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Mavericks beat the Kings 120-106 to advance to face the Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Klay Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in Dallas’ dominant second quarter to get redemption for his dud in Sacramento a year ago, helping the Mavericks beat the Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night to advance in the Play-In Tournament.

One year to the day when Thompson missed all 10 shots in his final game for Golden State in a play-in loss in Sacramento, Thompson fueled the win with four 3-pointers in Dallas’ 44-point second quarter. That turned the game into a laugher and kept the Mavericks’ chaotic season alive for at least one more game.

“Human nature, when you end a season on a sour note like that you want to come out and prove people wrong,” Thompson said. "But I thought I did a good job to start the game of trying to dish, rebound, play defense. The shots came to me after that.”

Dallas advanced to play at Memphis on Friday night for the chance to get into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the West. The winner of that game will open the playoffs on Sunday at top-seeded Oklahoma City.

The Mavs have undergone a rough season after trading young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a seismic trade that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas and vitriol from the fan base to the organization.

Star point guard Kyrie Irving went down with a season-ending knee injury shortly after that trade, ending any realistic hopes of another deep playoff run after making it to the NBA Finals last season.

“We've had a tumultuous season to say the least,” Thompson said. “The injury bug has struck us like I’ve never seen before. But we’re still here playing postseason basketball. We can really give the city of Dallas some hope, especially if we go to Memphis and repeat this type of performance.”

Dallas opened the second quarter with a 20-6 run fueled by back-to-back 3s from Thompson. Thompson hit two more 3s later in the quarter as the Mavs built the lead to 23 points at the half, removing any drama.

“We shot it very well, get stops on defense and were able to run,” said Davis, who led Dallas with 27 points. “Offense was clicking. We had what, 44 in the quarter? We played with a lot of pace and opened up the game."

DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for the Kings, and and Zach LaVine added 20.

It was a disappointing ending to an underwhelming season for the Kings, who fired coach Mike Brown in December and traded star point guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio in February. It all led to Sacramento missing the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons, raising questions about the team’s future starting with the status of interim coach Doug Christie.

“This is where I want to be,” Christie said. "You guys know that. I need to finish what I started.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Tanner Scott investment paying off, Robert Suarez leads Padres dominant pen

In this week's Closer Report, Tanner Scott's three saves for the Dodgers solidify his role as the team's primary closer. Robert Suarez leads a Padres bullpen that's been the best in baseball. And Trevor Megill appears to be fine despite some injury speculation.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners

Miller picked up his fourth save on Saturday against the Mets, then struck out the side on 12 pitches Wednesday against the White Sox for his fifth. He's struck out 12 batters with just one walk and three hits allowed over six scoreless innings. The 26-year-old right-hander is just flat-out dominating when on the mound.

Hader pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday before locking down his fourth save Tuesday against the Cardinals. He's made six scoreless appearances, including a pair of two-inning outings, since giving up one run on Opening Day.

We stay in the AL West to finish out the top tier, with Muñoz pitching lights out in Seattle. He worked three save chances this week and is up to seven saves over nine scoreless innings. The only knock on the 26-year-old right-hander is an elevated walk rate, but it helps to have an 18.5% swinging-strike rate.

Tier 2: The Elite

Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays

Suarez picked up his MLB-leading eighth save on Wednesday against the Cubs. He's tossed nine scoreless frames as the leader of a Padres bullpen that leads the majors with the best ERA. The 34-year-old right-hander got off to a similarly impressive start last season. This time around, it's with more strikeouts as he's generated a 17.1% swinging-strike rate behind increased usage of his changeup.

It was a better week for Williams as he made three scoreless appearances, including two saves to bring his total to three. The 30-year-old right-hander isn't getting the whiffs he's accustomed to getting in the early going while struggling with control. He's posted an 8/6 K/BB ratio across six innings of work.

Helsley picked up his second save of the week on Wednesday against the Astros and third on the season. His one outing in which he walked four batters and allowed two runs on April 6 against the Red Sox has skewed his ratios a bit, but he's been otherwise solid.

Clase picked up his second save of the season Tuesday against the Orioles, working just his fourth scoreless appearance in eight games. There's nothing suggesting a decline for the 27-year-old right-hander. His profile indicates he's been more a victim of bad luck to start the season with a bloated .467 BABIP. Clase continues to limit walks and has generated an 18.1% swinging-strike rate. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him go on a dominant stretch as his BABIP normalizes.

Díaz had allowed five runs over his last two outings before striking out two batters in a scoreless inning on Wednesday in a tie game against the Twins. Walking five batters over his last three games hasn't helped, but he also has been hurt by an inflated BABIP. The 31-year-old right-hander's velocity has been down a bit before getting back up to 97 on Wednesday, an encouraging sign.

After working back-to-back two-inning outings, Hoffman closed out Wednesday's game against the Braves with his fourth save of the season. The 32-year-old right-hander is off to an excellent start with Toronto, giving up two runs with a 14/1 K/BB ratio across 10 1/3 innings.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Walker picked up his fourth save of the season against the Yankees on Sunday, striking out one batter in a clean inning. While the 29-year-old right-hander has been effective at limiting walks and hard contact, the strikeouts haven't been there yet with his swinging-strike rate down in the early going.

Scott converted the three save chances for the Dodgers this week, giving him three straight and six of the team's nine saves. Blake Treinen has mixed in for two saves, but Scott is solidifying his role as the primary closer despite the early mixing and matching. The 30-year-old left-hander has allowed three runs with a 10/0 K/BB ratio across 10 innings.

Iglesias gave up a solo homer against the Rays in Tampa on Saturday but held on to the lead for his second save. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed a lot of hard contact so far but holds a strong 7/1 K/BB ratio across six innings.

Tier 4: Only Here for the Saves

Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Justin Martinez/A.J. Puk - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jose Alvarado/Matt Strahm - Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs

Fairbanks added his third save of the season on Friday with a scoreless inning against the Braves. His swinging-strike rate is up to an impressive 20.4% over six outings after seeing a decline all last season. Durability will always remain a concern for the 31-year-old right-hander, but he should otherwise be a solid closing option.

