Chelsea get the ball rolling at a lovely sunny Anfield. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this first half.
The teams are out! Liverpool in socialist red, Chelsea in royal blue. Anfield crackles with anticipation, albeit in that slightly understated 12.30pm-on-Saturday style. We’ll be off in a couple of Gerry-and-the-Pacemakers-soundtracked minutes. “I enjoyed the pre-match postbag,” trills Rob Knap. “I’m very much one of the (many, I imagine) rubberneckers today. My partner’s gone out and I’m a bit under the weather, sniffle, cough, etc - classic man flu - then I saw that Liverpool-Chelsea was on. How I’ve perked up! (Though that also might be the combo of too many Lemsips and extra-strong Lockets.) I foresee unbearable tension, slapstick defending and high aggro potential (not that any of us want to see any of the latter, of course).” Of course not.
No hundred for Falconer on Championship debut, a chorus of bouncing slips and an imploring Tom Bailey enough for the umpire to raise an off-you-go finger to an lbw shout.
Poor Zak Crawley out again cheaply, chopping on . I really hope this doesn’t disintegrate into a Haseeb Hameed 2019 summer and that someone has an arm round his shoulder. Kent 13-1.
Lakers star Austin Reaves, center, and teammates surround referee John Goble, second from right, after their Game 2 loss t the Thunder on Thursday in Oklahoma City. (Nate Billings / Associated Press)
Broderick Turner and Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported that Lakers coach JJ Redick said, "The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history." Maybe Redick is right. The Lakers were able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and with Jalen Williams not playing, OKC still won Games 1 and 2 by 18 points each.
Hopefully the Lakers can avoid a sweep when they return to The Crypt, but it doesn't look very likely, not when committing 39 turnovers in two games.
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood
It was so bush league to see the Lakers crowd around the beleagued referees at the end of an 18-point loss to the Thunder in Game 2. The number of free throws was nearly even, favoring OKC 26-21. There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession. This is playoff basketball — grow up and play ball. The results in this series speak for themselves.
Bob Goldstone
Corona del Mar
You cannot tell me that the defensive “mauling” allowed by NBA officials during the playoffs would be tolerated during the regular season. It almost looks like the NBA upper brass — Adam Silver and his cohorts/consultants — have directly or indirectly “suggested” that referees simply “let ‘em play.”
This inconsistency and change of “style“ by the officials has either confused or frustrated many offensive players as well as some fans. To me, a foul is a foul, period! Considerations like superstar or rookie, home team or visitors, the fourth quarter versus the first, closing minutes or seconds of a game, regular season versus the playoffs should not matter.
Rick Solomon Lake Balboa
I'm watching Lakers-Thunder Game 2 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running into people and getting the Michael Jordan treatment. Everything is a foul against the Lakers. On the another hand, LeBron James is getting the stuffing beat out of him and no calls. Coach JJ Redick needs to bring this bias up with the media and put the spotlight on the refs. That’s what Phil Jackson and Pat Riley would do. Lakers fans can start a go-fund-me page for the fine.
Ed Villanueva Chino Hills
It ain't over yet
So is now a good time for Times columnist Bill Plaschke to jump off the Lakers bandwagon and go back to his column from April 9th and say the Lakers should shut it down against the Thunder? Of course that proclamation was made before the Lakers won their final three games of the regular season to clinch the fourth seed in the playoffs and then proceeded to overwhelm the favored Rockets in the first round. Remember, the series Plaschke called over after just two games?
Danny Balber Jr. Pasadena
LeBron spells GOAT
LeBron James' performance against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs should put to rest the discussion of whether LeBron or Michael Jordan is the NBA's GOAT. The number of championship rings a player obtains is dependent on teammates and coaching systems. Based on both individual play and contributions to his teams, LeBron's entire body of work is unmatched and LeBron's play at age 41 is still magnificent.
Richard Raffalow Valley Glen
Cut Trout loose
Mike Trout is having a renaissance season so far with the Angels. He is back to playing center field and is hitting home runs like the Trout of old. He has avoided injuries which have plagued him for several years. Now is the time for the Angels to give Trout a real shot at a postseason by trading him. The Angels are once again in last place and going nowhere. Trout will turn 35 soon and he deserves to go to a contender and play meaningful baseball in September and October. Free Trout!
