ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 28: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2025-26 Emirates Cup game on November 28, 2025 at State Farm Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have three games left in the regular season. As of now, it seems like they’re going to match up against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. That makes it as good a time as any to ask how you think that potential series would go.
The Hawks have turned it on over the past couple of months. They’ve been 19-4 since the All-Star break, which is good for the third-best record in the league and the best in the conference in that span. They’ve done this on the defensive end as they’ve registered an impressive 107.3 defensive rating since that time.
They’re a very different team now than they were at the start of the season. The Hawks came into this year hoping to make a Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis-led starting unit work. They pivoted away from that at the deadline, handing the reins over to Jalen Johnson.
Atlanta is a wing-heavy team. They have size and versatility at every position and would be a good test for the Cavs if they were to meet in the first round.
Meanwhile, it’s difficult to know what to make of this Cavaliers team. The highs have been high since the James Harden trade, but the inconsistencies on the defensive end make it difficult to predict how exactly the playoffs will go.
How do you think a first-round series between the Cavs and Hawks would go? Let us know by voting below, and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.
Happy Wednesday, everyone! While things have gotten off to a bit of a rough start for the Cubs this season, they aren’t the only club suffering from early season injuries and disappointing numbers. Below, we take a look at some clubs who are being forced to re-assess their plans to get back on track.
Plus, people are still reacting to Jo Adell’s wild weekend, and also looking at how it impacted the pitcher on the mound at the time—Chris Sale. We also take a look at some wild ballpark food, as teams get more and more inventive to try going viral online and getting attention from fans.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: A view of the stadium and a view of Kayakers arriving in McCovey Cove on Netflix branded kayaks are seen during the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo's on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Netflix) | Getty Images for Netflix
Good morning, baseball fans!
Earlier this week, the San Francisco Giants announced that they would be working with ElevenLabs, an AI research and product company, in an upcoming multi-year partnership at Oracle Park.
ElevenLabs will become the presenting sponsor of Oracle Park’s Championship Suite. They will also “deploy AI voice and audio technology throughout the ballpark to elevate the fan experience.”
Thanks, I hate it.
I’m sure there are good or even neutral uses for AI technology, such as accessibility in the form of translation services and audio dubbing, as the announcement mentions in further detail.
But in my experience on an everyday use basis, AI features tend to be forced on the public, filled with data-mining functions to steal as much user information as possible, and lack the ability to turn them off. Meanwhile, those features tend to primarily slow down programs (often ones that users have already paid for) and make it take ten times longer to do the things they were already doing with those programs before. But that’s just my opinion.
Anyway, the announcement goes on to read like a word-soup scramble of corporate buzzwords:
“Through this integration, the organization will elevate fan engagement and optimize operations across several key areas, including real-time, AI-powered fan support for ticketing, merchandise, food ordering, and ballpark FAQs, as well as in-game activations featuring live dubbing and multilingual audio at Oracle Park.”
Sounds to me like a lot of people at Oracle Park are going to lose their jobs whenever this actually goes into effect. But yay optimized operations I guess. Because that’s what the world needs more of right now.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants wrap up this series against the Philadelphia Phillies today at 12:45 p.m. PT.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 04: Starter Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Chase Field on April 04, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Braves 2-1. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Braves fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The 2026 season has started out much better than 2025 for the Atlanta Braves. While the season is less than 10 percent complete, one of the best stories of the first couple of weeks of the season has been the overall success of the team’s starting rotation.
Coming into Spring Training, the Braves seemed to be in a solid-enough position with their starting pitching depth and opted not to add a free agent starting pitcher on an MLB deal (Martin Perez was added, but on an MLB contract). Things changed rapidly when Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep were placed on the IL and got even more dire when fringe starter Joey Wentz was lost for the season and an oblique strain caused expected number two starter Spencer Strider to hit the IL prior to Opening Day.
Bryce Elder, who was out of options and seemed to be on the cusp of holding on to a big league job in Atlanta coming into Spring Training, found himself starting the season as the team’s fourth starter.
Elder, who was an All-Star in 2023 after a fantastic first half of the season, has been among the worst starting pitchers in the sport since the last-half of 2023. In 2025, he led the Braves in starts and innings pitched, but his overall numbers were subpar, thanks in part to seven starts in which he allowed five earned runs or more, including three starts with eight or more earned runs.
