Happy 125th Birthday to the Milwaukee Brewers

You might be thinking, “Didn’t we just celebrate 50 years of Brewers baseball a few years ago?”

Technically, yes. The Major League Baseball team that is the Milwaukee Brewers turned 50 in 2020. But the name, as many know, has been around for a lot longer than that. Since 1901, to be exact.

Other smaller clubs used the name Brewers, but none were on the professional level. The first professional Brewers club was a part of the inaugural season of the American League. And let’s just say it was a season to forget for Brewers fans 125 years ago — they finished dead last, 35 1/2 games back of first place, behind powerhouses like the Chicago White Stockings, Boston Americans, and the Detroit Tigers.

Before there was American Family Field and County Stadium, there was the Lloyd Street Grounds, the first home of Brewers baseball. The ballpark was constructed in 1895 on the south end of West Lloyd Street, between North 16th Street and North 18th Street. It was praised for several things, most importantly, the accessibility. Milwaukee, at the time, had a world-renowned streetcar system, which dropped off pedestrians in front of the stadium. The cost of construction was $7,400, according to sabr.org, which, in today’s dollars, would be about $291,000.

Following the conclusion of the 1901 season, the Brewers were moved to St. Louis amid financial distress. Thus, the Browns were born.

It didn’t take long for baseball to return to Milwaukee, as a new edition of the Brewers joined the American Association and played in town from 1902 through 1952. The Crew began as a Class-A ballclub before becoming a Double-A team for almost 40 years. They saw a ton of success in the American Association, winning league titles in 1913 and 1914, and then not again until 1936.

For most of their time in the American Association, they weren’t affiliated with anyone, operating as an independent ball club. However, there were a few short years they spent with some big league clubs. Their first affiliation was with the same team that left Milwaukee the first time around, the St. Louis Browns. From 1946 until their final season in the American Association, they were associated with the Boston Braves. During their time with the Braves, they won two championships, one in 1947 and another in 1951.

During this time, Borchert Field was the home of Brewers baseball, which was located between North 7th, North 8th, West Chambers, and West Burleigh Streets. This ballpark was built in 1888 and stood for nearly 70 years before being demolished after the opening of County Stadium. Today, in its place is I-43, which was built on top of it.

News: Remember When...baseball’s opening day was at Borchert Field?

The 1952 season would be the last time the world saw the Brewers until the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee before the 1970 season, giving the Brewers another life.

Through all the ups and downs of professional baseball in Milwaukee, the Brewers have been the mainstay, and it continues to be over 125 years later.

Chicago Cubs history unpacked, May 6

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Bill Hands, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1998Rookie Kerry Wood ties the ML record with 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, pitching a one-hitter to lead the Chicago Cubs over the Houston Astros, 2-0. This and other stories are posted as well, including a trio of examples of stellar excellent sportswriting.

Today in baseball history:

  • 1915 – Babe Ruth, pitching for the Boston Red Sox, collects three hits, including his first major league home run when he connects off Jack Warhop of the New York Yankees at the Polo Grounds.
  • 1925 – Ty Cobb hits his fifth home run in two games tying the record set by Cap Anson in 1884.
  • 1934 – At Fenway ParkCarl ReynoldsMoose SoltersRick Ferrell and Bucky Walters hit four consecutive triples for the Boston Red Sox en route to a 14-4 win over the Detroit Tigers.
  • 1941Hank Greenberg makes his last game before entering the U.S. military a memorable one as he hits two home runs with three RBI helping the Detroit Tigers to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
  • 1953 – Bobo Holloman of the St. Louis Browns pitches a 6-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia A’s, to become only the third pitcher in majors’ history to fire a no-hitter in his first start. Holloman will win only two more games during a brief one-year career and will never pitch another complete game in the majors.
  • 1955 – Roberto Clemente crashes Willie Mays‘s birthday party at the Polo Grounds, by banging a 430-foot triple over the Mays’s head to lead to a 3-2 Pirate win over the Giants. Jesse Abramson of the New York Herald Tribune reports: “Roberto Clemente tripled so far over Mays’ head that even Willie on his charger, shedding the cap, couldn’t catch it…”
  • 1958 – Exactly three years later, Roberto Clemente again disrupts Willie Mays‘s birthday, if not quite so dramatically. Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle reports: “Only a spectacular catch by Clemente on a 400-foot blast by Mays in the sixth with the bases loaded prevented San Francisco from making a genuine rout of the thing.” Circus catch notwithstanding, the Bucs suffered a 7-0 defeat.
  • 1960 – As fate would have it, Roberto Clemente‘s first visit to the newly-opened Candlestick Park coincides with the 29th birthday of his one-time mentor Willie Mays, and once again Mays’ student steals the spotlight. While all three Willies – i.e. Mays, McCovey and Kirkland – go deep to power San Francisco‘s 5-1 win over Pittsburgh, it’s Clemente who gets the crowd’s attention with a shot to left center into the teeth of a vicious wind. Arnold Hano, California-based biographer of both Mays and Clemente, witnesses this moment: “Clemente’s bat hit the ball, and the result absolutely clubbed the crowd into awed silence for a long moment. Right into that wet whipping wind the ball carried. Right on through, hit 120 feet high in a long soaring majestic parabola that came down finally over 450 feet away. There is just no way of telling how far Clemente’s home run blast would have traveled had it not been for that wind. Suffice it to say partisan Giant fans suddenly broke their shell-shocked silence and let loose a gigantic roar. For two innings the stadium buzzed. For days the Giants talked about it. Even today if you slip up behind a Giant pitcher and suddenly whisper in his ear: ‘Remember the home run Clemente hit?’ he’s likely to jump as high as if he’d been caught putting spit on baseballs.”
  • 1998 – Rookie Kerry Wood ties the ML record with 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, pitching a one-hitter to lead the Chicago Cubs over the Houston Astros, 2-0. The 20-year-old right-hander ties the record set by Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox in 1986, and matched by Clemens in 1996. Wood also breaks the National League record of 19 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, held by Steve CarltonTom Seaver and David Cone, and the rookie record of 18 held by Bill Gullickson.
  • 2005 – Preserving a 6-5 win over the CardinalsTrevor Hoffman becomes the third pitcher in ML history to save 400 games, joining Lee Smith (478) and John Franco (424) to have also reached this milestone.
  • 2010 – The Texas Rangers manage to blow an 8-0 lead to the Royals, but come back in dramatic fashion for a wild 13-12 win. Texas scores the tying and winning runs on back-to-back solo homers by Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero off Royals closer Joakim Soria with two outs in the bottom of the 8th.
  • 2012 – Both teams end up having to use position players on the mound when a game between the Orioles and Red Sox goes into extra innings. O’s manager Buck Showalter turns to DH Chris Davis to take the mound in the 16th inning with the score tied at 6-6. Davis gives him a pair of scoreless innings. The Sox turn to OF Darnell McDonald. However, he surrenders a three-run homer to Adam Jones; he then grounds into a double play against Davis to end the game in the bottom of the frame. It is the first time both teams use position players to pitch in the same game since October 41925, when future Hall of Famers George Sisler and Ty Cobb both got to pitch on the last day of the season.
  • 2019 – Pablo Sandoval becomes the second MLB player since 1900 to throw a scoreless outing, hit a home run and steal a base in the same game in the Giants’ 12-4 loss in Cincinnati. (Also Christy Mathewson in 1905.)