Dave Ring Manhattan Beach
Reign of pain
Since 2017, the L.A. Kings have employed a dizzying array of players, coaches, general managers and front office executives. Despite all that personnel turnover, in that time they have amazingly failed to win even a single playoff series much less be a consistent regular-season threat. The one constant who is responsible for all the hockey decisions and has overseen this astounding lack of success over the previous nine years is team president Luc Robitaille.
Why does absentee ownership group AEG continue to allow him to remain in charge, annually selling hope instead of actually providing results? Could it be that the Kings' steadily increasing valuation, most recently pegged at $3.5 billion (2nd highest among all U.S. teams), is really all that motivates AEG as opposed to accountability and on-ice success?
Andre Miller El Segundo
Will fit right in
Detroit Tigers free agent ace Tarik Skubal will miss time on the IL after elbow surgery, which means he’ll fit right into the Dodgers’ rotation next season.
Steve Ross Carmel
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
Sawyer Gipson-Long returned off the injury list for this one, and was pretty meh, but he did a lot better than lefty Pete Hansen did against the Hens.
Gipson-Long gave up two runs in the top of the first, and then another run before departing in the fourth.
It mattered little as the Hens scored seven in the second inning. Max Anderson led off with a double to left and Jace Jung singled to right. A sacrifice fly from Corey Julks scored Anderson, and Tyler Gentry walked. A soft serve single from Tomas Nido loaded the bases, and a Ben Malgeri grounder scored Jung but forced Gentry at third. Max Clark striped a line drive single to right to score Nido, and Paul De Jong walked. A Gage Workman triple cleared the bases, and Workman then scored on a wild pitch after the Redbirds had gone to the bullpen to replace Hansen. 7-2 Hens.
Gage Workman smashes a 3-run triple into right center and Toledo goes up 6-2. pic.twitter.com/fQJlkjJ6Mn
Workman doubled with one out in the fifth and took third on a wild pitch. Anderson walked, and Jung singled in Workman. A grounder to second from Julks went for an error, and Anderson scored to make it 9-3. Workman would then double in DeJong in the sixth to make it 10-3.
Woo-Suk Go fired three scoreless innings in the sixth, seventh, and eighth in his return to Toledo.
Workman: 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 3B, 2 K
Jung: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Gipson-Long: 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, K
Coming Up Next: The series is even heading into a 5:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
The SeaWolves got a decent outing from Joe Miller and played well behind him in this one as they pounded out 14 hits to win easily once again. Currently the SeaWolves are in the opposite gear of the Whitecaps, winning their ninth straight on Friday.
Andrew Jenkins singled and scored on an Izaac Pacheco single in the second inning to start the scoring. In the third, Aaron Antonini walked and rode home on Brett Callahan’s sixth home runs of the season. Chirs Meyers would single in Jenkins later in the inning to make it 4-0 SeaWolves.
Brett Callahan goes oppo for a 2-run blast that puts the SeaWolves up 3-0. It’s Callahan’s 6th home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/T1vQXe2N5q
In the fourth, Callahan reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second, scoring on a John Peck single. In the fifth, Jenkins and Meyers both singled, and with one out, Pacheco singled in Jenkins and Joe Campagna tripled in Meyers and Pacheco to make it 8-0.
A Pacheco error led to the Senators scoring a run on Milleri in the fifth. Yosber Sanchez cleaned this up and tossed a perfect sixth as well. Luke Taggart handled the seventh. Trevin Michael tossed the eighth.
Thayron Liranzo has been scuffling since his return from the injured list two weeks ago, but he led off the ninth with a solo shot hitting right-handed. Tyler Owens closed this one out and seems bound for Toledo again fairly soon. Woo-Suk Go was promoted to Toledo on Friday as well after a strong start to the year.
Thayron Liranzo destroys this ball to left for a solo homer. It’s his 1st home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/ZK9SNTZF9J
The misery of the Whitecaps continued as their losing streak stretched to 12 games on Friday night.
