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Sweet 16's most important injuries (and replacements) that could shape March Madness

The 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament is down to 16 teams and the injury report remains an important part of sifting through the remaining games in the bracket. Nearly one-third of the teams to qualify for the Sweet 16 are dealing with a significant player hobbled by injury, including No. 1 overall seed Duke.

Several played through the pain to advance through the round of 32, while others are attempting to return from injury as fast as possible with the win-or-go-home element of March Madness looming over their recovery. In most cases, their potential replacement has already been thrust into a bigger role after lingering uncertainty through the first weekend of this year's tournament.

Here's a look at the injuries that could most affect the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as well as the potential replacements to watch if these injured stars can't play when March Madness resumes:

SWEET 16 PREDICTIONS: Experts pick who will advance in March Madness bracket

Most important March Madness injuries (and injury replacements)

Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State (Nate Heise)

The injury status of Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson looms large over the Midwest regional in Chicago, beginning with the Sweet 16 nightcap between the second-seeded Cyclones and No. 6 seed Tennessee on Friday, March 27. The 6-foot-9 NBA prospect suffered a sprained left ankle early in Iowa State's first-round win over No. 15 seed Tennessee State on March 20 and did not play in its round of 32 victory over No. 7 seed Kentucky two days later.

Sixth man Nate Heise started in place of Jefferson, who is averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season for the Cyclones. Heise, a 6-foot-5 guard, responded with 12 points and three assists, but Iowa State got just five points from its bench as a result. Jefferson told reporters he plans to "do everything [in] my power to get healthy" ahead of Friday's Sweet 16 game.

"Nate has been essentially our sixth starter all year, even when he hasn't started on the court," Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. "I say it over and over again; Nate Heise is someone who's a fierce competitor, defensively has tremendous pride, getting stops, team defense, getting traffic rebounds, making plays. You can feel that compete every possession. Offensively he steps up and does what's needed for our team. ... Nate is somebody for me that I just have tremendous belief and confidence in, and I know what he can do, and I know what he'll continue to do."

C.J. Cox, Purdue (Gicarri Harris)

Purdue sophomore C.J. Cox suffered an apparent knee injury early in the second half of the No. 2 seeded Boilermakers' win over No. 7 seed Miami in the round of 32 and did not return. Coach Matt Painter told reporters after the game that Cox had "hyperextended" his knee and would see how it responded to treatment this week.

Cox called it "nothing serious" and said he could have re-entered the game if needed. The 6-3 guard had three 3-pointers that helped Purdue erase a first-half deficit against Miami before leaving the game due to injury. He has started every game for the Boilermakers this season, while averaging 8.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

If Cox can't play, or is limited, when Purdue faces No. 11 seed Texas Thursday, March 26 in the Sweet 16, Gicarri Harris is likely to take on a bigger role. He replaced Cox against the Hurricanes and buried his only 3-pointer within three minutes of entering the game. Harris also had two steals as the primary defender on Miami guard Tre Donaldson down the stretch.

Silas Demary Jr., UConn (Malachi Smith)

UConn's point guard was initially listed as questionable by the Huskies in their NCAA player availability report before coming off the bench in the No. 2 seed's round of 32 win over No. 7 seed UCLA. Though he had just two points, Demary finished with four assists and two steals after missing the Huskies' first-round win over No. 15 seed Furman. He initially suffered an ankle injury in the second half of UConn's Big East Tournament final loss to St. John's on March 14.

Graduate transfer Malachi Smith, who came to UConn from Dayton ahead of this season having never played in an NCAA Tournament game before, has produced 13 assists starting in place of Demary the past two games. Smith's minutes have increased substantially with Demary hobbled, setting new season highs for playing time at UConn in its two March Madness games thus far.

Coach Dan Hurley told reporters after Smith's first-round performance that the team thought Smith had also hurt his knee in a practice collision before leaving for the NCAA Tournament. "He was banged up out there playing 31 minutes. The guy’s a warrior and showed that New York toughness today.”

Caleb Foster, Duke (Cayden Boozer)

Duke starting point guard Caleb Foster hasn't played for the Blue Devils since suffering a broken foot in the team's regular-season finale against North Carolina March 6. But coach Jon Scheyer left the door open for him to return in time for No. 1 seed Duke's Sweet 16 matchup against No. 5 seed St. John's on Friday, March 27.

"Not to reference 'Dumb and Dumber,' but when he first got hurt, I felt like maybe it was one in a million," Scheyer told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein on Monday. "Since then, the way Caleb has worked, the chances have continued to increase. I think there's an outside chance, maybe for Friday. 

"He's trying to do the impossible here and try to come back as soon as he can," Scheyer added. "This weekend, I don't think I can rule it out because of who he is and how he's been working."

Cayden Boozer has moved into the starting lineup for Foster and performed well during the ACC Tournament and the first two games of Duke's NCAA Tournament run. He had a career-high 19 points and five assists when the Blue Devils came back in the second half to beat No. 16 seed Siena in the first round.

Nate Ament, Tennessee (Jaylen Carey or Amari Evans)

Ament, a potential NBA lottery pick, is playing through ankle and knee injuries that forced him to miss two games at the end of Tennessee's regular-season schedule. He was used for just 18 minutes in the Vols' opening round NCAA win over Miami (Ohio) and then gutted through a 16-point, 4-rebound performance against Virginia in the round of 32. He's shooting 5-for-27 from the field over the past three games.

"For me, I wanted to do it for my teammates and this university. I owe them so much," Ament said after the game. "The least I could do is fight through this."

Jaylen Carey started six consecutive games when Ament didn't play to close the regular season, but the Vols have altered their lineups since then. J.P. Estrella was moved back into a starting role beginning with the SEC Tournament, with Amari Evans shifted to the bench along with Carey. Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes can turn to the 6-foot-5 Evans for more versatility or the 6-foot-8 Carey for more size inside if Ament can't go or significantly limited by injury.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness 2026 injury update for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 games

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Canadiens: Dobes Pulls Magnificent Performance And Gets The Two Points

Over the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens have often struggled against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tuesday night’s tilt at the Bell Centre was no different. Martin St-Louis can keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to his lineup, all he wants, but it’s not going to make an iota of difference if the players he puts on the ice aren't ready to go when the puck drops.

After missing the last two games with an upper-body injury, Josh Anderson was back in the lineup, taking over from Joe Veleno. At the same time, the coach had elected to go back to Jakub Dobes in net, despite Jacob Fowler winning the last game. A wise decision considering the Czech netminder made 14 saves in the first frame while his team was largely “sleepskating” on the ice.

Canadiens’ Caufield Has A Knack For Scoring Important Goals
Canadiens Take On The Hurricanes And Hope To Create Some Distance
Canadiens Hard At Work Ahead Of Duel With Carolina

A Worrying Start

The first period, especially its first 12 minutes, was worrying for the Canadiens. It looked like the puck was a hot potato none of their players were comfortable handling; perhaps it had to do with the coaches' warning them about the Canes' intense, fast forecheck. Whenever they’d get the puck, they’d get rid of it in a hurry, often handing it right back to the visitors.

After 20 minutes, the shots were 16-4 Carolina, and had it not been for Dobes, the score would have been much worse than 2-1. The goalie was peppered with shots, and they were not easy ones either. The first goal came when Mike Matheson tried to block a shot from the blueline with his stick and deflected it past Dobes. As for the second goal, it came from Oliver Kapanen turning the puck over in the defensive zone, inexplicably sending it from the blueline to the slot where Jordan Staal was all alone. It was easy for the Canes’ captain to give his team a 2-0 lead.

