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Cincinnati Reds trade Christian Encarnacion-Strand to Baltimore Orioles

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Christian Encarnacion-Strand #33 of the Cincinnati Reds bats during the sixth inning of the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Christian Encarnacion-Strand era of Cincinnati Reds has come to an unceremonius close. The slugging 1B was designated for assignment back on April 8th as a way to get PJ Higgins onto the roster for catching depth in the wake of Jose Trevino’s injury, and the Reds revealed today that CES did not, in fact clear waivers.

Instead, the Reds struck a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for his services, accepting cash considerations as the return. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com relayed the news on Bluesky on Monday afternoon.

CES joined the Reds at the 2022 trade deadline, doing so alongside pitcher Steve Hajjar and Spencer Steer in the deal that sent Tyler Mahle the other way to Minnesota. It was part of Cincinnati’s latest massive firesale as the Reds dealt away Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Eugenio Suarez, and Jesse Winker in other deals that calendar year (while also finally buying out the remainder of Mike Moustakas’ albatross contract). The hope was that CES would be the team’s 1B of the future with Joey Votto’s deal running down, and for a time that looked like a very real possibility.

After reaching the bigs midway through 2023, CES hit the ground running. He smashed 13 homers in just 63 games, and his 112 OPS+ led to him opening the 2024 season as the team’s 1B. It was soon revealed that he was actually trying to play through a small fracture in his wrist that had originally been overlooked, and the hope was his awful start to the year (.513 OPS in 123 PA through May 7th) was 100% due to just that. However, he’s struggled immensely ever since at the big league level as teams realized they didn’t have to throw him strikes to get him to swing, and his time with the Reds looked increasingly doomed as Sal Stewart (among others) jumped him on the right-handed hitting depth chart.

Now, though, he’ll join a Baltimore organization that just placed longtime 1B Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL with a broken foot. Pete Alonso is obviously now there, but with Adley Rutschman, Heston Kjerstad, and Jackson Holliday all also out at the moment with injuries there could well be a path to some PA at the big league level through DH duties in the near term for CES.

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Warriors react to play-in matchup with Clippers: ‘We know who they are’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors looking on during the game against the LA Clippers, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacting after a missed basket

INGLEWOOD — The Warriors will go from playing a meaningless game to one for all the marbles against the same opponent, in the same venue, only three days apart.

They have 72 hours to lock in from practice to play-in mode before a win-or-go-home rematch against the Clippers inside the Intuit Dome at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Super easy,” Steph Curry said after Sunday’s 115-110 loss to the Clippers in a regular season finale that only served as a preview of the 9-10 play-in matchup insofar as the teams’ uniform colors.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 12, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images

Curry doesn’t need any extra motivation to get amped up for the Warriors’ fourth appearance in the play-in tournament. What was once a dreaded destination now serves as a glimmer of hope — the entire reason Curry clawed to come back from a persistent knee issue.

The experience helps.

“We’ve been there before,” Curry continued. “Whether it’s a Game 7 or the many play-in games that we’ve been (sarcastically) fortunate enough to play in. … I guess you’re grateful for it now just because … this is such a unique year. It’s not like we’ve underperformed. We’ve just been hit with so many injuries that your expectations had to shift.”

Injuries have introduced an interesting dichotomy: The Western Conference rivals are intimately familiar with each other, but neither has seen the versions that will be on the court with their seasons on the line.

Their first two meetings took place before Jimmy Butler tore his ACL, their third occurred during Curry’s 27-game absence, and neither Draymond Green nor Kawhi Leonard dressed on Sunday. Not that either coach was keen to show his cards, anyway.

“We know who they are,” Curry said.

Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins dunks against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP

Steve Kerr said there was “not a whole lot to take” from Sunday’s game, though Brandin Podziemski noted that Darius Garland looked more comfortable since the teams last played in the Clippers’ first game since acquiring Garland for James Harden at the trade deadline.

“I think each team knows the other pretty well, just from playing against them a lot over the years,” Kerr said. “They’re a little different with Garland rather than Harden, but they know us well, we know them well.”

Curry said he “felt great” after taking on his largest workload since returning from the injury with 29 minutes that produced 24 points. Kerr checked in with him during the game and got the same feedback. “He said he felt really good, so that was a good step for him.”

Kerr got his second game to experiment with Curry alongside Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, and he started all three together with Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton. He called that the “best thing” to come out of Sunday’s loss.

“And no injuries,” he added. “So we should be ready to go on Wednesday night.”

Al Horford of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on April 12, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images

Still, the veteran trio won’t play without restrictions in the do-or-die game.

“I’m not sure exactly what the number will be,” Kerr said. “Those guys, they’re not gonna play 40 minutes. I can tell you that.”

This will be the Warriors’ fourth experience in the play-in in its seven years in existence. Curry let out a high-pitched laugh when he was informed it was their second time as a No. 10 seed. They were in the same position in 2024 and ended up being eliminated by the No. 9 Kings.

Golden State lost both games as the No. 8 seed in 2021. But its last time in the play-in was friendlier, advancing as the No. 7 seed to upset the Rockets in the first round last year.

Last week, Green said, bluntly, that it was “not exciting” to be back in the play-in, but at the same time, he added, “as a competitor, you’re gonna rise to the challenge.”

