His hand-picked assistant is gone now, too. | Getty Images
The NHL playoffs are just over a week old and two teams are already gone. In both cases, the conference winners knocked off the last seed/second wild card team, with Carolina sweeping the Ottawa Senators and the Colorado Avalanche sweeping the Los Angeles Kings.
Neither of those two are surprising, so thankfully the other series are living up to their billing. On Sunday:
Tampa Bay rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Montreal late in regulation, tying the series at 2-2 and narrowly avoiding going to a fourth OT game.
The Ducks kept coming back on the Oilers — who put Tristan Jarry back in net — to force OT in their Game 4 in Anaheim. The Ducks then won it just a few minutes in on a wild play that required a long video review because the puck squeaked over the line but its final fraction was obscured by Jarry’s skate. Anaheim now leads the series 3-1.
Add to those two of the series that continue tonight:
Utah tries to go up by two games on Vegas
The Penguins, who dodged a sweep in Game 4 on Saturday, return home to try to extend the series and turn up the heat on the Flyers.
Not featured tonight is the Battle for North Stars Heritage, where Dallas and Minnesota are tied at 2-2.
Meanwhile:
An Islanders note: Photos of season ticket holders painting the ice after the finale. [Isles]
And Patrick Roy’s assistant Benoit Desrosiers will not return. [THN]
For the Senators…another first-round exit in a long rebuild has people wondering how far away they are. [Athletic]
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Jasson Dominguez #24 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during New York Yankees Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 17, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone! A longer, original version of this post was lost due to some technical difficulties, so apologies on being at least somewhat brief with the question today.
The big news in Yankeeland is that Jasson Domínguez is reportedly on his way back to the Yankees to join his AL East-leading teammates. The erstwhile top prospect started 2026 with a hot bat, and with Giancarlo Statnton seemingly heading to the IL with a calf injury that curtailed his showing in Houston, an opening emerged for Jasson to get a look. The thing is, Domínguez probably would’ve already been on the big-league roster for almost all the other teams, but when your outfield alignment has Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham with Stanton at DH, there isn’t much flexibility.
So what do you think about the Martian, entering his fourth career season? Are you looking for him to just continue improvements that he began last year? And where are your expectations? Are you keeping them in check? Do you think he’ll only play a little bit and then go back to Triple-A very soon with Anthony Volpe soon to return, too? Or with Stanton potentially out for awhile, will Jasson get a longer look?
Today on the site, Estevão will preview this early-week series further north in Texas and Madison will have the Rivalry Roundup, which features the Rangers losing a home series to the A’s with a 2-1 defeat on Sunday. Bummer. Also keep an eye out for Jonathan taking the occasion of what would be Enos Slaughter’s 110th birthday to write a Yankees Birthdays series entry about the Hall of Famer better known for his time in St. Louis.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26 : Jamal Shead (23) of Toronto Raptors steals the ball away from Donovan Mitchell (45) of Cleveland Cavaliers during the Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena on April 26, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t get the reputation of being playoff failures overnight. They’ve earned it through years of falling short in the biggest moments.
Although their first-round series with the Toronto Raptors isn’t over by any stretch, Game 4 showed all the telltale signs of what has plagued this team in previous postseason runs: lack of toughness, poor rebounding, the offense falling apart, and an inability to close out tight games.
Cleveland was up eight with just under five minutes to play, but once again couldn’t seal the deal. The offense got stagnant, Donovan Mitchell couldn’t make the one play he needed to, and the defense didn’t stay in front of a Raptors team that was having a historically bad shooting day.
This all culminated in a 93-89 loss. The series now shifts back to Cleveland tied at two.
One basket might’ve put the game away, but they couldn’t get the ball over the timeline.
Mitchell didn’t show any urgency at first. He tried to walk the ball up before Scottie Barnes applied token pressure in the backcourt. This wasn’t a trap or anything. James Harden wasn’t being covered; he was leisurely taking his time up the court as well.
Then, Mitchell saw that time was an issue, but he made the mistake of running to the sideline and right into where Harden was aimlessly standing. He had to double back, although at that point, he only had one second to get it over the line.
Toronto pounced.
Jamal Shead sensed the moment. He dove over the half-court line, forced Mitchell back, and poked the ball free. It was a heads-up play from a guy willing to do whatever it took to get the job done.
Shead’s effort isn’t what made this play possible. Instead, it was Cleveland’s lack of focus in the biggest moments — the thing that has come to define this era of basketball.
When we think of this core group, we don’t remember the big playoff wins — because outside of Game 7 against the Orlando Magic (a series the Cavs should’ve won in five) and the Game 2 victory over a sleepwalking Boston Celtics team in ‘24 — there haven’t been any. Just a steady stream of fourth-quarter collapses against teams they’re more talented than on paper.
Same story. Different year. Same result.
The Cavs are 4-10 in road playoff games in the Mitchell era. And if you take out two victories over a 37-45 Miami Heat team last season, they’ve only defeated two road playoff opponent that were over .500 despite being in their fourth year together. Just two.
This was Cleveland’s best chance to steal a road game. The Raptors were shooting as if they had Raptor-proportioned arms, going 4-30 (13.3%) from three. This wasn’t the case of the Cavs making incredible contests on these shots. Instead, it was just one of the worst shooting performances you’ll see from an NBA team.
The Cavs — who have been an elite offense since trading for James Harden — couldn’t get anything going. Their star guards couldn’t shake free of Toronto’s bigger wings, and Cleveland’s bigs couldn’t capitalize on the size advantage they did have. This led to a stagnant offense, the same one we’ve seen in the previous three postseason runs for this core.
Mitchell’s teams have consistently lost in the playoffs, but he’s generally scored well in the biggest defeats.
He hasn’t advanced to the conference finals, yet he’s also one of the best playoff scorers in league history. Those two facts would lead you to believe that Mitchell has just been stuck on teams that aren’t talented enough to win or that he’s run into bad luck. There’s been instances of both things being true, but there’s something much bigger at play as well.
The best playoff players can beat teams in a wide variety of ways. No matter how good you are, your opponent will inevitably figure out how to take away what you do best. The ones who can adjust to those adjustments and still impact winning are the most successful. This is why well-rounded players are rewarded more in the playoffs.
Mitchell is well-rounded, but only as a scorer. He’s not a plus defender, isn’t a good playmaker for others considering how much he has the ball, and isn’t disruptive away from the play. This leaves a one-note player whose effectiveness is tied completely and solely to his scoring.
When the scoring isn’t there, as it wasn’t in Game 4 when he went 6-24 from the field, there aren’t many ways he can impact winning outside of just being a decoy for others. But again, that isn’t as impactful as it could be since Mitchell doesn’t do much off-ball.
Can you win with someone like that as your best player? So far in Mitchell’s career, the answer has been no. And if that answer doesn’t change this postseason, is an undersized scoring guard that will be on the wrong side of 30 by the start of next season worth a super-max extension? That’s something the Cavs will have to decide in the summer.
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Harden continues to struggle with the Raptors’ length. After carving them up through the first two games of the series, he’s registered more turnovers than field goals in both contests in Toronto. This included coughing it up seven times on a day the Cavs couldn’t get anything going toward the basket.
The Cavs have become a one-dimensional jump shooting team during their worst playoff failures in the last four years. Harden was supposed to help that by getting downhill and force-feeding Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. That hasn’t happened.
The pick-and-roll game has completely dried up. Toronto simply switching that action has kept the Cavs from even trying to get downhill. Instead, they’re using guards to screen to create open three-point looks. That’s fine as a counter, but it can’t be used as a substitute altogether.
The Raptors’ defense looks impenetrable because they’ve never had to collapse. Rotating out to a shooter on the perimeter isn’t the same as scrambling inside. The Cavs should have talented enough offensive weapons to create and exploit mismatches. At the very least, they did in the first two games of the series.
Jarrett Allen needs to be better.
I asked head coach Kenny Atkinson if they need to do a better job of getting Allen involved when he has RJ Barrett matched up with him before Game 3. Atkinson said they did, but he also pointed to there being other ways to be impactful against a mismatch. This includes being used in the dunker’s spot to clean up misses or finish lobs.
Theoretically, those would be a good way to use Allen. It just hasn’t happened in a meaningful way.
In the last two games, the Raptors haven’t been punished in any meaningful way by putting a smaller player on Allen. The Cavs generated second-chance opportunities, and Allen did record six offensive rebounds in Game 4, but that hasn’t moved the needle.
In February, Allen was aggressive in punishing smaller defenders whenever he got an opportunity to do so. That simply isn’t happening anymore, even when he gets a 6’1” guard matched up against him.
Rooted out by 6-5 Ja'Kobe Walter and then stood behind 6-1 Jamal Shead. Has to be better than this. pic.twitter.com/vnE8sG2K2N
You can’t take away everything from your opponent in the postseason. You have to make concessions and dare certain players to beat you if it means you can better defend something else. The Raptors are conceding mismatches to Allen whenever he wants them. However, neither the Cavs nor Allen has any interest in taking advantage of it.
With seemingly every button the Raptors have pressed, they’re both having their cake and eating it too.
Scottie Barnes is running circles around Evan Mobley.
There’s no doubt as to who the best player in the series has been on both sides of the ball — let alone in this rivalry from the 2022 Rookie of the Year race.
Barnes has showcased a versatility as a scorer, defender, rebounder, and passer that has made him far and away the most valuable player on either team. Having an incredibly high motor helps as well. That all stands in stark contrast with Mobley, who still needs the perfect environment to be his most impactful self.
Mobley was phenomenal in Game 2. He was punishing mismatches and doing a great job of being a distributor whenever the defense rotated over to help. That effectiveness has waned. The Raptors have been better at sending late help at Mobley and walling him off before getting too deep into the post. This has thrown off Mobley’s timing and made him only effective at really going after Jakob Poeltl.
As is a theme with the Cavs, the lack of versatility from Mobley has limited his effectiveness. When his best skill is taken away by his opponent, he doesn’t have enough counters to turn to.
Barnes, on the other hand, can seemingly do whatever he wants. No matter who the Cavs put on him, he’s getting to his spot on the floor. And once there, he has the skills to hurt them with the shot, pass, or getting to the rim.
That versatility shows up on the defensive end as well. Barnes’s ability to shut down actions from both guards and bigs has disrupted Cleveland’s entire flow.
Cleveland isn’t matching Toronto’s toughness either physically or mentally.
Physically, Toronto pushed Cleveland’s bigs and guards off their spots. They forced Mitchell and Harden into being outside shooters and limited Allen and Mobley to a combined 11 points on 16 shots. This allowed them to control the glass, the paint, and more importantly, the tempo of the game.
Mentally, the Raptors never let up. They were focused throughout the full 48 minutes on what they needed to do. Mental errors didn’t happen. And when things got tough, they dug down even deeper.
Basketball isn’t always won in the trenches, but it can certainly be lost there, as the Cavs have shown in previous postseason runs and did again in Game 4.
They’ve provided no reasons to believe in this team. The Cavs may still win the series and could be expected to do so with two of the possible three games at home. But we’ve seen this movie too many times before to believe that’s guaranteed.
They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt now, or frankly, any time in the future as long as this core group is together. They’ve continually shrunk in the biggest moments, with their best players failing to rise to the occasion when they need them to.
Game 4 was just another entry in a long line of disappointments.
It’s on the Cavs to change the narrative. And if Sunday afternoon was any indication of things, they don’t seem willing enough to put in the effort to actually do so.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards goes to the basket against Simone Fontecchio #0 of the Miami Heat during the second half at Capital One Arena on April 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was watching Game Three of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets series. My wife — who’s usually more interested in the National Anthem and the arena timeout entertainment — watched two possessions and said, “Do these guys understand this isn’t football?”
In other words, someone who pays more attention to what Britt Waters is wearing instantly noticed the difference between Wizards basketball and playoffs basketball.
Washington Wizards big man Anthony Davis is a proven postseason performer. | Getty Images
Nate Duncan and John Hollinger recently dedicated a podcast episode to assessing which players were likely to get “crucibled” — dropped from the rotation because of flaws that would get exposed by the intensity of postseason basketball. The assessment, of course, is not strictly about the athleticism, physicality, and mental focus (though it does include those factors) but the strategic as well.
In other words, if the opposing coaching staff looks at your guy and sees a target, your guy is going to get played off the floor.
As expected, former Wizards wing Corey Kispert has fallen victim to the postseason effect. Through his career in Washington, Kispert got significant playing time — 23+ minutes in every season except this one when he got 19.6. When he got traded to the Atlanta Hawks, he still got 18+. In the playoffs — 8.3 per game. His poor point-of-attack defense and lack of dimension to his game make it impossible to keep him out there much longer in a game with stakes.
So, with a hat tip to Duncan, Hollinger, and my wife, here’s a look at the Wizards and their likelihood of getting chased from the rotation if the team plays in truly competitive games next season.
Sure Things
These are guys I’m confident will be able to hold up to postseason rigors:
Wizards big man Alex Sarr was an excellent defender last season — something that should translate to postseason action. | Getty Images
Anthony Davis — Assuming he’s healthy enough to take the court, Davis has been one of the game’s best defenders for more than a decade. He’s an elite finisher around the basket who’s already been the second best player on a championship team.
Alex Sarr — A busy and effective rim protector who can also defend switches with competence. Sarr’s offense was a bit hit or miss (his overall efficiency was below average), but he has post-up skills, acceptable finishing around the rim, and can step out and hit the long ball enough to make him a threat. He needs to get stronger (normal for a 21-year-old), but there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t hold up in a playoffs series.
Probably
These are guys I’m pretty confident are able to compete in the postseason, but I have some doubts.
Can Trae Young become a good enough defender to remain a viable postseason player? | NBAE via Getty Images
Trae Young — First in line to disagree with me on this would likely be Will Dawkins and the Wizards’ front office. On the offensive end, Young would be fine — even though the league literally made rules to put an end to his specific style of foul grifting. On defense, he’s been one of the absolute least effective defenders, ever. This makes him a target and a potentially big strategic problem for the Wizards.
Kyshawn George — With George, I’m confident he’d hold up athletically. He won’t back down from physical play, and I think he has the skills to be good enough on offense. Why is he in the “probably” category? Excessive fouling and turnovers. Basically, the frequency of his mistakes is a potential problem that may render him unplayable in the postseason.
Bilal Coulibaly — I have no doubt about Coulibaly on defense. His poor three-point shooting and tendency to disappear on offense could grind Washington’s offense to a halt, especially when opposing coaches elect to dare him to shoot.
Justin Champagnie — I think I’m higher on Champagnie’s abilities than is the team’s coaching staff. I suspect they’re right — they see him in many more situations than I do. I still think he’s probably a player who’d be effective in a playoffs setting, though I do wonder about his relative lack of size.
Probably Not
Bub Carrington — Good shooter with a solid mid-range game. He also doesn’t generate paint touches — even against regular season defense. And he coughs up the ball when pressured. Worse: Carrington is a woeful defender who plays much smaller than his measured 6-4 height. He’s someone the opposition would view as a target, which means he’s a prime candidate for getting played out of the rotation.
Maybe, Maybe, Maybe
Will Riley — I liked some of what I saw from Riley last season, but I’d be lying if what he did down the stretch of games the team actively wanted to lose made me think he’s remotely close to being ready for the playoffs. Riley has height and potential, but he had trouble with regular season physicality. He’ll be a major target unless he gets much stronger. Force me to make a decision, and I’d put him in the “Probably Not” bucket for next season, with an eye towards bumping him into the “Probably” group in year three of his career.
Cam Whitmore — This is based on two things: 1) athletic tools, and 2) he suffered a health problem and missed most of the season, so I just don’t know. IF Whitmore’s head is right. IF he accepts coaching, buys into the team’s system (on both ends) and gets the message that it’s okay to pass the ball sometimes, I could see him being a valuable player someday. If forced to make a call, I’d put him in the group that follows.
Nope
These are guys most likely to get chased by the NBA postseason crucible.
Tre Johnson — Rookie who hopefully will improve. I think Johnson is a legit shooter. As a player type, he’s a lot more like Kispert than other elite shooters, which is to say he’s a major defensive target and he lacks dimension in his game.
Jamir Watkins — A worse version of Coulibaly, which is to say — good defender who doesn’t shoot well enough or contribute enough offensively to get anything other than emergency minutes in the playoffs.
Anthony Gill — Included here because he’s on the roster and was 10th in total minutes last season.
Tristan Vukcevic — Good shooter with leaden feet and glacial reaction times on defense.
Players like Leaky Black, JuJu Reese, Jaden Hardy, and Kadary Richmond are more likely to end up training camp cuts or playing overseas and are not going to be part of a postseason rotation.
If you want to get super-optimistic, I can see a reasonable case to bump Young and George into “Sure Things.” I think Young has the better case than George, by the way. I don’t see an argument for moving up Coulibaly until he proves he can be enough of an offensive threat that he has to be defended.
I’d also listen to arguments about making Riley a “Probably” instead of a maybe. I’m not there yet myself, but reasonable minds can differ. I’d also listen on Johnson moving into “Probably Not” with Carrington for next because he’s so young and there’s a strong likelihood he’ll get better if he puts in the work on his body and his game. He could follow a trajectory similar to what I envision for Riley, though I suspect it could take him a bit longer because he’s smaller and there’s a bit less to his game than Riley’s.
Next up: Wizards performance ekgs. Performance ekgs are essentially season-long production trackers that help visualize how an individual’s performance trended throughout the season. Let me know in the comments who you want me to run first.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Konnor Griffin #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting his first major league home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie superstar, Konnor Griffin, made meaningful strides in the team’s series against Milwaukee as he continues to find his footing in the Major Leagues.
Griffin has played in just 22 Major League games, but has been one of the most talked about players since his promotion. His debut of course made waves, as he had an RBI double in his first big league at-bat. From there though there was a lot of hit and miss from the Mississippi native. While he never looked completely lost at the plate, there have been stretches where Griffin clearly stood out as a teenager. In particular, he seemed to struggle against fast balls.
Against the San Diego Padres, Griffin would record his first multi-hit game and would repeat that feat twice against the Washington Nationals. Heading into the series against the Brewers Griffin was hitless in three straight games against the Texas Rangers.
On April 24, Griffin turned 20-years-old and was batting eighth against the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers. This contest might as well have been Griffin’s coming out party. In game one against the Brewers, Griffin recored his first career homer in the third inning, with a towering opposite field shot. He wasn’t done there though, as he had a single and a steal in the fifth, before adding to his day with a two-run RBI single in the ninth. Griffin became just the third player in Pirates’ history to hit a home run on their birthday as he recorded his first ever three hit game.
In the second game against the Brewers, Griffin picked up where he left off, as he recorded two more hits. He would exit Sunday’s contest with zero hits in two at bats, and struck out twice. The rookie shortstop finished the series with five hits in ten plate appearances, with four of those hits coming off fastballs.
Griffin acknowledged the learning curve that comes with adjust to Major League pitchers and their velocity.
“Yeah, every time I step into the box, there’s going to be a good plan against me and the velo’s a little higher, the velo’s consistently higher than what I saw in the minors,” Griffin said. “So just trying to adjust to that and continue to be myself and continue to trust my work and my preparation and when I get in the box, just try to be a tough out.”
The Milwaukee series was a big stepping stone for Griffin. He has been plagued with inconsistent play at the plate to start his big league career, but he is only 22 games into that career. It’s not unusual for a rookie to struggle at the plate early in their career, especially when they debut as a teenager. With that being said, Griffin has certainly been making strides in the right direction. The home run he hit registered at 104.4 mph off the bat and soared 386 feet into right field, so he’s definitely finding his pop at the plate. Not to mention his vision has been decent, with a .286 OBP to show for it. He also has six steals on the season and has not been caught stealing once. Overall, we know Griffin is a five-tool player, and we’re starting to see each of those tools on display more with each contest he plays in.
Although Griffin only has a .224 batting average on the season, it does not tell the whole story. His .316 slugging percentage is encouraging and his .602 OPS is continuing to climb as well. If Griffin can continue to take these meaningful steps with each series, the Pirates will have a bonafide star in due time.
Chuckle at the New York Mets, if that's your thing. Gawk at the five-car pileup that is the Boston Red Sox organization, which decided to kneecap its paragon of stability.
Yet if you're looking for the messiest big-market failure as April draws to a close, the Philadelphia Phillies might fill the bill.
They didn't lose a dozen games in a row, like the Mets, just 10. Yet a one-night reprieve gave way to perhaps their most discouraging setback yet - a 6-2 loss to the front-running Atlanta Braves in which starter Aaron Nola was very bad and the lineup utterly powerless to counteract lefty Chris Sale.
Nola has a $172 million guaranteed deal and they can't simply make his 6.03 ERA go away like they did Taijuan Walker. And in a season of league-wide parity, they now own the biggest deficit in the major leagues - 10 ½ games behind the Braves - and dropped another 10 spots in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 24: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees high fives teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park on March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Mark Polishuk: Jasson Domínguez is being called up to the big-league roster from Triple-A ahead of the upcoming series against the Rangers. He fills the spot opened by Luis Gil’s demotion to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and could factor into the DH and outfield pictures with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined with a calf injury. After getting optioned to the minors out of spring camp, Domínguez has performed well to open the season, slashing .306/.404/.471 with three home runs, 13 RBIs, eight stolen bases, a 135 wRC+, and almost as many walks as strikeouts in 22 games. His defense will not come under as much scrutiny with the 23-year-old slated to mostly DH, and he’ll look to improve upon his 103 wRC+ in 122 games last season. The Yankees will face three righties in this upcoming series against the Rangers, allowing the switch-hitting Domínguez to contribute from his superior side.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Gil’s demotion to Triple-A opened the spot on the roster for Domínguez’s call-up. He got shelled for six runs in four innings in the series finale against Houston and always looked like the first name to be called with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole nearing their returns to the rotation from injury. Until Rodón is ready to return, the Yankees will likely use Ryan Yarbrough in a spot start, though they are also weighing calling up one of their top prospects including Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez (they are at least able to skip his next start due to the Thursday offday).
Aaron Boone and Matt Blake said they hope Gil can work on finding a consistent release point and better command in the minors. His path back to the majors is uncertain with Will Warren and Ryan Weathers ahead of him in the rotation pecking order. In four starts, Gil is 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA, 8.43 FIP, more walks than strikeouts, and -0.4 fWAR across 19.1 innings.
MLB.com | Steve Schaeffer: Domínguez’s promotion coincides with lingering uncertainty over the severity of Giancarlo Stanton’s calf injury. He was removed from Saturday’s game in Houston with right calf tightness after feeling discomfort running the bases and missed the final two games of the series. The team said they will make a final decision on Monday as to whether he will go on IL. In 24 games, Stanton is hitting .256/.302/.422 with three home runs, 14 RBIs, and a 101 wRC+.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees have made several ill-advised ABS challenges over the last few weeks and have had to institute a fining system for particularly egregious decisions. To hold each other accountable for wasting challenges, players are fining themselves $500 for a challenge on a pitch that is fully inside of the strike zone, Jazz Chisholm Jr. even fining himself $1,000 for challenging a strike right down the middle against the Astros on Saturday. The Yankees have made the second-most challenges in baseball but own the ninth-worst success rate (43-percent). Boone has even indicated that some players might have their ABS challenge privileges revoked if they don’t follow the guidelines laid out by the team at the start of the year, Boone notably calling José Caballero into his office for a “stern” one-on-one meeting about wasting challenges.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Red Sox front office made waves when they fired manager Alex Cora and much of his staff on Saturday, Triple-A skipper Chad Tracy replacing him yesterday in a win over Baltimore. Cora had been at the helm of the team for eight years and won the 2018 World Series, but with the Red Sox in last place, Cora had to go. Also getting the axe is former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson — his second midseason firing in just a few years — and Jason Varitek, who had been serving as the club’s game planning and run prevention coach (the longtime catcher was reassigned within the organization). Boone is close friends with Cora from their time working together on ESPN broadcasts, and revealed he reached out with words of support for his now-former rival manager.
Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (41-25-16, in the Metropolitan Division)
Pittsburgh; Monday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Penguins -136, Flyers +115; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Flyers lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Pittsburgh Penguins in game five. The teams meet Saturday for the ninth time this season. The Penguins won the last meeting 4-2.
Pittsburgh has gone 41-25-16 overall with a 14-7-9 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Penguins rank third in NHL play with 290 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
Philadelphia has a 43-27-12 record overall and a 15-10-5 record in Metropolitan Division play. The Flyers rank seventh in league play with 322 total penalties (averaging 3.9 per game).
TOP PERFORMERS: Sidney Crosby has 29 goals and 45 assists for the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin has six goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Owen Tippett has 28 goals and 23 assists for the Flyers. Porter Martone has scored six goals with six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 4-6-0, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.5 assists, 4.7 penalties and 13.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
Flyers: 8-2-0, averaging 3.6 goals, 5.8 assists, five penalties and 12.4 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.
INJURIES: Penguins: Filip Hallander: out (leg), Caleb Jones: out for season (shoulder).
Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body), Emil Andrae: day to day (upper-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Utah Mammoth (43-33-6, in the Central Division)
Salt Lake City; Monday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -117, Mammoth -103; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Mammoth lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Mammoth host the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Mammoth won the previous matchup 4-2. Lawson Crouse scored two goals in the win.
Utah is 43-33-6 overall and 23-16-3 at home. The Mammoth have a 21-10-1 record in games they score at least one power-play goal.
Vegas is 39-26-17 overall and 19-15-8 in road games. The Golden Knights are 38-6-11 in games they score at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Clayton Keller has scored 26 goals with 62 assists for the Mammoth. Crouse has six goals and three assists over the past 10 games.
Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Mitchell Marner has four goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mammoth: 6-4-0, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.1 assists, 4.1 penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Mammoth: Barrett Hayton: out (upper-body).
Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Boston Bruins (45-27-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Sabres -175, Bruins +146; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Sabres lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Boston Bruins in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Sunday for the ninth time this season. The Sabres won the previous matchup 6-1.
Buffalo has gone 50-23-9 overall with a 19-7-4 record in Atlantic Division games. The Sabres have given up 240 goals while scoring 283 for a +43 scoring differential.
Boston has gone 45-27-10 overall with a 12-15-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Bruins serve 11.9 penalty minutes per game to rank second in the league.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Doan has scored 26 goals with 26 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has seven goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
David Pastrnak has 29 goals and 70 assists for the Bruins. Morgan Geekie has scored seven goals and added two assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-2-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.5 assists, 5.3 penalties and 13.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Bruins: 3-5-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, five penalties and 13 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Josh Norris: day to day (undisclosed), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
Bruins: Viktor Arvidsson: day to day (upper-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
But he was cleared to play on Sunday and scored 27 points as the Spurs won 114-93 in Portland to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The NBA's defensive player of the year added 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals on returning and later admitted to being "very disappointed" with aspects of the NBA's concussion protocol.
"I won't get into the details," he said. "Ask me again at the end of the season."
The 22-year-old added: "I had lots of emotions before the game - excitement, frustration. I let it all out tonight."
The concussion protocol requires 48 hours of rest followed by a gradual return to physical activity and daily neurological tests.
A player must then be cleared by his team and the NBA's concussion programme director in order to resume playing.
De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 28 points for the Spurs, who are second seeds in the Western Conference and can clinch the series back in San Antonio on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Lakers can do the same as they return home on Tuesday, with the Houston Rockets having won 115-96 to prevent the Lakers sweeping the series.
Kevin Durant (ankle) missed his third game of the series for Houston but all five of their starters reached double figures, with Amen Thompson scoring a game-high 23 points.
Joel Embiid made his first appearance of the series for Philadelphia but could not prevent the 76ers losing 128-96 at home to the Boston Celtics.
Boston's Payton Pritchard scored 32 points off the bench - a career high for the play-offs - while Jayson Tatum claimed 30 points and 11 assists.
The Celtics, the Eastern Conference's second seed, now lead 3-1 and can clinch the series in Boston on Tuesday.
Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each scored 23 points as the Toronto Raptors held on for a 93-89 win at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Eastern Conference rivals are now level at 2-2, with game five taking place in Cleveland on Wednesday.
Sánchez plays long game for McFarlane, Southampton can take heart, Arteta tries to gain edge and Isak will come good
One moment from their FA Cup semi-final to Chelsea will haunt Leeds. When Tosin Adarabioyo stretched for a through ball and couldn’t quite get there, quarter of an hour in, everything seemed to slow down. There was Brenden Aaronson with just Robert Sánchez to beat, with the chance to put Leeds ahead against a side that hadn’t scored in five Premier League games and had seemingly lost all confidence. Even at the time it felt a huge moment. The US international didn’t do much wrong, but Sánchez made a fine save with his foot. That, it turned out, was the game. There were other opportunities – most notably Anton Stach’s drive that Sánchez saved spectacularly and the Dominic Calvert-Lewin header just after that, aimed straight at the keeper. They came after Chelsea had taken the lead and the emotional tone was set, though. Sometimes one chance can define a game. Jonathan Wilson
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers is ejected during the third quarter of a game against the Houston Rockets in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ejections for Flagrant 2 fouls typically are pretty egregious and easy to understand. By definition, they involve excessive force, which rarely leaves doubt about an ejection.
Şengün and Ayton were battling in the post when the latter’s arm slipped up the former’s back and caught him in the back of the head. It was a pretty clear Flagrant 1 foul, even if it was also a bit of bad fortune for Ayton, who clearly was bracing himself for contact.
However, James Williams had other ideas and, after review, ejected him from the game.
After the game, literally nobody understood why Ayton was ejected. First, his teammates — led by Marcus Smart calling it “some BS” — and coaches defended him, as you’d expect.
“On the [Ayton] thing, [Ayton] has got such a sweet, just like kind soul,” head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “[I] know that wasn’t dirty or intentional. It looked, from our vantage point, like he was trying to brace himself with that off arm, I think it was his left arm, but trying to brace himself against Şengün’s body.
It looked like his arm just kind of slipped and, obviously, hit him in the head. I don’t know that a [Flagrant] 2 was warranted. I don’t think that [Ayton] would ever do anything malicious.”
“I think he was bracing for Şengün on the post-up,” LeBron added. “Then, obviously, you see that his arm slipped going up and then hit him in the head. The refs said they didn’t see it that way and made the call. You have to be pretty damn good at it to elbow someone like that on purpose.”
To his credit, Ayton was apologetic about the play, though he was also adamant it was an accident after his arm slipped.
“I really was trying to brace for contact with Şengün,” Ayton said. “We’re both sweaty guys. I just slipped off his shoulder. Literally, my elbow hit him right there above his shoulders. It looked crazy on camera. I’m not no guy who’s a dirty player or plays like that. If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself.
“I just hope he’s alright and didn’t think it was intentional…The outcome of what the results were, I accept it. But definitely wasn’t intentional. I don’t play like that.”
To make matters worse, even the Rockets didn’t understand or agree with the ejection.
Not even Ime Udoka agreed that Deandre Ayton should have received a Flagrant 2 foul.
"It looked intentional but I was surprised at a Flagrant 2. But that's the NBA nowadays and they call it a little softer than they used to."
Alperen Sengün said he also didn’t expect Deandre Ayton to be ejected for the elbow he threw. “I don’t want to make the officials crazy but I didn’t expect him to be ejected. I thought it was a little bit soft.” pic.twitter.com/pQG7Wi890O
For some reason, there was no pool report after the game, so there is no official comment from the officials or Williams.
A Flagrant 2 foul does not carry an automatic suspension, though a suspension can be added later if it’s a particularly bad foul. While the league will review the play, there’s a far greater chance it’s downgraded to a Flagrant 1 than Ayton being suspended.
But this speaks to a great issue the league has with officiating right now, as recently called out by Devin Booker. And do you know who the official was that Booker called out by name? James Williams.
This is now back-to-back games with officiating controversy from him. It’s unacceptable to keep putting him in playoff games.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton walks off the court after being ejected in the third quarter of the Lakers' 115-96 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 4 on Sunday night. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Deandre Ayton has a simple explanation for his first career ejection.
“We’re both sweaty guys,” the Lakers center said after his accidental elbow to the back of Alperen Sengun's head resulted in his ejection from Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
The Lakers center was assessed a flagrant foul 2 with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter of the 115-96 Game 4 loss. It “looked crazy on camera,” Ayton acknowledged, but it was not malicious.
Ayton said he was bracing for contact against the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Sengun and Ayton’s arm simply slipped off Sengun’s shoulder and hit his head. It didn’t affect Sengun at all: he finished with 19 points and six rebounds on six-of-12 shooting as the Rockets forced a Game 5 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PDT at Crypto.com Arena.
“I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or plays like that,” Ayton said. “If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself. I just hope he’s all right and they don’t think it was intentional.”
Sengun and Rockets coach Ime Udoka both said the flagrant 2 call — which characterizes an act as “unnecessary and excessive” — was “soft.” Sengun said he didn’t expect Ayton to be ejected for the play. When crew chief James Williams declared that Ayton would be sent off, the Lakers center simply dropped his head and walked to the locker room. Injured Rockets star Kevin Durant, who missed the game with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle, waved goodbye from the Rockets bench.
"We’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression," Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. "He’s learning, he’s continuing — it probably would have been justifiable if he went off, right? But to keep his composure and stay positive, I think that’s only going to help him and this team.”
Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and Deandre Ayton (5) go up for a rebound against Houston forward Tari Eason during the first half Sunday. (Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It was the first time Ayton was ejected in his eight-year NBA career. The center, to the chagrin of many in the NBA, has long been known more for his finesse touch shots than physical play. Lakers coach JJ Redick called Ayton, “a sweet, just, like, kind soul.”
Lakers coaches and teammates have tried to encourage him to increase his intensity and aggressiveness. General manager Rob Pelinka even made a custom shirt with half of Ayton’s face next to the face of a lion.
Ayton answered the call Sunday with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was one of the Lakers’ only forms of consistent offense in the blowout loss. Outside of Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who shot six for 10 with 13 points, the Lakers were shooting 31.3% from the field in the first three quarters. They trailed by as many as 26 points as Smart and LeBron James, veterans who led the team to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, looked worn down with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) still sidelined.
“It’s been tough for DA,” said Smart, who had nine points, five assists and four turnovers. “We’ve been hard on him. He’s been hard on himself. You guys have been hard on him. ... He’s been taking it, embracing it and trying to get better and better. Today he showed that. He came out, we relied on him a little bit more. He made plays for us.”
Ayton soon had company in the Lakers locker room after teammate Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday were both ejected after receiving two technical fouls with 1:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. They got tangled up under the basket and exchanged words briefly.
Thiero, who entered the game midway through the fourth quarter when the Lakers cleared their bench, made a memorable playoff debut by scoring his first postseason basket with an emphatic alley-oop dunk over Dorian Finney-Smith. But the premature ending to his first postseason appearance was “uncalled for,” James said.
“It made no sense,” said James, who had 10 points and nine assists but eight turnovers. “... I don't think that was warranted. Give him two technicals? The kid just got in the game.”
At the end of the physical game, players from both teams jawed back and forth at midcourt after the final buzzer. Much of the Lakers bench and some coaches approached to help diffuse the situation. Redick said he was simply poking his head into the situation the way people might turn their heads to gawk at commotion in a bar. When he determined nothing was happening, he left.
“Hilarious,” Smart said with a smirk of the postgame skirmish. “Very hilarious.”
Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (56-26, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -11.5; over/under is 215.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Celtics lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Celtics look to clinch the Eastern Conference first round over the Philadelphia 76ers in game five. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 128-96 in the last meeting on Sunday. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 32 points, and Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 26.
The Celtics are 36-16 against conference opponents. Boston leads the Eastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 46.4 boards. Nikola Vucevic leads the Celtics with 8.4 rebounds.
The 76ers are 27-25 in conference play. Philadelphia ranks ninth in the NBA scoring 16.9 fast break points per game. VJ Edgecombe leads the 76ers averaging 8.0.
The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, the same percentage the 76ers allow to opponents. The 76ers average 8.7 more points per game (115.9) than the Celtics give up to opponents (107.2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum is averaging 19.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists over the past 10 games.
Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the 76ers. Paul George is averaging 16.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 118.0 points, 45.8 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.0 points per game.
76ers: 4-6, averaging 104.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 20.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.3 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: None listed.
76ers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
