The New York Knicks took the 1-0 lead in the 2026 NBA Finals after a 105-95 Game 1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, June 3, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The Knicks are three wins away from capturing their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Jalen Brunson was the driving force for the Knicks, scoring 30 points with six assists, and four rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns provided a double-double, adding 18 points and 12 rebounds, while also anchoring the defense. Their combined efforts sparked a comeback from a 14-point deficit in the second half.
In the Spurs’ defeat, Victor Wembanyama notched 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks in his first NBA Finals appearance. Though he struggled with efficiency, shooting just 6-for-21 from the field, Wembanyama said after the game that it was a bad night for him and the team will "need to let that one go."
The series continues in San Antonio, where the Spurs will look to even the score in Game 2 on Friday, June 5.
As the calendar flips from May to June, and the NHL Stanley Cup final has begun, the majority of significant transactions between now and the start of the 2026-27 season will likely take place over the course of the next four to six weeks.
The Anaheim Ducks find themselves in unfamiliar waters after what could be seen as their first successful season in nearly a decade. They enter the offseason with a projected $38.7 million in cap space, two core RFAs (Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier) to sign to big extensions, two secondary RFAs (Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger) on whom tough decisions will have to be made, and one to three areas on the roster potentially in need of upgrades.
Anaheim could now be seen as a desirable destination for players on the move. Even after RFAs are inked to new deals, the Ducks will still have considerable cap space to add quality players to their roster who could help them now and moving into a bright future.
After feasibly identifying three areas in need of an upgrade on the Ducks’ depth chart (right shot defense, second-line center, top-nine winger), now seems like a good time to identify paths in which general manager Pat Verbeek could go about adding to his group and numerous organizations’ situations they could target around the league.
I’ve decided to break this up by division, so we’ll take a look at some teams in the Metropolitan Division, where there’s a clear top team, six interchangeable teams in the next tier, and one in the early stages of a hopefully brief reset.
Disclaimer: This exercise is purely speculative. Some players mentioned have been previously reported to be in trade discussions, while others haven’t. This is intended to provide ideas on the type of players the Ducks could target this offseason.
(Alphabetical Order)
New Jersey Devils
The Devils took a step back in 2025-26, missing the playoffs and finishing seventh in the Metro standings after qualifying the year before and finishing third in the division. They will enter the offseason under brand new management, as they hired Sunny Mehta as general manager when the season concluded.
Mehta will have $10.9 million in cap space this summer, and some important decisions to make in terms of personnel, headlined by captain Nico Hischier (27), entering the final year of his contract ($7.25 million AAV, 10-team NTC) and eligible for an extension on July 1.
Though the likelihood is low, if a deal cannot be agreed upon as training camp approaches, Hischier’s future with the Devils may come into question. Speculation has already begun to a minimal extent, and if he’s made available, the Ducks (and half the NHL) would be a perfect landing spot for the Selke-level talent with point-per-game upside.
Beyond Hischier, the obvious area in need of attention is the right side of New Jersey’s blueline. Dougie Hamilton (32) is owed big money ($9 million AAV, 10-team NTC) for two more seasons, Brett Pesce (31) and Johnathan Kovacevic (29) each have four years left at very reasonable cap hits ($5.5 million and $4 million, respectively) and full NTCs, and Simon Nemec (2nd overall in 2022) is an RFA in need of a commitment from the Devils one way or another.
The potential of the Ducks acquiring Hamilton poses similar drawbacks to them acquiring John Carlson: an offensive-oriented blueliner who may not fit with the talent on the Ducks’ left side. Nemec has the potential to grow and become a part of the Ducks’ young core, should they pursue, but his upside has come into question as he’s failed to carve out a role for himself in three NHL seasons.
An under-the-radar possibility, but one the Devils likely wouldn’t be too keen on parting with is young, versatile, tenacious forward Dawson Mercer (24). Mercer will enter the final year of his contract ($4 million AAV) and is two summers from unrestricted free agency.
With a new GM running the show in New Jersey, a shakeup may be required now or in the near future to optimize the remaining four years on star forward Jack Hughes’ extremely team-friendly contract.
New York Rangers
The Rangers and Ducks seemed to have developed quite a rapport over the last 18 months, as Anaheim has become a landing spot for former core Rangers pieces Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider.
The Rangers announced a “retool” in January and finished the season with the NHL’s third-worst record. They enter the 2026 offseason with $26.6 million in cap space, the fifth overall pick, and six more in the first three rounds.
If they’re intent on shedding older core players, the ones who jump off the page are Mika Zibenejad (33) and Vincent Trocheck (32), with Adam Fox (28) representing more of a long-shot option to move.
Zibenejad would fit the mold of the secondary offense, two-way capable 2C that would fit perfectly behind Leo Carlsson. The rub with the Swedish Olympian, who is famously friendly with Ducks winger Chris Kreider, is his age and contract (four years remaining, $8.5 million AAV, full NMC).
