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2025 NBA Awards: Ballot, picks including Shai Gilgeous Alexander wins first MVP

Every year, a couple of awards and positions on the ballot keep me up at night, trying to make the right call — but rarely is that tough call at the top of the MVP ballot.

It was this year. What follows is my official ballot for the NBA's end-of-season awards, and we'll start with the hardest choice on the board.

NBA Most Valuable Player

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
2. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
4. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
5. LeBron James (Lakers)

I could write 3,000 words here to explain — Nuggets fans may say "try to justify" — my pick here. The reality is that both Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are deserving (and in some years, Antetokounmpo could have won with the campaign he had). This is as difficult a decision on MVP as I can remember.

For me, it came down to two things, both based around the idea of how valuable each player is to his team — something many people seemed to think applies to Jokic but I think is far more even, and even tilts SGA. First, both players are incredibly valuable. However, the fact that Sam Presti did a better job of roster construction than Denver's now-fired GM Calvin Booth can't be held against SGA. When it comes to driving winning, Gilgeous-Alexander is a better defender, which helps earn wins. Besides, SGA has more win shares per 48 minutes.

Also, I could not get this stat out of my head: Ten times in NBA history the NBA's leading scorer was on a 60+ win team, something Gilgeous-Alexander became the 11th player to do with his play this year. Nine of those players won MVP. The one that didn't was Michael Jordan in the 1996-97 season when voters gave it to Karl Malone, a case now seen as voter fatigue with Jordan.

The other difficult choice for me was the fifth spot, which I ultimately gave to LeBron James because — whether it was Anthony Davis or Luka Doncic on the team — he was the glue that held the Lakers together this season. He was the reason they racked up all the wins.

All-NBA Teams

First Team

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
2. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
4. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
5. LeBron James (Lakers)

Second Team

1. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
2. Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
3. Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
4. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
5. Stephen Curry (Warriors)

Third Team

1. Jalen Williams (Thunder)
2. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
3. Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
4. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
5. Cade Cunningham (Pistons)

It was very tough to leave Alperen Sengun off this list, he was my 16th guy, and while I don't buy into the "this team needs a representative" crap, not having a Rocket felt like an oversight. Along the same lines, I felt terrible not having Ivica Zubac or James Harden on the list after a quality season for a team that exceeded expectations. It was the opposite problem with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant — they put up great numbers, but with the way the Suns played all season, the way the team let go of the rope at the end, how do you reward them with a spot on the top 15?

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

1. Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
2. Luguentz Dort (Thunder)
3. Draymond Green (Warriors)

This was brutal — Victor Wembanyama was running away with this award before the deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder ended his season and kept him shy of the 65-game, league-mandated cutoff. (Wembanyama played in 46 games but still finished with 176 total blocked shots, the most in the league, 28 more than the Bucks' Brook Lopez, who was second.)

Everyone remaining had a case was flawed. For my money, Mobley was the most valuable defender for his team because he both defended guys on the perimeter and did it consistently all season long (which is why I had him in front of Green).

Dort was the best perimeter defender I saw this season, with all due respect to Dyson Daniels. Dort just gets in guys' heads.

NBA All-Defensive Teams

First Team

1. Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
2. Draymond Green (Warriors)
3. Luguentz Dort (Thunder)
4. Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
5. Amen Thompson (Rockets)

Second Team

1. Ivica Zubac (Clippers)
2. Jalen Williams (Thunder)
3. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
4. OG Anunoby (Knicks)
5. Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)

I could have filled a third team with deserving guys, including Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves) and Bam Adebayo (Heat), who just feel like snubs here.

NBA Coach of the Year

1. Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
2. J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
3. Ime Udoka (Rockets)

Leaving Tyronn Lue (Clippers) and Jamahl Mosley (Magic) off this list hurts, let alone deserving guys like Joe Mazzulla (Celtics) and Mark Daigneault (Thunder). It was a deep class, but Atkinson gets the credit for taking the same players the Cavaliers had for a few years and getting more out of them with an improved offense.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year

1. Payton Pritchard (Celtics)
2. Malik Beasley (Pistons)
3. Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)

Pritchard is a 6'1" guard who does the things you expect from a smaller guard — like shoot 40.9% from 3 — but also things you don't expect, like being an elite offensive rebounder. I looked for a way to give this to Beasley, because he meant so much to Detroit, but this is Pritchard's year.

NBA Rookie of the Year

1. Stephon Castle (Spurs)
2. Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
3. Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)

It was a down year for rookies, especially after Jared McCain was injured and out for the season before it even started.