Megill was hit with a blown save after giving up three runs on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. There was some concern following the outing as he reportedly has been pitching through a lingering knee issue. An MRI revealed no structural damage and he bounced back with a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Wednesday against the Tigers. Abner Uribe has pitched well and figures to be next in line for saves if Megill is unavailable.

Jansen picked up a save on Saturday with a scoreless inning against the Astros. He's yet to allow a run over six innings while posting a 7/2 K/BB ratio. While not as dominant as he once was, Jansen is as safe a bet for saves as they came when healthy

Chapman took a loss on Saturday, giving up one run against the White Sox. He bounced back with saves on Monday and Tuesday, giving him four with a 1.23 ERA and a 40% strikeout rate across 7 1/3 innings. With Chapman unavailable Wednesday, Justin Slaten picked up the save against the Rays. Liam Hendriks appears set to come off the injured list in the next week and could factor into the late-inning mix. However, I wouldn't expect him to step in to save chances right away.

The Diamondbacks continue to play the matchup game in the late innings. After Martinez converted a pair of saves last week, Puk got the save chance against the Brewers on Sunday and converted his third of the season.

Not to the same extent, but the Phillies will mix and match the high-leverage situations. Alvarado picked up his third save on Saturday against the Cardinals, then faced the top of the Giants' lineup on Tuesday before Matt Strahm picked up the save in the ninth.

As usual, Finnegan works through trouble to get the job done. The 33-year-old right-hander made a pair of scoreless appearances to convert two saves, giving him six with one run allowed and an 8/4 K/BB ratio across 7 2/3 innings.

Estévez is up to five saves after picking up two this week against the Twins and Guardians. He had his most impressive outing Sunday in Cleveland as he struck out the side. Lucas Erceg is pitching well in a setup role, but Estévez is locked in as the closer.

Jackson worked around a hit and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning to finish out the game against the Angels with a four-run lead on Tuesday. He then pitched a clean ninth on Wednesday for his sixth save.

Pagán has pitched well as he's settled into the closer role in Cincinnati. The 33-year-old right-hander worked three perfect outings this week, picking up two saves to bring his total to four. Manager Terry Francona has stated that Pagán will continue to work as the team's primary closer despite Alexis Díaz returning from the injured list.

Pressly has his best week as a Cub. The 36-year-old right-hander had not worked a clean inning through seven outings until tossing two perfect frames this week to pick up a save and a win.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Anthony Bender/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

The Pirates have not converted a save since sending David Bednar to Triple-A. Still, Santana's usage suggests he should be getting the save chances, at least until Bednar is back in the majors.

Kahnle gave up a run against the Twins on Friday but was able to hold on for his second save. Meanwhile, Jason Foley has not allowed a run over 6 2/3 innings with Triple-A Toledo.

Halvorsen pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers last Thursday, then gave up a run against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Both outings were in non-save situations as the Rockies have won just three games all season.

Bender was charged with a blown save after giving up one run in the eighth inning against the Nationals on Friday. Calvin Faucher got the save chance the following day and converted his first.

Another week with no save chances in Chicago for the White Sox. The team did designate Mike Clevinger for assignment after he allowed five runs with a 3/8 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings. It's not much use speculating here, but Leasure seems likely to be in line for any save chances.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

The Angels placed right-handed setup man Ben Joyce on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation after seeing a dip in velocity during his last outing. With Joyce sidelined, Ryan Zeferjahn is in line to step into more high-leverage work behind closer Kenley Jansen. Zeferjahn has collected strikeouts over his last few outings and owns a 47.4% strikeout rate behind a 22.1% swinging-strike rate, albeit over a small sample so far. The 27-year-old right-hander has closer stuff with a 98 mph fastball and wipeout slider. Zeferjahn should be next in line to close on days Jansen is unavailable, at least until Joyce returns. He's a solid option to roster in holds leagues, especially if he can maintain the strikeouts. Staying in Southern California, Dodgers long reliever Jack Dreyer is another reliever gaining some value in deeper roto leagues. The team has leaned on the 26-year-old southpaw to give them some length in the middle innings and he's come through with one run allowed and a 16/1 K/BB ratio across 12 innings. He's also falling in line to pick up two wins, which could be invaluable in those 15-plus team roto/category formats.

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Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller
Bobby Miller had a tough outing against the Rockies on Wednesday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

One year and three weeks ago, Bobby Miller was at the peak of his young major league career.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2023, the hard-throwing right-hander had made the Dodgers’ 2024 opening-day rotation. In his season debut, he dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings. And as a former top prospect in the organization’s pitching-rich farm system, his ascent in the big leagues seemed to be just beginning.

One year and three weeks later, he faces a long climb back.

Called up from triple-A Oklahoma City for a spot start Wednesday, Miller’s first MLB start of 2025 mirrored the struggles that plagued him over the rest of 2024.

Over a woeful three-inning outing, the 26-year-old gave up six runs to the middling Colorado Rockies. Despite striking out seven batters, he was knocked around for a five-spot in the third, punctuated by a hanging curveball Michael Toglia hit for a grand slam.

The Dodgers still won, riding a seven-run first inning to an 8-7 victory that completed a three-game series sweep at Dodger Stadium this week.

But Miller’s implosion was another troubling sign for the Dodgers’ young depth options on the mound.

Read more:Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'

Like Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack before him, his return to the majors inspired little confidence.

In a rare opportunity to make an impression on the Dodgers’ big-league roster, he instead faltered in a frustratingly familiar script.

Two innings into Wednesday’s start, Miller appeared to be in full control.

He had limited damage in a three-hit first inning, striking out the other three batters he faced to give up just one run. He breezed through the second, stranding a two-out single with two more strikeouts.

And in between, he waited in the dugout for the 25 minutes while the Dodgers launched an assault on Rockies starter Germán Márquez.

Shohei Ohtani blasted a 448-foot leadoff home run to the top of the right-field pavilion. Freddie Freeman also found the right-field seats for a solo blast two batters later. From there, the Dodgers just kept coming, with Andy Pages driving two runs home with the bases loaded, Austin Barnes tacking on two more with a double that marked his first hit of the season, and Ohtani collecting another RBI in his second at-bat of the inning with a base hit.

