DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have fired Bud Black, the winningest manager in franchise history, after a 7-33 start that’s one of the worst in Major League Baseball history.
Colorado promoted third base coach Warren Schaeffer to be the interim manager, the team announced Sunday after a 9-3 win over San Diego. That victory wasn’t enough to save Black’s job after the Rockies lost 21-0 to the Padres on Saturday. They also fired bench coach Mike Redmond. Hitting coach Clint Hurdle takes over as interim bench coach.
The Rockies have the worst 40-game start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 6-34.
The best pitcher in all of Major League Baseball since the day he signed with the Phillies in December 2019, Zack Wheeler showed again Sunday night how much of an advantage his dominance can provide in the deciding game of a series.
And just like Tuesday in Tampa to begin this week’s road trip, the Phillies broke through in the eighth inning to turn a one-run game into a more comfortable lead, winning 3-0.
Kyle Schwarber went solo in the top of the second to extend his on-base streak to 46 games, then provided the insurance with a two-run shot in the eighth. His 14 home runs are tied with Aaron Judge for the most in MLB.
Wheeler bookended the 5-1 road trip with wins. He went seven innings on Tuesday and exited after just 84 pitches because the Phillies scored four times in the eighth inning to open up a five-run lead. He threw 93 on SUnday.
The pitches Wheeler saved in Tampa helped in Cleveland, an example of why a manager must consider more than just that night’s game.
Wheeler put just five Guardians on base over seven scoreless innings to improve to 4-1 with a 2.95 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He’s struck out 74 strikeouts and walked 11 in 58 innings. He snapped an uncharacteristic string of eight straight starts allowing a home run.
Jose Alvarado pitched the eighth and Jordan Romano the ninth to earn his third save, both going 1-2-3. Romano has made five straight scoreless appearances.
The Phillies come home with a 24-16 record and are 9-3-1 in 13 series, the best among any National League club.
Their next three games are against the Cardinals, the only NL team hotter with eight consecutive wins. Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola start in that order, and in the opener, the Phillies will face a left-handed starter (Matthew Liberatore) for the first time in over a week.
Future Hall-of-Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury - who officially announced his retirement from the NHL following the first-round conclusion to the Minnesota Wild's season - was named as one of five goaltenders to the Quarter-Century Team, which is a media and fan-voted list in recognition of the top-25 NHL players from the last 25 years.
Fleury, 40, was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, and he remained with the Penguins until 2017, when he was selected in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights. He won three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017) with Pittsburgh and is the all-time franchise leader in wins with 375.
He won a Vezina Trophy with the Golden Knights in 2020-21 and is second all-time in goaltending wins with 575, behind only Martin Brodeur's 691. He has suited up for the Penguins, Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, and Wild.
Napoli’s Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale as Inter are just one point behind. Napoli remain top on 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier in the day, with two rounds remaining.
Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got rid of his marker before guiding his shot into the bottom corner to give Napoli the lead in the 15th minute. Genoa equalised in the 32nd minute when the Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret initially parried Honest Ahanor’s header on to the post, only for the rebound to bounce off his body and into the net for an own goal.
The Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames also had two players each named to the Quarter-Century team, which was selected via a fan vote from Feb. 12 to April 1.
The four Avalanche players named to the team are no surprise. Goalie Patrick Roy, centers Joe Sakic and Nathan MacKinnon, and defenseman Cale Makar made the cut, while Penguins legends Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury also made the team. In addition, Oilers star centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were honored by being named to the team, as were Bruins stars Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Finally, Red Wings stars Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom made the team, as did Flames stars Jarome Iginla and the late Johnny Gaudreau.
Otherwise, ten other franchises had one player named to the team, including Washington (Alex Ovechkin), Tampa Bay (Steven Stamkos), Toronto (Auston Matthews), Anaheim (Teemu Selanne), San Jose (Joe Thornton), Montreal (Carey Price), New Jersey (Martin Brodeur), Florida/Vancouver (Roberto Luongo), the New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist) and Chicago (Patrick Kane). And really, there’s no arguing any of the choices.
Winning a Stanley Cup made it easier to make this list, as 16 of the 25 players had won a Cup at some point in their career. But approximately one-third of the list included players who either didn’t win a Cup in their on-ice days or who are still competing for one today.
In total, the 25 players who made the Quarter-Century team combined to win 35 Stanley Cups, 14 Hart Trophies as the league MVP, nine Conn Smythe Trophies as the playoff MVP, 14 Art Ross Trophies as the top point-producer in the game, 19 Rocket Richard Trophies as the top goal-scorer, nine Norris Trophies as the best defenseman, and 10 Vezina Trophies as the top netminder. In short, if you were an NHL star who had their name engraved on one of the NHL’s trophies, you had a good chance to make the Quarter-Century squad.
Twenty-five years from now, when the NHL compiles this kind of list again, you’ll be seeing some of the same names that we saw from this Quarter-Century list. For instance, MacKinnon and Makar are both young enough and successful enough to make the next Quarter-Century team, as are Matthews, McDavid, and Draisaitl. But there will be other youngsters who step up and impose their will on games when they matter most, and for that reason, there will be a new batch of honorees to celebrate in 2050.
For now, though, there’s plenty to appreciate about this Quarter-Century team. You’d want to have any of the 25 players on your side, for good reason. They could (and can) do it all, and they’re all proven winners in their own right.
Mark Vientos’ early-season struggles appear to officially be behind him.
The Mets' young slugger is finally settling into a groove at the plate -- putting together back-to-back multi-hit showings to helpsecure a big three-game series victory over the first-place Cubs.
Vientos’ first knock on Sunday was a huge one -- he put New York back in front in the sixth after Chicago evened things up on a solo shot from former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong during the top half of the inning.
It was Vientos' seventh homer of the year, which continued his Mother’s Day success.
“That’s mommy power right there,” he joked postgame. “That one was for my mom. Crazy stat for you, but I feel like the past five years I’ve hit four home runs on Mother’s Day, so mommy power is real.”
Real or not, the Mets will certainly take it -- and the rest of the lineup was able to use some mommy power of their own later in the contest to regain the lead after the Cubs evened things up for a second time.
Francisco Lindor crushed a go-ahead home run into the bullpen leading things off, then Pete Alonso laced a double into the left-field corner and Vientos drove him home with a single, before Brandon Nimmo capped off a four-run inning with a two-run shot.
Mark Vientos brings home Pete Alonso on an RBI single!
Vientos finished the day 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in.
After looking extremely lost at the plate early on this season, he’s now hitting a strong .311 with five home runs and a .912 OPS over his last 20 games.
“I’ve just been competing,” Vientos said. “I’m just trying not to give away any pitch or any at-bat. It’s contagious that our whole team isn’t giving any ABs away and I’m just going up there trying to do the same thing.”
“His at-bats have been a lot better,” Carlos Mendoza added. “We’ve seen a lot of that this year he just wasn’t getting the results, finally today it was there -- it’s good to see him being the player we know he’s capable of.”
The turnaround comes at a perfect time for Vientos, as Brett Baty has returned to the big leagues with a power surge -- crushing three home runs in two games since being called back up from Triple-A.
Though playing time may become a bit tricky with so many hot bats and only a handful of open lineup spots, the skipper is confident they’ll find way to get it done.
“We’ll find room,” Mendoza said. “I’ve been saying it, there’s 13 guys there. It doesn’t matter the nine that you put out there you feel good about your chances. That’s my job and that’s our job to continue to put these guys in good positions -- we have a lot of good options.”
One of those options is using Vientos as the designated hitter while Baty slots in at the hot corner -- the route they took on Saturday night when Baty hit two of those homers and drove in five runs.
Vientos says he’d absolutely be open to the idea: “Whatever gets the team wins, I’m all for it.”
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — New York Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman had a setback as he tries to return from a left knee injury that has sidelined him for the last month.
Manager Aaron Boone said Stroman still had “discomfort” in his knee after throwing a live batting practice session in Tampa, Florida, on Friday and will be reevaluated before the team figures out the next step in his rehabilitation process.
“He’s gotten a lot of treatments on it and stuff,” Boone said Sunday. “It just can’t kind of get over that final hump to really allow him to get to that next level on the mound. We’ll try and continue to get our arms around it and try and make sure we get that out of there.”
Stroman hasn't pitched since allowing five runs in two-thirds of an inning against the San Francisco Giants on April 11. He was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day with what Boone hoped at the time would be a short-term absence.
But there is no timeline for his return, and Boone said that injury likely impacted the way Stroman pitched before going on the IL. He was 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA in three starts.
“Certainly that last start, I think he just couldn’t really step on that front side like he needed to,” Boone said. “I talk about how these guys are like race cars, and one little thing off and it can affect just that last level of command or that last level of extra stuff that you need. So we’ll continue to try to get him where we need to.”
Stroman had surgery on March 19, 2015, to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He returned to a major league mound that Sept. 12.
The 34-year-old Stroman is in the second season of a two-year contract guaranteeing $37 million. The right-hander’s deal includes a $16 million conditional player option for 2026 that could be exercised if he pitches in at least 140 innings this year.
Last season, Stroman was 10-9 with a 4.31 ERA in 30 games (29 starts) when he threw 154 2/3 innings, his most since 2021 with the Mets. Stroman struggled in the second half and did not pitch in the postseason, when the Yankees made their first World Series appearance since 2009.
In other injury news, DJ LeMahieu played for the second straight day on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday and could join the team in Seattle this week to make his season debut. LeMahieu recently had a cortisone injection last week in his right hip, an injury stemming from last year.
Francisco Lindor had a chance to win the game for the Mets on Saturday night.
After Jeff McNeil worked a tremendous 10-pitch walk leading off the bottom of the ninth facing Cubs closer Porter Hodge, the superstar shortstop stepped to the plate looking to provide some more late-inning magic.
However, he rolled into a 1-6-3 double play before Juan Soto grounded out to end the game.
Fast forward just a few hours, and Lindor found himself in a similar spot.
Knotted in a 2-2 tie in the rubber match of a three-game set, Hodge was brought in to face the top of the order in the bottom of the eighth -- and this time, the Mets' star leadoff man was able to get the best of the matchup.
Lindor quickly found himself in a favorable 3-1 count before he demolished a middle-middle sweeper deep into the Mets’ bullpen in right-center -- putting them ahead for good to secure the series victory.
The usually cool, calm, and collected Lindor, no matter how big the moment, was visibly fired up after this dramatic blast -- letting his emotions show as he went back to the dugout and celebrated the go-ahead homer with his teammates.
“It was just the moment,” Lindor said. “I wanted that at-bat. I wanted to get on base and make something happen for the boys. Yesterday, I felt like the momentum was on our side and we didn’t capitalize, so today I wanted to make sure I did something for the boys.
“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run there. I was just trying to have a quality at-bat and let the big boys do what they do best, and then the emotions just came out. I definitely had my mom, my sisters, and my wife, who was in the stands, in my mind.”
And the guys behind him did their job as well -- adding some insurance as Pete Alonso followed him up with a double before Mark Vientos cracked an RBI single and Brandon Nimmo crushed a two-run homer of his own.
The four-run eighth inning not only pushed the Mets across the finish line to secure a huge series victory over the first-place Cubs, but it also showcased just how scary this deep lineup can be late in ballgames.
“It’s really cool,” Lindor said. “It’s cool to go up into the 7th, 8th, or 9th inning feeling like one of us is going to get it done. We have a really good lineup, the coaches continue to prepare us the right way day in and day out, and we do a good job talking in the dugout.
“It feels good to have that feeling of anyone can get it done.”
The righty took the ball on his birthday Sunday afternoon, and put together another stellar outing -- allowing just one run on two hits while walking one and striking out five in six innings.
Canning opened the game perfectly -- setting down each of the first six batters he faced, including striking out the side in the top of the first for just the second time in his big-league career.
He ran into trouble in the third as the first two batters reached on a single and a walk, but bared down nicely and was able to escape without any damage, picking up a big punch out of Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The right-hander continued cruising from there, pushing his streak to 10 batters in a row before Crow-Armstrong stuck with one out in the top of the sixth, crushing a game-tying solo homer into the Coca Cola Corner.
Canning retired the next two batters to end his day strong. While he saw his five-start winning streak come to an end, he once again delivered the Mets the type of performance they were looking for.
“He was solid,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He had everything going today. It starts with the fastball, especially at the top to get the swing-and-misses, and then we know how good the slider and the changeup can be.
“All three pitches today, I thought he was in complete control of the game. He used them effectively, mixed, attacked -- he got ahead and then just used them to put hitters away. It was a really solid outing there.”
Canning, a former second-round pick, has shown spurts of potential throughout his big-league career, but he has never quite been able to put it all together.
He ended up being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels after pitching to a 5.39 ERA last season -- and was picked up by the Atlanta Braves, but was non-tendered after he couldn't crack the big leagues.
Still, the Mets decided to take a chance on him this winter, and after making some tweaks to his pitch usage, he’s delivering some of the best baseball of his career.
Canning has a tremendous 2.36 ERA through seven starts this season.
“The change of scenery has been good,” he said. “I fit in well with these guys over here. It’s always fun just going out there and trying to win and playing for the team. Everyone on and off the field have been really helpful.”
Sam Burgess going to Wembley for second straight year
These may still be considered the formative years of Sam Burgess’s coaching career but, as Warrington celebrate back-to-back Challenge Cup finals, it was worth a moment to reflect on how, just as he did in his playing days, Burgess belied his lack of experience on the biggest stage once again.
This year has not been anything like as enjoyable a season in charge of the Wolves for Burgess. After the high of guiding Warrington to a cup final and a playoff semi-final in his first year as a head coach, the early part of this campaign has been much more testing for the 36-year-old, with inconsistency at the heart of most of what they have done. It is perhaps easy to forget that, in coaching terms at least, he is still incredibly young.
The Mets secured the series victory with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
Here are some takeaways...
- Both offenses were sleepwalking through the 12:10 start following the Saturday night game. Each of the first 10 batters were set down in order before Starling Marte was hit by a pitch and Luis Torrens brought him home with a two-out RBI triple off the left-center fence.
Torrens was forced to leave the game in the top of the sixth after being struck by a foul ball.
- After breezing through the first two innings, Griffin Canning ran into immediate trouble in the top of the third, allowing an infield single and a walk -- the right-hander dug deep and was able to retire the next three batters in order to escape without any damage.
Canning continued cruising from there, working efficiently through Chicago's lineup. He pushed his streak to 10 in a row before allowing a game-tying homer to former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong with one out in the sixth -- he finished his day strong, retiring the next two.
Canning was terrific, pitching on his birthday, recording his second quality start of the season. He lowered his ERA to 2.36 after allowing just the one run on two hits while walking one and striking out five in six innings of work.
- The Mets' offense was held in check by Cubs starter Matthew Boyd aside from the RBI triple, but Mark Vientos was finally able to break through in the sixth. He immediately picked up Canning after allowing a game-tying homer, crushing a solo shot of his own to put the Mets back in front.
- Reed Garrett was hurt by a leadoff walk in the seventh -- allowing the Cubs to tie the game again just two batters later on a Nico Hoerner RBI double, but he was able to strand him there. Ryne Stanek kept the score even with a scoreless top of the eighth.
- The Mets were unable to get to Cubs closer Porter Hodge in a one-run game on Saturday, but they jumped all over him in a non-save situation this one. Francisco Lindor crushed a leadoff solo homer, and then Vientos drove in Pete Alonso, who doubled to left.
After a pitching change, Brandon Nimmo launched a two-run homer, capping off a four-run eighth inning. Vientos, Nimmo, and Lindor all had two hits on the day -- Francisco Alvarez also had two singles of his own after entering the game in place of Torrens.
- Edwin Diaz then put the finishing touches on the series win with a 1-2-3 ninth for the second straight day.
Game MVP: Francisco Lindor
Lindor got the party started in the four-run bottom of the eighth.
Highlights
Griffin Canning strikes out the side in the first inning! 🔥
The Mets are back in action on Monday night as they open a three-game set with the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates.
Left-hander David Peterson (3.05 ERA, 1.357 WHIP in 38.1 innings) gets the ball for the home team against right-hander PaulSkenes (2.77 ERA, 0.945 WHIP in 48.2 innings).
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Here are the top moves from the NFL's 2025 offseason — spanning high-profile trades, crucial free-agent signings, coaching hirings and draft picks — as discussed on the "Football 301" podcast by Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice, Matt Harmon and Charles McDonald:
Cowboys trade for WR George Pickens
Why it matters: Dallas needed a vertical X receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb. Pickens is highly talented but brings risk due to maturity and engagement concerns. The Cowboys see this as a worthwhile gamble at a reasonable cost.
WR Davante Adams signs with Rams
Why it matters: This gives the Rams a true X receiver for the first time since Odell Beckham Jr., providing Matthew Stafford with another elite target and forming one of the NFL’s best receiving duos alongside Puka Nacua. Adams still shows elite skills against man coverage, and is expected to elevate the Rams’ passing game.
OG Joe Thuney to the Bears (and general O-line overhaul)
Why it matters: Thuney adds not just talent, but leadership and versatility (he can also play center if needed). Chicago also signed Drew Dalman and drafted Ozzy Trapilo, signaling a true commitment to protecting Caleb Williams and shifting from patchwork solutions to real upgrades. The Bears appear to be bolstering an O-line that has been a weak point since Olin Kreutz retired.
Liam Coen to the Jaguars as head coach
Why it matters: Coen is expected to bring a more diverse and aggressive run game, better schemes for their new weapons like Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, and overall creative play design to boost Trevor Lawrence’s development.
Jacksonville's Liam Coen is one of seven head coaches in their first year with a new team. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
Logan Bowles via Getty Images
Ravens draft safety Malaki Starks
Why it matters: Starks — paired with Kyle Hamilton — gives Baltimore perhaps the league’s most versatile safety duo. The secondary gets tougher and more flexible, helping the Ravens sustain or improve their top-tier defense.
Klint Kubiak and the Seahawks’ offense overhaul
Why it matters: Kubiak was hired as offensive coordinator to reshape the Seahawks' personnel to fit his vision.
Seattle bolstered the tight end room and offensive line, and brought in a variety of receiving and running options, including drafting Christian Haynes (OL) and adding Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jalen Milroe. The aim is to make the offense more dynamic and scheme-friendly, particularly focusing on two tight end looks to compete in the rugged NFC West.
Commanders’ offensive tackle overhaul
Why it matters: They traded for Laremy Tunsil and drafted Josh Conerly Jr. as bookend tackles. Prioritizing protection for rookie QB Jayden Daniels, Washington’s aggressive moves to solidify the offensive line should help him stay upright and effective, signaling a long-term plan to build around him.
Vikings remake their interior offensive line
Why it matters: The Vikings struggled with interior pressure and run-game consistency last year. It prompted them to sign Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, and draft Donovan Jackson for the interior O-line. The overhaul supports QB J.J. McCarthy and a diverse, physical run game.
Chip Kelly and Pete Carroll to the Raiders
Why it matters: For the first time in years, the Raiders are treated as a serious, professional operation. With creative offense (with Kelly as the coordinator), strong leadership (with Carroll as head coach), and a commitment to running the ball, the franchise is seen as genuinely interesting and relevant again.
Broncos reinforce their defensive spine
Why it matters: Denver targeted the middle of its defense by re-signing D.J. Jones, drafting Jahdae Barron, and adding Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga.
After being manhandled by top playoff offenses, the Broncos doubled down on getting tougher at every level — defensive line, linebacker and secondary. This is widely viewed as a move that could make them the best defense in the NFL.
Maple Leafs aim for commanding 3-1 lead while Panthers look to even up the series
The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in the first two games of their second round series but Florida responded with a hard-fought overtime victory in game three. The game was another battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible.
Game three will make for an exciting showcase as the Panthers will look to even up the series while the Maple Leafs aim to put Florida on the ropes with a 3-1 series lead headed back to Toronto for game five.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 33-25 record on our last 58 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:
Panthers ML (-190)
Under 6.5 goals (-134)
Anton Lundell Over 0.5 points (+142)
Maple Leafs Under 2.5 goals (-108)
The Panthers have life once again and it's mainly because of their red hot third line. Headlined by Brad Marchand, the offensive unit has combined for four goals including the game winner in game three. Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen have worked well with the former Bruins captain and Lundell works as the best value option as he also mans the second power play unit with Marchand.
Florida's Finnish centre played a significant role in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season with 17 points in 24 games. He's been red hot with three goals and five assists for eight points over his last five games and should get back on the board after failing to do so in game three.
The game may once again be high-scoring as every game of the series has gone over but I expect that we will finally get a big Sergei Bobrovsky game. The Russian netminder has experienced his career-worst stretch versus the Maple Leafs over the last three games with 13 goals allowed.
He should bounce back when the team needs him and keep the Panthers in this game. I expect Joseph Woll to do the same for the Buds as his career playoff numbers show he is far better than his 11 goals allowed over three appearances this postseason.
The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder made NBA history on Sunday…just not the kind any team wants to make.
The two teams combined for just 25 points in the first quarter of their Game 4 matchup, equaling the record for fewest points in the first quarter of a playoff game in the shot clock era.
The Thunder led the Nuggets 17-8 after the first, matching the previous low first set in 1999 when the Portland Trail Blazers led the Utah Jazz 14-11 and in 2002 when the Detroit Pistons led the Toronto Raptors 16-9, according to the Associated Press.
The Nuggets and Thunder joined that group after combining to shoot just 18.2% in the quarter, with Denver going 0-14 from deep and the Thunder just 1-for–11.
The two teams returned to form in the second quarter, with the Nuggets outscoring the Thunder 28-25. Oklahoma City took a 42-36 lead into the half and went on to win 92-87.
That first quarter, though, nearly rewrote the record books.
What’s the lowest scoring quarter in NBA history?
The Nuggets, with eight first-quarter points, nearly set a new mark for fewest points scored in a quarter of an NBA playoff game.
The record is held by the 2015-2016 Boston Celtics, who scored seven points in the first quarter of Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics lost the game 89-72.
The fewest points scored in a quarter by a single team in the regular season is five by the Nuggets in 2015 and the Miami Heat in 2016.
What’s the lowest scoring game in NBA history?
The fewest points scored by a single team in an NBA playoff game in the shot clock era is 54 by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz lost 96-54 to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals, scoring no more than 17 points in any quarter and just nine in the fourth.
The New Jersey Nets are the only other team that have failed to reach the 60-point mark in an NBA playoff game, losing 78-56 in Game 1 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals.
The fewest points scored by an NBA team in the shot clock era is 49 by the Chicago Bulls, who lost 82-49 to the Chicago Bulls in 1999.
The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder made NBA history on Sunday…just not the kind any team wants to make.
The two teams combined for just 25 points in the first quarter of their Game 4 matchup, equaling the record for fewest points in the first quarter of a playoff game in the shot clock era.
The Thunder led the Nuggets 17-8 after the first, matching the previous low first set in 1999 when the Portland Trail Blazers led the Utah Jazz 14-11 and in 2002 when the Detroit Pistons led the Toronto Raptors 16-9, according to the Associated Press.
The Nuggets and Thunder joined that group after combining to shoot just 18.2% in the quarter, with Denver going 0-14 from deep and the Thunder just 1-for–11.
The two teams returned to form in the second quarter, with the Nuggets outscoring the Thunder 28-25. Oklahoma City took a 42-36 lead into the half and went on to win 92-87.
That first quarter, though, nearly rewrote the record books.
What’s the lowest scoring quarter in NBA history?
The Nuggets, with eight first-quarter points, nearly set a new mark for fewest points scored in a quarter of an NBA playoff game.
The record is held by the 2015-2016 Boston Celtics, who scored seven points in the first quarter of Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics lost the game 89-72.
The fewest points scored in a quarter by a single team in the regular season is five by the Nuggets in 2015 and the Miami Heat in 2016.
What’s the lowest scoring game in NBA history?
The fewest points scored by a single team in an NBA playoff game in the shot clock era is 54 by the Utah Jazz. The Jazz lost 96-54 to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals, scoring no more than 17 points in any quarter and just nine in the fourth.
The New Jersey Nets are the only other team that have failed to reach the 60-point mark in an NBA playoff game, losing 78-56 in Game 1 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals.
The fewest points scored by an NBA team in the shot clock era is 49 by the Chicago Bulls, who lost 82-49 to the Chicago Bulls in 1999.
