Apr 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) runs out a ground ball and is safe on a fielding error by the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The Yankees had an excellent first week and a half of the season, winning three series in a row en route to a 7-2 start. Their pitching was fantastic, their offense was carried by a stellar top-half of the order, and even their two losses came in games in which they led late and only lost by one run. It wasn’t hard to envision a world where the team held on in those games and managed to run the table through the first nine games.
But even when everything’s going right, this is baseball, so there are still things going wrong. Perhaps the biggest spot of consternation among fans and analysts during this opening salvo has been the putrid play of the bottom of the Yankee lineup. The Yankees have gotten a .143 batting average combined from the 6-thru-9 slots of the order, along with a downright ghastly .402 OPS. As a fun (?) little reference point, that’s more than 100 points lower than CC Sabathia’s career OPS as a hitter.
Sure, no team expects the last hitters in their order to dominate, but the Yankees certainly expected something from the final four players on the card, rather than a convincing impression of National League pitchers hitting circa five years ago. So, with the usual caveats about the season being a tiny sample thus far and that we shouldn’t overreact to anything we’ve seen, do you think the bottom of the order will prove to be a major issue going forward?
I think the base answer to this question is still no. The bottom four of the Yankees’ order includes Jazz Chisholm Jr., who perhaps shouldn’t have been predicting 50/50 seasons but still has a 122 OPS+ as a member of the Yankees and projects as a near-All-Star caliber player. The rest of the order does not have the upside of Chisholm, but the expectation should still be that of improvement. Jose Caballero was never going to run the .828 OPS he posted in pinstripes last year, but he also won’t hit .129 all year. Austin Wells may never become a great pure hitter, but the career .717 OPS he carried into the season was pretty great for a plus defensive catcher.
All that said, if you’re inching toward the panic button regarding the bottom of the order, I can’t totally blame you. The most concerning hitter of all has been Ryan McMahon, who’s looked lost at times and is hitting .087 on the year. Chisholm will come around, and Wells provides ample value with his glove, but it’s not hard to wonder if the Yankees are going to be staring at two total blackholes on the left side of their infield sooner rather than later.
What do you think? Will the team’s lower hitters slowly regress to the mean and provide enough value with their bats to allow their generally strong gloves to play up? Or will we look up in a couple of months to see that the Yankees are still running out three or more players at the bottom of the order struggling to breach the Mendoza Line?
Today on the site, Michael starts us off with a review of the first week of minor league baseball that saw all full-season affiliates in action. We’ll also get a recap of last night’s American League action from Kevin, and a look ahead at the upcoming series with the A’s. Later, Jonathan will remember Oral Hildebrand, and Peter gives us his first At-Bat of the Week for the 2026 season, featuring Ben Rice.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - APRIL 06: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on April 06, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cavs chose to give nearly all of their regular rotation players who played the night before against the Indiana Pacers the night off. They were without Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Thomas Bryant, and Max Strus due to rest, in addition to Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson still being out with injuries.
Things were worse on the other side. The Grizzlies had 13 players ruled out for this game. That left nine available players, with four of those being guys on 10-day contracts due to the hardship exemption.
Despite the number of players missing, the Cavs were able to run out some lineups that made more sense compared to Sunday. The starting five of Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all expected to be in the playoff rotation. And they played like it.
The Cavaliers made sure this game wasn’t up for grabs in the fourth quarter. A 19-5 run helped them reassert control in the second quarter. Then, a strong third quarter allowed them to create the separation they needed for a stress-free victory.
Schroder had his first great game in a month. He did a good job of setting up the offense and finding avenues to score himself. Continually getting into the lane off the dribble allowed him to do so.
He finished 22 points on 8-12 shooting to go along with 11 assists. This included going 7-8 on shots in the paint.
Monday’s performance was only the second time Schroder has recorded double-digit points with at least three assists since the first week of March. For reference, he accomplished this seven times in his first 15 games with the team.
As we’ve seen throughout his career, Schroder needs the ball in his hands consistently to be his best self. He’s a rhythm player who requires constant touches to get the most out of his game.
What Schroder does best doesn’t translate as neatly to playing off-ball. He’s not someone who attacks quickly off the catch or is a typical floor spacer. Instead, he’s deliberate in how he probes the paint and gets others involved while doing so.
This ideal role isn’t one Schroder has been able to play with the Cavs when Mitchell and Harden are in the lineup. Both of the starting guards do a majority of their work on-ball. And while Schroder has shown to be impactful throughout his career, he’s not good enough to warrant taking the ball out of either Mitchell’s or Harden’s hands for extended stretches.
The Cavs could use this version of Schroder in the playoffs, the one that is consistently getting downhill and playmaking from there. How they go about doing so when the team is fully healthy is an equation they haven’t solved recently.
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Keon Ellis showed how well-rounded his offensive game is. He put up 19 points on 7-11 shooting to go along with eight assists. Ellis did this by decisively attacking whenever the ball swung his way. This included doing a good job of running second-side pick-and-rolls similar to what we’ve seen from Strus.
The offensive game has been better than advertised since coming over from the Sacramento Kings. Right now, Ellis feels firmly cemented in the playoff rotation.
Evan Mobley’s numbers look more impressive than they felt.
There were times it seemed like Mobley wasn’t processing the game quickly enough to be a focal point in the offense. Early on, he struggled to make plays against a Memphis defense that was heavily shading his way whenever he caught the ball in a stationary position. That’s why he ended up with three turnovers in the first half.
However, just because something doesn’t feel impressive doesn’t mean it wasn’t. You don’t luck your way into 24 points on 9-11 shooting with four assists.
