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Mammoth Let Control Slip Away As Golden Knights Steal Game 4 In Overtime

For more than half of Monday night, the Utah Mammoth looked poised to seize complete control of their first-round series. After erasing a three-goal deficit in front of a roaring Delta Center crowd and surging ahead in the third period, Utah had all the momentum, all the emotion, and a chance to put the top-seeded Vegas Golden Knights on the brink.

Instead, they were left with silence.

Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of overtime to lift Vegas to a dramatic 5-4 victory in Game 4, turning what felt like a defining Utah comeback into a crushing missed opportunity. Rather than carrying a 3-1 series lead to Las Vegas, the Mammoth now head back to Nevada with the Western Conference First Round tied 2-2.

Utah showed admirable resilience after a lifeless opening stretch, clawing back from a 3-0 hole and briefly wresting command of the game in the third period. But against a veteran opponent built for moments like these, the Mammoth could not deliver the final blow.

A Stunning Response

Vegas struck early and often.

Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring just 1:12 into the first period after finishing a loose puck near the crease. Brett Howden doubled the lead late in the opening frame with a short-handed goal after a costly Utah turnover, then Cole Smith redirected a Noah Hanifin point shot early in the second to make it 3-0.

At that point, Utah appeared rattled and in danger of being overwhelmed.

Then the game changed.

Nick Schmaltz ignited the rally at 8:04 of the second period by burying a rebound at the left post after sustained offensive-zone pressure. Just 29 seconds later, Ian Cole hammered a slap shot through traffic to cut the deficit to 3-2 and awaken the building.

The Mammoth carried that energy into the third.

Michael Carcone tied the game 3-3 at 1:45 with a sharp one-timer from the right circle, beating Carter Hart short side. Minutes later, Clayton Keller put Utah in front 4-3 when a dangerous feed toward the crease deflected off Theodore and slipped underneath Hart.

From dead in the water to leading on home ice, Utah had authored the kind of response that can reshape a series.

Vegas Answers Late

But the Golden Knights never unraveled.

Howden struck again at 10:25 of the third, redirecting another Hanifin shot from the point to even the score at 4-4 and drain some of the momentum from the arena.

In overtime, Utah survived one scare when Dorofeyev appeared to win it for Vegas, only for the goal to be overturned after an offside review.

The reprieve did not last.

With under a minute remaining in the extra session, Jack Eichel created chaos around the crease, recovered the puck below the goal line, and found Theodore in the high slot. With Karel Vejmelka scrambling and his stick out of position, Theodore blasted a one-timer into an open net to end it.

The Mammoth received 31 saves from Vejmelka, a goal and an assist from Schmaltz, and three assists from Mikhail Sergachev, but the final result overshadowed a spirited pushback that nearly became the signature win of their season.

Instead of celebration, Utah is left searching for a response.

Game 5 shifts to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday night with the series now reduced to a best-of-three.

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Did you like seeing Ranger Suarez in the eighth inning for the Red Sox last night?

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after pitching during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday, April 27, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Happy Tuesday, Red Sox Nation! Last night, Chad Tracy sent Ranger Suarez back to the mound for the eighth inning after throwing 90 pitches through seven innings. The Alex Cora-led Red Sox likely go to the bullpen with a five-run lead in that spot. Did you like the move to send Suarez back out? On one hand, he was dealing, and he didn’t let a relief arm force Garrett Whitlock or Aroldis Chapman into the game. On the other, he’s never thrown over 160 innings in a season before, and the pitching injuries are already piling up.

Tracy has never managed in the big leagues before. He’s used to taking care of arms and dealing with throwing programs to protect his players. He also hasn’t had to endure the grind of a major league season, where your decisions today can impact tomorrow. Managing in Worcester isn’t about the wins and losses as much as it is about developing players and getting them ready for the next step. Personally, I probably would have gone to the bullpen after seven, but I can see it either way. I like talking baseball strategy more than I do talking about contracts and trades and whatnot, so let me know what you think.

