the realistic way we must look at the situation?
BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 26: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 26, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s something about the number 11.
I was born on the 11th. I grew up with the German soccer novel “11 Freunde müsst ihr sein”. Later came “11 Freunde”, a wonderful monthly magazine about soccer culture. But if I’m being honest, my favorite association with the number 11 has nothing to do with soccer at all — it’s the movie “This Is Spinal Tap”.
Because 11, as we all know, is louder. 1 louder, to be precise.
I have a very good friend with whom I spend my summers at festivals, my winters at club gigs, and every now and then all year hanging out in his rehearsal room. Over time, “Eleven” has become a running gag between us — the kind that quietly takes on a life of its own.
It has gone so far that other people have had custom T-shirts made for us, with our names printed on them alongside the word “Eleven.” Someone even made us an engraved house number sign — our names on it, and the number 11. Whenever we’re at a festival, we hang it on our tent.
So yes, eleven means something to me.
And now the Spurs have won eleven in a row.
Takeaways
The Spurs are winning games — even back-to-back road games — despite their sole superstar going through a rough offensive patch. Victor Wembanyama shot below 40 percent for the third game in a row, taking only nine field-goal attempts (mostly jump shots) and making just three of them in only 26 minutes of playing time. He’s clearly knackered and probably needs a break.
But a break could possibly spell the end of his MVP case. With Joker and SGA in similar trouble — and Giannis already out of the race — the very best players are struggling to meet the minimum-games-played requirement. That doesn’t feel right.
One reason why the Spurs were able to extend their winning streak to eleven was — it has to be mentioned — a weak and at times careless opponent. On the other hand, the Spurs continued to play good basketball: the driving and cutting guards were finding their way to the rim with ease, and they were also finding the shooters out on the perimeter. Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell — for the third game in a row — combined to shoot better than 60 percent from deep on 16 attempts.
Additionally, the Spurs were able to rely on their bench mob. Dylan Harper has turned into a bit of a shadow starter, in the sense that he — as in the Toronto game — played 29 minutes, which was the most of any Spur last night. Harper struggled with his three-point shot but was his usual self as a driver, rim finisher, and passer.
Realistically, Harper isn’t in the race for Rookie of the Year, since there’s no way past either Kon Knueppel or Cooper Flagg at this stage. But maybe he should at least be considered for Sixth Man of the Year? Yes, his box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, but his play-by-play data certainly does. On the season, the Spurs are outscoring their opponents by 10.5 points per 100 possessions with Harper on the court — and his on/off differential per 100 possessions sits at plus-6.6. These are ginobilicious figures.
After a couple of quiet games, Keldon Johnson was almost perfect (six of seven from the field) as a bucket getter off the bench and is probably the Spurs’ more realistic Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Whether he wins it or not, I’m glad Keldon is having a season that proves he’s not just the heart and soul of the team — but a serious contributor on a winning, possibly contending team.
The Boston Celtics are laying the lumber against the Brooklyn Nets, with tonight’s point spread among the biggest of the entire NBA season.
A blowout win for Boston means added floor time for the bench, including sixth man Payton Pritchard. He’s continued to give the C’s strong minutes with points, assists, and rebounds in reserve.
My Nets vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks for Friday, February 27 peg Pritchard for a big night on the boards.
Nets vs Celtics prediction
Nets vs Celtics best bet: Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds (+102)
Payton Pritchard is coming off a quiet 28 minutes in the loss to Denver on Wednesday, recording only three points along with three rebounds.
That marked the first time in five games that the Boston Celtics guard failed to play at least 34 minutes and snatch four or more rebounds.
The Brooklyn Nets are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and among the worst rebounding teams, ranked 26th in rebound rate.
Pritchard has grabbed four or more boards in two of the past three matchups with Brooklyn and is projected for as many as 4.9 rebounds tonight.
Nets vs Celtics same-game parlay
Boston has a bad taste in its mouth after getting dropped in Denver to wrap its Western Conference road trip. The Celtics are 12-7 ATS off a loss this season and won’t be taking the Nets lightly after going 2-1 SU versus Brooklyn and needing OT for one of those victories.
Pritchard averages more than four rebounds a night and Brooklyn is a piss-poor shooting team, especially on the road (43.5% is a league low). That means plenty of rebounding chances for the Celtics' plucky guard, whose projections all sit north of four boards.
Sam Hauser scored 19 points in his last run-in with Brooklyn, and game models call for double digit points tonight.
Nets vs Celtics SGP
Celtics -17.5
Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds
Sam Hauser Over 9.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Nic's knack
While my SGP is very pro-Celtics, Brooklyn big Nic Claxton has been money against Boston this season, with twin 18-point efforts in his last two meetings with the C’s. Projections call for 11+ points tonight.
