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April 16, 2026

A Final Look At The Team Stats For The 2025-26 Columbus Blue Jackets

Although the 25-26 season came to a disappointing end, the Columbus Blue Jackets, they actually had some team stats that were impressive. They also had some that were not so impressive.

Let's take a look at the team stats for the 2025-26 CBJ.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

Columbus finished the 2025-26 season with a 40-30-12 record, notching 40 wins for the second-straight season and in consecutive campaigns for the first time since 2017-18 (45-30-7) and 2018-19 (47-31-4).
The club has posted a winning season for consecutive campaigns (40-33-9, 89 pts. in 2024-25) for the first time since the four-straight from 2016-20.
The club’s 92 points this season are the fifth-highest point total in club history and the first time the team has topped 90 points and not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Blue Jackets ended the campaign with a 20-13-8 record at Nationwide Arena, posting 20 wins on home ice for the 13th time in franchise history and for consecutive seasons.
It is also only the fourth time in franchise history the club finished with 20 or more wins both at home and away in a season in franchise history (2013-14, 2016-17, 2018-19).
Head Coach Rick Bowness posted a 20-10-5 record behind the bench for the Blue Jackets after being hired on Jan. 12 and tied the NHL record for fewest games to 10 wins with a franchise (11 games – 7th time, MR: Scott Arniel, Winnipeg in 2024-25).
The Jackets scored the first goal of the game for the 50th time this season (32-11-7), tying Washington for the most instances in 2025-26. It was also tied for the most in a single season in franchise history (2013-14 & 2016-17).
The club scored first 29 times at Nationwide Arena (18-8-3) this season, setting a new franchise record (27 in 2024-25).

Record - 40-30-12 - 92 points - Metro: 5th - East: 11th - League: 16th

Goals For - 246 - 18th in the NHL - They had 267 in 24-25

Goals Allowed - 251 - 19th in the NHL - They had 267 in 24-25

Goals For Per Game - 3.00 - 19th in the NHL - They had 3.26 in 24-25

Goals Allowed Per Game - 3.06 - 17th in the NHL - They had 3.26 in 24-25

Power Play % - 18.9% - 22nd in NHL - 19.5% in 24-25

Penalty Kill % - 76.0% - 28th in NHL - 77% in 24-25

Shots Taken Per Game - 29.4 - 6th in NHL - 29.0 in 24-25

Shots Allowed Per Game - 28.8 - 11th Most in NHL - 29.9 in 24-25

Faceoff Win % - 50.6 - 13th in NHL - 47.8 in 24-25

Goaltending Team Save % - .899 - 12th in NHL - 20th in 24-25 at .896

Shutouts For - 3 - 15th

Expected Goals Against Per 60 - 2.42 - 13th fewest

Expected Goals For Per 60 - 2.62 - 10th most in NHL

Quality Starts Per HockeyReference.com - 48

Jet Greaves - 35
Elvis Merzlikins - 13

Really Bad Starts Per HockeyReference.com (Starts with a SV% under 85%) - 17

Elvis Merzlikins - 9
Jet Greaves - 8

Shutouts Against - 4

Penalty Minutes Take Per Game - 7.9 - 14th fewest

Penalty Minutes Drawn Per Game - 7.42 - 5th fewest

High Danger Shots For - 192 - 3rd most in NHL

High Danger Shots Against - 163 - 16th Fewest in NHL

Takeaways From Other Team - 352 - 2nd Most in NHL

Giveaways To Other Team - 1135 - 11th Most in NHL

Defensive Zone Giveaways - 556 - 8th Most in NHL

Blocked Shots - 1104 - 10th Most in NHL

Hits Given - 1505 - 12th fewest in NHL

Hits Taken - 1412 - 3rd fewest in NHL

As you can see, the stats are all over the board. Despite missing the playoffs, the team had a decent year and finished ahead of last season, though only by a few points.

The "What-ifs?" of this season will linger for a long while. What if the Jackets had not blown all those third period leads early in the season? Had they not, they wouldn't have Rick Bowness, that's for sure. His future has seemingly been decided, as reports are out that he has signed with Columbus.