Talk about whatever you want and be good to one another. Go Sox.

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Canadiens: Will Noah Dobson Be Back In This Series?

Sunday morning, the Montreal Canadiens told the media that they would have an update on Noah Dobson within 48 hours. In other words, we should know more about Dobson’s status on Tuesday morning. Practice is scheduled for 10:30, so we should have some news then, or at the end of the on-ice session, when Martin St-Louis will speak to the media.

While the coach had given a day off to his players after their 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of their series, there was one player who took to the ice on Monday morning: Dobson. It wasn’t the first time he had hit the ice since his injury. On Saturday, RDS’ Luc Gelinas reported that he was skating, which is an encouraging sign given that he skated twice in the last three days.

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However, his skating session on Monday morning was limited to just 25 minutes under the watchful eye of Adam Nicholas, and while he did do some puck handling, he didn’t take any shots. Watching Marc-Olivier Cook’s footage on X, the right-shot rearguard doesn’t look like a player who’s on the verge of coming back to play. Besides, he has yet to take part in a single practice with the group.

It will be interesting to see if he does take to the ice with his teammates on Tuesday morning, but even if he does, his return shouldn’t be rushed. The Canadiens are tied 2-2 in their series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the defense corps has done very well so far. Of course, his transition game could help the attack to get in gear, but looking at his puck handling, he doesn’t seem ready to launch long passes up ice.

All eyes will be on the CN Sports Complex in Brossard on Tuesday morning as fans will eagerly await a complete update on the defenseman’s status.

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Pirates still riding high in power rankings

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 25: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates slides safely past the tag of William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the tenth inning at American Family Field on April 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s time for a power rankings update. The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting at 16-13. They’ve been a couple games over .500 for a while now, but haven’t been able to quite push it further. In addition, the hot start at the plate has cooled some, with the Bucs OPS falling significantly over the past week. But the rotation has them good enough to be essentially treading water, but they’re still in the top 10 in power rankings in most places.

MLB.com has them in seventh, which is down from five last week, saying:

Paul Skenes took a perfect game into the seventh inning on Friday, and it speaks to how incredible he has been to start his career that it’s a little surprising he doesn’t have a no-hitter yet. Actually, neither he nor Tarik Skubal, the clear best two pitchers in baseball, have a no-hitter yet … but that they both flirted with one within the past week is a good sign one is definitely pending.

CBS has them in seventh.

USA Today also has them seventh.

Yahoo has them in eighth.

While Fox Sports also puts them at seventh.

It seems there’s mostly a consensus for where the Bucs are right now, and that’s right around seventh or eighth-best in the Major Leagues.

The pitching staff is cruising, as the Bucs are fourth in team ERA, fifth in WHIP and third in strikeouts. The hitting, while much improved, is still not where it needs to be. The Bucs are 13th in team batting average and in OBP, but they are 26th in slugging percentage, 22nd in OPS, and 18th in home runs. So while things have definitely improved there from last season, they’re going to need to get to above average as a team in most of those categories to have the hitting where it needs to be to truly compete.

But for as low as things have been around here for a while, I’ll take just about any level of improvement, and there’s no doubting that the Bucs have that so far this season.

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YouTube Gold: A Cool Cooper Flagg ROY Tribute Video

BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: Kyrie Irving #11 and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks look on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Like Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving is a one-and-done Blue Devil and, like Flagg, a Dallas Maverick.

Irving sat out this season while recovering from an ACL injury, but he has sort of taken Flagg under his wing because he recognizes his massive talent and wants to help him reach his potential.

Irving told SI.com this: “Cooper is just an amazing player, and that’s not even just gassing it. At 19 years old, doing the things that he’s doing within our league is very special… He’s doing things that some of the greats, even before him, didn’t do. He’s chasing history.”

He also said this: “Listen, I understand. I’ve kind of been through this before. I don’t think there’s a lot of people around you right now that can tell you they’ve been through somewhat of a similar thing.”

