Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:
For the Nationals:
Let’s talk about it.
Gamethread 2/23: Phillies at Nationals
Manchester United return to top four with 1-0 win at Everton thanks to Sesko goal – as it happened
For the third time in four games, Benjamin Sesko scored after coming off the bench, finishing a brilliant counter to take United fourth
I’m minded of Martin Buchan’s legendary response – later pilfered by Gordon Strachan – to a reporter he didn’t know putting a hand on his chest to stop him going to get a drink.
“A quick word, Martin?
And because he’d been so rude I added ‘fuck off’.”
Continue reading...The surprise case for Randy Vásquez’s breakout
In the seven-player trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, a young 25-year-old named Randy Vásquez went from being the No. 13 prospect in the Yankees’ system to a backend starter in San Diego.
Now, after achieving surprisingly good results last season, Vásquez is projected to occupy the Padres’ fourth spot in the starting rotation. But what’s his ceiling? Is what we saw from him last year permanent or was it just a flash in the pan?
Early struggles seemed to stay
Vásquez began as a starter in the minor leagues for New York, but saw minimal starting opportunities with the big-league club, being used more as a reliever who covered multiple innings. That system worked well in 2023, a year that saw him finish with a 2.87 ERA across 37 ⅔ innings.
However, when Vásquez transitioned to a full-time starting role in San Diego he struggled mightily. He had a career high WHIP in 2024 (1.51) and, when his pitches did find the zone, they were crushed (.304 opponent batting average).
The combination of these two factors made it seem like Vásquez would be more of a depth option in 2025 than a regular starter. But when Joe Musgrove underwent Tommy John surgery in October ‘24, the Padres needed someone to fill innings. They gave the ball to Vásquez and, boy, did he outperform expectations.
A unicorn of a year
2025 was the best year of Vásquez’s career and it’s not even close. He finished with a 3.84 ERA in 26 starts and brought his WHIP down to 1.32 and opponent batting average to (a much more respectable) .247.
Plus, he offered something that San Diego desperately needed down the stretch: durability. Amidst injuries from Michael King and inconsistency from Dylan Cease, Vásquez managed to cover a career-high 133 ⅔ innings for the club.
Strangely enough, that didn’t stop Vásquez from being pulled from games early by former manager Mike Shildt. The club never seemed to trust him to get out of difficult situations, taking him out of more than a few games the moment he encountered trouble.
Hopefully he’ll get a longer leash from new skipper Craig Stammen than he did with Shildt.
So what’s the problem?
All of this sounds great. Why would Vásquez be unable to capitalize on his success? The problem is that his expected stats in ‘25 were all much worse than his actual ones (5.37 xERA compared to 3.84 ERA).
To put it simply, Vásquez was lucky. But he also wasn’t. He had a career-high ground ball percentage of 40.1%, making sure that any contact he allowed resulted in an easy out at first base.
Vásquez’s start to spring
Stammen has publicly stated that Vásquez has a small edge over the competition in the battle for back end rotation spots. But all of that is still dependent on Vásquez’s performance in Cactus League play.
Which brings us to Sunday’s start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the Padres 5-1 loss, Vásquez shined – only giving up a single to Will Smith in the first inning and a walk in the second. He also threw 23 of 31 pitches for strikes across eight batters faced.
Vásquez started to make the case that what he began to unlock in 2025 wasn’t just a fluke, it was building to something more. If he continues to capitalize on that this spring, we could see him blossom into a quality starter the Friars can depend on to go out and dominate each time he takes the mound.
Grapefruit Juice: Mets 4, Blue Jays 3
The New York Mets (2-1) defeated the Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) by a score of 4-3 today at TD Bank Park in Dunedin.
- Clay Holmes started the game for the Mets, and threw 57 pitches over three and two-thirds innings. Holmes surrendered a long two-run home run to Kazuma Okamoto for the only runs against him. Holmes struck out three, walked two, and allowed just the one hit. As Holmes is playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, he is likely a little ahead of the pack in terms of stamina.
- Nick Morabito, the lone Mets’ prospect added to the 40-Man Roster ahead of the Rule 5 Draft late last year, drove drove in Jackson Cluff for the Mets’ first run and then scored on a MJ Melendez double to tie the game in the third inning.
- In the sixth, Ronny Mauricio led off with a bloop double. Jacob Reimer replaced him on the base paths and scored the Mets’ third run when Vidal Bruján stole second and the ball got away from Toronto, allowing Reimer to round third.
- Bruján left the game after injuring himself sliding into second on that same play. It appears to be a hand injury, the extend of which is not known as of publication time.
- Tobias Myers threw two and a third innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits and striking out three.
- Cristian Pache hit a towering solo home run in the seventh to put the Mets up 4-2.
- Ryan Lambert, who our Lukas Vlahos wrote a glowing season preview of, was impressive in his one inning of work, hitting 99 MPH on the radar gun, and striking out three and allowing just one hit to Carlos Mendoza (not the Mets’ manager).
- The Mets were up 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Trey McGough gve up a walk, a double, a single to lead to a run scoring. McGough struck out veteran Eloy Jiménez before Jay Harry hit into a 3-3-2 double play to end the ballgame.
The Mets play the Astros tomorrow at Clover Park at 1:10pm. The game will be broadcast on SNY.
Mets' fireballing relief prospect Ryan Lambert dominant, Clay Holmes solid in win over Blue Jays
The Mets beat the Blue Jays, 4-3, on Monday as their spring training slate continued.
Here are the takeaways...
-Clay Holmes, who is a bit ahead workload-wise as he prepares to pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic in March, allowed two runs in 3.2 innings.
Holmes' sinker was up to 96 mph in the first inning, and he also mixed in his sweeper, changeup, and cutter. He got Andres Gimenez to strike out swinging on the sweeper to start the game and worked around a hit-by-pitch by getting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to tap into a 1-6-3 double play.
In the second inning, Kazuma Okamoto took Holmes deep to dead center field for a two-run homer on a curveball that caught too much of the plate. Holmes hasn't thrown a curve in a regular season big league game since 2021.
Overall, Holmes gave up one hit, walked two, and struck out three while throwing 57 pitches (30 strikes).
-Tobias Myers fired 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits (all singles), walking none, and striking out three.
Myers, who is stretching out as a starting pitcher, excelled in relief last season for the Brewers -- with a 1.91 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 28.1 innings over 16 appearances as hitters slashed just .219/.245/.295 against him (.541 OPS). Manager Carlos Mendoza said last week that Myers will be on the Opening Day roster if healthy, with his role TBD.
-Carson Benge entered the game in the fifth inning. Benge struck out swinging his first time up after fouling off a pair of two-strike pitches. In his second and final at-bat, Benge hit a hard ground out (99 mph exit velocity) to first base.
- Hard-throwing relief prospect Ryan Lambert was dominant in his inning of work, striking out three -- two on his slider and one on his fastball, which was up to 99 mph. Lambert's only blemish was a soft two-out single.
Lambert is in the mix for one of the final spots in the bullpen.
- Outfield prospect Nick Morabito laced an RBI single to center field in his first time up, and followed that up by swiping second base. Morabito, whose big league ETA is 2027, stole 49 bases in 118 minor league games last season. He then swiped 16 more bags in 17 Arizona Fall League games.
Morabito, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, also flashed the leather. To open the fifth inning, he charged in from left field to foul territory before snagging a fly ball right up against the protective netting.
- Mark Vientos was hit by a pitch in his first time up. He finished 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
- MJ Melendez, who is in the right field/bench competition, looped an RBI double the other way his second time up. He went 1-for-3.
- Vidal Brujan finished 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Brujan is battling for one of the final spots on the bench.
- Ronny Mauricio finished 1-for-2 with a pop fly double and a walk. Mauricio could be part of the Mets' Opening Day plans at shortstop in the event Francisco Lindor isn't ready after having hamate surgery. The expectation has been that Lindor will be back in time.
Highlights
Nick Morabito drives an RBI single to get the Mets on the board
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 23, 2026
(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/S87BAvdIdx
MJ Melendez ties it up with an RBI double! pic.twitter.com/tDcN1bfpdq
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 23, 2026
Clay Holmes finishes his spring debut with a strikeout after an ABS challenge from Hayden Senger pic.twitter.com/miy6mWb59B
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 23, 2026
What a catch from Nick Morabito! pic.twitter.com/7n82BqX6iX
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 23, 2026
Ryan Lambert strikes out three in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/DXOIJBu9m6
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 23, 2026
What's next
The Mets host the Astros on Tuesday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.
Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/23/26
HeraldPayton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown bury Lakers as Celtics cruise to 22-point win
Payton Pritchard thriving for Celtics in return to familiar role
Globe LeBron weighs in on Jaylen Brown’s MVP chances
Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard dominate in blowout win over Lakers: 7 takeaways
The Celtics’ domination of the Lakers should silence any who still doubt they are legit contenders
‘He said that?’: Joe Mazzulla’s reaction to Pat Riley’s Boston trash talk
Celtics GreenComments from the Other Side – Lakers 2/22/26
CelticsBlog10 takeaways from the Celtics dictating the game in LA
What is the story of the Celtics season? Joe Mazzulla says it has yet to be written
LeBron James endorses Jaylen Brown’s MVP case: “Nobody gave him a shot”
Will the Boston Celtics hit the 40-20 mark? (daily topic)
First Episode of Jayson Tatum Documentary Released
Celtics spoil Pat Riley Night, win big over Lakers 111-89
Celtics .com LeBron Pushes Jaylen Brown’s MVP Case After Celtics’ Drubbing of Lakers
Keys to the Game: Celtics 111, Lakers 89
NBC Sports BostonCeltics thoughts: Jaylen’s MVP push, the 40/20 pursuit and a top-10 defense
Celtics-Lakers recap: Payton Pritchard leads C’s to victory in L.A.
Jaylen Brown’s all-around impact with Celtics is reaching new heights
Ranking Celtics’ top competitors in East after NBA All-Star break
NESNBleacher Report Talks Jaylen Brown’s MVP Chances Among Five Other Candidates
Al Horford Just Turned Back The Clock Against Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Why Does Lakers Star Luka Doncic Keep Falling Short Vs. Celtics?
Celtics Complete Rare California Sweep For Third Time In Franchise History
Lakers’ Luka Doncic Calls Celtics’ Rookie A ‘Very Important Piece’
Payton Pritchard Makes Celtics History With Dazzling Performance Vs. Lakers
Kendrick Perkins Makes Bold Celtics Claim That Will Rile Up NBA Fans
NBA Legend Rips Lakers After Embarrassing Loss Vs. Celtics
LeBron James Gives Jaylen Brown MVP Endorsement After Celtics Win Over Lakers
Celtics Issue Derrick White Reaction To Team USA’s Overtime Win Vs. Canada
Mass Live JJ Redick makes bold statement about Boston Celtics star
Joe Mazzulla gives candid response to Pat Riley trash talk after Celtics rout Lakers
Marcus Smart reacts to Jayson Tatum rehab, potential comeback
Luka Doncic praises Celtics rookie with Real Madrid connection
LeBron James makes striking comments on Jaylen Brown’s MVP case
Payton Pritchard is the Celtics ‘Name to Know’ Player of the Game in Sunday’s win over Lakers
4 takeaways as Celtics blow out Lakers, 6th man dominates off bench
Celtics WireCeltics blow out Los Angeles Lakers 111-89 on the road (PHOTOS)
Vucevic gift of versatility key for Celtics: Mazzulla
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 93 – PJ Brown (2007-08)
Today in Boston Celtics history: Ainge traded to Kings; Sichting to Trail Blazers
Jaylen Brown is impressed, but not surprised, by Payton Pritchard’s recent hot streak
Joe Mazzulla is all for the Celtics-Lakers beef that Pat Riley embodies
Payton Pritchard erupts as Celtics win pick up third straight win
Boston Sports Journal Simone’s Six: Pritchard’s fire, Doncic’s defense, and the ultimate rivalry in Celtics-Lakers
NBA Notebook: New-look Celtics could bring Anfernee Simons back this summer
BSJ Game Report: Celtics 111, Lakers 89 – Pritchard, Brown dominate in LA
The AthleticNBA Power Rankings: Pistons, Spurs on top; post-All-Star-break outlooks
Grading each NBA team as the season’s stretch run begins
Jaylen Brown: Payton Pritchard raising his play for rolling Celtics
LeBron James says ‘it’s all good’ between him and Jaylen Brown after Bronny comments
Hardwood Houdini Celtics’ first order of business this offseason has become abundantly clear
Payton Pritchard has been balling, but he says the best is yet to come
Celtics’ relentless gameplan is breaking the will of star players
Marcus Smart just nailed what people are missing about Jaylen Brown’s career year
Long-term investments keep looking better for the Celtics by the day
Marcus Smart loves seeing Celtics defy doubters; has one big wish for Jayson Tatum
Former Celtics guard has nightmarish performance against former team
Lakers’ JJ Redick just extinguished a tired Jaylen Brown narrative
CLNS Media/YouTube LIVE Garden Report: Celtics vs Lakers Postgame Show on CLNS Media – Celtics DOMINATE Lakers
Why Celtics BLEW OUT Lakers | You Got Boston w/ Noa Dalzell
Luka Doncic Heaps BIG PRAISE on Hugo Gonzalez | Celtics vs Lakers Postgame Interview
Payton Pritchard Scores 30 vs Lakers | Celtics vs Lakers Postgame Interview
Jaylen Brown talks about being a part of Celtics Lakers Rivalry
Jaylen Brown talks about being a part of Celtics Lakers Rivalry
Joe Mazzulla’s HILARIOUS Reaction to Pat Riley’s Quote | Celtics vs Lakers Post Game
LeBron James Hasn’t Forgotten Jaylen Brown Criticism of Bronny , Endorses Brown for MVP
Joe Mazzulla GOES SILENT at Jayson Tatum Question | Celtics vs Lakers Pregame
Jayson Tatum RESPONDS to Speculation About Return Game | Celtics Daily
Fadeaway World Jayson Tatum Gets Real On Recovery Timeline After Major Tease From Celtics
Joe Mazzulla Explains How Celtics Clamped Up LeBron James, Luka Doncic, And Austin Reaves
SI .comJayson Tatum Provides Rehab Update Amid Speculation on Potential Celtics Return
Jayson Tatum ‘Beating A Dead Horse’ About Returning, But He Did Shed Some Light On Progress
Why Hugo Gonzalez Will Eventually Be a Star for the Boston Celtics
Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown dominate Lakers: Four Reasons Celtics Won & Player Grades
Jaylen Brown Basks In Praise From LeBron James, Both Today, and 2016
Watch Pat Riley Make Joe Mazzulla As Happy As You’ll Ever See Him
HeavyJoe Mazzulla Gives Confusing Message On Jayson Tatum’s Return
Celtics Get Notable Jayson Tatum Return Update
Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Gaining MVP Traction in Latest Straw Poll
Celtics Drop Cryptic Update on Jayson Tatum Return
Former Celtics Champion Issues Scary Jayson Tatum Warning to Rest of the NBA
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Gets Honest Message From Former Fan Favorite
Clutch PointsCeltics’ Joe Mazzulla gives 9-word response to Jayson Tatum injury return question
AudacyJayson Tatum says he has ‘no date’ for return
6 takeaways as Celtics make franchise history in rout of Lakers
Hoops Rumors Celtics Notes: Tatum, Horford, Banton, Harper
Celtics Notes: Brown, Pritchard, Gonzalez, Tatum
CBS Sports Jaylen Brown returns to LA, as Celtics face Lakers
DeadspinShould the Boston Celtics Rush Jayson Tatum Back From Injury?
Hoops Habit The Celtics’ title dreams will live and die with Jayson Tatum
Lakers NationJJ Redick Believes Lakers Offense Was ‘Awful’ In Loss To Celtics
Recap: Lakers Struggle To Match Physicality Of Celtics In Home Loss
The DrumAd of the Day: Amica and Jayson Tatum count down to his comeback in ‘Back to Zero’
CBS NewsWhy Jayson Tatum’s eventual return won’t affect Jaylen Brown’s great season
ESPNPredicting the 2028 USA Olympic basketball roster: Top 12 players
Payton Pritchard sends defender to floor and drains triple
The Sports HubCeltics keep rolling with 111-89 win over Lakers
Larry Brown SportsFans blast Luka Doncic after his interaction with a referee
Joe Mazzulla had cryptic response to question about Jayson Tatum returning to practice
NBC Sports On star-studded night in Los Angeles, it’s Celtics role players who overwhelm Lakers in win
ESPN/YouTube Lakers GETTING BOUNCED in the first round? 😧 Perk wouldn’t be surprised 🤷♂️ | Get Up
The Sports Rush“No Respect for the Uniform”: James Worthy Rips Lakers After Their 111-89 Loss to Jayson Tatum-Less Celtics
Barstool Sports Joe Mazzulla Completely Ignoring The Media While Being Asked About Jayson Tatum Practicing Is Yet Another Reason He’s The Greatest To Ever Do It
Bleacher ReportJaylen Brown Reacts to Lakers’ LeBron James Hyping Celtics Star’s MVP Case on Trending Video
NBC 10 Boston/YouTube Inside Tatum’s road to recovery: Episode 1
Locked on CelticsCeltics DOMINATE Luka Doncic, Lakers | Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown score 62
Celtics ChronicleMade ‘Em Your Pritch
TalkBasket Joe Mazzulla praises Celtics’ defensive discipline after dominant win over Lakers
Kendrick Perkins says Celtics can reach NBA Finals without Jayson Tatum
NBA/YouTubeCELTICS at LAKERS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | February 22, 2026
The Ringer Celts Keep Rolling, With Justin Termine. Plus, USA!
Fan RecapDalano Banton Stuns Fans With Revealing Comments After Rejoining Celtics
NBA .com Power Rankings, Week 19: Celtics move back into Top 5
Athlon SportsBoston Celtics: NBA Analyst Hints At Potential Jayson Tatum Return
NHL Rumors: 2 Suitors Named For Flyers' Rasmus Ristolainen
In a recent article for Daily Faceoff, Anthony Di Marco reported that "five or six" clubs have expressed interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
Di Marco also mentioned the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers as two specific clubs that have kicked tires on Ristolainen as of late.
It isn't exactly a secret that the Bruins want to improve the right side of their defense. They have not found a proper replacement for Brandon Carlo in their top four since they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season, and bringing in a player like Ristolainen could changes thing on that front.
The Bruins have also been connected to multiple other right-shot defenseman this season. As Di Marco noted, the Bruins were among the clubs that pursued Rasmus Andersson before he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Calgary Flames. The Bruins have also been linked to St. Louis Blues right-shot defenseman Justin Faulk this season, so having Ristolainen on their radar as well is understandable.
The Oilers also make sense as a suitor for Ristolainen. One of their top needs at this point of the season is another defenseman for their right side, and Ristolainen is easily one of the best potential options available. If Edmonton acquired him, he could replace Ty Emberson on their bottom pairing. Yet, he could also move up to the Oilers' second pairing if Jake Walman moved to the left side.
Ristolainen would also make sense for a true contender like the Oilers to bring in. His hard-nosed style of play would make him a valuable player for Edmonton to have around during the playoffs when the games get tougher.
Yet, the Flyers are in a position where they can take their time with a Ristolainen trade. This is because he has another year on his contract after this season, where he has a $5.1 million cap hit.
Nevertheless, it will be fascinating to see if the Flyers end up trading Ristolainen this season.
Who would you like the Warriors to face in the play-in tournament?
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
There are still 25 games left for the Golden State Warriors to play. We have no idea how those 25 games will go. Yet despite that, we can feel fairly confident that the Dubs will end up in the play-in tournament.
After Sunday’s shocking win over the Denver Nuggets, the Warriors are 30-27, and sit in eighth place in the Western Conference. All four of the play-in seeds are potential landing spots for Golden State: they’re just 2.5 games behind the seventh-place Phoenix Suns, just 2.5 games ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers, and a mere three games atop the 10th-place Los Angeles Clippers.
It seems highly unlikely that the Warriors rise out of the play-in seeding: both the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves sit 4.5 games ahead of the Dubs. And it’s even less likely that the Warriors fall out of the play-in seeding, as they’re a full eight games ahead of the tanking Memphis Grizzlies, who are the first team out.
So it’s almost certainly the play-in for the Warriors.
But how things shake out once in the play-in is subject to change. Those four teams could end up in any order, or the Suns could jump into the top six, while the Lakers or Timberwolves (or possibly even the Nuggets or Houston Rockets) could slip to the seventh spot.
As a reminder, the No. 7 team hosts the No. 8 team in the play-in tournament, while No. 9 hosts No. 10. The winner of that 7/8 matchup makes the playoffs as the seventh seed, while the loser hosts the 9/10 winner, with the eighth seed on the line.
So who would you like the Warriors to face, with a spot in the playoffs on the line? Among the current play-in teams, the Warriors are 3-1 against the Suns, 1-3 against the Blazers, and 1-1 against the Clippers. They’re 1-1 against the Lakers, and 1-2 against the Wolves.
It feels to me like Portland should be the easiest matchup, but their athleticism gives Golden State fits. The Clippers have been gutted with the James Harden and Ivica Zubac trades, but they’re always a tough out for the Dubs, and Kawhi Leonard is on a serious heater. The Suns seem to be the best of those other play-in teams, yet I also trust the Warriors against them. So that’s my pick. What’s yours?
Bonus question: if the Warriors make it out of the play-in tournament, would you rather they have a first-round matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs?
5 NHL Futures Bets to Attack After the Olympic Break
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The NHL resumes play on Wednesday, February 25, following the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and I’ve got five NHL futures bets to place out of the break.
My top futures NHL picks before the teams return to action on Wednesday are headlined by the Minnesota Wild winning the Stanley Cup and Macklin Celebrini taking home some hardware.
5 NHL futures bets to make right now
Stanley Cup winner
I don’t think the Minnesota Wild are done tweaking their roster ahead of the trade deadline on Friday, March 6, and I also expect them to add at least one more key piece to solidify their top-six forward group.
The addition of Quinn Hughes has led the Wild to a 16-5-5 heater that’s good for the third-highest point percentage during the run, and the one-two punch of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt gives them a rare stability in goal.
Don’t forget, the Wild have over $10 million of current salary-cap space, in addition to promising young talents in defensemen David Jiricek and David Spacek, and goalie Samuel Hlavaj.
Hart Trophy winner
Narrative is critical to winning NHL Awards, and San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini gained plenty of momentum by leading the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with five goals and adding another five assists playing in a top-line role with Team Canada.
Celebrini is also second in individual points percentage among NHL regulars, and his 81 points across 55 games are more than double the 39 Will Smith has put up to rank second on San Jose.
If Celebrini leads the Sharks to a postseason berth, he’ll be on the ballot to win the Hart Trophy, and this +315 price will look like a gift.
To reach the playoffs
There’s a strong case that the Pittsburgh Penguins have the hardest remaining schedule in the NHL, and I think captain Sidney Crosby is set to miss some time. Additionally, No. 1 goalie Stuart Skinner hasn’t been sharp with an .887 save percentage.
Returning to Crosby, he leads Pittsburgh forwards in five-on-five ice time per game and is second in overall points per 60 minutes and individual point percentage on the team.
To reach the playoffs
The San Jose Sharks have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league, and they’re just five points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. San Jose has also played three more road games than home, and superstar Macklin Celebrini should be shot out of a cannon following a dominant performance in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Additionally, the Sharks have 27 games remaining on the schedule, which is tied for the most in the NHL.
Stage of elimination
I expect the Utah Mammoth to earn a wild-card berth in the Western Conference, which will position them to face either the No. 1 seed out of the Central or Pacific Divisions.
Utah has a solid young core and plays an elite five-on-five style with a fourth-ranked Corsi For percentage and league-leading expected goals percentage across its past 24 games.
It’s just that a star-studded team will be waiting in the opening round of the playoffs, and I don’t envision the Mammoth to be able to beat the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, or Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Kevin Durant says he wants to play in LA’s 2028 Summer Olympics
If Kevin Durant has his way, he will be suiting up in Los Angeles in 2028.
Not for the Lakers. Not for the Clippers.
But for Team USA.
“Hell yeah, I want to play,” Durant told ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “But I’ve got to stay on top of my game. I’m not expecting. I want to produce on the floor and make Grant [Hill, USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director since 2021] and whoever is making the decisions want to put me on the team. Not just for seniority; I want to still prove I can help the team win.
“Today, yeah, I feel like I’ll put my name in that hat,” he added.
Durant is widely regarded as one of the best players of all time, and alongside LeBron James and Steph Curry, is considered one of the top-three greatest players of his generation.
In his first season with Houston, the 37-year-old is averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 50.6% from the field, 40.4% from three, and 88.1% from the free-throw line.
Durant admitting he wants to play in 2028 when Los Angeles serves as the host city has caught many pundits off guard. Many assumed the 2024 Olympic Games would be the last one for the trio of James, Curry and Durant after the three — playing together for the first time — dramatically led Team USA to the gold medal with victories over Nikola Jokić and Serbia in the semifinals, and Victor Wembanyama and host-nation France in the finals.
But Durant was quick to point out that neither he nor Curry said it was their final go-round.
“That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from?” Durant asked Goodwill. “I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph.”
Durant already boasts the best Olympic career of any male US basketball player.
His four gold medals is a record in basketball, and a fifth one would not only extend his record, but put him in all-time rarified company.
WNBA’s Diana Taurasi holds the Olympic record with six gold medals with Team USA, while Sue Bird is in second place with five gold medals.
Durant’s desire to be on the 2028 squad is far from the most pressing matter on Hill’s mind.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has been tapped to replace Steve Kerr as the new head coach of Team USA. No stranger to the environment, Spoelstra won gold in 2024 as a part of Kerr’s staff, giving him an understanding of expectations about what’s needed to win Olympic gold again as the competition continues to ramp up.
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Spurs sign Emanuel Miller to two-way contract, waive Stanley Umude
The Spurs signed wing Emanuel Miller to a two-way contract, the team announced. Stanley Umude was waived to make room for the new signee.
Miller, 25, is a 6’5 wing who went undrafted after attending Texas A&M and Texas Christian University, but has spent time with the Bulls and Cavaliers on two-way deals before landing in San Antonio. Known as a tough defender and athletic finisher, he’s excelled in the G League, averaging 17 points, five rebounds, and two assists during the Tip-Off Tournament and 18 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in 15 regular-season games. His three-point shot is a work in progress, but he’s shown flashes of competence as a floor-spacer both in college and as a pro.
Umude, a San Antonio native, was signed in late December and played two games with the big team. He spent most of his time in Austin with the G League affiliate and posted impressive numbers. The front office is now moving on to Miller, who is a similar prospect in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
Minutes are scarce with the big team, so it’s unlikely the new addition will get more run than Umude got in San Antonio, but he’s a productive and talented player who seems deserving of a closer look.
The Spurs now have David Jones-Garcia, Harrison Ingram, and Miller on two-way contracts. Jones-Garcia underwent ankle surgery and is out for the rest of the season.
The Brooklyn Podcast: The Post All-Star Restart with Erik Slater
The Nets are back in action after the All-Star break. Despite a worthy campaign from Michael Porter Jr and a Rising Stars appearance from Egor Dëmin, it was a break that for the most part excluded the Nets. Whether Brooklyn deserved more All-Star-related love or not, they’re going to march on now, and we’ll do the same. Erik Slater of ClutchPoints is here to guide us through Brooklyn’s restart.
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:
- New tanking strategies
- Who Brooklyn’s core prospect is
- The Kingston Flemings & Darryn Peterson fits
- Expectations for the post-All-Star stretch
You can also check out the latest episode on Apple or Spotify. Follow us on X, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
Liking and subscribing on YouTube is always appreciated as well!
2026 NBA playoff picture: Who would be in bracket if season ended today?
The NBA's postseason isn't far away, and perhaps getting close enough to take attention away from the various league issues that took attention away from the court in the lead-up and throughout All-Star weekend festivities.
Less than two months and 30 regular-season games remain for most NBA teams, and the 2026 playoff picture is clear enough at this point to see it will be defined by a few key races in the Eastern and Western Conference standings.
The Detroit Pistons still have a comfortable lead over a trio of more established contenders for the No. 1 seed in the East, but how the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers shake out among the top six will be a subplot in the weeks ahead. The Oklahoma City Thunder must hold off the San Antonio Spurs for the top seed in the West, while the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves jockey for position beneath them.
There's also a fascinating chase for the NBA's play-in tournament, now entering its seventh season as an addition to the league's postseason schedule and sixth year in this current four-team format. Given how many franchises are in tank mode already this season, there aren't many teams outside the top 10 at the moment actively trying to make the playoffs.
Here's a breakdown of the current NBA playoff picture, including what teams would make the postseason if the regular season ended today:
NBA playoff bracket
Records and standings through games played on Sunday, Feb. 22:
Eastern Conference
- Detroit Pistons (42-13)
- Boston Celtics (37-19)
- New York Knicks (37-21)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (36-22)
- Toronto Raptors (34-23)
- Philadelphia 76ers (31-26)
- Orlando Magic (30-26)
- Miami Heat (31-27)
- Atlanta Hawks (28-31)
- Charlotte Hornets (27-31)
Western Conference
- Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14)
- San Antonio Spurs (40-16)
- Denver Nuggets (36-22)
- Houston Rockets (34-21)
- Los Angeles Lakers (34-22)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (35-23)
- Phoenix Suns (33-25)
- Golden State Warriors (30-27)
- Portland Trail Blazers (28-30)
- Los Angeles Clippers (27-30)
When does NBA regular season end?
The final day of the regular season is Sunday, April 12.
When is NBA play-in tournament?
The NBA play-in tournament will begin Tuesday, April 14 and conclude Friday, April 17.
How does NBA play-in tournament work?
The tournament is divided into two rounds for each conference:
Round 1
- Game 1: No. 7 seed vs. No. 8 seed
- Game 2: No. 9 seed vs. No. 10 seed
The No. 7 and No. 9 seeds play at home in the first round. The winner of Game 1 secures the No. 7 seed in their respective conference playoff bracket. The loser of Game 1 continues to the second round and hosts the winner of Game 2. The loser of Game 2 is eliminated from playoff contention.
Round 2
- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 winner
The winner of this game secures the No. 8 and final seed in the playoffs. The loser is eliminated from playoff contention.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NBA playoffs bracket if the season ended today
Monday Morning Minnesota: The “PabNo” Edition
It is truly just my luck that right after I published last week’s Monday Morning Minnesota, we started getting reports about Pablo Lopez having a potential elbow issue. Now, Pablo is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Joe Ryan was diagnosed with lower back inflammation, which might jeopardize his ability to pitch in the World Baseball Classic. Anyways, keep an eye out for the injury report today for the Twins; I apologize in advance for any misfortune this article may cause.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
- Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
- We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
- With spring training underway, game threads are back! Commiserate with your fellow fans as we prepare for Opening Day.
- Matt Monitto helps us keep track of who’s who – numerically speaking – at spring training this year.
- We’re onto Round 17 of Zach Koenig’s Greatest Twins Moments and Performances list.
- James Fillmore brought us another TwinkieTown Movie Night, with noted baseball movie, Back to the Future Part III. We’ve got four more editions, with The Stratton Story coming up this Friday.
- Zach Koenig flashes back to 1996 in Twins history.
- Brandon Brooks is back with another Rival Roundup, checking in on the division in spring training!
Elsewhere in Twins Territory:
- Bobby Nightengale at the Star Tribune looks at how Brooks Lee is preparing for this upcoming season as the Twins’ shortstop.
- Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic evaluates the potential replacements for Pablo Lopez.
- Theo Tollefson at Zone Coverage checks in with Toby Gardenhire in his new role at spring training.
In the World of Baseball:
- The MLBPA’s prep for the upcoming labor negotiations hit a snag as executive director Tony Clark resigned after an internal investigation. Jeff Passan at ESPN examines the fallout from Clark’s resignation and what the union should do in this new chapter.
- The MLB.com beat writers get together and provide one dark horse candidate for each team’s Opening Day roster.
- David Adler at MLB.com gives us 11 players to watch out for at the World Baseball Classic.
The Celtics deserve one collective Tommy Point for their Lakers win
Tommy Points for everyone.
On a night where the Lakers honored Pat Riley, the prince of pomade himself, and the greater Showtime era, it’s fitting to see Boston win by way of physicality and vigor.
This 111-89 win was dominated both on the margins and in the more visibly loud areas of scoring and defending. Boston won the rebounding battle with a 50-39 difference, while consistently getting the first stop, holding LA to 39% shooting (LeBron and Luka were a combined 18-of-43, with James dishing five assists to Doncic’s three). This was just LA’s second loss this season where they scored under 90 points.
Defending with the aggressive intent to disrupt while connected enough to avoid giving up 2-on-1 advantages, Boston’s help activity made it both difficult for LA’s stars to score, and for them to exploit that attention to feed the ball into space — not an easy feat when it comes to playmaking mavens such as Doncic or James.
In their quest to disrupt shooting angles and passing lanes, the Celtics collectively had 19 deflections on the ball, led by Jaylen Brown with five and four from Derrick White. They collectively recovered nine loose balls in the process. Both of those hustle data figures are well above their per game averages. For the season, Boston is 21st in deflections (16.3) and 14th in loose balls recovered (4.5).
The Lakers only turned the ball over eight times for the game, yet the way they were flummoxed made possessions ending in shots still feel like an abject failure. Compounded by a game-long officiating battle — featuring a lack of get-back defense on made baskets and one particularly foul-heavy possession that sent Brown to the line four times — the Lakers simply lost their composure, and Boston continuously grinded them down. The first half alone felt like you’d died and went to Hustle Heaven.
If this late first quarter sequence headlined by Hugo Gonzalez and Derrick White’s full court defense doesn’t make you want to run through a brick wall, then you need to get your pulse checked.
The hustle element of this team hasn’t been an issue this season, even in their biggest off nights, but Sunday night’s primetime rivalry showdown was a special kind of high-energy performance. To do it in Staples Center (I’m not calling it that) with Riley in the house against a team led by two stars that are forever linked to this franchise means something.
It’s one game on the record, just a small part of a greater process and purpose, that’s what Joe Mazzulla would tell you, and it’s true at the end of the day, but the team that won last night played like their season was on the line. A desperation to disrupt, but a connectivity that makes it hard to exploit. The Celtics of decades past would be proud.
If Heinsohn was on the call he’d have had a hard time dishing out just one Tommy Point. Why not spread the love and credit all twelve Celtics that stepped foot on the floor.