When Jameson Taillon went down with an injury in the second inning, it appeared that any chance of the Cubs winning Sunday’s game — especially since they were already down 1-0 with a runner on base — was close to zero.
They didn’t win, losing the game 2-1 and the series to the Giants, but the failure was certainly not the fault of Javier Assad, who had been called up from Triple-A Iowa Saturday to provide “length” out of the bullpen. That he did, and more, throwing 6.1 outstanding innings, allowing one hit and just two other baserunners. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the Cubs to win the game.
Taillon threw 29 pitches in a rough first inning in which the Giants had a walk and two singles that produced a run. After the Cubs went out meekly in the bottom of the first on just eight pitches from Giants starter Trevor McDonald, Taillon walked Matt Chapman leading off the second.
We don’t yet know how serious this is, but I’d imagine this puts Taillon out until after the All-Star break.
As noted above, Assad came in and slammed the door shut. He did hit the first batter he faced, and the two Giants runners were advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Great throw by Pedro Ramirez, great tag by Carson Kelly. The play was reviewed and ruled “call stands.”
After that, Assad allowed just two more baserunners, a leadoff walk followed by a single in the fourth. A double play followed, the first of 13 consecutive Giants retired by Assad before he left to a warm ovation in the eighth. The 6.1 inning scoreless relief appearance was the first by a reliever for the Cubs in a very long time. From BCB’s JohnW53:
The last Cubs reliever to pitch at least 6.1 scoreless innings, as Javier Assad did Sunday night, was Tom Dettore, way back on Aug. 16, 1974, at home vs. the Padres. He pitched 6.1, gave up three hits, walked one and struck out six.
There had been only five earlier in the Expansion Era: 7.0: Ray Burris, 1973 7.1: Tom Phoebus, 1972 7.0: Bill Hands, 1967 6.1: Cal Koonce, 1965 8.0: Koonce, 1964
There have been 78 such games since 1901, of which 19 were in the Dead Ball Era.
But the Cubs offense produced… nothing. Well, not totally “nothing,” as they did tie the game in the third. With two out, Kelly singled and went to second on a single by Pete Crow-Armstrong.
But that was it. The Cubs loaded the bases in the fourth. Ian Happ sent a ball to the right-field corner with one out and legged out a triple. After Seiya Suzuki hit a sharp line drive to short, Nico Hoerner and Ramirez walked. But Kelly struck out to end the inning.
Jacob Webb relieved Assad in the eighth and retired both hitters he faced. He’s really become very reliable.
The Cubs had an excellent chance to score in the bottom of the eighth. Miguel Amaya, batting for Ballesteros, walked. Kevin Alcántara ran for Amaya. Michael Busch dribbled a ball in front of the plate and was safe at first with a hit, and when Giants pitcher Erik Miller threw the ball away, Alcántara took third.
What was Alcántara thinking being so far off third base? Alex Bregman hit the ball hard, but right at first baseman Rafael Devers, whose throw to Chapman easily beat Alcántara back to the base for a double play.
Daniel Palencia threw a 1-2-3 ninth. The Cubs had yet another good scoring chance in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Hoerner singled and Ramirez walked. The winning run’s on second. But Kelly popped up for the second out. PCA, with a chance to be a walk-off hero for the second time this homestand, grounded to first, so on to extras the game went for the second day in a row.
Trent Thornton threw the 10th, and on his second pitch Chapman singled in the placed runner to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. Thornton got out of the inning with no further damage. Could the Cubs repeat a 10th-inning win?
Well, no, they could not. PCA was the placed runner. Michael Conforto, who hit a walk-off homer earlier this year, batted for Alcántara and struck out.
That’s a very risky play when you’re already in scoring position. But now, a fly ball to the outfield could tie the game.
As you know, the Cubs could not produce that fly ball. Busch popped up and Bregman, who has been getting booed lately, also popped up to end the game.
For his part, Bregman acknowledged the boos and that he hasn’t played well:
Alex Bregman completely wore it after going 0 for 5 and making the last out tonight: “I haven’t executed all year. Runners in scoring position, I’ve been god awful.”
Full Alex Bregman quote. His OPS is down to .669: “I’ve been terrible. I need to play better. Offensively, its been awful. I’ve failed many times in this game. I’ve struggled. I’ve started slow before, I’ve started fast before. When you’re struggling, there is only one way…
Alex Bregman on hearing boos at Wrigley Field: “Those can be directed at me because I haven’t come through with guys in scoring position. I have plenty of chances. Guys are getting on-base in front of me all the time.”
Credit where it’s due: Bregman is a stand-up guy. He did not make excuses for his poor play so far. He wore it, he gets that fans are frustrated with him. We can only hope that he improves from here.
And then, there’s this summary of the game (and really, this whole season):
You have heard that story before, so I won’t belabor it. This just has to get better or the remaining 96 games are going to be really, really unhappy. Lastly, the Cubs, who started out 18-5 at Wrigley Field, have lost 10 of their last 12 home games and since May 8 are 7-20, the worst record in MLB over that span.
The Cubs have Monday off and then open a three-game series against the Rockies in Denver Tuesday evening. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Tomoyuki Sagano will go for Colorado. Game time Tuesday is 7:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
He’s also the second-most hated NBA player nationally, including in Los Angeles, which is understandable given the intensity of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, and also, for some reason, Hawaii.
He’s also the most-hated in the Southeast, which we would put down to UNC and Kentucky fans, primarily.
The only guy more hated than Tatum? Draymond Green,and that’s no surprise, given his erratic and often offensive behavior.
According to RotoWire, “His combination of genuine superstar talent and a perceived smug on-court demeanor makes him the perfect villain for anyone not rooting for Boston.”
Okay, makes sense from a particular point of view, probably. To us, though, and probably most Duke fans, he’s a likable guy. He clearly adores his son, Deuce, and also puts the kid and his mom in his TV ads.
Part of it is naturally Boston. Either you like the Celtics, or you don’t. But a bigger part of it is probably Duke. And with Jon Scheyer doing a great job at Duke – in some ways, arguably better than Mike Krzyzewski – Duke hatred, which took a brief break after Coach K retired, is not going away anytime soon.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 7: Ben Stiller and Head Coach Mike Brown of the New York Knicks smile during 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. 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 L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Here’s my latest conversation with J.R. Wilco of Pounding the Rock. After a pair of nail-biters in San Antonio, the NBA Finals shift to Madison Square Garden with the Knicks holding a 2-0 lead and the Spurs searching for answers. In the latest edition of our ongoing Finals correspondence, J.R. and I discuss Game Two’s emotional whiplash, whether San Antonio has another adjustment left to make, and which team is actually feeling the pressure as the series heads to New York.
What a game. What an incredible game! Loved the ebb and flow. Loved the tension. Loved the comeback and taking the lead. Loved forcing the Brunson miss and rebound to bring it up the court with a chance to make sure that overtime was the worst possible result. Man, there is nothing like the final moments of a huge game with tons riding on it when it comes down to the final possession.