Next year, for the first time, we’ll get to see them both on the court at the same time. After Flagg won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award on Monday, the Mavericks put out this video.

Narrated by Irving, the video features him talking about Flagg’s spectacular season and how he silenced doubters, which Flagg has done comprehensively.

And in a nice touch (or dig), Jamal Mashburn and Gilbert Arenas both went on the record early to express doubts about Flagg.

Those comments are included, and, in retrospect, they look like idiots.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

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Which of the Yankees’ division rivals is the biggest threat now?

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 23: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox reaches down to tag out José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees after getting a high throw to first during the third inning at Fenway Park on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

By any account, the Yankees’ superlative play as of late has made them the favorites in an AL East division that looked hyper-competitive coming into the year. The Rays are close in New York’s rearview mirror, but the heavy hitters that everyone expected to compete with the Yankees in the division this year, the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Red Sox, have all gotten off to starts that range from “sluggish” to “borderline apocalyptic”. To wit, FanGraphs’ projections put the Yankees’ median win forecast for the season a full ten wins higher than that of any of their division rivals.

But we’ve seen this movie before. The Yankees have gotten out to pretty great starts in most of their recent seasons, but they haven’t always been able to seal the deal in the division. So, even with the Yankees looking strong, which of their division rivals do you think has the best chance to re-emerge in the coming weeks?

Tampa Bay has pole position, or at least, they do among the chase pack in the division. The Rays are just two games back, staying close to the Yankees even as New York went on their eight-game win streak. I wouldn’t say the Rays have the strongest roster in this division, not by a longshot, but they’ve won games thus far and perennially find ways to wring the most out of their 26 players.

And then, there are the Sox, Jays, and O’s, all of whom have starrier rosters than Tampa but haven’t been able to get out of their own way in 2026. Per FanGraphs’ rest-of-season forecasts, the Blue Jays project to have the best roster among this group, thanks in no small part to the fact that even though they’re limping now, Toronto will at some point get some of their injured players back. Will it be too late to turn things for the defending AL champs?

The Red Sox also have a roster that looks better than their record, but they’ve plunged themselves into chaos, upending their organizational chart a month into the season. The Orioles are the most boring of these underachieving teams, not snake bitten thus far like Toronto, nor stepping on rakes like Boston. Baltimore is just a team that looked like it should be pretty decent in 2026, and so far has been a little less than decent. Perhaps that puts them in the best position to move up, as there doesn’t seem to be anything stopping them from playing better other than just, well, playing better.

What do you think? Who will prove to be the toughest rival the rest of the way out?

It’ll be a loaded day on the site today, starting off with Michael’s review of last week on the farm for the Yankees, Kevin’s recap of Monday night’s American League action, and Sam’s celebration of Tom Sturdivant as part of our Yankees Birthday series. Later, Peter’s At-bat of the Week highlights José Caballero, Andrés praises Caballero’s work filling in for Anthony Volpe, and Josh discusses who on the Yankees should have the green light to challenge balls and strikes.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees at Texas Rangers

Time: 8:05 p.m. EST

Video: Amazon Prime Video, Rangers Sports Network

Venue: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX

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Pens Points: Still Breathing

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) skates with the puck against Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (8) during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Facing another win or go home game, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to the friendly confines of PPG Paints Arena on Monday night and delivered for the hometown crowd for the first time this series, squeezing out a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 to stave off elimination once again and force a Game 6 back across the state in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

After leading 2-0 in the second period, the Penguins did see that lead erased by the Flyers, but a good bounce off the glass from a shot by Kris Letang found its way behind Dan Vladar and turned into the game winning goal as the Penguins defense played lock down hockey in the final period to seal the victory. [Pensburgh]

Pens Points…

One area that Sidney Crosby struggled in during this series with the Flyers has been in the face-off dot, an area where he is typically among one of the best. In fairness to Sid, faceoff struggles have not just been limited to him as the entire team has battled issues in the series. [Trib Live]

