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The battle for Pennsylvania bragging rights is officially on.
For the eighth time in the franchises’ storied histories, the Pittsburgh Penguins are going head-to-head with the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Playoffs.
After wrapping the 2025-26 campaign with a 41-25-16 record and a second place finish in the Metropolitan Division, Sidney Crosby’s old guard club have home ice advantage over Travis Konecny’s youthful 43-27-12 squad in this first-round showdown.
Games 1 and 2 — along with Games 5 and 7 if necessary — at PPG Paints Arena are set for:
Game OneSaturday, April 18 8 p.m.
Game TwoMonday, April 20 7 p.m.
Game FiveMonday, April 27 TBD
Game SevenSaturday, May 2 TBD
If you’d like to witness these cutthroat clashes live, tickets are available for all four potential tilts in the Steel City as of today.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one first round contest in Pittsburgh was $224 including fees on StubHub.
Prices start at $243 including fees for games in Philly.
And while that’s certainly pricey, it’s hard to put a dollar amount on catching these longtime foes — who split the four-game regular season series 2-2 — duking it out on the ice in the postseason, especially considering both have undergone recent playoff droughts.
Pittsburgh’s last trip to the postseason was in 2022; Philadelphia hasn’t advanced since 2020.
“Couldn’t have drawn it up any better. Battle of Pennsylvania, and it’s going to be a good one,” Flyers winger Owen Tippett said. “We’re excited.”
He’s not wrong; the majority of prognosticators are having trouble picking a winner for this neck-and-neck series. However, USA Today gives the Pens the edge, predicting they’ll win in six.
As for us, all we know for certain is that this “Legends vs. Kids” series should be a doozy.
Don’t miss this one live.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers 2026 First-Round NHL Playoff Series below.
Buffalo Sabres playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Sabres home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Buffalo Sabres home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game One Saturday, April 18
$402(including fees)
Game Two Monday, April 20
$224(including fees)
Game Five Monday, April 27
$229(including fees)
Game Seven Saturday, May 2
$358(including fees)
Philadelphia Flyers playoff home game tickets
All Flyers playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
Philadelphia Flyers home game dates
StubHub prices start at
Game Three Wednesday, April 22
$255(including fees)
Game Four Saturday, April 25
$266(including fees)
Game Six Wednesday, April 29
$243(including fees)
How to watch the Penguins and Flyers on TV
Fans hoping to catch high-stakes showdowns on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN and TNT.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NHL playoff schedule
Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
For the fourth consecutive season the Knicks are in the playoffs as they gear up for their first-round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks with Game 1 coming on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
It’s a new era for New York who endured years of mediocrity and inferiority in the not-so-distant past, but who has been able to rise again and consistently fight for its third ever NBA title and first since 1973.
After reaching the Conference Finals last year following two trips to the Conference Semi-finals in the two years prior, the Knicks have been right on the cusp of finally getting over the hump and reaching the NBA Finals.
On Saturday, their road to a possible championship will start once again and this group of players will get another chance to bring glory back to New York. Of course, this time around it will pose new challenges along the way.
One constant throughout the years, though, is the Knicks’ preparation for the playoffs. It’s something that, even with a new head coach at the helm, doesn’t change and is a much different process than getting ready for the regular season.
“It’s just even more detailed,” Mikal Bridges said. “It’s nice, you know you play 82 games, a different game every day, different city this and that, but what I always feel about the playoffs is it’s always nice just to lock in on one team and be able to just focus on them and focus on what we have to do – just like that chess match.”
So that’s what New York has been doing, locking in on Atlanta’s strengths and weaknesses and trying to figure out how they can neutralize and exploit the two over the course of a seven-game series.
“It’s really just knowing each other’s skills and making it a dog fight,” Bridges continued.
And while the playoffs are vastly different from the regular season in both scope and scale, that doesn’t mean the Knicks won’t look at their matchups with the Hawks this year to try and derive intel.
In three games between the two teams, New York took two out of three, winning both games in Atlanta, including one during the final week of the season, while the Hawks beat the Knicks at MSG.
New York will be sure to use that information the best it can. In fact, the game the Knicks won during the final week was a great preview of how the series could look and sound.
“I think it was nice that we played them,” Bridges said. “It felt like a playoff game as well, being in that arena with their fans and our fans and end of the season and two really good teams playing and battling.
“So it was actually great that we got to play them just to get that feel. So I do like and appreciate that and it was nice to have that.”
While playoff experience, which New York has plenty of, is certainly helpful, don’t expect the Knicks to lean too heavily on their recent playoff runs as a blueprint of how to do it again, or even what to do differently this time around to go further.
“I think we try not to look in the past in that sense of like what did we necessarily do wrong, we kind of focus more on like this is our challenge this year,” Miles McBride said. “We’re starting with Atlanta and they’re nothing like Detroit who we played last year so we have to figure out what we have to do to get this down in this series and it starts with the first game.
“We have to take it step by step, we can’t really pull from last year, we have to be in the moment now.”
The San Diego Padres (13-6) open their series with the Los Angeles Angels (10-10). The Padres have won eight in a row and 11 of their past 12. The Angels just split a four-game series with the New York Yankees in which Mike Trout homered in all four games. Starting pitchers are Matt Waldron for San Diego and José Soriano for Los Angeles.