NBA All-Rookie Teams

First Team

1. Stephon Castle (Spurs)
2. Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
3. Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
4. Zach Edey (Grizzlies)
5. Kel'el Ware (MIA)

Second Team

1. Matas Buzelis (Bulls)
2. Alex Sarr (Wizards)
3. Yves Missi (Pelicans)
4. Donovan Clingan (Trail Blazers)
5. Kyle Filipowski (Jazz)

NBA Most Improved Player

1. Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
2. Christian Braun (Nuggets)
3. Cade Cunningham (Pistons)

Let me be clear: My vote for Daniels to win this award had zero to do with the fact that Cunningham is a former No. 1 pick and this was expected of him. My guideline for this award is "which player do I think improved the most year-over-year?" That's it. If Jokic improved the most this season over last, give him the award. Cunningham had a big year and made an All-NBA leap, but Daniels saw the bigger improvement. As did Christian Braun, flying under the radar

NBA Clutch Player of the Year

1. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
2. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
3. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)

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Lois Boisson pokes fun at Harriet Dart ‘deodorant’ jibe on social media

  • French tennis player suggests Dove ‘collab’ on Instagram
  • Dart apologises for telling umpire Boisson ‘smells bad’

French tennis player Lois Boisson has responded to Harriet Dart’s on-court claim that “she smells really bad” with a social media post that pokes fun at the incident.

During a change of ends in Tuesday’s match at the Rouen Open, Dart asked the umpire: “Can you tell her [Boisson] to wear deodorant because she smells really bad?” Her comments were picked up by a courtside microphone and quickly attracted attention and criticism on social media.

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Steph hilariously had ‘nice' request for Draymond after 3-point miss

Steph hilariously had ‘nice' request for Draymond after 3-point miss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

“You’re not that guy, pal.”

For the record, that’s not what Steph Curry told Draymond Green in the final minutes of the Warriors’ 121-116 NBA Play-In Tournament win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday at Chase Center, but it’s somewhat close to the general message Golden State’s superstar had for his longtime teammate in one particular moment.

What Curry told Green after the veteran forward missed a corner 3-pointer with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter was much nicer and more respectful, and Green understood and appreciated his teammate’s plea.

Green spoke to reporters after the game and was asked how special it was to see Curry ignite the Warriors’ offense down the stretch by scoring the team’s final 10 points of the game, and revealed what his sharpshooting teammate told him after his 3-point miss.

“It was even more special for me to see, because when I shot that three in the corner, he very nicely told me it wasn’t time for me to shoot,” Green told reporters. “He came over to me saying ‘Hey man, we’ve got to get into [a certain action we call that we like to run]’ and I was like ‘All right, no problem.’ Like, that was a very nice way of telling me, ‘don’t shoot right now.’ No problem, I got him the ball the next play and he hits a three.”

Curry, as Green mentioned, buried a clutch 3-pointer approximately one minute later in the game that gave the Warriors a 114-109 lead with 1:50 remaining.

All’s well that ends well.

While Green might not have been “that guy” that Curry and the Warriors wanted shooting 3-pointers at that specific moment, he certainly is more than capable of hitting a clutch shot, or two, or three, when the team needs them most.

However, sometimes it’s best to let Curry take over and do what he does best. And Green would agree.

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Warriors seeing clear road to success only the start for playoff run

Warriors seeing clear road to success only the start for playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors can exhale. For a full day, maybe two, having dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. And then, on Sunday evening, they will step onto the court in Houston and try to win a first-round playoff series against the Rockets.

The same Rockets that 10 days ago blasted the Warriors off the Chase Center floor. That outshot them, outrebounded them, forced 20 turnovers, punished them in the paint, plastered them with 26 fast-break points and wrestled Stephen Curry into three points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field.

Yet there is a serenity and confidence about the No. 7 seed Warriors. They believe they know the way to success against the second-seeded Rockets.

Much of that confidence comes from their collective faith in coach Steve Kerr and his staff. While the players are at ease Wednesday, the coaches will pore over video, craft a game plan and deliver it to them on Thursday.

One thing coaches and players know for certain: They must take care of the ball.

“We have to win the possession game against Houston for sure,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area Tuesday night after the play-in tournament win over Memphis. “And then they’re going to come after us with everything defensively. They’re going to play two bigs, with (Steven) Adams and (Alperen) Sengun.

“We like our chances. We’ve got counters for everything.”

This is why veterans like Draymond Green and Curry are bristling with kinetic energy. They’re like boxers freed from the arduous tedium of the gym – the regular season – and finally making their way to the place they want to be. The championship ring.

“I was just telling the guys the only thing I was thinking about earlier today was just I want the opportunity to go through that first film session that we go through, just our every series,” Green said. “It’s like no other. And I’ve been looking forward to that. It’s just a different level of preparation that you just … it’s impossible to get in the NBA. There’s just way too many games.

“But you get to the playoff series, and the level of preparation is so different. So, I’m looking forward to not tomorrow but the following day. He can have tomorrow. But that preparation, getting ready for a team that you know you got to see possibly seven times in a row, is so fun. It’s like no other.”