Facing a 0-3 series hole and needing a victory in Game 4 to keep their season alive, the Penguins remained lighthearted at practice despite the task ahead of them. When Crosby caught an errant puck to the head at Friday’s practice the players let out a laugh, giving off a relaxed state before staying alive the next day. [The Athletic $$]

Very few players in franchise history have exemplified what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin better than Bryan Rust. Over the course of his 12-year career, Rust has risen from a bottom-six grinder to a mainstay on the Penguins top line alongside Sidney Crosby. [PPG]

While the Penguins have been getting contributions from all over this series, one name is still missing from the score sheet. That name is Egor Chinakhov, who has been snake bitten now through five games, but the looks are there, he just needs to start converting those looks into goals. [Pensburgh]

NHL News and Notes…

Starting today and running through May 11th, minus weekends, the NHL will being announcing the finalists for the league’s annual awards. The Ted Lindsay Award will kick off the nominations later today, with all awards to follow and concluding with the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. [NHL]

After being swept in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Ottawa Senators and captain Brady Tkachuk are facing speculation the two sides could be heading for a parting of ways this offseason, rumors that team general manager Steve Staios was quick to shoot down. [NHL]

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Yankees news: Giancarlo Stanton to the IL with calf strain

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: Hitting coach, James Rowson talks with Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 14, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: The Giancarlo Stanton Calf Saga is essentially at the conclusion that always seemed most likely. The Yankees had the roster flexibility to wait and see how Stanton’s tight calf responded to a couple days of rest after he was pulled from their game on Friday in Houston, but they did have him undergo an MRI. They got the results last night, and he will now hit the IL with a “low grade” strain — not dire, but enough that they knew they couldn’t keep burning a roster spot.

Following Luis Gil’s Sunday night demotion, Jasson Domínguez had just been promoted yesterday to get some reps against the Rangers with Stanton unavailable. Now, they’ll be able to call up a pitcher to take an extra bullpen spot, as they won’t need a fifth starter until May 5th. Triple-A relievers Yerry De los Santos and Kervin Castro are the most likely possible options for the ’pen since they hold 40-man roster spots, though Yovanny Cruz is also a possibility.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have begun their rehab assignments, with the potential top two in the rotation due to return to the big-league roster soon enough. However, preventative care with both pitchers will be needed, and Cam Schlittler is also still in his first full MLB season. There’s therefore been some talk about how the club will manage all those concurrent needs, though it seems unlikely that a six-man rotation will be entertained. Matt Blake himself quashed speculation yesterday by pointing out that an extra man in the rotation leaves the bullpen a man short, and that seems outside the bounds of the Yankees’ risk profile.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: Once again, the Yankees boast a top-five offense in the game, and once again nobody walks more than the Bronx Strollers. A league-high 12.6 percent BB rate means there’s often a great deal of traffic for Yankee hitters, and that approach has been a hallmark of Aaron Boone’s time as manager. There have been instances this season where I feel the Yankees have been a little too passive however, and while a .197 ISO also paces the league, it’s a couple of ticks lower than last year’s mark, and might indicate that the club is leaving runs on the table by just walking.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After a brutal start to the season, Jazz Chisholm Jr. seems to finally be returning to his baseline. The Yankee second baseman has had back-to-back strong series against the Red Sox and Astros — ABS challenges aside but more on that later today — after getting an extra day off against the Royals two weeks ago. Jazz used that time to reset some mechanical issues and move slightly back in the box, two tweaks that he’s credited with helping him get off better swings.

New York Post | Brooke Steinberg: One of the downsides of being arguably the most famous sports team in the world is apparently that a whole lot of people express their fandom through their passwords. A recent study shows literally millions of Yankee-related passwords have been leaked online, reminding even baseball fans to come up with stronger, more creative roadblocks for their personal data.

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Jarome Luai to join PNG Chiefs as NRL expansion side make first signings

  • Tigers star agrees to $1.2m-a-season tax-free deal after PNG visit

  • Try-scoring record-holder Alex Johnston also confirms 2028 move

Jarome Luai is expected to become the face of the Papua New Guinea Chiefs after he agreed to join the NRL’s 19th team in 2028.

