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Sixers to play 2 preseason games vs. Knicks in Abu Dhabi

Sixers to play 2 preseason games vs. Knicks in Abu Dhabi  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2025-26 Sixers’ preseason will feature an overseas journey.

The NBA announced Tuesday that the Sixers will play two preseason games against the Knicks in Abu Dhabi.

The games are set for Oct. 2 and Oct. 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The remainder of the Sixers’ preseason schedule should be released well down the line.

“Bringing the Philadelphia 76ers to Abu Dhabi is an incredible opportunity to connect with new fans in a dynamic and growing region,” Sixers managing partner Josh Harris said in a press release. “As an organization, we’re committed to creating unforgettable experiences for our fans throughout the world. 

“We’re proud to be part of the NBA’s efforts to grow the game internationally and look forward to representing the city of Philadelphia while engaging with the vibrant community in the UAE.”

The trip will be the Sixers’ first international action since they played two 2018 preseason games in China.

The Sixers lost all four games of their 2024-25 regular-season series vs. the Knicks.

New York split the first two games of its first-round playoff series with the Pistons. The Sixers are in the early stages of the offseason after a 24-58 campaign that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey called the toughest of his career.

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Report: Ishbia, Suns ‘pushing hard' to land ex-Warriors GM Myers

Report: Ishbia, Suns ‘pushing hard' to land ex-Warriors GM Myers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Phoenix Suns are in desperate need of an organizational shift, and they appear to have their eye on a man who knows a thing or two about championship basketball.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been “pushing hard” to add former Warriors general manager Bob Myers to his front office staff, The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin reported Thursday, citing sources.

Rankin added, citing sources, that Phoenix is looking to potentially add someone to its front office staff this offseason after another underwhelming season.

NBA contributor Marc Stein also reported Wednesday that the Suns were interested in trying to lure Myers back to a front office role.

Phoenix currently has James Jones as its general manager and president of basketball operations, and Josh Bartelstein as its CEO and team president, who both collaborate with Ishbia on personnel decisions.

But after missing the playoffs with just 36 wins during the 2024-25 NBA season, even with the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, it’s clear that change is needed.

Myers stepped down as Golden State’s general manager in May 2023 after spending more than a decade with the organization and being the orchestrator behind the Warriors’ dynasty that made six NBA Finals appearances and won four championships.

He joined ESPN as an analyst in 2023 and also became a consultant for the Washington Commanders in January 2024.

If anyone can help fix the dumpster fire that has been the Suns over the last few seasons, it’s Myers. But is he up for the challenge?

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Watch Udoka tell Rockets refs won't call fouls on them vs. Warriors

Watch Udoka tell Rockets refs won't call fouls on them vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Adam Silver made the call. The script has been leaked.

All jokes aside, there was one interesting moment caught on camera during the Warriors’ 109-94 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series that jump-started some NBA fans’ conspiratorial minds.

During a timeout, Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who was mic’d up on the TNT broadcast, was heard relaying a message to his team on the bench about their physicality.

“Keep playing through the contact. Physicality. Don’t worry, they’re not going to call anything, play through it,” Udoka told his team on the bench. “Don’t get caught up in that.”

It’s almost as if he knows …

Again, just kidding.

The refs called 17 total fouls on the Rockets and 18 on the Warriors in Game 2. Golden State had 18 free-throw attempts, while Houston had 20. While the stat sheet showed a relatively balanced foul distribution, it was the non-calls in the game that had Warriors fans up in arms, particularly the aggressive defense against superstar point guard Steph Curry.

Warriors star forward Jimmy Butler also was on the receiving end of Houston’s physicality, and he left the game late in the first quarter after falling straight onto his lower back in a collision with Rockets forward Amen Thompson on a defensive rebound attempt.

Butler was ruled out with a pelvis contusion and will receive an MRI on Thursday in San Francisco. Thompson was assessed a standard personal foul, while many fans thought the foul should have been upgraded to at least a Flagrant 1 or possibly a Flagrant 2.

While the refs did call a foul on that play, perhaps Udoka had a point in his assessment of the officials’ view of the Rockets’ physicality.

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Kings GM Perry addresses his past criticism of LaVine

Kings GM Perry addresses his past criticism of LaVine originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

New Kings general manager Scott Perry discussed his past comments about Sacramento star Zach LaVine during his introductory press conference on Wednesday. 

