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Aston Villa v Liverpool: Premier League – live

⚽ Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Table | Who should be player of the year?

“Right Rob, let’s get down to brass tacks – Slot, should he be shown the door or given another year?” asks Peadar de Burca. “On the evidence of, let’s say, the last ten games, you’d have to say that the Liverpool manager has been found wanting. That extra little bit of innovation or rough magic hasn’t been there. A lot of talent at the top end of the team and you get the feeling a good manager could have shaped those players into something sharper, as opposed to the butter knife attack we’ve mostly seen. So, give him the boot?

“Well, this is a Liverpool team in transition. I suspect the owners, no mugs, had this in mind back in July after Diogo Jota’s tragic death and saw this as a year to acquire some serious talent, let them bed in with the real aim being the 2026-27 season. You’d hope Jeremy Jacquet will be joined by one or two more defensively minded players and the team will have more balance. The team will have had time to become a team. Let’s not judge Slot now, but in eight months’ time when Isak, Ekitike, Wirtz and Ngumoha are able to read each other’s minds.

Today we are without nine players. The good news is that Florian and Mo are on the bench, but Alex [Isak] is out with a minor injury.

I have to compliment Mo on how hard he has worked to be back. It’s not always straightforward with the type of injury he had.

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OG Anunoby fully participates in Knicks' practice for the first time since his hamstring injury

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — OG Anunoby fully practiced with the New York Knicks on Friday for the first time since injuring his hamstring, moving them closer to having their starting lineup intact for the Eastern Conference finals.

The starting forward missed the final two games of the Knicks' second-round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers after straining his right hamstring late in Game 2. He took part in some of practice when the Knicks returned on Wednesday, but sat out the portions when they went full speed.

But coach Mike Brown said Anunoby did everything with the team on Friday.

The Knicks would host Game 1 of the East finals on Sunday if Cleveland beats Detroit in Game 6 on Friday night. If that series goes the distance, Anunoby wouldn't have to be ready until Tuesday.

Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points per game in the postseason while shooting 61.9% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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2026 NBA Draft: Mountain West stock report

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 20: Mj Collins Jr. #2 of the Utah State Aggies takes a foul shot during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game against the Villanova Wildcats at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We are less than six weeks away from the 2026 NBA Draft, and a pair of former Mountain West players competed in the NBA G-League combine last weekend. Did they help their stock during the 44-player showcase in Chicago, Ill.? Let’s examine!

MJ Collins, G, Utah State:

Skinny: Neither Collins nor Henley were one of the handful of players who were invited to the NBA Draft combine. But Collins was the better of the two in the workouts. The athletic guard had the fourth-highest standing vertical (32.5”), third-highest max vertical (39.5”) and ninth-fastest pro-lane shuttle time (10.64) of the 44 participants.

Additionally, Collins shot the ball fairly well in the workouts. He scored just five points on five made free-throws in the scrimmages (0-3 FG), but Collins netted 24 of his 30 mid-range pull-up jumpers and excelled in the 3-point star drill (the final numbers said he went 26-of-25 … obviously a typo, but I’m not sure in which direction, so I don’t have a final number).

All in all, it was a good combine for Collins, even though his performance in-game didn’t help his stock.

Verdict: Stock Neutral

Projection: Undrafted free agent, two-way

Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon:

Skinny: Conversely for Henley, I don’t think he tested particularly well (relative to his peers), but he was as advertised in game.

Henley was a wrecking ball. He led Team 4 with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 20 minutes, totaling eight rebounds, one assist and one steal. He missed his lone two 3-point attempts while knocking down all five of his free-throws.

Conversely, his poor shooting from 3-point range carried over into the workouts, where I wanted to see some improvement. He only made nine threes in the star drill, tied for the third-fewest; only Liberty’s Zach Cleveland, George Washington’s Rafael Castro (who impressed) and North Dakota State’s March Strickland finished with fewer. He shot 11-for-25 on the spot-up shooting drill (one fewer than Collins) and 17-for-30 on the pull-up shooting.

Henley, a hyper-athletic slasher, shot just 30.7 percent from beyond the arc (2.5 3PA) across four collegiate seasons, including 26.8 percent in his lone season at Grand Canyon. He has an intriguing skillset, but one that desperately needs an efficient shot. I think he helped his stock, but that weakness will still exist until it doesn’t.

Verdict: Stock Up

Projection: Undrafted free agent, two-way

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Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors: Nine most likely destinations for Bucks star

After years of seemingly constant rumors, in part fueled by mixed signals from Giannis Antetokounmpo himself — not to mention teams hoarding picks and players just for this moment — an Antetokounmpo trade feels more certain than ever.

Milwaukee is reportedly “open for business” and appears more serious about it than ever — and there is a deadline. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslem said he wanted to see a decision made (either Antetokounmpo agrees to sign an extension in Milwaukee or they trade him) and any trade completed before the June 23 draft, less than six weeks away. The Bucks reportedly continue to seek a blue-chip young player and a boatload of draft picks in any deal.

Which teams are calling Milwaukee? Where might Antetokounmpo play next season? Here are nine teams to watch (and a few to rule out).

Remember: Antetokounmpo has a lot of leverage in where he lands. He only has one year guaranteed left on his contract (the second year is a player option), and he can tell a team he will not sign an extension with them, making the price to get him unreasonable. Antetokounmpo can almost control this process, and his representatives will work with the Bucks on any deal that gets done.