Next Up For Columbus: Don Waddell and Rick Bowness will talk to the media on Thursday.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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April 16, 2026

Royals vs. Tigers Thursday gamethread

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 30: A high view as Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals pitches in the fourth inning of the Royals home opener against the Minnesota Twins on March 30, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Royals will look to avoid a sweep and try to get the offense going. They’ve score more than two runs in a game just once in their last eight contests.

Kris Bubic goes for the Royals, after seven shutout innings and a career-high 11 strikeouts his last time out. He’ll have to pitch around Riley Greene, who is 4-for-9 (.444) with a double and triple in their career matchups.

Series finale. pic.twitter.com/kkRXkGzqnh
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 16, 2026

The Tigers start Keider Montero, who has done a great job filling in for the injured Justin Verlander with a 1.74 ERA in two starts.

wrapping up the homestand

⚾️ 1:10 PM ET
📺 @WatchDSN
📻 @971theticketxyt
🏟️ Comerica Park pic.twitter.com/VPVEYzLoBf
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2026

First pitch is at 12:10 CT on Royals.TV.

April 16, 2026

Minor League Recap: Kahlil Watson Continues To Impress

Columbus Clippers 9, Iowa Cubs 4

It was a great day for the Clippers offense, we saw contributions from a lot of prospects. Kahlil Watson went 3-3 with a HR and continues to prove that he is very close to deserving a call up to the big leagues. He has destroyed AA/AAA pitching for over a year now, his OPS is up to .944 on the season. Travis Bazzana also seems to be getting comfortable, he went 2-4 with a strikeout and a walk. Stuart Fairchild went 3-4, and Milan Tolentino went 2-4 with two HRs of his own.

Logan Allen allowed 4 runs on 7 hits but did also have 7 strikeouts in the 4 innings he pitched. His ERA is up to 5.93 on the season. Collin Holderman, Tanner Burns, and Jake Miller combined for 5 scoreless innings of relief.

Akron RubberDucks 3, Harrisburg Senators 0

The story of this game was how well top pitching prospect Khal Stephen looked. Despite walking 5 batters, he was absolutely dominant while striking out 6 and not allowing a single hit. His ERA is down to 0.71 on the season and we could be having a conversation very soon about him starting some games in Cleveland this summer. Magnus Ellerts and Carter Rustad had two scoreless innings of relief.

Angel Genao continues his hot start with a 2-3 and a BB performance today. He is looking more and more like the player we thought he was after the 2024 season before playing with an injury in 2025. He’s up to a .314 average and a .986 OPS on the season.

Hill City Howlers 6, Wilson Warbirds 3

Juneiker Caceres appears to be heating up after a somewhat slow start in Single A. He went 2-5 today with two doubles and his OPS is up to .717 on the season, I fully expect that to continue to climb. Robert Arias went 3-4 with two RBIs and is now hitting .273 with a .703 OPS on the season.

Nelson Keljo had another awesome start, striking out 7 batters in just 3.2 innings and allowing two runs. His ERA is at 2.35 on the season. Zane Petty, Keegan Zinn, and Angel Perez combined for 5.1 innings of relief and allowed just one run.

April 16, 2026

Texas Rangers lineup for April 16, 2026

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: Andrew McCutchen #4 of the Texas Rangers bats against the Athletics in the top of the second inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Texas Rangers lineup for April 16, 2026 against the A’s: starting pitchers are Jack Leiter for the Rangers and Jacob Lopez for the A’s.

Texas will be looking to split the series finale today. The A’s have a lefty starting, so Evan Carter and Joc Pederson are sitting, and Corey Seager is also getting the day off.

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Haggerty — LF

Langford — CF

Burger — 1B

Jung — 3B

Higashioka — C

McCutchen — DH

Smith — 2B

Duran — SS

2:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -120 favorites.

April 16, 2026

Temper your post-season expectations for the Cavaliers

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 5: Keon Ellis #14 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Indiana Pacers on April 5, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The final weeks of the regular season are when the top teams visibly turn their attention to the postseason. They know who they are and what their identity will be in the playoffs. Unless the team is vying for a higher seeding, you will see a visible dip in play for the final weeks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of those teams that could not adopt this mentality. The team underwent a constant need for change due to injuries, transactions, and troubleshooting.