The deal follows the PNG expansion side’s announcement of South Sydney try-scoring machine Alex Johnston as their historic first signing earlier on Tuesday.

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Game 4 Recap: Golden Knights Overcome Overturned Goal in Dramatic Overtime Thriller

John Tortorella, head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, stood in a scrum on Monday morning before an optional skate. He fielded five different questions, but the message remained consistent throughout his various answers.

“We’re ready to play,” he said simply.

Tortorella was right. His Golden Knights were indeed ready to play. They scored just 72 seconds into the first period, survived a three-goal collapse, and scored in overtime to tie their series against the Utah Mammoth at two heading back to Vegas.

After sitting and stewing in their Game 3 loss for two days, the Golden Knights came out flying. They didn’t allow the Mammoth to record a shot on goal for nearly six minutes, and outshot them 8-3 in the first despite two Utah power plays. They generated eight high-danger scoring chances in the first period while holding the Mammoth to one.

The Golden Knights broke the ice just 1:12 into the first. Jack Eichel held onto the puck in the corner, drawing three Mammoth defenders out of position before finding Ivan Barbashev all alone at the left dot. Barbashev one-touched a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev, who finished off the back-door play.

The Golden Knights doubled their lead while shorthanded at 18:38 in the first. Mitch Marner pressured JJ Peterka into a turnover and found Brett Howden all alone in the slot. Howden pulled to the forehand, pivoted, and elevated his shot over Karel Vejmelka’s pad.

The second period was all about momentum swings. To begin the period, the Golden Knights were hot again and outshot the Mammoth 7-2 through the first seven minutes.

The Golden Knights extended their lead 3:26 into the second. Noah Hanifin fired a shot from the point, and Cole Smith redirected it home.

Smith’s goal gave the Golden Knights life, but in hockey, momentum can change on a dime.

The Mammoth got on the board at 8:04 in the second. Lawson Crouse fired a shot from the top of the left circle, and Nick Schmaltz chipped the rebound over Carter Hart’s pad.

Just 29 seconds later, while Utah’s PA was still calling the goal, the Mammoth struck again. The Golden Knights were unable to clear the puck, and Ian Cole fired a slap shot from the point that found its way home.

Just 1:45 into the third period, the Golden Knights let the remainder of a once seemingly insurmountable lead slip away. Dylan Guenther found Michael Carcone all alone in the right circle, and the winger redeemed himself for an earlier miss.

The Mammoth continued to swarm and took their first lead of the night at 5:10 in the third. Clayton Keller gloved down an errant pass and threw a centering pass towards the net. The puck took a fortuitous bounce off Mitch Marner’s stick and into a sliding Shea Theodore before trickling into the back of the net.

From that point on, the Golden Knights played at the level required for what had just occurred. They outshot the Mammoth 7-5 and generated four high-danger chances.

“When you trail, you’re making plays you don’t make normally,” said Mammoth head coach André Tourigny postgame. “You’re pushing the pace, and you’re a little bit careless defensively. You’re taking more chances, you’re putting more numbers in the rush… It’s not just that [we’re] sitting back, it’s that they’re tougher to defend.”

The Golden Knights netted the equalizer at 10:25 in the third. Noah Hanifin fired a blast from the point, and Brett Howden redirected it home for his second of the night.

The Golden Knights thought Pavel Dorofeyev ended the game 10 minutes into overtime, but after a lengthy review, officials determined that Jack Eichel was offside prior to the goal. He redeemed himself less than nine minutes later and recorded the assist on the overtime game-winning goal.

With less than a minute remaining in overtime, Ivan Barbashev found Eichel cutting to the net. Karel Vejmelka made the save, but lost his stick in the process. Brett Howden made a play to get the puck back to Eichel behind the net, and Eichel found Shea Theodore all alone on the slot for the game-winner.

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. The Golden Knights absolutely needed to win the special teams battle tonight. They debuted two new power play units, but went 0-fer on four opportunities, including one that came just 2:28 into overtime. However, they were also a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, gave the Mammoth power play very little to work with, and scored a shorthanded goal.

2. Jack Eichel answered the call for the Golden Knights today. Tomáš Hertl, on the other hand, rode the bench for a telling amount of time in such a pivotal game. Hertl took just 18 shifts and played less than 12 minutes in a game that nearly went to double overtime.

Pavel Dorofeyev, too, saw very little ice time in the third period. He did, however, return for the start of overtime and scored a goal that was ultimately disallowed.

3. During the regular season, the Golden Knights struggled with starts, riding out momentum swings, and finding a way to stop the bleeding. Tonight, they came out on top in all three areas.

First, they scored just 72 seconds into the first to jump out to an early lead against the Mammoth, and added another at the end of the period. When the Mammoth scored four unanswered to take the lead, the Golden Knights managed to rally and turn what would have been a crushing loss into a victory.

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‘My life changes on one shot’: Joe Johnson on snooker glory, Princess Diana and his seven heart attacks

After starting the 1986 world championships as a 150-1 outsider victory against Steve Davis led to watching tennis with royalty and being mobbed in Tesco

“It was like a strange dream,” Joe Johnson says as he remembers becoming the world snooker champion 40 years ago as a 150-1 outsider and former gas board and factory worker who was the father of six children. Johnson had never previously won a game at the Crucible and he had struggled for years to make a living as a pro.

It was a time when Britain was “snooker loopy” and Johnson played characters such as Bill Werbeniuk who, in 1985, beat him in the first round while drinking a staggering amount of beer.

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Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers, Game 5

PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot attempt by Donovan Clingan #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The vibes weren’t great when the Spurs last left San Antonio. With the series tied 1-1 and Victor Wembanyama in concussion protocol, things looked bleak for the Silver and Black. Now, heading back home, the Spurs find themselves up 3-1 in their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Wembanyama fully healthy.

San Antonio is coming off two straight, gutsy comeback victories in Portland. Now they’ll have a chance to close out the series in front of their home crowd. It would be the Spurs’ first playoff series win since 2017.

The Spurs will need to protect the paint and take care of the ball against a desperate Trail Blazers squad. With their backs against the wall, expect Portland to come out playing physical, going right at the rim, and looking to force turnovers defensively. San Antonio has stepped up to the physical challenge so far in the playoffs. They’ll need to fend off one more effort from the Blazers to move on to the Western Conference Semifinals.

San Antonio Spurs (3-1) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (1-3)

April 28th, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT

Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: None

Trail Blazers Injuries: Damian Lillard – Out (achilles)

What to watch for:

Pace of play

San Antonio has been at its best when it plays fast. Both of their big second-half runs in Portland were defined by pushing the ball down the floor and attacking the Blazers, who struggled with transition defense. Whether it was finding Wembanyama for lobs, hitting Devin Vassell early for threes, or one of Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, or De’Aaron Fox getting downhill, San Antonio’s prettiest offense has come with speed.

With Wembanyama locking down the paint, the Spurs’ guards have been able to take more chances on the perimeter. Portland had the worst ball security in the NBA this season, averaging 17.3 per game. They turned the ball over 18 times in Game Four. San Antonio will look to force giveaways and score easy buckets on the other end.

Stephon Castle’s offense

From Game One, the Blazers have been content with putting a big man on Castle and letting him shoot. Castle has responded by hitting 42.9% of his threes in the series. He is averaging 21 points and 6.3 assists in the series. In Game Four, the Spurs seemed to figure out the defensive scheme by setting more screens for Castle lower on the court, around the free-throw line, freeing him up or forcing a switch, leading to a Wembanyama lob. When he’s off the ball, he’s been hurting the Blazers by hitting open threes.

