Southpaws have had zero answers for the Bronx Bombers all year.
Look for New York's bats to tee off once again on Ranger Suarez this Saturday according to my Red Sox vs. Yankees predictions.
Let's take a closer look at my MLB picks for June 6.
Who will win Red Sox vs Yankees today: New York Yankees (-135)
Ranger Suarez has started four games against teams ranking Top-10 in OPS vs. left-handed pitching – and they didn’t go so well. He allowed 13 runs and posted a 6.13 ERA during those games.
The New York Yankeeslead the majors in OPS against lefties so they’re a prime candidate to cause Suarez problems.
Even without Aaron Judge, they’re well-equipped to do so. They have five lefties in their projected lineup – Suarez has struggled against left-handed hitters – as well as lefty masher Paul Goldschmidt.
Look for the bats to lead the Yankees to victory. Playable to -145.
Red Sox vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-110)
The Yankees rankTop-3 in OPS, ISO, OBP, xWOBA, and hard hit rate when facing left-handed pitching. They’re an elite offense across the board and should do plenty of damage against Suarez.
The Boston Red Sox are capable of chipping in a few runs. They have hit righties very well over the past four weeks, sitting ninth in wOBA, ninth in ISO, and fourth in batting average.
Will Warren has a brutal track record against the Sox as well. He allowed 15 runs over three starts against them last season while averaging just 14.3 outs.
Play the Over to -120.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 24-19, -0.68 units
Over/Under bets: 20-21-2, -3.71 units
Red Sox vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Red Sox +115 | Yankees -135
Run line: Red Sox +1.5 (-175) | Yankees -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Red Sox vs Yankees trend
New York has hit the Game Total Over in five of their last seven games (+3.9 units, 52% ROI) Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Yankees.
How to watch Red Sox vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Saturday, June 6, 2026
First pitch
7:35 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Red Sox starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez (2-3, 3.38 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (7-1, 3.22 ERA)
Red Sox vs Yankees latest injuries
Red Sox vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
A man went viral after thanking Jalen Brunson’s mom for creating the Knicks star.
Joe Clements happened to be sitting near Sandra Brunson in the stands in San Antonio after Game 1 of the NBA Finals — so he used the moment to express his gratitude.
“Hey, Mrs. Brunson, Thank you so much for having that boy. He is the franchise changer. We love him,” Clements said in the video, which racked up 1.7 million views, and hundreds of comments from fans, calling her the “Queen of NYC.”
Sandra, whom Brunson called his “best friend 100 percent,” in a 2020 interview with WFAA, laughed and smiled at the superfan’s gushing.
Clements posted the video of her reaction to his Instagram page with the caption, “Every Knicks fan—scratch that—every basketball fan should thank this wonderful lady for bringing into the world the greatest Knick ever!!!! (We thank Rick too but he did the easy part).”
Knicks fans took to the comments section to also express their admiration for Sandra — who played volleyball at Temple University, which is how she met her husband, Knicks assistant coach, Rick, who was on the basketball team.
“She is actually The Queen of NYC and she deserves all the love and respect,” one gushed.
“That woman will be protected and cherished by Knicks fans everywhere,” another wrote.
“GOD BLESS THAT WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND, they raised a real star,” someone else added.
Jalen Brunson called his mother, Sandra, his best friend. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Others declared that Sandra, a native of Lakeview, NY, should be treated like royalty around the Big Apple.
“That lady should never pay for a meal in NYC,” one said.
“She [should] get a free pass everywhere in NYC. No questions asked,” another agreed.
Sandra is the co-founder and chief financial officer of Second Round Foundation, a New Jersey nonprofit that “plants seeds to create equity for young people through education, sport, and community,” according to its website.
Brunson has credited his mom for his grit and determination.
“She was the general. She held me accountable for everything I did. If I was putting my mind to something I couldn’t quit until it was done. She basically gave me that no-quit mentality,” he told WFAA.
He’s also thanked her for his talents on the court.
“Thank you for my athletic ability because without you I wouldn’t be able to jump as high as I do,” he added.
A busy Saturday in the MLB features a full 15-game slate and tons of juicy MLB player props to pick from.
Shohei Ohtani, Jeremy Pena, and Jacob Misiorowski are all featured in my favorite MLB picks for Saturday, June 6.
I’ll break down why all three will dominate on the diamond today.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Jeremy Pena
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-142
Jacob Misiorowski
Over 8.5 strikeouts
+120
Shohei Ohtani
Over 1.5 total bases
-116
Jeremy Pena Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
Jeremy Pena has been on fire this past week, batting an even .500 with Over 1.5 hits, runs, and RBI in four straight and nine of his last 12 outings.
Pena and the Houston Astros will face Athletics starter Kade Morris, who is set to make his MLB debut on Saturday.
The 23-year-old has not exactly been impressive in Triple-A this season, posting a 4.45 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 11 starts, but the Athletics are desperate for arms of any kind with starters Luis Severino and Aaron Civale both sidelined.
Pena is hitting .304 vs. righties this season, and a ridiculous .375 at Daikin Park.
A scorching Pena facing a 23-year-old making his MLB debut? Play this one up to -150.
The Milwaukee Brewers sophomore leads the majors in strikeouts (108) and K/9 (13.7), while ranking first among starters in WHIP (0.79).
Misiorowski has punched out at least eight batters in eight straight starts, with Over 8.5 strikeouts in five of those contests. He’ll enjoy the upper hand against the Colorado Rockies tonight, one of five teams in the MLB to average more than nine Ks per game.
Misiorowski’s Whiff% is in the 98th percentile, thanks to his four-seamer and curveball, which are both getting whiffed nearly 50% of the time.
Seventy-four of Misiorowski’s 108 strikeouts have come by way of his fastball, which averages out at 99.9 mph. He’ll match up very well against the Rockies, who have struck out 190 times against the four-seamer this year — more than any other team in the majors.
I’m playing this prop up to +100, and I’d recommend looking at Misiorowski Under 1.5 earned runs as well.
Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, Brewers.TV
Shohei Ohtani Over 1.5 total bases
After getting off to a sluggish start, Shohei Ohtani has officially returned to his MVP form.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar leads the majors with a .362 batting average over the last 30 days to go along with a stunning 1.056 OPS.
