PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs stands during the national anthem prior to Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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The Silver and Black have an opportunity to advance past the first round of the playoffs tonight for the first time since the 2016-2017 season, when they got all the way to the Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors. If they win tonight, they will face either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Denver Nuggets, who are engaged in a close series where the Wolves lead 3-2 with a chance to close it out Thursday night in Minnesota. If the Nuggets win Game 6, there will be a game on Saturday in Denver with the winner advancing to the second round and the loser going fishing.
The Spurs can’t afford to look ahead to the second round, because the Trail Blazers have shown that they are a team that can play well enough for parts of a game to give the Spurs trouble. The Spurs have been able to win three of the four games by coming up with dominant stretches when they need them, but they have not yet had a game where the Alamo City team dominated from start to finish, and it would be great to see that kind of effort tonight. San Antonio played one of their worst halves of the season in the first half on Sunday afternoon to trail by 17 going into halftime, but exploded out of the locker room in the third quarter to immediately erase the deficit and win by 21 with Jordan McLaughlin scoring the final points for the good guys.
Victor Wembanyama has had a journey in his first playoff series, with a scary fall in the first half of Game 2 that kept him out for a game and a half in concussion protocol. The Spurs handled his absence with a comeback win led by Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper as the young guard duo took over the game when the Spurs needed them to. De’Aaron Fox has been up and down a bit in the series, but he definitely put his stamp on Game 4 with 28 points and key defensive plays. Tonight is the night for the Spurs to put it all together to close out the series and avoid another west coast trip and gain a rest advantage on their eventual second round opponent. LET’S GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
The game is not close in the fourth quarter, and ESPN viewers end up finding out a lot about Dave Pasch and Doris Burke’s hobbies, which are just as boring as you might have imagined.
San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers, First Round, Game 5 April 28, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN app TV: ESPN Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
The NBA teams with the worst records would no longer have the best chances of getting the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft as part of a potential, dramatic draft lottery reform, longtime NBA writer Mark Stein and others have reported.
In an apparent effort to discourage tanking, the teams with the fourth-worst through 10th-worst records each would have the best chances at the No. 1 pick – 8.1% – according to Stein. Those teams would get three lottery balls each, per ESPN.
By contrast, the NBA teams with the three worst records each would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick, according to Stein, who reported teams with the 11th-worst through 14th-worst records also would have a 5.4% chance at the top pick. Those teams would get two lottery balls.
This year the bottom three teams – the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets – each will have a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick, and the odds drop among lottery teams with better records.
The "3-2-1 lottery" reform proposal, which would expand the lottery to 16 teams from 14 teams, could be approved May 28, according to Stein. The lottery for this year’s draft takes place May 10, when the order of selection among 14 teams will be determined by a lottery machine and the random draw of numbered ping-pong balls.
The additional lottery teams would be those that lose the No. 7 vs. No. 8 Play-In game, according to Stein, who reported that each of those two teams will have a 2.7% shot at the No. 1 pick. They would each have one lottery ball.
Of course, the team with the worst record in the NBA has not been assured of the top pick since 1984. Last year, for example, the Dallas Mavericks had just the 11th-best lottery odds yet won the top pick. They drafted Cooper Flagg, who was named Rookie of the Year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 28: Hitting coach Troy Snitker #60 of the New York Mets talks with Brett Baty #7 of the New York Mets during batting practice...
The Mets offensive stats read like a hitting coach’s worst nightmare: fewest runs scored in the majors, as well as the lowest on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS, entering play Tuesday.
After being swept in a doubleheader by the Rockies on Sunday, when the Mets scored one run, Carlos Mendoza said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this.”
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Hitting coach Troy Snitker wouldn’t go that far when asked about the offense, but the former Astros hitting coach acknowledged he couldn’t recall an extended period of poor performance like the one the Mets have gone through in the first month of the season.
“As a hitting coach, and with hitting in general, you go through these unfortunate stretches during a season,’’ Snitker said before the series opener against the Nationals at Citi Field. “The length may be more in this situation, but we can still turn this around.”
