DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored five runs but the Colorado Rockies scored four runs.
In a very the-Rangers-are-quite-strange kind of way, the club almost lost a second consecutive series to a league-worst team despite outscoring them. The Rangers have outscored their opponents 30-17 on their current road trip, but were a couple of outs away from a second consecutive series loss, this time to the now 19-31 Rockies.
After outscoring the Astros nine runs to six, the Rangers outscored Colorado 21-11 in this series only to trail 4-3 into the ninth in the day’s rubber match. Without the ninth inning rally, Texas would have been staring at a most depressing result in the chilly spring drizzle in the Rocky Mountains. Thankfully, the sun is now shining as the Rangers scored two in the ninth to grab the series.
For a while there was worry as the Rangers fell back on old habits with Jack Leiter allowing a two-out RBI single in the first inning after an easy 1-2-3 top of the frame from the Texas bats. Nevertheless, another early deficit was put behind them when the Rangers had a spurt of scoring in the top of the fourth with Ezequiel Duran and Jake Burger hit back-to-back home runs.
Duran’s dong was of the two-run variety and Burger’s gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead with Leiter seemingly settling in. But Leiter’s stuff seemed down even as he got through the next few innings unscathed after the first. In the bottom of the fourth, his command abandoned him completely and he walked in a run. An inning later, he allowed both the tying and go-ahead runs to score.
So, bottom of the fifth and the Rockies take a one-run lead. But it’s the Rockies, and it’s Coors Field. Surely it’s not over right there, right? Well, it sure seemed like it was until in the ninth the Rangers loaded the bases, scored the tying run on a swinging strike passed ball, and then took the lead on a Josh Jung RBI single against a drawn-in infield.
Jacob Latz pitched his second scoreless inning in the bottom ninth for the save and the Rangers are now back to within a game of .500.
Player of the Game: Josh Jung played the hero with the go-ahead RBI in the top of the ninth while also going 3-for-4 overall on the day.
Up Next: The Rangers have the day off tomorrow before starting a series against the Anaheim Angels for the final leg of this current road trip beginning on Friday night in Orange County.
Topps will feature a portion of the ball in trading cards of the Spurs center and his teammate, guard Dylan Harper, with a printed autograph. Harper, who is a rookie, also had a standout night with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player to notch a prestigious 4x5 game in the NBA playoffs.
The special edition cards will be released randomly to customers who purchase the Topps Now cards commemorating each player's landmark performance. The collectible items are on sale now at the Topps website through Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m. ET and for $11.99.
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners J.P. Crawford (3) throws to first base for a ground out during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
J.P. Crawford was a late scratch before Wednesday’s series finale against the White Sox, as the triceps issue stemming from a hit by pitch in the last series with the Padres continues to bother him. Pregame he was seen pointing out the sore area to Cole Young, playfully poking the young second baseman in the same spot, before settling in to take his daily defensive drills with Perry Hill.
It’s the kind of leadership and attention to young players Crawford has demonstrated during his entire tenure as a Mariner, something that will intensify when Crawford is able to return to play – although not, perhaps, where Mariners fans are used to seeing him. While going through those drills, Crawford walked to third base instead of his usual position at short.
Per Mariners GM Justin Hollander, Crawford’s agent reached out to him about the possibility of playing third base, saying he wanted to do whatever was necessary to help the team win. Crawford reportedly approached Dan Wilson directly with the same proposition.
Whether you rely on the eye test or on defensive stats, it’s been a struggle for Crawford at shortstop this year. With a Fielding Run Value of -5, Crawford ranks in the bottom five of all defenders in MLB; his Defensive Runs Saved mark of -7 is also bottom-five in the bigs. If you’ve just been relying on the eye test, you’ve seen the throws that have gone off-target at first, most cleaned up by Josh Naylor – not anything that would show up in defensive stats, but uncomfortable nonetheless. Crawford missed time this spring with a lingering shoulder issue, which might be impacting his accuracy. There have been times this season where Crawford’s body language has shown visible disappointment or frustration after making an off-target throw or mishandling a ball. Crawford’s defense has attracted enough negative attention that it’s even been the focus of various segments on the local talk radio stations; it’s fair to call it a noticeable issue.
But it’s not so simple as just pulling Crawford off the position that’s been his for as long as he’s been a Mariner. He’s the Mariners leader in games played at shortstop, surpassing Alex Rodriguez last season, and a future Mariners Hall of Famer. He’s the longest-tenured Mariner, the one they call “Captain,” the steady hand that’s overseen the transition of this team from rebuild to an ALCS appearance.
Now, it seems Crawford is prepared to enter a new phase of his Mariners tenure. If he does take over at third, it will be an echo of the start of his career, when Philadelphia tried to convert him from a primary shortstop to a hybrid shortstop-third baseman. Crawford struggled defensively in Philly, and later said that coming to Seattle to work with Perry Hill “saved his career.” Now, if Crawford transitions to third base, it will be his decision.
