The Golden Knights have the edge in certain areas, but this won’t be an easy matchup. The Mammoth are fast, young, and potent offensively. If the Golden Knights want to avoid a first-round exit, they’ll have to be cautious of these three challenges.
Power Play
The Mammoth struggled on the man advantage to begin the season. At the Olympic Break, their power play ranked 31st in the league, ahead of only the Colorado Avalanche. Since returning from break, however, they boast the 3rd-ranked power play in the league with a 30.0% success rate.
All five players on the top unit— Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, and Mikhail Sergachev— are dangerous in their own right. Schmaltz and Guenther are the main trigger men with 11 and nine power play goals, respectively. Keller is an elite playmaker, with 27 of his 62 assists coming on the man advantage. And Sergachev recorded 26 of his 49 assists on the power play.
Dylan Guenther
On a team rich with talent, no one is better than Dylan Guenther at putting the puck in the back of the net. He’s the best scorer in this series, and it’s not particularly close. With 40 goals and 73 points in 79 games this season, Guenther has proved to be equally talented as a puck distributor as he is as a shooter.
Guenther can score from anywhere on the ice— he can rip it from distance or bang in a rebound. He’s especially dangerous on the power play, where he scored nine goals and recorded 24 points.
There’s no reason to believe that Guenther’s success is unsustainable— he’s shooting 16.5%, but that’s not terribly higher than his normal shooting percentage. The Golden Knights will need to be very conscious of when and where the young sniper is on the ice.
Depth Scoring
Dylan Guenther is far from the only dangerous player on this Mammoth roster. They, like the Golden Knights, have ten players on their roster with at least 10 goals. Their forwards are fast and skilled, and their defensemen are all capable puck movers.
The Mammoth have a dangerous top line with 83 goals between the three forwards. Apart from the obvious threat of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz is particularly dangerous this season, with a career-high 33 goals. But they’ve also spread the wealth around, with 77 goals on their second line. Logan Cooley scored 24 goals in 54 games this season. And with 48 goals and one JJ Peterka on the third line, the Mammoth have no weak links offensively.
The Golden Knights certainly have their fair share of depth scoring, as well. But Tomáš Hertl, who is the fourth-highest goalscorer on the team, hasn’t scored since March 4th. He has just one goal and six assists in his last 23 games. And on their top line, despite ending the season on a high note, Jack Eichel is still less than two weeks removed from a 13-game stretch where he scored just once.
Saturday their futility reached double digits. They fell 4-2 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field for a 10th straight loss — one short of the club’s longest losing streak in 22 years.
Manager Carlos Mendoza was later asked if he had a message for the team’s fans.
“They have all the right to be pissed and frustrated,” Mendoza said. “They care, just like we do. We care here. We want to win as much as they do. There’s [only] so much I can say here, because we have got to go out and do it. I understand how they are feeling. I would be pissed, too, if I am a fan. I’m pissed. They’re pissed.” The Mets avoided the embarrassment of a day earlier, when Kodai Senga’s awful performance and sloppy defense were on display, but still played badly enough to continue their free fall.
That meant an anemic offensive showing and a sixth-inning breakdown by Freddy Peralta and Brooks Raley.
Peralta was rolling for a second straight start, but lost the strike zone with two outs in the sixth in a 1-1 game, walking Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. Mendoza summoned Raley and one pitch later the game tilted: pinch hitter Carson Kelly blasted a three-run homer. The Mets never recovered.
Chicago Cubs pinch-hitter Carson Kelly (15) runs the bases after hitting a three-run homer against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2026. David Banks-Imagn Images
It marked the eighth time in the losing streak the Mets scored two runs or fewer.
“Every game has been different,” Marcus Semien said. “We want to play better as an offense. Giving up some big homers kind of hurt us, but we’ve lost a lot of different ways. There’s no pointing a finger at anything right now.”
Peralta allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 5 ²/₃ innings. His shortcoming was failing to record the final out in the sixth.
New York Mets pitcher Brooks Raley returns to the dugout after a pitching change during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Chicago. AP
“We need to keep grinding and keep competing and trying to get better and win some games,” Peralta said.
Mark Vientos’ homer in the second gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. Vientos jumped on a four-seamer from Jameson Taillon and blasted it 434 feet to the left field bleachers for his second homer this season. Later in the inning, Semien singled and Carson Benge walked before Bo Bichette was retired to end the threat.