Snitker — the son of former Braves manager Brian Snitker — was hired along with director of major league hitting Jeff Albert to get the most out of this new-look offense, and Snitker said he expected similar success in Queens as what he saw with the Astros.
“I still do,’’ Snitker said. “We have a lot of really good hitters. I’ve seen another group of really good hitters that have struggled [in Houston], and there’s always an answer of how to turn it around. We’re aiming for that.”
If that’s going to happen, a lot of hitters will have to get themselves right.
Hitting coach Troy Snitker of the Mets talks with Carson Benge during batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 28, 2026 Getty Images
Mendoza — who has his own issues — backed his coaches Tuesday: “It’s a combination of all us in here, but it’s not on the hitting coaches.”
Still, when asked if anything had “surprised” him about his team’s atrocious start, Mendoza said: “It’s hard to point fingers, but we’re having a hard time scoring runs. There are so many guys going through a tough stretch at the same time. That’s the tough part to describe. It’s usually three or four guys that are carrying the team and two or three are going through it. Right now, a lot of people are going through a rough stretch.”
Mendoza praised the work of Snitker and Albert, but the results have been damning.
Against fastballs of 96 mph or faster, the Mets entered Tuesday with the worst slugging percentage (.231), the third-worst on-base percentage (.269) and fifth-worst batting average (.185), according to MLB Network research.
“We have to do a few simple things better,’’ Snitker said. “We’ve got to get our ball flight to the outfield and we’ve got to hit fastballs better. When players can accomplish that, then the rest of the game gets easier. You adjust to off-speed [pitches] better [and] you control the zone better.”
The lack of results against high velocity has been mystifying, with just about everyone other than Juan Soto and Brett Baty guilty.
Tyrone Taylor of the Mets reacts during the fifth inning of game two of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on April 26, 2026. Getty Images
The issues, Snitker said, vary from hitter to hitter.
The outcomes, though, haven’t.
Outside of Soto and Francisco Alvarez, just about every other regular has disappointed, from veterans like Bo Bichette, Francisco Lindor and Jorge Polanco to a newcomer like Carson Benge.
“Coming into the season, we wanted to accomplish certain things and you’re constantly thinking about how things are working and then adjusting,’’ said Snitker, who detailed during the spring how he wanted this lineup.
He noted in spring he was looking for “the same type of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it to the next guy [as in Houston]. We want to work together, build off each at-bat and not have guys feel they have to do it themselves.”
Tuesday, Snitker said: “We still very strongly believe in what we came in with, but we’re always looking for areas to attack.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 27: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres connects for an RBI single during the inning of a game at Petco Park on April 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chicago Cubs (17-12) at San Diego Padres (19-9), April 28, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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Granted, every postseason game is paramount, but Game 5s in the NBA playoffs when both teams enter tied at two games apiece are particularly crucial. Historically, the winner of Game 5s when tied at 2-2 go on to win the series 82% of the time.
For New York, it will come down to the plan on offense, and how coach Mike Brown deploys All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the latter of whom posted a 20-10-10 triple-double in Game 4 on Saturday, April 25.
The Hawks will need to play quickly and emphasize transition offense; through the first three quarters Saturday, Atlanta had failed to score a single fastbreak point.
From the time the game started to the time he was subbed out when the result was decided, Brunson took 31.5% of New York’s shot attempts. Normally, that’s a rough distribution, but Brunson shot it with efficiency, going 15-of-23 for a game-high 39 points.
Brunson was the only Knick to shoot more than 8 field goal attempts and carried the team’s offense. He also went 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Since Game 4, the Knicks have found ways for Brunson to be off the ball more than he had earlier in the series, and that has paid dividends. Until the Hawks show they can slow him down, it’s something that’s likely to continue.
“Jalen was great,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the game. “His screening is great, his pace is great. We’re just trying to move him around as much as we can so that they can’t catch a rhythm on him.”
The Knicks made four of their first five shots and 8-of-12 to start the game. The Knicks were clearly intending on playing quickly and decisively, and that made a big difference. New York shot 58.5% in the first half.
So far, so good for Towns, who scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the first half. He has also added 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He finished the game with a double-double – 16 points, 14 rebounds – while also adding six assists, two steals and two blocks.
He has significantly improved his impact on the glass throughout the playoffs, and the first quarter was no different. Anunoby recorded a team-high 7 rebounds in the period. After three quarters, he cracked double-figures and posted 10 boards.
He also added 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting and impacted the game on defense and in hustle plays that do not necessarily show up on box scores.
“I work very hard,” Anunoby said after the game. “We have a great team, my teammates are finding me and I’m playing with a lot of force.”
The Knicks were extremely active on defense, jumping passing lanes and using active hands to cause deflections. That prevented Atlanta from getting easy shots, and led to 10 turnovers for the Hawks.
He hasn’t been as engaged on offense, and his shot selection has felt forced at times in the series, but the Hawks clearly wanted to get Daniels going early. He scored the first two Hawks buckets of the game. Because Daniels hasn’t been a threat, Atlanta’s offense has suffered at times. And because Brunson is guarding him, it’s a matchup the Hawks can exploit.
By the first media timeout, with 6:42 left to play, Daniels was already 3-of-3 with 6 of Atlanta’s 8 points. That matched his point totals from Games 2 and 4 and surpassed his total from Game 1 (4). By halftime, Daniels had 10 points, and he finished with 17 on 7-for-11 shooting, making it his highest-scoring game in the series.
As he does sometimes, he has made an instant impact off the bench. Robinson first swiped a ball on defense that went off of CJ McCollum’s knee for a Hawks turnover. Seconds later, he slammed down a putback jam. Robinson finished with seven points and six rebounds while going 3-for-3 from the floor.
Points in the paint and bench points were an issue for Atlanta. After the first half, New York had a 40-22 edge in the paint, and its bench had outscored Atlanta’s by 6 points. The Knicks continued that advantage in the second half, ending the game with a 60-42 points-in-the-paint edge. They also dominated the Hawks in second-chance points 20-6 and fastbreak points 13-4. New York's bench finished with 38 points, while the Hawks had just 24.
“We can get kind of caught up in individual performances — you always need those — but we need to look at it collectively,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder told reporters after the game. “Everybody needs to make plays for each other. When we’re playing well, that’s what it looks like.”
He was Atlanta’s hero in Games 2 and 3, but the Knicks have thrown extra bodies in their attempt to defend McCollum. Because of that increased ball pressure, McCollum has just 4 points on 2-of-9 shooting through three quarters. He has also missed all three of his free throw attempts. He finished with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting (0-for-2 on 3-pointers) and missed all three of his free throw attempts.
Jonathan Kuminga gets in early foul trouble
He was a massive spark off the bench in Atlanta’s two wins in the series, and the Knicks have looked to attack Kuminga on defense. He was called for a pair of early fouls. He did, however, have a massive alley-oop dunk midway through the period but finished the first quarter 2-of-7 for 4 points.
It’s true that the Knicks are outplaying Atlanta in most facets of this game, so add one more: free throws. The Knicks have been more aggressive about drawing contact when attacking in the paint. New York went 25-of-34 (73.5%) from the line, while the Hawks were a measly 10-of-17 (58.8%).
With the Bruins facing elimination in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Sabres, they needed their two-best players — David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman — to lead the way Tuesday night in Buffalo.
Pastrnak really struggled in the two previous games in Boston. He was held without a point in those matchups, and in Game 4 he had only one shot. The superstar right wing played much more aggressively in Game 5 with a team-leading seven shots, and the final one resulted in the winning goal to help Boston stave off elimination.
Pastrnak did a great job to drag his left skate to stay onside, and then he beat Sabres goalie Alex Lyon with a fantastic move.
It was Pastrnak’s second career playoff OT goal. The first came in Game 7 of the 2024 first-round series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“What a nice finish by him,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said postgame. “I’m just very happy because this guy puts a lot of pressure on himself and he wants to be the difference, and today he was.”
The Bruins had a 23-11 edge in shot attempts, a 12-4 advantage in shots on net, a 14-4 lead in scoring chances and a 6-1 differential in high-danger chances during Pastrnak’s 19:46 of even-strength ice time in Game 5, per Natural Stat Trick.
Scoring in big games is nothing new for Pastrnak. He has scored in four of the six Game 7s he’s played in his career. And he also has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 15 games in which the Bruins were facing elimination.
The Bruins have scored only four goals over the last three games. They need to increase their scoring output to have a real chance to win this series, and as a five-time 40-goal scorer, Pastrnak has to lead that charge.
Pastrnak wouldn’t have had a chance to win Game 5 if Swayman didn’t stand on his head all night. He gave another fantastic performance with 26 saves on 27 shots (.963 save percentage). He saved an impressive 1.96 goals above expected, and he stopped all five high-danger shots sent his way.
“He’s been great in every game,” Sturm said. “Believe it or not even last game, if it wasn’t for him it was 10-0 after the first period. He’s a big competitive guy and he showed it again today. Big moments, big games, he wanted the big guys to show up and he’s one of them, and he did it. He made a few really good saves. He was awesome.”
Swayman made a couple clutch saves late in the third period when the Sabres were making a strong push in search of the winning goal. He also made a huge stop on Sabres forward Alex Tuch shortly before Pastrnak’s winner.
The Bruins have had a tough time scoring on Lyon since he entered the series in the third period of Game 2, which has put an enormous amount of pressure on Swayman to be almost perfect each night. And so far, he’s been the Bruins’ top player in the series, and it’s not even close.
He has a .911 save percentage through five games, which is skewed downward by the team’s awful 6-1 loss in Game 4. If you take out that game — which wasn’t his fault by any means — he has a .937 save percentage in the other four matchups combined.
Swayman is the No. 1 reason why the Bruins exceeded expectations and made the playoffs this season, and he’s the No. 1 reason why they are still alive in this series.
And he’ll need to be the Bruins’ best player the rest of the way if they are going to complete what would be a historic series comeback.
The Knicks have been at their best when Jalen Brunson (left) and Mile McBride are on the court together.
The numbers jump off the page.
When Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride play together, the Knicks often thrive.
Entering Tuesday’s Game 5 clash against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had a net rating of 29.5 points when Brunson and McBride were on the floor together this postseason.
The Knicks have been at their best when Jalen Brunson (left) and Mile McBride are on the court together. Getty Images
That net rating was the highest among the top 12 two-man pairings with the most minutes played across the first four games of this first-round series.
The Knicks were excellent on both sides of the ball — with a 120.9 offensive rating and 91.5 defensive rating.
“Try to make his job as easy as possible, as well the rest of the teammates out there,” McBride said of playing with Brunson. “Anytime I’m on the floor, I try to make everybody’s lives easier, whether that’s on the defensive or offensive end. Just bringing whatever I have, whatever my talents are, whatever I see in the game, and do it.”
McBride had a rough start to the postseason, clearly still rusty after missing 28 games in the regular season following sports hernia surgery.
But he was much closer to his best in Games 3 and 4, recording 16 and 13 points, respectively, on a combined 8-for-16 shooting from 3-point range. His workload was also up, playing 31 and 23 minutes.
Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride, celebrating during the Knicks’ Game 4 2 win, entered Tuesday with a the Knicks had a net rating of 29.5 points when they were on the floor together this postseason. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
It’s notable because in both games, McBride was on the floor for most of the second half in place of the benched — and struggling — Mikal Bridges.
“He’s been playing great,” Brunson said of McBride. “To be able to use him in certain actions and play off-ball and obviously his shooting capability, the way he plays defense and everything, he does a lot for our team. So, I think regardless of who’s on the floor, he’s gonna do a lot of great things.”
McBride, as one of the quickest Knicks, has played a pivotal role in helping the team counter the Hawks’ pace.
And, more so than Bridges, he’s been able to take some of the creating burden off Brunson, who is facing constant double-teams and full-court pressure.
Though not a natural point guard, McBride — perhaps more than anyone else on the roster besides Brunson and Josh Hart — is capable of bringing the ball up the court, which allows Brunson to collect it in the half-court and avoid some wear and tear.
With Brunson and McBride on the floor, the Knicks are also having them set screens for each other in guard-guard actions, something the Hawks hurt the Knicks with earlier in the series.
