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Panthers' Cole Schwindt, Nolan Foote Will Become Group 6 UFAs

When the 2025-26 NHL season ends, the Florida Panthers will have two Group 6 UFAs, center Cole Schwindt and winger Nolan Foote, according to PuckPedia.

To qualify as a Group 6 UFA, a player must be 25 years old by June 30, have an expiring contract, and a skater must have played less than 80 career NHL games, while a goaltender must play less than 28 games with more than 30 minutes of ice time.

Finally, they must have at least three professional seasons, which is any time spent in the NHL, AHL, or ECHL. 

For Schwindt, he’ll turn 25 years old on April 25, and even if he plays in the last game of the season, he’ll only hit 78 career games. Schwindt would have likely hit the 80-game threshold if he hadn’t sustained multiple long-term injuries this season.

As for Foote, he’s played just 41 career NHL games, scoring seven goals and 10 points. Foote has played just 11 games this year, scoring one goal. 

Foote joined the Panthers organization in the off-season, signing a two-way deal after spending five seasons with the New Jersey Devils. 

Nolan Foote (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Nolan Foote (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Due to Schwindt and Foote becoming UFAs, they’ll be free to sign with any NHL team on July 1, and the Panthers won’t receive any compensation for it, as they would if they were tendered qualifying offers as RFAs.

The Panthers coaching staff spoke highly of Schwindt throughout the season, and the only reason Schwindt was ever taken out of the lineup was due to injuries. The Panthers seem very inclined to bring back Schwindt on an NHL contract, while Foote could return on another two-way deal. 

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Liverpool 0-2 PSG: Champions League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Ousmane Dembélé struck twice in the second half to complete an emphatic aggregate victory for PSG

When Warren Zaïre-Emery ran the show as a 17-year-old in a 3-0 win against Milan, Thierry Henry said “the sky is the limit” for the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. His stratospheric rise led him too close to the sun, though, and the crash back down to Earth was a rude one. But he has since dusted himself off.

Liverpool Van Dijk, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones.

Paris Saint-Germain Nuno Mendes, Kvaratskhelia.

Continue reading...
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Keeping Eye On Standings As Panthers Hope To Retain Top-10 Protected First-Round Pick

The Florida Panthers have one game remaining in their 2025-26 season.

Unlike the past several years, there will be no appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Panthers this spring, no push for a third straight championship.

Thanks to an injury-filled season unlike any the team had seen, Florida is instead wrapping up their regular campaign with an eye toward the future.

That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick, which Florida included in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that brought Seth Jones to the Cats, is top-10 protected.

When the dust settles on the regular season in a couple days and the NHL holds its annual Draft Lottery soon after, if Florida’s top selection remains in the top 10, they will retain the pick and instead send their 2027 first rounder to Chicago.

Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers hold the seventh-worst record in the NHL with one game remaining.

Florida can finish no lower than sixth-worst and no higher than tenth-worst, depending on how things play out with the Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and in the Panthers’ finale on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

If they finish no better than eighth-worst, the Panthers are guaranteed to keep their pick, but if they finish in ninth-or-tenth-worst, Florida will have to wait to see how things shake out in the Draft Lottery.

Since two draws are held, one for the first overall selection and one for the second pick, it’s possible for two teams to move up and potentially bump the Panthers out of the top ten.

For fans wondering which teams to root for, it’s as simple as hoping the teams around Florida in the stands all collect as many points as possible.

On Tuesday, that would mean hoping Winnipeg wins in Utah and that St. Louis beats the Penguins at home.

Wednesday, aside from Florida hosting Detroit, the Sharks will be in Chicago and Seattle plays in Vegas. Then on Thursday, the final day of the regular season, St. Louis is in Utah, Winnipeg hosts the Sharks and Seattle plays in Colorado.

We’ll have to wait and see how things play out for the Panthers, but it’s looking like they have a fairly decent chance at retaining their first-round pick.

Stay tuned.