If he does take up the mantle at the hot corner, Crawford’s career as a Mariner will likely end mirroring the player who mentored him during his time, one of the best third baseman in Mariners history, Kyle Seager. It’s especially fitting because as Seager poured so much into Crawford as a young player, so does Crawford pay it forward with his young infielders Cole Young and Colt Emerson.
“J.P. is a selfless player,” said Dan Wilson. “He’ll go wherever anybody needs him to go.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 18: General view of the field as three umpires work the field after home plate umpire Alfonso Márquez leaves the game after being hit in the mask with a ball during a game against the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves at loanDepot park on May 18, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s getting to be that time for the pivotal third game of any four game series. The winner will be in the drivers seat for a series win while the loser will go into tomorrow’s game simply trying to salvage a split. I think we’re all hoping that Chris Sale and the Braves will be able to play themselves into the driver’s seat with a win this evening. We’ll just have to see how it all plays out. Come on down into the comments and join us, why don’t you?
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers argues with referee Zach Zarba #15 against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen apart late during several postseason games. That is their own doing. However, those collapses have usually been accompanied by missed calls down the stretch. Blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game 1 was no exception.
The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report shows that the Cavs were on the wrong end of two missed calls late and the beneficiary of one missed call. Let’s go through these.
The first missed call benefited the Cavs. Evan Mobley should’ve been called for an offensive foul for the screen he put on Landry Shamet with just over a minute left in regulation.
The report says: “Mobley (CLE) extends his elbow outward and delivers contact to Shamet’s (NYK) head/face during the pick.”
If called correctly, this would’ve given the Knicks the ball right back.
The next missed call happened on that same possession. The awful Donovan Mitchell floater that didn’t hit the rim wasn’t out on the Cavs. The report says that the missed shot was off OG Anunoby instead of Jarrett Allen, as it was called on the floor.
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It’s difficult to get too worked up on this one. If things were called completely accurately on the floor, the ball would’ve already been with the Knicks due to the missed foul by Allen.
Still, this was a missed call and one that you would’ve liked to have seen Kenny Atkinson use a challenge on, although there wasn’t much time between the ball going out and the Knicks inbounding it.
The final missed call was the one that hurt the Cavs the most. The game-tying basket by Shamet shouldn’t have gone.
The Cavs tried to hedge and recover on Brunson near half-court. Sam Merrill, Brunson’s primary defender, tries to work around the screen. Anunoby makes sure that he can’t get around the screen because he was moving on the pick.
The report says: “Anunoby (NYK) establishes a wide screening position in Merrill’s (CLE) path and the contact occurs to his leg.”
If the screen isn’t moving, Merrill has a better chance of staying with Brunson, and the rotations would’ve been cleaner. More importantly, if this was called correctly, the Knicks would’ve lost possession.
There’s a lot of factors that go into blowing a 22-point lead. It’s fair to say that the Cavs might’ve won this game if these three calls were ruled correctly on the floor. At the same time, they should’ve never allowed the game be influenced by the officials in the first place.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Luis Curvelo #57 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers activated pitcher Luis Curvelo from the 15 day injured list and optioned him to AAA Round Rock, the team announced today.
Curvelo started the season in the minors, but was called up a little over a week into the season to join the Rangers’ bullpen. He was placed on the injured list on April 15, and was sent out on a rehab assignment with Round Rock on May 15. The Rangers have apparently decided they do not need him in the major league pen for the time being, so he is officially off the injured list and on the active roster for the Express.
With Chris Martin having been activated from the injured list yesterday, that leaves four pitchers on the major league injured list — lefthanded starting pitchers Cody Bradford and Jordan Montgomery, who are both on the 60 day injured list, and lefty reliever Robert Garcia and righthanded reliever Carter Baumler, who are both on the 15 day injured list.
Unai Emery has reconfirmed his status as master of the competition, but will now want to set his sights higher
There are two ways to win a final. You can win it by the odd goal, amid a frenzy of anxiety so the final whistle comes as a relief. Or you can win it as a procession, flexing your superiority, so the final whistle is almost resented for spoiling the fun. For Aston Villa, this was very much the latter. If their fans had dreamed the previous night of how they might win the game, they could barely have come up with something so satisfying and emphatic.
It’s true that Villa have a budget around 2.8 times that of Freiburg, and that they have been strong favourites in almost every game in the Europa League this season. But then in the Premier League they’re often fighting against sides with far greater resources. The poles of European and domestic football may have flipped, but that is not their fault nor, at least for now, their concern. They have not been a successful enough club – at least in the past 100 years – to decline to fully celebrate any trophy that comes their way. A second European success, 44 years after the first, is history.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 4: Jake Laravia #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 4, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Jake LaRavia had it going for the Lakers, he looked like a genius signing for the franchise. He was knocking down so many threes against the Wolves to start the season that Anthony Edwards was asking who he was.