Trocheck would be another seemingly perfect fit, but has expressed his desire to remain on the East Coast of the United States. The pipe dream acquisition of Fox would, again, provide the same pitfalls as the Carlson trade. However, because Fox is in the prime of a perennial Norris-contending career, if he were to be available, teams like the Ducks may be smart to make a deal and figure the rest out later.
Two younger options who could potentially provide greater impacts with a “change of scenery” that would fit the Ducks’ timeline and desired roster construction well would be Will Cuylle (24) and Braden Schneider (24). Cuylle has one year remaining on his contract ($3.9 million AAV) and is three years from UFA eligibility. Schneider is an RFA and is two years from UFA eligibility.
The Ducks and Rangers could go back to the well and help each other out as they seem to be heading in opposite directions for the time being. Several pieces make sense for both organizations in a potential deal, should the two sides opt to return to familiar hunting grounds.
Philadelphia Flyers
Speaking of returning to familiar hunting grounds, the Flyers are an organization Pat Verbeek has done quite a bit of business with over the years, and they find themselves in a very similar situation as the Ducks.
In his first year as head coach, Rick Tocchet brought them from last place in the Metro with 76 points in 2024-25 to third place in the Metro with 98 points in 2025-26, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season and advancing to the second round.
They enter the offseason, again, in a very similar situation as Anaheim, with $37.5 million in cap space, two impact players RFAs in need of new contracts (Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale), and a need to improve down the middle.
They reportedly have some interest in Ducks forward Mason McTavish and Ducks pending UFA defenseman John Carlson. However, glancing at what they may be willing to part with from their surplus may not precisely line up with Anaheim’s needs.
Owen Tippett (27) is a player Philadelphia committed to long term who possesses a desirable skillset and has settled in as a 45-55 point goalscoring winger, but game-to-game consistency has been difficult to come by. Tyson Foerster (24) seemed on the verge of a breakout before an upper-body injury cost him four months of the season. Noah Cates (27) is a quintessential, two-way middle-six center who saw the best offensive output of his career in 2025-26.
Tippett, Foerster, and Cates are all under team control for at least the next three seasons, and with their importance to Tocchet’s top nine last season, one has to imagine they’d be difficult to pry out of Philadelphia.
Talented young forward Matvei Michkov (21), similarly to McTavish with Anaheim, saw a drop in production in his first year under a new coach and served as a healthy scratch twice during their playoff run to the second round. At this time, a trade seems unlikely, as general manager Daniel Briere stated the organization’s commitment to Michkov’s development during his exit interview.
A player that makes sense for Anaheim is right-shot defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (31), who has one year remaining on his contract ($5.1 million AAV) and was a positive contributor during the Flyers’ playoff run as well as during Finland’s bronze medal run at the 2026 Olympics. Injuries remain a concern for Ristolainen, however, as he’s only played 138 games over the last three seasons.
Briere and Verbeek have found common ground on trades in 2024 and 2025, exchanging key pieces to the current and future success of both franchises. Can the duo connect on a third trade in three years this summer, as both clubs look to build off their surprising playoff successes?
Mar 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Cameron Carr (43) reacts to his three point basket against the Houston Cougars in the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Cameron Carr burst onto the scene this past season. After barely seeing the floor in his two years at Tennessee (18 games and a total of 102 minutes), Carr finally got the chance to show off his talents at Baylor in 2025. He remained healthy after sustaining a left thumb injury that required surgery in his sophomore year, playing in 34 games and posting averages of 18.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 2.6 APG. He shot 49.4% from the field, 37.4% from beyond the arc (on 6.1 attempts per contest), and 80.1% from the free throw line.
The first thing that sticks out about Carr is his high-flying athleticism. Offensively, he’s a dynamo in transition, able to outrun players and then dunk on their heads. Some of the posters he put up this past season were just downright filthy. Yet, it’s not just in transition where he can use that skillset; he can also play above the rim in the half-court, driving to the basket to finish over defenders with a dunk, layup, or the occasional floater. I know around these parts, a “run-and-dunk man” is something of a forbidden label, but 1) Carr can do more than that, and 2) it’s a compliment to how freakishly athletic he is.
Additionally, unlike a certain recent Bucks draft pick with sky-high hops, Carr is an excellent shooter. He can get threes off in a variety of ways, but 59.7% of his threes were catch-and-shoot. On those attempts, Carr buried them at a 40.7% clip, whether he was unguarded (38.7%) or guarded (41.3%). Moreover, there will be no concerns about whether his shooting can translate to NBA distance, as he consistently shot beyond the typical college range.
Carr uses his shooting gravity to make defenders pay when they try to close out on him; his quickness and body control help him navigate around them. His off-ball scoring isn’t just limited to catch-and-shoot three-point buckets, though, as he is an excellent cutter. According to Synergy, Carr shot 31/36 (86.1%) on cuts. He has a great feel for when and how to cut, and he knows how to read the floor in those spots.
As for Carr’s defense, he was one of the best shot blockers for a wing, averaging 1.3 BPG. And it wasn’t just other wings or guards he was blocking; he had several swats on big men and even multiple blocks on the same possession. Carr’s jumping ability allows him to get higher than most and recover quicker. He can stay in front of guys at times, but his higher center of gravity makes it difficult for him to be a legitimate point-of-attack defender in the league.
