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Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (2-4, 3.95 ERA) vs. RHP Zebby Matthews (2-3, 4.15 ERA)
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When the Yankees re-signed Paul Blackburn to a one-year deal back in December, I actually liked the move. A veteran pitcher who had spent his entire career as a (rather lackluster) starter, he was, at a minimum, important early-season depth for a team that knew heading into the winter that it would have three starting pitchers — Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt — open the year on the injured list. And while the rotation depth was fortunately not tested any further in spring training, having a pair of veteran arms in Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough was the type of Plan B that big-market teams with larger payrolls should always have.
This wasn’t why I was intrigued, however. Three years ago, in September 2023, the Yankees claimed journeyman starter Luke Weaver off waivers. They liked what they saw, re-signed him to a one-year deal with a team option for 2025, and although they had him prepare as a starter in spring training, they had him ticketed for a spot in the bullpen from pretty much day one. You know the rest — he became a dominant bullpen arm that locked down the closer’s role in the Yankees’ 2024 AL pennant run, followed that up with an up-and-down 2025, and signed a two-year deal with the Mets in free agency this past winter. To me, Blackburn seemed like a perfect candidate to try this again.
Fast forward to June, and it seems like this is the Yankees’ goal. Unlike Yarbrough, who primarily — although not exclusively, as we saw on Monday night — pitches when the team needs multiple innings (particularly in garbage time), Blackburn has been increasingly used in more and more…I wouldn’t say high leverage roles, but middle innings in games that the Yankees neither have a large lead nor have put up the white flag. And for his part, he hasn’t been half bad in that role: since the start of May, he has allowed just five runs, three of which came back on May 13th in Baltimore.
However, is this performance sustainable, or is Blackburn’s stretch of strong performances yet more evidence for the volatility of relief pitchers? The underlying data is, well, rather contradictory.
Blackburn has done a very good job at both avoiding hard contact and generating groundballs — in fact, his groundball percentage ranks 14th out of the 183 relievers with at least 20 innings so far this season, and his hard hit percentage 64th. At the same time, though, he struggles to get batters to chase at pitches out of the zone or whiff at pitches in the zone, a combo that makes him one of the worst strikeout pitchers in the game. While Tim Hill (69.8 GB%, 11.8 K%), Yennier Cano (61.7 GB%, 19.8 K%), and Tyler Rogers (68.9 GB%, 15.1 K%) prove that you can still be a reliable reliever — nay, even a dominant one — while pitching more to contact, it does leave less room for error.
Looking deeper into the Statcast data, Blackburn has thrown seven different types of pitches this year, a reflection of his background as a starter: a sinker, a cutter, a changeup, a curveball, a sweeper, a four-seamer, and a slider. Of these, he tends to lean on his sinker and his cutter against righties, mixing in his sweeper against righties. Against lefties, he has used a wider repertoire, leaning on his cutter, changeup, and curveball and mixing in the sinker. He’s only thrown eight fastballs and four sliders, and given the context, I’m pretty sure the sliders were simply sweepers that didn’t register correctly on Statcast.
Not surprisingly, given the larger number of right-handed hitters compared to lefties, Blackburn has combined to throw his sinker and cutter a whopping 65.4 percent of the time. Unfortunately, these are also the pitches that hitters have done the most damage on: batters are hitting .324 against the sinker and .357 against the cutter, and the xBA for each shows relatively little regression should be expected, at least in terms of batted ball data (.338 and .275, respectively). The changeup, cutter, and sweeper, on the other hand, have been very effective in their smaller sample sizes, responsible for 11 of his 20 strikeouts and just four of his 27 hits.
So where do we stand on our original question? In truth, the question is still up in the air. Should Blackburn be able to generate more soft grounders with the sinker, he may be able to continue this hot stretch and become a solid middle reliever for the team as we head into the summer months. But unless he can find a way to generate some swing-and-miss, however, it seems unlikely that he can pull a Weaver and turn himself into what the Yankees are looking for, another true bullpen ace.
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we look at Marcus Smart.
Whatever expectations the Lakers had when they signed Marcus Smart last summer were not only met but exceeded.
Through his gritty defense, vocal leadership and contagious effort, Smart quickly earned the respect of his teammates and fans alike. The veteran was everything his reputation advertised and the team needed.
Beyond his production, Smart’s impact and connectivity next to his star teammates also served as important proof of concept as the Lakers approach a pivotal offseason.
With the franchise expected to make significant changes this summer, Smart proved he can help contribute to whatever shape the roster takes if brought back. And if he’s not, he displayed how important having players like him can be.
Typically, 6’3” guards aren’t able to be defensive anchors for a team, but Smart is the exception.
Whether it was guarding up or down, diving for loose balls or stepping in for charges, Smart injected much-needed care into the Lakers’ defense.
It is no secret that the Lakers’ roster lacked defensive talent last season. However, there was a level of effort that Smart helped cultivate that ultimately got the most out of the group.
Even if the results didn’t equate to an above-average defense by the end of the year, Smart’s individual efforts deserve recognition.
Although much of his value comes from the intangible parts of his game, the numbers showcased how tangible his impact actually was.
The Lakers were a fantastic 8.9 points better with Smart on the floor this past season and allowed 7.3 points less per 100 possessions. Both are elite indicators of a player being a meaningful difference maker.
For as good and consistent as Smart was as a defensive tone setter, his offense waxed and waned.
Playing next to the likes of Luka Dončić , LeBron James and Austin Reaves, Smart was slotted off=ball more than ever before (72% of his makes were assisted on).
As a result, this put more of an emphasis on Smart’s perimeter shooting, an area he has historically been just okay at, which was the case once again. When removing garbage time, Smart converted just 33% of his 3-point attempts and 30% of his above-the-break chances.
While not as effective on offense as he is on defense, Smart showed how versatile and helpful he could still be.
Despite his struggles from the perimeter, Smart still found ways to be a spark on that end. His ball-handling, playmaking and downhill ability proved critical in the playoffs once Dončić and Reaves were ruled out. His knack for crashing the offensive glass also created countless extra possessions throughout the year.
With a player option at his disposal, Smart can either opt into the remaining $5.3 million of his deal with the Lakers or opt out and test the market. After his strong year, there are expected to be plenty of suitors he can pick from.
At 32, Smart’s decision will likely come down to playing for a contender and/or landing a more lucrative deal than the one he currently has. The Lakers are uniquely able to offer Smart both.
With ample cap space and a clear role in place, a return may benefit both parties.
If a new deal can be reached and is reasonable from both a financial and years perspective, the Lakers should absolutely bring Smart back into the fold.
Beyond checking multiple boxes on the court, Smart was also a successful case study of the type of players who succeed around Dončić and Reaves.
The fluidity and chemistry between the trio were evident as ineups featuring Smart, Reaves and Dončić had an incredible +22.1 net rating. For context, that was the best mark among all 3-man pairings last season.
In an ideal world, the Lakers could find a younger and better version of Smart this summer, allowing him to slide into a more appropriately sized role. Not only would this add more defensive talent and depth to the roster, but it would help Smart stay sharp and healthy all year.
Ultimately, it is not a guarantee that Smart would even want to return or prefer another opportunity elsewhere. But if he does opt to remain in Los Angeles, then the Lakers should be excited for a reunion.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.
‘Second-line center all day long' should intrigue Flyers in draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
For the first time in a while, the Flyers are coming off a playoff run.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, grabbing Tyson Foerster at 23rd overall.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
Last summer, the Flyers made nine selections, with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was their headliner at sixth overall. Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s.
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Alexander Command
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 187
Shoots: Left
Team: Orebro
Scouting report
There’s a craftiness to Command’s game. The Swedish pivot knows what to do with the puck on his stick. He can shoot it and pass it. He won’t overwhelm you with speed or power, but he just seems to get the job done.
“I see him as a second-line center all day long,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “The way he plays — he’s smart, he’s competitive.”
Playing at the junior level in his home country, Command led Orebro with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) over 30 games this season. He had 96 shots and a plus-10 rating. He added 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 40 shots in 14 playoff games.
At the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship that ended last month, Command had seven points (three goals, four assists), 21 shots and a plus-4 rating in seven games for Team Sweden, which won gold.
Button sees some Joel Eriksson Ek qualities in Command. The Wild center, also from Sweden, was drafted 20th overall in 2015 and has gone on to record 60-plus points twice and 30 goals once.
“Joel has that competitive fire and the smarts,” Button said. “I think Alexander has the same things, I think Command has the same type of elements in his game. He makes other players better.”
Command, who doesn’t turn 18 until next week, is the 13th-ranked player on Button’s May 20 draft list.
Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis also has him pegged at No. 13, while EliteProspects.com has him at No. 19. NHL Central Scouting has Command at No. 11 among international skaters.
Fit with Flyers
Considering the Flyers’ need for more top-six talent down the middle, Command would be a nice pick.
He’s arguably a top-five center in this draft. That would be great value for the Flyers if he’s available at No. 21.
Command might not be the most dynamic player, but he’s pretty polished and there’s upside.
More targets
• Could Lawrence’s early jump to college have him fall to Flyers in draft?
• Will Flyers eye 6-foot-4 forward with ‘goal-scoring hands’ at No. 21?
• Palmieri ‘type of player’ may be available for Flyers at No. 21 in draft
• Russian center with pro build has interesting case for Flyers at No. 21
• Lin has ‘Brandon Montour profile,’ but will he be there for Flyers at No. 21?
• D-man with ‘unbelievable maturity to his game’ could be option for Flyers at No. 21
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The Chicago Cubs are looking to avoid being swept at Coors Field by the Colorado Rockies in their series finale Thursday, June 11.
My top Cubs vs. Rockies predictions and MLB picks are calling for the Chicago bats to wake up just in time to leave Colorado with an afternoon win.
The Chicago Cubs have the third-lowest BABIP in baseball despite ranking 10th in hard-hit rate and 14th in squared up contact rate during their 7-22 slide, so statistical correction is coming, and I’m particularly expecting an increase to their 3.2 runs per game during the skid.
Plus, even with the dip in production at the dish, the Cubs are still tied for eighth in wRC+ against right-handed pitchers.
This should prove to be a favorable matchup, too. Colorado Rockies righty Ryan Feltner checks in with 5.69 xERA alongside a target-worthy 18.5% blast contact rate.
The Cubs moneyline is in play down to -150.
COVERS INTEL: The Chicago Cubs rank 27th in clutch batting win probability (-0.98) during their highlighted slump after posting a sixth-ranked 1.26 mark through the prior 23 games to highlight an unsustainable – and catastrophic – drop in timely hitting has been another huge contributor to the skid. Chicago begins returning to form at the plate this afternoon.The Cubs and Rockies played to the Under the first two games of the series with just 15 runs combined, so with the potential for both teams to rest regulars Thursday, this total is too high for me.
Additionally, while Chicago righty Edward Cabrera was hit hard in his return from a blister on his middle finger, he surrendered three earned runs or fewer in nine of 10 starts while pitching to a nearly identical 4.00 ERA and 4.01 xFIP to start the year.
Finally, considering the highlighted Cubs struggles at the dish, I’m not anticipating Chicago flipping the script entirely this afternoon and would play this Under to -125.
The Cubs have cashed the Under in 18 of their last 30 games for +5.15 units and a 16% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rockies.
| Location | Coors Field, Denver, CO |
| Date | Thursday, June 11, 2026 |
| First pitch | 3:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | Marquee, Rockies.TV |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Edward Cabrera (3-3, 4.99 ERA) |
| Rockies starting pitcher | Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.22 ERA) |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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In a surprising twist, the Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly turned to the Edmonton Oilers in search of big upgrades to their group of defensemen going forward.
Veteran Nick Seeler is beginning to show signs of wear and tear as he gets older, and pending RFA Emil Andrae is looking increasingly likely to be on another NHL team next season.
That leaves the Flyers in need of another left-shot defenseman, and a solid one with experience, too, after they just made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years.
One player with such experience is Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who helped guide the Western Conference titans to back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.
Nurse, 31, has four seasons remaining on his contract at a $9.25 million cap hit, which is the major detractor when it comes to both trading him and trading for him.
According to On Pattison's Anthony San Filippo, though, the Flyers could be one of the approved destinations for the Oilers defenseman, who has a full no-move clause, and the Flyers have interest if the price is reasonable.
"A source outside of the Flyers organization said Nurse, who has a full no-trade clause in his contract through the end of next season, has told the Oilers there are a few teams he is willing to be traded to right now. Are the Flyers one of them? It’s unclear, but a separate source told me they would be an approved destination," San Filippo reported.
Logistically, the Flyers could very easily absorb Nurse's full cap hit without much trouble going forward, but that would also be money spent that they could allocate elsewhere.
3 Flyers Trade Alternatives to Dylan LarkinThe Philadelphia Flyers can trade for these three long-term alternatives to Dylan Larkin.RFAs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale need new contracts, Matvei Michkov is eligible for an extension as of July 1, Dan Vladar will sign an extension this summer, and maybe the Flyers sign John Carlson in free agency, too.
Nurse wouldn't stop any of those things from happening, but it would make for an unnecessarily tight ship if an opportunity arose for the Flyers to add, say, a No. 1 center or player-adjacent.
“That’s the difficult part of the conversation,” a Flyers source told San Filippo, saying that there has been internal discussion about how it would have to look for them to be interested enough to pick up the phone. “It depends on what the cost is for them to retain, and how much they would be retaining.”
Nurse is an overall better, more versatile player than someone like Rasmus Ristolainen, who currently carries a $5.1 million cap hit.
So, to make Nurse's contract palatable, the Flyers would have to get his number down to somewhere between that and $7 million.
Salary retention costs a lot these days, and it's a risky move for a contender like Edmonton to pay players to play on another team, but they have little choice with the primes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl winding down.
As for any potential trade compensation, it is worth noting that the Flyers do not have fourth- or fifth-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, though they do have both in 2027 in addition to two third-round picks.
It's also fair to wonder if the Oilers would entertain a straight player swap with retention for someone like Andrae, potentially in addition to another bubble NHLer or useful depth player.
The Flyers have plenty of avenues to explore, and Nurse's $74 million contract is certainly one of them, even with its warts.
Now, we have evidence of some tentative interest.
2026 MLB Draft Preview: Jared Grindlinger scouting report.
The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at Huntington Beach, California, two-way player Jared Grindlinger.
Jared Grindlinger is a 6’3”, 185 lb. lefthanded hitter and thrower who is matriculating from Huntington Beach High School in California. Grindlinger is one of the youngest players in this year’s draft class, having just turned 17 this past April. Grindlinger was originally going to be in the 2027 draft class, but reclassified four months ago to being draft-eligible in 2026. He is committed to the University of Tennessee, where his older brother, Trent, is a freshman who has been the Volunteers’ starting catcher this year.
As a hitter, the reports on Grindlinger describe him as contact-oriented, without a lot of present power, but with a build and swing that projects for power in the future. BP describes him as having “elite” contact ability and strike zone control.
Defensively, Grindlinger plays the outfield, though his lack of speed means he’s probably a corner outfielder, with right field being the best fit due to his arm. His speed will probably decrease as he fills out, which could result in him ending up at first base.
On the mound, Grindlinger is “all about projection,” per MLB Pipeline, which notes that his present stuff isn’t all that impressive. His fastball has touched 96 but is generally in the low 90s, with a slider that is a work in progress. His changeup is seen as his best offspeed pitch, with MLB Pipeline noting he has thrown both a circle change and a kick change.
Baseball America has Grindlinger at #17 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Grindlinger at #18 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Grindlinger at #11 on his top 150 list. Keith Law’s rankings have Grindlinger at #12 on his board. Fangraphs does not have Grindlinger on their board. Baseball Prospectus has Grindlinger at #15 on their top 30 draft board.
In the most recent Baseball America mock draft, Carlos Collazo has Grindlinger going to the Nationals at #11, and also mentions him in connection with several other teams in the early teens. Jim Callis’s June 4 mock draft has Grindlinger going to the Nationals at #11. Keith Law’s May mock draft has Grindlinger going to the Guardians at #19. Law’s June 10 mock draft has Grindlinger going to the Rangers at #18. Kiley McDaniel’s May 29 mock draft has Grindlinger going to the Nationals at #11.
Grindlinger is a really interesting draft candidate. His re-classifying just five months before the draft means that teams had not focused on him previously as much as other high schoolers who were draft-eligible this year. His being so young means that there’s much more projecting that has to be done with him, as well as the fact that as a two-way player he has not focused on either pitching or hitting as much as a non-two-way player would have at this point. To put his youth into context, on draft day, Grindlinger will be roughly five months older than Sebastian Walcott was when the Rangers signed him.
Grindlinger is a high upside, high risk guy right now, and the chances are good that he will be off the board when the Rangers pick. If he’s not, the Rangers, who have two way teenagers Josh Owens and Seong-Jung Kim playing in the ACL this year, would have the opportunity to add another youngster with two-way potential to the system.
Previously:
The St. Louis Cardinals will continue their joyride in New York Wednesday afternoon as Hunter Dobbins will get the start for the Redbirds. The New York Mets will hope Christian Scott can pull off a miracle as he will take the mound for the metros. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10pm central time and the broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
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What a game. What a team. Those players and us fans wish we could have those last seconds back, or heck, even the entire fourth quarter. The roller coaster ride of emotion had a lot of peaks but the downward swirl there in the fourth makes you almost want to erase it from your memory because of the pain it brought.
That’s what we at Pounding the Rock are here for. Join us on this journey to erase the pain of that loss. We have the technology. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, it means going through the better parts (highlights, if you will) of the game and remembering that the joy of winning never comes easy nor does it come without the disappointment of losing.
So sit back, try to enjoy some of the good parts of Wednesday’s game as we try to erase from memory the second half/fourth quarter of the game. If you hear the voices of Kate Winslet, peak career Jim Carrey, early career Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood, that’s normal. It’s completely normal.
Victor Wembanyama led the team with 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while Dylan Harper contributed 21 points on 8 -12 shooting off the bench.
Early on, there were some good, purposeful ball movement to find the open player in the corner for an open three. A lot of those seeing as how the team set a record for most threes in the first half. The first half being the operative word.
The Spurs swarmed early and got some easy points off of turnovers. Playing aggressive, yet loose, seems to be a winning formula they’ll hope to duplicate and maintain.
Victor Wembanyama got crafty with his footwork to get around his defender for the bucket inside. If this move was a craft beer, it’d be described as hoppy but a subtle bounce with a sweet aftertaste.
Analytically speaking, the pull-up mid-range jumper is inefficient. But aesthetically speaking, the mid-range jumper is pretty, especially when Dylan Harper is able to probe his way through the defense and make space for himself to pull up.
We know the second part of the saying “Live by the three . . .” but this is a highlights article remember, so we’ll stop there and have a moment to appreciate Carter Bryant’s early development into becoming the next great D and Three wing.
Stephon Castle showed off his court vision and extremely nice touch on a half-court lob to Bryant who showed off his hops.
This mildly chaotic scrum off a jump ball ended with a drained three for the Spurs. The most impressive part was Dylan Harper fighting (successfully) for the ball in a sea of Knicks arms.
More of that old school style play for those who are fans of the mid-range game. The spin move by Harper was particularly *chef’s kiss.
If you missed the game because you were too busy trying to duplicate the memory-erasing technology from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs will head home for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
Former Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent has found himself back in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken have announced that they've added Vincent as an assistant coach for the upcoming season.
Per a Kraken Press Release, “He's been a head coach at every level. He’s been an assistant coach at every level. He's been coaching for 26 years and at the pro level for the last 15 years. In all of the research I did, everything said about him checked all the boxes. Everyone said he is an extremely hardworking and loyal guy who loves to win and loves to develop players. For me, Pascal was the favorite right from the beginning based on his experience and what I was hearing about him. We feel very fortunate to get him into our mix. “
For the last two seasons, Vincent has been head coach for the Laval Rocket, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Montréal Canadiens. He was named AHL Coach of the Year in 2025, leading the Rocket to 101 points and a league-leading 48-19-5 record. It was his second AHL coach of the year honor, winning the first in 2017-18 with the Manitoba Moose. He has worked as an NHL assistant coach across seven seasons, five with Winnipeg (2011 to 2016) and two with Columbus (2021 to 2023), before serving one year as head coach with the Blue Jackets in 2023-24. - Kraken PR-
Don Waddell fired Pascal Vincent on June 17th, 2024, after just one season as the head coach. Vincent was hired just before the season started in 2023, after Mike Babcock was fired just before training camp started.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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Sports bettors made a killing in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which went straight into the history books after the New York Knicks completed the largest comeback in Finals history to beat the San Antonio Spurs.
Wednesday’s contest finished with a game-winning tip-in from OG Anunoby that capped off an incredible rally from a 29-point deficit.
The Knicks were -1.5 favorites at most sportsbooks heading into Game 4. It only took them less than two quarters to fall into a 71-42 hole, drawing a round of well-earned “boos” from the fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden.
OG ANUNOBY WITH THE PUTBACK.
— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026
KNICKS COMPLETE THE 29-PT COMEBACK FOR THE WIN.
LARGEST COMEBACK IN NBA FINALS HISTORY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZtWVWY6JsR
FanDuel sportsbook told Covers that the Knicks got to as long as +3000 in live moneyline odds, giving them an implied 3.2% chance of winning the game. BetMGM and DraftKings both confirmed the Knicks’ live moneyline odds reached as long as +2200, equaling a 4.4% implied chance.
Unfortunately for the sportsbook, bettors took those numbers.
A massive 86% of bets and 67% of live-betting money wagered at BetMGM was on the Knicks’ moneyline. An additional 76% of tickets and 75% of the handle were also on the Knicks to cover the live spread, which varied throughout the matchup.
BetMGM also outlined how the Knicks’ moneyline odds evolved during the game. They entered at -130, went up to +375 after the first quarter and +1400 at halftime, and were +800 going into the fourth quarter.
The Spurs’ epic collapse marked the second time in this series that they literally threw a game away.
In Game 2, with the score tied and less than 10 seconds on the clock, Victor Wembanyama tossed a pass to Stephon Castle in transition just as the latter turned his back to hustle downcourt. The ball ricocheted off of Castle’s back into the waiting hands of Jalen Brunson, who was fouled and made the game-winning free-throw. Victor Wembanyama missed a shot to win at the buzzer.
The Spurs could have almost assuredly prevented a loss in regulation in Game 4 on Wednesday, had De’Aaron Fox held his nerve.
The 10-year NBA veteran found himself ahead of the pack to collect a loose ball on the Knicks’ side of the court with less than 15 seconds remaining and his team up one, but rather than bleed the clock and wait to get fouled, he attempted — and missed — a layup.
"I just thought I'd be able to outrun [OG Anunoby]."
— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2026
De'Aaron Fox explains his late game shot that was blocked by OG Anunoby.
(via @BenGolliver) pic.twitter.com/HbWQvzPZ5M
The Knicks rebounded the ball, and a few seconds of game time later, Anunoby put in the decisive shot to put his team one game away from a championship.
NBA teams up 3-1 in the Finals are 37-1 across all of NBA history. The only loss occurred in 2016, when the 73-9 Golden State Warriors lost three straight to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
From a broader view across all 303 best-of-seven series that stood 3-1 at one point, only 15 (5%) teams recovered from the deficit.
FanDuel Sportsbooks isn’t completely crossing out the possibility for the Spurs, although they think it’s unlikely. Their +385 NBA Finals oddsgives them a 20.6% implied chance of winning the Finals to the Knicks’ -500 (83.3%).
The series will return to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday, where the Spurs are -5.5 favorites. The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 on the road as +4.5 and +6.5 underdogs, respectively.
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For six straight quarters, the Knicks' defense had been a hot mess.
Throughout Game 3, the Spurs were getting deep in the paint at will — 40 of their 84 shots came at, or within five feet, of the rim, including some spectacular Victor Wembanyama alley-oops. After posting a 104.1 offensive rating in a Game 2 loss, the Spurs picked apart the Knicks' defense to the tune of a 119.1 offensive rating in Game 3.
That turned out just to be the appetizer. The Knicks' defense was even worse in the first half against a Spurs team that could not seem to miss, allowing a 161.4 offensive rating to a San Antonio squad up 27 at halftime. Knicks' rotations were late, if they happened at all, and their transition defense felt non-existent.
Then, in the third quarter of Game 4, the Knicks completely flipped the script.
The entire historic 29-point comeback — including the iconic tip-in game-winner by OG Anunoby — does not happen without New York first stringing together stops. New York put together good defensive possession after good possession, following six quarters of failing to do exactly that.
New York held the Spurs to just 30 second-half points on 8-of-39 shooting, 3-of-17 from 3-point range and forced nine turnovers.
"Really, we didn't change much. We basically kept the same game plan," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "But defensively, we just did it harder for longer stretches, and we were really in tune to what we were supposed to be doing. Our level of physicality increased without sending them to the free-throw line, as well, which is huge."
"Probably just our contests were better. Just like 1% better," Anunoby said. "Just a little bit better. Getting out faster and making sure every shot is contested and then finish possessions with rebounds and then running out, moving the ball, taking good shots, shooting open shots, not hesitating."
The Spurs more than helped contribute to their own demise. A team that had spent six quarters making a point of getting downhill met some resistance and just stopped, falling in love with the 3-pointer and pull-up jumpers — San Antonio scored just four points in the paint in the second half.
"The biggest thing was, I told the guys, we can play better," Brown said. "Right now we are letting the ball get to the paint and we've got to do a better job of keeping the ball out of the paint."
The Spurs shot 0-of-5 in the paint in the third, and while they tried to turn that around after the momentum shifted, they still shot just 2-of-9 in the paint in the fourth quarter.
One of the biggest changes Brown made in the clutch was to put his best perimeter defender, Anunoby, on De'Aaron Fox.
Fox is the veteran leader of the Spurs and the floor general, the guy supposed to settle the Spurs down and make smart plays when things are starting to go wrong. The steady hand. The coach on the court.
Instead, when the game got tight, for reasons nobody can explain, the Spurs kept running Fox isolations against Anunoby or pick-and-rolls where Anunoby would fight through the screen, which were consistently a disaster. I got a text from a scout watching at home during this stretch that was literally "STOP PLAYING THROUGH FOX WHEN OG IS GUARDING HIM!" Everyone saw the problem, but Fox and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson just kept going back to it.
There were multiple examples of Fox and Wembanyama miscommunicating on multiple pick-and-rolls under Anunoby's pressure. At one point, with 2:00 left in the game, it led to a Josh Hart breakaway and a blown layup that felt like it could be the Knicks' story of the night. With 37 seconds left, Fox just isolated on Anunoby and missed a midrange jumper, but got bailed out because Stephon Castle made a great play to get the offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback attempt.
Then came the defensive play nobody will forget.
Jalen Brunson missed a jumper with 16 seconds left that led to a scramble for the rebound, where the ball was tipped out into the backcourt. Fox chased it down and then, inexplicably, decided he could beat Anunoby to the basket and went for the layup rather than dribbling it out and forcing the Knicks to foul him (Fox is a 90% free throw shooter for the series). Anunoby won the battle at the rim with an epic block, keeping it a one-point game, and giving the Knicks a chance.
Just before his game-winning putback to complete the Knicks' NBA Finals-record 29-point comeback... OG Anunoby delivered a CLUTCH block on the other end.
— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026
TWO-WAY IMPACT ON DISPLAY https://t.co/IcOqBvvOyhpic.twitter.com/CWmlQVckuA
Anunoby is not likely to win Finals MVP, and nobody should have an issue if it goes to Jalen Brunson, but Anunoby's defensive contributions, on top of scoring 33 in Game 4, should have him in the conversation.
His key role in turning around the Knicks defense in the second half is why New York is one win away from its first title since 1973.
It’s been reported for quite some time now that the Florida Panthers and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky are at odds.
Bobrovsky seeks a high-paying contract, while the Panthers are looking for something a bit cheaper that will allow them to continue building their roster without losing key pieces. The 2025-26 season was a massive down year for the 37-year-old, and rumors circulated around the trade deadline that Bobrovsky could be available.
Nothing came to fruition, but we now know the Panthers were seriously considering it.
According to a report from The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Panthers were looking for at least a first-round pick from the Carolina Hurricanes, who inquired about Bobrovsky’s services.
The Panthers weren’t willing to move on from Bobrovsky very easily, and Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky was never willing to move a first-round pick for Bobrovsky.
If this deal had gone through, the landscape of the NHL could have looked completely different.
Report: Situation Between Florida Panthers, Sergei Bobrovsky Looks 'Pretty Bad'Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is a pending UFA, and the current situation between the two parties looks "pretty bad."The Hurricanes are currently in the Stanley Cup finals, duelling with the Vegas Golden Knights. The series is currently tied at two games apiece, but the Hurricanes have dealt with their fair share of goalie controversy.
To begin, Frederik Andersen has had several noted playoff mishaps and has built a bit of a reputation for his play faltering in big games and moments. While he was outstanding in the first three rounds, his play has once again declined as the pressure ramps up.
In Game 3, he was pulled in favor of Brandon Bussi, a former Panthers netminder, and has now seemingly lost his crease to Bussi.
Ex-Panthers Goaltender Steps Into The Crease For The Hurricanes As Their Comeback Attempt Falls Short; Could He Start Game 4?Former Florida Panthers goaltender Brandon Bussi stepped into the crease for the Carolina Hurricanes and helped spark a four-goal comeback against the Vegas Golden Knights that fell short in overtime of Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup final. Bussi started Game 4 for the Hurricanes and guided them to a 4-3 win to tie the series.
If the Hurricanes had traded for Bobrovsky, would this controversy have still arisen? Would Bobrovsky have been the undisputed starter? Would he have found his game again behind a healthier team?
So many questions could be asked about this reported trade situation. Whether they win or lose, the Hurricanes are in the Stanley Cup final without top-notch goaltending, and Bobrovsky could have changed that.
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Iman Shumpert had postgame commitments after the Knicks’ wild Game 4 win.
He decided to make other plans.
The former Knicks guard bailed on an ESPN podcast appearance Wednesday night so he could join the celebration outside Madison Square Garden after the Knicks’ dramatic NBA Finals comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs.
This night so crazy even @imanshumpert had to feel the energy of 7th Ave
— Jeff Johnson (@JeffJSays) June 11, 2026pic.twitter.com/SokTPsntpD
Shumpert was set to appear on “The Hoop Collective” podcast but said he instead was heading to Seventh Avenue with J.R. Smith to celebrate with the fans outside MSG.
And he did exactly that.
Video posted to social media showed Shumpert outside MSG in the middle of a swarm of fired-up Knicks fans, smiling, high-fiving and soaking in the scene as the Garden celebration spilled into the street.
Shumpert did not appear to be in any rush to get back to work as he held up five fingers and said “Knicks in five.”
Instead, the 2011 first-round pick leaned into the moment, greeting fans and partying with the same crowd that embraced him during his time in New York.
The scene came after the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit to beat the Spurs, 107-106, and take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
Iman Shumpert was supposed to do a podcast after the Spurs vs Knicks game but chose to turn up with the fans & JR Smith on 7th avenue
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) June 11, 2026pic.twitter.com/7fUrgJn2TK
That was more than enough to turn Seventh Avenue into a full-blown Knicks party.
For Shumpert, it was also a reminder of the bond he still has with the city.
He played parts of four seasons with the Knicks after they selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, becoming a fan favorite for his defense, energy and unmistakable style.
He later won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, alongside Smith, but New York has never quite let him go.
It was a fitting scene on a night when seemingly every Knicks fan in the city wanted to be part of the moment.
The Knicks now head to San Antonio for Game 5 with a chance to win their first NBA title since 1973.
Jalen Brunson barely looked like he cared.
After the Knicks’ stunning 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals Wednesday night, Warriors star Draymond Green sat with Brunson on “Inside the NBA” and apologized for the criticism he’s given him leading up to the Finals.
“I apologize. I will say it to your face… I’m sorry,” Green said on “Inside the NBA” after the game. “Then, I will say it when you go and get your ring: I apologize.”
Jalen Brunson couldn’t give a damn what Draymond Green is apologizing about. Jalen knows he’s a clown
— Gio (@jsmove7) June 11, 2026pic.twitter.com/NUCAEO8RXq
But with slides on and a microphone in hand, Brunson sat stoically with the studio show’s crew after his 36-point masterpiece, clearly not giving much attention to Green’s apology.
“I appreciate that (Green’s apology),” Brunson said.
Green, a four-time champion and All-Star with the Warriors, has been critical of the Knicks and Brunson throughout their playoff run, saying the team’s path to the Finals was easy and that Brunson isn’t capable of being the top player on a championship team.
“And I double down on this. Just like Becky Hammon said, prove me wrong,” Green said on the “Draymond Green Show” on May 31. “Prove me wrong, double down, absolutely double down. Getting out of the East has never been a surefire way at a championship
“What are y’all talking about? You get out of the East cause you’re supposed to get out of the East. It’s the f–king East, of course, you’re supposed to get out of the East. That just don’t mean you win a championship because you get out of the East. It’s the f–king East.”
Green was referencing comments made by Hammon, the current Las Vegas Aces head coach and former Spurs assistant, where she said in 2023 that Brunson was “too small” to be a “1A” player and that he couldn’t lead the Knicks to a championship.
Even as Brunson helped the Knicks punch their Finals ticket on May 25, Hammon still doubled down on her take.
“I speak from experience,” Hammon said in an X video on May 26. “Allen Iverson got MVP, and he lost in the Finals. I think the two best teams are in the West, but I’m up for being proven wrong.”
“That’s the other thing, I think Jalen Brunson’s a hell of a player, a hell of a player. I’m speaking historically on the NBA with what I said. I don’t know why everybody’s so stuck on that. I said it two years ago.”
Brunson, who’s averaged 24 or more points per game each of his four years with the Knicks, hasn’t let the critiques get to him.
After scoring 36 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, Brunson and the Knicks are just a win away from their first title since 1973.
The Knicks can close it out Saturday in Game 5 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.