Not open for business? The threat of a 2027 stoppage hangs over MLB. | (Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
The high likelihood of a 2027 work stoppage has been floating in the background for a while now, tied to the upcoming expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement.
How will this affect our Sox?
The easy answer is that it depends a lot on where they are in their timeline. The more honest answer is that uncertainty alone is part of the problem.
If the South Siders are still in a rebuild, a work stoppage could be a real gut punch. Lost time means fewer reps for prospects, fewer opportunities to evaluate talent at the major league level, and a disrupted rhythm for Chris Getz and the front office that’s trying to figure out what it actually has. We know how important development is, especially for teams like the Sox, leaning on young players to take that next step.
On the other hand, if 2027 is supposed to be part of a competitive window, the stakes are even higher. A shortened season or delayed start compresses everything. Hot starts matter more. Slumps hurt more. Depth gets tested differently. And for a team that’s trying to prove it belongs, losing even a part of a season can feel like losing an entire opportunity.
Then there’s the financial side. We know that the White Sox aren’t a team that operates at the very top of the spending scale, and uncertainty tends to make cautious teams even more cautious. A looming or ongoing work stoppage could impact free-agent decisions, extensions (Munetaka Murakami), or even mid-tier signings — the exact types of moves that often shape how competitive this team can realistically be.
There’s also a lingering memory factor here. The 2021–22 MLB lockout didn’t just delay the season — it froze pretty much the entire offseason and created a weird, rushed sprint once things resumed. Teams that were prepared adapted. Others looked like they were playing catch-up from day one. It’s not hard to imagine a similar dynamic playing out again.
And maybe the biggest thing? Momentum.
Baseball is a sport that thrives on routine and rhythm. For an organization like the White Sox, which has spent the last few years trying to develop a new clubhouse identity, that kind of interruption could hit harder than it would for a more established contender.
At the same time, there’s an argument that a stoppage could level the playing field a bit. Every team deals with the same pause. Every roster gets thrown off schedule. In theory, it creates a reset button. But resets aren’t always neutral. Some teams need continuity more than others.
So the question isn’t just will a 2027 work stoppage affect the White Sox — it’s how it would hit them.
If it lands during another transitional year, it could slow everything down. If it lands right as they’re turning the corner, it could derail something meaningful. If it lands when they’re already struggling well, then it might just blend into the background noise.
That’s the unfortunate part of all this. The impact of something like a work stoppage isn’t just about the league; it’s about timing, and the White Sox haven’t exactly given anyone a clear sense yet of where that timing will fall.
How much do you think a potential 2027 work stoppage would impact the White Sox specifically, or is it just one of those league-wide issues that ends up affecting everyone the same?
Today’s Reflections are a bit here and there, but it all comes together in the end.
A few years ago, I was on one of my mini-MiLB baseball trip/music festival combos through southern Mississippi and the Florida panhandle (Biloxi Shuckers — 3.5 (giant casino in the outfield annoying); Pensacola Blue Wahoos — 4.25 (while Biloxi is on the water, Pensacola is almost in the water — the first base line/RF has a curved walkway that almost draws you from the game (hard for anything to make me do that)) both docked 0.5 for Biloxi having NO shade, and Pensacola minimal — glad we went in early May).
I knew I was passing through Crystal Springs, MS and that that was where Robert Johnson was from (our featured bluesman today). Saw there was a museum, so I stopped. The large room made the displays look limited, but it just gave you plenty of room to look everything over (surprise, we were the only visitors). I asked if they had any souvenirs or T-shirts. The lady said that they had a bunch left over from a festival they tried having several years before, and the vendor brought one size of T-shirts: 5X. I went ahead and bought one as a donation.
As we were leaving, the lady asked we liked music-related locations. I kind of was skeptical, but said sure and she sent us an hour down the road, luckily in the direction we were going. It was at Gillsburg, MS — the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument Site. To say it was of such amazing detail and quality and just flat-out beautiful isn’t enough. SO highly recommended if you are in the middle of nowhere Mississippi.
Brett Taylor (North Side Baseball): Kyle Hendricks is Joining an MLB Front Office, But Somehow It Isn’t the Cubs. “How on earth did this happen? How is this possible? Everyone knew old friend/pitching genius Kyle Hendricks was going to join an MLB front office after his playing days were over, and frankly, I’d just assumed that it would OBVIOUSLY be the Chicago Cubs. ….. As you would guess, Hendricks will reportedly be working in pitching development with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers. Not the Cubs. The Tigers.”
Brian Kelter (North Side Baseball): Was the Cubs’ Pitching Injury Crisis Inevitable? “The Cubs’ pitching depth has been annihilated by injuries. This isn’t luck. This is a risky plan gone awry.”
Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Where things stand with Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman as Cubs near end of trip. “Cubs manager Craig Counsell explained that Bregman was out of the lineup with a sore toe. ….. Swanson then felt something while sliding to steal third base. Swanson had exited the game with a “left glute cramp.” It’s hard to give the Cubs the benefit of the doubt with injuries,“
Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): “Does Moisés Ballesteros’s Profile Indicate Looming Regression, or Continued Brilliance? “With a 216 wRC+ in 69 plate appearances, Ballesteros trails only Yordan Alvarez for the major-league lead. ….. Perhaps most encouraging about the start from Ballesteros is that virtually everything he’s producing is coming on the strength of exactly what we thought his skill set was. ….. Given how seamlessly the profile has manifested in nearly a full-time role, is it possible that his skill set could help him stave off what seems like inevitable regression?
Darragh McDonald (MLBTradeRumors.com): Cubs Claim Doug Nikhazy, Designate Ben Cowles For Assignment. “The Cubs have claimed left-hander Doug Nikhazy off waivers from the White Sox and optioned him to AAA Iowa. The Cubs designated IF Ben Cowles for assignment to open a 40-man spot.”
Ben Heyen (Sporting News): Cubs looking smart after not paying Kyle Tucker $240 million for 4 years. “The Cubs may have known what was coming, or they may have gotten lucky. But so far, Tucker’s deal with the Dodgers hasn’t worked out. …… So far, Tucker has been a below league average hitter. His OPS+ is just 96, which means he’s been 4% worse than the league average bat.”
Justin Bonhard (Sporting News): The Chicago Cubs are amongst the league’s best, and they have not reached their full potential yet. “The Cubs have gotten it done with their bats, as they have the third-best batting average in all of baseball at. 263 as a team. To go along with the contact, they have made the most of their hits with some power, as their 37 homers as a team are the sixth-most in MLB. When (PCA catches fire), the possibilities for this team are endless, and their true potential will be revealed.”
Max Ralph (MLB.com): Suzuki offers hilarious BP impressions of Ballesteros, Swanson: “Suzuki (a righty) did an over-the-top impression of Ballesteros’ unique left-handed swing, featuring a sizable leg kick with his hands held high, for teammates during pregame batting practice. The slugger also took his shot at Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, who recognizably puts the bat on his shoulder and leans back a bit before digging into his stance. Swanson also tends to fall toward home plate after a swing and miss, which Suzuki displayed perfectly, before mocking Swanson’s wide-legged gait back toward the dugout. (VIDEO enclosed);
Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs have a huge Pete Crow-Armstrong hitting problem. “So far this season (prior to Tuesday), Crow-Armstrong is hitting .241 with one home run, which is thanks in large part to how he’s struggling to barrel up any baseballs this season. He had 59 barrels last year, but this season he’s barreled up just four baseballs. His offensive presence has been minimal at best this season, with his 82 OPS+ showing just how far below league-average he is offensively.”
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Food For Thought:
More than 100 years ago, a child was born in Mississippi – a dirt-poor, African-American who would grow up, learn to sing and play the blues, and eventually achieve worldwide renown. In the decades after his death, he has become known as the King of the Delta Blues Singers, his music expanding in influence to the point that rock stars of the greatest magnitude – the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers – all sing his praise and have recorded his songs.
That child was Robert Johnson, an itinerant blues singer and guitarist who lived from 1911 to 1938. He recorded 29 songs between 1936 and ‘37 for the American Record Corporation, which released eleven 78rpm records on their Vocalion label during Johnson¹s lifetime, and one after his death.
Like many bluesmen of his day, Johnson plied his craft on street corners and in juke joints, ever rambling and ever lonely – and writing songs that romanticized that existence. But Johnson accomplished this with such an unprecedented intensity, marrying his starkly expressive vocals with a guitar mastery, that his music has endured long after the heyday of country blues and his own short life.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: Cade Smith #36 and Bo Naylor #23 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate the team's 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on April 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With yesterday’s victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cleveland Guardians are back to a .500 record and back to the top of the AL Central. Gavin Williams pitched a phenomenal game yesterday in the 3-1 victory on 4 days of rest. The recap can be read here.
The Guardians are off today as the team travels out west to face off against the Oakland Athletics in a 3 game weekend series.
Nick and Quincy are exploring the questions we’ve all been asking; What’s wrong with Steven Kwan/Chase DeLauter.
Guardians beat reporter, Tim Stebbins, put out a piece looking at where the team is at in regards to the offense after a month of baseball.
Around the League:
The Braves walked it off against the Tigers. The Tigers are now 1 game under .500 and 0.5 games back in the AL Central.
The ink has barely dried on the 2025–26 Suns season. Hell, I published my season synopsis just yesterday. It’s only been a couple of days since they were eliminated from the 2026 postseason. And still, my mind is already moving forward.
So much is running through my hyperactive brain right now. The decisions that lie ahead, the conversations we’ll collectively have, the thought exercises that are coming, and the determination of what this Phoenix Suns team should look like come October. It’s too early to fine-tune specifics, the players to pursue, the players to draft, and the trades to make. That part will come.
For now, I want to lay out my initial thought process. How the Suns should approach the short term, how they should think about roster construction, and what this could look like long term. It will be interesting to revisit this at the end of the offseason. To see if they followed the roadmap I think they should. To see if I still believe it’s the right path.
I expect I will change my mind as the summer progresses. For now? This is how I see it.
It begins with patience with the process. Ah yes, patience. A word I’ve talked myself into since the beginning of 2025-26. A word I’ve had to remind myself of at times. Going from the largest bankroll the NBA has ever seen to a respectable cap sheet is a process, and maintaining that moving forward is a challenge. Shiny objects tempt us, but we should not fall for their fallacy.
I’ll start at the 50,000-foot view, looking across the landscape of the NBA. It might be 2026, but it feels eerily similar to 2016. Back then, the Golden State Warriors were evicerating the league, and any hope of stealing a Western Conference title from them felt unrealistic. Not from a Suns perspective alone, from anyone in the conference. Phoenix was deep in a rebuild, with no illusions of grandeur when it came to competing for the West.
Ten years later, the Warriors’ sun has set, and now two youthful juggernauts are sitting at the top. We just experienced who and what the Oklahoma City Thunder are. A team full of assassins, a defense with connective tissue that’s hard to replicate, and a pipeline of draft capital that keeps the machine moving as players get priced out. Add in their track record for scouting and development, and there’s no reason to think they won’t be a viable contender for the next half-decade.
Then there are the San Antonio Spurs. A team with a generational type player, surrounded by youth that fits. We don’t fully know what they are yet, as this is their first run through the postseason. But the trajectory is obvious. They’re ascending, and they create another blockade at the top of the Western Conference for the foreseeable future.
I’m not saying that because OKC and San Antonio are poised to own the next half-decade that the Suns should roll over and play dead. Quite the contrary. Those teams are where they are due to the processes they had in place, the strategy they deployed, some luck (a lot of luck in the Spurs’ case), and their willingness to stick to the plan. They allowed progression to occur and fostered the environment to grow. They took risks along the way it paid off. Yes, their stories are more complex than those four lines of text, but they exercised patience, and that is the foundational aspect that the Suns should follow.
But I am noting that due to their existence in the Western Conference, expectations must be adjusted accordingly. How far do you think the Suns will go next season? Or the season after that? Or the season after that? Defining expectations allows for an understanding of how the team should operate this offseason with the next half-decade in mind as well.
I bring up that half-decade timeline because it matters for the Phoenix Suns. Five years. It goes by in a snap; in NBA terms, it can feel like an eternity. For perspective, it’s been five years since the Phoenix Suns were in the Finals. When you look forward through that same lens, some timelines start to line up for Phoenix. The question becomes how they operate until those timelines come to fruition.
2030. Four years from now. That’s a big year for this franchise. At the end of the 2029-30 season, Devin Booker will be an unrestricted free agent. That same offseason, the Bradley Beal money comes off the books. His $19.4 million is no longer sitting there on the cap sheet. In 2030, the Suns will have a first round pick. The final destination is still up in the air since it has already been swapped, but the pick exists. And by that point, Phoenix could have a treasure chest of draft capital at its disposal if they choose to hold onto those assets over the next four years.
And that’s where I start thinking about the short term and the long term for the Phoenix Suns as we enter the 2026 offseason. All of these timelines run together, and the goal of this offseason and the ones that follow is patience, progression, and responsibility. I know that’s not what anyone wants to hear or experience. It’s not fun or exciting. But the long pathway to success rarely is. The goal needs to be stacking small wins over the next few offseasons rather than swinging for the fences, putting yourself in position to take advantage of where you are and where the NBA is five years from now.
Thoughts on short term & long term Suns’ roster construction:
3 timelines converge in 2030: Booker’s contract ends, draft capital matures, & dead cap clears. PHX won’t be better than SA or OKC in the next 4 years, so be smart. Don’t jeopardize the chance to do it right in 2030
There are a million things that can happen between now and then. Blockbuster trades, season-ending injuries, paths we can’t even see yet. For an organization and an ownership group that came in and initially operated irresponsibly fiscally, the next four seasons have to be about maintaining the ability to be responsible.
That starts with understanding who and what Devin Booker is.
There is a finite ceiling tied to Booker’s skill set, and age will start to show up sooner than later. His contract is going to feel heavy relative to production in a couple of seasons unless something shifts. That’s part of it. And within the context of this offseason, that’s okay. Trading him now and going full reset will not net the return you want. The picks won’t be premium. The players won’t be foundational. You are not building something better in a landscape where the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are sitting there for the next half-decade.
While he might be a depreciating asset, there is value in his presence and abilities. He is the stabilizing force that this team and organization need right now, in this moment. He assists in putting you in a position to win. That is valuable for the young players on this team. To win. We don’t need to go back to 2015, when the Suns had all of the picks but none of the foundation, and therefore, none of the wins.
So lean into it. Embrace the player who defines your culture. Booker is here, he is in his prime, and you should ride that out in an attempt to get better year after year. Next year? You make the best decision at the time, weighing the short-term and long-term health of your franchise.
One reality that we have to face is that this team did not hit its ceiling. Booker missed 18 games. Jalen Green missed 50. Dillon Brooks missed 26 and Mark Williams missed 22. That is a combined 116 missed games from just your starting lineup alone. And they still won 45 games. So it is not outside of the realm of possibility, knowing that the top tier of the NBA elite is unattainable, for this team to run it back again next season. That gives them more data points, more understanding of who is valuable and who exemplifies what being a Phoenix Sun is about.
With continuity comes a stronger culture, a clearer identity, and a sustainable path to winning. Those are organizational traits you need as you look toward 2030. You need to know what it means to be a Phoenix Sun, the same way players understand what it means to be a Spur. That doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with continuity.
I know nobody wants to hear that the team should be looking at 2030 as a pivotal point. But looking long-term is the right way to approach any decision. Mat Ishbia has said he plans to own this team for 50 years, and that comes with responsibility. There is still a path to being competitive and engaging over the next few seasons. There is still room for this team to get better.
You have young players like Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming. If one of them pops, your ceiling rises. You have a 2027 first round pick. It’s a swap, the worst of three teams, but still a chance for that player to hit. That’s the bet. That’s what you’re leaning on.
It comes back to development. That’s part of your culture, too. Identifying the right talent, bringing them in, and developing them the right way so they can succeed and maybe exceed expectations. When 2030 arrives, that foundation matters. It shapes what the Phoenix Suns can be and how successful they can become.
I go back a decade, when the Golden State Warriors were stomping the league. The Phoenix Suns at that time had draft capital. They had chances to improve, and eventually they did. They reached the 2021 NBA Finals. But man, it was a long, arduous path. The culture wasn’t right, and the development system wasn’t right. That’s where the focus needs to be over the next few years. Get it right. Set the standards. And still strategically find that balance between fiscal responsibility and progression in the standings.
The foundation is set. The goal now is progression. Progression in development. Progression in scouting. Progression in management. Progression in culture and identity. Progression doesn’t mean burning all of your assets for a name like Giannis or trading Booker in an attempt to bottom out with late-round draft picks. Progression is patience, strategy, continuity, and fortifying the ideals you introduced an offseason ago.
I get it, everyone loves the home run. The big trades. The idea of moving Booker for a pile of assets sounds exciting. This past offseason showed that exciting doesn’t get it done. Being responsible, being smart, being patient, and sticking to a plan. That’s the path. They followed that approach last offseason, identifying pieces that pushed those areas forward. No chasing dingers. They played for doubles. They bunted the runner over. And we got 45 wins out of it.
That’s where they need to live now. This offseason and the ones that follow. So keep it simple. Stack some base hits. Build a roster that makes sense, a culture that holds, and a system that develops. Stay competitive, stay disciplined, and protect what 2030 can be. That’s the window. Don’t close it early.
This is how I feel today, in late April, following the end of the 2025-26 season. It will be interesting to see how I feel in just a few short months. Suns basketball is just a summer away.
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 3: Dereck Lively II #2 of the Dallas Mavericks and Grant Williams #2 of the Charlotte Hornets talk after the game on March 3, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Be honest wth me: do you remember Dereck Lively II playing a single game? I don’t. Or I didn’t. Not until I started looking way back into the season. In my memory, Lively played several games into January 2025, hurt his ankle/foot, and we haven’t seen him since. That, of course, is not true. He returned for a few games at the end of last season, played a few games to start this season, then shut it down and sought out medical opinions for another surgery.
Thus goes the story of Lively’s career today. Some bright, bright flashes, marred by deserts of missed games. In fact, through three NBA seasons, Lively has yet to play 100 regular-season games.
Season in Review
“It’s all about health for Dereck Lively II heading into his third NBA season.” That was the opening line of Matt Martinez’s Dereck Lively’s season preview way back in October.
In some respects Lively’s season was over before it began; he played just 10 minutes in the opening game against the San Antonio Spurs, where Dallas was run off the floor in the opening half. Lively would play the next two games, helping notch the first Dallas win over Toronto. He popped up on the injury report after, didn’t travel to Mexico City for the following game and wouldn’t play again until November 14th. Including that contest, he played just four more games all season, a total of seven for the 2025-26 season. He’d be shut down soon after to seek additional opinions on his previously injured foot/ankle, got surgery in December, and has just recently been seen without his walking boot.
In seven games, he averaged 4.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in just over 16 minutes a game.
Best game
Given minimal options, Lively’s best game was the wild and foreboding loss to the Washington Wizards in game two. He was one of the team’s few bright spots in his limited minutes, scoring eight on 4 of 5 from the floor, grabbing six rebounds, stealing the ball twice, and notching a block.
Contract status
Lively is entering the final year of his rookie contract, where he will make just over $7.2 million. He is eligible for a contract extension, but given his injury issues the Mavericks have likely only engaged in surface-level discussions.
Looking ahead
There is a lengthy and frustrating history of promising big men seeing their careers derailed by lower body injuries. Feet, in particular, are troublesome. What Dereck Lively is attempting to come back from is as much the weight of history as well as his own body on a troublesome foot. The Mavericks drafted Lively as their big man of the future and that future far too cloudy at present moment.
In short, what Dallas needs first is to see Lively play 60 games in the 2026-27 season. He’ll have both his games and minutes within games managed tightly, but at a certain point medical science can only do so much. He has to stay healthy first, and from that, we can then consider his effectiveness.
Outside of the run from All Star break to the NBA Finals in 2024, Lively has shown very little consistency. He fouls too much on the defensive end and hasn’t played enough without Luka Doncic on the offensive end to show what he’s capable of. The talent is there, of that there’s no doubt. But I believe the key development years for players come largely between 16 and 22 years old. Lively has now missed a huge chunk of that time due to injury.
This coming year is pivotal in what comes next for Lively.
Grade: F
Incomplete would probably be more fair here, but it’s a cruel world. Lively missed well over two seasons of his career to date due to a variety of reasons. This was an important year for Lively and he wasn’t able to perform. Hopefully, next year is a massive change.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, grimaces after turning the ball over against the Rockets during Game 5. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Marcus Smart knows what it feels like to be on the other side. The last time the Lakers guard was in the playoffs, he was helping the Boston Celtics storm back from a three-game deficit in the Eastern Conference finals to force a near-historic Game 7.
Now he’s watched the Lakers’ seemingly insurmountable three-games-to-none series lead dwindle to 3-2 after a 99-93 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena. Smart isn't flinching.
Whether defending a three-game lead or coming back from one, Smart knows the mindset is the same.
“We really got to literally go out there and be ready to die,” Smart said Wednesday after the Lakers failed to close out the Rockets for the second consecutive game. “... When I was on the other end, that was our motto: be willing to run through a wall and sacrifice your body for the betterment of the team. And that's what we're going to do now.”
Lakers guard Marcus Smart knocks the ball away from Rockets guard Amen Thompson during Game 5 at Crypto.Com Arena on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
NBA teams are 159-0 with a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series. Only four have even pushed it to the decisive Game 7. Smart’s 2023 Boston Celtics, when they clawed back against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, lost Game 7 at home after star Jayson Tatum turned his ankle on the first play of the game.
Hoping to avoid joining the historic list, the Lakers get a third try at vanquishing the Rockets for good in Game 6 on Friday at 6:30 p.m. PDT at Houston’s Toyota Center.
“Once we get on that plane and head down to Houston, we got to forget about it and understand what we are going for,” said LeBron James, who had 25 points and seven assists Friday. “It’s going to be even harder. Every game is hard. It’s so hard to close out a team in the postseason, to win a series, and this is our first time doing it as a unit.”
The Lakers built a three-game lead in the series despite playing without leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves in the first four games. Reaves returned from a Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain Wednesday, scoring 22 points on four-of-16 shooting with six assists, but his presence couldn’t stop the gradual decline of the Lakers offense.
The Lakers have failed to reach 100 points in each of the last two games. From shooting 53.9% from the field and 51.7% from three in the first 10 quarters of the series, they have shot just 44.6% from the field and 29.2% from three in the last 10, excluding overtime of Game 3.
Luke Kennard, a flamethrower who scored 50 points in the first two games, has scored just eight in the last two. He was scoreless from the field Wednesday, including two missed three-pointers. A 91.2% free-throw shooter, Kennard even missed a free throw.
On the other hand, Houston has found its rhythm. The Rockets made 38.7% of their shots in the first 10 quarters — Games 1 and 2 and the first half of Game 3 — and have shot 46.3% in the 10 quarters since, excluding the Game 3 overtime period. Their three-point shooting has jumped from 30.9% to 34.1%.
“We just got to make shots,” Smart said of the offense's struggles. “... And we're not giving ourselves a chance by turning the ball over, which we can't get a shot up on the rim because of that.”
The Lakers had 15 turnovers that resulted in 18 Rockets points Wednesday. The game started slipping away in the second quarter when they had five turnovers with the Rockets scoring nine points off the miscues. The Lakers let their 11-point first-quarter lead turn into a four-point halftime deficit.
Smart, who was asked to handle more ball-handling responsibilities while Doncic and Reaves were injured, had six turnovers and just two assists Friday. He called them “unacceptable.”
Rockets center Alperen Sengun yells out for the ball while Lakers guard Marcus Smart pressures the ball hander during Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“The turnovers come in all shapes and sizes, and it's about limiting them,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And you certainly have to give your guys freedom to make basketball plays. I would say in general though, turnovers of aggression are OK; turnovers of passivity are not.”
The Rockets only averaged 8.5 steals per game during the regular season, but had two players in the NBA's top 10 in total steals with guards Reed Sheppard (sixth, 122 total steals) and Amen Thompson (eighth, 119). They had three and four steals, respectively, in Game 5.
A defensive play from Sheppard stifled the Lakers’ late comeback. The Lakers trimmed a 13-point lead to three in less than three minutes. The cheer from the sold-out crowd at Crypto.com Arena was deafening when James kissed a left handed layup off the glass to pull the Lakers to within one possession with 2:59 left.
Sheppard immediately responded with a midrange jumper then picked James’ pocket on the next Lakers possession, going coast-to-coast for a two-handed dunk that pushed the lead back to seven with 2:20 remaining.
The Lakers had that same stunning effect on a road crowd already this series when they stormed back from a six-point deficit in less than 30 seconds in Game 3. The prospect of doing it again with even larger stakes brought an excited smirk to Smart’s face.
“We knew this was going to be a tough series,” Smart said. “I think everybody knew that, and it's turning out to be exactly what we expected. And now the fun begins.”
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 13: Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Ike Irish (97) and Infielder Wehiwa Aloy (95) walk back to the dugout before the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 13, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s almost impressive that the Tides lineup managed to go 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position, largely squandering their nine hits and five walks. Jud Fabian drove in two of the runs with his sixth home run of the year. He also walked once and scored twice. Creed Willems and Jhonkensy Noel had one RBI apiece. Jonathan Rodríguez and Christian Encarnacion-Strand each had two hits. Encarancion-Strand added a walk and now has a .905 OPS on the year.
There was some good and some bad on the mound. Nestor German started and deliver four mixed innings. He only allowed one run on three hits and two strikeouts, but also issued six walks. Dietrich Enns coughed up a run over two innings while striking out three. Alex Pham also allowed one run in his two frames. But it was Josh Walker that really struggled, recording just two outs and allowing four runs, which included a walk-off three-run shot.
Chesapeake had just four hits. One of them was a home run by Aron Estrada, his third of the year. Adam Retzbach and Ethan Anderson contributed one double and one run apiece. Thomas Sosa had the team’s only other RBI.
Five different Baysox took the mound in this one. Luis De León started and went 3.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits, three walks, four strikeouts, and two home runs. His ERA is up to 6.52 on the year. Micah Ashman had the most impressive outing of the day, striking out three over 1.2 shutout innings. Yaqui Rivera followed with a perfect frame, setting down all three batters he faced on strikes. Eric Torres gave up two runs (one earned) over 1.2 innings before Carlos Tavera recorded the final out of the eighth inning.
High-A: Frederick Keys 5, Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 0
All but one Frederick hitter reached based at least once in the winning effort. Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy both hit their four home runs of the season. Irish’s was a two-run shot while Aloy’s was just a solo. Colin Tuft had two hits, a walk, two stolen bases, and a run scored. Victor Figueroa doubled and drove in a run. Braylin Tavera went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Leandro Arias walked twice and stole a bag.
The Keys pitchers had a great day. JT Quinn delivered five shutout innings, giving up just three hits and two walks while striking out five. Michael Caldon worked 2.2 shutout innings in relief. Joe Glassey wrapped up the game by recording the final four outs, which included three strikeouts.
Low-A: Hill City Howlers (Guardians) 4, Delmarva Shorebirds 0
The Shorebirds’ tough season continued here. Their lineup collected just two hits, both of which were singles. Joshua Liranzo and Andrés Nolaya had one each. DJ Layton, the team’s lead-off hitter, did walk twice, but he was also picked off and caught stealing after one of them. The team went hitless in the five at-bats they had with a runner in scoring position.
Brayan Orrantia allowed four runs in his 4.2 innings of work, but only two of the runs were earned due to the three errors that the Delmarva defense made behind him. Orrantia made one of the errors himself. Adrian Heredia allowed one of the runners he inherited to score but then worked 1.1 shutout innings of his own. Riley Cooper struck out four over two perfect frames. Kenny Leiner came on in the ninth to pitch and allowed the two batters he faced to reach base before rain ended the game right there.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 16: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of the Colorado Rockies in action during an at bat in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It hasn’t all been perfect, however. Tyler Freeman, TJ Rumfield, and Kyle Karros have shown some good signs amongst their overall mixed start, but the list of outright disappointments for this team so far is astonishingly small.
Given his track record the biggest underperformance so far for the 2026 Rockies is probably Ezequiel Tovar and the .193/.228/.294 triple slash line he had heading into Wednesday.
The obvious answer as to what is holding Tovar’s offensive potential back is easy to diagnose: He chases too many pitches outside the zone. So far this season, he leads the league in terms of swinging at pitches outside the zone with a mind boggling 48.7% chase rate.
That’s right, Tovar is swinging at just under half of the would-be balls he sees.
The thing is, that’s not really too different from his career averages.
Swinging at pitches he shouldn’t be has been Tovar’s most obvious flaw for his entire career. During his 3.7 fWAR season in 2024, he had a 44.1% Chase %, which was second in MLB behind only Ceddanne Rafaela of the Red Sox. It has been worse in 2026, but not by a significant margin that would explain the stark difference in productivity between the two seasons.
What’s interesting is that Tovar is actually making contact with pitches outside the zone more than he ever has. His chase contact rate has ballooned from being in the 46-48% range each of the past three seasons all the way up to 57.9% so far this year.
That sounds like a good thing. However, simply making contact with the ball does not necessarily mean it’s just a matter of time before his BABIP luck evens out. That may be some of it — as his overall BABIP is noticeably lower than his career average — but the quality of the contact also needs to be addressed.
In 2026, he is fouling off 25.1% of all pitches he sees while all of his previous seasons were in the 22% range. To go along with that spike in foul balls, his hard hit % has dropped nearly 3%, his average exit velocity has decreased nearly 2 mph, and his line drive percentage has dropped nearly 7%.
The biggest year-over-year change in Tovar’s stat line is his first-pitch swing percentage. In 2024, Tovar began 68.2% of his plate appearances with a strike, in 2025 he did so on 66.4%, and so far in 2026, it has been a truly wild 77.2%. That is a substantial increase, and all of it is accounted for by his 12.9% increase in first-pitch swings up to 59.6%.
Essentially, Tovar seems to be firing at the first pitch, finding himself behind in the count, and quickly adopting a two-strike mentality where he tries to fight off all the borderline pitches. This is a recipe for lots of contact without any productive results to show for it.
The solution is clearly for him to get better plate discipline, see the ball better, and make better swing decisions.
That’s much easier said than done.
We’ve now got over three seasons worth of data on Tovar, and it’s safe to say his poor plate discipline is part of his game and here to stay. He’s not suddenly going to become a patient hitter.
With all of that being said, the place to start is probably trying to get him to agree to simply not swing at the first pitch unless it’s a meatball right down the middle. This would likely give him some breathing room later in the count and reduce the strikeout pressure on every pitch. That one simple change is likely not a magic bullet to solve all of his problems but it absolutely would help.
A close game in which the Isotopes fell just short of catching up to the early runs from the Chihuahuas. Parker Mushinkski did not perform well as the opener and was pulled after only two outs and three runs. Gabriel Hughes pitched the bulk of the innings and allowed another four runs alongside eight strikeouts. The offensive side was more favorable with both Sterlin Thompson and Cole Carrigg reaching base three times and Carrigg even stole three bags.
Pitching and the long ball was the story of the night in Reading. The Yard Goats scored six runs on only six hits and five walks thanks to home runs from all of Bryant Betancourt, Aidan Longwell, and Roc Riggio. On the mound Konnor Eaton, Carlos Torres, Austin Smith, and Sam Weatherly completed the nine inning relay race only allowing two runs while striking out twelve despite none of them pitching more than four innings.
Jeff Criswell made his first official appearance on a rehab assignment after undergoing Tommy John surgery early last year. Given that it was his first appearance back, the two runs allowed were less important a measure than simply the fact that he was able to get through a full inning. He was followed by six great innings from Jackson Cox who struck out nine and only allowed one more run. At the plate, the best performance was from Tevin Tucker who had a walk, double, and stolen base.
This wasn’t quite a pitchers duel. JB Middleton walked six in 2.2 innings to start off the game for the Yard Goats but Seth Clausen did record a perfect two inning save to preserve the lineup’s hard work. At the plate there were more good performances than not: Clayton Gray was on base four times, Clayton Fossum had two doubles, Roldy Brito had a couple hits including a double. The thing you really want to see, however, is Ethan Holliday at the plate with the bases loaded in the second inning.
Seth Dowdle takes a quick look at Edouard Julien’s career leading up to his trade to Colorado this offseason and how that has led into his hot start with the Rockies. Dowdle gives credit to the Paul DePodesta-led front office for identifying Julien as exactly the type of bat this team needed.
Mark Knudson, on the other hand, gives credit where it’s due to the Bill Schmidt-led front office for having taken a chance on Mickey Moniak after a poor start to his career. Knudson makes the case that Moniak could end up being the Rockies representative at the All-Star game this year, which is only really in question because of how many other players are also off to hot starts.
Thomas Harding talked with Ryan Feltner about being placed on the Injured List and his next steps. Feltner does not make his injury sound overly serious and appears to be attempting to follow in the footsteps of José Quintana and Kyle Freeland with a minimum stay on the IL.
Who will win Tigers vs Braves today: Tigers moneyline (+115)
The market is overvaluing Atlanta Braves starter Bryce Elder’s 1.95 ERA while ignoring a 3.77 xFIP that signals massive regression.
Elder’s 16th-percentile velocity (91.8 mph) and 28th-percentile whiff rate are a death sentence against a Detroit Tigers "heart of the order" that is currently nuclear.
Over the last week, Spencer Torkelson (323 wRC+) and Riley Greene (219 wRC+) have punished mistakes, and their elite plate discipline (10% BB rate) will force Elder into the zone.
Getting plus-money on an overpriced pitcher primed for regression is the ultimate value play.
COVERS INTEL:The Detroit offense ranks fifth with a 133 wRC+ across their last seven games.
Tigers vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+100)
While the bullpens remain relatively fresh after Wednesday’s efficient relief outings, this getaway-day total is still too low.
Elder’s lucky .238 BABIP faces a Detroit offense featuring three hitters with wRC+ marks north of 190 this week.
On the other side, Framber Valdez faces an Atlanta lineup that has historically punished him, highlighted by Ozzie Albies' career 1.300 OPS in the matchup.
With 65% humidity and the wind blowing out at Truist Park and two starters who rely heavily on contact management, expect the "expected" power metrics to finally manifest in a high-scoring finale.
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 4-9, -4.20 units
Over/Under bets: 5-7, -2.16 units
Tigers vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Tigers +108 | Braves -113
Run line: Tigers -1.5 (+144) | Braves +1.5 (-194)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-117)
Tigers vs Braves trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline in 10 of their last 18 games (+4.40 Units / 17% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Braves.
How to watch Tigers vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, April 30, 2026
First pitch
12:15 p.m. ET
TV
DSN, BravesVision
Tigers starting pitcher
Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.41 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.95 ERA)
Tigers vs Braves latest injuries
Tigers vs Braves 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.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox throws down his helmet after striking out to end the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox have been no stranger to slow starts in recent years, but 2026 takes the cake. As April comes to an end, the team has an abysmal 12-19 record, the manager’s been fired, hit pieces are starting to trickle out about the infighting, Garrett Crochet just landed on the IL, and the offense couldn’t hit water if they fell out of boat. The notion of “it’s early” has gone from a comforting restoration of confidence to a threat they’re going to ruin your entire summer.
So with the Red Sox thankfully out of games to play in April with today’s off day, the question becomes: is this the worst Red Sox April of all time? By pure win percentage, that honor goes to the 1932 team, which started 3-11 (baseball season started a bit later back then) on their way to 111 losses. But that team was supposed to be terrible. It was their 14th straight losing season after winning the World Series in 1918. The 2026 team was supposed to be good.
When I think of recent underachieving Red Sox squads, my mind immediately goes to 2011 and 2019. That 2011 team started off 0-6, but by the end of April they were starting to balance things out a bit and were up to 11-15. The 2019 team meanwhile, which doesn’t get nearly enough hate, was also four games under .500 at the end of April at 13-17. In other words, the 2026 Sox are almost twice as many games under .500 as those other two were. The 2012 Bobby Valentine Sox? They were 11-11 on April 30th. So yeah, this is miserable!
Talk about this and whatever else you’d like, and as always, be good to one another (even if the Red Sox aren’t good to you)!
The Pittsburgh Penguins' playoff run came to an end on Wednesday night, as they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime by a 1-0 final score. The Penguins showed great heart after going down 3-0 in the series by winning Games 4 and 5, but they just fell short in Game 6.
Now, the offseason is here for the Penguins, and it should be a very big summer in Pittsburgh. The Penguins have several pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) to make decisions about this summer.
However, there appears to be a good chance that these three pending UFAs won't be back for the Penguins next season.
Stuart Skinner, G
After losing the Penguins' crease during the playoffs to Arturs Silovs, it is certainly fair to wonder if Stuart Skinner's time in Pittsburgh could be coming to an end. This is especially so when noting that the Penguins also have top goalie prospect Sergei Murashov looking NHL-ready.
In 27 games this season for the Penguins after being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, Skinner had a 12-9-5 record, a 2.99 goals-against average, and an .885 save percentage.
Kevin Hayes, RW, C
Kevin Hayes is another Penguins pending UFA who likely won't be back next season. The 33-year-old forward became the odd man out on Pittsburgh's roster this season and was scratched several times because of it.
In 28 games this season with the Penguins, he had four goals, eight points, and a minus-1 rating. He did not play in a single postseason game for the Pens.
Connor Clifton, D
It would not be particularly surprising if the Penguins let Connor Clifton leave in free agency. The 31-year-old was scratched often this season by the Penguins, and that included multiple times during the playoffs.
With this, it would not be shocking if the Penguins looked to add a younger upgrade for their right side over Clifton. In 50 games this season, Clifton had two goals and four assists. He also had zero points and a minus-3 rating in three playoff games.
Now the series might be turning in the Rockets’ favor after winning two straight games and closing the gap after the Lakers built a 3-0 lead to start the series.
As a former player, Lakers coach JJ Redick understands how turnovers can happen throughout the game, but he recognized how they impacted his team’s overall performance.
“It's hard because the players see stuff on the court and it's easy for us to look back on film or armchair quarterback it,” Redick said. “I do think we had two of those turnovers where we get a stop and we throw the ball ahead out of bounds. Those are the kind of ones that you wish you had back.
“But the turnovers, they come in all shapes and sizes and it's about limiting them and you certainly have to give your guys freedom to make basketball plays. I would say in general, though, turnovers of aggression are okay. Turnovers of passivity are not.”
Marcus Smart was responsible for the Lakers’ early start offensively, providing eight of the team’s first 10 points, but it was the guard being responsible for six of the team’s 15 total turnovers that was glaring on the stat sheet.
“I had six turnovers, and that’s unacceptable for me,” Smart said after the game. “Especially with only two assists, especially against this team.”
The Rockets would score 18 points off turnovers. Houston trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half against Los Angeles before closing the gap and outscoring the Lakers 30-19 in the second quarter.
The Rockets took a 51-47 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Lakers stumbled in the second half, allowing for the Rockets to build up a 13-point lead.
LeBron James tried to rally the Lakers in the final minutes of regulation but it was the team’s ongoing struggles that continued to make the difference.
Rui Hachimura nailed a 3-pointer that helped the Lakers try and gather some momentum as the crowd began to get loud, but Hachimura was called for a foul down on the other end of the court.
The cheers from the Los Angeles crowd quickly turned to boos as Tari Eason was at the free-throw line for the Rockets. He misses the first but makes the second.
The Rockets would lead the Lakers 88-81 with 4:13 left in regulation.
Houston overcame a late surge by the Lakers, with what was an 11-1 scoring run after, with four quick points by Reed Shepard.
“Reed Sheppard made a pull-up jumper to put them up five,” James said. “We come down, I turn the ball over, put them up seven. They’re just bang-bang plays.”
Austin Reaves returns from injury
In the loss, Austin Reaves' return was one of the only bright spots for the Lakers on Wednesday.
Reaves had 22 points and six assists off the bench after returning from a nine-game absence. He was sidelined with a left oblique muscle strain injury.
Reaves remained grateful about returning to the court, having even counted down the days in which he wasn’t able to participate.
While he did express how happy he was to return to the court, Reaves was not shy about critiquing his process toward returning for the Lakers.
“I wish I could get a little bit more of a rhythm before jumping into the fire like that, but I had a lot of fun out there,” Reaves said.
Will the Lakers clinch the series?
History is still on the Lakers’ side.
Teams with LeBron James on the roster have won 24 consecutive series when taking a 2-0 lead, according to ESPN.
When do Lakers play next?
The Lakers will travel to Houston for Game 6 of the series. The game is set for Friday, May 1, at 6:30 p.m. PT (9:30 p.m. ET). The game will be streamed on Prime.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Mitch Voit #55 of the New York Mets bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
You’ll notice a theme in last night’s games: poor offense and poorer pitching. Will Watson got lit up for seven runs on four hits and four walks over three innings pitched, and only Nick Lorusso collected more than one hit in the first game.
The second game was less painful offensively, with Jacob Reimer, Eli Serrano III, and Jose Ramos all having decent days at the plate. But Brian Metover (a top tier last name for a NY prospect) gave up three runs in just a third of an inning and the Rumble Ponies couldn’t recover.
Hey, Mitch Voit got two hits and two stolen bases and the bullpen didn’t allow a run in four and a third innings pitched! That’s about as much optimism as can be mustered in this shutout loss to the Keys, as Joel Díaz was rocked for five runs.
The most offense in the entire system was St. Lucie, who lost the closest game of the day by just a skinny run. Elwis Mijares took the walk-off loss in minor league doubleheader extras (aka the eighth inning). JT Benson hit a three-run homer, too.
Apr 29, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) and Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) goes for the rebound in the second half during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
In Wednesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Detroit beat Orlando, 116-109, Cleveland took down Toronto, 125-120, and Houston handled Los Angeles, 99-93.
The story of the night was Paolo Banchero’s 45-point eruption for the Magic. He shot 17-31/6-11 and also grabbed 9 rebounds, and handed out 7 assists. Wendell Carter had 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Brandon Ingram had just 1 point for the Raptors before leaving with an injury. RJ Barrett had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, but that was somewhat overshadowed by a shoving match he had with Cleveland’s James Harden.
Luke Kennard did not play well for the Lakers, scoring just 1 point in 31 minutes.
On Thursday, Jalen Johnson and the Hawks, down 3-2, face elimination if the Knicks win. Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics, up 3-2, have a chance to eliminate Philadelphia with a win.
Finally, Tyus Jones and the Denver Nuggets, down 3-2, need a win against Minnesota to get to Game 7.
MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 26: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Tampa Bay Lightning crashes into goaltender Jakub Dobes #75 of the Montréal Canadiens during the second period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 26, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montréal Canadiens 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the month of April about to be in the books, we’re nearing the end of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Six of the eight series have been incredibly hard fought with either high levels of quality hockey, entertaining hockey, or burning hatred between the two sides.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been idle for four full days going on five days after completing a sweep of the Ottawa Senators, and while we now know their first round opponent will be the Philadelphia Flyers, we still don’t know much else about who will be in the mix in round two.
Here’s the state of play around the league outside of Carolina’s four-game sweep:
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Flyers def. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2
The Flyers became the third team to advance to the second round on Wednesday night with a 1-0 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning they will be Carolina’s opponent in round two.
Philadelphia avoided becoming the fifth team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead in the playoffs, as Pittsburgh was just one more goal away from forcing a decisive Game 7 on home ice.
More coming on the Flyers later today, but this sets up an interesting off-season in the Steel City, as Evgeni Malkin is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and while he turned back the clock in the regular season, the tone about extending his career in Pittsburgh has been noncommittal from both sides since training camp.
Kyle Dubas did a good job putting a solid team together this year, but he will have his work cut out for him in his bid to give Sidney Crosby another shut in the playoffs next year.
Buffalo Sabres lead Boston Bruins, 3-2
Speaking of being on the verge of blowing leads, things looked over and done for the Bruins after a humiliating 6-1 loss at home in Game 4 to go down 3-1.
Then, Jeremy Swayman and David Pastrnak did what they usually do in Game 5 in Buffalo, as Swayman bounced back from Game 4 and Pastrnak delivered a silky smooth overtime winner to quiet the Buffalo crowd and send the series back to Beantown for Game 6 Friday night.
For the Sabres, the season they snapped what was by far the longest playoff drought in the NHL should have felt like house money, but this team was too good all year to accept a first-round exit against an inferior opponent.
Now, the pressure is squarely on for a largely inexperienced group to close the door on a savvy but flawed Bruins squad.
Montreal Canadiens lead Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2
There are a few strong contenders, but for me, this has been the best series of the first round. Three of the five games have been decided in overtime, and the other two were one-goal games that came down to the wire.
Tampa Bay seemed to grab momentum when Brandon Hagel’s sixth goal of the series late in the third period of Game 4 gave them a win that tied the series, as of course the Vegas-favored and more experienced Lightning finding their footing and heading back home would give them a major edge, right?
Wrong. The Canadiens went to Florida and stunned the Bolts on Wednesday night, as Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy let in one of the worst game-winners you’ll see all postseason in a 3-2 loss to put his team’s backs against the wall.
For all the talk of Montreal’s top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky being elite, it was the team’s forward depth that won them the game Wednesday as Brendan Gallagher, Kirby Dach, and Alexandre Texier came up with the club’s goals.
The fourth one is the hardest to win, and Tampa Bay won’t go down without a fight, but the Canadiens are a very, very dangerous team.
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche def. Los Angeles Kings, 4-0
While it may have been a little bit surprising that the Hurricanes swept a Senators team down the stretch, there is absolutely zero surprise that the Avalanche did away with the Kings in four games.
The Presidents’ Trophy winners are the favorites to lift Lord Stanley, and everyone knows it, and Colorado really wasn’t tested here despite delivering a solid all-around performance. Fresh off his first 100-point season, though, former Hurricanes Martin Necas was held without a goal and limited to just two assists. His playoff struggles in Carolina were well-documented, and against tougher teams, the Avs will need him to be a factor in producing offensively.
On the other side, what a phenomenal career for retiring Kings center Anze Kopitar. It was great to see him get his due respect this season and then in the handshake line after Game 4.
Another former Hurricane who has something to do with Martin Necas (can’t quite recall exactly why) and his team are facing elimination here, as Mikko Rantanen and a hobbled Stars team just can not muster a goal at 5-on-5.
Dallas’ power play is keeping them in the series, but Minnesota has brought an all-around game backstopped by the phenomenal play of rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt. Olympic gold medalist Matthew Boldy has been a revelation for the Wild, as has the top pairing of his fellow gold medalists in Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber.
The Stars had a 2-1 series lead, but an overtime win at home for Minnesota in Game 4 followed by a relatively comfortable 4-2 win on the road in Game 5 have allowed the Wild to flip the script.
This series was always going to be a close one between two teams that deserved better fates than losing in the first round. The Wild have a chance to knock out the Stars on home ice on Thursday for the opportunity to take their shot at the Avalanche.
Vegas Golden Knights lead Utah Mammoth, 3-2
This a series with a clear-cut villain against a squad pretty much everyone wants to see win.
Just like in the last series, a 2-1 lead for one team has been flipped to a 3-2 lead for the other, as the Golden Knights have come up with back-to-back overtime wins to push the Mammoth to the brink.
Neither team is getting much in the way of quality goaltending, as Carter Hart and Karel Vejmelka have both struggled mightily. Vejmelka and Utah failed to hold on to 4-3 third-period leads in both Games 4 and 5, and it looks like that might cost the Mammoth their season.
Game 6 is slated for Friday night at 10:00 PM EST from Salt Lake City, and if you can stomach the lack of sleep, that promises to be one of the best games of the postseason.
Anaheim Ducks lead Edmonton Oilers, 3-2
This series sort of mirrors the one between Boston and Buffalo, but in this instance, instead of being a just-okay Bruins squad, the team looking to come back is the two-time reigning Western Conference champion Oilers.
Led by a valiant effort from Connor McDavid in Game 5, the Oilers cut a 3-1 series deficit to 3-2 behind strong play in net from Connor Ingram after looking like a team with nothing left in the tank through four games.
The Ducks are going to be one of the forces of the next decade or so in this league. Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier are a phenomenal one-two offensive punch, and Jackson LaCombe is the new Jaccob Slavin in that he’s this generation’s outstanding defenseman on a smaller market team that the national media is realizing has been overlooked for a bit.
While Anaheim’s future is promising, they could make their present intriguing too if they can find a way to deliver a knockout blow to the Oilers in Orange County on Thursday night.
COVERS INTEL:
