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Joel Embiid returns but Boston's Pritchard, Tatum story, Celtics cruise to win, 3-1 series lead

Joel Embiid was back on the court for Philadelphia, returning from an appendectomy less than three weeks ago to give the 76ers a needed bump in a critical first-round game against Boston.

Except there was no bump. Kind of the opposite.

Philadelphia's other stars, like Tyrese Maxey, had to adjust to the big man in the paint and seemed to defer to him early on. The result was an offense that just did not work and missed a lot of shots.

Meanwhile, Boston just kept doing what they do.
Pritchard scored 32 off the bench and knocked down six 3-pointers, while Jayson Tatum scored 30 with five from beyond the arc, plus he had 11 assists.

Boston led by 16 after one quarter, and its lead never touched single digits again as the Celtics cruised to a 129-96 win on the road.

The Celtics have a commanding 3-1 series lead as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.

The 76ers are unquestionably better when Embiid is on the court, on both ends, but putting a superstar back in the lineup can mean an adjustment period. In this case, the combination of Embiid and the Celtics' defense meant Tyrese Maxey had just three shot attempts in the first half, as he seemed to defer to the big man, who had 10 (and Paul George had seven).

The 76ers also just could not buy a bucket in the first half. As a team, Philadelphia shot 12-of-36 (33.3%) and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first 24 minutes, and if that wasn't enough, also gave up nine offensive rebounds to the Celtics.

The result was Boston racing out to a 21-point first-half lead and seemingly hitting every key shot.

Boston was up by 18, 56-38, at halftime, led by Pritchard with 18 off the bench. The Celtics were rolling, and it proved to be too much to ask the 76ers to overcome that, especially for a 76ers defense that struggled to get a stop much of the night (Boston had a ridiculous 139.1 offensive rating through the non-garbage time part of this game, according to Cleaning the Glass).

In addition to Pritchard and Tatum, Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds.

Embiid finished with 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting with 10 rebounds. Maxey was more assertive in the second half and finished with 22 points, and Paul George had 16.

Nick Nurse has some work to do to see if he can get these 76ers on the same page — on both ends of the court — by Tuesday, or Philadelphia's season is going to come to an end much earlier than they hoped.

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Thunder vs Suns Same-Game Parlay for Tonight's NBA Playoffs Game 4

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The Phoenix Suns should be satisfied with their season.

After effectively resetting the franchise in the offseason, they still found their way into the playoffs... and being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder is nothing to be ashamed about.

My Thunder vs. Suns predictions expect a sweep, one that featured Dillon Brooks because Oklahoma City has wanted it that way.

Read more in our NBA picks for Monday, April 27. 

Our best Thunder vs Suns SGP for Game 4

The Oklahoma City Thunder identified their biggest worry before this series. As long as Devin Booker doesn't beat them, the Phoenix Suns can't win. 

Let Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green shoot. Don't let Booker get going.

Thus, the Suns’ franchise cornerstone hasn't taken more than 17 shots in a game, while Brooks has attempted at least 21 in each, totaling 19 more shots than Booker.

The Thunder’s defensive plan has worked. Brooks has averaged 27 points while Oklahoma City has cruised in each game

Booker found some playmaking in Game 3, with his seven assists keeping things nominally close for a while. Those assists again, along with Phoenix’s last gasp, should keep this tight into halftime.

However, let’s all acknowledge what is coming for the Suns: time in the sun.

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Timberwolves vs Nuggets Prediction, Picks & Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 5

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Is this the best rivalry in the NBA?

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets have now played each other 32 times over the last four seasons, splitting two previous playoff series.

My Timberwolves vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect the greatest antagonist in this rivalry to rise once more in Game 5 on Monday, April 27.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets prediction

Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (-115)

Despite leading this series 3-1, the Minnesota Timberwolves are only listed at -150 to win it at bet365.

Surely, they have a much better chance than 60%, right? They just won three straight games, snapping the Denver Nuggets’ 13-game winning streak.

Nope, these are the worries when your franchise cornerstone goes down with an injury to his good knee. Without Anthony Edwards — and Donte DiVincenzo — Minnesota suddenly has much to still worry about.

Enter Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves’ wing has angered and humiliated the Nuggets in every way.

First, McDaniels pointed out how poor they are defensively after Game 2. Then he backed it up by scoring 20 points on just 13 shots in Game 3.

