The best of the best in the NBA have been honored.
The league announced its 2025-26 All-NBA selections Sunday, May 24, and a pair of players led the way with unanimous selections.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning, two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player, and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić were the only two players to receive 100 first-place votes.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama nearly made it three, but one panelist gave him a second-place vote.
A panel of 100 media members voted to select the All-NBA teams. Voters were asked to appoint five players to the first team, five to the second and five to the third. Then, the votes were tallied and added up and ranked in numerical order.
First-team votes were worth five points; second-team votes were worth three and third-team votes were worth one.
It’s a little strange to see the All-NBA Teams list and not see LeBron James on there. This is the first time in more than two decades that LeBron did not make an All-NBA Team (he didn't play the minimum 65 games to qualify for the ballot).\
Consider it another sign of the changing of the guard in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama — the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year — led the list of players to be named to an All-NBA Team. Those 15 players were announced on Sunday. Here is how the voting shook out:
All-NBA
First Team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) Nikola Jokic (Denver) Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio) Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers) Cade Cunningham (Detroit)
Second Team
Jaylen Brown (Boston) Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers) Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland) Kevin Durant (Houston) Jalen Brunson (New York)
Third Team
Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia) Jamal Murray (Denver) Jalen Duren (Detroit) Jalen Johnson (Atlanta) Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)
The team was voted on by a panel of 100 media members.
Notes and thoughts on this vote:
• There was a pretty steep drop-off between the players who made All-NBA and those who didn't. Holmgren had the fewest points of any player on the teams, with 87 (eight second-team votes, 63 third-team votes). The next three players on that list (with their points): Portland's Deni Avdija (26), New York's Karl-Anthony Towns (14), and Toronto's Scottie Barnes (9).
• Avdija and Towns would have made the Third Team if Doncic and Cunningham had not been granted exceptions after falling short of the league's 65-game rule. Also, that would have bumped Brown and Leonard up to First Team.
• Kevin Durant makes history as the first player ever to make an All-NBA team with five different franchises.
• The only players to unanimously make the First team were Gilgous-Alexander and Jokic.
• Victor Wembanyama was not unanimous, he had 99 first-team votes and one for the second team.
• Notable players who did not meet the 65-game threshold to qualify for All-NBA (besides LeBron) include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Edwards, and Stephen Curry.
Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey reacts in the second quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
From the 21st pick in the draft to one of the 15 best players in the league.
The NBA has announced their All-NBA teams for the 2025-26 season, revealing that Tyrese Maxey has been selected for the first time in his career. He joins Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, and Jamal Murray for those honors.
Leading the league in minutes per game, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals a night. He did so on 46.2/36.7/89.2% shooting splits, earning his second All-Star selection back in February. Maxey becomes the first Sixer to make an All-NBA team since Joel Embiid’s MVP year back in 2023 and the first non-Embiid Sixer to earn the honors since Ben Simmons in 2019-20.
Maxey’s spot on an All-NBA started to be penciled in at the very start of the season when Maxey came out of the gates hot, averaging 32 points per game over the first month and a half of the season. His production tailed off a bit as his workload caught up with him, and suffered a finger injury in March that put him in danger of missing the 65-game threshold for awards.
He returned a week early, clearing that benchmark by five games and navigating his team through the Play-In tournament as the Sixers again lost Embiid to a freak injury right before the playoffs.
Had his production been able to withstand his heavy workload, he only averaged a measly 26.5 points per game since the calendar flipped to 2026, there was definitely an argument for him to make second team. He was the leading third-team vote getter and received 36 votes for second-team.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia All-NBA Team.
This is also the first step in another leap Maxey can make, this one being financial. ESPN’s Bobby Marks has already run the numbers as Maxey will be eligible for the Super-Max extension in the 2027 offseason should he make an All-NBA team again next year.
All-NBA implications:
– Tyrese Maxey: Super max eligible next offseason but only if he earns All-NBA in 2026-27
– Jalen Duren: Eligible to negotiate up to 30% of the cap.
The user, @HanaHoops, has an old photo featuring two young girls in her X profile banner.
It’s unclear if it’s an old photo of herself or others.
The social media user had originally posted, “COME OUTSIDE BITCH” and tagged Green, in a likely chirp related to his commentary on “Inside the NBA.”
Draymond Green gets in a feud with a Knicks fan on social media.
The reply didn’t seem to bother @HanaHoops, who replied to Green’s comment on Sunday, asking if he was “hacked or something?”
“Im actually crying bruh why would he say that,” she also wrote on X.
She also posted about it on TikTok, where she screenshotted and shared the exchange and captioned it, “When you get in a random Twitter beef with Draymond Green.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green looks on in the first half of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Green seemed plenty busy on social media Sunday, also taking aim at a fan who had said that the hooper could get on the Knicks bandwagon.
That offer was not met with much appreciation.
“Why would I? I got more rings than y’all. I don’t need to be on anyone’s bandwagon,” Green wrote on X.
Green has been complimentary of the way the team has played through the playoffs and even said that three was “no one playing better than the New York Knicks.”
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) during the second half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
They’ve been consistently good on both sides of the basketball. They’re really connecting the game, they’re using their defense to fuel their offense,” Green said about the Knicks.
The Knicks are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization will compete in the American Hockey League's Western Conference Final, three currently play for the Colorado Eagles while there's one former Shark on the Chicago Wolves.
Starting with Colorado, Jacob MacDonald, Keaton Middleton, and Daniil Gushchin are all set to suit up in the Western Conference Final.
MacDonald originally joined the Sharks organization in the middle of the 2022-23 season as a part of the deal that sent Ryan Merkley and Matt Nieto to the Colorado Avalanche. Known for his ability to play both on the wing and on defense, MacDonald played 59 games for the Sharks across two seasons. He scored eight goals and had 15 points during his time with the team in teal. When his contract with the Sharks expired, he returned to the Avalanche organization, signing a two-year contract.
Middleton never suited up for the Sharks at the NHL level, spending his entire time as a member of the organization playing for the San Jose Barracuda, often alongside his older brother, Jacob Middleton. The younger Middleton spent two seasons with the Barracuda, playing 102 games with the Sharks' farm team. He scored 10 goals and has 26 total points during his time with the Barracuda before moving to the Colorado Avalanche organization for the 2020-21 season.
Last but not least, Gushchin, the Sharks' third round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, spent parts of four seasons bouncing between the Barracuda and the Sharks. At the NHL level, he appeared in 18 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored two goals and had five points. He was much more effective at the AHL level though, scoring 70 goals and 150 points in 182 games.
The Sharks traded Gushchin to the Avalanche this past summer, getting Oskar Olausson in return.
In the other locker room, there's just a single Sharks alumnus on the Chicago Wolves, Givani Smith. After spending parts of two seasons in the Bay Area, Smith was traded to the Colorado Avalanche alongside Mackenzie Blackwood ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
During his time with the Sharks, Smith played in 42 games, registering a single goal and four points during that time. He also recorded 50 penalty minutes with the Sharks.
The AHL's Western Conference Final will kick off this Thursday as the Chicago Wolves visit the Eagles in Loveland, Colorado.
Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs held Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason total, beating the Thunder 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Western Conference finals.
De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for San Antonio, which has not lost three consecutive games all season. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Oklahoma City, followed by Game 6 on Thursday in San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting for the Thunder.
Wembanyama took Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory Friday in Game 3 personally. The 7-foot-4 star from France said he needed to be better to make his teammates better. He was monumentally better Sunday night — and so was San Antonio.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%).
After being outscored 76-23 in bench points in Game 3, San Antonio’s reserves scored 30 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 34.
The Spurs had another hot start in Game 4 after opening the previous game on a 15-0 run. Unlike Friday’s lopsided loss, the Spurs never relinquished that lead.
After blocking Jared McCain’s layup under the rim, Vassell tossed an alley-oop pass to Wembanyama for a dunk as part of 16-0 run that gave the Spurs a 23-8 lead with 4:19 remaining.
San Antonio had an assist on all 10 field goals in the first quarter.
San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38 points in the first half, tied for its second-lowest half in the past four regular and postseasons. The Thunder are 2-9 when they score less than 40 points in any half over the last five seasons.
Oklahoma City’s franchise low is 65 points in a playoff loss to Memphis on May 3, 2014, and its second-fewest points had been 85 against San Antonio on May 21, 2014.
Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs held Oklahoma City to its second-lowest postseason total, beating the Thunder 103-82 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Western Conference finals.
De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for San Antonio, which has not lost three consecutive games all season. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell added 13 points each.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Oklahoma City, followed by Game 6 on Thursday in San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting for the Thunder.
Wembanyama took Oklahoma City’s 123-108 victory Friday in Game 3 personally. The 7-foot-4 star from France said he needed to be better to make his teammates better. He was monumentally better Sunday night — and so was San Antonio.
The Spurs limited the Thunder to 33% shooting from the field, including 6 for 33 on 3-pointers (18%).
After being outscored 76-23 in bench points in Game 3, San Antonio’s reserves scored 30 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 34.
The Spurs had another hot start in Game 4 after opening the previous game on a 15-0 run. Unlike Friday’s lopsided loss, the Spurs never relinquished that lead.
After blocking Jared McCain’s layup under the rim, Vassell tossed an alley-oop pass to Wembanyama for a dunk as part of 16-0 run that gave the Spurs a 23-8 lead with 4:19 remaining.
San Antonio had an assist on all 10 field goals in the first quarter.
San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38 points in the first half, tied for its second-lowest half in the past four regular and postseasons. The Thunder are 2-9 when they score less than 40 points in any half over the last five seasons.
Oklahoma City’s franchise low is 65 points in a playoff loss to Memphis on May 3, 2014, and its second-fewest points had been 85 against San Antonio on May 21, 2014.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half of a game against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Luka is joined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham on the First Team.
Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson made the Second Team. Jalen Duren, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey and Jamal Murray were on the Third Team.
Luka received 91 First Team votes and nine Second Team votes.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia All-NBA Team.
With LeBron James and Austin Reaves both failing to reach the 65-game threshold to be eligible, no other Lakers received All-NBA honors. Last year, the roles were reversed as LeBron was an All-NBA player and Luka was ineligible due to injury.
Luka had an incredible season that deserves to be celebrated. He made the All-Star team, representing the Lakers in the game for the first time in his career. He was the NBA’s scoring champion, averaging 33.5 points per game. He was also the only player to earn Western Conference Player of the Month honors multiple times this season, those coming in Januaryand March.
Only 10 players in NBA history have accomplished that feat. And that list includes players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Jerry West.
Now, Luka adds another All-NBA selection to his resume, making him just one of the 50-plus players to make the team six or more times.
Lewis Hamilton was thrilled with his second place at the Canadian Grand Prix in what he called “the greatest job in the world” after a great fight with his old adversary Max Verstappen and expressed how excited he was to be back in a wheel to wheel contest, enthused with his and his Ferrari team’s performance.
“I love this job it’s the greatest job in the world, I never take that for granted,” he said. “To have a good battle with Max finally, I’m really, really grateful. I am so, so happy. It’s good day of racing, overall, a solid weekend. I felt the whole team have done an amazing job.”
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic made the All-NBA team Sunday, earning a spot on the first team. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The recognition marked the sixth time in Doncic’s eight-year career that he was named to an All-NBA team.
He was named All-NBA First Team in five consecutive seasons (2020-24).
The 2025-26 All-NBA teams are:
First Team: Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham;
Second Team: Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell;
Third Team: 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Pistons center Jalen Duren and Thunder center Chet Holmgren.
Doncic received 91 first-team and nine second-team All-NBA votes, landing on all 100 of the media ballots.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Wembanyama, Doncic and Brown were the lone players to be on every ballot.
Doncic is the fifth player in league history to earn six All-NBA first-team honors by age 27 or younger, according to the Lakers. He and Jokic were the 22nd and 23rd players in NBA history to receive six or more career first-team selections.
The lone seasons Doncic hasn’t been named to an All-NBA team were his first season in the league, when he was named the 2019 Rookie of the Year, and after the 2024-25 season, when he was limited to 50 regular-season games.
Doncic, 27, won the scoring title for the second time in the last three seasons.
He led the league with a scoring average of 33.5 points to go with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals. His 254 made 3-pointers were the most in Lakers history for a season and the third most in the league for 2025-26.
Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic are no strangers to All-NBA teams. Doncic made his sixth, and James has earned the honor 21 times. AP
Doncic played in 64 qualified games before suffering a regular-season-ending Grade 2 left hamstring strain during the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on April 2. He missed two games in December because of the birth of his daughter in Europe, which qualified as an extraordinary circumstance according to the announcement.
His 2025-26 regular season was filled with historic achievements and accolades, as he reestablished himself as one of the league’s best players after a 2024-25 season that featured a lengthy absence because of a calf injury and the shocking trade to the Lakers in February 2025.
Doncic scored at least 40 points in the first three games he played to start the season. Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player in league history to reach the 40-point mark in their first three games of a season.
Despite LeBron James being sidelined for the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica, Doncic, along with fellow star guard Austin Reaves, led the Lakers to a 15-4 record through the season’s first six weeks. Doncic averaged a league-high 35.1 points in that stretch.
Doncic’s best stretch of the season came after he returned from a left hamstring injury after the All-Star break.
He averaged 35.8 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds in the 21 games he played from Feb. 20-March 31. The Lakers went 16-5 in the games Doncic played during that stretch, including 14-2 in March.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 22: An overall photo of the Frost Bank Center during the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Three of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals on MAY 22, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.
Tonight’s game is almost a must-win game for the Silver and Black, as they need a victory tonight to avoid a trip to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night with elimination on the line. If anyone would have told me early in the season that the Spurs would be in the conference finals at the end of may with a chance to even up the series 2-2, I would have been ecstatic. But after watching the playoff run so far with the Spurs, I don’t want this to end yet. The Spurs need to keep extending the series until they can take it all the way to the Finals to meet a well-rested Knicks squad, who are murderizing the Cavs on the other side of the bracket.
Game 3 started out well for the home team, as the Spurs rushed out to a 15-0 lead, but unfortunately for the home team, the game isn’t over after the first 5 minutes, and they were thoroughly outplayed after the initial run and lost the game by 15. It was the first game where the Spurs weren’t just outschemed by a more experienced coach, but were neutralized by superior play of the opponent. I have been pretty critical of the physical play style of OKC, but that was not the reason the Spurs lost Game 3. The Thunder played with more energy and got an excellent effort up and down the roster as every player who hit the court made a significant contribution. For the Spurs, Wembanyama had a good but not great game, and the Spurs elite guard trio, struggling with injuries, couldn’t be dominant enough to make up for the lack of production from the San Antonio bench, who were bleeding points every minute they were on the court. If the Spurs want to avoid facing elimination on Tuesday, players like Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, and Carter Bryant will need to step up, and Julian Champagnie will need to hit some shots to relieve some of the defensive pressure on Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox.
The Spurs aren’t listing any players on the injury report, but both Fox and Harper have been dinged up, and won’t be at full speed tonight. They are going to go, and maybe that will inspire some of their teammates to help them to a win. Ajay Mitchell is out tonight, and Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable. I doubt that JDub will play tonight, but if he does, he won’t be at full speed. With all that’s gone wrong in this series, the Silver and Black have a great opportunity for a win tonight to even up the series, and guarantee at another home game on Thursday in the Frost Arena. Let’s see the Spurs conquer adversity tonight, and give the fans another chance to cheer on their team. The Spurs have not lost three games in a row all season, and you definitely don’t want that to happen for the first time in the playoffs. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
Carter Bryant has a breakout game and hits six three point shots as the Thunder are busy triple teaming Wembanyama.
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma Thunder, Conference Championship Round, Game 4 May 24, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
May 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies Catcher Brett Sullivan (26) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Images | Anna Carrington-Imagn Images
After three close contests in the desert where the Colorado Rockies lost by just one run in two of them (and won by one in the other), the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks went anything but according to plan. The Rockies were bullied for nine runs while failing to get anything going on offense. The one bright side was that the suffering was at least quick. This afternoon’s game clocked in at just two hours and 18 minutes, a tie for the third-quickest nine innings of the season so far.
Quintana struggles before leaving injured
Rockies starting pitcher José Quintana got off to a rough start this afternoon as the Diamondbacks got to him early. In the first inning Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll went back-to-back with extra-base hits and the Diamondbacks ended up scoring two runs. In the bottom of the second inning, Quintana gave up another three runs on two singles and two doubles.
Quintana recorded just one out in the second inning before further disaster struck. After giving up a two-run ground-rule double to Ketel Marte, Quintana left the game with Rockies training staff without attempting another pitch. His injury would be later described as left elbow discomfort.
Manager Warren Schaeffer stated after the game that Quintana had not been dealing with any discomfort prior to his start today. He said more information would follow over the next day or two.
The Rockies are currently in the midst of playing 16 straight games without a day off. The pitching staff has already been stretched thin as we have seen players like Zach Agnos pressed into starting duty. José Quintana leaving after just 1.1 innings spelled even more work for the bullpen.
Right-handed pitcher Blas Castañ0 is deserving of kudos, entering the game cold in the second inning to replace Quintana. Castañ0 ended up pitching a fairly solid 3.2 innings, giving up just one earned run on four hits and a hit batter. He also tallied three strikeouts.
Castaño has proved a valuable innings-eater after being claimed by the Rockies earlier this season. He has pitched a minimum of two innings in all three of his appearances so far, with today’s outing being his longest in a Rockies uniform.
Seth Halvorsen struggled to finish out his inning of work today. With two outs in sixth inning he gave up three straight hits—a double, a single, and a triple—that allowed the Diamondbacks to plate another two runs.
Halvorsen gave way to lefty Brennan Bernardino, who worked a clean seventh inning with two strikeouts before a position player took the mound in the eighth.
Catcher Brett Sullivan, who started today’s game behind the plate, moved to the mound and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. It was Sullivan’s second relief appearance of the year, the other of which happened on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers.
The offense went out not with a bang but with a whimper
Despite only striking out four times and drawing a handful of walks, the Rockies struggled to get anything going offensively with just one run on six hits.
The Rockies actually started both the first and second innings with a baserunner, only to have the following hitter ground into a double play to erase the advantage. Perhaps even more frustrating is that the Rockies had baserunners in every inning except the seventh and ninth. The lone run of the afternoon came in the eighth inning. Jake McCarthy led off the frame with a single, reaching second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout. He was then driven in on a sacrifice fly by Chad Stevens.
McCarthy was the only Rockies batter with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 on the afternoon. Troy Johnston and Kyle Karros were the only other members of the Rockies lineup to reach safely twice. Johnston went 1-for-2 with two walks while Karros went 1-for-2 with one walk.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies are heading to California to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. It will be their final series of this 16-game stretch before a much-needed day off. The series starts tomorrow evening with Emmet Sheehan on the mound for the Dodgers. The Rockies have not yet announced their plans for the game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM MDT.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 24: Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics pitches against the San Diego Padres during the second inning at Petco Park on May 24, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The A’s lost the first two games of their weekend series against the Padres but managed to salvage the finale. They beat the Padres in the finale thanks to some early scoring and quality pitching all around, maintaining their AL West lead and heading home back to Sacramento on a winning note.
It didn’t take long for the scoring to get started in this one against San Diego ace Michael King. Leadoff man Carlos Cortes took the sixth pitch of the game and whacked it out to right-center field and over the wall for a solo home run to give the A’s the quick 1-0 lead just one batter into the game:
The Swingin’ A’s kept it up in the next frame when Zack Gelof worked a one-out walk and rookie center fielder Henry Bolte brought him home with a two-out RBI double:
Think the A’s were done there? Think again! Today’s starting shortstop Alika Williams, who only just arrived in a minor trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates last week, kept the line going as he snuck an RBI single through the left side to bring home Bolte and make it a 3-0 Athletics lead:
And he did it in front of his hometown crowd in San Diego! He surely had some friends and family in the stands for today’s contest, which marked his first start for the Athletics.
Another positive from the early innings was Nick Kurtz. Looking to extend his on-base streak, he got that out of the way in his second at-bat with a single, pushing him ahead of franchise great Rickey Henderson and putting him in a tie for second-most in franchise history:
That ties him with Jimmie Foxx for second-most in franchise history but that’s not the goal at this point. Only Mark McGuire stands ahead of him at this point with his 62-game on-base streak back in ‘95-’96. Only 15 to go until he ties him and it’s becoming a real possibility. How we feeling about his chances at this point, A’s fans?
The A’s got one more in the fourth thanks to some help from King. A double and two walks loaded the bases for the Athletics and a wild pitch brought home the team’s fourth run of the day. Another walk reloaded the bases and chased King from this contest. The Green & Gold couldn’t cash in more than the one run but at least the Padres’ starter was out of the game.
Meanwhile on the pitching side of things it was right-hander Luis Medina getting the start this afternoon, his first in a big league game since 2024. He’s been having a solid season in the bullpen up to today and evidently the team wanted to get him the ball to kick things off this afternoon.
Medina did his job but apparently he was only ever destined to be in there for a short stint. After just four outs manager Mark Kotsay elected to turn to lefty Jacob Lopez, ending Medina’s first start in two years after just 18 pitches.
Lopez seemed to thrive following an opener this afternoon. The left-hander pitched 4 2/3 innings this afternoon while only allowing one run via a Manny Machado sacrifice fly in the sixth. He also got some help from the defense behind him today as well:
The lefty ended his day after finishing the sixth, making way for the bullpen to maintain the three-run lead.
Jacob Lopez: 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 91 pitches
Does this outing earn Lopez another start/bulk appearance? Fellow lefty Gage Jump is on a roll and looking good in Triple-A but today may have pushed that decision down the road a bit. Should the team deiced to stick with Lopez one way or another, he’d be lined up to pitch next against the Yankees this coming weekend.
The A’s, always looking to pad their lead, added one on in the top of the ninth off a Sodey single, bringing home another run and pushing it to a 5-2 A’s lead:
Right-hander Justin Sterner replaced Lopez to start the seventh. He allowed a solo homer to Ty France but nothing else. Mark Leiter Jr. handled the eighth and had a scoreless outing, setting up Hogan Harris for the save. Back-to-back walks put the tying run up to the plate in the ninth, making Kotsay turn to Scott Barlow to get the final two outs against a pinch-hitting Nick Castellanos and Fernando Tatis Jr. Barlow struck Castellanos out then got Tatis to fly out, securing his first save of the season and the Athletics’ 27th win of the year.
A solid day from the bats all around as they collected 10 total hits plus seven walks. Six of the nine starters collected hits and two of the three drew walks (only Langeliers went 0-for today). The combination of Medina opening and Lopez acting as the bulk pitcher worked to perfection as the two combined for six innings of one-run ball. Sterner allowed that home run but it didn’t end up hurting as Leiter Jr. and Harris finished things off. A’s win, remain in first place, and return home on a winning note.
No off day tomorrow as the A’s head back to Sacramento. They’ll welcome the division-rival Mariners to town for three games that’ll be crucial for the Athletics to win. Right-hander Aaron Civale will kick things off for the A’s while the M’s will send Luis Castillo to the bump for the assignment. Gotta win these upcoming games against one of the biggest contenders for the AL West.
Chris Taylor has retired from baseball. Officially, this time.
On Sunday, the former Dodgers star and current Angels minor leaguer announced on Instagram that he has “officially decided to retire from the game I’ve dedicated my entire life towards,” releasing a lengthy statement “clearing up any confusion” about his decision to end his 14-year professional career.
Former Dodgers All-Star Chris Taylor retired again Sunday. Getty Images
“I’m beyond grateful to all of my coaches and teammates, and the organizations who allowed me to live out my childhood dream,” Taylor wrote. “I’ll forever cherish the memories along the way and most of all, the friendships that will last a lifetime.”
News of Taylor’s retirement first emerged Friday, when MLB’s transactions log listed him as having retired from the sport.
But then on Saturday, MLB.com reported that Taylor changed his mind and was instead going on the minor-league injured list, having suffered a fractured forearm on a hit-by-pitch in a Triple-A game last week.
A source confirmed that development to The California Post, saying that while the Angels had initially filed paperwork to the league regarding Taylor’s retirement, the plan had changed a day later.
Ultimately, however, that appears to have just been transactional confusion.
Instead of rehabbing his injury while hoping to make one last run at returning to the majors, Taylor decided to hang it up at 35 years old.
In his statement, Taylor thanked “the loyal fans who have supported me through my success and stuck with me through the struggles.”
He also highlighted the support of his parents, family and wife, Mary.
“I can’t wait to start our next chapter in life together with our boys,” the father of two wrote.
Taylor recently played for the Angels’ minor-league affiliate in Salt Lake City. Getty Images
After the Mariners drafted him in 2012 and he made his MLB debut with the club in 2014, Taylor became an All-Star player and two-time World Series champion during his 10-year run with the Dodgers, who traded for him in 2016 and watched him flourish as a valuable utility player with a highlight reel’s worth of memorable postseason moments.
Taylor spent much of the last calendar year with the Angels, after the Dodgers released him last May amid a years-long decline offensively.
He appeared in 30 MLB games with the Angels last year, then made 32 appearances with Triple-A Salt Lake this season before getting hurt.
Because he spent the first couple months of last year on the Dodgers’ big-league roster, he is expected to receive a third World Series ring from the team.
May 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nicolas Roy (10) and Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) wait for a face-off from linesman Devin Berg (87) during the first period of game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Having lost both games on home ice to start the Western Conference Final against Vegas, the Colorado Avalanche find now face a daunting task as the series shifts to T-Mobile Arena.
A lot is riding on tonight’s game. Win, and set yourselves up to even up the series on Tuesday. Lose, and everything is in jeopardy.
Colorado Avalanche (8-3)
The Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (10-4)
Time: 6:00 P.M. MDT/8:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ESPN (US National Broadcast), CBC, SN, SN+, TVAS, TVAS+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The dominance of the Avalanche on home ice was well known ahead of this series. They didn’t allow a single victory at Ball Arena to Los Angeles or Minnesota in the first two rounds, but that’s all changed against Vegas. A hot start in Game One quickly cooled off as the Avs failed to generate much offense through most of game, resulting in a 4-2 loss. Game Two saw the Avs score the first goal early and had great success defensively, but they couldn’t build on their lead. That opened the door for Vegas, who scored three times in the third to defeat the Avs 3-1.
Having played a defensively committed team in Los Angeles, and having a full week to prepare for Vegas ahead of the Western Conference Final, one would not expect that this series to unfold this way. While the Avs have outshot Vegas through both games in this series, Vegas’ defensive zone play has also led to many broken plays and limited sustained pressure. Far too often, the normally high-powered Avs offense has been distilled to the following outcomes:
Puck battles along the boards are lost, leading to the puck going the other way
Offensive zone passes are broken up, leading to the puck going the other way
Pucks are shot directly into Carter Hart, or shot wide of the goal
Not shooting at all(!)
When you have Nathan MacKinnon on your roster (who has ONE assist in this series) and he’s not shooting the puck more than he has (three shots in Game One, and one in Game Two), that is a very big problem. He isn’t the only one that’s struggling to produce: aside from Gabe Landeskog’s power play goal (the only power play goal in five attempts for the Avs, but that’s a whole other issue), not one of the top-six forwards has produced any offense.
Brock Nelson and Martin Nečas have no points in the series. Both have had their opportunities to create, and neither have finished on their chances. Meanwhile, both Pavel Dorofeyev and Jack Eichel have a goal and two assists for Vegas. Brett Howden scored the game-wining goal in Game One. Ivan Barbashev has two goals, including the game-winning goal in Game Two, and an assist on Eichel’s goal. While getting goals from Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton has been nice, it simply isn’t enough: top-end talent cannot be held off the scoresheet.
Defenseman Cale Makar missed the first two games due to injury, and the Avs certainly miss him on both ends of the ice. When addressing the media on Saturday regarding Makar’s availability for Game Three, head coach Jared Bednar said that it would be Makar’s decision on when he’s ready to play. “No one can go into Cale’s body and feel what he’s feeling, so when he feels like he can do all the things he needs to be able to do out on the ice to play, then he’s going to make the decision to play.”
Having Makar miss Game Three isn’t ideal, especially with Vegas now having the home ice ability to control on-ice match-ups. The Avs need every advantage they can get, with word that Vegas captain Mark Stone is returning to the lineup, getting Makar back in any capacity would go a long way.
Bednar did make a defensive adjustment in Game Two, reinserting Nick Blankenburg in place of Jack Achan. Blankenburg fared well in his limited time on ice, and if Makar is unavailable tonight, expect Blankenburg to get the call.
Bednar didn’t (and won’t) tip his hand regarding his goaltending, but Wedgewood is likely to start between the pipes for Game Three. Wedgewood played well through most of Game Two, providing his teammates with a chance to win early. While some criticism of his play on the Eichel goal might be warranted, that criticism can also be levied at the rest of the lineup for failing to give him more offensive support in return.
The Avs will have to be better throughout their entire lineup, and for the entirety of Game Three, in order to get back into this series.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton – Nazem Kadri – Nicolas Roy Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Defense: Devon Toews – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns Brett Kulak – Nick Blankenburg
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas is heating up at the right time. With two wins on the road, they’re in the best position they’ve had throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A win today puts them in position to push the League’s best regular season team closer to elimination, and get one step closer to their third Stanley Cup Final.
Despite falling behind early in Game Two, Vegas was able to overcome Colorado’s tight play in the second period in addition to losing the services of defenseman Brayden McNabb for a large stretch of the game. Head Coach John Tortorella highlighted McNabb’s importance in media yesterday, “I thought our team played better, you know? It was a different team. As I said after the game [Friday] night, the second period, it was tilted, and we got out of there unscathed, very fortunately, and I thought that was the most important part of the game, was just being down by a goal after two periods. ‘Nabber’ comes back in, and I think it settled us down.”
Much has been made of Colorado’s ability to apply pressure late in games, but Vegas has proven that they are no slouch in third period play. In both games of this series, Vegas has bested Colorado in third period offense, outscoring Colorado 5-2 in the final frame, with two of those goals coming with an empty net late in regulation.
Tortorella also highlighted his roster’s ability to remain patient despite trailing in Game Two. “Team’s down one-nothing going into the third period, you don’t want to open yourself up and start doing crazy stuff and opening yourself up, because that team will make you pay, the team we’re playing right now,” He said.
“Just take each shift at a time, see if we can get a big play,” Tortorella continued, “We end up getting a big play. […] It’s a big play by a big player, and that’s what you hope for.
Given the production from his lineup, Tortorella doesn’t have to look far for more big plays from his big players coming into Game Three.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Pavel Dorofeyev Mark Stone – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner Brandon Saad – Tomáš Hertl – Brett Howden Colton Sissons – Nic Dowd – Keegan Kolesar