Ohtani has smacked Over 1.5 total bases in six of his last eight games and is poised to pad his stats tonight against the rival Los Angeles Angels and their brutal pitching staff.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz posted a 7.85 ERA and 1.81 WHIP over six starts in May, while his xBA and Hard-Hit% both rank in the Bottom 25th percentile this season.
Kochanowicz throws his sinker nearly 40% of the time — a pitch that Ohtani is hitting .313 against when facing righties. He’ll be backed up by the worst bullpen in the majors, which sports a 5.14 ERA and 1.54 WHIP.
I’d play this prop to -130. You could also look at the extra-base hit market, where Ohtani’s getting pretty juicy odds.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ABTV, SportsNet LA
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 1-4, -3.1 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses with the Los Angeles Rams mascot prior to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 21, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Many football fans will hate-watch the Los Angeles Rams in 2026 following their blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett. The Rams have become the NFL’s version of the Dodgers, a star-studded powerhouse willing to do whatever it takes to win, and being disliked comes with the territory.
If you know anything about the MLB, you already know that the Dodgers are pretty darn good. This is a team that has won back-to-back World Series and has five 100-win seasons in the last decade. Much of their latest success can be attributed to superstar Shohei Ohtani, who, like his team, is also pretty darn good.
All great hated teams like the Dodgers have that one player who can do it all, and Ohtani is that guy for them — and he was a luxury addition for them, like Garrett is for the Rams. He signed with Los Angeles in the 2024 offseason after the team was coming off an early postseason exit. Since then, he has won two straight NL MVP awards while leading the two-time reigning champs, with a third in sight.
Seeing the rich keep getting richer drives opposing fanbases bananas, and there is little that anyone can do about it, no matter how much they complain.
It almost feels unfair when the elite squads add the best players in their sport, but they’re only playing by the rules. Don’t hate the player or the game; instead, hate the league powers that be who have allowed it to happen.
No one should hate on the Rams or Dodgers for having the killer instinct that most everyone lacks.
Historic: The 2026 Rams are now the first team in NFL history to have a roster with the most recent NFL MVP and most recent Defensive Player of the Year.
Perhaps the aggressive roster-building strategy from both teams can be attributed to where they play. Los Angeles is a crowded entertainment market as it is, and more so on the sports scene.
This is a city forced to choose between multiple teams in each of the four major North American sports leagues. If you cannot figure out a way to stay nationally relevant in L.A., you risk becoming an afterthought in an oversaturated market or becoming the Angels.
The Rams were already must-see TV following their NFC Championship run last season. They have an NFL-record seven primetime games in tow, and that was before acquiring Garrett. Whether or not this is their year, their all-in approach will draw more eyes to them than ever before.
That is why Hollywood’s current sports scene is unmatched.
So go ahead and hate away, ya stinky rotten haters. Get the popcorn ready if you must because this is the price of embracing an all-in mentality. The Dodgers have thrived for years under that spotlight, and the Rams appear destined to follow in their footsteps this season. It’s lonely at the top, but in L.A., attention is money, and no one’s spending it better than the Rams and Dodgers.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 05: Christian Scott #45 of the New York Mets prepares to pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on June 05, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets shut out the Padres 5-0 behind a strong performance from Christian Scott, who earned his second major league victory. Jared Young and Luis Torrens both homered for the Mets and Bo Bichette contributed a key RBI triple in the third. The Mets’ bullpen was solid yet again with Huascar Brazobán helping Scott navigate out of trouble in the sixth and Luke Weaver and A.J. Minter logging a scoreless inning apiece.
A four-hit night from Kyle Schwarber powered the Phillies to an 8-6 victory over the White Sox, as the Phillies find themselves in playoff position for the first time since April 7.
Despite the Phillies’ incredible turnaround since Don Mattingly took over as manager, Mattingly still has mixed feelings due to the reason he is in his current position to begin with.
Over at The Good Phight, they opined that the Phillies may need to change up their lineup again to kickstart the struggling offense.
Mauricio Dubón drove in three of the Braves’ six runs in their 6-3 win over the Pirates at Truist Park.
Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach is throwing on flat ground but still has “a long way to go” in his recovery timeline.
The Nationals’ high-octane offense was at it again as they walloped the Diamondbacks 14-1.
Nationals lefty DJ Herz, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, made his first rehab appearance yesterday in the Florida Complex League.
The Marlins were blanked by Drew Rasmussen and the Rays 5-0 in Miami.
Marlins top pitching prospect Thomas White has been diagnosed with a capsular sprain in his throwing shoulder and may miss the rest of the 2026 season.
MLB owners are framing the salary cap as a way to end local TV blackouts, as their proposal to the union involves eliminating the territory system that defines the current media landscape in baseball.
Ginny Searle of Baseball Prospectus took a look at the current playoff odds picture and how it has changed from Opening Day. Not surprisingly, the Mets’ playoff odds have dropped the most of any team.
Michael Baumann of Fangraphs wrote about the Gerrit Cole contract now that there are just two and a half years remaining on his pact with the Yankees.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 13: The Baltimore Orioles mascot performs before the game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 13, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tides gave up three runs in the first inning and it was basically over from there. At least starter Trace Bright nearly threw a quality start despite that first-inning run outburst, holding the Stripers scoreless for the rest of his 5.2-inning performance. But two runs apiece off Cameron Weston and Josh Walker put the game out of reach.
Norfolk’s offense was a no-show. They managed only four hits, though two of them were solo homers by Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Luis Vázquez. Tides hitters struck out nine times and walked only once, and they had only a single at-bat all game with a runner in scoring position. Heston Kjerstad and Creed Willems each went 1-for-4.
Um…ouch. You didn’t misread that score. The Baysox really did lose 19-3. They were down 10-1 by the third inning, then gave up eight runs in the ninth inning. Before delving into the box score, I assumed that all those ninth-inning runs came against a position player on the mound, but sadly, no. It was an actual pitcher, Daniel Lloyd, who gave them all up, including a grand slam and a two-run homer. His ERA rose from 4.63 to 7.23 in a single outing. He’ll have better nights.
Starting pitcher Luis De León, one of the Orioles’ top pitching prospects, had the worst performance of his professional career. In 2.1 innings, he was torched for 10 (ten!) runs, on nine hits and four walks. Like Lloyd, the outing blew up his season ERA, from 4.89 to 6.80. Meanwhile, Chesapeake’s offense was held in check besides Ethan Anderson’s solo homer and Carter Young’s two-run single, which did little to change the final result.