Happ’s homer leading off the bottom of the inning tied it 1-1. Peralta plunked Suzuki and allowed a single to Miguel Amaya, escaping trouble by retiring Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson in succession.
New York Mets’ Mark Vientos (27) returns to the dugout after being forced out during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Chicago. AP
Luis Robert Jr. singled in the third inning and was thrown out attempting to steal second. Semien walked leading off the fifth, but the inning concluded with Bichette’s double-play grounder. MJ Melendez drew a two-out walk in the sixth before Taillon retired Alvarez.
“I thought we had some decent at-bats, created some traffic, hit some balls hard,” Mendoza said. “But the times we had runners on base we couldn’t get that big hit. We are just having a hard time putting a rally together.
Peralta got two quick outs in the sixth, but never concluded the inning. Happ walked before Peralta ran the count full to Suzuki and threw a slider that missed low and away. Raley replaced Peralta and Kelly crushed his first pitch over the left field wall to bury the Mets in a 4-1 hole.
New York Mets’ Marcus Semien (10) returns to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs. APFreddy Peralta of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Getty Images
Nico Hoerner’s throwing error gave the Mets an unearned run in the eighth after Bichette and Francisco Lindor had singled in the inning. Vientos, batting with the tying runs on base and two outs, grounded out to end the threat.
Taillon stifled the Mets, allowing one earned run on five hits and three walks over six innings. The right-hander was removed after 100 pitches.
“We’re putting ourselves in a big hole right now,” Mendoza said. “But there is only one way to do it and that is just come back tomorrow ready to go.”
Juraj Slafkovsky enjoyed a massive breakout season with Montreal, blowing past previous highs while producing 73 points over 82 games.
He enjoyed a lot of success against Tampa Bay, and my Canadiens vs. Lightning predictions expect that to continue in the series opener today.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, April 19.
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 prediction
Who will win Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1?
Lightning: Despite dealing with a ton of injuries all season long, they still won 50 games and finished 32 goals above Montreal in goal differential. They have a better underlying profile, a battle-tested roster, and an advantage in goal. That should shine through.
Canadiens vs Lightning best bet: Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points (-145)
Juraj Slafkovsky had an excellent campaign altogether but was especially effective down the stretch, producing 28 points over 25 games following the Olympics.
It wasn’t as if Slafkovsky had a couple of ceiling performances exaggerate his numbers. He was remarkably consistent, hitting the scoresheet at least once in 18 games — good for a 74% clip.
Slafkovsky faced the Tampa Bay Lightning twice during that stretch and produced multiple points in both meetings. That is nothing new for Slafkovsky, who has points in five of his last six against the Bolts.
Look for Slafkovsky to make an impact in Game 1.
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 same-game parlay
Mike Matheson blocked multiple shots in 60% of his games this season, including the only game played without Noah Dobson. The Montreal Canadiens are likely to be even more reliant on the veteran defenseman with Dobson sidelined.
More usage means more opportunities to block shots, especially against a strong shot-generation team like Tampa Bay.
Jake Guentzel has 43 goals and 73 points through 74 games, always rising to the occasion when the games matter most. He also has points in eight of his last 10 against Montreal, making him a prime target in this matchup.
Canadiens vs Lightning SGP
Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
Mike Matheson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Jake Guentzel Over 0.5 points
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 goal scorer pick
Nikita Kucherov (+130)
Nikita Kucherov hasn’t scored in back-to-back playoff series, but a steady dose of Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling certainly had a lot to do with it.
The Canadiens don’t have true shutdown personnel — particularly on the backend — of that level, and head coach Jon Cooper also controls the matchups. That should result in less time against Selke candidate Nick Suzuki, which would help Kucherov’s cause.
Look for Kucherov to put his recent postseason struggles behind him.
Canadiens vs Lightning odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Montreal +155 | Tampa Bay -180
Puck line: Montreal +1.5 (-155) | Tampa Bay -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Canadiens vs Lightning trend
Juraj Slafkovsky has produced nine points over his last six games against Tampa Bay. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Lightning.
How to watch Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Puck drop
5:45 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, truTV, CBC
Canadiens vs Lightning latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Apr 15, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper (42) hits a home run against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) boxes out New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The 6-seeded Atlanta Hawks (0-0) try to steal Game 1 just like they did five years ago tonight in the Garden.