Miami Heat

Pat Riley wants to go big game hunting (Pat Riley always wants to go big game hunting), and after a play-in exit this April, he will be willing to push all his chips into the middle of the table. The Heat went after Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline and can do so again with an offer centered around Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, three first-round picks including the 13th pick in this draft (Miami has to make the pick then trade the player after the draft), plus 2031 and 2033, and they can throw in the swap rights from up to four years between now and 2033.

Antetokounmpo wants to stay in the East with a contender, and while there would be a lot of roster work to do, he and Bam Adebayo are a very good foundation. Plus, Miami has the draws of no state tax, plus plenty of sunshine and mojitos nearby. If Antetokounmpo pushes for Miami, this would happen.

Boston Celtics

At his end-of-season press conference, Brad Stevens — the man in charge of basketball operations in Boston — talked about the need for this team to put more pressure on the rim. Specifically, the Celtics need players who can drive the lane (and an upgrade at the five).

Nobody puts pressure on the rim like Antetokounmpo. After the Celtics' first-round exit, Boston is suddenly the team on everybody's lips. It can put together an offer around Jaylen Brown and up to four first-round picks — but is that the direction the Celtics want to go? Trade away the player they drafted and developed in Brown to get a mercenary who is older and has been injured often in recent seasons?

Antetokounmpo has expressed admiration for coach Joe Mazzulla and might well be interested, but how aggressive will the Celtics really be in this chase? If Antetokounmpo pushes for it, this could happen.

Orlando Magic

After another early, disappointing exit from the playoffs — including a Game 6 collapse where the Magic missed 23 shots in a row at one point — there are a lot of people around the league who see Orlando potentially going all in on an Antetokounmpo trade. The Magic at least explored the idea of trading for the Greek Freak at the deadline.

Orlando likely would construct a deal around Paolo Banchero and a handful of first-round picks. This trade would dramatically shorten the runway in Orlando because they get much older — Banchero is 23, Antetokounmpo turns 32 next season — but, if everyone is healthy, it gets them closer to the teams at the top of the East next season and for a few years. Antetokounmpo gets to go to a contender in a warm-weather state. If the Magic are convinced the Banchero and Franz Wagner era isn't going to work out and the duo needs to be broken up, this is a path they can choose.

Cleveland Cavaliers

If Cleveland makes it to the Eastern Conference Finals, does it change things for the Cavaliers? Probably not. This is the most expensive team in the NBA this season, and it should be Finals-or-bust. If they are unable to get past the Pistons (Cleveland leads that series 3-2 as of this writing) or the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, changes will be coming. Remember, Donovan Mitchell can be a free agent in the summer of 2027, and he will put pressure on the organization to go all in to get the players who can get him to the Finals.

Cleveland and Milwaukee discussed a trade package centered on Evan Mobley at the deadline, but the sticking point was how much draft capital would go back to the Bucks. If Antetokounmpo decides he wants to stay in the Midwest and go to Cleveland, and he pushes for it, this could be a deal that becomes real.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota was one of the teams that talked with Milwaukee at the trade deadline, and Antetokounmpo reportedly — and understandably — had interest in pairing with Anthony Edwards.

But there are a lot of hurdles to this trade. It's just hard to construct. The Bucks will want Jaden McDaniels, and he has shown incredible growth and become a foundational piece for the Timberwolves in the last year (and he has had a standout playoffs). Also, Minnesota is short on draft picks to trade, so it would need a third team involved.

Another massive hurdle (for Minnesota and a few more teams on this list): Does Antetokounmpo want to go to the Western Conference, where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, and Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets all stand in the way the next few years? The sense is Antetokounmpo wants to stay in the East, league sources have told NBC Sports.

Houston Rockets

Houston has the quality young players and draft picks needed to entice Milwaukee in a trade, and after an early exit from the playoffs despite signing Kevin Durant last summer, might the Rockets go all-in again? Don't bet on it. GM Rafael Stone didn't sound like a guy thinking big moves at his end-of-season press conference.

"We'll look at everything over the offseason, and all potential deals," Stone said. "But we think the players in our locker room can win a lot of games and be very competitive. We have players coming back from injury that will help us. And if we bring back the same group, I think continuity will help us."

Golden State Warriors

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry together and chasing a ring (let's throw LeBron James in that mix, too). It would be entertaining.

It's also unlikely. Golden State pushed hard for a deal at the trade deadline because it knew heading into this summer there would be better offers on the table than its four first-round picks. The matching salary would likely have to be Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green, and an injured Butler (ACL) or Green — neither of whom would want to be there — is not appealing to the Bucks. Plus, again, the Warriors are in the West, and if Antetokounmpo wants to compete for a title, well, he and Curry are at best in the second tier in that conference.

New York Knicks

Never say never, but this team is on the verge of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since people feared the Y2K bug — do they want or need to break that roster up for Antetokounmpo?

That said, New York is the one team we know Antetokounmpo told Bucks general manager Jon Horst to talk to. The challenge is putting together a trade both sides like. The money works if it's Karl-Anthony Towns for Antetokounmpo, but KAT is a poor fit for a rebuilding Knicks team. A deal also can work with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, but do the Knicks want to break up the guys who embody the team's identity? Even if Milwaukee is interested in those players, it also will want picks, and the Knicks don't have many to trade, so now a third team is in the mix, and it gets complicated.