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Photo caption: Apr 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches from the bench against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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JJ Redick on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries: 'There's no update'

After reports surfaced on Monday, April 13 that Los Angeles Lakers stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are inching closer to their returns from injuries, head coach JJ Redick made it clear on Tuesday, April 14 that there will be no further updates in the near future.

"Look, they're out indefinitely," Redick told reporters during his media availability at Tuesday's practice. "I'm not gonna have an update for you this week. They're out indefinitely."

NBA insider Marc Stein confirmed an earlier report that Doncic is scheduled to return to the Lakers on Friday and will be re-evaluated after undergoing multiple injection procedures in Spain in hopes of accelerating his recovery from a grade 2 left hamstring strain.

Reaves, meanwhile, has been rehabbing a grade 2 left oblique muscle strain in Los Angeles. Both Reaves and Doncic sustained their injuries during a blowout loss in Oklahoma City on April 2 and missed the rest of the regular season and will likely be out through at least the first round of the playoffs, where the No. 4-seeded Lakers will take on the No. 5 seed Houston Rockets.

While they're considered out indefinitely, both injuries usually carry a standard recovery window of about four-to-six weeks, which would sideline Doncic and Reaves through the first week of May. It's currently unclear how effective the treatment Doncic got in Spain actually was or if it impacted his timeline at all, and it most likely won't be known until after his re-evaluation at the end of the week.

What is a grade 2 hamstring strain?

A Grade 2 hamstring strain is a “moderate injury that is typically a partial tear in the muscle; patients are likely to limp when walking and will have occasional twinges of pain during activity,” according to Mercy Health.

The injury could take close to a month to heal, but “returning to sports before the injury is fully healed can cause more severe injuries.”

What is a grade 2 oblique strain?

A grade 2 oblique strain is another moderate strain in which "one of the abdominal muscles (internal or external oblique muscles) becomes frayed, torn or detached, often from the lower four ribs," according to Performance Place. The injury makes it painful for someone to breathe, cough and laugh and is common among baseball players and golfers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injury updates, latest on Lakers stars

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UNC Basketball: A Tar Heel-centric NBA Playoffs preview

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 12: Coby White #3 of the Charlotte Hornets dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on April 12, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Later tonight, the NBA Playoffs are set to begin. Well, somewhat. Tonight starts the Play-In Tournament that decides the final teams to make the playoffs, but either way, the march towards the NBA Finals begins over the next couple days. While UNC’s lack of a former player being a leading player on a championship-contending team has been well covered (and will hopefully change with Caleb Wilson’s ascendance), there are still a number of former Tar Heels around the bracket. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the former North Carolina players who will try and bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year.

We’ll start with a Tar Heel who will quickly be in action this postseason, but will be up against it as far making a long stay is concerned.

After a midseason trade sent him to the Charlotte Hornets, Coby White has helped them back to the playoffs…somewhat. Later tonight, the Hornets will host the Heat in the 9/10 game in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. In order to get into the main bracket, White and Charlotte will have to knockoff Miami tonight and then beat the loser of the 7/8 game between the 76ers and Magic. Even if they make it through that, the Hornets would then be tasked with facing the #1 seed and 60-win Pistons squad.

The Tar Heel with probably the most intriguing title chances this year is Harrison Barnes with the San Antonio Spurs. While Victor Wenbanyama is the key cog in the Spurs’ machine, Barnes has been a solid veteran presence as they’ve returned to the postseason this year. He’s put up 9.9 points per game and is knocking down a little under 40% of his three-point attempts as San Antonio cracked the 60-win mark. Barnes and the Spurs will go in as the #2 seed in the West, and will take on the winner of the Suns/Blazers play-in game. However, as a #2 seed, it’ll be hard for them not to hope for a deep playoff run.

Harrison Ingram is also on the Spurs’ roster, although he averages less than four minutes per game in only seven appearances this season, so he likely won’t be a key part of their playoff run.

Another Carolina player on a team hoping to make it far will be Cameron Johnson on the Denver Nuggets. He’s one of my favorite recent Tar Heels, so by no means do I say this to disparage him; by all accounts, he hasn’t been quite as good as what Denver was hoping for when they added him in on offseason trade. However, he’s still put up over double digits points per game and makes threes at a good clip. Denver will probably need him to be even better than that if they want to make another run at a championship, though. Their run will start with a series against the Timberwolves, which begins Saturday.

As mentioned, the Blazers will compete for one of the last couple places out West in the play-in tournament. He spent time in the G-League, as he’s on a two-way deal, but Caleb Love plays for Portland. When he’s been up with the NBA team, he’s averaged over 20 minutes a game in 49 appearances, so he’ll probably get some amount of run should the Blazers make the full playoffs — how much remains to be seen.

Best of luck to all the Tar Heels who will be competing over the coming weeks and months. My personal rooting interest does not have a former Carolina player, so I can’t say as of now that I’m rooting for one of them to win it all, but I certainly hope they all play well.

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Gamethread 4/14: Cubs at Phillies

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

For the Cubs:

Let’s talk about it.

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Best NRFI Bets Today: MLB First Inning Predictions for Tuesday, April 14

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Although the Minnesota Twins have been red-hot at the plate, rookie pitcher Mick Abel has struggled. 

That’s why my MLB picks are backing the “yes run first inning” market in tonight's matchup against the Boston Red Sox.

Check out what other bets I'm making in my free YRFI and NRFI bets for Tuesday, April 14.

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

PickOdds
Giants/Reds - NRFI+100
Angels/Yankees- YRFI-115
Red Sox/Twins - YRFI+110

Giants at Reds: NRFI (+100)

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer has been awful this season, pitching to a 7.71 ERA through three starts. That said, the veteran posted a 3.96 FIP across 64 starts over the last two years, so expect improvement.

Singer is set to face a San Francisco Giants lineup that ranks 29th in the majors in runs per game (3.19) and 28th in OBP (.288).

The Giants will counter with lefty Robbie Ray and his 2.08 ERA. The veteran has great swing-and-miss stuff, and Cincinnati sits 28th in runs per game (3.38) and 29th in OPS (.623).

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: NBC Sports BA | Reds.TV

Angels at Yankees: YRFI (-115)

The New York Yankees will give the ball to lefty Ryan Weathers, whose 5.12 xERA and .299 xBA suggest he’s been very lucky. The southpaw will take on a Los Angeles Angels lineup that enters tonight seventh in the majors in OPS against southpaws (.726).

Meanwhile, the Yankees have been a bit inconsistent at the dish this year, but the analytics suggest positive regression. They rank first in the majors in barrel rate, third in hard-hit rate, and second in xwOBAcon (.403).

  • Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: FanDuel SN West | YES

Red Sox at Twins: YRFI (+110)

Sonny Gray has looked sharp in two of three starts this year. That said, the Boston Red Sox hurler had a 4.28 ERA last season, including sporting a 4.50 ERA and .256 OBA in the first inning.

Gray's strikeout rate has plummeted to just 15.2%, and the Minnesota Twins are also red-hot at the dish, having posted an OPS of .839 over the last week. 

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have plated 6+ runs in three straight games. They face 24-year-old Mick Abel, who has failed to play up to his vast potential. Abel finished with a 6.23 ERA last year, and his xERA is at 7.17 through 13 1/3 frames this year.

  • Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: NESN+ | Twins.TV
Rohit Ponnaiya's 2026 Transparency Record
  • NRFI/YRFI picks: 11-9, +1.66 units

What is a NRFI bet?

NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.

A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.

NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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NBA play-in tournament games thread

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 06: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets knocks the ball away from Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat in the second half during their game at Spectrum Center on March 06, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to the 2026 play-in tournament! This is the sixth season of the play-in.

