Pearl River native Drew Fortescue and his homecoming for his debut provided one of the more feel-good moments of this lost 2025-26 season.
In the grand scheme of this evaluation period for the organization, however, the prospects who have been longing for their moment are making up for lost time with the Blueshirts. Each day is an opportunity for Matthew Robertson, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand to finally work on carving their path at the NHL level — and they have each treated it as such.
After years stewing in the American Hockey League, the four have made notable impressions.
Sykora may be the most recent recall from the organization’s AHL affiliate, but the 21-year-old has arguably made the most lasting impression in the shortest amount of time. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 was in the midst of his third full season in Hartford when the Rangers called.
Adam Sykora #38 of the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
He has everyone rooting for him. No one’s demeanor has been more infectious.
His best buddy and Hartford roommate, Chmelar, has been in Hartford since making the jump from Providence College in 2023-24. Since the 144th overall pick in 2021 earned brief recalls in November and December, the 22-year-old has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and been much more effective in his fourth-line role.
It’s allowed Chmelar to position himself in the dangerous areas of the ice more, which has led to more offense. He earned the secondary assist on Sykora’s second-period score Sunday.
Between his 6-foot-4, 226-pound frame and his commitment to finishing checks, Chmelar hasn’t looked out of place on the ice.
Robertson has been with the Rangers since opening night, but he didn’t become a serviceable every-night defenseman until mid-November. The 2019 49th overall pick spent the previous four full seasons in Hartford without a call-up until the second-to-last game last season.
Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson #29 scores the game winning goal during the overtime. The New York Rangers defeat Boston Bruins 4-3. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Now, Robertson has appeared in 59 of the last 60 games. He’s even gotten top four minutes at times, logging the fifth-most ice time among all Rangers defensemen so far this season.
There’s no question Garand earned at least one more game after his first two NHL performances. He is 1-0-1 with a .954 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.
The early numbers are encouraging, but head coach Mike Sullivan said he felt completely comfortable with Garand between the pipes just based on what he was seeing from the rookie netminder.
Selected 103rd overall in 2020, Garand made his Wolf Pack debut in 2020-21 and was in the midst of his fourth full AHL season at the time of his recall last month. The Rangers have continuously maintained third-string goalies over the years — such as Louis Domingue and Keith Kinkaid — that have filled in whenever Igor Shesterkin and/or whichever backup was injured.
Even this season, the Rangers signed Spencer Martin out of the Kontinental Hockey League in November. He appeared in six games for the Rangers this season amid injuries to Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.
But it was finally time for Garand, who expressed just how much he’s been clamoring for the opportunity after his first win on March 27.
Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers defends the net during the second period when the New York Rangers played the Winnipeg Jets. Robert Sabo for NY Post
While Noah Laba could be considered among the long-awaited prospects, the 111th pick in the 2022 draft essentially jumped from college to the NHL. He played 11 games for the Wolf Pack at the end of the 2024-25 campaign before making the Rangers lineup straight out of training camp.
In Sunday’s win, Laba was a goal shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick after notching an assist on Sykora’s goal and dropping the gloves with Washington’s Hendrix Lapierre.
Laba hasn’t spent extended time in the minor leagues like Robertson, Chmelar, Sykora and Garand have.
Those four have made the extended wait worthwhile.
Here's our rest-of-season Top 300. Expect this space to be updated every Monday. Players are ranked for 5x5 mixed leagues using a one-catcher format. I include the mixed-league disclaimer because I do reward upside, particularly past the top 200 or so.
⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason and much more.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks
**Updated May 25**
I added the preseason Top 300 rankings to the list this week, just as sort of a two-month progress report. To date, 54 players in the original rankings have been swapped out for newcomers.
- I was always too optimistic about Schwellenbach's return from elbow surgery, apparently. He's resumed tossing, but it sounds like he won't even be back on the mound for another three weeks, suggesting that mid-August return is probably the best-case scenario now. ... I can't believe I reintroduced Manzardo to the rankings last week only for Stephen Vogt to bench him against three of the next five righties (and both lefties, of course) the Guardians faced. Manzardo is batting .278/.350/.574 with an even more impressive .406 xwOBA this month. But, then, the Guardians are obviously doing just fine without him.
- Cristopher Sánchez overtakes Paul Skenes as the No. 1 starter this week. Sánchez's velocity was down just a little initially, and he didn't dominate last month, but he's had a May for the ages, with his 32 scoreless innings and 36 strikeouts. His K rate has jumped from 20 percent in 2024 and 26 percent last season to 29 percent now, and he's done without losing anything off his stellar groundball rate. I'm still pretty sure Skenes will be fine, but his velocity is down one mph from last year and his mediocre 25.6 percent CSW is really quite stunning. He ranks 56th of the 76 qualified starters in that category, right in between Matthew Liberatore and Colin Rea.
- While I didn't want to, I did have to drop Luke Keaschall from 102nd to 167th this week. He's losing playing time on a Twins team that's already sent down Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis. And it probably doesn't help matters that Lewis is already gunning for a quick return. I think things will turn around for Keaschall if the Twins stick with him, but it'd be hard to blame them for swapping him out for a spell. His lack of defensive value makes his offensive struggles much more difficult to deal with.
- Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell would all be top-200 guys for me as regulars, but the current playing time situation in Milwaukee isn't great. I'd love to have Vaughn back in the 150s, but he sat against three straight righties last week before Mitchell missed a couple of games with a back issue. Someone will eventually get hurt again and clarifying matters for a time, but I don't much like it right now.
- Pittsburgh's Jared Jones is another guy I'd like to have higher, but this talk about maybe starting him off in the pen seems like a real threat. If it's about not taking either Bubba Chandler or Carmen Mlodzinski out of the rotation, I don't get that at all. I do think Chandler will get better, but his 16 percent walk rate is awful and he's not really making up for it with a 22 percent strikeout rate. Mlodzinski has been nice, but his ceiling as a starter is limited, and even with him having allowed just two homers on 11 barrels, his ERA is an unremarkable 3.96. Jones has ace-type ability and he's been stretched out to the point that he threw 76 pitches last time out. I don't see how it would make any sense to put him in the pen now.
- With his 1.13 ERA through 32 innings, Antonio Senzatela becomes the first Rockies pitcher to make the top 300 this year. It's probably a temporary thing, since he might be as likely as anyone in the league to get traded, and it might happen well before the deadline. For now, though, he looks like an increasingly decent bet for saves in Colorado's pen.
May 18 Notes
Falling off: Kris Bubic (205th), Heliot Ramos (217th), Ryan O'Hearn (222nd), Clay Holmes (223rd), Chad Patrick (262nd), Dylan Beavers (264th), Royce Lewis (270th), Matt Wallner (275th), Giancarlo Stanton (285th), Robert Suarez (290th), Pierce Johnson (297th), Jac Caglianone (298th), Dennis Santana (299th)
- O'Hearn, Suarez, and Caglianone are all part of the next 10, along with Ryan Zeferjahn, Jake McCarthy, Connor Prielipp, Emilio Pagán and Jordan Lawlar.
- For the first time since putting out my preseason rankings in mid-January, there is a change in the top three, as Shohei Ohtani (DH only) drops behind Bobby Witt Jr. I hesitated to make the move a couple of weeks ago after Ohtani got back to stealing bases, but since it looks like him being held out of the lineup when he pitches is turning into a regular thing, down one spot he goes. I might also put Ronald Acuña Jr. ahead of him if Acuña comes back strong from his hamstring injury.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drops one spot this week, but I still don't see any reason to go much lower. His exit velocity numbers are down some, but his bat speed is just fine and he's not striking out. I'd be more concerned if his groundball rate was spiking, but he's slightly better than his career average there. The power production will come, and the Blue Jays' lineup still should take a significant step forward when Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger get healthy and George Springer figures things out. Springer has been another disappointment, but again, his bat speed has held up nicely, he's pulling the ball in the air and his strikeout rate is fine.
- Munetaka Murakami's home run barrage has really overshadowed what Miguel Vargas is doing in Chicago, but Vargas, pretty incredibly, is currently 10th in the majors with a .407 xwOBA. His average bat speed has jumped from 70.6 mph last year (25th percentile) to 73.7 mph this year (69th percentile) and he hasn't sacrificed any contact to make that happen. In fact, his contract numbers are largely improved. His exit velocity numbers, aside him 16 percent barrel rate, are still pretty average, and he's still having big BABIP troubles; he's at .240 right now, which is only slightly better than his career mark of .233. That's keeping me from ranking him in the top 100 for now, but he is up to No. 123 this week.
- I did make room for Colt Emerson at the very bottom of the list, but I don't think he's ready to be particularly useful in mixed leagues at age 20. It also doesn't help that he's in a tough situation for hitters in Seattle. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do, but Emerson was striking out 27 percent of the time in Triple-A and it's probably going to be a couple of years before he settles in as a 20-homer guy.
Luka Doncic is headed to Europe for specialized treatment on his Grade 2 hamstring strain in hopes of a more rapid return to the court, reports Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. This came in consultation with the Lakers' team doctors, according to the report.
Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain against the Thunder on Thursday night, and the Lakers announced he will be out for the remainder of the regular season.
However, it's the playoffs that are the looming concern. The average time missed for a Grade 2 hamstring strain is more than a month, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes (who maintains a database tracking NBA injuries). The playoffs start in less than two weeks, on April 18. If Doncic were out for a month, he would likely miss the Lakers' entire first-round series. Hence the effort to find a treatment that can help him return sooner.
The Lakers' Austin Reaves is also out for 4-6 weeks with an oblique strain and will miss the first round of the playoffs.
Without their two leading scorers and shot creators, Los Angeles would be heavy underdogs in any likely first-round matchup. The Lakers currently are tied with the Nuggets for the 3/4 seed in the West and could slide as low as the No. 5 seed. That would leave them with a first-round series against a quality opponent, such as Houston or Minnesota.
Without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday despite 30 points and 15 assists from LeBron James, who now becomes the focal point of the offense. The Lakers had no answer for rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 against Los Angeles. Doncic being out for the remainder of the season also leaves him one game short of the league's 65-game threshold to be eligible for postseason awards — and he would be a lock top-five finisher in MVP voting and be First Team All-NBA. Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, has said he would file an "extraordinary circumstances challenge." Written into the CBA, the exception states that if "it was impractical for the player to play in one or more of the [missed] games" and the player would have reached 65 games if he had played in those games, an independent arbiter (selected by the league and player's union) can grant him an exception. Doncic missed two games in December for the birth of his child.
The Nets have a staggering seven rookies — a record five of them first-round picks — and must develop every one they can to spur their rebuild.
For injured Danny Wolf, the work doesn’t end just because he’s been shut down for the season. If anything it gets more intense.
“Obviously losing sucks, and every time you ask anyone, they’re going to give you the same answer that losing is no fun.” Wolf said. “Everyone in the locker room from top to bottom thinks we could’ve had a much better season. But within that, you have to find things you can learn from, that you can gain from.”
After suffering a season-ending left ankle sprain March 22, Wolf will end his debut campaign averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.
And from the moment the tanking Nets started leaning into their rookies on Feb. 5, the big man bumped those figures up to 10.8 points, 5.6 boards and 2.7 assists.
Danny Wolf the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Wolf fell to 27th in the draft due to questions about his defense and shooting. He played defense at an NBA level, but his shooting is still very much in question, at a streaky 32.2 percent from deep.
What’s beyond question is that Wolf must learn to finish better at the rim.
“Defensively, there were definitely a lot of people questioning who I’d be able to guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to more than prove, but be a good defender,” said Wolf.
“The shooting and the offense, it was nowhere near what I know I’m capable of doing and that upsets me. I was able to shoot well at times, and there’d be times where I felt I couldn’t make a shot. That’s a rookie season; there’s going to be ups and downs.”
Nowhere near enough ups at the rim, figuratively and literally.
While Wolf is sizable at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds, his lack of vertical explosion has limited him. His 24-inch standing vertical was tied for third worst at the NBA Draft Combine, and has led to poor finishing against more athletic foes.
“Everyone’s bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic [at this level],” said Wolf. “What is it that you need to do to be able to match that, but also be better than that?”
Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) grabs his ankle in pain during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Justine Willard-Imagn Images
Where Wolf has to be better is at the rim, where he shot just 54 percent. That’s just 12th percentile among forwards, per Cleaning The Glass. It’s an Achilles’ heel he needs to fix, offseason work that’s already begun.
“Obviously the numbers speak for themselves; I was nowhere near where I wanted to be or could have been. And finishing, I did an OK job at times getting in my spots,” Wolf said. “A lot of it is getting stronger. And the positive outlook of an injury [is] I’ve been able to really hone in on the weight room more than I would’ve been able to if I was playing.
“I have a good four or five months of weight room ahead of me and just being able to fill out my frame better. That’ll really help me, just getting stronger; and with that, more explosive. And I know my rim finishing next year, I’ll be able to look back on this year and see that it was something that really, really helped me.”
While Wolf is focused on his body, coach Jordi Fernández is counting on growth through reps and technique.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Fernández. “One is experience, right? The reps, the game slowing down. A lot of times you just rush. We tell guys, ‘Hey, just play off two feet and don’t leave your feet.’
“But he’s done a great job and he’s been able to implement a lot of stuff, power through, because you have better balance, finding a body first. This all comes with a lot of work, watching film and through the summer and then the real reps. So the process [has] already started. He’s already gotten better. We’re not concerned about his finishing. We know it has to get better, but we also know it will get better.”
With the St. Louis Blues still working to earn a wild card position in this year’s playoffs, and the Avalanche on the cusp of a Central Division title, there was plenty to play for, and Ball Arena was the scene on Easter Sunday evening.
Colorado comes in on the second of a back-to-back, having beaten the Dallas Stars 2-0 in regulation yesterday, and the Blues just secured two points over the Anaheim Ducks and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
Valeri Nichushkin was listed as OUT with an upper-body injury ahead of puck drop, so the Avs would go without their best d-man and a very valuable forward.
Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) will not play tonight.
This game started strong with both clubs making their intentions clear with a focused defensive effort. It appeared the Avalanche would take the 1-0 lead if not for a coach’s challenge that deemed the play offside.
Shortly after Colorado’s goal was called back, the top line was unable to retrieve and break out of their own, resulting in a net front scramble that eventually ended with Robert Thomas’ one-timer over the shoulder of MacKenzie Blackwood.
The Blue note would establish an early 1-0 lead.
The team in dark blue and burgundy wouldn’t let the lead last long as Parker Kelly notched his 20th of the season and tied things at 1-1.
As mentioned in previous recaps featuring a Kelly goal, Guerilla Sports’ Meghan Angley vowed to adopt a whale if Parker Kelly scored 20 goals. Well, here we are. I wonder what its name will be!
Waffles coming soon to Avs nation in honor of Parker Kelly hitting 20 goals… I haven't abandoned opening things up to name a whale, but I told @jessemontano_ we needed to have whale right now. pic.twitter.com/V3HVvLBlnd
Nathan MacKinnon would earn a late power play in the first, but with too little time remaining in the frame to create. Breaking the 1-1 tie would have to wait until period number two.
The tie breaker wouldn’t come on the opening power play for the Avalanche; in fact, they didn’t have a single shot on net.
Instead, it was Brent Burns who sent a shot from the blue line toward a screening Landeskog. Hofer couldn’t fight through the Swedish distraction and was beaten on the far side by Burns’ shot from distance.
Colorado’s newly minted lead would last all of 29 seconds with Robert Thomas scoring his second of the evening on a perfectly executed two-on-one. Things were tied at 2-2.
Both Hofer and Blackwood would make some timely saves in the middle portion of the second period to keep things tied.
The same would be true for most of the third until Robert Thomas put away the game-winner and hat-trick clinching goal with 2:30 seconds left.
The Avalanche would not overcome the deficit, and winning the division will have to wait.
Blues win 3-2.
Takeaways
Parker Kelly scoring 20 goals is an incredible feat, and he should be proud. Kelly is signed through the 2030-31 season, and if he can consistently be a 20-goal scorer, his $1.7M AAV contract will look like money in the bank.
St. Louis lurking in the wild card conversation is a bit of a suprise but they have been one of the hottest hockey teams in the league since the Olympic break.
I’d presume most Avalanche fans would be okay with Jordan Binnington on St. Louis not making a playoff appearance in 2025-26.
We saw a classy and special honoring of Brent Burns’ 1,000 consecutive games played, and Colorado’s iron man was clearly appreciative but appeared a bit shy in the moment. He’s never come across as a ‘me’ guy, so that makes sense.
Upcoming
A home-and-home will travel to St. Louis for a Tuesday night game between these two clubs yet again.
Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 27, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena...
DALLAS — Lakers star Luka Doncic will seek special medical treatment in Europe for his left hamstring strain with the hopes he’ll be able to return to the court quicker, his agency shared on Sunday night.
Doncic suffered the hamstring injury during the third quarter of the loss, with an MRI on Friday revealing a Grade 2 strain, which typically comes with a recovery timeline of 3-6 weeks.
InStreetClothes, which is an NBA injury database run by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, stated that the average time lost for the type of injury Doncic suffered is about 35 days.
The Lakers didn’t provide a timeline for Doncic’s expected return to the court.
Three weeks from when Doncic suffered the hamstring injury was April 23, which would be around Games 3 or 4 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff matchup.
Doncic had an MRI on Friday revealing a Grade 2 strain. NBAE via Getty Images
A timeline closer to 35 days, let alone six weeks, would likely take Doncic out of the Lakers’ entire first-round playoff series, even if it lasted seven games.
“I just know that he’s gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” coach JJ Redick said. “I talked to him Friday, I talked to him again [on Saturday], I talked to him again [Sunday] morning. He’s going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it’s our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”
Redick said internal medical data didn’t show any signs of overuse for Doncic or Reaves, who’s sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, before their injuries.
Both grabbed at their respective injured areas during the first quarter of Thursday’s game but played through the third quarter before Doncic left the matchup with his hamstring injury and Reaves was subbed out.
“As a coach, you go on the information you have,” Redick said.
“[Reaves] was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I asked directly, I thought he was hurt. [I was told], ‘No, he’s medically cleared.’ The group wanted to go for it in the second half. Talked about it at halftime. And I think for both those guys, the nature of playing heavy minutes, that’s certainly a part of any equation when you’re trying to manage workloads.
“We also rely on the tracking data, and we’re looking at that after every game. And there have been a few times this year where it’s gone away from the standard deviation of whatever their baseline is, and we make the proper adjustments. There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were ‘running hot’ as we call it.”
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The New York Rangers scored a season-high eight goals in their 8-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday night.
The overwhelming victory was headlined by Will Cuylle recording his first career NHL hat trick, as he reached the 20-goal benchmark for the second consecutive season.
Cuylle went through a difficult offensive stretch for practically the entire month of March, going on a 13-game scoreless drought before finally finding the back of the net on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.
The 24-year-old has voiced disappointment in his own play this season, and Mike Sullivan referred to Cuylle’s play as a “mixed bag,” indicating that there have been inconsistencies in Cuylle’s game.
In his first two NHL seasons, Cuylle mostly played a bottom-six role, but throughout the 2025-26 campaign, he’s been elevated into a more prominent top-six position, with his minutes increasing from 15:05 to 16:57.
Over the Rangers’ most recent stretch of games, Sullivan believes Cuylle is beginning to find his game again and play to his strengths, which is allowing him to create more offense.
“I think it was trending in the right way,” Sullivan said of Cuylle’s game. “He went through a stretch there where he hadn't scored in like 12 games, but we felt like he was getting a lot closer, just getting inside more, going to the net, getting more looks. We think that's when he's at his best. He's a great athlete, he's big, he's strong, he's fast. I think he's hard to handle.”
On Sunday night, Cuylle had his blueprint all over the game. He generated a team-high six shots on net and was also active on the physical front, specifically when he laid a big-time hit on Ryan Leonard, followed up by a fight against Jakob Chychrun.
Cuylle recorded his first hat trick just one day after Gabe Perreault accomplished the same feat in the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
“I'm happy for him because I know how hard he's working, so to get rewarded with a hat trick tonight is great,” Sullivan said of Cuylle notching his first NHL hat trick. “It'll be a good boost of confidence for him and hopefully he can build on moving forward.”
Sunday night certainly marked the high point of Will Cuylle’s season.
In a year filled with ups and downs, Cuylle expressed his excitement to be able to have this special moment in front of the home fans at Madison Square Garden.
“It's cool. First hat trick in the NHL, it's kind of a dream come true,” Cuylle said. “It's great to have it in a game like today, where we had a full 60-minute effort from everyone, everyone contributing. I'm just happy with the result.”
To close out the season, the Rangers have been playing a much more consistent brand of hockey, contrary to much of this tumultuous year.
New York has won five of its last six games, with the past two coming against two teams pushing for a playoff spot.
What is going into this sudden resurgence from the Rangers?
“I think our guys have something to play for, and that’s how they’re approaching it. We’re playing some pretty good teams that have a lot at stake,” Sullivan said. “I think we beat some pretty good teams lately. I think that’s just a testament to how hard our players are competing out there.
“I think we’re trying to build a team game and we’re trying to stack some wins on top of each other where we can continue to define, refine what Rangers hockey looks like...I think they're embracing these challenges. I just think it speaks volumes for the character of the guys we have that they continue to compete as hard as they do and we're continuing to try to build that team game.”
It’s promising to see the Rangers string these wins while many of the team’s young players have come in and contributed, including Gabe Perreault, Drew Fortescue, Noah Laba, Jaroslav Chmelař, and Adam Sýkora.
The games at this point are meaningless in terms of standing implications, but regardless of how it impacts their lottery odds, the Blueshirts are looking to build momentum to carry into the summer and ultimately into next season.
“There's no easy games, but obviously teams that have that sense of desperation and really something to play for, I think, shows that we haven't really gave up on the year and packed it in,” Adam Fox said.
“Like we said, we're still trying to build on something and gain momentum and establish something here that we can take positively into the summer and build on that. It's great to see. I think the group's done a great job since the break of just being focused, trying to come out and compete and just play hard and try and build on that.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was back in the lineup Sunday after his mental gaffe at second base in Saturday’s win, when he turned a routine grounder into a single in the top of the ninth.
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Otto Lopez reached on the play and scored before David Bednar and the Yankees held on for the victory.
Boone said Sunday he spoke with Chisholm following Saturday’s game “a little bit.”
“He laid back on the ball,” Boone said. “Fundamentally, he was fine with it. He’s just got to be a little more aware of the guy getting down the line. It’s a play we’ve got to make.”
Chisholm — also slumping at the plate — came through with a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth in Sunday’s 7-6 loss to Miami.
He acknowledged his mistake from Saturday, with the caveat that plays like that are going to happen.
“We all know how I play baseball,’’ Chisholm said. “The guy caught me with my head down and [made] a good play. I do it to other teams all the time. Someone caught me. It’s no big deal.”
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a two-run RBI double during the 9th inning of the Yankees and Miami Marlins game at Yankee Stadium. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
He also was in a 4-for-31 rut before his double.
Chisholm isn’t the only infielder struggling, as José Caballero made another error at shortstop and has been invisible on offense.
“He’s swinging through some pitches,’’ Boone said, adding of his recent throwing issues: “He’s so good at getting rid of it… We trust him.”
Carlos Rodón reported some soreness Sunday after throwing a side session Saturday.
Boone called Rodón’s discomfort “to be expected” as the left-hander rehabs from offseason elbow surgery.
His comeback has been delayed a bit by right hamstring tightness he experienced last week, but it didn’t stop Rodón from throwing.
Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón #55, throwing in the outfield before the game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Boone said he’s expected to throw another side session “early in the week.”
Gerrit Cole, coming back from last spring’s Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to throw a simulated game Monday.
The Yankees missed on a pair of automated ball-strike system challenges again Sunday, leaving them with none during their ninth-inning rally.
Boone said he doesn’t want them to lose their aggressiveness, even as it’s cost them in recent games.
“We’re gonna trust our knowledge of it,’’ Boone said. “There are gonna be games you don’t have them at the end.” … The Yankees recorded 30 walks in their series against the Marlins, their most in a three-game series in franchise history.
After a promising start to the season, Camilo Doval has pitched poorly in his past two appearances, retiring just three batters and allowing five hits, four earned runs and a walk.
Boone noted Doval has faced some “really tough left-handed hitters” and not executed well or been able to put batters away.
That’s resulted in lefties reaching base in five of 10 plate appearances against Doval, who is expected to serve in a setup role to David Bednar.
As for the closer, Boone said he’s not comfortable working Bednar as much as he has in his past two appearances, when Bednar threw 40 and 33 pitches.
LeBron James lets son Bronny hear it after on-court error
There’s nothing quite as embarrassing as getting yelled at by your parents in public.
Try being Bronny James on Sunday night in Dallas.
Late in the third quarter of the Lakers’ loss to the Mavericks, Bronny went to send a high chest pass to his teammate, and dad, LeBron James but had the attempt knocked out of bounds by a Dallas defender.
LeBron immediately signaled to his son that he should have given him a bounce pass, and then gave him a stern look that only a dad would give to his kid.
“Kind of looks at his son and says, ‘give me a bounce pass,’ Mike Tirico said on the NBC broadcast. “I love that look because that look was not just LeBron the veteran. That was also LeBron the dad.”
LeBron James gestures with his arms crossed while talking to his son, Bronny James Jr. during the Lakers game of the Mavericks on Sunday. NBC
Bronny is in his second season and played nine minutes off the bench for the Lakers in the 134-128 loss to the Mavericks in the Lone Star State.
Bronny finished the game with five points on 2-of-3 shooting and was 1-for-2 from 3-point range, and also registered an assist.
LeBron ended the night with a team-high 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting.
Bronny James attempts to throw a pass to his father, LeBron James, during the Lakers’ game against the Mavericks on Sunday. NBC
The Lakers have been reeling from injuries lately with the loss of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart.
Dončić will be out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain and then on Saturday, the Lakers announced that Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and would be out the rest of the season.
“It was a shot to the heart and the chest and the mainframe with Luka,” LeBron told reporters after the game regarding the injury news about Dončić and Reaves. “I woke up from my nap and saw that [Reaves] news and was like, ‘s–t’”
The injuries will allow Bronny to get some extended playing time and make a case for a bigger role on the Lakers.
In a playoff stretch where a lot of other teams - particularly the ones chasing playoff spots - are doing a whole lot of losing, the Pittsburgh Penguins just keep on winning hockey games.
And they're not just winning them - they're winning them comfortably.
On Sunday, the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2, sweeping the weekend series between the two teams and earning their fourth win in five games. With five goals on Sunday, the Penguins have now scored 280 times this season, which is second in the NHL only to the Colorado Avalanche's 285.
The scoring depth on this team is something that continues to win them hockey games, and it's some of the best depth the Penguins have had in recent memory.
"100 percent," said Bryan Rust, who registered his 500th NHL point when he assisted on a Sidney Crosby goal in the first period. "On any given night, there's guys who are scoring goals, guys who are stepping up and bringing the offense. It's not just one line or the top-six, you see all four lines doing it, and a lot of the defensemen doing it, too.
"I think it's been a group effort this year, and I think with how good the league is and how tight everything is, that depth's going to give you a few extra wins, a few extra points that - sometimes, if you don't have that - kind of get lost."
The Penguins got the first goal in this one when Connor Dewar pressured Florida goaltender Daniil Tarasov and forced him to commit a turnover. The puck ended up right on the stick of Elmer Soderblom on the left wall, and he buried for his sixth of the season and sixth point in his last six games to put the Penguins up, 1-0.
The Panthers responded a little more than five minutes later when Cole Schwindt shot a puck square into the mask of Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs - starting in his second straight game due to a Stuart Skinner upper-body injury - and it trickled through his five-hold to tie the game. But then, just 35 seconds later, Crosby took a feed from Egor Chinakhov down the left wing, and he put away a shot from the left circle to restore the Penguins' lead.
And they were able to add on. The Penguins got a late power play opportunity at the end of the first period, and after a beautiful passing play, Rickard Rakell - parked in the slot - one-timed a perfect pass by Crosby to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.
WELCOME TO RAK CITY.
Rickard Rakell is riding an eight-game point streak (9G-3A) with goals in five straight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Mn803paAd9
There was a bit of pushback by Florida for parts of the second period, but Silovs stood strong - and Rakell struck again. With less than two minutes remaining in the middle frame, Rakell pounced on a chip pass from Evgeni Malkin, who was parked behind the net, and chopped it past Tarasov to put Pittsburgh up, 4-1.
Rust tacked on another goal less than four minutes into the third period after Crosby fed him for a breakaway opportunity, squeaking it underneath Tarasov for his 28th of the season. Carter Verhaeghe added a goal for Florida with less than six minutes left in regulation, but the Penguins were able to cruise to a relatively comfortable 5-2 victory - one night after beating Florida, 9-4.
When you think of "unbreakable" NHL records, there are very, very few. One thought to be unbreakable was broken last season when Alex Ovechkin broke Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky's points record probably is untouchable, especially with the amount of talent on both sides of the puck in the league right now.
Crosby's point-per-game seasons record is near-untouchable. Yes, Connor McDavid is going to be an all-time great player and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
King of Consistency 👑
With his 70th point, Sidney Crosby, who can play in a maximum of 70 games this season, has clinched his NHL-record 21st-consecutive point-per-game season. pic.twitter.com/S12jxQOFQ0
But you just do not see this. Of all the greats in NHL history, Crosby is the only one ever to have been point-per-game for more than two decades. And, heck, he can build on his own record even more, depending on how long he plays.
And Penguins' head coach Dan Muse reminded everyone not to take anything for granted with Crosby.
"I really hope nobody's taking it for granted. I really do," Muse said. "The fans, media, everybody in the community, to be able to see this firsthand - like, it's amazing. Twenty-one seasons, a point-per-game, NHL record. And that's a big one."
Folks, we're witnessing all-time greatness. I'd take Muse's advice.
- Skinner's injury - although nothing is confirmed about the nature of it other than it being designated as "upper-body" - appeared to have occurred during Saturday's game against the Panthers when he was struck with a puck on the bench.
Although it was unfortunate for Skinner, the timing of everything did lend to an unexpected call-up. With the start time for the game designated for 3:00 p.m. ET - and Skinner being designated as unavailable the same morning - the Penguins wouldn't have been able to bring one of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goaltenders because there was no way for them to get to Pittsburgh in time.
And Gauthier quite literally missed the call at first.
"I had just walked into church with a bunch of my teammates for Easter service," Gauthier said. "I went to put my phone on 'do not disturb', and I had four missed calls from 'Spez'... so, I figured it was probably something pretty important."
Even though Gauthier - who went undrafted and has a .932 save percentage for Wheeling this season - didn't have a chance to appear in the game, he did dress as the backup - and getting the call to the NHL is something he will always cherish and that he wants the chance to do again.
"It's just - it's surreal," Gauthier said. "You know, especially with the pedigree of guys that are in this room. I think I speak for every Canadian kid that grew up watching Sid play... you know, he's a hero to all of us."
He added: "It's something that I'm really going to cherish for a long time, and I might take that jersey home and make sure I put it up in a frame, for sure."
- With Skinner's injury, Muse decided to run back Silovs, who struggled Saturday despite the win.
Well, he bounced back in a big way and was very solid for the Penguins Sunday.
He stopped 29 of 31 Florida shots on goal and was especially good in the second period, when Florida had a few waves of chances. There are times when Silovs looks like the goaltender that led the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup last season, and this was one of those starts.
Sergei Murashov was in the building, but not in time for puck drop, which is why Gauthier got the call. I imagine Silovs is well aware that he is under a microscope on the stretch run to the playoffs, and he struggled before this.
We'll see where Skinner is at this week. But, if Murashov being in Pittsburgh is any indication, it appears they might be preparing to be without Skinner for at least a few games. If that's the case, Silovs needs to perform like he did Sunday the rest of the way. Otherwise, someone else might be in the mix for a playoff job.
- There's not much more to say about Rakell at this point. He has 10 goals in his last eight games. He has an NHL-high five-game goal-scoring streak. He scored seven goals just last week.
What a tear he is on. He is now up to 24 goals, and he missed 21 games this season. If he continues the recent pace he has been on for the four games remaining this season, he could flirt with 30 goals.Just incredible stuff from him.
- The Penguins now have 96 points, which puts them six points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who leapfrogged the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division. So, you do the math.
If the Penguins win one more game this season, they clinch a playoff berth.
They have the New Jersey Devils on Thursday before playing the Washington Capitals in a home-and-home back-to-back over the weekend and, finally, the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 14. None of these teams currently sit in a playoff spot. And, should others behind them continue to lose, they may not even need to win another game.
Things are looking good, Penguins' fans. Just enjoy the ride.
Oh, and there's a very good chance that there could be a Penguins-Flyers first round this year.
SAN FRANCISCO — Jared Young didn’t know for sure he would be in the Mets starting lineup Sunday, but took the approach that it was best to think in those terms.
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He knew that Brett Baty’s left thumb was barking following a dive into second base a day earlier. Baty was scheduled to start the series finale against the Giants, but Young was Plan B.
“It was kind of like, ‘Let’s come in today and prep like I’m going to play,’” Young said. “It’s always easier to wind down than it is to ramp up.”
It was Plan B the Mets exercised, going to Young for the start in left field as Baty took a day to rest his thumb.
Young’s 3-for-3 performance offensively and strong defense were a significant component in the team’s 5-2 victory at Oracle Park that gave the Mets a winning series and road trip.
Young’s running catch on Patrick Bailey’s line drive in the third stood out, along with his play off the carom on Jerar Encarnacion’s shot that hit the left field fence in the fifth. Young threw out Encarnacion attempting to stretch a single into a double.
The three-hit performance was the first of Young’s career, as was the outfield assist. Most of Young’s major league playing time has come as a first baseman.
Jared Young of the New York Mets catches a fly ball hit by Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning at Oracle Park on April 04, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
“Not only the at-bats for Jared, but his ability to play the outfield the way he’s doing it, he just adds more to it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s not only a pinch hitter or a guy that can play first, now you feel good with him playing the outfield as well.”
Mendoza’s original lineup before Baty was scratched had Carson Benge in left field and Baty in right. The manager said the decision to move Benge from right was based on Benge’s overall familiarity playing the various outfield positions compared to Baty, who is a converted infielder.
Baty is expected to be available for starting duty Tuesday.
Mendoza indicated nothing had changed with Juan Soto, who will be reevaluated before the Mets begin their next homestand Tuesday. The All-Star outfielder is dealing with what he’s termed a “minor” right calf strain and the Mets face a decision on placing him on the injured list.
The Mets had a third straight game with at least 12 hits. The franchise record is five straight such games, established in 1976 and tied in 1990.
Luis Robert Jr. stole two bases, giving him multiple steals in a game for the first time since May 4 of last season with the White Sox.
Luis Torrens is in his ninth season in the league and his third with the Mets. During that time he has not been known for his offense and has played the role of backup catcher for most of his career.
Yet, on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, with New York down 2-1 in the eighth inning but threatening, Torrens was called upon as a pinch-hitter against a left-hander.
The move was a bit surprising. Not only was Torrens replacing Jared Young who was already 3-for-3 on the day, albeit against right-hander Logan Webb, but with a thin bench the Mets could ill afford to lose their backup catcher should the game go to extra innings or anything unforeseen happening.
But according to manager Carlos Mendoza who spoke after the game, that was the exact moment the Mets were hoping to use Torrens.
“I gotta give credit to [bench coach] Kai Correa there,” Mendoza said. “...He brought it up to me way before the game started – like in a big spot, Luis Torrens against one of those lefties… Sure enough, the situation presented itself and we [used] him and he was ready to go from the very beginning and he executed it.”
Facing LHP Erik Miller with one out and runners at second and third, Torrens fell behind in the count but fouled off some pitches and was able to work the count full. On 3-2, Torrens got a changeup off the plate that would’ve been ball four, but the catcher swung at it and poked it down the right-field line for a two-run double that put New York ahead, 3-2.
The Mets scored twice more in the inning and went on to win 5-2 thanks to the four-run eighth inning, but the big hit came from Torrens who had been ready for that scenario since before the game even started.
“For me, to put the ball in play there I was prepared even before the game,” Torrens said through an interpreter. “Mendy told me there might be a situation where I come in, but for me it’s about being focused and trying to execute in a situation like that.”
Torrens continued: “I really appreciate to be told that earlier on in the game or even before the game just because I’m able to prepare myself the way that I know that I can prepare myself and with whatever situation arises in the game, I’ll be prepared and do my job.”
So, why specifically Torrens, a career .228 hitter, in that moment?
“He slows the game down, he’s got the ability to use the whole field, he’s not afraid to go the other way, he’s not afraid to work counts,” Mendoza said. “He gets to two strikes and you feel good that he’s going to put the ball in play, he’s gonna take what the pitcher is giving him.
“This is a guy that’s been in baseball for quite a bit now, a lot of winter ball. So I was happy for Luis in that situation.”
A nine-year veteran (as a catcher no less), Torrens has used all of that experience to his advantage. It’s why the Mets have loved having him around for the past three years. In fact, even though he isn’t known for his bat, the 29-year-old is now batting .352 in 54 at-bats as a pinch-hitter, one of the most difficult jobs to do in baseball.
On top of that, Torrens is and continues to be elite at stopping the running game, even throwing out a runner trying to steal second base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
It’s plays like that, his hit in the eighth and the communication between him and the coaches before the game that had Mendoza commending “the small details” New York made on Sunday that resulted in an impressive win and taking three out of four in San Francisco.
“That speaks to how we prepare as a team,” Torrens said. “I think every single one of us before the game, during the game are all preparing ourselves to do the best that we possibly can and I think that speaks volumes to the group that we have here.”
After a rough stretch offensively to start the season, the Mets have completely turned it around, scoring 24 runs over their last three games. Almost all of that has been without Juan Soto, too.
“It’s special,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got good players, up and down. Dealing with a few guys there with injuries and you still feel really good with not only the guys that are in the lineup or who are getting the opportunity to play more, but [with] what’s on the bench as well and we saw it today.
“There’s a lot of versatility. There’s a lot of things that we could do because of the flexibility. It goes to show you that it’s a deep roster and it’s fun.”
New York will look to keep the good times rolling back at Citi Field starting on Tuesday when it hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game set.
The third baseman’s plate production is becoming an issue.
Even after an offseason tinkering with his swing, McMahon hasn’t slowed his swing and miss and the occasional power the Yankees hoped he’d flash has mostly been absent.
Despite a high-powered top half of the lineup, McMahon is one of several players slumping at the bottom, along with José Caballero and Austin Wells.
He had a couple of hard-hit balls on the West Coast trip, as well as one in Saturday’s win over Miami, but it was on the ground.
He finally snapped an 0-for-22 skid with a single in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 7-6 loss to Miami and walked in the eighth.
Those free passes have offset some of McMahon’s struggles, but not all of them.
And most distressing has been McMahon’s strikeout rate.
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) reaches first base on an error during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
McMahon whiffed 40 percent of the time heading into Sunday’s game, higher than his 32.3 percent career mark.
A year ago, his 32.3 percentage was the highest among qualified hitters.
Boone pointed to some positive signs in recent games, but acknowledged the slump.
“I like the ball he hit to left and his at-bats were better than we saw in Seattle, [when] I felt like he was in-between a lot,’’ Boone said. “I thought his intent was good on his swings on a couple of fastballs [by Eury] Pérez. … Hopefully he builds on that.”
McMahon narrowed his stance before the season to reduce his swing-and-miss rate.
It hasn’t worked, and he also seems to have lost power.
“He’s a little bit in-between,” Boone said. “He doesn’t want to chase or make bad decisions, which is great, but you’ve also got to go up there and let it rip. It’s an early-season scuffle. He’s really talented, [has] pop [and] does know the strike zone.”
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) hits a two-run RBI single during the second inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Yankees don’t have a clear alternative at third base, since they prefer Amed Rosario to play more of a utility role — especially with Caballero playing shortstop every day due to Anthony Volpe being sidelined following offseason shoulder surgery.
But there’s also no getting around the fact that McMahon — who singled in his first plate appearance of the season Opening Day in San Francisco — didn’t have another hit until Sunday.
With the Yankees having won eight of their first nine games before Sunday’s defeat, they could live with McMahon finding his way at the plate, but that won’t last forever.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Mavericks came out with real pace in the first quarter, but more than anything, it was Cooper Flagg that set the tone early on. He was everywhere, knocking down a pull-up 3-pointer, pushing in transition and creating easy looks for others, including kickouts to shooters. Flagg dictated possessions, made the right reads and impacted the game defensively. By the end of the quarter, the Mavericks had pushed it to a 41-30 lead, and it felt like a direct result of Flagg setting the tone as the best player on the floor.
The second quarter was when the game started to shift, even though Dallas held on to a 67-61 halftime lead. The Mavericks opened the period with great flow. Cooper Flagg knocked down another pull-up 3-ball and created for teammates to push the lead as high as 58-36. But from there, the Lakers chipped away, as LeBron James got downhill and to the free throw line, while Dallas started missing shots and turning it over. A quick stretch of scoring from James cut deep into the lead, and even when Dallas had small responses, they couldn’t fully stabilize.
The second half turned into the Cooper Flagg show, as he completely took control of the game across the third and fourth quarters and led Dallas to the finish. In the third, Flagg dictated everything offensively, creating for teammates like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Marvin Bagley while also scoring with floaters, pull-ups, and cuts to the rim. Every time Los Angeles made a push through LeBron James or DeAndre Ayton, Dallas had an answer, and more often than not, it came from Flagg either as a scorer or playmaker.
In the fourth, he elevated even further, opening the quarter with a three-point play and controlling possessions with patience, getting to his spots and consistently drawing fouls. The Lakers never fully went away, but Flagg kept them at arm’s length with a mix of midrange scoring and steady trips to the line, preventing any real comeback run. Down the stretch, it became about execution, and Flagg delivered, closing the game at the free-throw line and pushing his total to 45 points. Dallas never lost control in the final minutes, and what started as a competitive game ended with a composed finish and a 134-128 win.
75: Combined scoring from Flagg and James
This game gave us one of those stats that doesn’t even feel real at first. A teenager and a 40-year-old were both on pace to score 20+ points in the same game, something that has never happened in NBA history, and it was already developing in the first half. Flagg scored a game-high 45 points for the Mavs in the win, and James answered with 30 of his own for the Lakers in the loss.
That alone tells you how strange and fascinating this game was. On one side, James is still able to control stretches of the game at 41 years old, bully his way to the rim, orchestrate offense and put up numbers like it’s routine. On the other side, you have Flagg, a teenager, matching that production possession for possession, scoring in multiple ways, and dictating the flow of the game.
What makes it even more impressive is how natural it looked. This wasn’t a “young player having a hot quarter” moment. Flagg was operating like a primary option, making reads, creating shots and carrying real offensive responsibility. To see that level of control from someone that young, in the same game where LeBron is doing LeBron things, is just wild. It’s the kind of moment that sticks with you, because you just don’t see two completely different eras collide like that very often.
1: Home win since January 22nd
Lost in everything else is just how telling this win actually is about where the Mavericks are as a team right now. This was their first home win since January 22nd, which is honestly staggering when you think about it. This isn’t a team that has been fully bottoming out with a stripped roster or sitting every capable player every night. They’ve still had real rotation guys available and enough talent to compete, yet the results have been consistently this bad. That says more about the overall level of play than anything else.
A win like this feels good in the moment, especially with how it happened, but it also comes with real implications. The Mavericks are clearly in the mix for top lottery positioning, and games like this can directly impact those odds. When you’re in that tier, every win matters in the wrong way. Sliding even a few spots in the lottery standings can significantly hurt your chances at landing the number one pick, especially in a class where that top selection carries serious value.
So while this was one of the more enjoyable nights of the season, it also highlights the balancing act Dallas is dealing with. They’ve been bad enough for long enough to be in the lottery conversation without fully committing to a complete shutdown, and that leaves them in this middle ground. Wins like this are great for development and confidence, but they also introduce risk. And as the season winds down, that tension between short-term success and long-term positioning is only going to get tighter.
2: Consecutive 45-point games for Flagg
At this point, the Rookie of the Year conversation should absolutely be a debate, but Cooper Flagg still feels like the clear choice. What he’s doing right now is on another level, especially when you factor in the responsibility he’s carrying. Back-to-back 45-plus point games and 96 points across two games aren’t just impressive for a rookie; they’re rare for anyone in the league. And it’s not coming out of nowhere — it’s the continuation of a season where he’s consistently been asked to be the engine of the offense.
Kon Knueppel has been great and deserves real consideration. He’s been efficient, steady, and impactful in his role, and there’s a strong case to be made for what he’s done over the course of the season. This shouldn’t be a one-name conversation, and his production absolutely warrants being in the discussion.
But when you zoom out, Flagg’s overall impact separates him. He’s putting up around 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while taking on primary creator duties, defending multiple positions, and consistently facing top defensive attention. That level of usage combined with that level of production is hard to ignore. He’s not just contributing, he’s driving everything Dallas does.
That’s what ultimately gives him the edge. Knueppel has been excellent, but Flagg has been asked to do more, and he’s delivered at a higher ceiling. When you combine the volume, the role, and now stretches like this, it’s hard to argue against him. The debate is real, but the answer still points to Cooper Flagg.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was a good job and good effort from the Lakers, but they came up short in their first game since learning that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves would be out for the rest of the regular season.
With three starters unavailable against Dallas, LA struggled early on defensively. Cooper Flagg made another strong case to be the Rookie of the Year by scoring with ease. He had the Mavs in front by as many as 22 in this game. Dallas had control from the beginning and never let it go.
Still, LeBron James gave a valiant effort and kept LA in this one. He attacked aggressively and delivered a complete performance, finishing the night with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.
Thanks to his drive, this game remained competitive throughout.
However, it wasn’t enough to win, and considering that the Mavs are one of the weaker teams in the league, it appears that winning any games for the Lakers the rest of the way will be a tough task.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron was not just the No. 1 option for the Lakers, but he pushed the pace and was the clear leader of this team. It’s a shame the Lakers couldn’t win because this was one of his best performances of the season.
Hachimura is now back in the starting lineup, and he made the most of his increased minutes. He shot well from the field and was a solid rebounder.
Unfortunately, the Lakers needed even more than what Hachiura provided to win. Still, if he can produce like this, it should position the Lakers to at least remain competitive with what’s left of the season.
The microphones near the rims at the American Airlines Center must be amplified because LaRavia’s bricks were very loud on the broadcast. The Lakers can’t afford for him to play this poorly.
With Luka and Reaves out, this is an opportunity for Ayton to prove to everyone he deserves a bigger role. He responded by having a lackadaisical game and ended up playing less than his backup, Jaxson Hayes
Luke struggled at first, going 3-10 from the field in the opening half. He bounced back as the game progressed and ended the night with his first-ever triple-double.
Luke Kennard's first career triple-double comes midway through the 3rd Q: 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
Hayes was easily the best Lakers big against the Mavs. He scored with authority and converted at a very high rate, despite taking more shots. This has been a good year for Hayes, and if he keeps this up, he might get some starts coming up.
Grade: A+
Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr.
This trio all played under 10 minutes, so they will not be given a grade.
JJ Redick
Redick is shorthanded and trying to figure out new lineups that can work. He put Bufkin and Smith Jr. out there in the first half to try and get something going. It didn’t do much, and the Lakers are now tied with the Nuggets for the third seed. It’s hard to blame Redick for this loss. The team is just in a very tough spot right now.
Grade: C+
Sunday’s DNPs: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero
Sunday’s inactives: Marcus Smart, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Drew Timme, Chris Mañon
