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NHL Playoffs: Kings' Wild Win, Dallas' Unlikely Hero, Ovechkin's First And Other Storylines From Monday

Kevin Fiala and Phillip Danault (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

It's hard to believe that of Alex Ovechkin's 72 career playoff goals heading into Monday night, none of them came in overtime.

But anything can happen in the NHL playoffs, including new heroes, huge rallies, a depth player winning a game and goaltenders standing tall.

Monday night in the Stanley Cup playoffs featured a new bunch of storylines from the four games. Here's more on the Capitals versus Canadiens, Jets versus Blues, Stars versus Avalanche and Kings versus Oilers.

Washington Capitals Defeat Montreal Canadiens 3-2 OT (WSH Leads Series 1-0)

The regular season was all about Ovechkin’s chase and eventual capture of the all-time goal record. In Game 1 of the playoffs, it was about Ovechkin again.

The Washington Capitals captain scored two crucial goals against the Montreal Canadiens. He opened the scoring with a goal from his office, but more importantly, he ended the game with the game-winning goal.

This was Ovechkin’s first playoff overtime goal of his 20-year career, and it was in the first overtime period of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. It could not have been better timing after the ESPN and Sportsnet broadcasts highlighted that he never scored an overtime-winner in the playoffs.

If it wasn’t for Ovechkin’s imprint on this contest, it would be all about Montreal’s late push, specifically from Nick Suzuki’s line. That line had 16 shots while the rest of the team had 19.

Despite the loss, the young Habs can take some positives from that battle. 

“There was a lot of good stuff. Unfortunately, you don’t win, but we got some really good stuff from this game,” Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis told reporters post-game.

Game 2 is on Wednesday, and Montreal expects to play better.

 "We'll be in better shape coming into Game 2," Suzuki told the media.

The Capitals, meanwhile, will be without Martin Fehervary for the rest of the playoffs. The team announced Tuesday he underwent surgery to repair his meniscus.

NHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Which East Teams Get Past Round 1? Expect Tight BattlesNHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Which East Teams Get Past Round 1? Expect Tight BattlesThe NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us, and we continue to predict how the first round will go.

Winnipeg Jets Defeat St. Louis Blues 2-1 (WPG Leads Series 2-0)

The Winnipeg Jets beat the St. Louis Blues in a tight-checking game. However, it’s Winnipeg’s stars that pull the team through for the victory. 

Winnipeg’s physicality from the back end, as well as the goaltending from both teams, contributed to the low-scoring affair. But for the second game, the Jets’ Hellebuyck outduelled the Blues’ Binnington.

Much like Game 1 of the series, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor led the Jets in Game 2. The duo has nine points in two playoff games. Connor also has back-to-back game-winning goals.

However, the Jets must be wary of the Blues’ power play as the series moves to St. Louis for the next two outings. Through the first two games of the series, the Blues are three for seven on the power play.

They had four opportunities in Game 2 but only converted once as Winnipeg’s penalty-killers prevailed. Since March 10, St. Louis had the second-best power play in the NHL, and the Blues will look to continuously be a threat with the extra man for the rest of the series.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery wants to move forward and look ahead to what’s next. 

“We're gonna go home, we're going to be in front of our frenzied crowd, and we're going to have an opportunity to hold serve at home. We have to get ready for Game 3," he told reporters.

Dallas Stars Defeat Colorado Avalanche 4-3 OT (Series Tied 1-1)

The Dallas Stars provided a great response in Game 2 after a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1. This game was a testament to how close the matchup is between the two clubs in the series.

Colorado’s offense was heavy in the first two periods of this game, but the undermanned Stars – missing Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen – stayed persistent and took over in the later stages of the contest.

From the third period onward, Dallas continuously threatened the Avalanche and eventually took them to overtime, equalizing in the middle of the third period. The game would ultimately need the NHL’s second overtime of the night to decide a winner.

Colin Blackwell was the hero for the Stars after an absolute chess match between the two clubs. He had six goals and 17 points in 63 games for the Stars this season, all while averaging 11:34 of ice time. While he has had five previous goals hold up as game-winners, this is the first time in his NHL career that he scored in overtime. 

The Stars had to grind their way to this victory, although they did control most of the play in the extra frame.

NHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Which West Teams Win Round 1? Expect An UpsetNHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Which West Teams Win Round 1? Expect An UpsetThe first-round matchups are finalized for the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. That means it’s time for the time-honored tradition of THN.com playoff predictions. 

Los Angeles Kings Defeat Edmonton Oilers 6-5 (LA Leads Series 1-0)

This was easily the most dramatic game of the entire playoffs so far.

"This game is on some sort of substance," The Hockey News' Ryan Durham wrote in a live game thread.

From a 4-0 lead for the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-5 tie and a 6-5 Kings victory, this contest was a real rollercoaster.

It was a dreadful start for the Edmonton Oilers, which had a mountain to climb after two periods and were completely outplayed by Los Angeles. However, Oilers captain Connor McDavid put the team on his back.

Leon Draisaitl planted the seed, scoring the team’s first goal with an assist from McDavid and Evan Bouchard with just under five seconds remaining in the second.

There were six goals in the third period, four by Edmonton. They completed an improbable comeback, evening up the score with goals from Zach Hyman and McDavid in the last two minutes to make it a 5-5 game.

Despite this exciting comeback for Edmonton, they couldn’t force overtime as Phillip Danault gave the Kings the lead again, scoring with 41.1 seconds left.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Oilers, but a relieving win for L.A. 

“I’m so happy we won that game, because that would have been a s----y game to lose,” defenseman Drew Doughty told Sportsnet’s Gene Principe post-game.

Bouchard drew criticism for his defensive play Tuesday night with Mattias Ekholm missing the first round due to injury. But Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch had other words about Bouchard.

“I saw Evan give us an excellent opportunity to win tonight,” Knoblauch told the media post-game. “He made a lot of nice plays. Was his game perfect? I’m not sure anyone’s game was perfect tonight.”

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap for April 21, including a vintage Kawhi Leonard performance

We have two even series after two games on what was a classic night of playoff basketball.

LA CLIPPERS 103, DENVER 102 (series tied 1-1)

This is the best first-round series… forget first round, this is going to be the best series of the postseason. This is must-watch for any hoops fan. These teams have played 96 minutes of regulation playoff basketball and have been separated by one point.

Monday night we saw a vintage Kawhi Leonard performance — not Toronto Kawhi, but San Antonio Kawhi. Finals MVP Kawhi. He finished with 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting, while making clutch passes and playing elite defense.

"He was incredible…” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said. “To his credit over contested hands made some incredible shots. He is an all-time player.”

“I mean, this is what Kawhi lives for,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Trying to get to this point where he is healthy for the playoffs and we know if we have a healthy Kawhi we can win any series. And that just shows tonight what he is capable of doing.”

Nikola Jokic had a triple-double — 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists — but like Leonard in Game 1 he had seven turnovers. This is the defining statistic of this series:

“I had a lot, especially late, Kawhi basically, and then to Peyton [Watson] on a lob which was bad,” Jokic said of his turnovers. “They were definitely aggressive, they were attacking us, they were attacking the ball. They pre-rotated, they attacked the ball. They were definitely aggressive in those moments and they kind of scrambled around."

Game 3 is Thursday night in Los Angeles and The Wall will be ready. So will the Nuggets.

DETROIT 100, NEW YORK 94 (series tied 1-1)

This is Detroit basketball. The 2025 Pistons may not be the Bad Boys, but they are physical and incredibly difficult to play against. A vintage Pistons team. One that is a problem for the Knicks, just like old times.

The last time Detroit won a playoff game, “Low” by Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain) was a new song still in the top 10. It had been a while, all the way back to 2008. But these Pistons earned the victory with a physical performance that had the Knicks off balance.

Game 2 felt similar to Game 1, with the Pistons taking a lead for much of the night and the Knicks trying to storm back in the fourth quarter. Detroit had led by 15, but the Knicks tied the game with 1:15 left. However, this time it was Dennis Schroder who stepped up and saved the Pistons' night (on a play where Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart miscommunicated and gave him too much space).

We knew Jalen Brunson could do in the playoffs and he has lived up to that, scoring 37 with seven dimes in this one. Karl-Anthony Towns had 10 points on 11 shots and has to be better on both ends.