All told, the Dodgers scored seven times, had nine batters reach base and chased Márquez from the game after 37 dismal pitches.

It seemingly set Miller up to cruise through the rest of his night.

Instead, it all came unglued in the top of the third.

After responding to a leadoff single with his sixth strikeout of the game, Miller lost his feel for, what up to that point, had been an effective curveball. He hung one to Kyle Farmer for a single. He missed with two to Hunter Goodman to walk the bases loaded.

Then, in a 1-and-2 count to Toglia, he fired another that stayed over the heart of the plate. Toglia unloaded for a grand slam. Miller hid his frustration behind a stoic face.

So often last year, Miller endured starts like this, unable to build upon his early-season momentum in what became a forgettable campaign.

Following that dazzling debut against the Cardinals, he yielded seven runs over 5 ⅔ innings in his next two starts. Shoulder inflammation landed him on the injured list for two months after that. And once he returned, he never looked the same, stumbling to a 9.34 ERA over his final 10 outings.

Read more:Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw throws three scoreless innings in rehab start

During that second-half stretch, Miller was dogged by a nagging knee issue. But wild command (he walked 30 batters in 56 innings on the season) and lack of execution with his breaking pitches (highlighted by a .357 batting average against his curveball) were equally troublesome problems.

On Wednesday, they resurfaced again.

An at-bat after Toglia’s grand slam, Miller fell behind Mickey Moniak by throwing two changeups that bounced to the backstop. Then, with Barnes holding his catcher’s mitt low in the zone, Miller fired a fastball that stayed up and over the plate. Moniak hit it the other way for a solo home run. What had once been a 7-1 lead was trimmed to 7-6.

Luckily for Miller, the bullpen picked up the slack against the woebegone Rockies (3-15) — including three innings of one-run relief from swingman Ben Casparius, who provided a bridge to Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott to close it out.

The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, provided just enough breathing room with a fifth-inning RBI single from Pages.

The question now: What will the Dodgers do next Wednesday, when there will once again be a hole in their rotation?

Tony Gonsolin is still expected to make one more triple-A rehab start before returning from his back injury. Knack (who had a 7.27 ERA in three outings this year) and Wrobleski (who yielded eight runs in his lone start last week) have already been optioned.

Given Wednesday’s results, Miller might be facing the same fate.

Before the game, manager Dave Roberts had remained bullish on his long-term potential, reflecting back at where he was one year and three weeks earlier.

“He was just really thriving,” Roberts recalled. “As far as the upside potential, absolutely [it’s still there]."

Wednesday, however, was a reminder of how far he's slipped trying to reach it.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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NHL Releases Information On Game One Between Colorado and Dallas

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) and Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) talk during a stoppage of play in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

NHL Public Relations announced the schedule for the Opening Day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday evening. Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, April 19th, and will broadcast two games on Saturday evening.

Per an email from NHL PR, game 1 of the first round series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars is set for Saturday, April 19th at 6:30 pm MT/8:30 pm ET. The series will begin in Dallas at American Airlines Center for the first two games before both teams travel to Denver to play out games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena. TNT, TruTV, and Max will broadcast the games in the United States, while Sportsnet, SN360, and TVA Sports will host the game broadcast in Canada.

This will not be the only game set to air on Saturday. The series between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets is set to begin with game 1 in Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is set for 4:00 pm MT/6:00 pm ET. The game will be on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports in Canada. In the United States, the game will be on TNT, truTV, and Max.

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Pair Of Carolina Hurricanes Rookies Make NHL Debuts

Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Domenick Fensore (89) skates with a puck during his rookie lap in warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes center Skyler Brind'Amour (76) shoots a puck during is rookie lap in warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes had a memorable night Wednesday even despite a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens as the team had a pair of rookies making their NHL debuts.

Forward Skyler Brind'Amour, son of head coach Rod Brind'Amour, and defenseman Domenick Fensore got to suit up for their first NHL games after both putting in good years in the AHL.

"I think they acquitted themselves well," Rod Brind'Amour said. "I really do. It's a tough environment to walk into, but I thought all of them did a nice job."

Brind'Amour, 25, logged 15:28 centering William Carrier and Logan Stankoven and finished the night with a block and a hit as well as going 8-for-10 in the dot.

"There's been a lot of emotions," Brind'Amour said on his debut. "Kind of all over the place. It was a lot of fun. Obviously it's the best league in the world so it's tough to jump in and get your feet wet in that kind of environment with playoffs on the line for them, but it was really cool to be able to do that and really grateful for everybody that's helped me get to this point."

There were still a few learning moments for the rookie, namely the opening goal where he found himself accidently screening Pyotr Kochetkov.

 "He was fine," Rod Brind'Amour said. "Had the one big mess up on the first goal, covered the wrong guy and kind of took him too far in and then screened the goalie on a long shot, which as I said, if there's no screen, it's not going in. But other than that, I think he handled himself pretty well.

"I was happy for him because he's earned it. He's earned it, played solid. He's not a guy who's going to score three, four goals a night, but I think he was good on the faceoffs and that's kind of the little things that he does, kill penalties, that kind of role and I think he did a good job."

Fensore, 23, played 17:13 and had five shots on goal, a block and two hits.

The defender showcased his smooth skating, being unafraid to carry and transition the puck and his defending was nothing to scoff at either.

"It's been kind of crazy," Fensore said. "Got the news yesterday and flew here last night. Just being jumped into a big game like this was pretty special."

Both players also got time on the penalty kill, which was a perfect 3-for-3 on the night for Carolina.

In total, the pair brought the Canes' rookie number to five in Montreal as they skated also alongside Bradly Nadeau, Scott Morrow and Logan Stankoven and they all will probably have the chance for one more game too in Ottawa on Thursday.

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Yankees Notes: Clarke Schmidt supplying pitching reinforcements, Aaron Judge 'locked in'

The Yankees finished a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, thanks in part to Clarke Schmidt's first start of the year and capped by Aaron Judge's seventh-inning home run that proved to be the difference in the game.

Making his season debut, an amped-up Schmidt had to shake off some rust in the first inning, where he threw 21 pitches, but after allowing an early run, the right-hander settled down and managed to complete 5.2 innings on just 72 pitches in his first start off the IL.