“We’ve done it before and previous seasons, in the playoffs past,” McBride said. “It’s just whatever I see in the game, try to get in it and if it’s working, keep going back to it.”
Coach Mike Brown praised Brunson’s screen-setting ability to make that possible.
“The thing about him, he’s a great screen setter,” Brown said. “He has a really good change of pace where he slips and stuff like that which can cause confusion.”
Amid the constant chess match that goes on during a series, Brunson and McBride have been a winning move.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 06: Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the second half of a game against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re still nearly two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft when, presumably, the Golden State Warriors will add some more young talent. There is, of course, always the chance that the Warriors trade the draft pick in an effort to add a star to the roster, but the most likely outcome is that on June 23, the Dubs add a young player in the lottery.
The playoffs may be the big story in the NBA right now, but for the 14 teams that weren’t invited to the dance, all eyes are on the draft (except, if we’re being honest, for the Warriors, where all eyes are on Steve Kerr’s decision).
Things could get interesting in a hurry for the Warriors, as the lottery hasn’t yet occurred … and while the Warriors are unlikely to move up, they do have a 9.4% chance of earning a top-four pick in a draft that has, well … about four big names.
We’ll have to wait nearly two weeks to see if the Dubs get lucky, but for now we’ll assume that they stay in place, and get the No. 11 pick in the draft. So who might they pick?
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, and has Golden State selecting New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez, who averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game a year ago, while shooting 32.6% from three-point range. Lopez just turned 19 years old, and Woo notes that “Selecting a younger player such as Lopez, who has the experience to potentially slot in early on his rookie deal, might help mesh the short and long-term goals.”
Over at The Ringer, they think the Warriors will take Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon Jr., a do-everything guard known for his winning style. Philon averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game last year while being named an All-American, and also shot 39.9% from distance. The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann describes Philon as a, “Gritty and wiry lead guard who, despite having a ‘right play’ mentality, is willing and able to call his own shot and cook at all three levels.“
SB Nation’s own Ricky O’Donnell just released his latest mock draft, and he sees Golden State going with a more experienced option, Michigan senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg. While old for a draftee (he’ll turn 24 before the 2026-27 season starts), Lendeborg is one of the most accomplished players in the draft. After three years in community college, Lendeborg spent three more years in the NCAA, including this most recent season at Michigan, where he won a national championship, was a consensus first-team All-American, and was the Big 10 Player of the Year, while averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, and shooting 37.2% from distance. Lendeborg is a tremendously versatile player, who will likely be able to play from Day 1 given his age and experience.
As for Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, he also sees Lopez going to the Warriors at No. 11. O’Connor likes Lopez’s versatility on the Warriors, and notes that, “Draymond Green could actually be quite a good mentor for Lopez, given they’re both hard-nosed players who make a winning effort at all times on the court.”
Hopefully the Warriors strike gold in the lottery and don’t end up with any of these players. But as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green have proven, you don’t need to be at the top of the draft to land a franchise-altering talent.
At the moment, the St. Louis Blues haven’t decided just yet whether they are ready to move on from Jordan Binnington.
Reports indicate that the Blues will explore their options, and if he does hit the market, the Blues will have plenty of buyers.
The 32-year-old is an experienced goaltender, having won a Stanley Cup, a 4 Nations Face-Off gold medal, and an Olympic silver medal, but 25-year-old Joel Hofer outperformed him throughout the 2025-26 season and is poised to continue improving and lock down the No. 1 role.
With all that being said, let’s visit three destinations where Binnington could thrive.
Florida Panthers
There may not be a better fit for Binnington’s character than the Florida Panthers. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions thrive on being considered the villains, and Binnington is no stranger to the hate of NHL fans.
Besides culture fit, Binnington aligns with the Panthers’ timeline. Reports indicate the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky are far off in negotiations, and his time in Florida could be over.
The Panthers’ roster is filled with players in or around 30 years old, like Binnington. The Panthers not only want to return to the playoffs but also go on a deep run again, and Binnington has the pedigree to do so.