Jock Landale (ankle sprain) has been ruled out.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York, NY
The Mets and Cubs were in the thick of a pitcher's duel until the sixth inning, when a three-run shot from a pinch-hitting Carson Kelly gave Chicago the go-ahead hit in New York's 4-2 loss on Saturday afternoon.
Freddy Peralta and three relievers combined to allow only five Cubs hits, but two were home runs and accounted for all four Chicago runs.
The Mets have now lost 10 games in a row, the longest since 2004.
Here are the takeaways....
-The Mets' offensive explosion -- by their standards -- from Friday carried over early. Francisco Lindor hit a two-out single before Luis Robert Jr. smoked a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. MJ Melendez, who started his Mets tenure 4-for-7, lofted a fly ball to left as the Cubs got out of the inning.
Unlike Friday's game, the wind -- especially in left -- was coming in. A few balls hit that way died in midair, but it didn't matter to Mark Vientos. The slugger, who started at first base, smashed a 433-foot blast to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The homer came off the bat at 110 mph. It's just the Mets' second home run in the last six games. The Mets made Cubs starter Jameson Taillon work hard in the first three innings, but the veteran right-hander settled down, getting through six innings without giving up another run.
Taillon tossed 100 pitches (61 strikes), allowing the one run on five hits, three walks and striking out four batters.
-Peralta was on the mound and facing a team that knows him very well from his time with the Brewers. Ian Happ took him deep to tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning, but there wasn't much doing for the Cubs lineup against Peralta. However, Peralta just wasn't efficient enough to give the Mets length.
After getting two outs in the sixth, he walked back-to-back batters and his day was done.
Brooks Raley came on in relief and Cubs manager Craig Counsell pinch-hit Moises Ballesteros, who is having a good series, for Kelly. Kelly ambushed Raley, launching the first-pitch cutter that had way too much plate 405 feet over the wall to give the Cubs a 4-1 lead. It's the first time a pinch-hitter launched a homer on the first pitch this season. It also put a bow on Peralta's line.
The Mets ace went 5.2 innings (93 pitches/54 strikes), allowing three runs on three hits, two walks, while striking out three.
-Although the Mets lineup struggled to string together hits, they were a bit unlucky as well. Marcus Semien smashed a pitch to left field that Happ made a leaping grab near the left field wall. It was hit at 103.5 mph and would have been out in six ballparks, but the wind and where it was hit knocked it down.
That luck turned in the eighth. After Bo Bichette picked up a single, a ball that bounced off Ben Brown, Lindor picked up his second hit of the game when Dansby Swanson mishandled the grounder. Robert hit a grounder that could have been a doubleplay, but the slow-developing play allowed Robert to reach first safely after Swanson's throw took Michael Busch off the bag. Melendez struck out, but Francisco Alvarez muscled a grounder between second and first base that Nico Hoerner stopped from going into the outfield, but his throw pulled Busch off the bag, and pushed the Mets' second run of the game, but couldn't get any more.
In the ninth, Tommy Pham, pinch-hitting for Brett Baty against the left-hander Caleb Thielbar, struck out to lead off the inning. Semien struck out and Tyrone Taylor, pinch-hitting for Carson Benge, flew out to end the game. The Mets outhit the Cubs 7-5 but were 0-for-6 with RISP and left eight runners on.
April 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
If any college basketball recruit in the transfer portal is considering the Gonzaga Bulldogs, take a look at the amount of professional talent on basketball’s biggest stage right now. Six Zags who were trained and prepared for the next level within the walls of the McCarthey Athletic Center are now gearing up for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Drew Timme isn’t available for the playoff roster as he’s under a two-way contract, splitting his time with the G League’s South Bay Lakers during the 2025-26 season.
As for the reigning NBA champion, Holmgren is coming off an NBA All-Star appearance for the first time in his young career. Most importantly, the 7-1, 23-year-old freak has been healthy and active defensively with that 7-6 wingspan of his.
Through 69 starts, Holmgren averaged 17.1 points on a shooting split of 55.7 percent from the field, 36.2 percent on three-pointers, and 79.2 percent at the charity stripe. His 8.9 rebounds per game rank tied for No. 11 in the NBA, while his 1.9 blocks per game are tied for No. 2.
The 2026 NBA Finals officially start on June 23 on ESPN/ABC.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
He was active. He was everywhere. He helped space the court for Steph Curry’s scoring flurries. He was in the trenches alongside Draymond Green on defense.