Cubs Birthdays:Bill Hands*, Tom Baker, Leo Burke. Also notable: Willie Mays HOF.

Today in history:

  • 1626 – Dutch colonist Peter Minuit organizes the purchase of Manhattan Island from Native Americans for 60 guilders worth of goods, believed to be the Canarsee Indians of the Lenape
  • 1733 – First international boxing match: Local fighter Bob Whittaker beats “The Venetian Gondolier”, Tito di Carni at James Figg’s academy amphitheatre in Marylebone, London
  • 1837 – US blacksmith John Deere creates the first steel plough in Grand Detour, Illinois
  • 1851 –  Linus Yale Jr. patents the Yale cylinder lock
  • 1889 – Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the lifts in the tower are not ready, so intrepid visitors have to climb 1,710 steps to reach the top
  • 1937 – German airship Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 on board and one on the ground
  • 1954 – English athlete Roger Bannister becomes the first to run a sub-4-minute mile, recording 3:59.4 at Iffley Road Track in Oxford
  • 1960 – US President Eisenhower signs Civil Rights Act of 1960
  • 1994 – Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait sets fire to the guest chair on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” 
  • 1994 – Nelson Mandela and the ANC, finally confirmed winners in South Africa’s first post apartheid election

*pictured.

Orioles news: Orioles snap losing streak, show promise on offense

May 5, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) celebrates after scoring a run in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Good morning Birdland,

Our five-game nightmare is over! The Orioles got back into the win column on Tuesday night, beating the Marlins 9-7. The offense gets the credit for the win. Each time the Marlins would claw their way back into the game, the Baltimore bats would nudge it just a little further away.

Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo combined to go 5-for-7 with three doubles, a triple, two walks, five runs, and six RBI. They were terrific. Despite that success from Basallo, who was a homer shy of the cycle, O’s manager Craig Albernaz turned to Adley Rutschman off the bench in the ninth inning. That would prove to be a wise decision! Rutschman came through with the go-ahead RBI single that put the game out of reach once and for all.

It was far from a perfect game for the offense. Colton Cowser had three more strikeouts. Coby Mayo went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. What the team does with those two is tough to say. They are trying to get them going, but nothing at the big league levels seems to be working. If there was an ideal alternate solution, it feels like the club would have pulled the trigger on it by now.

On the mound, Chris Bassitt was quite bad. His command, particularly on breaking pitches, was terrible. He was lucky to only give up the four runs in his four innings of work. His season ERA is up to 5.91. The Orioles didn’t expect Bassitt to be an ace or anything, but they need more length and quality from the veteran, especially given their current rotation makeup with Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin on the IL.

Negativity aside, the Orioles won a game. That is a good! Believe it or not, despite all of the awful things that have happened to them recently, at 16-20 they are just one game back of the final wild card spot in a brutal American League. There is time for them to figure things out. Beating an equally flawed Marlins squad was a good step in that direction. Hopefully they do it again tonight.

Links

Basallo flirts with cycle as O’s chase Alcantara before mounting late rally | Orioles.com
Here is the MLB version of last night’s recap, which includes some quotes from within the Orioles clubhouse. Albernaz credits the team for being “locked in on every pitch” despite their recent struggles. The offense shows these sorts of glimmers on occasion. The potential is there for them to carry the team. Finding consistency is another matter.

Leftovers for breakfast | Roch Kubatko
Roch shares oodles of stats, including some about the decision to pinch hit Rutschman for Basallo. The numbers don’t really back up Albernaz’s decision, but it worked. Ultimately, those are the sorts of decisions that managers’ get paid for. Credit were it’s due.