But this was Cade Cunningham’s night as he had 33. This man is ready for the playoffs.

Game 3 moves to Detroit on Thursday night and it’s only going to get more physical.

DAMIAN LILLARD MAY RETURN TO BUCKS TUESDAY

Damian Lillard isn’t going to just be barking at Tyrese Haliburton from the bench in street clothes this time.

Lillard has been upgraded to questionable and appears likely to return Tuesday night for Game 2 of the Bucks-Pacers series. He has been out for a month with deep vein thrombosis in his calf, and the fact that he is returning to the court this early is a testament to early detection and action by the Bucks' medical team (and the experts at the Mayo Clinic). It’s good to see him back.

Lillard may be the Bucks only hope, which puts a lot on the shoulders of a guy coming in cold after a month off. Even when healthy, Lillard is not the bottom-of-the-MVP ballot Lillard from 5-8 years ago anymore, but he’s an All-Star who averaged 24.9 points a game while shooting 37.6% from 3, plus adding 7.1 assists a game this season when healthy. He’s the guy the Bucks traded a lot for to be the star No. 2 on this team.

Indiana loaded up on Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 1, made him work hard for every point, and Milwaukee got no secondary shot creation to speak of. There was nobody else. If Lillard cannot be that guy, starting Tuesday night, the Bucks are in serious trouble in this series.

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Flores joins elite Giants company as hot start continues

Flores joins elite Giants company as hot start continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Wilmer Flores continued his hot start to the 2025 MLB season Monday night, and he joined some elite Giants company along the way.

With his seventh homer of the season in San Francisco’s 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park, Flores joined an elite list of company as the only Giants players to record at least seven home runs and at least 24 RBI within the first 23 games (h/t Sarah Langs).

Flores joins Moises Alou (2006), Matt Williams (1995), Barry Bonds (1993), Willie Mays (1964), Willie McCovey (1960), Bill Terry (1932) and George Kelly (1921). Talk about good company.

Flores’ seventh home run, which is fifth-best in MLB, came at a clutch time for the Giants on Monday, as his solo bomb gave San Francisco a 3-2 lead that ultimately helped the Giants secure a big win and improve to 15-8 on the season.

Flores finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk. He now is batting .220 with a .749 OPS so far in 2025.

Through 71 games last season, Flores hit just four home runs.

He’s now not only nearly doubled that number just 23 games into the season, but he’s making Giants history as his hot start continues.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Anonymous NBA players view Butler, Draymond among ‘most overrated'

Anonymous NBA players view Butler, Draymond among ‘most overrated' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Both Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green have been integral to the Warriors’ success throughout the 2024-25 NBA season, but maybe not as integral as you might think.

At least according to their peers.

The Athletic released its annual player survey, where NBA players anonymously answered a series of league-related questions. The answers to one question, in particular, might be interesting to Dub Nation.

Who is the league’s most overrated player?
90 votes cast

Tyrese Haliburton: 14.4%
Rudy Gobert: 10.0%
Trae Young: 8.9%
Jimmy Butler: 5.5%
Bradley Beal: 4.4%
Draymond Green: 4.4%
Ja Morant: 4.4%
Julius Randle: 4.4%
Joel Embiid: 3.3%
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 2.2%
Dillon Brooks: 2.2%
Paul George: 2.2%
Tyler Herro: 2.2%
Jrue Holiday: 2.2%
Jaren Jackson Jr.: 2.2%
LeBron James: 2.2%
Kyle Kuzma: 2.2%
Domantas Sabonis: 2.2%
Zion Williamson: 2.2%
No one who reached the NBA is overrated: 2.2%

Others receiving votes (1.1% apiece): LaMelo Ball, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Josh Giddey, Jock Landale, Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Chris Paul, Jayson Tatum, Franz Wagner.

While it might be fair to say Butler and Green are polarizing players, there’s no questioning the impact they have had on the Warriors both in years past, in Green’s case, and this season.

One is a finalist for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award, while the other single-handedly transformed Golden State into a potential title contender after his arrival in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 5.