Mobley is at his best when he’s in motion. This game proved that once again. Nearly all of his baskets came whenever he was forcefully going toward the basket. Memphis didn’t have anyone who could stop him or even slow him down. And quite frankly, few teams do when he’s attacking with force like this.
Larry Nance Jr. performed well for his second game in a row. He provided good minutes off the bench as he had 10 points, three rebounds, and a steal in just over 21 minutes.
This has been a difficult season for Nance. He hasn’t had nearly the impact that he and the Cavs were hoping for when he returned home this past offseason. An uncharacteristically shaky jumper and slightly less athleticism than he had a few years ago have kept him from doing so. At least he’s been able to end the season strong, even if it’s too late to get back into the rotation.
The Cavs feel locked into the fourth seed.
The New York Knicks‘ win over the Atlanta Hawks secured that Cleveland can’t fall further than four, and also made it difficult for them to climb up to three. That’s a good place for the Cavs to be, considering it would delay a possible matchup with the Boston Celtics for as long as possible.
The Cavs haven’t had much to play for over the past week. That feeling will continue, especially when they take on the Hawks — their likely first-round opponent — twice during their final three regular-season games.
I’d be surprised if Kenny Atkinson decided to play a majority of his guys in those matchups. Atlanta has something to play for with how close spots five through eight are in the East. The Cavs don’t. There isn’t a reason to go for it, considering this team’s injury luck, unless you want to do everything you can to make sure you didn’t play the Hawks in the first round. But even if they did go for it, there’s no guarantee that Atlanta would fall out of fifth place.
We’ll find out how the Cavs choose to approach this when they host the Hawks on Wednesday.
INDIANAPOLIS — Starting guards Solo Ball and Silas Demary Jr. were each whistled for two quick fouls in Connecticut’s 69-63 loss to Michigan in the national championship game of the men's NCAA Tournament, changing the complexion of a matchup the Huskies hoped could be won on the perimeter.
Nursing a foot injury suffered in the national semifinal against Illinois, Ball finished with 11 points in 16 minutes. Demary lasted just 21 minutes, scoring one bucket before being called for his fifth foul with just over a minute to play.
“I just thought that the first-half foul trouble, really, I thought we were positioned if we didn't have that foul trouble to potentially go into halftime with a lead,” coach Dan Hurley said.
Forward Tarris Reed Jr. had 13 points and 14 rebounds but was bothered by the defense of Michigan's Aday Mara and made just 4 of 12 attempts from the field, his worst shooting performance since missing all three shots in a regular-season matchup against Illinois late November. Guard Braylon Mullins had 11 points on 4 of 17 shooting and made 3 of 10 attempts from 3-point range.
The main reason UConn stayed close with Michigan was the same reason UConn was here in the first place: Playing in the final game of his college career, senior forward Alex Karaban had a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds while adding two assists and two steals.
“So it hurts right now. It hurts a lot right now,” he said.
Crucially, Karaban played all 40 minutes, continuing to serve as the Huskies’ steadying force in his final March Madness experience.
“For coach to play me 40 minutes, I can't thank him enough,” Karaban said. “That's all I wanted. That's all I wanted, is to give everything I got, leave everything I've got out there and try to do everything to help us win.”
Said Hurley, “Let me play him into the ground one more time, just one more 40-minute game for Alex. Let me just play that guy into the ground one more night like I have throughout his career. He deserved to play 40 minutes.”
The most fitting way for Karaban to end his career would have been as a three-time national champion, joining his part on back-to-back winners in 2023 and 2024 and placing him in elite, UCLA-only territory among college players with three rings.
“Obviously. for us it's tough,” said Hurley. “Again, we did not come here for watches, we came here for rings.”
But there’s something apt about the way this ended, too. Since his redshirt freshman season, when he played a complementary role on a loaded roster, Karaban has been the glue that held the Huskies together — the key cog that helped the program breathe rarefied air in reaching three championship games in four years.
“I might cry up here just talking about just the impact he's had, in the locker room, throughout every single practice, every single game,” Ball said. “He's just always there, and he's the same person every single day. He doesn't change. Incredibly smart, great guy off the court. I'm going to miss this guy so much.”
Karaban’s performance in the second half helped UConn shake off multiple double-digit deficits and hang tight with an opponent expected to leave the Huskies in the dust after dismantling Arizona in the national semifinals.
After the Wolverines took their largest lead of the game at 43-35 six minutes into the second half, Karaban corralled an offensive rebound and put back the layup to stem Michigan’s momentum. With Michigan ahead 58-48 at the five-minute mark, Karaban found Mullins for a 3-pointer that set up a frantic final stretch.
Later, with 2:30 remaining, Karaban hit a 3-pointer of his own to cut Michigan’s advantage to 62-56. While his effort would come up short — and wasn’t perfect, with a pair of missed free throws with just over six minutes to go and a missed 3-pointer with 17 seconds left — Karaban nearly willed UConn across the finish line.
“Yeah, you know, blessed that I've been able to wear this jersey for the longest amount of time possible, the max amount, the max amount of minutes, the max amount of games this season. I came back ultimately to win, fell short,” he said.
Win or lose on Monday night, Karaban’s place in program history is secure. He is already the first active player to be inducted into the program’s hall of fame. He holds career marks for wins (126), games played (150), games started (149) and minutes played (4,909). He finished his career with a blistering 18-2 mark in the NCAA tournament, including a 5-1 mark in the Final Four.
This is a place that has put out a lengthy list of college basketball’s best individual players in the past three decades. While not the program’s best overall player and not the Huskies’ best NBA prospect, Karaban leaves with an even more important title: the most important player in UConn history.
“He's put UConn in that rarefied place in college basketball,” Hurley said. This guy changed my life, the staff's lives, the joy he's brought to the university, the fan base.