Thankfully for the Finnish rookie, he made up for his mistake when he deflected a Jayden Struble shot past Frederik Anderson to put Montreal on the scoreboard later in the first period.

Speaking about the first frame, the coach explained:

You try to talk about it before the game, but you have to live it. We shot ourselves in the foot early with giveaways and penalties; it was hard to get momentum, but I feel we found our game toward the end of the first. We spoke about their pressure in between the first and the second, once again, about how the team could get through that. We were better in the third, but it’s not an easy team to play when you’re leading by one goal; you try to play with little calculated risk, and they’re in your face the whole time. You have to try to put pucks deep and capitalize on their aggressiveness; that’s how we were able to separate ourselves with Demidov’s goal. Then we had to close out the game, which isn’t easy against a team that shoots everything from everywhere.
- St-Louis on his team's game

Caufield Activated

As is often the case when Montreal is in trouble, Cole Caufield rose to the challenge, scoring the game-tying goal nearly six minutes into the second frame. The goal came just at the right time after Montreal failed to capitalize on two Hurricanes penalties, even though they enjoyed a 29-second five-on-three.

His goal seemed to jump-start the Habs, and it even looked like he had his 45th of the season less than four minutes later, but the puck ended up deflecting on Juraj Slafkovsky. Still, Caufield had an assist on that goal two, and his redirection of Noah Dobson’s slapshot was perfect. While the sniper is chasing the 50-goal mark, that goal was the big Slovak’s 28th of the season, and it’s looking increasingly likely that he will reach the 30-goal mark.

After 40 minutes, Montreal had a 3-2 lead while the Hurricanes led 26-15 in shots, but they were unable to get anything past Dobes in the middle Stanza.

Dobes’ Best Game Of The Season

Goaltending hasn’t been a force for the Canadiens this season, but since January, Dobes has found plenty of ways to win. Tonight, he went for the good old making a truckload of saves. St-Louis rarely speaks a lot about his goaltenders, but tonight, he gave the Czech netminder his due:

I feel he plays big; he’s confident, but I can’t speak to his technique. He’s been excellent tonight, especially with the start we had to our game; he made some big saves. You look at the attempted shots, it’s a team that shoots from everywhere, and that creates a lot of chaos; you have to be alert, and he was.
- St-Louis on Dobes' performance

The coach also added that his performance gave the team a lot of confidence and that he often does it. St-Louis’ decision to give him the next speaks volumes about how he feels about Dobes now. Earlier in the season, he didn’t hesitate to sit him even if he was doing well to try and get his number one netminder going, but now, he clearly sees that Dobes is the hot hand, and he doesn’t want to mess with that.

It feels like Dobes has finally earned the organization's respect despite competing with the former number one and the youngster generally regarded as the Canadiens’ goaltender of the future. His performances since the new year have forced the Habs not to skip his turn.

The Canadiens will have an optional skate at the Bell Centre tomorrow before getting back on the ice on Thursday night for one last home game before a five-game road trip. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently battling for a playoff spot, will no doubt be desperate for the win, and the Canadiens will have to be ready from the get-go.

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Matthew Knies Impresses With Shorthanded Goal In Maple Leafs Victory Over Bruins

BOSTON — The Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves in familiar territory early Tuesday night, digging a hole with three penalties in the opening 25 minutes against the Boston Bruins. Despite trailing 1-0 after the first period and facing early trouble in the middle frame, the Leafs found a spark from a familiar source in Matthew Knies.

The turning point arrived when Knies flexed his size in the neutral zone, wrestling the puck away from Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei before breaking free for a shorthanded breakaway. Knies beat Jeremy Swayman to knot the game at 1-1, an individual effort that served as the catalyst for one of the Leafs’ most complete performances in recent memory. Following the 4-2 victory, his teammates were quick to praise the rare blend of attributes the sophomore forward brings to the lineup.

“It always just impresses you when he pulls it off,” captain John Tavares said of Knies’ highlight-reel goal. “His ability to just be so strong and just how physically mature he is, he’s a beast. He’s a very unique player at his age to have that type of strength, and then after that to have the soft hands and the poise and touch to score a beauty like that. He’s got a nice package as a player. We’re obviously very lucky to have him.”

The shorthanded marker was Knies’ 19th of the campaign, and he later added an empty-netter to reach the 20-goal plateau for the first time. With 59 points in 69 games, the Arizona native continues to set new career highs across the board. The performance is particularly notable given Knies has been navigating a lingering knee injury. While some wondered if he might shut things down with the Leafs’ playoff positioning relatively secure, Knies has remained adamant that playing won’t aggravate the issue. Based on his showing at TD Garden, the injury isn’t slowing his production.

“Just the power he presents and strength in skating I thought he was really good all night for us. Did a lot of good things,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Knies.

The game took a physical turn after Knies’ first goal when Nikita Zadorov leveled Tavares from behind. Rookie Easton Cowan didn’t hesitate to jump in for his captain, challenging the veteran defenseman. That grit continued into the third period when Dakota Joshua dropped the gloves with Zadorov, signaling a collective pushback from a Toronto squad that showed plenty of resolve.

Statistically, it was a dominant night for the visitors. The Leafs fired 35 shots on goal, their highest total since a shootout win over Vancouver, and outshot their opponent for the first time since March 5. Anthony Stolarz remained sharp in the crease, making 18 saves on 20 shots, including several high-danger stops of a difficult variety, to preserve the win for Toronto.

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Orioles news: O’s look to finalize roster on eve of Opening Day

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Baseball fans look out to the baseball diamond before the Boston Red Sox play against the Baltimore Orioles during their Opening Day game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning Birdland,

A baseball game that actually counts will take place today. It’s the Yankees and the Giants, it’s at 8 p.m., and it’s only on Netflix. So I will be missing it, but at least it’s happening!

As for a game that we all care about around here, we have one more day to wait. The Orioles season will get underway tomorrow at 3 p.m. or thereabouts. Pre-game festivities on Opening Day always seem to run just slightly over their allotted time. They might still be rolling up the orange carpet at 3.

If you are heading to Camden Yards for the game, it seems like you will have a lovely day on your hands. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s and the chance of rain is basically non-existent. It should be a perfect day for baseball.

You will also be among the first people to get a first-hand look at some of the offseason renovations to Camden Yards. Some fans took a gander over the weekend during the Orioles/Nationals exhibition, Kevin Brown took us all on a video tour of the place, and the broader press was going gaga over the changes throughout the day on Tuesday.

As for today, we will all be on the lookout for some finalizing of the team’s roster. The Orioles have to make their decisions by noon. That is when Opening Day rosters are due.

The team has already made some big decisions. Dean Kremer being sent to Triple-A was probably the biggest. They DFA’d Bryan Ramos on Tuesday. That was another significant move. He had a really good spring and looked like a potential infield option with Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg on the IL. Instead, he could be claimed and go elsewhere. We also need to learn if Dylan Beavers’ knee is fit enough for Opening Day. It seems like it will be, but a brief IL stint for him could open up a spot for someone else.

The bullpen is where most of the remaining question marks probably lay. We know Andrew Kittredge will make a rehab stop in Norfolk before he is ready. Keegan Akin could still go to the IL with his recent adductor issue. Jackson Kowar and Albert Suárez are both out of options. Yaramil Hiraldo could be sent down without issue, but he was quite good this spring and probably deserves a roster spot. And there is the possibility that the O’s pluck a reliever from someone else’s roster.

In general though, the O’s are in a good spot. They got the injuries to Holliday and Westburg out of the way early in spring, and then got through the Grapefruit League and WBC relatively unscathed. They won’t be a full strength on Opening Day, but it will be close.

Links

What MLB scouts say are the Orioles’ strengths and weaknesses | The Baltimore Banner
None of this is particularly ground breaking. We are well aware of where the team could improve, but it can be interesting to hear outside opinions. However, something in this piece that I vehemently disagree with was the description of Kyle Bradish as a “two or a really good number three” on a championship team. I understand if you have to take his recent health into consideration when determining his overall value, but in terms of actual ability and output, Bradish is at the very least a number two.

New video board, sound system should excite Oriole fans this season | Baltimore Baseball
Personally, I kind of liked the video board that the team used to have. It was a little awkward, but had a charm to it that the new one seems to lack. The sound system, on the other hand, was in desperate need of improvement. There were areas of the stadium where you could not hear anything being said. So that is certainly a welcome improvement.

‘It’s up to us now’: How O’s can make postseason run in 2026 | MLB.com
Health and home runs. That is the formula. The team had some bad luck in 2025, but they also just weren’t very good. Much of the roster returns in 2026, but the front office also made several high-profile additions that they hope will pay off.

One last chance to wonder about the roster | Roch Kubatko
I would love to see Elias pull off a late move for a quality reliever, but if that was going to happen it feels like it would have by now. At this point, it’s more likely they enter the year with the guys they have and figure it out as they go. Maybe the bullpen will be fine! Ryan Helsley looked pretty good over the weekend.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

  • Tucker Davidson turns 30 today. He pitched in one game for the 2024 Orioles and is currently in the Phillies organization.
  • The late Woodie Held (b. 1932, d. 2009) was born on this day. He was a utility player for the Orioles from 1966-67, taking the field at every position but pitcher, catcher, and first base during his time in Baltimore.

This day in O’s history

It has been a slow day in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. Instead, here are a few happenings on this date from beyond Birdland:

1948 – The first successful tornado forecast predicts that a tornado will strike Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

1965 – A group of nonviolent activists, led by Martin Luther King Jr, complete their four-day, 50-mile march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama to protest against segregation and encourage African-American citizens to exercise their right to vote.

1979 – The first fully functional Space Shuttle orbitor, dubbed Columbia, is delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to be prepared for launch.

Dealing with a busted bracket?

The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.

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New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants: Opening Day Series Preview

After a long offseason, the wait is finally over. Opening Day has officially arrived on the calendar, and the New York Yankees are going to be one of the two teams marking the start of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

As the only game of the day—well, evening—the eyes of every baseball fan will be tuned in to the action at Oracle Park out in San Francisco. The Yankees begin their season out west in front of a hostile crowd rooting on their Giants, now led by former University of Tennessee Volunteers manager Tony Vitello, a curious choice made by team legend and president of baseball operations Buster Posey.

San Francisco has made the playoffs just once since 2016 and looks to improve upon a 2025 season in which they finished at exactly the .500 mark and third in the National League West, while the Yankees once again move toward the goal of winning a World Series in the era of Aaron Judge. For more on the Giants as a whole, check out my colleague Matt’s team preview, and of course we’ve done a full player-by-player preview for everyone on the Yankees. Their roster is all but finalized.

All first pitch times below are Eastern Standard Time; Yankees starters were confirmed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and the Giants by Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. Happy 2026 season, everyone! Let’s play ball.

Wednesday — Max Fried vs. Logan Webb (8:05 pm)

After Gerrit Cole went down with a season-ending arm injury in March 2025 that required Tommy John surgery, it was the newly-signed Max Fried’s job to step in and take over the role of ace, which he did extremely well. He finished last season with a 19-5 record and a 2.86 ERA with 189 strikeouts in 195.1 innings pitched. He earned an All-Star nod, a Gold Glove, and finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting. Cole’s injury happened late enough in camp last year that the Yankees elected to have Carlos Rodón start Opening Day rather than move Fried off schedule, but he was clearly prepared for the Opening Day nod this time around (Cole continues to work back into shape and get ready for a return). The southpaw previously started three Opening Days for the Braves from 2021-23, and is raring to go in 2026.

However, at the other end of the spectrum is a pitcher who had a spectacular season last year as well: Logan Webb. The Giants’ workhorse ace pitched 207 innings, the most of anyone in MLB, and tallied 224 strikeouts, pacing the National League. Webb recorded a 3.22 ERA and also finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting. So, not only will baseball fans get a glimpse at a couple of exciting offenses, but these two aces are coming off fantastic seasons and will be sure to battle it out against one another — especially in a pitcher’s park like Oracle. This will be Webb’s fifth consecutive Opening Day start for the Giants, remarkably passing Posey’s old batterymates Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner (among others) for second in team history, only trailing Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.

As a reminder, the Opening Day game will be broadcast exclusively on Netflix.

Friday — Cam Schlittler vs. Robbie Ray (4:35 pm)

After a day off, the Yankees and Giants will take the field again for the second matchup of three and the first familiar telecast of the season on YES Network. This pitching duel will be between a young, up-and-coming right-hander and a well-established, veteran left-hander.

Last year, Cam Schlittler made waves, pitching in 14 games for the Yankees, racking up 1.3 fWAR and a 2.96 ERA in 73.0 innings pitched. The rookie’s best performance came in the AL Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox, his childhood team. He pitched eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in the winner-take-all game, all as a rookie. Now, Schlittler begins his first full season at the major-league level, and he will have to use his excellent stuff to beat the man across from him.

Robbie Ray had his best season in a few years in 2025, pitching 180+ innings for the first time since 2022—the season after his Cy Young Award-winning year in Toronto earned him a big contract—and ending with a respectable 3.65 ERA. While his strikeout stuff declined relative to his stellar earlier career, he lowered his walk and home run rates in the process, and entering the season at age 34, he’s looking to start off another solid campaign. It will be his third in San Francisco since coming over in a January 2024 trade with the Mariners, mid-Tommy John surgery rehab.

Saturday — Will Warren vs. Tyler Mahle (7:15 pm)

In the final matchup of MLB opening weekend before an odd Sunday offday, two hurlers look to prove themselves for their respective clubs. This one will be broadcast on Fox.

Will Warren pitched 162.1 innings last year for the Yankees and tied for the AL lead with 33 starts, but his 4.44 ERA likely isn’t something he’s satisfied with, especially given his upgraded role in the rotation for the time being. He still finished the 2025 season with 2.1 fWAR, which is more than respectable enough for a 26-year-old in his first full major league season. However, with up-and-down results leading to more offseason work, there’s an opportunity for Warren to truly cement himself as a key member of the top five.

As for righty Tyler Mahle, he is a new member of the Giants organization, having played last season down south with the Texas Rangers. He pitched only 86.2 innings in 16 games due to a right rotator cuff injury and shoulder strain, but in those 86.2 innings, he pitched well. His 2.18 ERA looks excellent (despite the predictive numbers suggesting he should be around the 4-4.5 mark), and because of that, he finished the season with 1.9 fWAR. That being said, last season, he didn’t finish with the best numbers in terms of strikeouts, so there could be some room for bat-to-ball skills from the Yankees to be utilized. Mahle also pitched well in limited time during spring training, not givinp a run in four games and 10 innings pitched. New Giants skipper Vitello feels comfortable with his stuff and will have him close out this series.

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Phillies news: Justin Crawford, Bryce Harper, Pete Crow-Armstrong

Philadelphia Phillies hats on display in the New Era Team Store at a preview event at Citizens Bank Park on March 24, 2026. | Brandon Holveck/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Opening Day is tonight. Kind of. Well, the Yankees and Giants play tonight, on Netflix, so I guess it’s Opening Night.

And there will be stars on the broadcast.

From other sports. Not baseball, mind you. There will be wrestling people.

On Netflix.

I hate MLB sometimes.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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2026 St Louis Cardinals HOT TAKES Edition! +thoughts on the upcoming season and more…

JUPITER, FL - MARCH 18: Ryne Stanek #55 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The season is finally almost here! Opening Day is tomorrow for the Cardinals at 3:15pm CST. It will be Drew Rasmussen taking the mound for the Rays in St Louis, and Matthew Liberatore will be your Opening Day starting pitcher for the Cardinals. The Cardinals will have their work cut out for them because Rasmussen is a legit ace pitcher, going by his rate stats, while Liberatore’s portfolio of stats isn’t nearly as exciting. However, Liberatore isn’t walking anyone lately, and the Rays lineup shouldn’t be that scary for him. Could/should be a really good opener.

Who showed up to Spring Training this year ready to demolish some baseballs? Josh Baez and Nelson Velazquez! Neither of whom made the team out of spring training. I am willing to believe that neither were going to make the team before spring training even started, but they both gave us a glimpse of some powerful reinforcements down on the farm. Somehow Velazquez hardly struck out at all and took some walks, showing some possible veteran poise. Baez showed monster power, and that’s not potential, that’s real in game home run power. Sure he’s going to strike out, but damn.

Speaking of monster power, Tai Peete struck out over half the time but had an ISO of .455. Alec Burleson had a high batting average and an OBP of .458! Hoping he can be a key part of this offense, because basically, he has to. Nolan Gorman and Nathan Church are showing a lot of promise with wRC+ around 135-140 this spring! That’s a lot better than not bad. Spring training sample size caveat reminder! Even less meaningful were the positive offensive performances of Thomas Saggese and Jimmy Crooks III, who outhit JJ Wetherholt, the last player I’ll mention as a positive from Spring Training. Sure JJ wasn’t a lot above an average hitter, but it was better than seeing him flounder and possibly not make the team. Although, I’m pretty sure he would’ve anyway.

Which players weren’t ready for spring training or weren’t really trying to impress, maybe working on some things batting-wise? Yohel Pozo, Ramon Urias, and Victor Scott II will surely be below average hitters. Ivan Herrera’s mystery swollen knee held him back from making much progress, at least in spring training. He has certainly set back the schedule regarding catching, but they already had Pozo and Pages in place, so it’s tough to know what the real plan was there. Regardless, he wasn’t quite ready for spring training. Buddies Masyn Winn and Jordan Walker could barely hit at all all spring long. The hitting performances of Jose Fermin and Cesar Prieto did nothing whatsoever to instill any confidence in their offense. But the worst hitter of all this spring was Pedro Pages! Showing a -10 wRC+. How does one even do that? A batting average worse than a pitcher’s with absolutely zero power. I will yawn at every Pedro Pages at bat until August!

Pitching-wise, only 6 pitchers got past the 10 IP mark. Liberatore and Leahy dominated the xFIP rates, Liberatore and Dustin May looked really good by FIP, and May, Liberatore, McGreevy, and Pallante all had good springs by ERA. You can tell why Oliver Marmol was fond of his pitching staff. Quinn Mathews also got a good look in spring, but his Fielding Independent Pitching stats weren’t too impressive in 11 IP. What was impressive was his K/9. Batters weren’t hitting him well, he was just walking too many people.

Beyond that, there isn’t much to say other than the bullpen looks to be at least mediocre. Pushard didn’t have a good spring but made the cut. Roycroft did have a good spring and will be a part of the bullpen, at least to start the season. Blewett, Svanson, Bruihl, and Romero seem like they will be just fine. One standout was George Soriano, I think he’ll be an important piece to the bullpen puzzle this year. And don’t forget Ryne Stanek! Maybe they’ll trade Soriano, Stanek, Romero, and Pushard, maybe Roycroft at the deadline. I don’t know. Gotta make way for Luis Gastelum etc, eventually.

So we are picked as a last place team this year, but how could they avoid the basement? The Reds are already helping by losing Hunter Greene for a while. The Pirates are waiting on Konor Griffin. The Brewers may finally come back down to earth. The Cubs would need to be devastated by some big injuries to drop off. So it’s probably up to the Cardinals to overperform their projections.

Masyn Winn might just be a 3 WAR player this year, if he doesn’t hit much. But maybe he finally meets his potential in 2026. It’s ok to ignore spring training. If Ivan Herrera gets more playing time and he really is a 130-140 wRC+ hitter, he will have no problem beating every projection system that has calculated his forward potential. JJ Wetherholt is expected to top out at 2.5 WAR or so, but what if he just goes off instead? Will this be a season where ROY is determined by WAR?

If Alec Burleson continues his trend of being a better hitter every season, he will have no problem outdoing his WAR projections, which hover around 1.5 to 2 WAR. Then you have spring training Nolan Gorman who looks like a candidate for comeback player of the year award.

I might be crazy but I think the starting rotation is better than the projected totals. It doesn’t take much to imagine them as better than a bunch of 1.5 WAR guys. My picks to totally beat that are Liberatore and May. Liberatore because I think he’s one of those slowly improving players each year, and May because I think he will finally be healthy a full season and reach his true potential. Will I be wrong about that? Maybe so! But I’m not going to just expect him to get hurt again. Track record be damned.

HOT TAKES

Here are my hotter than hot takes! List your’s in the comments! Nolan Gorman MVP and Dustin May Cy Young Award Winner. Cardinals make the playoffs despite Winn, VSii, Walker, and Pages not hitting. The pitching ends up being a strength, and Gorman, Herrera, and Burleson fuel a surprising offense. Wetherholt ends up being an above average hitter but a more notable defensive second baseman, teaming up with Winn to prevent almost anything from making it through the middle infield. Gorman and Burleson end up being average, good enough at the corners. The blend of Church and Scott II make the outfield defense air tight. The Cardinals set some records with run prevention. Herrera ends up being the catcher by the end of the season and Nelson Velazquez the DH. Baez ends up being at AAA all season because of Jordan Walker. But it ends up being good for him, development-wise.

Thomas Saggese, Jimmy Crooks III, and half the bullpen get traded away, but the second half ends up being spectacular for the Cardinals. Innings are managed to allow the better starting pitchers to get more time on the mound during the last two months of the season. Walker doesn’t hit all season but goes red hot in the playoffs, making the management and owners look like geniuses. Rally rabbit hops all over the field.

So of course my hot take involves the hopium, give me your most negative takes. Or your most over the top positive predictions. It will be tough to beat some of the 100 loss hot takes, though. How about an earthquake splits Busch Stadium III asunder! And some get their wish for the Cardinals to move out of St Louis. HOT HOT HOT! Give me those hot takes. Imagine, if you will, a world even more insane than this one.

1983

Bonus! a big writing project is underway: writing about each year of my life. I’m only up to 1983 so I’ve a ways to go on this.

The first commercial cell phone call was made in Chicago on October 13, 1978, and it was the beginning of the internet as we know it that year too!

