Sean Manaea was once again tasked with saving the Mets bullpen after David Peterson struggled to get past five innings.
While it wasn't Manaea's finest outing, he was still effective and helped the get the final 12 outs of the game to save the relievers for Thursday's rubber game against Arizona.
"Each day is trending in the right direction," Manaea said after the game. "Changeup and sweeper were really good. Sinker, I kinda lost it there [in the eighth inning], but overall I thought things are trending in the right direction."
Thursday marked Manaea's 10th career relief appearance of at least four innings and his third overall this season. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks against the Diamondbacks.
Manaea said that he's doing a lot of different drills to potentially make him feel better. He said that every day, there's a plan for him and he just executes it.
Prior to first pitch, Mendoza said he doesn't plan to go to a six-man rotation. He reiterated that after the game, and was asked whether Manaea could replace a struggling Peterson in the rotation. The Mets skipper said that's not in his plan and they will continue to go with the same rotation they started the season with.
Manaea has learned to be comfortable in his new role.
"I’m here to help this team win any way I can," Manaea said. "My job is to do what I’ve been doing. I’m very happy doing that. Like I said before, we have five really good starting pitchers. I can help any way I can."
"[Manaea was] Good, able to keep us there," Mendoza said of his reliever. "Couple of plays we couldn’t make, gave up a couple of runs there. He was aggressive... I thought he was good."
Luis Robert Jr. unable to make the play
Those "couple play" Mendoza mentioned came in the eighth inning.
First, Robert Jr. nearly made a sliding catch in center but trapped it, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to get on with one out. Three batters later, and with the bases loaded, Jorge Barrosa lined a pitch to centerfield. The ball continued to travel toward the wall and Robert Jr. seemed to have a bead on it, but when he put his glove up to catch it, the ball bounced off it and fell for a double.
"He got there. Maybe that ball just kept on going and it went further than he anticipated," Mendoza said of the double. "He got there, he just missed it."
Carson Benge has struggled since Opening Day. He was 0-for-24 heading into the ninth inning of Wednesday's game. Benge got back on the hits board with a single through the right side.
"Yesterday, there were better at-bats. His work today was a lot better," Mendoza said of Benge. "Shorter, barrel going through the heart of the zone. The path was better. Good to see him get that hit right there. He’s going to be fine."
Benge has had a tough start to the season. He's slashing .108/.214/.403 with one home run and three RBI.
The NBA's annual play-in tournament is less than a week away. We know, we're shocked, too. However, despite the proximity to the end of the regular season, there are only two teams currently locked into their seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences.
Only the Golden State Warriors (locked into the Western Conference's No. 10 seed) and Detroit Pistons (locked into the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed) know for sure where they'll rank by season's end.
Other than them, it's an absolute mish-mosh of what-ifs and maybes that could shape the NBA's postseason, with five teams in the Eastern Conference fighting it out to ensure they avoid the play-in.
Here are the current NBA standings and what the NBA postseason and play-in tournament would look like if the season ended today.
The Bucks, Bulls, Nets, Pacers and Wizards have been eliminated from postseason contention.
NBA Western Conference standings
d - Oklahoma City Thunder: 63-16
d - San Antonio Spurs: 60-19 (3 GB)
x - Denver Nuggets: 51-28 (12 GB)
d - Los Angeles Lakers: 50-29 (13 GB)
x - Houston Rockets: 50-29 (13 GB)
x - Minnesota Timberwolves: 47-32 (16 GB)
Phoenix Suns: 43-36 (20 GB)
Los Angeles Clippers: 41-38 (22 GB)
Portland Trail Blazers: 40-29 (23 GB)
Golden State Warriors: 37-42 (26 GB)
The Pelicans, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Kings and Jazz have been eliminated from postseason contention.
NBA playoffs bracket
(Through Tuesday, April 7)
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
NBA Play-In Tournament
(Through Tuesday, April 7)
Eastern Conference
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat
Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
(9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
When do the NBA playoffs begin?
The NBA Play-In Tournament begins Tuesday, April 14 and finishes Friday, April 17.
The NBA playoffs begin the very next day, Saturday, April 18, featuring eight teams in each conference after two teams from both the East and West are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be on Wednesday, June 3.