Then the lights got brighter, and LaRavia began to dim.
His shooting struggles from the perimeter became a problem. From January to March, his 3-point shooting percentage dropped each month. Once the playoffs started, things got worse for LaRavia. He struggled massively in the postseason, only attempting seven shots as his shooting woes were clearly on his mind.
With LaRavia unable and unwilling to shoot, Lakers head coach JJ Redick was forced to bench him for the last two games of the postseason. During LaRavia’s exit interview, he discussed his year with the Lakers.
“I thought I had a good season in certain areas, and I think there’s a lot of things that I can work on in other areas,” LaRavia said. “Obviously, now seeing what the playoffs are like and stuff like that and falling out of rotation these last two games, it just makes me excited. Not looking at it negatively but just, I’m excited to go into this offseason and work on the things that I need to.
“Obviously, I didn’t shoot the ball in any capacity that I wanted to this year. Having months where you’re shooting sub 30% is just not going to cut it and I know I’m a way better shooter than that. So, just going into this offseason, working on specific things to be able to bring in next year.”
Since LaRavia started his career with the Grizzlies and then had a short stint with the Kings, this was his first time in a playoff setting and on a contending team. Some players are playoff risers, and others are fallers. LaRavia ended up on the wrong end of that spectrum.
However, his career isn’t over, and this playoff stint doesn’t have to be a forever status. He shot 42% from deep last year, and if he locks into the gym and has the right mentality, there’s no reason to believe he can’t get back to that level of play.
This offseason is a big one for the Lakers. They have a ton of cap space and are looking to add depth to their roster. LaRavia can either be a part of that depth or be one of the players the Lakers trade for new pieces.
For now, it’s time for LaRavia to control what he can control and lock in. There’s proof in performances like his against the Wolves and his 26-point game against the Grizzlies that he can be a great player. There’s also evidence like this postseason run that he’s not up to par.
It’s up to him to prove which player he can consistently be.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 09: Zach Thornton (21) of the New York Mets delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins on March 09, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF Bo Bichette – SS Juan Soto – LF Mark Vientos – 1B MJ Melendez – DH Brett Baty – 3B Marcus Semien – 2B A.J. Ewing – CF Hayden Senger – C
SP: Zach Thornton – LHP
Nationals lineup
James Wood – DH Curtis Mead – 3B Andres Chaparro – 1B CJ Abrams – SS Dylan Crews – RF Daylen Lile – LF Jacob Young – CF Nasim Nunez – 2B Keibert Ruiz – C
SP: Zack Littell – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 6:45pm EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
May 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with Minnesota Timberwolves forward Joan Beringer (19) after game six of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Here are the NBA playoff games for Wednesday, May 20, 2026:
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:30 PM ET (NBC, Peacock)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 15: Connelly Early #71 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET
The Red Sox are officially out of last place in the American League East and search for their second sweep of the season. Boston earned wins behind solid starts from Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez to start the series. On Wednesday night, Boston sends Connelly Early to the mound in the midst of a solid campaign.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate Wednesday night.
The Mets bullpen should be getting reinforcement really soon.
Manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with the media ahead of Wednesday's game against the Nationals and gave an update on A.J. Minter, and the news is promising.
"He’s going to pitch one more time in Syracuse, could be Saturday or Sunday, depending on how he recovers from the back-to-back," Mendoza said. "It’s a quick turnaround."
Minter pitched Tuesday night for the Syracuse Mets and struck out one batter in his one inning of work. He was then asked to come in less than 24 hours later for Syracuse's 11 a.m. start and pitched 0.2 innings. He allowed a run on a hit, walk and a hit batter, raising his ERA to 2.70 in Triple-A. However, Mendoza is encouraged by Minter's ability to bounce back so soon.
"The fact that he pitched in an 11 o’clock game today. Shows you that he feels pretty good," Mendoza said. "One more over the weekend, hopefully and we’ll see if he’s in play for us when we get back from Miami."
In seven Triple-A appearances, Minter has allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk while striking out three across 6.2 innings.
The Mets will head to Miami after the end of the Nationals series on Thursday before heading home to take on the Reds.
Updates on Polanco and Robert Jr.
Mendoza was asked about the progress of Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. and there wasn't much for the Mets skipper to give.
While Robert Jr. remains shut down from all baseball-related activities, Polanco continues to do so and continues to take batting practice.