Never say never, but this is a long shot.

Milwaukee Bucks

While it seems like a parting of the ways is going to happen, we've all seen this movie before. Antetokounmpo has threatened to leave in the past, used that as leverage to get the Bucks to make a bold (if not always wise) trade, and then signed to stay with the only city and team he has known.

This time it feels different. Antetokounmpo was frustrated last season — especially for the final games when he was not cleared to return and play with his brothers. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks talked, and their general manager, Jon Horst, explored trade offers at the deadline. Around the league, the expectation is that a trade is happening this time.

But would anybody be shocked if it doesn't?

Brooklyn Nets

No doubt the Brooklyn Nets are star hunting after being let down in the NBA Draft Lottery in consecutive years, but this team probably should be in the group below. The Nets have plenty of picks to offer in a trade, but not the blue-chip young talent. Also, Antetokounmpo wants to compete for a title, and even with him healthy and at his peak, the rest of this roster is worse than Milwaukee's. It's hard to see this happening.

That’s not happening group

• Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are building around Luka Doncic, and he and Antetokounmpo — two ball-dominant players who are not elite off-ball — would not mesh well. The Lakers' only blue-chip young player is Austin Reaves, and he'd have to agree to a sign-and-trade for this to work, and the Lakers would rather keep him. Plus, Antetokounmpo has said in the past he doesn't love Los Angeles as a city, and he'd be moving to the stacked West. Just hard to see this happening.

• Portland Trail Blazers. New owner Tom Dundon wants to make a statement about how he is there to compete and wants his front office to go after Antetokounmpo. It all feels a bit performative. The Trail Blazers do have two former teammates Antetokounmpo loves in Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard, plus they have quality young players and some picks. But does anyone see Antetokounmpo agreeing to sign an extension in Portland? He's not going West to be on this team.

• Atlanta Hawks. All the buzz in league circles is that Atlanta is not throwing its hat in the ring, it wants to build something more organically around Jalen Johnson. They want to keep the No. 8 pick in this draft. While the Hawks could use a No. 1 option, this is not the guy they are going to chase.

• Toronto Raptors. Some people see this as possible because the Raptors are in the East, have plenty of picks and can add Collin Murray-Boyles after a strong playoff showing. However, it seems to me that Antetokounmpo would see Toronto as another version of Milwaukee — a good team with him, but not a contender. I just do not see this happening.

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Bucks star reveals team's dysfunction with Giannis and Doc Rivers

The saga surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks got another curveball this week when one of his teammates aired out some behind-the-scenes details about this past season that weren't flattering for former Bucks coach Doc Rivers or the franchise's Greek superstar.

Myles Turner revealed on an episode of his "Game Recognize Game" podcast with WNBA star Breanna Stewart that Rivers had a policy in which he didn't fine any players and "guys were late all the time. Guys were showing up to film whenever they want. Guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I've personally experienced."

"We literally, if the plane took off 2 o'clock, we weren't leaving until 4:30," Turner continued in comments that were published on Thursday, May 14. "I'm being so serious, bro. It was crazy, dog. Guys were hours late to the plane. It got to the point where I just knew not to show up until like an hour after they said the plane was going to take off. It was crazy."

Stewart asked Turner to name to worst culprit for being late. Turner responded without hesitation: "Giannis."

2026 NBA DRAFT: How good is this class? Wizards GM, prominent agent weigh in

"Giannis is going to show up whenever he wants, really, you know? I think that kind of just came with the territory of that," Turner added, "and once I kind of saw what was going down, I was like ... more power to you. They ain't going to fine you. Do what you do, except when we're going to Dallas (near his hometown of Bedford, Texas)"

Turner just completed his first season with the Bucks after signing a 4-year, $108-million contract last year to potentially help Milwaukee remain an Eastern Conference contender alongside Antetokoumpo. But the Bucks struggled most of the regular season, with Antetokounmpo in and out of the lineup due to injuries while dealing with steady trade speculation.

Antetokounmpo has one year left on his contract, with a player option for the 2027-28 season. Bucks ownership stated it plans to either sign Antetokounmpo to a new max contract extension or trade him and hopes to have a resolution on his future with the franchise before the NBA Draft. The team's front office is already listening to potential deals, according to reports.

The Bucks parted ways with Rivers after finishing with a 32-50 record and missing the postseason. The team hired former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins to replace Rivers and received the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Turner said he had never been on an NBA team before in which the players weren't fined, and expressed surprise at the lack of structure and disciplinary protocols under Rivers.

"Any other team I've been on, guys got fined. And there was a sense of order and a sense of understanding," Turner said. "So yeah, you're late to the plane? Fine. You're late to treatment? Fine. You're late to film? Fine. But I personally did not experience that last year for the first time in my career. So we'll see what Taylor Jenkins does."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Myles Turner says Bucks, Giannis 'late all the time' under Doc Rivers

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Middlesbrough demand Southampton are expelled from playoffs over spygate

  • Boro say move is ‘only appropriate response’ to scandal

  • Australian Hull fan angry over possible postponement

Middlesbrough have demanded that the English Football League expel Southampton from the Championship playoff final against Hull and are furious at being denied a chance to argue their case at an independent disciplinary hearing.

Southampton, who beat Middlesbrough 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-final, are facing EFL misconduct charges after Boro said they had been the victims of training-ground spying.