To outdo himself, McDaniels capped Game 4 with a last-second layup that drew all of Denver’s remaining ire, which had somehow been absent for about 24 minutes in the second half.

McDaniels’s deep shooting has been a liability of late — 1-for-11 from beyond the arc in this series and 2-for-19 in his last six games — but when Edwards is sidelined, the sixth-year wing tends to dial up his offense.

McDaniels averaged 18.7 points in 16 games without Edwards this season, compared to 13.8 in 57 games alongside Edwards. He takes 3.6 more shots per game with Edwards sidelined, including an average of one additional 3-pointer.

These are the reasons McDaniels has topped this prop in 10 of those 16 games without Edwards, with two of those exceptions falling short by only the hook.

McDaniels should emphasize his mid-range game to once again expose the Nuggets’ defensive weaknesses.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets same-game parlay

The Timberwolves should run in Edwards’s absence. McDaniels, Bones Hyland, and Ayo Dosunmu will have much of the duty getting the ball up the court, and they will never turn down a chance to push the pace.

Those transition opportunities will help McDaniels score without living beyond the arc, where he has scuffled to a 10.5% showing in his last six games. Those opportunities will also create easy assist chances, and he already averages 3.2 assists without Edwards compared to 2.6 with the shooting guard in the lineup.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
  • Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wearing Out Jokic

Know who will despise the Timberwolves’ escalated pace without Anthony Edwards? Nuggets’ star Nikola Jokic.

He already looks exhausted. One might wonder if his temper tantrum at the end of Game 4 was in part the result of shoddy judgment thanks to fatigue.

Jokic will struggle to get up and down the court with Hyland, Dosunmu, and McDaniels — and their pace will only further sap his legs.

Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Jaden McDaniels Under 1.5 threes
  • Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists
  • Nikola Jokic Under 30.5 points

Timberwolves vs Nuggets odds for Game 5

  • Spread: Timberwolves +11 (-110) | Nuggets -11 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Timberwolves +375 | Nuggets -500
  • Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)

Timberwolves vs Nuggets betting trend to know

Denver has fallen short of its team total in every game of this series. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 5

LocationBall Arena, Denver, CO
DateMonday, April 27, 2026
Tip-off10:30 p.m. ET
TVNBC

Timberwolves vs Nuggets latest injuries

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Joel Embiid posts double-double in return but Celtics torch 76ers in Game 4

Joel Embiid made his return to the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday, April 26, after recovering from appendix surgery that kept him out of the first three games of the NBA playoffs and the Sixers' lone game in the play-in tournament.

Embiid started for the 76ers in Game 4 vs. the Boston Celtics and played 34 minutes. He led Philadelphia in scoring and rebounds, shots takend and shots made while posting a double-double. But Boston absolutely dominated the contest, notching a 128-96 victory. The Celtics got a huge game from reserve Payton Pritchard, who scored a game-high 32 points and made 6-of-12 3-pointers.

Embiid was initially ruled out indefinitely due to appendicitis, leaving a postseason appearance in doubt. The 7-time All-Star and the 2023 NBA MVP had not been on the court since the 76ers' loss to the San Antonio Spurs on April 6 during the regular season.

He scored his first points Sunday less than four minutes into the game with a monster dunk off an assist from forward Kelly Oubre Jr. on a fast break.

The 76ers trail the Celtics 3-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series. The Celtics have been responsible for eliminating the 76ers three times since 2018.

Philadelphia has not made it past the second round since 2001. Embiid and the 76ers are looking to advance past the first round for the first time since 2023, Embiid's MVP season.

Joel Embiid stats

(Stats after tw o quarters of play)

  • Minutes: 34
  • Points: 26
  • Rebounds: 10
  • Assists: 6
  • FG: 9-for-21
  • 3FG: 1-for-6
  • FT: 7-for-9
  • Blocks: 1
  • Turnovers: 3

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joel Embiid 76ers stats vs Celtics in Game 4 after appendix surgery

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How Kopitar Went From The Slovenian Kid to The Greatest King Ever

With the season over for the Kings, it means saying goodbye to one of the longest-tenured Kings players. Anze Kopitar is officially retired from the NHL, leaving a legacy that will be remembered for generations. Kopitar is likely to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he is eligible, and he will be remembered not only as one of the greatest Kings players of all time but also as one of the best NHL players of all time. 

