Former G League and pro guard TJ Clark has decommitted from Ole Miss, he told Rivals.
The 6-foot-3, 22-year-old committed to Chris Beard and the Rebels in mid-December but has now decided to reopen his recruitment.
Clark, a native of Covington, Georgia, has spent the past few years in the pro ranks, including stops with Overtime Elite, the NBA G League, and most recently a season in Mexico.
He attended Newton High School before signing a professional deal with Overtime Elite (OTE) from 2021 to 2023. After two seasons at OTE, Clark went on to play in the NBA G League in the 2023-24 season for two teams — the Ontario Clippers and Texas Legends. With Ontario, he averaged 3.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field. Following a trade to the Texas Legends, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 41.5% from the field.
In the 2024-25 season, Clark suited up for Rayos de Hermosillo, a top professional team in Mexico that participates in the Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico (CIBACOPA) league. The Rayos are among the league’s most successful teams, winning multiple championships. During his one year stint there, Clark averaged 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 42% from the field and 34% from three.
Now a veteran of more than 50 NHL playoff games, Jack Eichel does not think the approach should be any different the deeper he and the Vegas Golden Knights venture into the postseason.
“We know we need to be better, and you want to continue to elevate your game both individually and as a team the further you go,” Eichel said. “That’s our goal.”
Easier said than done. Big boy hockey has arrived in the third round, with three of the top five favorites still playing in the conference finals. Vegas faces league-best Colorado in the West, while unbeaten beast-of-the-East Carolina gets the winner of Game 7 between Buffalo and Montreal.
Western Conference final: Colorado vs. Vegas
Game 1: Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Favorite: Colorado (2-5)
The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best regular season and spent 156 consecutive days atop the NHL standings since Nov. 1, the longest run in four decades. They swept Los Angeles in the first round and beat Minnesota in five games, rallying to put the Wild away in overtime after falling behind 3-0 on the road.
Now, the difficulty level rachets up.
“I would expect Colorado’s stiffest challenge is going to come here in this next series because Vegas has been around the block,” former player and coach-turned-TNT analyst Ed Olczyk said. “They’ve got an experienced coach. They’re getting goaltending that they didn’t get for a lot of the regular season.”
Backstopped by Carter Hart and led by Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights are in the West final for the fourth time in their nine years of existence. It’s their first under coach John Tortorella, who took over in late March and oversaw a 7-0-1 run to finish the season and more success in the playoffs.
“We feel really good about ourselves,” Tortorella said. “In playoffs, it’s not just the X’s and O’s and all. It’s how you feel, and the confidence level you have. I think we’re in a good spot.”
Colorado counterpart Jared Bednar is not worried about how his players will handle the spotlight getting brighter. The Avalanche are four years removed from their 2022 Stanley Cup run, while Vegas won it in ’23.
“We have the exact same expectations as Vegas does,” Bednar said. “We have very similar experience, too: probably close to half the roster winning a Stanley Cup a couple years ago, no success since, and here we are facing each other. So, pressure on us is no different than the pressure on them.”
On the injury front, Vegas captain Mark Stone has been out since leaving Game 3 against Anaheim with an undisclosed injury. Avalanche star Cale Makar has been dealing with an apparent right arm or shoulder injury while fellow defenseman Sam Malinski and forward Artturi Lehkonen missed time late in the Minnesota series.
Eastern Conference final: Carolina vs. Buffalo or Montreal
Game 1: Thursday, 8 p.m. ET (TNT, TruTV)
Favorite: Carolina (4-11)
The Hurricanes are the first team to sweep through the first two rounds since the NHL went to four best-of-seven series in 1987. Their gift is 11 full days off before starting the East final.
“Obviously that’s not great,” Olczyk said. “That’s not ideal, but you’d rather have that than play back-to-back seven-game series and probably having guys being taped up to just get out there.”
Carolina captain Jordan Staal feels the same way, shrugging of the concern about rust and saying, “If anyone in the league was in a playoff series and they had the opportunity to win in four or seven, they would pick four.”
One more victory would tie the 1985 Edmonton Oilers for the longest winning streak to start a playoffs.
With back-to-back champion Florida not making it after injuries derailed the Panthers’ season and other perennial contenders like Toronto and Tampa Bay out of the way, the sea has parted for the Hurricanes to get over the hump. They’ve won at least a round in each of Rod Brind’Amour’s eight years as coach but have not yet reached the Stanley Cup Final.
“They’re perfect — no blemishes,” Olczyk said, pointing to the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and strong scoring depth as contributing factors. “I felt that it was them: It was Carolina and everybody else. And could they do it when they were the favorites and when the path was opened, could they take advantage? And they have taken full advantage.”