“I’ve had the chance to speak with Zach,” Perry told reporters. “I knew Zach a little bit, well before I took this job. When he was a young player at UCLA who was coming out, I was scouting him and watching him a lot – terrific talent, athletic, career 40-percent 3-point shooter. And he and I, like I said, had a good conversation. My job now [is] to help put pieces around him and others to enhance his ability to start winning. 

“And that is what you’re getting with the comment that I made, because it was a reflection on him not having won as much. It’s nothing personal.”

Perry, Sacramento’s fifth general manager in 12 years, was referring to a clip from November 2023 in which he described his skepticism toward LaVine’s ability to impact winning. When appearing on “The Hoops Genius Podcast” with Mo Mooncey and BJ Armstrong, Perry suggested LaVine wasn’t worth his pricey contracts.

“No question that Zach LaVine can score the basketball,” Perry said. “Does he impact winning? Zach LaVine has been to one playoff series in nine years. He’s played a total of four playoff basketball games. I’m looking at $40-, 43, 46 & 49 million for a guy who – to this point – has not impacted winning to the level that his money says he should impact.”

LaVine has made $209.62 million over his 11-year NBA career with three different franchises – the Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls and the Kings. He still has one playoff victory, which came in a 2022 Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, when the Bulls were eliminated in five games by the Milwaukee Bucks.

LaVine’s numbers are strong across the board. Over 32 regular-season games with Sacramento, he averaged 22.4 points, 3.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds and shot 44.6 percent on triples. Yet, the Kings didn’t make it past the NBA play-in tournament, putting Perry’s old claim into consideration once again. 

Perry, a longtime NBA executive with the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks, doesn’t shy away from giving his players tough love.

“What I enjoy in my relationships with all players – and that’s why so many of them reached out to me – is because they know, ‘OK, I might not always agree with him, but he’s going to shoot me straight,’” Perry told reporters. “And they know I’m going to provide radical candor surrounded by radical love. And those [are] coming from a good place.”

Perry’s comments about LaVine might be old news, but they might serve as a precursor to what Kings fans can expect in their new general manager’s leadership style.

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Warriors-Rockets series resembles old-school NBA war of attrition

Warriors-Rockets series resembles old-school NBA war of attrition originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

HOUSTON – The longer the Warriors and Houston Rockets duke it out in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the more this is going to turn into a war of attrition. After Wednesday night, each team has one battle won under their belt, with the Warriors taking Game 1 and the Rockets winning Game 2 wire to wire with a final score of 109-94. 

Desperation was felt from the start. The Rockets weren’t going to let the Warriors board a flight back home comfortably. That strategy reached the lengths of Warriors star Jimmy Butler’s night ending after eight minutes, limping back to the locker room with what was deemed a pelvis contusion from a frightening fall to the hardwood featuring him and Rockets forward Amen Thompson. 

No technical fouls or flagrant fouls were called Sunday in Game 1. That wasn’t the case two nights later. There were three technical fouls whistled on both teams, plus a flagrant foul on Rockets guard Jalen Green in the fourth quarter. None were from Butler’s injury.

Though no punches were thrown, it only became clearer what kind of series we’re in for. 

“It’s a f–kin’ war now,” one person within the Warriors’ locker room said to NBC Sports Bay Area. “All we can do is fight back.”

Pure fight could be the solution. The Warriors will get their rest Wednesday night, fly home Thursday and learn from the film before Friday’s practice ahead of Saturday’s Game 3 at Chase Center. They’re going to have to find a way to combat the Rockets’ physicality. Somehow, some way.

If the beginning of the playoffs between two franchises who shared a long history of bad blood under the bright lights was a rock fight, Rockets coach Ime Udoka must have wanted boulders thrown on the Toyota Center court in Game 2. 

Steve Kerr looked furious throughout the course of the game with how his players, particularly Steph Curry, were being defended. He could be seen yelling about how Curry keeps getting held but yet the referees keep letting it go. An early timeout wasn’t so much a moment to huddle his team and slow the Rockets’ momentum. 

It was an opportunity to get everything off his chest to the officiating crew, loud and without any confusion over how he felt. His podium availability after didn’t match that intensity. He has had much more lively press conferences over the course of the season, instead giving credit to the Rockets for a win in which they set a tone and never trailed once. 

“Houston played great,” Kerr said. “They were really physical just like we expected. They came out with amazing force defensively.” 

In response, the Warriors looked like the older team that couldn’t find a second gear. Losing a star for the majority of the game will do that. So does having Brandin Podziemski, who was fantastic in Game 1 as a plus-17, try to battle through an illness that had him require an IV at halftime and go scoreless on five shots in just 14 minutes played. 

Draymond Green unsurprisingly was under the spotlight of physicality and skirmishes. He also wasn’t one to escalate anything despite being called for a tech midway through the fourth quarter when he got tangled for a second with Rockets center Alperen Şengün and unsuccessfully pleaded his case to referee David Guthrie. His face-to-face fourth quarter interaction with Fred VanVleet only grew once everybody else joined in.

“I thought it was a little less physical than Game 1,” Green said.

Those words could be nothing more than mind games from Green. Needing a long pause to think it through, Curry also agreed with his longtime teammate’s assessment. 

“I mean, actually, I might agree with that,” Curry said. “There was just a couple crashes that happened out there. We know what their MO is and what they’re trying to do. Use their size and athleticism, size advantage and at times try to bully us. We had a pretty good fight in both games.” 

The Warriors also were held to under 100 points in both games. They went 2-13 when scoring 99 points or under in the regular season, and one of those wins ironically was against the Rockets on Dec. 5 when they outlasted them 99-93 without Curry. The other was when the Warriors beat the New York Knicks 97-94 on March 15. 

Weirdly enough, reaching the century mark might be the magic number for these two teams. They have faced each other seven times now and the Warriors have failed to score 100 points in five games. 

Between the regular season and playoffs, the Warriors are 2–3 in games they can’t crack 100 points against the long, young, athletic and aggressive Rockets. 

“How many times have they been held under 100?” Curry asked. “That’s just the style of this matchup. I don’t care what the score is as long as we get more points. We got to get back to that.”

That number is four. The Warriors have kept the Rockets to under 100 points in four of their seven matchups, and Golden State has gone 3-1 in said games. Maybe that is the magic number. But the Warriors also have been held to under 23 assists in four games, seven off their typical goal of at least 30. 

The last man standing usually isn’t suited for a team led by three players 35 years old and up, and now one of them can only hope to recover quick enough to play this weekend. Surviving and advancing is what Curry and Green have been able to hang their hats for a long, long time. Adding Butler to the mix grows their chances exponentially. 

Winning a war of attrition will take guts to turn to glory for Golden State, leaving style points at the door. The Warriors didn’t lack fight in their loss, and now it’s up to them to figuratively punch their way back to a win back at home with the series all tied up.

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Everton v Bayern Munich: 40 years since the greatest night at Goodison

As Everton leave their beautiful old stadium, we look back on a game that lives on in the hearts of all who saw it

By That 1980s Sports Blog

“If you talk to any Evertonian who was there that night, who actually got in this ground that night, and you said, ‘You can take one game to the grave with you’. Say there was 55,000, I’m betting you 50,000 would take this game with them.” Andy Gray’s words about the second leg of Everton’s semi-final against Bayern Munich in the Cup Winners’ Cup are not hyperbole. Admittedly the official crowd figure was 49,476 but, that apart, Gray is right about how Everton fans feel about the match of 24 April 1985. It was the ultimate night in the history of Goodison Park.

It was an evening that flooded the senses: two superb teams packed with great players were both chasing trebles. Neither of them took a backward step as the line between success and failure shifted throughout 90 minutes of intense football. And it was all played out in the kind of atmosphere that has to be heard to be believed.

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Jimmy Butler leaves game after hard fall, Warriors offense struggles in loss to Rockets

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets

Apr 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) suffers an apparent injury during the first quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jalen Green stepped up — eight 3-pointers on his way to 38 points. He was not alone, Houston's Alperen Sengun had 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason made plays. Houston can rightfully say this was a team win.

However, Game 2 between the Warriors and Rockets turned in the first quarter when Amen Thompson took out the legs of an airborne Jimmy Butler and sent him to the ground with a nasty fall.

Butler left after taking his free throws but did not return due to a pelvic contusion. He will have an MRI on Thursday and his status for Game 3 is unknown, Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.

"Hopefully Jimmy will be able to play, but if not we have to go through our options and put together a plan," Kerr said.

Houston came out with the desperation of a team that had lost at home. Without Butler much of the night, Stephen Curry faced the full force of a physical, aggressive Rockets defense and could not recreate the magic of Game 1. Curry scored 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting (4-of-9) from 3. He also didn't get enough help, with starters Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody together just equaling Curry's 20 points.

The result was a 109-94 Houston win that evened the series 1-1.

Houston might well have won the game even if Butler had not been injured, considering how well Jalen Green played — he was the best player on the floor.

" From the beginning, my whole mindset from today was to go in and be aggressive and get back to being myself," Green said, via the Associated Press.

There are questions about strategy for the rest of this series, as well as questions about the Warriors' depth and the Rockets' youth.

But all of that pales in comparison to the question about Jimmy Butler's status going forward. The Warriors are not the same without him.

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Artyom Levshunov Lifts IceHogs Over Wolves In Game One

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The Rockford IceHogs have a plethora of players who are in the plans of the Chicago Blackhawks. Whether they make it to the NHL on a full-time basis one day remains to be seen for a few of them. 

The AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs are their chance to shine when the stakes are high. Not all of their great young players cracked the lineup for their first game of the postseason, but most should get their chance if the team goes on a run. 

Game One took place at Allstate Arena on Wednesday night against their biggest rival, the Chicago Wolves. It was a physical affair that had good pace to it throughout. 

The first period was scoreless, but there were plenty of disagreements and animosity. That led to a high-octane second period that had a touch more offense. 

First, the Wolves took a 1-0 lead thanks to a power-play goal scored by Juha Jaaska. He redirected a shot on the power play taken by Ty Smith. 

Before the period was over, the Hogs tied the game as Kevin Korchinski threw one off the back boards that went into the net off the paraphernalia of Wolves goaltender Spencer Martin. 

Despite a ferocious effort by the Wolves to win the game in the final minute of regulation, the IceHogs hung on and made sure that the game reached sudden-death overtime. 

In the extra frame, while on a power play that they earned, Artyom Levshunov scored the game-winning goal. The second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft played the role of hero in his first AHL playoff game. 

With GM Kyle Davidson in the building, Levshunov got the job done. Davidson must be content with his decision to select him at this stage. After the game, there was some high praise for Levshunov's game. 

"I liked his intensity level," interim head coach Mark Eaton said about Levshunov following the win. "All the things that made him successful at the NHL level, our expectations [are] that he brings that down here, [and] relishes this playoff opportunity that he's getting. I think he was able to do that." 

When Levshunov made his NHL debut and finished the rest of the season, there were a few rookie mistakes here and there, but he always looked like he belonged. Now that he's down in the AHL for the Calder Cup Playoffs, he has a chance to excel. 

"He's been great," IceHogs captain Brett Seney said of Levshunov. "Since coming down from Chicago, you can tell he's got the confidence. A couple of plays up top, he danced a couple of their forwards; he's just playing confident. He knows he's got the talent to do it at this level. I think there's probably a couple of plays earlier in the game when they blocked some shots he wanted to get through, but you give a player like that enough opportunities, eventually it's going to go in for him."

Seney has been around pro hockey for a long time and that includes playing with some good players. He thinks the world of Levshunov and the kind of talent that he brings to the table. 

Levshunov's overtime winner is the highlight, but it isn't the only impressive part of his evening. He cleared a puck from the blue paint defensively, was a physical presence in tense moments, and never wavered from the big moment. He seems to be a high-character player, which is an asset when you have that much skill. 

The IceHogs now have a 1-0 lead in the series as it shifts back to Rockford for Game 2 on Friday night. If they win, they will move on to face the Milwaukee Admirals in round two. If they lose, a decisive game three will take place on Sunday.  

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Mason Miller overpowering the competition, injury concerns for Emmanuel Clase

In this week's Closer Report, Mason Miller is mowing batters down in his dominant start to the season. The gamble on Jeff Hoffman is working out for the Blue Jays. Injury news raises the level of concern around Emmanuel Clase. That and more as we break down the last week in saves.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners

Miller worked a perfect ninth inning against the Brewers on Saturday for a save, then struck out the side Wednesday against the Rangers for his seventh save. The 26-year-old right-hander has not allowed a run over eight innings and holds a ridiculous 17/1 K/BB ratio. There's no one in baseball pitching better.

Hader is a close second. He secured back-to-back saves against the Padres, then stranded two base runners against the Blue Jays on Wednesday for his eighth save. The 31-year-old left-hander has allowed one run with a 17/3 K/BB ratio across 13 innings of work.

Muñoz took the mound with a three-run lead in the ninth against the Red Sox on Wednesday and pitched a clean inning with one strikeout for his eighth save. The 26-year-old right-hander has posted a 15/5 K/BB ratio across 12 scoreless innings.

Tier 2: The Elite

Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals

Suarez keeps rolling in his dominant start to the season. He locked up two more saves for a league-leading ten on the year. The 34-year-old right-hander's 34.2% strikeout rate over 11 games is his best stretch since 2023.

Hoffman displayed top closer skills over the last two seasons and is pitching even better in the role with Toronto. The 32-year-old right-hander picked up his fifth save Friday against the Mariners and owns an 18/1 K/BB ratio across 12 1/3 innings with two runs allowed.

Díaz looked to be getting on track, rattling off three saves this week and striking out two batters in each of his last five outings. He had an injury scare on Wednesday as he was removed from the game with what the team called a left hip cramp. The issue was downplayed later in the day, but it's going to be something to monitor.

Williams had been pitching better of late with four straight scoreless appearances, including three saves. He then gave up four runs to blow the lead in a non-save situation against the Rays on Saturday. It was the second such outing for the 30-year-old right-hander. Williams just seems to be off as he hasn't gotten the swing-and-miss he's accustomed to. Still, we'll trust the track record here and hope he overcomes this slow start.

Helsley didn't see any save chances this week. He worked around a pair of walks in a scoreless inning of work against the Braves on Tuesday. The walks need to be corrected as he's issued eight free passes over his last four outings.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Jose Alvarado - Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Scott was on a roll going into Tuesday with eight consecutive scoreless outings before giving up a solo homer to blow the save against the Cubs. He's been otherwise excellent, posting a 2.77 ERA with an 11/0 K/BB ratio while converting eight saves over 13 innings.

Alvarado is a big riser this week as the Phillies don't seem to have any other choice than to save him for the ninth inning most days. The 29-year-old left-hander is far and away their best option to close out games as the team's top right-handed options Orion Kerkering and Jordan Romano struggle. Alvarado picked up two saves this week and is up to five on the season with a 2.13 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB ratio across 10 2/3 innings.

Walker worked around a hit to record his fifth save Saturday, then took the loss with four runs allowed against the Angels on Sunday. With Walker getting the day off, Camilo Doval stepped in to convert Monday's save chance against the Brewers. The 29-year-old right-hander nearly imploded again Wednesday, giving up two runs with a four-run lead before Doval relieved him to close it out for another save. Walker has been much more hittable this season while failing to generate enough whiffs to sustain success late in games. It could cost him the closer role sooner or later.

Iglesias recorded two saves with a pair of clean outings before giving up three runs in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Monday. Home runs have been a problem for the 35-year-old right-hander as he's given up four in nine innings.

It was shaky for Duran, but he converted his second save on Tuesday against the White Sox despite giving up a run on two walks and a hit. The walk rate is currently bloated, but the skills otherwise match last season so far for the 27-year-old right-hander. Meanwhile, top setup man Griffin Jax has struggled, giving up ten runs in ten innings.

It's tough to know where to place Clase, but it's time for concern given his recent health news. The 27-year-old right-hander surrendered three runs and blew the save Sunday against the Pirates. Manager Stephen Vogt stated Wednesday that Clase was dealing with some right shoulder discomfort following his most recent outing. Cade Smith stepped in to convert two saves against the Yankees and could be next in line should Clase require some time off.

Bautista had one of his best outings of the season, striking out one batter in a perfect inning against the Reds on Saturday to record his second save of the season. The Orioles haven't seen many save chances so far, but it's nice to see Bautista improving with each outing as the whiffs have been up in his last two appearances.

Tier 4: Here for the Saves

Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Justin Martinez - Arizona Diamondbacks
Aroldis Chapman/Justin Slaten - Boston Red Sox
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs

So far so good for Jansen. The 37-year-old right-hander locked down his fifth save of the season with a clean frame against the Giants on Friday. He's yet to allow a run over seven innings.

No save chances for the Rays this week. Fairbanks gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Yankees on Saturday. Edwin Uceta fell in line for the win in that game, striking out three batters. Fairbanks then recorded two outs in extra innings against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday to earn a win.