History of the NBA play-in tournament

The play-in tournament technically started in the bubble in the 2019-20 season. It differs from the current form, but the first game was the Grizzlies vs. the Trail Blazers. Portland went on to win and earn the No. 8 seed, facing the Lakers in the first round.

The play-in expanded the following season to its current format, with the 7-10 seeds at the end of the regular season facing off to earn the seven and eight seeds in both conferences.

Who can forget the “I see three baskets” game-winner from LeBron James in the matchup versus the Golden State Warriors?

In 2021, the Grizzlies beat the Warriors in OT. This was the first time the lower seed beat the higher seed. The Grizzlies beat the Warriors, the No. 8 seed, as the No. 9 seed in a 117-112 overtime game.

2022 brought typical results in the matchups with the seedings. In the 2023 play-in, the Lakers beat the Timberwolves in the 7-8 matchup. The Wolves would go on to defeat the Thunder. This is the game where Pat Bev climbed on the announcing desk to celebrate the win.

In 2024, the Lakers beat the Pelicans twice, once at the end of the regular season and then in the play-in. That season, the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in the first round. Finally, last season, the Heat and Hawks matchup to become the No. 8 seed wasn’t exciting.

Here is a more extensive history of the play-in tournament.

Play-In Tournament schedule

This years Tournament schedule is below. All games will be on Prime Video.

Tuesday, April 14

East — No. 10 seed Heat vs. No. 9 seed Hornets at 7:30 p.m. Eastern (Loser goes home)

West — No. 8 seed Trail Blazers vs No. 7 seed Suns at 10:00 p.m. Eastern (Winner earns No. 7 seed)

Wednesday, April 15

East — No. 8 seed Magic vs No. 7 seed 76ers at 7:30 p.m. Eastern (Winner earns No. 7 seed)

West — No. 10 seed Warriors vs No. 9 seed Clippers at 10 p.m. Eastern (loser is eliminated)

Friday, April 17

East — 7/8 loser vs 9/10 winner at 7:30 p.m. Eastern

West — 7/8 loser vs 9/10 winner at 10 p.m. Eastern

  • The first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs will start April 18.
  • Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be June 3.

Have at it in the Play-In thread and remember all the typical game thread rules and have fun!

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Rockies recall RHP Tanner Gordon, option Valente Bellozo

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Colorado Rockies optioned right-handed long reliever Valente Bellozo to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on Monday. However, a corresponding roster move was not announced until Tuesday afternoon as right-handed pitcher Tanner Gordon has been recalled from the Isotopes.

Bellozo, pitched 4.1 innings of relief on Sunday against the San Diego Padres when anticipated starter Kyle Freeland was a last-minute scratch due to posterior left shoulder soreness. He gave up five earned runs on eight hits—including three home runs—with four walks and a hit batter. He only tallied one strikeout.

Right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen will make his scheduled start on Tuesday night against the Houston Astros, but the Rockies were in need of reinforcements with a depleted bullpen and down multiple starters due to injuries.

Gordon, 26, made 15 starts for the Rockies in 2025 and has been off to a strong start in 2026 with Triple-A Albuquerque. In his first three Triple-A starts of the season he has a 2.76 ERA with 15 strikeouts to four walks over 16.1 innings of work. He’s also given up just one home run so far in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Gordon can either make a start during this Houston series—his last start was on April 8th so he is well rested—or will be available for bulk work out of the bullpen. His role is likely dependent on the status of veteran starting pitcher José Quintana, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain retroactive to March 30th. Quintana will potentially be activated this week.

It is currently unknown if Kyle Freeland will need to be placed on the injured list.

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Lakers provide update on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Lakers player Austin Reaves reacting to a play during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Image 2 shows Austin Reaves dribbling the basketball in a game against the Washington Wizards, Image 3 shows A man in a black Lakers sweatshirt with his arms crossed looks forward during a basketball game

The Lakers have been without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for nearly two weeks, and that isn’t changing entering the playoffs.

Coach JJ Redick said after Tuesday’s practice, the first before the Lakers’ first round series against the Rockets, that the team’s star guards remain sidelined and there isn’t an update on their status. 

“They’re out indefinitely,” Redick said. “I’m not going to have an update for you this week. They’re out indefinitely.”

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers smile during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images

Game 1 of Lakers-Rockets is scheduled for Saturday (5:30 p.m. tipoff) at Crypto.com Arena. 

Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain) both suffered their regular season-ending injuries during the Lakers’ April 2 road loss to the Thunder.  

Reaves was at the Lakers’ practice facility on Tuesday and was seen shooting on the court during the portion of practice that was open to media members.

While wearing slides, Reaves participated in a free throw shooting contest at the end of practice, missing a trio of free throws to the delight of his teammates. He made a corner 3-pointer before walking off the court.

Doncic, who went to Spain to receive treatment on his injured hamstring, will return to the United States on Friday, sources told the California Post.

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Spencer Strider will join Sean Murphy on rehab assignment in High-A Rome

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves is introduced before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As it turns out, Thursday night will be a very good day for local fans in Rome to show up to the ballpark and for Braves fans in general to keep an eye on the Rome Emperors. Walt Weiss spoke with the media before Tuesday’s night middle game between the Braves and the Marlins and revealed that Spencer Strider will be joining Sean Murphy in Rome to begin his rehab assignment as well.

While Murphy is expected to begin his rehab stint tonight, he’ll serve as a battery mate with Spencer Strider on Thursday night since that’s when Strider will make his first start since suffering an oblique injury during the tail end of spring training. According to Weiss, Strider is expected to toss 40-45 pitches before bowing out. I’d imagine that Strider’s timetable for a potential return to the big leagues will come shortly after his performance and the obvious hope is that he’ll look good enough once he’s done on Thursday night.

At the same time, they could really try to let him stretch out as much as possible since he’s dealing with an oblique injury after all. Obliques are notoriously tricky to deal with and the obvious hope is that Strider won’t re-aggravate the injury in any way, shape or form while he’s on rehab assignment with Rome. So this could only be the first start for Strider on rehab for all we know.

We also got a look at what Sean Murphy’s rehab schedule in Rome will look like:

Either way, if you’re a fan in the Rome area then Thursday night seems like the perfect night to mosey on over to the ballpark to catch a game. If you can’t make it to the game, you’ll be able to watch for free on Bally Sports Live and I highly suggest that y’all do so since the Braves will be off on Thursday, anyways. Here’s hoping that the rehab stint is a successful one for both Murphy and Strider and that we’ll see them both at the big league level real soon!

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Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies preview, Tuesday 4/14, 5:40 CT

Today’s roster moves: Here

The Cubs are interested in Lucas Giolito, per The Athletic.

Tuesday notes…

  • DOUBLE DIGITS THE WRONG WAY: Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 106th since 2016 in which they allowed double-digit runs. They played another game after 102 of the previous ones. They won 53 and lost 49, including 1-0 this year, 7-4 last year and 5-4 in 2024. They allowed an average of 4.34 runs in all 102 subsequent games, including five shutouts and 20 games with one run. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • DANSBY, HEATING UP: Dansby Swanson, last three games: 3-for-9 (.333) with two home runs, four walks and six runs scored.
  • KEEPING POSITIVE: The Cubs’ five-run eighth Monday kept their run differential in positive territory at +4, despite their 7-9 record.
  • YOU GO, MO BALLER: Moisés Ballesteros, last six games since April 7: .563/.556/1.000 (9-for-16) with a double, two home runs, five RBI and five runs scored. (The BA/OBP difference is a mathematical oddity due to having one walk and one sacrifice fly.)

Cubs lineup:

Phillies lineup:

Riley Martin, LHP vs. Aaron Nola, RHP

Riley Martin, clearly, is an opener tonight, starting so he can face Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, Phillies left-handed batters who will come to the plate in the first inning.