Nets vs Celtics SGP
Celtics -17.5
Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds
Sam Hauser Over 9.5 points
Nic Claxton Over 10.5 points
Nets vs Celtics odds
Spread: Nets +17.5 | Celtics -17.5
Moneyline: Nets +850 | Celtics -1400
Over/Under: Over 208.5 | Under 208.5
Nets vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Boston Celtics are 88-50 ATS off a loss going back to the 2021-22 season (64%). Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Celtics.
How to watch Nets vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Friday, February 27, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
YES, NBC Sports Boston
Nets vs Celtics latest injuries
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Sam Petersen #2 of the Scottsdale Scorpions celebrates with teammates after scoring a run during an Arizona Fall League game against the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on October 31, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a little while since I have talked about the Nats farm system, so I wanted to give it some love. There are plenty of breakout candidates in the system, but I settled on three picks to click. One rule I had was that none of these players could be in the top 10 of the most recent MLB Pipeline top 30.
That means Gavin Fien, Landon Harmon and Luke Dickerson are not eligible for this list. Instead, I am going for some deeper cuts. The three names I chose were Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yoel Tejada Jr., and Sam Petersen. All of these guys showed flashes in 2025, but the best is still yet to come.
Devin Fitz-Gerald is the highest ranked of these prospects. He is the 12th ranked prospect in the Nats system according to Pipeline and is 9th for Baseball America. Fitz-Gerald was a key part of the MacKenzie Gore return. He was picked in the 5th round of the 2024 draft by the Rangers, and had an outstanding first season as a pro.
Nationals SS Devin Fitz-Gerald posted a 143 wRC+ over 41 games across CPX + A ball w/ 6 HR, while walking (16.2%) more than he struck out (13.9%). He coupled that w/ an 80.6% Con% and a low 8.6% SwStr%. A polished LH swing w/ quick hands & generated plenty of pull contact (48.3%) pic.twitter.com/9Lmq3pGron
Fitz-Gerald dominated the competition in Rookie Ball before a promotion to Low-A. He only got to play 10 games in Low-A before a shoulder injury ended his season in early July. However, he held his own in A ball, walking more than he struck out. Polish is a key part of Fitz-Gerald’s game. The switch hitting infielder is a very advanced hitter for his age and has a high baseball IQ.
That high baseball IQ should come as no surprise. His dad is the coach at Stoneman Douglas High School, which has produced many MLB players including Anthony Rizzo, Jesus Luzardo and Roman Anthony. Fitz-Gerald played for his dad in high school and was an excellent player.
However, his pro debut went even better than expected. The switch hitter showed more power than expected, which elevated his stock. Everyone knew he was a polished hitter, but the extra power makes him a very complete hitter. Fitz-Gerald is not an elite athlete, so he is likely to move to second or third base. However, he has a good enough bat to do that. Out of the trio of prospects we will cover, Fitz-Gerald is easily the most likely to emerge as a top 100 guy.
He should start the season in a crowded Low-A infield. There is a chance we see Fitz-Gerald, Eli Willits, Angel Feliz, Gavin Fien and Luke Dickerson all start the year at Low-A. That could potentially move Dickerson to the outfield, but that is a conversation for another day. Devin Fitz-Gerald is a prospect whose trajectory is pointed upwards.
For my pitcher, I am going to choose a real deep cut. Yoel Tejada Jr. is the 27th ranked prospect according to Pipeline and the 29th ranked prospect according to Baseball America. However, he has some unique attributes that excite me.
Tejada was taken in the 14th round of the 2024 draft by the Nats. He was not good at all in college, with a career ERA of 5.74. Tejada also had more walks than strikeouts in his college career that only lasted 42.1 innings over three seasons. However, the Nats still drafted him because he is 6’8 and threw in the mid-90’s.
That gamble looks like a smart one. After some mechanical tweaks, he looked like a different pitcher as a pro. Tejada was more in the 91-94 MPH range, but was throwing way more strikes and showed a good feel for spin. His fastball plays up due to his massive extension down the mound as well. There is also a chance he can gain some more velocity.
I’d like to know who listed Yoel Tejada Jr as their pick to click. He’s a deeper cut than most other names on that list.
Tejada Jr is part of a trio of Nats pitching prospects I’m high on, Jose Feliz and Jackson Kent being the other two.
In Low-A, Tejada posted a 3.43 ERA in 78.2 innings. He struck out nearly a batter per inning and walked just 2.4 hitters per nine. His two starts in High-A did not go as well, but that was a small sample size. The improvement in his command is what makes me very intrigued.
At 6’8, he is going to be a weird look for hitters. If he continues to pound the zone like he did last year, Tejada’s stock is only going to rise. I wonder if he can show the velocity he did in college while still pounding the zone. If he can do that, his stock could really take off. Tejada should start the season at High-A, but if he does well there, he could get to Double-A at some point this season.