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Marc Guéhi continues whirlwind FA Cup journey against club where it all began

Manchester City defender led Crystal Palace to Wembley triumph last season and is back to take on Chelsea

Marc Guéhi’s whirlwind 12 months in the FA Cup: captaining Crystal Palace to glory at Wembley last season, experiencing the competition’s greatest shock via the holders’ third-round elimination at sixth-tier Macclesfield and, on Saturday, aiming to claim the trophy again when Manchester City face Chelsea.

In a story-rich competition the defender’s is one of the more intriguing, particularly as Palace’s triumph was their first trophy and City, who he joined nine days after the Macclesfield reverse, were their scalps in the final, beaten 1-0 by Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute strike.

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Pistons vs. Cavs preview: Backs against the wall and season on the line

Just like in the 1st round against the Orlando Magic, the Pistons have reached the point of win or go home as they face elimination against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. If there is one positive for the Pistons it is that they only have to win two games in a row to steal the series rather than the three they had to against Orlando.

Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland came with a bit of controversy as what many thought was a missed foul on Ausar Thompson at the end of the game kept the game tied before the Pistons lost in Overtime. The Last Two Minute Report by the NBA has since disproven the controversy by confirming the correct call was made, but it has still led to a ton of discourse.

The bottom line about Game 5 is that the Pistons put themselves in a position to win multiple times during the game and couldn’t seal the deal. You can complain about the foul and free throw discrepancy, and those are valid things, but the Pistons blew a 15-point lead in the 1st half and also a 9-point lead with two minutes left.

Now, they have to go to Cleveland with their season on the line where the Cavaliers have not lost a game during the postseason so far.

Vitals

Where: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH
When: Friday, May 15 at 7 pm EST
Watch: Prime Video
Odds: Cavaliers (-3.5)

Analysis

The big takeaway from the last three games amongst Pistons fans is the foul discrepancy and how many more free throws the Cleveland Cavaliers have taken. In Cleveland’s three straight wins, they have shot a total of 100 free throws while the Pistons have only shot 52. I don’t think I really need to say much more about it here that hasn’t already been talked about to death online.

The biggest reason why the Cavaliers have taken control of the series is because their stars have stepped up while the Pistons have gotten very minimal contributions out of anybody but Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris. It reached a breaking point in Game 5 as Jalen Duren was benched for the whole 4th quarter and overtime in favor of Paul Reed, who is one of the few bright spots outside of Cunningham and Harris.

In Games 1 and 2, the Pistons were able to successfully hold James Harden in check to the point where despite 23 and 31 point games by Donovan Mitchell, they were still able to come out on top. Since those first two games, Donovan Mitchell has kicked it up to another level and James Harden has gotten things rolling. It has scrambled the Pistons defense as they have to sell out more to stop both player’s dribble penetration and it has allowed the Cavaliers to get players like Evan Mobley, Max Strus, and Jarrett Allen rolling with easy looks.

You can say it is due to an uneven whistle, but the bottom line is that unless the Pistons make adjustments to how they are defending Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, this series will be ending tonight.

The Pistons have done a bad job defending the three point line as the Cavaliers have gotten quite a few open threes after long possessions because the Pistons lose focus or rotate off somebody too much. The Cavs are too good of a shooting team to consistently allow that to happen.

The Cavaliers have successfully matched the Pistons physicality on defense and are able to bring doubles on Cade to force other players to beat them. That did not happen on Wednesday down the stretch. All the Pistons had to do was make one of the wide-open shots that Cade generated off of a pass out of a double and the controversial call doesn’t matter and we are discussing the Pistons closing out a series tonight.

You can blame the refs all you want, but the bottom line is despite the foul and free throw discrepancy, the Pistons have held leads in 2 of the last 3 games in the 4th quarter and could not seal the deal in either one. Young teams have to learn how to win in the playoffs and the Pistons were able to get the job done against the Orlando Magic, but the Cavaliers are an older, more experienced team with a ton of players that have played a lot of playoff games.

They know how to game the system whether you like it or not. And those plays around the margins can make all the difference in winning or losing a playoff series.

The Pistons are not dead in the water. But, if they want any hope at winning this game and returning home for Game 7, their execution down the stretch has to be much better. The amount of free throws each team have shot won’t matter if you execute your offense and do a better job at defending and creating turnovers. The Cavaliers are prone to doing it as they proved in Games 1 and 2.

JB Bickerstaff and the players can discuss the uneven whistle all that they want, but it is clear at this point that the team that led the league in fouls during the regular season is going to foul a lot. The Cavs know it and have put together a gameplan that focuses on it. Now, the Pistons have to put together a gameplan of their own to counteract it.

Lineups

Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2): James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Detroit Pistons (2-3): Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Question of the Day

Do the Pistons get it done and force another Game 7?

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Giro d’Italia: Jonas Vingegaard makes statement to conquer Blockhaus summit

  • Dane goes for broke 5km from top for stage seven win

  • Decathlon’s Felix Gall is only other rider to get close

Jonas Vingegaard, the pre-race favourite, proved his Giro d’Italia credentials by going alone to conquer the Blockhaus summit finish and win stage seven on Friday as the Dane made his first telling move of this year’s race.

The Visma-Lease a Bike rider, on his Giro debut, went for broke with just over 5km to the top, with the Austrian Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) the only rider to get close as he came in 13 seconds behind the winner.