The Edmonton Oilers and Binnington have been linked numerous times, but this season, the links were the strongest. Ultimately, the Oilers went in a different direction, trading for Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The move has failed miserably, and the Oilers might be in the market for another starting goaltender. The goaltending position in Edmonton comes with a lot of scrutiny, and no goalie is mentally stronger to handle that pressure than Binnington.
The Oilers need to do everything they can to convince Connor McDavid that they can win a Stanley Cup, and acquiring Binnington, a netminder he’s had success with at the international level, could be a positive step toward that goal.
Although Frederik Andersen put on a phenomenal display for the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, goaltending remains a weak point for this contending team.
All three goaltenders the Hurricanes used this season had save percentages below .900. Additionally, Andersen is set to become a UFA.
Binnington could come to the Hurricanes and bring the snarl they’ve lacked, while being a calming force in the crease. Binnington is at his best when the stakes are highest, and the Hurricanes need a goaltender who can deliver in those moments.
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The NBA Draft Lottery will likely see some significant changes next year.
The NBA’s new draft lottery proposal is here.
The league is pushing an expanded “3-2-1 lottery” that would increase the number of teams from 14 to 16, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The new system, which must be approved by NBA owners on May 28, is aimed at curbing tanking and would punish teams that finish with a bottom-five record.
Under the proposal, “teams that do not qualify for the playoffs or play-in tournament but stay out of the relegation zone (spots four through 10) would receive three lottery balls each,” per Charania.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. NBAE via Getty Images
The teams with the three worst records would go to the relegation zone, meaning they “would have just two lottery balls but have a floor of the 12th pick, while the rest of the 13 lottery teams could fall as far as the 16th pick.”
Teams that undergo long-term tanking efforts would be punished as well.
If approved, teams couldn’t win the lottery in back-to-back years or get three straight top-five picks.
As tanking chatter grows louder around the NBA, the commissioner’s office is exploring a new way to make losing less appealing.
“We should have a system where you should hate to lose,” commissioner Adam Silver reportedly said on a recent conference call. “It shouldn’t be a badge of honor. Losing should be uncomfortable.”
The NBA Draft Lottery will likely see some significant changes next year. Anadolu via Getty Images
The current system sends 14 non-playoff teams to the lottery, where the franchises with the worst three records each have a 14 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick.
The odds of winning the No. 1 pick decrease gradually for the other 11 teams outside the top three, from 12.5 percent for the team with the fourth-worst record to 0.7 percent for the team with the 14th-worst record.
“Incentives need to be fixed,” Silver said last month. “We will fix them. I’m looking forward to that.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Chat about tonight’s NBA playoff games here. Sorry I’ve been busy all day!
The NCAA is still deliberating expanding March Madness on both the men's and women's sides to 76 teams for next season — a much-expected development that's been in the works for years.
The NCAA released a brief statement Tuesday in the wake of an ESPN report that cited unnamed sources saying a decision to add eight teams to the bracket is a mere formality that's expected in May.
“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” the statement said.
Earlier this month at the Final Four, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the committees would, in fact, return to discussing the expansion once this year's tournament was over.
The tournaments have been at 68 teams since 2011, when four play-in games were added to the beginning of the first week of play. The new format would add eight more at-large teams and take eight more teams out of the main bracket for play-in games.
The expansion isn't expected to generate a lot more income because it will only add games early in the first week. The current TV deal runs through 2032 and could be tweaked slightly.
Regardless of finances, the expansion would give power conferences more chances to place teams in the bracket — a growing concern as those conferences seek more power and control over college sports in the era of name, image and likeness compensation and the transfer portal.
The Detroit Red Wings are fortunate to have two of the NHL's most intriguing goaltending prospects in their system, one of whom is expected to make the jump to a full-time role in Detroit next season.
Sebastian Cossa (15th overall, 2021 NHL Draft) and Trey Augustine (41st overall, 2023 NHL Draft) are both currently with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, and fans are understandably excited at the thought of one (or even both of them) being an eventual brick wall for the Red Wings at some point in the near future.
Augustine, who hails from the Detroit suburb of South Lyon, played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth and attended Michigan State University.
He has since joined the Griffins on an amateur tryout after completing his time in the collegiate ranks.