Whoever comes out on top between the Sabres and Canadiens will have a quick turnaround from Game 7 to playing in Raleigh 72 hours later. Montreal last reached the third round in 2021 when divisional playoffs were in place to get through pandemic border restrictions, while Buffalo has not gotten this far since consecutive trips to the East final in 2006-07.
The Chicago White Sox (24-22) and the Seattle Mariners (22-26) open a three‑game series tonight at T‑Mobile Park. The White Sox are one of the biggest surprises in baseball. This past weekend Chicago took two of three from the Cubs and have now won seven of their last ten games to remain just a single game behind first place Cleveland in the American League Central. The Mariners lost three in a row over the weekend to San Diego and have now lost six of their last ten to fall into third in the AL West behind the Athletics and the Rangers.
The pitching matchup features left‑hander Noah Schultz for Chicago against right‑hander Bryan Woo for Seattle. Woo has been sharp recently putting together back-to-back quality starts, posting a 3.91 ERA with 47 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP overall on the campaign. Schultz, meanwhile, carries a 4.91 ERA and has struggled in his last two outings, allowing a combined 10 earned runs over eight innings. His command will be a key storyline tonight.
Offensively, the White Sox have leaned on Munetaka Murakami, who leads the team with 17 home runs and 32 RBIs. Andrew Benintendi has been hot, going 5-6 over the weekend against the Cubs. Seattle counters with Randy Arozarena, who leads the Mariners with a .301 batting average and Luke Raley who is the top bomber for Seattle with 10 home runs. The Mariners have relied heavily on power—owning a 10–4 record when hitting at least two home runs—while the White Sox have thrived when reaching eight or more hits, going 17–7 in such games.
This series pits two teams who could well be vying for the same Wild Card spot come October which makes this game and series in May all the more important.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Mariners
Date: Monday, May 18, 2026
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Rate Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSN, Mariners.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: White Sox vs. Mariners
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago White Sox (+135), Seattle Mariners (-163)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-163), Mariners -1.5 (+135)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: White Sox vs. Mariners
Pitching matchup for May 18:
White Sox: Noah Schultz Season Totals: 29.1 IP, 2-2, 4.91 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 26K, 21 BB
Miguel Vargas is riding a 9-game hitting streak (12-32)
Chase Meidroth is 0-11 over his last three games
Julio Rodriguez is 1-16 over his last 4 games
Luke Raley has hit safely in 5 of his last 6 games (7-22)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: White Sox vs. Mariners
The Sox are 10-12 on the road this season
The Mariners are 12-14 at home this season
The White Sox are 27-19 on the Run Line this season
The Mariners are 17-31 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 27 times in games involving the White Sax this season (27-19)
The OVER has cashed 22 times in Mariners’ games this season (22-25-1)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Mariners
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the White Sox and the Mariners:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning twoards a play on Seattle on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.0 runs
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 23: Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals takes the field prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday, May 23, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Graham Miller/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Royals are already missing one member of their starting rotation, and now they’ll try to overcome the loss of another.
With Cole Ragans already on the shelf, the Royals announced that Kris Bubic has been placed on the 15-day Injured List with left-elbow soreness. Eli Morgan was called up to replace him on the roster. Bubic was scheduled to start Tuesday night against Boston, but the Royals have not yet announced how they’ll manage that start.
Kris Bubic felt more sore than normal after his start last week, prompting the #Royals to be cautious and put him on the IL. He’s optimistic it will be a short stint, but he’ll get checked out and go through all the testing.
Bubic exited his last start against the White Sox on Thursday after just four innings, having given up three walks and five runs, and getting just six swings and misses. In nine starts this year, he has a 4.11 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 50.1 innings.
Morgan has had a couple of stints with the Royals this year, and has a 2.61 ERA in seven outings with nine strikeouts in 10.1 innings.
The Royals could go with Luinder Avila to start on Tuesday. The right-hander hasn’t pitched since Thursday, and has a 5.28 ERA in 15.1 innings this year. Bailey Falter, who was activated last week and last pitched on Saturday, could also be an option.
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Royce O’Neale may or may not be the number one player on the trade block for the Phoenix Suns this offseason. He has a cheap contract, the Suns want to continue getting younger and more athletic, and he has value to any team he could potentially end up on.
The Suns appear to want to keep the nucleus of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks together. Mark Williams, Jordan Goodwin, and Collin Gillespie are free agents, so even if the Suns wanted to use those players as trade chips, they cannot. The Suns have four young players they drafted the last two seasons who have some value, but nothing other teams around the league should covet. So that leaves O’Neale and Grayson Allen as the Suns with value, under sizeable contracts, that could fetch a decent role player in return.
But even though there are many good reasons to trade O’Neale, there are many reasons that he should remain a Sun as well.
The main reason why O’Neale should not be traded this offseason is his shooting. Last season, O’Neale shot a career high 40.8% from the three-point line and made 2.7 three-pointers per game. Both of those rank in the top 25 of all NBA players. It was not an outlier year either; O’Neale shot above 40% from long range in the 2024-25 as well, and he has continued to improve as a shooter almost every season since he came into the league.
