Game 2 has to be closer, right? The New York Knicks will not absolutely blow out the Philadelphia 76ers again, right?
These 76ers vs. Knicks props and NBA picks do not need to ponder that possibility before Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6.
Best 76ers vs Knicks props for Game 2
Player
Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns
3+ threes
+320
VJ Edgecombe
Over 12.5 points
-105
Josh Hart
10+ rebounds
+120
Game 2 Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns 3+ threes
+320 at bet365
Karl-Anthony Towns hit three of his five 3-pointers in Game 1 on Monday. More notable than that reality is the New York Knicks center took five 3-pointers in just 20 minutes of action.
If the Philadelphia 76ers can remain competitive, Towns should play 30+ minutes.
In that case, he could easily take seven or eight 3-pointers. Towns shot 36.8% from beyond the arc this regular season and is now at 47.8% this postseason. Either one of those rates would yield a greater likelihood than not that Towns hits at least three 3-pointers if attempting seven of them.
Sure, his Over 1.5 threes is priced at just +100, but when realizing a full game’s workload creates such ample opportunity, how can you turn down this added value?
Game 2 Prop #2: VJ Edgecombe Over 12.5 points
-105 at bet365
If the 76ers intend to be competitive, they should lean further into VJ Edgecombe. The rookie has regularly been their most postseason-ready player. And that was the case in Game 1, even if he scored only 12 points on 5-for-11 shooting.
Of Philadelphia’s genuine rotation, players who saw more than 20 minutes of action in that rout, only Edgecombe had a plus-minus better than -24.
While that can be a finicky stat, Edgecombe’s -15 in 28 minutes stood out for being nine points better than Joel Embiid’s and Quentin Grimes’s respective -24 in 24 minutes each.
More Edgecombe should be the 76ers’ most obvious adjustment in Game 2. Even his 20-point milestone at +575 may warrant some consideration.
Game 2 Prop #3: Josh Hart 10+ Rebounds
+120 at bet365
With no Joel Embiid tonight, the chances of a rout are clearly high, but if the 76ers manage to make this competitive, then Josh Hart should easily snag double-digit rebounds. He had eight in less than 26 minutes of action in Game 1.
Force Hart to play 35 or so minutes, and 10+ rebounds should be assured.
No, there is no guarantee that Game 2 will be competitive, but logic suggests Philadelphia will show some desperation, and while it will likely still lose, that desperation should force Hart to play a fuller game.
Realize, Hart’s rebounding prop is set at 8.5 with the Over juiced to -140. One more rebound is certainly worth 60 cents of value, right?
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 30: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Baltimore Orioles in game two of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros (15-22) and Los Angeles Dodgers (22-14) will play the rubber game of their three-game series today in an afternoon matinee at Daikin Park.
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (2-2, 6.32 ERA), who picked up the win in his last start on April 20 at BAL (3ER/6IP), will make his seventh start of the season today opposite RHP Tyler Glasnow (3-0, 2.56 ERA) and the Dodgers.
LMJ VS. LAD: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. is 2-0 with a 1.14 ERA (3ER/23.2IP) in four career regular season starts vs. the Dodgers, which includes a victory last season on July 4, 2025 at Dodger Stadium (1ER/6IP) in an 18-1 Astros win.
McCullers also faced the Dodgers twice in the 2017 World Series, starting Game 3 (3ER/5.1IP) and Game 7 (0ER/2.1IP), both resulting in Astros victories.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have recalled IF Shay Whitcomb from Triple A Sugar Land and have placed IF Carlos Correa on the 10-day IL with a left ankle tendon injury (retro to May 5). The injury is expected to sideline Correa for the remainder of the 2026 season.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TUVE!: Happy Birthday to Astros legend 2B Jose Altuve, as he turns a spry 36 years old today. Altuve shares his birthday with the late Hall of Famer Willie Mays and veteran reliever Larry Andersen, who famously netted the Astros 1B Jeff Bagwell in a straight up trade with the Red Sox in 1990.
FAMILIAR FOE: After homering last night, 1B Christian Walker has 30 career homers vs. the Dodgers (in 95 games), which are his most against any opponent. His .879 career OPS vs. LAD is the highest among any active player (min. 300 PA), while his 30 HR rank third among active players.
HIT PAREDES: IF Isaac Paredes has hit safely in 12 of his last 15 games dating back to April 19, a span in which he’s hitting .339 (19×56) with two doubles, three homers, nine RBI and a .948 OPS.
Additionally, he’s reached base safely in 10 straight games, posting a .442 OBP in that span.
DOWN IN THE LAND: Three Astros pitchers were on rehab assignments last night at Triple A Sugar Land as they hosted the Albuquerque Isotopes (COL).
RHP Tatsuya Imai (arm fatigue) tossed 3.0 innings of one-run ball, LHP Josh Hader (left biceps tendinitis) worked 1.0 scoreless inning and RHP Nate Pearson (recovery from right elbow surgery) tossed 0.2 of an inning (1ER).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2021 – On his 31st birthday, 2B Jose Altuve hits a go-ahead, three-run homer in the 8th inning in the Astros 7-4 win over the Yankees in the Bronx.