On a positive note, he did end the season by allowing three earned runs or less in six of his final seven starts, offering a glimmer of hope for future success.
Elder spent time with Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux this off-season, gaining tutelage from one of the game’s all-time greats. Elder added a cutter and has worked to hone his control.
In his first two starts in 2026, he pitched 13 innings, struck out 13, and allowed zero earned runs while walking only two batters. It is the ultimate small sample size alert, but his success has stood out.
Are you buying this version of Bryce Elder as a legitimate mid-rotation starting pitcher? Or will it take another 10 starts for you to buy in on him solidifying his role on the Braves’ starting pitching staff?
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 31: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies swings against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on March 31, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Old habits die hard.
A major issue for the Colorado Rockies during their seven-season losing streak has been the offense. In particular, especially over the last three seasons, poor plate discipline has hindered the team that has been largely defined by an overabundance of strikeouts. In 2025, the team ranked second in baseball with 1,531 strikeouts, with the highest swing rate and the lowest contact rate among several other unfortunate categories.
While a primary point of focus was rightfully placed on the pitching side of things for the club, new hitting coach Brett Pill has a lot of work cut out for him in helping improve one of the league’s worst offenses. It will take some time before he can get a cohesive hitting philosophy permeating the roster, but the early trends of 2026 certainly make things more difficult.
Entering Tuesday, the Rockies lead all of Major League Baseball in swing rate at 52%. This shouldn’t be surprising since the Rockies feature a roster of aggressive hitters. There is nothing inherently wrong with being aggressive at the plate, but there is a difference between that and being undisciplined with the bat.
Alongside that swing rate comes one of the lowest contact rates in baseball. Boasting the third-lowest rate in baseball at 69.9%, the Rockies are in the odd company of swinging more than anyone else, but still having little to nothing to show for it.
Why is that?
A quick look at the average number of pitches per plate appearance shows that the Rockies’ offense is seeing the fewest pitches of any team. Averaging 3.65 P/PA, the Rockies rank just below the Tampa Bay Rays at 3.75 P/PA, a team that is around league average in swing rate (45.1%) while sporting the highest contact rate (80.4%). The lack of pitches seen makes the Rockies’ National League-worst strikeout rate of 29.5% and baseball-worst 6.0% walk rate a lot clearer.
The aggressiveness of the Rockies’ offense is a result of how opposing pitchers are taking advantage. Colorado is 45.3% of pitches within the strike zone. It’s not too distant from the leaders of the league at 48.9%, but that 4% difference has become more damning considering the Rockies have an 82.6% contact rate, one of the lowest in baseball, compared to their league-high 68.8% swing rate in the zone.
Swinging so often and coming up empty has inspired pitchers to continue inching out of the zone to cause the Rockies to chase. Their 40.1% swing rate at pitches considered to be in the “chase zone” leads all of baseball, while their contact on such pitches (38.1%) ranks 27th. A 37% overall chase rate is the highest mark in baseball this early into the season.
The Rockies are seeing a higher percentage of strikes than any other team at 66.8%. Their 24.4% swinging strike rate is the highest in the NL and third-highest in MLB. The uber-aggressiveness and whiffs by this team are what have stifled the offense through their first couple of series.
There is some evidence of method to the madness, despite the lack of overall success. The Rockies are hunting the first pitch in an at-bat. The team has swung at the first pitch 39.5% of the time, just behind the Athletics (40.9%). They also rank second, just behind the A’s, with a .412/.423/.725 slashline. The first pitch is typically the best one to try and hit, and the Rockies are finding success when they do make contact on the first one, showing that aggressiveness can be effective.
However, that’s where the lack of plate discipline comes into play. Should they fail to make contact, the Rockies get themselves into trouble due to an NL-high 39% first pitch strike rate. They drop down to a .250 AVG in 0-1 counts, and a .148 AVG in two strike counts. They have drawn just eight walks with two strikes, the lowest in baseball.
There is still plenty of season to be played, and it’ll be worthwhile to look back on these types of things come May, as Pill and Jordan Pacheco have had time to implement more things with the hitters. The hope is that the new philosophy and coaching, along with some of the new players on the team, can foster an environment that encourages good contact and attacking pitchers. We’ve already seen the offensive outbursts that can happen when the team is patient, making good contact, and taking good swings in the zone, and it’s something that can thrive both at home and away.
It’s certainly worrisome at the moment, but the Rockies could have the chance to learn how to make aggressiveness an advantage and not a folly in 2026.
The Albuquerque offense did its damage through the first four innings, scoring all eight of its runs and ending up with 13 hits on the night. Blaine Crim and Ryan Ritter each hit home runs, with the latter contributing three hits in the game. Sterlin Thompson had a triple while Nicky Lopez and Zac Veen each had a double. Veen also ended up with two hits. Sean Sullivan started the hill and made it through four innings, giving up just one run on one hit while striking out three. He battled his command, however, issuing four walks. The bullpen combined to allow just three runs, two of which came against Welinton Herrera, and notched five strikeouts.
Eiberson Castellano continued a string of good pitching for the Yard Goats as he allowed just one run on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work. The lone run he surrendered came on a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. The bullpen then allowed just two hits over the final three innings, with Alberto Pacheco going two innings and Victor Juarez nailing down his second save of the year. They got all the offense they would need with two runs in the third inning. Braylen Wimmer had a two-hit night with an RBI, which came in the third. Bryant Betancourt also had a solo home run in the top of the ninth for an insurance run.
Everett Catlet cruised through five innings, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts, en route to taking the victory for the Indians. Fisher Jameson followed with three shutout innings before Tyler Hampu closed out the game, although he gave up a run. Offensively, Robert Calaz went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI, while Tevin Tucker also drove in a pair of runs. The offense had eight hits and drew seven walks against seven strikeouts.
The Grizzlies got a good start from their pitcher in their home opener. Angel Jimenez went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts. The bullpen struggled with command but managed to secure the victory despite a little bit of trouble for Derrick Smith in the ninth. The offense kicked off with a five-run bottom of the second, and later a three-run seventh inning. Ethan Holliday ended up with two hits while Derek Bernard drove in a pair as part of his two-hit night and Zach Rogaki also had three RBI.
The beauty of the minors is that promotionals can deviate from the norms of big league ball quite a bit. The Yard Goats are getting in on the action with a “downtown Hartford divorce party” meant to involve a mixer for single people to look for a connection.
Chase Dollander has looked solid out of the Rockies’ bullpen to start the season, and part of that is having more confidence and purpose behind his pitches. Kevin Henry caught up with Dollander to talk about his growth thus far.
This week, Evan Lang and I are joined by Paul Holden of the Locked On Rockies podcast to chat about the early struggles of the offense, the quality pitching, and some minor leaguers to keep an eye on.
After three consecutive games scoring just one goal, the Boston Bruins finally put together a decent offensive performance in Tuesday night’s road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
The B’s lost in overtime, but they scored five goals. Morgan Geekie, who hadn’t scored in 17 straight games, netted a hat trick to give him a team-leading (and career-high) 37 goals.
Despite the uptick in goals, this game provided even more evidence for why the Bruins need to sign top prospect James Hagens and get him on the NHL roster as soon as possible.
Hagens, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, recently signed an ATO deal with the Providence Bruins after his Boston College season ended a few weeks ago. Hagens has four points (one goal, three assists) in six games with the P-Bruins. He has played well, showing the creativity with the puck, speed and offensive instincts that made him a highly-coveted prospect.
Hagens’ high-end playmaking ability would be a huge boost to the Bruins’ bottom-six and power play for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. (Boston has a 99 percent chance of getting in).
The Bruins rank 18th in goals scored per game since the Olympic break. They were sixth before the break. Aside from Geekie’s goal drought, one of the biggest reasons for the Bruins’ scoring output falling in recent weeks has been a lack of production from the bottom six.
Alex Steeves has one goal in his last 21 games. Michael Eyssimont has zero goals in his last nine games. Sean Kuraly has a 21-game goal drought. Mark Kastelic has gone 22 games without scoring. Tanner Jeannot has zero goals in 24 consecutive games. Lukas Reichel scored in his first game with the Bruins on March 19, but he hasn’t found the back of the net in his eight games since.
Sensing a theme here?
Here’s a look at the scoring for notable bottom-six players since the Olympic break:
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Hagens isn’t a bottom-six talent. He has the potential to be a top-six forward for a long time. But putting him in a third-line role at this early stage of his career to give this Bruins team a much-needed spark offensively wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The power play is another area where Hagens’ offensive skill set could improve the Bruins’ attack. Whether it’s zone entries, creating scoring chances, etc., Hagens could bolster a power play that ranks 27th in success rate since the Olympic break. It was the league’s third-best unit before the Olympic break.
The Bruins went 0-for-2 with only one shot on net in four minutes of power-play time versus the Hurricanes on Tuesday. Some of the recent struggles stem from Geekie’s goal drought that ended Tuesday, but it’s larger than one player. It’s a team-wide issue.
Boston’s three most likely first-round playoff opponents are the Hurricanes, Lightning and Sabres. All three have good penalty kills. Buffalo and Tampa Bay both have top-seven PK units. The Bruins’ playoff run likely will be short if they don’t cash in on power-play chances.
The B’s just played four road games in six days. They aren’t practicing Wednesday, but they don’t play again until Saturday when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to TD Garden. So if they wanted, the Bruins could sign Hagens and get him a practice or two before his first game.
What would benefit Hagens more: a couple NHL regular season games and four-to-seven Stanley Cup Playoff games, or some more AHL regular season games and AHL playoff games? There’s a strong case for the former, especially if the expectation is Hagens starts the 2026-27 season on Boston’s roster.
Hagens doesn’t need to be a savior. He doesn’t need to dominate. His speed and offensive skill could give the Bruins a much-needed boost come playoff time. And why wouldn’t you take a chance on that? The East is wide open.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks were heavily outplayed by the Golden Knights on Tuesday. Vegas held a 28-14 even-strength scoring-chances advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring-chances battle 13-4. In the end, this looked like a game between teams from two different leagues, as Vancouver struggled to generate any offensive pressure at even strength.
Few heatmaps look like the one from Tuesday night. The Canucks generated a total of 11 shots, which is why there is so much white on their side of the map. As for the Golden Knights, they crashed the net all night, which Vancouver had no answer for.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, April 7, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap up this game, the Canucks' best player was Nikita Tolopilo. Vancouver's goaltender allowed just two goals on 28 shots, and saved 1.74 goals above expected. In the end, Tolopilo was the only bright spot as he kept his team in the game until the final whistle.
The Canucks hit the road for three straight in California, starting with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Vancouver still has two more games against the Kings, with the second meeting being the Canucks' home finale. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm PT.
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save on Vegas Golden Knights forward Brandon Saad (20) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Danton Heinen (6), Zach Werenski (22-PPG), and Adam Fantilli scored the goals for Columbus in regulation, and Jet Greaves stopped 34 of 37 Red Wings shots to pick up a huge two points. The win is Greaves 25th win of the year and breaks a four-game losing streak for the young goalie.
The game would be won in overtime by Zach Werenski, who had previously gone 0-for-3 in his career in shootout attempts. Werenski would win it in round 5.
The Blue Jackets won the game and gave Detroit a point, but they're mathematically still in the playoff chase. They didn't get much help, though, as the Senators and Flyers, both teams who are directly ahead of the CBJ, also won.
The Blue Jackets started the first period off as they have routinely, even during the losing streak, by scoring the first goal early in the period. But the Wings would strike back when Dylan Larkin tied it on the power play with 9:33 left.
Detroit would score first in the second to take a 2-1 lead, but then with 9:01 left in the period, Superstar Zach Werenski potted his 22nd goal of the season on the power play to tie the game at two a piece.
The third period played out like the second, with
Justin Faulk scoring his second goal of the game to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead. With just over four minutes left in the game, you could just feel that the CBJ were going to take another tough loss.
But when Zach Werenski fed a pass to young Adam Fantilli while Jet Greaves was on the bench for the extra attacker, and he blasted it by John Gibson, the entire game shifted in a second.
The Blue Jackets and Red Wings would go to OT, and then on to a shootout where Zach Werenski would beat Gibson in round five to send the Jackets on to Buffalo with a massive win.
Quotes
Zach Werenski - "My laces were all messed up, and I couldn't really skate, so when they called me, I was like, 'You guys sure? I’m kind of on one leg here.' My foot was in the skate but pretty wobbly. I was kind of thinking what I was gonna do when I went out there, and then I was like, 'What am I thinking, just shoot it.'"
Zach Werenski - "I saw my parents after the game in the stands, and my brother up there. Those are the moments that you play the game for. It definitely ranks pretty high up there for moments in a regular season game for sure."
Adam Fantilli - "We need all of them, and we're going to try to get every single one before the season is over and put ourselves in the best position to get in the playoffs for our fans and for our city."
Charlie Coyle - "For the fans watching, hopefully not too many heart attacks out there. But it's nice to come out on the winning side. It's huge, too, with only a couple of games left to spring us and something we can feed off of."
Detroit's Dylan Larkin - “I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one is not the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. That’s a letdown, in tough fashion again.”
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats & Notes
Danton Heinen scored his 6th goal of the season. He took 3 shots and was a plus-1.
Zach Werenski scored his 22nd goal and picked up his 58th assist. With two points, Werenski is now the franchise leader in multi-point games in a season with 26. He also now has 80 points and has become just the third American-born defenseman with back-to-back 80-point seasons. He also played 33:26 minutes and took 6 shots.
Adam Fantilli scored his 23rd goal of the season and took 3 shots.
Mason Marchment picked up his 24th assist and was a plus-2.
Denton Mateychuk recorded his 18th assist.
Kirill Marchenko tallied his 39th assist and had 3 shots.
Jet Greaves made 34 saves and got his 1st career assist on the Werenski power play goal.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 1/4 on the power play.
The Columbus gave up a goal on the only power play Detroit had.
Columbus won 54% of the faceoffs - 34/63
The Blue Jackets had 20 hits and 21 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are in Buffalo on Thursday to take on the Sabres.
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After losing their first match in nine games on Sunday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hosting the Florida Panthers’ C or D team at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Matthew Tkachuk was out of the lineup because he was on baby watch. Sergei Bobrovsky was acting as the backup. Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, and Evans Rodrigues were all out of action.
Meanwhile, Montreal had some fresh reinforcements with Kirby Dach, Alexandre Texier and Adam Engstrom entering the lineup. Brendan Gallagher was a healthy scratch, Joe Veleno was dealing with the flu, and Kaiden Guhle was given a day of maintenance. With Texier’s return, Alex Newhook moved to center, and Oliver Kapanen was demoted to the fourth line alongside Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault.
Against a lineup that looked strangely like the one the Canadiens beat 10-2 in Carey Price’s last game, the Habs severely underperformed. Over 40 minutes, they had only tested Danil Tarasov 14 times, despite getting three power-play opportunities, and their only goal came on the man-advantage.
Over the course of the last four games, the Canadiens’ level of play just hasn’t been the same, even in the games they did win. As the coach likes to say, it’s not all about the result; it’s about the process, and the process has been severely lacking lately. The Canadiens have been coming out flat, and Tuesday night was no exception.
Speaking to the media after the game, Martin St-Louis acknowledged that his team was having a dip in performance and explained:
There’s always a part of fatigue that goes into it, and not just physically; there’s an element of mental fatigue. We had a sequence when we really had to push and get some points, and we were pretty much perfect…that’s really demanding, you need to stay alert, there’s a pressure that comes with it, a stress as well, when you get that check next to your team, does that make you decompress a bit? Is that what’s missing to keep the pace you had? More than likely, but the goal remains to go back to that level, knowing it might have been impossible, difficult to keep that level.
Chasing The Milestone
With Cole Caufield still looking for his elusive 50th goal of the season, his teammates were once again desperate to find him with the puck, and just like on Sunday night, it resulted in poor execution. Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky were constantly trying to feed him the puck, even if he was as covered as can be. At times, he was even covered by a couple of players, and they still looked for him.
The only one who wasn’t changing the way he was playing was Caufield himself, only taking shots when appropriate. He was even the one who fed Ivan Demidov for the Canadiens’ power play goal. Still in the second frame, we saw less of the first line. Caufield had 4:27, Suzuki 3:51, and Slafkovsky 4:04.
In the final frame, the Canadiens finally turned it on, so to speak, peppering the Cats’ net with 15 shots and scoring twice. In the frame, Caufield 5:54 of action, Suzuki 6:49, and Slafkovsky 7:12. Speaking after the game, the captain had this to say about the team not being very good tonight:
"It started with my line; I was pretty brutal all night until I had the easiest goal of probably my career there, so it started with us. We were a bit too casual and thought we were soft as a group...
- Suzuki on what went wrong
About The Second Line
Putting Texier on the second line with Newhook and Demidov produced good results. St-Louis has often praised the Frenchman’s ability to extend the time spent in the offensive zone, and that’s exactly what he did, which allowed the Russian rookie to have more puck possession in the offensive zone. Spending more time there meant the defenders were more tired, and he proved quite a handful for them.
It’s also worth noting that Newhook took 14 faceoffs on the night and won 10 of them, a 71% success rate. The fact that he had been doing well in that aspect of the play of late was one of the reasons why the coach was comfortable putting him back at center.
De Lane à Nick, dans la dernière minute, contre la Floride, en avril...
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026
In the end, the Canadiens did find a way to win with Lane Hutson manufacturing a last-minute Suzuki equalizer to take the game to overtime. While Montreal was unable to take advantage of the power play they got in the extra frame, they still came out on top in the shootout with Caufield and Texier finding the back of the net and Jakub Dobes shutting the door.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026
With those two points, the Canadiens have now caught up to the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning points-wise, with all three teams being on 102 points. Still, the Bolts are first in the division, followed by the Sabres and then by the Habs because of their number of regulation wins and their number of wins not in the shootout.
On Thursday, the Canadiens will take on Tampa Bay, and with the stakes being so high, it would be shocking if they came out flat. Perhaps that’s exactly what the doctor would order, a match against a direct rival with added meaning.
May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Kelly Olynyk is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images
Every April, USAA honors the sacrifice and resilience of more than 1.6 million kids for Month of the Military Child. San Antonio Spurs Lil’ MVP Camp, presented by USAA, celebrates the strength, service and skills of local military kids with an on court experience.
Recently, some of the campers took to the podium to participate in a “presser” similar to what Spurs players and coaches go through before and after games.
In this post, the kids got some questions. Spurs bog man Kelly Olynyk also fielded some of the same questions.
Julian expected that a draw was the most probable while Evalei doesn’t think she could beat the varmint. Kelly Olynyk thought it was a great question, but needed to study film to give an accurate response. Darian’s confidence was off the charts as he was sure he’d win.
Favorite Spurs player”?
A resounding response for Victor Wembanyama.
The kids were asked who inspires them. Family members were the most common.
What would be your basketball super power?
Dunking. And for a youngster under four feet tall, that seems like a super power, but who knows? These kids might just grow into players who can dunk with their normal human powers.
What is your favorite basketball memory?
While I am sure these kiddos are too young to remember the Spurs annihilating the Miami Heat in 2014, they had some solid personal memories including hitting buzzer-beaters and having their parents watch them succeed.
Tomorrow’ NBA and WNBA superstars today. Fun little video and a great was that USAA is supporting military families.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Josh Hart #3 and Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 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
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Hawks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Hawks are turning their eyes towards the postseason.
Postseason basketball is often more physical, slower-paced, and features a shortened rotation. Backup center Jock Landale has proven to be a big midseason pickup, providing size and floor spacing that makes everyone else’s job easier.
But after a dirty takedown from Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic, an ankle injury will sideline him until at least the playoffs — and possibly longer.
Of course, Onyeka Okongwu can’t realistically play 48 minutes a game. That begs the question: which player would be the best candidate to play backup center for the rest of the season and into the games that matter most?
Please discuss your answers in the comments below.
The NBA play-offs begin on 19 April with the start of the finals set for 5 June [Getty Images]
The NBA play-offs are a four-round tournament to determine the winners of the NBA Championship.
Sixteen of the 30 NBA teams - who start the regular season - qualify for the end-of-season format.
The top six with the most wins in each Conference (East and West) automatically secure their spot in the play-offs.
The teams that place between 7-10th then play for the remaining spots in a 'play-in tournament'.
Teams are seeded by their final position in the Conference table.
NBA play-off format
Teams will need to progress through four rounds to claim the NBA title.
First round (16 teams compete)
Conference semi-finals (Eight teams compete)
Conference finals (Four teams compete)
NBA finals (Two teams compete)
In each round, the team with the better regular-season record will gain home-court advantage. That team plays games one, two, five and seven at home.
Each round uses a best-of-seven format. If one team wins the first four games, they will progress to the next round. There could be anywhere between 60-105 games in total, in the play-offs.
In the first round, the top seeds will play the bottom seeds from each Conference.
Series one – first seed vs eighth seed
Series two – second seed vs seventh seed
Series three – third seed vs sixth seed
Series four – fourth seed vs fifth seed
The winners of Series one and Series four play each other in each of the Conference semi-finals, as do the winners of Series two and three.
The winner of those games will meet in the Conference final.
The NBA Finals
The winner of each Conference final will face off in the NBA finals for the Championship.
In 2026, the finals will begin on 3 June, with a potential seventh game pencilled in for 19 June.
New York Knicksv Vs Baltimore Bullets Baltimore Bullets' Wes Unseld (41), is up with a rebound in first period of outing against Knicks at Garden. (Photo By: Dan Farrell/NY Daily News via Getty Images) | NY Daily News via Getty Images
During Michigan’s win over UConn Monday night, Aday Mara threw a quick and devastating outlet pass over the Huskies’ defense that made announcer Bill Raftery excitedly say, “shades of Wes Unseld.”
Many people immediately wondered: who the hell is Wes Unseld?
And since he retired in 1981, a lot of readers were born well after his career ended. And in truth, in later years, Unseld was a shadow of what he had been.
And what he was earlier in his career was phenomenal.
Just 6-6, but a solid 250, Unseld came into the league in 1968 and won Rookie of the Year and also MVP.
He played center and when he came in, that meant he had to deal with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Willis Reed, among others.
In a couple of years, he would have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to deal with as well.
Despite being vastly smaller than these enormous rivals, Unseld more than held his own, and, as Raftery suggested, he had one of the greatest outlet passes ever seen. Perhaps only Russell, Kevin Love, and Bill Walton were in the same tier as outlet passers.
Basically, Unseld achieved all that he did by outworking his opponents.
Later in his career, knee problems began to limit his mobility. He remained a good rebounder and passer until retirement, but he couldn’t move like he had as a younger player.
There really isn’t anyone else quite like him in the history of the game.
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates a three point shot with guard Aaron Holiday (0) against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week’s question has us looking forward to the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The Rockets currently sit in fifth place, but they have been jockeying with three other teams in their tier — the Denver Nuggets, LA Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets have won 9 in a row, but the other two teams have been slumping.
The Rockets would be playing the Lakers if they season ended today. What we’d like to know is which one of the teams in their current tier would you least like to meet in the postseason, Lakers, Nuggets or Wolves? Who would be the toughest matchup?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with results.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 14: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Utah Mammoth at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 14, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their 2025-26 regular season award winners on Tuesday. No, team MVP is not Sidney Crosby, but a Swedish defenseman who has been on “God Mode,” elevating his play and positioning the Penguins for a playoff berth. See the full list here. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins say forward Blake Lizotte is making progress from an upper-body injury and has resumed skating, raising hope he could return sooner than expected, possibly before the end of the regular season. [PensBurgh]
Pittsburgh officially recalled goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate on Tuesday. [Trib Live]
Expectations should be tempered with Murashov once again on the NHL roster, and he very well could be Artur Silovs’ backup for a few games. However, with Stuart Skinner’s status still uncertain amid his injury, it is interesting to examine the possibility that Stuart’s misfortune turns into Murashov’s golden opportunity 10 years after Matt Murray arrived on the scene. [PensBurgh]
News and updates from around the NHL…
The New Jersey Devils are evaluating head coach Sheldon Keefe following the dismissal of general manager Tom Fitzgerald, with his future uncertain as the organization reassesses its direction. [Sportsnet]
The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Neil Glasberg and PBI Sports to assist with their search for a new head of hockey operations, according to TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston. [TSN]