High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) 14, Frederick Keys 13
What a humdinger this one was. The Keys, one night after getting held hitless through six innings, certainly found their bats again with a 13-run explosion. They scored seven runs in the fifth inning alone and at one point led this game 10-3. But the Renegades responded with a seven-run frame of their own in the eighth to steal the game away.
Let’s start with the positive stuff. Nearly every Keys hitter did something good, sparked by rehabbing leadoff man Enrique Bradfield Jr., who reached base three times, scored three runs, drove in two, and stole a base. Unheralded hitters like Douglas Hodo (4-for-5 with a homer) and Colin Yeaman (3-for-5, two RBIs) had big days. Top prospects Wehiwa Aloy and Ike Irish went just 1-for-9 combined, but Aloy drove in three runs and Irish one. The Keys went 7-for-22 with runners in scoring position.
Now for the bad news, which was, obviously, the pitching. Four of Frederick’s five pitchers gave up at least three runs, including starter Caden Hunter. The quintet issued nine walks in the game. Reliever Raimon Gomez particularly struggled, giving up five runs in less than an inning, while Jacob Cravey took the loss by allowing the last three.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 6, Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) 0
Thank goodness for the Shorebirds, who kept the O’s affiliates from being swept on this day. It was a whale of a performance from Delmarva’s pitching staff, led by left-hander Stephen Still, a recent free agent signing out of independent ball. Still worked 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out nine. Relievers Brendan Parks, Eccel Correa, and Zac Lampton combined to complete the shutout.
This was a 0-0 game into the late innings before the Shorebirds erupted for three runs in the seventh and three more in the ninth. First baseman Miguel Rodríguez broke the scoreless tie with a two-run single, and later Braylon Whitaker contributed a two-run knock of his own. Jaiden Lo Re, a fifth-round pick last year, hit his first Low-A home run, off of a guy named Landon Beidelschies. I can’t decide which of those names is more fun.
May 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Bo Bichette (19) reacts after the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Last week, when I was reading Sam’s piece about the messy state of much of the American League, I was struck by how many teams now mired in a rut were considered by many prognosticators to be contenders coming into the season. The AL East was supposed to be a four-horse race between New York, Boston, Baltimore and Toronto, with Tampa Bay bringing up the rear; instead, it’s been the Rays and Yankees vying for the lead, with the Orioles, Blue Jays and Red Sox still on a long march to .500 ball.
If we look over to the AL Central, the Tigers offer a harrowing picture of how fast baseball can come at you. Although they did fritter away a huge division lead to the Guardians last year, they exacted revenge on them in the Wild Card Series, and took the Mariners to Game 5 in a tightly contested ALDS. In the offseason, they declared their intent to claim the division title by signing Framber Valdez on February 4th. Four months later, they now find themselves nearly sharing the cellar with the Royals — themselves a preseason dark horse candidate — with a 26-38 record, 9.5 games out of first place.
The National League offers even more examples of unmet expectations. The Mets had a weird offseason resulting in many awkward fits on the roster, but the collection of talent was undeniable. No one would have batted an eye if they had brute-forced their way to a 90-win campaign this year. Instead, they’re last in the division, 14.5 games back of the first-place Braves, and 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot, trailing everyone in the Senior Circuit except for the Giants and Rockies. The Cubs haven’t collapsed to that extent, but compared to their preseason hype—FanGraphs gave them the highest playoff odds in their division—their 33-31 record is certainly underwhelming; they’ve been extremely streaky at best. And while the Phillies have done well to scrape their way back up the standings after a horrific start and the ousting of their manager, they’re still barely hanging on to a Wild Card spot under interim skipper Don Mattingly with a -20 run differential.
What does this all mean? The most obvious, and nonetheless true, answer, is that baseball is unpredictable. However, although it certainly has its fair share of random variance, that isn’t to say that teams have absolutely no control over how their seasons will play out. If that were the case, why even spend so much time and money trying? Even in a topsy-turvy season like this one, certain teams are making good on their preseason promise – think of the Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, and (perhaps to a lesser extent) the Guardians and Mariners.
Turning our focus to the Yankees specifically, why have they fared relatively well in a season where so many other would-be contenders have not? My view is that design and luck are equally involved; and cleanly separating the two is harder than you’d think.
First things first: I think the Yankees are, on the whole, a well-run organization. Shocking, I know. But with the sheer amount of criticism directed towards the front office, manager, and coaching staff every day, it’s easy to lose sight of this. By and large, the Yankees do things right. They’ve developed core talent (Schlittler, Rice) and solid role players (Warren, Schmidt, Volpe, Wells). They’ve shelled out for top-of-the-market talent when the opportunity arises (Judge, Cole, Fried, Rodón, Bellinger). They’ve made savvy trades for impact players (Chisholm, Bednar, Cruz) while retaining their most coveted prospects (Lombard Jr., Rodríguez, Kilby, Lagrange). They haven’t remained contenders for the better part of a decade now out of sheer luck; their success is deserved in many ways.
But while the Yankees have done a lot of things right, they’ve also had a lot of things go right for them (at least until Judge’s stress fracture). This becomes apparent when you consider the various pitfalls that befell other teams this year. Say, for example, you’re trying to build a contender on the backs of highly regarded young talent – that’s great! But consider the Orioles. Adley Rustchman, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, and Samuel Basallo are definitely a fearsome foursome. But for a team with postseason aspirations, the trick is to have them all be good at the same time, and that hasn’t happened yet.
That isn’t a comment on the talent of the four youngsters; I fully expect all four to have productive careers. It’s a comment on the unpredictability and non-linear-ness of player development. Even the most highly regarded prospects can struggle at the MLB level, and even young stars can take a step back after a breakout year. The fact that both Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler have built on their strong showings last year and are posting elite numbers this year does suggest that the Yankees’ player dev is working well. But the fact that both young stars’ upward trajectories are so closely aligned, I think, is close to a miracle — at least, it’s not something that you can engineer, or count on.