How to watch San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Angels
Date: Friday, April 17
Time: 9:38 p.m. ET / 6:38 p.m. PT
Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
TV Channels: FanDuel Sports Network West, Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health
The Buffalo Sabres have to wait until Sunday night to play their first postseason game in 15 years, and although the Sabres won the Atlantic Division and will be at home in front of an excited crowd at KeyBank Center, they will face a significant challenge in their division rival, the Boston Bruins. The Beantowners finished nine points behind the Sabres in the first Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 100 points, but have more playoff experience than Buffalo with the likes of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, nd Jeremy Swayman.
The Sabres lost three of four matchups against Boston this season (3-1 in Boston on October 11, 4-3 in overtime at TD Garden on October 30, and 4-3 in overtime at KeyBank Center on March 25). Buffalo’s only win, 4-1, came at home on December 27. Bruins head coach Marco Sturm gave away a bit of his club’s gameplan on Friday before they embarked for Western New York, stating that they plan to be the big bad Bruins.
“We know how we have to play. We're excited. We are bigger, stronger, we are more physical.” Sturm said. “We just have to be smart. But, we're going to go after them. Whoever comes in first place, second….I don’t really care. We are going to play our game.”
The Bruins apparently are going to try to take a page out of the Tampa Bay Lightning playbook, who on their infamous visit in March, targeted Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin and defenseman Bowen Byram, but Buffalo effectively pushed back and won a wild 8-7 contest. Boston has a group of tough players, including former Sabre first-rounder Nikita Zadorov (152 penalty minutes), center Mark Kastelic (140 penalty minutes), and rugged winger Tann Jeannot, and is likely calculating that they can take some liberties against Buffalo because of its ineffective power-play (21st in the NHL at 19.5%).
Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff gave his club the day off after practicing on Thursday, and indicated that he does not expect to have center Sam Carrick for the series, but that rookie Noah Ostlund may play at some point. Goalie Alex Lyon may practice with the club on Saturday, after rookie Colten Ellis missed Thursday’s workout.
The NHL released the series schedule, with Game 1 on Sunday at 7:30 pm. Game 2 will be on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. The series shifts to TD Garden for Games 3 and 4, on Thursday at 7 pm and Sunday afternoon at 2 pm. If necessary, Game 5 will be on Tuesday, April 28 in Buffalo, Friday, May 1 at TD Garden, and Game 7 on Sunday, May 3rd. Games 5, 6, and 7 start times are to be determined.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 15: Ozzie Albies #1 celebrates with Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves after a home run against the Miami Marlins in the second inning at Truist Park on April 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another right-handed starter on the mound means another start for Dominic Smith in the Braves lineup for Friday night’s opener of the road series against the Phillies.
Smith, who is still on a torrid start to his Braves tenure, will bat seventh and serve as the designated hitter with Philadelphia starting veteran Taijuan Walker on the hill. With five more RBIs in the Marlins series, Smith is up to 15 RBIs in as many games played early this season, batting .381 and OPSing 1.043 in 42 at-bats.
The lineup is carrying over from the Marlins series finale, with Mike Yastrzemski back in the lineup and Mauricio Dubon once again of Michael Harris II at the bottom of the order.
Walker, who is in his sixth straight season in the NL East with the Mets (2021-22) and Phillies (2023-26), is 3-2 with a 4.63 ERA in 11 games against the Braves in his career. He faced Atlanta twice last season, allowing no runs over a combined 6 2/3 innings.
The current Braves roster is 27-for-89 (.303) against Walker with three homers, six doubles, 18 strikeouts and 14 walks. Harris actually has two of those homers off Walker and is hitting .444 against him in his career. Matt Olson is hitting just .231 against him but does have three doubles. Smith is 2-for-3 (.667) against Walker, who he was teammates with in New York for two seasons.
With Atlanta starting a southpaw in Martín Pérez, Philadelphia is giving Brandon Marsh a rare night off, starting Otto Kemp in left field and placing him ninth in the lineup. Marsh has a team-high .290 batting average early this season and is among the team leaders with 11 RBIs this season.
Pérez, a first-time NL East pitcher this season, is 4-1 with a 3.78 ERA in 10 games against the Phillies over his career.
The current Phillies roster is 30-for-99 (.303) against Pérez with five doubles, two homers, 19 strikeouts and 13 walks. Bryson Stott, who is also not in the starting lineup, is 2-for-2 against him, while Alec Bohm is 8-of-17 (.471) with a homer and five RBIs. Trea Turner also has a homer and a .357 average against Pérez.
Apr 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
After a disappointing .500 road trip, the Red Sox head home to host two tough opponents: the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees. First up are the Tigers. In their favor, the AL East is still close. Boston trails the Tampa Bay Rays by just 4.0 games. They are just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card. At 7-11 they’re tied with the Blue Jays for last place in the AL East. The 10-9 Tigers are in third place in the AL Central. This is a 4-game series including Patriots’ Day / Marathon Monday and the 11 AM start.
Casey Mize has started the season with two good outings (6.0 innings, 1 run and 5.2 innings, 1 run) and one clunker (4.1 innings, 5 runs). The bad start was in Minnesota against the Twins, who have just been raking some days. Ranger Suárez is coming off his best start of the season last time out against the Cardinals and will look to keep rolling. The 6K, 6.0 inning outing was much more like Sox fans expected out of the big offseason acquisition.
Saturday is a David vs. Goliath matchup as Tarik Skubal takes on Brayan Bello. Skubal has given up 6 earned runs on the season – 4 against the Twins in April 7th. Hopefully the Red Sox scouting department has a plan as they need all the wins they can get. The Sox did score 5 off the Detroit ace last May, so it can happen. The 5 runs allowed were Skubal’s season high. Like Suárez, Bello is coming of his best start of the short season. Just 2 runs (1 earned) in 6.2 innings was exactly what the doctor and Alex Cora ordered.
Sunday is the day everyone will be thinking about all weekend. Crochet Day. But first let’s start with his opponent: Framber Valdez. The Tigers added another top-of-the-rotation pitcher while taking Skubal to an arbitration hearing. And the former Astro has delivered. He’s made three starts of more than 6 innings with 1 earned run or less allowed. And one stat of 5.0 inning where he allowed 8 runs. To the Twins. In Minnesota. Seriously what is happening there? The Sox ace was rocked for 11 runs (10 earned) in 1.2 innings. It was like not other start in his life. And hopefully fades into memory.
Jack Flaherty gets the early start on Monday. Flaherty wasn’t a victim of the Twins, allowing just 1 run in 5.2 innings. But the Tigers lost his start anyway 3-1. Last time out against the Royals he went 6.0 innings allowing just 1 runs and striking out 7. Sonny Gray had a rough debut and then looked like the #2 for two starts before getting knocked around by the Twins. We almost can’t blame him for that one. Let’s hope this is another start where he’s on track.
Recently extended super-prospect Kevin McGonigle is hitting .313/.421/.484.
Dillon Dingler and Kerry Carpenter lead the club with 3 homers each.
Spencer Torkelson is hitting just .196/.369/.235 but has 13 walks!
Old friend Kenley Jansen is the closer and has picked up 4 saves already.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, April 17: Casey Mize (3.94 ERA / 3.66 FIP) vs. Ranger (5.02 ERA / 4.48 FIP)
Saturday, April 18: Tarik Skubal (2.22 ERA / 2.42 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (6.14 ERA / 3.87 FIP)
Sunday, April 19: Framber Valdez (3.75 ERA / 3.07 FIP) vs. Garrett Crochet (7.58 ERA / 4.63 FIP)
Monday, April 20: Jack Flaherty (4.05 ERA / 4.26 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (4.43 ERA / 4.73 FIP)
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We’re just one day away from the start of the NBA Playoffs, but before they can begin, there are still two No. 8 seed to be determined in the final round of the Play-In Tournament.
First up: the Eastern Conference matchup between the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets.
Charlotte is back in the playoff race for the first time in ten seasons. The Hornets won their first play-in game against the Miami Heat in a close 127-126 overtime thriller, where LaMelo Ball hit the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime.
Orlando is coming into today’s do-or-die matchup following a 109-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the Play-In Tournament.
Hornets vs. Magic: what to know
What: NBA Play-In Tournament
When: April 17, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Kia Center (Orlando, Florida)
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
While the loser of tonight’s game’s playoff road ends here, the winner advances into the main playoff bracket and will be back in action on Sunday, April 19, against the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons.
Hornets vs. Magic start time:
The Hornets vs. Magic game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, April 17, but pregame coverage on Prime Video will begin at 7 p.m.
How to watch Hornets vs. Magic for free:
The entire NBA Play-In Tournament, including Hornets vs. Magic, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.
If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
PRIME VIDEO
PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTS
All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six yearsand get all the perks.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands for the national anthem before their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on April 09, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the playoffs set to begin, LeBron James once again finds himself in a familiar role, trying to lead his team to postseason success.
One aspect that is new and unfamiliar, however, is his contract status with his team whenever the year concludes. LeBron is entering the final year of his deal with the Lakers and has made it clear he has no idea what’s next regarding his basketball life.
The options for James are known. He can either return to the Lakers, join another team, or retire.
So far, James hasn’t hinted at favoring any option over the other, but according to a recent article by Dan Woike of The Athletic, one thing he has no interest in is a farewell tour.
“The notion that James would want a farewell tour — long cited as evidence that this season was not his last — is false, those sources said, with several sources even hearing that directly from James himself.”
A year-long retirement tour would raise the media frenzy surrounding LeBron to an all-time high. And that’s saying a lot for a player who has been the most covered in the NBA.
Perhaps James has no interest in being gifted rocking chairs, making speeches, or having every road trip be a going-away party.
After 23 seasons, more than any other NBA player has ever had, maybe LeBron wants his decision to be private, and when he’s done, he’ll just walk away.
We’ll see what LeBron does next, but Lakers fans shouldn’t think this can’t be the end, since he isn’t currently on a retirement tour. All we know is that we don’t know anything, and everyone should relish the games we have left with LeBron.
While it’s unclear when things will end for LeBron and whether it’s here in Los Angeles or elsewhere, what is clear is that the end is looming.
The quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is in full swing!
The battle is on for what's often said to be the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, but only one can be crowned NHL champion in June.
Our hockey experts will deliver their NHL Playoffs best bets and NHL picks every day from now until the Stanley Cup is presented.
NHL Playoffs best bets for Sunday, April 26
Game
Best bet
Odds
BUF vs. BOS
BUF ML
+100
COL vs. LAK
COL ML
-170
TB vs. MTL
MTL ML
-105
EDM vs. ANA
EDM ML
-135
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
Sunday, April 26
Sabres vs Bruins Game 4 prediction
2:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Best bet: Sabres moneyline (+100 at Kalshi)
The Buffalo Sabres lead 2-1 despite Jeremy Swayman posting save percentages of .919, .943, and .931. He has given the Boston Bruins elite netminding, and they still trail.
If his numbers dip at all, the Sabres will almost certainly head home up 3-1.
Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t scored, Martin Necas hasn’t scored, Cale Makar has only one point, and the Avalanche are still winning the series 8-4 and on the verge of a sweep.
I think the Avalanche will bring their best to the table in order to put the Kings away and earn extra rest heading into a monstrous second round series against Dallas or Minnesota.
The Canadiens outplayed the Lightning in Game 3, outshooting them 29-17 en route to another dramatic overtime win. Fueled by the energy at the Bell Centre, the Habs will take a 3-1 series lead tonight.
The series has been close, but Montreal has dominated this matchup this season, going 4-0-1 in the last five meetings dating back to March.
Although the Ducks have been the better team, with a 55% expected-goal share, I’m expecting the Oilers to show up in a near must-win to wrestle back home-ice advantage by tying up the series 2-2.
It’s been a quiet series for Connor McDavid, who has just two points and is a -6 in the series. I’m expecting a breakout from the league's Art Ross Trophy winner tonight to lead his team to victory.
The NHL is a betting buffet — the key is picking the right market for your edge.
Futures: Not only can you bet on the team you think will win it all in the Stanley Cup odds, but you can also wager on Conn Smythe odds. The latter trophy is awarded to the player judged to be the best performer in the postseason, not just in the Stanley Cup Final
Game lines: The spread, moneyline, and total are the bread-and-butter once the playoffs begin. As the postseason rolls on and teams become more risk-averse, lines will get tighter and totals will drop, so bettors can take advantage of swings throughout series one way or the other.
Props: NHL player props will still be going strong all the way until a potential Game 7 of the Cup Final. The most popular markets include anytime goalscorer, player points, assists, shots on goal, and goalie saves.
Same-game parlays: SGPs can be fun, but value varies. Compare the parlay payout to betting legs individually, and prioritize lines you’d play on their own.
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
A heated rivalry is renewed as the Denver Nuggets host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
Nikola Jokic has been at his best against Anthony Edwards and Co., and my Timberwolves vs. Nuggets predictions expect another monster game from the Joker.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this first-round Western Conference showdown as the Timberwolves and Nuggets meet in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 1 prediction
Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bet: Nikola Jokic Over 51.5 points+rebounds+assists (-120)
Nikola Jokic averaged just under this combo line in the regular season, going for 51.3 PRA. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and a career-best 10.7 assists, stuffing the stat sheet with regularity.
In four regular-season matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jokic averaged a whopping 35.8 points, 15 rebounds, and 11.3 assists. He posted 52+ PRA three times and finished with 50 in the other.
Jokic finished with 56/16/15 on Christmas, cruising past this line with scoring alone. Last season, he delivered a 61/10/10 performance against the Wolves, and two seasons ago, he averaged 53 PRA at home against the Wolves. His last two season-highs in points have come at the expense of Minnesota.
The Denver Nuggets All-Star point-center has averaged 47.9 PRA across 12 playoff tilts with Minnesota, including a 49.1 average in seven home games. He’s gone for 52+ in three of seven in front of the home crowd, and I expect him to do the same on Saturday as he looks to get his team off to a hot start in the postseason.
Jokic may draw the assignment of stalwart defender Rudy Gobert, but he had no problem stuffing the stat sheet when he faced Defensive Player of the Year favorite Victor Wembanyama in the closing games of the regular season.
Jokic can spread the floor with his outside shooting and make Gobert uncomfortable in space. He can also make Gobert pay with his elite passing abilities.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 1 same-game parlay
Anthony Edwards enjoyed the best statistical season of his career behind a 37.4 PRA average and a career-high 28.8 points per game. Edwards has been excellent against Denver over the last two seasons, going for 37+ in six of his last seven matchups and 40+ five times.
The Timberwolves finished the season with a 6-4 ATS record over their last 10 games, despite a number of key injuries, including those to Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.
The Nuggets won their last 10 games but covered the spread only five times. The Wolves have won or kept the score within six points in two of the last three head-to-head matchups with the Nuggets, and I’m calling for a competitive game between familiar foes.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP
Nikola Jokic Over 51.5 PRA
Anthony Edwards Over 36.5 PRA
Timberwolves +6.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Triple-Double Machine!
Jokic recorded an NBA-high 34 triple-doubles this season, matching his career high while playing only 65 games, meaning he reached this statistical milestone in more games than not. He did so in three of four games against the Timberwolves.
Edwards led Minnesota in steals per game at 1.4, and he recorded multiple swipes in 24 of 61 appearances. He recorded three steals in each of his last two games against the Wolves. Edwards finished with at least 27 points in 34 of 61 games, including a 44-point performance in his last trip to Ball Arena.
Minnesota hit the Over in four of its last five games to end the season, and Denver did so in eight of its last 10. With both teams close to full strength, I expect a high-scoring affair in Mile High.
The Denver Nuggets have hit the Game Total Over in 24 of their last 35 games (+11.90 Units / 31% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Nuggets Game 1
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video, TSN4
Timberwolves vs Nuggets latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Kansas City Royals (7-12) and New York Yankees (10-9) open a three-game series. The Royals were just swept in three games by the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees just split a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels.
How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees
Mar 6, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts with teammates forwards Carter Bryant (11) and Julian Champagnie (30) and guard Devin Vassell (24) after securing a comeback victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, with Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers set for 8 PM CT on Sunday. In the meantime, we’re looking back one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.
In Part 1, we reviewed the first part of the season, whuch featured a strong start despite missing De’Aaron Fox to start the season and Victor Wembanyama for 12 straight games. In Part 2, we recalled their memorable and arguably season-defining stretch in the second half of December, which featured Wemby’s return and a Cup Semi-finals win plus two more in a 12-day span against the defending champion Thunder, officially putting the Spurs on the map. Finally, in Part 3, we looked at their one rough patch of the season during the month of January, but in hindsight, it may have actually been a character-defining stretch, and that showed at the turn of the month, where we’re kicking off today.
Part 4: February 1 – April 12 (29-4)
On paper, the Spurs’ home win against the Orlando Magic on February 1 simply met expectations. They beat a decent but inferior opponent by nine points, but there was a lot more context that made this game a turning point. They went through a lot just to play that game, having been trapped in Charlotte the night before due to a snow storm, and when they finally started heading back to San Antonio the day of this game, they had to make an emergency landing in Atlanta due to mechanical issues with their plane (which players admitted was a scary situation). It would have made sense for the NBA to just postpone the game (or better yet, have postponed the Charlotte one and not even put the Spurs in that situation), but instead it got pushed back a mid-afternoon game to a night one, and the Spurs had to go straight to the arena from the airport.
They would have been forgiven for being too tired and dropping this one, but instead, they showed grit and fight to pull out the exhausting win, which ended up being a character-defining moment and kicked off one of their best extended stretches in franchise history. It started their first 11-game win streak since 2016, which ran all the way through February — making the Spurs the first team to have an undefeated month while scoring 110 or more point in every game — to the penultimate game of the Rodeo Road Trip (which started/ended a week later than usual).
That run featured many memorable games, including consecutive 40-point games from Stephon Castle and Wemby against the Mavs and Lakers, respectively, with Castle’s performance also being triple-double.
But perhaps the two wins that showed the Spurs had not only returned to their December form but had officially “arrived” as contenders came against the same team: one as they started the second leg of the RRT after their two Austin games, and the other in their “return home from the RRT” game against the East’s top seed: the Detroit Pistons. Not only did the Spurs convincingly win both of those games (both were close, but the Spurs were always in control), led by 28 points from Devin Vassell in Detroit and 38 from Wemby in San Antonio, but it helped squash the narrative that they couldn’t handle physical teams.
The Spurs ran away with the second seed in the West from there (albeit unable to catch the similarly hot Thunder for the top seed), but there were plenty more thrillers along the way. One came the very next night, when an exhausted Spurs team faced Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers for the first time this season. It seemed the Spurs had nothing left in the tank and found themselves down by as much as 25 early in the second half before a massive rally back to steal the game, including two huge buckets from Wemby in the final minute, in both cases to retake the lead, followed by some free throw drama. It was such a physically and emotionally draining game that it literally had Wemby in tears afterwards.
Probably much to every Spurs fans’ satisfaction, they would go on to sweep the season series against the Clippers, and Kawhi’s team would lose in the play-in while his future with his desired club is up in the air due to the Aspiration scandal. For the first time in 8 eight years, it finally feels like karma is back on the Spurs side, and we have officially moved on from the destruction his actions brought upon the franchise.
Another memorable game was a chaotic win against a then-potential first round opponent (but not anymore) and thorn-in-the-side Phoenix Suns team on March 19. The Suns led most of the way before the Spurs made another fourth quarter comeback, and this time it was a Wemby jumper with 1.1 sec left that sealed the deal. While not officially a buzzer-beater, it was the first go-ahead game winner of his career.
In all, the Spurs went an unprecedented 29-4 to close the season, and coming together during the RRT followed by strong Marches have always been a calling card of the Spurs championship teams, so it’s good to see them returning to a formula that has always been successful. If there was one concern in that stretch, it was three of the losses were to a Denver Nuggets team that will likely be their second round opponent. The good news is Wemby only played in one of them — an OT loss in Denver — and even without him the other two were close, but it was especially frustrating in the regular season finale when Nikola Jokic only played in the first half and the Spurs had a chance to knock them back to the 4th seed and to the Thunder’s side of the bracket.
Regardless, the Spurs came into this season with the play-in or a lower playoff seed seeming like a reasonable goal, and they far exceeded those expectations. They still have to prove themselves in the playoffs, but the only thing that could make this season a bust at this point would be a first round upset, which seems unlikely (*knock on wood). They may or may not need that “learning” year (i.e. experiencing and learning from a playoff loss) before they can truly chase a championship, but the bottom line is this has been far and away a better regular season than any of us could have asked for, and it has been so much fun going back through it.
We will have more on the opening round match-up against the Blazers while we patiently wait for Sunday evening to get here, and in the meantime be sure to tell us about more of your favorite memories from this season!
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 13: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the first inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Monday, April 13, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Washington Nationals are a collection of one of the cuter memes in recent memory. Daylen Lile. Jorbit Vivas. Keibert Ruiz. None of these words are in the Bible? Oh… what’s that? These are the names of some of the players? Hmm, that makes a lot more sense. Well, look, getting to know the Nationals doesn’t seem like a good use of time, given that they’re in a transition period following the installation of a new front office necessitated by six straight losing seasons after the franchise’s sole world championship in 2019. And yet, right now, they’re better than the San Francisco Giants.
Sure, it’s only a two game difference, but they’ve also got the power of no expectations — and heaps of statistical data being infused with their coaching and scouting. The Giants have neither of that going for them, and this clash of organizational philosophies will be fascinating to watch here and going forward. In the offseason, the Nationals fumigated their front office to rid itself of the embalming fluids that had drenched every piece of furniture from the Mike Rizzo regime.
That group had managed to win a World Series and use the old method of tanking to get high draft picks in order to build up talent to great effect, leading to 6 years of misery begetting 8 years of contention. They’re since suffered 6 years of misery and figure to be bad again in 2026, a 7th street year of futility. But just to demonstrate the philosophical shift, two Spring Trainings ago, all the Nats did to prepare their pitchers better was hang signs in the bullpens:I don’t care how fast you throw ball four.
“In this league, you have to throw strikes,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “I didn’t want to be a smart ass and put that up, but I think with one of the youngest teams in the league like we have and a young pitching staff, I wanted them to know that is important to the guy making the decisions on who’s making the team. Throw the ball over the plate. You have to get guys out.”
SF native, St. Ignatius & Cal alum Paul Toboni is now the President of Baseball Operations, and he’s brought aboard former McCovey Chronicles commenter prospect Anirudh Kilambi (garbanzo24) to be the GM. They’ve gone in the opposite direction of both the Nationals and the Giants (which proudly threw out the computers that had invaded their clubhouse) and the players have reacted positively. This Nats culture/vibes shift article for The Athletic by Spencer Nusbaum mentions several key details, but basically the coaching staff’s use of data in real time has helped the players more.
“Having the different resources that we have in the bullpen, cameras, TVs, TrackMan — like, we’ve had this stuff to an extent in the past,” [SP Jake] Irvin said. “But now we’re getting data in real time, and I think that that’s been a huge help.”
It’s led to their best start since 2019. Meanwhile, the Giants are 7-12 to start a season for just the second time this century and third time in 40 years. The last time this happened (2004), they had Barry Bonds on the team.
The Giants do have all or most of the same technology as the Nationals, but just given the results and the way the Giants have stumbled into those results, it’s worth wondering if said technology is being utilized in much the same way as the previous Nationals regime utilized their meager tech. If the Giants really are oversteering away from the Farhan Zaidi days to a more “traditional” and “old school” manner of what is today losing baseball, then that will be quite distressing to watch, and this series might provide us with a glimpse of what computers vs. gut is going to look like going forward. The Giants absolutely have the superior talent on both sides of the ball, but the Nationals might have the edge just by being willing to optimize what talent they do have.
Or do they? The easiest thing to optimize with modern baseball technology is pitching, and yet the Nationals have THE WORST pitching staff in the sport (-2.3 fWAR!!!) with a team ERA of 5.91 (5.95 FIP). The Giants are slightly better (+1.1 fWAR — 21st) with a 4.17 ERA (4.11 FIP). It’s on the hitting side where there’s a wide, wide gap in results in this 19-game sample size: Washington’s offense is ranked 5th heading into the series: +3.3 fWAR on a 112 wRC+ from a triple slash of .262/.338/.411. They’re tied with the Astros for most runs scored in the sport right now (107). Their 20 stolen bases is 6th in MLB, too. On paper, they’ve had a tough start to the season: @ Cubs (2-1), @ Phillies (1-2), Dodgers (0-3), Cardinals (1-2), @ Brewers (3-0), @ Pirates (2-2). Is it simply that the Cubs, Brewers, and Phillies are having a slow start to their seasons, too, or do the Nationals have a little magic?
Guess we’ll find out. If the Giants don’t win this series, they’ll be tied with the 2017, 2019, and 2020 teams starts OR be off to their worst start since the 100-loss 1985 season.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (7-12) at Washington Nationals (9-10) Where: Nationals Park | Washington, D.C. When: Friday at 3:45pm PT, Saturday at 1:05pm PT, Sunday at 10:35am PT National broadcasts: None.
Projected starters Friday: Logan Webb (1-2, 5.25 ERA) vs. Zack Littell (0-1, 4.20 ERA) Saturday: Adrian Houser (0-2, 5.06 ERA) vs. Cade Cavalli (RHP 0-1, 4.60 ERA) Sunday: Robbie Ray (2-2, 2.42 ERA) vs. Miles Mikolas (RHP 0-3, 11.49 ERA)
Players to watch
Nationals
CJ Abrams: The Giants tried to trade for the shortstop/second baseman in the offseason and maybe it’s because they saw in him what the new Nats front office does. The bloom had come off the rose for this player, with the industry being down on him for off the field matters plus perceived underperformance at the play. His prior three seasons have seen just a 101 wRC+ from the speedy lefty 25-year old. This year, he’s off to a white hot start: .371/.481/.710 in 77 PA (224 wRC+). Abrams is the best player on the Nats roster right now, even leading them in home runs (6). At the game level, he’s 6-for-8 on the first pitch this season with a home run and has been doing damage even later in the count, but it’s all such a small sample that the Giants can only hope he regresses to the mean during this series.
James Wood: The second-best player in the lineup right now whose .256/.376/.526 in 93 PA is only 50% better than the league average (150 wRC+) and has only hit 5 home runs (4 fewer than the Giants as a team). The outfielder went just 3-for-16 in the recently completed 4-game series in Pittsburgh, but in the prior homestand and 3 in Milwaukee, he was 14-for-35 with 4 homers. Is home cooking just what he needs?
Joey Wiemer: The Giants briefly had him this offseason and now with the Nats, he’s hitting .351/.442/.595 in a bench role (43 PA), which will almost certainly become a platoon role soon enough. Technically, the outfielder has had 1 more PA against RHP (19) than LHP (18), but the statistical separation is stark: .596 OPS vs. RHP and 1.490 against LHP.
Giants
Jerar Encarnacion: If he’s not designated for assignment before I post this article, then I would have to imagine his role on the roster is tenuous at best right now. He’s 6-for-24 in very limited action, but there’s also the matter of his poor baserunning — oh! and his bad defense (when he remembers to bring his mitt to the field). Sure, the guys who get the big bucks need to step up and produce, but on road trips, sometimes the role players need to play a winning role.
Logan Webb: He’ll probably wind up having a typical season, but it sure doesn’t feel like it right now. A great start against a team he’s done okay against for his career (4-1, 4.25 ERA) would go a long way towards calming down some negative perceptionof the team. The Nats might have different ideas, though. Webb has given up 10 runs in 3 starts (13.2 IP) at Nationals Park, though he pitched great there last time (2024: 5.2 IP 1 ER). In that game, he was called for the only balk of his career!
Ryan Walker & Erik Miller: Miller’s save in yesterday’s finale was fun to see as was Ryan Walker’s clean inning. If the 7th, 8th, and 9th are shaping into a Walker-Winn-Miller beast, that seems like one that most of us can get behind. Miller’s walk issues and Walker’s control issues are definitely things to keep an eye on, but this might be the best trio of options available to Tony Vitello for now. The Nationals’ batting average by inning so far makes the idea of the bullpen being “settled” very premature: 1st: .337 2nd: .167 3rd: .203 4th: .297 5th: .233 6th: .232 7th: .329 8th: .286 9th: .269
Tony Vitello watch
Why are the Giant struggling with their preparation? It’s not just the sloppy defense or lack of in-game substitutions, it’s also Jerar Encarnacion losing his glove and Tony Vitello arguing with an umpire against a clearly out Jerar Encarnacion or him not challenging an obvious dropped fly ball in yesterday’s game. Obviously, that’s on the players to an extent and the video room coaches — assuming the Giants still have one! They have taken great pride in de-technologizing the team! — but at the same time, every “rookie mistake” you’d expect of a guy who has never coached a major league game before March 2026 is being made.
It’d be an unacceptable spate of missteps so early in the season under any other sort of manager. That the Giants are generally playing poorly in addition to it only makes matters worse. Anyway, let’s see what happens when he manages against an actual computer.
Prediction time
The Giants will manage to win a game in this series, I think. Or… let’s hope.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 12: Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays leaves the mound in the third inning of their MLB game against the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre on April 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Diamondbacks come into this series as one of the hottest teams in baseball. They’ve won seven out of their last ten, have only lost one series this season. They’re on fire. Unfortunately, they are exactly the third hottest team in baseball. The other two are directly in front of them in the NL West standings. The Padres have won eight straight. The Dodgers eight out of ten. It’s truly exhausting to be a fan of an NL West team. But hey, we’re a tenth of the way through the season and the Dbacks are in a playoff position. Take the little wins, even if we can never make up ground in our division.
The Blue Jays, on the other hand, are not in great shape. They’re even more injured than the Diamondbacks are, and have more money on the IL right now than some teams do. They are scuffling as much as would be expected at this point. They’ve only won a single series; a sweep of the Athletics to start the season. Since then, they haven’t won a single one, and that includes a series against both the Rockies as well as the White Sox, who swept them. Add in being in the AL East, which is always going to be competitive, the Jays have already dug themselves a hole that they’ll be chasing for the rest of the season.
Game 1 — 4/17, 6:40 PM — Michael Soroka (3-0, 2.87 ERA/146 ERA+, 1.21 WHIP) vs Eric Lauer (1-2, 7.82 ERA/59 ERA+, 1.57 WHIP)
Michael Soroka was supposed to just be a placeholder until Merrill Kelly came back, and then he would go to the bullpen. Instead, he’s been arguably the best starter on the team, currently on pace for 230 strike outs this season, and Brandon Pfaadt, he of the long term extension just 13 months ago, was banished to the bullpen instead. It’s totally deserved on Soroka’s part. He’s had a single bad inning all season, and other than that four run first against the Phillies, he’s been stellar. So far this season, he’s looked far more like the sixth placing Cy Young nominee he was in his rookie season than bargain bin pick up. Good for him.
Lauer has not had a great season at all. He’s pitched 12 2/3 innings so far. He’s given up 11 hits, 11 ER, 3 HR, and nine walks. Most of those counting stats came in his last outing against the Twins he gave up seven runs and five walks in 5 1/3 inning, but the White Sox knocked him from the game in just two innings prior to that, and he gave up another two runs there. Small sample sizes still apply, of course, but early returns have been less than stellar for the 30 year old pitcher.
Game 2 — 4/18, 5:10 PM — Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.60 ERA/116 ERA+, 1.45 WHIP) vs. Max Scherzer (1-2, 9.58 ERA/48 ERA+, 1.45 WHIP)
Zac Gallen has been alright to start the season. Not great, but flashes of good. Got hit for four runs in four innings on opening day, but followed it up with 11 innings of two run baseball, but couldn’t keep it going and gave up three in 5 IP last time out against the Phillies. I don’t really think anyone was expecting Ace level shut down work from Gallen this season, so there isn’t much to be disappointed about, but still, like most of his output for the past three seasons or so, you’re left with the feeling it could be better.
I won’t lie, I was kind of hoping Scherzer would get the roster spot currently occupied by Soroka. Purely nostalgic, and, uh, wow, I’m so glad I’m not the GM of the Diamondbacks. Probably a reason for that, now that I’m thinking about it. He’s only gotten out of the third inning once in three starts, and he gave up eight runs to the Twins in his last start. One has to wonder, when is he going to retire, or will the league have to decide he is retired for him? Either way, it’s kind of a sad end to a surefire HOF career.
Game 3 — 4/19, 1:10 PM — Ryne Nelson (1-1, 3.54 ERA/118 ERA+, 1.03 WHIP) vs. Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.42 ERA/187 ERA+, 0.85 WHIP)
Nelson has had an interesting season. Some of his stats are still being overly effected by his 7 run, 2 earned run game against the Braves, for sure, and outside of that start he’s gotten good results. His FIP is still very high, but it’s coming down with each start. That in particular is being hurt by his high walk numbers and lower strike out numbers, but, again, both of those are getting better as time goes on. He hasn’t quite lived up to the standard he set for himself the past season and a half, nor the expectations many had going into this season, but he’s still been good to start.
Kevin Gausman is off to a great start to the season, and he’s also providing the latest example of why Pitcher Wins are a useless statistic. After four starts, he’s yet to get a win, even though he’s got a low 2’s ERA, a 180’s ERA+, and would be the best pitcher on the Diamondbacks by a mile. This start will be the real test for the Diamondbacks in this series.
Conclusion
This is a beatable team that’s coming into Chase Field this weekend. They’re reeling from injuries, their pitchers have been ineffective, and the top of the Diamondbacks rotation is lined up to take them on. Games 1 and 2 should be easy. Three is close, but a strong Nelson performance can put that away as well. Honestly, I’m going to call it. Diamondbacks win three out of three.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers controls the ball against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Intuit Dome on April 15, 2026 in Inglewood, 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lakers’ Luka Doncic and Pistons’ Cade Cunningham win their appeals to be NBA awards eligible, according to ESPN.
For their 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the Play-In Tournament, the Golden State Warriors leaned on their defensive anchor Draymond Green to set the tone, and he delivered one of his best performances of the season. While Steph Curry and company carried the offense, Green controlled the game on the other end — something head coach Steve Kerr has seen enough of throughout his career to make a bold proclamation.
"He's the best defender I've ever seen in my life." 👏
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr highlights Draymond Green's late game heroics on defense along with the team's clutch play to close out the game and move on to the West 8-seed game in the @SoFi Play-In Tournament. pic.twitter.com/Ml3kVX9ZjM
“He’s the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life,” Kerr said. “It’s just insane what he does out there.”
Tasked with slowing down Kawhi Leonard, Green set the defensive tone early and never let up, denying the ball, forcing tough looks, and doing all the little things that don’t always show up in the box score. He held Leonard to 21 points — including just two in the fourth quarter — while forcing a pair of clutch steals in the game’s final possessions.
DRAYMOND GREEN WITH A PAIR OF INCREDIBLE STEALS IN THE CLUTCH.
On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green broke down one of those clutch steals, explaining how he read Leonard’s move before it happened and jumped the play — a glimpse into the anticipation and IQ that define his hall-of-fame defense.
Draymond Green says he was waiting on the viral Kawhi Leonard steal all game…
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) April 17, 2026
Green may frustrate Warriors fans at times, but games like this are why Kerr’s words carry so much weight. So, coming from someone who has seen great defenders like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen up close, that praise means even more.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, April 17th:
And Green did it while battling illness. His congestion was severe enough to warrant a chest X-ray. Before the game, he needed a nebulizer to help him breathe. When he subbed out in the first quarter, Green had both hands on his head, too fatigued to hide it. Still, he stayed glued to Leonard and, when a screen forced a switch, Green peppered Leonard with aggressive blitzes and double-teams. Leonard spent most of the game on his back foot and looked downright passive in the fourth quarter.
It was Green’s force of will. His high basketball IQ. His toughness. His experience and mastery of his own skills. His insatiable appetite for proving his worth.
In LA, the Warriors set a record of 19 threes in a play-in game. The Warriors had five players who made multiple threes, led by Steph Curry’s seven, and the Clippers only had two players make more than one three. Golden State should be able to use the 3-ball to its advantage this game, too.
From an accuracy standpoint, the Warriors didn’t light up the 3-point line this season against the Suns. They shot 36.2 percent, yet they also made 18 more threes than the Suns. The Warriors won the 3-point battle in all four games, and the one that was closest happened to be their one-point loss.
The Suns’ defense was as good as it gets guarding 3-point shooters this season. Not against the Warriors, though. Let’s see what happens with the playoffs looming.
One player did go the route of challenging the rule with an arbitrator: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who played in 60 games this season. The arbitrator denied Edwards’ case, however, and he will not be eligible for end-of-season awards.
“Anthony and I appreciate the PA appealing his case,” Edwards’ business manager Justin Holland said in a statement to ESPN. “For me personally, I’m a bit confused at the clemency for Cade who missed time for something that happened on the court, and not Ant, who missed time for an infection, but ultimately you already know Ant isn’t trippin over it AT ALL.”
Dillon Brooks looked reporters dead in the eye Wednesday night, heard the question about who he wanted to face in the play-in, and answered with his deepest wish.
“Steph and Draymond. That’s it. And Steve Kerr.”
Man called his shot. Respect the confidence. I can’t blame him, the Golden State Warriors (specifically those three legends) have put Brooks through multiple displays of public basketball humiliation.
BUF vs. 
BOS
COL vs. 
LAK
TB vs. 
MTL
EDM vs. 
ANA