That 106-96 loss to Houston on April 6 was, the Warriors tell themselves, fool’s gold for the Rockets. As if a convincing win means nothing. Golden State’s veterans know regular-season results are irrelevant once the postseason begins.

It’s a completely different game, requiring a sharpened mentality and a profoundly advanced level of focus.

“The beauty of these (playoff) games is that every possession counts,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area. “And you know what? If you try to coach like this all year, it’s hard to implement everything during an 82-game season. If you approach every 48-minute game trying to hammer home how important everything is, you’ll just exhaust the guys after the quarter of the season. They won’t have anything left.

“What we’re really trying to do is build habits during the season. Then, if the habits are good, come playoff time you can commit and focus for 48 straight minutes and play a game where every possession matters.”

This is a familiar script to Golden State veterans. Curry has participated in 147 postseason games, Green in 157 and Kevon Looney in 77. Jimmy Butler III had appeared in 119 games, but his first as a Warrior comes Sunday. Kerr has played in 128 postseason games, coached another 140 in his first 10 seasons with the Warriors.

The playoffs are, for these folks, their comfort zone. A psychological living room.

“It is just attention to detail,” Curry said late Tuesday night. “You just flip the book on Houston and their patterns. You want to truly understand, a ‘know them better than they know themselves’ kind of vibe. Just be as prepared as possible. It’s fun because you have everybody locked in.

“What we enjoy about playoff series is it’s just one opponent, and it’s a chess match from before the first game and in between every game, just trying to find the subtle changes or game plan or discipline that can help just win four games.”

The Warriors, players and coaches, seem to believe the key to winning this series lies in ball security because that inhibits Houston’s transition game, which was fueled by turnovers 10 days ago. The analytics show the Rockets’ offense is much tamer when playing against set defense.

Knowing how to contain an opponent is one thing. That’ll be in the game plan. It’s the execute that’s more difficult and will dictate the difference between success and failure.

No question, though, the Warriors have more postseason soldiers than the Rockets.

“This is what we do,” Kerr said at the postgame podium. “I mean, this is so fun. This is the best time of the year. You know, this is Year 11. My favorite – maybe my favorite – day of the season is (Wednesday). We come in as a staff, we look at Houston tape. We start to put together our game plan. The players are resting. We’ve got a couple of days before we’ll see the players again.

“We get to go to work and try to beat a great team in a seven-game series. There’s nothing better. So, I can’t wait.”

The players can wait, particularly super vets Curry, Butler and Green. Mostly to treat their aches and catch their breath before beginning what they hope will be a trek that takes them into June.

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Canucks Gameday Preview #82: Ending The Season Against The Vegas Golden Knights

Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) battles with Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev (16) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

In their last game of the 2024–25 regular season, the Vancouver Canucks (38–29–14) will be taking on the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights (49–22–10). This is the last game of the season for both teams involved, though Vegas has already qualified for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs and will be taking on whichever team clinches the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Quinn Hughes Joins Elite Company With 350th Career Assist

Each Of Brock Boeser’s Seasons With The Canucks Described In Less Than Four Words

Canucks Quinn Hughes Nominated For The 2025 King Clancy Trophy

Since being eliminated from playoff contention, the Canucks have had their eyes on two things only — the performances of their young guns from Abbotsford, and Quinn Hughes’ chase for Alex Edler’s record for career points by a defenseman. On Monday night against the San Jose Sharks, Hughes tied the record by grabbing an assist of Jake DeBrusk’s overtime goal. Tonight, Hughes will be looking to break that record by grabbing at least one point. 

Players to Watch: 

 Brock Boeser: 

Tonight may be the final time fans get to watch Brock Boeser as a member of the Canucks, as reports have circulated that the team’s longest-tenured skater may not return to the team that drafted him in 2015. Boeser has 25 goals and 25 assists in 74 games played this season. In Vancouver’s three matches against the Golden Knights in 2024–25, he has one assist. He has had a slow stretch of four points in the past 10 games, so expect him to bounce back tonight against Vegas for what may be his final time playing for the Canucks in front of their fans. 

Ivan Barbashev: 

Most of Barbashev’s success against the Canucks has come in the 2024–25 season, as he has scored a goal in every game he has played against Vancouver. In his past four outings against the Canucks, he has two goals and two assists. Right now, he has three goals in his past five games played leading up to the playoffs. He is tied for fifth in points on the Golden Knights with 23 goals and 28 assists. 