It’ll be interesting to see whether Portland will continue to guard him with a big man or go away from the strategy in Game Five. Either way, if Castle is scoring the ball as he has in the last two games, the Spurs will be tough to beat.

Wembanyama’s shot selection

The difference between Wembanyama’s offensive impact in the first and second halves of Game Four was night and day. In the first half, he was settling for jumpers. That essentially bailed out Portland for having a smaller defender on him. In the second half, he started to get to the basket, feasting on lobs and shots around the basket. The Spurs have to get creative with how they get Wemby the ball around the basket. Elbow post-ups against smaller wings are not going to get it done. Look for more flex screens and pin-downs to get Wembanyama the ball around the basket with space to operate. Then once he establishes a rhythm inside, he can expand things out beyond the three-point arc.

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What is Joe Mazzulla’s plan with his centers?

Boston, MA - March 1: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and center Neemias Queta talk in the second quarter. The Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on March 1, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

One of the biggest reasons people didn’t believe in the Celtics coming into the season was because of their centers and how little they had proven entering the season. As the season went on, it became clear that Neemias Queta is a quality starting center and that Luka Garza and trade deadline addition Nikola Vucevic were good enough depth.

However, as the playoffs started, we knew the center position was where the Celtics were going to be tested the most.

Yet through Boston’s first four playoff games, we don’t really know how Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the Celtics coaches want to deploy their centers.

So far in the postseason, Neemias Queta has started all 4 games and played 73 minutes, Nikola Vucevic has played the most minutes with 85 and Luka Garza has played the least with 31 minutes played.

It is clear that Garza is the third big and although he’s the third option, he has already played a lot more than I thought he would early in the series.

A lot of Garza’s minutes have to do with the fact that Neemias Queta just cannot stay out of foul trouble. In 3 of 4 games, Queta has picked up two quick fouls and needed to hit the bench quickly.

The Celtics need Neemias Queta to stay out of foul trouble, which has been a problem for much of the first round. Queta picked up 5 fouls in Game 1 and 4 fouls in both games in Philadelphia.

It is the fouls 94 feet away from the basket that Queta cannot pick up.

That has lead to an increase in the use of Nikola Vucevic, who gives the Celtics a different look than Queta does.

I have been pleased with the way Big Vooch has played in this series. The Celtics really needed him to pull out the Game 3 win with his 11 points and 6 rebounds off of the bench.

His defense leaves a lot to be desired. Late in Game 3, the Sixers ran the Paul George-Andre Drummond pick and roll a lot to get Vucevic in the action and it led to good results for the Sixers.

That is a concern, which will led to the Luka Garza playing time. While I like Garza and think he has been solid in this series, his pick and roll defense also leaves a lot to be desired.

Vucevic being the backup center makes sense — he is a more skilled offensive player than Garza is and neither guy is going to guard a ton.

I do think that Queta is Boston’s best option at center and as the rounds go on, he will be the guy that the Celtics close games with. His rim protection, ability to move his feet enough on the perimeter, offensive rebounding and the threat of the lob are all so valuable to what the Celtics want to do.

With apologies to 4th string center Amari Williams, Queta as the starter (and closer), Vucevic as the backup and Garza filling in when needed is how I would divvy up the minutes.

It is notable that Mazzulla went with Vucevic at the end of a close Game 3. In the 4th quarter of that game, Vucevic played 11:35 while Queta (and Garza) didn’t play at all. I don’t think that will be the case as the playoffs go on but the precedent is there so we will see if that happens again as the playoffs wear on.

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Four games into the playoffs, the Celtics are playing like they did in their first 82

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 26: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks to Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 during the second half of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Eighty-one seconds into the fourth quarter of Game 4, Jayson Tatum dribbled passed midcourt and with the help of a Neemias Queta screen, walked into a three-pointer. Kelly Oubre walked into his landing space for an and-1.

With that, the lead ballooned to 30 points and statistically, it was proof positive of Boston’s priorities this season: limiting turnovers, attacking the offensive glass for additional possessions, and generating good shoots, preferably threes.