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NBA announces Knicks-Cavs ECF Game 1 tip-off time as Pistons face elimination

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game on December 25, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The National Basketball Association might have leaked the script for the upcoming conference finals, hasn’t it?

On Thursday evening, the NBA released all possible scenarios for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, both of which have one team already locked into the matchups—OKC Thunder in the West, New York Knicks in the East—but their opponent still to be determined.

Interestingly enough, the NBA announced the tip-off time for a potential Knicks-Cavaliers ECF, assuming Cleveland beats Detroit in Game 6 later today, setting Game 1 for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The potential Pistons-Knicks tip-off time in case Detroit beats all odds and advances in seven games? Not even in consideration for the NBA!

Make of that whatever you want, but hey, I wouldn’t complain having the Pistons and the whole ridiculous Deeeeee-trooit baaas-keeet-baall chant the hell out of the picture.

The Cavs won Game 5 on Wednesday, bringing their semifinals matchup to a 3-2 balance with Detroit facing back-to-back win-or-go-home games going forward, starting today… in The Land. None of those teams had won away from home before the Cavs beat the Pistons on the road, taking a series lead for good and making it hellaciously tough for a postseason-underperforming Detroit squad to pull off the miracle and advance.

Tip-off today is at 7 p.m. ET. If you still have popcorn left, grab a whole bunch and enjoy this war while the Knickerbockers get back to practice in their Tarrytown facilities, patiently waiting for their next victim.

On top of that, it’s been announced that Knicks’ all-time great broadcaster Mike Breen will be on the call for all of New York’s ECF games, with ESPN holding the broadcasting rights for the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.

All jokes, but good times all around, ain’t em?

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Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 Round 2 NBA Playoffs predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets on May 15

Cleveland has now won three-straight in the series and are at home for Game 6 up 3-2 with a chance to send Detroit packing. The Cavaliers' Game 5 win in Detroit was Cleveland's first road win of the playoffs.

Cleveland is 6-0 at home in the playoffs, but the Cavaliers are 1-1 in series clinching games this postseason after losing to Toronto in Game 6 and winning Game 7. Over the last three games versus Detroit, the Cavaliers average 115.0 points per game, shot 48.7% from the field, and 36% from three. James Harden scored a playoff-high and team-high 30 points with 14 free throws, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Detroit has its backs against the wall yet again. After falling behind 3-1 to Orlando in the first round, Detroit rattled off three straight wins to claim the series, so the Pistons are familiar with this spot. Cade Cunningham scored a personal series-high 39 points in Game 5, which was needed since Detroit was without Duncan Robinson and received minimal help from its role players. The Pistons have three players on the injury report ahead of Game 6 compared to zero for the Cavaliers.

Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

  • Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
  • Time: 7:00 PM EST
  • Site: Rocket Arena
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (+145), Cleveland Cavaliers (-175)
  • Spread: Cavaliers -3.5
  • Total: 209.5 points

This game opened Cavaliers -3.5 with the Total set at 210.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • PG James Harden
  • SG Donovan Mitchell
  • SF Dean Wade
  • PF Evan Mobley
  • C Jarrett Allen

Detroit Pistons

  • PG Cade Cunningham
  • SG Duncan Robinson (questionable)
  • SF Ausar Thompson
  • PF Tobias Harris
  • C Jalen Duren

Injury Report: Pistons vs. Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • None

Detroit Pistons

  • Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. Huerter played 3 minutes in Game 5 and had one assist.
  • Duncan Robinson (back) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. Robinson missed Game 5.
  • Caris LeVert (heel) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. LeVert played 24 minutes and scored 7 points in Game 5.

Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic

  • Detroit is 49-45 ATS 
  • Detroit is 23-23 ATS on the road and 9-3 ATS as a road underdog, ranking third-best
  • Detroit is 49-44-1 to the Under and 24-21-1 to the Under as the road team
  • Detroit is 6-5-1 to the Over as a road underdog
  • Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-55
  • Cleveland is 21-26 ATS at home, ranking fifth-worst
  • Cleveland is 25-22 to the Under at home and 23-21 to the Under as a home favorite

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers -3.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 209.5

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Bucks Draft Combine Scouting Notebook

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Mikel Brown Jr. looks on during the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I had the incredible experience of being Brew Hoop’s eyes and ears at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this past week. As much as I didn’t want to leave, I’m home now, but I left with plenty of thoughts on prospects the Bucks may be targeting with their 10th overall pick. There was a lot to take in at the Combine, and a laundry list of names have been linked to Milwaukee, so to make things easy, we’ll start with the guys Eric Nehm reported have met with the Bucks so far. Here are some notes on all of them:

Darius Acuff Jr.

Most of the concerns surrounding Acuff have involved his (lack of) size. It’s no secret that small guards are an endangered species right now. But Acuff measured better than some may have expected, slotting in at 6’2” barefoot with a 186-pound frame and a 6’7” wingspan. He plays smaller than his size to some degree, but those are still encouraging numbers. Ultimately, though, it feels pretty unlikely that the Arkansas stud will fall past Brooklyn and Sacramento, so scouting him is just due diligence for Milwaukee.

Nate Ament

Ament has all of the parts needed to build a good player, but he doesn’t come with an instruction booklet. The Tennessee forward came out for his athletic testing at the same time as some big guys, including Cam Boozer, Hannes Steinbach, Aday Mara, and Caleb Wilson, and he looked right at home beside them with his 6’9.5” barefoot height and 6’11.5” wingspan. He needs to fill out with more muscle, but he has a real NBA build. He fared pretty well in shooting drills, but the form will definitely need several tweaks if he’s going to be a real deep threat. 