Vancouver Canucks (38–29–14): 

Last 10: (5–3–2) 

Quinn Hughes: 16–60–76

Brock Boeser: 25–25–50

Conor Garland: 19–30–49Jake DeBrusk: 28–20–48

Pius Suter: 24–21–45

Vegas Golden Knights (49–22–10): 

Last 10: (6-2-2)

Jack Eichel: 27–66–93

Mark Stone: 19–48–67 

Tomáš Hertl: 32–29–61

Shea Theodore: 7–48–55Pavel Dorofeyev: 34–17–51 

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The Hockey News
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Playoff Jimmy Butler scores 38, Stephen Curry adds 37, Warriors beat Grizzlies to grab No. 7 seed

NBA: Play-In-Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors

Apr 15, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) and guard Stephen Curry (30) meet after a play against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Playoff Jimmy — or, should we say Play-in Jimmy — is back.

Jimmy Butler III scored 38 points, got to the free-throw line 18 times, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out five assists — and the Warriors needed all of that on a night their offense was sluggish much of the game. Then in the clutch, Golden State got a couple of key Stephen Curry 3-pointers and hung on to beat the Grizzlies 104-101.

That win officially advances the Warriors as the No. 7 seed in the West, and they will travel to Houston to face the Rockets in the first round, starting Sunday (a series that will be very evenly matched). Memphis will head home and prepare for Friday, when it will face the winner of Wednesday’s Dallas/Sacramento game in a fight for the No. 8 seed.

This was the kind of game that is a reminder of why the Warriors will be such a tough out. That starts with Playoff Jimmy, who just takes some of the offensive pressure off Curry.

“I know I want to win a championship so he needs, his what, this would be No. 5?” Butler said, via the Associated Press.

From the opening tip, Butler went right at the Grizzlies' anchor, 7’4” Zach Edey. When Edey played off him early, Butler drained a couple of 3-pointers right over him. That brought Edey out, and Butler started going downhill, getting past him, into the paint, and drawing fouls.

Beyond Butler, other Warriors stepped up, including Gary Payton II and Quinten Post off the bench. And, as always, in the clutch there was Curry doing Curry things.

After a fast 11-2 start to the game by the Grizzlies, the Warriors settled down and did a good job keeping Memphis out of the paint. The Warriors' defense held the Grizzlies to 38.7% shooting for a quarter and a half, then used those misses and a bunch of turnovers to get buckets in transition, force cross-matches early in the clock, and essentially get whatever they wanted on offense. Which is why they led by 20.

Give the Grizzlies credit, they fought back and showed real grit — they took the lead in the fourth quarter and made it a one-point game inside of 10 seconds left. Desmond Bane led the way with 30 for Memphis including hitting five 3-pointers, Ja Morant scored 22 and returned to play the fourth quarter despite turning his ankle in the third quarter, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points. While picked on defensively, Edey finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and was a +6 for the game.

When it got to the clutch, the Warriors simply executed better. Stephen Curry helps with that, but so does the player and organizational experience.

That experience is what makes the Warriors a threat against a young Rockets team.

“It took 83 games but we’re right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs and we’ve got a chance,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

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Magic and Warriors seal NBA play-off spots

Stephen Curry celebrates scoring a basket
Stephen Curry scored six three-pointers and hit all 13 of his free-throw attempts [Getty Images]

The Golden State Warriors and the Orlando Magic secured their places in the first round of the NBA play-offs with victories in the Conference play-in games.

Jimmy Butler III scored 38 points and Stephen Curry 37 as the Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 at Chase Center in San Francisco to progress as the Western Conference seventh seeds.

"I'm telling you, that's a Batman if I've ever seen a Batman - always coming to save the day," Butler said of Curry.

"You're never out of any game. He's so poised, so calm and he was a huge part of getting us the victory."

In the East, Cole Anthony scored 26 points off the bench as the Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 at Kia Center in Orlando.

The Warriors will meet the Houston Rockets in the play-offs and the Magic will face the Boston Celtics, with game one of their best-of-seven series scheduled for Sunday.

The Grizzlies have a second chance to reach the play-offs when they play the winner of Wednesday's game between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat.

The Hawks face the Sacramento Kings or the Dallas Mavericks for the right to progress in the West.

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Celtics playoff schedule: Dates, times for Round 1 series vs. Magic

Celtics playoff schedule: Dates, times for Round 1 series vs. Magic originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA has released dates and times for all first-round series, including the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics’ matchup with the No. 7 seed Orlando Magic. That series is set to begin Sunday, April 20, at 3:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden.

The Magic secured the No. 7 seed by beating the Atlanta Hawks in Tuesday’s 7-8 matchup of the NBA tournament, while the Celtics cruised to the No. 2 seed with a 61-21 record, winning 60-plus games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009.

Boston is looking to become the first NBA team to win back-to-back championships since the 2018 Golden State Warriors, and the first Celtics team to repeat since 1969. The C’s won 15 of 18 games last postseason to steamroll to their 18th title.

Here’s a look at the Celtics’ full first-round schedule, with tip-off times already set for Games 1through 4. Games 2 through 6 will all air on NBC Sports Boston, with play-by-play announcer Drew Carter on the call alongside color analyst Brian Scalabrine.

NBC Sports Boston will have coverage of every game an hour before tip-off with Celtics Pregame Live, as well as postgame coverage immediately after the game with Celtics Postgame Live.

  • Game 1: Magic vs. Celtics; Sunday, April 20 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
  • Game 2: Magic vs. Celtics; Wednesday, April 23 (7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Boston)
  • Game 3: Celtics at Magic; Friday, April 25 (7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Boston)
  • Game 4: Celtics at Magic; Sunday, April 27 (7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Boston)
  • Game 5: Magic vs. Celtics; Tuesday, April 29 (TBD, NBC Sports Boston)*
  • Game 6: Celtics at Magic; Thursday, May 1 (TBD, NBC Sports Boston)*
  • Game 7: Magic vs. Celtics; Saturday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)*

*If necessary

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Three Takeaways From Blues' 6-1 Win Against Utah Hockey Club

Utah Hockey Club captain and Swansea, Il. native Clayton Keller (9) skates away after the St. Louis Blues scored in a 6-1 Blues win on Tuesday at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – Not much was made of the St. Louis Blues making the playoffs at the start of the season, and coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off, it was even a bleaker look being eight points out of a wild card berth.

But 26 games and a 19-4-3 record later, the Blues have knocked down the playoff door and claimed the second wild card from the Western Conference.

It took all 82 games of the regular-season, but the Blues clinched in resounding fashion with a thorough 6-1 win of Utah Hockey Club at Enterprise Center on Tuesday.

The Blues (44-30-8) closed the season on a strong note and needed a franchise-record 12-game winning streak to put themselves in a position to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2022.

Jordan Kyrou scored twice, Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists (all in the first period), Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first NHL goal and had an assist, and Brayden Schenn and Zack Bolduc each had a goal and an assist. Robert Thomas had two assists to finish the season with a 12-game point streak (four goals, 21 assists) before departing with a lower-body injury that coach Jim Montgomery called precautionary, and Jordan Binnington made 22 saves to emphatically give the Blues a regulation win that put them in no matter the results of the games involving the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames.

And in turn, the Blues will now face the Presidents’ Trophy winners and Central Division champion Winnipeg Jets (55-22-4), with the series likely to start on Saturday in Winnipeg.

“It feels really good, and I loved the way we did it,” Montgomery said of Tuesday’s win. “We got back to who we are for 60 minutes, and the first eight minutes, I knew we were going to win just by the way we were committed to playing north and playing to the goal line. I thought our forecheck was excellent and we made them defend.”

Added Schenn, “A lot goes into it. This is what you train for in the summer, and this is what you play for all year -- to have a chance at the Stanley Cup. You just have to get in and anything can happen. We saw that years ago. We've been on a good run here and, at the same time, we just can't be happy that we're in. Playing Winnipeg, Winnipeg is obviously a good team and they're going to present a good challenge for us. But I don't think anyone gave us a chance really, where we were. I'm glad we came kept it together. They're too many good pieces in this locker room to not get in the playoffs. We felt if we played hard for one another, we can get the job done and it just took 82 games.”

Let’s five into the Three Takeaways one final time in the regular season:

* Started like a buzz saw – The Blues walked the walk and talked the talk.

They talked of coming out with a good start, needing to put the hammer down on the game early.

Boy, did they ever.

The forecheck was relentless, the intensity was high, the commitment to playing north hockey was evident from the moment the puck was dropped with the ‘WTF’ Line on the ice.

For every time Utah, which finished 38-31-13, tried to put pucks into the Blues’ zone, it was out quicker than the blink of an eye, and then the Blues would spent shift after shift in Utah’s zone buzzing and recovering.

And when Schenn made it 1-0 at 8:08 of the first period, it was the culmination of good play all around.

“All guys were contributing,” said Blues defenseman Cam Fowler, who had two assists to finish with 36 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 51 games since being acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 14. “We were playing the brand and style of hockey that we wanted. But our start was a big reason why we were able to get that win tonight.”

And it didn’t stop.

Buchnevich, who has been on a tear since the 4 Nations break, made it 2-0 at 11:17 on what amounted to be one of the prettier passing plays you’ll see.

After Colton Parayko won a wall battle pinching in and getting it back around and behind the net, the puck went from Fowler to Thomas to Buchnevich in the bumper to Jake Neighbours in the left corner. Neighbours took a the puck off his skate, took a couple strides before finding Buchnevich at the bottom of the right circle for the one-timer.

“We got a quick pregame speech from ‘Monty’ and everybody pumped up and we got a good 10 minutes, score a couple goals and kind of control the game, which is what we want,” Buchnevich said.