"Definitely a little amped up and rightfully so," Schmidt said. "… The fans got me juiced up a little bit, so I was really happy I was able to settle it down."

Manager Aaron Boone thought his starter pitched great and was impressed by the length Schmidt ended up giving the team after throwing so many pitches in the first.

"In the first he's up over 20 [pitches] so you kind of go into the night, hopefully you get four [innings], couple times through [the lineup] maybe," Boone said. "For him to almost get through six, to be that efficient, keep us right there, I thought it was a good night for him and another good step to being all the way back for him. Really excited he's back in the rotation."

Without Gerrit Cole for the entire season and a starting rotation that has ranked near the bottom of the league in ERA (4.96) so far, Schmidt supplies the Yankees with much-needed pitching reinforcements and couldn't come at a better time.

With that in consideration, the 29-year-old understands how his role is amplified this season.

"Obviously, I always have high expectations for myself, but given the circumstances, I know that it’s a little bit more important right now," Schmidt said. "... I definitely have to step up. The whole rotation has to step up and I know that my job is to go out there and be consistent as possible every five days and give my team a chance to win, so I definitely know that I have to step up."

Wednesday's outing was a start in the right direction and helped New York secure the win as Schmidt dropped it off to Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz, who recorded his first career save by getting the last six outs of the game with closer Devin Williams unavailable due to a heavy workload recently.

The pitchers did their part, which set up Judge to do his.

Stuck in a power outage over his last 10 games but still tearing the cover off the ball during that time, Judge stepped up to the plate to lead off the seventh inning and broke a 3-3 tie with a blast to center field for his first home run since April 4. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and looks as "locked in" as his skipper has seen him.

"Honestly, tonight was the most locked in [he was] I felt like at-bat wise where he was just like on everything," Boone said. [Royals starter Kris] Bubic is tough and I just felt like he was seeing it well and on everything and then all the way to the homer."

For Judge, it wasn't about hitting a home run in that situation, but just trying to get on base for the players behind him to drive him in, like Anthony Volpe did in the third inning.

"I want to get on base, I think that’s the biggest thing," he said. "Especially hitting in the middle of the order and especially if I’m gonna be hitting second a lot, I got to touch first base. That’s my job. Touch first base, let the guys behind me do their thing.

"When you’re hitting at the top of the order, you gotta know what your job is and my job is to get on first base and get on for the guys behind me."

And even though his manager seems to think he's as locked in as ever, when asked how he feels, Judge smiled and said, "We're getting there."

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Blues-Jets Set To Open First Round Series On Saturday

St. Louis Blues forward Jake Neighbours (63) and Adam Lowry and the Winnipeg Jets (17) open their Western Conference First Round series with Game 1 on Saturday in Winnipeg. (James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS -- The quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Saturday for the St. Louis Blues, who will open their Western Conference First Round series against the Winnipeg Jets at 5 p.m. (CT). 

The game will be televised on TNT, truTV and Max in the U.S. and Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada for those Blues fans north of the border. Of course, it can also be heard on ESPN 101.1-FM.

Games 1 and 2 will be played at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, with Games 3 and 4 slated for Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Game 5, if necessary, would be back in Winnipeg; Game 6, if necessary, would be in St. Louis and Game 7, also if necessary, would close the series in Winnipeg.

The NHL will release its full playoff schedule soon and the remainder of dates between the Blues and Jets will be released.

It's the first time the teams have squared off in the playoffs since the Blues, as the third seed in the Central Division, knocked off the No. 2-seeded Jets in six games in 2019, en route to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.

Winnipeg took three of the four matchups this season, with the Blues going 1-2-1, with their lone win on Dec. 3, 4-1. The Jets won the most recent matchup, 3-1, April 7 in Winnipeg.

The Blues (44-30-8) finished as the second wild card from the Western Conference, while the Jets (56-22-4) won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time ever and claimed the Central Division title.

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Mets' Francisco Alvarez catches full game with Double-A Binghamton

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez took a big step in his rehab on Wednesday night while playing for Double-A Binghamton. The backstop caught the entire eight innings and came away with seemingly no issue after a scary moment in Tuesday night's game.

Of course, Alvarez was hit by a pitch while batting for Binghamton on Tuesday. It was to the same hand he fractured, which resulted in trainers coming out to talk to him. The youngster did run the bases immediately afterward and caught the next inning before being pulled. Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza said before Wednesday's Mets game against the Twins that Alvarez was ok, and the catcher proved it.

Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a two-run single and walked on Wednesday, but it was his defense that was a sight to behold. He threw out two potential base stealers and caught for three different pitchers, including prospect Jonah Tong.

It's unclear how much longer Alvarez will need to rehab but Wednesday's performance will go a long way. The Mets will likely want to see Alvarez catch entire games on back-to-back days while also getting at-bats up in Triple-A Syracuse, which could be the backstop's next destination.

With the Mets returning home for a four-game series against the Cardinals, the organization will be able to meet with Alvarez and plan out his next steps.

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Carolina Hurricanes Top Rookie, Bradly Nadeau, Picks Up First NHL Point

Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Bradly Nadeau (29) plays the puck against Montreal Canadiens right wing Joel Armia (40) in the third period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Carolina Hurricanes forward and top prospect Bradly Nadeau registered his first NHL point Wednesday night in the team's 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. 

It was just the second career NHL game for the 2023 first-round pick, having made his debut in the final game of the season last year.

"I thought, as the game got on, he was actually starting to be really noticeable," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Made a couple of nice plays, had a good tip there on the goal. Had a couple shots on the power play there. He did a good job."

Nadeau grew more and more noticeable as the game went on and finally, late in the third period, the winger was fighting for position in front of the Montreal net and managed to get his stick on a Dmitry Orlov shot.

The puck nearly found its way into the net on its own, but it needed a little help and luckily Tyson Jost was there to poke it home.

"There's a lot of emotions that go through it," Nadeau said on picking up his first NHL point. "Obviously your team scored, so you're back in the game there and then also you get your first NHL point. I think just a lot of emotions, but hopefully it's one of many."

Nadeau, 19, has been lighting up the AHL in his first professional season, pacing all AHL rookies with 30 goals on the season.