Which upcoming games could impact the postseason standings?
With just five days left in the regular season, every game matters, but there are a few games that could have serious impact on the end-of-season standings.
Wednesday, April 8
Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers
Oklahoma City Thunder at LA Clippers
Thunder can clinch top seed with win or Spurs loss
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Zach Eflin #24 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The news on Zach Eflin’s injury came back on Wednesday evening and it was as bad as you could have guessed from the get-go. The Orioles announced that Eflin had Tommy John surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow on Wednesday.
The only surprising thing about the announcement is that we skipped the step where we find out that Eflin has a torn UCL and soon will be getting Tommy John surgery. He was known to be flying to Dallas yesterday to have a second opinion consult with one of the current commonly-used surgeons for TJ. Although they didn’t announce it yesterday, it’s clear that second opinion resulted in, “Let’s just get you scheduled tomorrow.”
This outcome was telegraphed when the Orioles placed Eflin on the 60-day injured list earlier this week, meaning it was clear to them he wouldn’t be back for a while. It was also telegraphed more or less from when he walked off the mound in his first start of the year. When a player throws a pitch, leaves with the trainer without doing any warm-up tosses, and the injury announcement is about his throwing elbow, that tends to end up here almost every time.
It’s a bummer of a development for Eflin and for the team. Eflin looked like he was back to a better version of himself with how he was pitching in spring training. It seemed like he might have been behind the back issues that caused him to miss a lot of time last season and pitch badly when he was not on the injured list. The Orioles re-signed Eflin for a $10 million contract for this season with a mutual option for 2027 because they were willing to bet on that comeback. It was working, at least until something entirely unrelated went wrong.
The mutual option for 2027 was set for $25 million. There’s no chance now that the Orioles exercise that option. Perhaps there’s a chance of renegotiating the contract, with Eflin getting a smaller guarantee for 2027 – let’s say in the $6-8 million range – and the Orioles getting a team option for 2028.
That depends on what Eflin wants and what the team wants also. There can be some benefit to the player to having continuity with one team for his rehab work. The Orioles may still want post-surgery Eflin to be around starting next June or July and if that’s the case, they may be willing to guarantee him a little money to get the first look after he’s back in action. On the other hand, maybe they don’t want to carry an injured guy on the 40-man roster through next offseason. There is no 60-day injured list outside of the season.
Another thing that’s not clear at this moment is how the Orioles intend to replace Eflin in the rotation over the long haul. Although many people, including me, long assumed that Dean Kremer would appear the first time there was an injury in the Orioles rotation, the O’s went out of their way to not call him back to the majors after Eflin went down.
A spot start went to Brandon Young on Monday and the next one will go to Cade Povich on Sunday. Young’s spot start went fine, as did Povich’s emergency long relief back on Sunday. We’ll see how he fares against a team that’s not the White Sox.
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Over the course of a 162 game season, the team you root for will have days where they definitionally and categorically do not have it, whether you root for the best team in the league or the worst.
Today was one of those days for the 2026 Mets, who dropped game two of their mid-week series to the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 7-2, snapping their four game win streak.
David Peterson got the ball to start and picked up right where he left off after his first start of the season, much to the chagrin of Peterson, the Mets, and likely everyone reading this. He surrendered a run in the first inning, but the wheels truly came off in the second.
Back to back singles to lead off the frame put the Mets in immediate danger. A sacrifice bunt put them in scoring position, and a walk loaded the bases with one away for Ketel Marte. Marte made Peterson pay with an RBI single, Corbin Carroll behind him doubled home a pair, and a well-struck Geraldo Perdomo sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in a flash. The game was basically over from there.
Peterson managed to settle down after his second inning debacle, throwing scoreless frames in the third, fourth and fifth to keep the score respectable and the Mets theoretically in the game. It was nice to see, even though the ship had long sailed away by the time he was throwing up zeroes.
The Mets offense had an equally frustrating day. Ryne Nelson was on the hill opposite Peterson was was excellent, surrendering a single run over five and two thirds innings. He struck out five.
Ryne Nelson's (ARI) four-seamer was outstanding on Wednesday, helping him allow one earned run against the Mets over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts pic.twitter.com/1Z2dPSblUl
— Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) April 8, 2026
As you can see above, his four-seamer was dominating, which is very typical for a Ryne Nelson start. He was very good.