Top MLB starting pitchers who are candidates to be traded at the deadline | The Athletic
This is a pretty straightforward article. Good pitchers near free agency that are on bad teams are candidates to be traded. Rogers is mentioned. Whether the Orioles trade him or not, they need him to be better than he has been. I think he will be. Most of his peripherals are better than his top line numbers.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

  • Yohan Ramirez turns 31 today. The journeyman reliever has played for eight different clubs across seven big league seasons. That includes a five-game stint with the Orioles in 2024.
  • Gerardo Parra is 39 years old. The Orioles traded for the outfielder at the 2015 deadline, sending Zach Davies to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange. Parra would struggle in his brief time with the Birds, hitting .237/.268/.357 across 55 games.
  • Mike Kinkade is 53. He came to the Orioles as part of the Mike Bordick deal with the Mets in 2000, but would play in just 64 big league games as a utility bench option before being released after the 2001 season.
  • Tom Bolton turns 64. The southpaw tossed 23.1 innings for the Orioles in 1994.
  • The late Leo Burke (b. 1934, d. 2023) was born on this day. A native of Hagerstown, Maryland, Burke began his major league career with 12 games played for the Orioles between 1958 and ‘59.

This day in O’s history

2012 – The Orioles beat the Red Sox 9-6 in 17 innings. Both teams have to use position players on the mound. The Orioles opt for Chris Davis, who goes 0-for-8 at the plate but delivers two scoreless innings. The Red Sox turn to Darnell McDonald, who coughs up a three-run homer to Adam Jones.

DitD & Open Post – 5/6/26: No. 12 Edition

SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 05: Detailed view of the draft board is shown following the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery at the NHL Network Studio on May 5, 2026 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

No. 12 it is:

Should the Devils bet long-term on Arseny Gritsyuk? “Yes, committing long-term after just 66 NHL games carries risk. But there are some strong indicators Gritsyuk is a player worth betting on.” [Infernal Access ($)]

“The Devils aren’t in rebuild mode, so drafting isn’t the priority it would be if they had top-five picks from year to year. Still, they will need some young talent to complement their core in the future, something Fitzgerald failed to properly address as the Devils’ GM.” [Devils on the Rush]

Hockey Links

Calder Trophy finalists:

“Jim Rutherford plans to step down as the Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations after the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, but will help hire the next general manager first.” [NHL.com]

Scott Wheeler’s latest draft rankings: “Wingers Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg remain my top two prospects, which has been the case on all of my lists. They’re followed by half a dozen defensemen, a trio of centers and another pair of wingers to form a clear-cut top 13 prospects in this year’s class for me.” [The Athletic ($)]

Now that we know a good chunk of the draft order, it’s mock draft season: [Daily Faceoff] [The Athletic ($)]

“Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman revealed Tuesday that his absence in the final weeks of the season was caused by a need to address his mental health.” [Associated Press]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Open Thread: Spurs players seen shopping in town prior Game 1

SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 28: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs smiles while talking to the media after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

When the Spurs won their fourth game against the Portland Trail Blazers, fans went honking. But the fans weren’t alone. Among the hundreds on the road celebrating, a member of the San Antonio Spurs took part in the festivities.

Spurs sharp shooter Julian Champagnie, who finished the first round of the playoffs shooting over 60% from beyond the arc, joined the fans in cheering the victory.

Between when Portland left and the Minnesota Timberwolves arrived, the Spurs had nearly a week to decompress and prepare for the second round of the playoffs. While out and about shopping, they stopped to take come photos.

Jordan McLaughlin was seen in Karolina’s doing some antique shopping.

Meanwhile, Champagnie shopped at Sephora and stopped to take a photo.

It’s hard not to notice a six-foot-plus guy as he’s passing by, but the Spurs are more recognizable than ever. For some, this is their first experience in the playoffs. All eyes are on them. It’s great to see how they have handled the fame with poise and grace.

Plus, they gotta get that Mother’s Day shopping done before they head to Minneapolis for the weekend.


Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Two pieces of news are endorsements of the front office

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 23: Onsi Saleh holds the Earl Lloyd Trophy 2025-26 NBA Southeast Division Champions before the game between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Hawks are still reckoning with a disastrous end to their season, but that ending shouldn’t obscure the progress the organization made in course of the past 12 months.

Despite major in-season roster turnover, the team won 46 games and returned to the playoffs after two seasons of eliminations in the Play-In Tournament. Jalen Johnson earned his first career All-Star nod — and he may yet make an All-NBA team. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the acquisition of the offseason, going from bench role player to key starter and earning Most Improved Player in the process.

It’s one thing for fans and local media to take note of the team’s accomplishments. But it’s another for the league to take notice.

And two bits of news over the last week have now reinforced the notion that the perception of this front office have changed for the better.

The NBA Executive of the Year award has been handed out every year since 1972-73 in an effort to recognize an outstanding front office decision maker over the course of a season. While Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics President of Operations, was recently named the winner for the 2025-26 season, a familiar name finished second in the voting.

Onsi Saleh, Atlanta Hawks general manager, finished second in Executive of the Year voting in just his first year on the job as the top executive in the front office structure:

Saleh was recognized, in part, for pulling off a big draft asset transaction during the last draft for a lottery superpick, bringing in Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade using the mid-level exception, and netting key player CJ McCollum in the Trae Young trade — among other successful moves.

But recognition doesn’t stop at the top of the organizational chart. Bryson Graham stepped into a senior vice president of basketball operations position last offseason after spending 15 years in the New Orleans Pelicans organization.

Now, the Chicago Bulls have tapped Graham to be, presumably, the top signal caller in their program:

Graham was instrumental in the widely lauded superpick acquisition due to his deep knowledge of the Pelicans’ draft assets. Additionally, he’s reportedly had a keen eye for scouting basketball talent, although the Hawks were largely unable to tap into that skill due to his short stint here in Atlanta.