The New Brunswick native has shown a penchant for producing at every level of his career so far and I don't think it will be too long before we see him doing it consistently at the NHL level either.

"Every chance you get to play for an NHL team you kind of embrace and play as hard as you can," Nadeau said. "Learn from mistakes and the experience. Had a lot of fun. Unfortunately we came up short, but I think there was a lot to like."

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'It Was A Tough Environment To Walk Into': Rod Brind'Amour, Skyler Brind'Amour, Bradly Nadeau On Loss In Montreal, Performance Of Rookies

Apr 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes center Skyler Brind'Amour (76) plays the puck against Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) in the second period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes fell 4-2 to the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night at Centre Bell, as the Habs punched their ticket to the postseason.

Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost each scored, Bradly Nadeau registered his first NHL point and Skyler Brind'Amour and Domenick Fensore made their NHL debuts.

After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Skyler Brind'Amour and Nadeau spoke with the media in Montreal. Here's what they had to say:

Rod Brind'Amour

On the game: We had a couple coverage issues and they ripped them in the net. I think the game was pretty even. Haven't looked at the scoring chances, but zone time and all that felt like, after the first period, we did a real nice job. And we controlled the faceoff dot. Like there were little areas that we were doing well in and then, like I said, the skill... Suzuki was all alone in front and you can't leave the best player all alone and he ripped it into the net. That's what they do. A couple little breakdowns and they took advantage of it. But overall, I thought we did pretty well considering what we were walking into and with the guys we were missing.

On Bradly Nadeau: I thought, as the game got on, he was actually starting to be really noticeable. Made a couple of nice plays, had a good tip there on the goal. Had a couple shots on the power play there. He did a good job.

On how he felt the callups performed: I think they acquitted themselves well. I really do. It's a tough environment to walk into, but I thought all of them did a nice job.

On the way the team played despite missing some key guys: We were shorthanded for sure, but I think the compete level was pretty high. That's what allowed us to at least hang in there and make it an even game. It could have went either way, but their skill got us at the end of the day. A couple of good plays. But we were just competing hard. We killed a couple of penalties and kept ourselves in the game.

On Pyotr Kochetkov: You can't fault him on the goals. Guys were right in front of him so he couldn't see the shots. If he saw those, he's probably saving them as they're wristers from well out, but he didn't get good looks at them. Tip your hat to their team for getting traffic. But he made a couple good saves that allowed us to keep hanging in there.

On Skyler's performance: He was fine. Had the one big mess up on the first goal, covered the wrong guy and kind of took him too far in and then screened the goalie on a long shot, which as I said, if there's no screen, it's not going in. But other than that, I think he handled himself pretty well. Like I said, all the guys did a good job.

On his feelings watching his son out there: I was happy for him because he's earned it. He's earned it, played solid. He's not a guy who's going to score three, four goals a night, but I think he was good on the faceoffs and that's kind of the little things that he does, kill penalties, that kind of role and I think he did a good job.

Skyler Brind'Amour

On making his NHL debut: There's been a lot of emotions. Kind of all over the place. It was a lot of fun. Obviously it's the best league in the world so it's tough to jump in and get your feet wet in that kind of environment with playoffs on the line for them, but it was really cool to be able to do that and really grateful for everybody that's helped me get to this point.

On the differences between the NHL and AHL: It's a little bit of a different pace obviously. A little bit faster and I think the biggest thing was guys finding the open guy right away. You can't take a breath. It's a learning experience for me. Just a little blown coverage or if you're a half-second late and then the guy gets it and it's in the back of your net. Just one of those things. It's a learning experience. You kind of wish it didn't happen that way, but you have to learn somehow.

On his biggest areas of focus for growth and development: I think it's always just been about work ethic and having a positive attitude. Trying to stay positive. My first year pro in the AHL was a tough year for mem but again, just got right back to work. Had a chance to go to Chicago this year and it's been great. The coaching staff down there has been fantastic. I just try to keep a positive attitude and work my way and here we are.

On having his family in attendance: Obviously it's cool to have your family here. They're the people that have helped you along the way so much and so many people back home watching. I could go on for hours about all the people that have helped me get to this point and just playing pro hockey in general. It's been a crazy couple days and I'm just grateful for everybody.

Bradly Nadeau

On his first NHL point: Just got a stick on it and got fortunate that it went kind of like behind Montembault and Josty just came in and cleaned up the rebound. 

On the emotions of getting his first NHL point: When that happens, there's a lot of emotions that go through it. Obviously your team scored, so you're back in the game there and you get your first NHL point. I think just a lot of emotions, but hopefully it's one of many.

On the experience being back up in the NHL again: It's unbelievable. Every chance you get to play for an NHL team you kind of embrace and play as hard as you can. Learn from mistakes and the experience. Had a lot of fun. Unfortunately we came up short but I think there was a lot to like.

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Islanders Secure Shot At No. 1 Pick At 2025 NHL Draft Lottery

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The New York Islanders have clinched their first bottom-11 finish since the 2017-18 NHL season.

The team went 35-37-10 and finished 22nd out of 31 teams that season.

This season, they sit at 35-34-12 heading into Game 82.

If the Islanders manage a win against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers fall to the Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation, the Islanders will finish 22nd in the standings.

Any other outcome in either game will result in the Islanders finishing 23rd.

Regardless of the result, the Islanders have clinched a chance to land the first overall pick in the lottery, as only the bottom 11 teams are able to move into the No. 1 position.

The last time a team outside the top 10 moved up in the draft lottery was in 2020 during the pandemic, when "Team E," a placeholder that had just a 2.5% chance of winning the lottery, landed at No. 1. 

That pick eventually went to the New York Rangers following a subsequent lottery.

Before that was 2019, when the Chicago Blackhawks went from pick No. 13 to No. 3 to select Kirby Dach.

The year prior, the Carolina Hurricanes jumped from No. 11 to No. 2 to select Andrei Svechnikov, while the Philadelphia Flyers jumped from No. 13 to No. 2 to select Nolan Patrick the year before that.

The Islanders will have a 7.2% chance to land a top-two pick if they finish 23rd in the standings and a 6.2% chance if they finish 22nd.

Needless to say, it is absolutely possible the Islanders move into a top-two selection.