Regardless of how some NBA players might view Green and Butler, their value certainly is not lost on the Warriors.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Mets vs. Phillies: How to watch on SNY on April 22, 2025

The Mets continue a three-game series with the Phillies at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • The Mets' team ERA of 2.43 is the lowest in baseball
  • Francisco Lindor has nine hits in his last 21 at-bats, including four home runs. His OPS is up to .840
  • Pete Alonso has a .695 slugging percentage and is on pace to finish the season with 42 home runs
  • Luisangel Acuña has 12 hits in his last 31 at-bats
PHILLIES
METS

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

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2 Former Blackhawks Play Hero On Incredible Night Of Playoff Hockey

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The Chicago Blackhawks didn’t qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25. For most of the season,  they were one of the worst teams in the league. However, that doesn’t mean that people can’t enjoy a few familiar faces while watching. 

There were four brilliant games on Tuesday night. All of them ended up being one goal games with thrilling finishes. The two early matchups ended with stars like Kyle Connor and Alexander Ovechkin playing the role of “hero”. 

The two later games, however, had a couple of unlikely winners. Two former Chicago Blackhawks scored game-winning goals when their teams needed it the most. 

The Edmonton Oilers, who were down 4-0 at one point to the Los Angeles Kings, tied it up at 5 late in regulation thanks to the brilliance of Connor McDavid. At 19:18 of the third period, however, former Blackhawk Phillip Danault scored his second of the game to win the match for the Kings. 

Danault is a great defensive forward, but he isn’t relied on for much offense. On this night, he came up big when his team seemed broken following an Oilers comeback. 

The finish between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche was even more unlikely. Instead of finding a winner in regulation, this one went to overtime. 

The man with the least amount of ice time on either side, Colin Blackwell, scored in overtime to win the game for the Stars. Of course, like Danault, Blackwell is a former Blackhawk who played the role of hero late on playoff day 3. 

Blackwell doesn't have a defined role on the team in the way that Danault does, but neither of them are the guys that come to mind when you think "Stanley Cup Playoff winning goal". 

Two former Blackhawks finished off a wonderful night of postseason hockey in the NHL. There are plenty more exhilarating moments ahead. Maybe a few more former Blackhawks will make a difference.

A few teams in the playoffs this year resemble what Chicago may look like in the coming years, giving hope to the fanbase. This tournament is a treat for all on a nightly basis. 

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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Mazzulla explains viral Tatum injury exchange with one-word answer

Mazzulla explains viral Tatum injury exchange with one-word answer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The health of Jayson Tatum is an obvious storyline after the Boston Celtics star needed an X-ray on his right wrist following a hard fall in Game 1 of the team’s first-round playoff matchup with the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

But head coach Joe Mazzulla also inserted himself into the discussion with his reaction to Tatum’s injury.

As Tatum writhed on the TD Garden parquet in pain after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s hard foul, cameras caught Mazzulla telling one of Boston’s trainers not to go on the court to check on the Celtics star before barking, “Get up!” in Tatum’s direction.

It’s not often you see an NBA head coach yell at his star player to get up after an apparent injury. So, what message was Mazzulla trying to send in that moment?

“Love,” Mazzulla responded Tuesday at Boston’s shootaround.

That’s an odd answer on its face, but it’s on-brand for Mazzulla, who often implores his players to embrace setbacks and adversity. When a hard foul from the Miami Heat’s Caleb Martin gave Tatum an injury scare in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, for example, Mazzulla said he was “excited about the whole situation” and “enjoyed watching it.”

Celtics big man Al Horford offered a helpful translation of Mazzulla’s message Tuesday.

“Our team has taken after Joe and the way that he is,” Horford told reporters. “We want to play hard; we want to compete, That’s the mindset that we carry. Joe is competitive — just as competitive as we are.”

As for Tatum’s status, Mazzulla said the All-Star forward was “able to do some stuff” at Tuesday’s practice and is currently considered “day-to-day.”

“He was sore after the game; he’s gotten a little bit better today,” Mazzulla said. “He was able to go through some on-court work and we’ll go from there.”

Tatum stayed in the game Sunday after his injury, so it’d be surprising if he didn’t suit up Wednesday for Game 2. But it’s worth monitoring whether the ailment impacts his shot going forward.

NBC Sports Boston’s coverage of Game 2 begins Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live ahead of tip-off at 7 p.m. ET with Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine on the call.

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ICYMI in Mets Land: David Stearns discusses center field plan; key injury updates

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Monday, in case you missed it...

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Burnley rise again but will Parker’s battlers buck trend of recent history? | Will Unwin

The Premier League-bound Clarets and their manager have no shortage of motivation heading into next season

If the opening night was anything to go by, it looked as if Burnley’s return to the Premier League at the first time of asking was inevitable. It was Scott Parker’s first game in charge, a tricky trip to Luton, who had dropped down with the Clarets. One team had enjoyed a summer of continuity whereas everything had changed at Turf Moor but it was Burnley who left with a dominant 4-1 victory.

That warm night at Kenilworth Road was not indicative of what was to come. By the end of the month, three of the goalscorers had left – 12 first-team players departed in total in August – forcing Parker to almost reset after the campaign had started, but it helped mould his squad into his vision for a promotion push. It would not be done with the flair and style with which Vincent Kompany et al accrued 101 points and 87 goals to win the title two years ago but, with the potential to reach a century, the result could be the same.

Continue reading...
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Undersized Pritchard does all the big-boy stuff for Celtics

Undersized Pritchard does all the big-boy stuff for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Payton Pritchard should win NBA Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday night, and the highlight package to announce the honor will invariably show a barrage of his 3-point shots. 

That’s understandable. Part of the reason that Pritchard will be collecting the John Havlicek Trophy and etching a new chapter in Boston’s storied history of sixth men is because he piled up an NBA record 246 3-pointers off the bench this season.

But while those triples — especially the thrilling half-court buzzer beaters — get much of the attention, the most remarkable thing about Pritchard might just be all the big-guy stuff this little guy does.

At 6-foot-1, Pritchard is the shortest player on Boston’s roster — by three inches before fellow 6-foot-1 guard J.D. Davison got the late-season call up — and is routinely the smallest player on the floor during his court time. And yet Pritchard has become one of the best undersized finishers in the league around the basket, and he piles up offensive rebounds at a rate that would make most 7-footers blush.

Pritchard shot a career-best 75.4 percent at the rim this season, connecting on 98 of 130 shot attempts near the basket. Of the 105 guards with at least 100-plus attempts at the rim, the only pure guard who finished with a higher efficiency was Golden State’s 6-foot-2 Gary Payton II (79.4 percent). 

Pritchard’s ability to create space around the basket is uncanny and showcases his incredible feel for the game. In Sunday’s Game 1 against the Magic, he blew past Orlando big man Wendell Carter Jr., who pursued from behind. With Paolo Banchero lingering near the rim, Pritchard sensed the sliver of space available and went up quick with a layup between both players. 

More often, Pritchard will generate a one-on-one matchup with a guard and use a little forearm shove to create just enough space to finish at the rim. After shooting 56.9 percent at the rim in his first three seasons in the NBA, Pritchard is now at 74.6 percent at the rim over the past two seasons.

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“I think it’s just the understanding of like when it’s a 1-on-1 coverage,” Pritchard says. “If it’s two on the ball at the rim, then I got to kick it out.

“But I’ve gotten good at the point where, if it’s just 1-on-1, me and another defender down there, then I’ve figured out angles and how to use my body to get enough separation to get it up quickly. So just from a lot of practice and work, foot work and stuff down there.”

That footwork tied Orlando’s Cole Anthony in a pretzel during the first half of Sunday’s Game 1. After spinning to the free throw line on a second-quarter drive, Pritchard tried to create space with a little forearm shove, but Anthony stuck close and immediately left his feet to contest. Pritchard patiently stayed on two feet and instead stepped through the contest for an easy left-handed layup before Carter Jr. could arrive with help. 

Pritchard has become masterful at creating space around the basket, particularly with those quick bumps to a backpedaling defender. 

“It’s like a rib shot,” said Pritchard. “[Defenders are] not going to necessarily take a charge down there. So give a little bump and all you need is a little separation.”

When he’s not scoring amongst the trees, Pritchard has an uncanny knack for tracking down misses in the same forest. Pritchard posted a career-best mark in offensive rebound percentage this season while corralling 4.2 percent of his team’s total misses. 