Trailing 3-2 in the 8th, Altuve took RHP Chad Green deep to flip the game. Altuve has played in a Major League game on May 6 on 10 occasions, with this being his only career homer on his birthday.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, May 6, 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers react against the Toronto Raptors during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not exactly the type of notoriety one hopes for from their favorite basketball club. However, through eight games, it certainly has felt that the Cavaliers are their own worst enemy. Even in the games that they have persevered in, there have been long stretches of lapses in judgment and ill-advised passes.
With the way the Cavaliers currently run their offense, a lot of those possessions run through their two-star guards, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Both of which, to varying degrees, have been the main culprits as to why the turnover count is so high, and the offense looks so inept at times.
Donovan Mitchell, who is looking for another max extension this postseason, has frankly been far below what one would expect from a player who is the franchise’s star. Mitchell, more times than not this postseason, looks like someone forcing the issue. What makes this jarring is that Mitchell, in the regular season, was fantastic, looking like someone who could erase a lot of the team’s offensive woes with his ability to drop 30 points without even blinking.
Now that the defenses are scheming to neutralize him, Mitchell has looked about as mortal as we have seen him. Mitchell is shooting 44% from the field in the postseason, a nearly 5% drop in efficiency from the regular season. It’s not just the stats that show Mitchell is playing worse; it is the simple eye test of game to game. It often appears like Mitchell is trying to figure out his spots in the postseason.
Mitchell is often seen settling for floaters or pull-up threes rather than using his elite athleticism to get to the rim and force the defense to collapse to meet him. This has neutralized part of what made Mitchell so dynamic. We are also seeing this affect him getting to the line. Mitchell is currently averaging two free throw attempts a game, as opposed to the regular season, where he was getting there six times a game.
The best players in the league know, in the postseason, that defenses aim to take away what you are good at — so when they take your fastball, what other pitches are in your arsenal? I think we are seeing that Mitchell, when met with the team’s best defender, believes someone else has a more ideal matchup and attempts to play facilitator. Frankly, Mitchell, at best, is a slightly above-average playmaker when it comes to setting guys up. That’s why Mitchell is averaging nearly three turnovers a game.
Harden is the greater offender in this regard, currently contributing a nauseating 5.4 turnovers a game (43 total). With turnover numbers as high as eight turnovers in Game 3 against Toronto and seven turnovers in Game 1 against the Detroit Pistons, as well as Game 4 in Toronto.
This isn’t a case of being unlucky — this is just sloppy play from one of the league’s premier distributors. Harden admitted as much after Game 1 against the Pistons.
"You look at my turnovers and a lot of them are just on me and nothing they did. I don't even know how many transition points they had. That's the game. It's nothing else. Other than that, we played a pretty solid game."#Cavs guard James Harden on the turnover issues continuing… pic.twitter.com/kTZAgi5FoU
At times with his turnovers, they looked almost so casual that it appeared someone had slipped a Xanax into his Gatorade. The lack of urgency and importance on every turnover was just one kick to the crotch after another to the Cavaliers as they clawed their way back to an almost improbable comeback against the Pistons.
Harden has more positives than negatives in the postseason. While Mitchell has fluctuated in his impact, Harden — despite shooting the team in the foot and making up almost a third of the team’s turnovers in the postseason — has been a stabilizer on offense at his most efficient.
However, the issue with Harden is that when he is on the floor, he needs to be on the ball. Therefore, all of his impact is going to come from those on-ball opportunities, and right now, that comes with the lax nature of his turnovers. Time will tell whether Game 1 against Detroit was the wake-up call Harden needed to see that this team cannot overcome his lapses in judgment or sloppy ball handling.
The fact of the matter is that there is proof that Cleveland is talented enough to overcome their two best players faltering at the highest level. Cleveland is currently in the second round of the postseason with Mitchell and Harden not being at their best — something that would have sunk the prior iterations of the Cavaliers. The other guys are showing up to make up lost ground.
Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley have had their moments in the postseason. We are seeing Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, and Denis Schroeder having their games as well.
This makes the lack of Mitchell and sometimes Harden all the more torturous. If Cleveland’s star backcourt both showed up in a game, the Cavaliers might look nearly unstoppable. As of now, they look as frustrating as any team remaining in the postseason.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers works against Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 04, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the condensed schedule of the NBA playoffs and the quick turnaround for the Philadelphia 76ers after their seven-game series with the Boston Celtics, it was frequently wondered if Joel Embiid was going to be able to make it through a series that would play as many as seven games in 15 days.
Well, just two games in, we have the answer to that. The former NBA MVP was just ruled out for Game 2 with lingering ankle and hip soreness, per Shams Charania.
Just in: Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Game 2 tonight against the New York Knicks due to ankle and hip injuries, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eJm0W04R3G
Embiid didn’t look healthy in Game 1, just two days after a dominant performance to lift the Sixers over the Celtics in Game 7. In the blowout Knicks win, he scored just 14 points on 3-for-11 from the field with a turnover while being completely exploited defensively. He was minus-24 in 25 minutes.
*The 27 pick-and-rolls they put Embiid into during Game 1 led to 44 Knicks points, according to Second Spectrum. That’s 1.63 points per possession, nearly the same efficiency as Brunson going to the line for two free throws."
He’s dealt with balky knees for the past several years, but has also suffered oblique, foot, and hip injuries this season, as well as an appendectomy that cost him several weeks. He had played five consecutive games since his return in Game 4 against the Celtics, but with the reality that he hadn’t played seven consecutive games since December 2023, this always felt like a possibility. The fact that it’s ankle and hip pain, though, is notable.
The Sixers might’ve been willing to sit Embiid today because of the dynamics of this series. With no extra rest days, the organization might’ve made the decision to risk going down 0-2 heading back to Philadelphia while allowing Embiid to get extra rest, rather than overexert him and risk a disastrous scenario of a hobbled Embiid in the same perilous situation.
With Embiid out, expect a stronger Sixers defense, even if Andre Drummond isn’t the most stout defender. One big advantage that the Knicks will have is that Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns are now significantly less likely to get in early foul trouble, something that felt like a big key entering this series.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Stopping LeBron James has been a tough task for NBA teams over the past 23 years, and the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t about to start spitting into the wind when it comes to containing LeBron.
My Lakers vs. Thunder predictions for Game 2 see OKC giving LBJ the green light, while making sure no one else in Purple and Gold is causing too much havoc.
Thunder: The Lakers put up a sound fight in Game 1, but the Thunder just kept inching further and further away, until they finally finished 18 points ahead.
Oklahoma City was a little rusty after more than a week between series, and even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting bottled up, the rest of the OKC rotation was too much for the Lakers.
Another big spread says Oklahoma City takes a 2-0 series edge Thursday.
Lakers vs Thunder best bet: LeBron James Over 21.5 points (-115)
LeBron James got whatever he wanted in Game 1, finishing with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting.
The bulk of those buckets came at the rim against a seemingly impenetrable Oklahoma City Thunder interior defense. But what if that’s what OKC wants?
James drew defense from Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, and the Thunder didn’t bother bringing doubles at all. Allowing James to score 27 points isn’t going to put a dent in things if the other Los Angeles Lakers can’t contribute. And they didn’t, with the rest of the team shooting just 34% from the field with 15 turnovers.
Game 2 forecasts call for 21+ points from James.
COVERS INTEL: LeBron James still scored 27 points despite his Game 1 usage plummeting to 22.1%. That’s down from 30.9% in Round 1. He shot just 17 FGAs on Tuesday after putting up 20+ attempts in four of the six games vs. Houston. Expect more activity from James in Game 2.
Lakers vs Thunder Game 2 same-game parlay
The Thunder won with ease in Game 1, and that was after an extended layoff between rounds. Oklahoma City has shaken off the rust and will run the Lakers out of the gym in Game 2, with L.A. lacking the firepower and interior scoring to hang with the champs.
Chet Holmgren is a matchup nightmare for the Lakers. The 7-footer runs the floor in transition, moves well without the ball, and knocks down looks from long range. Holmgren is forecasted for 17+ points on Thursday.
Lakers vs Thunder SGP
Thunder -15.5
LeBron James Over 21.5 points
Chet Holmgren Over 16.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Bet on Chet
Holmgren put up 24 points and 12 rebounds along with two blocks in Game 1, smashing L.A.’s soft interior defense.
The Lakers don’t have a solution for his size, quickness, and range, especially when rolling out Isaiah Hartenstein and forcing Los Angeles to match up small on Chet.
Over/Under: Over 209.5 (-110) | Under 209.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Thunder betting trend to know
Los Angeles has only eclipsed its team total in 16 of its last 40 away games (-11.85 Units / -26% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Thunder.
How to watch Lakers vs Thunder Game 2
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Lakers vs Thunder latest injuries
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Welcome to the steals report! I will be here every Wednesday to go over important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.
Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the actual base runner themself. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most frequently will help you to figure out who can swipe some bags over the next week.
Before we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard on the season so far.
The Yankees decided to stick with José Caballero at shortstop despite Anthony Volpe’s rehab stint ending. Volpe is back at Triple-A and Caballero will be their guy for the time being. So, the stolen bases will continue.
Jakob Marsee and Fernando Tatis Jr. are anchoring their fantasy value with stolen bases amidst their dreadful starts at the plate.
Last Seven Days Stolen Base Leaders
Player
SB
CS
Esteury Ruiz
3
0
Wenceel Pérez
3
0
Travis Bazzana
2
0
Brayan Rocchio
2
0
Jackson Merrill
2
0
Kevin McGonigle
2
0
Josh Naylor
2
0
Andy Pages
2
0
Victor Scott II
2
0
16 Others Tied
2
0
Remember Esteury Ruiz? Well, he’s back and stealing bases in a part-time role with the Marlins.
Travis Bazzana being so aggressive this early on is a good sign. It’s likely he runs a low batting average and doesn’t hit for a ton of power this season, so he needs speed to be a driver of his fantasy value as a rookie. Expect him to run a high on-base percentage and hopefully keep stealing bags.
Stolen Base Disappointments
Player
SB
CS
Ronald Acuña Jr.
7
4
Geraldo Perdomo
6
3
Austin Martin
4
4
Richie Palacios
4
4
Brayan Rocchio
3
2
Isaac Collins
2
3
Cole Young
2
2
Sal Frelick
1
1
Juan Soto
1
1
Sam Antonacci
1
2
Jose Altuve
1
2
Willy Adames
1
2
Ceddanne Rafaela
1
3
Daylen Lile
1
3
Ozzie Albies
0
3
Now on the injured list with a hamstring strain, Ronald Acuña continued to push the limits with his speed despite not being efficient early on. When he returns, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Braves instruct him to be less aggressive. It’s just not worth it at this point.
The stolen bases should start coming for Sam Antonacci, right? He stole 48 in the minors last season, has a .386 OBP through 19 major league games, and has recently been inserted at the White Sox’s lead-off hitter. He’s a fun player with upside.
Now, let’s go over the most important stolen base trends over the past week.
Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets
The Orioles allowed the most stolen bases as a team last week with 10 and they came as the team lost five of their seven games.
Ironically, this stolen base barrage came mostly with Adley Rutschman behind the plate. He caught four of their seven games over the last week, and seven of the 10 stolen bases were on his watch. Also, there was at least one successful stolen base in each of his starts.
Rutschman is a great defensive catcher and has never struggled in the run game. Perhaps he’s a bit slower with his draw after missing some time last month with an ankle injury. Even if that were the case, it still wouldn’t make sense for him to be targeted by opposing teams. Moreover, he caught two runners. So, his 22% caught stealing percentage over the past week isn’t even so bad.
Samuel Basallo is a bit of a different story. He’s made some strides defensively, but is still below average there despite having a fantastic arm. In two of his starts this past week, no stolen bases were attempted on him. Also, it needs to be mentioned that his Orioles were down by at least four runs after the second inning in each.
In their only competitive game with Basallo behind the plate, three bases were stolen and he cut down one runner. Interestingly enough, all three of those stolen bases came with reliever Andrew Kittredge on the mound. Two bases were stolen when he pitched Sunday as well.
Overall, eight of the 10 stolen bases allowed by the Orioles came with a relief pitcher on the mound. Kittredge was the main culprit along with Anthony Nuñez, who saw two stolen on him during an all-time implosion on Saturday versus the Yankees.
Kittdredge is known not to be great with holding runners on – like most relievers – it’s just difficult to target a relief pitcher in the run game for us fantasy managers.
If you want to try and catch the Orioles napping again, they face the Athletics and Yankees again over their next two series. Zack Gelof, Jeff McNeil, Trent Grisham, or Jasson Domínguez could provide some cheap speed.
Catching Changes
There were two huge catcher demotions this week that could dramatically affect the stolen base landscape.
First, a literal demotion with Agustín Ramírez being sent back to Triple-A by the Marlins.
I hinted at this a few weeks ago after featuring Ramírez in practically half of these columns dating back to last year. He’s unequivocally been the worst defensive catcher in baseball since being promoted about one year ago and since he wasn’t performing offensively, this was just a matter of time.
He’s been displaced by prospect Joe Mack, who’s a fantastic defender – 60-grade on FanGraphs – and may fix the Marlins’ run game issues by himself.
Also, another demotion in a more figurative sense as the Giants promoted more offensively-minded catcher prospect Jesus Rodriguez, pushing Patrick Bailey to more of a bench role.
Rodriguez started over Bailey in the first two days after being promoted and then in right field Wednesday with Bailey moving back behind the dish. Clearly, the Giants want Rodriguez’s bat in the lineup and are fine with it coming at Bailey’s expense.
While he is likely the best defensive catcher in baseball, Bailey has a .411 OPS so far this season and a career 72 wRC+. He’s simply not a major league caliber hitter and that will finally eat into his playing time.
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Timberwolves Game 2 computer picks
Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points (+102)
Projection: 10.65 points
This is the first of two five-star plays for tonight.
Rudy Gobert missed this line by a single bucket last time out, but he took more than enough shots to clear it in 29 minutes of action. If he shot closer to his regular 68% field-goal percentage, he would have cleared. Our model expects that to happen tonight.
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Ayo Dosunmu Over 11.5 points (-130)
Projection: 14.03 points
Ayo Dosunmu has unlocked another gear and is our second five-star play of the game.
After dropping 43 in Game 4, Dosunmu put up a reasonable 18 points in Game 5. An injury kept him out until tonight, and our model expects him to pick up where he left off.
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Julius Randle Over 4.5 assists (+120)
Projection: 5.07 assists
Julius Randle is an underrated passer for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He handed out five or more dimes in three outings vs. Denver, and our model sees him doing it again tonight.
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Spurs Game 2 computer picks
De'Aaron Fox Over 17.5 points (-115)
Projection: 19.77 points
De'Aaron Fox had his first truly bad outing of the postseason in Game 1, scoring 10 points on 5-for-14 shooting. Fox is too skilled to have a repeat performance like that, with our prop projections calling for close to 20 points.
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Julian Champagnie Over 8.5 points (-120)
Projection: 10.36 points
Julian Champagnie has become a reliable offensive option for a San Antonio Spurs team in deep trouble against Minnesota. He'll get enough open threes to knock down, pushing by 8.5.
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Devin Vassell Over 2.5 assists (+140)
Projection: 2.74 assists
Devin Vassell gets plenty of run time with the Spurs' starting five, who had an uncharacteristically rough shooting night. With San Antonio set to bounce back, expect more assist opportunities from Vassell.
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How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 2
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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May 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
From the last thing this team needed department, the Sixers will be without Joel Embiid for Game 2 at Madison Square Garden Wednesday.
The star big man has officially been ruled out against the New York Knicks with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness.
The Sixers were already in a 1-0 series hole after a 137-98 drubbing in Game 1 Monday night. Without Embiid, an uphill battle turns into something much greater.
We’ll see how Nick Nurse looks to use his big man rotation. Adem Bona started at the beginning of the Celtics series with Embiid out, but Andre Drummond played the bulk of the minutes. Drummond has been the primary backup since Embiid’s return.
With New York starting Karl-Anthony Towns, who is more mobile and a threat from three, Bona might be the better option. With that said, Bona was brutal in his brief Game 1 appearance, committing five fouls in less than four minutes. With Jalen Brunson’s propensity to draw fouls, the frontcourt could get thin very quickly. Playing Dominick Barlow at the five is also an option, but that makes the Sixers much smaller.
Any way you slice it, this is unfortunate news for the Sixers. They’re going to need the ultra-aggressive version of Tyrese Maxey to come out early. The All-Star guard took just one field-goal attempt in the first quarter of Game 1. The team could also use meaningful contributions from someone like Quentin Grimes off the bench to help match the Knicks’ firepower.
This also puts doubt on Embiid’s status for the remainder of the series.
No team is hotter in baseball than the New York Yankees and they’ll look to clinch their sixth consecutive series win when they face the New York Rangers this evening. Last night was a fade of the Yankees with our moneyline bet and we paid a price, seeing them complete a mid-inning comeback with relative ease. I’m not making that same mistake this evening.
Read all about it in myRangers vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, May 6.
Who will win Rangers vs Yankees today: Yankees -1.5 (-102)
We’ve entered this unique place with the New York Yankees where there is some looming regression coming based on their stat profiles but they aren’t facing the competition to deliver that.
This is a very good team, potentially World Series good, but they’ve overachieved to this point at least slightly because of that.
Take Will Warren for instance. His biggest issue is being reliant on strikeouts inside the zone with 91st percentile K rate but bottom 24 percentile chaserate making him vulnerable to teams that don’t miss pitches in the zone. That’s not the Texas Rangers. On the other side, Nathan Eovaldi's split-finger grades at the 100th percentile but the Yankees chase at just 26% and a majority of those pitches fall out of the zone. They are not going to expand down in the zone to chase it.
That forces him to his fastball, which ranks in the 2nd percentile by run value and the Yankees smash. I’d play this to -130.
COVERS INTEL:Will Warren's whiff rate ranks in the 91st percentile despite a 24th percentile chase rate
Rangers vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
I think there’s a good chance that Warren could really suppress the runs from the Rangers in this matchup and would consider some alternative team total Unders because of that. Either way though, he’s the anchor to this play. His 91st percentile Whiff rate paired with a 92nd percentile fastball run value gives him multiple ways to miss bats against a Rangers lineup that has a top five swing-and-miss profile.
I don’t expect Eovaldi to be exactly good but he should be competitive enough against the bottom of the Yankees lineup that chases more than the top to keep this Under.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:13-11, +2.62 units
Over/Under bets:16-10, +6.72 units
Rangers vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Texas +173 | New York -191
Run line: Texas +1.5 (-107) | New York -1.5 (-103)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-112) | Under 8.5 (+101)
Rangers vs Yankees trend
The New York Yankees have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) moneyline in 29 of their last 45 games at home (+15.20 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Yankees.
How to watch Rangers vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
RSN, Amazon Prime Video
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (3-4, 4.76 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (4-0, 2.39 ERA)
Rangers vs Yankees latest injuries
Rangers vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season)
Noah Ostlund (lower body, Apr 28; week-to-week)
Notes
The Sabres have earned three playoff series victories over the Canadiens in franchise history. Buffalo last faced Montreal in the playoffs in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, a series which the Sabres won four games to none.The Sabres’ four goals allowed over the last three games are the fewest the team has allowed in any three-game span in the playoffs since May 9 to 14, 1999 (3).
A win tonight would give Buffalo five consecutive playoff wins over Montreal, second only to the team’s six-game playoff winning streak over the Canadiens from May 6, 1975 to April 5, 1990. It would make the Sabres the only team in NHL history to record multiple playoff winning streaks of five or more games against the Canadiens.
Alex Lyon allowed just five total goals in five appearances in the first round against Boston, the fewest goals allowed in any five-game span in the playoffs by a Sabres goaltender all-time. Lyon has posted a .955 save percentage in his first five appearances in the playoffs, tied with Dominik Hasek (April 24 to May 8, 1998; .955) for the best mark by a Sabres goaltender in any five-game span in the playoffs.
Bowen Byram has recorded five points (3+2) in six playoff games thus far. His three goals are the most by a Sabres defenseman in a five-game span in the playoffs since Alexei Zhitnik from April 27 to May 14, 1999 (three goals).
In his last three games, Zach Benson has posted three points (2+1). A goal in tonight’s game would make Benson the first Sabres skater age 20 or younger to record three or more goals in the first seven games of their playoff career since Alan Haworth from April 8 to 22, 1981 (4+4).
Peyton Krebs has registered six points (2+4) in six playoff games thus far and he and Tage Thompson (2+5) are the first Sabres forwards to tally six or more points in the first six playoff games of their career since Tim Connolly (3+5) and Jason Pominville (4+2) from April 22 to May 2, 2006.
Alex Tuch has posted seven points (4+3) in the playoffs. He leads all Sabres skaters in goals and is tied with Thompson for the team lead in points.
May 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) reacts to an injury during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
We don’t yet have word on the severity of the hamstring injury suffered by Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan last night. What we do know, though, is what we all saw – and what we saw was a man who’d already once dealt with a sore hamstring this year writhing in pain after delivering just one pitch.
Typically when you need the cart to come take you off the field, you’re going to be out for awhile. Typically when the manager says “he’s certainly going to be an IL,” you’re going to land on the injured list. All that remains right now is whether it’s a 15-day IL stint or if there’s enough obvious damage there that Pagan will be placed right on the 60-day IL as he recovers.
That’s the current news facing the team’s bullpen. The scenario around the news isn’t a whole lot better at the moment.
Among MLB units, the 5.36 xERA by the Reds bullpen ranks dead last, to date. The group’s 6.22 BB/9 ranks dead last, too. They play their home games in perhaps the single most homer-friendly park in the game over the last decade, yet their collective 36.1% groundball rate ranks 4th lowest. All that rolled together makes for a 5.18 FIP, a mark that’s the 3rd worst in the league right now.
And all that came with Pagan as a part of the group.
How the Reds address things will depend on the severity of the diagnosis, obviously, but the severity of the diagnosis also will open up the avenues in which they can make moves. If Pagan is placed simply on the 15-day IL, both Zach Maxwell is on the 40-man roster and can yo-yo back to the active roster for seemingly the 10th time in the last five minutes. Kyle Nicolas is down at AAA right now and on the 40-man roster, and the two could both seemingly be brought back to deepen the bullpen if the Reds go ahead and option Chase Petty (since Nick Lodolo is expected to be recalled later this week to fill Petty’s spot in the rotation).
That adds depth and does so with seamless roster shuffling. The thing is, there are a pair of relievers down at AAA who aren’t currently on the roster who have looked a whole lot more impressive there than the likes of Maxwell, Nicolas, or even Luis Mey (who is already on the active roster thanks to other injuries).
Both Lyon Richardson and Tejay Antone, the latter coming off his third Tommy John surgery, have put up some pretty sparkling lines for the Bats.
Richardson, a former 2nd round pick who at times has looked electric at the big league level, owns a 1.04 ERA and 0.81 WHIP across 11 appearances, firing 17.1 IP with an impressive 18/6 K/BB. He was designated for assignment back in December when the Reds acquired Dane Myers and needed a 40-man roster spot, but after clearing waivers and sticking with the organization he’s done exactly what you’d hoped he’d do in that scenario by getting right back to work showing he belongs back in the big leagues.
“Getting right back to work” is something that’s never been the question with Antone as he has dealt with debilitating injuries repeatedly and, every single time, has jumped right back into the grunt work required to overcome them. Pitching with his fourth right elbow, Captain Hook has revamped his arsenal and yielded just 3 ER (and zero dingers) in 12.0 IP so far this year, boasting a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while boasting a 15/6 K/BB. All that while pitching in the same offensive environment that has seen Rece Hinds, Noelvi Marte, et al post cartoonish batting lines so far for Louisville.
If Pagan is placed on the 60-day IL, that opens up one roster spot for one of Richardson or Antone’s return. The Reds are also expecting lefty Caleb Ferguson’s return from the 15-day IL quite soon, as he’s already thrown a pair of rehab outings with AA Chattanooga and may need just two more before being activated. So, there are legitimate reinforcements that are close, it just depends on how many roster gymnastics Nick Krall and Co. want to go through to reassemble their ‘pen.
That lays out the roster issue, but it doesn’t address the hierarchy. Who now steps into the closer’s role remains to be seen, whether it’s simply bumping guys up a rung on the depth chart or keeping the high-leverage guys where they are and promoting a wholly inexperienced reliever to a role that many believe is less important than key 7th and 8th inning spots.
The reality is that the bullpen needed help, needed work, and probably needed a shuffle given their poor performance before Pagan’s injury. Now that it looks like he’ll be sidelined for awhile, it’s going to force the Reds hand. All that remains to be seen is just how thorough the shakeup becomes.
The Philadelphia 76ers will be without one of their key stars on Wednesday night as they look to turn things around following a 39-point Game 1 loss to the Knicks.
Joel Embiid has officially been ruled out due to hip and ankle injuries.
Embiid had been receiving around-the-clock treatment in an effort to play, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, but he was unable to participate in Philly's morning shootaround and will now miss the contest.
New York did a good job of keeping the seven-time All-Star in check throughout the commanding Game 1 victory, holding him to just 14 points on an ineffective 3-of-11 shooting from the field.
All but six of those points came from the free-throw line, and he pulled in just four boards.
The Knicks also did a tremendous job of taking advantage of him in the pick-and-roll all night, finishing with a whopping 46 points in the paint as a team.
With Embiid sidelined, Philly will have to lean on Andre Drummond and Adem Bona at center.
Flaherty hasn’t made it out of the fourth inning in any of his last three starts. That includes an April 20 appearance against the Boston Red Sox in which he walked six batters in 3.1 innings of work.
Boston teed off against Framber Valdez yesterday and should produce more than enough offense again tonight to finish off a series sweep.
COVERS INTEL: Flaherty has produced a chase rate of just 21.2% this season, placing him in the third percentile among pitchers while walking 17.7% of batters he’s faced.
Red Sox vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)
I don’t see the Red Sox needing much help to hit the Over tonight, but the Tigers should put up a few runs to help against Sonny Gray. The Boston starter is coming off the IL after suffering a hamstring strain in his last start against Detroit.
The Tigers have been league-average in terms of scoring but far more effective against righties, hitting to a .743 OPS against right-handed pitching this year.
Detroit’s .344 xwOBA is the fourth best in the league, suggesting it's better than its results have shown. That’s enough firepower to bring the total to the Over.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 5-11, -6.31 units
Over/Under bets: 5-9, -4.43 units
Red Sox vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Red Sox -108 | Tigers -112
Run line: Red Sox -1.5 (+144) | Tigers +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-112) | Under 8.5 (-112)
Red Sox vs Tigers trend
The Red Sox and Tigers have combined to hit the Over in four straight meetings. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Tigers.
How to watch Red Sox vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, DSN
Red Sox starting pitcher
Sonny Gray (2-1, 4.30 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Jack Flaherty (0-2, 5.90 ERA)
Red Sox vs Tigers latest injuries
Red Sox vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) enters the field with catcher JT Realmuto (10) before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The calendar has flipped to May, which means we aren’t allowed to say “it’s still only April!” any longer. That’s fairly obvious when one actually reads the calendar, but by this point in the season, some of the things that are happening on the field may actually be how the season is going to happen for players. That troublesome two weeks at the beginning of the month? We’re now near 150 plate appearances at this point. Maybe there is something to the noise that their data is putting out. We can start to investigate a little further to be able to give a more definitive answer about questions that may have trailed some of the players on the roster. Let’s look at a few things that have popped out for the Phillies.
J.T. Realmuto is back to being an upper echelon catcher
When the team re-signed J.T. Realmuto over the winter, most of the discussion was about giving that much money to a player that was in decline. Almost everything about Realmuto’s season in 2025 was down – offense, defense, speed, all of it. Yet being arguably the best option on the free agent market for a position the Phillies didn’t really have much depth in, it made sense to bring him back, even if the price caused a brow or two to furrow.
At this point, Realmuto is about 15 games behind his contemporaries in the statistical realm, so a lot of his counting stats are going to lag behind the players at the top of the list when sorting numbers, but there are some things to like, some things to continue to worry about.
2025
2026
AVG/OBP/SLG
.257/.315/.384
.250/.319/.344
wRC+
94
87
avg. EV
90.0 mph
88.9 mph
bat speed
72.0 mph
74.0 mph
FRV
-5
3
The offense is still in the territory where one might be concerned. The bat speed at this point looks to have returned after a down season in 2025, but a drop in exit velocity might concern. The thing to remember with Realmuto though – he’s only had 72 plate appearances. His missing several games with a back injury means the sample size is still very small. The gains he’s made to being one of the better defensive catchers in the game are great, but again, small sample size.
Verdict: Too early. I’m not sure that Realmuto will ever get back to the halcyon days of his being the BCIB. Age never loses when she plays the game, and he is a 35 year old catcher who regularly plays 130-135 games a season. However, the defensive numbers may be a bit stickier and could give the team some real value if he can hold up through the summer. We’re so used to seeing Realmuto play through nagging injuries, but it seems more and more that those injuries are lingering longer. Calls for his to have less playing time will likely fall on deaf ears, but as we have said each year for <checks watch> forever, saving some innings on his body would go a long way.
Aaron Nola is cooked
Nola’s 2025 season was marred with ineffectiveness and injury. When he was off the mound, the team needed to come up with innings to cover his absence. When he was on the mound, some wondered if that absence could somehow be extended. The numbers he produced were easily the worst of his career, yet optimists could handwave it away with a simple blame of injury. It was easy to think this, that the injuries and innings were taking their toll. This season began with his having a good showing in the World Baseball Classic, hopefully a good omen for the season to come and a cause for optimism for the coming season.
Sadly, in April, Nola showed that maybe 2025 is the new norm. Or is it?
There are lots of various pitching models out there that grade the stuff of a pitcher. How reliant you are on them to tell you a story might cloud your judgement of Nola and his path forward from here. At this point, his numbers over the 2025 season and the start to his 2026 would paint the picture of a rotation workhorse that is starting to see the innings totals begin to take their toll. Nola’s baseball card numbers showed a pitcher with a 6.03 ERA, not a whole heck of a lot of that unlucky and more questions about his future with the team. Dig a little deeper and the picture does look a little bit rosier.
He’s striking out about the same amount of hitters that he usually does. His control isn’t the control we’ve come to know from Nola, but it also isn’t in the red yet. There is a tinge of bad luck surrounding his game (.343 BABIP), and the Phillies’ defense does stink, but there have been a lot of weak contact from him (6.1%, the highest of his career) that is finding the holes in the field, suggesting maybe the baseball gods are against him. He’s getting barreled more often and that’s entirely a him thing, but there is a bit of luck involved.
It’s the stuff that is a bit more encouraging. Using Stuff+, he has a really good pitch (knucklecurve, 121 Stuff+), two decent pitches (both fastballs, sinker and four-seam, 105 each), one that is slightly below average (cutter, 90) and a pitch that is pretty rough (changeup, 66). The results don’t exactly trend with those numbers as a few of those, at least by wOBA, are getting destroyed.
The fastballs have been steadily getting worse by the season, somewhat expected considering he’s reliant on location when using them. It’s the secondaries where there have been good results when hitters hit them. The changeup and curveball have been effective and probably should see an uptick in their usage.
Another issue with Nola has been how he has fared with left handed hitters. The difference between lefties (.909 OPS) vs. righties (.688 OPS) has been stark. Left handers are crushing his fastball right now, posting a .654 wOBA against the pitch even as he uses it a third of the time when they are in the box. A key to his having a better season moving forward would be a better pitch mix when facing left handed hitters.
Verdict: Fake (but it’s really close). Expectations for Nola moving forward probably should be ratcheted down quite a bit, if they haven’t been already. The days of his being an co-Ace are long gone, as are the days of his being a #2 or even a #3. If he can still settle into a #4 role, using his stuff in a better manner as he did on Monday night, the team might be able to use that well.
The Phillies badly need another outfielder
Check your preseason Phillies Bingo card. Did you have Brandon Marsh as a possible All-Star candidate?
The national narrative surrounding the team is that their outfield is bad and needs an upgrade (or two). In his most recent article where he decided to try and trade Mike Trout to the Phillies, Keith Law used that line to describe the team’s current outfield state.
The most obvious trade partner is the Phillies, who need help in the outfield corners and would get an immediate bump from bringing a local star.
As a whole unit, the team’s outfield ranks in the bottom third in OPS (.671, 22nd in MLB), so there’s truth to that statement. Marsh has been very good this season, though most of his damage has come against right handed pitching (.919 OPS against RHP, .432 against LHP). Justin Crawford is getting leeway this year with his offense, just needing to tread water for the most part, something he has done solidly thus far. Adolis Garcia hasn’t had the power arrive just yet, but the at bats have been quality thus far and defensively, he has made a difference.
It still just feels like there needs to be something more.
Verdict: Real. By the time the trade deadline rolls around, the team will probably know what they need with the outfield. How they continue to view Crawford both now and in the future will likely determine the course of action they choose with this group. If they believe that there is another gear for him to take, holding on to him and continuing to let him develop at the major league level probably means they don’t make a move for an outfielder. If they can find someone to platoon with Marsh, it would make for a more effective situation for their overall offense.
Of course, one can argue that this should have been done already at this point, but that just feels pointless right now.
Karl-Anthony Towns
VJ Edgecombe
COVERS INTEL: LeBron James still scored 27 points despite his Game 1 usage plummeting to 22.1%. That’s down from 30.9% in Round 1. He shot just 17 FGAs on Tuesday after putting up 20+ attempts in four of the six games vs. Houston. Expect more activity from James in Game 2.
Eric Samulski
Timberwolves
Spurs