A few days before the Warriors were eliminated Friday from the play-in tournament, Porzingis had 20 points (8-for-12 shooting from the field, 3-for-6 from beyond the arc), five rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocked shots in an elimination game against the Clippers on Wednesday,
Kristaps Porzingis had an up-and-down season, but he still might fit in the Warriors’ plans. NBAE via Getty Images
He was everything the Warriors hoped he’d be when they acquired him from Atlanta for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
But that version of him came in spurts this season.
Porzingis only played in 15 of a possible 31 games with the Warriors because of health issues at least partially related to POTS. He hardly shared the court with Curry, who missed 27 straight games because of runner’s knee.
The 7-foot-2 center will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Warriors hope to re-sign him, though he’d have to take a significant salary cut from the two-year, $60 million extension he signed in Boston in 2023.
How does he feel about returning to Golden State?
“That’s a good question,” Porzingis told The California Post in an exclusive interview. “I do love my time here, honestly. Not one bad thing I can say about the organization, the team, the teammates. I really love it here, I really do.
“As I said before, I haven’t had a good year. If I had a good year, I think I’d have a more clear picture of what I want to do. Because I’ve had an up-and-down year like this, this is an offseason in my career that I think I’m just going to take a step back, look at the whole picture and then see what’s the best direction for me.”
The Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis is an All-Star-caliber player when he is at his best. AP
Things didn’t go as planned for the Warriors this season, either.
After losing Jimmy Butler to an ACL tear in January, Golden State went all in on trying to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the trade deadline. When it became clear that the Bucks weren’t going to part with their superstar, the Warriors pivoted to Porzingis to try to salvage their season.
When Porzingis is at his best, he’s an All-Star-caliber player who can dominate on both ends of the court with his silky shot and rim protection. But an elongated illness has prevented him from consistently playing to his potential.
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Porzingis began struggling with illness in his final season with the Celtics in 2024-25. It sapped him of his energy. It depleted his wind. It prevented him from being the dominant player who had averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and nearly two blocks per game as he helped lead the Celtics to a championship in 2024.
Since then, Porzingis has had to play around his symptoms. He’ll stack a few good games and then be sidelined for a cluster of contests. Rinse and repeat. The constant starting and stopping is an enormous challenge considering the paramount importance of rhythm in basketball.
“It’s been a little bit of the story of my career,” Porzingis told The Post. “A lot of my career, I felt like this is bothering me or that. I’m not able to play at 100%. But honestly, as a basketball player, you rarely do. There’s always something for everybody.
“But I’ve definitely had this feeling a lot of times. How do I get into a good rhythm because I’ve been out? Because of that, I’m pretty good at jumping right back in and getting into a decent rhythm right away. And also, just staying mentally in the game. Once I get the opportunity to play again, I’m ready to go. I’ve gotten so good at it that it’s very natural for me to just jump back in and be in a rhythm.”
It’s a skill he had to hone.
Porzingis only played 17 games for the Hawks this season before being traded to Golden State. Last season, he only played 42 games for the Celtics.
Porzingis began struggling with illness in his final season with the Celtics in 2024-25. It sapped him of his energy. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
During his introductory news conference with the Warriors on Feb. 7, Porzingis was optimistic he’d be able to remain on the floor. “I’m confident that I will,” he said at the time. But he played in about half of the team’s contests, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in a career-low 23.7 minutes per game.
Still, the Warriors liked what they saw.
“Kristaps was fantastic,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday after the Warriors lost their second play-in game to the Suns, 111-96, as Porzingis struggled with ankle soreness. “He changed our team. The dynamic of having that floor spacing and shot-blocking.”
Porzingis knows he’s capable of so much more.
“Honestly, I’m still working my way back into being in great, great shape,” he said.
Kristaps Porzingis helped lead the Celtics to an NBA championship in 2024.
He was excellent in flashes, such as when he had 30 points on 8-for-13 shooting, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks against the Wizards on March 16. But his illness and Curry’s injury prevented the team from developing any momentum as Golden State fell to 10th in the West without Butler.
Now, the Warriors have a lot of questions. Will Kerr return as head coach? WIll Curry sign a contract extension this offseason? Will Green or Butler be traded? Will they land a superstar this summer? Is this the end of the dynasty?
