NEW YORK (AP) — Cooper Flagg is voted NBA Rookie of the Year ahead of Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe.
Cooper Flagg named NBA Rookie of the Year, beating out Kon Knueppel
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was voted as the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season on Monday, April 27, 2026.
Flagg finished ahead of the Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel in a close race for the award. Flagg earned 56 first-place votes and totaled 412 points, while Knueppel had 44 first-place votes and 386 total points. The 26-point gap between them is the second smallest between the top-two finishers since the current voting format began in 2002-03, behind only a 15-point gap in 2021-22 when Scottie Barnes edged Evan Mobley for the award.
The Philadelphia 76ers' VJ Edgecombe finished third with 96 total points and one second-place vote.
Flagg joined two NBA icons by winning Rookie of the Year.
He became the second-youngest winner (19 years, 112 days as of April 12, the final day of the regular season), behind only LeBron James (19 years, 106 days in 2003-04). And, he joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points (1,473), rebounds (466), assists (316) and steals (84) since steals were first recorded in 1973-74.
This is a truly great honor,” Flagg said. “I’m grateful to receive this award and thankful to everyone in the Dallas Mavericks organization who believed in me from day one. None of this happens without my teammates, coaches and the people around me pushing me every day. I came here to compete and help this team win. This is just one step forward in what we’re building."
Flagg was the first overall selection by the Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. He ranked 24th in points per game across the league.
He had to show versatility early in the season, playing point guard before eventually moving to forward after Anthony Davis was traded.
Cooper Flagg stats
Flagg finished out the regular season averaging 21 points (leading all rookies), 6.7 rebounds (fourth among rookies) and 4.5 assists per game (second among rookies) in 70 games played. He shot 46.8% from the field and 29.5% from the 3-point line.
He scored a career-high 51 points on April 3 against the Orlando Magic, becoming the youngest player in the league's history to score 50+ in a game at 19 years, 103 days old. Flagg was also the first rookie to have four or more games with at least 40 points since Allen Iverson in 1996-97.
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year winners
- 2026: Cooper Flagg, DAL
- 2025: Stephon Castle, SAS
- 2024: Victor Wembanyama, SAS
- 2023: Paolo Banchero, ORL
- 2022: Scottie Barnes, TOR
- 2021: LaMelo Ball, CHO
- 2020: Ja Morant, MEM
- 2019: Luka Doncic, DAL
- 2018: Ben Simmons, PHI
- 2017: Malcolm Brogdon, MIL
- 2016: Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN
- 2015: Andrew Wiggins, MIN
- 2014: Michael Carter-Williams, PHI
- 2013: Damian Lillard, POR
- 2012: Kyrie Irving, CLE
- 2011: Blake Griffin, LAC
- 2010: Tyreke Evans, SAC
2025-26 NBA Award winners
- Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
- NBA Sportsmanship Award: Derrick White, Boston Celtics
- Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
- Rookie of the Year: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mavericks' Cooper Flagg wins 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year
Spurs vs. Trail Blazers player grades: Fox and Wembanyama dominate Game Four
The San Antonio Spurs took a 3-1 lead against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Despite trailing by 19 points in the first half, the Spurs came back with a vengeance, outscoring the Blazers 73-35 in the second half to win Game Four 114-93.
Victor Wembanyama returned from concussion protocols in Game Four and dominated as he did in Game One. Wembanyama owned the defensive end of the floor and gave the Spurs just enough offense to pull ahead. He was aided by his All-Star running mate, De’Aaron Fox, who led all scorers with 28 points. The Spurs are now -650 favorites on FanDuel to win Game Five in San Antonio to advance to the Western Conference Semis.
Wembanyama and Fox will lead our Game Four player grades. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Victor Wembanyama
34 minutes, 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 7 blocks, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 9-for-17 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, +28
Portland is at its best when it can get to the rim. They could not do that against Wembanyama. Seven blocks and four steals speak for themselves, but as we all know with Wemby, it’s more about the shots that don’t go up or the passes that don’t get made that define his impact. The Blazers only scored 38 points in the paint. Wembanyama effectively shut down their most potent offensive weapon: paint scoring.