* Power play was icing on cake – On top of what the Blues were able to do from the get-go, their power play added the layers for an overwhelming four-goal first period.

Snuggerud’s first NHL goal needed some time before officials decided there was no distinct kicking motion and it gave the Blues a 3-0 lead at 14:45.

It came off another solid passing play, led by Fowler playing it low for Thomas, who found Buchnevich, who in turn put the puck to the net with Snuggerud there, and ultimately, he got a fortuitous carom into the net off his skate for his first NHL goal.

“I mean, I can't score with my stick, so I might as well just score with my skate,” Snuggerud joked. “… It's nice that they called it a good goal.”

And the capper was Bolduc’s power-play goal to make it 4-0 at 19:13, not long after the Blues had 1:06 of a two-man advantage, and it was vintage Thomas again, in the left corner, finding Bolduc in the quiet area of the bumper just inside the top of the left circle and he whipped the shot by Karel Vejmelka.

Not even Montgomery could have scripted a better start.

“No, but this is the way we were starting games when we were playing really well,” he said. “There was a purpose, there was an intent. We got to our ‘A’ game right away.”

Kyrou’s one-timer from the low slot at 6:59 of the third period was the Blues’ third man-advantage goal of the game, leaving them with a 3-for-6 night.

* Binnington did Binnington things – Utah, which played Monday in a 7-3 win at the Nashville Predators, was playing its third game in four nights to conclude the season.

Utah found its legs in the second period and the Blues took some undisciplined penalties as a result.

When Blues killer Clayton Keller wired a one-timer past Binnington to make it 4-1 early in the second period, it set off a set of circumstances that required the Blues’ goaltender to be on his toes.

‘Big Game Binnington’ was at it again. He faced 14 of his 23 shots against and was only beaten by Keller’s precision shot into the top half of the netting and did his best to preserve a three-goal lead at the time.

And when it got to the third period, Kyrou helped put the game away with his power-play goal, then add another to finish with a team-high 36 at 17:24 following up Alexey Toropchenko’s slot shot.

“It's a good feeling and we're looking forward to getting into the playoffs,” Schenn said. “It's important for guys like Jake and Bolduc and ‘Snuggy’ and the list goes on and on to feel what the NHL playoffs are all about. That's how you build a culture and that's how you build a winning mentality. It's an exciting time to be a hockey player playing in the playoffs.”

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Three takeaways: Some Panthers earn praise after loss in Tampa, Cats ready to focus on playoffs

Apr 15, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) skates with the puck as Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) attempt to defend during the third period at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The regular season is over for the Florida Panthers.

For the sixth straight season, that only means its time for the real fun to begin.

Florida closed out their regular season schedule on Tuesday night, dropping Game 82 to the Tampa Bay Lightning by a final score of 5-1.

While yes, it was a preview of the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoff series between the Cats and Bolts, the game was far from an example of what those games will look like.

The Panthers knew they were locked into third place in the Atlantic Division and had nothing to play for in terms of playoff positioning, so Florida rested several of their regular players, including Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Gus Forsling.

They’ll look much different when they line up for Game 1 at Amalie Arena.

Let’s get to Tuesday’s takeaways:

NO MORE CRAZY SCHEDULE

With the end of the regular season comes Florida never having to deal with that insane schedule ever again.

Well, hopefully not.

Now that it’s playoff time, schedules will calm down into a much more traditional and predictable layout.

Sure, there will be the random extra day off or back-to-back, but for the most part, it’ll be at least one day between games, sometimes two, due to travel, elimination games or scheduling conflicts.

While the Panthers didn’t look particularly good during Tuesday’s game in Tampa, their schedule and depleted roster had a hand in that.

At least for the start of the playoffs, neither of those should be an issue.

“That’s an example of what nine games in 15 days does,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I’m learning for the first time. I’ve gone about 27 seasons and I’ve never seen that schedule before.”

SOME THINGS TO LIKE

The game may have been an overall stinker, but that’ll happen when you fall behind 3-0 in the first period and never trim the deficit smaller.

Nobody was making excuses after the game, but this was one of those nights where Tampa was sharp, they were aggressive and they were getting many of the bounces, which often happens to the team deserving of such grace from the hockey gods.

Still, leaving it to Maurice to pull some positives from the effort.

‘Carter Verhaeghe looks like he's back, I loved Roddy’s (Evan Rodrigues) game tonight, I thought he was going,” Maurice said. “I thought the (penalty) kill was good when it had to be at times. We got out and I don't think we lost any more players, which is a nice change for us.”

PUMPED FOR THE POSTSEASON

Now it’s time to shift the mentality to a seven-game series. Win four before they do.

Over the past several seasons, the Panthers have earned their stripes and learned the ins and outs of how to win during the playoffs.

As has been the case in each of the past two years, Florida’s postseason roster looks quite different than it did a year ago.