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts after a missed basket in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The trio of Curry and Green have faced elimination 13 times since Kerr became their head coach in 2014. Golden State has a 9-4 record in those games. And the banners to prove many more wins along the way in postseason games with less on the line.

“We’ve got guys that have been there,” Podziemski said. “Guys that have won. Guys that have played meaningful basketball in recent years. It always helps when you’ve got Steph. So I think that’s to our advantage. Yeah, I think I like us better than anybody in a one-game situation.”

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Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Thread

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 11: Joey Ortiz #3 of the Milwaukee Brewers tags out Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals attempting to steal second base i6 at American Family Field on April 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Nats are coming into Pittsburgh riding high after a sweep over the Brewers. However, they will be greeted by one of baseball’s premier arms, as Paul Skenes takes the bump. With the way the Nats offense is rolling, this will be a strength against strength matchup. Skenes will be their toughest test yet.

To match up with Skenes, Blake Butera is loading up his lineup with lefties. CJ Abrams will hit third tonight, the highest he has been in the lineup all season. Butera has tried to spread out righties and lefties, but today he has four lefties at the top including reigning NL Player of the Week James Wood in the lead off spot. Brady House will get the day off, which means Jorbit Vivas will be at third base. The hot Jacob Young is all the way up in the 5 spot. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will be on the bump tonight.

So far, the Pirates offense has been much improved. Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn have been great additions for them. Those two will be hitting second and fourth. Bryan Reynolds will be in between them at DH. Marcell Ozuna has not been hitting, so he is not in the lineup. Oneil Cruz has also been red hot at the top of the Bucs lineup. Nats fans will get their first look at the Pirates 19 year old shortstop Konnor Griffin. He has been cold to start his MLB career, but he is a phenom. As we mentioned up top, Paul Skenes will be on the mound. 

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Game Info:

Stadium: PNC Park

Time: 6:40 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This should be a fun four game set between two teams on the rise. The Pirates have elite young arms, and the Nats have an up and coming offense. That sets the stage for a really exciting matchup. I can’t wait to see what this offense can do against Skenes. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.

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Monday night Orioles game thread: vs. Diamondbacks, 6:35

SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Ladies and gentlemen: Dean. Is. Back.

After a two-week banishment to Triple-A Norfolk to start the year, Dean Kremer is back in Baltimore and ready to make his Orioles season debut tonight. It ends one of the more bizarre sagas of the Orioles’ early 2026 season, in which Kremer — who hadn’t pitched in the minors since 2021, aside from rehab assignments — was left out in the cold when the O’s set their Opening Day rotation, then made two starts without being called up even after Zach Eflin’s injury. The Orioles had both Brandon Young and Cade Povich make major league starts before summoning Kremer (although, considering those two each delivered excellent outings, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea).

But now he’s back. Tonight, Kremer will slide into the rotation in Eflin’s place. And poor Povich, who delivered a gem against the Giants yesterday on his birthday, has been demoted back to Norfolk, just as Young was before him. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Kremer worked 4.2 innings in each of his two starts with the Tides, but his second outing (zero runs) was much improved over his first (three runs). His first major league opponent of the year is not one he’s had success with. He’s faced the Diamondbacks twice, once in 2024 and once in 2025, and gave up 12 runs combined. Ouch. However, no current D’Backs hitter has more than six at-bats against him.

Arizona counters with righty Ryne Nelson, making his second career start against the Orioles. If Pete Alonso is going to continue the momentum of his two-hit day on Sunday, this is the perfect guy to do it against. He has demolished Nelson with four home runs in 11 career at-bats. In other roster news, the O’s placed Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL with a left foot fracture, so the poor guy, who had already had to fight for playing time, is now gone for the next two months at least. The O’s called up utility guy Weston Wilson from Norfolk to take his place.

An Orioles win and a Yankees loss tonight would move the O’s into sole possession of first place in the AL East. That’d be neat! Let’s do it, guys.

Orioles lineup:

SS Gunnar Henderson
LF Taylor Ward
1B Pete Alonso
C Samuel Basallo
DH Dylan Beavers
CF Leody Taveras
RF Colton Cowser
2B Jeremiah Jackson
3B Blaze Alexander

RHP Dean Kremer

Diamondbacks lineup:

2B Ketel Marte
RF Corbin Carroll
SS Geraldo Perdomo
C Adrian Del Castillo
DH José Fernández
1B Ildemaro Vargas
3B Nolan Arenado
CF Alek Thomas
LF Jorge Barrosa

RHP Ryne Nelson

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Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970

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For the 10th consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings will not play beyond the 82nd game of the regular season.

Their fate was sealed Saturday evening with a 5–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena. Not only were they unable to protect three separate leads in a must-win situation, but they also surrendered the game-winning goal late in the third period, extinguishing any hope of their first playoff appearance since 2016. 

And unfortunately, once the calendar flipped to March, the ghosts of seasons past came back to haunt the franchise once again. 

For the third straight year, the Red Wings began faltering in both March and April, losing what was a comfortable playoff cushion and eventually tumbling out of the postseason race. 

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And yet, perhaps the most shocking statistic illustrating just how badly the Red Wings unraveled is a mark that had stood for 56 years - until Saturday evening.

The Red Wings became the first NHL team to have accumulated at least 69 points through their first 53 games and still miss the playoffs. The last team to hold that unfortunate distinction was the 1969–70 Montreal Canadiens. 