There isn’t too much to report. Rayner Castillo’s struggles continued as he allowed a pair of home runs and four runs, three earned total. He struck out three and walked three over 4 1/3 innings, and there’s still no sign of the easy 95-96 mph sinker he was slinging in 2024 and early 2025.
Carlos Lequerica was knocked around for four runs in relief. Garrett Pennington had the only two hits for the ‘Caps. Bryce Rainer had the night off.
Pennington: 2-4, 2B
Castillo (L, 0-4): 4.1 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:00 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
Troy Melton fired three perfect innings in his rehab outing, and the Flying Tigers mauled a pretty good pitching prospect in the Mets’ Cam Tilly.
Melton struck out five and needed just 27 pitches to collect those nine straight outs. His velocity wasn’t quite peak, but he was 95-96 mph the whole outing, racking up a ton of whiffs on fastballs and sliders.
Troy Melton worked 3 perfect innings in his 2nd rehab outing in Lakeland. Picked up 5 strikeouts and 9 whiffs. Here’s his full outing. pic.twitter.com/v8oyhkCmvw
Jude Warwick gave him an early lead to work with when the second baseman cracked a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. That was his first of the year. It would be Warwick sparking an eight-run inning off Tilly in the third. He led off with a double, and Jordan Yost singled. Zach MacDonald lined a single to center that got away from the Mets center fielder and Warwick scored. Beau Ankeney cranked a three-run shot to make it 5-0, and Carson Rucker followed that up with a triple. Edian Espinal and Javier Osorio followed with singles, and by the time the Mets went to the bullpen, Warwick was up again and smoked a three-run shot to right field to make it 9-0 Lakeland.
Holy cow Jude Warwick! He crushes a 3-run homer to right (108 MPH, 378 feet) and Lakeland leads 9-0. It’s Warwick’s 2nd homer and 3rd extra-base hit in the first 3 innings today. 👀 pic.twitter.com/KoNh3F90Rf
Conner Seabold rehabbed with a solid inning in the fourth. Jan Carabello took over and had some trouble, giving up four runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Jose Guzman gentled the Mets down with two scoreless innings.
In the eighth, Carson Rucker doubled in MacDonald, and Espinal tripled in Rucker to make it 11-4 where it ended.
Warwick: 3-5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2B, 2 HR, K
Rucker: 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 3B, K
Yost: 2-4, R, BB
Espinal: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 3B, BB, K
Melton: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers are up 3-1 in the series with first pitch on Saturday set for 6:00 p.m. ET.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MAY 08: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 08, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees got their shit rocked by Jacob Misiorowski last night. Pardon my French, but it’s late as I type this and it’s a pretty darn accurate assessment. Shout-out to the Miz, who demonstrated why he’s one of the league’s best young starters. Once Max Fried ran into trouble, it seemed like the Yankees were probably staring at an L because no one aside from José Caballero seemed like they were in a position to do much with him (and even with Cabbie, he could only get singles). Just one of those nights and a tough draw for Spencer Jones in his MLB debut.
Today on the site, Nick will look back at the Yankees’ rotation from their last pitching staff to lead the league in ERA, the 1978 championship team, as the current squad is doing the same thus far in 2026. Madison will have the Rivalry Roundup, Jeff will celebrate the 42nd birthday of old friend Chase Headley (not Hedy), and Matt will reminisce about what the late John Sterling meant to him growing up as a fan.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at Milwaukee Brewers
Time: 7:10 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Brewers.tv
Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, MI
Questions/Prompts:
1. Fill in the blank: “Jacob Misiorowski is the most impressive young pitcher to dominate the Yankees since ____”
2. Which team in the league has impressed you the least so far this season?
Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) in the dugout against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves received some unfortunate news when outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain earlier this week. However, he is eligible to return on Wednesday, and Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported that a timely return is plausible.
Acuña was seen doing some agility exercises ahead of Friday night’s game, which was a great sign for the team who is typically riddled with injury.
Ronald Acuña Jr. testing his hamstring. He’ll be eligible for activation on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/5UySJio2Pq
If Acuña is able to return as soon as Wednesday, it would provide a major boost for Atlanta as the Braves look to stay atop the National League standings.