Now, this in itself isn’t the reason to discount this team from true championship contention. It takes a deeper look, looking past just wins and losses, and more so, the manner in which this team wins its games. Is there something that is a viable blueprint for the intensive style that the playoffs demand?

I know the comment section is going to be riddled with “the team won 50+ games despite all hurdles in their way.” I think this line of thinking is setting fans up to believe that there is another gear left in this team. The Cavaliers have shown us who they are, even without all personnel being healthy. I don’t think this team’s faults are going to be all fixed with a healthy roster.

The Cavaliers’ biggest issue is that their effort hasn’t been there all season. Now, in the regular season, they can coast by due to their massive talent advantage on most nights. Look closely at wins and how those came to be for the Cavaliers. Very rarely, if ever, did the Cavaliers rise to the challenge and shut off the opponent’s water. Instead, this team lives and dies by outscoring opponents, even as those opponents move the ball and score with relative ease.

How many times have we had the players, coaches, or even the media call out the effort, or lack thereof, from this team? More than any supposed championship caliber team should. The lack of meeting the call to action is another problem.

For all of the great work head coach Kenny Atkinson has done this year with putting together a puzzle with different pieces night after night, the one problem he hasn’t been able to solve is the Cavaliers’ willingness to compete on the defensive end.

Defense in the NBA is inseparable from effort because it requires constant physical and mental engagement on every possession. This is dialed up to an eleven in the postseason. Each possession feels almost like a game within itself. Unlike offense, where players can rely on skill or pick their moments, defense demands sustained intensity whether its staying in front of opponents, fighting through screens, rotating on time, and contesting shots all hinge on how hard a player is willing to work.

Since the beginning of March, the Cavaliers have gone 15-6. While that would lead one to the inclination that the team found some level of consistency on the defensive end. It becomes less reassuring that, in that stretch, only four of those teams were top-six playoff seeds (Celtics, Lakers, Hawks twice, and Pistons). Not only can you question the caliber of the opponent, but also whether defense was played at all. In those games, the Cavs surrendered 110 points or more regularly to the likes of the Memphis Grizzlies (126), Miami Heat (128 and 120), Orlando Magic (131 and 128), and the Dallas Mavericks (130).

Due to the areas in which the Toronto Raptors excel, fastbreaks and driving to the basket, it feels like the team will be a good stress test for the Cavaliers. The Raptors, if they were to give the Cavaliers a hard time, would be winning games from the extra effort they exert on every possession. The Cavaliers will have to match that energy with the pace of play the Raptors will try to instill. While the talent gap may be able to cover some effort deficiencies in round 1, the Pistons, Knicks, or Celtics will not grant those same luxuries. You would rather they buy into sustained effort early so they don’t get sucker punched in round 2 and onward.

This feels far from a flip-the-switch scenario. Effort isn’t something you can turn on and off; it’s a standard you establish, and the Cavaliers haven’t consistently shown that standard on defense. Their defensive inconsistencies aren’t just schematic; they stem from a recurring lack of effort, which has shown up too often to ignore.

When a team spends the regular season coasting defensively and relying on talent to outscore opponents, it’s difficult to suddenly manufacture the discipline, urgency, and cohesion required in a playoff environment. If the mentalities nurtured and ingrained from playing the Wizards and Grizzlies of the world seep into their postseason play, the Cavaliers’ season will be over sooner rather than later.

April 16, 2026

NBA, NBPA rule Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham are eligible for MVP, other awards

Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham are about to be All-NBA players and land on a lot of MVP ballots.

The NBA and NBPA (the players' union) together agreed that "taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards under the extraordinary circumstances provision in the CBA." While both men were set to file an extraordinary circumstance challenge, neither had to because the league and union agreed they met the criteria.

That means both men will be postseason award-eligible despite falling short of the league's 65-game threshold to qualify for awards.