Not only is the shooting percentage real, but his ability to take and make difficult shots is valuable as well. O’Neale is not a movement shooter, but his quick release off the catch or pump-fake side-step dribble three-point shots make him extremely valuable to NBA offenses. So while O’Neale should not start 67 games next season like he did this year, he can be a key contributor and a needed shooter coming off the bench.
O’Neale is not the future at the forward position for Phoenix, and it may be this offseason that Rasheer Fleming gets the nod from Jordan Ott as a more integral rotation player than O’Neale. But with the ups and downs that come from playing young players, the Suns will still need a veteran presence who can stay ready and play under any circumstance. That is where O’Neale provides so much value, even as someone coming off the bench.
We have seen Ryan Dunn struggle to commit fouls on defense over the last two seasons, and Fleming will have his growing pains as the lead defender on the ball as well. Let’s not forget the handful of games that Brooks spent fourth quarters on the bench for his erratic fouling and behavior. Even though he is not a great defender anymore, O’Neale provides the calming presence on both ends that the Suns will need to deal with the growth of the young bucks.
Offensively, it will be difficult for any young player on the roster to replicate O’Neale’s role on offense. He is one of the Suns’ smartest, craftiest, and crucial pieces to their offensive success. He was not a go-to scorer, but he did handle the ball more this season and showed he can keep the Suns’ offense moving. He was a steadying presence that often went overlooked by most of us fans, but with O’Neale starting 67 games and playing in crucial stretches, he showed that Jordan Ott valued him more than we did.
By the way, his 67 starts led the team this season. Which is the next reason that O’Neale should remain a Phoenix Sun: his consistency.
O’Neale played 69 games in his rookie season and has yet to play below 70 games in his career since then. His 78 games were the third most games played this season by a Sun, and you can pencil him in for 70 or more games next season as well. Being in the lineup every day and being a consistent shooter are two extremely valuable skills the Suns need in the rotation. Not only is his play consistent, but so is his demeanor. He keeps his poise when things spiral, which is needed to balance out the chaotic nature of playing alongside the necessary chaotic Dillon Brooks style of basketball.
The weaknesses for O’Neale are easy to see. Is O’Neale the defender he used to be at his peak? No, he is not. He has glaring flaws, especially in rebounding and defending the ball. His value is only going to decline with age; however, holding onto him for one more season could be wise, because he can be used as an expiring contract next season. He has two years left on his 4-year, $42 million contract he signed in 2024, which is not exceptional value, but he still provides the Suns with value at that price tag. The Suns will not be able to easily pick up a 40% three-point shooter off the street to replace O’Neale.
Unless O’Neale is traded away for a star player, the Suns have to keep him because the only other knockdown three-point shooters on the roster are Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen. Outside of those three players, the Suns do not have the consistent shooting needed to space out opposing defenses. If the Suns truly are set on Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks being a three-headed monster next season, they are going to need players like O’Neale who can fill in the gaps. Right now, outside of Allen, O’Neale can fill in those gaps better than anyone else on the Suns roster.
Hopefully, Ryan Dunn or Rasheer Fleming can supplant him soon, but for now, O’Neale is just as integral a piece to the Suns’ next season as any role player on the roster. The Suns won 45 games this season, with O’Neale starting 67 games and only making $10.5 annually. He is the quintessential glue guy, and replacing him will be much tougher than it looks at the surface. So even if you do want him traded, and I won’t tell you you are wrong, it will be difficult for the Suns to replace a guy who was one of the most dependable players on the team last season.
Madison Square Garden Sports has moved to split the New York Knicks and New York Rangers into two separate, publicly traded companies — a move analysts say could finally unlock billions in trapped franchise value tied up under James Dolan’s sprawling sports empire.
The Knicks entity would include the NBA franchise and the Westchester Knicks G League affiliate, while the Rangers company would house the NHL club and the Hartford Wolf Pack.
James Dolan’s MSG Sports filed to split the Knicks and Rangers into separate publicly traded companies. James Keivom for NY Post
“This move has been a long time in coming,” Derek Reisfield, co-founder of MarketWatch and a former CBS executive who worked on NFL rights negotiations, told The Post.
“There has been a persistent gap in the stock value of MSG Sports to the private market value,” Reisfield said.
Forbes valued the Knicks at $9.75 billion last year, while CNBC recently pegged the franchise above the $10 billion mark amid soaring NBA media-rights expectations.
The Rangers, meanwhile, were valued by Forbes at $4 billion — making them the NHL’s second-most valuable franchise behind only the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Knicks have been valued near or above $10 billion by major sports finance outlets. Knicks star OG Anunoby is seen above during his team’s playoff series against Paul George (8) and VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
MSG Sports, however, currently carries a public market valuation of roughly $8.5 billion — far below the combined estimated private-market value of the Knicks and Rangers.