THAT THIRD GAME: The Cubs are 32-33 in third games of series at home vs. the Brewers. They are 14-20 after losing second games, including 6-7 after losing the first two. The Cubs last were swept by the Brewers at Wrigley Field on Aug. 10-12, 2021, in a four-game series that began with a doubleheader. This is their 10th series on the North Side since then. It is the second in which the Cubs lost the first two. They lost both games of a doubleheader May 30, 2022, then won the next two days. The Cubs last were swept in three games at home by the Brewers on Sept. 8-10, 2017, which was 20 series ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUNS ARE HARD TO COME BY: In their 2-8 funk, the Cubs have scored more than three runs only twice — and they lost one of those games, 9-8, on the South Side on Saturday. In their first 10-game winning streak, the Cubs scored at least four runs in nine games. In their second streak, they did it in eight of 10. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
AT LEAST ONE RELIEVER IS SOLID: Jacob Webb, last 12 games since April 19: 1.38 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 15 strikeouts and only three walks in 13 innings.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Frank Castillo and three relievers allow four home runs to the Braves in an 18-1 loss in Atlanta. The team has given up that many runs or more only nine times since that game, which happened 30 years ago today, Monday, May 20, 1996.
Edward Cabrera was going along pretty well this year but his last two starts have been rough. His last start, in particular, was wrecked largely due to walks, which had been a concern in his time in Miami. Hopefully that won’t get worse as the season goes on.
His last start against the Brewers was July 6, 2025 in Miami. He allowed two runs in seven innings and struck out five. We’d take that tonight.
Kyle Harrison, originally a member of the Giants, went to the Red Sox in the Rafael Devers deal and then came to Milwaukee as part of a six-player trade in February.
He’s been very good for the Brewers, allowing no more than two runs in any of his eight starts. He has a good walk rate (just 8.1 percent) and he doesn’t allow the long ball (just three in 38.2 innings).
He has one career relief appearance against the Cubs — he was the guy who pitched the 11th inning May 6, 2025 after Ryan Pressly had that monstrously bad top of the 11th.
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks walks off the court after the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Roses are red, Cleveland too.
Sadly for them, today it’s all about the Orange and Blue.
Here’s a humongous Bulletin off a ridiculous Game 1 comeback victory.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) May 20, 2026
Mike Brown
On Brunson’s MVP-level performance:
“Obviously, we don’t get it done if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league. He was phenomenal. He did what he’s supposed to do tonight. And it definitely helped us get the win. He’s a leader. He’s our guy. And he felt we needed to play faster, he felt we needed to be better defensively. There were a couple things he felt and he made sure we knew. And our guys responded to him.”
On targeting James Harden late in Game 1:
“Sometimes you gotta do what the game dictates. They were trying to do the same thing with Jalen. And so we said, OK, we feel like we can play that game. We try not to play that game much, but we feel like we have a guy that we can play that game with in Jalen.”
On forcing Cleveland to adjust defensively:
“We have to try to figure out different ways to guard Harden and [Donovan] Mitchell, they gotta figure out different ways to guard Jalen. But there’s no secret we were attacking Harden.”
On finding the right five-man group during the comeback, sitting Josh Hart:
“We found a group of five guys that went out there, ended up getting stops and scoring the basketball.”
On continuing to trust Hart despite his shooting struggles:
“If Josh is open and his feet are set, he’s gotta let it fly. He’s made shots. We feel like he’s gonna make shots. And if he doesn’t wanna shoot it, he can get to his middy or he can go [dribble handoff] with somebody, a quick DHO with somebody. We faced this coverage all year and we played well throughout the course of the year and we faced it in Atlanta.”
On the early 2-for-19 stretch from beyond the arc:
“So, we started the game off 2-for-19 from the three-point line. It wasn’t just Josh. We had some pretty good looks from the right people, and if those go in, the mojo is a little bit different. They didn’t, and Cleveland was able to get back into it. The game is about adjustments. We made an adjustment down the stretch, and we were fortunate to be able to come back and get the win.”
On matching Cleveland’s tactic of targeting Jalen Brunson:
“You got to do what the game dictates. They were doing the same thing with Jalen. So we said two can play that game.”
On maintaining a competitive edge after time off:
“It has more to do with having an edge, keeping a competitive edge. Games obviously help you with that because your body and your mind are constantly on when you are playing games. When they are off, you tend to relax. That is just human nature…That competitive edge – knock on wood – may not be there at the start.”
On Landry Shamet’s impact in Game 1:
“Landry Shamet was great. He was great on both ends of the floor. He came up big. You’re not going to stop a guy like Donovan Mitchell. Landry tried like heck to make him work. He was fantastic. He was the difference in the ballgame tonight on both ends of the floor. Defensively, Landry’s a big guard, he’s physical, and he can defend without foul. To play him, knowing they will pack the paint when Jalen comes and the sprays are going to be there. And that’s what we decided to do.”