I’d say that’s right about the point where I stopped loving things. From the point of that rebound, it was either bad things or not-so-bad things. But there were no good things. What a game, but how … what’s the word? I need a word for a pain so big that you can’t simply use the word pain because it’s too small to cover the enormity of the loss. The kind of pain that, as you come to terms with it, keeps growing to the point that you wonder if it’ll overwhelm you. A pain that you can’t get your arms around. A pain that makes you re-examine who you are and how you approach the things that matter. Excruciating. That’s the word.
After you’ve found the right word, there’s nothing left to do but find the silver linings. I mean, of course, there are plenty of things to do besides. There’s wallowing in the pain of a 0–2 series. There’s torturing yourself with the frustration of coming up short. There’s bemoaning missed calls and bad plays and missed free throws and turnovers. There is all of that. But none of that is constructive, and so I refuse to do that to myself. I reject the idea that my fandom (the state and the core of my rooting for a team) would be something that turns me to bitterness. Never! So finding silver linings it is.
Wemby has come through in the clutch all season. He’s taken the measure of the moment and made not just big but huge plays. For him to see his best fall short is just the kind of pain that forces more focus and development and teamwork. That’s the kind of pain that makes a team dig deep and turn 2013 into 2014. Oh, it’s excruciating. But they either get hurt enough to learn from it—really learn and improve—or they get back to 2-2. There’s no pressure on them now. After three straight days of “Will NY sweep?” it’s free and easy from here until the series is tied or it’s all over.
R.R.
Boy were my briefs tight in the final two minutes. When Victor Wembanyama put the Spurs ahead, 103-102, my voice squeaked like a 12-year-old eunuch’s. Thank goodness my baby-making days are over. Can you imagine explaining that to the specialist? “Everything was fine until that 14-0 run and then—sssnap!”
That particular pain you speak of is all too familiar to us in New York. That existential dread still gives us shivers. You see, while the spurs were hanging five championship banners, we went 53 years without (not me personally, I’m old but not that old!). While you were partying, we were always talking about next year, and how Kevin Knox just needed a little refinement, and how Phil Jackson would lead us to the Promised Land (if he’d quit napping at team practices). Silver linings? Silver linings?? We had orange and blue skies, but they were always trimmed by strands of twinkling silver.
What we would be saying in your position–and you can trust my expertise on this, because Knicks fans have been in your position practically since Dr. Naismith hung his peach crates–is that there is no team more dangerous than one that has been summarily written off. Down 2-0? Ho Ho Ho!No sweat! This is the exactly the adversity Elfrid Payton needs to kick in the next gea–
Sorry. Had a gnarly flashback to the 2021 playoffs. My therapist calls this basketball-induced PTSD.
Returning to 2026: I thought San Antonio’s response to Game One mostly worked. They doubled the paint aggressively, got better games from De’Aaron Fox and Wembanyama, and defended more physically. Even Tony Brothers shook his head when Carter Bryant dropped an elbow on Jalen Brunson from the top rope. Ol’ Tone didn’t blow his whistle, but he did admonish the behavior with a stern head shake. Did you see the clip of Wemby nearly snapping Jose Alvarado’s neck? I hope Brooklyn has good chiropractors.
So, the fact that they threw a mightier haymaker and still came up short doesn’t bode well for your guys. Meanwhile, Brunson is primed to have a breakout game; Josh Hart hasn’t yet had one of his random five-three-pointer games; OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are playing defense like cops from El Salvador; and the ghost of Willis Reed has possessed the body of Towns. The most encouraging thing about heading home up 2-0 is that the Knicks haven’t even turned the dial all the way up yet.
Some on our side are speculating that Johnson might start Harper in place of Fox in Game Three. Fox’s ankle issues seem to be hindering San Antonio’s offense. Harper, being bigger, stronger, and more physical, would attack downhill, create tough pick-and-roll problems with Wembanyama, and force Brunson into heavy defensive work, opening up opportunities for the Spurs’ shooters and star big man. What do you think? Do you think Johnson will make the change?
J.R.
Nossir. Uh-uh. Nope.
As much as I would love to see Dylan’s minutes increase, if Fox is healthy enough to play, I don’t see Mitch starting Harper. I’m not saying Pop would’ve done it, but one of the things that happens when you replace a living legend is that you deal with a lot more second-guessing of the kind that would’ve been waved away with a breezy, “The guy’s got five rings, and do you think you know more about basketball than he does!?”
I love Mitch. I feel certain that he’s the right guy. I think San Antonio has its Eric Spoelstra in Coach Johnson. You know, the guy who started in the Heat’s system as a video coordinator and worked his way up to being Riley’s right-hand man and eventual successor. That’s Mitch, only swap South Beach for the Alamo and a slicked-back hairdo for a white beard and a smirk.
My take on Mitch from early in the season: it doesn’t matter if he’s the best-qualified guy to take the Spurs to the Finals this year. It only matters that he’s the guy who will be able to grow with the team so that he’s Finals-ready when the team is. Only there was a problem with that neat little take of mine. The team went out and made the Finals! So we’re seeing what it looks like when a franchise’s 22-year-old best player (who’s learning on the fly) is being coached by a first-full-year head coach who’s (say it with me) learning on the fly. So much potential that the sky is the limit. How high will they fly this year? No one knows, but it’s been entertaining so far!
Yes, even Game 2 was stunningly entertaining—like a cinematic masterpiece that leaves you so emotionally impacted that you have to spend $10,000 in therapy to get over it. Costly, sure. But entertaining.
So, with the ghosts of Elfrid Payton and Stephon Marbury hanging in the wings, and with the words “it might just be crazy enough to work” echoing in the halls, the series moves back to MSG. Would you agree that the pressure is on the Knicks at this point, or would that only happen should the Spurs take Game 3?
R.R.
How you thought about coach Mitch is kinda how we regarded coach Thibs. He was going to be the bridge—the Mark Jackson to the Steve Kerr, if you will. Tom was hired to install discipline, fundamentals, and a winning culture. He had never (head) coached a team to the Finals, nor did we expect him to. When the team reached the ECF last season, our heads were sent reeling.
The camp was divided. The curmudgeon had delivered on one major dream (the ECF); did he deserve a chance at a Finals run, or were his weaknesses the last obstacles to glory? Leon Rose & Co. went with the latter. I’d say their choice has been vindicated.
One criticism of Thibs was that the Knicks’ offense became predictable: dribble handoffs at the top, drive-and-kicks, and heavy Brunson iso-ball. Mike Brown was hired to change that. Throughout the regular season, though, the offense looked eerily similar. Remember, this is not a young roster but one of seasoned vets, with pride and ingrained beliefs about their personal skills. (OK, psst—the problem was mostly KAT, but shhh. We love him now!)
Only in the playoffs has Mike Brown’s scheme been realized. The Knicks have consistently moved the ball and involved everyone in the offense. They’ve executed at a speed unseen from them before. In fact, I suspect their game plan—which is to push the pace to tire out Wemby—had a deleterious effect on their own stamina in Game Two. When they became winded, the old habits emerged. Late possessions became sloppy. Luckily, they snapped out of it enough to salvage the game, with special thanks to Captain Clutch.
Brunson was mauled for much of the night and never found a rhythm. In yet another massive moment, he hit the tying shot, recovered Wembanyama’s turnover, and scored the winning point. That’s why his jersey sells like hotcakes. The 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year, remember.
To your question: the pressure should be on New York, with a chance to effectively slam the door with a Game Three victory on their home turf. But they are playing with such confidence that I doubt they’re overly concerned.