Investors have long argued that Dolan’s complicated corporate structure obscured the true value of the teams.
MSG Sports said the transaction, if completed, would create two separate publicly traded companies. The company cautioned there is no guarantee the separation will be completed.
Still, the filing immediately fueled speculation over whether Dolan could ultimately cash out of one or both franchises after decades of insisting the teams were not for sale.
The Rangers would be housed in a separate public company under MSG Sports’ proposed spin-off. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“Will one of the teams get sold, that’s not clear,” Reisfield said. “But having separate entities will either allow partial sales of individual teams to raise money, or the entire sale of one of the teams.”
Sports franchise valuations have exploded in recent years as billionaires and private equity firms pour money into scarce marquee assets. Reisfield noted that the teams’ ties to MSG remain a complicating factor because the arena’s operating permit expires in 2028.
“The arena is a huge component of a sports franchise’s value and cash driver,” he said. “Many of the sports teams are really two businesses now, a sports team and a real estate development company.”
The Garden is owned separately through Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. — a structure that has long raised questions among investors over lease agreements, shared expenses and how cash flows between Dolan-controlled entities.
In 2023, the company renamed itself to Sphere Entertainment Co. and spun off its traditional live entertainment venues — including Madison Square Garden arena, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and the Chicago Theatre — into a newly created company that took the name MSGE.
Madison Square Garden is a key piece of the valuation puzzle as MSG Sports moves to split the Knicks and Rangers. Christopher Sadowski for NY Post
MSG Sports on Monday touted the proposed split of the Knicks and Rangers as a way for investors to “more clearly evaluate each company’s assets and growth prospects” while providing “enhanced strategic and financial flexibility.”
Shares of MSG Sports were trading at around 0.75% higher as of 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday. Sphere Entertainment’s stock price was down nearly 2%.
Shares of MSGE were up 0.51% just before the close of Monday’s trading session on Wall Street.
An MSG spokesperson declined to comment further beyond the company’s statement.
Sep 29, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh poses for a photo during Media Day. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
When talking to Sixers media for the first time last week, Bob Myers said he’d like to have a new front office boss in place by the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23.
Myers, a longtime executive with the Golden State Warriors and the president of sports for HBSE, is currently running basketball operations for the Sixers while searching for a candidate to lead day-to-day operations.
Over the weekend, renowned NBA insider Marc Stein put out a few names he’s hearing as candidates. (As always, we strongly suggest subscribing to Stein’s newsletter and reading it in full.)
Onsi Saleh was the first name mentioned. Saleh is currently the GM of the Atlanta Hawks, but spent time working under Myers with the Warriors. Saleh would be quite the get for Myers, but it doesn’t seem likely. The biggest hurdle is the Sixers would need to get permission from the Hawks to even get an interview. That seems highly unlikely after Atlanta’s success this past season and the foundation Saleh has built there. This feels similar to when Josh Harris and company began sniffing around Daryl Morey when he was still with the Houston Rockets. The Rockets denied the Sixers’ request for an interview.
The other two candidates are interesting for very different reasons.
One of the names brought up was Vince Rozman. Rozman was hired by Sam Hinkie all the way back in 2013 and stayed with the Sixers in various roles through much of the front-office turmoil over the last decade. In 2022, he left the franchise to pursue an opportunity working under Sam Presti for the Oklahoma Thunder. Rozman is currently still serving in his role as VP of identification and intelligence, primarily overseeing the organization’s draft evaluation and strategy.
The 2020 NBA Draft was Morey’s best night running the Sixers. He got off the contracts of Al Horford and Josh Richardson while acquiring Danny Green and Seth Curry. He also selected Tyrese Maxey, Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed. If you recall, Morey was hired mere weeks before the draft. The man charged with draft prep and getting Morey up to speed was Rozman. Of all the gettable names tossed around, Rozman might be the most intriguing. He has experience, familiarity with the organization (though he’s been detached enough to come in with clear eyes) and is currently working under arguably the best executive in the business.
The other name brought up was longtime executive Neil Olshey. Olshey boasts an impressive and varied resume, but he comes with legitimate red flags. When he was serving as the lead executive for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021, he came under investigation following reports of a toxic work environment. He was fired by the organization later that year.
He was also mired in a bit of controversy over his decision to hire Chauncey Billups as head coach in 2021. Billups was accused of raping a woman in 1997 while playing for the Boston Celtics. Billups and teammate Ron Mercer were not criminally charged, but both settled civil suits in 2000. Olshey insisted the organization did its own investigation and felt comfortable hiring Billups. During Billups’ introductory press conference, Olshey shut down any questions related to the accusations.