In Milwaukee, Megill recorded a two-out save on five pitches Friday against the Athletics. He's made two scoreless appearances since getting evaluated for a knee issue but has not recorded a strikeout in his last three outings.

The Diamondbacks bullpen is a bit in flux as A.J. Puk was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. Meanwhile, Martinez was held out for a couple of days with right shoulder fatigue. Shelby Miller tossed two scoreless innings against the Cubs on Sunday while Drey Jameson recorded the save in extra innings. Martinez did pitch in a tie game against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, tossing a clean frame with one strikeout in the ninth.

Alex Cora played the matchup game in Boston this week, with Chapman getting the eighth inning against the White Sox on Monday before Slaten entered for the save in the ninth. While Chapman projects to lead the team in saves, Slaten could be rostered in deeper leagues for the occasional save chance.

Jackson worked the ninth inning to convert his seventh save Tuesday against the Athletics. While he's gotten the job done, Jackson has struck out just one batter over his last five appearances.

Finnegan converted back-to-back saves in Colorado against the Rockies, then picked up his ninth against the Orioles on Wednesday. The 33-year-old right-hander holds a 1.69 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and a 13/6 K/BB ratio across 10 2/3 innings.

The wheels fell off for Estévez against the Rockies on Tuesday. He was charged with a blown save after giving up three runs on three walks and one hit. The 32-year-old right-hander has been otherwise solid and should continue to operate as the primary closer in Kansas City.

Pagán gave up two runs to blow the save chance last Thursday against the Mariners, then bounced back with a clean frame against the Marlins on Wednesday for his fifth save. The 33-year-old right-hander should continue to run with the closer role in Cincinnati as long as he's effective.

No save chances for Pressly this week, but he did fall in line for a win Friday with a scoreless inning against the Diamondbacks. The 36-year-old right-hander has still only stuck out five batters over 11 innings but has made eight consecutive appearances without giving up an earned run. With a one-run lead against the Dodgers on Wednesday, it was Porter Hodge who was summoned to close it out for his first save despite Pressly not pitching the previous two days. After the game, manager Craig Cousell stated Pressly was dealing with a knee issue and hopes for him to be available Friday.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Jesus Tinoco/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

Santana is still operating as the Pirates closer despite the return of David Bednar. The 29-year-old right-hander picked up a save last Thursday against the Nationals, then locked down his third Wednesday against the Angels. Bednar has made three scoreless appearances since returning from his stint in Triple-A and could eventually work his way back into the closer role.

Kahnle converted back-to-back saves against the Royals, then blew a save chance on Sunday pitching for the third time in four days. Meanwhile, Will Vest got into the mix with two saves. He's pitched well and should see occasional opportunities. Vest did pitch the ninth inning with a four-run lead on Wednesday while Kahle stranded two runners in the eighth in a high-leverage spot.

More mess in Miami. Tinoco got the nod this week, converting back-to-back saves. After pitching in three of four days, Tinoco had the day off Tuesday and it was Faucher who got the save against the Reds. A 2/3 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings is hard to buy into with Tinoco if chasing saves in this situation.

Halvorsen blew the save chance Tuesday against the Royals, giving up a run on two hits. If the Rockies closer can't get it done outside Coors, there's no point looking for saves here. Meanwhile, another week, another zero in the saves column for the White Sox.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

Fernando Cruz posted impressive strikeout numbers over the last two seasons in Cincinnati that made him a trade target for the Yankees in the offseason. The 35-year-old right-hander is pitching well in New York, posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 21/6 K/BB ratio across 13 innings. He's already collected two saves and three holds as he establishes himself as a high-leverage option behind Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Garrett Whitlock is in a similar position in Boston. The 28-year-old right-hander has been a versatile arm out of the bullpen, collecting three holds and a win while posting a 1.84 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 19/5 K/BB ratio across 14 2/3 innings. Long relievers could be valuable in deeper roto formats. Giants long-man Hayden Birdsong has been excellent out of the bullpen. He struck out four batters over three scoreless innings to pick up a win against the Brewers on Monday. The 23-year-old right-hander was a rotation hopeful this spring, but the team is intent on keeping him in the bullpen.

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Panthers look to be better in Game 2, leave Tampa with commanding series lead

Apr 22, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) celebrates after he scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers will look to build on their series-opening victory when they hit the ice on Thursday night in Tampa.

Florida skated to an impressive 6-2 win in Game 1 against the host Tampa Bay Lightning and can return to Sunrise with a commanding 2-0 series lead if they can pull off a repeat performance in Game 2 at Amalie Arena.

Despite finishing the regular season with the third-most shots per game in the NHL at 31.6, Florida mustered only 17 shots on a paltry 35 attempts during Tuesday’s win.

Fortunately, the Cats were incredibly accurate and timely with their shots, beating world class goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy six times, including a stretch during the second period in which Florida scored on three consecutive shots.

The Panthers received a massive boost during Game 1 with the return of Matthew Tkachuk.

After suffering an apparent groin injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Tkachuk had gone over two months since playing in a hockey game and was chomping at the bit to get back out there.

Skating on the Sam Bennett line and receiving his usual reps on the top power play, Tkachuk provided an instant spark both physically and offensively.

He finished the game with two goals and an assist while only playing 11:43 of ice time.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 2 in Tampa:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Evan Rodrigues – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt

Scratches: A.J. Greer, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, Jaycob Megna

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Adrian Kempe scores twice as Kings take 2-0 series lead over Edmonton

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23, 2025: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke (92) reacts after scoring in the first quarter during game two in the first round of the NHL Playoffs between the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers on April 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke reacts after scoring in the first period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Kings and Edmonton Oilers are old postseason foes, with this first-round matchup marking their 11th meeting in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But with Wednesday’s 6-2 win in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, the Kings have done something they’d never accomplished.

They’ve taken a 2-0 lead.

The Kings, who have yet to trail in the series, got two goals from Adrian Kempe and scores from Brandt Clarke, Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko and Anze Kopitar, with Clarke, Kuzmenko and Kopitar all scoring on the power play.

Leon Draisaitl and former King Viktor Arvidsson got the goals for Edmonton, which has been outscored 12-7 in the two games.

The win was the Kings’ NHL-best 33rd at home, but now they’ll go on the road, where they had a losing record this season. Edmonton will play host to Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday. Game 5, if necessary, will be at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.

After winning a Game 1 shootout in which the teams combined for 11 goals — seven in the final 20 minutes 6 seconds — the Kings went in front to stay in Game 2 on Clarke’s first career playoff goal 8:44 into the first period. And they got help from an unexpected source.

Winger Evander Kane, who was making his season debut for the Oilers, was on the ice just 95 seconds before drawing a cross-checking penalty, giving the Kings the man advantage. And Clarke made the Oilers pay, deflecting in a pass from former Oiler Warren Foegele for the power-play goal.

Anze Kopitar scores past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period of Game 2.
Anze Kopitar scores past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Byfield then doubled the margin shortly after the first intermission before Kuzmenko made it 3-0 with another power-play goal midway through the second period.

The Kings have scored five times with the man advantage in the two games while holding Edmonton’s power play scoreless in five tries. In last year’s playoff loss to the Oilers, the Kings were 0 for 12 on the power play and killed just 11 of 20 Edmonton power plays.

Draisaitl got Edmonton on the board, scoring on a deflection at 13:54 of the second. It was the second goal of the series for Draisaitl, who led the league with 52 in an injury-shortened season.

Draisaitl’s second-period goal in Game 1 helped the Oilers rally from a 4-0 deficit, only to lose 6-5. His Game 2 goal started another rally, and Arvidsson’s tip-in four minutes into the third period made it a one-goal game.

Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stops the puck in the third period of Game 2.
Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stops the puck in the third period of Game 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

But the comeback stalled there with Kempe and Kopitar answering with goals less than three minutes apart to restore order. After Kopitar’s power-play goal the Oilers pulled goaltender Stuart Skinner and replaced him with Calvin Pickard, who gave up a goal to Kempe on the first shot he faced.

Kempe had two assists to go with his two goals while Kopitar had three assists.

The Kings and Oilers, who are meeting in the first round for a fourth straight season, split the opening two games each of the last three years before Edmonton went on to win the series. The last time a team won the first two games was in 1990, when Edmonton won four straight.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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‘Rob just put it down to bad luck’: Lindsey Burrow on her husband, MND and running her own marathons

Wife of rugby league legend who spent the last five years of his life raising awareness of MND and fundraising for a cure says the game will always be a part of her family’s life

This weekend Lindsey Burrow will run the London Marathon. Two weeks later, she will run the Leeds Marathon. And she’s not even what she’d call a good runner. “I think coming from Yorkshire and having that Yorkshire grit,” she says, with a smile, “I’m just quite stubborn.”

Burrow has always found getting out for a run good for her mental state and in the nine months since she lost her husband, it has become vital. “It’s just given me that headspace to go out and focus on something positive,” she says, speaking on Zoom from her Pontefract home. “And the marathons have given me a goal.”

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Yankees vs. Blue Jays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 25-27

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees host the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series starting on Friday.

Preview

Can Aaron Judge keep this torrid pace?

Judge is having one of the best starts of his career. Entering play Wednesday, Judge was a career .291 hitter in March/April. This season? He's hitting .415 after picking up two more hits in the Yankees' win against the Guardians on Wednesday.

He'll enter the weekend series with a 21-game on-base streak, tied for the fifth-longest streak of his career. It's the third-longest active streak in the majors and has reached base in 24 of 25 games this season. He also leads the big leagues in batting average, OBP, SLUG, OPS and hits.

I can go on, but Judge is on pace to exceed what he did last season when he won the AL MVP. But can he keep that hot hitting going while at home? It's very likely the captain will be able to, and we should just sit back and enjoy what we're seeing right now.

Can Anthony Volpe break out of slump?

As hot as Judge is, Volpe is the complete opposite.

After going hitless on Wednesday, the young shortstop is hitting below the Mendoza line (.198) and has struck out seven times over his last five games. In just this Cleveland series alone, Volpe went 1-for-11 with a run, two walks while striking out five times, including four in Wednesday's series finale. It's a disturbing slump for Volpe, who has lost his ability to get on base, let alone get hits, and power -- his last homer coming back on April 2.

Perhaps manager Aaron Boone will give Volpe a day off. But even if he does, the shortstop and the team have to figure something out.

Can Devin Williams bounce back...again?

Feels like every week, Williams needs to "bounce back" or get it together after a bad outing. Last time out, Williams allowed three runs in his one inning of work against the Rays back on April 19. That outing was one reason why the Yankees failed to sweep the Rays in that four-game set, but the right-hander hasn't pitched since then.

The Yankees lost both Monday and Tuesday, and were up big when Luke Weaver came in to finish off Wednesday's win. After Thursday's off day, the earliest Williams would come in would be Friday on four days rest. The Yankees need Williams to get right, but if he can't do it at home this weekend, the noise to give Weaver the closer's job will be deafening at Yankee Stadium.

Apr 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) reacts while Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (9) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning at Progressive Field
Apr 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) reacts while Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Kyle Manzardo (9) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning at Progressive Field / David Dermer-Imagn Images

Will Clarke Schmidt find it again?

Schmidt was supposed to be the arm that solidified the rotation that has lost so many to begin the season. However, the young right-hander has been anything but since being activated off the IL last week.

After allowing three runs in 5.2 innings in his first start, Schmidt pitched a dud on Monday against the Guardians. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits, three walks in just four innings. Schmidt is scheduled to pitch Sunday and the Yankees will need him to show that he can put that bad start behind him.

The Yankees do have Max Fried pitching this weekend, so the pressure is off a little bit but the team can't win all of the southpaw's starts this season. Carlos Carrasco, the other probable this weekend, is still unreliable, so, for now, Schmidt needs to pitch like the No. 3 guy behind Fried and Carlos Rodon.

AL East battle

This series is the first against the Blue Jays this season and the second the Yankees will face a team from their division. After taking three of four from Tampa, the Yankees are in a good spot at the top of the AL East. Entering the series, the Yankees are three games ahead of the Blue Jays, so taking care of business will go a long way toward putting distance between them and holding off the Red Sox -- who are 1.5 games behind the Yankees entering Thursday.

The Blue Jays are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, but were 7-3 in the 10 games prior to this tumble so it's a team not to be overlooked, especially with the trio of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt on the mound.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Paul Goldschmidt

With Aaron Judge on a tear, there will be plenty of moments that Toronto avoids the slugger and Goldschmidt -- who has been hitting cleanup of late -- will need to do damage.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

When your other options are Carrasco and Schmidt, it's safe to pick Fried but I see Schmidt bouncing back in his start at home.

Which Blue Jays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

George Springer

Springer has had a solid start to the season, but his numbers at Yankee Stadium are pretty impressive. He's slashed .274/.345/.476 with a .821 OPS to go along with his six home runs in 31 career games (28 starts).