Doncic played in 64 games before an untimely hamstring injury prematurely ended his season (and likely has him out for the first round of the playoffs). His challenge was based on the fact that he missed two games in December for the birth of his daughter, and that qualified as an "extraordinary circumstance." The league and union agreed.
Cunningham played in 63 qualifying games this season (64 total), but missed a dozen games near the end of the season due to a collapsed lung (which happened on a flukey play diving for a loose ball). Again, the league agreed that this qualified as an extraordinary circumstance.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards did file an extraordinary circumstances challenge, but an arbitrator denied it. Edwards played in 60 games this season, averaging 28.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Cunningham, the focal point of the No. 1-seed Pistons' offense, averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game and is the primary reason they are the No. 1 seed in the East. Doncic led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points a game, adding 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a night for the No. 4 seed Lakers.

April 16, 2026

Luis Gil’s second outing of the season was a mixed bag

Apr 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the first inning against Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Last week, Yankees right-hander Luis Gil made his season debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing three runs in four innings, with three hits, three walks, and just two strikeouts. He was undoubtedly shaky despite limiting the damage somewhat. On Wednesday, he made his second start, and even though there were some improvements, the results were similar in the run-prevention department.

Gil was able to pitch five innings, but conceded three home runs and four runs in total. The Angels had five hits and worked two walks against the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner, who struck out five.

First, the good: Gil induced 12 swings and misses, improving the 16 percent whiff rate he achieved on his season debut to a much better 34 percent. This time, the Angels swung and missed on three four-seamers, five changeups, and four sliders.

The breaking and offspeed stuff looked better this time around, even if the fastball command doesn’t appear to be there yet. At least Gil was able to miss some bats, sparking some hope about a potential turnaround when the dust settles.

View Link

If you were wondering, Gil’s fastball averaged 95.6 mph on the night, slightly up from 95.1 in his season debut. It’s still far from the 96.6 mph he averaged in his award-winning 2024 campaign, but if he’s healthy and remains a part of the Yankees’ rotation, he could potentially get closer to that number.

Now, the bad: Gil didn’t appear to trust the sinker. He only threw the pitch five times according to Statcast data, all vs. right-handed hitters. He earned a called strike with it, but nothing more. It’s unclear if ditching the sinker will be a thing going forward or if it was part of the game plan against the Angels, but he didn’t really use the pitch much on this one.

Another red flag was the low first-pitch strike rate, 50 percent on Wednesday. It was significantly lower than his 56.1 percent career mark, and it’s certainly something to worry about. Falling behind in the count will force Gil to cede control of the at-bat to the hitter, and that’s, well, not ideal.

Lastly, the ugly: three home runs. Wow. Nobody will complain about Gil allowing a home run to Mike Trout, one of the best hitters ever to play the game. Surrendering a home run to Adam Frazier is bad, though. That middle-middle fastball was screaming “hit me”:

View Link

The Angels hit Gil hard all night. There were 15 batted ball events against him in the game, and 10 of them were classified as hard-hit balls, which means they traveled at least 95 mph off the bat. In the first inning alone, their exit velocities against the Yankees’ righty were 98.1 mph, 99.7 mph, 97.1 mph, and 104.4 mph. The Angels’ average exit velo was 96.1 mph. Rough.

Gil will need to find a way to increase his fastball velocity or at least sharpen the pitch’s command if he wants to return to 2024 form.

The mediocre outing leaves his ERA at 7.00 in the young season. Again, he still has some time to pull off a comeback and return to form, but Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón will eventually be ready to return from their injuries. Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez will eventually put themselves in the MLB picture. And those who don’t keep the team in games won’t get too many chances.

April 16, 2026

2026 NBA playoff simulation: Can the Celtics make another title run?

2026 NBA playoff simulation: Can the Celtics make another title run? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

So much for a “gap year.” The Boston Celtics are back in the NBA playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the Finals this June.

The Celtics’ playoff run begins Sunday with Game 1 of the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Boston is heavily favored to win the series, but if it does advance, it won’t be an easy road to Banner 19.