On early defensive slippage and turnovers in Game 1:
“Yeah, and especially early on we didn’t look like ourselves, especially when we were doubling and coming out of the double teams and kind of flying around. We were really slow in those areas and then I felt we played — we turned the ball over too much. It’s hard to have 19 turnovers and win a basketball game and a handful of ’em were self-inflicted, us throwing the ball away, us jumping in the air when we hit the paint.”
On the resilience shown in the historic comeback:
“I got to give my group credit. They’ve been resilient all year and I don’t know if I’ve seen that in a playoff game. I don’t know if I’ve been a part of it, maybe I have. But to be down 18, 19, 20, whatever we were down and to find a way to come back and win. I mean I take my hat off to my group.”
On giving Mitchell Robinson opportunities despite the Hack-a-Mitch:
“I wanted to give him a chance. Mitch has been great for us the last few games in that situation. We’re gonna continue to give him a chance. We’ll move him around and do some different things with him. Mitch can impact the game in different ways, so we need him on the floor.”
“I don’t have any answer for you. We just found a way. Just happy we found a way to win.”
On how he told his teammates to push them during a timeout before the Game 1 comeback:
“Keep fighting, keep chipping away. We’re not going to get it back in one possession. Most importantly, sticking together. No matter how that game finished, habits translate to the next game. We’re just doing; we’re not giving up. We don’t want to give up, ever, so having faith in each other.”
On the mindset behind the 44-11 rally:
“I think the common denominator was just us still believing in each other and still playing, still fighting. Just chipping away. We knew like we weren’t going to get it all back in one possession. So, we couldn’t give them stops, kept running, got a couple of lucky shots to go in, but kept fighting.”
On attacking late instead of overthinking the matchup:
“Honestly, the ball was going in. So, I was just trying to get to my spot and just trying to make plays. If someone came over, I was going to find someone else. But just trying to get to my spot and trust my word.”
On cleaning up defensive breakdowns that fueled Cleveland’s lead:
“Defensively, what got us down 22, they [Cavs] were making great decisions in and off the trap, getting wide open threes. So, we’ve got to clean that up a little bit. But I like the way we stuck together.”
On how the comeback unfolded:
“I mean, we got some stops, kept fighting, kept believing, kept tipping away. They were playing great basketball, and we just found a way. I really don’t have an answer.”
On being in attack mode late in the game:
“Just being in attack mode, just trying to find seams to get to where I feel comfortable. Finally, one did go down and that’s just because of the rhythm I created from the shots beforehand. But KAT said it starts with our defense, the way we were able to get stops and go and then them having trust in me.”
On appreciating the Madison Square Garden crowd staying through the deficit:
“Definitely thankful. Because they could have walked out if they wanted to.”
On praising Landry Shamet’s performance in the comeback:
“He played big time. He’s up to any task that you put in front of him. He’s been that player for us, and we have the utmost faith in him. That’s just who he is. He’s a true professional ever since he’s walked into the league.”
“I really truly feel the fans was the one that got us this win tonight.”
On the defense carrying the Knicks in the fourth and overtime:
“At the end of the day, great offensive plays by JB, amazing clutch plays by Landry Shamet, clutch plays by the man next to me in Mikal Bridges, but it was our defense that has always been special in this playoffs and it was what carried us in this playoffs that showed up in the fourth quarter and in overtime and allowed us to be sitting here with a win.”
On focusing on the team result over individual performance:
“I think the Knicks found a way to win tonight, and that’s all that matters. It’s not about the individual performances; it’s about this team finding a way to put up a win on the board. I think that’s what’s special.”
On representing the Knicks and the city after the Game 1 win:
“It’s always special when you give your fans something to cheer for. It had been a tough go-around for them for the first three quarters of the game. For us to come in that huddle with the energy of the fans and the fans really showing us so much love and support, to give them something to cheer for in the fourth, it’s always an honor. It’s a privilege to be able to do.”
On what the victory meant to the city:
“This team, all we want to do is make the city proud and bring this city wins. To be able to accomplish that tonight, on a night where it didn’t seem like it was going to happen, is an honor. It’s truly something special.”
On acknowledging early rust after the layoff:
“To be real, there was definitely rust. You could see we’re a team that hasn’t played in a playoff game in a while. It’s a testament to the grit and resiliency of this locker room and this team that as the game went along you could see the rust was coming off a little bit and we were able to find ourselves in the game. At the end of the day great offensive plays by JB, amazing clutch plays by Landry Shamet, clutch plays by the man next to me, Mikal Bridges, but it was our defense that has always been special in these playoffs and carried us in the playoffs that showed up in the fourth quarter and overtime and allowed us to be sitting here with a win against a really great team.”
On the team’s refusal to quit during the comeback:
“We don’t stop until the clock hits zero and shoutouts to our captain for holding it down for us. We learned from our mistakes and came out here and didn’t want the same things to happen [as last year].”
On Brunson carrying the offense late:
“He carried us offensively when we needed him. We wouldn’t be here without Cap.”
On what the comeback meant to the city and the fans:
“It’s always special when you give your fans something to cheer for. This team, all we want to do is make the city proud, bring the city wins and to be able to accomplish that tonight in a night where it didn’t seem like it was going to happen is an honor and it’s truly something special.”
Mitchell Robinson drives his truck home from the Garden after the greatest comeback in Knicks history pic.twitter.com/VunbJ7QpKr
— THE GARDEN IS ROCKING (@MSG_Rocking) May 20, 2026
Miles McBride
On Shamet’s defensive energy in the fourth quarter:
“He didn’t just change the game with the clutch shots, but defensively bringing energy. Getting hands on deflections and picking up full court. Things like that inspires the whole team.”
Landry Shamet said he didn't know his triple to tie Game 1 at 99-99 tied the game
"I was like 'oh s–t we're tied up'. When you're flowing, you don't want to be thinking about things" pic.twitter.com/kAiZt1QBIy
On realizing his late three-pointer tied the game:
“To be honest, when I shot it and then I looked up, I was like, ‘Oh (expletive), we’re tied up.’ I didn’t realize at the time that that one would have tied it up, which is kind of where you want to be. When you’re flowing, you don’t want to be thinking about things. They ball found me. I was open in transition. I let it fly and the ball went in.”
On crediting the team’s defensive depth for guarding Donovan Mitchell:
“One of the luxuries of our team is we got a lot of really good primary on-ball, primary off-the-ball defenders. Team defenders. I didn’t really play the first three quarters and then you throw fresh legs at someone whose got it going. Just come in try to compete, be physical, take advantage that I didn’t play. Use the energy that I had. That’s really it. Compete, communicate, make it hard on him. He’s a helluva player. We expect him to have a good game against us. Gotta give him his credit, he really hurt us. We have to make adjustments. We were connected, played hard and was physical.”
On the moment the Knicks realized they needed to get their excrement together:
“If you’re going to make it run, that’s when you have to do it. Might as well throw your best punch at that point, do what you can. You have to leave it all out there, especially this time of the year. That’s what we did. We have a group that didn’t flinch at the deficit. We made something happen.”
On the comeback atmosphere at Madison Square Garden:
“A lot of fun. MSG comebacks are fun, especially in the playoffs. I’m just real proud of our group, because that’s quite the deficit in the fourth.”
On being greeted by celebrities and Knicks legends after the win:
“It’s kind of wild when I think about it.”
Q "Jalen's such a weapon…What type of weapon is he?
OG "What type of weapon? Uh I mean. Jalen's an amazing player. Um. What kind of weapon-what do you mean?
Q "Like what kind of asset?
OG "Oh I mean. Hes an amazing player you know. I'm happy he's on our team. We're all happy” pic.twitter.com/wY1LV6k6Gs
On Jalen Brunson’s leadership and value to the team:
“He’s an amazing player. I’m happy he’s on our team, I think we’re all happy he’s on our team.”
On fighting through the deficit in Game 1:
“We had to keep fighting. We’re just mentally tough. We knew we had a run in us. Just play to the end.”
On shaking off early rust:
“[There was] a little rust, but that was expected. I knew that. As the game went on, the rust wore off.”
On how he felt physically as the game progressed:
“I felt good. Just continue to play hard, shoot shots and be aggressive. … I don’t think it was hesitancy [early]. Just as the game went on I felt more and more like myself.”
Kenny Atkinson on whether he was going to bench James Harden on defensive possessions at the end of the game:
"He's been one of our best defenders in these playoffs. I trust him. Smart. Great hands. Didn't think about that" pic.twitter.com/zJh8kPs92m
On not using any of his timeouts during the fourth-quarter collapse:
“I like to hold my timeouts. I didn’t want to have one timeout at the end of the game, one- or two-point game. I try to hold them.”
On tough Knicks shots in the fourth quarter:
“I thought they hit some really tough shots in that fourth quarter, those two 3’s, prayer 3’s end of shot clock. We got a little unlucky, quite honestly. (Jalen) Brunson obviously took over at the end.”
On Mikal Bridges’ “lucky” late threes:
“The two Bridges 3’s, like kind of what are you going to do?”
On the offense getting stagnant late:
“My only regret, and this can happen when you get a little fatigue, it just stopped moving. We were pinging the ball over the place, great ball movement and then it got a little stagnant.”
On pride in his team despite the collapse:
“I’m super proud of the way our group played. We played great basketball tonight for three quarters, unfortunately … they dominated us in the fourth quarter.”