“His decision to come to UConn has made us … Florida won the national championship last year. I'll probably get in trouble for this. Michigan won the national championship this year. But he's helped to make UConn, I think, right now, we're probably the premier program in college basketball right now, having been to three out of four national championship games, having won two of them.”
That’s a small comfort after coming so close to a third ring. But Karaban took solace in the legacy he leaves behind: Already a blueblood, UConn has become something much more — a potential dynasty, if Hurley can keep this up — thanks to the senior’s four years as the program’s irreplaceable piece.
“I'm just reminding myself right now that when I came into UConn how much I've grown, and I'm ultimately leaving UConn in a better place right now from where I started,” he said. “I gave it everything I got. I gave it my heart. I gave everything. All I thought about was UConn basketball every single day.
“Now that I'm leaving, and for UConn to be one of the best brands in college basketball and to be at the top, I left it better than when it started. I'm most proud of that.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees takes his turn at bat against the Miami Marlins during the home opener at Yankee Stadium on April 03, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: Over the weekend, the Yankees faced the Marlins, and Miami have been doing something you might not have realized. Starting towards the end of last season, the Marlins have begun calling pitches in the dugout via the coaching staff and relaying them to the catcher and the pitcher. Don’t expect the Yankees to hop on that, as both players and coaches openly said over the weekend that they don’t like the idea.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: With a 7-2 record, the Yankees’ 2026 season has gone pretty well so far. One aspect of the team that has definitely struggled has been the lower part of the batting order, as the players who have batted in the 6-9 spots have a collective .404 OPS. However, between Jazz Chisholm Jr. hitting a big double on Sunday and just having faith in their players in general, the Yankees aren’t worried about that yet.
ESPN | David Schoenfield: As we’re now over a week into the new season, here’s one way to rank the MLB teams of 2026: watchability. Between how good they are, the young talent they have, and the style they play, Schoenfield tried to rank teams by how interesting they could be to watch this year. The Yankees came in at fifth.
PennLive | Brian Linder: Former Phillies’ player and longtime MLB coach Tom Nieto passed away recently. Nieto spent time in the Yankees’ organization from 1995-2002 and then was a manager of the GCL Yankees in 2012-13. In between then, he also worked with Willie Randolph during his tenure as the Mets’ manager. We send our best wishes to his family and loved ones.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors goes up for two against Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors fell one point short in Sunday’s 117-116 loss to the Houston Rockets. Two late missed calls contributed to the close loss.
The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report reviews all the “officiated events” in every game that was within three points at any time in the final two minutes, and if applicable, overtime. There were two big non-calls that might have swung the results of Steph Curry’s first game back from his knee injury.
The first happened with 1:28 to go, when Amen Thompson crashed into Curry as he was cutting to the hoop, shaking Kevin Durant and receiving a sweet pass from Draymond Green. Curry still made the shot but was knocked to the ground, with no whistle. Thompson fouling Curry with the referees swallowing their whistles? Well I never!
At least they didn’t call Curry for an offensive foul. He was denied the and-one and the Rockets retained a one-point advantage.
That became a four-point lead when Alperen Sengun did get a foul call on far less contact from Draymond Green — though the L2M Report said Green hit his arm — and completed his own three-point play. However, the report says that Sengun “failed to fully clear the lane and is in the paint for longer than three seconds,” which should have resulted in a turnover before the shot attempt.
After Curry hit a ridiculous 32-footer, Green got away with a defensive three seconds violation, which happened eight seconds before Durant missed a jump shot (with a legal contest from De’Anthony Melton).
By our count, that’s four missed points for the Warriors and one missed point for the Rockets. Clearly, the NBA will reverse the game result and award Golden State the “W,” right?
Well, no. The Last Two Minute Report mainly exists so that fans can argue about it in the aftermath of a game. There aren’t really any consequences for the officials, Curry isn’t going to start getting foul calls, and the NBA referees don’t apologize — unless it’s to LeBron James.
Like everyone else, referees make mistakes. We made one at the end of last night’s game and that is gut-wrenching for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be.https://t.co/WyN8QVuTOl
It doesn’t matter in the standings either, since the Warriors are locked into the 10 seed in the upcoming play-in tournament. A correct call would have put Curry one point closer to passing Tim Duncan on the all-time scoring list, but with 20 points to go, he’ll pass the Big Fundamental before season’s end anyway.
He’ll pass Dominique Wilkins some time next season before passing one of his biggest haters, Oscar Robertson, who believes real basketball involves backing your opponent down to the basket, not new-fangled three-pointers. You know Robertson would hate the Last Two Minute Report, too.
What can we conclude? Referees don’t respect Steph Curry, but they respect the sanctity of “three in the key” even less. This author will consider the Warriors a true 37-win team going forward.
As the most played fixture in European competition looms once more, we look back on 50 years of thrills and spills
The Champions League’s answer to el clásico resumes in Madrid on Tuesday. Real Madrid v Bayern Munich is the most played fixture in European competition: 28 matches and counting, including 13 knockout ties. Here are six of the best.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 06: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants takes pitcher Ryan Borucki #47 out of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on April 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re wondering why the San Francisco Giants have won just three of their first eight games, well, the answer is very simple: they’re playing remarkably sloppy and dispirited baseball.
If you’re wondering why they’re playing remarkably sloppy and dispirited baseball, well … that answer is not so simple. The search for that answer keeps Buster Posey up at night. The search for that answer keeps Tony Vitello up at night. The search for that answer does not keep me up at night, because thankfully my salary is not contingent on the Giants winning games. You poor people are stuck reading my words in baseball sickness and in baseball health, and my goodness are the Giants a deathly sick bunch.