Aside from all that, Olshey is 61 years old and has never gotten a team to the NBA Finals. Bringing him on would feel like Morey 2.0 with unnecessary baggage. It would be a fairly uninspiring hire.
While Stein didn’t suggest he was a candidate for the main job, he did talk about Jameer Nelson as a person the organization is high on and would like to keep around — and possibly elevate. The St. Joe’s alum, who spent 14 years in the NBA, was hired by the Sixers to serve as assistant general manager of their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, back in 2020. He was promoted to assistant GM of the Sixers in May of 2025.
Depending on the future of Elton Brand, who’s still in his role as the team’s GM, it feels like there’s a possibility of a new president of basketball operations with Nelson serving under them as the team’s GM or even the VP of basketball operations.
It hasn’t even been a full week since Morey was let go, so expect more names and possibilities to be thrown out in the coming weeks. We’ll update you when any new reports surface.
Update: Stein has added two more names to the list.
Cavaliers GM Mike Gansey and Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U'ren, who worked for the Warriors before his move to the WNBA, have emerged as names to watch in Philadelphia's front office search, @TheSteinLine has learned.
Gansey has spent his entire career as an executive with the Cavaliers, beginning in 2012 as the team’s director of developmental league operations. He became GM of Cleveland’s G League affiliate, the Charge, and won league’s Executive of the Year Award in 2017. He was promoted to GM of the Cavaliers under president of basketball operations Koby Altman ahead of the 2021-22 season. Cleveland will be playing the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, a place the Sixers haven’t been in over 25 years.
U’Ren was in our initial list of possible candidates we published the day after Morey was let go. Here’s what we wrote about him:
Yet another candidate with an interesting background, U’Ren started his NBA journey as a video coordinator with the Phoenix Suns back in 2009. He then moved on to the Golden State Warriors as manager of advanced scouting and special assistant to the head coach in 2014. The team’s general manager at the time — Bob Myers. U’Ren is famously credited for the Warriors’ Death Lineup, which helped the team to a title. He was promoted to director of basketball operations in 2018, working under Myers.
In 2023, he was hired as general manager of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. He helped turn an aging team that finished 9-31 in 2003 to a WNBA Finals appearance last season. The Myers’ connection is there, but U’Ren is a pretty intriguing candidate in general. Is he ready and willing to make the leap to an NBA gig such as this? We’ll see.
The inclusion of guys like Gansey and U’Ren would make it an even bigger disappointment if they hire someone like Olshey or another retread candidate. This franchise needs fresh blood and fresh eyes to lead it into the future.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum poses for a photo with Bogoljub Markovic after being drafted forty seventh overall by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2025 NBA Draft - Round Two on June 26, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, it’s been several years since we did this—since 2022—but now that the Bucks will be making their highest draft pick in a decade, it’s time to bring back an old favorite: our community draft board. Back when we last undertook this project, Milwaukee was picking 24th overall and chose MarJon Beauchamp (we skipped 2024, which is my bad), so let’s hope for a better outcome this time at no. 10. We also haven’t had the opportunity to count down from no. 1 overall since 2019, which was odd since the Bucks had the 30th pick that year!
Anywho, for those who are new to the site or don’t remember, this takes a similar form to our yearly Ranking The Roster series. Each day, we’ll post a new poll asking who you’d pick among all available prospects if you were drafting at that particular spot, removing names one by one until we get to the Bucks. The following day, we’ll evaluate the winner of the poll as a player and his potential fit. But since Milwaukee is at 10 and there are a variety of names who could rise into that range based on the combine, we’ll go a little longer.
Of course, there is a chance this is all moot because the Bucks end up trading whoever is picked at 10, which they would technically have to wait to do until after it’s made. They could also trade up or down in the draft, perhaps netting more than one 2026 first-rounder if it’s the latter. And who knows, with the ongoing Giannis uncertainty, they could end up with an even higher pick somehow. For now, though, let’s go with the current state of the roster and the 10th overall selection.
Without further ado, here is our first poll. If you were drafting first overall, who would you pick? Check back tomorrow morning for the winner and tell us who you’d pick if they were drafting second. We’ll generally keep these open for 24 hours.
Die-hard Knicks fans on Long Island who were psyched up for the hometown hoopsters in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals this week are being forced to stay home or shell out big bucks — thanks to the Long Island Rail Road strike that has grounded thousands.
“You’re looking at a $1,500 night,” said Huntington Knicks superfan Julie Moss Silver, who told The Post she’s going to have to plunk down $350 for a car service just to get to MSG for the game.
Huntington Knicks superfan Julie Moss Silver told The Post she anticipates spending $350 for a car service to attend the team’s series opener against the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Alex Mitchell /NY PostThe LIRR strike began Saturday and began impacting commuters trying to enter Manhattan for work on Monday. Getty Images
“It’s a real problem,” Moss Silver said. “I wonder if at the negotiating table they’re thinking about the Knicks as well, and what kind of money [the MTA is] going to be leaving on the table.”