The Panthers feel they’ve never had a deeper roster, and if they can get everyone healthy sometime during round one, it will be fun to see just what this group is capable of.

You better believe they’re all chomping at the bit to get going.

“I think they're excited about the start,” Maurice said. “I think we had a real learning experience this year, going through the grind of a regular season after last year, and lost some guys for big chunks of time, so it was a grinder for us, but there was lots to learn, and they stuck together and were cheering for each other, and now we're at the part of the year that everybody's really excited about.”

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Francisco Lindor says fielding error is to blame for latest Mets loss: 'It's unacceptable'

Tuesday night's matchup between the Mets and the Twins was tightly contested. Both offenses were unable to push across runs, one mistake could tip the scales in the other team's favor, and that's what happened in the third inning.

After Tylor Megill allowed two baserunners to reach with one out, the big right-hander got DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to pop out on a bunt attempt and was a batter away from getting out of the inning unscathed. Ty France hit a soft grounder to Francisco Lindor, but the sure-handed infielder botted the ball and allowed a run to score on the error.

Carlos Correa would follow with an RBI single and gave the Twins a 2-1 lead.

"It happens, that’s baseball. He’ll get over there, he’s too good of a player," manager Carlos Mendoza said of Lindor's error after the game. "They’re human, they’re going to make mistakes. I’ll take my chances with him every time."

"Today my eyes got a little blurry because of the weather but it’s unacceptable. What’s happening right now is unacceptable," Lindor explained. "I gotta be better. It's not to the standards the Mets have, it's definitely not to the standard I have for myself. It's been two games already that cost the team. Gotta get better for sure."

The other game Lindor is talking about occurred back on April 1, when he made two errors, one allowing the Marlins to score two unearned runs, which proved to be the difference.

Now, his two runs weren't the difference in Tuesday's 6-3 loss, but on a day when the Mets offense -- outside of Pete Alonso and Juan Soto -- could not do any damage against starter Bailey Ober and the rest of the Minnesota pitching, they proved large.

Lindor was asked about the weather affecting his eyes -- potentially significant considering Lindor has had issues with dry eyes in the past -- but the Gold Glove shortstop said it wasn't the reason he missed the ball. And he feels bad for Megill who he said executed his pitches to get out of the jam in the third.

"I have to finish the play for [Megill]," Lindor said. "Ultimately, it’s a game of execution. Today they played the game cleaner than us, that’s why they came out on top."

Lindor had just 12 errors all of last season. So far this year, he has four. The NL MVP runner-up didn't have a reason for his defensive performance so far this year but knows how important it is for him to figure it out.

"I’m going to have to get better," he said. "I have to finish the plays for the boys. I have to execute."

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Three Takeaways from the Calgary-Vegas Game (April 15)

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) guards his net against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday, April 15, 2025 in Calgary. (Photo: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

The Calgary Flames beat the Vegas Golden Knight 5-4 after a shootout, but if you’ve been following the news, you know that is not the bigger news.

Despite the win, Calgary was eliminated from playoff contention thanks to a win by St. Louis in their final game against Utah, and Minnesota forcing overtime against Anaheim and getting one point to qualify for the post-season.

But its only fair to critique this game, as the team put on a fight (and won) despite knowing in the second intermission they had been knocked out of the playoff race.

Here are my three takeaways from the game:

1)     A whole lot of scrappiness in the third despite bad news

For a team that had just realized they were no longer in the running for the Stanley Cup, this Calgary bunch looked quite feisty. After entering the third period down 3-1 with the man-advantage, Nazem Kadri scored 32 seconds in, before Mikael Backlund put the puck back in the net after another 32 seconds, tying the game. This team may have not made it into the playoffs, but they have a lot of fight in them.

2)        Special Teams

Calgary was 2-for-2 on the man-advantage. Now, this was a welcome surprise to see. This was the first time the Flames had scored two power play goals since their Feb 5 home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With their penalty kill being 2-for-2, they are now 19-for-20 (95%), since March 26, the best in the league since then.

3)      Shot-blockers

In regulation, despite sitting out some of their top offensive weapons, Vegas outshot Calgary 42-28. That put goalie Dustin Wolf in for a long night, and that’s not even taking the overtime shootout into account.

But it would’ve been made worst had the Flames players not blocked 19 of the Knights’ shots. Defenseman Joel Hanley came out on top with four blocks.  Fellow defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and forward Blake Coleman had three each.

Calgary’s final regular season game will be against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday at 7:30 MT/9:30 ET.

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From the Pocket: love and optimism turns to despair as Melbourne reach end of an era

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Earlier this year, Melbourne invited several dozen journalists and broadcasters to a breakfast in the MCC committee room. The club felt they had botched their messaging in recent years and were keen to shift the narrative. They spoke about “cleansing” and “trauma”. They locked down a new theme for the year: “Love. Play. Celebrate.” “Soul-searching was prioritised over Sherrins,” News Corp said.