The biggest knock on Carr is his frame. While he is 6’5” and has a 7’2” wingspan, he weighs just 190 pounds. That will create a lot of issues for him on both ends, as he can get bullied by stronger players and get bumped off his spots. There are only three wings in the league with similar heights and weights, and that’s Brandon Ingram, Jaden McDaniels, and Jamal Cain (the rest are guards). So, the question for Carr in this spot is whether he can get any stronger, because if not, it will severely limit the type of player he can be in the NBA.
Regardless of what the Bucks decide to do with Giannis, Carr would be a good fit. He would take some pressure off of AJ Green as consistant catch-and-shoot threat, and would fit a much faster-paced Bucks offense to run with GA. He could slot in at shooting guard or small forward, replacing either Kyle Kuzma (if he’s still on the roster) or Green. However, should the Greek Freak depart Milwaukee this offseason, he would be an exciting young piece that would fit well under new head coach Taylor Jenkins.
How would you feel if the Bucks opted to add Carr through the draft? Do you think he’s got enough upside, or would you rather go with someone else? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to vote in our next poll to pick the next player on the board.
UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 01: USA Photo of Peter FRAMPTON, Frampton comes alive tour (Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns)
For Hickory, Owen Proksch had just his second bad outing of the season allowing four runs in 1.2 IP, walking one, striking out one and giving up a homer. Aneudis Mejia struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings.
Josh Springer was 3 for 4 with a double. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Hector Osorio had a hit and a walk. Paulino Santana had a hit and a golden sombrero.
Hub City starter J’Briell Easley struck out four and walked two in three shutout, no hit innings. Brock Porter walked four and struck out four in five shutout, one hit innings. Joey Danielson walked two and allowed a walkoff two run double — just the second hit the Crawdads gave up in the game.
Paxton Kling, Gleider Figuereo and Chandler Pollard all had a hit and a stolen base apiece. Malcolm Moore and Yeison Morrobel each had a hit.
For Frisco, Josh Trentadue struck out three and walked two in two innings, allowing two runs. Wilian Bormie walked one and struck out one in a shutout inning.
Rehabbing Corey Seager went 0 for 3 and played shortstop. Rehabbing Wyatt Langford went 1 for 3 with a homer and a walk as the DH.
Dylan Dreiling was 2 for 5 with a double. Rafe Perich homered and walked. Keith Jones II had a hit. Ian Moller had a hit.
Round Rock starter Josh Stephan allowed three runs in five innings, walking three, striking out three and giving up a homer. Gavin Collyer struck out one in a scoreless inning. Michel Otanez allowed a two run homer in an inning of work, striking out three.
Newly signed Jarred Kelenic hit the ground running, going 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Cam Cauley was 2 for 4 with a walk. Blaine Crim had a hit and two walks.
Major League Baseball star Lars Nootbaar thought it was just a normal interview — until a familiar face appeared on the screen.
The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder was in mid-discussion with ESPN’s Eduardo Perez before Sunday Night Baseball at Fenway Park when the conversation turned to one of the most important people in his life.
“She’s my everything. She’s my best friend,” Lars said of his mother.
Seconds later, Lars realized she was watching the interview live and had been brought into the conversation as a surprise guest.
Watch the video below to see Lars' reaction when he realizes his mom is live with them!
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ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Spencer Schwellenbach (l) of the Atlanta Braves, Chris Sale #51, Grant Holmes #66, and AJ Smith-Shawver (r) watch from the dugout during the Thursday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on April 10, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
No scoring here, because trying to gauge this sort of thing when a rehab setback is nearly expected with pitchers will only end in metaphorical tears.
The Braves have gotten a mild flurry of injury updates on the progress of young arms like Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and AJ Smith-Shawver in their respective rehabs and returns from injury.
Schwellenbach was already a standout starter when he went down: his career line is 77/82/78 (wow) (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) in 38 starts spanning 234 1/3 innings. However, he went down with a fractured elbow (what) in the middle of last season, and then experienced inflammation in the offseason. In the early days of Spring Training camp, he underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in the offending (offended?) elbow. He’s been throwing, but there’s no real timeline for him, and at this point, it seems like he might come back to make a few outings down the stretch (if it’s even worth it), if at all. But, he’s the guy with demonstrated big league success (and then some)… though to what extent he’ll be able to replicate that after a very long injury-related layoff remains to be seen.
Hurston Waldrep was one of the few fun stories the Braves experienced last year. He had a 68/79/89 line last year across ten big league appearances. Spring Training-related ramp up revealed some elbow soreness, and he also underwent bone spurs cleanup surgery. Waldrep is further along than Schwellenbach, and began a rehab assignment in the minors earlier this week. With no setbacks, he could be back sooner rather than later… though what that means for the Braves’ bulk guy-stuffed roster is uncertain.