The Knicks’ matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers kicks off Tuesday at the Garden, the final hurdle to get to the NBA Finals with a chance to win a title for the first time in 53 years.
There is some potential “good luck” though — the Knicks won the Eastern Conference title in 1994, the same year as the last LIRR strike, a viral X post noted on Sunday.
New York ultimately lost in the NBA Finals to the Rockets in a memorable seven-game series.
But the current LIRR walkout has left many fans on the bench.
The last time an LIRR strike occurred, a two-day work stoppage in June 1994, the Knicks reached the NBA Finals.The Knicks are preparing for their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Cavaliers, which will kick off at MSG on Tuesday night. NBAE via Getty Images
“[The MTA] has until game one of the Eastern Conference Finals to figure this s–t out,” fumed 17-year-old fan Jordan Phillips of Bay Shore, who has been dreaming of seeing his team in the playoffs.
For Knicks fan Pat Fazio, a retired NYPD cop from Commack, it’s just not worth the trouble.
“I would love to, but I just can’t,” he said. “You could have given me floor seats and I wouldn’t go.”
With the railroad shut down, Fazio said he could drive to the game, which means leaving at 3:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. tip-off — not counting the time it could take to find a garage or parking spot in Manhattan.
Taking a bus would mean a nightmare three-hour ordeal with a stop in Queens along the way.
Either way, he estimates that would get him home exhausted after 1 a.m.
“I said, ‘No thanks,’” Fazio said. “I’d rather watch on TV.”
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 16: Carolina Hurricanes mascot Stormy is seen prior to the NWSL match between North Carolina Courage and Chicago Stars FC at First Horizon Stadium on May 16, 2026 in Cary, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/NWSL via Getty Images) | NWSL via Getty Images
It’s been a long time since the Carolina Hurricanes played hockey, and they have to wait even longer. The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres play in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals on Monday night, with Carolina waiting for the winner to kick off the next series on Thursday.
The winner of that Game 7 will have two days of rest before beginning the Eastern Conference Finals — the Hurricanes will have had 12.
A bizarre, problematic twist to the NHL Playoff schedule has led to the greatest rest disparity in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nobody has had 12 games of rest before, and it happened because of the bracket’s construction. The NHL has long operated on the idea that nobody should be able to easily sweep a series, let along two back-to-back. What the Canes are doing hasn’t been seen since the 1980s, and it just so happens at the time where the other side of the Eastern conference draw has been a total crapshoot. It took seven games for the Canadiens to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres needed six to beat the Bruins in the opening round — now they have gone to seven against each other in this series. Meanwhile the Hurricanes wen 4-0 against the Senators, then 4-0 against the Flyers to reach this spot.
The result is that Carolina has played nearly half less games as anyone left in the East, and the fewest in the playoffs. It’s a blessing in terms of getting healthy, being rested, and entering the Eastern Conference Finals at 100-percent, but it remains to be seen if the rest could come back to bite the team by interrupting their rhythm. That’s a significant worry, and as dominant as the Canes have seemed, there are also some very real worries.
Thus far the team hasn’t seen a lot of production out of its top line. Svechnikov/Aho/Jarvis have been solid, but once again seem to be falling into that all-too-common Carolina trope of stars disappearing in the playoffs. The Hurricanes’ power play has been atrocious as well, 5-for-27 these playoffs after being 24.9% on the season. They’re won on the back of speed, power, and their forecheck — but have yet to be tested in a multi-goal deficit, and still have significant questions in net with Freddie Andersen playing phenomentally well, but being far from a safe bet after a down season in Raleigh.
That makes this upcoming Eastern Conference Final an each way bet, and a litmus test on the NHL’s scheduling. There’s no good result to what will happen next. If Carolina comes out and dominates then opposing fans will cry foul of the amount of rest the Canes got in the lead up to this series, if Carolina gets bodied early in the series it will be an indictment on them having too much rest to stay hot in the playoffs. Sprinkle in the drama of this destined to be another Southern hockey vs. legacy cold-weather city matchup and there will be plenty of angst in the ECF.
Embrace chaos, because it’s coming on Thursday night.
The stage is set for the 2026 NBA Finals. A historic postseason run for the New York Knicks has them back representing the East for the first time this century, while the San Antonio Spurs represent the West after knocking down the defending champs. This is a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, where San Antonio defeated New York 4-1 to claim their first of six championships.
Here are the playoff brackets and updated scores — plus the times and where to watch anything. Here's what you need to know.
When do the NBA Finals begin?
The NBA Finals tip off on June 3, with the first game set for 8:30 p.m. ET (broadcast on ABC) at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The Spurs and Knicks tied their regular-season series with a 1-1 record.