Mikel Brown Jr.

Brown killed it at the Combine. His measurements were great; at 6’3.5” barefoot with a 6.7.5” wingspan, he has real combo guard size, which is important if he’s going to be playing alongside Ryan Rollins. Brown also shot the leather off the ball in drills. His jumper is as effortless and clean as anyone’s in the class. It’s tough to imagine him falling to 10 unless teams get really scared about his noted back injury worries.

Brayden Burries

Burries was another standout performer at the Combine, even if he didn’t make quite as much noise as Brown or the guy we’ll touch on next. He tested well athletically, posting a 38.5-inch maximum vertical and some quick pro lane drill and 3/4 court sprint times while also measuring in at nearly 6’4” barefoot and 215 pounds. Burries also scorched nets in the shooting drills. He’s another guy who could fit next to Rollins in the backcourt pretty seamlessly. 

Cameron Carr

No player helped their stock more at the Combine than Cam Carr. His athletic stuff was impressive, and then he came out and dominated the second scrimmage on Wednesday, going for a LOUD 30 points in 27 minutes. He’s one of the best true three-and-D wings in the draft, and he proved himself to be worthy of consideration at 10 for the Bucks if Giannis sticks around, as long as Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t still on the board. 

Chris Cenac Jr.

Unless the Bucks know something we don’t, Cenac would be a reach at 10. He’s pretty raw and doesn’t have a defined role, but he does have some intriguing tools, which he showed off in Chicago. The Houston product is 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan and a 37-inch max vert, and his jumper is a lot smoother than what most guys his size are working with. 

In media availability, I asked Cenac how he thinks he’d be able to match up with centers early in his NBA career. He said “it’ll definitely be a challenge, but you know I’m never running from the fire, I’m definitely ready to jump in the fire and see what it’s like and go out there and compete.” He’ll probably be more of a power forward as a rookie, but if he can find some more consistency from deep, that would open up some enticing double big possibilities with him alongside Myles Turner or Giannis. Again, though, he’s not likely to hear his name called 10th overall.

Aday Mara

Not that it was a total shock, but Mara wowed the draft world when he got marked at 7’3” barefoot with an almost 10-foot standing reach. He shot the ball surprisingly well for a guy of his giant stature, specifically during the movement shooting drills, which is honestly pretty scary. However, his form isn’t NBA-ready: it’s slow, and he struggles to put enough arc on the ball. His stretch potential is something to keep an eye on if he’s going to be paired with the Greek Freak.

Labaron Philon

Philon didn’t do much to stand out in either direction at the Combine, which could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. He’s firmly in the running for the 10th pick right now, given he’s a tier behind the Acuffs and Browns of the world on most boards. So, I asked him if he views himself as a true combo guard at the next level and what his favorite way to play offensively is because, again, he could be sharing the floor with Ryan Rollins. His answer: “I don’t really have a preference, I like playing on the ball, off the ball. I think I can do both at a great high rate, so being able to find a mix between playmaking and scoring, really.”

Keaton Wagler

Wagler’s measurements were a tad concerning, with a meh 36-inch max vert and a wingspan that only exceeds his height by an inch. On top of that, he shot surprisingly poorly during drills. This is a case where the larger sample size has to be trusted over the Combine results, although that should always be done anyway. Meeting with the Illinois star is mainly due diligence too, though, with steam picking up quickly for him to land with the Clippers at 5.

Tyler Tanner

Tanner broke the news during media availability that he met with the Bucks on Wednesday. Milwaukee’s interest here is interesting, because the Vanderbilt guard is only ranked in the top-10 by Twitter’s spreadsheet scouting battalion. He unfortunately tanked his stock this week, measuring in at 5’11” barefoot and failing to make an impact in scrimmages (although his decision to play in them as a projected first-round pick was commendable). Tanner will probably return to school, so maybe Jon Horst is doing his 2027 homework early.

Here are some brief notes on some other players worth talking about despite not officially being connected to the Bucks:

Yaxel Lendeborg: Tested not-so-well athletically, but no reason for worry here because he’s a proven awesome functional athlete. Shot it well in the spot-up drill specifically. Met with and worked out for Milwaukee last year, per Nehm.

Hannes Steinbach: Posted measurements of 6’10” barefoot with a 7’2” wingspan and weighed in at 248 pounds. He’s a big fella. The Bucks visited him at workouts recently, again according to Nehm.

Karim Lopez: Didn’t look good in the athletic testing, and his jumper is all over the place. He’s even rawer than Nate Ament.

Dailyn Swain: It was a rough week for the Texas wing. His shot looked clunky during drills, and he had a pretty quiet scrimmage on Wednesday. He opted to sit out of Thursday’s game, but many thought he should have played again.

Morez Johnson Jr.: Had a fantastic showing in every sense. The only blip for him was the spot-up shooting drill. The Michigan forward feels like a lottery party crasher that Milwaukee needs to have on their radar.

Jayden Quaintance: Didn’t do athletic testing. The jumper is gross (which is fine). When I asked him how he thinks he can fit alongside another big at the next level, he said “I feel like my versatility and the way that I move, I feel like it’s different than a lot of bigs, so I feel like we’ll be able to kinda occupy the same space and I’ll be able to do different things to play different roles, especially defensively, and offensively, spacing-wise as well with my quickness and the speed that I have.”