AJ Smith-Shawver was a nearly-forgotten name amid all the other drama that befell the Braves last season. He underwent Tommy John Surgery after that whole sordid mess where it took Spencer Strider noticing something was up from the dugout. Smith-Shawver will be starting a rehab assignment soon, so he’s in between Waldrep and Schwellenbach timeline-wise. Given that he was very raw and inconsistent in limited MLB exposure (just 74 innings, 88/115/115), it’s hard to know what to expect from Smith-Shawver. There are a lot of feel-related things that take a while to come back for many post-rehab pitchers, but he didn’t have much feel to begin with, so… who knows.
The Braves have a few other injured pitchers on their roster, but they’re really wild card picks at best. I’m not sure Joe Jimenez is coming back; messaging from the team has been morose to non-existent regarding his status. Joey Wentz is out with an ACL injury suffered in Spring Training, so that’s that. There’s also Danny Young — the Braves could probably use a good left-handed reliever, and Young has dominated lefties en route to an overall 101/80/80 line. Like Smith-Shawver, he had Tommy John Surgery last year, with his coming about a month before Smith-Shawver’s. That said, we haven’t really heard anything about Young’s progress, but he’s an easier plug-and-play onto this roster at the moment.
Karl-Anthony Towns was sublime with 18 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Josh Hart did a little bit of everything. OG Anunoby (17 points) made big shots early in the fourth quarter, and Landry Shamet kept the defense honest with 13 points off the bench.
The victory continued a dominant stretch for the Knicks, who now have 12 consecutive playoff wins, tied for the second-longest postseason streak in NBA history.
As New York looks to keep the good times rolling, let’s look at three keys to Game 2...
Fourth quarter phenom
The Brunson storybook continues to be written. Now, the All-Star point guard can add an NBA Finals moment as another chapter in that book. Almost everything went wrong for Brunson in the first three quarters. He was 7-for-22 from the field with four turnovers.
And he had injuries to his right knee and left ankle that disrupted him in the first half. It would've made sense if Brunson simply lived to fight another day, but he didn’t.
Brunson turned it all around in the fourth quarter. He had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the final frame, helping New York take control and win the game. Specifically, he knocked down a corner three-pointer and a tough, contested midrange jumper to put the game away in the final two minutes.
Brunson’s overall stat line of 30 points on 31 shots looks inefficient, but he shook off a rough start and closed out the game for the Knicks in a tough environment. Brunson has done it before, but it was extra special on the NBA Finals stage.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball past San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the second half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center / Geoff Burke - Imagn Images
Despite the win, the Knicks need a more efficient Brunson in Game 2. Finding a way to create easier looks for him will be a priority.
Slowing the Spurs
Important to New York’s turnaround in the second half was controlling the pace. In the first half, San Antonio had a 14-2 advantage in fastbreak points. The second half was a different story, as the Knicks outscored San Antonio 10-1 in that category.
A key to the change was cutting back on turnovers. The Knicks had seven miscues in the first half, but followed that up with just one in the second.
San Antonio is a dynamic team in transition, with the club having electric guards capable of getting downhill like Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and De’Aaron Fox. Then there's star center Victor Wembanyama, who runs the floor well and is a great finisher.
The Spurs also have dangerous corner three-point shooters in Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell. Specifically, Champagnie burned the Knicks in the first half, with 15 points on five treys, with a couple of his looks coming in transition. He was limited to just one point the rest of the way.
The Knicks will need to limit the turnovers to keep the Spurs offense in check going forward.
Stuffing the stat sheet
Hart scored just three points on Wednesday night, but he was all over the floor, accumulating 15 rebounds, six assists, and four steals along the way. Hampered by foul trouble in the first half, Hart was limited to just under 27 minutes of action. He was a game-high plus-22 on the floor.
Hart’s ability to grab rebounds and push the ball immediately was helpful for the Knicks, and they were able to get into their offense earlier in the second half.
Much is made of Hart’s outside shooting. He shot just 1-for-5 from the field, including misses on all three of his three-point attempts. Like other Knicks opponents, the Spurs will often dare Hart to shoot from outside. There will be some times where Hart’s iffy outside shooting will hurt, but games like Wednesday’s are a reminder of how he can leave his fingerprints all over a game without scoring.
Jun 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrates win against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
It may be time to accept that the NL East division title is likely out of the picture for the Phillies. There are still over 100 games left to play in the regular season, but the Phillies’ early swoon and the Braves’ hot start has likely given Atlanta a big enough lead that it’s become unlikely for them to be caught unless something major changes.
But hope for the postseason is not lost, as the Phillies are right in the thick of the wild card race. Again, there’s still a lot of games to be played, but as we begin to enter the summer, it’s time to at least keep one eye on the standings.
At the start of play yesterday, the Phillies were one game out of a wild card spot. They have successfully gotten themselves firmly back into the picture after their horrific start. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they are one of eight teams currently separated by three games in the standings. The others outside of the Phillies are the Padres, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Cubs, Reds, and Nationals.