All times are Eastern (* = if necessary). Game 1: Knicks vs. Spurs Wednesday, June 3, 8:30 p.m., ABC Game 2: Knicks vs. Spurs Friday, June 5 , 8:30 p.m., ABC Game 3: Spurs vs. Knicks Monday, June 8, 8:30 p.m., ABC Game 4: Spurs vs. Knicks Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 p.m., ABC Game 5: Knicks vs. Spurs Saturday, June 13, TBD, ABC * Game 6: Spurs vs. Knicks Tuesday, June 16, TBD, ABC * Game 7: Knicks vs. Spurs Friday, June 19, TBD, ABC *
In possibly the most highly anticipated series of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder kick off the Western Conference Final tonight.
To get you ready for the action, our computers have been working overtime to bring you the best NBA player prop projections.
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Spurs Game 1 computer picks
De'Aaron Fox Over 16.5 points (+100)
Projection: 17.61 points
Some books have De'Aaron Fox's scoring line listed at 15.5, but we're getting even money on him clearing 16.5 at bet365. Either way, Fox is projected to go Over the number as he's expected to flirt with 18 points tonight.
The San Antonio Spurs guard has 16+ points in nine of his last 10, and is averaging 21.6 points per game over his last five road games.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet fox Now at bet365!/span
Devin Vassell Over 11.5 points (-112)
Projection: 12.84 points
While Devin Vassell has only gone Over 11.5 points in five of his last 10 games, he fared better against the Timberwolves than the Trail Blazers, topping this number in four of six.
The Spurs have the highest-scoring offense on the road over the last 25 away games, and all hands will need to be on deck against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Vassell Now at bet365!/span
Victor Wembanyama Over 1.5 made threes (-110)
Projection: 2.01 made threes
Victor Wembanyama didn't take a ton of shots from deep against the Trail Blazers, but he hit 2+ threes in three of his six games against the Timberwolves.
When it comes to treys, the Spurs' remarkable 37.5% rate of converted threes when playing on the road settles in as the fifth-highest in the league over the last 20 games.
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Thunder Game 1 computer picks
Isaiah Hartenstein Over 7.5 points (Odds)
Projection: 9.53 points
Despite coming up short in the series-clincher vs. the Lakers, Isaiah Hartenstein has topped 7.5 points in eight of 10, including eight straight before the last game.
The Thunder will likely see a spike in opportunities in this contest from sharing the court with the fifth-speediest tempo offense in the league over the last five games.
Projections are generally bullish on Hartenstein, expecting him to also go Over his 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists line.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Hartenstein Now at bet365!/span
Lu Dort Over 5.5 points (-130)
Projection: 7.33 points
This is such a low number, and while Lu Dort has missed it on occasion, he's still nabbed at least six points in seven of his last 10 games.
Similar to Hartenstein, the Thunder are expected to distribute scoring in a tougher matchup, looking for contributions up and down the roster against San Antonio.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Dort Now at bet365!/span
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 6.5 assists (-105)
Projection: 6.03 assists
This may be a bit of a sweat, especially as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has finished north of 6.5 assists in eight of his last 10.
But this is a massive step up in competition, and the Thunder's fifth-worst offensive rebounding offense may be exposed by the Spurs, while SGA becomes more of a scorer than a facilitator.
In four games against the Spurs this season, SGA finished with fewer than seven assists three times.
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How to watch Spurs vs Thunder Game 1
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Monday, May 18, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
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The Chicago Blackhawks have now had two good seasons of Ilya Mikheyev in their lineup. He played 80 games in 2024-25 and 77 games in 2025-26, meaning he was available for almost every match on the schedule.
In those games, he had a total of 38 goals, 32 assists, and 70 points as a bottom-six forward who was awarded almost no power-play time. 0 of those 70 points came with the man advantage.
With that said, 4 of those goals and 2 of those assists have come shorthanded. As a defensive player, Mikheyev has established himself as one of the best penalty killers in the entire NHL. Chicago's overall PK has been great, and he's a huge part of it. He defends well and creates a decent amount of offense at even strength as well.
Mikheyev is a pending unrestricted free agent. He was the only one that Kyle Davidson didn't trade away at the deadline. There was no can't-miss deal presented to him, and he does like the idea of returning Mikheyev to help the rebuild take the next step. At 31 years old, he has some really good NHL years ahead.
The report around the deadline was that they did try to get an extension, but it never happened.
On Monday, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman had an update on "32 Thoughts: The Podcast". According to Friedman's report, Mikheyev's negotiating rights have been placed on the trade block.
"I guess it was let known across the league that Chicago probably isn't going to be able to sign Ilya Mikheyev," Friedman said. "His rights are available if any team wants to talk to him in advance of free agency."
Once Mikheyev is traded, that team can sign him ahead of him hitting free agency on July 1st, which is the advantage to acquiring him now instead of waiting. He is probably not getting the max amount of years from anyone, but being the only team that can negotiate with him for a few months may be worth it to someone.