Kopitar's Legacy 

Anze Kopitar was drafted 11th overall by the LA Kings in 2005 and became the first Slovenian player drafted into the NHL. Kopitar's impact on the Kings was immediate, as in his first NHL game, he scored 2 goals against the Anaheim Ducks. 

Anze Kopitar helped bring the Kings 2 Stanley Cups in his career, the first in 2012, when he played 20 games and registered 20 points, tying for the team lead with Dustin Brown. Kopitar would also help the Kings win another Stanley Cup just 2 Seasons later in 2014, when he led the Kings in points and helped them win their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 seasons. Kopitar also became the captain of the LA Kings in 2016 and remained captain until his very last game. 

Kopitar's Accolades 

With Anze Kopitar's long career, he has no shortage of awards in his name. Anze Kopitar won the Selke Trophy in 2016 and 2018, and the award is given to a forward who best excels in the defensive aspect of hockey. Kopitar has consistently showcased his strong 2-way play, serving as a difference-maker on both offence and defence throughout his career. 

Anze Kopitar is also a 3-time recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy, having won it in 2016, 2023, and 2025. The Lady Byng Trophy is an annual award given to the player who demonstrates the best sportsmanship while also maintaining a high standard of play. Anze Kopitar is a symbol not only of this trophy but also of sportsmanship throughout his career. 

Kopitar is also the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award, which he received in 2022. That award demonstrates quality leadership to their team both on and off the ice during the regular season. Anze Kopitar's career awards give an insight into just how great he is both as a person and as a hockey player. 

Kings History 

Throughout the 2025-26 NHL season, Anze Kopitar was chasing down Kings history, and on March 14th, 2026, Anze Kopitar passed Kings franchise legend Marcel Dionne for the most points in LA Kings franchise history, and he currently holds that record with 1316 points. Not only does Kopitar have the most points in Kings history, but he also has the most games played in his NHL career, with 1521. 

The NHL is losing one of the greatest players ever to play, not only for his skill but also for what he represents as a person, a leader, and a teammate. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest ever to play the game. 

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Winners and Losers: Cavs vs Raptors Game 4 – The core is crumbling

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers looked ugly once again as the Toronto Raptors tied their series 2-2.

Let’s go over today’s losers.

LOSER – The Core Four

Yep, all of ‘em.

Winning in the playoffs can often come down to having the best player on the floor. In the case of the Cavs, they have an argument for four of the five best players in the series. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen should all be capable of dominating a game against the Raptors.

So, when none of them show up to play, that’s a concern. There’s really no excuse for some of the poor performances we saw in both Games 3 and 4.

Harden and Mitchell were totally disrupted by Toronto’s defense. The backcourt combined for 11 turnovers in Game 4 as their team scored just 89 points. The decision-making was highly questionable, and they didn’t make up for any of it with their defense.

Mitchell was especially bad. He didn’t have any positive impact on either game played in Toronto. He’s been far too content watching the ball. And when he does fight to get open, he’s settling for jumpers more often than not. There needs to be a greater focus on applying rim pressure. Right now, that extra effort just isn’t there.

The bigs are, of course, impacted negatively by the backcourt’s playmaking. It’s harder to get Allen and Mobley rolling offensively when… well, you aren’t getting them the ball.

That said, the bigs didn’t do enough to assert themselves or create advantages through their screening. A more dominant presence on defense could have swung things. Mobley can not get by with scoring only 8 points in a pivotal playoff game. Not when the backcourt is being hounded as heavily as they are. There has to be a release valve, and Mobley is supposed to be the guy.

Allen wasn’t much better. Though I think he deserves credit for grabbing 15 rebounds and anchoring Cleveland’s defense. He was largely responsible for all of their best contests at the rim. That’s his job, obviously, but it’s worth noting that he did it.

Offense was the issue. Allen was unable to punish Toronto for going small. Whether it’s failing to get a deep seal in the post, rolling hard to the rim, or crashing the offensive glass for a putback opportunity. As is the theme, the Cavs needed more from their best players.

To call a spade a spade, this series will end with four straight losses if the core four continues to play the way they just did. It’s time to meet the moment, or be defined by another early playoff exit.