Not all of those teams will stay this close in the race. Washington has been a surprise thanks to a very good offense, but they seem a good bet to come back to earth at some point due to their poor pitching. The Cardinals and Pirates are other teams playing well above expectations at the moment. The Cubs have been in freefall lately while the Padres have held the top spot despite having pitiful offensive numbers, especially with runners in scoring position.
The Phillies have already secured a tiebreaker with the Padres thanks to their win Tuesday night. They are in position for one over the Pirates thanks to their sweep in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. On the other hand, the Phillies have lost the tiebreaker badly to the Cubs as they played Chicago in the midst of their poor April and are 1-6 against the Cubs. As for the rest, it could go either way as the Phillies still have at least one more series to play and are either 2-1 or 1-2.
So, who do you think will be the Phillies biggest competition for a wild card spot?
But you come here for a recap of Cubs games, and by gum you are going to get one, and it’s not gonna be pretty.
This game didn’t start out pretty, either. Colin Rea got four ground balls in the first inning. That’s good! Unfortunately, there was also a walk sandwiched in there, and the A’s beat two double-play relays, scoring a run on one of them for a 1-0 lead. Then Rea gave up a one-out double and two-out single in the second and the Cubs trailed 2-0. It might have been worse if not for this nice sliding grab by Seiya Suzuki [VIDEO].
Much more on Happ’s 1,000th career hit from BCB’s JohnW53:
Ian Happ’s fourth-inning double made him the 37th player with 1,000 hits in games as a Cub. Those 37 are just 1.6 percent of all 2,295 who have played for the Cubs.
The last with a 1,000th hit had been Anthony Rizzo, with the second of his two doubles at home against the Mets on Aug. 27, 2018. Rizzo finished with 1,311 as a Cub, to rank 20th, between Bill Nicholson (1,323) and Tom Burns (1,299).
The total hit count for the 38 range from Cap Anson (3,012), Ernie Banks (2,583) and Billy Williams (2,510), to Andy Pafko (1,048), Derrek Lee (1,046) and Hack Wilson (1,017). Starlin Castro fell just nine hits, with 991.
Happ is the 1,415th MLB player to reach 1,000 hits in a career — 6.0 percent of all 23,658 big leaguers. Four of them made exactly 1,000: Orator Shafer, 1874-90; Birdie Tebbetts, 1936-52; Dee Fondy, 1951-58; and James Carroll, 2002-13. Scott Brosius made 1,001 in 1991-2001 and Jim Hickman made 1,002 in 1962-74. Shafer, Fondy and Hickman are among 273 players with at least 1,000 hits who spent time with the Cubs — 19.3 percent of all 1,414, about one of every five.
And some postgame comments from Happ about what that all means:
"That's what makes it so special, just being with this team for as long as I have, wearing this uniform … The fans have given me so much here, that's the most special part. Every day they're here, they're supportive."
So this was a discussion among our group in the bleachers, and maybe with you too. Would you have sent Busch to try for an inside-the-park home run on that hit? He was slowing down at third, obviously due to a stop sign third-base coach Quintin Berry put up. But if running full speed? It would have taken a perfect throw to get him at the plate. Would have been close, to be sure, but… would you have done it?
Busch wound up stranded. That fifth run would have made a difference, obviously.
Rea settled down after those first two innings and allowed only two further baserunners, one of whom he picked off. He was removed with one out in the top of the sixth after just 69 pitches. Seemed a bit odd after he’d thrown 98 and 92 in his two previous starts and had an extra day of rest due to Monday’s off day. Hoby Milner finished the sixth without incident.
Jacob Webb threw a scoreless seventh so the Cubs went to the eighth with a 4-2 lead and relievers set up the way Craig Counsell drew it up — Caleb Thielbar for the eighth and Daniel Palencia for the ninth.
Unfortunately, Thielbar had a bad inning. He served up a 426-foot homer to pinch-hitter Colby Thomas leading off the inning, then a single and double tied the game 4-4. Phil Maton came in and I had visions of this 4-4 game suddenly becoming a 6-4 or 7-4 deficit. Maton did allow a hit but got out of the inning with the game still tied.
In the bottom of the inning, Alex Bregman led off with a walk but Suzuki hit into a double play. That turned out to be important, because Happ then doubled again, which would have given the Cubs the lead. It was the Cubs’ seventh extra-base hit of the game. More on that from John:
The Cubs’ seven extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple, two homers) among their nine total hits were their most in a game this season.
They had six (three doubles, three homers) among 18 hits in a 10-inning, 8-7 win at home over the Phillies on April 23, then six (four doubles, triple, homer) among 12 hits in an 8-4 win at home over the Diamondbacks on May 3.
Palencia threw a 1-2-3 ninth but the Cubs also went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning. On to extras, then.
The A’s scored a run when placed runner Alika Williams scored on a single by Nick Kurtz off Ethan Roberts. Ryan Rolison had to come into the game to face Tyler Soderstrom with two out and a runner on first. He got the out, after a review [VIDEO].