The Blackhawks wouldn't get a significant return for his rights, but anything would be better than losing him for nothing after keeping him at the regular-season trade deadline.
32 Thoughts Monday morning playoff preview, news & interview pod. Not reported in it, but heard this morning: Oilers have permission to talk to Craig Berube.
Today's guest is Henrik Sedin. Great answers to terrible questions.
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The best of the West are going head-to-head.
Starting Monday, May 18, NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder take on Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Fans hoping to get in on the action to what pundits are calling “the real NBA Finals” can still grab last-minute tickets for all seven potential Thunder and Spurs home games.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets at OKC’s Paycom Center was $192 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices start at $309 including fees at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center.
Ahead of this pressure-cooker series, the Thunder steamrolled past the Suns and Lakers in the first two rounds of the postseason, sweeping both clubs. Their closest game was when they won by a mere five points against LA to clinch the Semifinals.
As for San Antonio, they bruised their way past the Blazers and Timberwolves to advance to their first post-Popovich Western Conference Finals since 2017 when they got swept by the Warriors.
Oddly enough, they may have the upper hand this time around.
Over the course of the 2025-26 regular season, Mitch Johnson’s Spurs won four of their five meetings against Mark Daigneault’s Thunder.
“We know what they’re capable of,” Daigneault said. “It’s an opponent that is incredibly worthy. We’re going to need to be our best to beat and we understand that.”
Still, oddsmakers are giving OKC the edge.
“Despite their success in the regular season against the defending champs, the Spurs are heavy +210 underdogs to upset the Thunder, who are -260 to get back to the NBA Finals at DraftKings Sportsbook,” The Post reported.
That being said, reporter Dylan Svoboda did note “this series has the makings of a much tighter battle than the odds suggest.”
Don’t miss this one live. You just might witness hardwood history.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs 2026 Western Conference Finals.
Oklahoma City Thunder playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar, including all announced Thunder Western Conference Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets, can be found here:
New York Knicks home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Monday, May 18
$202(including fees)
Game 2 Wednesday, May 20
$192(including fees)
Game 5 Tuesday, May 26 (if necessary)
$283(including fees)
Game 7 Saturday, May 30 (if necessary)
$442(including fees)
San Antonio Spurs playoff home game tickets
All Spurs Frost Bank Center playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
San Antonio Spurs home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Friday, May 22
$309(including fees)
Game 4 Sunday, May 24
$361(including fees)
Game 6 Thursday, May 28(if necessary)
$371(including fees)
How to watch the Thunder vs. Spurs on TV
Fans hoping to catch SGA and Wemby duke it out on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on MSG, ABC, ESPN, TNT, Prime Video, NBC, and NBA TV.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
About Thunder-Spurs
As noted above, the Thunder and Spurs played five times in the 2025-26 season.
The first game, which went down on Dec. 13, was the only one that was close.
In that contest, San Antonio won 111-109 after coming back from a 31-20 deficit at the end of the first quarter and dealt OKC their second loss of the year.
Wemby and co. continued their winning ways in games 2 and 3 with statement 130-110 and 117-102 victories.
On Jan. 13, the Thunder notched their sole win against the Spurs when SGA led the club to a commanding 119-98 victory. The 6’6 guard scored 34 points, snagged five rebounds, dished five assists and, perhaps most impressively, recorded four blocks.
San Antonio rebounded and won the fifth game 115-105on Feb. 4.
2026 NBA playoff schedule
Been meaning to see how the postseason has shaken out?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
OG Anunoby is practicing. Whether he plays in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is still uncertain.
The New York Knicks forward was a full participant in Monday’s practice, coach Mike Brown told reporters. He stopped short of saying Anunoby would be available for Game 1 on Tuesday, May 19 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brown deflected when asked about his availability by saying he takes his cues from the medical staff.
The Knicks have reason to be cautious.
Anunoby hurt his left hamstring late in a win over Indiana in the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals. He missed the next four games before returning for Game 7, only to be pulled after just five minutes when it became clear he lacked mobility. The Knicks seemed to have learned their lesson about rushing him back.
This time, Anunoby insists things are different. After injuring the hamstring in the final minutes of Game 2 against Philadelphia, he was very deliberate in his rehabilitation. He started with work in the pool and weight room before progressing to the court, where he said he has been able to sprint. Monday was his third day of full practice.
The reason everyone will be waiting on that final roster announcement for Tuesday night’s game is because Anunoby has been arguably the Knicks’ best player this postseason. He was averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals while shooting 61.9% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range. Miles McBride stepped into the starting lineup when Anunoby went down and answered the call. He scored 25 points by shooting 7-of-9 from three-point range in the series-clinching Game 4 over Philadelphia.