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Sabres erupt for 4 goals in first period, win 6-1 to push Bruins to 3-1 hole in series

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins

Apr 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Buffalo Sabres celebrate their win over the Boston Bruins in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

BOSTON — Sabres coach Lindy Ruff shut down any talk of putting forwards Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker back in after injuries sent them to the locker room late in Game 4 of Buffalo’s first-round playoff series against the Bruins.

“I said ‘There’s no need to return at this time,’” Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston. “Just treat them and leave them in the dressing room. Just for where the game was at.”

It was that kind of day for Buffalo — and Boston.

Josh Doan had a goal and an assist during Buffalo’s four-goal first-period, and Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots to help the Sabres take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Buffalo, which fell behind in each of the first three games, took a 6-0 lead before the Bruins got on the board in the final minute.

“I am embarrassed, and we all should be,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “And we’re all (upset), and we will talk about it, but then we have to move on.

“As far as I know, you have to win four games to move on. They’ve got three, so that means we still have a chance,” he said. “And I can cry about it, but I also have to push my guys for the next game and make sure our intensity is going to be there.”

Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson and Bowen Byram also scored to help Buffalo open a 4-0 lead. Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch scored 84 seconds apart in the third period to make it 6-0 and chase Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.

Boston split the games in Buffalo and needed just one win at home to avoid moving to the brink of elimination. Instead the Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division to end an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, can finish off the best-of-seven series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Buffalo for their first playoff series win since 2007.

“They beat us once in our building, so I’m sure that they’re going to come in feeling confident and motivated. We have to be ready for that,” Lyon said. “Sometimes when you have a really good game, it’s almost harder to a degree to curb that emotion. So, enjoy it for a hot second, and then we’ve got a job to do.”

Swayman stopped 23 shots for Boston before he was pulled at 46 minutes, 41 seconds, shouting down the bench in frustration as he left the ice. Joonas Korpisalo stopped all six shots he faced the rest of the way.

“At least the one guy” showed emotion, Sturm said. “It was not his fault today, I can tell you that. Felt bad for him. That’s why we kept him in there for a while, because he’s a battler. He wants to be in.”

Krebs scored 4:17 into the game, Doan’s goal came less than three minutes later and Benson followed two minutes after that. When Byram made it 4-0 just 14:24 into the game, it was Buffalo’s second four-goal period of the series; the Sabres rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to win 4-3 in Game 1.

The last time the Bruins allowed four goals in the first period of a playoff game, they were facing the Hartford Whalers in the first round of the 1991 postseason.

Sean Kuraly scored a short-handed goal in the final minute to avert the Bruins’ first shoutout of the season.

TheSabres lost Kozak after a hit from Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy midway through the third period sent him into the boards. It wasn’t clear what happened to Zucker, who last appeared in the play-by-play with about five minutes left.

Buffalo’s power-play woes continued — sort of. After failing to score on their first 13 man advantages in the series — and their last 22 in the regular season — the Sabres’ second goal came just after a Boston penalty expired, but before Viktor Arvidsson had gotten back into play.

But they were officially 0 for 2 on the power play, extending their drought to 15 in the series and 37 overall.

“You could say we’re going to be 0-for-whatever. I really don’t care right now,” Ruff said. “As far as I’m concerned, we scored a power-play goal. The guy was still in the box, and it looked good.”

Up next

The Sabres will have a chance to eliminate Boston in Buffalo on Tuesday night, with a Game 6 back at the TD Garden on Friday, if necessary.

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The Trust Pie: Who Deserves the Most Trust in the Cardinals Rotation? (feat. Benjamin Hochman)

The Cardinals rotation has not performed particularly well. Individual games are quite good here and there, check out McGreevy’s line from his start today, but on the whole they are near the bottom of the league in many important pitching indicators.

We were joined by Benjamin Hochman of the Post-Dispatch to consider the rotation from an interesting angle. Given a “trust pie,” how would we divide the pie amongst the current starters for the Cardinals? This convo had it all: stats, vibes, insider info from Benjamin and, of course, pie!

Would certainly be curious to see how you all would divide your trust pie amongst the staff. I’ve put all the relevant links below, would be awesome if you could subscribe as you listen! We appreciate your time — and thanks for listening!