Counsell sent Kevin Alcántara to be the placed runner in the bottom of the inning, running for Miguel Amaya, who’d made the last out in the ninth. Alcántara moved to third on a fly to center, then almost got himself picked off third. Didn’t matter when PCA struck out and Bregman flied to right to end the game.
Ugly, ugly facts:
The Cubs’ run since their peak this year is now 5-18
They dropped to 4-3 in extra innings
They dropped to 9-7 in one-run games
The Cubs also dropped to fourth place in the NL Central, still 6.5 games behind the Brewers, who got two-hit by the Giants Wednesday. Everyone in the division lost Wednesday except the Cardinals, who defeated the Rangers. (And if you think this Cubs game was bad, the Pirates led the Astros 8-3 going to the bottom of the seventh and lost 11-9.)
Still lots of time left. One hundred games, to be exact.
But it would be nice to start winning. Like, right now.
The Cubs, now on an eight-game Wrigley losing streak (following that 15-game home win streak), will attempt to salvage the final game of this series against the A’s Thursday evening at Wrigley Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and J.T. Ginn will go for the A’s. Game time is again 7:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
In a video making the rounds on social media, two Spurs fans went eye-to-eye with a Knicks fan wearing his blue Knicks cap, a Knicks No. 8 jersey and a platinum chain, which was ripped off his neck.
A Knicks fan had his chain ripped off by a Spurs fan. X, @_angel218_
The Knicks fan then aggressively came over to one of the Spurs fans, who immediately began throwing punches as a brawl broke out.
Two police officers wearing five-gallon cowboy hats ran over to apprehend the Knicks fan, despite the instigator appearing to be on the home team’s side.
It is unclear if the Knicks fan ever retrieved his necklace.
A television segment was being held right in front of the scuffle, which continued with fans surrounding the blocked-off area.
Knicks fans have traveled well throughout this magical playoff run — from Atlanta to Philadelphia to Cleveland and now San Antonio.
Their playoff opponents have attempted to slow the travel plans by geo-fencing ticket sales and requiring zip codes on credit cards to be non-New York-based.
The Spurs fans attempts to punch the Knicks supporter. @_angel218_/X
It has all been to no avail.
The Knicks have won 12 straight overall and seven straight on the road — their only loss away from MSG coming in a 109-108 loss to the Hawks on the April 23.
Spurs fan who ripped off a Knicks fans chain throws a punch. X, @_angel218_
Knicks fans are going to be tough to deal with again in Game 2 on Friday night as they look to put a stranglehold on the series.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JUNE 3: Robert Ahlstrom #54 delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning of his MLB debut at Busch Stadium on June 3, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cardinals 5, Rangers 3
I regret to inform you that the Rangers’ winning streak has come to an end.
A five game winning streak is nice, of course. But sweeping in St. Louis, coming back home for the weekend series, where I will be in attendance on Saturday and Sunday, on a six game run?
Oh, and getting back to .500, as well.
That would have been cool.
Remember when the Rangers were above .500?
But we have to deal with the reality that we have, not the reality we want.
And the reality that we have right now is a Rangers team that has won 5 of 6, but that is just at 30-32 because they lost 6 of 7 before that.
MacKenzie Gore did not pitch particularly well. He needed 31 pitches to get through a first inning that featured three walks and a single. Fortunately, only one run scored, and the bases were left loaded, and if you’re a glass-half-full type you might point out that his control problems went away after the first inning, since he didn’t issue another walk the rest of the game.
Gore did, however, allow 8 more hits before getting pulled with two outs in the fifth, at 100 pitches.
Gore’s 100th pitch was a curveball that Thomas Saggese crushed for an RBI triple that made it a 4-1 game. He was then lifted for Luis Curvelo.
Gore is generating a certain Adam Eaton vibe with me right now. Eaton, like Gore, was a well regarded high school first round pick by the San Diego Padres. Eaton, like Gore, was seen as having really good stuff and top of the rotation potential, but wasn’t pitching up to that potential early in his career. Eaton, like Gore, was acquired by the Texas Rangers both to shore up the team’s rotation and because the team thought he was ready to break out, and that they could unlock his potential.
Eaton was a rental, of course, here for just a season before becoming a free agent. And a bad season it was…Eaton put up a 5.12 ERA and 5.32 FIP in 65 innings over 13 games, then signed a three year, $24.5 million free agent deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
That contract was considered an overpay at the time, but the Phillies felt that he had untapped potential they could unlock. Instead, he put up a 6.10 ERA over 49 starts and two relief appearances in two seasons, was released after two seasons, split the 2009 season between Baltimore and Colorado, put up an 8.08 ERA in 49 innings between the clubs, and was out of baseball after that.
I’d forgotten about how bad Eaton was after he left Texas.
Gore has been better for the Rangers than Adam Eaton was, and the package the Rangers gave up for him does not appear as onerous.
It is ironic, though, that Chris Young, the guy who made the MacKenzie Gore trade for the Rangers, was sent to San Diego as part of that Eaton trade.
Young was, in fact, the guy we were most upset about losing at the time. Adrian Gonzalez seemed like someone who might turn into a decent major league first baseman at some point, not a future star.
Gore is currently rocking a 4.23 ERA, a 3.98 xERA, and a 3.61 FIP in 66 innings over 13 starts as a Ranger. I think the team was hoping for a bit better performance than that.
The B-team relievers handled the final 3.1 innings. Luis Curvelo allowed a homer. Robbie Ahlstrom pitched well in his major league debut, striking out two of the four batters he faced
Cal Quantrill pitched on back-to-back nights? He’s a real reliever now.
Not a great performance by the offense, which managed just one run off of Cardinals starter Andrew Pallante.
They did get to reliever JoJo Romero for the second game in a row, at least. Romero, a lefty, came into the game with two outs in the sixth with two on and two out, triggering a cavalcade of pinch hitters by the Rangers. Cody Freeman hit for Alejandro Osuna in the sixth, striking out to end the inning. Justin Foscue hit for Evan Carter to lead off the seventh, and doubled. After a Kyle Higashioka walk, Michael Helman pinch hit for Nicky Lopez, which left only Danny Jansen remaining on the bench.
Michael Helman pinch hitting for Nicky Lopez is not a sentence I ever wanted to have to write. At least, as it pertains to the Rangers.
Joc Pederson thus had to face Romero in the lefty-on-lefty matchup because, well, only Danny Jansen was left on the bench, and even Skip Schumaker, who has been very aggressive in going to his bench early, didn’t want to leave himself with no position players remaining in the top of the seventh.
Pederson responded by roping a two run triple, because as our friend Tepid says, baseball exists to eff with you.
The Rangers were not able to get him home, though, nor were they able to get the tying run on base. Once again, the early pinch hitting decisions left the Rangers with the righthanded parts of their platoon going up against righthanded relievers in the eighth and ninth, though Freeman did single off of Ryne Stanek in the eighth.
Cody Freeman has a 1500 OPS on the season! How can you send him down with numbers like that!
Hopefully the imminent return of Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford provides a boost to the lineup. That would be helpful.
MacKenzie Gore touched 97.8 mph with his fastball, averaging 96.2 mph. Luis Curvelo touched 95.4 mph with his fastball. Robby Ahlstrom maxed out at 97.6 mph with his sinker. Cal Quantrill topped out at 95.1 mph with his sinker. Cal Quantrill, who picked up a win in relief the night before on one pitch, used seven pitches to get the final two outs.
Joc Pederson had a 103.4 mph fly out and a 103.3 mph triple. Justin Foscue had a 100.6 mph double.
Back home for three against Cleveland before hitting the road again. .500 is attainable…I just know it!
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is “not worried in the slightest” after Wednesday’s Game 1 home loss.
The Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95 on Wednesday night to grab a 1-0 series lead, and Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 of which came from the free throw line.
“We’ve been down in a series before,” Wembanyama said. “Never in the Finals, obviously.
“But I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried in the slightest.”
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks down as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks towards his bench during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo/Eric Gay
The Spurs led the Knicks by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, but with Jalen Brunson leading the comeback with a game-high 30 points, that lead slowly evaporated.
Wembanyama shot just 28 percent from the field during the game and 22 percent from behind the arc.
When the Spurs needed him most, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman scored just 11 points in the second half.
Brunson alone had 13 in the fourth quarter.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not more complicated than that. … I think we let that one go.”
Wembanyama has been on fire this postseason, averaging 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.5 blocks.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a basket against the New York Knicks during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo/Eric Gay
The Spurs are undefeated in the playoffs when the forward tallied at least 30 points. In fact, it’s been two months since Wembanyama lost and put up 30 or more points.
“It’s almost not like I have anything to figure out. It’s almost like I have to play normal, not even good [in Game 2],” Wembanyama said. “It’s just [about] doing the right things enough.
“When we play bad, when I play bad, is when we shoot ourselves in the foot. This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better.”
Wembanyama said he felt the Spurs had momentum in the game until the very end, and ultimately believed San Antonio let the game slip.
The Spurs led by one point with 2:16 left, but surrendered an 11-0 run to end the game.
In the final two minutes, Wembanyama turned the ball over once and then missed a 3-pointer on the next possession. The Knicks turned the next possession into points on both occasions.
“It was quick,” Wembanyama said. “I think we let that one go.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Trendon Watford #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was an up-and-down season for the Philadelphia 76ers in general, but especially so for Trendon Watford.
The 25-year-old forward appeared in 53 games for the Sixers this season, starting in seven and averaging 16.3 minutes a night. Opportunity was far from consistent for Watford, though, as he worked in and out of the rotation at different points of the campaign. When the team was dealing with a plethora of injuries, Watford was able to step in. At other times, he battled injuries or simply became a redundancy in the rotation as the squad got healthier and his weaknesses became more palpable.
All of those factors will come into play as the Sixers face a decision with Watford for 2026-27: pick up the team option for the second year of his two-year, vet minimum contract, or let him go. The deadline for the Sixers to pick up that option is June 29.
So, what will the Sixers do?