Last year, the C’s quest for a repeat ended with a loss to the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals. The archrivals would meet for a rematch if the No. 3 seed Knicks take care of business against the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks.

Will the C’s get over the hump this time, or should we expect another early exit? Our friends at Strat-O-Matic simulated the entire 2025-26 NBA playoff bracket.

Here are the results…

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First Round: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2

The Sixers stun the C’s with back-to-back wins to start the series at TD Garden. Boston rebounds with a dominant Game 3 win in Philly, followed by three more victories to close out the first-round clash in six games.

East Semifinals: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-3

Strat-O-Matic’s simulation predicts a rematch between the longtime archrivals. It takes all seven games, but the Celtics close out the thrilling series with a nail-biter victory at TD Garden. Five of the seven games are decided by five points or fewer.

East Finals: No. 1 Detroit Pistons defeat No. 2 Celtics, 4-2

The Celtics steal the first two games on the road to take a commanding 2-0 series lead back to TD Garden, but the Pistons respond by taking both games in Boston to even the series. Detroit stays hot with a win back home and again at TD Garden to win the series in six and advance to the NBA Finals.

Celtics’ top playoff performers

Jaylen Brown continued to lead the Celtics after a spectacular regular season, averaging 26.8 points per game over the three playoff series. Jayson Tatum averaged 22.6 points per game.

Western Conference Playoffs

First Round

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 8 Golden State Warriors, 4-2
No. 5 Houston Rockets defeat No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves defeat No. 3 Denver Nuggets, 4-3
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs defeat No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers, 4-2

West Semifinals

No. 1 Thunder defeat No. 5 Rockets, 4-3
No. 2 Spurs defeat No. 6 Timberwolves, 4-2

West Finals

No. 2 Spurs defeat No. 1 Thunder, 4-1

2025 NBA Finals: Spurs defeat Pistons, 4-2

In a rematch of the 2005 Finals, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs take down the Pistons in six games for their first NBA title since 2014.

April 16, 2026

Blue Jays vs Brewers Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

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Today’s pitching matchup of Patrick Corbin and Brandon Sproat features two players who’ve struggled early in the season.

I’m expecting those struggles to continue and we’ll see a lot of offense in this one.

Read on to see why the Over is the play in my free MLB picks and Blue Jays vs. Brewers predictions for Thursday, April 16.

Blue Jays vs Brewers predictions

Blue Jays vs Brewers best bet: Over 8.5 (-110)

We’ve seen some great pitching matchups this series, but today may not be one of them.

I’m anticipating a lot of offense in this one with Patrick Corbin and Brandon Sproat on the mound this afternoon.

Both starters have an ERA north of 10. Corbin has just one start, but gave up four runs in four innings, meanwhile Sproat’s given up 12 runs in just three starts this season

Additionally, we’ve seen the Over hit in four of the last five Toronto Blue Jays games with them batting .282 with 49 hits over that stretch, while the Milwaukee Brewers rank 6th averaging 5.2 runs per game this season.

COVERS INTEL: Brandon Sproat has a 10.45 ERA, and ranks in the fifth percentile with an 8.10 xERA.

Blue Jays vs Brewers same-game parlay (SGP)

The Blue Jays' bats seem to be coming around, sporting a .282 average over their last five games, averaging 9.8 hits per game.

Sproat has struggled mightily this season, ranking in just the 14th percentile in expected batting average while allowing 4.6 hits per game and Daulton Varsho is well-positioned to capitalize.

Varsho comes in riding a six-game hitting streak, recording a hit in eight of his last nine games. Batting in the two-hole again, he’s in a prime spot to give Sproat serious trouble on the mound.

I’ll continue by fading the Brewers starter and take Sproat to go Over 1.5 walks. He’s walked at least three batters in each of his three starts this year, and takes on a Jays team who has an elite eye at the plate.

Blue Jays vs Brewers SGP

Over 8.5
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
Brandon Sproat Over 1.5 walks

img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"

Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.

Blue Jays vs Brewers home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+475)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t seen the ball fly the way he did last fall, but we’re starting to see the power shine through with multiple XBH over the last week of games.