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Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers

April 26, 2026

Location: Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

TV:NBC/Peacock

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)

Online: Prime Video

Time: 8:30 PM CST

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, Deandre Ayton

Austin Reaves is a game time decision for the Lakers, with his oblique injury. Kevin Durant is out. Will he be, no doubt coincidentally, be receiving treatment for his ankle during the game, at 830PM CST? We will find out.

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MacKinnon leads Avalanche to 5-1 win and 1st-round sweep of LA Kings, ending Anze Kopitar’s career

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings

Apr 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Artemi Panarin (10) controls the puck while under pressure from Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brett Kulak (27) during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

William Liang-Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist, Nicolas Roy and Devon Toews scored in the third period, and the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 5-1 victory in Game 4 on Sunday.

Cale Makar also scored and Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves as the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avs ended the 20-year career of Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who announced his pending retirement in September.

The Slovenian center is the top scorer in franchise history and a two-time Selke Trophy winner, and he was a star on the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championship teams in 2012 and 2014 before spending the past decade as their captain. The Kings crowd repeatedly chanted “Kopi! Kopi!” in the final minutes of the blowout, and he got standing ovations when he came out for his final two shifts.

The Avalanche all greeted Kopitar warmly while he led the postgame handshake line. He then circled at center ice with his arm raised while his teammates banged their sticks on the ice for his final farewell.

With a masterful four-game demonstration of the roster-wide talent on a team ready to win it all, Colorado advanced to face the winner of the heavyweight first-round series between Dallas and Minnesota. Those clubs are tied heading to Game 5 on Tuesday, meaning the Avs will get at least five consecutive days off before the second round, and quite possibly more.

Joel Edmundson scored and Anton Forsberg stopped 27 shots for the Kings, whose fifth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs ended with their eighth consecutive postseason defeat over the past two years and their seventh straight first-round exit since hoisting the Cup 12 years ago.

Although interim coach D.J. Smith was able to extend his team’s streak of postseason appearances with a late surge into the last wild-card spot, Los Angeles has not won a playoff round since raising the Stanley Cup for the second time.

After scoring 53 goals in the regular season, MacKinnon got his first goal of these playoffs in the first period on a power play, ending the Avs’ 0 for 9 start to the series with the man advantage. Colorado never trailed in Game 4, putting it away with two goals in less than three minutes early in the third.

Although defense-first Los Angeles began the series by slowing down the powerhouse Avs and even holding MacKinnon to one assist in three games, the Kings scored just four goals while being pushed to the brink.

The Kings again failed to score on two early power plays in Game 4 before MacKinnon put the Avs ahead when his one-timer, set up by Nazem Kadri, trickled through Forsberg.

Makar then glided past Taylor Ward early in the second period and fired a beautiful wrist shot for the Conn Smythe Trophy winner’s second goal in two games.

The Kings finally answered with veteran defenseman Edmundson’s first playoff goal since 2020.

But after Roy drove into the slot and scored on a rebound early in the third, Toews threaded a wrist shot through heavy traffic to put Colorado up 4-1.

MacKinnon added an empty-net goal, giving him 57 goals in 99 career playoff games.

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Game 4 Recap: First round complete after Colorado sweep of Kings

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche is congratulated by Cale Makar #8 after scoring a goal. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Entering today the Colorado Avalanche had the opportunity to sweep their first round opponent and did just that in a 5-1 victory against the LA Kings. Goals from Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Nicolas Roy and Devon Toews set the stage for the early handshakes as this series wrapped up with little drama.

The Game

With their season on the line, the Kings got some early momentum out of the gate including two power plays. But they didn’t convert on either opportunity which was just an investment in future Avalanche power plays. And that is exactly what happened as Colorado received their first man advantage before the period was over and scored just 15 seconds into it when they collapsed on Los Angeles’ box and Nathan MacKinnon scored his first goal of the playoffs to put the Avalanche up 1-0.

That one-goal lead for Colorado stretched to two early in the second period as Cale Makar snuck up in the offensive zone and wired a quick wrist shot past Anton Forsberg. The Kings’ season was really on life support now with Colorado looking to run out the clock and wrap-up this game. However, before the end of the frame there was a hint of life for the Kings as Joel Edmundson took advantage of some lax defense, advanced in the offensive zone and put the puck past Scott Wedgewood. Colorado was still in the driver’s seat, though, still up 2-1 at that point.

