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2025-26 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals: Discussion Thread

Two high powered scoring guards will face each other in the Eastern Conference Finals.
New York, N.Y.: New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in 2nd quarter during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images

Welcome to the conference finals and the last step to see who goes to the NBA Finals.

If you’re wondering who to root for in the Conference Finals as we near the end of the playoffs this season, you are in luck.

Let’s have a look at the teams in the conference finals and how they match up.

Knicks vs. Cavaliers

Both teams are led on offense by high usage guards. Both teams have a front court that has a floor spacing four and a defensive five. On the wings, there are 3-and-D players. While the teams are similar in roster make-up, the way they play makes this matchup different from what one would expect.

Both the Knicks and the Cavaliers are in the top five in playoff scoring. The Knicks are second and the Cavs are fifth with 119.9 and 109.9 points per game, respectively.

Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks in scoring at 27.6 points per game. Donovan Mitchell, in contrast, averages 29 points per game for Cleveland.

Karl Anthony Towns and Evan Mobley lead their teams in rebounding with 10.5 and 14 rebounds per game, respectively. The combined rebounding of KAT, Hart and Mitchell Robinson propels them to the fourth spot as a team in the playoffs.

The series will be decided on if the Cavs can slow down the Knicks from continuing their playoff-leading shooting from the field and three. The Cavs are leading the playoffs in 3-pointers made. Which teams can slow down the scoring in those areas will be the main deciding factor for this series.

Eastern Conference Finals schedule

Thunder vs. Spurs

This is a series mainly focused on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama and on how the teams will defend them. The Thunder will have Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and, at times, will have Alex Caruso defending Wemby. On the Spurs side, they have Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell to defend SGA.

Both SGA and Wemby lead their respective teams in most stats, including in scoring. Wemby leads the Spurs in rebounding while SGA leads his team in assists. Castle and Hartenstein are the other two players leading their sides in stats with assists and rebounding, respectively.

Both teams are in the top three in points in the playoffs. The Thunder lead the playoffs with 26.6 in assists and the Spurs lead in rebounding and blocks. with 48.4 and 7.9, respectively. The Thunder and Spurs are very close in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, made 3-pointers and free throw percentage.

The main factors in this series will be slowing down field goals on drives. The Spurs will have to continue their fast break scoring, where they average 16.5 points per game. Despite the Thunder being second in the playoffs in steals, they are not in the top five in fast break points. San Antonio is leading the playoffs in points in the paint.

Finally, the Spurs need to keep their league-leading defensive rating going of 103.9. The Thunder, despite having the defensive talent, are not in the top five in the playoffs in defensive rating. On the other side of the court, the Thunder lead in offensive rating at 123.4 while the Spurs third at 116.3.

So, if the Spurs can slow down the Thunder’s 3-point shooting and double SGA, they can make the series pretty close.

Western Conference Finals

My Predictions

Knicks in 6 games

Spurs in 6 games

If you want to discuss anything, you can do so below. I will update this thread as the two conference finals series continue. In the meantime, you can share your thoughts of the conference Finals in the comments below.

When I am not posting ridiculous trades on here you can find me talking about Nintendo, LGBT content, music, and the Lakers on my Twitter. You can follow Alexis on Twitter at @BeautifulShy_RS and on BlueSky at @msshyskye.bsky.social.

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Canadiens’ Burrows Played Big Role In The Win

While the Carolina Hurricanes' early qualification for the Eastern Conference Final gave them plenty of time to rest, it also gave the Montreal Canadiens plenty of time to prepare for them. Not that Martin St-Louis started preparing his men before eliminating the Buffalo Sabres, but the bench boss knows how to delegate and use his staff.

We’ve not heard a lot about Alex Burrow since he stepped down as an assistant coach back in July 2024, but he still works for the Habs as a player development consultant, and last night, St-Louis gave him some credit for the Canadiens’ win in Game 1:

We knew for a long time that if he got through Buffalo, we were playing Carolina. Obviously, our analytics people, but also Alex Burrows, does a lot of that grunt work for us, and he worked hard while we were trying to close out the series against Buffalo. You have to be careful when giving players so much information in a short amount of time; pick a couple of things and try to address them. That’s what we did. I [...] We didn’t take so much time that we took the instinct out of our players. You know that it’s going to be a long series; you have to get better through it. You don’t have to be perfect; you have to find ways. But we did talk about a few things we needed to address before we jumped into this series.
- St-Louis gave credit to Alex Burrows

Annakin Slayd Releases New Version Of Canadiens’ Anthem
Hurricanes Had Kind Words For The Canadiens
Canadiens: The Battle Could Be Won In Net

Once again in this series, St-Louis likes to give credit where credit is due. In the previous round, he credited Marco Marciano with a key decision when it came to goaltending, and in this one, he sang Burrows’ praises.

Watching the Canadiens counter-attack in the first frame, it was obvious that they had been well briefed about how the Hurricanes would attack and where the holes would be. It looked extremely easy for the Habs’ forward to create odd-man rush opportunities, and that allowed their skill players to have time to work their magic. Ivan Demidov came down in front of Frederik Anderson all on his lonesome and had plenty of time to use his fancy stickwork.

When Cole Caufield scored the first goal, it looked like he used the puck as bait, throwing it in the opposite corner, knowing that Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky would go in to retrieve it, but also that the Hurricanes would go to it like a moth to a flame. That’s exactly what happened. Four of the Canes five players converged toward the puck, leaving the sniper all alone to not only receive Slafkovsky’s pass, but also cut to the middle of the zone to give himself a better angle.

Montreal shouldn’t expect things to be so easy in Game 2; however, the Canes looked like the Habs did in their first game against the Sabres and coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed that:

We weren't ready for the pace... Give (Montreal) credit, they made plays. They made plays, and they got us, but I didn't really know what we were doing.
-

It will be interesting to see how the Hurricanes adjust in Game 2, as they’ll want to tie the series before heading to Montreal for Game 3 on Monday night.

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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Tommy John

NEW YORK - CIRCA 1987: Tommy John #25 of the New York Yankees poses for this portrait prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game circa 1987 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. John played for the Yankees from 1979-82 and 1986-89. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In the baseball canon, Tommy John’s name gets used with more frequency and gravity than almost any one else’s. Unlike some of the other cemented names in the game’s history, John’s recognition comes largely from reasons outside of his play. Now, this does make sense, given the importance of the surgery that bears his name, but it’s also perhaps a bit unfair, as the left-hander was a very good, and sometimes great, pitcher in the big leagues for the better part of three decades.

A four-time All-Star who enjoyed a run of particular run of excellence in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, John made his mark on and off the field, as a monument of longevity, and of course, providing the name to the procedure that forever changed the game.

Tommy John
Born: May 22, 1943 (Terre Haute, IN)
Yankees Tenure: 1979-82, 1986-89

Born in Indiana in 1943, Thomas Edward John would be pitching in the Major Leagues 46 years later, taking a route that was anything but straightforward.

He made his big league debut back in 1963 with Cleveland, as a spry 20-year-old. The lefty spent two decent-but-brief seasons in Cleveland, before being shipped to the South Side of Chicago in a three-team trade. He had his first great season with the White Sox in ‘68, when he managed a sub-2 ERA and made his first All-Star team.

Prior to the 1972 season, Tommy John was traded to the Dodgers in as high-profile a one-for-one trade as you will see, sent in exchange for Dick Allen. Allen immediately went and won the MVP award in ‘72, but John did his best to match it, entering the best and most significant stretch of his career. His first two seasons in L.A. saw him pitch over 400 combined innings with a neat and tidy 3.00 ERA.

While John had already established himself as a reliable and highly effective starter, his fame would skyrocket for the wrong reasons in the mid-’70s. After an excellent start to the 1974 campaign, the lefty had to leave mid-game in a July start against the Expos. John heard a pop and had significant pain in his throwing elbow; he would not return for the rest of the season. An external doctor told John that it was a career-ending injury, having torn his UCL, though Dodgers’ team doctor Frank Jobe had different plans. He performed the now universally known and eponymous reconstructive surgery, using a tendon from John’s wrist and placing it in his throwing elbow. It was a leap of faith, with the procedure never being done on an athlete, but it was a resounding success. John missed all of the ‘75 season, but ultimately returned, pitching 14 more seasons following the procedure, and of course, paving the way for thousands of other hurlers.

Following the famed procedure, the veteran starter returned for his age-33 season, and was just as good as ever. In fact, it would mark the beginning of the finest stretch of his career. The lefty pitched three more seasons with the Dodgers, working well over 200 innings in each, finishing second in Cy Young voting in ‘77, and making another All-Star team during that stretch. Following another excellent run in 1978, the 15-year veteran hit free agency for the first time, when he signed a three-year deal with the Yankees.

Upon arrival, the impact John had was immediately clear. In 1979, He set a career high with 276.1 innings pitched, doing so at a very high level, managing a sub-3 ERA, notching his first 20-win campaign, and once again finishing second in Cy Young voting. Now several years removed from his revolutionary surgery, the doubt that shadowed him was rightfully subdued.

When the 1980s rolled around, John had entered his late-30s, but he remained near the top of his game. He tossed a whopping 265.1 innings, he won another 22 games, and made his fourth (and third consecutive) All-Star team. In 1981, despite his medical history and 40th birthday beginning to knock on the door, John continued to deal. Although he pitched in just 140.1 innings, thanks to a strike and a frightening medical scare with one of his sons, it was one of his best seasons from a run prevention standpoint, posting a 2.63 ERA in the shortened campaign.

During his initial stretch in New York, he did his part in the postseason as well, particularly in 1981. That year, he was the winning pitcher in Game 1 of the ALCS, stymieing the A’s with six innings of one-run ball. Then in Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers that season, John tossed seven shutout frames and did not allow a baserunner to reach until the fifth inning.

Tommy John was traded to the Angels in August of 1982, and despite being 39 at the time, he still had plenty of baseball ahead of him. He pitched in parts of four seasons for the Angels, not quite meeting his standards of performance, but continuing to pitch plenty of innings. After a brief and disappointing finish to the ‘85 season with Oakland, John once again defied the odds and continued to pitch for four more seasons after.

All of this time came in a return to the Yankees. He even posted a sub-3 ERA in over 70 innings in ‘86, and tossed 187.2 innings a year later at the age of 44. Tommy John would pitch his final game at 46-years-old in the 1989 season with New York.

Tommy John’s career and legacy in the baseball world is as significant as some of the biggest names in the game. While that may be primarily for reasons aside from his playing ability, the lefty was a terrific pitcher, and was generally as durable as they come for multiple decades. His eponymous surgery is certainly vital to baseball history, but John should also be remembered as an excellent pitcher, who pitched more than 4,700 Major League innings.

Here’s to a happy 83rd birthday to one of baseball’s biggest names!

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Hurricanes emerge from long playoff break with breakdowns, miscues

RALEIGH, N.C. — The off days added up for the Carolina Hurricanes after they swept their way to another Eastern Conference Final, leading to the longest between-rounds playoff break in more than a century.

They started out like a team that had been waiting around nearly for two weeks, too. And that has them in yet another hole in the playoff round that keeps growing into a bigger roadblock.

The Hurricanes emerged from their 11-day break, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, by watching the Montreal Canadiens pounce for four goals in the first 11-plus minutes. That set the tone in what would become a 6-2 victory to open the best-of-seven series.

Along the way, the team that had gone 8-0 through two playoff rounds while not allowing more than two goals in any game repeatedly racked up defensive breakdowns and missed assignments while watching the Canadiens get loose in open ice for high-end chances.

“We lost the game from the start,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. “Obviously, giving them that many freebies, any team is going to make you pay, especially at this time of year. There wasn’t enough respect for them. They played a great game. They were ready to roll and we weren’t.”

That will only further fuel the rest-versus-rust discussion that had followed the team since closing out Philadelphia on May 9, when the wait began for Montreal to close out Buffalo in a seven-game battle. It turned out the Hurricanes were both rested (Seth Jarvis scored an opening-minute goal for a quick start) and rusty (giving up a bevy of high-end scoring chances).

Even Canadiens center Jake Evans noted: “That’s a really unique circumstance to be off however many days.”

“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” Jarvis said about the break. “I think it was just a lack of awareness and just us not being ready to go right from the puck drop.”

It was a jarring start to the series for the Hurricanes, and that was beyond the 4-1 deficit after Ivan Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Frederik Andersen on a breakaway. Rather, it was more about the efficiency with which the Canadiens carved up Carolina’s defense.

Carolina has thrived with an aggressive forecheck and puck possession that pressures opponents in the offensive zone while minimizing chances going the other way. The approach has fueled an eight-year postseason run, along with finishing behind only Presidents’ Trophy-winner Colorado in this year.

Then the Hurricanes closed out Ottawa and Philadelphia, becoming the first team to sweep the first two rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series for all four rounds in 1987. They didn’t trail at any point in the first five games. They rolled behind a scorching-hot line of Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake to offset a quiet offensive showing from the Jarvis-Sebastian Aho-Andrei Svechnikov top line. And Andersen had been elite in making every key stop.

Little of that form showed.

“We weren’t ready, we weren’t mentally ready to play at that (level) we had been playing,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Everything was just a little off and they’re a very, very talented team. Obviously, some of them were just blown coverages that I don’t know what we were thinking.”

The Canadiens were teeming with confidence after winning a Game 7 on the road against Tampa Bay, then doing it again in overtime against the Sabres.

Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said the team’s analytics staff put in early scouting work on the Hurricanes while the team was battling through the Buffalo series. The Canadiens sure looked prepared in another rowdy and hostile environment, effectively moving the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early to set up clean breakouts and multiple breakaway chances at Andersen.

Meanwhile, Brind’Amour noted it was a “tough” night for multiple of Carolina’s top players. That includes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who finished at minus-4.

Worse, this only adds to the growing weight of the Hurricanes’ struggles in the Eastern Conference Final. This is the team’s third appearance in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Brind’Amour. The Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.

“I think we just toss this game to be honest,” Brind’Amour said. “I hate that this time of year that’s what we’ve got to do. But there wasn’t much to grab on to there.”

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Yankees' Trent Grisham has no structural damage to his left knee, tests show

NEW YORK — New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham was relieved that tests did not reveal any structural damage to his left knee a day after he exited a game in the fifth inning.

“Last night I was pretty optimistic just with how I was feeling there would be no structural damage but still good to get the news,” Grisham said before the Yankees concluded a four-game series against Toronto.

Grisham grimaced at second base after his bloop double fell between left fielder Yohendrick Piñango and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto in the second inning Wednesday of a 2-1 loss.

The 29-year-old remained in the game until Spencer Jones replaced him in center in the fifth. Jones made his second start in center Thursday after playing 22 games there for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Grisham is hitting .174 with six homers and 27 RBIs. While his batting average is the fourth-lowest in the majors among qualifying hitters, Grisham has the third-most RBIs among center fielders.

Acquired from the Padres in December of 2023 along with Juan Soto, Grisham returned to the Yankees on the one-year, $22,025,000 qualifying offer in the offseason after batting .235 with a career-high 34 homers and 74 RBIs in 143 games.

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Today in White Sox History: May 22

NEW YORK - CIRCA 1983: Tony Bernazard #14 of the Chicago White Sox bats against the New York Yankees during an Major League Baseball game circa 1983 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Bernazard played for the White Sox from 1981-83.
Tony Bernazard had three hits in a 7-3 win on this day, 44 years ago — a victory that gave the White Sox the best record in baseball. | (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

1926
With a single in his first at-bat, Earl Sheely ran his hot streak to 10-of-13, one of just seven such stretches in White Sox history. Of his 10 hits, Sheely had four singles, five doubles and a home run.

1928
Center fielder Johnny Mostil tied former White Sox center fielder Happy Felsch with an AL-record 12 chances in a 4-3 win against Cleveland. Mostil took advantage of a cavernous Comiskey Park center field to grab 10 fly balls (including all three outs in the top of the third) in the game. Mostil also initiated an inning-ending double play in the top of the sixth, snagging a liner off the bat of Luke Sewell.

As if scampering deep to center and into left and right field for fly balls wasn’t enough of a testament to Mostil’s speed and quicks, he also scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch by George Uhle — from second base!

Mostil had three hits on the day, scoring two runs.

1938
Ted Lyons beat the Senators, 9-2, for his 200th career win. The future Hall-of-Famer would earn 60 more victories before his career was done. Despite this milestone in 1938, other counting stats failed the legend, as his 9-11 record and seemingly-high 3.70 ERA (nope, he had a 134 ERA+) for a putrid, 65-83-1 White Sox club saw Lyons get his $10,000 salary slashed by 10% in 1939!

1977
Richie Zisk became only the second White Sox player in history to hit a home run into the center field bleachers at Comiskey Park, joining Dick Allen (1972). Zisk’s blast off Detroit’s Dave Rozema in the eighth inning didn’t help the Sox win, however — they got beat, 14-3, despite slapping out 12 hits in the game. The blow was the fifth-ever hit into Comiskey’s center field bleachers, over the ballpark’s 67 years.

1982
A 7-3 win against Cleveland raised Chicago’s record to 26-12 — best in all of baseball. The win also moved the White Sox one game up in the AL West race, breaking a tie with California.

The victors struck for four in the bottom of the first inning, and by end the of five frames were ahead, 7-2. Tony Bernazard and Greg Luzinski both rapped out three hits in the game, while Harold Baines went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Steve Trout went 5 1/3 innings for the win, while Jerry Koosman worked 2 2/3 for the save.

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1990
White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk struck a blow for traditionalists. 

Fisk got into a verbal exchange with Yankees outfielder Deion Sanders after the two-sport star drew a dollar sign in the batter’s box before an at-bat at Yankee Stadium, and then failed to run out a pop-up. Fisk followed Sanders back to the Yankee dugout while shouting, “Run the ball out, you piece of shit.” 

The next time Sanders came up to bat, he said something to Fisk. Carlton started to go after him when home plate umpire John Hirschbeck intervened. 

Fisk was asked after the game what else he said to Sanders: “‘There is a right way and a wrong way to play this game,’” he said. “‘You’re playing it the wrong way. And the rest of us don’t like it. Someday, you’re going to get this game shoved right down your throat.’”  

2019
It was a night of firsts for the White Sox, in a 9-4 win over the Astros. Things started off in the third inning, when Houston had runners on first and second with nobody out. Jake Marisnick hit a shot down to third base. Yoán Moncada fielded it and stepped on third for the out, fired to second baseman Yolmer Sánchez for out No. 2, and Sánchez relayed the ball to first baseman José Abreu just in time to nip Marisnick for a triple play. (One day short of the fourth anniversary of the triple play, Marisnick was designated for assignment off of the White Sox roster.)

Then with the Sox up, 4-3, in the sixth inning, outfielder Charlie Tilson launched a grand slam into the right-field seats. It was Tilson’s first big-league home run, and became the first time in franchise history the Sox had both a grand slam and a triple play in the same game — and only the fourth time in 40 years that had happened in all of baseball!

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Athletics’ Denzel Clarke has left hamstring strain that will sideline him until at least July

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke was returned from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas because of a “significant left hamstring strain” and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break, according to the team.

He has returned to Sacramento to continue his rehab after an MRI confirmed a high-grade strain. Clarke will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break in July.

Clarke was on a rehab assignment for a right foot bone bruise that forced him onto the 10-day injured list on April 22. The 26-year-old Canadian missed significant time last year as a rookie because of an adductor strain.

In 22 games for the Athletics this season, Clarke is hitting .170 with no homers, six RBIs, one double and two stolen bases.

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Avalanche have no update on Cale Makar as they look to regroup from Game 1 loss to Golden Knights

DENVER — Forget motivational speeches. Colorado coach Jared Bednar simply let the game tape do the talking.

The Avalanche went over the video of their 4-2 loss to Vegas in the opener of the Western Conference Final. All things considered — no Cale Makar, defensive miscommunications, falling behind 3-0 — Bednar saw more that quickly was fixable than not, even if it might have been hard to watch again.

“We don’t tiptoe around it in our locker room. We show the things we liked, we show the things we didn’t like. There’s no secrets,” Bednar said as the team prepared for Game 2 against the Golden Knights. “Expectations are high, and if one guy’s making a mistake, it’s likely that other guys are going to be put in the same positions. ... We feel like a lot of it’s on us.”

The return of Makar would be a big boost. Bednar, though, offered no update on the star defenseman, who’s sidelined by an upper-body injury. Makar did skate in an optional practice.

For now, Bednar is banking on the fact his team has responded when faced with adversity. That bounce-back trait is a reason Colorado captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s top team.

“I know our team, and I know our goals, and I know the mindset of our group. So it’s not like I’m going in there and giving some speech that’s going to turn the series around,” Bednar said. “Or get it going in the right direction. It’s pretty pointed on what we need to do and what we think we can do. To me, the motivation to play is there for all of our guys. It’s about us going and trying to be the best version of ourselves that we could be, because we weren’t.”

At times, and maybe to be expected, the Avalanche looked disorganized on the defensive end without Makar. Bednar, though, made one thing clear: “That has nothing to do with Cale,” he said. “I’m just looking at the guys that are in the lineup, and I think I’ve seen them play a lot better when it comes to the way we move the puck.

“Most of the chances that we gave up were more execution issues, mismanagement of the puck. There’s some decision-making in there that wasn’t great.”

Forward Nazem Kadri zeroed in on the positives, like Colorado scoring two third-period goals and making it 3-2 with 2:21 remaining before surrendering an empty-netter.

“We’re a good team. We have full confidence in our capabilities, and I don’t think that really wavers depending on if you win or lose, especially early in the series,” Kadri said. “We did a lot of great things last game, a little bit sloppy at times, but felt like we did enough to win the game. Credit to them, they stole one. Now we’ve got to respond.”

Kadri noted the rebound by Colorado after Minnesota won 5-1 in Game 3 of the second round. Colorado followed that with a 5-2 victory to take control of the series.

“Some people thought the sky was falling then,” Kadri said. “We have a process that we stick to, and we’re not going to waver from that.”

Vegas is a savvy group that plays with a swagger. Coming into a hostile arena doesn’t faze the Golden Knights. It’s an attribute coach John Tortorella appreciates about his team.

“They’ve seen it, most of the guys have seen it, have felt it,” said Tortorella, whose team is 3-0 in Game 1s this postseason. “It’s sometimes easier for the away team in these type of situations to play. You can use it to your advantage.”

For the Avalanche, it boils down to a faster start. They’re 5-0 when scoring first in the postseason and 3-2 after giving up the opening goal. To get an early lead, they have to solve Carter Hart, who had 36 saves in Game 1.

“We’ve got to start to try to take the lead a little bit more in these games, and put our foot down,” defenseman Devon Toews said. “Put pressure on teams to try to attack us, instead of us having to attack them.”

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White Sox vs Giants Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Chicago White Sox head to the Bay Area tonight to begin a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants. First pitch is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET at Oracle Park. 

With an intriguing pitching matchup, my White Sox vs. Giants predictions see value in the Under. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, May 22. 

Who will win White Sox vs Giants today: White Sox moneyline (-108)

The Chicago White Sox send their ace to the mound tonight in Davis Martin. He's dominated this year, compiling a 1.61 ERA and 6-1 record through nine starts. 

Martin has also been solid on the road, sporting a 1.95 ERA. He's up against a San Francisco Giants team that is 30th in runs scored and has lost three straight. 

Chicago has also won three of the last four meetings against the Giants. The hosts hand Trevor McDonald the ball, and he's allowed six earned runs at home across his last two outings. 

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Giants are 20th in wRC+ in May, sitting at 92. 

White Sox vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)

While McDonald hasn't been at his best at Oracle Park lately, he does have a very respectable 2.37 ERA overall through three starts.

The right-hander has shown the ability to get outs on a consistent basis, and the White Sox aren't exactly thriving at the dish lately,scoring just six runs across their previous series with the Mariners. 

Martin, meanwhile, can't do much wrong, giving up two earned runs or fewer ever since his season debut on March 30.

He is lights-out, and the Giants have struggled immensely all year to muster up any offense. Also, four of the last five meetings have hit the Under. 

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 15-11, +4.72 units
  • Over/Under bets: 15-11, +2.09 units

White Sox vs Giants odds

  • Moneyline: White Sox -104 | Giants -100
  • Run line: White Sox -1.5 (+148) | Giants +1.5 (-192)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-101) | Under 7.5 (-127)

White Sox vs Giants trend

The White Sox have hit the moneyline in 19 of their last 30 games (+10.25 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Giants.

How to watch White Sox vs Giants and game info

LocationOracle Park, San Francisco, CA
DateFriday, May 22, 2026
First pitch10:15 p.m. ET
TVCHSN, NBC Sports Bay Area
White Sox starting pitcherDavis Martin
(6-1, 1.61 ERA)
Giants starting pitcherTrevor McDonald
(2-0, 2.37 ERA)

White Sox vs Giants latest injuries

White Sox vs Giants weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Revisiting What's Left In Ottawa From The Blockbuster 2018 Erik Karlsson Trade

If anyone wonders why some Senators fans get a little skittish about the eventual fate of Brady Tkachuk, one only needs to look at their history of stars (including beloved captains) leaving in free agency or trades.

You can look at players like Daniel Alfredsson and Zdeno Chara leaving as free agents. Or players in the final year of their contracts like Mark Stone, Jason Spezza, Martin Havlat, or Matt Duchene being traded away with the Senators getting very little in return.

But when Erik Karlsson, still a year away from free agency, was traded in September of 2018, the Senators made the most of it. And then some.

The Karlsson trade tree is still in full bloom this spring, nurtured by two blockbuster deals: his initial 2018 trade from the Senators to the San Jose Sharks and his subsequent trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023. 

But for this exercise, as much as you’d cherish a deep dive into San Jose and Pittsburgh’s organizational depth, we’re focusing on the Senators branches, looking at the deal and what’s become of the players and picks involved. 

Here are the guts of the trade, one of the best in Sens history. 

To Ottawa: F Josh Norris, F Chris Tierney, D Dylan DeMelo, F Rudolfs Balcers, 2020 first (San Jose), 2019 second (Florida), 2021 second (San Jose)

To San Jose: D Erik Karlsson, F Francis Perron

First to get it out of the way, let’s first mop up the Sharks part of the deal. San Jose signed Karlsson to an eight year extension worth $11.5 million, then after five seasons in teal, they traded him to Pittsburgh in a three way deal that also involved Montreal.

Perron, a scoring star in the Q, played two years in the AHL then five over in Europe. Last year, after winning a French league title with Rouen the season before, he retired from hockey at 29.

The Ottawa side of the tree looks a little fuller than that. Let's take a look at each player or asset and see what remains.

2020 first round pick (San Jose): After finishing the 2017-18 season with 100 points, the Sharks never dreamed that their 2020 first round pick would be as high as third overall. The Senators used it to select centre Tim Stutzle.

Where is Stutzle now? He just completed his sixth season in Ottawa and has already become one of the best players in franchise history.

Josh Norris: Norris played five seasons in Ottawa and in his sophomore year, put up 35 goals in 66 games. But he could never stay healthy, which probably had a hand in why his production slipped, even when healthy. 

Where is Norris now? At last year’s trade deadline, Norris was traded to Buffalo, along with Jacob Bernard-Docker for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and Buffalo’s 2026 second round pick.

Cozens has directly replaced Norris as the Senators second-line centre, 75 points in 103 career games. Norris’ injury troubles have chased him to Buffalo, where he’s played just 47 games, scoring 36 points.

2026 second round pick (Buffalo): The Sens traded it to Los Angeles, packaging it up at the deadline for forward Warren Foegele. The deal also involved a swap of third round picks this summer.

Gilbert was used sparingly to end the 2024-25 season and signed with Philadelphia in the offseason. The Flyers dealt him back to Ottawa this season for Sens longtime minor league defenseman Max Guenette.

Dylan DeMelo: DeMelo played almost two seasons in Ottawa but was dealt to Winnipeg for a third-round pick in a move that now seems absurd. DeMelo, a coveted right-shot defenseman, has been a mainstay on the Jets' blueline for the past five years. 

But the Sens spun that third rounder into gold, selecting Leevi Merilainen at the 2020 draft. Despite his difficulties this season, after being rushed to the NHL, he remains a top prospect.

2021 second-round pick: It was used to select centre Zack Ostapchuk, who has since been traded back to San Jose, the team that originally owned the pick. He was a medium-sized part of the 2025 deadline day package deal that brought Fabian Zetterlund to Ottawa.

Chris Tierney: Tierney played four seasons in Ottawa, mostly as a third line centre. He then ended up with brief stops in Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, the KHL and last season, in Switzerland.

Rudolfs Balcers: Balcers played parts of two seasons for the Senators who waived him and then he was claimed back by San Jose. Balcers now plays in Switzerland.

2019 second-round pick: It was used in a package to trade up and select goalie prospect Mads Søgaard, who’s an RFA this summer.

Whew. That's quite the haul, one that's still paying dividends eight years later and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Karlsson was, undoubtedly, a great player for the Senators, and some fans still wish he hadn’t been traded away.

But having the likes of Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, Warren Foegele, Fabian Zetterlund, and Leevi Merilainen does help to ease the pain a little.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This story was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. Click on the latest headlines below to read the latest stories there:

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Sabres Defenseman Michael Kesselring Could Be On Islanders’ Radar This Summer

The New York Islanders and general manager Mathieu Darche will be on the hunt to add to their defense this summer, particularly on the right side.

While the Islanders do have Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield, along with pending free agent Tony DeAngelo (who very openly wants to extend his stay), it's still an area where the Islanders feel they could use improvement.

One option could be Michael Kesselring of the Buffalo Sabres.

Kesselring, 26, played just 34 regular-season games and one playoff game for the Sabres this past season. He is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights after concluding the second season of a two-year deal worth $1.4 million annually. 

The 6'5 defenseman has some skills the Islanders would value. Kesselring loves firing the puck and creating offense, recording 46 shots on goal during the regular season (1.35 per game. 

In the 2024-25 season, when Kesselring played 82 games for the Utah Mammoth, he recorded seven goals and 22 assists for 29 points, all career highs. 

That would've put Kesselring second amongst Islanders defensemen in goals this year, and third in points, trailing Matthew Schaefer in both, and DeAngelo in points.

As mentioned, Kesselring also comes in at a massive 6'5" and weighs 215 lbs. While he uses his body, scouts have noted he could use his size a bit more. 

This season in Buffalo, he saw heavily reduced minutes and opportunities as he came in and out of the lineup for multiple reasons, ultimately becoming a healthy scratch down the stretch.

Buffalo has publicly backed him, but actions speak louder than words.

Kesselring will likely be available this coming summer. The asking price would figure to be around a second or third-round pick, even despite his playing situation. 

Defenseman of that size are coveted in today's NHL. 

The Islanders do not have any second- or third-round picks in this draft, so they might need to be creative to land Kesselring, perhaps by including a depth forward with a lower pick or picks in later drafts. 

Marc Gatcomb, a pending restricted free agent, could be someone who would fit Buffalo's style of play on their fourth line.

Getting creative and making tough calls will be Darche's biggest test this summer.

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Nationals prospect Yohandy Morales continues push for MLB debut

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 15, 2024: Yohandy Morales #35 of the Washington Nationals runs out a single during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 15, 2024 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Nationals’ farm system has been in the limelight for the past two months, with plenty of lower-level talent already emerging as legitimate prospects. For a franchise that continues to look toward the future, the recent developments have been nothing short of incredibly encouraging.

With all of the hype surrounding prospects still in the early stages of their development, little has been said about players who could see a promotion to the MLB club and make an impact in the near future. The slow start of offseason trade acquisition, catcher Harry Ford (MLB.com #6), hasn’t done much to change that narrative.

One player, however, has been lighting up AAA pitching, and could give Washington some much-needed reinforcements if his play continues to dazzle. You won’t find 24-year-old corner infielder Yohandy Morales on any Top-10 prospect lists, and many don’t even have him in the organization’s Top 20. A middling hit tool has long forced scouts to question his future at the big league level, and he’s remained an afterthought in a rising system. That could soon be coming to an end.

Through 45 games with the Rochester Red Wings so far in 2026, the right-hander is slashing a downright absurd .344/.425/.592/1.017, smashing 10 long balls and driving in 27 runs. He’s hitting the ball hard as much as anyone in the minor leagues, with his Average Exit Velocity, Max EV, 50th% EV, 90th% EV, and Hard-Hit% all landing in the 90th percentile or higher. The whiffs continue to be a problem, but even his swing decisions, a visible weakness in his game that led to 164 punchouts in 2025, have improved in recent weeks.

Critics of a potential promotion point to the largest concern with his game: he simply swings and misses too often, especially on pitches in the zone. His Zone-Contact% is a measly 75.48%, good for just the 20th percentile, and the one fix that batters point to for overcoming said issues, a high Pull-Air%, is nowhere to be found as he’s posting an abysmal 11th percentile mark.

The pathway to playing time is easily visible, with Jorbit Vivas struggling to provide anything in the way of offensive production in his at-bats. Morales has fantastic raw power, and the possibility of injecting that type of life into the Nationals’ lineup may be too appealing for the front office to ignore for much longer.

No one should be expecting Morales to light the world on fire if he does indeed get the call to the majors, but his performance continues to make the decision to keep him in AAA more difficult to support.

Only time will tell, but the Puerto Rican slugger could find his way to Washington in the near, if not immediate, future.

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Astros Prospect Report: May 21st

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Cole Hertzler #35 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (20-28) lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE)

Alexander got the scoring started with a solo home run in the 2nd inning. Pecko got the start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 6 runs over 4 innings of work. He was relieved by VanWey who allowed 2 runs. Sugar Land got one run in the 9th on a sac fly but that was it as they fell 8-2.

Note: Biggio is hitting .356 with 5 HR in May.

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (19-23) lost 13-1 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Holy leadoff home run. Hicks got the start and started off well but ran into some trouble allowing 8 runs, 7 earned, over 5 innings of work. Hader allowed a run in relief and Cuevas allowed 4 runs in the 9th. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as the Hooks fell 13-1.

Note: Holy has a .918 OPS in Double-A.

A+: Asheville Tourists (9-33)

Game One – lost 2-1 (BOX SCORE)

Hertzler got the start in game one and was dominant tossing 6 innings allowing 1 run while striking out 9 batters. The offense got not the board in the 5th inning scoring a run on a Walker bases loaded walk. In the bottom of the 7th, the Hot Rods walked it off with a home run as Asheville dropped game one 2-1.

Note: Hertzler has 49 K in 30.1 innings this season.

Game Two – lost 8-3 (BOX SCORE)

Santos got the start in game two but had a tough outing allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, over 4 innings of work. He was relieved by Rodriguez who allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, over 2 innings of work. The offense got on the board in the 6th inning on a Brutcher RBI single. In the 7th, they picked up 2 more runs on a passed ball and a Thomas groundout but that was it as Asheville dropped game two 8-3.

Note: Walker is hitting .283 this season.

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (18-24) lost 12-8 (BOX SCORE) 

The Woodpeckers got the scoring started in the third inning scoring 2 runs on a Huezo RBI double and Flores RBI double. Perez got the start and after 3 scoreless innings to start the game, he ran into trouble allowing 6 runs in the 4th. The Woodpeckers battled back with a run in the 4th on a Cauro sac fly and a run in the 5th on a Salas walk. Wells relieved Perez and 6 runs over 2.1 innings. The offense got one in the 5th on a Newman RBI single and in the 8th, Huezo connected on a 3 run home run. Unfortunately the offense couldn’t complete the comeback as the Woodpeckers fell 12-8.

Note: Huezo has a .810 OPS this season.

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Josh Hendrickson – 8:45 CT

CC: Nic Swanson – 7:05 CT

AV: TBD – 6:35 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

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Yankees vs. Rays prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 22

The Yankees (30-21) and the Rays (33-15) open a much -anticipated and pivotal three-game series tonight in the Bronx.

 

The matchup opens with a marquee pitching duel: Gerrit Cole making his long‑awaited 2026 debut for New York against Tampa Bay right‑hander Nick Martinez, who enters with a dominant 1.51 ERA and a 4–1 record. Cole hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since October 2024 due to Tommy John surgery last Spring, and his return comes at a crucial moment for a Yankees team that has slipped to 4.5 games back of the Rays in the American League East. Martinez, meanwhile, has been better than even the most optimistic Rays’ fan could have hoped.

 

At the plate, the Rays arrive with several hitters swinging hot bats. Yandy Díaz has been consistently productive, batting .318 with strong contact metrics against right‑handed pitching. Cedric Mullins has been strong atop the order, posting a .323 average against Cole in his career. Junior Caminero continues to show impressive underlying numbers, including a 46.3% hard‑hit rate.

 

The Yankees, meanwhile, have seen mixed results at the plate of late. Aaron Judge has produced solid power with a .958 OPS in limited at‑bats against Martinez, but others have struggled: Anthony Volpe is hitless in his small sample, and Amed Rosario has yet to record a hit against the Rays’ starter. New York’s offense has been slumping overall, adding pressure on Judge and Cody Bellinger to spark the lineup while Cole attempts to steady the pitching staff in his return.

 

This is a pivotal series that offers an opportunity for the Yankees to draw closer to the Rays and Tampa the possibility of practically running away with the division even though we are only in late May.

 

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.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Rays

 

  • Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, YES

 

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: Yankees vs. Rays

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: New York Yankees (-157), Tampa Bay Rays (+130)
  • Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+138), Rays +1.5 (-167)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Rays for May 22

  • Yankees: Gerrit Cole
    Season Totals: 1st Start of the Season
  • Blue Jays: Nick Martinez
    Season Totals: 53.2 IP, 4-1, 1.51 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 35K, 11 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Rays

  • The Yankees managed just three hits against Toronto in yesterday’s 2-0 loss and just 9 hits and 1 run over the last 2 games against the Jays
  • Ben Rice has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (4-22)
  • Aaron Judge was 1-15 in the 4-game series against Toronto
  • Cedric Mullins had his 6-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday
  • Junior Caminero has hit safely in 5 straight games (8-18)

 

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: Yankees vs. Rays

  • The Rays are 14-10 on the road this season
  • The Yankees are 16-8 at home this season
  • The Yankees are 25-26 on the Run Line this season
  • The Rays are 31-17 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 24 times in Tampa games this season (24-21-3)
  • The OVER has cashed 22 times for the Yankees this season (22-26-3)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Rays

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 tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Rays:

 

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 8.0

 

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