Both of these news tidbits now lend credence toward the notion that the Hawks’ front office is well respected around the league. That hasn’t always been the case, but the new regime has clearly changed views around the NBA for the better.

That’s something to be celebrated — even as the front office loses a key piece in Bryson Graham.

NY eateries, bars ban ‘Philly’ cheesesteaks from menu as Knicks-Sixers fight gets greasy

Knicks fans with cheesesteaks

These New York food joints are 86ing the 76ers’ hometown sandwich. 

Restaurants and bars from Manhattan to Long Island were banning “Philly” cheesesteaks from the menu as the Knicks take on the 76ers in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Empire State spots said they were rebranding Philly cheesesteaks as “the Philly SUCKS cheesesteak,” “the Big Apple cheesesteak” and other cheeky names in response to The Post calling around to see if establishments were ready to dunk on the B-rate city.

Birdie owner and devout Knicks fan Louie Selvaggio. Stephen Yang for NY Post

“Philly needs to understand, New York is the king,” said Louis Cretella, the co-owner of Dario’s Pizza in West Hempstead.

Cretella, who has been a Knicks season ticket holder for more than a decade, personally changed the menu item from Philly cheesesteak to the Philly SUCKS cheesesteak in the restaurant’s computer system.

Hard copy menus have the “Philly” crossed out and “F*** Philly” in black marker written over it.

Dario’s can sell up to 2,500 cheesesteaks and has been featured on “Good Morning America.” 

“If Philly is so good at cheesesteaks, then why did ‘Good Morning America’ reach out to us on Long Island and not the guys in Philly?” Cretella said.

Philly-themed bar Wogies – which has three New York locations – took direct aim at Sixers star Joel Embiid and the appendectomy he had near the end of the regular season last month

“We’ll be renaming one of our original cheesesteaks to be The Appendix Burster — a nod to Embiid’s miraculous recovery from appendicitis,” a business rep told The Post in reference to the center returning to the hardwood 17 days after surgery.

Knicks fans Alexis Rodriguez, 27, waitress, left, and Natalia Magliocco, 20, hostess, right, at Birdie Bar. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Other restaurants were also tweaking their menu names in the beef with Philly during the high-steaks playoff matchup, including:

  • Slate in Manhattan is dubbing one of their appetizers the Knicks Knockout Philly cheesesteak empanadas, while sister business Clinton Hall is introducing the Knicks Knockout Philly cheesesteak sliders.
  • G’s Cheesesteaks in Manhattan is planning to change its cheesesteak to the New York Knicks steak on Wednesday.
  • Birdie Bar in Northport is calling their food item The Big Apple cheesesteak.

“We’re here to not only show you that we’re a better basketball team, but we might make a better cheesesteak than Philly also,” said Birdie owner and devout Knicks fan Louie Selvaggio.

Evan Deitch, part owner of the Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks, which has multiple sites, said at the business’ Farmingdale location Tuesday Philly fans have always been sore losers.

The updated menu at Dario’s. NY Post/Alex MItchell

“It’s not Philly, it’s Long Island cheesesteak,” Deitch said. “Ten times better! New Yorkers demand the best.”

The owners of Italian staple Mama’s in Copiague were giving customers the choice between two names instead of mentioning Philly.

“The Convert” because brothers Adam and Ahmy Sala grew up in Philadelphia as Sixers fans, but have since become Knicks fans thanks to watching point guard Jalen Brunson play at Villanova University and “Trust the Cheesesteak, Not the Process,” in a knock on former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie’s questionable long-term plan of success.

“Philadelphia has been doing cheesesteaks forever. It’s time New York has a bit of an identity with that,” said Ahmy Sala.

The Lure Group CEO Aristotle Hatzigeorgiou said he did not want Philly mentioned at Slate or Clinton Hall. Robert Miller for NY Post

The group of restaurants’ defiance comes as 76er fans tried to block Knicks fanatics of buying tickets to road games at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The cheesesteak originated from Philadelphia when two brothers who ran a hot dog stand in the south side of the Pennsylvania city, Pat and Harry Olivieri, were attempting to come up with new sandwiches to offer customers. 

But for now, the Big Apple isn’t ready to serve Philly any props, especially as the Knicks faithful are reveling in Monday’s 137-98 Game 1win ahead of Wednesday’s game at Madison Square Garden. 

Aristotle “Telly” Hatzigeorgiou, the CEO of The Lure Group, which is the majority owner of Clinton Hall and Slate, joked the kitchen staff “exorcised” anything Philly from the griddle.

“We just sat around, and all of a sudden we see the word ‘Philly’ there, and we’re like, ‘ugh!’ Teeth are grinding, and we didn’t want anything Philly that’s weak,” the Queens native said. “We wanted strong NYC grit. Not a weaky Philly cheesesteak.”

What do Sixers need to beat Knicks in Game 2?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives around Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Sixers’ second-round opener against the Knicks was about as tired and lop-sided as it could have been. A sub 48-hour turnaround after beating Boston left the Sixers with minimal time to recover and go against the Knicks at full throttle, and it showed. The Sixers lost 137-98 in Game 1 on Monday, and there’s a whole array of things that need to change if Game 2 is going to play out differently.

First and foremost, the simple stuff: the Sixers need the Knicks’ shooting cools off. New York were red hot from three all night, finishing 19-of-37 (51.4 percent) from deep.

As Paul George said very simply to reporters after the game, “yeah, we had breakdowns tonight. But they also shot the s*** out of the ball.”