At that point in the pre-season, there were grounds for optimism. There were still 16 premiership players on the list, several champions who seemed certain to leave had stayed, and some excellent young players were coming through. Despite losing to GWS Giants in round one, they gave every indication that they were a team for the long haul. They were clearly emotionally invested, their team defence was solid and they blooded five debutants, all of whom looked capable. The Giants, semi-finallists in 2024, played outstanding football in the final term but were arguably fortunate to pinch it.

This is an extract from Guardian Australia’s free weekly AFL email, From the Pocket. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions

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Patience at the plate and slick defense help Dodgers continue Jackie Robinson Day dominance

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith celebrates his three-run home run in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Will Smith celebrates his three-run home run in the third inning. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

Two sloppy tendencies — one involving gloves, the other bats — repeatedly cost the Dodgers during a slipshod 10-game stretch that followed their 8-0 start to the season: Uncharacteristic defensive miscues and an inability to lay off pitches out of the strike zone.

Both were solved early and emphatically in a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers improved to 17-4 on Jackie Robinson Day, the April 15 tradition since 2004 that celebrates and honors the anniversary of the Dodgers' Black Hall of Fame infielder breaking the color barrier in 1947.

"This is an emotional day for me," said the Dodgers' Dave Roberts, who along with the Angels' Ron Washington are the only Black managers in major league baseball.

"People that have certainly never seen Jackie Robinson, just hear some stories, are trying to live in a way that he lived. And that's something that is so powerful for me."

Because the Dodgers didn't chase errant pitches, they chased Rockies starter Ryan Feltner in only 2 2/3 innings after he walked six and threw 81 pitches, leading to one run in the second inning and four in the third.

Read more:Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has strong words for Dodgers on importance of Jackie Robinson Day

Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman walked, then jogged home when Will Smith crushed a first-pitch sinker over the left-field wall in the third. Smith continued his hot start — his .482 on-base percentage entering the game was the best in baseball — with his second homer of the season.

Tommy Edman doubled with two out in the third — one of his four hits — and scored after Max Muncy walked on Chris Taylor's single to extend the lead to 5-0. One more walk, this one to Andy Pages, and Rockies manager Bud Black had seen enough, lifting Feltner, who in September had pitched six scoreless innings against the Dodgers.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers made outstanding defensive plays that helped strand runners in each of the first four innings and enabled spot starter Landon Knack to navigate 4 1/3 innings in 65 pitches, including 41 strikes.

With a runner on second and none out in the second inning, second baseman Edman knocked down a hot smash from Mickey Moniak, scooped up the ball and threw him out by a whisker. Then with two out, shortstop Mookie Betts made a slick backhand play deep in the hole and retired Jacob Stallings on a one-hop throw to first.

Read more:Hernández: Dodgers' celebration of Jackie Robinson Day rings hollow in wake of White House visit

With a runner on second and none out in the third inning, center fielder Taylor made a diving catch on a line drive directly in front of him, and Knack again stranded the runner. The Rockies scored two runs in the fourth on a two-out double by Jacob Stallings and Knack exited after retiring the first batter in the fifth, having reached a predetermined pitch count.

The win was the Dodgers' second in a row over the Rockies, which could be expected. Colorado is 3-14, including 1-10 on the road. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are 13-6, including 9-2 at home, and have won 32 of their last 42 games against the Rockies.

Teoscar Hernández sat out a second game in a row because of illness, but Roberts said the slugging outfielder would return to the lineup Wednesday.

Miller time to arrive early

Bobby Miller will start for the Dodgers on Wednesday, his first big league appearance since September, when he was so ineffective he was deemed unusable during the postseason.

Miller gave up 17 earned runs in 11.1 innings over three September starts, capping a perplexing and injury-riddled sophomore season. In 56 innings he posted an 8.52 ERA, the worst in baseball among pitchers who logged more than 50 innings.

Read more:Man used Jackie Robinson contracts to steal millions from investors. Then he fled to Russia seeking asylum

It was a precipitous fall from the lofty expectations the Dodgers developed after Miller’s rookie season in 2023 when he went 11-4 in 124.1 innings, posting a perfectly acceptable ERA of 3.76 in 22 starts and looking every bit a mainstay of the rotation for years to come.

The former first-round draft pick out of Louisville appears to have returned to form at triple-A Oklahoma City this season, posting a 2.25 ERA while giving up only six hits in 12 innings over three appearances.

When he was demoted in September, Miller vowed to return to the Dodgers with a vengeance.

“There is no doubt in my mind, whenever that may be, I’m going to be back better than I ever have,” he said.

He’ll get his first chance at fulfilling that promise against the Rockies.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.