Likewise, there is an element of luck with any aspect of roster-building. Marquee free agents or trade acquisitions can bomb (Bo Bichette) or get injured (Dylan Cease, Garrett Crochet); you can try to gauge which players are at risk, but you can’t predict them with 100% accuracy, and that’s where chance gets involved. And when you trade prospects for big-league pieces, there’s always the risk of the player you got underperforming while the prospects you traded away flourish (Caleb Durbin for Kyle Harrison; Dustin May for James Tibbs III). It’s easy to criticize these moves with the benefit of hindsight, but the reality is that there’s always risk involved, and the Yankees are not impervious to that.
So, when you consider the fact that the Yankees have managed to stay competitive for as long and as consistently as they have, it’s important to acknowledge the things they did right — and the things that went right for them. Hopefully, the Yankees’ brass themselves do so too. If they focus only on the former while paying no mind to the latter, that would lead to complacency and a false sense of security — something that they might already be guilty of.
It’s no secret that Warriors star Steph Curry has faced some of the most aggressive defenses teams can get away with over the course of his NBA career.
But its rare that one of those opponents says the quiet part out loud.
NBA on ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson, who faced Golden State in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals as a member of the Cavaliers, detailed Cleveland’s brutal game plan for Curry on Friday night’s broadcast. While discussing a hard foul on New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during Game 2 of the 2026 Finals, Jefferson recalled his job against Curry a decade ago.
“When we played Steph Curry in the Finals, our job was to beat him up like that,” Jefferson said in the first quarter. “And it wasn’t anything dirty, but if you’re going to foul him, foul him in a physical nature.”
Richard Jefferson on the Spurs defending Jalen Brunson:
“When we played Steph Curry in the Finals, it was our job to beat him up like that.”
Curry arguably receives the league’s worst whistle, so being on the receiving end of hard fouls is nothing new for him — because the only way he gets a foul call is if he’s being beat up, like Jefferson said.
But even then, fouls are hard to come by for the four-time NBA champion. Over the course of his 17-year NBA career, Curry has averaged 4.3 free-throw attempts per game. For comparison, Jefferson’s former teammate LeBron James has averaged 7.4 over the last 23 years.
While Jefferson and the Cavaliers “beat” Curry up on their way to a ring in 2016, the Warriors certainly got the last laugh over their four consecutive Finals matchups.
Jun 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubon (14) hits a two-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Mauricio Dubón and the Atlanta Braves had a successful night after Friday’s 6-3 defeat of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Braves improved to 43-21 and are 20-11 at Truist Park. Dubón continued his hot streak, and in four at-bats, he recorded two hits, three RBI, and two runs.
He’s homered in three straight games and is hitting well over .300 with runners in scoring position. Dubón and the Braves aim to ride the momentum as the series continues this afternoon at 4:10 ET.
More Braves News:
Walt Weiss provided an update on the injured Spencer Schwellenbach, who “has a long way to go” in his recovery timeline.
Cade Kuehler struck out eight on Thursday down on the farm. More in the minor league recap.
In MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft, the Braves are projected to take a LHP and an outfielder.
The New York Yankees have officially placed Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list with a stress fracture in his rib. The move is retroactive to June 2.
From the Feed:
Cast your vote here for Braves Player of the Game.
Chris Sale spoke with 680 The Fan to discuss Didier Fuentes.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a block during the game against the New York Knicks during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s not much question that Victor Wembanyama is the future of the NBA, but at the end of the day, he’s also a skinny 22-year-old, and most young players have a lot to learn. Wembanyama, for all his freakish talent, is no exception to this.
He’s a brilliant talent, but he also made a devastating turnover down the stretch, then missed a last-second shot that would have still won the game.
As we’ve seen often during the playoffs, former Blue Devil Mason Plumlee got a DNP from the Spurs. And with New York on a 13-game playoff win streak, and the series shifting to NYC, the odds of him getting a ring in what may be his final season are dropping fast.
Jun 5, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) pitches during the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Roki Sasaki did not figure in the decision on Friday night, through no fault of his own as he struck out his MLB-high 10 Angels in seven scoreless frames. The right-hander has allowed five total runs (four earned) over 24 1/3 innings in his last four starts, with 29 strikeouts against only five walks.
You might have seen after Sasaki’s seventh inning on Friday, he was seen in the dugout smiling and laughing in a long conversation with Dodgers strength and conditioning coach Travis Smith. Maddie Lee at the Los Angeles Times wrote about Sasaki’s maturity in his second major league season, as well as his relationship with Smith and the coaching staff:
“This year, especially, I feel like we’re focusing on talking about game plan and sequencing, because I feel healthy right now,” Sasaki said. “Last year I got hurt, so I’m thinking about my mechanics, all that stuff. So this is a big difference right now.”
Jay Jaffe earlier in the week at FanGraphs looked at Sasaki’s strong May performance, and dug into the details. “Sasaki’s better command and reconfigured repertoire have made for a most welcome development.” Jaffe wrote.
After Wednesday’s win in Arizona, during which Ohtani allowed two hits and a walk in six scoreless innings and also reached base five times while batting, catcher Will Smith said, “He’s the best player that’s ever walked this earth,” per Katie Woo at The Athletic.
(Original Caption) Reds-Braves. Cincinnati: Braves owner Ted Turner gives some over the dugout advice to his field general, Eddie Haas, before his Atlanta team took the field against Cincinnati, April 30. Atlanta won the game, 8-4.
Yesterday, it was reported that Eddie Haas, former Atlanta Braves manager – and long-time member of the organization – passed away on June 4 at 91.
Eddie has had a brief MLB career, debuting with the Chicago Cubs in 1957 and then playing in 41 games with the Milwaukee Braves across the 1958 and 1960 seasons. The outfielder hit his only career home run with the Braves in 1960. He twice played with the organization in the minors, including the last three seasons of his playing career, ending in 1964 at age 29 playing for the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in Denver.
Haas transitioned to coaching after his playing career ended and debuted as manager with the Braves organization in 1966 in Yakima Valley. He’d managed each season in the Braves organization until 1973 when he transition to minor league hitting instructor. He joined Atlanta’s major league staff in 1974 and spent four seasons with the big league club before returning the minor league managerial ranks in 1978.
Haas would take over as manager at Triple-A Richmond in 1981 where he would manage until midway through the 1984 season when he returned to the big leagues, joining manager Joe Torre’s staff. After Torre was dismissed following the ‘84 season, the organization named the then 50-year-old Haas as Torre’s replacement.
