PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 14: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates after the Nationals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After getting blown out on Monday, the Nats responded nicely, grinding out a 5-4 victory yesterday. That evened the series and put the Nationals one game below .500. They will look to get to .500 tonight against the Pirates in the third game of a four game set. This also a special day around the league, as MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day.
The Nats have a bit of a unique lineup tonight, and it is designed to counter the Pirates pitching strategy. Pittsburgh has a lefty opener, so Curtis Mead will hit second and play first base. To avoid the lefty, the Nats have Luis Garcia Jr. in the 9 spot. Joey Wiemer is also in the lineup, and he will hit sixth. Brady House is back at third base, which means Jorbit Vivas will slide over to second and Nasim Nunez will get the day off. Jake Irvin will be on the bump for the Nats.
The Pirates made some changes to the bottom of their order. Teenaged sensation Konnor Griffin will get the night off. That means Nick Gonzales will play shortstop and Nick Yorke will play third. Henry Davis will be back behind the plate as the Pirates alternate catchers. The Bucs will open with flame throwing lefty Mason Montgomery. Right hander Carmen Mlodzinski will follow him and pitch in a bulk role.
The Nats have already secured a winning road trip, but they are looking for more. Splitting this four game set would satisfy me, but imagine if they can win the next two. That would really give the Nats momentum. The offense is red hot and makes this group very fun to watch. Follow along in the comments down below and letâs go Nats.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 15: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals takes the field wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
If you read the little text under this article, I dubbed this a must win game for the Royals. While this is just game 18 on the season, this game tonight is huge for the vibes and direction of the team.
The Royals are 7-10 on the season, mostly because of inept offense, theyâve scored 2 runs or less in 10 of their first 17 games and in 6 of their last 7 games. When they hold a lead late, like last night, itâs a lot of pressure on the bullpen to be perfect, with no cushion, and itâs a blown lead late again, similar to Sunday.
If the Royals go out there and lose another game scoring 2 runs or less, it starts to build even more frustration offensively and then the pitching canât continue to be as excellent as they have been, because they are under constant stress to be perfect, because of the poor offense.
Outside of the team, fans, especially the casual ones will keep losing interest in the ballclub, and April isnât even over yet. The NFL Draft is next week, and we live in Chiefs country, so you know the casual fan will be tuned out quickly if things donât turn around soon.
Good thing is, like me, most of you are diehard fans and we are in it until game 162 concludes or further beyond that. Tonight the Royals are sending Seth Lugo to the mound, he has been phenomenal all season long. The veteran right-hander has churned out good start after good start this season. If he does that again tonight, the Royals are in business to even this series up.
As for the Tigers, they got off to an abysmal start, 4-9, including being swept in a four-game series by the Twins, who are winning the division⊠what??? Since then, theyâve won four straight games after sweeping the Marlins at home and rallying last night to beat Kansas City. They are 6-1 at home this season.
Right hander Jack Flaherty starts for Detroit. After two rough starts, his last outing in Minnesota was a good one, allowing just one run over 5.2 innings.
Also, today is Jackie Robinson Day, so everyone will be donned with 42 as their number. Itâs a very special and historic day in baseball history, hopefully the Royals can break out tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. CT, the game can be streamed on Royals.TV.
San Diego Padres SP Matt Waldron (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres are on a roll, as they have won nine of their last 11 games. They sit comfortably in second place in the National League West. But the momentum may turn for the worse after Nick Pivetta left his last start with right elbow stiffness. The injury has forced the Padres to place the right-hander on the injured list.
The Friars cannot afford another significant blow to their starting rotation. Joe Musgrove is still recovering from elbow surgery, and losing another key contributor like Pivetta has placed the rotation in a period of uncertainty.
Add the poor showing from German Marquez in his first three starts with the Padres. Suddenly, the teamâs starting pitching depth has been challenged. Marquez has a 5.54 ERA with a 1.69 WHIP over 13 innings pitched. With the recent rash of injuries and bad outings at the beginning of the season, the Friars need to identify reliable starters who can throw quality innings.
Waldron has embraced becoming a knuckleball pitcher
Matt Waldron has been trying to perfect the knuckleball, so it becomes the main weapon in his pitching arsenal. He aims to throw his knuckleball at least 75% of the pitches thrown in every start. It would be a significant increase from previous seasons, which were approximately 38%.
He is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season. An oblique injury hampered Waldron and limited him to one start last summer. It was a late June start against the Philadelphia Phillies, as the right-hander struggled with his control. He walked six batters in a 4-0 defeat.
Give Waldron credit for trying to reinvent himself on the mound. He needed to learn to trust the knuckleball. Waldron came to Peoria with newfound confidence, as he threw the knuckleball in the 75-80 MPH range this spring. The velocity will remind older baseball fans of former major leaguer Tom Candiotti.
The hope is to combine the knuckler with his fastball to keep opposing hitters baffled inside the batterâs box. Waldron wants to disrupt their timing with the knucklerâs movement toward home plate.
Hart might be too valuable to take out of âpen
Kyle Hart opened the 2026 campaign as the long man in the bullpen. In six appearances, Hart has pitched 11 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. His control has been up and down with five walks and only six strikeouts this season.
Part of Hartâs struggles stems from lowering his arm slot during his delivery toward home plate. It has been a struggle to maximize movement on his sweeper and sinker. When he has been successful in games, he induces batters to hit groundballs at a 57.6% rate. His delivery forces hitters to begin their swing early and make weak contact.
The left-hander has 30 major league appearances, including nine career starts. It would be tough to transition back into being a starting pitcher, as Hart needs to stretch his arm out to go more than a couple of innings of work.
Having an experienced pitcher filling the long manâs role in the bullpen is a luxury. Hart might be a better asset to keep a game close after a poor start than to replace Marquez in the starting rotation.
The Friars will have Waldron take over Pivettaâs spot in the starting rotation. He is ready for the challenge.
Waldron may not be the ideal foundation piece for the rotation, but he is ready to change the Friar Faithfulâs opinion of him on the mound.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on as Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers defends during a game at Intuit Dome on January 05, 2026 in Inglewood, California. 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. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors will play with their season on the line Wednesday night in a first-round Play-In Tournament matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in Los Angeles and can be watched on Prime Video.
The Warriors closed out the regular season with a 115-110 loss to the Clippers on Sunday night. With Golden State locked into the No. 10 seed and Los Angeles essentially secured as the No. 9 seed, both teams entered knowing a Play-In Tournament rematch was likely. As a result, neither side showed much strategically as the Warriors held out Draymond Green, while the Clippers opted to rest All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.
Steph Curry, however, did play as he continues to ramp up for the postseason. He led all scorers with 24 points in 29 minutes, and more importantly, said afterward that heâs in a decent spot physically ahead of Wednesdayâs matchup.
Stephen Curry said âphysically Iâm in a decent spotâ after 29 minutes against the Clippers. As for the play-in matchup, âWe know who they are. ⊠Gonna be which team can, obviously get a game plan together, but stick to that as much as possible.â
The Warriors are expected to have a full roster available after dealing with a wave of injuries to end the regular season, although, head coach Steve Kerr did mention multiple players could still be on a minutes restriction. That includes Curry, who Kerr indicated will likely not exceed 40 minutes in this win-or-go-home matchup.
Steve Kerr said he thinks Steph Curry can stretch to at least 30 minutes in the play-in game on Wednesday night vs Clippers and âhopefully more.â He said last night Curry wouldnât play 40. Curry said Friday he thinks he will be able to push for a few more than planned.
"It's not about how badly we want to win, it's just how many minutes guys can literally play and stay effective."
â Steve Kerr explains why Steph Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford will be on minutes limits tomorrow night vs. the Clippers (via @WillardAndDibs). pic.twitter.com/O0XQJQBnLA
Entering tonightâs game in Los Angeles, the Warriors have lost nine of their last 10 against the Clippers, including a 1-3 record against them this season. That said, tonightâs game will likely come down to two key matchups: Golden Stateâs defense on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippersâ defense on Stephen Curry.
Leonard remains one of the most dangerous postseason scorers in the league, so Golden State will likely lean on Green as the primary defender on him. In their March 2nd matchup, Green was able to hold Leonard to 23 points â slightly below his season average of 27.9, which was the sixth-highest in the NBA.
On the other end, the Warriorsâ offense will inevitably run through Curry. Clippers head coach Ty Lue has a long history of throwing different defensive looks at him, and in Sundayâs matchup, they used Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. as the primary defenders. Expect a similar approach on Wednesday with potential double teams to force the ball out of Curryâs hands.
Ty Lue joked heâs sick of seeing Steph Curry in the postseason:
âHeâs just a guy that can explode. He can score 50 if youâre not careful. He only had 24 last game, but he had nine 3-point attempts. We canât let him get that many attempts up from the 3-point line. We gotta try to⊠pic.twitter.com/H0tp7jcYIE
One thing is for certain: Getting to the playoffs wonât be easy. To keep their season alive, the Warriors must win this game and then defeat the Phoenix Suns just to secure the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Itâs a challenging path, but one that is led by a superstar like Curry, a roster with playoff-tested veterans, and a plethora of championship experience.
The No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers and No. 10 Golden State Warriors will face off in a win-or-go-home game that will eventually determine the Western Conferenceâs No. 8 seed.
Whichever team wins tonight still has one hurdle to clear before officially punching its playoff ticket â the final play-in game on Friday against Phoenix â while the losing teamâs season ends tonight.
Warriors vs. Clippers: what to know
What: NBA Play-In Tournament
When: April 14, 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET
Where: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California)
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
This season, the Clippers won three of four total matchups with the Warriors; the most recent was a 115-110 victory just three days ago on the final day of the regular season.
Warriors vs. Clippers start time:
The Warriors vs. Clippers play-in game tips off at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET tonight, April 15.
How to watch Warriors vs. Clippers for free:
The NBA Play-In Tournament, including tonightâs Warriors vs. Clippers matchup, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so youâll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.
If you arenât a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
PRIME VIDEO
PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTS
All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, youâll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month â just $7.49/month â for up to six yearsand get all the perks.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but sheâs also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When sheâs not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, sheâs also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Hereâs what you need to know about LAâs first-round NBA Playoffs opponent:
The Lakers have a tough task ahead of them. APThe Rockets struggled with injuries and chemistry throughout the season, but they found their groove. Getty Images
Current status
The Rockets struggled with injuries and chemistry throughout the season, but they found their groove during the stretch run, winning eight straight games and nine of their last 10 to close the season.
The Lakers similarly found themselves at the end of the season, going on a 15-2 run in March. But then they lost Doncic and Reaves against the Thunder on April 2. Without the 60 points that those stars provide, the team has been turned upside down.
The Rockets are surely going to try to take advantage of the Lakersâ chaos. Theyâve had a lot of time to work out their kinks after losing point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL in September and center Steven Adams to a left ankle surgery in January.
Without VanVleet, turnovers were a huge issue for the Rockets â as well as blown leads and inefficiency. But lately, theyâve tightened things up. Durant has been playing MVP-caliber basketball. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have made leaps this season. And when Tari Eason shines, he helps open the court for everyone else.
The Rockets are organized, deliberate and have the size and skill to dominate this series. The Lakers are best when theyâre moving the ball and running, but without their top two stars, theyâre going to have to play a completely different brand of basketball.
What makes this matchup interesting
The Lakersâ LeBron James is in his 23rd NBA season and will face the Rockets in a first-round playoff matchup. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are two reasons this will be fun: LeBron James and Durant.
James, in Season 23, and Durant, in Season 18, are two of the top players of this generation, and theyâre still superstars at ages 41 and 37, respectively. Theyâre both tasked with carrying their teamsâ offenses.
Theyâve met three times in the NBA Finals. James and the Heat won their first battle in 2012. Durant led the Warriors to win their other two matchups in 2017 and 2018.
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While the leagueâs young stars are taking over (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic), this matchup will pit two of the vintage greats against each other. It could be the last time they meet in the postseason. James is going to try to keep the Lakers alive until help returns. Durant is going to try to reach the second round of the playoffs after missing the postseason the last two years with the Suns.
Itâs The King versus the Scoring Maestro.
Should be thrilling.
The questions
The Rockets have had their share of drama this season. In February, Durant was accused of using a burner account to take shots at his teammates over X. When questioned about the allegations, Durant told reporters, âIâm not here to get into Twitter nonsense.â It wasnât a denial, and it led to speculation that there was dissension in the locker room.
But over the last month, a lot of that noise quieted. The Rockets have shown discipline on defense, and their offense has been running much more smoothly.
As for the Lakers, their main question now is whether Doncic and Reaves will return. Players are typically sidelined four to six weeks with their injuries, and Lakers coach JJ Redick said thereâs no timeline for their return. But it helps that the Lakersâ first-round series is spread out, with two off days in between Games 1 and 2, as well as between Games 2 and 3 and Games 4 and 5.
My prediction: Rockets in 5
The Lakers ran over the Rockets in their last two matchups in March, when Doncic was at the peak of his scoring explosion. But without Doncic and Reaves, James just doesnât have enough help to carry the Lakers past the Rockets, who are deeper, bigger and more physical. Now, if Doncic and Reaves return, everything changes.
But as things stand, my guess is James is going to prove that heâs still a superstar at age 41, shattering all narratives that Father Time has even taken a swing at him over the last two decades. But ultimately, Durant and Co. will advance to the second round.
The Warriorsâ 2025-26 season somehow still is alive.
Steph Curry erupted in the second half as Golden State rallied to stun the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the NBA play-in game on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.
The Warriors will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns in a do-or-die 8th-seed game, with the winner advancing to take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Curry, on a minutes restriction as he ramps back up after returning from a right knee injury, struggled in the first half but turned it on in the second half and finished with 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field.
Curry scored just eight first-half points, but poured in 27 second-half points to fuel the comeback win.
Curryâs 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a late lead they didnât relinquish.
Kristaps PorziĆÄŁis had a spring in his step and finished with 20 points, while Gui Santos scored 20 points and Brandin Podziemski added 17 points. Al Horford added 14 off the bench.
The Warriors trailed for most of the second half until Horford drained a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in regulation.
Now the Warriors turn their attention to the Suns. Golden State won three of the four regular-season matchups, including the final matchup in Phoenix on Feb. 5.
One more win on Friday night and the Warriors will achieve their goal of getting into the playoffs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 15: Ryan Watson #56 (L) and Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on April 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The Red Sox defeated the Twins 9-5. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox broke out the bats in need of a response from Tuesdayâs shutout loss.
A big day for Trevor Story (5 RBIs) helped Boston earn a 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox avoided the sweep against the best team in the American League so far.
Here are three takeaways from Bostonâs series finale.
The offense responds
The Red Sox put six runs on the board after Garrett Crochetâs implosion Monday night. The lineup followed that with its first shutout loss of the season Tuesday.
How would this remarkably inconsistent group respond Wednesday?
Surprisingly well.
Boston put together good at-bats from the jump and took advantage of extra opportunities. The Red Sox scored a pair on a dual-error from Twins infielder Luke Keaschall. Moments later, Trevor Story lifted a three-run home run to left field for another rare Boston homer. As referenced by The Boston Globeâs Tim Healey, that marked the teamâs first three-run blast of the season.
Connelly Early posted a 2.63 ERA to start the season, though the young lefty struggled to get deeper into his starts.
He did a much better job keeping his pitch count down in this start and kept a red-hot Twins lineup in check. Early settled in after he allowed a first-inning solo shot to Austin Martin.
Early finished six strong innings of one-run ball with just two hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Story time (broadcast, not Trevor)
The best in-game story came around on NESN this afternoon when Will Middlebrooks shared his recollection of a productive night with the late Jerry Remy.
The former Red Sox third baseman shared that on a road trip when he struggled as a rookie, Remy came to his room with a bottle of wine and worked on the rookieâs timing with rolled up socks to simulate baseballs.
You can catch the full story here.
.@middlebrooks with a touching story about his relationship with Remdog â€ïž
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) â The NCAA confirmed Wednesday it is exploring a move to an age-based eligibility model that would give athletes a window of five years to compete in Division I starting immediately after their high school graduation or 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
The Division I Cabinet discussed the possibility at meetings that concluded Wednesday but did not take a formal position. The Cabinet supports having NCAA staff continue to discuss the idea with other stakeholders to gather feedback.
The Cabinet said the new model would include possible exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service and religious missions.
Currently, athletes generally are allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions.
The possibility of an age-based model comes after numerous athletes have challenged NCAA eligibility rules in lawsuits with the hope of extending their college careers and ability to earn money through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals.
During its meetings, the Cabinet approved changes to preenrollment eligibility rules, including one that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college.
One of the rules requires prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring precollege enrollment draft rules in line with postcollege enrollment draft rules. Menâs ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes donât opt in to those sportsâ drafts.
The change came after two basketball players, Alabamaâs Charles Bediako and Baylorâs James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft.
Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasnât selected but played three years in the G League, the NBAâs minor league. He played in five games this past season before the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a ruling that made him ineligible.
Nnaji was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He would be ineligible in 2026-27 under the new rules.
In other changes, athletes are allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling for purposes other than name, image and likeness and are allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility.
It was the largest "NBA Tip-Off" doubleheader audience since 2010, not including 2011 opening games on Christmas holiday. The doubleheader maintained an average of 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.
Here's a look at the season highlights for viewership, attendance, digital and social numbers during the 2025-26 NBA season:
NBA 2025-26 regular-season viewership
A total of 170 million people in the United States watched NBA games across ABC, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC, Peacock and NBA TV through the regular season.
It was the most-watched NBA season in 24 years. Viewership was up 86% compared to the 2024-25 regular season, according to the league.
NBA games across ABC, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC and Peacock averaged 1.78 million viewers. It was the most in seven years and up 16% year-over-year. Including NBA TV, the league had the highest amount of viewership in 13 years and was up 35% year-over-year.
There were 57 telecasts that averaged at least two million viewers this season, the most since the 2011-12 regular season, and the league had 19 broadcasts that averaged at least three million viewers â the most since the 2012-13 regular season.
The regular season drove more than 920 million hours watched, the most since the 2011-12 season.
NBA on social media for 2025-26 season
The league generated a record 228 billion views on social media this season, up 13% over a year-to-year basis, according to Videocites.
The NBA debuted Tap to Watch, to allow fans to live stream games. According to a league news release, the new implementation drove fans to nearly 20 million live game streams with nationally televised games making up 75% of that engagement. Usage was driven largely by partners such as Google, social media platforms and the NBA App, the news release said.
NBA attendance for 2025-26 season
The NBA fans showed up in record numbers this season. A new league record was set for total attendance across a three-season span (2023-24 to 2025-26), exceeding 22.18 million fans in total attendance in team arenas for the third time ever.
Fun facts from the 2025-26 NBA regular-season
Here are some highlights from the 2025-26 NBA regular-season, according to the league:
More than 40 million people in the U.S. watched NBA Cup 2025 group play games across Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and ESPN, up 90% from last year and the most-watched group play games in the eventâs three-year history.
The NBA Cup final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in December 2025 averaged 3.07 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, a 3% increase over the 2024 championship, which was 2.99 million on ABC.
ESPN delivered its largest average NBA Christmas audience since 2018 across its platforms. The five-game slate on Thursday, December 25, averaged 5.5 million viewers, up four percent from 2024. The Christmas games reached 47.2 million fans, up 45 percent from 2024. It is the largest audience reach for ESPNâs Christmas NBA games since 2010, excluding the season-opening Christmas day in 2011.
Games between the Mavericks and Knicks, and the Thunder and Cavaliers on Jan. 19, in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delivered the leagueâs two largest afternoon audiences on MLK King Day on record, dating back to 1992.
The first NBA All-Star Game broadcast by NBC Sports since 2002 delivered the largest NBA All-Star audience since 2011, averaging 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
More than 46 million people in the U.S. watched NBA All-Star weekend across NBC platforms and ESPN, the most in 24 years and more than triple last season.
The NBA's storied rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics on NBC on Feb. 22 was the most-watched regular-season Sunday night game since April 2, 2000, averaging 5.6 million viewers across ABC, Peacock and Telemundo. It was also the most watched NBA regular-season game since 2017, excluding Christmas Day.
Knicks and Thunder on March 29 delivered 3.4 million average viewers, marking the networkâs 10th game with at least 3 million viewers, the most for any network since the 2018-19 regular season.
Talen Horton-Tucker #0 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Swinger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In honor of the merciful conclusion to the Utah Jazzâs tanking era, letâs take a look back at some of the players who were instrumental in securing better draft odds and the hope of a playoff appearance next season. Referring to these players as tank commanders is not derogatory nor is it meant to degrade the skill-sets they possess, rather, these players are crucial for ensuring teams get as high a draft pick as they can, while also getting the opportunity to showcase their skills to the rest of the league in hopes of getting more opportunities. It truly is thankless work, and most are forgotten once their contracts expire, but today they get their flowers.
Luka Ć amaniÄ (17-33)
Ć amaniÄ was taken 19th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2019, where he would only appear in 3 games his rookie year. He would only last two seasons in San Antonio before he would be released and the Jazz would scoop him up. During the 2023-2024 season Ć amaniÄ appeared in 43 games for the Jazz averaging a modest 4 points and 2 rebounds per game. He was also instrumental in securing a 31-51 record, and the 9th overall pick. Currently he is playing in the Russian VTB United League where he is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist per game.
Darius Blazley (2-4)
Blazley was originally drafted by the Jazz, but his draft rights were given to the Memphis Grizzlies, only to be snatched up by the Thunder. He would get consistent playing time in OKC for four seasons before being traded to the Suns where he would only last 7 games before going to the 76ers, and finally making his way to Utah. He would play 6 games for us, 4 of which we lost. These losses again helped Utah to acquire a top 10 pick in the draft. His basketball career has not gone as planned, especially as of late. Most recently he shoved a teammate out of frustration, and was subsequently cut from the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association. At 25 years old there is still time for Blazely to turn his career around, all of Jazz nation is rooting for him.
Talen Horton-Tucker (44-72)
THT is my personal favorite of all the players listed. He spent two seasons with us and was equal parts extremely exciting and extremely frustrating to watch. At times he would forget he had four other teammates out there with him, but thatâs what made him so fascinating. During my junior year of high school my friends and I would talk about THT like he was an All-Star, and that he would have a long future on the Jazz if he could just learn to pass. Scary times. (Continuous tanking can do horrible things to the mind of a fanbase.) THTâs best moment as a Jazz man came against the Spurs, where he dropped 41 points. His acrobatic layups, and thunderous dunks will be greatly missed, his tunnel vision and unwillingness to pass, will not. Today he plays in the Euroleague for Fenerbaçhe. Like Blazley, Talen is also 25 years old, and has time for an NBA comeback.
Juan Toscano-Anderson (7-15)
NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson played 22 games for the Jazz and averaged 3.4 points in 15 minutes per game. One of the plays featured on his highlight reel is an assist to Udoka Azubuike and seeing that nearly gave me a heart attack. Toscano-Anderson is the only player in team history to wear #95. In 2025 he signed a one year deal with Pallacanestro Trieste in the Italian basketball league. In his most recent game he put up 4 points, and 4 assists in 17 minutes of action.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. (2-2)
Lofton may have only played in 4 games for the Jazz, going 2-2, but he was certainly memorable. He isnât built like your typical NBA player, but he played very well in his few games in Utah. His most impressive outing came when he dropped 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in a win over the Clippers. Lofton last played for the Shanghai Sharks, but of all the players on this list I believe in him to make an NBA comeback the most. Heâs still just 23 and averaged an impressive 25 points and 12.6 rebounds in the Chinese Basketball Association.
KJ Martin (2-17)
Go ahead and pat yourself on the back if you remember KJ Martin. He is, by far, the best tank commander on this list. He played in 19 games for the Jazz and went 2-17. Without Martin the Jazz may not have secured their worst record in franchise history (17-65) and the best odds in the lottery. While Utah did drop to the fifth spot, they still came away with a blue-chip player in Ace Bailey. Going back and watching his highlights from the â24-â25 season the one thing that really stood out was his athleticism. He had some really nice dunks off of lobs, but that was about it. Most recently he played for the Ningbo Rockets where he averaged 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
Now for this seasonâs batch of tank commanders! This was a special group that included some very memorable performances, and may have even yielded a diamond in the rough. Kennedy Chandler (1-10)
Chandler stands at 5â11, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in his effort on the floor. Unfortunately for him however the Jazz chose to let his 10-day contract expire. Chandler did save his best performances for last; dropping 26 and 31 in his final two games with the team. During his 11 game stint in Utah he averaged a solid 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. His best game came in a loss to the Pelicans where he had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Seven rebounds for a guy who is 5â11 is perhaps his greatest achievement. His speed, and finishing ability should be enough to stick around in the G-League, but finding a consistent shot from deep is probably his only path to make an NBA roster.
Bez Mbeng (2-13)
The 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year had some very impressive moments this season with the Jazz. He averaged 2.3 steals per game and even threw in a triple double for fun against the Grizzlies in the Tank Bowl. Mbeng will forever be immortalized in both Jazz, and NBA history as he was the first Jazz rookie to record a triple double since Mark Eaton did it in 1978. He cemented his spot in NBA history on the same night when he and John Konchar became the first teammates to record triple doubles off the same bench. The Jazz signed Mbeng to a two year deal, and I cannot wait to see him play in Summer League. He could be a very similar type of player as Elijah Harkless, with higher upside on offense.
Andersson Garcia (1-4)
They could never make me hate you Garcia. Sadly his most notable moment on the Jazz was when he elbowed Ace, and gave him a concussion. What Iâll remember him for however was his tap outs on rebounds. He smacked the air out of the ball to try and get it to his teammates. He played extremely hard during his limited time here. It was probably foolish from the beginning to get so attached to a 25 year old rookie, but I couldnât help it. Garcia made a believer out of me. I donât care that he shot 7.7% from deep, or that he shot 31% from the field, he will always have a fan in me. I hope he can find a home elsewhere in the NBA or, more likely, somewhere overseas.
Hayden Gray (0-1)
Gray only played in the season finale against the Lakers where he dropped 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 block. He has since been signed to a two-year deal and should play as a member of the Jazzâs Summer League roster.
For the first time in four years the Jazz will be playing to win games and compete for a playoff spot. (With some luck in the lottery they may even be competing for much more than that.) Gone are the days of watching the Jazz field a G-League level team. In a way Iâll miss it⊠but not that much. What obscure tanking era players did I miss, and which players do you still irrationally believe in?
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 12: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals is tagged out by Henry Davis #32 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at home plate on Josh Bell #19's fielder's choice during the sixth inning of the baseball game at Nationals Park on September 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Washington Nationals this evening at beautiful PNC Park, where they hope to raise the Jolly Roger.
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CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 02: Tyler Mahle #30 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch in the game against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on July 02, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds will be trying to win the series against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park after last nightâs thrilling 2-1 win in the opener. Homers from Spencer Steer and budding superstar Sal Stewart were all the Reds needed, as Brady Singer turned in his finest performance of the season to date.
(Did I say budding superstar Sal Stewart? I believe I did.)
Su-per-star.
Anyway, Superstar Sal will try to take down old friend Tyler Mahle, whoâll get the start tonight for the Giants. Heâs there after injuries decimated most of his 2023-2024 seasons, though he rebounded well enough in 16 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2025 to land a $10 million guarantee to pitch for San Francisco this season.
Mahle still lives on his fastball for the most part, though heâs dropped the slider he used in his time with the Reds almost exclusively while working a splitter into his repertoire 30.6% of the time this year. Given that heâs got a rising four-seamer, thatâs likely his attempt to get the bottom to fall out of pitches hitters would otherwise think were elevated on purpose.
Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber for the Reds looking to rebound from a rough outing last time. First pitch in this one is set for the typical 6:40 PM ET start time, and the Reds lineup is listed below.
TORONTO, ON- NOVEMBER 24 - Forward Brandon Ingram (3) of the Toronto Raptors looks for a way around guard Jaylon Tyson (20) of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Toronto Raptors play the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. November 24, 2025. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs starting on Saturday. The Cavs lost all three of their regular-season games to the Raptors, but each came before December. Letâs take a look at what the numbers say about this Raptors team.
The Raptors have simply been a solid team on both sides of the ball, although theyâre better defensively. What they do on that end heavily influences their offensive attack. So letâs dive into the defensive numbers first.
Scottie Barnes (1.4 steals per game) and Immanuel Quickly (1.3 steals per game) have excelled in this area. Both are physical at the point of attack and have active hands in passing lanes.
The Raptors are also committed to getting back in transition and are good at stopping the ball on the break. This has led to them giving up transition opportunities to their opponent on just 13.3% of their defensive possessions, which is the second-fewest in the league.
NBA offenses are built and conditioned to score in transition. There are few teams better at keeping opposing offenses from doing so than the Raptors.
Scoring in the half-court is considerably more difficult than doing so in transition. Toronto has a 96.7 defensive rating in the half-court that ranks 11th in the league. That isnât outstanding, but their ability to force teams into consistently going up against their set defense is a win on its own.
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Your offense is going to be better in transition than it is in the half-court. Being able to generate shots in the open court is almost always better than the alternative. Thatâs worth highlighting because the Raptors arenât elite at capitalizing on all of their transition looks.
Theyâre 15th in points added per 100 transition possessions. That means that theyâre middle of the road in transition efficiency, but being able to get in the open court so often helps offset that. Ideally, youâd like to be great at both â as the Indiana Pacers were last season â but running this much does completely change how you guard them, as the Cavs saw in their three meetings this season.
The Cavsâ three-point defense has been an issue all season. The Raptors arenât a team that can really exploit that. Toronto doesnât shoot threes at volume â 25th â and they donât shoot it particularly well when they do generate looks.
The most efficient ways to score are the rim, the free-throw line, and from beyond the arc. The Raptors only excel in one of those areas. They take the ninth-most shots at the rim and have the eighth-best percentage (68.5%). However, that doesnât translate to getting to the line.
If they arenât getting to the rim, they mostly settle for in-between shots. Theyâre taking a higher percentage of shots in the midrange than they are from three. You donât see that often.
Toronto is only one of four teams that take more midrange shots than threes. The other three in that group arenât known for having great offensive processes: the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks.
Defensively, they donât do a great job of keeping teams from getting to the basket and are prone to fouling them. This is partially due to a roster construction that is built more around wings than strong interior defenders.
The best three-point defense is limiting outside attempts. The Raptors donât do that at a high level.
How to beat the Raptors
The Cavs need to keep the Raptorsâ offense from running on them. This means they must limit turnovers and emphasize getting back defensively.
Since James Hardenâs debut, the Cavs have done a good job of protecting the ball. Theyâve been seventh in the league in offensive turnover percentage (13.1%) in that time. However, theyâve struggled with keeping opponents from getting out and running against them. They allow their opposition to attack in transition on 16.1% of their possessions since Hardenâs debut, which ranks 20th in the league. Keeping the Raptors in the half-court is a must, considering thatâs where a high percentage of their points come from.
Offensively, the Cavs need to keep focusing on their strengths since the Harden trade. Theyâve done a better job of getting to the rim, drawing fouls, and generating three-point looks since the beginning of February. All of which are things the Raptors have struggled with.
Additionally, the Harden trade has boosted the Cavsâ half-court offense. Theyâve attacked in transition the third fewest in the league since Hardenâs debut. Instead, theyâve opted to operate in the half-court and have been exceptional at doing so. Since the beginning of February, the Cavs have registered a 104.7 offensive rating in the half-court, which is good for third in the league since that time.
If the Cavs can keep Toronto from getting out in transition and continue to execute at a high level with their half-court offense, they should win this series.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate Bryce Harper #3 after rounding the bases on a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Itâs the finale against the Cubs, with a series win on the line. Here are the lineups, letâs discuss.