Return of the Jedi was the big movie that year, and I got to see it in the theaters multiple times just after its release. Episodes 4-6 is one of the best trilogies ever made. It was mostly downhill after that, but I cherish my early Star Wars memories and Christmas was always full of toys back then. Especially Star Wars toys!

My less obvious 1983 must see movie picks:

  • Videodrome by David Cronenberg
  • V on NBC (a reptilian sci-fi drama series that was a big part of the early 80s!)
  • Fire and Ice fantasy animated movie directed by Ralph Bakshi
  • Strange Brew (Canadian beer comedy!)

Going to be focusing mostly on music this week! Turns out 1983 is another one of those ridiculously stacked years… lots and lots of punk rock coming to fruition and plenty of other cultural movements happening!

  • Tom Waits – ‘Swordfishtrombones’ I want people to hear this who haven’t heard it, and if you have, you know it is one of Tom Waits’ best albums! Absolutely fantastic listen. It’s with this album Tom Waits gets really good and never looks back. His songwriting was always top notch, but Waits adds a signature sound to his already masterful equation. Standout track: “16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six”
  • Swans – ‘Filth’ I heard this later on in my musical life experience, and it was still utterly mindblowing decades later! I cannot imagine what it must’ve sounded like upon its release in 1983. Holy Ffffff. Some of the nastiest, machine-like playing by actual humans you’ll ever hear. Far darker and heavier than just about anything you could hear from a rock or punk band, Swans create a whole new thing here. Every track stands out and just smashes you down, grinds you up in some kind of clanking, strange machine.
  • Minutemen – ‘What Makes A Man Start Fires’ this is my big revelation this week, I either haven’t heard this particular Minutemen album, or it’s been so long I forgot how good it actually is. The Minutemen pave a lot of new ground and meld several styles into their own thing. Mike Watt’s bass playing on this is nothing less than phenomenal. What Makes A Man Start Fires’ inherently ultra high, positive energy is rarely matched by anyone. Except maybe by Jerrys Kids which I’ll list later…
  • Pylon – ‘Chomp’ another big 1983 find! This album is catchy as hell, has some depth to it, and the album cover cracks me up every time! Lots of variety of 80s and punk rock songs in a standard guitar bass drums rock format. A total 80s classic! Must listen! A lost gem. One of the big reasons I’m enjoying doing this so much is all the obscure bands not even I have heard of. Another album that I wonder what people thought of when it came out. They were supposedly influential on early R.E.M. The vocals of Vanessa Briscoe Hay really make the band for me, as does the up-front, in-your-face bass playing, and the creative guitarist.
  • Talking Heads – ‘Speaking In Tongues’ Probably my favorite Talking Heads album, and that’s saying a lot! They’re making my best of the year lists A LOT. What makes this one my favorite is the production is better than the others before it, and there is an even more expansive variety of styles on display by the band, all the while serving each song well. They also sound more mature and experienced here.
  • Metallica – ‘Kill Em All’ some albums will just never get old, and that’s true for Metallica’s debut. Sure Metallica had some influences, but the way they fused them together and the energy they put into it was next level, especially for the time. It still sounds fresh, which is not easy to do considering it’s from 1983! Metallica were not the heaviest, fastest, or choppiest of the thrash metal bands, but they were one of the first, and what they excelled at was songwriting and high energy, memorable guitar solos. But don’t forget the James Hetfield downpicking guitar riff would propel them through all their most amazing albums.
  • Eskaton – ‘Fiction’ the strange genre of Zeuhl meets the oddball goofiness of the 80s! It retains all of its prog rockness and the funk influences, but sounds like they had no problem fitting that into the realm of 80s music. Somehow, they were able to make the change more naturally than other prog-oriented bands.
  • Cocteau Twins – ‘Head Over Heels’ another album from the future, music-wise. The production sounds a bit muted, but I bet at the time it was insanely groundbreaking! What they are doing musically is way ahead of their time. One of the signature bands of the 80s, I love it. The way the drum machines and guitars, vocals sound on this album, is the stuff of legends…
  • Bad Brains – ‘Rock For Light’ the first Bad Brains album is almost indecipherable production-wise, but Rock For Light shines through production-wise and with a whole new scope of top-tier reggae interlude songs. The punk is still young energy hyper-fast and intense, but with more variety. A good introduction to the world of Bad Brains! This album is another one ahead of its time.
  • Jerrys Kids – ‘Is This My World?’ I think I asked the same question as a kid and felt a little depressed. Is this really the world we live in? I grew up in the Cold War era with emergency drills for tornadoes, nuclear war, and even earthquakes. But at least I didn’t have the shooter drills. This is one of the best punk rock albums ever made, and the drummer sounds like he is going to explode the whole time! Another big find in my hunt for good albums from 1983. It might only be 24 minutes, but it gets its message across just as well or better than many 40-minute+ albums. What a shot of adrenaline!
  • Steve Hiett – ‘Down On The Road By The Beach’ had never heard this one before, but it didn’t sound like anything else from 1983, or much else after. It has such a chill but warm sound, throughout. Relaxing. Summer daydream vibes.
  • Crass – ‘Yes Sir, I Will’ I was in some improv punk bands and had never heard this before, it reminds me of what we were doing which wasn’t easy listening, either! Life is chaos. Advanced listening anarchy.
  • Takeo Moriyami – ‘East Plants’ next level jazz genius from Japan! The thunderous but precise drums are from Takeo himself, a drummer and band leader. Masterclass jazz series.
  • Dio – ‘Holy Diver’ It makes the list for the songs Holy Diver and Rainbow In The Dark! But the whole album is perfect. Also, I love how prominently the bassist is in the mix, making it a unique standout heavy metal album. The whole album has a stripped down to the bolts sound that works really well for the band.
  • Amebix – ‘No Sanctuary’ this band gave birth to the crustpunk genre right here, and heavily influenced the futures of both grindcore and black metal. Another short and to the point listen, clocking in at 27 minutes. The whole damn thing sounds so epic.
  • Misfits – ‘Earth A.D./Wolf’s Blood’ dingy production but high energy, hyper stylized punk rock! Legends.
  • The Henry Threadgill Sextet – ‘Just The Facts and Pass The Bucket’ contemporary 1983 jazz at its finest
  • Disciplina Kičme – ‘Sviđa Mi Se Da Ti Ne Bude Prijatno’ I don’t know much about this but the music is amazing! A truly fun foreign art punk find. Super catchy. Probably should be ranked higher!
  • Mercyful Fate – ‘Melissa’ an early metal classic on par with ‘Kill Em All’ except for the impossibly silly vocals, which only appear half the time at least, on this album. I don’t exactly hate the vocals, but it renders the band to a few songs at a time for me. Maybe slowly I will get more used to those ridiculous satanic vocals, but for now I must admire how early the metal is here, the band kicks ass. Mercyful Fate was one of the tightest instrumentally of any of the early metal bands.
  • Suicidal Tendencies – ‘self-titled’ and to round out the top 20 albums of 1978, the legendary debut of the band who brought us the 1980’s punk songs on many a mix tape: “Institutionalized” and “I Saw Your Mommy”.

Honorable Mentions: Madonna is a really fun listen and part of my childhood soundtrack, you heard it everywhere along with Hall and Oates and Men At Work. She’s So Unusual by Cindy Lauper! Another part of my childhood memories soundtrack. And Jon Hassell ‘Magic Realism’. I forgot to include his album with Brian Eno in my 1980 writeup! Massive overlook on that one. While I do like Magic Realism I do not find it to be one of his top tier albums, so if this one feels a bit like background music, this is one of his more ambient albums. Still love it though.