On not even considering benching James Harden as Brunson cooked him:
“No. He’s been one of our best defenders in these playoffs. I trust him. Smart. Great hands. Didn’t think about that.”
On Brunson’s late-game takeover:
“Brunson obviously took over at the end. We started double-teaming him, trying to do some different things… they dominated us in the fourth quarter. Basically, the fourth quarter he got loose. We definitely tried to mix up some stuff, throw some stuff at him. We’ll have to keep looking at it. There was a lot of tough floaters, and hit that tough, contested three.”
On Cleveland’s defensive plan against Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Really important and not just (for) Evan, right? Once we sub who’s going to make his catch his tough, make his passes tough. I do feel like we have personnel. They can bother him. We got multiple guys that can put pressure on and then we’ve got to be really good with our defense. It definitely shifted schematically like everybody knows and it’s been his assist rate. He’s got all that stuff at a high level so that’s going to be a big part of the series.”
On having personnel to pressure Towns:
“We do feel like we have the personnel to bother him. We’ve got multiple guys who can put pressure on him. We’ve gotta be really good with our off-ball defense. They’ve definitely shifted schematically like everybody knows. It’s been … it’s high level so it’s going to be a big part of the series.”
On not feeling disrespected despite being underdogs:
“I get it. I don’t feel disrespected, right? I think I get it. They’re playing great basketball. Massive rest advantage. We get that. So it’s not like I’m mad or anything. I get it. But like I said, we have to find a way to halt their momentum. I mean they have great momentum coming into this series and we have to find a way.”
On prioritizing physical and mental freshness:
“The most important thing is these guys are fresh and fresh physically and fresh mentally. We know they have a massive rest advantage. We know they’re massively favored in the series, but I’d say from our perspective it’s like we got to try to halt their momentum and it starts tonight.”
On expanding the rotation early in the series:
“I like, especially beginning this series, giving guys opportunities. You never know what you will find.”
On the Knicks’ physical style of play:
“They got big strong guys and they’re super physical. Good thing is we have two series where we’re dealing with that for 48 minutes basically. But we’re not coming in here saying, oh this is the Knicks. They’re a very physical team, definitely saw that on film.”
Donovan Mitchell on the message he gave in the locker room:
“I said it in the locker room, just that we lost, we f–king blew it.”
On the Cavaliers’ Game 1 loss:
“So many things I think played a factor into it. We didn’t close it out, we gotta clean up on film, and go from there. It’s one loss, it’s a bad loss, but all we can do is go back and watch the film and fix it. It’s just one game; we could have lost by 40, and it still would have been 1-0. We played pretty solidly for about three quarters. We’ll make adjustments and go from there.”
On failing to adjust to Brunson late:
“He was a little comfortable. We could have done some things collectively and we didn’t and that’s on us. But ultimately, we came to do nothing about it. Now we got to go out there and watch the film and fix it for game two.”
On taking accountability for letting the game slip away:
“We should have won the game. Even if there was complacency, we’re up 22 with eight minutes left. Gotta win the game. But we gotta keep your head up and go from there. Don’t let one quarter affect you for the rest of the series. It’s gonna be a long series, and there are things we did that are positive things we can look forward to. But we should have won the game, we didn’t… We lost, we f**king blew it, now let’s run up for Game 2.”
On not overreacting to his late-game struggles:
“I’ll watch the film and figure it out. I don’t think it’s anything to overreact to. In those scenarios, you’ve got to feel it, and I’ve always said it’s a feel thing.”
On not letting the loss derail momentum:
“That can’t happen. But it did. We play in two days. We can’t sit here and let it kill our momentum, kill what we’ve been doing. It’s not a good loss.”
On playing in the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden as a New Yorker:
“Being a New Yorker playing in the Finals is just different. You don’t take it for granted. You grew up around it. You grew up a fan of it. And now to be an enemy in it is special, for sure. We played there a few years ago [in the playoffs] and we got whupped. The remaining core guys that are here remember that. So, we have to go out and be ready. It’s an amazing opportunity for us and for me being back home, but we got to go in there and take it.”
On the Knicks entering the series as a dangerous opponent:
“It’s gonna be special for sure. [The Knicks] are a talented team. Obviously it starts with Jalen Brunson and KAT. But Mikal and OG have been phenomenal — Josh Hart. Look at their bench, it’s just been great.”
On joking about playing at home during the series:
“Me and my fiancee joked that we’d be at home regardless, right, so might as well play some basketball while we’re at the crib.”
On preparing for Game 1 against a rested Knicks team:
“We know them, obviously. But, I think the biggest thing is they’ve been off — they got a bunch of rest so got to be ready to go from the jump from Game 1. To the point, It’s great I get to play at home … doesn’t matter. We got to be locked in and ready to go. And I know we will be. They’re a tough team, and we’re excited.”