The Mets threatened a few times over the course of the game, getting two on in the fourth to no avail. They scratched a run across in the sixth, with Bo Bichette leading off with a single, Luis Robert Jr. singling after, and Brett Baty driving Bichette home with a single of his own, but the rally could not extend beyond the one run.
Sean Manaea came into the game in the sixth inning, and did a thankless job; saving the bullpen for tomorrow. He threw the final four frames of the day, surrendering two runs on an eighth inning bases loaded double that clanked off of Robert’s glove in deep center (in any event, it should have been a 6-2 loss instead of a 7-2 loss). Manaea overall was just okay, though his velocity in the ninth inning was all the way down to the mid-80s per Statcast, which is not exactly what you want to see.
The Mets second and final run of the game came in the bottom of the eighth, when Mark Vientos hit a sacrifice fly that scored Robert.
Overall, it was just not the Mets day. The Mets will look to get back into the win column tomorrow, as a World Baseball Classic Final rematch will take place at Citi Field, with Nolan McLean facing off against Eduardo Rodriguez.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 7: Malevy Leons #33 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 7, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night by a score of 110-105. That was a slim enough margin that the game qualified as a close contest under the league’s rules, which doesn’t reflect very well on the Warriors, considering that the Kings were shamelessly trying to lose the game.
Still, because it was a close game, it was added to the pool for the NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report. In the L2M, the league combs over every play in the final two minutes of close games, and examines whether the calls that the officials made were correct or not. Just as crucially, it looks from multiple camera angles at the calls that weren’t made, and identifies which ones should have been.
In Sunday’s narrow loss to the Houston Rockets, the league determined that the Warriors were hurt by two non-calls that should have instead been whistles; the Warriors also benefitted from one such play.
But on Tuesday? No issues. After looking over the replay, the league determined that the officials handed the final two minutes of the game just as they should have. No calls were missed, and no calls were incorrectly made.
Of course, that doesn’t absolve the Kings, who purposely fouled Seth Curry with plenty of time left on the clock, raising the eyebrows of a league that is desperately trying to prevent tanking. But that’s a matter for a different day.
Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Davis Schneider (center) gets doused with ice water by center fielder Myles Straw (3) and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) after a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Dodgers 3 at Blue Jays 4
158 days later, the Jays got the job done. With Shohei Ohtani starting the last game of the series, the Jays took a 4-3 lead to the 9th and finished out the job. Granted, the stakes were slightly smaller this time, but snapping a six game losing streak is no small feat either.
It almost went sideways from the very start. 13 pitches in, Dylan Cease had walked Ohtani and Kyle Tucker with the hear of the Dodger order up. He rebounded with a strikeout, and then a stroke of good fortune as Freeman ripped a low line drive right at Ernie Clement. Tucker was caught breaking and easily doubled off. That same drive on a slightly different vector, and this is potentially a very different game.
Cease was immaculate over the next couple innings, until a Will Smith tapped a soft ground ball on which Okamoto had little shot, but a rushed throw went down the line and put him in scoring position to score on an ensuing Freeman single. Dylan ceased to be as effective from that point, allowing a couple more runners in the 5th, before the 6th went off the rails with a pair of walks sandwiched around yet another Freeman single to load the bases with none out.
So it was Varland time, and he largely limited the damage allowing a sacrifice fly to Teoscar before a timely strikeout and ground out to limit the damage to one run. Alas, Mason Fluharty almost repeated the feat in the 7th with a pair of walk sandwiched around an Ohtani ground out. The Jays turned to Tyler Rogers, who did allow a single for another run, but set down the next five batters to hold the line.
It wasn’t clear at the point it would matter, as the bats were once again pretty quiet. They had some traffic early against Ohtani, but only managed a single run in the 3rd when Jesus Sanchez doubled with two out to drive in Daulton Varsho. Ohtani settled in with a couple clean innings.
Vladdy led off the 7th with a double, but but caught up indecisively ona ground ball to short and was TOOTBLAN’d. Ohtani navigated easily out of the inning, but it was the end of the line. Luckily, for the Dodger bullpen finally sprung a leak.
Davis Schneider worked a nice walk against Jack Dreyer, with Heineman singling to put two on for George Springer. He drove a ball off the wall in right centre to make it 3-2, and Varsho followed with a solid single to knot it. Springer had to hold on third, but with one out it was still a golden opportunity to take the lead. Alas, it was Blake Treinan time and after essentially pitching around Vladdy to load the bases, he too got out of the inning.
The go ahead run was again catalyzed by the Davis Schneider, who again walked with one out in the 8th. Andres Gimenez singled him to third, and finally it the turn of an opposing catcher to mess up a throw in a critical spot as Gimenez took second and the ball got away. Schneider scored, and now it was just a matter of closing out a one run lead in the 9th. And when has that ever been an issue?
And let’s be honest, we are were all worried about some deja vu (in a few ways) with Hoffman coming in. And it was neither easy nor clean with a one single and walk, but he too bore down and got a strikeout and comeabcker to the mound to end it.
Jays of the Day: Schneider (+0.25 WPA), Springer (+0.22), Varsho (+0.18), Hoffman (+0.16), Varland (+0.12), Vlad (+0.11). Rogers (+0.05) falls short of the number, but was critical in holding the line until the bats broke through.
Boo Jays: Okamoto (-0.24) and Clement (-0.14)
It’s a good time for the third offday of the season (technically; the season formally started March 25th with two offdays fore the opener). Hopefully a much healthier team takes the field Friday in Minnesota.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 03: Konnor Griffin #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during his first at bat in his major league debut against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday was a historic day in Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh sports history.
It’s a day that will be remembered for what could be the jumpstart of the new era of Pirates baseball.
The Pirates officially signed shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year extension that will keep Griffin under contract through 2034.
ESPN’s Buster Olney initially reported the deal, worth $140 million, on Thursday, hours after it was announced that Griffin was being promoted. Speculation ran rampant when nothing was announced days later, until now.
OFFICIAL: We have signed INF Konnor Griffin to a nine-year contract extension that runs through the 2034 season. pic.twitter.com/eipHszMm6s
The deal has escalators that could reach $150 million and doesn’t include any options or opt outs.
Griffin’s deal is the highest contract ever signed by the Pirates in franchise history, shattering Bryan Reynolds’ eight-year, $106.75 million deal signed in April of 2023.
Only 19-years-old, Griffin signed the deal after only playing five full games in the Major Leagues.
“Konnor represents everything we value in a player — exceptional talent, strong character, a team-first mentality, and a maturity that stood out to all of us from the beginning,” Nutting said. “He is the right person, from the right family.”
Griffin’s mother Kim, father Kevin, younger brother Kaden, and other family members were in attendance as Griffin sat in between Nutting and GM Ben Cherington at the press conference room inside PNC Park to announce the deal.
“This is another important step in the work we have been doing to build a winning team for this year and going forward,” Nutting closed in the statement.
The Pirates are 7-5 and the energy around the team is different. The vibe is different. There is a sense of belief inside and out of the clubhouse that the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates are bound for something special.
Nutting and the Pirates believed less than a week in Triple-A was enough for Griffin to make his debut and the pieces are in place to contend this season.
“I think there’s a real sense and a belief in what we’ve seen in a small sample size,” Nutting said, sitting next to Griffin. “Konnor, having you with the team now makes a real difference in a year where we not only need to be better, are being better, and have full commitment to a team that’s taken a long time to put the foundation in place.”
Baseball’s top prospect, the Pirates drafted Griffin 9th overall in 2024. He only played 127 games in the minor leagues before receiving the call and becoming the first teen since Aramis Ramirez in 1998 to play for the Bucs.
The Pirates added 69 home runs in Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna this offseason. Griffin hit 21 homers between three levels of the minor leagues.
Nutting made it that he is focused on building a sustainable winner in Pittsburgh.
“The commitment from this organization not only to the team, but to the city of Pittsburgh, to the fans, to reflect how serious I am, and we are, about building and sustaining a winning team here in Pittsburgh,” Nutting said. “The fans deserve it, the fans want it, and we saw on Opening Day and in the ballpark already the level of energy, excitement, passion, and commitment that our fans have to this team.”
The Pirates will pay their shortstop, at minimum, $33 million more than Reynolds over the course of the deal.
Nutting said the contract is, “reflecting the absolute sense of urgency for 2026 to make this team better, now.”
Griffin doubled in his first-career at-bat, driving in the Pirates first run of the season at PNC Park. He displayed his speed one batter later as the Pirates increased the lead on a base hit by Jared Triolo.
In 18 at-bats over six games, Griffin is hitting .167 with four RBIs, two walks, five strikeouts, a .273 on-base percentage.
It’s going to take time for the undisputed No. 1 prospect in the sport to get adjusted to the majors, but Griffin has shown signs of his immense ability and potential in a short sample.
“Since joining the organization, Konnor has consistently demonstrated the traits we want in a Pirate: a daily commitment to improvement, a team-first mindset, and a strong desire to win,” Cherington said in a statement.
Now that the emotions of making his debut have had time to simmer and the deal is done, Griffin can go and play.
He will be depended on as the cornerstone face of the Pirates franchise for the next decade, and has what it takes to be an all-time great player in Pittsburgh.
“He has met every challenge in front of him, and we are excited to watch him continue that growth alongside his teammates in Pittsburgh,” Cherington said. “We are thrilled he will be a Pirate for a long time.”
Apr 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith (33) looks on after challenging a called strike against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (4-7) vs. Minnesota Twins (5-6)
Time/Place: 7:40 p.m., Target Field SB Nation Site: Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (1-0, 0.75 ERA) vs. RHP Bailey Ober (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
Apr 7, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits the ball into play against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
At what point do we switch from saying “it is still early?” to “this is legit”? That is what we tried to figure out with Kevin Wheeler from KMOX on Cardinals on My Time this week with the Redbird Rundown crew.
Wheeler is one of our all-time favorites and oh man, did he have a bunch to say about the progression we are seeing from multiple Cardinals’ players so far in the 2026 season. The main talking point, of course, was outfielder Jordan Walker. Now in his fourth big league season, what we are seeing from Walker is one of the most incredible bounce back stories for a guy who was written off by a large amount of the fanbase. Amazing what a little patience can do, right Mo?
Beyond Walker, we talked Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages behind the dish, Michael McGreevy’s velocity, Victor Scott’s outfield matched with his inability to hit, and much more! This was a super fun one and we are excited to hear what you think. What is real and what is a mirage thus far in the 2026 season?
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 9: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks greetes Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers before the game on April 9, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While this deal is far from ancient history, enough time has passed that more people are willing to talk about one of the biggest trades to ever happen in sports.
In a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” Davis shared his side of the story, going into detail on the call he had with his agent, Rich Paul, regarding his trade from LA to Dallas.
“So when he [Rich Paul] said ‘traded to Dallas’, I was like, ‘Get the f—out of here.’ And I said, ‘Who the f— they going to trade me for Luka?’ Who else can you trade me for on that team? Mind you, they just went to the Finals.
“And there was never no discussion about ‘man we might get AD out of here’, it was nothing. He was like, ‘They traded you for Luka.’ I’m like, ‘Rich, shut the h–l up. Like what do you want?’ I’m really thinking he’s playing. I’m really thinking he’s just playing. And he was like, ‘Man, I swear.'”
As AD explained, what made the Luka trade so shocking is that the Mavs would even do it. Dončić was coming off an NBA Finals appearance and while they lost that series, most people left that season feeling pretty good about Dallas’ future.
Trading away a generational talent entering their prime without them asking to be moved is essentially unheard of. So, when AD received this news, even the credibility of his own agent wasn’t enough to convince him. Like most basketball aficionados, Davis turned to Shams Charania of ESPN for confirmation.
“I go on X, go straight to Shams’ [Charania] page. Nothing. Go up the stairs, Joel Embiid calls me. Somebody else called me, another player and I’m like wait, hold on. So I go back to Shams’ page and then there it is.”
It took his agent, other players, Pelinka and Shams telling Davis he was no longer a Laker and had been dealt to the Mavs for him to believe it was real.
This trade and all the details about how it came to be will be told for years to come, and thanks to AD sharing his side of the story, another piece to this shocking tale has been told.
Now, AD is a Wizard, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has been relieved of his duties, Luka will be a Laker for years to come and the course of both franchises has been changed forever.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 7: De'Anthony Melton #8 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 7, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 110-105 on Tuesday night, in a battle between deeply injured teams. Only one team was actively trying to win, though, and that team did, indeed, win.
It wasn’t pretty, though it was for a little while. The Warriors blew a 16-point lead, but recovered to pull off a win, and put a halt to their four-game losing skid.
So let’s grade the players who handled business on Tuesday. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. League-average TS is 58.1%.
Spencer didn’t have a particularly good game, but there’s still so much value that he provides. The Warriors only used nine players, which included a player on a two-way contract who is fighting through an injury, a player who was healthy for just the eighth time this season, and a player being carefully worked back into the fold after two months on the sidelines.
So while it wasn’t great basketball that Spencer played, it was extremely valuable for Steve Kerr to know he could trust the guard to play 40+ minutes and not make any huge mistakes along the way. And that’s exactly what happened. Spencer ran the offense well, competed on defense, and made a few buckets. His efficiency wasn’t quite as bad as it looks, since he had a few bail-out attempts.
Leons didn’t play well. There’s no sugarcoating that. He’s also been gutting his way through a nasty wrist injury because the Warriors are shy on bodies, and he deserves a whole lot of credit for that.
Grade: A for the toughness Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team
A lot of good, and a lot of bad for Draymond. The primary takeaway is that it was a strong reminder as to how well he plays with Steph Curry. Steve Kerr synced their minutes up, and it’s just stunning how much chemistry and intelligence they have. It’s just a joy to watch.
But Green also did a lot of things that were not a joy to watch. Some of the turnovers really made you shake your head, and he was a complete non-factor scoring the ball. I also thought his defense wasn’t particularly good, at least by his standards (it’s always good relative to league average).
Grade: C Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
Melton had been in a bit of a rut for a while, but he broke out in a massive way in this game. In a game featuring not one, but two players with the surname “Curry” (curname? surryname?), Melton was the best perimeter scorer. His jump shot was buttery, and he was able to get whatever he wanted across the court. And when Sacramento tightened up on him? He found the open teammate for an easy bucket.
Not to be outdone, Podziemski was every bit as valuable a part of Golden State’s starting backcourt as Melton was. This was an exceptionally crafty game for the third-year guard, who not only repeatedly got good looks — either from the field, or by forcing his way to the line — but seemed to do so at the biggest moments. He’s really developing a reputation for stepping up when the team needs him the most, and making shots that shift the momentum in Golden State’s favor.
I especially enjoyed watching Podz use his patented deceleration in this game. Against a Sacramento team that is young, inexperienced, and highly athletic, he was able to get over-eager defenders in the air all night long. It was quite crafty.
No Al Horford? No problem. No Kristaps Porziņģis? No problem. No Quinten Post? No problem.
Bassey played in his second game since joining the organization, and was everything the Dubs needed at the center position. Against a Kings team that was athletic but not very refined, he was able to feast in the paint, rejecting defenders left and right, and hauling in crafty boards. And against a Sacramento squad that is rangy but not strong, he was a downright bully, pushing bodies aside for boards and buckets.
If he can repeat this performance, I’m going to have a lot of crow to eat as I pushed back a bit when fans were clamoring to add him to the roster while he was performing well in Santa Cruz. Hopefully that’s the case,because the Warriors don’t win this game without him.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Steve Kerr had the Curry brothers share the court for most of Seth’s minutes, and it was more than a feel-good story. It was a reminder that the Warriors system works so much better when there are two dead-eye shooters in it. A system designed for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson isn’t quite the same when you swap out Mychal Thompson’s son for Dell Curry’s youngest, but it certainly was beautiful.
Seth got a lot of open looks thanks to Steph, and he’s going to make them at a high clip. Don’t let the constant injuries or bench role fool you: he’s still one of the game’s elite shooters.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
A very solid GPII game. His offense has really been so good lately — the timing on his cuts is impeccable, and he’s greatly improved his finishing at the rim, as well as his passing. It wasn’t a good defensive game for the Warriors, but Payton was the exception there, as he had a very strong game.
Curry wasn’t quite as dynamic in this game as he was in his return to action on Sunday. Perhaps that was due to a little soreness after his first game in two months, or maybe it was just because Golden State didn’t need him to play as big of a hero role to win the game. He mostly lived on the perimeter, and didn’t attack the rim very much at all, with just one shot inside the arc, and no free throws earned inside it (his three trips to the charity line were a couple of four-point plays and a technical free throw).
Still, his shooting was dynamic, he got in on the action rebounding, and he had a few nice defensive plays. Given that he’s still playing his way back into shape, it was a strong game.
Grade: B
Doug Christie
The Kings are eliminated, and to attempt to work around the league’s new anti-tanking rules, Kings coach Doug Christie tried something new: intentionally fouling Seth Curry late in the game, sending a career 86.4% free throw shooter to the line under the guise of trying to win.
I get that draft picks are more valuable than winning meaningless April games, and I understand that coaches are under pressure from front offices to find creative ways to lose, and sure, it helped the Warriors. But please, have a little respect for the game. That was just pathetic.
Grade: F
Tuesday’s incatives: Jimmy Butler III, LJ Cryer, Al Horford, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Quinten Post, Will Richard, Gui Santos, Nate Williams
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 28: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks moves the ball as Dean Wade #32 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempt to steal in the first quarter during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup at State Farm Arena on November 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are starting their preferred starting five of James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. This should be a good test against the Atlanta Hawks.
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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 08: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a double against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 08, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Okay, so technically relentless would be scoring in every inning, and the Braves only scored in five of the nine frames available to them, but hey — it worked just fine. The offense started early and didn’t stop until well past clobberin’ time, leading to an 8-2 victory over the Angels. Meanwhile, Grant Holmes did what the team needed him to do despite an ugly second inning, pitching nearly seven frames and letting the Braves avoid using any of their key bullpen arms heading into tomorrow’s off-day. With the victory, the Braves move to 8-5, and have yet to lose a series all season.
The scoring started early. Ronald Acuña Jr. led off with a bloop double behind third base, and then moved around the bases on a couple of outs to score the game’s first run. In the second, Austin Riley drew a leadoff walk, stole second with two outs, and then scored on Jonah Heim’s semi-bizarre ground rule double, which was simultaneously a barrel but also kind of a hanging-up-forever fly ball into the right-field corner.
This portended a cruising-ish game for the Braves, but Holmes had a lot of trouble in the second. For a second there, it looked like the Braves might suffer a disappointing loss due to Holmes’ struggles. The frame started with Holmes hanging a slider to Braves hero and noted pugilist Jorge Soler, cutting the lead in half. Holmes then totally fell apart mechanics-wise (his first was rough but not this rough despite being a 1-2-3 frame), with three walks and a single sandwiched in there to tie the game. The game-tying base on balls was actually initially ruled a strikeout, but ABS is a thing, and it was a facile overturn into an RBI for Logan O’Hoppe.
After that, though, Holmes locked in. He blew Oswald Peraza away on three pitches, and then lucked out when Zach Neto A) randomly tried to bunt with the bases loaded and then B) popped up a down-the-pipe fastball to shallow right. Mike Trout was up next, and Holmes served him a hanging slider on 1-2, but Trout just bounced it weakly back up the middle to Ozzie Albies to keep the game tied.
And then, it was all Braves. Angels starter Reid Detmers grazed Drake Baldwin on 0-2 with one out, and Matt Olson bashed a low liner (so low it wasn’t even a barrel!) over the yellow line in right-center for a two-run homer. Riley followed with a hustle double, and then Mauricio Dubon hit a routine grounder that Neto airmailed, giving the Braves a fifth run. The hits just kept on coming, too. In the fifth, after Detmers departed, Dubon yanked a two-run double. In the sixth, Baldwin dunked a ball into center to score Michael Harris II, who had drawn a leadoff walk and stolen second earlier in the inning.
Meanwhile, Holmes rolled along after his second inning hiccup. The Angels made some pretty good contact here and there, but the Braves’ defense was solid. From the third through the sixth, the Angels got just one baserunner. Holmes struck out the first two he faced in the seventh, but Peraza hooked a well-placed curve for a double, and Neto beat out a slow roller. The Braves swapped Holmes for Joel Payamps to face Mike Trout, and Payamps came through by getting Trout to swing through high heat. Jose Suarez finished the game with two frames, striking out the side in the first and getting a double play in the second. Harris snagged a Peraza liner in center to end the game.