Ebuka Okorie: The Stanford guard’s measurements were better than those of some of his peers (6’1” barefoot, but a nearly 6’8” wingspan and a 37.5-inch max vert). Shot it really well. A potential late riser—he’s not at all significantly worse than other guards projected in the range of the 10th pick.

Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis of these prospects from Brew Hoop, both in written and podcast form!

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NHL, PWHL playoffs reach transcendent heights with OT heroics, highlight-reel goals

NHL, PWHL playoffs reach transcendent heights with OT heroics, highlight-reel goalsRed Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic’s hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox.

Good morning, hockey folks! So, the Ducks got cooked, the Habs are one “W” from rounding out our 2026 NHL final four, and the PWHL finals opened with some OT heroics. The 100th edition of Red Light 🚨 is here.

Let’s go.

Conference Finals Loom

We’re getting awfully close to knowing what Round 3 will look like now, so much so that the schedule has already been released. Let’s get you caught up on what you might have missed last night.

Golden Knights 5, Ducks 1

Vegas wins series 4-2

My goodness, Mitch Marner. I know the plucky young Ducks have been playing with some newfound swagger all season, but did you really need to end their fun while stealing their soul, Shang Tsung style, with a move this crushing?

Marner was dancing around the Honda Center ice all night, putting up a goal and an assist early in what unfortunately became a bit of a laugher. The former Maple Leaf extended his NHL postseason scoring lead to three points with 18 in 12 games, and he’s now through to the conference final for the first time in his career. But the champions of the Pacific Division Pillow Fight will have their hands full with the powerhouse Avalanche.

Hey, full marks to the Golden Marners for making it look relatively easy so far, but forgive the rest of the hockey world for some skepticism that they can give Colorado a real push after the unevenness of 13th-place Vegas’ season. (Counterpoint: All three meetings between them were very tight during the regular season, with two going to overtime. So … maybe?)

That series begins Wednesday in Denver. It could be the first game of Round 3, depending on what happens in Game 6 over in the East.

More:

The Golden Knights have reached the NHL’s final four for the fifth time in nine seasons, the most of any team since 2017.

Vegas’ “swagger” is definitely back.

Despite the loss, the Ducks made remarkable progress this season.

Canadiens 6, Sabres 3

Montreal leads series 3-2

We need at least one Game 7 in this round, don’t we? This feels like the series to deliver it. (Especially given how, you know, all the other series are already over. Plus, we already had series end in a sweep, five games and six games, so seven completes the set.)

Buffalo jumped to a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into Game 5, getting the Sabres’ home crowd and its beer sabres, uh, jumping. But the Habs responded with four unanswered goals, including rookie Ivan “The Demigod” Demidov’s first-ever playoff tally to close the scoring on the power play.

Now, all the pressure is on the Sabres, who will have to find a way to win in the Bell Centre madhouse in a do-or-die Game 6 tomorrow. They’ve got a big question in net, too, after a rough night for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was pulled for Alex Lyon.

That said, the Sabres have proven people wrong all year; now’s the time to show what they’re made of after a special season.

So much to learn from this one:

Habs coach Martin St. Louis was rewarded for sticking with Jakub Dobeš, who allowed goals on three straight shots but stopped all 32 after that.

Electric young talents Lane Hutson and Demidov are the center of Canadiens’ present (and future) success.

St. Louis and Sabres coach Lindy Ruff have differing approaches to NHL playoff mind games. Fascinating.

Alex Tuch and Buffalo’s other top players let the Sabres down.

PWHL Finals

Victoire 3, Charge 2 (OT)

Montreal leads series 1-0

Montreal hockey fans certainly have a lot to cheer about right now.

Their Abby Roque was the hero in Game 1 of the Walter Cup Finals, scoring her second of the night in overtime to cap a dramatic comeback after the Victoire tied the score with 2.1 seconds left in regulation.

Poor Ottawa needs to memory-wipe this one as quickly as it can — this series is only best-of-five.

Hailey Salvian was in Laval last night with the scoop as Game 2 goes tomorrow. The good news is that it’s an afternoon game, so fans can make it a PWHL-NHL doubleheader.

Newsplosion

Firings, hirings, endings

As more teams are eliminated, the headlines only grow outside the playoffs.

Yesterday, there was the second bloodletting for a Canadian team in two days, with the reeling Oilers firing coach Kris Knoblauch. (ICYMI: The Maple Leafs fired Craig Berube on Wednesday.)

Awkwardly, the Knoblauch news came after it was reported the Oilers had inquired about the availability of former Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, which sources say is never a great sign for someone’s job security. But who should they hire?

Elsewhere, the last-place and third-pick-owning Canucks unveiled their new brain trust: Club legends and twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin as, I’m guessing, the first-ever co-presidents of hockey ops (which I’m told the kids are calling CoPoHos), and Ryan Johnson as GM.

The vibes seemed remarkably good coming out of that presser — even the Sad Club Commish was impressed — so we’ll allow Vancouver a rare win to celebrate, even if that’s a crew fairly low on front-office experience.

Meanwhile, the postmortems keep rolling in for teams that have been wiped out of the playoffs … and one that didn’t even make them.