Sproat gives up a lot of hard contact, too, ranking in the 14th percentile in hard hit rate this season with six XBH allowed.

Additionally, Guerrero Jr. has elite numbers against the sinker ball with a .467 batting average and last season had a .532 slug-rate against the pitch, which is Sproat’s go-to pitch with 37% usage.

2026 Transparency record

Best bets: 5-11, -3.25 units
SGPs: 2-14, -6.50 units
HR picks: 33-13, -0.10

Blue Jays vs Brewers odds

Moneyline: Toronto -102 | Milwaukee -116
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+168) | Milwaukee +1.5 (-205)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

Blue Jays vs Brewers trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 10 of their last 15 away games (+5.75 Units / 35% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Brewers.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Brewers and game info

Location	American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date	Thursday, April 16, 2026
First pitch	1:40 p.m. ET
TV	Brewers.TV, SN1
Blue Jays starting pitcher	Patrick Corbin (0-0, 9.00 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher	Brandon Sproat (0-1, 10.45 ERA)

Blue Jays vs Brewers latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Brewers weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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April 16, 2026

Celtics vs. Sixers rivalry is one of the best in NBA playoff history

Celtics vs. Sixers rivalry is one of the best in NBA playoff history originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA’s best rivalry is the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Those two teams have met in the NBA Finals an astounding 12 times.

But second place on the league’s rivalry rankings is probably the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

These long-time Eastern Conference foes have produced so many amazing playoff moments, and a new chapter will be written over the next two weeks when the C’s and Sixers meet in the first round, beginning Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.

It will be the 23rd playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers. Boston has won 15 of the first 22, including six in a row. The last time the 76ers won a playoff series against the Celtics was the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals.

One of the early and most iconic playoff moments in league history came in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals (known as the Division Finals at the time) when Celtics forward John Havlicek won the series vs. the 76ers with a steal on the final play. Johnny Most’s legendary radio call of “Havlicek stole the ball” only added to the mystique.

Celtics center and Hall of Famer Bill Russell went 7-1 against the 76ers in his playoff career, with the only defeat coming in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. Russell and the C’s got their revenge the following year by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Sixers in the conference finals.

The 1981 Eastern Conference Finals was another all-time classic.

The C’s overcame a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7 at the old Boston Garden. Larry Bird scored 23 points with 11 rebounds, including a go-ahead bank shot with just over a minute remaining, to help the C’s win 91-90. Boston won the final three games of the series by a combined five points. The C’s would go on to beat the Houston Rockets in the 1981 NBA Finals for the first of three titles with Bird.

Few people would have predicted after the Celtics beat the 76ers in the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals that these teams wouldn’t meet again in the playoffs until 2002. In fact, the 1990s is the only decade in which Boston and Philly didn’t square off in the postseason.

Both teams were not contenders for much of the 1990s, but by the early 2000s, each team had once again become a playoff-caliber group. The 76ers lost the 2001 NBA Finals to the Lakers, and their Eastern Conference title defense the following season started against the Celtics in Round 1. The C’s were making their first playoff appearance in seven years, and they took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. The 76ers stormed back to tie the series and force a deciding Game 5 in Boston, where Paul Pierce scored 46 points (8-for-10 on 3-pointers) in a 33-point Celtics win.

The new Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made five playoff appearances together but only once played against the 76ers. It was a 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup, and Boston prevailed with a Game 7 win.

The Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum era of Celtics basketball has seen three series against the 76ers. The last one featured a Game 7 in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tatum set a Game 7 record with 51 points in a 112-88 victory (highlights in the video below). He was the star in Game 6 on the road, too. The Celtics were facing elimination and trailed with four minutes left, and then Tatum dominated with 16 points in the quarter as the C’s forced a Game 7.

The Celtics are heavy favorites in the upcoming series as the No. 2 seed.

Brown has played at an MVP level this season, and Tatum is starting to look like his old self about a month-and-a-half into his return from an Achilles injury. The Sixers also could be without star center Joel Embiid for some of this series after he underwent an emergency appendectomy last week.

But you never know how these rivalry series will play out.