To put that in perspective - in April 1970, The Beatles were going through their highly publicized split, Richard Nixon was just 15 months into his presidency, and Neil Armstrong had become the first man to walk on the moon nine months earlier. 

Considering that the Red Wings were tied for first place in the Eastern Conference in late January, it was a startling fall from grace. 

For a fan base that had grown used to winning during Detroit's glory years, most understood that their 25-season playoff streak came with a price and that there would be a downswing. 

However, in 2016, few would have likely believed the Red Wings were about to go an entire decade without a playoff appearance, or that they would now own the NHL’s longest active postseason drought.

As the final seconds ticked down in regulation Saturday evening, a loud chorus of boos rained down from the fans in attendance. Even as the players gathered at center ice for one final salute, fully aware their playoff fate had been sealed, they were met with continued boos. 

Todd McLellan Addresses Red Wings' Mental Fortitude After Officially Missing PlayoffsTodd McLellan Addresses Red Wings' Mental Fortitude After Officially Missing PlayoffsDetroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan spoke about the club's mental fortitude after they were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

Head coach Todd McLellan, who was behind Detroit’s bench as an assistant under Mike Babcock during the club’s most recent Stanley Cup win in 2008, acknowledged the fans’ passion and said the boos were justified given the result the team delivered - or failed to deliver.

“Well, this is Detroit, this is Hockeytown,” McLellan said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be on the other side of it when they couldn’t stop cheering for this team, and they’re dying for that. They crave that. That’s what they want.

And I don’t even know if they want a Stanley Cup championship anymore. They just want a team that’s gonna come and give them something to cheer about." 

Red Wings fans will once again have to wait until next year in the hope that Stanley Cup Playoff hockey will finally come to Little Caesars Arena, which opened in the fall of 2017. 

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Red Sox at Twins lineups: Crochet Day in Minneapolis

Mar 26, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the third inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

After a ruff start, the Sox are still a sad 6-9 but are only two games out of first place. Tonight, we ball behind Garrett Crochet to help close that gap in a wide-open AL East (and AL in general). Game’s at 7:40 p.m. and the Sox will face Bailey Ober, who’s had a tuff start to the season himself. Here are the lineups:

Given the venue, I’d like to add: Fuck ICE. Or maybe I’ll just let the Boss do it:

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Pirates demote young lefty to start games in Triple-A

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Hunter Barco #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the sixth inning during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates used a unique strategy with their young starting pitchers in 2025.

The team called up top pitching prospects Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler to make highly anticipated debuts — Chandler more than any rookie in the organization last season — but out of the bullpen.

To get acclimated to MLB hitters, Chandler and Ashcraft were used in bulk relief roles before entering the rotation at the back end of the season.

It worked for both pitchers, who are now fixtures in the current Pirates rotation.

The same can’t be said for Hunter Barco. Just because the strategy worked for some doesn’t mean it will work for all.

Prior to Monday night’s series opener against the Washington Nationals, the Pirates demoted Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Left-handed bullpen arm Evan Sisk is joining the club for the first time. 

Barco allowed at least one run in three of his four relief appearances. He allowed one in the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday as a part of the Pirates blowing a three-run lead when the ‘pen took over. The Pirates led 5-0 after the second. 

Barco allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out one in 1.2 innings in the series finale. In seven total innings, Barco has allowed seven runs (five earned), walked five, and recorded five strikeouts. 

He allowed three home runs in four games, totaling a 6.43 ERA and 2.14 WHIP.

Barco, 25, has the stuff to be a viable left-handed starting pitcher in the Major Leagues. 

The former second-round pick only allowed three earned runs over 11.2 spring training innings and struck out 15, but also walked eight hitters. 

Don Kelly told the media on Monday that the Pirates went to lengthen Barco as a starter. The Pirates are also running thin on innings and need a fresh arm, calling up the fellow lefty Sisk to fill the spot.

Kelly said the Pirates still view Barco as a starter, but he could come back to the MLB team this year in either role. Barco hadn’t pitched since April 4 until Sunday, and wasn’t pitching consistently.

In 27 games (23 starts) between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2025, Barco finished 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA. 

He very impressively didn’t allow a run in 25.2 innings over six starts at Double-A. Barco earned a 3.79 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 73.2 innings in Indianapolis.

Sisk, 28, made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals before being acquired in the Bailey Falter trade.

In 14 outings with the Pirates, Sisk allowed six runs over 12.1 innings, walked five, struck out 14, and posted a 1.30 WHIP.

He allowed two runs (one earned) over 7.2 frames with the Indians this year before receiving the call.