Mike Russo and Joe Smith break down what will be a tough summer for the Wild as they try to join the ranks of true contenders after a five-game humbling at the hands of the Avs. I often feel like one of the hardest things to do in the NHL is to go from good to great; that’s the real challenge facing GM Bill Guerin with his club because good doesn’t win Cups.

Speaking of which: Do the Flyers need to make a big swing now to take the next step? Or should Danny Brière keep preaching patience?

In other tough calls in Pennsylvania news: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas likely has to make a few and break some old-guy hearts.

Reading this, I’m not sure any fanbase is angrier than the Rangers’ right now. Can you blame them?

💡 MirTrivia Question

What a run for Jakub Dobeš this postseason. After last night, the Habs netminder is now up to seven wins, tied for fifth-most for a rookie goalie in a single playoffs in the salary-cap era.

Can you name the four rookie goalies ahead of him?

(Hint: Three won the Stanley Cup. And the fourth was eliminated in the conference finals by one of those rookies who won it all.)

Answers at the bottom.

Coast to Coast

🏒 Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini, who has played just two NHL seasons, will remain captain of Team Canada at the worlds, even with 38-year-old Sidney Crosby, who has played 21 NHL seasons, on hand. I wonder if he’ll make Crosby pick up pucks.

👏 Good stuff here from other NHL legends on Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer’s historic season. What a lovely story he was all year; check out his appearance on “GMA” earlier this week to see what I’m talking about. Here’s hoping he gets to show what he can do in the playoffs next season.

💸 The Blackhawks signed the KHL’s leading goal scorer to an entry-level deal. Can Roman Kantserov, the first 21-year-old to lead the league in goals since Kirill Kaprizov in 2018-19, make an immediate impact in the NHL?

✅ Our latest Stanley Cup contender checklist focuses on the Flames, who need just about everything except a goalie right now.

😱 I wrote a thingy that includes this shocking stat: Just one goalie in the top 19 in salary this season started a game in Round 2. So, is this success of cheaper, tandem goalies a trend or a blip?

📰 Missing Sean McIndoe’s whimsy? Read this.

🎤 In the latest “The Athletic Hockey Show,” our crew was joined by Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky, who hasn’t had anything to do for a while as his team awaits an opponent. Plus, the Oilers coaching carousel, PWHL final talk and the inevitable Avs. Watch/listen here.

MirTrivia Answer

So, who are the four rookies with more than Dobeš’ seven wins in a cap-era postseason? The three goalies who won the Cup as freshmen are:

Cam Ward, Carolina, 2005-06: 15 wins

Matt Murray, Pittsburgh, 2015-16: 15 wins

Jordan Binnington, St. Louis, 2018-19: 16 wins

(Yes, somehow Binnington was a rookie seven years ago. Now he’s old. NHL timelines are unforgiving.)

The fourth goalie, who lost to one of the above? It was Ryan Miller with the Sabres, who faced Ward in a very memorable matchup. At the time, it was the first conference final between rookie goalies since 1981.

Miller ended his run with 11 wins, the most he would ever get in a postseason.

How are we doing? We’d love to hear from you. Email your feedback, questions or comments to redlight@theathletic.com.

📫 Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic’s other newsletters.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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On the road again

DENVER, CO - JULY 04: A general view of the mountains on the horizon from the upper levels of the stadium during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Geneva Heffernan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Texas Rangers start a three city road trip today. They play three games in Houston Friday through Sunday, then three in Colorado Monday through Wednesday, are off Thursday, and then have a weekend series at Anaheim.

This trip is notable for a couple of reasons. First, it is one of only three three-city road trips the Rangers have this season. They previously had a three city, ten game West Coast trip in mid-April. Once this stretch is done, the only other three game road trip the Rangers have the rest of the way is a ten game road trip at Miami, Toronto and Cleveland in late June, with the final game of the trip played on July 1.

So the Rangers will be done with long road trips as of the beginning of July, making life easier over the final three months of the season.

Second, the Rangers will be playing the three worst teams in MLB, in terms of current records. The Astros are 17-28, the Rockies are 17-27, and the Angels are 16-28. These three teams are, in fact, the only teams in MLB as of this morning with a winning percentage below .400.

The Rangers have stayed afloat during the first month and a half of the season which had them playing one of the most difficult schedules in the majors. While it wasn’t always easy, they just completed a winning homestand, and are now sitting at 21-22 on the season. A very mid record, to be sure, but one that has them currently just a game back of the A’s in the A.L. West, and tied with the Seattle Mariners for the third Wild Card spot. WC1 and WC2 are currently held by the New York Yankees and the…Chicago White Sox? Really, the White Sox?

Anyway…a team isn’t generally going to gain ground on a lengthy road trip, even if the teams they are facing are of suspect quality. Still, this is the start of a stretch where the Rangers are playing a bunch of teams that are struggling. Between now and June 18, when the Rangers will be finishing up a three game series at home against the Twins, Texas only has six games against teams that, as of today, have a winning record — three games at St. Louis and three games at home against Cleveland.

The Rangers survived their early, difficult stretch of the season. They now have the opportunity to do some damage over the next month against teams that are at the bottom of their divisions.

And once this road trip is done, the Rangers will have 61 home games remaining, compared to 49 road games the rest of the way. When the Rangers return home on July 2 after that last long road trip, they will have 44 home games the final three months, compared to 31 road games.

The road gets easier going forward. Its just up to the Rangers to take advantage of it.