For the second straight season, Boston’s offensive rebound rate spiked with Pritchard on the court.

Boston’s rate was 5.3 percent higher in Pritchard’s minutes, ranking in the 93rd percentile for differential among all NBA players, per Cleaning the Glass tracking. Only Luke Kornet (190) totaled more offensive rebounds on the Celtics’ roster this season. 

The more eye-popping number is when you look at his offensive rebound totals compared to other guards. 

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All of Pritchard’s numbers this season tend to jump off the page. His 1,079 bench points led the NBA, and he’s only the fourth Celtics player in team history to reach that 1,000-point plateau off the bench, joining Kevin McHale (three times), Ricky Davis, and Malcolm Brogdon.

Pritchard had 23 games with 20-plus bench points (best in the NBA), and his 22 games with five-plus 3-pointers were a franchise record (and second in NBA history behind only Detroit’s Malik Beasley). 

Pritchard finished with 255 total 3-pointers, the second-highest total in team history, trailing only Derrick White, who hit 265 this season.

The 3s are nice and ultimately will be what everyone fixates on. But the big-guy things that Pritchard does are the real reasons why he’s the best bench boost in the league.

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Thunder star throws subtle shade at Draymond for DPOY nomination

Thunder star throws subtle shade at Draymond for DPOY nomination originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lu Dort is not one of the three finalists for this year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, and his teammates immediately came to his defense — by throwing a shot at Warriors forward Draymond Green.

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein was asked Monday what he thinks voters missed by leaving Dort off the finalist list, to which he offered a sarcastic suggestion.

“I might need to get a podcast with Lu,” Hartenstein said (h/t OKC Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza). “I don’t know. Maybe that. If you’ve watched him all year, he’s been great. The finalists are great defenders, but watching Lu do what he does on a nightly basis, I think that’s what people don’t see with the stats that don’t show.

“He’s been great all year. To me, he’s Defensive Player of the Year.”

Green, of course, has his well-known podcast, “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” which launched in 2021. He originally was ridiculed for hosting a podcast while the NBA season was ongoing, but the criticism died down after Green helped the Warriors win their fourth title in 2022.

Green now is vying for his second career DPOY nod after averaging 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while finishing with a 108.8 defensive rating in 68 games this season.

Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels and Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley join Green as DPOY finalists.

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Blue Jays at Astros Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 22

Its Tuesday, April 22 and the Blue Jays (12-11) are in Houston to take on the Astros (11-11).

Chris Bassitt is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Ronel Blanco for Houston.

The Astros clawed their way back to a .500 record with a 7-0 win last night in the series opener. Hunter Brown's early season case for the Cy Young remains strong as he threw seven shutout innings allowing just two hits while striking out nine Jays. The bottom three hitters in Houston's lineup went a combined 5-10 with three RBIs to pace the attack.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Astros

  • Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: SN1, SCHN

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 MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Blue Jays at the Astros

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Blue Jays (-105), Astros (-114)
  • Spread:  Astros 1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for April 22, 2025: Chris Bassitt vs. Ronel Blanco
    • Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (2-0, 0.77 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 vs. Atlanta - 5IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 10Ks
    • Astros: Ronel Blanco (1-2, 6.48 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 at St. Louis - 5IP, 3ER, 5H, 3BB, 1K

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Blue Jays at Astros

  • Isaac Paredes is 3-24 (.125) over his last 7 games
  • Vlad Guerrero Jr. is 6-17 (.353) over his last 5 games
  • The Under has cashed in the Astros' last 3 games
  • The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games and are profiting 1.12 units

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 MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Blue Jays and the Astros

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection 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 Tuesday's game between the Blue Jays and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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Posted on

Norwich sack head coach Thorup and place Wilshere in interim charge

  • Canaries missed out on playoff spot in Championship
  • A 3-1 defeat at Millwall marks Thorup’s final match

Jack Wilshere will take charge of Norwich’s final two games of the season after the Canaries parted company with Johannes Hoff Thorup.

Norwich have slipped to 14th in the Championship after winning only twice in 14 matches, with their 3-1 Easter Monday defeat at Millwall being their fourth loss in five games. Thorup was appointed head coach on a three-year deal last May and the Dane leaves alongside his assistant Glen Riddersholm.

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