Truly, an impartial juror would look at this scenario and say, “Duh. Can I go home now?” New York defeated the Spurs four out of five times between the regular season and postseason (pretty good for the purported underdogs, no?). Could San Antonio flip the script, unlock some cheat code, and win four of the next five? It’s possible. But don’t bet your kid’s college tuition on it.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 05: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the third quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 05, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think returning to San Antonio with the series tied for Game 5 is, and why do you feel that way?
Mark Barrington: There’s a fact in statistics that seems counterintuitive to people who aren’t into mathematics. In a large data set, low probability events aren’t all that uncommon. So there’s a chance. The Spurs came close to winning Game 2, but their inexperience got the better of them as they couldn’t close the deal. The Knicks have all the momentum, and if an eight-day layoff before Game 1 didn’t throw them off, the two-game layoff between Games 2 and 3 shouldn’t bother them. Three teams have lost the first two games at home in the finals:
The 1993 Suns, led by Charles Barkley, extended the Finals to 6 games by winning Game 3 on the road in a 3 OT thriller, and also won Game 5 over Michael Jordan’s Bulls before losing 99-98 in Game 6 at home, back in the days of the 2-3-2 format.
The 1995 Magic were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets, even with a young fella named Shaquille O’Neal on the roster.
The history of the 2026 Spurs finals run has yet to be written, but if any team can break the trend, it would be the Silver and Black, who are one of the most resilient teams in the history of the league. The Spurs have to make a statement in Game 3, and if they can win a triple overtime thriller like the Suns did way back in 1993, it could get interesting.
My head says that it’s extremely unlikely that the Spurs can win two on the road after losing the first two at home. It’s never been done before in the Finals. Let’s watch the Spurs try to make some history on Monday and Wednesday.
Bill Huan: I would be absolutely shocked if it’s tied 2-2 after going to MSG. Not that it’s impossible the Spurs come back in the series, but the way the Knicks are clicking and the environment in the Garden makes me quite confident that it’ll be 3-1 heading back to San Antonio for Game 5. With that said, this team has surprised me every step of the way this season and risen to every occasion, so if anyone can do it, it’s them.
Devon Birdsong: Having seen a young upstart Finals-caliber team come back from 0-2 against a Finals-caliber older veteran team back in 2012, I know it’s probably more possible than the naysayers are willing to admit. As long as they don’t look defeated (and they haven’t in interviews), I’d say it’s 4 out of 10 that they do it. That still doesn’t leave the odds in their favor, though. I think, mentally, they have to win game three in a landslide for their own confidence. If they do that, they’ll probably extend it to six or seven games. And I don’t know why, but I think they’re gonna extend it. The margins have been so thin. Surely they have some good fortune coming their way.
Jeje Gomez: If I have to assign a number to it, it would be a five, which I understand is insanely high against an elite opponent that matches up well against the Spurs. But I could see one of those dominant San Antonio performances coming in Game 3, a night in which they look like the unstoppable force they have resembled at times these playoffs. After that, maybe they can keep Game 4 close and be the ones who come out on top that time around. The Knicks have looked like the better team this series, and at this point, not even a sweep would surprise me, but what has characterized the Spurs this season is that they have a low floor but an insanely high ceiling, so they could pull off something crazy.
If you were Mitch Johnson, what adjustment would you make, and would it involve changing the starting lineup?
Barrington: I don’t think that the Spurs have made any major strategic mistakes so far. You could have played Harper more late in Game 1, but in Game 2 Fox’s play showed why Coach Johnson trusted De’Aaron as a finisher. The biggest adjustment has to be in the mentality of the players. They have to play with confidence and within the system. They have to not get down when a foul doesn’t get called or a bounce goes wrong. They have to find that balance between playing with abandon and being in control and trusting your teammates. I’ve seen them play that way for short stretches in the first two games, but winning in Madison Square Garden will require them to do it for 48 minutes. I think that Coach Johnson needs to get them ready to play mentally and keep playing the pressure defense that led them to a comeback in Game 2. The Spurs’ stars can’t wait until late in the game to get involved in the offense; they have to be sharp right from the opening tip. I don’t know if that’s going to be enough against a historic juggernaut like this year’s Knicks. We’ll find out this week.
Huan: It starts with seeing what happened during that fourth-quarter comeback in Game 2. For starters, I would change the lineup by inserting Harper in for Champagnie, and on defense, let Castle guard Brunson one-on-one without sending help. Then, have Wemby guard KAT and do not help off the shooters. Offensively, they need to take advantage of having three guards and continue attacking Brunson, and if that’s not working, then run more Fox-Wemby two-man game.
Birdsong: I really don’t think there have been as many glaring matchup issues as I thought there would be. I think it’s important that Mitch start to go with the hot hand out of the three guards, whatever combo that might be, by the fourth quarter. But, outside of giving Bryant some minutes on Towns, just to see, I think the right lineups have been used, and I think the narrow margins testify to that. Otherwise, I think it really comes down to scheme. I really do not want to see much five-out being used. They just haven’t figured out how to use it consistently unless Wemby is white hot from outside, and it makes it harder for Wemby to get position. The defense has been playing great, but the problem is that the offense is getting stagnant. Personally, I’d like to see them pick-and-roll the Knicks at every available opportunity with Wemby and one of the star guards. Regardless, they need to put as much offensive pressure on Towns and Brunson as possible. But in the end, I don’t care what they scheme as long as it works consistently.
Gomez: Part of me wants to overreact to the two losses and make sweeping changes, but the more I look at the roster, the more convinced I get that there are simply not many options in terms of personnel in the rotation. I know some people hope Harper starts over Fox, which I could be talked into, but it doesn’t seem like a massive shift, considering Harper plays a lot already. If Barnes had looked better, maybe starting him to add some size could make sense, but at this point, it feels he’s no longer the serviceable starter he once was. Ultimately, it feels like the Spurs just need to be smarter and they need one more player to contribute. My hope is that Keldon Johnson will be able to give them some good minutes of size and energy, mostly. In terms of Xs and Os, there are adjustments to be made, but I don’t see Mitch Johnson doing anything drastic. So I guess my adjustment would be to simply tell the team to play better.
A few Spurs have disappointed. Has there been anyone who has pleasantly surprised you with their play in the Finals?
Barrington: Harper has played very well, but I can’t say that I’m surprised by that, since my expectations for him were very high going into the series. I think I’d go with Vassell, who has elevated his game in the playoffs and always brings the intensity on both ends of the court, and has made some of the best defensive plays of the series for the Spurs. His excitement and love of the game show in how he plays, and there’s no way it doesn’t rub off on the other players.
Huan: I’d say Harper has stood out the most, although what he’s doing isn’t too surprising. He might honestly already be the Spurs’ second-best player, and they need to use him accordingly. I’ve been banging the drum on his minutes the entire run, and it’s still too low. He should be getting the Barnes/CB minutes and play over 35 a game. It’s not a coincidence that his +7 through two games leads the entire team.
Birdsong: I hate to come off as a killjoy, but honestly, almost no one has surprised me positively. If they had, I think the Spurs would have at least one win. The one exception being Fox’s offensive performance in the last game. But that’s really just because he’s been injured since the Minnesota series, and playing through it, so kind of a low bar to begin with. Still, if he can play like that for the rest of the series, the Spurs really might have a chance. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the offense has been more stagnant since Fox’s injury. They need him to be at some semblance of his best to have a real shot at this.
Gomez: Dylan Harper has been surprising me all season long, and not because I’ve failed to adjust my expectations. Every time he looks improved, I start looking for other things he should get better at, and he normally does. The shot hasn’t been falling from outside, but other than that, he’s been great. I can’t blame anyone for getting accustomed to a 20-year-old rookie looking like a star who is not afraid of the big stage, because Harper has done it all playoffs, but I’m still often in disbelief about how good he is.
When I first profiled Karim Lopez back in October, I mentioned him as a polarizing international prospect worth keeping an eye on. Now, with rumors circulating that new Mavericks President Masai Ujiri could view Lopez as a prototypical Dallas target, it’s worth revisiting my thoughts on a prospect I have followed for almost three years.
The basics
Lopez is a 19-year-old forward who measured in at 6’8, 221 pounds with a 6’11.5 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine, paired with a 38-inch vertical. Born in Mexico, Lopez has represented Team Mexico at the international level since his U-15 days, giving him an unusually seasoned competitive resume for his age.
He spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s NBL, one of the world’s most competitive and demanding professional leagues, where he was tested nightly against older, stronger competition.
The good
His coming-out moment arrived in October 2024, when the Breakers faced the Utah Jazz in an NBA preseason exhibition. Lopez, then 17, put up 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in just 25 minutes against NBA-caliber players.
This season, Lopez is averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.2 steals in 25 minutes per game, while shooting 49 percent from the field. Those are legitimate numbers for a teenager in a professional league.
Areas of concern
The concern is his three-point shooting. Lopez is connecting on just 32.6 percent of his three attempts per game, a drop of roughly eight percentage points from where he stood in October. For a player at his size and role, perimeter shooting isn’t just a complementary skill; it’s a prerequisite for playing in modern NBA spacing. That regression is what will likely keep him from shooting up any draft boards at the NBA draft later this month.
Fit with the Mavericks
Lopez has a real future in this league. His athleticism and physical profile suggest he can contribute as a rookie off the bench and hold his own against NBA second units. With continued development, a Sixth Man of the Year trajectory is genuinely plausible early in his career.
But that’s exactly the problem for Dallas. The Mavericks don’t need a high-upside bench piece. They need a foundational starter, someone capable of growing alongside Cooper Flagg and shouldering real responsibility from day one. With limited draft capital, they can’t afford to spend a pick on a player whose ceiling, however respectable, doesn’t move the needle on their timeline. Lopez may well become a valuable NBA contributor. Just not for this team, not with this pick.
NBA Comparison
Lopez’s size, strength, and mobility resemble Deni Avdija and John Collins. If Lopez’s shooting numbers improve, his ability to drive to the basket and finish around the rim should allow him to become a versatile offensive weapon in the NBA as he develops over the next couple of years. Both Collins and Avdija are somewhat limited on the defensive side of the ball, but are still solid NBA starters.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 09: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives around Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 09, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cleveland Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman delivered his requisite end-of-season interview with the media a few days ago, several weeks earlier than he probably would have liked. His answers made it seem like the team will be running it back, indicating that this group has another attainable gear to hit.
Altman is standing behind head coach Kenny Atkinson, praising James Harden for assimilating as well as he could, and noting how great the front court is, and will be, next year. He also heaped praise on Evan Mobley during his press conference in a way that makes it sound like the team is very unwilling to part with him.
“All Evan has done is impact winning,” Altman said. “He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.”
All signs point to a team that will look very similar come October. But the uncomfortable truth is that the only way for the Cavs to meaningfully upgrade this offseason is to trade Evan Mobley.
While a run to the conference finals is no small feat, the Cavs got there in a way that feels much worse than reality. They ended up losing more games than they won in the playoffs with a record of 8-10, failed to close out several winnable games against inferior teams, and then were beaten down in historical fashion to conclude their campaign. Had the Cavs, say, swept Toronto, dispatched of Detroit in six games, and then lost to New York in a hard-fought series, the discussion would be different. As it stands, this team is not as close to the NBA Finals as the front office thinks.
The team already dove headfirst into the deep end of the pool with the trade of Darius Garland, and that was met with raised eyebrows. Moving on from Mobley would be even more daring, but also much more rewarding. He would fetch a hefty package in return, but it would have to be for a player who is better right this very second. The Cavs cannot trade him for a few decent players and draft capital to make up the difference. The tightrope they are walking is championship or bust.
Someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the ideal outcome, a player that instantly levels the Cavs up in a meaningful way and can serve as the alpha. It is unclear if he would be willing to sign an extension to remain in Cleveland beyond next season, making a move risky. But the reward is their best shot at a championship with one of the five best players in the league.
What about Jaylen Brown? Him and Mitchell are exceptionally close friends, and he took a major step forward as a scorer and playmaker with Jayson Tatum out. Sending Mobley to Boston may not be the best idea karmically, but a three-team deal that avoids that is possible. Brown fits as the two-way player that would glue things together.
Oklahoma City, upon being eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs, was instantly linked to Mobley in a potential trade, according to The Athletic. The Thunder have some interesting trade chips in All-Pro Jalen Williams and the other lanky young power forward in Chet Holmgren. With plenty of picks at their disposal, Oklahoma City can feasibly send a very high-end player and then some.
Trading Mobley, of course, comes with risks. He is an elite defender and has continued to grow on offense, though not as quickly as the Cavs need. However, he would be an excellent blue-chip prospect in Milwaukee and profiles as a Victor Wembanyama deterrent for the Thunder. But there is no denying that, if the Cavs are to make another run with Donovan Michell as the head of the snake, trading Mobley is an unfortunate reality.
Sure, Jarrett Allen could get you a good player in return, but it won’t be a great one. The Cavs cannot simply waive Harden and unlock cap space — they are so far over the cap that all that would do is let a good player walk for nothing. A Mitchell trade is not happening, at least not this summer. They don’t have enough draft capital to swing anything meaningful. LeBron James circa 2014 isn’t walking through that door, and the diminished 2026 version might not either. Internal progression from Jaylon Tyson and Tyrese Proctor is not nearly enough to bring the Cavs up an echelon. That leaves Mobley as the ticket to something better.
If the Cavs are serious about maximizing their window to win a championship, trading Mobley has to be on the table as an option. It isn’t a requirement that they trade him, and the Cavs aren’t in dire need of a superstar, but they do need to get better. If trading Mobley achieves that in a meaningful way, and as painful as it may be, it must be considered.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 27: Nate Ament #10 of the Tennessee Volunteers dribbles up the court against the Iowa State Cyclones in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This mock draft is informed by tracking workouts and rumors around the league, plus my own reporting with league sources. The first-round of draft will be here before you know it on Tuesday, June 23. Here’s how we see the draft playing out at the moment.
1. Washington Wizards – A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU
I still think there’s a chance Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer go with the No. 1 pick, but Dybantsa continues to feel like the frontrunner at this point. This draft is starting to remind me of the 2022 class when the Orlando Magic were reportedly leaning toward Jabari Smith Jr. over Chet Holmgren with the top pick until they decided to select Paolo Banchero at the 11th hour. I would take Boozer No. 1 overall for any team, and I think he’s a great fit in Washington. Part of the reason why Dybantsa still feels like the favorite to go first though is because there’s always a chance Utah trades up for him. I love Dybantsa’s shot creation potential in Washington, but he does feel like an odd defensive fit there. Ideally, you want Dybantsa surrounded by a team of dirty work All-Stars, and that’s not Washington’s makeup right now. Fortunately, Dybantsa is still only 19 years old, and the Wizards will have a long timeline to build around him.
2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
I detailed why I love the fit between Peterson and the Jazz last week. He feels like a perfect complement to Keyonte George in the backcourt as a movement shooter who can cause chaos defensively with deflections, steals, and blocks. Of course, it’s possible Peterson regains the explosiveness he showed in high school that briefly had him looking like the top player in the class. The more time passes from his bizarre freshman year at Kansas, the better the long-term idea of Peterson looks. He would be a home run pick for Utah at No. 2.
3. Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
The Grizzlies are one of the best drafting teams in the league, and I feel confident they would select Boozer at No. 1 if they won the lottery. Boozer consistently grades out as the best player in the class in analytics models with a long history of production and influencing winning at every level. I’m not smart enough to build one of those models, but I’m also not stupid enough to completely discount them. Boozer’s statistical dominance also matches my eye test, because he’s great at almost everything. Concerns about his athleticism are overblown. I think Boozer and Zach Edey would absolutely mash teams inside and out. My hot take is the Grizzlies would quickly become a Western Conference contender with Boozer if their key players can stay healthy.
4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Wilson isn’t a shot creator, a shooter, or a center. So what is he? There are real questions about how the North Carolina forward translates to the NBA with a thin 210-pound frame and a raw dribble-pass-shoot skill set, but at a certain point he’s too productive to pass up. Wilson’s entire statistical profile is green, meaning he was above average in just about every rate stat. He’s an explosive play-finisher near the basket, he has real post-up scoring moves with step-throughs and spins, and he can recover to make game-changing plays defensively even with some poor technique and awareness on that end at times. The Bulls just need talent in the door, and Wilson is bursting with long-term upside if they can continue to refine his skill set.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
The early read on this choice is that it’s going to come down to Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler. I have Brown higher on my board, but Wagler feels like a cleaner fit in LA next to Darius Garland. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Clippers look to trade down. Wagler’s off-the-dribble shooting was so impressive in his breakout freshman year, and should continue to fuel his NBA success. If Brown goes in this spot, Wagler could fall to the Hawks at No. 8.
6. Brooklyn Nets – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Rival teams believe Ament’s range is 6-10. There are some unconfirmed reports that the Nets are targeting the Tennessee forward at No. 6, and I’m buying it. Ament seems like he fits Sean Marks’ draft history as a highly-touted high school recruit who can theoretically do everything on the floor — it just didn’t always work out that way at Tennessee. Ament was considered the fourth best player in this class entering college, and his role with the Vols where he led the team in usage didn’t do him any favors. This would feel really high for him to me, and I would probably give it a poor grade if it actually happens on draft night. With that said, I still think there’s a pathway for Ament to be a pretty good NBA player as a third or fourth option who can space the floor, attack once the advantage is created for him, and use his length to impact the game near the rim defensively. Michigan’s Aday Mara is another name to watch here.
7. Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas
The worst kept secret in the draft is that the Kings love Darius Acuff. Somehow, they are still able to land him despite falling all the way to No. 7 with the league’s fourth worst record. Acuff is a polarizing player largely because of his defensive shortcomings, but there’s no doubt he was a prime time performer at Arkansas who fills an obvious need at point guard in Sacramento.
8. Atlanta Hawks – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
I’m a big fan of Brown for his pull-up shooting, passing creativity, and ability to get to the rack off the bounce. The Hawks should be thrilled if he’s somehow on the board at No. 8, because to me he’s a top-5 player in the class. There are real questions about Brown’s durability and shot-selection, but there’s no denying his talent. The Hawks were relying on CJ McCollum to create offense for them in the playoffs last year, and Brown is a natural long-term replacement after the franchise finally moved off Trae Young this season.
9. Dallas Mavericks – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
There are reports that Burries is trying to land in Dallas to play next to Cooper Flagg. I like the vision even if I’m a bit skeptical Burries has the shot-creation upside to eventually be a star. The Arizona guard is a well-rounded player who defends and rebounds better than your average two-guard, and he’s a really good three-point shooter. Flagg would have to stay in more of a shot-creator role if Burries is the pick, but maybe that’s what Dallas wants. I personally wouldn’t have him as the best player available in this scenario, but Burries’ lack of a glaring weakness makes him a malleable guard who should be able to hang in the playoffs. It’s easy to understand the appeal of that with the No. 9 pick.
10. Milwaukee Bucks – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
The Bucks are reportedly interested in Ament, Karim Lopez, and Philon according to ESPN. It’s hard to really know Milwaukee’s intentions until we learn if they’re keeping or trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. A Giannis trade feels more likely than ever, but we’ve said that before, and all he has to do is sign a contract extension to end the drama forever. The Bucks’ young guards in Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are actually much better than most people realize, so I don’t really think they need to go point guard. Philon’s shifty off-the-bounce game will be appealing to teams looking for shot-creation, and I wouldn’t be stunned if he eventually lands in the top-10 with Dallas as another option.
11. Golden State Warriors – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
The Warriors are believed to be interested in Lendeborg, Mara, and Lopez according to ESPN. Lendeborg deserves to go much higher than this, in my opinion. Yes, he’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie, but he’s made the exact improvements you would hope to see from a player in their age-22 and age-23 season, and he has unique physical gifts that will help him adjust to the NBA level quickly. Lendeborg basically has the frame of an NBA center, but he showed at Michigan that he’s comfortable playing on the perimeter in a complementary role at both ends. Read my feature on Yaxel’s wild journey to get to this point.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Mara could be in play as early as No. 6 to the Nets, and I’d be surprised if he fell past the Thunder at No. 12. The 7’3 big man shouldn’t be counted on to play full-time center minutes early in his career, so I like the idea of him joining a deep frontcourt where he can be in more of a platoon situation. The Thunder also drafted Thomas Sorber in this range last year, so it’s possible they don’t want another big man. I’m skeptical that the best way to defend Wemby is with another giant — especially one as slow-footed on the perimeter as Mara — but it’s still a nice option to have in the bag when the Thunder and Spurs inevitably meet again. Mara’s passing is really special, and he could help add a little more flavor to the OKC offense if he continues to develop.
13. Miami Heat – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
Lopez is reportedly getting looks from teams in the second half of the lottery, so this could be the end of his range. Will the Heat actually be making this pick, or will they have already traded it for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Milwaukee has a reported interest in Lopez too, so I feel like he makes sense at No. 13 either way. I’m a bit skeptical of Lopez’s defense and outside shooting, but his ball handling as a big, strong forward is really intriguing.
14. Charlotte Hornets – Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan
Hornets lead executive Jeff Peterson has already indicated the team wants to re-sign Coby White, which would potentially take away the need from drafting another guard here. Charlotte has a need for more beef inside, and Johnson is uniquely suited to address it with his ability to play the four or the five. Johnson is long and strong and really athletic for someone his size. It could be argued that his upside isn’t very high unless he develops a consistent three-point shot, but his impact has always gone beyond the numbers to this point in his young career. The Hornets had a noticeable lack of physicality in the play-in tournament, and Johnson would change that.
15. Chicago Bulls – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Could Flemings really fall this far? I’ve viewed the Houston guard as a potential top-5 talent throughout this cycle, and he’s reportedly in play as early as No. 5 to the Clippers. It would be shocking if Flemings fell out of the lottery, but we typically get one draft night surprise every year, and the depth of this point guard class means someone is bound to fall at least a little bit further than expected. The Bulls brought in Flemings for a workout last week, and would likely jump at the chance to add this type of talent in the mid first-round.
I had Quaintance as a top-4 pick coming into the season, but he had a nightmare year where he only played four games at Kentucky after rushing back from an Achilles tear. He explained his decision to shut it down this season when I asked him about it at the combine, but he did say he’s about 95 percent healthy right now. Last time he was right physically, JQ looked like an elite paint protecting prospect as a 17-year-old at Arizona State. The Grizzlies feel like the type of franchise that would take a chance on him. I figure that Ebuka Okorie and Bennett Stirtz could also be in the mix for Memphis.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
Is Okorie the fastest-rising prospect in this draft class, or am I spending too much time online reading people who aren’t actually informed about the intentions of NBA teams? Okorie is still only No. 27 on ESPN’s board which is typically the best indication of a prospect’s range, but there are some people who like him way more than that. Jonathan Wasserman had Okorie at No. 8 on his big board, and I would bet there are front office executives who are similarly high on him as they go back and watch the tape for his season at Stanford. OKC badly needed another ball handler in the Western Conference Finals, and they didn’t trust Nikola Topic enough to give him a shot. Okorie has the ball on a string and a blazing first step. He would be a good value in this range in my mind.
18. Charlotte Hornets – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston
ESPN reported that Cenac’s realistic landing spots begin with the Hornets at No. 14, and they’ve been mocking him to Charlotte since the start of the season. Cenac is the only real stretch five bet in the first-round unless you really believe in North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar. The Houston big man is pretty raw in terms of his feel for the game, but his jumper is sweet and he has a great frame after measuring at 240 pounds with a 7’5 wingspan at the combine. I wouldn’t hate Charlotte walking out of this draft with two bigs.
19. Toronto Raptors – Bennett Stirtz, G, Alabama
The Raptors could really use a guard who can suck up some ball handling responsibility while also being a good enough shooter to space the floor. Stirtz checks both boxes. The senior guard created everything for Iowa this season and basically never came off the floor. His scoring and playmaking off the dribble is really impressive, but I also like his ability to move without the ball as a spot-up shooter. Toronto has the bodies to protect him defensively. I’d really like this fit.
20. San Antonio Spurs – Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington
The Spurs are focused on winning a championship, so this pick is a secondary concern for now. I’m going with Steinbach here because he’s both the highest-rated player on my board, and feels like a good positional fit on the roster. The German feels stuck between a power forward and a center, but that’s no big deal as two big lineups start to take over the NBA again. San Antonio doesn’t have a two-big look it can go to, and Steinbach is excellent at the league’s other emerging trend right now: crashing the offensive glass. The Spurs need more depth in the frontcourt, and Steinbach’s elite skill on the glass would give him a pathway to minutes early in his career.
21. Detroit Pistons – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
The Pistons made a sneaky trade at the deadline to get a first-round swap with the Timberwolves, and it paid off by moving them spots up in the draft order. Detroit has been tied to Stirtz, Okorie, and Duke shooter Isaiah Evans, but with the first two off the board, I’m going with Anderson. The Texas Tech guard had a private workout with the Pistons in May. He’s widely considered one of the best shooters in this draft class, and he would allow Cade Cunningham to spend more time playing off the ball. Anderson is the smallest likely first-round pick in this class after measuring at 6’1 barefoot and 180 pounds, but his skill level is high and worth betting on.
22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Philly has a new front office leader in Mike Gansey who was just introduced last week, so the bulk of their draft work is likely coming over the next couple weeks. I’ve been mocking Allen Graves to the Sixers throughout the pre-draft process because he feels like he offers the most upside at their biggest position of need. I was surprised to see Graves land at No. 17 on ESPN’s big board, which is the highest I’ve seen him from a mainstream outlet so far this season. The Santa Clara sixth man was uncovered by some wonderful nerds on Draft Twitter, and now seems like a lock to go in the first round. His wildly strong defensive playmaking and reliable spot-up shooting would give the Sixers something they don’t already have at the position.
23. Atlanta Hawks – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
Swain will be the steal of the draft if he falls this far. There are informed analysts who view him as a top-10 prospect in this class, but it seems like the league has never been quite as high on him. Swain is a damn good wing defender who made a huge leap as a slasher and scorer this past season. The big hang up is his slow and hitchy three-point shot, but it’s worth noting that after going 11-for-54 from three his first two seasons combined, Swain finished 32-of-92 (34.8 percent) just this year. Swain and Mikel Brown Jr. would be a blockbuster draft class for the Hawks.
24. New York Knicks – Cam Carr, G, Baylor
Carr is drawing interest in the 10-20 range, and he’ll probably go higher than this. He has obvious utility with an outstanding intersection of length (7’1 wingspan), outside shooting, and vertical athleticism (44 dunks, 3.9 percent block rate) as a 6’5 wing. I’m a bit lower on Carr because I question his shot-creation and passing while wondering how his thin frame will hold up defensively. There feels like a talent drop-off after these first 24 players in this mock go off the board.
25. Los Angeles Lakers – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
The Lakers are primed to have the second most available cap space in the NBA this summer at around $48 million, but they have to make decisions on Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura. LA could use some defense and toughness around Luka Doncic with this pick. Jefferson gets the nod over Zuby Ejiofor for me because he can do the dirty work while still being able to space the floor out of three-point range. I like Jefferson’s ball handling and playmaking for such a strong forward. If the shot keeps developing, he could be a cost-controlled two-way forward on his rookie deal.
26. Denver Nuggets – Koa Peat, F, Arizona
Peat had the toughest decision of the withdrawal deadline to make, but I actually think he made the right choice by staying in the draft. His money surely would have been bigger at Arizona for a hypothetical sophomore season, but he risked falling off the NBA radar completely if he didn’t improve in important areas. There should still be room for him at the end of the first round with much of the depth in this class getting drained by NIL dollars. His intersection of weight, passing, and offensive rebounding will be interesting even if his shot is completely busted right now.
27. Boston Celtics – Zuby Ejiofor, F/C, St. John’s
Ejiofor has been the busiest man on the workout circuit with 13 confirmed team workouts so far, including one with the Celtics. The St. John’s big man might be a tad undersized for a center, but he still has a big frame after measuring at 6’7.5 barefoot and 245 pounds with a 7’2 wingspan. While he’s not a proven outside shooter yet, Ejiofor is comfortable operating with the ball in his hands as a playmaker or scoring around the rim. He moves well for someone who is this strong, and he always showed a strong feel for the game with the Johnnies. He should be a premium target for every team in the mid-20s.
Tim Connelly loves a guy who could be charitably described as a ’walking bucket’ after trading up for Rob Dillingham and resuscitating Bones Hyland’s career in recent years. Thomas fits right in. He’s a good off-ball scorer with a quick trigger from three-point range, and he’s shown enough juice off the dribble to offer some shot creation upside. Thomas just isn’t very big after measuring at 6’3 barefoot and 189 pounds with a 6’6.75 wingspan at the combine.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
The Cavs have plenty of talent in their frontcourt already with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but they’ve never had a real stretch-five option. Veesaar could be that after hitting 42.6 percent of his threes on 94 attempts with North Carolina this season. I really enjoyed watching Veesaar’s high-low game with Caleb Wilson, and I think he could have similar success
30. Dallas Mavericks – Isaiah Evans, G, Duke
Evans is No. 24 on ESPN’s big board, and he’s already had a workout with Detroit picking at No. 21. The Mavs probably wouldn’t expect him to be on the board with this pick, but if he is, he would add volume three-point shooting around Cooper Flagg.
"It was great. We had a great meeting," Novotny said. "I would say it was my best. And now I like the organization, for sure. And yeah, it was fun for sure."
What about the interview made it his best?
"As a person, you could just feel it when the conversation is just like flowing, you know?" Novotny said. "You can feel relaxed and just feel more confident at the interview. And I thought I had a feeling, so that was good."
The Islanders hold the 13th selection at the 2026 NHL Draft, and Novotny, a Czech forward, could go anywhere from No. 10 to No. 23.
Novotny, standing at 6'1 ", 205 lbs, has a heavy shot but also tremendous defensive ability that projects him as a middle-six winger at the NHL level.
This past season, after being selected by the Peterborough Petes in the CHL Import Draft, Novotny recorded 34 goals with 31 assists for 65 points in 58 regular-season games before adding one assist in six playoff games.
The 18-year-old did play for Czechia at the U20 World Junior Championships, recording three assists.
Novotny led all prospects with 18 pull-ups at the combine.
Coach impressed by response in win against New Zealand
McCullum admits pitch ‘incredibly challenging’ for batters
Brendon McCullum has praised his players’ refusal to be haunted by their nightmare winter after England won their first Test since the Ashes, against New Zealand at Lord’s on Sunday. The head coach admitted that “the temperature has been a bit hot” around his side since their failure in Australia, but he hailed their bravery and refusal to “carry any baggage”.
McCullum insisted his team had kept the Bazball spirit burning, despite the low scores and strike rates seen on an “incredibly challenging” surface. “I’ve been really impressed,” McCullum said.
LAS VEGAS — There they stood along the glass during warmups for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, two Thornhill lifers in full Mitch Marner Toronto Maple Leafs jerseys amid a sea of Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes colours. One held a simple, handwritten sign high above his head: “My Therapist Recommended This Trip.” The other had flipped his jersey backwards so that Marner’s name and number faced forward across his chest, the familiar blue-and-white crest now pressed against his back.
David Krowitz and Al Sager flew across the continent not for the spectacle alone, but because they needed to be here. had season tickets in the family since 1968. Between them they had attended more than 500 Leafs games. They had lived through every era of hope and heartbreak, and when the core they believed in most, Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares, failed to deliver a Cup, they understood the pain in a way only true believers can.
So when the playoff bracket opened a door to Vegas, they walked through it.
The decision was made in the middle of the night. After Carolina eliminated the Montreal Canadiens, Krowitz and Sager were texting at midnight, both sitting in bed next to their wives. “Dude, you want to do this?” one asked. “Yeah, let’s do this,” came the reply. Their wives, Lily for Krowitz and Mel for Sager, didn’t push back. Lily’s only instruction was simple: “Don’t worry, go. You’ll have the best time ever.”
It was Krowitz’s anniversary weekend. The fact that both women said yes without hesitation became its own story.
“Every wife should be this good,” Krowitz told the The Hockey News in a telephone call from the road on Sunday afternoon.
They booked the trip on Tuesday, flew out Thursday, spent two days taking in Vegas, and then settled in for Game 3. The plan after the game was to drive to Phoenix to visit a friend before flying home, a route that would take them through the mountains and, coincidentally, through the same phone call that would become this story.
By the time the puck dropped, the two friends had already become minor celebrities in the concourse. People stopped them constantly. Some rubbed the backwards Marner jersey for good luck. Others did double-takes.
One man asked Krowitz, “Hey man, are you lost?” Toronto fans walking by scratched their heads until Al turned around and showed them the name on his chest. Then the lightbulb went on.Mi
David Krowitz outside T-Mobile Arena, courtesy David Krowitz
The backwards jersey wasn’t a gimmick. It was deliberate.
“It wasn’t about the Leafs of Marner’s,” Sager explained. “I wanted to wear his team on the front, not the Leafs on the front.”
They wanted Marner’s identity front and center, the franchise that Marner parted ways with, not the crest that had defined a decade of their own lives. Just the player.
Inside T-Mobile Arena, the night unfolded exactly as the two friends had somehow sensed it would. Earlier that afternoon, around 1 p.m., Al had called a 5-4 double-overtime win for Vegas. The only detail they got wrong was who would score the winner. They thought it would be Marner. Instead, he delivered a hat trick and played the most dominant game of his postseason.
The Golden Knights won 5-4 in double overtime. The playoff towels handed out that night all carried Marner’s face. Krowitz and Sager each kept one.
“It was very fitting that the playoff towels were all Marner,” Krowitz said. “We had Marner’s face on the playoff towels. It was just fitting that we were there on that night for a double-overtime win in Vegas. And record-setting points, hat trick — Marner performs the best he’s ever performed. It was a very quintessential of the way everything worked out.”
They had predicted the score. They had predicted the drama. They had not predicted how perfectly the night would align with the reason they came.
\Krowitz and Sager were still buzzing. They had been lined up to appear on Hockey Night in Canada during the third period of Game 3, but the broadcast pivoted when Carolina mounted its furious comeback to erase a four-goal lead. The on-ice story took precedence. No one complained. That was hockey.
What they did want to make clear, repeatedly, was that their presence in Vegas did not mean they had abandoned the Toronto Maple Leafs.
They remain diehard Leafs fans. They remain Marner fans. The two things are not in conflict for them. What they saw in Vegas only reinforced what they had always believed: Marner is one of the best playmakers in the world, a top-five talent on most nights.
“We ran him out of town,” Krowitz said.. “Yeah, it’s hard for him to be there. We made it hard. The media made it hard for his family. People are crazy. They’re going to his house with death threats and bullsh*t. What kind of fan base is this? We’re out of our minds.”
Al Sager wearing his Marner jersey the right way before flipping it aroud, courtesy Al Sager.
He said it without malice, just as fact. He and Sager had lived it. They had watched the pressure build year after year. They had seen what it did to players. And still they showed up in another team’s building, wearing that player’s jersey, holding a sign that read like a confession and a prescription at the same time.
It was funny because it was absurd. It was also funny because it was true. Sometimes the only way to process a decade of near-misses and one devastating off-season is to get on a plane, stand along the glass in enemy territory, and cheer for the guy who gave you everything he had.