Martin started one game at Triple-A Iowa this year and allowed one run in three innings. He’s never faced the Phillies, obviously, and perhaps he can stop Schwarber and Harper, and then give way, most likely, to Colin Rea, the originally scheduled starter for this game.

Rea stepped in admirably for Matthew Boyd when Boyd hit the injured list — just as he subbed capably for Justin Steele last year. He threw five two-hit innings against the Rays last Wednesday.

Last year, Rea made two starts against the Phillies. One was pretty good, the other not so much. J.T. Realmuto is 5-for-11 with a home run vs. Rea, and Kyle Schwarber has also homered off him.

Aaron Nola is off to a good start this year, with all three of his starts at least decent.

Last year he missed a whole bunch of time due to injuries, but before that he threw seven one-run innings against the Cubs April 27, 2025 at Wrigley Field.

Michael Conforto has homered twice off Nola — but is 10-for-53 overall with 19 strikeouts. Similar for Dansby Swanson: three homers off Nola, but overall 15-for-66 (.227) with 13 strikeouts.

Here is the weather forecast for Philadelphia.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on TBS (outside the Cubs and Phillies market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Mets site Amazin’ Avenue. If you do go there to interact with Mets fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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2026 NBA Playoff Bracket: Live Results, Full Schedule, Matchups & Format

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The chase for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is officially on! Every night of the 2026 NBA Playoffs brings fresh drama, from superstar takeovers to bracket-busting upsets that can flip the postseason picture in a heartbeat.

Whether you're tracking every first-round matchup, checking the latest results, or looking ahead to what's next, our NBA bracket hub has you covered.

Follow along for live scores, updated schedules, and playoff format details to help guide your NBA picks.

2026 NBA playoffs bracket

NBA Playoff printable and downloadable bracket

WRITE ALT TEXT
Downloadable NBA Playoff bracket

Print the PDF for a clean, easy-to-read bracket you can fill out by hand, or save it digitally if you prefer to make your picks on a screen.

Start by writing in your winners for each matchup and advancing teams round by round. Whether you are joining an office pool, competing with friends, or following the tournament for fun, this blank bracket makes it simple to keep up with every result.

2026 NBA Playoffs matchups and results

First Round - East 

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

TeamTo win
Celtics-900
76ers+600

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

TeamTo win
Knicks-270
Hawks+220

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

TeamTo win
Cavaliers-550
Raptors+400

First Round - West 

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers

TeamTo win
Spurs-2000
Trail Blazers+1000

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

TeamTo win
Nuggets-350
Timberwolves+275

(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

TeamTo win
Lakers+450
Rockets-600

2026 NBA Playoffs schedule

EventDate
NBA Play-In TournamentApril 14-17
NBA Playoffs beginApril 18
NBA Conference SemifinalsTBD
NBA Conference FinalsTBD
NBA Finals Game 1June 3
NBA Finals Game 2June 5
NBA Finals Game 3June 8
NBA Finals Game 4June 10
NBA Finals Game 5 (if necessary)June 13
NBA Finals Game 6 (if necessary)June 16
NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)June 19

NBA playoff format

The NBA playoffs adopt a format designed to favor successful teams while giving underdogs a shot at the championship. Here's a brief look at the structure:

  • The postseason begins with a Play-In Tournament featuring the 7th through 10th-ranked teams in each conference. This extends from April 14 to 17.
  • The NBA Playoffs kick off with the first round on April 18, where the top one to six teams in each conference join the winners of the Play-In.
  • The matchups are set as No. 1 vs. No. 8 seed, No. 2 vs. No. 7 seed, No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed.
  • Each playoff round, including the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals, features a seven-game series.
  • In these series, the higher-seeded team hosts Games 1, 2, 5 (if necessary), and 7 (if necessary) following a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
  • The NBA Finals start on June 3.

Looking for more intel? Our NBA Championship odds breaks down the clubs with the best odds of winning the NBA Finals. And be sure to check out our NBA Finals MVP odds page to see which player is most likely to hoist the Bill Russell Trophy when the dust settles.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.