Let’s talk about the positives first. Watford’s best outing of the season came way back on Nov. 8, 2025, when he posted an impressive triple-double of 20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a 130-120 Sixers win over the Raptors. He shot 8-for-10 from the floor (1-for-2 from long range) on top of a good defensive effort in what was his first ever start as a Sixer.
Trendon Watford. What a game in his first Sixers start.
Watford notched his first career triple-double with 20 PTS (8-10 FG), 17 REB, 10 AST. Add fantastic defensive effort on top of that, too.
That performance possibly set expectations astronomically too high for Watford, who never posted quite those numbers again. He reached the 20-point mark just one more time the entire season, off the bench on March 21 against the Utah Jazz. Sure, it was against the Jazz, but still, 7-of-10 FG, nine rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes ain’t bad!
The problem is, that wasn’t exactly what the Sixers always got from him.
The thing with Watford is that he’s not a horrible player with the ball in his hands. For a forward — a 6-foot-8, 237 pound one, at that — he has some decent ball-handling and playmaking skills more usually attributed to a guard. The problem with that is that there are a number of players — Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, just to name a few — that the Sixers would rather have with the ball in their hands. That leaves Watford to playing off the ball… which is definitely not his strong suit. He does not shoot the long ball often or particularly well, he isn’t as active as a rebounder as you’d want for a guy his size, nor is he a great defensively by any means.
Consistency is the key if you’re going to be a rotation player, and Watford simply did not get or exude a lot of that as a Sixer. For every night he came up big for Philly, he’d have a few where he couldn’t make much impact at all. For every stint the team was shorthanded and needed him in large role, there were other times there was simply no room for Watford — especially toward the end of the regular season as the team was as “full-strength” as a Sixers team gets. A lot of his best moments came in garbage time of games all but decided already. Even for a Sixers team that basically had zero depth and was playing guys for 45 minutes a night, Watford simply wasn’t good enough to move the needle really at all.
Is he decent with the ball? At times. Does he seem like a great guy that his teammates love? For sure! Does he bring a level of high energy that the Sixers aren’t always famous for? Absolutely! But the bottom line problem with Watford for this Sixers team is that they would need him to be much better off the ball and at scoring some serious points, and he simply doesn’t score consistently enough to make up for those other major weaknesses on the floor.
For these reasons, I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to see Philadelphia decline to pick up Watford’s team option to return for the Sixers in 2026-27. Even at the vet minimum price tag, he simply may not bring enough to the table to make it worth the Sixers’ while.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against the New York Knicks in the second half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy was never meant to be easy. Against the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs flashed some of that playoff magic in their loss to the Knicks. Victor Wembanyama notched a double-double with a team-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Julian Champagnie also had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Speaking of rebounds, the boys will hope to tie up the series in their next outing despite some flashes of good basketball against their Eastern Conference counterparts.
If you ever wondered what it looks like if Michael Jordan was a seven-footer taking a jump shot from the top of the elbow, I give you exhibit A:
Victor Wembanyama blocked a shot, took a moment to preen, and then rolled back into frame to drain a three. It’s flashy work, but someone has to do it.
Devin Vassell lasered this pass to De’Aaron Fox for the wide open look. When the good guys were able to counter the Knicks’ hot start, the Spurs looked somewhat sharp on the offensive end, despite the many missed threes. The team averaged 28 assists per game this season so they will look to improve upon Wednesday’s 16 assist effort in the Game 1 loss.
Julian Champagnie was on a heater tonight. Not only did the Spurs forward go a scorching 5 – 10 from downtown on Wednesday night, but coming down with 10 boards for the double-double was a nice touch as well.
Harper just continued to impress. Any adjustments the Spurs make in Game 2 will probably involve a touch more minutes for Harper, even though he logged a decent-sized 27:31 minutes off the bench.
It’s really crazy just watching Dylan Harper’s moves around the rim and instantly be reminded of the magic Manu Ginóbili would pull off. These two players have a knack for getting the best out of every angle and crevice between outstretched arms and the basket to finagle that basketball in. Maybe it’s because they’re left-handed. Maybe it’s (you sang that jingle in your head as you read it, didn’t you?).
Devin Vassell continues to do yeoman’s work on the court on the offensive and defensive end, but nothing was yeoman-like about this emphatic dunk. The bounce pass from Fox was also simple, quick, but pretty (in Michael Scott’s voice,“ TWSS”).
Good things happen when Wembanyama takes it to the hoop . . . is exactly what Mitch Johnson should have tattooed on the underside of his arms so that when he’s waving in plays while coaching on the floor the team can permanently see the best plan of action inked in a sleeve on his arm.
The NBA Finals are back in San Antonio, where they belong. It’s a long series, folks. Buckle in because it’s only going to get crazier. We love the corgi. But now they just have to go out there and do this without the corgi. It’ll be hard, but nothing in life worth having comes easy. I took that quote from Dr. Bob Kelso in Scrubs. If you’re a fan of the show, the reboot is actually good. Same heart, new laughs. What has two thumbs and says Go Spurs Go? Bob Kelso Son Q. Trinh, nice to meet you.