He could be the next Brad Lord or Riley Cornelio type of arm, who seemingly comes out of nowhere. Both of those guys had velocity spikes as they rose through the minors, so that makes me confident that Tejada could sit in the 94-95 range before too long.
Another pitcher who is in a similar position to Tejada that I want to shout out as an honorable mention is Davian Garcia. He was also part of that 2024 class, and had a similar season to Tejada. Garcia was excellent in Low-A, but struggled in High-A. He got into a Spring Training game a few days ago, where his stuff looked excellent. Look for Garcia to rise into the Nats top 30 list soon.
The last player I want to talk about is Sam Petersen. In a way, he has already broken out, as he had an excellent year mostly in High-A. However, he only played in 57 minor league games due to a couple injuries. If he can stay healthy, Petersen could be yet another candidate to play in the Nats outfield by the end of the season.
While MLB Pipeline has Petersen as their 28th ranked prospect in the system, Baseball America is much higher on him. They have him ranked 14th, sandwiched between Landon Harmon and Ethan Petry. Baseball America put a 55 grade on his hitting, his power and his speed. That is a very impressive combination.
Sam Petersen was one of the top performers in the South Atlantic League while healthy last season.
The Nationals prospect hits the ball with authority to all fields with a line-drive approach, and has the potential for above-average power 💪
With the numbers he put up, that makes sense. Wilmington is a notoriously difficult place to hit, but Petersen made it look easy. He hit .297 with an .888 OPS in 44 games at High-A. Those are numbers you do not often see in Wilmington.
Petersen had a good career at Iowa, but fell to the 8th round due to an injury. When he was on the field last year, Petersen’s power and hitting ability looked improved. His max exit velocity improved from college despite switching from metal to wood bats. BA noted that he has an all-field approach, but has become more comfortable pulling the ball in the air.
If Petersen can stay healthy, he has an outside chance of making the big leagues this year. At this time last year, Daylen Lile was on the outside looking in, but he forced his way into the lineup. Petersen has the chance to do something similar if he performs and stays healthy.
It is clear the new regime likes what they are seeing because he has gotten a lot of run early in Spring Training. He has looked good when he has played as well, going 3/6 to start the spring. Despite only playing 44 games at High-A, the 23 year old Petersen should start the year in Double-A.
With a new regime coming in, there are plenty of prospects who could break out. There are obvious names like Eli Willits and Gavin Fien, but there are also some more under the radar picks. Even beyond these three players, there are other sleepers like Marconi German, Angel Feliz and Jackson Kent that I like. The Nats system is deeper than it has been in a long time, and it will be very exciting to follow this season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 28: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden on November 28, 2025 in New York City. 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 Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks (37*-22) face the Milwaukee Bucks (26-31) tonight at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. This Eastern Conference matchup gives the Knicks a chance to clinch the season series after splitting the first two games. The Knicks have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games, while the Bucks have won 8 of their last 10.
The last meeting came on November 28, 2025, when the Knicks won 118-109 at home. Jalen Brunson led New York with 37 points, and Josh Hart added 19 points with 15 rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists.
The Bucks have had a stormy season—something of a Greek tragedy, if you will. Sitting 11th in the East, the once mighty deer are fighting for a play-in spot. They rank 20th in offensive rating (114.2), 22nd in defensive rating (117.4), and 24th in points per game (112.4). Although they are an excellent shooting team (39% 3P%), they lag in pace (22nd) and net rating (22nd).
Doc Rivers’ club leans heavily on Ryan Rollins, who averages 17.2 points per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo remains elite when healthy, leading the league in 2-point field goals per game (10)—but he’s OUT tonight with a calf issue. Bobby Portis provides bench scoring and shooting, hitting 45% from three, and Myles Turner anchors the paint.
The Bucks beat the Cavaliers on Wednesday by two. Their likely starting lineup tonight will be, Rollins, A.J. Green, Kyle Kuzma (12.9 PPG), Portis, and Turner.
The Bucks injury report lists Antetokounmpo and Taurean Prince (neck) as OUT. New York’s list mentions only Deuce McBride, still recovering from his hernia surgery.
Prediction
ESPN gives the Knicks a 76% chance of winning tonight. Generous! The Bucks aren’t having a great season, but they’ve beaten the Thunder, Magic, Heat, and Cavs in recent games. On paper and screen, the Knicks are the better team—they just don’t always play like it. Still, they’ve had two days off and this will be a good warm-up match before their Sunday matinee at home against the Spurs. Motivated and rested, Knicks win by seven.
Game Details
Date: Friday, February 27, 2026 Time: 8 PM ET Place: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but the Cup Final was a trick of the eye.