The Pirates host the Nationals for the first of a four-game series at PNC Park, with Paul Skenes on the mound at 6:40 p.m.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Gameday Thread, #17: 4/13 @ Orioles

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 31: An aerial view of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine on May 31, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images ) | Getty Images

Today’s Lineups

DIAMONDBACKSORIOLES
Ketel Marte – 2BGunnar Henderson – SS
Corbin Carroll – RFTaylor Ward – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SSPete Alonso – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – CSamuel Basallo – C
Jose Fernandez – DHDylan Beavers – DH
Ildemaro Vargas – 1BLeody Taveras – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3BColton Cowser – RF
Alek Thomas – CFJeremiah Jackson – 2B
Jorge Barrosa – LFBlaze Alexander – 3B
Ryne Nelson – RHPDean Kremer – RHP

The “One Big Inning” has become part of the D-backs’ collective psyche since Opening Day in Los Angeles. There, a pair of four-run frames represented the entire Dodgers offense in an 8-2 loss. Since then, it seems as if we’ve had the movie on repeat. A starter cruises, then the wheels come off. Or they get smacked about before they can settle in. Or a member of the bullpen has a really bad day. It’s not just fan bias. The Diamondbacks have allowed four or more runs in an inning nine times already. That’s most in the majors: the MLB average is only 3.4 OBIs per team. It’s an average of 4.9 runs per inning in those for Arizona, and OBIs represent 63% of all runs allowed by the D-backs. The average elsewhere? 0.2 runs per inning.

But it hasn’t actually hurt the Diamondbacks too much. There have been seven games where a severely crooked number has unfurled – two had more than one, the Opening Day contest and the 17-2 clobbering by Atlanta. But Arizona’s record in those is a reasonable 3-4. That’s a lot better than you would expect. Last year, we went 6-32 in such games, and the overall win percentage in the majors was a similar .154. That’s due to the “O” element this year. As samath noted in the comments on yesterday’s recap, the D-backs have put up a higher percentage of zeroes than anybody else. And in each of those three wins (9-6 and 7-5 vs DET, plus 5-4 vs PHI), Arizona didn’t concede a single run outside the OBI.

It also didn’t hurt that in two of them, the Diamondbacks’ offense had an inning of their own which was even bigger. They put up a six-spot in the 7-5 win over Detroit and, as I’m sure you remember, delivered Phillie cheese-steak tacos in the fifth inning on Friday. Those effectively canceled out the opposition’s productive frame. So far, the D-backs haven’t been quite as good on that side of the equation, posting only four big innings of their own. However, they have made them count, winning all of those games this season to date. Let’s hope we don’t have anything like the infamous Chicago game last year, where Arizona scored ten in one inning, and still lost…

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NBA Playoff Team Rankings 1-20: Thunder, Spurs on top, can the Celtics, Knicks, Pistons compete in the East?

The NBA postseason is slated and the Western Conference is stacked, while the Eastern Conference looks like an open four-team race. Taking a look at the playoff teams as a conglomerate, I ranked the teams 1-20 and some of the seeds may come as a surprise. All betting odds are for NBA Finals winner and courtesy of DraftKings.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, +110)

The chase for back-to-back NBA titles is going as advertised for Oklahoma City. At one point, the conversation around this team is would they break the Warriors 73-win record, but a 2-4 stretch in December into January put a halt to that. The Thunder would go on to finish January with a 9-6 record and since then, Oklahoma City is 26-5. The Thunder are rolling on all cylinders and own the league's No. 1 defense and No. 7 ranked offense led by eventual back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Oklahoma City is listed as the favorites to win the NBA Finals (+110) and go back-to-back as champions. Despite Jalen Williams playing only 33 games, plus Alex Caruso (56), and Ajay Mitchell (57) missing more than 20 games — the Thunder have overcome injury concerns and are fully healthy entering the postseason. The addition of Jared McCain has also given this team a spark and another threat off the bench.

2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20, +500)

The biggest competitor to knock off the Thunder has to be the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio aren't scared of Oklahoma City and took it to the Thunder all season. The Spurs won four out of five meetings with the Thunder, but all those meetings came two-plus months ago.

San Antonio is the only other team to record 60-plus wins and one of the few teams to have seven players average double-digit points per game. The Spurs are deep and well put together as they can spread the floor and tap in both sides of the ball (top 5 in offensive and defensive rating.) It's important to be playing your best basketball as you enter the playoffs and the Spurs are certainly doing that with a 18-2 record over the last 20 games.

3. Boston Celtics (56-26, +550)

The best bet to win the East and represent the conference in the NBA Finals is the Boston Celtics. Joe Mazzula is coaching his behind off this season and this Celtics team has responded. Of course, this team will go as far as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can take them, but the development of two key players and a trade acquisitions give this team another gear.

Neemias Queta (doubled his PPG and RPG) and Payton Pritchard (career-high 17.0 PPG) have both stepped up significantly this season and the addition of Nikola Vucevic give this Celtics team the needed depth to make a run. Vucevic was involved in a trade that sent Anfernee Simons to Chicago, which was shocking after Boston traded for him this previous offseason, but it was a good move as Boston has enough guards and needed big man depth post life with Kristaps Porzinigs.

In return, Boston finished the year second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive, one of two teams (Celtics, Spurs) to finish top five in both. With Mazzula as arguably the best coach in the East and a dynamic duo of Brown and Tatum with plenty of role players — I have a hard time seeing another team beating the Celtics in a seven game series.

4. Denver Nuggets (54-28, +850)

Denver is the third-best option to win the West in my opinion, but is the biggest question mark of the top six seeds. The Nuggets finished the regular season with the No. 1 rated offense and Nikola Jokic averaged a triple-double yet again, but the Nuggets defense ranks 21st in net rating, which is a serious problem.