While that glimmer of hope may have simmered for the Kings during the second intermission, the Avalanche doused it quickly in the third period with strikes from Nicolas Roy and Devon Toews. The Kings decided to pull their goaltender for the extra attacker with over five minutes left but MacKinnon added another goal to Colorado’s totals. With a 5-1 victory secured the Avalanche will be moving on to the second round.

At that point with five minutes left in the game it was time to show Kings captain Anze Kopitar appreciation for his successful 20-year career and give him the space to give his final farewell to the Kings fans in attendance and watching from all over the world. Congratulations, Anze! The game of hockey will miss you.

Takeaways

The Kings put up a valiant fight but the reality always has been this series set up as just the appetizer to the main course that’s to come for Colorado in a second round showdown with either the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild. A power play goal and Nathan MacKinnon appearing on the scoresheet were good to see before this series wrapped up as both will need to make frequent appearances as the Avalanche move forward.

Colorado should get a full week off to heal some bumps and bruises but how they manage rest vs. rust will be something to monitor moving forward.

Upcoming

A long wait to start the second round series against either Dallas or Minnesota who are currently locked into a 2-2 tie in their series.

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Anze Kopitar bids farewell to legendary career after LA Kings loss

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar bid farewell to his Hall of Fame-worthy career on Sunday, April 26.

It was a bittersweet ending for the two-time Stanley Cup champion as the Kings fell 5-1 to the Colorado Avalanche at home in Game 4 and were eliminated in a sweep.

But the 20-season veteran got to have his final moments with Kings fans, who shouted "Kopi, Kopi" as time wound down, gave him a standing ovation and also chanted, "Thank you, Kopi."

"It was hard to keep it together," Kopitar told reporters after the game about the fan reaction. "Being for here for 20 years, more than half of my lifetime, is really special.

He was emotional as he received lots of hugs from the Avalanche during his final handshake line. Then he lifted his stick toward the fans and waved goodbye as his teammates tapped their sticks and on-ice officials applauded. Teammate Drew Doughty, also a member of the Kings' Stanley Cup teams, followed him off the ice.

Kopitar had announced during training camp that this would be the final season of his NHL career so he could spend more time with his family. He became the Kings' all-time leading scorer during the season. And with a five-game winning streak in the season's final weeks, Kopitar was guaranteed an 11th trip to the playoffs.

The Kings avoided a fourth consecutive first-round meeting with the Edmonton Oilers. But they had to face the No. 1 overall seeded Avalanche. Colorado completed the sweep on Sunday with goals by Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Nicolas Roy, Devon Toews and MacKinnon again. The Avalanche will face the Dallas Stars-Minnesota Wild winner in the second round.

Watch Anze Kopitar's emotional farewell

Is Anze Kopitar a Hall of Famer?

Easily for his championships, defensive acumen and leadership.

The Slovenian native and 11th overall pick in 2005 won Stanley Cup titles with the Kings in 2012 and 2014, and was the leading playoff scorer in both years. He passed a Hall of Famer, Marcel Dionne, to become the Kings' top scorer and finished with 452 goals, 864 assists and 1,316 points. He has been Kings captain since the 2016-17 season.

Kopitar, 38, led the Kings with 107 postseason games and finished tied for second with 89 points.

He won the Selke Trophy twice as top defensive forward and the Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) three times, including in 2024-25. He also won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in 2021-22.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA Kings' Anze Kopitar bids farewell to career after playoff loss

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Mets outfielder Tommy Pham designated for assignment: report

The Mets have designated veteran outfielder Tommy Pham for assignment, according to multiple reports.

The move came soon after New York lost both games of a doubleheader, managing just one run on 10 hits on Sunday as the Colorado Rockies completed a three-game sweep at Citi Field. Pham went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in the first game, a 3-1 defeat.

A corresponding move had yet to be announced. New York is in the midst of a team-wide slump, and has scored one run or fewer in 10 of the first 28 games of the season, including both games Sunday.

The Mets signed Pham to a minor league deal in late March and called the 38-year-old up earlier this month. He appeared in nine games with the team and went hitless in 13 at-bats with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Pham first signed with the Mets in 2023, appearing in 73 games before he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks ahead of the trade deadline, slashing .268/.348/.472 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI. Pham has always hit left-handed pitchers well, posting a career .802 OPS with 49 home runs against lefties. 