The draft lottery is set to take place on either May 5 or May 6.

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Miami blows out Chicago behind 38 from Tyler Herro, advances to face Atlanta

NBA: Play-In-Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls

Apr 16, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) defends Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

David Banks-Imagn Images

Post All-Star break, the Chicago Bulls had a top-10 defense in the NBA. You would never have known that Wednesday night.

From the opening tip, it felt like a parade to the rim for the Heat, and off that they were able to kick-out for open 3s, or draw defenders and hit other cutters.

The result was bucket after bucket, led by Tyler Herro, who finished the night with 38 points and shot 10-of-10 in the paint.

Miami ultimately walked away with the comfortable win on the road, 109-90, taking the East 9/10 play-in game, and with that, they will travel to Atlanta on Friday night to face Trae Young and the Hawks in one game to see who will be the No. 8 seed.

The Bulls' season is over — for the third year in a row Miami eliminated Chicago.

The result is not surprising for Chicago, this is a team that has pivoted towards a rebuild since last summer — trading away Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso — but kept winning enough behind Coby White and Josh Giddey to stay in the play-in. Chicago GM Arturas Karnisovas has said he wants to build a roster deep with two-way talent (more than to land one big star, think Houston’s roster, for example). This game was evidence of how far away the Bulls are from having nine or 10 players near that level.

Miami came out with playoff intensity, and Chicago came out with random Tuesday night game in February intensity. In addition, Miami walked on the court with a plan to shut off the Bulls in transition and not let Josh Giddey, Coby White and Chicago get out and run — when the Bulls don’t have that, their entire offense falls apart.

In the halfcourt, Chicago’s passing wasn’t sharp, it was just a little off, so the Bulls couldn’t create swing-swing opportunities moving the ball to the weak side before the Heat pressure rotated. If Chicago’s first action didn’t create a good look, the team struggled.

Miami had no such issues.

Herro was on fire from the opening tip, attacking Giddey specifically, but mostly getting downhill and attacking. Miami’s first six shots came in the paint and the Heat had 16 points in the paint in the first quarter, plus were 6-of-9 from 3 as a team, and put up 39 points in the first quarter to lead by 11 after one. Herro had 16 points in the first quarter.

Miami stuck with its game plan and kept stretching that lead out, getting it to 20 by the middle of the first quarter.

Herro had 23 points on 8-of-8 shooting in the first half, and Miami led 71-47 at the break. Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and Adebayo had 15 points and 12 boards. For the game, Miami won the points in the paint battle by 16 (56-40).

Chicago made a little push in the second half — Talen Horton-Tucker came in and was a pure gunner, and with that hit a few shots — but the lead never fell into single digits. There was never a real threat. Giddey led the Bulls with 25 points but was 9-of-21 shooting.

And with all that, Miami is on a plane to Atlanta with a chance to make the playoffs.

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Fantasy Basketball: Extremely Early 2025-26 Mock Draft

While the 2025 NBA Playoffs will get underway this weekend, the 2024-25 season concluded on Sunday from a fantasy standpoint. For some, this is a time to celebrate their victories or lament what went wrong. For others, however, this is a great time to look ahead to next season and get some early mock drafting in. Count Rotoworld fantasy basketball analysts Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin among the latter group, participating in a 14-team, nine-cat mock draft with other fantasy analysts.

This exercise won't provide a complete picture of what's to come next season. The 2025 draft class is not available for selection, as those players do not yet have teams, and questions remain regarding the availability of established pros whose seasons were derailed by injury.

This article will be updated after every two rounds, with Johnson and Rubin providing their thoughts on how their teams are looking. Thank you to FBI Basketball's Adam King for organizing this mock draft.

Round 1 Results

1. Adam King: F/C Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
2. Alex Barutha: C Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
3. Dan Palyo: G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Robbin Marx: G James Harden, LA Clippers
5. Dan Titus: G Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
6. Scott Keller: G Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
7. Dan Besbris: F/C Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
8. Kayla Fonte: F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
9. Steve St-Pierre: F/C Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
10. Noah Rubin: F/C Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
11. Dan McKie: G Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
12. Matty G: G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
13. Raphielle Johnson: G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
14. Yuri Ono: F/C Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

Round 2 Results

15. Ono: G/F Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
16. Johnson: G Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
17. Matty G: G Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
18. McKie: G Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
19. Rubin: G/F Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
20. St-Pierre: F Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
21. Fonte: F LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
22. Besbris: G/F/C Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
23. Keller: G/F Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
24. Titus: G Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
25. Marx: G LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
26. Palyo: F/C Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
27. Barutha: G/F Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
28. King: G De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs

Raphielle's thoughts: I try not to enter drafts, whether mock or real, with the intention of punting a particular category. I prefer to let things play out in the early rounds and then assess where my team's strengths and weaknesses lie halfway through the proceedings. I'm pleased with how the first two rounds went. In a nine-cat league, turnovers will likely be an issue for those who roster Young. That said, the "bet" is that his overall production will minimize the impact of that category.

I hoped to get Edwards with my second-round pick, but he was off the board, so Mitchell was the choice. While Mitchell was ranked 36th in Basketball Monster's nine-cat rankings to end the regular season, he's capable of making a run at first-round value, even as Evan Mobley's role continues to expand in Cleveland.

Noah's thoughts: I enjoy being bold in mock drafts, but when a player like Giannis is available with the 10th pick, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in fantasy basketball, but he comes with obvious limitations that you have to account for. You can either lean hard into his strengths and punt the other categories or try to make up for them in future rounds. Regardless of which path you opt for, Antetokounmpo is a player I will happily take with the No. 10 pick, and I'd certainly consider him even earlier.

I leaned into my bold side with my second pick. As of now, this probably feels like a reach, but Thompson had quite the breakout season in Houston, and I'm expecting that to continue in his first playoff appearance. The 22-year-old fits like a glove next to Giannis in a nine-cat build that leans into punting free throw percentage and three-pointers. Since it's a mock, I may not fully commit to that the entire draft, but if this were a real league, I'd be ecstatic about my start.