“But you know, it’s a game of adjustments,” George added. “We’ll make adjustments; see what we need to get better at.”

George is right of course. There were some breakdowns in communication that led to open looks. There were plays like the below that simply can’t happen at this stage to allow open buckets in the paint, not just from three.

But the Sixers’ defense and switching was far sharper than this for other spells of the first half. Generally speaking, the Knicks were just on fire. They were frequently burying well contested threes like it was nothing, and chances are that doesn’t last all series. Hopefully for the Sixers, that calms down straight away in Game 2.

Offensively, the Sixers simply need far more from Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Apart from shooting a cool 3-of-9 overall in his 26 minutes, Maxey mainly needed to be more aggressive. Both in terms of actively hunting for threes (he only attempted three) and seeking driving lanes to the rim.

While Embiid didn’t score much himself with only 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting (and that needs to change), there were still flashes of how the Sixers could create off his gravity. He was able to generate some open looks from three with kick-out passes from the post and elbows, and found Kelly Oubre Jr. on some neat baseline cuts (Oubre’s cutting has been good in general these playoffs). More of that paired with sharper shooting from Embiid and Maxey would do wonders for turning Game 2 into a competitive one.

Paul George’s play was one of the few positives on Monday. He’s been terrific at both ends of the floor all postseason. He may not have lit up the scoreboard in Game 1, but George yet again brought plenty to the table at both ends. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting (4-of-6 from three) and three assists, finding success creating off the bounce from range and getting into the lane to either pull up for himself or set up others.

Again, more typical nights from Embiid and/or Maxey with this version of George will allow the Sixers’ offense to really punch back in Game 2. George continuing to operate well as a playmaker also makes it easier for Maxey to spend more time time as an off-ball scorer and movement shooter, which is what he needs a healthy dose of to be his absolute best.

VJ Edgecombe was also a bright spot. He was fairly aggressive with his limited shots and minutes, and didn’t hesitate from three, adding 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting and a pair of triples.

The Sixers’ stars attacking Jalen Brunson more could be one way to find some extra success, which we didn’t see much of in Game 1. Put Brunson to work by running him through more pick-and-rolls as the point-of-attack defender and exploit his lacking size and defense where possible. Getting him mismatched onto bigger players like George, or simply having to guard the more explosive Maxey and Edgecombe flying through the paint, could help.

Meanwhile as a scorer himself, Brunson was fantastic. He led all scorers by a mile with 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including a 3-of-6 mark from three. The Knicks’ created good looks attacking the paint and firing from three through Brunson’s wave of pick-and-rolls.

From drop coverage that gave Brunson pull-up opportunities to more aggressive coverages like the play below, he found ways to score. Take this possession, where Quentin Grimes stays over the screen (before Mitchell Robinson slips) and Embiid shows high before Brunson rejects the pick and drives into a clear lane.

Moving forward, we’ll see tinkering with different looks through the series to try and keep Brunson in check as much as possible. You can never take away everything all the time, but you have to be adaptable.

To the Sixers’ credit, they did force Brunson into a fare share of difficult looks. Some of his threes and pull-up mid-rangers in particular were well guarded even if he made them regardless. Like this play, where Embiid shows high before recovering to Robinson and George pressures at the arc. A defense that’s reset with Brunson held at the arc against the close contest of a 6-foot-8 defender is a solid outcome… Brunson just buries the three anyway.

In Game 2, the Sixers can only keep using players who have guarded Brunson well in the past, like Oubre Jr., and Edgecombe who did a fantastic job on him this regular season, to ideally turn more of those difficult makes into misses. Unfortunately, Embiid’s mobility being weakened right now makes it harder to bring him higher against screens. Philly will need excellent individual on-ball defense on Brunson all series to prevent easy opportunities. Die on too many screens against drop coverage and he’ll have open pull-ups. Execute a blitz poorly and Brunson can slice into the lane himself or pass to an open roll man.

If the Sixers at least use different looks to keep Brunson guessing, stay physical on the ball, and be sharper with help rotations and switches, they could see some improvement. Some smaller lineups using a George-Dominick Barlow frontcourt could also be an option for short spells to give the Sixers the agility on the perimeter to show high against ball screens and up their switching. That is, unless Adem Bona gets another shot and has a drastic turnaround from his Game 1 performance. With three fouls in three minutes, it’s safe to say he didn’t look like a viable option.

It’ll be interesting to see how other defensive matchups play out in Game 2 as well. For instance, Embiid started out on Karl-Anthony Towns before taking on more of a paint-roaming role playing off Josh Hart, which could be effective moving forward if the Knicks have to attack the paint more if/when they stop making endless threes. Also, who fares better with the Brunson assignment moving forward? Both Oubre and Edgecombe spent time on him in Game 1, and despite Brunson’s skill as a tough shot maker, they’ve both proven they have the tools to guard him well.

Another smaller note is if we’ll see much more hack-a-Mitch strategy. The Sixers turned to intentionally fouling Mitchell Robinson early on Monday as they struggled to slow down the Knicks elsewhere. Nick Nurse even brought Justin Edwards in to pick up a few quick fouls, and it worked. Robinson missed four straight free throws at one point and is at 40.8 percent from the line this season, and 29.4 percent in the playoffs. Getting him off the floor forces Towns to spend more time on Embiid which bodes well for how effective Jo has been against him throughout his career. Robinson’s rim protection, while not game-changing for Embiid, can make the big fella work a little harder.

One last positive of the Sixers’ heavy loss at least is that Nurse, who’s smartly used a small six-man rotation this postseason to lean heavily on his best players, moved his starters to the sidelines midway through the third quarter. Hopefully for the Sixers, their key players not emptying the tank on Monday will help them enter Game 2 with a little extra energy.