Haas would spend only 121 games at the helm of Atlanta, going 50-71, before being relieved of his duties by Bobby Wine.
Haas would remain in the game as a scout, joining the Montreal Expos organization in 1986 where he’s stay through 1994 before joining the Boston Red Sox in 1995 where he’d work until retiring after the 2003 season.
Bill Shanks was the first to report the news of Haas’ passing, which was first covered on The Feed.
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 8: Cedric Ceballos #23 of the Phoenix Suns in interviewed after winning the 1992 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest at Orlando Arena on February 8, 1992 in Orlando, Florida. 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 1992 NBAE (Photo by Jon Soohoo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Once upon a time, we were desperate for story ideas. The COVID-19 pandemic had taken hold, there were no sports to watch, and everyone was trying to figure out how to fill the void. It was in the middle of that landscape that I began writing for Bright Side of the Sun. My first article was published only days before the entire NBA shut down.
As we navigated those strange times, I came up with an idea for an article. What if I took the game of Six Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon and applied it to an NBA player? Naturally, I chose Cedric Ceballos. Why? Because he exists in the middle of NBA history, which unlocks doors to the past and doors to the present. I also was a big Ceballos fan when he was a Sun, so why not?
Now, I fully understand that Cedric isn’t the true NBA equivalent. Somebody like Vince Carter or Jeff Green would probably be a better choice given the number of teams they played for and the sheer volume of teammates they accumulated throughout their careers. But this was a Suns site. I thought it would be fun. And fun it was.
Now here we are, six seasons later, and that article still sticks with me. Partly because it was fun. Partly because it was funny. Mostly because I enjoy the research. Clearly, I’m a nerd. I enjoy wandering down the endless tunnels that Basketball Reference provides, clicking from player to player and finding connections that I never knew existed.
So once again, we’re going to give this a shot. Six Degrees of Separation with Cedric Ceballos. As a reminder of the rules I established more than half a decade ago, here’s how this works. I will note that I removed some rules. It’s down to whether or not they played together or were traded for each other. Being coached by a similar person no longer counts:
Rule 1: Teammates
You can only count players who played together. Example: Yuta Tubuse played in 4 career NBA games, all for the Suns. I can use any Suns player he played with in those games, but I cannot use any of his opponents.
Rule 2: Transactions
Any player can be linked to another player via a transaction they shared. Example: Gani Lawal, who appeared in just 2 NBA minutes, was a future 2010 draft pick who was part of the Jared Dudley and Jason Richardson for Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, and Sean Singletary trade. Therefore, he is linked to those players.
Rule 3: You have 6 moves
That’s the name of the game. Six moves or fewer is a win. Do it in seven and don’t talk to me.
And of course, it wouldn’t be any fun if I were the one choosing which players to connect to Cedric Ceballos. That would be too easy. So I put out a call to arms, asking the Twitter community to provide me with some random dudes from NBA history.
It was a rocky start. I guess when you’re plugged into Suns’ Twitter, I should expect that everyone is going to try to find an obscure Suns player. Shannon Brown? Too easy. Negele Knight? Obscure, sure, but a teammate of Ceballos in Phoenix. They played 140 games with each other!
Some of the names were familiar. Some of them sent me down rabbit holes I never expected to travel. A few had me staring at Basketball Reference pages, wondering how on earth I was going to connect the dots. Which is exactly the point. Half the fun of this exercise is seeing where the journey takes you. The destination matters, sure. But the path to get there is where things get interesting.
So with a fresh list of random NBA names in hand, it’s time to see how many degrees of separation stand between them and Cedric Ceballos.
All right, let’s start easy. After all, it’s two members of the Phoenix Suns, right?
The easiest way to attack this is to look at the roster from Marcus Banks’s rookie season and Cedric Ceballos’s final season. The two never overlapped in the NBA, so that felt like the logical starting point.
Banks entered the league after being selected 13th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His rights, along with those of Kendrick Perkins, were traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones. As a result, Banks spent his rookie season in Boston, appearing in 81 games off the bench for a Celtics team that finished 36-46.
As for Ceballos, his final season came in 2000-01 with the Miami Heat. It’s always fun to go back and look at some of the names on those old rosters. Bruce Bowen was in his fourth NBA season. A.C. Green was there. So were Eddie House, Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason, and, of course, Dan Majerle.
But none of those names is the key. The connector is Ricky Davis.
MIAMI – NOVEMBER 1: Ricky Davis #31 of the Miami Heat celebrates after hitting a three-pointer against the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Arena November 1, 2007 in Miami, Florida. 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 2007 NBAE (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Davis was in his second NBA season during that final year of Ceballos’s career. Originally selected 21st overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 1998, he landed in Miami two years later and shared the court with Ceballos during that final campaign. The following season, Davis was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he spent two seasons before being dealt to the Celtics in December of 2003.
And there it is.
Step 1: Marcus Banks to Ricky Davis
Both Marcus Banks and Ricky Davis spent 2.5 seasons together with the Boston Celtics. Interestingly enough, both were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in January of 2006.
For Davis, Banks was a significant teammate. The two appeared in 213 games together, which ranks as the second-most games Ricky Davis played alongside any teammate during his NBA career. The same is true in reverse. Of all the players Banks shared the court with throughout his career, Davis ranks second in total games played together.
Step 2: Ricky Davis to Cedric Ceballos
As noted above, Davis spent part of the 2000-01 season with the Miami Heat, which was the final NBA season for Cedric Ceballos. The overlap was brief. Very brief. Davis and Ceballos appeared in only four games together. Fortunately, four games are still four games, and according to the highly scientific rules established for this exercise more than half a decade ago, that absolutely counts.
Which means we’ve successfully connected Marcus Banks to Cedric Ceballos in just two degrees of separation.
All right, here’s one that’s a little more difficult. Because I had absolutely no idea who Luigi Datome was. So well played, Bruce. Well played.
What I learned is that Datome was a 6’8” small forward who didn’t play his first NBA game until 2013, joining the Detroit Pistons at age 26. Over his two-year NBA career, he appeared in a grand total of 55 games, 37 with Detroit.