On how Cleveland has evolved since losing to New York in 2023:
“For most of the team, the core that was there, it was their first time in the playoffs. We’ve had a few series under our belts [since then]. We didn’t like how it went, obviously. This is different. We’re not here to rehash the past. This is a different scenario. This is something that, even last season, we came into it like, ‘This is our goal, to get to this point, to get to the Finals.’ Not really looking at it like, ‘Man, what happened [three] years ago?’ It’s just the opportunity in front of us.”
On focusing inward rather than predicting a Knicks matchup:
“I think for us, we weren’t saying, ‘It’s gonna be us vs. New York.’ We were really just focusing on ourselves. Especially how we started the year, it was a long road. I think now, it’s more so like we gotta steal the first one. And if we don’t steal the first one, steal the second one. That’s the mentality. It’s just like ‘hey, we’re here, we haven’t come this far just to be excited to be here.’ I think that’s the biggest feeling around the group — that we’re not just like, ‘We did it.’ Now, it’s more so that this is an opportunity for us to play and get to the Finals, and we have to get through these guys to get there.”
“It definitely hurts. You want to win Game 1, especially when you’re up like that, you want to win those games. We have to do better with finishing that, but it’s not an easy road, and we have to bounce back and try to get a dub. But we’ve done this before; we were down two in the last series, so we’ve been here before. You just have to bounce back and look at film, see what we can change, and fix that.”
On his infamous “lights were brighter” comment from 2023:
“That comment was that comment. What I said is what it is. For me personally now, I’ve grown, evolved, had a lot more playoff series under my belt, a lot more games under my belt, experience. What I said then was what I said then.”
On how Cleveland’s core has matured since 2023:
“Everybody’s evolved, everybody’s grown, everybody’s come into their own skin. Everybody’s just a different person coming here. So it’s good to see how everybody’s grown.”
On his loyalty to Mitchell after advancing to the ECF:
“I hope Don knows this, I’ll follow him into war. I’ll trust every single decision that he makes, every single shot that he takes, every single word that he speaks in the locker room.”
Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, John Starks, Latrell Sprewell, Marcus Camby, Iman Shumpert & Stephon Marbury are locked in as Jalen Brunson brings the Knicks back pic.twitter.com/zq9L1VHB04
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 20: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Watching Sal Stewart struggle for the first time as a big leaguer was rough. After ripping through the month of April and taking home National League Rookie of the Month honors, May greeted him with a dose of what happens when big league pitchers and coaches finally get to scout you in detail via big league video evidence.
Across 17 games from April 29th through May 16th, Sal collected just 10 hits in 67 AB, smashing nary a homer and striking out twice as often (16 times) as he walked. He hit just .149/.240/.224 in that span, and there’s no coincidence that the Cincinnati Reds hitting a skid coincided with that.
The last week, though, has seen a much needed resurgence. He entered play on Wednesday in Philadelphia having been on-base multiple times in four straight games, and then erupted for a 4 for 5 day that saw him double, swat a late 2-run homer to put the game on ice, and score 3 times in the Reds 9-4 win over the Phillies. That earns him today’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award, and deservedly so.
That homer flew 441 feet into the second deck in Philly, by the way.
Sal even turned in a good defensive performance at the hot corner, making an acrobatic catch over the rail along the Reds dugout on a pop fly. It’s as if the Reds had no need to go acquire a different 3B last July after all!
The win secured a series victory for the Reds and pushed them back to a pair of games over the .500 mark at 26-24, and the club wrapped their two-city road trip with a .500 record after dropping the first series to the Guardians in Cleveland.
Sal backed Andrew Abbott, who turned in another solid performance in a string that’s been much, much more akin to what we’d come to know about him prior to his own April slump. Abbott fired 5.1 IP and allowed just 3 hits and 2 runs (one earned), dodging some early control problems – he walked the first two batters he faced in the game and the first one scored – to pour in a 96 pitch outing the Reds sorely needed. Brock Burke ran into some trouble when he took over, yielding a 2-run dinger to Edmundo Sosa, but the rest of the bullpen effort was nails in the form of scoreless frames by Connor Phillips, Graham Ashcraft, and Sam Moll.
Nathaniel Lowe helped Sal carry the offensive load on the day, swatting a pair of doubles and driving in a trio. Blake Dunn, who started against a RHP in the outfield as TJ Friedl continues to sit, doubled and tripled and scored twice. Even PJ Higgins chipped in with a pair of RBI singles as the Reds breezed on a rare day where Elly De La Cruz (0 for 5, 3 K) was off his best.
The Reds have the day off on Thursday, and on Friday they’ll begin a home series against their NL Central rivals from St. Louis. Chris Paddack is scheduled to get his second start since joining the Reds in the series opener in Great American Ball Park Thursday evening, with first pitch slated for 6:40 PM ET.