Wembanyama settled a lot offensively in the first half. He put up some fairly baffling threes and mid-range jumpers as he tried to get back in a rhythm. Once he started to feast on lobs around the rim, the Spurs settled in offensively and blew out the Blazers. His shot selection keeps this from being an A+ game, but he was pretty darn close.
Grade:A
De’Aaron Fox
39 minutes, 28 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 11-for-17 shooting, 4-for-8 threes, +21
This may have been Fox’s best performance as a Spur. He has certainly had bigger scoring nights, but in terms of impact and stakes, this takes the cake. Fox was the offensive engine that got them back into the game and helped them extend the lead. He was smart about when he needed to get into the paint, and made some momentum-shattering shots from deep.
I have really liked what I’ve seen from Fox in this series, too. When he’s been matched up with Deni Advija, he’s gone chest to chest with him and done an admirable job shutting down his drives. With Wembanyama in the game, he’s been aggressive at the point of attack, creating turnovers. On Sunday, he had an incredible blocked three-point shot in the first quarter. That two-way impact is exactly what San Antonio needs from Fox for the rest of the playoffs.
Grade: A+
Stephon Castle
26 minutes, 16 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 5 fouls, 6-for-14 shooting, 3-for-6 threes, +17
Castle’s defensive effort has been incredible. He was left in for the third quarter despite playing with four fouls because of how impactful he has been. It felt like he was everywhere defensively as the Spurs started to storm back against Portland. Offensively, it was an up-and-down game, but his ability to hit spot-up threes has changed how the Blazers have to guard him. It’s to the point now where I don’t think they can continue to put a big on him and leave him completely alone.
Grade: B+
Julian Champagnie
29 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 foul, 3-for-6 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, +22
It’s almost getting boring to write the Champagnie blurb in this series. He’s just doing his job. He hits open threes when they come his way, and he plays good enough defense not to get burned. He has worked in a few more drives, attacking the aggressive Portland closeouts. He seems to be gaining confidence as the series progresses, which is a good sign for the Spurs’ playoff chances.
Grade: B
Devin Vassell
35 minutes, 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 5-for-9 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, +14
Vassell’s shot selection was much better in Game Four. He made some clutch shots in the third quarter to help the Spurs get back into the game. He was a part of the defensive unit that locked down the Blazers in the second half. It wasn’t an explosive offensive game, but he helped the team in a major way.
Grade: B+
Dylan Harper
25 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 1-for-6 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, +4
San Antonio’s bench struggled overall. The Blazers’ bench outscored the Spurs’ bench 34-24. Harper was quiet in Game Four after his coming-out party in Game Three. It wasn’t a great game from Harper, but it’s hard to call it a bad one either. He has 0 turnovers, so he didn’t hurt them with the ball in his hands. When Castle was in foul trouble, Harper gave them a solid ball-handler to keep the momentum going.
Grade: C
Luke Kornet
12 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-for-7 shooting, -10
This was not Kornet’s best game. He was still impactful on the offensive boards, but his inability to finish inside hurt San Antonio in the first half. With Wembanyama back, Kornet returns to a smaller bench role where he will be relied on to keep the defense in a decent spot while the starters rest.
Grade: C-
Harrison Barnes
11 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1-for-2 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +8
Barnes had his most impactful play of the series so far when he made a big offensive rebound and then slammed it to give the Spurs the lead in the 3rd. He was a steady veteran presence in his 11 minutes. It was an inspired choice by Mitch Johnson to go to him over Carter Bryant when things got close in the third quarter.
Grade: B-
Keldon Johnson
17 minutes, 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 foul, 3-for-5 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, -5
Johnson needed a comeback game in a bad way. It wasn’t as loud as Harper’s in Game Three, but it felt like KJ had the type of performance that would build the confidence he needs going into the rest of the playoffs. He finally scored around the rim a bit more and was on the floor during the Spurs’ big run. It would be great to see him build off this performance in Game Five.
Grade: C+
Carter Bryant
6 minutes, 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-for-3 shooting, 2-for-3 threes, -3
Mitch went with the vets in this key game. Bryant only meets the minute requirement by playing in garbage time. It was great to see him knock down open three-pointers. He looked much more confident letting it fly.
Grade: C
Jordan McLaughlin
2 minutes, 2 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 foul, 1-for-1 shooting, +2
It was the return of J-Mac. I loved to see his floater go in garbage time.
Grade: Incomplete
Bismack Biyombo
2 minutes, 0 points, +2
Biyombo got into the game but made no real impact in garbage time.
Grade: Incomplete
Lindy Waters III
2 minutes, 0 points, +2
Not a single three-point attempt in garbage time? Come on, Lindy, get those shots up!
Grade: Incomplete
Mason Plumlee
2 minutes, 0 points, +3
First Spurs’ playoff minutes for Plumdog Millionaire. Somehow, he was +3 when the rest of the garbage time players were +2?
Grade: Incomplete
Inactives: Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller
Game 29 Game Day Thread – New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers
New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers
Monday, April 27, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
The Shed
LHP Max Fried vs. RHP Jack Leiter
Go Rangers!
GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 5
Pittsburgh Penguins v. Philadelphia Flyers - Game 5 (PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pa.) | Monday, Apr. 27, 2026
Puck Drop: 7:10 p.m. ET
Penguins' projected lines and pairings:
Forwards
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom-Ben Kindel-Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard - Kris Letang
Ryan Shea - Ilya Solovyov
Goaltenders
Arturs Silovs (starter)
Stuart Skinner (backup)
Flyers' projected lines and pairings:
Tyson Foerster-Trevor Zegras-Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny-Christian Dvorak-Porter Martone
Denver Barkey-Noah Cates-Alex Bump
Luke Glendening-Sean Couturier-Garnet Hathaway
Defensemen
Travis Sanheim-Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York-Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler-Noah Juulsen
Goaltenders
Dan Vladar (starter)
Sam Ersson (backup)
First period
- Philadelphia with a chance from the jump, and Silovs was ready for it.
- Early on, Penguins are having a hard time entering the o-zone. Philly not giving them much winning a lot of board battles, and taking it the other way. Don't seem very willing to play dump-and-chase.
- GOAL (PITTSBURGH): Elmer Soderblom (1), from Anthony Mantha and Parker Wotherspoon (2:45). Penguins lead the Flyers, 1-0.
- THAT is what the Penguins need to see more of from Mantha. He won the puck battle down low and fed it to Soderblom, who was breaking in the slot. The Penguins are going to need to be willing to play dump-and-chase and win a whole lot more of those battles if they expect to come back in this series.
- Sam Girard for tripping (4:17). Philadelphia to the power play.
- Penguins' fans are booing Trevor Zegras every time he touches the puck.
- The PK gets it done, and the Penguins are feeding off that momentum. They have a lot of jump now, and it would be in their best interest to take advantage of that.
- What a route by Rakell to get to a puck and get the cycle going after a Crosby dump. About 12 and a half to go in the first period.
- Silovs has come up with some stops early. The Penguins are, generally, getting the better of the play here in the first, but they are being outshot 7-3 at the midway point of the period.
- Penguins getting a ton of chances now. First line is cooking. And they draw a tripping penalty on Garnet Hathaway, but some punches are thrown after, and Malkin goes, too. Penguins still head to the power play (14:27).
- Novak takes Malkin's spot on PP1. Actually liked the look of that. Decisive with the puck and a good distributor. Set up a few chances there.
- Flyers kill off the Penguins' PP, get shorthanded chance that Silovs stops (when second unit was on).
- Vladar almost Vladar'd again (from Rakell in Game 4), this time from Blake Lizotte.
- Some chances exchanged in the closing minute of the period. Both goaltenders stood tall.
- END OF FIRST PERIOD -
Score: 1-0 Pittsburgh over Philadelphia | Goals from: Elmer Soderblom (PIT) | Shots on goal: Pittsburgh 11, Phildelphia 9
Second period
- Something I like about the Penguins' offensive zone attack today is that they're getting more bodies to the net. More traffic in front of Vladar. More chaos.
They're going to need that in order to beat him. He's been that good.
- GOAL (Pittsburgh): Connor Dewar (2), from Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte (3:17). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 2-0
- What a snipe. That was in and out so fast that no one knew it went in the net at first. After a brief conversation amongst the officials, it was called a goal.
- GOAL (Philadelphia): Alex Bump (1), from Rasmus Ristolainen and Noah Cates (3:29). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 2-1.
- Not a good goal from Silovs there. Leaked right through his five-hole. He's been outstanding in this series, but he'd want that one back. Time for his teammates to pick him up, just as he's done the same many times over in these two games.
- Dewar just missed another one. Second-chance opportunity, backhand missed the top-left corner of the net.
- Dan Vladar is really playing with fire. He almost gave up another one on a misplay, as Ben Kindel beat him to the puck and fired the puck to the left circle, where he was hoping a Penguin would be there. Luckily for Vladar, it was a teammate.
- Lots of neutral zone play in this period, but Karlsson takes a tripping penalty after turning the puck over to Konecny. Would have been a breakaway otherwise. Flyers to the power play (9:23).
- Really solid PK by the Penguins. Clogged shooting lanes and didn't give the Flyers too many looks. Forced them to the perimeter. (No shots on their PP).
- Chinakhov cannot hit the net for the life of him. He's overthinking it. Gotta just rip it.
- That Shea blast hit Sid. Couldn't put any weight on his leg. Hobbles to the bench.
- Crosby is back on the Penguins' bench. But the Flyers score in the meantime. Sanheim shoots one through traffic and off Karlsson's stick.
- GOAL (Philadelphia): Travis Sanheim (2), from Rasmus Ristolainen and Travis Konecny (15:06). Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are tied, 2-2.
- GOAL (Pittsburgh): Kris Letang (2), from Sidney Crosby and Ryan Shea (17:06). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 3-2.
- And THAT, folks, is why you shoot the puck! Letang just floated that in the direction of Vladar, and it somehow finds its way behind him as he caved into the net. Throwing pucks at the net is never a bad thing. Case in point.
Huge goal for the Penguins. They needed a response after that unfortunate bounce on the tying goal. This is something this team has done all season long, and they need to continue pressuring and putting their foot on the gas.
- Kris Letang is having himself a second consecutive nice game. I really liked what I've seen from him in this one. Managing the puck a whole lot better than he was in the first three.
- END OF SECOND PERIOD -
Score: 3-2 Pittsburgh over Philadelphia | Goals from: Connor Dewar (PIT), Alex Bump (PHI), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Kris Letang (PIT) | Shots on goal: Pittsburgh 17, Philadelphia 14
Third period
- Bryan Rust almost scored one of the more impressive playoff goals by a Penguin in recent memory. Crosby feeds it to him off a turnover, Rust dekes around a Flyer, and he goes cross-crease and tries to stuff it in. Vladar pad save.
- Ryan Shea is out there with Karlsson to start the third. Interesting.
- Malkin draws an early tripping penalty on Emil Andrae. Penguins to the power play (1:37).
- Penguins possessing the puck well on the power play. Not shooting nearly enough. And not nearly enough movement.
- Chinakhov really needs to get going here. He's just playing way too nervous and gripping the stick a bit too tight. The floodgates will open if he just puts one in.
- The Crosby line has been a problem for the Flyers all game long. They're giving them fits. They're dominating in the offensive zone. Winning every battle and forechecking the heck out of this thing. Excellent stuff from them tonight.
- The Penguins have iced the puck three times in a row here midway through the third. Not ideal.
- Flyers had a hard time pulling Vladar at first because of Pens' pressure. Then, once they did, Pens had several opportunities to put the puck in the empty net and didn't.
- This is such a tight, tight contest. Pens are going to have to come up big here in the final 40 seconds.
- Sid dives for a puck and hits the post on the empty net. Icing with 9.9 seconds left.
- END OF GAME -
FINAL SCORE: Penguins 3, Flyers 2 | Flyers lead series, 3-2
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
NBA Playoff Monday discussion
Here are the NBA playoff games for Monday, April 27, 2026:
- Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic — 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns — 9:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)
- Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves — 10:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Enjoy the basketball tonight!
Warriors Steve Kerr regrets Trump ‘buffoon’ comment, reveals political ambitions
With Steve Kerr’s future with the Warriors still up in the air, could the outspoken coach finally make the long speculated move from the basketball gymnasium to the political arena?
Despite his frequent use of his platform to weigh in on current events and a personal connection to gun reform, Kerr, 60, has said in the past that he had no interest in running for elected office.
However, that was at the height of the Warriors’ dynasty, when things were more stable.
Kerr’s contract expired after the season and was upfront that he wasn’t sure what his future held. In a wide-ranging Q&A with The New Yorker’s Charles Bethea shortly after the Warriors were eliminated, Kerr made it clear that his unsettled situation hadn’t changed his thoughts on getting into politics.
“I don’t have any desire to go into politics,” Kerr said. “I love basketball. This is my world. All of my friends and my people are in this world. And whether I keep coaching the Warriors or not, I imagine I’ll be involved in basketball.”
While Kerr may not view politics in his future, he did walk back certain comments he made regarding President Trump.
When asked about his infamous “buffoon” comment, Kerr expressed regret in his conversation with Bethea.
“But calling the President a buffoon, I kind of regret that, even though I felt it in my heart. It’s better to point out policy decisions, but also American values. What’s wrong with the things that he does.”
Kerr is expected to meet with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob in the near future to decide whether he returns for a 13th season to coach Steph Curry and continue their pursuit for a fifth championship together.
Curry said that he wants to play for “multiple” more years, and the Warriors would like Kerr to commit to a multiyear deal and some philosophical changes should he decide to come back, according to ESPN.
As for what his future holds, Kerr didn’t offer many clues. He has had a week to ponder now since he gave the two-hour interview last Monday in his office inside the Warriors’ arena.
Bethea, the interviewer, noted that Kerr “sound[ed] like a guy who wants to come back.”
Kerr responded with a similar answer to the one he gave immediately after the Warriors’ play-in loss to the Suns, when he was asked about walking away from Curry and Draymond Green.
“I don’t want to abandon those guys,” he said. “If Steph and Draymond were retiring this year, I think this would be an easy decision: we all go out together and the organization takes their new path. But it’s not that easy because I think Steph’s going to play another couple of years and I think we can still do some good things together.
“But these are all conversations that will happen in the next week or two and we’ll figure it out. And whatever happens, it’s going to end well. I know that, because it’s too important not to.”
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Penguins Going Back To Same Lineup From Game 4 Was The Right Call
When a team goes down 3-0 in a Stanley Cup Playoff series, there typically isn't a whole lot going right. And it typically takes something close to divine intervention to come all the way back, as it's only happened four times in the history of the NHL.
So, when that fourth game ends up in the "W" column, it makes sense not to change anything and roll with whatever was working game-by-game.
And the Pittsburgh Penguins are doing exactly that.
After finding themselves in that 3-0 opening-round series hole against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Penguins managed to stave off elimination with a 4-2 win in Game 4 to force a fifth game on Monday in Pittsburgh. And, understandably, they're going with the same exact lineup they went with on Saturday, which includes rookie Arturs Silovs getting the nod between the pipes for the second consecutive game.
3 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 5The Pittsburgh Penguins - led by goaltender Arturs Silovs and captain Sidney Crosby - played well enough to force a Game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series. "I think both [Silovs and Stuart Skinner] have done a really great job," head coach Dan Muse said. "I think it's good that both guys were always engaged, they're always ready to go. There's never that long lull with anybody not playing for a really long time, and so there's a rhythm that guys were able to keep throughout the course of the year. And they were able to build off the rhythm with the games they were playing."
And, while that tandem worked in the regular season, the Penguins simply have to ride whoever has the momentum from game to game in the playoffs. Silovs was brilliant Saturday, stopping 28 of 30 Flyers' shots on goal and making some key saves on odd-man breaks that could have buried the Penguins, much like Skinner was doing in the first three games of the series.
But the Penguins won the hockey game with Silovs in net, and they won the hockey game with a slightly adjusted lineup, too. Elmer Soderblom was back in for Justin Brazeau, the top line of Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, and Bryan Rust was reunited - as was the second line of Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak, and Evgeni Malkin - and Ilya Solovyov took the place of Connor Clifton on the third defensive pairing.
Philadelphia Flyers At Pittsburgh Penguins Game 5 Preview: Penguins Keep Same Lineup Ahead Of Another Elimination GameThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to extend their season again on Monday. Going back to what worked in Game 4 - even if there is still more to build on - was absolutely the right call, as the Penguins were finally able to get to the game that was working for them all season long and break through Philadelphia's neutral zone trap.
Crosby's line had a 100 percent chances for share - meaning they gave up no scoring chances against - and the second line had their fair share of looks as well. The power play is still something that the Penguins will need to work on, though, as is making sure they don't give up too many high-danger looks.
"I still think that there's another level that we can get to. I believe strongly in that," Muse said. "I think it just [starts] with the play with the puck, the puck support, I thought that was better. When you have that, I think it leads you to be in better positions as you navigate through the neutral zone.
Flyers Stick with Vladar, Make Lineup Shift Ahead of Potential Closer Against PenguinsThe lineup decisions that define a playoff series are going to be scrutinized.
"Overall, some of the decisions being made to try to set up the o-zone overall - it was better, but there's still room for even more there. I think we have to continue to take steps, continue to tighten things up defensively. We gave up too many odd-man rushes. Some of the chances we gave up last game, I think we can definitely clean up as well. But, it was more in line with the way we want to play."
If the Penguins are to keep their season alive, they absolutely need to improve upon those fundamentals from last game, and they are going to have to see yet another "W" in the result column. Going back to what worked in Game 4 - without a doubt - gives them the best chance to repeat victory and extend the series.
'You Don't Really Have Anything To Lose': With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is PossibleIt's no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a precarious spot down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. But they're not ready to give up or give in. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Game #28 GameThread: Red Sox @ Blue Jays
We get the Red Sox, with their new manager, for however long he lasts, for the next three games.
And, we’ve had the post on Max Scherzer, we won’t have him to kick around (more like other teams won’t have him to kick around) for at least the next 15 days. I wonder if he’d be willing to try the long reliever role? Likely, not. I’ll admit I’m using him for that in OOTP Baseball, and he’s been fine in the role. Course, in the game, Kevin Gausman was hurt, in his first start, and is out for the season.
I have to post the rules again, but let me say you are not allowed to insult people here. If you are the smartest in the room, show, not tell.
Tonight’s lineups:
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 5 Gamethread: Flyers @ Penguins
Talk about the game with Pens fans here!
Game 29: Mariners at Twins
First Pitch (CT):6:40 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe: Lookout Landing
After the latest bout of losing, it appears I need to adjust my previews back to “look at the bright side” mode. So, after losing 5 straight and 9 of their last 10, let’s pull a few positives.
- Brooks Lee: Since infamously hitting himself in the face on a botched bunt (please watch it if you haven’t), the Twins’ shortstop is hitting .277/.338/.538 with 5 HR, 13 RBI, and a 140 wRC+ in 71 plate appearances. The defense has been poor and his pitch-level metrics say he’s been much worse (.227 xBA, .363 xSLG, hard hit rate lower than 2025, somehow) but this is probably the longest, successful stretch Lee has had at the plate in the Majors. Let’s appreciate it for now.
- Connor Prielipp: His workload will still be limited for now, but you saw exactly why he’s the Twins’ top pitching prospect in his debut. Six strikeouts, a ton of swings and misses, and a slider that can make the best hitters look lost. Prielipp may have already jumped SWR in the rotation heirarchy, but we’ll cross that bridge when Mick Abel returns.
- Austin Martin: You don’t need any fancy advanced stats to know he’s been arguably the Twins’ best hitter in the young season. Getting on base in 50% of your PAs will do that. But perhaps even more important, the early defensive metrics like his work so far, ranking above average in every system in all three of left field, right field, and center. Martin has reverse splits in the minors for his career, and combined with his new defensive strength, he should probably be in the lineup every day right now. With Wallner, Keaschall, Lewis, and Clemens all seriously struggling, it’s only a matter of time.
Now back to the game at hand. Prielipp is back on the mound in start two of his young career. He’ll face MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh and perennial All-Star Julio Rodriguez who are both struggling, but have found their footing a bit over the past week. The good news for Prielipp is outside of those two and postseason hero Randy Arozarena, the rest of the lineup is extremely poor with numbers rivaling the Minnesota’s own offensive incompetence.
For the the Twins, they’ll be facing veteran Luis Castillo who is probably past his prime at this point. Shelty is running out the usual lineup, with newly crowned Brooks Lee filling into the two hole amid Keaschall’s continued struggles. Unfortunately, my personal nemesis Kody Clemens (who has about 6 good weeks of baseball in his entire MLB career) continues to get starts at 1B. He’s a bad defender, hasn’t hit a lick, and doesn’t run the bases well. I know Josh Bell is a poor defender in his own right, but at least then you can get Martin or Caratini’s bats in the lineup.
Or start getting Martin reps at first at this point. Less Kody Clemens = better Minnesota Twins.
Lineups
| Twins | Opponent |
| SP: Connor Prielipp (LHP) | SP: Luis Castillo |
| 1. Byron Buxton, CF | 1. Rob Refsnyder, RF |
| 2. Brooks Lee, SS | 2. Cal Raleigh, DH |
| 3. Trevor Larnach, LF | 3. Julio Rodriguez, CF |
| 4. Josh Bell, DH | 4. Josh Naylor, 1B |
| 5. Ryan Jeffers, C | 5. Randy Arozarena, LF |
| 6. Kody Clemens, 1B | 6. JP Crawford, SS |
| 7. Luke Keaschall, 2B | 7. Mitch Garver, C |
| 8. Matt Wallner, RF | 8. Cole Young, 2B |
| 9. Tristan Gray, 3B | 9. Leo Rivas, 3B |
Mariners vs. Twins rain delay updates: Monday, April 27
The Seattle Mariners are fresh off what is both their first road series win and their first three-game series sweep of the season and headed to Minnesota to face a Twins team that is rebuilding after being sold for parts at last year’s trade deadline, which should be a harbinger of momentum finally shifting in Seattle’s favor. Unfortunately, the weather in Minnesota, as it always does, Sucks Out Loud, and tonight’s series opener will likely start in a delay if not get canceled entirely.
UPDATE, 4:30 PT: The warmup notification hit my phone screen so it looks like this one is starting on time. Head on over to the game thread and let’s all agree this almost-rain-delay never happened.
UPDATE, 3:40 PT: Apparently things are now tracking towards an on-time start, which is bonkers considering Shannon’s video below.
We got our first ever Shannon Drayer TARP! post of the season, and while Shannon is a delight, these posts are not.
That was posted early this morning; this post was from an hour ago, just a couple of hours before scheduled start time.
However, things do seem to be on the upswing. Both Brad Adam and Daniel Kramer report the Mariners have at least come out on the field to do pregame activities as the rain has stopped.
If tonight’s game is postponed, the Mariners will likely play a doubleheader tomorrow, followed by the regularly-scheduled day game for Wednesday before Thursday’s off day. The forecast in Minnesota says the rain should pass through tonight, but I trust the accuracy of a Midwest weather report about as much as I trust the proportions of my grandmother’s bourbon balls recipe (ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup each nuts and chopped fruit, and “Bourbon, as much as you like”).
This is the second time in a row the Mariners have had to contend with Minnesota’s weather and Target Field’s lack of a roof; perhaps you remember the four and a half hour rain delay in the series finale last June that resulted in the Mariners getting walloped 10-1. The Mariners were lousy on the road in the rain last season, going 1-6 in games delayed by rain. I had the not-at-all pleasure of recapping the Little League Classic game and thus getting to excise some childhood trauma, literature edition (Mrs. Ward was wrong for assigning Asimov to third graders and I stand behind that). I also got this un-fun one in Baltimore, and apparently rain delays make me think about my childhood. Probably standard for a Seattle kid. But the one that mad me the maddest was probably the mid-game interruption at Yankee Stadium that threw Logan Gilbert off his game. Ryan had that one, which might explain his posts on Bluesky today.
This post – which will serve as an off-day open thread if tonight’s game is canceled – will be updated as we know more about tonight’s game, and Ryan, we assume, will keep Posting Through It.
Toronto’s Max Scherzer on injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation
TORONTO — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was put on the 15-day injured list by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday because of right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
A 41-year-old right-hander, Scherzer is 1-3 with a 9.64 ERA in five starts.
Toronto made the IL move retroactive to Saturday and recalled right-hander Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo.
Scherzer, who started Game 7 of last year’s World Series, remained with the Blue Jays by agreeing to a $3 million, one-year contract that allows him to earn $10 million in performance bonuses for innings starting with 65.
He allowed seven runs and six hits, including three home runs, in 2 1/3 innings during an 8-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday. It was the third time this season Scherzer failed to complete three innings.
He left an April 6 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of forearm pain, then allowed eight runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings in an April 12 defeat to Minnesota.
An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts and 85 innings for the Blue Jays last season. He made three starts in the postseason, beating Seattle 8-2 in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series and making two starts in the World Series against the Dodgers.
Scherzer won titles with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. He ranks 11th on the strikeouts list with 3,499, 10 behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.
Where to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns Game 4 NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, April 27
The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to complete a sweep of the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their opening-round playoff series. The Thunder won the first three games by an average of 16.7 points. Phoenix’s season will end with another loss in the series. If the Thunder close out the Suns, they will face the winner of the Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Lakers series.
How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns
Date: Monday, April 27
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona
TV Channels: Peacock, NBC
Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports
Odds
Spread: Phoenix Suns +10.5
Moneyline: Phoenix Suns +375 (20.2%) / Oklahoma City Thunder -500 (79.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series results, schedule (all times Eastern)
Game 1:Thunder 119, Suns 94
Game 2: Thunder 120, Suns 107
Game 3:Thunder 121, Suns 109
Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (9:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
*Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
*if necessary
Casemiro’s decision to leave Manchester United is final, insists Michael Carrick
Brazilian going in the summer after four years
Interim manager says the situation is ‘pretty clear’
Michael Carrick ruled out any reversal of Casemiro’s departure from Manchester United in the summer after the Brazilian scored in ’s 2-1 win against Brentford.
The midfielder’s header on 11 minutes was his ninth goal in the Premier League, second only for United to Benjamin Sesko, who registered just before half-time to seal victory.
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