The Nuggets have gone 0-3 versus the Thunder this year and 2-1 versus the Spurs, so the path to an NBA Finals appearance is anything but guaranteed. Nikola Jokic gives Denver a punchers chance, alongside Aaron Gordon who's having a great year, and Jamal Murray posting career-highs in points (25.4) and assists (7.1). But is that enough? I don't think so. Minnesota could certainly upset Denver in the first round, and if not, San Antonio is talented enough to take the Nuggets outside to the woodshed.

5. New York Knicks (53-29, +1800)

I feel like we should still be studying how the Knicks lost a playoff series to the Pacers, 4-2, last year, but I digress since it landed my name in a Netflix documentary for hating on the Pacers.

The Knicks are in a finals window right now and if they don't make an NBA Finals appearance this season or at the very least an Eastern Conference Finals, then this team and season was a disappointment. The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado are supposed to bring this team added depth and rotational answers this postseason, but the jury is still out.

Clarkson is averaging a career-low 8.7 points in 17.8 minutes per game at age 33, while Alvarado is posting 6.1 points and 3.7 assist over 16.2 minutes with the Knicks. Neither player has been outstanding in their short tenures, but a big play or two in the postseason could land them more minutes behind Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.

What's stopping the Knicks from another Eastern Conference Finals? The Celtics in the semifinals is likely the easiest answer. I think New York is on the outside looking in when it comes to championship hopefuls this postseason.

6. Detroit Pistons (60-22, +2200)

I'm sorry Pistons fans. The fact that I have the No. 1 seed in the East as my sixth-best team in the playoffs and third in the West is kind of a travesty mixed with disrespect. However, you have to consider last season, the Pistons' playoff history, and Cade Cunningham's health entering the postseason.

Detroit had a chance to send their first round series against New York to seven games, but a late turnover squashed those hopes. Outside of last year, the Pistons haven't made the playoffs since 2018-19 and those are the only two appearances over the past decade. The last time that Detroit made it to the semifinals was 2007-08, so history is not on Detroit's side, but I do think they get to at least the second round this year — but I have my doubts they get past the second round.

JB Bickerstaff has done a tremendous job with this roster and should win coach of the year, especially with what Detroit has done missing Cunningham for 20 games. Cunningham played 26 minutes in his first game from a collapsed lung injury and will be walking into the playoffs with only three games under his belt since March 18. That is a concern as he's the Pistons' engine, but as long as Detroit plays like the second-best defense in the NBA, they have a chance.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, +1600)

In three seasons with Donovan Mitchell at the helm, the Cavaliers have lost in the semifinals back-to-back years and in first round prior to that. Can this be the year Cleveland gets over the hump? Is the addition of James Harden enough?

With Harden in the lineup, Cleveland is 18-6 and he's averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. Harden isn't being asked to score as much or lead the offense as much as he was in Los Angeles, which is a positive at 36-years-old. However, Harden hasn't made it out of the second round (semifinals) since 2017-18. That's eight straight seasons of first or second round exits. The East isn't a breeze this year, but I'd have to rank Boston, New York, and Detroit ahead of Cleveland even with a healthy Harden.

8. Houston Rockets (52-30, +6000)

After four straight years of missing the playoffs, Houston made it last year, but was bumped by the Warriors in the first round. This season, Houston is a No. 5 seed and big favorites against Los Angeles. The Rockets are significant favorites against the Lakers in the first round. Houston is -700 favorites, meaning you'd have to bet $700 to win $100 on Houston winning the series.

Kevin Durant being in the locker room gives the Rockets a boost and some much-needed leadership with Fred VanVleet out. Houston has one of the youngest starting lineups in the NBA and playoffs, which could be an issue deeper in the playoffs, like the second round against Oklahoma City, along with the fact that the Rockets played the easiest strength of schedule in the NBA.

On a positive note, Houston is one of six teams ranked in the top 10 for offensive and defensive net rating this season, while the Lakers are 10th offensively and 20th defensively. Houston should make the second round for the first time since 2019-20, but I don't see the Rockets advancing past Oklahoma City.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, +9000)

The sports books give seven teams a chance at wining the finals, listing them at +1500 or lower, but the Minnesota Timberwolves are not one of them. Minnesota is +6500 to win it all entering the postseason and considering this team made the conference finals the last two seasons — that is not good news. It's likely because Minnesota has the most challenging route to a finals. Minnesota will have to go through Denver, San Antonio, then Oklahoma City to make an NBA Finals, which I don't think anyone sees happening.

Minnesota is an underdog in the first round against Denver as a No. 6 seed, but that's nothing new. The Timberwolves were a No. 3 and 6 seed over the last two years and underdogs in the first round each season. The Timberwolves won each series 4-0 and 4-1 against the Suns and Lakers, but this year seems different. The dynamic duo of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert appears to be coming to an end and I have my doubts that Anthony Edwards will be able to lift this team to a finals himself.

10. Atlanta Hawks (46-36, +13000)

One of the biggest surprises of the season and playoff field is the Atlanta Hawks. With Trae Young being dealt, the Hawks were being written off, but they have made quite the run in the second half of the season in order to snag the No. 6 seed and win the Southeast division.

Atlanta went 20-6 over the second half of the season and won the division by 1.5 games. The Hawks will face the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs and listed as modest +230 series underdogs. The Hawks led by Jalen Johnson, CJ McCollum, and the likely winner for Most Improved Player, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta upsetting the Knicks would not be that big of a surprise.

11. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, +25000)

Talk about down bad. Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) has been out since April 2. Reaves is two weeks into being out for approximately six weeks, so there is a chance the Lakers don't have Reaves for a single playoff game. While Doncic should be back for the postseason, he may not be 100-percent and that makes this Lakers' season seem like a lost year, which is not ideal for LeBron James.

The Lakers are listed at +25000 to win the NBA Finals after reaching +1500 before the Reaves and Doncic injuries. Meaning, the Lakers season is over and they have basically no chance of winning a title, which is sad considering this is LeBron's 23rd season. On the bright side, it's almost time to talk about where will be playing in 2026-27 every single day for the entire summer!

12. Toronto Raptors (46-36, +25000)

Who would have thought the Raptors would the No. 5 seed in the East this season? Toronto surprised many with their play as the trio of RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Brandon Ingram has worked out better than expected.

However, there is a serious issue with this Raptors team and its the offensive production from the bench. Toronto's bench ranks 27th in the league for offensive net rating, but fourth defensively. This is the first playoff series since 2022-23 for Toronto and the only player remaining from that team is Barnes.

The winner of this series will face the No. 1 seed Pistons, who rank second overall in the NBA for defense and ninth offensively. The path to a finals would be the Knicks, Pistons, and Celtics, which all rank top seven in the Eastern Conference in defensive net ratings, as do the Raptors. I don't think Toronto will have enough offense, specifically from the bench to knock off those teams in a seven-game series.

13. Los Angeles Clippers (42-40, +70000)

The Clippers started the season out 6-21, so it's remarkable they finished above .500 and with a 36-19 record over the remainder of the season. Los Angeles enters the play-in with a 8-4 record over the last 12 games and has its trio of Kawhi Leonard, Benedict Mathurin, and Darius Garland are in tact and playing well together.

Los Angeles will have to win two games in order to make the playoffs to face the Thunder in the first round, but with Golden State and either Phoenix or Portland on deck, the Clippers have a fair shot of that happening. Just don't expect this Clippers' team to win a game if they face the Thunder in the first round.

14. Orlando Magic (45-37, +35000)

Orlando was one of the biggest head scratchers this season. The Magic should have won 50-plus games, but losing six-straight games in March and seven out of eight took that and a division crown away. Luckily, Orlando is playing some of its best basketball entering the playoffs, The Magic have won six straight games and eight out of 10 going into the play-in tournament.

Orlando also has Franz Wagner back in the mix. Wagner missed most of February and all of March, but has returned for the last six games, which are all wins for Orlando. The Magic are 21-13 with Wagner in the lineup this season and with him, this team is at their best.

Unfortunately, Orlando going on multiple losing streaks of four or more games positioned themselves to play Detroit or Boston in the first round if they make out of the play-in, which is a losing recipe.

15. Charlotte Hornets (44-38, +17000)

Can the splash brothers 2.0 make a run in the play-in tournament and postseason? The Hornets had a tremendous regular season compared to years prior and the addition of Rookie of the Year hopeful Kon Knueppel alongside LaMelo Ball has provided dividends to the development of this team.

Charlotte finished the season fifth in offensive net rating and 11th on defense, while playing at the second-slowest pace in the NBA. However, the Hornets did play the third easiest strength of schedule this season and went 11-5 versus the abysmal southeast division. In the last 25 games, Charlotte went 18-7, so they are playing their best ball of the season, but that may not be enough matchup against Detroit or Boston in the first round if the Hornets beat the Heat.

16. Phoenix Suns (45-37, +60000)

Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks are back together for a postseason run and play-in situation, so the Suns have hope to move past Portland. However, the winner will face the No. 2 seed San Antonio, and that surely will be a quick series in favor of the Spurs.

The Suns and Spurs split the regular season series 2-2 and both San Antonio losses had Victor Wembanyama in the lineup yet the Suns have the fifth-worst betting odds to win a championship.

17. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, +17000)

Joel Embiid is expected to miss more hoops for the 76ers, and as usual, Philadelphia will only go as far as Embiid takes them. Philadelphia will get a glimpse of its future with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in a playoff setting versus the Orlando Magic. The winner of that game will face the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. If the 76ers make it to the first round, they will likely be without Embiid, so this team will not go far.

18. Miami Heat (43-39, +70000)

Miami's highlight of the season obviously is Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points, but other than that, this Heat team has been hot and cold. Miami started off March on a six-game winning streak, but since then, the Heat have gone 5-10 over the next 15 games entering the playoffs.

In that 15-game span, Miami ranks 9th in offensive net rating, but 28th defensively. The Heat haven't been able to slow anyone down lately and that will be the downfall of this team. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Heat will be in the play-in game as they have gone 4-2 in that duration with three straight wins. This Heat team has plenty of experience in the play-in and hasn't lost the first play-in game yet, but that's the key word, yet. I think Charlotte beats Miami in the play-in and the Heat's season is over with a likely rebuilt coming.

19. Portland Trail Blazers (42-40, +200000)

This is Portland's first play-in or playoff appearance since 2020-21. Portland will face Phoenix for a chance to face San Antonio in the first round. Portland has the worst odds to win an NBA Championship of the entire field despite coming in hot at 7-3 over the last 10 games.

The Trail Blazers will get Damian Lillard back next season, and with another addition or two alongside Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan, this Portland team could be taking a major step forward next year. This play-in and potentially playoff tournament will give Portland experience in this setting, which helps moving forward, but I don't expect this Blazers team to go anywhere.