The Giants tried to remedy themselves on Monday, and my goodness it almost worked. They even had a few folks fooled for an hour or two, yours truly most certainly included.
Because here’s what the Giants have been doing all through this two-week slump to start the year: missing the cut off man, missing the tags, making bad throws, forgetting how to hit in situational at-bats, and struggling to stack hits on top of each other.
You know: the basic stuff. The fundamentals. The things that you expect the highly-paid baseball players to do with the baseball during the baseball game.
But on Monday, as they welcomed the Philadelphia Phillies to town, they didn’t do those things. Not at the onset, at least. They played clean, crisp, and sound baseball for quite a while, even when the results weren’t good.
Take the first inning, for example. In the top of the inning, Bryce Harper ripped a liner down the third base line, which felt like an automatic two-bagger. But Heliot Ramos played the carom brilliantly and fired a strike in to second base.
Did it work? Nope. Harper was safe by the slimmest of margins. But it was good baseball.
In the bottom half of the inning, Luis Arráez and Matt Chapman strung together back-to-back hard-hit one-out singles against Andrew Painter, as the offense looked like it knew what it was doing.
Did it work? Nope. Rafael Devers popped out and Ramos struck out, and the Giants didn’t score.
For the first time in a while, the Gians were playing fundamentally sound baseball, and it was fun to watch, even when they flirted with trouble. Like in the top of the third, for instance, when J.T. Realmuto led off with an infield single that was almost a sensational play by Chapman, but his throw was off line. Realmuto took second on a wild pitch before Adrian Houser walked Justin Crawford, putting two runners on base with no outs.
No matter. He struck out Trea Turner, then struck out Kyle Schwarber, then got Harper to ground out. It’s amazing how much more fun baseball is to watch when the team is capable of climbing out of holes and not shooting themselves in the foot.
But it was the bottom of the third where we really saw the Giants play honest-to-goodness, this-is-how-it’s-supposed-to-be-done baseball. It began when Willy Adames showed signs of slump-busting by leading off with his first of two doubles on the day. Arráez followed it up with a single, but the true sign that the Giants had exorcised their sloppy demons was when Arráez read the throw perfectly, and took second base when Crawford’s throw allowed him to.
Suddenly the Giants had two runners in scoring position and no outs, and before you could even make your “let’s see how they blow this” jokes, Chapman had lifted a first-pitch curveball from Painter into triple’s alley, which proved to be very aptly named on this occasion.
The thing about Chapman’s triple, however, was that it put him on third base, and the Giants are not good at scoring the runner from third base. But the Giants scored the runner from third base this time, thanks to a timely single flopped up the middle by Ramos. It was a three-run inning, which broke a streak of 36 straight innings without scoring three or more runs.
Not a good streak to have. But a very good streak to end.
History repeated itself in the fourth inning. Houser again allowed a leadoff single, and again that runner moved to second on a wild pitch, and again the veteran righty got out of it unscathed. And again they rallied in the bottom half of the inning, this time when Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey bopped back-to-back one-out singles, followed by an Adames walk to load the bases.
Up came Arráez, who sure is a delightful antidote to the team’s situational woes. Who better to knock home a runner on third with just one out than the player who can put the ball in play more reliably than any other human being alive?
Arráez did exactly that, in bittersweet fashion: known more for his dinks and doinks than his power, Arráez absolutely put a charge in a Painter slider, driving it out towards triple’s alley.
It had the sound of a grand slam and, according to Statcast, it would have been in three parks — including the one that the Phillies spend half of the season in.
But Oracle Park giveth and Oracle Park taketh away, and Adolis García — who in the second inning had a similarly-hit ball knocked down by the wind for an out while he was in his home run trot — tracked down Arráez’s fly ball, limiting him to a sacrifice fly, but pushing the lead to 4-0.
That was all they’d score in the inning — and in the game, it would turn out — but the point still stood. The Giants were playing baseball competently. They were playing baseball cleanly. It was fun. More importantly, it was as it should be.
It was also temporary.
Houser’s bend-but-don’t-break approach backfired in the fifth, when he flew too close to the sun by allowing another leadoff single, with Realmuto once again being the offending party. This time Crawford followed with a double, and suddenly the Phillies had two on, no outs, and the top of their potent lineup coming up to bat.
The two sides reached a compromise when Turner grounded out, and a run scored in the process. But after Houser walked Schwarber, Harper made the Giants pay with his second double of the game, scoring a second run in the inning.
Houser would get out of the inning without any further damage, but the dam had cracked, and it was making way for the mistakes that have plagued them in recent games and weeks. And after a quick jaunt through the sixth, we reached the point in the game where it would cave away completely.
With Houser still in — he’d needed just 84 pitches to get through six innings — the Giants once again (and you’ll be shocked to hear this), gave up a leadoff runner, this time on a Crawford single. With Schwarber and Harper — two of the game’s most potent lefties — looming, it was clear that Houser would only be allowed to face one more batter. That batter, however, was Turner, who singled, sending Houser off the mound with a full-on rally started.
Vitello walked to the mound, and when he walked off it, Ryan Borucki had replaced Houser.
If you haven’t been watching the Giants this year (great choice in hindsight), the Borucki experiment has gone something like this: not well. More specifically, it’s gone quite awfully.
Borucki is on the roster because he’s quite good at getting lefties out, but in this era of pinch-hitters and three-batter minimums, it’s very difficult to have lefty specialists that aren’t frequently exposed to right-handed hitters. And Borucki should never, ever, ever face right-handed hitters.
So Vitello at least brought him in this time to face the lefty beef. The tragic error, however, was that Borucki hasn’t been good against lefties, either, this year. And so he walked Schwarber on four pitches and then gave up a game-tying, two-run single to Harper.
Just like that, Borucki had faced the left-handed power, but he hadn’t faced the minimum of three batters, and thus had to stay in to face Alec Bohm, who consequently doubled to score a run. Borucki would stay in to face one more lefty — Bryson Stott — and get his first and only out, before giving way to Caleb Kilian, who allowed one of the inherited runners to score on a sacrifice fly.
It was not pretty baseball by any stretch of the imagination, and the four runs had turned a two-run lead into a two-run deficit.
Fittingly, the offense had run dry during that time. The Giants didn’t have a baserunner in the fifth, sixth, or seventh innings, and their rally attempts in the late innings only came with two outs: a single by Jung Hoo Lee in the eighth, and a double by Adames in the ninth. Neither went anywhere, and so the Giants lost, again, this time 6-4.
Memphis Grizzlies (25-54, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (51-28, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Denver will try to keep its nine-game home win streak alive when the Nuggets face Memphis.
The Nuggets are 33-16 against conference opponents. Denver leads the Western Conference with 121.8 points and is shooting 49.5%.
The Grizzlies are 19-30 against Western Conference opponents. Memphis is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 115.0 points per game and is shooting 45.8%.
The Nuggets are shooting 49.5% from the field this season, 1.2 percentage points higher than the 48.3% the Grizzlies allow to opponents. The Grizzlies average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Grizzlies won the last matchup 125-118 on March 19, with Ty Jerome scoring 21 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jamal Murray is shooting 48.3% and averaging 25.4 points for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.7 points over the last 10 games.
GG Jackson is shooting 49.6% and averaging 12.5 points for the Grizzlies. Walter Clayton Jr. is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 9-1, averaging 128.8 points, 45.3 rebounds, 33.4 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.5 points per game.
Grizzlies: 1-9, averaging 110.1 points, 33.7 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 9.6 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.8 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji: day to day (hip), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring), Spencer Jones: day to day (hamstring).
Grizzlies: Santi Aldama: out for season (knee), Jahmai Mashack: day to day (neck), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Taylor Hendricks: day to day (thumb), Ja Morant: out for season (elbow), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out for season (toe), Zach Edey: out for season (ankle), Ty Jerome: day to day (ankle), Jaylen Wells: out for season (toe), Taj Gibson: day to day (foot), Brandon Clarke: out for season (calf), Javon Small: day to day (thigh).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Portland Trail Blazers (40-39, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (60-19, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio hosts Portland looking to extend its five-game home winning streak.
The Spurs have gone 34-15 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is second in the Western Conference in rebounding with 47.1 rebounds. Victor Wembanyama paces the Spurs with 11.5 boards.
The Trail Blazers are 27-22 in Western Conference play. Portland is 21-17 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Spurs average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.6 per game the Trail Blazers allow. The Trail Blazers are shooting 45.3% from the field, 0.3% higher than the 45.0% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Trail Blazers won the last meeting 115-110 on Jan. 4, with Deni Avdija scoring 29 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.4 points and 6.1 assists for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 25.5 points over the last 10 games.
Avdija is averaging 24 points, seven rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Trail Blazers. Toumani Camara is averaging 4.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 9-1, averaging 124.4 points, 50.1 rebounds, 31.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.7 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 7-3, averaging 119.1 points, 47.6 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 8.2 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.4 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Victor Wembanyama: day to day (rib).
Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (calf), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored the only goal of the shootout in the second round, and the Los Angeles Kings tightened the Western Conference playoff race with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.
Los Angeles has played extra time in seven of its last 10 games — and 32 this season.
Joel Armia opened the scoring for the Kings and Scott Laughton made it a 2-1 lead in the second period. Jared Wright has an assist in a career-best three straight games.
Steven Stamkos tied it at 1-all for the Predators and Roman Josi knotted it at 2 early in the third.
Anton Forsberg made 29 saves in the win for the Kings. Saros made 26 saves for the Predators.
The Kings won 58.3% of the faceoffs in the game.
All three series matchups this season went to a shootout, including a 5-4 victory for the Predators in Los Angeles last Thursday.
Last week, I mentioned it was a relatively quiet first week on the injury front. Unfortunately, that's not the case this time around. A long list of weekend casualties is highlighted by Juan Soto, Hunter Brown, and Mookie Betts, among many others. On the bright side, Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki is set to return by week’s end. Let’s break it all down in the last MLB Injury Report.
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Juan Soto (calf)
Soto drew immediate concerns when he was removed early in Friday’s game against the Giants after running from first to third in the first inning. He was held out of the lineup for the rest of the weekend and underwent imaging that revealed a mild right calf strain. The 27-year-old star outfielder was initially considered “day-to-day”, but is now set to miss at least 2-3 weeks on the injured list. It’s the smart move as calf injuries could be tricky. His absence seems to clear up some playing time in the short term for both Brett Baty and the hot-hitting Mark Vientos, with Baty likely taking over in left field and Vientos slotting in at first base.
Hunter Brown (shoulder)
This one came as a surprise Sunday morning when Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder sprain. The move was retroactive to April 2. Brown apparently came out of his Friday bullpen session with some soreness. Astros GM Dana Brown stated the team was optimistic about Brown’s outlook, but didn’t provide a timeline. Hopefully, it’s a minimum stay for the 27-year-old right-hander. Brown was widely thought to be one of the more durable fantasy aces, good for plenty of volume, which makes this injury sting that much more. Cody Bolton stepped in to make the start on Monday against the Rockies. Meanwhile, Spencer Arrighetti has made two starts with Triple-A Sugar Land, tossing 8 1/3 scoreless with a 13/5 K/BB ratio. Arrighetti could be worth a stash in deeper leagues, given his strikeout upside. Astros manager Joe Espada had no updates on Brown on Monday, but did indicate that the team will use a six-man rotation starting later this week, with a 13-game stretch of no off days beginning Thursday.
Cade Horton (forearm)
This one is another incredibly unfortunate injury, and one with probably a less optimistic view. Horton left Friday’s start against the Guardians in the second inning with forearm discomfort following a significantly lower-than-average 93.8 mph fastball. He described the discomfort as starting in his wrist before it moved to his forearm. The team placed the promising 24-year-old right-hander on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 4. We probably won’t know much more until Horton is thoroughly evaluated, but the dreaded forearm strain doesn’t usually have a positive short-term outlook.
Matthew Boyd (biceps)
The Cubs’ rotation took another hit on Monday when Boyd was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left bicep strain. This was coming off an impressive start in which he struck out ten batters with one earned run allowed over 5 2/3 innings against the Angels last Wednesday. Apparently, he just didn’t recover well from that outing. The 35-year-old left-hander will now have the next two weeks to rest up and stated he believes he’ll make a speedy recovery. With both Boyd and Horton on the shelf, Javier Assad and Colin Rea figure to slot into the Cubs’ rotation, starting Tuesday and Wednesday against the Rays, respectively. Rea is the more interesting of the two for fantasy purposes. He saw an increase in his strikeout rate over the second half of 2025 and has struck out four batters over three innings of work in each of his two appearances this season.
Mookie Betts (oblique)
Betts was pulled from Saturday’s game against the Nationals after running the bases in the first inning with lower right back pain. An MRI revealed a right oblique strain that landed Betts on the 10-day injured list. It’s an injury that’ll typically sideline players for 4-6 weeks, though manager Dave Roberts is hopeful Betts will return sooner. Hyeseong Kim was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace Betts on the active roster. Kim will likely be on the strong side of a platoon at shortstop with Miguel Rojas. Kim offers some stolen base upside in a great lineup, but little to no power. He could be considered in deep roto leagues as a middle infield streaming option.
A look at the top MLB prospects who can help fantasy teams in 2026 and beyond.
Christopher Crawford
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Mike Trout (hand)
Trout left Sunday’s game against the Mariners after he was hit by a pitch on the left hand. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative, and the team opted not to run any other tests. Instead, Trout got the day off Monday to recover and is considered day-to-day.
Alejandro Kirk (thumb)
Kirk was removed in the tenth inning of Friday’s game against the White Sox after he was hit on the left thumb by a foul ball while behind the plate. The fact that he walked off in pain without trying to stay in was an obvious cause for concern. Imaging revealed a dislocation and fracture of Kirk’s left thumb. He’s set to undergo surgery this week, after which we should get a general timeline for his return. Tyler Heineman steps in as the Blue Jays’ primary catcher, though he offers very little fantasy upside.
Jordan Lawlar (wrist)
Lawlar was hit by a pitch last Thursday against the Braves. While initial X-rays were negative, a CT scan found a fracture in his right wrist that will sideline the 23-year-old outfielder for 6-8 weeks. It’s an unfortunate development for Lawlar as he seemed to be coming into his own as a big league player. He had hit safely in all but one game in the early going and had launched his first career home run earlier in Thursday’s contest. Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa stand to split time in the outfield to replace Lawlar, at least until Lourdes Gurriel Jr., recovering from a torn ACL, is ready to return. Playing time could once again be in question for Lawlar once he returns.
Zach Eflin (elbow)
Eflin was looking outstanding in his season debut last Tuesday, holding the Rangers to one run with seven strikeouts until he was pulled with two outs in the fourth inning with right elbow discomfort. The team placed Eflin on the 15-day injured list and is reportedly getting a second opinion on his initial evaluation by Dr. Keith Meister, which typically isn’t a good thing. It’s fair to speculate that Eflin could be looking at a lengthy absence. Brandon Young was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to help fill the rotation spot. He struck out two over five scoreless innings in a win against the White Sox on Monday, but his lack of strikeout upside makes him a speculative play only in the deepest of leagues.
Merill Kelly (back)
Kelly was up to 72 pitches in his last rehab outing with Triple-A Reno, tossing five scoreless innings. Manager Torey Lovullo said Sunday that the 37-year-old right-hander is slated for one more rehab start this week before rejoining the Diamondbacks rotation, likely during next week’s series in Baltimore. His return would seem to push Brandon Pfaadt out of the rotation, either to long relief or to Triple-A to remain stretched out.
Seiya Suzuki (knee)
Suzuki is on track to be activated from the injured list later this week, likely Friday when the Cubs open their weekend series at home against the Pirates. Matt Shaw and Michael Conforto have worked a platoon in right field, while Moisés Ballesteros and Miguel Amaya have gotten starts at designated hitter. It remains to be seen how the Cubs plan to utilize Suzuki coming off the injured list.
Nick Lodolo (blister)
Lodolo was due to come off the injured list this week until he suffered a setback in his rehab outing with Class-A Daytona last Thursday. He was expected to throw 60-65 pitches, but made it just 40 before he was pulled with a recurrence of the blister issue. The 28-year-old left-hander played catch on Monday, but there’s no word on when he could appear in another rehab game. He’ll likely need a couple of starts to build his pitch count back up once he’s passed the blister problem. All fantasy managers can do is be patient and hold.
Austin Hays (hamstring)
Hays pulled up limping while trying to field a ball in the outfield on Monday against the Orioles. He was removed from the game with a right hamstring strain that is expected to require a trip to the injured list. Derek Hill took over in left field on Monday and could get more looks in Hays' absence. Andrew Benintendi could also shift to more outfield starts, opening designated hitter for someone like Lenyn Sosa. From the team’s minor league depth, Sam Antonacci is a name to watch. The 23-year-old infielder is off to a great start with Triple-A Charlotte, hitting .346/.538/.615 with two homers and four steals through his first seven games.
The Nashville Predators have gotten the best of the Los Angeles Kings in the shootout twice this season, but couldn't get it done in their final meeting of the regular season.
Adrian Kempe scored the lone goal of the shootout in the second round, giving the Los Angeles Kings a critical 3-2 win over the Predators.
With the two points, the Kings move into the final Wild Card spot with 73 points and five games remaining. Nashville trails Los Angeles by a point with 72.
Turnovers haunted Nashville, which allowed two goals in regulation. A turnover by Tyson Jost in the neutral zone led to a Kings rush the other way and a goal by Joel Armia to put LA up 1-0 in the first period.
The Predators responded in the second off a 5-on-3 power play goal from Steven Stamkos, a one-time shot to tie the game. It's his 39th goal of the season and 12th power play goal on the year.
Scott Laughton gave the Kings the lead back in the second period, off a Ryan Ufko neutral zone turnover that ended with Jared Wright feeding Laughton into the slot for the quick wrist shot.
Roman Josi tied the game in the early third period as a Filip Forsberg missed shot caromed off the end boards and Josi slammed home the rebound.
Nashville and LA tied in shots, two apiece in overtime. In the shootout, Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista all failed to convert.
Juuse Saros made 26 saves on 28 shots. The Predators had a clean sheet, taking no penalties.
The Predators have two more games left in this road trip, taking on Anaheim on Tuesday and Utah on Thursday. They'll then return to Nashville on Saturday for a three-game homestand to end the regular season.
In what was the biggest game of the season for the Los Angeles Kings (32-26-19), they came up big with a gritty victory over the Nashville Predators (36-31-10) in a 3-2 shootout.
LA turned to its goaltending to get the win, led by Anton Forsberg, who stopped three clutch shots from the Predators in the shootout. The Kings were also great in the faceoff, winning 58.3% and forcing 18 giveaways from the Predators.
The game began with the Kings finally starting off strong to open the first period. It was the first time in over a week that Los Angeles scored a goal in the opening period and avoided the slow start.
It all started less than six minutes into the period, with Joel Armia forcing the turnover on defense, following up on offense by skating behind the net, and scoring an unassisted goal, giving LA the early 1-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Now THAT is how you start a game.
Forechecking has been aggressive early and the third line opens the scoring. Armia with a great shift to stay hot against Nashville, 1-0 Kings.
Los Angeles showed up this time around in the opening period with its excellent forechecking and outshot the Predators 12-4 after an amazing 20 minutes of hockey.
Five minutes into the second period, Los Angeles got called for a penalty after a Scott Laughton's hooking was called, and Mikey Anderson for a high-sticking right after the faceoff, giving Nashville the 5-on-3 advantage.
The Predators would capitalize on that 5-on-3 advantage, scoring on the power play after forward Steven Stamkos converted on the one-timer, left circle, to tie the scoreboard 1-1.
A pretty even period, other than those penalties; the Kings were hanging around and making this game interesting. The Kings only attempted four shots on goal in the next nine minutes before they regained the lead again.
With another turnover by the Predators, Jared Wright led the way with his impressive speed, blazing down the ice past Nashville's defenders and passing the puck to Laughton, finishing in front to give the Kings back their lead.
Laughton has now scored five goals for the Kings since the trade, and Wright continues to show he belongs on this team, adding a point in three consecutive games.
LAK Goal - There's that line again!
Wright with blazing speed down the wing, Laughton finishes in front. 53 continues to impress. 2-1 Kings.
Give credit to both teams for adjusting in the second period, especially the Predators, who had a measly four shots in the first period, finished with 19 in the second, outshooting the Kings 19-11.
Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg was also great in the second period, getting the start tonight over Darcy Kuemper, who didn't disappoint. The 33-year-old got two massive saves to bail out the Kings' turnovers, holding Nashville to one goal after 40 minutes.
The defense from both teams started to pick up in the final period. Everything was so tough, and neither team could get a good shot up in the early parts of the final frame.
We were nine minutes into the period, and both teams combined for just three shots: LA with two and the Predators with just two shots. Both teams were waiting for an opening to gain momentum, but nothing could go their way.
The rest of the final frame would end with both teams struggling to get a score up, and we would head to overtime, the fourth consecutive game that Los Angeles would play in extra periods.
Alex Laferriere had a great chance to win the game with under 35 seconds left after a nice defensive stop, but a clutch save by goaltender Juuse Saros would force the second overtime in the three meetings that LA and Nashville have faced off against one another.
In overtime, the Kings had several chances to win this game, including Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield getting a few close shots up, but Saros remained strong under the crease to force the shootout.
The shootout saw Adrian Kempe score the goal in round two, while Forsberg stood strong and stopped all three shots by the Predators to win the game in a shootout.
Key Stats
Anton Forsberg, the hero of the game with his clutch saves on defense, finished with 29 saves on 31 shots, continuing to make a huge case to be the permanent starter for the Kings moving forward.
Scott Laughton continues to show why he was a big pickup for the Kings, finishing with 1 goal and 1 point and bringing energy night in and night out for Los Angeles.
Jared Wright and Joel Armia were also very great tonight, sparking energy with their speed and defense. Armia notched one goal and one point, while Wright recorded an assist and a point in the Kings' victory.
Huge win for Los Angeles, arguably the biggest game of the season, and they win, but still don't have the tibreaker over the Predators, so things could get interesting. The Kings now hold the final wild card spot in the playoffs and have a one-point lead over Nashville and a two-point lead over San Jose in the playoff race.
The Kings' next matchup will be against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT.
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DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 21: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball as Brook Lopez #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers defends during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 21, 2026 in Dallas, 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What feat of strength will Cooper Flagg perform next?
Find out when the Dallas Mavericks (25-53) wrap up their two-night residency in Los Angeles on Tuesday with a game against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT.
On Friday, Flagg gave the Orlando Magic 51 on 19-of-30 shooting. On Sunday, he backed it up with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 134-128 win at the Lakers. If that trend continues, perhaps Flagg is due for a 40-point triple-double at the Clippers? Don’t discount the possibility.
Both he and the Mavericks coaching staff have shown us that getting Flagg the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award is a goal of the utmost importance as the season winds down. His 96 points in a two-game span is a mark only bested in NBA history by Wilt Chamberlain during his rookie year.
And the rest of the Mavs? It looks like they’re just trying to get to the finish line, as we all are. Here are three things we’ll be watching out for in the Mavericks’ Tuesday matchup with the Clippers.
Rookie of the Year race
Kon Knueppel and his Charlotte Hornets face the Boston Celtics just a couple of hours before the Mavs tip off against the Clippers. On Sunday, Knueppel laid a stinker on a 4-of-14 shooting night as the Hornets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 122-108.
Would Flagg continuing his scorching hot tear in the season’s final six games be enough to sway the Rookie of the Year voters over to his side? A third straight monster performance couldn’t hurt, especially since Knueppel has gone over the 20-point mark just once in his last nine games.
There was a time, as Flagg worked his way back from a foot injury in February, that Knueppel was simply out-playing Flagg on a nightly basis. That is no longer the case. It only makes sense that the last few games of the season would hold equal weight as voters consider whose name to put on their ballots.
Box score watching will likely be at least as compelling as the product the Mavericks put on the floor against the Clippers, who have won two of their last three after losing five straight at the end of March.
Guard play
Brandon Williams in particular has become an interesting case study at guard in recent games. On some nights he looks like the perfect tank commander, as his jumpshot leaves a little to be desired and his size makes him something of a liability on the defensive end. But at other times, he’s able to get to the basket at will, zooming past the defense in big moments that make one wonder whether he’s actually a useful piece for the future.
Combine his knack for scoring with the fact that the Mavericks’ latest win over the Lakers may have hurt their draft lottery odds as much as it helped Flagg’s Rookie of the Year chances, and you start to wonder what guards in the stellar 2026 NBA Draft class may even be available at all when the Mavs’ first pick comes around.
Is Williams a good option off the bench going forward? Or is he as replaceable as basically everyone else on this roster not named Flagg? He’s auditioning, and he’s playing like it lately, averaging 17 points per game in his last four outings.
Get it over with
Two of the Mavericks’ previous three games against the Clippers this year have gone into overtime. The Mavs lost to Los Angeles at home in overtime, 138-131, on Mar. 23 and dropped a double-overtime loss to the Clippers, 133-127, on Nov. 14.
The Mavs are now 17-26 this season in 43 clutch games after Sunday’s win at the Lakers. No matter how bad they look at times, they seem to always work their way back into games. Whether that’s more sheer force of will or simply Silly Season shenanigans at play, sometimes it’s hard to tell.
With a late start on our hands on Tuesday, all we’re really hoping for is a clear result at the end of regulation this time around. We’re so done with this season. All that’s left seems to be Flagg’s march to a postseason award.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Clippers are slated for a 9:30 p.m. CDT tip on Wednesday from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavericks’ regional viewership area. You can catch the stream on MavsTV and on NBA League Pass where available.
ATLANTA — Mike Brown acknowledged discussing a starting lineup change — “there’s always going to be chatter about it” — but isn’t close to acting and, at least for now, anticipates the status quo for the playoffs.
“I don’t believe in never ever. But right now we’re going to start that five and that’s how I foresee it,” the coach said. “If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I’ll make a change. But I don’t feel that way right now.”
League sources said moving Landry Shamet into the lineup was discussed. Earlier this season, Brown altered his starting lineup, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Josh Hart.
Brown said Monday his staff convinced him to abandon the original double-big lineup (with Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns), a move made in December.
Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Josh Hart #3 and Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
“There’s debate literally all the time. Obviously there was a debate at the start of the season when we started two bigs [Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns]. And there was debate almost every day because I was the only one with that [opinion] — and I was getting hammered at this angle, that angle, every angle. So we talked about it a lot.
“That’s just chatter that you have throughout the course of the year, trying to find ways to improve your team. So I think there’s always going to be chatter about [changing the lineup now]. … But there’s nothing I’ve felt close to acting on yet.”
The current Knicks starting lineup — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby, Towns — had habitually produced poor first quarters before Monday’s 108-105 victory over the Hawks. It had the third-most minutes together in the NBA but carried a net rating of just plus-0.7 — including a first-quarter net rating of minus-8.1 in the first quarter.
But they built a three-point lead before the first sub Monday, and they closed out the win together with a clutch run down the stretch.
Brown used his likely nine-man playoff rotation with Miles McBride, Robinson, Shamet and Jordan Clarkson coming off the bench.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks, Monday, April 6, 2026. AP
It meant Jose Alvarado picked up his first healthy DNP.
“I’m good. I’m chilling,” Alvarado, acquired at the trade deadline by Leon Rose, said. “I’m ready for my moment. I’m ready for my name to get called whenever it is. … So just whenever it’s Jose’s time, whenever that time is, I’m ready.”
Towns said his right elbow impingement — which kept him out of Saturday’s win over the Bulls — has been an issue “for a while.”