Before they left to their seats and before the warmups, they saw the player they had come to support. Marner looked at Krowitz holding the sign, laughed, shook his head, and gave a small nod.
It was enough.
They own their own company, CF Solutions in Richmond Hill, and they have wives and kids and full lives. They could have stayed home. Instead they flew to Vegas, stood along the glass, flipped a jersey, held up a sign, and reminded everyone watching that the loudest, most toxic voices do not speak for every Leafs fan who has been there from the beginning.
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On June 8, 1955, the Montreal Canadiens appointed Hector “Toe” Blake as their new coach. The 5-foot-10 winger had marked the Habs' history as a player, winning two Stanley Cups and competing in 577 NHL games, only eight of which weren’t with the Canadiens, but with the Montreal Maroons. It’s in his time with the Habs that he gathered his 527 points, making him the 21st highest scorer in franchise history.
Blake would go on to coach the Canadiens for 13 seasons with great success. He was behind the bench for 914 NHL games, all with the Habs, compiling a 500-255-159 record, leading the Canadiens to eight Stanley Cups, a third of their total championships. Montreal drank out of Lord Stanley’s mug for Blake’s first five seasons at the helm. His 500 wins make him the winningest coach in franchise history and the 30th-winningest coach in league history. Of course, seasons have a lot more games these days than back in the day.
With him behind the bench, the Canadiens never finished lower than third overall in the league, but it’s worth saying that the league only had six teams for all but one of his years in charge. Blake’s last season was in 1967-68 when the league welcomed six new teams. The Canadiens ended that season first overall with 94 points in 74 games and won Blake’s last Stanley Cup, going 12-1 in the playoffs, allowing their coach to retire at the top of his game.
During his tenure, the legendary bench boss coached the likes of Jacques Plante, Jean Beliveau, Bernard Geoffrion, Maurice and Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, and Jacques Lemaire, to name a few. While Blake was behind the bench, the Canadiens had only two general managers: Frank J. Selke, who was in post from July 1946 to May 1964, and Sam Pollock, who took over and remained in post for 14 years, winning nine Stanley Cups.
There are a lot of ways that the 2026 NHL Draft could go, especially at the top. Everything you think you know about the upcoming draft can change with one trade or “off the board” selection. The Chicago Blackhawks have the 4th overall pick as we stand.
If the first three picks are the top three forwards, Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Caleb Malhotra, then the Blackhawks are likely going to select a defenseman. There are lots of options, all of whom play a different style, including Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, Alberts Smits, and Carson Carels.
For the Blackhawks sake, an argument can be made that Keaton Verhoeff is the proper selection. The Blackhawks have a crop of young defenders who are good players, but nobody has emerged as that top power-play offensive driver that they need on the back end.
Verhoeff has the tools to be that guy. For a while, he was the consensus number two pick behind Gavin McKenna, but things have changed. Each of them saw their stock drop just a bit due to playing NCAA (much more difficult) after dominating in the CHL.
On Friday, Verhoeff spoke alongside McKenna at the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine, and he was an impressive responder. He understands his game, wants to get better, and seems honored to even be in this situation.
Although Verhoeff isn't a lock to be the number two pick like he seemed to be early in the season, he is okay with it. He understands that there are some incredible players available and every team has different needs. He's also incredibly confident in his abilities.
"They're all so talented," Verhoeff said of his fellow draftees. "The biggest thing I bring every night is my compete level. You won't always have your best game, but bringing that compete level and character to the rink every day."
If the talent doesn't match the compete level, the talent won't transform into success in the NHL, and Verhoeff is well aware of that.
"Playing against those bigger and faster guys has been really important for me," Verhoeff said. "It's helped to round out my game a ton."
At the University of North Dakota, Verhoeff had 6 goals and 14 assists as a freshman for a total of 20 points in 36 games played. There was an adjustment period for him in college, but as he said, it was good for his long-term development.
If the Blackhawks are not the team that selects him 4th overall, he will be off the board before the top-ten, likely top-seven, is complete.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 and Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrate after the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The New York Yankees won 6-1. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A really good road trip for the Guardians ended on a sour note with a 10-0 loss to the Rangers.
Today is a bit of a busy day for me doing hurricane relief in Jamaica, so this will be your series preview:
Game One, Monday, 6:40PM ET: Warren vs. Williams
Game Two, Tuesday, 6:40PM ET: Cole vs. Cecconi
Game Three, Wednesday, 1:10PM ET: Rodon vs. Messick
AROUND MLB:
Tigers won, White Sox lost and the Royals beat the Twins
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 16: Tanner Jeannot #84 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring against Akira Schmid #40 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to a new week, folks!
It’s the first full week in June, if you count a full week as being from Sunday to Saturday, which I think is how it works?
Either way, we’re moving toward the first day of summer, but we still have plenty of on-ice action to discuss.
A wild Final thus far
For a neutral observer, this year’s Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes has been a blast to watch thus far.
A late Vegas game-winning goal in Game 1, an OT win for Carolina in Game 2, then a chaotic Game 3 that had just about everything: a natural hat trick, a blown four-goal lead, and a ping-pong OT winner.
After all that, Vegas has a 2-1 lead and it remains anyone’s series, but the entertainment factor has been through the roof.
And while I’m sure many of you scoff at the mere mention of the NBA, that final has been very entertaining as well.
It’s a nice treat for sports fans until we have to settle into the darkness (in Boston, at least) of baseball season.
Hey, at least the World Cup is coming!
Lucic calls it a career
Two-time Boston Bruin Milan Lucic officially announced his retirement on Sunday, ending a 17-season NHL career that spanned a handful of organizations.
Lucic finished with 233G-353A-586PTS in 1,177 games.
He was a force to be reckoned with in his prime years with the Bruins and was pretty much worth the price of admission on his own during that time with an ability to fight, hit, and score.
Lucic’s second stint with the Bruins ended when he was placed on indefinite leave after he was charged with domestic assault, charges that were later dropped due to inadmissible evidence/lack of testimony.
Lucic briefly played in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) over in the United Kingdom, but that didn’t last long.
Odds and ends
Joe Pavelski, who I honestly thought was still playing, is apparently a name that has come up during the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching search.
Jeremy Swayman finished third in Vezina Trophy voting, with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning taking home the top spot.
Fans of every NHL team not named the Detroit Red Wings are currently conjuring up the wackiest possible trade proposals for Dylan Larkin. I think Spooner, Khokhlachev, and a first gets it done.
Happy birthday to Terrance Gore, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1933 – Jimmie Foxx hits three home runs in his first three at-bats as the Philadelphia Athletics outscore the New York Yankees, 14-10. Foxx had homered his last time up the previous day to give him four consecutive home runs, and other stories as well.
1976 – Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.
2002 – British-Canadian Lennox Lewis retains boxing’s WBC Heavyweight title with eighth-round knockout of American Mike Tyson at The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee.
2013 – Patrick Kane scores a playoff hat-trick against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
2021 National Geographic announces it is officially recognizing the South Ocean as the world’s fifth ocean.
Today in music history:
1964 – “The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)”, recorded by 1960s American pop singers, Jan and Dean, is released.
1968 – Gary Puckett and Union Gap release “Lady Will Power.”
1968 – Rolling Stones release “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