20. Golden State Warriors (37-45, +80000)

Stephen Curry has been back for four games and averaged 20.3 points at 26.8 minutes per game. The Warriors star certainly gives them a boost in the play-in tournament versus the Clippers, but this roster needs Jimmy Butler, who won't be active.

The additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford this season aren't enough to be successful. This is the third-straight season the Warriors are in the play-in tournament (1-1 in that span) and this may be the worst Warriors team in that duration and for the majority of Curry's career.

Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

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Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion

Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers’ rebuild is about to meet the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rick Tocchet’s club capped off a concerted climb in the standings with a thrilling 3-2 shootout win Monday night over the Hurricanes at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Tyson Foerster won it for the Flyers in the skills competition. Dan Vladar was magnificent.

The victory snapped the organization’s five-year postseason drought. In Year 1 under Tocchet as head coach and Year 3 of Danny Briere’s tenure as general manager, the Flyers made the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

“It’s a dream,” Foerster said. “This is why you play. We’re looking forward to it.”

The Flyers went 17-6-1 since Feb. 26 to clinch third place, the final berth in the Metropolitan Division. They entered Monday night needing two points over their final two games to punch their ticket. They won’t have to worry about an all-important Game 82.

The Flyers (42-27-12) overcame a 2-0 deficit at first intermission and eventually capitalized on a stripped-down Carolina lineup. The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes sat Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jaccob Slavin, Seth Jarvis, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Staal.

“Carolina’s a tough team,” Tocchet said. “I know they had six, seven guys out, but they didn’t give in. We had to earn it and we did.”

Matvei Michkov screamed to the crowd in the second period when he drew the Flyers to within 2-1. At that point, the building was about to erupt. Trevor Zegras sent it into a frenzy 2:33 minutes later with a game-tying power play goal.

“The fans were unbelievable tonight,” Zegras said. “Like, that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. The reaction when Foery scored in the shootout, I’ll never forget that.”

The Flyers went 1-0-3 in their regular-season series with the Hurricanes (52-22-7).

• Tocchet, Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones deserve a ton of credit.

Last season, the Flyers finished tied with the Bruins for the Eastern Conference’s worst record. They went 33-39-10 as their rebuild went into another gear.

This season, after Briere and Jones landed their handpicked head coach, the Flyers have 96 points. The front office made critical offseason additions in Zegras, Vladar and Christian Dvorak. All three have had career seasons.

Tocchet has done a quality job maximizing some key players and incorporating youth down the stretch.

“To me, it was the development of the team,” the head coach said Monday morning. “Obviously the players are a part of it. It’s not about coming every day worrying about one player and developing that guy. Yeah, he’s a part of the process, but it’s how we do things around here and I really wanted the identity of a Flyer. It’s something that we’ve built on every day and we’re getting there. Long way to go, but it’s starting to come around.”

The Flyers will face the rival Penguins in the first round. The NHL playoffs kick off Saturday. We’ll see if that’s when the Flyers and Penguins get underway in Pittsburgh. The schedule has not yet been announced.

“Man, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” an emotional Owen Tippett said. “These guys in this room love each other. All the doubters all year. We believed right from the start, right from training camp. It’s going to be a blast. We’re going to soak it all in, but the job’s not done.”

• Vladar converted 24 saves on 26 shots.

He has been the Flyers’ most valuable player this season and gave them another strong effort. The 28-year-old was perfect over the final two periods and overtime, with some timely and difficult saves.

He didn’t crack in the shootout, celebrating with his hands in the air after the final stop.

“The emotion Vladdy plays with, the excitement he has, it doesn’t matter who it is, he’s the guy that has always got a smile on his face,” Tippett said. “I’ve never played with a goalie that has been that vocal, both on the ice, off the ice and the TV timeout, he’s always coming by and keeping us going. He’s a big part of this and he deserves this one, for sure.”

Vladar went 29-14-7 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage over 52 games. In April, he won five of six starts while recording a 1.81 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

“We were trying to play good hockey and play with the heart that I remember the Flyers used to be back in the day,” Vladar said. “That’s the mentality here and that’s what I felt since Day 1, that if you’re going to do your best, the hockey gods are going to help you. That’s what we were trying to do the whole year. Finally, we deserve it. Especially the fans, they deserve it, as well. We’re glad that we were able to deliver.”

The Flyers have been significantly better defensively compared to last season. Vladar has been a big reason why. The Flyers also made some important changes at the Olympic break that spurred their push.

Brandon Bussi, a 27-year-old in his first NHL season, stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 23 shots for Carolina.

The Flyers had a few chances to take an early lead in the first period. Michkov found Sean Couturier for a good look, but the Flyers’ captain was denied. Denver Barkey was turned away after Noah Cates found him streaking to the net.

The Hurricanes then pounced on a couple of mistakes by the Flyers. There was a defensive breakdown on Bradly Nadeau’s game-opening goal and Dvorak committed an uncharacteristic penalty that led to Nikolaj Ehlers’ power play goal.

But the Flyers rallied like they often have this season.

“I had chills going out for the game,” Tippett said. “That was the loudest I’ve heard this building. Toward the end of it, too, I couldn’t even hear anything.”

• The Flyers wrap up the regular season Tuesday when they welcome the Canadiens (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Then it’s playoff time.

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Anthony Davis' long-term future with the Wizards isn't clear, but he likes the young core

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anthony Davis' long-term future with the Washington Wizards isn't clear, but the star at least knows he's committed to the franchise for one more season.

Davis spoke fondly on Monday about his teammates on the Wizards and how he believes the team has pieces in place to build a competitor.

“When the trade happened and I got here, I’ve said this place is not what people make it seem,” Davis said. “It’s a testament to the organization, the coaching staff, the players, everybody here. I want to be able to have fun where I am. I want to be able to compete where I am. I want to be able to learn wherever I am — and this organization has that.”

The Wizards went 17-65 in 2025-26 — the worst record in the NBA and their third straight 64-plus loss season.

When asked at the season-ending news conference about his future in Washington, he joked that he obviously plans to play for the Wizards next season.

“Yeah, I'm under contract,” he said with a laugh. “I love my money.”

The Wizards acquired the 33-year-old Davis from Dallas in an eight player trade in February. That was about a month after Washington acquired high-scoring guard Trae Young from Atlanta.

Davis said Monday he's intrigued by Washington's young core of players and the foundation the front office has put in place.

Davis has been recovering from a sprained finger on his non-shooting hand since Jan. 8. He added he plans to meet with Wizards management soon about his future and the organizations’ plan for building a contender.

“They know that I want to win,” he said. "I’m sure that they want to win as well. Nobody wants to lose. ... I know we have a lot of young guys but like I said, I mentioned it about the young guys — how talented they are. Adding Trae and myself kind of can help change that.

“But I also understand I've been in this league a long time. I've been on losing teams, and it's very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Game #16: Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 14: Nick Gonzales #39 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park on September 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 13, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet-PIT

The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Washington Nationals this evening at beautiful PNC Park, where they hope to raise the Jolly Roger.

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

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BD community, this is your thread for today’s game against the Washington Nationals. Enjoy!

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Ryan Mountcastle placed on 60-day IL, Orioles scramble for depth

SARASOTA, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Ryan Mountcastle #6 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Along with near-daily injuries suffered by the Orioles comes daily roster moves. The team made another flurry of moves to keep a healthy set of players up on the MLB roster ahead of Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks, with two players landing on the 60-day injured list, one getting selected from Norfolk to MLB, and another being acquired from outside the organization and sent to Triple-A.

The full set of moves:

  • Ryan Mountcastle placed on 60-day injured list
  • Weston Wilson contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk
  • Christian Encarnacion-Strand acquired from Reds for cash considerations and optioned to Norfolk
  • Yaramil Hiraldo transferred to 60-day injured list

Mountcastle going straight to the injured list due to his broken metatarsal shows that the team knows he will be out for quite a while. It’s uncommon even for serious injuries to have a guy go straight onto the 60-day, but in this case the team needed to make room on the 40-man roster just to add any infielder into the mix.

Wilson, 31, has appeared in parts of the last three seasons with the Phillies, playing a variety of infield and outfield positions while batting .242/.328/.428. It’s not a bad overall batting line, though his worst season was last year, the year that he played the most. He made enough of an impression in spring training for the Orioles to give him the chance here. Since he has a bit more defensive flexibility than Mountcastle, he might even play a bit more often. He was not hitting well in Norfolk at the time of this roster move.

Encarnacion-Strand, 26, was in “DFA limbo” after having been cast off by the Reds. He has also appeared in parts of the last three seasons, totaling a .233/.275/.404 batting line. In this instance, the Orioles probably grabbed him just to have a semblance of infield depth in case there’s another freak injury, because with Wilson in Baltimore, there’s basically nobody down there worth bringing up. Not that either Wilson or Encarnacion-Strand are guaranteed to prove to be worth bringing up.

Hiraldo had been on the 15-day injured list since April 5 due to shoulder inflammation. Moving him to the 60-day injured list opens up a spot on the 40-man roster, which they needed to bring in Encarnacion-Strand as infield depth. The 30-year-old righty had a rough first few outings this year before landing on the injured list.

Additionally, earlier on Monday, the Orioles recalled Dean Kremer from Norfolk and optioned Cade Povich to Norfolk. Everyone can stop wondering why Kremer is still in the minors now. Tough luck for Povich, who pitched quite well yesterday. It seems the team is not planning to do a six-man rotation after all.

One player who did not get added to the active roster is catcher Sam Huff, who is around on the taxi squad from Norfolk. It probably does not matter all that much whether Huff or Maverick Handley is the backup catcher for as long as Adley Rutschman is out.

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‘Carelessly squandered’: Wisden scolds England’s tumultuous Ashes tour

  • Series defeat in Australia ‘a chance so blithely spurned’

  • Indian dominance and Starc’s sacrifice recognised

The latest edition of Wisden is ­unsparing in its criticism of England’s Test team, describing their Ashes defeat in Australia as a “wing-and-a-prayer” campaign that ended up “feckless, reckless and legless”.

Published this Thursday, the sport’s longstanding bible has a strong Indian flavour to its awards. Haseeb Hameed, captain of title-winning Nottinghamshire, is the sole Englishman among the five ­players of the year, with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and ­Mohammed Siraj recognised for their roles in last year’s memorable 2-2 Test series draw in England.

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