Having grown up in Michigan as a Red Wings fan, routinely attending games at Joe Louis Arena, getting a chance to suit up for the club would be nothing short of living out a childhood dream.
“It means so much to me and my family as well,” Augustine explained recently to WILX reporter Ben Shockley, reflecting on the significance of joining the Red Wings organization.
“Me and my Dad used to go to games at Joe Louis Arena all the time, seeing Jimmy Howard, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg play,” he added. “I mean, growing up in Michigan, I've always been a Red Wings fan. Hopefully one day, I'll get to wear the Winged Wheel.”
While with the Spartans, Augustine became the goaltender in school history to win the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top player at his position, and was also named a First Team All-American two consecutive years.
Additionally, he won back to back Big Ten Goaltender of the Year awards, and was also a 2026 Hobey Baker Award Top Ten Finalist.
Making the adjustment to life in professional hockey has been smooth so far, and Augustine hopes that he'll eventually see some playing time.
"It's been good so far, it's a little different than Michigan State, but it's been good to get my feet wet," he said. "Looking forward to playing hockey down the stretch."
"There are a bunch of new guys, but they're all great and helped me feel like part of the team, which is awesome. "
Right now, Augustine is third on the Griffins' goaltending depth chart behind Cossa and Michal Postava. While his competitive side wants to see as much playing time as possible, he's also voiced his support for his teammates while standing at the ready if he's called upon.
"Obviously, I'd like to play every game, but they're a great team with two great other goalies," Augustine said of Cossa and Postava. "I'll just do anything I can to help them be ready to go, and obviously put myself in a position where if I'm called to play, I'm ready."
"Obviously, we're trying to win the Calder Cup here, and the coaches are gonna play who they think will give the team the best chance to win the game, and I'm going to do everything I can to help support that," he continued.
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Forward Tyran Stokes committed to Kansas, he announced on "Inside the NBA" on Tuesday, April 28 in a major get for Bill Self and the Jayhawks.
It's been a major sweepstakes as programs awaited to see where Stokes would choose to play college ball, as he was the last major prospect yet to announce his decision. He is the consensus No. 1 recruit in the country per 247Sports and ESPN. The Seattle-native chose Kansas over other contenders in Kentucky, Oregon, Louisville and Southern California.
The newest Jayhawk is also a contender to be the top overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Breaking: Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 recruit in the SC Next 100 Class of 2026, has committed to Kansas, he announced on Inside the NBA. pic.twitter.com/tPjZWdLYPo
At 6-7 and 230 pounds, Stokes has displayed elite skills on both sides of the ball to make him one of the top high school players in the country. He has the ability to handle to ball on the perimeter while also dominating near the bucket, all while maintaining a stout defensive game with the ability to create steals.
In his senior season at Rainier Beach (Seattle), he averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals per game while leading his team to a state title. He also had one game where he scored 63 points.
What Tyran Stokes means for Kansas
By choosing the Jayhawks, Self also secures another talented recruiting class that includes two five-star prospects in Stokes and guard Taylen Kinney, and brings a major boost to Lawrence after concerns about the future.
There was speculation Self could retire after Kansas was eliminated in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the fourth straight season the Jayhawks failed to advance to the Sweet 16. However, he decide to return for his 24th season, and he gets another top recruit in the process after last season's team featured Darryn Peterson, who declared for the NBA draft..
Peterson was one of several players that have left Kansas, which includes Flory Bidunga, Melvin Council Jr. and Bryson Tiller.
Stokes gives Kansas a chance to improve its March fortune, trying to compete for another national championship since winning it all in 2022. In addition to Stokes and Kinney, other recruits include four-star rated players in center Davion Adkins, forward Trent Perry and guard Luke Barnett. Kansas also got additions in the transfer portal in Keanu Dawes (Utah), Christian Reeves (Charleston) and Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo).
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 25: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks reacts after a collision to his knee against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (2-2) host the Atlanta Hawks tonight at Madison Square Garden in Game Five of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. A win puts either team one victory away from advancing to the second round.
Tip-off is 8:00 pm EST on NBC and Peacock. This is your game thread. This is Peachtree Hoops. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be shining ambassadors of Knicks fandom. And go Knickerbockers!