The Braves’ side of the box score looked quite delicious in this one, with five doubles, a homer, six walks, and a hit by pitch. Detmers was overwhelmed (4/2 K/BB ratio, the Olson homer, in 4 1/3); Holmes ended up with a decent line overall (6/3 K/BB ratio, the Soler homer, in 6 2/3) but would’ve been nearly pristine if you removed that second inning from consideration.
The Braves now embark on what is a happier flight home than if this game had gone sideways in the second, and get a well-deserved day of rest after 13 straight games to begin the season. They will open up a homestand with a set against the Guardians on Friday night.
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 11: JD Davidson #4 of the Houston Rockets arrives to the arena before the game against the LA Clippers on February 11, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Tuesday, the Houston Rockets converted JD Davison’s two-way deal to a traditional NBA contract, theoretically helping the Rockets’ ongoing need at the point guard position.
The Houston Rockets are signing two-way guard JD Davison on a new two-year deal, filling their open roster spot heading into the playoffs, agent Corey Marcum of EZ Sports Group tells ESPN.
Davison has been with the team mostly all season, although he hasn’t spent much time on the floor. As a two-way signee, Davison was limited to just 50 NBA games, although it’s not limited to whether or not he actively plays in the games.
Even if he was made active but never actually logged game minutes, that counted towards his count. The Rockets rank the risk of Davison not being eligible for the postseason, absent a standard NBA deal.
Davison reached his 50th game on Sunday, when the Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors in Stephen Curry’s return from a two-month absence.
As for the deal itself, it’s a two-year contract with a team option in the second year. Davison, the G-League MVP of the 2024-25 season, rose to prominence in Rockets circles during the preseason.
At that point in time, the Rockets were still dealing with the news of Fred VanVleet’s torn ACL and season-long absence. Making matters worse, Houston didn’t technically have any other point guards on the roster, either.
Aaron Holiday and Reed Sheppard had been utilized more as scoring guards upto that point. And still have, although we’ve seen Rockets coach Ime Udoka give Sheppard more on-ball reps in recent months.
During the preseason, Davison made 47.1 percent of his three-pointers, proving capable of providing theoretical value in that realm for a Rockets team lacking outside shooting specialists. Davison also averaged 10.5 points.
On the season, Davison’s counting stats aren’t exactly eye-popping, as he’s averaged 2.2 points, 1 assist and .9 rebounds, while shooting 40 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three, which translates to 11.3 points, 5.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds per 36 minutes.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Jake Meyers #6 of the Houston Astros bats against the Athletics during the second inning at Sutter Health Park on April 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
An awful road trip got even worse as the Astros were swept by the Colorado Rockies, falling under .500.
You know those days where nothing goes right straight from the jump? The Astros do too. Today was one of those days.
Looking to salvage the finale of a 3 game series against the Rockies in Colorado, the wheels came off very fast for Houston in a 9-1 drubbing that sent them to their fourth straight loss and a game under .500 at 6-7. The Astros are now 1-5 on the current 10 game road trip.
Cristian Javier continued to struggle with his velocity, bouncing between 91-93 MPH with his fastball, and that was the lesser of his issues today.
Javier had to leave the game after just 1 inning due to shoulder pain. Trainers checked on him before the start of the second inning, and the Astros had to remove him.
A.J. Blubaugh was summoned in relief in an unusual spot – needing to get ready very quickly.
Blubaugh never looked comfortable today and it manifested in a 5-run second inning from which the Rockies never looked back.
Houston was held to just 1 run for the second consecutive game. They did manage 8 hits and 2 walks, but went 1-for-7 with RISP and left 9 men on base.
Complicating matters for the Astros, they also lost centerfielder Jake Meyers in the game. Meyers was injured on a check swing in the top of the 2nd, clutching at his side.
Jake Meyers immediately grabbed his oblique after this check swung. He’s leaving this game. pic.twitter.com/7H6D3qhC3G
Abreu’s struggles and inconsistencies are still a mystery to the team and Abreu, who is struggling mightily to regain his usual elite form.
The Astros have an off day Thursday before beginning a 4-game series in Seattle against the Mariners. They are expected to go to a 6-man rotation beginning with that series as they will play 13 straight days.