Pham played for 10 teams during his 13 big league seasons. In 449 plate appearances over 120 games for Pittsburgh last season, Pham slashed .245/.330/.370 for a .700 OPS (94 OPS+) with 10 homers and 17 doubles.

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NBA disciplines Nuggets-Timberwolves fight. Was anyone suspended?

With just two days between games, the NBA has promptly sorted through discipline stemming from the Denver Nuggets-Minnesota Timberwolvesaltercation, with no players drawing suspensions.

The NBA announced Sunday, April 26 that Nuggets All-Star center and Most Valuable Player finalist Nikola Jokić has been fined $50,000, and Timberwolves forward Julius Randle has been fined $35,000, following a review of the incident.

NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations James Jones oversaw the league investigation and levied the fines.

Jokić’s fine was for initiating the altercation and shoving Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, and Randle’s is for escalating the event by “forcefully inserting himself into the scrum” and shoving Nuggets guard Bruce Brown.

The NBA conducts its investigations by reviewing footage from inside the arena and speaking to parties involved.

Although the NBA has rules for players drawing automatic suspensions for leaving the bench area during altercations, the league weighs the role those individuals play in any fight. That allowed players like Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who clearly left the bench area despite not being checked into the game, to avoid a suspension.

The fight started with just 1.3 seconds left in Game 4, an eventual 112-96 Timberwolves victory Saturday, April 25, when the outcome was already decided. But the Timberwolves, looking to burn the clock, tossed the ball up to forward Jaden McDaniels. Rather than dribble it out for the end of the game, McDaniels put up an uncontested layup to push Minnesota’s lead to 16 points.

Jokić took exception to the layup and rushed over from half court to confront McDaniels, eventually getting in McDaniels’ face and shoving him.

McDaniels grabbed Jokić by the jersey as the two got tangled up, leading to teammates and assistants getting in between the pair to break it up. The incident took place right in front of the Timberwolves’ bench.

Eventually, both players were separated, and both Jokić and Randle were ejected.

“Because he scored when everybody stopped playing,” Jokić said after the game when asked what upset him. “Come on, guys, you saw it, what happened.”

The Nuggets fell to a 3-1 series deficit with Saturday’s loss, though the victory didn’t come without some significant cost for the Timberwolves. Minnesota lost starting guard Donte DiVincenzo to a torn right Achilles tendon, and All-Star guard Anthony Edwards reportedly suffered a bone bruise and hyperextended knee that will sideline him for multiple weeks.

The altercation, though, somewhat marred what was a physical, hard-fought game, one in which backup Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu dropped a career-high 43 points.

“Obviously, I didn’t like what McDaniels did,” Nuggets coach David Adelman told reporters after the game. “The game was over. The game was conceded both ways. In 2026 that stuff just doesn’t happen anymore. That stuff happened in the ‘80s, where teams would continue to score. But that’s who he is. And so if that’s what they want to do, that’s what they want to do. It has nothing to do with the win or the loss.”

Game 5 is scheduled for Monday, April 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikola Jokic, Julius Randle disciplined after NBA playoff game fracas

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Snakepit Roundtable: Anonymous edition

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 25: General view of Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú prior the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 25, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images

[Editor’s note] Due to an incorrectly constructed Google form, I don’t know whose responses are who! So enjoy this game of “Guess the Snakepitter”! LOLExcept for Mak. Thanks for still putting your name, Mak.

So what did the disappointing series against the White Sox tell us?

Response 4: I think it says more about the Chicago White Sox than it does about the Arizona Diamondbacks. The White Sox aren’t the historically bad team that they’ve been the last couple seasons is the main take home here. As far as the Dbacks go, I think this roster is going to need a revamping. You have three position players in Ryan Waldschmidt, LuJames Groover, and Tommy Troy who almost certainly could contribute more than some of the other position players on the roster. There are several veteran relief arms and a few pitching prospects I think it would be a huge improvement over some of the arms currently in the bullpen.

Makakilo: The White Sox series showed excellent batting will often prevail over average pitching.

Response 2: That the bullpen weaknesses we all feared really are still there. But it also showed that this team is more resilient than last season’s. Also, Merrill Kelly is still rusty.

Response 1: That the pitching is still Arizona pitching. And the offense needs to be more consistent. It also told us that Murakami is far more likely to be a Dodger in 2027/2028 than we would’ve thought 2 months ago.