Then came the trade. When the Isaiah Thomas deal sent Thomas from the Phoenix Suns to the Boston Celtics, Datome was included as part of the package heading to Boston in a three-team deal. Ah, that’s why Bruce picked him. Because Bruce is a Boston guy.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 1: Luigi Datome #70 of the Boston Celtics poses for a portrait before the game against the Golden state Warriors on March 1, 2015 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2015 NBAE (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
So naturally, the next step is diving into that 2014-15 Celtics roster to see if we can find a path. And right away, one name jumps off the page. Gerald Wallace. Wallace was in his 13th NBA season at the time, and the moment I saw his name, I knew I had my starting point.
Now the question becomes where that path leads next.
Step 1: Luigi Datome to Gerald Wallace
I could have gone in a few different directions here.
There were other names on that roster. Other players who bounced around the league and would have made for an easy connection. Jeff Green was on that Celtics team, and Jeff Green is basically the holy grail for this exercise. The man has played 18 seasons for 11 different franchises. But where’s the fun in that?
Instead, I went with Gerald Wallace. Wallace entered the league in 2001 after being selected 25th overall by the Sacramento Kings. His stint in Sacramento isn’t what interests me, however. It’s the one that began in 2004-05 with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Step 2: Gerald Wallace to Eddie House
Ah, the Bobcats. Remember that team? Remember that logo? Those uniforms? It’s been more than 20 years since the Bobcats existed, and thank goodness for that. If you weren’t around back then, you missed some truly questionable fashion choices and some equally questionable basketball.
But who else was on that 2004-05 Charlotte roster? Our old friend Eddie House. Most Suns fans remember House for his electric 2005-06 season in Phoenix, when he finished 13th in Sixth Man of the Year voting and routinely came off the bench throwing gasoline on the fire. When Eddie got hot, the entire arena knew it.
As I mentioned earlier in this article, however, Eddie House and Cedric Ceballos already have a connection.
Step 3: Eddie House to Cedric Ceballos
That’s right. We return once again to Cedric’s final season in the NBA. The 2000-01 season happened to be the rookie campaign for Eddie House. After being selected 37th overall out of Arizona State University in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, House landed on the same roster that featured Cedric Ceballos during the final stop of Ced’s NBA career.
And just like that, we’ve connected Gigi Datome to Cedric Ceballos in three degrees of separation. Not bad for a guy I had never heard of 20 minutes ago.
Okay, I like this one. It still lives in the Suns’ universe, but we’re going way back. All the way back to a player the Phoenix Suns selected in the 1969 NBA Draft. Neal Walk.
Walk, a center out of the University of Florida, was essentially the consolation prize. He’s the player Phoenix ended up with after calling heads in the coin flip that ultimately gave the Milwaukee Bucks the right to draft Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who at the time was still known as Lew Alcindor. But hey, he had a magnificent beard.
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 11: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against Neal Walk #41 of the Phoenix Suns on March 11, 1974 at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 1974 NBAE (Photo by Vernon Biever/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Walk spent 4.5 seasons with the Suns, averaging 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He was a solid player. A productive player. It’s also safe to say Phoenix lost that coin flip. After all, Lew Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and there’s a strong argument that he’s the third greatest player in NBA history.
Walk remained with the Suns until 1974, when he was traded, along with a second-round pick, to the New Orleans Jazz for three players and a first-round pick. That pick eventually changed hands and was used by the Buffalo Braves to select Adrian Dantley out of the University of Notre Dame. Another Hall of Famer. Because apparently this story wasn’t finished torturing Suns fans.
But there’s my starting point. Walk spent only one season with the Jazz, appearing in 34 games. And during that lone season, he shared the court with E. C. Coleman. That’s where the trail begins.
Step 1: Neal Walk to E.C. Coleman
E.C. Coleman was a power forward out of Houston Baptist University who was selected in the third round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. Yes, there used to be more than two rounds, even though the league was smaller. He was a Rocket for a couple of years, but when the New Orleans Jazz entered the NBA in 1974, they selected Coleman in the expansion draft.
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1976: E.C. Coleman #12 of the New Orleans Jazz looks on against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1976 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Coleman played for the Jazz from 1974-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It turned out to be a solid pick. Coleman spent three seasons with the Jazz and eventually earned All-Defensive First Team honors in 1976-77. The season that interests us, however, is 1974-75. That Jazz team was rough. They opened the year with an 11-game losing streak and started the season 3-34 before finally putting together a two-game winning streak. They ultimately finished 23-59, but it was during that season that Coleman and Neal Walk shared the court.
Coleman eventually entered free agency and signed with the Golden State Warriors in 1977. After being waived in 1978, he returned to Houston and played 6 games for the Rockets. Six games that, for most people, wouldn’t matter. For this exercise, those six games are everything.
Step 2: E.C. Coleman to Moses Malone
During those six games in Houston, Coleman played alongside Moses Malone. Not a bad teammate to stumble across.
It was Malone’s third NBA season after beginning his professional career in the ABA, and 1978-79 became a landmark year for him. He appeared in all 82 games, averaging 24.8 points and 17.6 rebounds per contest. The accolades piled up. All Star. All NBA First Team. All Defensive Second Team. And most importantly, MVP.
Malone remained with Houston for three more seasons, winning another MVP award in 1982 before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Caldwell Jones and a 1983 first-round pick. And once he arrived in Philadelphia, the next connection practically made itself.
Step 3: Moses Malone to Julius Erving
The 1982-83 season brought together Moses Malone and Julius Erving, better known as Dr. J. Talk about a duo. Malone won MVP that season. Dr. J finished fifth in MVP voting. Both earned All-NBA First Team honors as the 76ers rolled through the league.
Basketball: NBA Finals: (L-R) NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien, Philadelphia 76ers Moses Malone (2), coach Billy Cunningham, Julius Erving (6) and owner Harold Katz in locker room after winning game and series vs Los Angeles Lakers at The Forum. Game 4. Inglewood, CA 5/31/1983 CREDIT Peter Read Miller (Photo by Peter Read Miller /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X28564 TK1 R7 F1 )
Erving had begun his professional career in the ABA and entered the NBA in 1976 at age 26. He would spend 11 seasons in the NBA and eventually become one of the most influential and celebrated players in basketball history.
At this point, the next connection feels almost inevitable. We’re talking about the Philadelphia 76ers in the mid 1980s. That means we’re talking about Sir Charles.
Step 4: Julius Erving to Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley, drafted 5th overall in the 1985 Draft, and Julius Erving appeared in 226 games together. The pair went 130-66 during the regular season, although postseason success proved harder to find. They went 16-14 in the playoffs during their shared time in Philadelphia.
Of course, the Eastern Conference wasn’t exactly welcoming. This was the era of Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.The era of Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons. The beginning of the era of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. There were heavyweights everywhere.
Philadelphia captured its championship in 1983 before Barkley arrived, and despite all of Charles’s greatness, he never got another crack at a title with the 76ers. That opportunity would come later when he moved out west to the Valley of the Sun.
Step 5: Charles Barkley to Cedric Ceballos
And now we’ve arrived at the destination. A journey spanning decades, from Neal Walk’s era in the early late 60s to 1992, when Charles Barkley arrived in Phoenix, and Cedric Ceballos was entering his third NBA season out of California State University, Fullerton.
Ced was a star on the rise. Honestly, I’ll go to my grave believing that if he had been healthy during that NBA Finals run, Barkley might have a championship ring and Suns fans might feel a little differently about the franchise’s history. Instead, we’re left wondering what could have been.
What we do know is that Barkley and Ceballos appeared in 131 games together. And with that, Neal Walk is connected to Cedric Ceballos in five degrees of separation.
That’s enough for this session, isn’t it? We got a little history lesson. We exercised parts of our basketball brains that probably haven’t been used in quite some time. And along the way, we managed to connect a handful of seemingly random players to Cedric Ceballos.
That’s the beauty of this exercise. It sends you wandering through decades of NBA history, stumbling across forgotten franchises, forgotten players, strange trades, and connections that you never would have considered otherwise. And honestly, I enjoy every minute of it.
So who knows? Maybe I’ll continue accepting the challenges thrown my way and keep this experiment going as the summer rolls on. There are certainly enough random names out there to keep me occupied. For now, though, I think these three examples prove the point. No matter how obscure the player, no matter how far back in NBA history you go, no matter how impossible the challenge initially appears. You can connect just about anyone who has ever played in the NBA to Cedric Ceballos.
And if you can’t?
Well, then I probably haven’t spent enough time on Basketball Reference yet.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks, Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks look on during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For a while now, I thought I was watching a very specific kind of story. An underdog with tenacity. A chosen one on the rise. An ascension. A coming-of-age. A fairy tale, maybe. The details were always a little hazy, but the protagonist was never in question. It was the Spurs. It just felt right. Every moment had meaning. Every setback only served the cause. The signs were everywhere if you knew how to read them. Our time had come. Our story was happening in real time, right in front of our eyes.
Somewhere in the third quarter, down fourteen, I started to wonder if I’d maybe wandered into the wrong theater.
I felt like I was drowning. Every Spurs possession was happening at warp speed. Shots went up quick and bounced out. Layups lipped out. Drives sputtered. The ball found its way into Knick hands before I could even process what was happening, and then suddenly everything was headed the other way.
These Knicks possessions, though. Those were like getting punched in slow motion. Just haymaker after haymaker and, sure, you could see every one coming but your arms were moving through molasses. There’s nothing to be done except to just sit there and take it. Then everything speeds up again and you’re dizzy from that last punch but, oops, another three just rattled out and the Knicks are headed back up the court again.
I was exhausted. I was dizzy. And I was starting to get the distinct impression that, in whatever version of this story I thought I was watching, this is not how it was supposed to go.
Much to my chagrin, I could not stop focusing on the Knicks fans in the crowd. They were making me insane. Not, like, a little annoyed. Insane. Seriously, every time a bunch of blue and orange hands went up after another bucket, it was like a galactic five-year-old found a bruise on my arm and just kept poking it. I felt like I was in my living room trying to grieve the demise of an old friend and a bunch of drunk guys were screaming BING BONG KNICKS IN FOUR BABY directly into my ear canal.
Get out of our house, you absolute ghouls.
I know. I know. It wasn’t really about them. Whatever. It’s just that it felt unfair in the specific way that life feels really unfair sometimes, when something wrong is happening right in front of you and there’s no one to appeal to and no rule being broken and it’s just happening. Why? Because.
But here’s the thing. I was so busy being mad at them for acting like they belonged there that I didn’t stop to consider why they were so sure they did.
Maybe they knew something I didn’t.
I turned the sound off with around 11 minutes left in the game. A tried and true tactic I’ve used for as long as I can remember when Sports has gotten a little too real for my taste. Something about the silence makes it seem more palatable. Like I can finally breathe and think for a second. Sometimes it’s just nice not to have to listen to Richard Jefferson anymore.
Wembanyama hit a three. That wasn’t going to fool me though. No sir. This whole game had been defined by the Spurs getting purchase on a cliff face before immediately tumbling back down a few feet and starting over. Castle got in for a pretty good dunk. Wemby blocked Hart. Their shots weren’t really falling anymore, but this wasn’t real. This was just the death rattle.
Harper with a bucket.
I’m telling you, watching this play out in silence was surreal. I obviously wasn’t going to turn the sound back on and mess with whatever favor I’d earned with the gods to inspire the run. Still, it was as if I was standing on the other side of the glass watching all of this happen to someone else. I wanted to scream or shout or bang on the window, but all I could do was stare. Mouth agape. Silently trying to will something into existence just by wanting it enough.
Our crowd was going nuts. The Knicks fans were, finally, mercifully, joining me in a silent vigil.
The score was tied. Three minutes left. Were they actually going to do this? They’d spent all night searching for answers and had they now, against all odds, finally found some? Victor took two steps, covered about a hundred feet of ground, and laid it in. The Spurs were winning. They were winning this game. Winning this series. Potentially never going to lose again.
Maybe this was our story after all. It’s wins all the way down, baby!
Wembanyama grabbing that board off the Brunson miss with 12 seconds left was the first time I actually let myself believe they were going to pull this off. The two best players on the court had just stared each other down, one on one, and Vic had prevailed. We were going to go back up, score, and dance off into the night. The story had been written. Our fate had been sealed. The stars were aligned.
Fate, it turns out, has a pretty funny sense of humor.
Before the game, Wembanyama was asked in French about this team’s habit of finding solutions only after running into problems. As usual, the frankness of his assessment kind of caught me off guard.
“We’re kind of like spoiled kids,” he said. “For some of us, it’s our first season and we’re already in the Finals. We don’t fully realize it yet. And to me, the team that appreciates the position we’re in the most will be the one that wins.”
Two games in, the Knicks look like they know exactly where they are.
How could they not? This is a franchise that has spent the better part of three decades being a punchline. Draft picks that didn’t pan out. Superstars that chose somewhere else. Stars that arrived and immediately got hurt. An owner who, at times, seemed to be actively working against his own team.
Last year, this group got within two wins of this exact moment and then Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers ripped their hearts out.
Twenty-seven years of almost and now here they are, back in San Antonio. In the Finals. In our building. Their fans look deliriously happy and their players look like they’re on a mission from God. They all look like they’ve been waiting their whole lives for this moment.
Maybe this is the story we’ve really been watching all along.
It could be as simple as that.
Takeaways
I’m willing to live in a world where I’m being too cynical about all this. The Spurs found something in that fourth quarter that looked real, and crazier things have happened. That said, down 0-2 heading to a Garden that is going to be absolutely feral is a lot. It’s not impossible. It’s just a lot. It’s….yeah, a lot.
Victor looked absolutely gassed all game. Right up until he didn’t! Still, I feel like I’ve seen him miss a ton of shots he normally makes in this series and it’s for sure a little disconcerting. The biggest thing the fourth quarter showed is that this Spurs team is invincible when Wemby is looking invincible. When he’s not, well, they get pretty vincible all of a sudden. This is something that somehow continues to seem profound even though we’ve been learning it over and over again for about three years now.
The Luke Kornet rebound off the missed Brunson free throw is an all-time moment that is going to be lost to history and I am furious about it. They put him in to do exactly one thing and he did it. He reached into a tangle of legs and limbs and came out with the basketball, somehow without stepping out of bounds. It was as stunning a play as his chase-down block in the OKC series. It deserved a better ending. Alas.
Part of me thinks Fox should have taken that last shot. I can’t fully explain it. It just felt like that was going to be his moment. That’s why we brought him here. Everyone in the building knew Wemby was getting the ball, so why not shock the world? He had the shot, didn’t he? I’ll never know because I refuse to watch that sequence again, but in my heart I think he had it.
Feels bad, y’all. Feels real bad right now.
Spurs in 7.
WWL Post Game Press Conference
Have you ever actually walked into the wrong theater for a movie?
No, that seems borderline impossible. I did used to like, double dip at the theater all the time back in the day when there was nothing else really going on. It felt like once you’d given your ticket to the guy up front you really could just hang out back there in the bowels of a Regal Cinemas for days on end.
So you’d just watch multiple movies?
Sure, or just like, a double feature or something.
What was your best double feature?
My favorite one, for sure, was a combination of Mission Impossible 2 followed by Shanghai Noon. Cinema! I was a man of culture. I’ve never felt more artistically fulfilled.
You really don’t want to keep talking about that Spurs game do you?
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 5: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates his two-RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning of an MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 5, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
There was a whole lot of goodness in the Orioles 13-3 beatdown of the Blue Jays on Friday night, and perhaps just one small (for now) thing to worry about.
First, the good news. The Orioles looked amazing, even if it took a little while for the offense to get it going.
Adley Rutschman’s solo homer in the first inning is all they could muster against Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage through the game’s first five innings. But they caught fire in the sixth, plating five runs and putting the game out of reach for a Blue Jays lineup that got shut down in the second half of the evening.
Rutschman was the star, going a perfect 4-for-4 with the homer, two doubles, and five runs driven in. His season totals are looking mighty fine after that performance. But he didn’t do it all alone. Coby Mayo hit a two-run dong. Jeremiah Jackson entered as a pinch hitter and had two hits and two RBI. Colton Cowser had two more hits and made a nice throw from right field. Gunnar Henderson reached base twice, scored two runs, and put pressure on the defense with his speed. It was just a really impressive group effort up and down the lineup.
The pitching was also good! Brandon Young got the win, tossing 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits, no walks, and four strikeouts. Then, the trio of Grant Wolfram, Yennier Cano, and Anthony Nunez combined for 2.2 shutout innings to close out the win.
The only thing we really need to be worried about is Samuel Basallo. He was the DH in this one, but exited early due to “right abdominal discomfort.” O’s manager Craig Albernaz described the decision to remove Basallo as “precautionary,” and that they will know more on Saturday. Sam Huff is already with the team as a member of the taxi squad, though he would need to be added to the 40-man roster if he is needed.
Losing Basallo for any amount of time would hurt. The rookie has been such an impactful part of their offense. He has also allowed Rutschman to get out from behind the plate more frequently, either as the DH or on the bench. Upending that balance could have some negative downstream effects. Fingers crossed this ends up being a day-to-day thing.
Links
Orioles injury updates and some mailbag questions | Roch Kubatko We got some positive injury updates this week. Chris Bassitt should be OK to make his next start. Ryan Helsley is set for a rehab stint next week. Dylan Beavers is hitting in the cage. And Dean Kremer is running and throwing live batting practice. Getting the team healthier would be a big boost!
The Draft is just over 5 weeks away! Here’s the latest mock | MLB.com The Orioles have the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft, which makes things a bit more interesting. Clearly, you can get good players deeper than that. Look no further than Henderson. But the draft is most exciting in the top half of the first round. Here are a bunch of names to get familiar with.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
The late Merv Rettenmund (b. 1943, d., 2024) was born on this day. The outfielder spent six seasons in Baltimore during the club’s Golden Age from 1968-73. He put together three different seasons with bWARs of 4.2 or better, with his standout campaign coming in 1971. That got him some down ballot MVP votes, finishing in 19th place for the award.
This day in O’s history
1993 – Cal Ripken Jr’s consecutive games played streak nearly comes to an end when his spikes get stuck in the grass and twist his knee. Although his knee will be badly swollen the next day, he plays anyway.
2010 – The Orioles beat the Red Sox 4-3 in 11 innings, ending a ten-game losing stream and giving interim manager Juan Samuel his first victory at the helm.
2012 – The Orioles beat the Red Sox 2-1 to retake sole possession of first place in the AL East.
COVERS INTEL:Ranger Suarez ranks 22nd percentile in whiff rate. He is not missing bats.
Jeremy Pena
Jacob Misiorowski
Shohei Ohtani