Clearly a lot needs to change in Game 2 if the Sixers are going to win. But it’s not unthinkable changes. From a more aggressive Maxey and an Embiid closer to what we saw in round one, to less lights-out three-point shooting from New Work and scoring from Brunson.

It’s only been 18 days since we watched the Sixers get demolished by 32 points in Game 1 against Boston before they completed their historic 3-1 comeback. Maybe 30-point defeats is just how this 2026 team starts series as the underdog before making a comeback…

Game Details

When: Wednesday, May 6, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, NYC
Watch: ESPN, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Canadiens And Sabres Set To Start Second Round Series

The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres will finally start their second-round series on Wednesday night in Buffalo. While this should be an interesting series, it promises to be different from the one we saw against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and that could be a welcome change of pace. Lindy Ruff’s men do not have the kind of defensive forwards Jon Cooper had on his roster, and that should be good news for the Habs’ top line.

That’s not to say Buffalo doesn’t have a good defense, however. Their top four defensemen are a force to be reckoned with: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, and Owen Power are a solid group. The quartet will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the Canadiens’ top forwards and aiming to make their lives harder with big hits.

Canadiens Soaring Prospect Wins WHL Defender Of The Year
Canadiens: Dahlin Praises Hutson
Expect A Big Battle In Round 2 As The Canadiens Take On Division Leading Sabres

On Tuesday, at practice, Martin St-Louis reunited Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Even though the line struggled to make a mark against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s not surprising to see the coach want to go back to the line that has provided so much offense for this team in the regular season. The bench boss had Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, and Ivan Demidov on his second line, Alexandre Texier with Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson on his third line, and Zachary Bolduc with Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher on his fourth line. Meaning that Joe Veleno, Oliver Kapanen, and Patrik Laine were on the outside looking in.

On the back end, Mike Matheson was still with Alexandre Carrier, Kaiden Guhle with Lane Hutson and Jayden Struble with Noah Dobson. That left Arber Xhekaj as the odd man out, since Adam Engstrom has been returned to the Laval Rocket. Given how big the Sabres’ defense is, I can’t imagine that the gritty defenseman will be sitting for the whole series.

Of course, what we saw in practice and in the warmup in the first round wasn’t always what we saw during the games, so no one should be shocked if that’s not how the Canadiens line up on Wednesday night. Still, it would be surprising if St-Louis didn't stick to his usual first line. 

On Tuesday, Ruff told the media that Sam Carrick, who was originally supposed to miss the second round, was now officially considered day-to-day. No such luck for Noah Ostlund, however, as the centerman is still expected to miss the best-of-seven series. As for the Habs, with Dobson’s return in Game 7 against Tampa, they can be considered fully healthy, well aside from the bumps and bruises hockey players always play through of course.

The Sabres have a very good record in the first game of a series; they are 26-15 (.634) and 12-5 when the series starts on their own turf, for a whopping .706 winning percentage. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have improved their record to 76-50 in the first game of a series when they beat Tampa Bay to kick off these playoffs. On the road, that gives them a 14-32 record, for a measly .304 winning percentage.

Both teams won the first game of their previous series, so something will have to give when they both meet on Wednesday night. The Habs and Sabres have also split the season series evenly, with both teams winning two games each and scoring 13 goals across the four games. It’s interesting to note that Jakub Dobes was in the Canadiens’ net for both wins, the only two games he’s ever played against Buffalo.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and you can catch it on HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Pierre Lambert and Wes McCauley are set to officiate with  Scott Cherrey and Jesse Marquis being the linemen. 


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Vítor Pereira creates harmony out of chaos to have Nottingham Forest dreaming big

A fourth manager of the season seemed a wild strategy but Portuguese coach has galvanised the squad and this journey could end in the Champions League

Football, it transpires, is not rocket science. If it were, Nottingham Forest would not be close to securing Premier League survival and two games from Champions League football next season. The club’s approach could hardly be described as methodical but whether by accident or design, Vítor Pereira, Forest’s fourth head coach in six months, has found the right formula.

When eight changes to the lineup were announced for Monday’s visit to Chelsea, eyebrows were raised as the second string were sent out. It allowed Pereira to rest others for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg at Aston Villa. Within two minutes they were ahead and by the hour they were out of sight and a further step towards salvation thanks to a third away win in a row.

Continue reading...

Pistons vs Cavaliers – Game 2 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 7

Detroit won Game 1, 111-101, versus Cleveland to give the Pistons four-straight wins overall and at home in the playoffs. Unlike the first round, Detroit is up 1-0 in the semifinals behind an all-around team effort.

Six different players scored 11 or more points for the Pistons in Game 1, with all five starters doing so. Detroit forced 19 turnovers and only committed 11 themselves, which was the biggest storyline. The Pistons and Cavaliers shot nearly identical, but Detroit attempted 35 free throws to Cleveland's 16. The turnover battle and free throw edge will be what to watch for in Game 2.

Can Cleveland get consistent scoring help outside of Donovan Mitchell (23) and James Harden (22)? Max Strus (19) and Evan Mobley (14) were the only other players to reach double figures for the Cavaliers. Cleveland is now 0-4 on the road in the playoffs and could use a victory in Detroit to settle the score before heading home where Cleveland is 4-0 during the playoffs. The home team in general, is 8-0 this postseason in Cleveland's two series.

Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

  • Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
  • Time: 7:10 PM EST
  • Site: Little Caesars Arena
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-162), Cleveland Cavaliers (+136)
  • Spread: Pistons -3.5
  • Total: 215.5 points

This game opened Pistons -3.5 with the Total set at 215.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • PG James Harden
  • SG Donovan Mitchell
  • SF Dean Wade
  • PF Evan Mobley
  • Jarrett Allen

Detroit Pistons

  • PG Cade Cunningham
  • SG Duncan Robinson
  • SF Ausar Thompson
  • PF Tobias Harris
  • Jalen Duren

Injury Report: Pistons vs. Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • None

Detroit Pistons

  • Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 2. He missed Game 1.

Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic

  • Detroit is 48-42 ATS and 20-20 ATS as the home favorite
  • Detroit is 48-41-1 to the Under
  • Detroit is 24-21 to the Under at home
  • Detroit is 21-19 to the Under as a home favorite
  • Detroit is 24-21 ATS as the home team
  • Cleveland is 36-54 ATS, ranking second-worst
  • Cleveland is 17-28 ATS as the road team, ranking second-worst
  • Cleveland is 8-6 ATS as the road underdog, ranking fifth-worst
  • Cleveland is 45-45 to the Over
  • Cleveland is 25-20 to the Over as the road team, ranking fifth-best
  • Cleveland is 8-6 to the Under as a road underdog

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers +3.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

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Detroit Tigers fire Triple-A manager Gabe Alvarez for violation of club policy

It has been a turbulent week for the Detroit Tigers.

The franchise announced on Tuesday, May 5, it has fired Triple-A Toledo manager Gabe Alvarez, less than 24 hours after the team announced Tarik Skubal will need surgery on his left throwing elbow.

The Tigers said Alvarez was fired "due to a violation of club policy," with no further details about why he was let go.

He will be replaced by Mike Hessman, who played 1,436 games at the Triple-A level and hundreds more at lower levels. Hessman has been a hitting coach with Toledo since 2023 and worked with the Tigers before that, accepting a demotion to the minor-league staff after the 2022 season.

"I talked to Hess this morning to establish the cadence that goes on with him," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. "Obviously, I don't have a comment on the whole thing. In terms of my confidence in Hess and the transition, he's going to handle it very well. He communicates. He's got the trust of the players. He and I talked regularly already, even as he was the hitting coach. Now as the manager, the conversations change a little bit, but we have full confidence in Hess being able to continue on in making our players better and communicating to me and my staff what he needs to in order to get the players who come up here ready to play."

Alvarez was named as the Tigers manager ahead of the 2025 season after three seasons as Double-A Erie's manager before that, where he had a 232-178 record and three division titles.

"We will have no further comment," the Tigers said in a statement.

Contact Andrew Birkle via email at abirkle@freepress.com.

Free Press sports writer Evan Petzold contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers fire Triple-A manager Gabe Alvarez for violation of club policy

Framber Valdez at center of another beanball controversy as benches clear

Just when the Detroit Tigers needed someone to step up and be a presence in a sea of calamity, someone to throw them a life raft, someone to make them feel like their world isn’t collapsing around them, along comes Framber Valdez acting like a human Titanic.

Valdez is the Tigers’ new ace, their highest-paid player, the one the Tigers desperately are relying on to keep their postseason hopes alive until Tarik Skubal returns to the mound later this summer.

And on Tuesday evening, he melted down for the entire Tigers’ franchise to see, reminding everyone of the ugly warts in this talented left-handed pitcher.

Valdez’s selfish act of immaturity was so outrageous in the Tigers’ 10-3 shellacking to the Boston Red Sox that when he intentionally hit Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with a 94.4 mph fastball in the middle of his back during his latest temper tantrum, even his own manager couldn’t stand up for him.

“We play a really good brand of baseball here,’’ Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said in his press conference after the game. “That doesn't feel like it. That's not judging intent. I have no idea.

“But when you go out on the field and end up in those confrontations, you usually feel like you're in your right.

“It didn't feel good being out there."

In other words, how are you going to actually fight for your own teammate when you feel like punching him yourself?

“I understand," Hinch said. "I understand their (Red Sox) frustration and the optics. I understand the whole thing.’’

Valdez, who gave up nine hits and 10 runs runs (seven earned) in just three innings, insisted with a straight face that he wasn’t deliberately trying to hit Story after giving up back-to-back homers, saying the pitch simply got away from him, and there’s no way he deserved to be ejected.

“Not at all," Valdez said through interpreter Carlos Guillen. “It was not on purpose. It might've looked like that but it wasn't. I was trying to throw a strike after two consecutive home runs, and the pitch just came out of my hand.

“It wasn't on purpose.’’

Oh, of course not.

There is no chance that this same man who drilled his own teammate in the chest with a fastball last season with the Houston Astros would now intentionally hit an opponent.

No way, right?

Right?

Anyone else believe him?

Yes, just in case anyone forgot, this is the same guy who was so angry after giving up a grand slam to New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham last September, that he crossed up teammate and catcher Cesar Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker that slammed into his chest protector. Instead of apologizing, Valdez turned his back in disgust.

Valdez, summoned into Astros manager Joe Espada’s office after the game, told reporters it was simply miscommunication.

And you wonder why he was still on the free-agent market a week before spring training, signing a three-year, $115 million contract when he was expected to receive a deal close to free-agent starter Dylan Cease’s six-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Now, with the Tigers badly needing an influx of help, with three members of their opening-day starting rotation and 14 players on the injured list, they are about to be playing one man short.

Valdez, 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA, surely will be suspended at least five days for his actions that should be announced Wednesday.

“I do not expect to get suspended,’’ said Valdez, who chose that moment to throw his first four-seam fastball of the season.

Maybe he should look around the room, and see if there’s a soul in the Tigers’ clubhouse that feels the same.

If you gave them a lie detector test, they’d probably all come to the same conclusion as Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy.

“I thought it was weak and I thought everybody saw it,’’ Tracy told reporters. “Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it. It was weak.”

Really, once Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu opened the fourth inning by hitting mammoth home runs off Valdez, with Contreras flipping his bat after his 449-foot shot, Story could sense it was coming.

“I was in there ready to hit,’’ Story said, “and it showed up way behind me, off the numbers. I think we all know what’s what ... it’s pretty indisputable.’’

Story glared toward Valdez after being hit, players poured out of the dugouts, but there were no punches thrown or even shoves. Why fight when everyone is in full agreement of what happened?

“We handled it,” Story said. “We said what we said on the field, and I think that’s where it stays.”

Now, Michael Hill, senior vice president of on-field operations for MLB, will have his say.

And, perhaps behind closed doors in a meeting with Valdez, Hinch will have plenty to say, too.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X and Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Framber Valdez melts down as benches clear in Tigers vs. Red Sox game

Knicks vs 76ers – Game 2 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets for May 6

The New York Knicks steamrolled the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1, 137-98, behind 35 points from Jalen Brunson (27 in the first half). New York has won four straight playoff games by 16, 29, 51, and 39 points.

Philadelphia played a Game 7 in Boston on Saturday, then had a day off before playing Game 1 in New York on Monday. It's not a shocker that the 76ers got blown out, but they will need a full 60-minute effort in Game 2 to avoid going back to Philadelphia in the hole. The 76ers shot 41% from the field in Game 1, turned the ball over 19 times, and lost the rebounding battle (38-29). Nobody reached 20 points for the 76ers, but the good news is they shot 34 free throws to the Knicks' 17 and no starter played more than 28 minutes for Philadelphia.

New York is the hottest team in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, unless you are a Detroit Pistons fan. However, the Knicks four consecutive wins of 33.7 points per game has been dominant. The Knicks shot 63% from the field and 51% from three in Game 1. Four of the Knicks starters scored 18 or more points and combined to shoot 70.2% from the field (33/47) and 61.1% from three (11/18). They'll look to continue that hot shooting in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden before heading to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers vs. Knicks

  • Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • Time: 7:10 PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: 76ers vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+220), New York Knicks (-270)
  • Spread: Knicks -6.5
  • Total: 215.5 points

This game opened Knicks -7.5 with the Total set at 216.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Knicks vs. 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

  • PG Tyrese Maxey
  • SG VJ Edgecombe
  • SF Kelly Oubre Jr
  • PF Paul George
  • Joel Embiid (probable)

New York Knicks

  • PG Jalen Brunson
  • SG Josh Hart 
  • SF Mikal Bridges
  • PF OG Anunoby
  • Karl-Anthony Towns

Injury Report: Knicks vs. 76ers

New York Knicks

  • None

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Joel Embiid (ankle) is listed as PROBABLE for Game 2

Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers vs. Knicks

  • New York is 49-41 ATS and 48-42 to the Under this season
  • New York is 30-14 ATS at home, ranking first
  • New York is 23-21 to the Under at home
  • Philadelphia is 27-19 ATS as the road team
  • Philadelphia is 14-14 ATS and 11-17 on the ML as a road underdog
  • Philadelphia is 49-42 ATS
  • Philadelphia is 48-43 to the Under and 24-21 to the Under as the road team

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s Knicks and 76ers’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +6.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

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What was your favorite John Sterling home run call?

NEW YORK - JULY 19: New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling speaks during the teams 63rd Old Timers Day before the game against the Detroit Tigers on July 19, 2009 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As the outpouring of grief and good memories flowed after John Sterling’s passing on Monday, I’m sure many of us found ourselves watching old Yankees clips and listening to Sterling’s calls. It’s been oft-repeated this week, but there truly was no one like Sterling, and going through his many fun, bizarre, and quirky calls has been a sad but joyful walk down memory lane.

Let’s keep on walking down that road. Sterling was perhaps known better for his home run calls than anything else. What began as a gimmick deployed for certain players turned into a signature, with Sterling committing to deploying a unique (and often whimsical) home run call for every individual player at some point during the 2000s. Every Yankees fan probably has a favorite. What was yours?

Our own Andrew Mearns helpfully ranked all 144 distinct player home run calls we have on record, so peruse those rankings if you need to as you try to pick out your favorite. Maybe the classic “Bern baby Bern” takes your top spot. Perhaps it’s the simple “El Capitan” that sprang from John’s voice every time Derek Jeter went deep. For me, there was nothing better than hearing “Robbie Cano! Don’tchaknow?!” every time the sweet-swinging second baseman sent one out of the park.

It’s hard to pick just one, so if you can’t narrow it all the way down, go ahead and give us a top-three or -five. Heck, feel free to, as Sterling would, get as creative as you want; if there’s a specific play that or call that stands out in your mind, however famous or obscure, please highlight it.


On the site today, Andrew reviews a packed Tuesday of action in the American League, and Jonathan profiles Ivy Andrews, a pitcher born on this day in 1907. Also, John posits that it’s in both the Yankees’ and Anthony Volpe’s best interests for Volpe to get some exposure at other positions, perhaps second base. Later, Andrés analyzes Elmer Rodríguez’s second start in the majors, Kento chronicles the long road in the wilderness the Yankees walked at first base before finding Ben Rice, and Scott discusses Jonathan Ornelas, a lower-profile prospect succeeding with Triple-A Scranton this year.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

Video: Amazon Prime Video, Rangers Sports Network, MLB Network

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY