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Dodgers-Padres lives up to the hype as L.A. prevails in 10th inning
Rivalries in baseball can sometimes be difficult to define.
There are the obvious ones. Like the Yankees and Red Sox. The Cardinals and Cubs. And for the Dodgers, going back to their founding in New York, a generations-old hatred for the Giants.
“By definition, you can’t just decide to choose your rivalry because one team gets good,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said. “And for the Dodgers, that’ll always be the Giants.”
But periodically, there are other emotionally charged, highly competitive, and simmering clashes; often taking root between simultaneous contenders, bad-blooded division foes or closely situated fan bases sharing a mutual dislike.
Over the last half-decade, that’s what has slowly been built between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
And in their first renewal of the season on Monday night at Petco Park, an 8-7 extra-innings win for the Dodgers, the two clubs lived up to the matchup’s ever-growing hype.
ANDY AND TOMMY CLUTCH! pic.twitter.com/FoJOUjrxK2
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 10, 2025
“Both teams are good. The fan bases are very adamant. Both environments have been hostile over the last several years,” Muncy said. “It brings everything that a rivalry should bring.”
A traditional rivalry, it’s still not quite. The Dodgers have as many World Series titles as the Padres do playoff appearances (eight each). Since the Padres last won the National League West in 2006, the Dodgers have done it 13 times.
But after three playoff meetings in the last five years, and a seemingly tight division race on tap this season, Dodgers-Padres is now a full-blown, certifiably legitimate rivalry — at least in the eyes of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Read more:Clayton Kershaw delivers exactly what the Dodgers need in win over Cardinals
“I think it’s become a rivalry,” Roberts said, “because the stakes have been higher.”
That was certainly the case last October, when the Dodgers outlasted the Padres in a memorable five-game National League Division Series.
But even entering Monday, the importance of this week’s three-game series at Petco Park — plus a four-game rematch between the teams next week at Dodger Stadium — had been magnified, the Dodgers leading the Padres by just one game in the National League West standings in their pursuit to defend last year’s World Series title.
“It’s going to be an intense series,” Roberts said. “It probably will feel like a playoff game tonight.”
It certainly played out that way.
Both teams scored twice in the first inning. The lead then changed hands three times between the second, when the Padres scored on a Will Smith throwing error; and the third, when Smith answered with a two-run homer to punctuate a three-run rally, only for the Padres to score three on a bases-loaded triple from Tyler Wade that got past a diving Teoscar Hernández in right center.
The Dodgers (40-27) got the game tied again in the fifth, with Hyeseong Kim doubling home Muncy in a rare opportunity against a left-handed pitcher (he is three-for-three in such situations this season).
Read more:Andy Pages is used to beating the odds, and he's doing it again with the Dodgers
The Padres (37-28) skirted even more trouble along the way. In the fourth, the Dodgers couldn’t take advantage of an infield pop-up that dropped between three Padres fielders. In the eighth, San Diego reliever Adrian Morejon misfired on the most routine of throws to first base with two outs, letting Shohei Ohtani reach second, but then struck out Freddie Freeman to escape unscathed.
But once the game reached the 10th, the Dodgers surged ahead. Andy Pages led off with a line-drive RBI double that outfielder Brandon Lockridge badly misread in left. Tommy Edman followed with an RBI single that ricocheted off the second base bag. And though closer Tanner Scott gave up an RBI double to Jackson Merrill — one at-bat after Manny Machado was rung up on a controversial called third strike — the former Padres left-hander limited the damage there.
Round 1 of Dodgers-Padres this year went to the defending champions. More heavyweight fights figure to follow.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Braves' Smith-Shawver undergoes Tommy John surgery and Kimbrel elects free agency
MILWAUKEE — AJ Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery and Craig Kimbrel elected free agency Monday in the latest pitching moves for the slumping Atlanta Braves.
Smith-Shawver had reconstructive surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, knocking the rookie right-hander out for the rest of this season and likely the start of next season. Dr. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Arlington, Texas.
“It was a complete Tommy John, and now he starts the long road of the rehab,” manager Brian Snitker said before the Braves' 7-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that snapped a seven-game skid. “Everything went well."
Kimbrel opted for free agency two days after the Braves designated the nine-time All-Star reliever for assignment. The club had attempted to send Kimbrel outright to its Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate.
Braves officials had already announced May 30 that Smith-Shawver had a torn UCL. He left a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies a day earlier and said he felt a “pop.”
Smith-Shawver, 22, went 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in nine starts this season. He struck out 42 batters in 44 1/3 innings.
“He's got a nice career ahead of him,” Snitker said. “This is just a little setback. Still a very young player. He'll have a really good career.”
Kimbrel had been attempting to make a comeback with Atlanta, where he spent his first five major league seasons and earned four straight All-Star selections from 2011-14. His 186 saves with the Braves are the most in franchise history.
The 37-year-old Kimbrel went 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 18 combined appearances with Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this year before getting called up to Atlanta last week.
But he pitched in just one game with the Braves before getting designated for assignment. He worked one scoreless inning in Atlanta's 5-4, 10-inning loss at San Francisco on Friday.
Kimbrel is attempting to rejuvenate his career after a disappointing 2024 season in which he went 7-5 with a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves for the Baltimore Orioles, who released him last September.
Stanley Cup Final: Panthers Maul Oilers In Ugly Game 3
SUNRISE, FLA - Panthers pounce. It's what they do.
In Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final, the Florida Panthers did indeed jump all over the Edmonton Oilers, with a couple of usual suspects doing damage.
Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand once again led the charge as the Cats looked faster and more focused than the Oilers. In the end, it was a 6-1 trouncing that gave Florida a 2-1 lead in the series and Edmonton needing some serious introspection after an outing that lacked a lot of discipline.
"You guys have seen it enough," Panthers right winger Sam Reinhart said. "We're trying to play the same way every night, keep it as simple as possible and take away time and space."
The first period got off to the same quick start as the previous two games of the series, with Marchand finding a puck out of a scramble and wristing one past Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner.
"Playing with the lead is huge," said Marchand's teammate, Carter Verhaeghe. "Both teams want to have good starts, get your foot in the door and play with a lead. 'Marchy' has been huge all playoffs for us."
After that, the opening stanza was, unfortunately, a parade to the penalty box for both teams.
There were eight minors called in all - two on Edmonton's Evander Kane, whose physicality became a double-edged sword for the Oilers. Despite all the man-advantages, the score remained 1-0 until Viktor Arvidsson was given the gate for goalie interference on Sergei Bobrovsky with less than three minutes to go. Florida made the Oilers pay on the ensuing power play with Verhaeghe cashing in off a sweet feed from Evan Rodrigues in the bumper position.
"He's got so much speed and one of the best releases in the game," Reinhart said about Verhaeghe. "There are moments when guys get nervous, and it seems like his heart rate might be 60, he's just skating around out there, doing his thing. And it's not like he plays a light game, either."
The Oilers showed some life early in the second as Corey Perry continued his awesome playoff run, popping in a rebound on Bobrovsky's doorstep to cut the lead in half. But a Sam Reinhart wrister put Florida back up by two after the Panthers forced a turnover on Jake Walman in the offensive zone less than two minutes later.
The deluge continued when Eetu Luostarinen sent Sam Bennett in alone on a breakaway after an offensive zone turnover by Vasily Podkolzin to make the score 4-1. Bennett hit Podkolzin in open ice before the play.
"He's been an animal these whole playoffs," Marchand said of Bennett. "He's built for this time of year with how competitive and intense he is and the physicality piece. That shift was a perfect example of his game: blows two guys up and somehow leads the rush after that and scores a beautiful goal. He can do it all."
Things temporarily looked even worse for Edmonton after Connor McDavid was rocked by an open-ice hit from Aaron Ekblad, sending the Oilers captain down the tunnel. Luckily, McDavid returned soon after and seemed fine.
Heading into the third, the Oilers needed some pushback. But it was the Cats keeping the pressure on, and Ekblad extended the Florida lead to 5-1 with a blast on the power play off a great behind-the-back Reinhart pass. That was also the end of Skinner's night, as he was replaced by Calvin Pickard - but to be fair, this was not about Skinner having a bad night but rather everyone in front of him.
This was certainly the nastiest game of the series so far and a line brawl broke out midway through after Trent Frederic mugged Bennett. Darnell Nurse and Jonah Gadjovich had an extended fight near center ice while even Connor Brown and Nate Schmidt threw down with each other.
" 'Gadjy' did an incredible job sticking up for the guys there and taking on Nurse, who's obviously a tough guy as well," Marchand said. "(The fourth line's) entire game, they carried so much emotion and gave us so much energy. There were a lot of momentum swings in our favor because of the style they play."
Edmonton basically spent the rest of the game attacking Panthers, leading to yet another parade to the penalty box and a number of game misconducts. But Florida tried to keep its composure.
"It's not too difficult; you're just trying to close out a game. That's what we did," Reinhart said.
Rodrigues put home an emphatic slap shot goal with less than four minutes to go as a rejoinder.
Just like that, the Panthers are two games away from defending their Stanley Cup championship. Game 4 takes place on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
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Panthers earn strong home victory in Game 3, take first series lead of Stanley Cup Final
A little home cooking sure did the Florida Panthers some good.
Hosting their first game of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, Florida jumped all over the Oilers early and often, skating to a resounding 6-1 win in Game 3.
Florida now leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.
It didn’t take long for the Panthers to send the home fans into an early frenzy.
Right off a faceoff in the Oilers zone, Anton Lundell took the puck behind the net and tried a spinning centering pass.
The puck bounced around the slot and found its way to Brad Marchand, who wired a shot past a down and out Stuart Skinner to give Florida a 1-0 lead just 56 seconds into the game.
Both teams ended up with multiple power plays during the opening 20 minutes, but after three man advantages apiece, neither team could cash in.
That was until Florida’s fourth power play, which came on a goaltender interference penalty against Viktor Arvidsson.
Carter Verhaeghe found some open ice in the right circle and sent a laser of a wrist shot just inside the near post that went over Skinner’s blocker and into the net, giving the Cats a 2-0 lead that they would take into the first intermission.
Thanks to a penalty by Lundell at the end of the first period, Edmonton went on their fourth power play of the game to open the middle frame.
Cory Perry picked up his own rebound after deflecting a shot by Evan Bouchard and quickly fired the puck over Bobrovsky’s pad to get the Oilers on the board.
Just 80 seconds later, Sasha Barkov forced a turnover in Edmonton’s end, and the puck quickly found its way to Sam Reinhart who picked up his first goal (and point) of the Final to put the Cats back up by two.
They weren’t done there.
Sam Bennett scored on a breakaway less than five minutes later, extending Florida’s lead to 4-1 and sending the Amerant Bank Arena crowd into jubilation.
Florida would go on their sixth power play of the game early in the third period, and it led to their fifth goal of the game.
A pretty passing play that saw the puck go from Matthew Tkachuk to Reinhart to Aaron Ekblad ended with the blueliner beating a sprawling Skinner to make it 5-1 Panthers.
The goal would send Skinner to the showers early as Calvin Pickard came in to replace him after the starter allowed five goals on 23 shots.
As the game got later, the penalties came fast and furious.
Evan Rodrigues added a power play goal with under four minutes left to put the Panthers up 6-1 while the Oilers just seemed to be taking chap shots wherever they could.
Edmonton finished the game with 85 penalty minutes while Florida logged 55 of their own.
This series is getting heated, people.
On to Game 4.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Marchand has scored a goal in every game of the Stanley Cup Final so far. He's up to four goals in three Final games.
He’s also racked up eight goals and 18 points through 20 playoff games.
Bennett also has goals in each Final game. He’s scored in four straight overall, but all but two of his 14 playoff goals have come on home ice.
Anton Lundell picked up the primary assist on Marchand’s goal, his third helper over his past two games.
Reinhart’s goal and assist were his first points of the Final.
Nate Schmidt picked up an assist on Verhaeghe's goal, his fifth helper of the Final. He's got at least a point in each game so far.
Evan Rodrigeus extended his point streak to four games after assisting on Verhaeghe’s goal. He has points in three straight and 12 points over his past nine games.
Speaking of Verhaeghe, he’s also picked up points in four straight, with two goals and six points during the streak.
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Photo caption: Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand (63) celebrates scoring against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reacting To The Panthers And Oilers' Physical Game 3
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.
On tonight's show, Emma Lingan, Michael Traikos and Michael Augello react to the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers' going at each other in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.
Join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.
Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 3 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.
Promo image credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Australia’s Olympic swimmers reveal struggles after life in Paris Games fish-bowl
‘I was in a really dark place mentally,’ says Kaylee McKeown
Mollie O’Callaghan speaks of ‘immense pressure’ during Games
Kaylee McKeown was in a dark place and Mollie O’Callaghan suddenly realised she had no friends outside of her sport. They were two lost souls after swimming in the fish-bowl of the Paris Olympics.
“Coming off the Olympics, I was in a really dark place mentally,” McKeown said. “When you go from such a high, straight back to such a low, and you’re left scrambling for ideas on what you’re going to do next, it is hard to find your feet once again.”
Continue reading...Mets Notes: Ronny Mauricio impressing on both sides of ball, Luisangel Acuña’s role
Here are some notes from Mets manager Carlos Mendoza following this weekend's three-game sweep in Colorado…
Mauricio strong on both sides of ball
We knew what Ronny Mauricio was capable of offensively.
The young slugger had been tearing the cover off the ball since making his return to Triple-A -- hitting an incredible .515 with a double, three homers, four stolen bases, eight RBI, and a 1.382 OPS in just nine games.
After a bit of a slow start at the plate, he’s carried that success over to the big-league level -- reaching base seven times with a homer and a double during the three-game weekend series in Colorado.
But the skipper has also been impressed with what he’s seen defensively, as Mauricio has made three appearances at the hot corner and one at second base (and the most recent at DH) over his first five big-league appearances this season.
“He’s been really good,” Mendoza said. “A guy that came up as a shortstop, you know the actions and the hands are going to be there -- but the arm has been pretty impressive too. He made a throw yesterday that I was like wow, looking at Sarbaugh it was like that kid’s special.
“There’s a lot of tools there and we’ve seen that overall. And it’s not easy because he missed a whole year last year and here we are asking him to play short, third, second -- but the guys in the minors prepared him and he’s going a good job.”
Jeff McNeil on a tear
McNeil was square in the middle of Sunday's commanding victory as well, lifting two of the team's six homers on the afternoon to continue his red-hot stretch at the plate.
He also ripped a leadoff double in the top of the seventh, giving him a three-hit day.
The sweet-swinging lefty now has knocks in nine of his last 10 games and he's batting an impressive .324 with three doubles, four home runs, seven RBI, and a 1.096 OPS over that span.
He’s quickly lifted his OPS to a strong .888 over 33 games since returning from the IL.
"It's really good when he's driving the ball the ball like that," Mendoza said. "There's a lot of different versions of Jeff, but this version is the one that we're looking for and it's the one that he wants to be."
Acuña’s decreasing role
With the Mets receiving that type of production from McNeil, Brett Baty's hot stretch in May, and now Mauricio's arrival it's led to Luisangel Acuña seeing less and less playing time.
The 23-year-old also hasn't helped himself -- hitting just .190 with one extra base-hit and a .235 on-base percentage in 63 at-bats since taking home NL Rookie of the Month honors in April.
Eight of those at-bats have come since the calendar flipped to June, and he has just one hit to show for it.
Still, the skipper says the team will continue to find ways to utilize his skillset and he expects he’ll be back in the lineup for Tuesday's series opener against Washington southpaw Mackenzie Gore.
“There’s a good chance we’ll see him against the lefty,” Mendoza said. “And we’ll continue to work the balance. What’s best for the team, what’s best for the player, his development -- he continues to help us win baseball games, and we’ll continue putting him in positions.”
It'll be interesting to see how the Mets handle things moving forward with their infield/DH mix.
Otto Kemp finally experiences Citizens Bank Park, enjoys a flood of firsts
Otto Kemp finally experiences Citizens Bank Park, enjoys a flood of firsts originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Otto Kemp wanted a flood of firsts at Citizens Bank Park.
He got everything he envisioned and then some Monday night.
Kemp, the undrafted 25-year-old in the middle of the Phillies’ 4-3, 11-inning victory over the Cubs, had never before to the stadium before.
“I just tried to keep it special,” he said. “I just tried to keep it something that I get to do on the first day I get to the big leagues. It was kind of a little bit of motivation to keep me pushing and get to this point.”
Kemp traveled a very improbable route to the major-league spotlight. He played college baseball for Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, signed with the Phillies three years ago as an undrafted free agent, and became impossible to ignore in the minor leagues. Kemp hit .313 this season in 58 games with Triple A Lehigh Valley and had a 1.010 OPS.
He then went 0 for 5 over two weekend losses to the Pirates.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson often opts for straightforward, brief responses to reporter’s questions, but he offered substantial pregame praise for Kemp.
“He’s great; he’s a pro,” Thomson said. “He’s got some swagger to him. He’s played good defense. And I liked his at-bats against (Paul) Skenes yesterday. … I’ve liked watching him since last year in the Arizona Fall League. I just like his demeanor and his presence.”
Kemp didn’t exactly have a fairytale start to his Monday night.
For one, he needed to navigate to the clubhouse.
“Luckily, I got in and J.T. (Realmuto) was walking in,” he said. “I kind of just walked with him and let him take me. But I was wandering around for the first probably 20 minutes. People were a little bit (questioning), ‘What is this guy doing?’
“Just trying to enjoy it and get a lay of the land; every clubhouse is different. Enjoy the day, enjoy the moment.”
Kemp committed an error in the top of the second inning. He missed a chopper to third base … because he lost the ball in the lights.
“The third level is a little sneaky, a little bit different with the vision, but got to make that play,” Kemp said.
Eventually, his fortunes shifted. Kemp lined his first MLB hit to left-center field in the fifth and, with assistance from an errant Matthew Boyd pickoff attempt, came around to score his first run.
Kemp’s second hit was a ninth-inning swinging bunt. The third was a proper, perfectly executed bunt in the 11th that did not betray his complete lack of recent bunting credentials.
The last time Kemp bunted in a game?
“I think summer ball in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 2021,” he said. “I popped it up straight to the catcher.”
With college coach Justin James on hand, Kemp did a lot better in much higher stakes.
“I had my dad, my wife, three baseball buddies,” he said. “And my college baseball coach and his daughter, and one of his friends. It was cool to execute that bunt, get it down and thank him for raising me in a West Coast baseball program.”
Two pitches later, Brandon Marsh drove a walk-off hit to deep left-center and cemented Kemp’s first win. Minutes later, he soaked in a surprise Gatorade shower.
As first impressions go, not too shabby.
“It’s unbelievable,” Kemp said of Citizens Bank Park. “The energy that I felt today — the support from all these fans and the buzz — is crazy.
“That was another reason why I didn’t want to experience it before my first big-league game. It was awesome. I’m excited to be a Phillie.”
NBA Trade Rumors Roundup: Knicks' path to Antetokounmpo long and winding, might they return to Durant talks?
Teams ideally want to have any deals lined up before the NBA draft in a few weeks, which has the NBA trade rumor mill speeding up daily.
Knicks’ path to Antetokounmpo
Of course the Knicks are interested in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he decides it's time to move on from Milwaukee (a decision likely to come closer to the NBA draft), 29 other teams are going to call Bucks GM Jon Horst and kick the tires on a deal.
There is a hypothetical path for the Knicks to land Antetokounmpo, but it's a long and winding one: New York hires Jason Kidd away from Dallas, then Antetokounmpo tells the Bucks he only wants to be traded to the Knicks to reunite with his former coach and still friend Kidd, then the sides work out a deal.
Good luck with that.
First, Dallas needs to give New York permission to speak with Kidd, which is no lock. One source told NBC Sports that approval was unlikely, and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reported the "expectation" is that the Knicks would deny the request.
That said, Kidd and the Knicks share a "mutual intrigue," ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported. Kidd did not like being out in front of the Luka Doncic trade (can you blame him?), Edwards reported. Is that frustration enough to leave coaching Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving (out much of next season recovering from a torn ACL), and Anthony Davis? Even if the Mavericks give permission for the talks and Kidd agrees to go to New York, he is still under contract with the Mavericks, which means the sides need to figure out what draft compensation to send back to Dallas in this deal (typically a first-round pick). The Knicks are not exactly flush with future picks.
Even if the Knicks land Kidd, Antetokounmpo then would have to decide he wants a trade out of Milwaukee — something other teams are increasingly convinced may not happen, or if it does he won't hit the open market for a bidding war. Other front offices are very much in a "wait and see" mode while making a "Plan B" if he is not available, a handful of league sources have told NBC Sports.
The Knicks need Antetokounmpo to decide he wants a trade and only to New York (to play with Jalen Brunson and Kidd). There is a rumor that New York is putting together a massive offer for Antetokounmpo, but what is that going to look like? A Karl-Anthony Towns-based trade could be constructed (KAT and Giannis make within half a million of each other) with a third team, but if the Bucks move on from Giannis they are going to rebuild and will want a massive haul of picks and younger players, not a Towns-based package. The Knicks don't really have young players and picks to offer, while other teams do (including that team across the bridge in Brooklyn). Finding a trade that gets Antetokounmpo to Madison Square Garden and makes sense for the Bucks is... challenging. To put it kindly.
Still, this rumor persists and is not going away.
Durant to the Knicks? It’s complicated, too
Assuming the Antetokounmpo dream is just that, the Knicks would have interest in Kevin Durant — they made an offer for him at the trade deadline but it went nowhere, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
Is this a trade the Suns would want? Again, the easy Knicks trade for Durant involves Towns (they have similar salaries, although a third team would be brought in), but the well connected John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 says the Suns would want a trade to be based around one of the Knicks' wings, OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges. For a Knicks team looking to add depth for next season that could be complicated, but that would be the path to a deal.
Durant to Raptors?
If Antetokounmpo becomes available by trade, the Toronto Raptors are a team to watch. They want him and there is some level of mutual interest from the Greek Freak, something we have reported before.
But what if Antetokounmpo doesn't hit the open market? Then expect the Raptors to pivot and be one of the teams in the Durant trade market, something Marc Stein reported at The Stein Line.
"The Raptors, furthermore, would figure to have a more realistic shot at assembling a competitive trade offer for Durant compared to the mammoth offers that the Bucks would inevitably seek for Antetokounmpo's services."
Cavaliers “open minded” about Garland trade?
If one thing was clear in the Cavaliers' second-round loss to the Pacers, it was how much Darius Garland means to Cleveland's offense and the team's title chances. He played in just three games against the Pacers and was clearly slowed by the toe injury he tried to play through (he shot 34.2% for the series, 16.7% from 3). The Cavaliers needed him healthy to have a chance against the Pacers.
Which makes the idea that the Cavaliers would trade Garland a strange one. Add in Garland undergoing surgery to repair that toe injury, which likely has him out for the start of next season, and a Garland trade seems to be an even longer shot.
However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said it's possible on ESPN Cleveland.
"I think there's some belief that Darius Garland might be available under the right circumstances... I think the Cavs are listening and open minded," - @WindhorstESPN.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 5, 2025
Would you be open to the Cavs trading Darius Garland? pic.twitter.com/KM0eJQ7jIT
A number of teams, including Orlando (where he would be a fantastic fit) are reportedly interested.
The Cavaliers won 64 games and may believe it will be a more wide-open East next season, following the Jayson Tatum injury in Boston. The Cavs may think, "If we run it back and stay healthy this time, we can make the Finals." However, if a big enough trade presented itself (Antetokounmpo?) and that was the price, then Cleveland would have to consider including Garland in the deal. Also, the Cavaliers will be into the second apron next season and ownership could look to trim some money from the bottom line.
Most likely though, Garland is a Cavalier next season.
Suns want to trade Beal
Another note from Gambadoro in Arizona, the Suns would like to trade Bradley Beal this summer but, just like at the deadline, the combination of his no-trade clause and the fact he is owed $110.8 million over two more years may make that impossible.
Don't be surprised if Beal gets a fair amount of run for new coach Jordan Ott at the start of next season, as they try to rebuild his trade value.
Spurs open to trading No. 14 pick
As if the San Antonio Spurs haven't had enough lottery luck in recent years, they jumped up to get the No. 2 pick in this year's NBA draft. The expectation in league circles is that the Spurs will not trade that pick and will use it to select Rutgers' point guard Dylan Harper, forming a talented but crowded backcourt with De'Aaron Fox (who will receive an extension this summer) and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. It would take an Antetokounmpo-level trade for them to give up the No. 2 pick.
The Spurs also hold the No. 14 pick and are open to packaging that pick with a player to acquire someone who can help the team start winning now, reports Kevin O'Connor at Yahoo Sports. It would be a smart move by San Antonio, the question is who is that wing player (the team is pretty set at guard and center)?
• Another draft note: Look for the Thunder (picks 15 and 24) and the Nets (8, 19, 26 and 27) to try and package those picks to move up in the draft, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.
Celtics taking Jrue Holiday calls
This isn't a surprise — we know Boston is trying to trim payroll heading into a largely Tatum-less next season and Jrue Holiday was one of the names mentioned as on his way out — but the Celtics are listening to calls, reports Fischer.
There are a lot of playoff teams Holiday would help, but at age 35 next season, and owed three years and $104 million, the market for him may not be as robust as the Celtics hope.
Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins involved in wild fan confrontation in Puerto Rico
Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins involved in wild fan confrontation in Puerto Rico originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Cousins, now 34 and playing for the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional league, was ejected from their 101-91 loss to the Vaqueros de Bayamon and got into a tense confrontation with fans in the opposing arena as he walked toward the tunnel.
While there was plenty of trash talk as Cousins walked off the court, he appeared to throw up the middle finger in a fan’s face, which prompted that fan and others to grab at the big man and even throw food and drinks on him. As Cousins attempted to go after the fans who were throwing things at him, he was tackled to the ground by arena workers and security.
Warning: Below videos show NSFW gestures
In a prior scuffle that seemingly led to his ejection, Cousins and a courtside fan nearly exchanged blows after a brief back-and-forth.
Cousins hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season, where he appeared in 17 games with the Milwaukee Bucks and 31 with the Denver Nuggets. He was selected No. 5 overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Kings and played with Sacramento until the team traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2017.
The two-time All-NBA performer also suited up for the Golden State Warriors (2018-19), Houston Rockets (2020-21) and Los Angeles Clippers (2021) during his 12-year NBA career.
Cousins first joined the Mets de Guaynabo in 2023 and led them to the playoffs that season before signing with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League last year. He’s back with the Mets de Guaynabo this season, and it’s unclear what kind of discipline he might face for Monday’s actions.
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Yankees at Royals: 5 things to watch and series predictions | June 10-12
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees and Royals play a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium starting on Tuesday at 7:40 p.m.
5 things to watch
NY’s early season sweep
Even with Carlos Carrasco starting the opener and a rusty Clarke Schmidt making his season debut, the Yanks rolled through Kansas City earlier this season.
New York put up four runs in all three games, and they held the Royals to only five runs total as they easily secured the three-game series sweep.
Carrasco provided five strong innings to kick off the series, Jasson Dominguez delivered a three-run knock in the middle game, and then Aaron Judge came through with a go-ahead homer late in the finale.
They’ll look for much of the same, this time on the road.
The Yanks, of course, are coming off a disappointing three-game home series loss to the Red Sox but they still hold a 4.5 game lead on the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
Kansas City has the unfortunate fate of being stuck in the same division of the surging Detroit Tigers -- they currently sit in fourth and are 1.5 games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot.
Max is back.
Max Fried suffered his first rough outing of the season against the Dodgers, allowing six runs on eight hits across five innings of work in a series opening loss.
It didn’t take the left-hander long to return to his dominant form, though.
Fried bounced back tremendously his last time out -- allowing just three baserunners as he cruised through six shutout innings in a win over the Guardians during Thursday’s series finale.
He's now won eight of his first 13 contests in pinstripes, pitching to a stellar 1.78 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.
The southpaw has stepped in masterfully for the Bombers with ace Gerrit Cole sidelined, and continues making a strong case to potentially be the All-Star Game starter for the AL.
He’ll look to keep that rolling against rookie Noah Cameron in the opening match of this three-game set.
AL Player of the Month vs. AL Pitcher of the Month
The middle game of this set brings an intriguing matchup of two of baseball’s best to this point.
With Kris Bubic taking the mound in the middle game for the Royals, the American League Pitcher of the Month will have his opportunity to face-off with the AL Player of the Month, Aaron Judge.
Bubic has been one of the most unexpected risers this season and he was spectacular last month -- allowing just two earned runs while striking out 33 batters in 32.1 innings of work over five outings.
He carried that success over to his first June start, giving up just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine in a tough-luck loss to the Tigers.
And we know what Judge has done during his historic start to the season.
With a pair of opposite-field homers during Sunday's series finale loss to the Red Sox, the star outfielder is now hitting an incredible .396 with a .493 on-base percentage and 1.264 OPS on the year.
In a relatively small sample size, Judge has gotten the best of the matchup of the two thus far -- hitting .571 with a two-run homer over seven career at-bats against the 27-year-old southpaw.
First look at baseball’s next young star
The Royals added another huge big to their lineup last week, calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone.
Caglianone was selected out of Florida with the sixth overall pick in last years draft and he quickly established himself as one of the top young talents in the minor leagues.
The sweet-swinging lefty produced nine doubles, 15 homers, 56 RBI, and a .982 OPS in just 50 games between Double-A and Triple-A before receiving the call.
He had gotten off to a bit of a slow start at the plate but has been hitting the ball with authority and finally saw the results on Sunday -- recording four knocks during the series finale victory over the White Sox.
He became the first Royal since Bo Jackson (Sept. 1986) to put together a four-hit showing within their first six MLB contests -- some seriously strong company.
Caglianone will certainly be looking to do more damage in his first games at Kauffman Stadium.
Watch out for the Pasquatch
Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquantino was off to a bit of a slow start the last time the Yanks saw him -- but he's on an absolute tear right now.
The 27-year-old was handed AL Player of the Week honors on Monday evening.
He hit an even .500 (13-for-26) with two homers, seven RBI, a double, a walk, four runs scored, a .769 slugging percentage and a .536 on-base percentage in six games against the Cardinals and White Sox.
Pasquantino is now riding a nine-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 24 straight -- the longest stretch by a Royal since Nicky Lopez in 2021.
It'll be up to Fried, Clarke Schmidt, and Will Warren to keep him in check.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Aaron Judge.
The Captain has 14 homers and a 1.066 OPS in 40 career games against the Royals.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Max Fried.
Coming off back-to-back losses, the Yanks need Fried to pitch like the ace he's been.
Which Royals player will be a thorn in the Yanks' side?
Bobby Witt Jr.
The star SS loves to see the pinstripes coming, and he's hitting .345 over his last seven games.
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Pacers vs. Thunder Game 3 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for June 11
On Wednesday, June 11, the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) and Indiana Pacers (50-32) are all set to square off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Oklahoma City rolled Indiana in Game 2, 123-107 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 34 points, plus 34 more from Jalen Williams (19) and Chet Holmgren (15).
The series heads back to Indiana tied at 1-1 and the Pacers will need more than an all-around effort from its starting five after every starter scored in double-figures for Game 2.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 17 points and 6 assists, while Pascal Siakam led Indiana in rebounding with 7.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Thunder vs. Pacers live today
- Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
- Time: 8:30PM EST
- Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
- City: Indianapolis, IN
- Network/Streaming: ESPN / ABC
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Thunder vs. Pacers
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
- Odds: Thunder (-218), Pacers (+180)
- Spread: Thunder -5.5
- Over/Under: 228.5 points
That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 116.5, and the Pacers 111.5.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s Thunder vs. Pacers game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the value on long shots in the series assist leader market:
"As someone who has a Jalen Williams ticket at +6500 odds, I am pulling for him as he is +1300 to +2000 at most markets for the NBA Finals series assist leader.
This is a five-player race with Tyrese Haliburton (-200) leading he charge at 12 assists. Behind him with 11 is Williams (+1300) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+155). With 10 assists is Andrew Nembhard (+5000) and T.J. McConnell (+7500).
The value on Williams and Nembhard is worth betting and so is McConnell after Haliburton shows signs of an injury or some pain in the post-game presser of Game 2.
If Haliburton misses anytime, then there is value on Nembhard and McConnell in this market, so I think taking anyone but Haliburton or SGA is the smart move."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Thunder & Pacers game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oklahoma City Thunder at -5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 228.5.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Thunder vs. Pacers on Wednesday
- Oklahoma City is 1-2 on the ML and 2-1 ATS in Game 3's this postseason
- Indiana is 0-3 on the ML and ATS in Game 3's this postseason
- The O/U is 1-1 in the series so far
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 72 points is the most through a players first two NBA Finals games in history
- Isaiah Hartenstein and Pascal Siakam are tied for the series lead in rebounds (17) and are +140 and +145 to finish as the leader
- Aaron Nesmith leads the series in three-pointers made (7) and is +135 to finish as the leader
- Andrew Nembhard leads the series in assists (14) and is +5000 to finish as the leader
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)