Celtics win series 4-3

2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-1

2020 Eastern Conference First Round

Celtics win series 4-0

2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-3

April 16, 2026

Orioles vs. Guardians prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 16

The Baltimore Orioles (9-9) kick off a four-game series against the Cleveland Guardians (10-9) at Progressive Field tonight. Each team takes the field looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Inconsistency has been a staple unfortunately for both clubs. The Orioles are 4-6 in their last 10, while the Guardians sit at 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Offensively, the Orioles are led by Gunnar Henderson who boasts a team-leading six home runs but who is hitting just .221 for the season. Pete Alonso was the big offseason free agent signing made by Baltimore this past offseason. The Polar Bear has yet to get on track hitting just .197 with two home runs. The Guardians are no longer overly reliant on Jose Ramirez. Angel Martinez is hitting .302 in his second full season in the majors. Rookie Chase Delauter has five home runs and 12 RBIs.

Tonight’s starters are Shane Baz for Baltimore and Parker Messick for the Guardians. Baz is making his fourth start of 2026. The 26-year-old will be looking to offer more than he has in his previous three starts as he has not pitched a full six innings yet this season. The southpaw Messick has gotten off to a hot start for Cleveland. The 25-year-old lefty has been dominant, limiting opponents to just one earned run and 11 hits over 17.2 innings.

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game Details and How to Watch: Orioles at Guardians

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Time: 6:10PM EST
Site: Progressive Field
City: Cleveland, OH
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CLEGuardians.TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

The Latest Odds: Orioles vs. Guardians

The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:

Moneyline: Baltimore Orioles (+100), Cleveland Guardians (-131)
Spread: Orioles -1.5 (+168), Guardians +1.5 (-206)
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable Starting Pitchers: Orioles vs. Guardians

Pitching matchup for April 16:

Orioles: Shane Baz
Season Totals: 16.0 IP, 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 13K, 5 BB
Tigers: Keider Montero
Season Totals: 17.2 IP, 2-0, 0.51 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 16K, 5 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Orioles vs. Guardians

Steven Kwam is 3-18 over his last 4 games
After hitting 4 HRs in March, Chase Delauter has hit just 1 in 11 games in April
Colton Cowser is hitting .185 (5-27) in April
Taylor Ward is 1-14 over his last 3 games
Pete Alonso has 6 extra base hits this season in 66 ABs

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Orioles vs. Guardians

The Orioles are 7-11 on the Run Line this season
The Guardians are 11-8 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 10 times in the Orioles’ 18 games this season (10-8)
The OVER has cashed 9 times in the Guardians’ 19 games this season (9-10)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions: Orioles vs. Guardians

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Orioles and the Guardians:

Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Guardians on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Guardians on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

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April 16, 2026

Luka Doncic eligible for NBA's postseason awards after league, NBAPA rule in his favor

Los Angeles, CA - March 31: Lakers guard Luka Doncic, #77 celebrates his dunkl on a fast break against the Cavaliers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Doncic became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 15,000 career points. The Lakers clinched a playoff berth before their win over Cleveland. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) — Lakers guard Luka Doncic celebrates a dunk on a fast break against the Cleveland Cavaliers during a game on March 31. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lakers guard Luka Doncic will be eligible for postseason awards after the NBA and NBA Players Assn. announced Thursday they ruled in his favor on his extraordinary circumstances appeal of the 65-game rule.

Doncic, a leading candidate for most valuable player and a lock for his sixth All-NBA team, played in only 64 games before he suffered a regular-season ending left hamstring injury on April 2. The league's latest collective bargaining agreement requires players to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards, but Doncic and Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham both won appeals under the CBA’s extraordinary circumstances provision.

Doncic missed two games in December to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia and Cunningham, whose career season led the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, missed 12 games because of a collapsed lung suffered on March 17.

“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision,” Doncic wrote in a statement on social media. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss], Rob [Pelinka], JJ [Redick], and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there."

Doncic earned his second league scoring title this season with 33.5 points per game. He surged back into the most valuable player race with a magical March when he was just the second player to score 600 points in March, joining Michael Jordan. He had four consecutive games of 40 or more points and 12 of 30 or more before injuring his hamstring on April 2. He and guard Austin Reaves (oblique) are out indefinitely as the Lakers begin the playoffs Saturday against the Houston Rockets.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

April 16, 2026

2 Blackhawks Who Might Not Be Back Next Season

The Chicago Blackhawks' 2025-26 season came to an end on Friday with their 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Blackhawks finished the campaign with a 29-39-14 record and at the bottom of the Central Division standings. With this, they did not qualify for the playoffs, and their offseason is now here.

This will be an interesting offseason for the Blackhawks as they continue their rebuild. They have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster, and there is a chance that two of their veteran players won't be back in 2026-27. Let's discuss each of them now.

Sam Lafferty

The Blackhawks reunited with Sam Lafferty this past offseason when they acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. However, the 31-year-old was barely used by the Blackhawks this campaign, as he played in just 29 games and was scratched far more often than not.

In his 29 appearances with Chicago this season, Lafferty had one goal, one assist, and 35 hits. Given how little the Blackhawks used him this season, it would not be surprising if they decided to let Lafferty leave through free agency this summer.

Matt Grzelcyk

Grzelcyk is another pending UFA who the Blackhawks could decide to move on from this summer. The Blackhawks have plenty of promising young defensemen in their system, and there simply may not be a fit for Grzelcyk on the Blackhawks' roster next season because of it.

Grzelcyk was a decent pickup for the Blackhawks this season. In 69 games this season, the 32-year-old had zero goals and 12 assists. However, given the Blackhawks' defensive depth, the Massachusetts native might not be back next season.

April 16, 2026

Alex Ovechkin says he’ll determine his future based on health, family and the Capitals’ outlook

ARLINGTON, Va. — Alex Ovechkin said he wants a new two-year contract from the Washington Capitals.

He probably was joking.

Then again, nothing about Ovechkin’s future is all that clear right now after the NHL’s career goal-scoring leader finished his 21st season. Fans — and even opponents — treated the past few games like they could be his last, but Ovechkin hasn’t yet closed the door on returning.

This was the final season of his current contract with the Capitals. When he noted — in a longer-than-usual session with reporters — that he still needs to speak with coach Spencer Carbery and general manager Chris Patrick, he was asked what he wanted to hear from Patrick about the team’s future.

“Two more years,” he said, drawing a laugh. “This is the contract. Sign it.”

It certainly would be a surprise if the 40-year-old Ovechkin received that kind of deal. The bigger question is whether he’ll keep playing in the NHL at all. He said he’ll make that decision based on health, family and the team’s outlook for next season.

The Capitals wrapped up their season with a win at Columbus. They had 95 points, which would have tied for the lead in the Pacific Division but left them three points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Young players like Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson have emerged for Washington, and despite a disappointing season, the team seems decently positioned whether Ovechkin retires or comes back.

If he does return, the price would be intriguing after he carried a cap hit of $9.5 million a year on his previous deal. He scored a team-high 32 goals and played all 82 games this season, remarkable numbers for a player his age. But his famous shot from the left circle wasn’t the weapon it used to be — he had only five goals on 86 shots on the power play — and his age shows in his two-way game.

Ovechkin was asked if playing elsewhere in the NHL was a possibility.

“I’m a free agent,” he said.

When pressed on whether he could see himself somewhere else in the league after spending his whole career so far with the Capitals, he said: “Probably not, no.”

There’s been speculation about Ovechkin going back at some point to play in his native Russia, but he said he needs to decide his NHL future first.

“I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game — I hope it’s not my last game, against Columbus. I have to make a decision to see where we’re at — the team, family,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, family are going to support me, like my wife and kids. Kids are already asking, ‘Dad, are you staying or not?’”

And what’s his response?

“I tell them, ‘We’ll see,’” he said. ”They want me to come back because they love the city, they love the team, they love the boys.”

April 16, 2026

Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham are eligible for awards despite the 65-game rule, NBA and players' association decide

NEW YORK (AP) — Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham are eligible for awards despite the 65-game rule, NBA and players' association decide.