Perhaps more importantly, what did it not tell us?

Response 4: I don’t think it tells us how either team’s 2026 season will go. The White Sox could very well slip and finish with a losing record, and that applies to the Dbacks as well

Makakilo: The White Sox series did not tell us anything about the Diamondbacks chances to reach the playoffs.

Response 3: It still didn’t tell us what sort of pitching we actually do have and it also is still looking like the team is not firing on all cylinders on offense. So what we still don’t know is how this offense is going to fare moving forward. Would the real versions of roster members please stand up?

Response 1: That the season is over. We had a bad series. Ok. Get up, shake it off, move on. Bigger fish to fry.

What is our level of concern with Merrill Kelly and Ryne Nelson?

Response 4: They’ll both be fine. Not going to stress about a sub-4 ERA in Merrill Kelly’s case, and an ERA barely over 4 in Ryne Nelson case. Even Paul Skenes has had a bad start this year, so it happens, and I wont stress or worry about it until this becomes an extended trend.

Makakilo: I’m optimistic that the problem can be fixed. Perhaps it was the mix of pitches. For reasons that are unclear, in their two recent starts, Kelly and Nelson pitched a much higher than normal percentage of four-seam fastballs (MLB com and Baseball Savant). Before he left the game, Kelly had about half four-seam fastballs, when a quarter is his normal. In his first four batters, Nelson pitched 8 four-seam fastballs and one slider, when 60% is his normal.

Response 2: With Merrill Kelly, right now it is around 3-4 out of 10. He looked mostly decent but rusty in his season debut. Oddities galore muddied his second performance where rust and said oddities led to the game spiraling out of control. But he needs to start looking sharper moving forward or that concern is going to escalate quickly. With Ryne Nelson, it’s somewhere around a 7 out of 10. When he is on his game, he is getting the swings and misses. But it really seems like he isn’t trusting his defense to make plays and is trying to strike everyone out, which is leading to him getting swatted around. It really looks like he is grinding through a bit of a confidence problem all around. Those can snowball into nightmare seasons in a hurry and he is still learning to adapt to the Majors. I would be less concerned if he had another full season of decent performance under his belt. If he has another blow-up or two in his next two starts, it might be time to look at piggy-backing a tandem starter situation with Pfaadt on days when Nelson would be the starter.

Response 1: Medium for both. Nelson was supposed to be the next Mainstay. And the old Mainstay is old. I trust and believe in both. Trust the process (and keep an eye on Reno pitching lines).

The Diamondbacks are playing in Mexico as this is being written. What are your thoughts on MLB’s attempts to grow the sport beyond the US/CA borders?

Response 4: I think MLB needs to do a lot more like this to grow the sport. Mexico has been a market that could be tapped into much more, so having series there is a start. I’d like to see more regular season games hosted in WBC countries. What MLB really needs to do though is get games back on free, over-the-air television. Games being broadcast on local television is what got me into baseball for the long haul. New fans arent going to plunk down money on a sport they aren’t even sure they like! If over-the-air TV isnt an option, then my suggestion is for MLB to broadcast a game each day, rotating so every single team gets a couple games available for free with no blackouts each season. THAT would do more to grow the game than having games in random non-American/Canadian countries.

Makakilo: Baseball Reference shows this season there are 8 players in the Majors who were born in Mexico. With two players, the Blue Jays have more than any other team. Baseball shows what team cooperation and healthy competition can look like. The world would benefit if more countries followed the model of baseball.

Response 3: I love the motivation for the Mexico City series. I am getting sick and tired of such international exhibitions costing AZ home games. At the same time, it puts AZ out there more than other teams. I expect the balls to be flying at that altitude, which could get interesting.

Response 1: It’s fine. I wish there was more of this. I’m confused why it’s two games with days off on either side though. I thought the excuse for why international series were so difficult was jet lag, but the series takes place in US Central time zone so that doesn’t add up. Neither does travel time since it’s closer than NYC to Phoenix. As for there only being two games… idk I guess this is just MLB being MLB. Honestly I just hope we fare better than when MLS teams have to go down to play “tournament” matches in Mexico. They almost always seem to get sick. For a soccer team that’s a minor blip on the schedule. For a baseball team? Huge ramifications for end of season record.