Amid that dizzying set of queries is another: What will Porzingis do?
At this moment, he’s clearly not sure.
But at least for one game, he was reminded of what he’s capable of doing and who the Warriors could be with him on the court.
On Wednesday, Porzingis shined alongside Curry’s 35 points and Green’s lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard. The three of them were in sync. They were stars. The Warriors looked like champions for one night, a thrilling moment of joy for a team that suffered an endless series of blows this season.
For Porzingis, it was a huge relief.
He knows what he can do. And he made sure everyone else saw it, too.
“[Wednesday] honestly was a big step forward for me,” Porzingis told The Post. “To have a game like this, it means a lot. To pull it out of somewhere, and it was there. Definitely a big step in the right direction.”
A three-time NBA champion foresees a Knicks implosion after hearing “rumblings” of a fractured team.
Danny Green, the Long Island product and former Spurs forward, explained in an ESPN media conference call Friday why he has retracted his prediction of the Knicks winning the East.
“Simply because the fact that the Knicks this year, especially late in the season, they looked very up-and-down,” said Green, an ESPN analyst. “They looked like they were disconnected. The chemistry wasn’t there.
“There are rumblings about some guys don’t like Mike Brown or work with the coaches. There are rumblings that some guys are feeling they’re not getting touches or there’s over usage of Jalen Brunson. That seems to me like a team that could self-implode.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a 3-point shot during the second quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Green, who was a teammate with OG Anunoby on the 2019 championship Raptors, now envisions the Knicks falling in the second round to the Celtics, though that would go against the results of last year’s playoffs. His reasoning is a difference in chemistry — the Celtics have it, Green said, and the Knicks don’t after replacing Tom Thibodeau with Brown.
“[The Knicks] have all the talent, they have all the tools, they have everything, and they were going to beat Boston [last year], regardless of whether Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles or not,” said Green — who won titles with the Spurs, Raptors and Lakers. “But just this year with the coaching change, they seem a little bit more disconnected at the wrong time of year.”
Green didn’t cite specifics, but there were instances during the season when Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns, in particular, didn’t seem to be operating on the same page. And though the Knicks offense ranked fourth in the NBA this season, four of the five starters — outside of Brunson — experienced declines in points and shot attempts per game.
That happened after reports in the summer of players upset about undefined roles under Thibodeau.
Charles Oakley, the former All-Star power forward who attended the previous Knicks-Hawks game a couple of weeks ago in Atlanta, also sees something is off with his former team.
Danny Green talks during the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NBAE via Getty Images
“Last year, it was right there for the Knicks. It was dinner on the table and they went somewhere else like Popeyes,” Oakley said this week on ‘The Bottom Line Sports Show,’ hosted by Gerald Brown and Rick Mahorn. “They got the talent and they’re still fighting within themselves. They don’t really know their roles. And they really don’t really know — KAT and Brunson, that’s their team. OG, Bridges and Hart, use like the fork and knife.”
Still, the Knicks won two more games than last season and finished with 12 wins in their final 16 games. As the third seed Saturday, they hosted the No. 6 Hawks in Game 1 of the first round. If anything, the surprise this season wasn’t about the Knicks underwhelming — they finished around their projected win total — but rather the Celtics and Pistons busting through ceilings.
Green dismissed the Pistons and picked the Celtics over New York because of chemistry differences.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns looses the ball during the first quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“Originally at the beginning of the year, I had the Knicks,” he said. “The Knicks probably had the highest expectation, the most pressure on them. They made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year. Indiana dropped out with injuries. Boston had dropped down with injuries but came back, and they’ve been playing well even without Jayson Tatum for most of the year.
“Detroit is good. They’re just young and inexperienced. That’s why I couldn’t give the edge to Detroit. Boston and New York have to face each other in that second round at some point. The winner of that matchup is the one that’s going to get to the Finals. Right now, I’m giving the edge to Boston, even though the Knicks have played well against Boston.”
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 126-113 on Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Donovan Mitchell (32p) scored at all three levels as the Cavs protected homecourt in Game 1
James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 17 and seven rebounds for fourth-seeded Cleveland, which hosts Game 2 on Monday night.
Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in an NBA-record nine straight series openers.
RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors, who were playing in their first playoff game since 2022. Toronto was missing point guard Immanuel Quickley because of a mild right hamstring strain.