Round 3 Results

29. King: F Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
30. Barutha: F/C Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
31. Palyo: F/C Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
32. Marx: G/F Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
33. Titus: F/C Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
34. Keller: G Derrick White, Boston Celtics
35. Besbris: G/F Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies
36. Fonte: G/F Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
37. St-Pierre: G Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
38. Rubin: F/C Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
39. McKie: G Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
40. Matty G: C Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers
41. Johnson: C Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
42. Ono: G Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

Round 4 Results

43. Ono: G/F Josh Hart, New York Knicks
44. Johnson: G/F OG Anunoby, New York Knicks
45. Matty G: G/F Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
46. McKie: G/F Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
47. Rubin: F Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans
48. St-Pierre: G Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans
49. Fonte: C Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls
50. Besbris: G Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
51. Keller: C Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
52. Titus: G/F Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
53. Marx: C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
54. Palyo: C Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
55. Barutha: F Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
56. King: G Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Raphielle's thoughts: After going with guards in the first two rounds, my focus was on adding a big. While Sengun's nine-cat value did not align with his Yahoo! ADP (27) this season, I don't believe grabbing him at 41st overall represents a significant gamble. He's nearly a 52 percent shooter from the field for his career, and getting back to that level should not require substantial improvement from Sengun next season, as he made 49.6 percent of his attempts in 2024-25.

The Anunoby pick was one where I had some regret after clicking the button. Not because of anything he has or has not done; OG provided top-20 value in nine-cat formats after the All-Star break. The issue: Kawhi Leonard, who has looked like himself over the last month, was still on the board. Comparing the two situations, Leonard may be better equipped to exceed his draft position by a few rounds, based on where the two players were selected in this mock draft.

Noah's thoughts: The value was simply too good here for me. Holmgren may not fit flawlessly with the rest of my team, but he has top-ten upside and is one of the best shot blockers in the league. He was limited by injuries this season, and his minutes were often limited when he suited up. Holmgren played 82 games during the 2023-24 season, and I'm expecting him to be closer to that mark next year.

I debated between Murphy and Dejounte for a while here, so it made me feel better that Murray went one pick later. However, I'm happy with Murphy, who was able to provide third-round value in nine-cat leagues this past season. He suffered a torn labrum that ended his season early, but we should have more clarity about his status ahead of the 2025-26 season. At this point, I'm operating as if he'll be ready for opening night. There are plenty of other questions surrounding what the Pelicans' roster will look like next year, and executive vice president Joe Dumars could certainly make moves that alter the rotation drastically. At this point, I'm willing to bet on Murphy over everyone else on the team.

Round 5 Results

57. King: F/C Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
58. Barutha: G Jordan Poole, Washington Wizards
59. Palyo: G/F Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers
60. Marx: G/F Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
61. Titus: F/C Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
62. Keller: F Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors
63. Besbris: C Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
64. Fonte: G Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
65. St-Pierre: C Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
66. Rubin: F Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
67. McKie: C Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets
68. Matty G: C Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
69. Johnson: G/F Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers
70. Ono: C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors

Round 6 Results

71. Ono: F Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
72. Johnson: G Coby White, Chicago Bulls
73. Matty G: G/F Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
74. McKie: C Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
75. Rubin: F Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
76. St-Pierre: F Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
77. Fonte: C Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
78. Besbris: F Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
79. Keller: F/C Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat
80. Titus: G/F Norman Powell, LA Clippers
81. Marx: G Jalen Green, Houston Rockets
82. Palyo: C Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder
83. Barutha: F/C Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
84. King: F/C Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves

Raphielle's thoughts: I hoped to add a second center to my roster with the fifth-round pick, but there was a run on players I believed to be suitable options before I was on the clock. So, I went with George. This season was brutal for him availability-wise, and the production wasn't the best when he was on the court, either. Getting him with the 69th overall pick isn't the worst deal, as PG is well-equipped to provide superior value as long as he stays healthy.

With my sixth-round pick, I decided to add another high-scoring guard in Coby White. He was a third-round player in nine-cat formats from the February trade deadline onward. While it remains to be seen what the Bulls' roster will look like next season, the decision to trade Zach LaVine raised White's fantasy ceiling. He won't provide much defensively, but the offensive value makes him a player worth selecting with a middle-round pick if he's on the board.

Noah's thoughts: There were a few players I was hoping to get here, but I'm happy to benefit from Miller's slide. Before suffering a season-ending wrist injury, Miller was having a fantastic sophomore season, aside from his field goal percentage. That dropped almost four percent from his rookie year, but he improved in every other category. Charlotte is an iffy situation, and Miller could be a shut-down candidate if they have another poor season next year. However, I think the third-year breakout potential makes him more than worth a fifth-round selection.

I was also happy to pair up the Thompson twins. Ausar hasn't gotten the recognition that his brother has this season, but that can mainly be attributed to opportunity; Amen played 32.3 minutes per game, while Ausar only played 22.5. Still, their per-possession stats were similar, and Ausar averaged more steals per game despite playing nearly 10 fewer minutes per game. Pencil me in as someone who is anticipating Ausar to break out next year like his brother did this season.

Round 7 Results

85. King: G/F Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
86. Barutha: G Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
87. Palyo: F Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
88. Marx: G/F Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings
89. Titus: F Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons
90. Keller: G/F Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers
91. Besbris: G/F DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings
92. Fonte: F Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets
93. St-Pierre: G Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
94. Rubin: G/F Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs
95. McKie: G Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors
96. Matty G: G/F Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
97. Johnson: G/F Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
98. Ono: F Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat

Round 8 Results

99. Ono: F/C Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
100. Johnson: F/C Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
101. Matty G: F Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
102. McKie: G/F Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
103. Rubin: G/F Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
104. St-Pierre: C Deandre Ayton, Portland Trail Blazers
105. Fonte: G Chris Paul, San Antonio Spurs
106. Besbris: G/F Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
107. Keller: G Russell Westbrook, Denver Nuggets
108. Titus: C Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
109. Marx: F/C Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
110. Palyo: F/C Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies
111. Barutha: G Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
112. King: G Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

Raphielle's thoughts: I've been on the Camara bandwagon for quite some time, so there was no way I was going to pass up an opportunity to draft the Trail Blazers wing. Even if the time may make him a "reach" in the eyes of some. As good as Camara has been defensively during his first two seasons, the progress made on the other end of the floor is what excites me. From the All-Star break onward, he was a top-50 player in nine-cat formats, averaging 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers per game, shooting 48.1 percent from the field. Regardless of what happens with Jerami Grant, Camara is well-positioned to have an excellent third season as he continues to establish himself as a key piece in Portland.

The Sarr pick may have been a bit of a reach on my part, especially considering the players who were selected after him (most notably Lauri Markkanen). Efficiency remains a concern, but the rookie forward/center did improve his offensive output after the All-Star break. Provided he stays healthy, Sarr will play plenty in Washington as a key figure in the team's rebuild. And, unlike Markkanen, he isn't a late-season shutdown risk. If you can stomach the low field-goal percentage, there's value to be had in drafting Sarr.

Noah's thoughts: Getting Vassell with the 94th pick wouldn't have been possible over the last few seasons, but his subpar year resulted in a slide. He missed the first couple weeks of the season last year, and when he did play, he came off the bench until mid-December. He was a top-75 player in nine-cat leagues after he returned to the starting lineup and averaged 16.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.5 triples. It was definitely a down year, and I'll happily take him just inside the top 100 picks.

Yes, Podz started off the season slow after being one of my favorite late-round picks last season. However, he became a permanent starter just before the All-Star break and averaged 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.7 threes per game over the final two months of the regular season. Head coach Steve Kerr has never been shy about changing his rotations, but he has been more consistent over the last two months. I'm expecting Podz to start from day one next season.

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Blues Send First-Round Pick Back To AHL

Dalibor Dvorsky (© Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have reassigned forward Dalibor Dvorsky to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. 

Dvorsky played in his first two NHL games this season with the Blues, where he recorded zero points and two shots on goal. His last appearance with the Blues was on April 9 against the Edmonton Oilers, where he had 8:09 of ice time. 

The Thunderbirds will certainly be happy to have Dvorsky back on their roster, as he has had a strong first season with the AHL squad. In 59 games, the 19-year-old forward posted 20 goals and 44 points. Due to his impressive play, he was also named to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.

Dvorsky was selected by the Blues with the 10th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. With this, he is one of the team's most promising prospects and is viewed as a big piece of their future. 

It will be fascinating to see how much of an impact Dvorsky can make back with the Thunderbirds from here. 

Recent Blues News 

Blues Top Prospect Jimmy Snuggerud Scores First NHL GoalBlues Top Prospect Jimmy Snuggerud Scores First NHL GoalDuring the St. Louis Blues' April 15 contest against the Utah Hockey Club, top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first career NHL goal. It was a significant one, too, as it gave the Blues a 3-0 lead in the first period.  Exciting Blues Goalie Prospect Continuing To ThriveExciting Blues Goalie Prospect Continuing To ThriveSt. Louis Blues goalie prospect Colten Ellis is enjoying an excellent season down in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In 41 appearances, the 24-year-old netminder has a 22-13-3 record, a 2.62 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage.  However, what's more encouraging about Ellis' strong play is that he is only continuing to thrive as the campaign carries on. In his last appearance against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 12, he stopped 40 out of 43 shots, which equates to a .930 save percentage. Furthermore, he has had a .900 save percentage or better in six out of his last seven appearances. This includes a 36-save shutout against the Iowa Wild on March 28. Blues Star Is Heating Up In A Big WayBlues Star Is Heating Up In A Big WaySt. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich is one of the team's most important players. When playing at his best, the 29-year-old is a big difference-maker because of his high offensive skill. 
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Aaron Judge breaks power drought with game-winning home run in Yankees' 4-3 win over Royals

Aaron Judge snapped his homer-less streak and the Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, on Wednesday night to sweep the three-game series in The Bronx.

Here are the takeaways...

-With the game tied in the seventh inning, Judge chose a perfect time to end his drought of 10 straight games without a home run, sending a 1-0 sinker from reliever John Schreiber to deep center field and parking it 383 feet away from home plate to put New York up by one.

Despite the dry spell, it was still Judge's seventh homer of the season, tied for second most in MLB and just one off the leaderboard.

-After pitching a clean top of the eighth inning with the lead, Fernando Cruz, vying for his first career save, went back out for the ninth with closer Devin Williams unavailable and managed to escape a hairy situation thanks to Cody Bellinger's diving catch in right field for the last out with the tying run at second base.

-Wednesday marked the return of Clarke Schmidt, who made his season debut after dealing with right rotator cuff tendonitis in spring training that forced him to start the 2025 campaign on the 15-day IL.

The right-hander got into early trouble and allowed a run in the first inning on Salvador Perez's RBI single that scored Bobby Witt Jr., who singled and advanced to second after a walk. Schmidt got out of the inning without any further damage and after shaking off some rust, he settled into a nice groove, retiring 11 consecutive hitters at one point.

That streak ended in the fifth inning after the 29-year-old allowed a leadoff single to Drew Waters, followed by an RBI triple to Kyle Isbel. Another run came around to score on a groundout, which tied the game, 3-3.

Schmidt's final line in his first start: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K on 73 pitches (46 strikes) -- definitely one he can build upon for the season.

-After falling behind 1-0, the Yankees took the lead in the third against LHP Kris Bubic with a two-out rally started byJudge, who doubled to left field. Judge had already singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to five games. He finished 3-for-3 with a walk, RBI, two runs scored and was a triple shy of the cycle. He leads the league with his .409 batting average and 1.322 OPS.

With runners on first and second following a walk, Anthony Volpe went up to bat with a chance to redeem himself after he struck out with the bases loaded in the first inning, and redeem himself he did as the 23-year-old stroked a double to left field that drove in two and gave New York a 2-1 lead.

-There was more two-out magic for the Yanks in the fourth when Oswald Peraza singled with two gone in front of leadoff man Paul Goldschmidt, who also singled.Bellinger, off to a rough offensive start in New York, came through with a double down the first-base line just over the bag and past the glove of Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino that scored the team's third run and gave the Yanks a two-point cushion that Schmidt could not hold.

Game MVP: Aaron Judge

Court was once again in session as Judge snapped a homer-less streak of 11 games with his game-winning home run in the seventh.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees head out for a seven-game road trip with the first of a four-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.14 ERA) goes up against RHP Taj Bradley (2-0, 3.71 ERA).