“It comes down to controlling the game, having an understanding of what’s going on. We did a good job managing the game even though our shots weren’t going down,” Joe Mazzulla said after the Celtics took a 3-1 lead with their second win in Philadelphia.

“Our offensive rebounds and our turnovers. Obviously, they’re going to make a run, but we were able to manage that with getting to the free throw line, being disciplined defensively, and some good offensive execution. We just gotta manage the game, being disciplined.”

With the game out of hand and Gino dancing somewhere near North Station, the scoreboard was obvious bottom line, but dig deeper into the box score and it was a game won in the margins.

Despite the return of big man Joel Embiid, Boston held Philly without an offensive rebound until midway through the third quarter. Andre Drummond, who once admitted that he intentionally missed shots to pad his rebounding numbers, didn’t grab any in Game 4.

After allowing a Game 2 blip — the 76ers hit 19-of-39 from behind the arc — the Celtics have absolutely used the three to bury Philadelphia. In a tightly contested Game 3, they were a +24 from 3 and with 10:39 left in the 4th of Game 4, they were already a +27 after hitting 17 of 38.

The turnover differential has not exactly been the edge they held in the regular season. With the Sixers packing the paint, Brown and Tatum have been drawing pesky double teams as soon as they get anywhere near the paint and that’s generated several loose balls and points on the other end. However, Boston leads the East in assists-to-turnovers ratio at 1.96. Comparatively speaking, the conference has been an absolutely slugfest; the Magic took a 3-1 lead over the one-seed Pistons shooting 32.6% from the field; the Raptors made just 32% of their shots to knot up their series with the Cavaliers. The Celtics, on the other hand, having been moving the ball well and so far, been making shots.

The postseason is all about making adjustments, but for the most part, Boston has stuck to their core principles and are on the brink of winning their first round series tonight for the same reasons they finished with 56 wins in a gap year.

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More aggressive Nikola Jokic puts up triple-double, sparks Nuggets to win, forcing Game 6

Through the first four games of this series, Rudy Gobert was the best player on the floor. Not for his stats — 8.3 points per game is not exactly world beating — but for his defense on Nikola Jokic. Left on an island, Gobert was making the three-time MVP work for every inch of ground, every shot, which allowed Jaden McDaniels and the other Timberwolves defenders to stay one on their man.

Monday night, Nikola Jokic was the best player on the floor.

Jokic came out more aggressively from the start, which sparked other Nuggets such as Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones. In the end, Jokic had a 27-point, 12-rebound, 16-assist triple-double.

Behind him, the Nuggets led this game almost the entire way, pulling away in the fourth quarter for what became a 125-113 victory at home.

Denver's win staves off elimination and sets up a massive Game 6 in Minnesota on Thursday night. The Timberwolves still lead the series 3-2.

"They're a championship team. They have championship DNA," said Minnesota's Julius Randle, via the Associated Press. "They're going to come out and have a sense of pride on their home court. They did that tonight. So, credit to them. We get to go back to Minnesota and have a chance to close it out."
Minnesota will be without All-Star Anthony Edwards (hamstring) and Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), as they were in this game after the duo's injuries a couple of days prior. While Minnesota had a resilient and impressive win in Game 4, they didn't consistently play with that same energy in Denver. It showed on both the defensive end and in the 25 turnovers the team had.

Julius Randle had a strong game with 27 points and nine rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu, starting now at guard, added 18. However, it was the Timberwolves bench that had the best night for the team, scoring 48 as a group.

It's that bench play and the fact that the Timberwolves still shot 50% as a team that should give them hope heading home — if Minnesota brings that urgency and cuts down on turnovers, it has a real chance to close the series in Game 6. The Timberwolves need that win, they do not want to go back to Denver for a Game 7.

"We just ended up losing the day," Jaden McDaniels said, "but we're going to win the next one."

The last team to come back from 3-1 down to win a playoff series? The Denver Nuggets, in the 2020 bubble playoffs — where they did it twice.