Jamal Shead started in place of Quickley and had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Barrett's 3-pointer pulled the Raptors to within 45-41 before Cleveland broke it open with a 27-9 run over the last 1:11 of the second quarter and first seven minutes of the third.
Strus scored 11 points during the spurt and made all three of his 3-pointers as the Cavaliers went 10 of 16 from the floor, including 5 of 8 beyond the arc.
Cleveland's largest lead was 24 points (100-76) on Sam Merrill's 3-pointer 13 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Will Warren continues to impress early on this season, and on Saturday afternoon, the young right-hander delivered arguably his most impressive performance to this point.
It helps that the Yankees offense broke out and spotted him a seven-run advantage through four innings, but Warren still did his job, cruising his way through the Royals’ lineup.
“It’s always nice to go out there with a lead,” Warren said. “You’re not worried about giving up one or two runs -- gave up some leadoff hits, but was able to keep my composure knowing that the boys are banging out there.”
One of those leadoff hits came on the very first pitch, as Maikel Garcia lined a double to open the game, but Warren was able to bear down and retire the next three hitters easily.
The youngster continued cruising from there, pushing the stretch to nine consecutive batters set aside before allowing a leadoff single to Bobby Witt Jr. in the top of the fourth.
Witt was quickly erased, though, as Warren picked him off first.
“I could see him out of the corner of my eye, hopping off the base,” he said. “I had been talking with Ben [Rice] about some stuff and we executed and got him, so I was pretty pumped.”
Warren gave up another knock leading off the fifth, but responded by striking out the next three he faced and then breezing his way through a perfect sixth.
The lone blemish came in the seventh, as the 26-year-old gave up a single, then rookie slugger Carter Jensen jumped him for a two-run shot to right, breaking up the shutout.
Warren rolled a grounder, then finished his day matching his career-high with his 11th strikeout.
He allowed just the two runs on five hits over seven stellar frames.
“The four-seam was really playing well,” Aaron Boone said. “He got a lot of swing-and-miss, the changeup was good today too, I just think it was the overall mix -- it was good to see him take that lead and run with it, really good job.”
Warren pitched to a 2.49 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts through his first five outings.
While Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are still a few rehab outings away from making their returns, this hot start certainly bodes well for the youngster keeping his spot in the Yankees' rotation.
At least for one day, the Yankees spared themselves the drama.
After each of their previous five wins had come by taking the lead for good in their final at-bats, the Yankees jumped ahead early Saturday and kept piling on — against a lefty starter, to boot — while Will Warren turned on cruise control.
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Cody Bellinger crushed two of four Yankees home runs and drove in five while Warren dominated across seven innings as the Yankees breezed to a 13-4 win over the Royals on a sunny afternoon in The Bronx.
The Yankees (12-9) had not won a game like this since the home opener on April 3, having to grind for everything in between with nothing coming easy — including 11 of their 13 games in that stretch decided by two runs or fewer, the exceptions coming in blowout losses.
But they finally synced strong pitching and strong hitting on the same day, which made for a much-needed laugher — so much so that Aaron Judge, who had played every inning of every game, got the final three innings off — as they tried to finally break out of this early-season funk with their fourth win in the past six games.
New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) watches his two-run homer during the sixth inning on April 18, 2026 at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“Obviously, these games are more ideal,” Bellinger said. “We’ve had a lot of close ones recently, had a crazy series against the Angels. Will did a great job of doing what he does and for us to get a few runs on the board, that was big for us.”
That they did it against a left-hander made it even more encouraging, after southpaws had given them trouble through the early going. Entering Saturday, the Yankees’ .535 OPS against lefties was the second-lowest mark in the majors, and they were 2-4 against lefty starters.
Royals lefty Noah Cameron offered little resistance, though, as the Yankees got to him for seven runs across four innings — keyed by a five-run third inning in which Amed Rosario, Bellinger and Ben Rice all went deep.
New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he scores on his two-run homer during the sixth inning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
That alone was more than enough run support for Warren, who tied a career high with 11 strikeouts while easily turning in his best start of the season. Getting ahead early and often, he scattered three hits through the first six innings before finally giving up a two-run homer to Carter Jensen in the seventh, the only damage the Royals (7-13) had against him all day.
“It’s nice to go out there with the lead,” Warren said. “You’re not worried about giving up one or two [runs].”
The Yankees have now hit 15 home runs over their last six games after hitting only 14 through their first 15 games, getting back to the kind of offense they are built for.
Bellinger, the left-handed hitter who crushed lefty pitching last season, took Cameron deep for a two-run shot to the second deck in the third inning before adding another two-run homer against righty Mitch Spencer in the sixth that made it 10-0.
“I was joking with him, he had one homer in two months since the start of spring and then two in an hour,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So it’s a funny game that way. But a lot of good swings from him and obviously up and down the lineup. And against a tough lefty, too, so good to see the bats break out like that.”
New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) throws a pitch during the first inning. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Rice’s homer off Cameron marked the third straight game in which he has gone deep, his second left-on-left and seventh overall this season.
“He’s just continuing to solidify himself as one of the really outstanding hitters in the league,” Boone said. “We’re seeing that more and more, whatever hand you throw with.”
Rosario and J.C. Escarra both drove in three runs to help the cause, with Escarra doing so on a double and triple after coming into Saturday 1-for-15 with a single on the season.
The backup catcher got the third-inning rally started when his fly ball to the gap was dropped in a collision between right fielder Jac Caglianone and center fielder Kyle Isbel. He later put an exclamation point on his day with a two-run triple that made it 12-2 in the seventh.
“It’s just being ready — taking lots of swings every single day when no one’s watching,” Escarra said. “It’s great to catch Will and get some knocks in and ultimately help the team win.”
Apr 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) dives but cannot catch a two run triple hit by New York Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Royals will probably win another game this year, but you’d be forgiven if you doubted it.
Royals fans were hoping for a different result from the previous six games, and it was different, alright, just not the way they hoped. The Royals were blown out in New York. The Yankees hit four home runs – including two by Cody Bellinger, who was available as a free agent for much of the offseason. The Royals did get a home run from Carter Jensen in the seventh inning, which was nice, but only cut the deficit from 10-0 to 10-2 at that point.
If you want an inning that exemplifies the Royals’ struggles this year, the first had it for you. Maikel Garcia smacked a double down the left field line on the first pitch he saw. Unfortunately, Bobby Witt Jr. struck out swinging, Vinnie Pasquantino struck out looking (on a pitch he probably would have been best served to challenge, even if it was probably ultimately in the strike zone), and Jac Caglianone smashed a line drive at 111 MPH and a launch angle of 21 degrees to center, where it was run down by Bellinger. The ball had an expected batting average of .950, but it was just a long, loud out.
Then, when the broadcast came back from commercial break, we discovered that manager Matt Quatraro had been ejected, likely for arguing that Will Warren should have been called for a balk in the first inning. It was a curious time for the argument to occur, as at least one pitch had been thrown since the alleged balk and had nothing else changed, Caglianone’s flyout still would have ended the inning. As many fans, including your truly, would joke later: maybe Q just saw what was coming and decided he didn’t want to be in the dugout for it.
Things started off pretty good for Noah Cameron; he retired seven of the first eight he saw with a four-pitch walk to Aaron Judge. Then, with one out in the third inning, Caglianone and Kyle Isbel collided on what could have been a routine flyout, leading to a three-base error. Isbel, as the centerfielder, has priority on the play, but without having been on the field, I blame him for not being louder when calling for it. He’s the one who got the error because the ball initially landed in Jac’s glove before being jostled free by the collision. From there, things went off the rails.
Amed Rosario smashed a two-run home run, Aaron Judge took a second walk, and Cody Bellinger smashed his first home run of the day. Giancarlo Stanton hit a grounder for the second out, but Ben Rice hit a home run to make it 5-0 Yankees, and we all knew the game was basically over.
In the top of the fourth, Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a single but was picked off first base after a Vinnie Pasquantino popout and before Jac Caglianone could strike out looking. The Royals struck out 12 times on the day, 5 of those were looking. They didn’t advance a runner until Carter’s home run in the seventh, and not again until Carter’s walk in the ninth and Massey’s subsequent 2-RBI double. Isaac Collins returned to the lineup to collect a golden sombrero from the designated hitter slot. The Royals played some sloppy, sloppy baseball and look badly in need of a reset. The TV broadcast team had hoped the road trip would serve as one for the offense, but it seems to have only made things worse.
Two of Noah Cameron’s three worst starts are against the Yankees, his only two against them. Maybe Q should arrange the rotation such that Cameron never faces them again. Small hat tip to Mitch Spence, who pitched the final four innings of the game. He gave up six runs while striking out 3 and walking 5, but at least the rest of the bullpen got a day off to think about what they’d done this whole road trip.
Tomorrow, as always, is another day. It’s a day where the Royals will battle a left-handed starting pitcher, Ryan Weathers, so don’t get your hopes up too much. Cole Ragans will go for the Royals. If his stuff looks as bad as it didn’t against Detroit, don’t expect the team to be in it for very long. The game will be broadcast on Royals.TV at the same time as today’s contest, 12:35 central.
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers defended their home floor in Game 1 of their first round series against the Toronto Raptors.
Let’s go over today’s winners, because there were no losers.
WINNER – Pace
Controlling the tempo was a point of emphasis for the Cavaliers entering this series. Toronto is one of the deadlier transition teams in the league, while Cleveland was just a middling transition defense throughout the regular season. Naturally, this was a cause for concern.
Cleveland kept the Raptors at bay in the first half. They only allowed one point in transition during the opening quarters by hustling back on defense and forcing the game into a half-court setting. The Cavs also benefitted from drawing a load of fouls, attempting 17 free throws in the first half, and making it harder for Toronto to push off rebounds.
“You tell a group that’s hungry to win, ‘this is what we need to do to win the game,’ and I think they lock in,” said Kenny Atkinson of his group after the game.
This carried deep into the second half, where the Raptors remained stuck in the mud as Cleveland grew its lead. The Cavs kept the game slow and pummeled them 52-36 in the paint. Toronto finished with just 3 fastbreak points.
Closing the door on what should be Toronto’s biggest advantage in this series is a testament to Kenny Atkinson’s game plan and the players for bringing it to life. If they can continue to win on the margins, they’ll go on to win the series.
WINNER – Pick and Roll
One result of slowing the game down is that it forces you to dig deeper into your offensive bag. For the Cavs, a slower game set in the halfcourt meant the world was theirs. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, especially, dominated in that regard.
We’ve seen Harden’s mastery in the pick-and-roll for more than a decade at this point. It turns out, he’s still going at running that action even in a classic ‘07 Cavs jersey. He worked the Raptors in pick-and-roll, coming up with an answer to any problem he was presented. Harden scored either with his step-back jumper or by getting into the lane with his floater. If the Raps blitzed the ball or overcommitted on his drives, he’d quickly zap the ball to a teammate.
That’s the Beard’s special.
“He’s firing darts to shooters,” said Atkinson. “I’d love to see the passes he threw to Max… he’s almost like a quarterback, super accurate, just kind of picking them apart with short passes and then he hits the long ones every once in a while.”
Mitchell, meanwhile, took more of an all-gas, no breaks approach. He put relentless pressure on the basket, slicing into the paint and taking advantage of the Raptors lack of rim protection. When he’s doing that and his three-point shot is falling? Good luck.
The Cavs’ backcourt combined for 54 points and 14 assists.
WINNER – Max Strus
The playoffs are where stars shine brightest. But make no mistake, this environment has always been ripe for big performances from role players, too.
Max Strus fits that bill.
Strus started the game by using his gravity to attack poor closeouts and get to the rim. It’s always good to see someone who was previously considered a three-point specialist then use that skill against the defense to find new opportunities. Strus darted to the basket for numerous layups in the first half, including a buzzer-beating layup to close the first quarter.
“He’s a dog,” said James Harden. “Whether he makes shots or misses shots, he’s more impactful to our team in ways that probably don’t show up in the stat sheet.”
From there, Strus was loose.
We saw more of what you’d expect from Strus as the game went on. A three-pointer in the first half got the ball rolling. That carried over into the second half, where he nailed three more. Strus ended the game 8-10 from the floor, scoring a playoff career-high 24 points and giving Cleveland a massive boost off the bench.
“When you look at how he works, he practices individually for the big moments,” said Atkinson after the game. “We needed his gravity today, I think it turned the game for us offensively, and that got us our separation.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers looks on during the third inning Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for April 18, 2026 against the Seattle Mariners: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and George Kirby for the Mariners.
The Rangers look to make it two in a row against the Mariners and three in a row overall. Josh Smith gets a day off.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Seager — SS
Langford — LF
Burger — 1B
Pederson — DH
Jung — 3B
Carter — CF
Duran — 2B
Higashioka — C
6:15 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +110 underdogs.