Cannot believe opening day is finally here tomorrow wooooooo. To help make the time go by faster, time for some hot takes…

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MLB Season Predictions: How do we feel about Detroit Tigers in 2026?

The Detroit Tigers open up their 2026 campaign on Thursday afternoon on the West Coast against a National League opponent for the second-straight year, looking to make it to the playoffs for a third-straight season.

This summer’s edition of the Olde English D has a bit more beef to it than that of last year’s, especially with the addition of Framber Valdez to the starting rotation, as well as a late-career reunion with the legendary Justin Verlander.

Looking ahead to what we all hope is a run to the World Series, the Bless You Boys staff convened to offer their predictions in roundtable fashion. The categories up for discussion were as follows:

  • Tigers Record
  • Tigers MVP
  • Tigers CY Young
  • Tigers ROY

A good portion of the responses were pretty much expected, especially when it came to a certain consecutive Cy Young Award winner and the top prospect in the big leagues. But there was plenty of variation in the record predictions, plus a few cheeky picks as well.

Take a long look at what the Bless You Boys staff had to offer.

Cannon at the Hot Corner:

Record: 92-70

This is a better team than last year. Valdez is important, JV is back, Finnegan and Jansen stabilize the bullpen, and you might have heard of Kevin McGonigle. This isn’t some flawless super team or anything, and the bottom of the division is gonna give us fewer easy wins than last year, but it’s a great roster to start a championship chase with.

MVP: Colt Keith. Why the f not? I’ll put my money where my mouth is. I love Keith, I think he’s gonna turn into a .280/30 HR kinda guy, and I hate being boring. My next two picks are super boring.

Cy Young: Well, here’s boring. It’s Skubal. We all know it’s Skubal.

ROY: Ok, here’s boring answer two. If this is someone other than McGonigle, I fear things will have gone terribly wrong.

Patrick O’Kennedy:

  • Tigers Record: 88- 74
  • Tigers MVP: Tarik Skubal
  • Tigers CY Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: Kevin McGonigle

Peter Kwasniak:

For some reason, I’m not feeling very bold on predictions this year. I’ll go with the obvious choices all around.

  • Tigers Record: 90-72
  •  Tigers MVP: Skubal
  •  Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  •  Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Hopefully, the Tigers put together a solid season, not the wild, hotter-than-the-sun first half and colder-than-arctic finish.

Frisbee Pilot:

  • Tigers Record: 92-70
  • Tigers MVP: Kerry Carpenter
  • Tigers Cy Young: Framber Valdez
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

I enjoy being both optimistic and unconventional… except for ROY, we all know McG’s gonna absolutely kill it out there.

Brandon Day:

  • Tigers record 91-71
  • Tigers MVP: Greene
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Boring takes, but I believe in them. I really think the combination of McGonigle and hopefully healthy Gleyber is going to make this a more consistent offense, and this is the best pitching staff they’ve had since 2014. They have good depth beyond the starting five in the rotation. Just have to hope the big boys stay healthy and do what they’re supposed to do, but that’s the way it is for everyone.

Frisbee: I was thinking maybe Riley for Tigers MVP, but I’m really worried about his physical decline so far. Or maybe it’s just a bump in the road, who knows?

Day: Yeah, hard to know. He’s 25, but he is going into his fifth season already and thrown himself around a lot in the outfield. Not so surprising that he lost a step but the metrics definitely agree that he was a bit below average runner last year after always being on the faster than average side his first few years. I would bet Riley has a 40 home run season or two ahead of him though and hasn’t really peaked as a hitter. May just need to get him into the DH spot once a week going forward to help keep him fresh. But Riley has never really failed as a hitter his whole life until the second half of last year and he didn’t like it. I bet he comes back strong.

Cam Kaiser:

  • Tigers Record: 88-74
  • Tigers MVP: Skubal
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

On paper, the Tigers got better this offseason in a way that fans haven’t seen since Mike Ilitch was dolling out six-figure contracts like hot cakes. With the acquisition of Framber Valdez and future Hall of Famer and Detroit legend Justin Verlander, it’s exciting to see them back to being players for major free agents.

Hopefully, it’s a sign of what’s to come for the future of the pairing of Chris Ilitch and Scott Harris. There are still major concerns, though. Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize had very discouraging springs, while potential rotation solutions in Reese Olson (entire season) and Troy Melton (foreseeable future) find themselves on the shelf with arm injuries. Kenley Jansen and Drew Anderson should elevate the bullpen over the goofballs Harris acquired at last year’s deadline, Kyle Finnegan — welcome back! — not withstanding, though they are still lacking in the strikeout department.

Finally, the offense wasn’t upgraded externally. Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Gleyber Torres should be solidly above-average hitters. Spencer Torkelson and Dillon Dingler will probably hit. But this is a middle-of-the-pack offense that was inflated in the first half of 2025 by All-Star (half) years from Javier Báez and Zack McKinstry.

The biggest upgrade to the lineup rests with the bat of the team’s top prospect in Kevin McGonigle. McGonigle had an excellent spring and, by all indications, seems to be breaking camp with the big club, but expecting an immediate impact from any rookie is asking a lot. We’ll see what the kid can do; the season might depend on him.

Ashley MacLennan:

I’m choosing to go high on this season like an absolute fool.

  • Tigers Record: 90-72
  • Tigers MVP: Riley Greene (please, Riley, please)
  • Tigers Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: Kevin McGonigle, duh

Jay Markle:

  • Tigers Record: 89-73
  • Tigers MVP: Skubal
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Fielder’s Choice:

  • Tigers Record: 88-74
  • Tigers MVP: Skubal
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Zane Harding:

This was an 87-75 team last year that was a massive collapse away from 90-plus wins. Nevertheless, that’s a .500 team without Skubal.

All else equal — a bold assumption, I know — we added Valdez/Verlander in free agency, 6.2 fWAR last year, and are promoting McGonigle, a Bobby Witt Jr. level prospect who is projected for 2.6 fWAR by ZiPS in just 91 games of action… (he’s projected to exceed Witt’s rookie season, to speak to his hype.)

I’ll still factor some for entropy, but I’m coming in bullish relative to the roundtable.

  • Tigers Record: 96-66
  • Tigers MVP: Skubal
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Easiest answers for MVP Cy and ROY ever.

MacLennan: Poor Kevin if it turns out he just has a somewhat okay rookie season, lol. We’re literally pinning our hopes and dreams on him and Skoob.

Day: Well, add Framber and Kevin to last year’s squad, and I like their chances over the Mariners. Postseason ball is impossible to predict, of course.

Harding: Witt was worth 2.3 fWAR in his 150-game rookie season, FWIW. He was 22; McGonigle is 21.

Mr. Sunshine:

  • Tigers Record: 98-64
  • Tigers MVP: Gleyber Torres
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

Harding: NOOOO Sunshine out-wins again!

Cannon: Wow, 98 is crazy. I like this guy’s thinking

Les Lim:

  • Tigers Record: 95-six seven
  • Tigers MVP: McGonigle
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: Max Clark

Adam Dubbin:

  • Tigers Record: 87-75
  • Tigers MVP: Spencer Torkelson
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

It’s the year of the Tork, baby! But I think the team will underperform overall.

David Rosenberg:

  • Tigers Record: 91-71
  • Tigers MVP: Greene
  • Tigers Cy Young: Skubal
  • Tigers ROY: McGonigle

I’m not really picking anything too spicy this year, but that’s because this is a good team that has a chance to be great. The Tigers were a win away from the ALCS in 2025. The pitching staff is better and the lineup has more experience, and adding Kevin McGonigle to the roster is the offensive addition that they needed.

Now that you know where the Bless You Boys staff stands entering the 2026 campaign, give us your takes in the comments below!

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Chicago Cubs history unpacked, March 25

Free of charge for the discerning reader.Happy birthday to PCA and others, and other stories.

Today in baseball history: 

Cubs Birthdays:Frank Dwyer, Bill Carney, Polly McLarry, Denver Grigsby, Jim Ellis, Jeff Kunkel, Scott Sanders, Neal Cotts, Pete Crow-Armstrong*. Also notable: Tom Glavine HOF.

Today in history:

  • 31 – First Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus.
  • 421 – Friday at 12 p.m. — City of Venice founded.
  • 1306 – Robert the Bruce crowned Robert I, King of Scots, having killed his rival John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch.
  • 1655 – Astronomer Christiaan Huygens discovers Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.
  • 1857 – Frederick Laggenheim takes the first photo of a solar eclipse.
  • 1882 – 1st demonstration of pancake making, held at a department store in NYC.
  • 1919 – Woodrow Wilson’s dream of a League of Nations becomes a reality after the League Covenant is adopted at the Paris Peace Conference.
  • 1954 – RCA manufactures the first color TV set (12½” screen at $1,000).
  • 2019 – NASA cancels a planned historic all-female spacewalk because it doesn’t have enough spacesuits to fit women.

*pictured.

**this turns out to be untrue. Click the link.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Knicks Legend John Starks Says New York Is ‘Best Team in the East’

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John Starks isn't holding back.

The former NBA All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year believes the New York Knicks are the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Starks is remembered for his long Knicks tenure, helping lead the team to the NBA Finals in 1994 along with Patrick Ewing.

The former undrafted guard became an All-Star the year the Knicks advanced to the Finals and he became the first player in NBA history to make at least 200 three-pointers in a single season when he accomplished the feat in 1994-95.

“We’re the best team in the East.”

While the Knicks have been behind the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons during the entirety of the season and have gone 0-3 against the Pistons.

However former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, John Starks said the Knicks, not the Pistons, are the team to beat in the East.

It's worth noting that Detroit's best player, Cade Cunningham, is out indefinitely due to a collapsed lung.

"That San Antonio game showed me that they're a championship-quality team."
- John Starks

"I feel like we're the best team in the East," said Starks in an exclusive interview. "I really do. I know Detroit has the record over us, and I know Boston is ahead of us right now. But when I saw that San Antonio game, it’s almost like when you dangle some meat in front of some guys and they go get it. That's what it looked like to me. That told me that they can beat anybody in this league."

Starks is referencing the New York Knicks' 114-89 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on March 1 when New York vastly outplayed the Victor Wembanyama-led squad.

However, he does preach that the Knicks need to be more consistent against the top teams in the NBA.

"They’ve got to be consistent when you're playing against these good teams, and they haven't shown that, obviously... But I think when it comes to playoff time, all these guys are going to lock in, because they've been there. Sometimes you start to look ahead and you forget you’ve got to play Detroit and you’ve got to play the Celtics. You’ve got to play the Cavaliers. You’ve got to play the Lakers. You’ve got to play all these good teams. But that San Antonio game showed me that they're a championship-quality team."

Starks: Knicks can make NBA Finals run

The former Knicks star said that he's confident that the team can make an NBA Finals run this year. It would be the first time since 1999 - when Ewing was still on the team - that they'd be in the championship round.

New York would have to go on the road and likely get through the Pistons in Detroit if they want to get to the Finals. They defeated the Pistons in six games in the first round in Detroit last season.

"No question," said Starks about the Knicks making a Finals run. "Understand one thing about this team: they know they can go on the road and beat anybody. The playoffs is all about going on the road and winning on your opponent's home court. That's the most important thing."

"You can always shift the home court. If you go seven games, then that game - that's the only thing the home court advantage means. Other than that, you can go in and just like what they did to Detroit last year. They had the home court, and then went in and shifted it in our favor. We're good."

Knicks Legend: “He's back to being Jalen Brunson.”

Starks gives tremendous credit to the Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns pairing. The duo is in their second season together and previously led the squad to the Eastern Conference Finals last year.

"I think Karl is doing a tremendous job and making conscious efforts on the defensive end of the court," said Starks. "He's starting to get a little bit more in that post where you like your big man. He's just not settling for jump shots. Now he's been more aggressive going to the basket. I like where he's at in his thought process."

"I think he didn't figure that part out. Now I think he's back to being Jalen Brunson."
- John Starks

"Jalen is going to do what he's going to do. I think he struggled over the last three or four weeks because teams are starting to play him differently. They're starting to take the ball out of his hand, and everybody's starting to double him early in the game. I think he was kind of struggling with that: how to be aggressive on the offensive end, how to get his teammates involved, and keep his teammates involved. I think he didn't figure that part out. Now I think he's back to being Jalen Brunson."

Starks: Knicks have turned up defensive intensity in recent weeks

The Knicks are currently hot right now, riding a six-game win streak entering their Tuesday night game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

"I like where we are headed and I like the way we are playing right now. We're getting back to our DNA, and that's on the defensive end of the court. I think we lost a little bit of that during that losing streak. Guys got so worried about the offensive end that if you're struggling on offense, you can get it on the other end."

"We kind of turned the corner when we played against San Antonio. We started off from a defensive standpoint. I haven't seen these guys move that fast in awhile. It was like eight guys out there on the court on defense. That's how you could see that intensity level step up."

Starks does mention the recent back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, but said that's probably just the Los Angeles effect of having to travel all the way from the east coast to the west coast.

"Obviously, we took a step back against the Lakers and the Clippers, but that could be the Los Angeles effect and the driving and flying. But after that they got back to playing aggressively. On the defensive end, Golden State woke us up again.

“You gotta play hard, and you can't go out there and underestimate anybody in this league because they can beat you, and they just carry that over into the next game and the next game."

"I like where we are from a mentality standpoint. A couple of guys have to get going with their shots, but other than that, defensively, I like where we are heading into the playoffs."

Defense Should Lead For The Knicks

The former All-Defensive Second Team guard said he believes the team's identity is on the defensive end. If they can execute on that end, the sky's the limit for the Knicks. New York is fifth in points allowed per game and in defensive rating.

"You have to have an identity. You can't just go into the game and say one night we're going to play defense and one night we're not. Offensively, we're going to shoot the ball great, one night we're not."

"I think when you want to hang your hat for any team, you hang your hat on the defensive end of the court, because that keeps you in the games until your offense gets going."

"That's always been our mentality when I was here, and it's going to continue to be that way here in New York, because when this crowd gets going and is hollering, 'Defense! Defense!', they want you to go out there and guard."

"I think we got enough on the offensive end of the court. Our shooting has been a little erratic lately, but I think overall once playoff time comes, we'll work out the kinks and we should be fine."

John Starks spoke exclusively with DJ Siddiqi on behalf of Covers.com. All quotes in this article are taken from an exclusive interview conducted by Covers.com. Journalists and media outlets are welcome to use these quotes, provided they are attributed to Covers.com. Please ensure links back to the original article to provide full context for readers.

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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DitD & Open Post – 3/25/26: Lighting the Lamp Edition

Mar 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt (63) skates with the puck on a breakaway during the third period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Plenty of goals once again. Jack Hughes scored two goals, and the Devils hung on for a 6-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday. [Devils NHL]

Well!

After a solid stretch of the season, a look around the roster at some players who are rising and and trending down: [Infernal Access ($)]

“It’s too little too late, but the New Jersey Devils have finally opened up their offense. After struggling to score for much of this season, they’ve started lighting the lamp more often since the Olympics.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

A look at the prospect pool: “The Devils’ pool lacks a top prospect up front, but they have a star goalie (as well as another who is intriguing), multiple legit D prospects and some peripheral forwards who could play games.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Anton Silayev, drafted 10th overall by the Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft, is currently battling with Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL playoffs. Once his post-season run comes to a close, the 6-foot-7 blueliner is expected to sign his entry-level contract with the Devils.” [The Fourth Period]

Hockey Links

“NHL goaltending is quickly becoming one of the most volatile positions in all major sports. Here’s some evidence to support that belief, along with possible explanations for why.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The New York Rangers were awarded an extra shot on goal on Tuesday as part of their 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators Monday night, bringing their total for the game up to 10. The additional shot helped the Rangers avoid the dubious record of being the first team in the salary-cap era to be held to under 10 shots on net in a game. The mark would have also been the fewest shots on goal allowed by the Senators in franchise history.” [TSN]

An impressive number for Paul Maurice:

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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Wilkes Weekly: Pens clinch AHL playoff spot

CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Ville Koivunen (41) is congratulated by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Sebastian Aho (25), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins center Tristan Broz (26), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Rutger McGroarty (2) after scoring a goal during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins managed to win two out of three games on a road trip through Canada last week. WBSPenguins.com with the details on each game:

Wednesday, Mar. 18 – PENGUINS 1 at Laval 5
Gabe Klassen scored Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only goal in its first meeting with the North Division-leading Rocket. As a result, the Penguins have lost five in a row at Place Bell, with their last victory in Laval coming on Jan. 13, 2018.

Friday, Mar. 20 – PENGUINS 2 at Belleville 1 (SO)
A 28-save night by Joel Blomqvist helped the Pens win a war of attrition against the Sens. Aidan McDonough logged a power-play goal in the middle frame, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went three-for-three in the shootout with strikes from McDonough, Klassen and Avery Hayes. Blomqvist denied the league’s top goal-scorer, Arthur Kaliyev, to earn his first AHL shootout win.

Sunday, Mar. 22 – PENGUINS 4 at Toronto 3
The Penguins constructed a commanding 4-0 lead, which proved to be important insurance after a third-period fright from the Marlies. Hayes and McDonough both secured one-goal, one-assist first periods, while Rafaël Harvey-Pinard lit the lamp twice, including the game-winner.

Perhaps word will trickle back to Pittsburgh that Avery Hayes scored a shootout goal on a nice forehand deke move. Hayes was unused by the NHL Penguins over the course of three potential shootouts in the NHL during games that he recently played in.

Wilkes will get another chance to see Laval (first place in the North Division) on Saturday at home and try to repay the favor from last week’s game. WBS then stays at home on Sunday for another meeting with Lehigh Valley.

Here was the lineup the WBS Pens used last game, it’s outdated already since Ville Koivunen has been called back up to Pittsburgh. Center Tristan Broz remains out with his undisclosed injury that has held him out for all of March.

Aidan McDonough, a 26-year old playing on an AHL contract this season, has been the most consistent player for Wilkes all year long. McDonaugh has an active four-game point streak (2G+3A) and recently surpassed Broz for the team lead in scoring this season, McDonough having notched 36 points in 57 games over Broz’s 34 points in 45 games. Koivunen (33 points in 29 games), Hayes (32 points in 39 games) and Rutger McGroarty (26 points in 25 games) all have spent enough time in Pittsburgh and/or injured to not quite be the AHL’s leading scorer.

The end of the season is drawing near, WBS only has nine more games to go before the playoffs start. They still look locked into second place, the most important number for the rest of the regular season is sitting at 14. That’s the magic number for any points gained by the Penguins or lost by the Charlotte Checkers to ensure that WBS secures the second position and gains a first-round bye in the playoffs, eventually having their opening playoff series against whomever comes out of the 3/6 divisional matchup.

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Barcelona takes on Spanish rival Real Madrid in Women's Champions League quarterfinals

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid will try to close in on a first semifinal appearance in the Women’s Champions League when it hosts three-time champion Barcelona in the first leg of the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Manchester United will make its debut in the last eight against Bayern Munich.

Barcelona will try to make it to a record-extending eighth consecutive semifinal appearance, and a sixth straight final in the competition that it has dominated in recent years.

The Catalan club is playing in its 11th straight quarterfinal and seeks to reclaim the title it lost to Arsenal last season. Barcelona topped the league phase with an unbeaten campaign that included 20 goals scored and three against.

Madrid, in its second consecutive quarterfinal, was eliminated by Arsenal in the last eight last season. If finished seventh in the league phase.

Man United has been thriving in its first European experience since a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in qualifying in the 2023-24 season. Bayern recovered from a 7-1 loss at Barcelona at the start of the league phase to finish fourth and qualify for the quarterfinals for the eighth time in 10 seasons.

On Tuesday, Arsenal defeated English rival Chelsea 3-1 in their first leg of the quarterfinals. Wolfsburg took a 1-0 lead over record eight-time champion Lyon in a meeting of two of the competition’s most storied names.

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

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The Spin | Cricket’s Tetris calendar is a recipe for player burnout and fan apathy

South Africa v New Zealand T20 series highlights schedule that is increasingly hard to keep up with

Clinical guidance suggests recovery from emotional trauma can take weeks or months. In some cases, the lingering pain can last for years. Elite cricketers, though, are expected to compress that timeline into days.

Take Mitchell Santner. The New Zealand captain oversaw his team’s crushing 96-run loss by India in the T20 World Cup final on 8 March. It was the Black Caps’ fourth defeat in an ICC final since 2019 and, having swatted aside South Africa in the semi-final, would have stung. Well, Santner had to do his contemplating on the flight back home as seven days later he was suited and booted for a T20 international against the Proteas at Mount Maunganui.

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Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath wins World Cup slalom title after losing his temper at the Olympics

HAFJELL, Norway (AP) — Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath secured the World Cup slalom title on home snow Wednesday to conclude the season on a positive note after losing his temper at the Olympics when he squandered a big first-run lead.

McGrath broke down in tears during a long, emotional embrace with childhood friend and Olympic giant slalom champion Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil, who straddled a gate early in his second run to pave the way for McGrath's title.

McGrath, who won three slaloms this season, earned his first discipline title.

Timon Haugan, another Norwegian, won the race by finishing 0.44 seconds ahead of Olympic champion Loic Meillard and 1.03 ahead of Eduard Hallberg of Finland.

McGrath, who came eighth in the race, finished 64 points ahead of 2022 Olympic champion Clement Noel and 73 points ahead of Pinheiro Braathen.

McGrath, who was born in Vermont but grew up in Norway, entered the final run of the slalom at the Milan Cortina Games with a big lead. But after straddling a gate, McGrath angrily threw his ski poles away and ventured toward the woods to gather himself.

Marco Odermatt, who does not compete in slalom, secured his fifth straight overall title before the finals. He was awarded the large crystal globe after the slalom.

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing