The New York Yankees split the first two games of their series with the Los Angeles Angels, earning a dramatic 11-10 win in the opener before dropping Game 2 in blowout fashion.
My Angels vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks expect the home side to get back on track this Wednesday, April 15.
Who will win Angels vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-178)
Jack Kochanowicz has seen his counting numbers improve this season, but a lot of that stems from luck.
He owns a 5.02 xFIP — very close to last year’s 5.18 xFIP, when he had a 6.81 ERA to go with it.
Kochanowicz has also allowed a .204 average on balls put in play. That is unsustainably low and well below the near .300 BABIP allowed over 175 innings of work the two seasons prior.
All of these numbers suggest regression is coming, and the New York Yankees (third in fly-ball rate, seventh in hard-hit rate) are a good team to force the issue.
COVERS INTEL: Kochanowicz's xERA is nearly three runs higher than his actual ERA this season.
Angels vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-116)
Kochanowicz’s underlying profile screams regression, and the Yankees' tendency to hit the ball hard and put it in the air should serve them well in a hitter-friendly ballpark with warm weather and the wind blowing out.
When Kochanowicz departs from the game, the Yankees can look forward to facing a bullpen that ranks Bottom-10 in xFIP and SIERA.
The Los Angeles Angels should chip in their fair share of runs as well. Luis Gil has a tough time keeping the ball in the park, and the Angels rank first in fly-ball rate and second in homers this season.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-3, -3.82 units
Over/Under bets: 0-3, -3.51 units
Angels vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +163 | New York -170
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-120) | New York -1.5 (+100)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (+115) | Under 9.5 (-105)
Angels vs Yankees trend
The Angels have hit the Over in eight of their last nine games (+6.90 Units / 68% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Yankees.
How to watch Angels vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN W, Prime Video
Angels starting pitcher
Jack Kochanowicz (2-0, 3.24 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Luis Gil (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
Angels vs Yankees latest injuries
Angels vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) in goal during the second 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 accomplished the task of clinching second place in the Atlantic Division. It comes with a nice bonus of sitting out the best-of-three first round playoffs that tripped them up the prior two seasons. They’ll await the highest seed that emerges from the 3/6 and 4/5 series, with the lowest seeded team playing top-ranked Providence.
The Penguins had a 1-0-1 previous week, dealing with a few key forwards called up to the NHL. WBSPenguins.com with the recaps:
Thursday, Apr. 9 – PENGUINS 5 at Bridgeport 6 (OT) In its last-ever regular-season visit to Bridgeport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton let a three-goal, third-period lead slip away as the Islanders stole their first win of the season series. Daniel Russell and Mikhail Ilyin both picked up assists in their AHL debuts, while Finn Harding, Tanner Howe, Gabe Klassen, Harrison Brunicke and Atley Calvert provided the goals.
Saturday, Apr. 11 – GANDY DANCERS 4 vs. Cleveland 1 It required a proletarian effort, but the Steamtown Gandy Dancers rolled up their sleeves and muscled their way to an intense victory. Calvert conjured the only goal through the first 52 minutes of action, which led to a frenzied finish. Aidan McDonough tallied twice around Cleveland’s lone goal, three strikes that came in 1:50 of game time. Howe lobbed in an empty netter to improve the *Penguins* to 3-0-1-0 in its Community Night presented by Visit Luzerne County.
Sergei Murashov gave up six goals on 28 shots in the Bridgeport game – on a day he started on the NHL roster in New Jersey before being assigned back to the AHL once it was deemed Stuart Skinner was good to go. Joel Blomqvist picked up the win against Cleveland, stopping 25/26 shots.
A lot of fresh faces and young talent have rolled into town, including most recently a 2025 third round draft pick defenseman Brady Peddle. Peddle joins with recent draftees Ryan Miller and Quinn Beauchesne on AHL tryout deals for the rest of the season. Neither Miller nor Beauchesne has appeared in a game yet, but with three meaningless games coming up in the next four days there could be opportunities to give these players a chance to get into the lineup.
Some other players on NHL contracts have made their way to Wilkes, Harrison Brunicke has been back after his junior career wrapped up in a first series loss in the WHL and been used in a key role now with Wilkes. Mikhail Ilyin’s KHL season is over and he’s managed two assists in his first two AHL games. Melvin Fernstrom has also been over in the AHL for a while coming in and out of the lineup.
Here was the lineup in the last game, WBS had to deal with Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes playing out the stretch in Pittsburgh. Rafael Harvey-Pinard got an NHL game too but did not miss any games in the minor league. With the NHL playoffs about to begin, all five of these forwards have been assigned back to Wilkes today, presumably to get them ready for an AHL playoff run. Other than the injured Tristan Broz, who has been out since the beginning of March, WBS is locked and loaded.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 11, 2026
Wilkes has three games to finish out their 72-game season, all at home. Tonight they play Hershey, a team that should be desperate to clinch a playoff spot (and loaded up themselves by getting Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ilya Protas and Clay Stephenson back from the NHL Capitals). Next up is Bridgeport on Friday, a team that has already clinched a playoff spot but is a potential future playoff opponent. Finally the year ends up with a game against Rochester, 5th place in the North Division, who likely will have clinched a playoff spot by the time they play Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.
In a way, WBS this week will be in the same situation as their NHL affiliate was this past week, being unable to move in the standings and focused on the playoffs. They (likely) won’t go to the extremes of resting all their key players, though sensibly there’s logic in fluid lineups to give youngsters a shot while keeping the key players ready for the playoffs. Those playoffs won’t start for a little bit in Wilkes-Barre who have earned the luxury of some rest and time to prepare for whatever the second round might throw at them (which would be a pretty good Charlotte team, barring an upset).
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics talks with reporters during Boston Celtics media day at the Auerbach Center on September 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thanks to CelticsBlog, I had the pleasure of covering the final two games of the Boston Celtics’ regular season as credentialed media, making the journey from Tasmania, Australia. I won’t bore you with the details of the journey, but despite a 45-hour, door-to-door journey and some horrendous jet lag, I still had the time of my life.
Quickly, for those curious as to how and why an Australian became so passionate about the Boston Celtics: my dad is from Andover, Mass., and moved to Australia when he was 25 years old, against his mother’s wishes — “you’ll meet a girl, and never come back.” Mothers are always right. I was lucky enough for my Dad to pass on the passion for Boston sports.
Due to the time difference between Boston and the East Coast of Australia, Celtics games are typically anywhere between 9.30 am – 12.30 pm. Perfect if you have a free day. But on days that either of us are working or engaged in an activity that has sadly had to be prioritised over watching the Boston Celtics, we developed a simple code to avoid spoiling the results of these games. A quick “I finished the game” text to let the other party know that we are free to start breaking down the game and gushing about how mind boggling it is that Jayson Tatum already looks this good less than 12 months removed from tearing his Achilles.
There was no amount of jet lag that could dampen my spirit as I made my way to TD Garden from the South End, where I stayed during my five days in Boston. Boston was blessed with lovely weather during my stay, so I opted to walk whenever possible, including to TD Garden, through Boston Common, which was packed with people and squirrels, which were a nice novelty addition to my walk. The squirrels were the novelty, not the people. We have a few of those in Tasmania.
When I’m back home in Australia, whenever I spot someone wearing Celtics gear, I’ll often stop them and deliver a quick quip about the team. This season it was a lot of “how about Jaylen Brown, hey?” Often, the response is “oh I just like the gear.” But sometimes, I strike gold and find another Celtics sicko to have a chat with. I had to fight to break this habit once arriving in Boston. Otherwise, I would have spoken to the entire city’s population in my five days. This urge was especially hard to fight the closer I got to the Garden, and as the closer I got, the thicker the stream of Celtics gear became.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 21: Fans board the T at North Station during the Boston Celtics Victory Parade following their 2024 NBA Finals win at TD Garden on June 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was walking behind a group of one dad and five young boys, all decked out in Cs gear and were bouncing with excitement for the Pelicans game. The kids were arguing over who their favourite Celtics were. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum featured prominently in this passionate debate. Payton Pritchard received an honourable mention.
The only other time I had been to TD Garden was in the first round of the 2022 playoffs when the Celtics faced off against the Brooklyn Nets for Game 2 of that series’ a game that featured Payton Pritchard sparking a double-digit comeback. That time, I turned left as we got to the gigantic TD Garden foyer, to make our way up the main entrance escalators. This time, I made my way past that entrance, and around the building towards the staff and media entrance. I hadn’t been nervous until this moment. While I knew that Celtics PR was expecting me, it still did not feel real that a media credential would be waiting for me.
I put my bag through security, told the PR lady who I was, she handed me my credentials, and not thirty seconds later, I was walking through the tunnel and found myself six feet from the parquet. I located my fellow beat reporters, who at least pretended to be very excited to see me and were impressed that I had made the journey across the world to join them in covering the Celtics.
I was just in time to watch the bench guys go through a high-intensity workout; Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and John Tonje were battling it out. I knew, conceptually, how big NBA players (and coaches) are, but seeing Amari and Tonje banging bodies in the post hammered home that reality. The next thing I know, I hear a Ric Flair-style “Wooooo” from behind me. It was assistant Coach Sam Cassell making a grand entrance onto the court. I’m told this is a regular occurrence. Cassell jumped straight into trash-talking all three young players for getting scored on by each other and not corralling rebounds.
As we inched closer to game time, the arena slowly filled up, not just with fans but with some familiar faces. The experience of being at TD Garden, wandering through the labyrinthine hallways of the bowels of TD Garden, was like being dropped into the middle of my favourite TV show — one I’ve watched religiously for most of my life, and feel like I know all the characters intimately.
I bumped into Drew Carter in the media dining room, as we both went to grab a snack. “Wow, you’re in Boston?! How’s it going, mate?” The fact that Drew remembered me from his appearance on First to the Floor was incredible. Moments like almost crashing into Derrick White as I rounded a corner as I looked for a bathroom will never be forgotten. Thankfully, it was just almost; I would never have forgiven myself if I were the one to give Derrick a knee contusion. It was a truly surreal feeling.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics speaks during a press conference after the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 4, 2024 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Next, it was time for Joe Mazzulla’s pregame press conference, an obligation I’m not sure Joe would describe as his favourite part of being head coach of the Boston Celtics. At this moment, the press conference room is buzzing with various conversations. I believe Robbie Hodin and I were discussing the merits of Paolo Banchero as part of the “who would you rather play: Philly or Orlando?” conversation that everyone had multiple times in my two days at The Garden. A hush came over the room as Mazzulla marched towards the interview table. I sat back and observed the media veterans like Gary Washburn and John Karalis do the heavy lifting for this pregame interview. I wanted to see how the mechanics of the interviews work before I launched myself into the firing line of a Joe Mazzulla response.
It was then time to make the journey up to the rafters, which is where I would be sitting, a perfect vantage point for seeing the activity of all ten players on the court at once. I know players from the Celtics and around the league consistently mention TD Garden as one of the best atmospheres in the NBA, but I was still blown away by the crowd in both the game against the New Orleans Pelicans and the regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic. In the first game, the Pelicans were without the top end of their rotation, and for the final game of the regular season, the Celtics were missing their top seven rotation players. I would not have faulted the Garden faithful for conserving their energy for the playoffs. However, the energy was palpable from the player intros.
Despite both games on paper being somewhat underwhelming, both games overdelivered. On night one, the Celtics blasted the Pelicans and fell one three-pointer short of breaking the NBA record for most threes in a game. You could feel the crowd’s energy build as the record came within reach. It was as exciting as a 36-point blowout could be.
The second night against the Orlando Magic delivered one of the most memorable games of the year, a game that the Celtics were given no chance to win, which is the 2025–2026 Celtics’ specialty — they came out and laid the smackdown on the Orlando Magic. On that night, I was treated to the Garden crowd losing their minds amidst a third quarter avalanche fueled by Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza dismantling the Magic’s starters.
As the games conclude, it was time to race back down for Joe Mazzulla’s postgame press conference. After the Pelicans game, I was ready to ask Mazzulla a question about Nikola Vucevic stringing another strong performance together after a solid second half against the New York Knicks. As to be expected, I was towards the back end of Joe’s press conference, giving priority to the more experienced reporters, which led to the great Bobby Manning of CelticsBlog and CLNS beating me to the punch on the Vucevic topic. I was, in theory, ready for this situation, as I had prepared a long list of questions to ask Joe during the aforementioned 45-hour journey across the world.
However, I hadn’t been rehearsing those questions in my head for the last 15 minutes. I was already nervous, but it was too late to back out. I had already signalled to Celtics PR that I had a question; there was no stopping the microphone being placed in my hands at this point. I have no idea what John Karalis asked Joe; all I could do was try to formulate my question. The mic was passed to me. I could feel my heart beating in every cell in my body. I delivered my question about Joe’s perspective on the playoffs being different from the regular season, and Mazzulla blessed me with an introspective, thoughtful answer, of which I heard some of.
The following night after the Magic game concluded, I was at least 50% less nervous when the microphone was passed to me. I was lucky enough to get to ask Joe another question, and then what is a rare occurrence at this point in the season, a player at the podium as well. After the Orlando Magic game, it was Baylor Scheierman who had just dropped a career-high 30 point, 7 rebound, 7 assist game on the heads of the Orlando Magic. At this point, the confidence was brewing. I even started my question with a “Hey, Baylor,” to which he gave me a head nod. Did we just become best friends?
A couple of miscellaneous moments that would feel rude not to share: Dalano Banton had just been brought back by the Celtics for the third time to play in Game 82. Banton had just finished his pregame warmup as the President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, made his way over to him. They shared what appeared to be an incredibly positive interaction. I found this interesting as their relationship is somewhat complicated. On one hand, the Celtics and Brad clearly like Banton as they keep bringing him in. On the other hand, they don’t like him enough to keep him around long term. Well, Banton gave the Celtics front office another reminder as to why they like him by showing out in a monster win against the Magic.
I was just a few feet away when observing Ron Harper Jr.’s warmup. Something that jumped out at me was that the word “warmups” doesn’t do justice to what the players go through before a game. The assistant coaches who play one-on-one with the players are all former Division I. In this case, six-foot-six, and obviously incredible at basketball. They go at it during these warmups. Ron Harper Jr. made this specific coach look like a high school player, effortlessly cooking him while sweat was pouring out of the coach. This showing during the warmup ended up being a precursor to the best night of Ron Harper Jr.’s young career.
Finally, one of my favourite things about this experience was that, after all the post-game interviews had wrapped up and players and coaches had left the building, the reporters had started filing stories and finishing recording podcasts, a quiet settled over the arena. Once I had finished writing on both nights, I made a point to go back through the tunnel to take a final look at the parquet and soak in the experience of the night.
From feeling like a part of the beat reporting team to bumping into Derrick White, there were so many moments I was trying to burn into my memory. My expectations for this experience could not have been higher, and somehow they were blown out of the water. I am eternally grateful to CelticsBlog for giving me this opportunity. I hope to be back in the building again one day.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler ranked the top 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects. Without much surprise, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler received the top spot in Wheeler's rankings.
Seeing Fowler being named the best goalie prospect in hockey makes a lot of sense. The 21-year-old goaltender has the potential to become a star for the Canadiens and has already shown plenty of promise when given the chance to play for Montreal this campaign. In 17 regular-season games for the Canadiens this season, the 2023 third-round pick had a 9-6-2 record, a 2.43 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.
Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, Fowler undoubtedly performed well. In 27 games with Laval this campaign, he had a 19-7-1 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and three shutouts. This is after he had a 25-7-2 record, a 1.63 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage, and seven shutouts for Boston College during the 2024-25 season.
With all of this, there is no question that Fowler has a ton of potential. He should be a big part of the Canadiens' roster moving forward, and at 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to get even better.
Desperate for a win and clinging to a 7-6 lead over the Rockies on Tuesday night, Joe Espada sent Bryan King back to the mound to try to secure the game’s final three outs. Bryan Abreu, the team’s most accomplished healthy reliever, sat on a bench in the bullpen while Enyel De Los Santos, a journeyman 30-year old who signed with the Astros last August, got loose.
After retiring the first two batters he faced, King allowed hits to the next two, prompting Espada to summon De Los Santos to face the right-handed-hitting Jordan Beck. De Los Santos struck him out to end the game, securing the Astros’ first win after an eight-game losing streak.
It was a good night for a team that needed a win and a bullpen that has been maligned for the first 18 games of the season, but it was notable that Abreu, who was scored on in his first six appearances of the season, played no role in it.
“My focus is trying to match up the right pockets. Trying to put these guys in a position when they can deploy their pitches, go to the areas where they can get people out and trying to get them rolling that way,” Espada said.
That means the way Espada managed his bullpen in the final innings of Tuesday’s game will be the standard operating procedure moving forward.
“Once the dust settles some of these guys will start falling into those roles, but right now we’re going to try to get going that way and try to get these guys on a positive note,” Espada said.
The Astros bullpen is shorthanded with Josh Hader, who threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday, and Bennett Sousa, who recently started a rehab assignment, on the IL, but its ERA sits at 6.35, second worst in league, after surrendering just two runs over 5 1/3 against the Rockies on Tuesday.
Getting Hader and Sousa back will be a nice shot in the arm for the Astros bullpen, but it is hard to see it function at a high level without Abreu pitching at a high level. He had his first scoreless outing of the season on Sunday in Seattle, but he still allowed two baserunners and needed 27 pitches to record three outs.
Abreu will get his opportunities out of the Astros bullpen, but Espada didn’t sound like someone ready to use him in high leverage spots right now.
“I’m going to deploy him in moments where I think it’s what’s best for him and our team,” Espada said. “Once he gets going, he’s a force.”
Apr 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Kamil Krzaczynski/Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Taylor Hall signed with the Sabres several years ago, the 2018 MVP summed up a belief shared by many around the NHL by saying the league is better when Buffalo is competitive.
It has been a long time since that was the case.
After numerous rebuilds and coaching and front office changes, the Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 after snapping the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 14 years. As division champions for the first time since ’07, Buffalo will open at home against Boston.
Hall’s belief in Buffalo hasn’t changed, even though his tenure there lasted just 37 games.
“If you’re a sports fan, you have a bit of a soft spot for Buffalo,” said Hall, who is now with Carolina. “It’s nice to see that they’ve done it the right way this year. They play hard. They play fast. They’ve committed to playing well on both sides of the puck, and that’s the recipe. They’re going to be a tough out.”
Joy for former teammates
Hall isn’t the only ex-Sabres player to take notice and express a sense of joy over this long-awaited revival.
Casey Mittelstadt might have mixed emotions with his Bruins preparing to face the Sabres in the first round. That doesn’t take away the happiness he feels for Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and leading scorer Tage Thompson, with whom he broke into the league with in 2018.
“Very happy for those guys,” said Mittelstadt, who was picked eighth by Buffalo in 2017. “I have so many friends there and am really close with the staff, spent a lot of time there. ... I would be lying if I said I don’t cheer for them a bit. Good friends, good people and I think they deserve it.”
Fellow forward Zemgus Girgensons endured the brunt of the drought spending a decade in Buffalo before signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent two years ago. Though the drought outlasted him, Girgensons is impressed by his former team’s transformation.
“There’s a lot of talent on that team and they’re doing a good job so far,” Girgensons said. “It’s just the process of it. You can see the guys have matured a lot. It’s just the way they play. They’ve been playing good hockey, and it’s fun to watch.”
Joy for the city of Buffalo
Defenseman Tyler Myers suited up for Buffalo’s most recent playoff series in 2010 and and he shares Hall’s soft spot for the city.
“It’s my first team in the NHL, (and) I had some success there early on with the group we had,” said Myers, now with Dallas. “I’m happy to see the city and the team doing well. I obviously don’t feel that way if we’re ever up against them. But they’ve had a long road. Certainly in a way, I’m happy for them.”
Rasmus Ristolainen, whose 820 regular season games are the most of any active NHL player without a postseason appearance, finally is in with Philadelphia and feels a kinship with Sabres fans who have waited even longer than he has for this opportunity.
“The fans are die hard and love the team, as they do here, as well. Good for them,” he said
Buffalo native Patrick Kane is a three-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with the Blackhawks . During a recent visit with Detroit, he said he could feel the buzz of the fanbase. It reminded him a bit of football in nearby Orchard Park.
“The building gets wild,” Kane said. “You could see the crowd get into it. I kind of compare it to the Bills a little bit, too. The Bills are good, it’s good for the city. Same thing with the Sabres.”
Joy for the sport of hockey
It’s not just that the Sabres got into the playoffs, it’s how far they’ve come in a short while. Buffalo opened this season 11-14-4 before riding a 39-9-4 run to finish atop the Atlantic Division.
“I don’t know if anybody could have predicted the turnaround from last year to this year as quickly,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It’s incredible.”
Also incredible is how winning has re-energized a fanbase. After selling out just four games in 2024-25, the Sabres have enjoyed 22 sellouts this season, including 17 in a row leading into the regular-season finale.
“I always knew that Buffalo was a great market, a great hockey market, and what demonstrates that is while there was frustration that built over time, it has turned around on a dime, which means the fans are back,” Bettman said. “Their enthusiasm is back. It’s like what’s happened has turned the page.”
Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) flexes in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the third quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, and we now know their first round opponent will be the Portland Trail Blazers, with Game 1 set for 8 PM CT on Sunday. That’s still several days out, so in the meantime, we’re looking back one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.
Yesterday, we looked at the first part of the season, which featured a 5-0 start, followed by the Spurs continuing to roll despite missing Victor Wembanyama for 12 straight games thanks to a calf strain. In his absence, the Spurs still thrived thanks to the leadership of De’Aaron Fox and the superior depth they had developed over the years via the draft and free agency. It all added up to a win on the road against the Lakers to earn a trip to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup Semi-Finals, which is where we’re picking things up today.
Part 2: Dec. 13 – Dec. 31 (7-2*)
* Not counting their loss in the NBA Cup Final to the Knicks.
Technically, this is just nine games (10 if you count the Cup Final that fortunately counts as Wemby’s 65th game and makes him award eligible but not in any other capacity), so it might be a stretch to consider this an entire segment of the season, but it was too memorable not to! Still, even though I counted the first part of December in Part 1 (since we’re using Wemby’s return as the launching point for this part), we’ll still point out that a win in New Orleans on December 8 kicked off their first 8-game winning streak since 2019, and they went 11-3 overall (again, not counting the Cup Final). Also, the Spurs had 8 different players lead the team in scoring in December, which is mind-blowing and another reminder of their insane depth (hat tip to TontonOngBak).
The third game of that winning streak is where we’re kicking things off here, beginning in Las Vegas with Wemby returning to from his extended absence, albeit in a bench role and on minutes restrictions, just in time for the first of what would be three surprising victories over the Thunder, beginning with a Cup Semifinal win after a back and forth 4th quarter, which officially brought the Spurs to the national audience’s attention.
While they would go on to lose the Cup Final to the Knicks (who are a surprisingly stubborn matchup for them), it didn’t officially count, although Keldon Johnson still got a big enough bonus to get his llamas! From there, they continued their win streak with a few easy games against the Wizards and Hawks before a home-away miniseries against the Thunder, in which they blew them out at home before a surprisingly comfortable win in OKC on Christmas Day. As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went on to say, you don’t lose to the same team three times in 12 days without them being better than you.
After all that excitement, they returned home for a couple of letdown losses against the Jazz and Utah before ending on a high note. In what is becoming a trend in their home games against the Knicks, a random role player steps up with a historical performance to lead the Spurs to an exciting victory. Last year, it was Sandro Mamukelashvili with 34 points on 93% shooting (7-7 from three!), and this season, it was Julian Champagnie with a career-high 36 points while hitting a franchise record 11 threes on 17 attempts to lead them to a come-from-behind 134-132 win on New Year’s Eve and cap off a memorable 2025 for the team.
It sure was a December to remember after such an amazing run, and now, the Spurs were officially on everyone’s radar. Check back tomorrow as we visit part three, which was arguably their only “rough” patch of the season.
It's a true coin-flip game when the Orlando Magic visit the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in NBA Play-In Tournament action.
Our Magic vs. 76ers predictions and free NBA picks will tell you what the best bets for this matchup are, and how you can use prediction markets like Kalshi to get the most bang for your betting buck.
Prediction markets currently favor the Philadelphia 76ers, giving them a 54% chance to win. The Orlando Magic are live underdogs with a 47% chance to win.
Our prediction:76ers to win
Here's what our expert has to say about tonight's game: "Even with Joel Embiid out after an appendectomy, the Philadelphia 76ers will get past a shaken Orlando Magic squad Wednesday night. The Sixers know how to operate without their oft-injured big man and went 19-8 SU as home favorites this season."
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You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Magic vs. 76ers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the 76ers -2.5 spread means the 76ers will cover, while "No" means the Magic will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Magic vs 76ers spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
76ers -2.5
47¢ (+113)
54¢ (-117)
Over 223.5 points
52¢ (-108)
49¢ (+104)
Our predictions:76ers -2.5 — No and Over 223.5 points — No
The Magic are the team with momentum on its side, having won five of its last six overall. The Sixers' recent 2-3 run is notable in that they beat up on the dregs of the league (Milwaukee, Indiana) but couldn't run with the big boys (Houston San Antonio, Detroit).
Both squads can't throw a pea in the ocean at times, with Orlando ranking 25th in eFG% and Philly one spot behind, so give me the Under.
Other Magic vs 76ers prediction markets available
Tyrese Maxey 30+ points (Yes: 53¢)
Paolo Banchero 5+ assists (Yes: 61¢)
VJ Edgecombe 6+ rebounds (Yes: 53¢)
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DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have agreed to an eight-year, $150 million contract extension with rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle.
The deal begins next season and carries through 2034, covering his final five seasons of club control and his first three years he would have been eligible for free agency. The $150 million is guaranteed and the deal includes contract escalators for the final three seasons that could raise the value to a maximum of $160 million.
McGonigle will earn guaranteed salaries of $1 million in 2027, $7 million in 2028, $16 million in 2029, $21 million in 2030, $22 million in 2031 and $23 million in the 2032, 2033 and 2034 seasons.
The contract escalators could increase his 2032 maximum base salary to $25 million, his 2033 maximum to $26 million and his 2034 maximum to $28 million.
The deal includes a $14 million signing bonus and a $5 million bonus each time the contract is assigned to another major league team.
McGonigle, 21, had four hits in his major league debut, an 8-2 win at San Diego on March 26. He is hitting .311 with one homer and has a .417 on-base percentage. He has reached base in 13 consecutive starts and 15 of 16 games. He is one of only 10 players in the major leagues with more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight) among players with at least 11 walks.
The strong start has supported McGonigle’s preseason ranking as one of the game’s top prospects. He has started at third base and shortstop for the Tigers.
McGonigle was selected by the Tigers in the first round of the 2023 draft at No. 37 out of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot may have made his final NHL appearance this week, closing the book on what has been a long and quietly impressive career.
The 38-year-old Caledonia, Ontario native started Monday’s game for the Detroit Red Wings against the Tampa Bay Lightning, allowing four goals on 26 shots in an overtime loss. While no official decision has been announced, the outing is widely expected to be both his final start with Detroit and potentially the last of his NHL career.
Talbot, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of University of Alabama-Huntsville, built a reputation over more than a decade as one of the league’s most dependable journeyman goaltenders. With his contract set to expire this summer, Detroit appears poised to move in a different direction, with top prospect Sebastian Cossa expected to take on a full-time role next season.
The transition signals the likely end of Talbot’s tenure in Detroit, especially as his performance has begun to decline with age. He finishes the 2025–26 season with a 12-9-6 record, a 3.10 goals-against average, and a .886 save percentage across 33 appearances, his lowest statistical output since 2019.
Despite the recent dip, Talbot’s career body of work remains strong. Over 13 NHL seasons, he provided steady goaltending for eight different franchises, including the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, and most recently the Red Wings.
If he chooses to retire, Talbot would finish with a career record of 278-204-53, along with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, numbers that reflect consistency and reliability over time.
There is still a possibility he could extend his career, following a path similar to fellow veteran James Reimer, who returned to NHL action this season at the same age with Ottawa. However, if Talbot does continue playing, it is unlikely to be in Detroit.
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BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 15: Ramon Urias #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a walk off bases loaded walk to beat the New York Yankees in the 11th inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday, April 15, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Orioles play their 18th game of the year on Wednesday afternoon. They have gone the previous 17 games without facing a left-handed starting pitcher, the longest stretch of any of the other MLB teams. That streak ends today as Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound against them. If the O’s can pull off the win, they’ll get the series win as they head off on a road trip. Lose and they won’t have managed to sustain good feelings after Monday’s big comeback win.
Although the Orioles have avoided having anyone new placed on the injured list, there’s still been roster shuffling ahead of the game. The team selected the contract of catcher Sam Huff from Norfolk and optioned reliever Nick Raquet back to Norfolk. That means the O’s will be a pitcher short in the bullpen today and for however long this lasts. Raquet did not make a very good first impression on Orioles fans and was lucky not to have given up more runs last night. In this case, there’s not too much downside to not having him out there.
The three catchers thing probably won’t last for long. Maybe it won’t even last until tomorrow’s game. Ahead of today’s game, manager Craig Albernaz indicated that he foresees another roster move coming within the next few days to get the team back to an eight-man bullpen.
I don’t know why the Orioles didn’t bring up Huff a couple of days ago; they’d telegraphed wanting to bring him along as soon as Adley Rutschman hit the injured list, but he’s only arrived today. Mike Elias is always doing weird things on the fringes of the roster. If it matters whether Huff or Maverick Handley is on the roster or how much playing time they’re getting, that’s probably not going to mean good things for the 2026 team. Sending either of them out seems to be the most obvious move.
Pitcher Jayvien Sandridge was designated for assignment to make room for Huff on the 40-man. The Orioles acquired him for cash considerations on March 29, sent him to Norfolk, and never opted to bring him to Baltimore before designating him in turn. Existing at the edge of the 26-man or 40-man rosters is not the most stable place to be.
Orioles lineup
Taylor Ward – DH
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Johnathan Rodríguez – RF
Weston Wilson – LF
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Coby Mayo – 3B
Sam Huff – C
Blaze Alexander – CF
This is a lineup, all right. It is not a lineup from which you might be expecting good things. I’m certainly not. Maybe they’ll surprise us. For me, it’s having Rodríguez as the cleanup hitter in his first start as an Oriole that really makes it. With three lefties coming up in the next five games, I’m curious how much of this is going to repeat.
Starting for the Orioles today is Kyle Bradish. At the outset of this season, things haven’t been going well for him, with a particular problem of nine walks in 13.2 innings.
Diamondbacks lineup
Ketel Marte – DH
Corbin Carroll – RF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Adrian Del Castillo – C
José Fernández – 1B
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Alek Thomas – CF
Jorge Barrosa – LF
Rodriguez has a 0.50 ERA through his first three starts of the year. Pretty good! It is not an Orioles lineup that’s likely inspiring much fear in him, though they are all still major league players and he can’t totally goof off or he’ll end up seeing his ERA balloon. His best is definitely better than their best and his decent might even be better than their best.
**
This game is taking place on April 15, the day that MLB sets aside each year to honor the day in 1947 that Jackie Robinson made his debut and broke the color barrier in what had been a segregated game. All players will wear 42, the number that is retired league-wide in Robinson’s honor, on this day.
It is a good day to remember that, although overt segregation in public spaces was stamped out long ago, the legacy of this history of racism still impacts our society today. For baseball in particular, a decline in participation by Black Americans is partly rooted in the fact that the youth travel baseball culture that fuels a lot of the domestic talent pipeline in the sport now is off limits to many families for economic reasons rather than overt racial ones.
As this country gears up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, there is still work to be done to live up to the ideal that all men are created equal. The times in American history of which one can be proudest are the times where people worked or fought to make this reality. Jackie Robinson was a great ballplayer and a great American.
Filmmaker John Waters stands outside of the all gender restrooms named in his honor at the Baltimore Museum of Art on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ORIOLES
Ketel Marte – DH
Taylor Ward – DH
Corbin Carroll – RF
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – C
Johnathan Rodriguez – RF
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Weston Wilson – LF
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Coby Mayo – 3B
Alek Thomas – CF
Sam Huff – C
Jorge Barrosa – LF
Blaze Alexander – CF
E. Rodriguez – LHP
Kyle Bradish – RHP
Will Jose Fernandez ever take a walk? Yesterday, he went 2-for-4, but failed to draw a base on balls for the 13th game since he made his debut on March 31st. That is getting him up there into some fairly rarefied company. Well, at least among non-pitchers. As far as records likely never to be broken, we have Enrique Burgos, who appeared 71 times for the Diamondbacks, without a walk. The fact he never came to the plate may have been a factor in this. But in terms of plate appearances to start a career, Fernandez is getting up there. That’s now 44 PA, which have resulted in 44 at-bats. No walks. No HBP. No catcher’s interference. Zero trots down the line to first.
He does have some way to go to reach the franchise record. For the longest time – over twenty years – the mark was held by Jerry Gil, the walkless wonder. In 2004, he played 26 times for the D-backs, coming to the plate 86 times without drawing a walk (he did get hit by a pitch ones). What’s more remarkable is, save one game as a pinch-runner for the Reds in 2007, that was his entire major-league career. Baseball Reference still tags that streak as active… No other position player has had a walkless career with as many PA for almost a hundred years, since Overton Tremper went 94 PA in 1927-28.
However, Gil was recently displaced as the franchise leader for walkless PA’s to start a career. And it was by someone currently on the roster. Nobody noticed much, since it took almost two full seasons to achieve it. But Jorge Barrosa went 35 games and 91 PA, before finally getting his first base on balls in the final game last year. Of course, baseball being baseball, he then walked again, the very next time up. Another D-back also makes the top 10 by games played. Ildemaro Vargas was walkless in his first 20 appearances, though a) they were back in 2017-18, and b) that covered only 28 PA. Right now, by PA, Fernandez sits sixth. We’ll see how much higher her rises!
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 14: Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates hitting a two-RBI double in the eighth inning during the game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you do it once, it’s a fun (and in this particular case, heartwarming) story that we get to enjoy in the moment before moving on to the next thing. If you do it twice, then we’ve gotta talk about it. That’s what Dominic Smith has forced us to do after he did the daggone thing once again.
The Braves mounted a furious comeback in the bottom of the eighth at Truist Park in order to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It’s a familiar scenario that we’ve seen play out a bunch of times in the past but now we’re all getting used to a new face doing the damage instead of one of the core group of Braves players that’s usually doing the damage. Dominic Smith has already written two exciting pages of the book that is the 2026 Braves season as he followed up his walk-off grand slam on March 28 with a bases-clearing opposite-field gapper with two outs in order to turn what was shaping up to be a disappointing series loss to the Marlins into a big-time turnaround.
It’d be one thing if it was just those two moments for Dominic Smith so far. That’d be cool but I’d imagine that folks would want more production in-between those two bits of brilliance at the plate. As it turns out, Smith has been delivering on a consistent basis here in the early goings for the Braves. He’s currently sporting a .395/.415/684 slash line with a .474 wOBA, .289 Isolated Power, three homers and 201 wRC+. While he’s likely going to cool down at some point, that’s some mighty-fine production through 41 plate appearances and 14 games!
The obvious hope is that once he does cool down, the plate production will be enough to where he’ll be able to deliver some solid production as one of the main designated hitters for the Braves. If his production last season across 63 games for the San Francisco Giants is any indication, he could very well be in line for a solid season. He hit .284/.333/.417 with a .325 wOBA (outperforming his xwOBA of .306) with five homers and 111 wRC+ across 225 plate appearances. For that to be happening in San Francisco, that’s not bad at all! So far, he’s managed to build upon that and get off to a scalding-hot start in a better environment for hitting here in Cobb County.
As it turns out, Dominic Smith has been making very good use of his time in both San Francisco and Atlanta by utilizing the resources that’s available to him in both locations — and by “resources,” I mean the former legends who used to ply their craft both here and there.
During his appearance in front of the media following Tuesday night’s game, Smith mentioned that he had had conversations about hitting with Barry Bonds while he was with the Giants and then he followed that up by quickly getting in touch with Braves legend Chipper Jones once he became part of the big league roster here. I’d say that whatever advice those two have been giving him has been stuff that he’s been taking to heart and applying to his game because he’s been putting up plate numbers that we haven’t seen from him since the seats were empty back in 2020.
That 2020 season was the last time when Dominic Smith was seen as a serious threat across the baseball world, as he slugged his way to a 166 wRC+ season with the New York Mets. Accruing 1.4 fWAR across just 50 games is a pretty solid achievement but unfortunately, he had’t even come close to that level of production since then. In fact, he scuffled mightily at the plate during his final two seasons with the Mets and he also spent some time in the wilderness in 2023 and 2024 as he bounced around with the Nationals, Red Sox and Reds. Based on that track record, it’s no wonder that we really didn’t get too hyped up about him around here once he was signed as a non-roster invitee — outside of the idea that he’d provide depth for Matt Olson at first base and an occasional option at DH.
Instead, he had himself a solid spring, played himself onto the big league roster for Opening Day and has proceeded to come up huge for the Braves in some big moments early on in the season. Despite all of that bouncing around that Dominic Smith did over the past few seasons, he still garnered respect from his opposition. Walt Weiss admitted as much during his post-game press conference following the win on Tuesday.
“I’ve watched him a lot from the other side — he was in the division with the Mets and the Nationals and it never felt good when he was in the box in a big spot,” said Weiss. “I knew he was going to be a tough out. He’s not going to chase and the ball’s probably going to be put in play.” Weiss also complimented Weiss on being willing to continue to improve his game. “Regardless of where [he’s] at in [his] career, [he’s] always looking to get better every day [he] shows up. Dom’s certainly that guy. All these guys are like that. Good for Dom — those are a couple of pretty good resources in Bonds and Chipper so he’s a smart guy too, going to the right people.”
Throughout all the scuffling, that determination to get better has finally started to pay off some dividends for Dominic Smith and the Braves appear to be the early beneficiaries of it so far. Again, it’s still very early days for both Smith and the Braves here in the 2026 season but so far, the early results have been encouraging. The Braves are off to a very solid start, Dominic Smith is hitting a hot bat and providing production at a spot that was a very big question mark for this lineup heading into the season.
There’s no telling what the future of any given long and winding baseball season will hold but for now, both Smith and the Braves are off to a very auspicious start. We’ll see if everybody can keep it up so that this team can finally get back to where they were in the past and if Dominic Smith can reach back and find some of that success that made him such an exciting talent back in 2020.
The Toronto Blue Jays (7-9) take on the Milwaukee Brewers (8-8) tonight in Game 2 of their three-game series in Wisconsin.
The Jays look to build momentum after a thrilling 9-7 extra-inning comeback win over the Brewers in Tuesday's series opener. Toronto fell behind 3-0 early but rallied for a total of a run in the eighth, three in the ninth, and an additional three in the tenth inning to earn the win. Daulton Varsho and Andrés Giménez went yard for the Jays who also got a crucial 10th-inning RBI double from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. The win snapped a modest two-game losing streak for Toronto and kept them within two games of first place Tampa Bay in the American League East.
The Milwaukee Brewers are reeling, having dropped six consecutive games—their longest losing streak since 2023—following that disastrous ninth-inning implosion by their bullpen last night. Specifically, Trevor Megill was less than good, allowing three runs on three hits in the ninth to earn his first blown save of the season. Gary Sanchez and Jake Bauers each smacked his fifth home run of the season in the losing effort. Despite the six losses, the Brewers are just 1.5 games behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the National League Central Division.
Tonight's pitching matchup features Blue Jays' right-hander Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.45 ERA) opposite Brewers' right-hander Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.73 ERA).
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Blue Jays at Brewers
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Brewers.TV, Sportsnet One
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Blue Jays vs. Brewers
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (-131), Milwaukee Brewers (+109)
Spread: Blue Jays -1.5 (+129), Brewers +1.5 (-156)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Blue Jays at Brewers
Pitching matchup for April 15:
Blue Jays: Dylan Cease Season Totals: 14.2 IP, 0-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 26K, 9 BB
Brewers: Chad Patrick Season Totals: 12.1 IP, 1-0, 0.73 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 7K, 5 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Blue Jays vs. Brewers
Ernie Clement has hit in 4 straight (7-18) and 7 of his last 8 games (11-33)
Vlad Guerrero Jr. is riding a 5-game hitting streak (10-20)
William Contreras has hit safely in all 9 games he has played in April (12-36)
Jake Bauers has homered in 3 of his last 4 games
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Blue Jays vs. Brewers
The Brewers are 9-7 on the Run Line this season
The Blue Jays are 5-11 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 10 times in the Brewers’ 16 games this season (10-6)
The OVER has cashed 9 times in Jays’ 16 games (9-7)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Blue Jays vs. Brewers
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between Toronto and Milwaukee:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Brewers on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5.
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It was a play that changed the game — and now the NBA is reviewing the situation.
Early in the second quarter of the Miami at Charlotte play-in game on Tuesday, LaMelo Ball drove the lane and threw up a shot that Simone Fontecchio blocked, and Ball went to the ground and looked for a whistle that did not come. Miami's Bam Adebayo grabbed the loose ball as he was starting to step out of bounds, and Ball reached over and swept Adebayo's leg, leading to a nasty fall.
The play where Bam Adebayo got taken out. LaMelo Ball was complaining to the referees afterward. pic.twitter.com/xbKAhslFHB
No foul was called and play went on to the other end but Adebayo stayed on the ground, eventually limping back to the Heat locker room not to return. The play was not reviewed because, by league rule, there was no foul call to review.
That play cost Miami its best player for the rest of a win-or-go-home game, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said postgame Ball should have been ejected for it (quotes via ESPN and Associated Press).
"I didn't see it [when it happened], but I don't think it's cute," Spoelstra said. "I don't think it's funny. I think it's a stupid play. It's a dangerous play. Obviously, our best player was out. I'm not making an excuse. The Hornets played great and they made those plays down the stretch. We had our opportunities to win. That's a shame. You should be penalized for that...
"He should have been thrown out of the game for that. There is no place in the game for that."
Ball apologized after the game.
"I apologize on that one," Ball said. "I got hit in the head and didn't really know where I was. But I'm going to check on him and see if he is OK and everything."
If the NBA review finds that Ball was not called for what should have been a flagrant foul at the time, the league can either fine him (the most likely outcome) or suspend him for a game, meaning he would miss Friday's win-and-you're-in game between the Hornets and the loser of Wednesday's 76ers vs. Magic game.
Even without Bam, the Heat came very close to winning a dramatic, thrilling game. Charlotte advanced with a 127-126 overtime win, with Ball hitting a game-winning layup on one end and Miles Bridges getting a game-saving block on the other.
COVERS INTEL: Kochanowicz's xERA is nearly three runs higher than his actual ERA this season.