More Braves News:
Chris Sale put together a spectacular outing despite Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dixon Williams logged another home run for the Rome Emperors on Thursday. More in the minor league recap.
Carlos Carrasco has reportedly rejoined the Braves on a minor league deal.
MLB News:
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Tyler Glasnow on the 15-day injured list due to lower back spasms. Glasnow reinjured his back during his outing on May 6.
Jaylen Brown has three years and about $183 million left on a 5-year contract he signed in July of 2023. It was a controversial deal at the time, but Brown was headed to free agency the next year and the Celtics knew they needed to keep him.
Fast forward three years later and Jaylen Brown will once again be eligible to sign a contract extension on July 26th. This deal would tack on an additional two years and an estimated $142 million to his deal.
That in total would have Brown on Boston’s books for the next five years at $325 million and he would be 34-years-old when the deal runs out.
Last summer, the Phoenix Suns were presented a very similar situation with Devin Booker. Booker, like Brown, had three years left on a super-max extension he signed in 2022 and was eligible to add two more years on to his deal. The Suns did offer him that extension, which was reported at $145 million but based on future cap projections, Spotrac estimates that it will come in at $132 million. No matter what the deal is worth, Booker is going to make a lot of money.
Brown just had his best NBA season this past year and, to me, is a better player than Booker is. If Brown is going to sign a new deal, it is going to be a max.
With that said, I am in no rush to extend him.
There are reasons for the Celtics to ink Brown to an extension.
Number one, it would keep him happy. Earlier this week, Brown said on his Twitch stream that he wants to be in Boston for the next ten years. No one turns down the 35% super max and Brown is no different. If the Celtics were to offer him a max extension, I am very confident that Brown would sign it.
Number two, and the far more compelling reason, is that Jaylen Brown is a great player who the Celtics should want to keep around for a really long time. I know he didn’t have a great series against the 76ers but he was so awesome this season. He averaged career highs in points (28.7) and assists (5.1) in the regular season while being the best player on a team that won 56 games without Jayson Tatum.
On the other hand, why should Boston rush to sign him? As was mentioned, Brown has three years left on his current deal with no player option. Free agency is not lurking like it was back in 2023.
Another aspect of this is that the Celtics have Jayson Tatum. The Suns were backed into a corner with Booker because he is their best player. Phoenix had just traded Kevin Durant and bought-out Bradley Beal — they needed to keep Booker on the team and happy so they paid him.
The Tatum and Brown duo has brought Celtics fans a lot of joy over the years, including a championship, and the Celtics should want to keep them paired together. Extending Brown this summer and Tatum next summer, when he becomes extension eligible, would accomplish that.
However, the Celtics did lose in the first round this season and Brad Stevens talked about how they were not good enough at his end of season press conference on Wednesday.
However, I don’t think the Celtics need to rush into signing Brown to a new deal because their team wasn’t good enough this season and locking into this core doesn’t sound like something Brad Stevens is ready to do.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 24: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout during the game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: The Yankees made the promotion of Spencer Jones official yesterday. The top prospect replaced Jasson Domínguez, who sprained his AC joint during Thursday’s game. Jones DH’d and batted sixth in his debut, going 0-for-2 with a walk against fireballer Jacob Misiorowski, who had little issue with the rest of the Yankees’ lineup as well.
He was joined by right-handed reliever Kervin Castro, who made 20 appearances between 2021 and 2022 with the Giants and Cubs but until last night had not made a single MLB appearance since then, a span of 1,357 days. Castro replaced Brendan Beck, who was always expected to get sent down after making his MLB debut in a spot start.
SNY | John Flanigan: Ahead of Jones’ debut, his manager sang his praises. “He fits in really well with the guys,” Aaron Boone said before the game. “He’s gotten off to a really nice start this year down in Triple-A, has been really productive with the bat, and earned the opportunity to be here.
Boone also explained the decision to ease the center fielder in at DH. ”I just want him to focus on having good at-bats,” he said. “Obviously, we’re going up against a great pitcher here tonight, but just as much as you can, you take what you’ve been doing and apply it up here.” The skipper added that Jones would be in play in the field as time progresses.
Baseball Prospectus | Smith Brickner & Timothy Jackson: ($) Upon his call-up, a recap of the scouting report that has made Jones the Yankees’ “most polarizing prospect in perhaps a decade.” A steep attack angle has contributed to low contact and high chase rates, a difficult combination to transcend. The question — is his power legit enough to make it work? Timothy and our old friend Smith compare Jones with Munetaka Murakami, who’s hitting .237 but already has 14 homers. Unlike Murakami, though, Jones figures to provide value with his speed and defense, making him a fascinating test case for a singular all-around profile.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: In other injury news, Luis Gil landed on the minor-league IL with shoulder inflammation Friday, continuing a brutal start to the 2026 season. The right-hander will be shut down for at least three weeks. Considering the layoff, it’ll likely be at least six weeks before he sees game action again. Boone stressed that he did not think the injury played a role in the since-demoted Gil’s struggles with the Yankees. He posted a 6.05 ERA in four starts with the big club, calling into question his future as an MLB starter after an already-uneven 2025.
MLB.com | Mike Lupica: In advance of his ninth start Friday, a celebration of Max Fried. His steady dominance has already made his signing a massive success, and Lupica talks with David Cone about the lefty ace. The broadcaster and former pitcher highlights both Fried’s stuff (“He is a movement specialist. Subtle variations of cutters and sinkers working off each other. With a Koufax curve in his back pocket.”) and his mentality (“Max is smart and curious. And never satisfied.”).
Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Canadiens -125, Sabres +105; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres are in a 1-1 series tie in the second round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Canadiens won the last meeting 5-1. Alexander Newhook scored two goals in the win.
Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 21-11-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Canadiens have scored 279 total goals (3.4 per game) to rank seventh in league play.
Buffalo is 21-8-5 against the Atlantic Division and 50-23-9 overall. The Sabres have a +43 scoring differential, with 283 total goals scored and 240 given up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has scored six goals and added four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.3 assists, 5.7 penalties and 12.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Sabres: 6-2-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.8 penalties and 11.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -119, Ducks -101; over/under is 6.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Golden Knights won 6-2 in the last matchup. Mitchell Marner led the Golden Knights with three goals.
Anaheim has gone 43-33-6 overall with a 20-14-1 record against the Pacific Division. The Ducks are sixth in league play with 323 total penalties (averaging 3.9 per game).
Vegas has a 17-6-6 record in Pacific Division games and a 39-26-17 record overall. The Golden Knights have allowed 242 goals while scoring 264 for a +22 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has scored 41 goals with 28 assists for the Ducks. Jackson LaCombe has two goals and nine assists over the last 10 games.
Marner has 24 goals and 56 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has one goal and 12 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (undisclosed).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Victor Wembanyama starred as the San Antonio Spurs won back-to-back matches against the Minnesota Timberwolves [Getty Images]
Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points as the San Antonio Spurs moved into a 2-1 lead in the NBA's Conference semi-finals - while the New York Knicks are one win from progressing from their series with Philadephia 76ers.
France international Wembanyama took 15 rebounds and blocked five shots against the Minnesota Timberwolves, helping seal a 115-108 victory on the road.
The 22-year-old scored nine of the Spurs' first 11 points as they raced into an 18-3 lead, but Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, dragged his side back into contention and the match was tied at 51-51 at the end of the second quarter.
The Spurs led 106-103 with three minutes to go, before Wembanyama's third three-pointer and a flurry of free throws helped the Western Conference second seeds pull away from their hosts.
In Philadelphia, Jalen Brunson scored 33 points for the Knicks as they won 108-94 to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final.
The visitors had turned around a four-point first quarter deficit to lead 60-52 at half-time.
Quentin Grimes made a pair of three-pointers to bring the 76ers within four points in the fourth quarter, before Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart all scored to set up the victory for the Eastern third seeds.
The two best-of-seven series resume on Sunday, with the Knicks hoping to progress to the Conference final and the Spurs aiming for a third consecutive win.
After splitting Games 1 and 2 in Las Vegas to open their second-round series vs the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks returned to Orange County for Game 3 on Friday.
The feeling around the Ducks locker room is that, with the way they played in Vegas, they could have easily entered Friday with a 2-0 series lead, as they earned to build off of that heading into Games 3 and 4 at home.
Vegas felt they had more to offer in this series than what they showed in the two opening games, and aimed to turn that corner on the road. Knights head coach John Tortorella made some lineup adjustments at the end of Game 2 and stuck to them for Game 3. Former Duck William Karlsson lined up between Brett Howden and Mitch Marner, while Hertl slid to the middle between Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar. Mark Stone started on Vegas’ top line. Dylan Coghlan made his series debut on the third pair.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville made a dramatic lineup change in the moments leading up to Game 2, swapping out Mason McTavish and Ian Moore from the Ducks forward group and inserting Jansen Harkins and Ross Johnston. With no changes from Wednesday, here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:
Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Gauthier-Granlund-Killorn
Viel-Poehling-Sennecke
Johnston-Washe-Harkins
LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Hinds-Helleson
Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks and saved just five of eight shots before he was pulled after the first period. Ville Husso was inserted in Dostal’s spot and saved 17 of 19. In Vegas’ net, Carter Hart got the nod and stopped 31 of 33 shots.
Game Notes
This game opened poorly for the Ducks and didn’t get any better for the duration. Possession numbers were fairly even, but defensive lapses, stale offense, and sub-optimal goaltending sent the Ducks into too great a hole to climb out of.
The Ducks continue to struggle on the power play and have now given up more goals while on the man-advantage than they’ve scored. Carter Hart is establishing himself as a capable big game goaltender, but the Ducks and his team’s defensive structure are also making his life easy.
“We certainly knew they were going to come play their best game, and they were better,” Quenneville said after the game. “They had the puck way more in the offensive zone; they spent some time in our end. I didn’t mind the start til they scored, and we lost some momentum there. Getting that third one at the end of the period certainly was a killer, and that was basically the game.”
Lukas Dostal-The numbers will illustrate that Dostal ended the first period with a .625 SV% and -1.82 goals saved above expected. Of the three goals he let in, the only one that could be considered soft was the second, a shorthanded shot from the left dot by Knights’ defenseman Brayden McNabb. The shot was unscreened and didn’t appear to be tipped. It was, however, unconventional, as it was a pre-composite stick style drag wrist shot, and McNabb didn’t fully follow through: a change-up of sorts and an awkward shot for Dostal to stop. It’s one he needed to stop, nonetheless.
The first goal was completely screened by Ducks center Ryan Poehling, and the third pinballed around and off of Dostal, leaving him scrambling and attempting to react before Mitch Marner buried from the left post.
Cycle-The Ducks generated a fair amount of shots (33) and shot attempts (55), but the majority of them were from the perimeter, blocked, didn’t produce rebounds, or were seen by Hart the whole way. The Ducks insisted on feeding pucks low to high and funneling them toward the crease. The success they found late in the game came when they were generating shots from below the dots and/or finding soft ice in the mid-slot, away from the crease.
While possession time wasn’t discouraging, the Ducks may look to add wrinkles of forward movement, skating with the puck from low to high and activating defensemen down the wall, involving more offensive talent while drawing Vegas’ Goliath defenders away from the net front.
Lineup-The Ducks played disciplined and detailed with this lineup in Game 2, but the offensive limitations were apparent when they were desperate to get back into the game and craved different ways to generate offense. Mason McTavish is a highly-paid, highly-skilled, offensive player who very probably doesn’t win the Ducks this hockey game, but having him in the lineup wouldn’t have made them worse defensively.
The Ducks will look to even the series on Sunday and avoid a 3-1 deficit to a Vegas team that appears as confident as they are talented from the net out.
MINNEAPOLIS — Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for the San Antonio Spurs, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a 115-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Wembanyama went 13 of 18 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the line, adding five blocks and a full night of paint deterrence as the Spurs won their second straight game after dropping the opener at home.
“It was like holding the ship together. We had a lead. We didn’t need to rush. We needed to be consistent,” Wembanyama said.
Victor Wembanyama, who scored 39 points points, grabs one of his 15 rebounds during the Spurs’ 115-108 Game 3 win over the Timberwolves on May 8, 2026 in Minneapolis. NBAE via Getty Images
De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points, and Stephon Castle had 13 points and 12 assists with a team-high plus-17 rating.
Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves, whose defense kept them alive after a woeful start but allowed the Spurs to shoot 6 for 10 from 3-point range in the pivotal third quarter.
Minnesota will host Game 4 on Sunday night. The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Jaden McDaniels drew Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left and brought the Wolves within 99-98 on pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits. Wembanyama sat for about a minute before coach Mitch Johnson sent him back in.
“We were going to not leave any bullets in the chamber in terms of keeping him on the bench,” Johnson said. “We were going to play him, and then if he fouled out, we deal with that.”
Wembanyama didn’t flinch despite the foul risk, finishing with 16 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer that answered Reid’s pushed San Antonio’s lead to six with 3:06 to go. Reid tried another one near the end of the shot clock on the next possession that hit the rim and Wembanyama snagged for another rebound.
Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points, shoots a jumper during the Timberwolves’ Game 3 loss to the Spurs. NBAE via Getty Images
Edwards, who showed Minnesota yet again his swift healing ability by returning from a deep bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee after just one week to make the start of the series, had 22 points in the first half to help them snap back from an early 18-3 deficit.
“He needed that. We needed that,” coach Chris Finch said. “He’s battling back to find a game like this, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the result that went along with it.”
The Wolves missed their first 12 shots and didn’t get a basket to go down until Rudy Gobert’s putback with 6:52 had elapsed, but unlike in the 133-95 drubbing they took in Game 2 on Wednesday they had the defensive intelligence and tenacity at the ready to make up for the long shooting lulls.
Edwards hit a buzzer-beating 31-footer at the end of the first quarter, and McDaniels swished a 3-pointer from the wing to end the first half with a 51-all tie.
McDaniels and Julius Randle were the most affected by Wembanyama’s presence, unable to get their short-range and rim-attacking game going. They shot a combined 8 for 34 from the floor.
“I went in the locker room and told the guys we had a bunch of great looks,” Edwards said. “If we make our shots, we win this game.”
Most of the time, hockey is a game of momentum– both teams control play in stretches and chase the game in others, and whoever handles those swings best goes on to win the game. But sometimes, a team grabs the bull by the horns and doesn’t let go until the game is completely out of reach.
That’s exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights did on Friday night. They rolled into Honda Center, scored 66 seconds in, and made the Anaheim Ducks look like a beer league club for two periods of hockey. The Ducks broke Hart’s shutout bid, but it was too little too late, and the Golden Knights won Game 3 6-2.
The Golden Knights broke the ice just 66 seconds into the first period. Mark Stone entered the zone, rolled away from John Carlson’s check, and worked the puck deeper for Jack Eichel. Eichel found Shea Theodore in the slot, and the defenseman snuck a wrister past Lukáš Dostál for his third goal of the postseason.
Jack Eichel finds Shea Theodore in the slot, and the Duck hunter does his part to silence the crowd early.
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 12:13 in the first while shorthanded. Mikael Granlund turned the puck over, and Mitch Marner took it back the other way. Marner entered the zone, pulled up, and left the puck for Brayden McNabb, who rolled around John Carlson and beat Lukáš Dostál far-side.
The VGK penalty kill continued to outscore the opposing power play. Brayden McNabb gets in on the fun.
Hertl drew a penalty late in the first period, and the Golden Knights extended their lead on the ensuing power play. Jacob Trouba blocked Mitch Marner’s shot point-blank; Lukáš Dostál denied Pavel Dorofeyev on the rebound, and Marner finally got it to go on the third attempt.
Mitch Marner says thanks for coming. Gets his own rebound on the power play and this is getting ugly.
Joel Quenneville made a goaltending change to start the second period, swapping Lukáš Dostál for Ville Husso. Unfortunately for the Ducks, the Golden Knights were even better in the second, and this change did little to spark a comeback. They generated nine high-danger scoring chances while holding Anaheim to two.
The Golden Knights added to their lead at 9:19 in the second. Jack Eichel led an odd-man rush up ice, entered the zone, and found Brett Howden at the point. Howden one-touched a pass to Shea Theodore in the middle of the ice, and the defenseman rolled into the slot. Theodore avoided the stick of Alex Killorn and threaded a pass to Mitch Marner, who crashed the net and tucked the puck in.
Mitch Marner shows off his hands in tight, tucks in a second… and waves to the Ducks fans.
The Golden Knights made it a five-spot at 17:56 in the second. Ivan Barbashev won a board battle, and William Karlsson got to the loose puck. Karlsson protected the puck, circled behind the net, and dropped a pass back for Mitch Marner. Marner slammed on the brakes, rolled out towards the left circle, and snuck a shot past Ville Husso short-side.
So, I think Karlsson and Marner might stick together for a bit. Mitch completes the hatty and registers his fourth point of the night!
In the third period, the Golden Knights appeared to take their foot off the gas. The Ducks are a young, dangerous team, and they used their speed to take advantage of a team trying to coast to the finish line.
The Ducks got on the board at 6:30 in the third. Beckett Sennecke prevented Noc Dowd from flying the zone, held the puck in, and zipped a cross-ice pass to Alex Killorn. Killorn snapped it to Granlund at the point, who rolled deeper into the zone. Granlund passed it back to Killorn, who fired a one-timer that squeaked through Carter Hart. Rasmus Andersson and Colton Sissons tried to clear, but Sennecke dove for the loose puck and chipped it home.
A blast from Alex Killorn squeaks by Carter Hart, and Beckett Sennecke dives to punch in the loose puck.
The Ducks added another at 15:09 in the third. Leo Carlsson raced up ice with the puck, entered the zone, and flew around Pavel Dorofeyev and avoided Jack Eichel’s poke check. Carlsson worked it deeper for Troy Terry; Terry drifted behind the net and found Chris Kreider all alone in the slot.
Leo Carlsson does Leo Carlsson things, and Terry and Kreider connect on a bang-bang play.
Down by three, the Ducks pulled Ville Husso for the extra attacker with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. They generated a few good looks and managed four shots on goal, but the mountain proved to be too steep to climb. Brett Howden hit the empty net at 18:04 in the third, and the Golden Knights rolled to a 6-2 win.
Three Takeaways of the Knight
1. Don’t look now– Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in points and tied for the lead in goals. In his last four games, Marner has six goals and nine points.
“I try to always be an energizer guy, a guy that goes out there and brings a lot of passion and energy to games,” said Marner following the win. “It’s always nice to contribute, but at the end of the day, you just want to win games.”
Marner, of course, remained humble after his four-point performance. Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella, however, had no issue singing his praises.
“I think he’s a hell of a hockey player,” said Tortorella postgame. “I think he’s very cerebral and very confident in what he brings. You know, people give him s— all the time about playoffs and this and that, and I don’t think it bothers him a lick. He just plays.”
2. Another day, another perfect penalty kill. The Golden Knights have killed off 26 of the last 27 penalties, and haven’t allowed a power play goal since Game 3 against the Utah Mammoth. Thanks to Brayden McNabb’s shorthanded tally, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill has outscored their opponents’ power plays 3-to-1 this postseason.
3. A concerning loss overshadows the dominant 6-2 win. Mark Stone was not on the bench to start the second period, and, despite returning for a brief time, didn’t play another shift. Before exiting the game, Stone recorded an assist and finished the night with 4:24 TOI.
As this is the postseason, John Tortorella was tight-lipped postgame and provided no update on the Golden Knights’ captain.
New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 212.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks look to clinch the series over the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the Eastern Conference second round. The Knicks defeated the 76ers 108-94 in the last matchup on Friday. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 22.
The 76ers are 9-7 against division opponents. Philadelphia ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 16.9 fast break points per game led by VJ Edgecombe averaging 8.0.
The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents from the Atlantic Division. New York is third in the Eastern Conference allowing just 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.
The 76ers average 12.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Knicks give up (13.9). The Knicks average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than the 76ers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 24.4 points and 4.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 102.0 points, 38.8 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 5.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points per game.
Knicks: 7-3, averaging 115.6 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.6 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: None listed.
Knicks: OG Anunoby: day to day (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
