BOTTOM LINE: Miami plays Toronto in Eastern Conference action Tuesday.
The Raptors are 30-18 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 29.5 assists per game led by Immanuel Quickley averaging 6.0.
The Heat are 25-23 in Eastern Conference play. Miami has a 6-4 record in one-possession games.
The Raptors average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer makes per game than the Heat allow (14.0). The Heat average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.6 per game the Raptors give up.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Raptors defeated the Heat 112-91 in their last matchup on Dec. 24. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 27 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Heat with 21 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Barnes is scoring 18.1 points per game with 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 19.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 47.7% over the last 10 games.
Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.2 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 4-6, averaging 116.8 points, 39.0 rebounds, 34.2 assists, 10.3 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points per game.
Heat: 3-7, averaging 123.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 29.5 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.8 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Immanuel Quickley: out (foot).
Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (illness), Tyler Herro: day to day (personal).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Minnesota Timberwolves (46-32, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (18-60, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota comes into the matchup against Indiana after losing three games in a row.
The Pacers are 11-27 on their home court. Indiana averages 13.7 turnovers per game and is 13-25 when it wins the turnover battle.
The Timberwolves are 21-17 on the road. Minnesota ranks eighth in the Western Conference scoring 49.9 points per game in the paint led by Julius Randle averaging 10.3.
The Pacers average 112.5 points per game, 1.7 fewer points than the 114.2 the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves average 117.5 points per game, 3.2 fewer than the 120.7 the Pacers give up.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Timberwolves won 114-110 in the last meeting on Oct. 26. Randle led the Timberwolves with 31 points, and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 33 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Siakam is averaging 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers. Obi Toppin is averaging 11.9 points over the last 10 games.
Rudy Gobert is scoring 11.0 points per game and averaging 11.5 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 3-7, averaging 121.5 points, 38.6 rebounds, 34.4 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.4 points per game.
Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 110.9 points, 45.4 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: T.J. McConnell: day to day (hamstring), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (back), Ben Sheppard: day to day (hip), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Pascal Siakam: day to day (back), Jarace Walker: day to day (back), Aaron Nesmith: day to day (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee), Jaden McDaniels: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Milwaukee Bucks (31-47, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (19-59, 13th in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee visits Brooklyn looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.
The Nets are 13-34 in Eastern Conference games. Brooklyn is 2-4 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Bucks are 20-28 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee is 18-31 in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Nets score 106.2 points per game, 10.6 fewer points than the 116.8 the Bucks give up. The Bucks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 1.8% lower than the 49.6% the Nets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Nets won 127-82 in the last matchup on Dec. 14. Egor Demin led the Nets with 17 points, and Gary Trent Jr. led the Bucks with 20 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nic Claxton is averaging 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Nets. Nolan Traore is averaging 11.3 points over the last 10 games.
Myles Turner is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Bucks. Ryan Rollins is averaging 15.0 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 2-8, averaging 104.0 points, 34.2 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.1 points per game.
Bucks: 3-7, averaging 107.5 points, 39.1 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.2 points.
INJURIES: Nets: Ziaire Williams: day to day (foot), Noah Clowney: day to day (ankle), Nic Claxton: day to day (hand), Danny Wolf: out for season (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out for season (hamstring), Terance Mann: day to day (achilles), Ben Saraf: day to day (back).
Bucks: Kevin Porter Jr.: out for season (knee), Giannis Antetokounmpo: day to day (ankle), Bobby Portis: day to day (wrist), Gary Trent Jr.: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Houston will look for its 50th victory of the season when the Rockets visit the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns are 27-21 in Western Conference games. Phoenix has an 18-27 record against teams over .500.
The Rockets are 27-22 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 21-16 against opponents with a winning record.
The Suns are shooting 45.5% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Rockets allow to opponents. The Rockets average 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.6 fewer makes per game than the Suns allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 6 the Rockets won 100-97 led by 26 points from Kevin Durant, while Devin Booker scored 27 points for the Suns.
TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 12.9 points and 4.8 assists for the Suns. Booker is averaging 26.5 points over the last 10 games.
Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is averaging 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 115.5 points, 42.9 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points per game.
Rockets: 8-2, averaging 121.2 points, 47.0 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Haywood Highsmith: day to day (knee).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 5: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on April 5, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Good news awaited the Golden State Warriors on Sunday: at long last, the return of Steph Curry, who finally rejoined the team after 27 games on the sidelines. And it almost propelled the team to a stunning comeback victory against the Houston Rockets.
Almost.
Instead, the Warriors lost their fourth consecutive game, falling 117-116 after a Curry game-winning three-point attempt was off line at the buzzer.
It was clear from the opening tip that something was different with the Warriors, in a good way. They were clearly energized by Curry’s return, even though he wasn’t in the starting lineup (Steve Kerr opted for a starting five of Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porziņģis because of Curry’s minutes restriction).
That energy and life led the Dubs to a 7-0 lead in the blink of an eye, and they maintained that lead to take a 13-6 advantage even when Houston settled down and started executing well. When that happened, the Rockets were able to start scoring at ease, with some exceptional ball movement and pick and roll action. Finally, with 4:54 left in the quarter, Curry made his return.
It took a few minutes for Curry to get into rhythm, which is understandable. Charles Bassey, who was just signed, made his Warriors debut at the same moment and Curry’s return, and it was Bassey who was making the bigger impact, as he was everywhere on the court and protected the rime.
Finally, Curry made his first bucket, bailing the team out with a desperation three to beat the shot clock buzzer to kick off a two-for-one, helping the Warriors take a 31-26 lead into the second quarter.
Ime Udoka’s defense was unreal to start the second quarter, though, and it took its toll on the Dubs. Spanning the final possession of the first quarter and the opening few minutes of the second, the Rockets scored 13 straight points to turn a seven-point deficit into a six-point lead, prompting Kerr to call a timeout before the Warriors had even scored in the quarter.
But near the halfway mark of the quarter, the Warriors came roaring back, as their defense — which featured spirited efforts by Green and Gary Payton II, among others — started putting on the clamps, and creating opportunities for their offense. It was around then that we also got a special moment: Steph and Seth Curry sharing a court together for the first time.
That seemed to spark Steph, as he began finding a rhythm in his second stint on the court, as the Warriors were going toe to toe with the Rockets. But Houston surged ahead late in the quarter, regaining control thanks to some outrageous displays of individual offense from Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson, and some exceptional passing. The Warriors were able to end the half with a lot of momentum, though, after Green stripped Durant and found Podziemski for a transition dunk in the closing seconds, and then the Warriors forced another Rockets turnover. With Curry scoring 10 points, the Dubs trailed just 55-53 at the half.
Things did not go well to start in the third quarter. The Warriors were struggling, as their offense couldn’t find rhythm or buckets, and the Rockets were starting to figure things out. Curry’s first stint of the half came much earlier than it did in the first, perhaps due to Kerr sensing a sinking ship. Either way, the Dubs were down 11 points after just four minutes, and the deficit would grow to 15. It felt like they were in danger of completely falling apart, but, thanks to some utterly absurd buckets by Curry — who started to take over in the frame — they found what they needed, and got right back in the game. But they couldn’t maintain it through the finish line of the quarter, as the Rockets ended on a surge to take a 92-82 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Golden State, however, was unfazed. They started the fourth quarter with the same energy they brought to the first, and rattled off a 5-0 run. But the Rockets, who are fighting with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in the standings, with a chance to move into the fourth or third seed, punched right back, with seven straight points of their own.
As we got to the halfway mark of the final quarter, it began to feel like the Warriors were out of it.
And then came a final, heroic run. Down 14, the Warriors blitzed the Rockets to score seven straight points. It turned into a 12-3 run, and they pulled within five points, with four minutes remaining. Then Melton sank a three to bring the house to their feet, capping a 15-3 run that made it a two-point game at the 2:30 mark.
After the teams exchanged buckets, Curry cut to the rim off ball, grabbed a slick Green pass, and laid it in with 1:27 remaining. Suddenly the Warriors were down just a single point.
Houston fired back, with a three-point play from Alperen Şengün, who was huge down the stretch. But Curry, playing the heroic role the Warriors have so desperately needed for months, responded with a three. The Warriors were back within one point with just under a minute remaining.
After holding Durant to a miss, the Warriors had a chance to take the lead, and take the lead they did. With Curry acting as a decoy to pull Houston’s defense away from the rim, Payton cut through the paint, and Green whipped a pass to him. GPII’s layup was destined for the bottom of the net before it was goaltended.
With 20 seconds left, the Warriors had their first lead since the second quarter.
But the Rockets executed a perfect play on the other end, with Durant finding a cutting Şengün for a go-ahead layup with 11 seconds left. The Warriors opted not to call timeout, choosing instead to try to score against a defense that wasn’t set.
Curry danced on multiple defenders, and was able to hoist a deep three from straightaway, but it just didn’t fall.
In his return, Curry finished with a team-high 29 points, while shooting 11-for-21 from the field and 5-for-10 on threes. The Warriors outscored the Rockets by 12 points in the 26 minutes he played, and were outscored by 13 points in the 22 minutes when he was on the bench.
Podziemski (18), Santos (15), and Payton (14) also finished with double figures, while Green dished out 12 assists, with the team having 34 on the night. Durant led the Rockets with 31 points and nearly had a triple-double, while Şengün had 24 and Jabari Smith Jr. 23.
With the loss, the Warriors fell to 36-42 and clinched a losing regular season. They have just four games left before the play-in tournament, starting on Tuesday when they host the Sacramento Kings at 7:00 p.m. PT.
Jalen Brunson is, for the most part, a known quantity.
A good way to view the Knicks offense is that Brunson is the floor, and his supporting cast is the ceiling. A big part of that is OG Anunoby. When he is aggressive and involved offensively, it is usually a good sign for overall success.
When Anunoby scores 20 or more points this year, the Knicks are 22-4. In their past two wins, over the Grizzlies and Bulls, he scored 25 and then 31 points.
That’s the version of Anunoby the Knicks will need in the playoffs.
“I think he’s starting to fully understand his areas where he can be aggressive within the offense, within the flow of the game,” Josh Hart said after practice Sunday. “That’s one thing about Mike [Brown], Mike never tells us not to do something. He always wants us to be aggressive, he wants us to shoot shots. … He doesn’t really put limits on us, and I think OG is really starting to really understand ‘where can I be aggressive? Where can I find my spots to go score?’ He’s an efficient scorer, physical, athletic, so he’s starting to understand that.”
Knicks puts up a shot as guard Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls defends during the first half at Madison Square Garden, Friday April 3rd, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Anunoby’s primary role in Brown’s offense is to stay in the corners and wait for drive-and-kick 3-pointers. At times, it can limit his contributions. And Brown has vocally set the hierarchy as Brunson first, Karl-Anthony Towns second, and everyone else after that.
But having four strong scoring threats in Brunson, Towns, Anunoby and Mikal Bridges is what is supposed to make the Knicks offense dynamic. Finding a balance between accepting his role as a catch-and-shooter and actively looking to drive and get to the rim is something Anunoby and the Knicks are still, this late into the year, working on.
“When OG is aggressive, he’s hard to deal with,” Landry Shamet said Sunday. “The beauty of our team is that we have so many different options. Sometimes the ball’s just finding you. There’s a certain rhythm about things. Right now, OG is the recipient of a lot of that. When he’s in that situation and when it’s finding him, he’s being really aggressive, really decisive. He’s hard to contain when he puts his head down and drives.”
Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks slams the ball and is fouled by forward Guerschon Yabusele #28 of the Chicago Bulls during the first half at Madison Square Garden, Friday April 3rd, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Giannis Antetokounmpo confirmed, as part of his larger comments going at Bucks management, to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Milwaukee and the Knicks engaged in talks before the season.
The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported before the season that the two teams talked about an Antetokounmpo trade, but that discussions did not go far because the Knicks believed the Bucks lacked motivation to make a deal.
The Knicks have a clean injury report for Monday’s game against the Hawks in Atlanta. Towns, after missing Friday’s game due to a right elbow impingement, is not listed.
So unless something changes, he should be good to go.
Despite the news, Doncic and the Lakers are hopeful that he can be ready in time for a postseason run.
Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in the Lakers' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2.
The point guard has since consulted with Lakers doctors and his own medical team about seeking specialized treatment in Europe for his hamstring, Doncic's agent Bill Duffy told ESPN.
A Grade 2 hamstring strain is a “moderate injury that is typically a partial tear in the muscle; patients are likely to limp when walking and will have occasional twinges of pain during activity,” according to Mercy Health.
The injury could take close to a month to heal, but “returning to sports before the injury is fully healed can cause more severe injuries.”
Injury-riddled Lakers lose to Mavericks
Playing without Doncic and Austin Reaves — who has an oblique injury — the Lakers were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks, 134-128, on April 5.
LeBron James finished with a team-high 30 points as the Lakers continue to march toward the postseason without the services of two of their key contributors.
New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) takes a three-point shot past Chicago Bulls forward Guerschon Yabusele (28).
Landry Shamet finds himself in a place that most wouldn’t have expected to start the season.
Healthy again after missing a few games with a knee issue, he is pretty much a lock to be in the Knicks playoff rotation.
New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) takes a 3-point shot past Chicago Bulls forward Guerschon Yabusele (28). Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
“I don’t take these moments for granted, man,” Shamet said after practice Sunday. “This thing’s delicate, I know that. It’s a special team, special market, special opportunity and just to wear the jersey even. I’m grateful and happy to be a part of this group and have Mike’s [Brown] trust and my teammates’ trust. I trust in them as well. Super grateful for it.”
He hardly had a role under Tom Thibodeau last year.
And before the year, having signed just a nonguaranteed, veteran minimum contract, he was one of the last players to make Brown’s roster — and likely only did so due to Malcolm Brogdon’s sudden retirement.
Then after 15 promising games to start the year, he dislocated his shoulder — the same one he dislocated last year. The Knicks, given Shamet’s deal wasn’t guaranteed, could have cut him and looked to get help elsewhere.
But they afforded Shamet time to rehab. And it’s paid tremendous dividends. He has emerged as a key shooter off the bench, averaging 9.6 points per game — which would be a career high for a full season — and shooting 39.4 percent from 3-point range. He has also been one of the team’s best point-of-attack defenders.
DeJon Jarreau and Landry Shamet are fighting for a loose ball during a basketball game. Getty Images
There is certainly a case to be made that the Knicks have gotten more out of Shamet than any player on a minimum deal in the league.
One area in which he’s contributed, though, has gone under the radar — his ability to be a backup point guard. Brown has praised Shamet’s ability to handle that role, despite him being much more of a shooting guard most of his NBA career. Though neither are naturals at the position, Brown feels comfortable with both Shamet and Miles McBride there.
And now with both healthy, that doesn’t leave much room for Jose Alvarado in the rotation.
“He’s a good enough ball handler, he has a good enough feel/IQ to initiate the offense,” Brown said of Shamet on Sunday. “And then conceptually, because of his feel and the other guys’ feel, we’re able to generate some things offensively. We’re not relying on him to be a traditional point guard. He and Deuce [McBride] are more than capable of doing the things that we’re asking in terms of initiating the offense. And then at the end of the day, can they play pick-and-roll, can they play the [dribble handoff] game, get downhill and spray the ball or throw the lob to a guy like Mitch [Robinson]? I think he can.”
Shamet fills multiple vital roles for the Knicks. There was a time it didn’t seem like he’d even have any.
In the final three games against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets allowed five total runs en route to three wins to culminate a 4-3 road trip. Even in their losses, New York allowed three runs or fewer in two of them and for the most part has gotten superior starting pitching two times through the rotation.
On Sunday, it was Kodai Senga's turn to deliver a quality outing and the right-hander handed in five scoreless innings before getting tagged for two runs in the sixth where only one ball was hit particularly hard.
Senga finished his outing by going 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks and striking out seven on 88 pitches (55 strikes). Early on, he even struck out five in a row and looked great for a second straight start, this one on four days rest.
"It wasn’t perfect today, but good enough to make the game winnable," Senga said after the game through an interpreter.
It's the same kind of mentality that Senga used to have with himself when he was going good, often being hyper critical of things that he could improve on and fix for the next one.
Still, manager Carlos Mendoza was much more effusive of the right-hander's performance, saying "he pretty much dominated that lineup… Overall I think he was outstanding."
Senga is the latest of Mets starters to pitch well, following Clay Holmes' seven scoreless innings on Saturday and Nolan McLean's five hitless innings on Friday. As a unit, New York's starting rotation has a 3.13 ERA, eighth in MLB and third in the NL.
What's also encouraging? The Mets rank third in total innings pitched by their starters at 54.2 -- a year after their staff was routinely unable to go deep into games. As the season progresses and the temperature gets warmer and pitchers become more stretched out, hopefully that number continues to go up as well.
"I think it’s a really strong group," Senga said of the starting rotation. "As long as we stay healthy, stay out on the mound, we can be a stabilizing force for the team. That goes for everybody and myself. I don’t want to be the one lagging behind, I want to be up there with them."
Of course, after his incredible first half last season, Senga returned from a hamstring injury and had a dreadful end to the year. It became such a problem that New York sent him down to the minors to try and restore his stuff and his confidence.
The team even entertained trading the 33-year-old during the offseason but decided to keep the right-hander who then rewarded the Mets with a strong showing in spring training that has continued into the regular season.
It's obviously still very early into the season, but the signs are good for Senga and if he's able to keep it up he can certainly be a part of a Mets staff that has all the makings of a top rotation in baseball and be that stabilizing force that he was talking about.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, left, kicks a pass by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 5, 2026,...
SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry was triumphant in his long-awaited return to the court and, against all odds, nearly were the Warriors.
There was a renewed energy inside Chase Center on Sunday night, a buzz that had mostly been absent since Curry went out more than two months ago, that reached an apex in the final minute of 117-116 loss to Kevin Durant and the Rockets.
The defeat could have dealt a cold dose of reality on Curry’s big day, but instead it only emphasized what hadn’t been possible in the Warriors’ 27 games without him since Jan. 30.
Golden State trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half and was still behind by double digits with as little as 4:51 remaining. Curry scored eight of his team-best 29 points from then on.
Curry converted a driving layup to cut the Rockets’ lead to a 112-111 with 87 seconds to play, then one-upped himself by pulling up from 32 feet and draining an answer to Houston’s 3-point play on the other end. With 11 seconds left, Curry had the ball in his hands, down one.
He crossed over and pulled up from the top of the key. It wasn’t to be.
The return of Curry wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ defensive deficiencies. APCurry scored 29 points in 26 minutes. AP
But the performance was an encouraging sign for the Warriors’ prospects, given that Curry’s scoring total in 26 minutes off the bench trailed only Durant’s 31 that required 37 minutes.
The supporting cast that had gone 9-18 without Curry over the past two months didn’t do enough to pull out their first game with their north star back on the floor.
Kristaps Porzingis fouled out with more than 10 minutes left in the game, Brandin Podziemski scored only three of his 18 points in the second half, and the Warriors’ next-leading scorer, Gui Santos, was completely shut out after putting up 15 in the first half.
What it means
Curry looked like himself and finished the game in good health. For a Warriors team locked into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, that’s all that really mattered.
Turning point
It was a two-point game at halftime, but Durant completed a four-point play on the Rockets’ first possession of the third quarter, and the Warriors spent the rest of the second half trying to get it back to that margin.
The foul on Durant came courtesy of Kristaps Porzingis, who went on to pick up three more within the first four minutes of the second half and fouled out for good with 10:13 to play.
Not only did Porzingis’ foul trouble keep the Warriors’ second-best player off the floor for most of the second half, it robbed coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry.
The duo’s limited action Sunday was their first time ever sharing the court, including in practice.
Porzingis’ foul trouble robbed Coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry. AP
MVP: Kevin Durant
Durant finished with eight rebounds and eight assists to go with a game-high 31 points. He drained his third 3-pointer of the night immediately after De’Anthony Melton sank a 3 that cut the Rockets’ lead to 109-107.
Golden State hosts the Lakers on Thursday. Curry will reportedly be limited to around 25 minutes. AP
Stat of the game: 55/44.8/84.2
The return of Curry wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors’ defensive deficiencies.
Golden State provided little resistance to the Rockets, who were only prevented from a vaunted 50/40/90 shooting split by missing one too many of their 19 free-throw attempts.
Up next
With four games left on the Warriors’ schedule, all that’s left to be determined is how much Curry will play leading into their No. 9/10 play-in matchup. Golden State hosts the Kings on Tuesday before LeBron James and the Lakers pay a visit Thursday for its final home contest of the regular season.
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Pearl River native Drew Fortescue and his homecoming for his debut provided one of the more feel-good moments of this lost 2025-26 season.
In the grand scheme of this evaluation period for the organization, however, the prospects who have been longing for their moment are making up for lost time with the Blueshirts. Each day is an opportunity for Matthew Robertson, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand to finally work on carving their path at the NHL level — and they have each treated it as such.
After years stewing in the American Hockey League, the four have made notable impressions.
Sykora may be the most recent recall from the organization’s AHL affiliate, but the 21-year-old has arguably made the most lasting impression in the shortest amount of time. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 was in the midst of his third full season in Hartford when the Rangers called.
Adam Sykora #38 of the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
He has everyone rooting for him. No one’s demeanor has been more infectious.
His best buddy and Hartford roommate, Chmelar, has been in Hartford since making the jump from Providence College in 2023-24. Since the 144th overall pick in 2021 earned brief recalls in November and December, the 22-year-old has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and been much more effective in his fourth-line role.
It’s allowed Chmelar to position himself in the dangerous areas of the ice more, which has led to more offense. He earned the secondary assist on Sykora’s second-period score Sunday.
Between his 6-foot-4, 226-pound frame and his commitment to finishing checks, Chmelar hasn’t looked out of place on the ice.
Robertson has been with the Rangers since opening night, but he didn’t become a serviceable every-night defenseman until mid-November. The 2019 49th overall pick spent the previous four full seasons in Hartford without a call-up until the second-to-last game last season.
Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson #29 scores the game winning goal during the overtime. The New York Rangers defeat Boston Bruins 4-3. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Now, Robertson has appeared in 59 of the last 60 games. He’s even gotten top four minutes at times, logging the fifth-most ice time among all Rangers defensemen so far this season.
There’s no question Garand earned at least one more game after his first two NHL performances. He is 1-0-1 with a .954 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.
The early numbers are encouraging, but head coach Mike Sullivan said he felt completely comfortable with Garand between the pipes just based on what he was seeing from the rookie netminder.
Selected 103rd overall in 2020, Garand made his Wolf Pack debut in 2020-21 and was in the midst of his fourth full AHL season at the time of his recall last month. The Rangers have continuously maintained third-string goalies over the years — such as Louis Domingue and Keith Kinkaid — that have filled in whenever Igor Shesterkin and/or whichever backup was injured.
Even this season, the Rangers signed Spencer Martin out of the Kontinental Hockey League in November. He appeared in six games for the Rangers this season amid injuries to Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.
But it was finally time for Garand, who expressed just how much he’s been clamoring for the opportunity after his first win on March 27.
Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers defends the net during the second period when the New York Rangers played the Winnipeg Jets. Robert Sabo for NY Post
While Noah Laba could be considered among the long-awaited prospects, the 111th pick in the 2022 draft essentially jumped from college to the NHL. He played 11 games for the Wolf Pack at the end of the 2024-25 campaign before making the Rangers lineup straight out of training camp.
In Sunday’s win, Laba was a goal shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick after notching an assist on Sykora’s goal and dropping the gloves with Washington’s Hendrix Lapierre.
Laba hasn’t spent extended time in the minor leagues like Robertson, Chmelar, Sykora and Garand have.
Those four have made the extended wait worthwhile.
Here's our rest-of-season Top 300. Expect this space to be updated every Monday. Players are ranked for 5x5 mixed leagues using a one-catcher format. I include the mixed-league disclaimer because I do reward upside, particularly past the top 200 or so.
⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason and much more.
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks
**Updated June 29**
June 29
Top 300
Team
Pos
Pos Rk
June 22
1
Yordan Alvarez
Astros
OF
1
1
2
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
DH
1
2
3
Bobby Witt Jr.
Royals
SS
1
3
4
Juan Soto
Mets
OF
2
4
5
Elly De La Cruz
Reds
SS
2
9
6
Julio Rodriguez
Mariners
OF
3
5
7
Nick Kurtz
Athletics
1B
1
7
8
Tarik Skubal
Tigers
SP
1
6
9
Corbin Carroll
Diamondbacks
OF
4
8
10
Kyle Schwarber
Phillies
DH
2
11
11
Cristopher Sanchez
Phillies
SP
2
10
12
Pete Alonso
Orioles
1B
2
12
13
Junior Caminero
Rays
3B
1
17
14
Jackson Chourio
Brewers
OF
5
14
15
James Wood
Nationals
OF
6
13
16
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Blue Jays
1B
3
15
17
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Padres
2B
1
19
18
Bryce Harper
Phillies
1B
4
20
19
Kyle Tucker
Dodgers
OF
7
16
20
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers
SP
3
21
21
Paul Skenes
Pirates
SP
4
18
22
Zach Neto
Angels
SS
3
22
23
CJ Abrams
Nationals
SS
4
24
24
Jacob Misiorowski
Brewers
SP
5
25
25
Gunnar Henderson
Orioles
SS
5
23
26
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Cubs
OF
8
29
27
Logan Gilbert
Mariners
SP
6
27
28
Mason Miller
Padres
RP
1
28
29
Brice Turang
Brewers
2B
2
26
30
Sal Stewart
Reds
2B
3
30
31
Ketel Marte
Diamondbacks
2B
4
32
32
Matt Olson
Braves
1B
5
31
33
Michael Harris II
Braves
OF
9
33
34
Freddie Freeman
Dodgers
1B
6
35
35
Francisco Lindor
Mets
SS
6
39
36
Trea Turner
Phillies
SS
7
34
37
Cade Smith
Guardians
RP
2
36
38
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Braves
OF
10
45
39
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
SP
7
37
40
Cody Bellinger
Yankees
OF
11
38
41
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Yankees
2B
5
40
42
Chris Sale
Braves
SP
8
43
43
Bryan Woo
Mariners
SP
9
42
44
Zack Wheeler
Phillies
SP
10
46
45
Jordan Walker
Cardinals
OF
12
41
46
Jhoan Duran
Phillies
RP
3
47
47
Joe Ryan
Twins
SP
11
48
48
Cam Schlittler
Yankees
SP
12
50
49
Jacob deGrom
Rangers
SP
13
49
50
Ben Rice
Yankees
C
1
44
51
Aroldis Chapman
Red Sox
RP
4
52
52
Tyler Soderstrom
Athletics
1B
7
55
53
Josh Hader
Astros
RP
5
58
54
Dylan Cease
Blue Jays
SP
14
54
55
Jeremy Pena
Astros
SS
8
57
56
Shea Langeliers
Athletics
C
2
51
57
Gerrit Cole
Yankees
SP
15
53
58
Bryce Miller
Mariners
SP
16
59
59
Ivan Herrera
Cardinals
C
3
62
60
Riley Greene
Tigers
OF
13
61
61
Austin Riley
Braves
3B
2
56
62
George Kirby
Mariners
SP
17
65
63
Xavier Edwards
Marlins
SS
9
67
64
Byron Buxton
Twins
OF
14
66
65
Bo Bichette
Mets
SS
10
70
66
Logan Webb
Giants
SP
18
68
67
Andres Munoz
Mariners
RP
6
69
68
Bryan Reynolds
Pirates
OF
15
75
69
Hunter Brown
Astros
SP
19
72
70
Alec Burleson
Cardinals
1B
8
74
71
Jarren Duran
Red Sox
OF
16
60
72
Seiya Suzuki
Cubs
OF
17
73
73
Drew Rasmussen
Rays
SP
20
76
74
Jose Ramirez
Guardians
3B
3
84
75
Cal Raleigh
Mariners
C
4
64
76
Manny Machado
Padres
3B
4
78
77
Framber Valdez
Tigers
SP
21
71
78
Corey Seager
Rangers
SS
11
91
79
Yandy Diaz
Rays
1B
9
89
80
Andy Pages
Dodgers
OF
18
79
81
Devin Williams
Mets
RP
7
83
82
Nolan McLean
Mets
SP
22
81
83
Hunter Greene
Reds
SP
23
107
84
Jesus Luzardo
Phillies
SP
24
88
85
David Bednar
Yankees
RP
8
86
86
Mike Trout
Angels
OF
19
94
87
Oneil Cruz
Pirates
OF
20
101
88
Chase Burns
Reds
SP
25
90
89
Miguel Vargas
White Sox
3B
5
99
90
Drake Baldwin
Braves
C
5
80
91
Josh Naylor
Mariners
1B
10
87
92
Louis Varland
Blue Jays
RP
9
93
93
George Springer
Blue Jays
OF
21
77
94
Sonny Gray
Red Sox
SP
26
92
95
Mookie Betts
Dodgers
SS
12
111
96
Jackson Merrill
Padres
OF
22
82
97
Kevin McGonigle
Tigers
SS
13
109
98
Nico Hoerner
Cubs
2B
6
96
99
Kevin Gausman
Blue Jays
SP
27
95
100
Willson Contreras
Red Sox
1B
11
100
101
William Contreras
Brewers
C
6
106
102
Brandon Nimmo
Rangers
OF
23
104
103
Aaron Judge
Yankees
OF
24
114
104
Hunter Goodman
Rockies
C
7
129
105
Kyle Stowers
Marlins
OF
25
103
106
Kyle Harrison
Brewers
SP
28
105
107
Rafael Devers
Giants
1B
12
108
108
Christian Yelich
Brewers
OF
26
97
109
Jo Adell
Angels
OF
27
102
110
Max Fried
Yankees
SP
29
122
111
Daylen Lile
Nationals
OF
28
110
112
Parker Messick
Guardians
SP
30
134
113
Raisel Iglesias
Braves
RP
10
117
114
JJ Wetherholt
Cardinals
SS
14
115
115
Blake Snell
Dodgers
SP
31
124
116
Geraldo Perdomo
Diamondbacks
SS
15
116
117
Konnor Griffin
Pirates
SS
16
140
118
Dylan Crews
Nationals
OF
29
118
119
Ranger Suarez
Red Sox
SP
32
119
120
Shane McClanahan
Rays
SP
33
121
121
Kyle Bradish
Orioles
SP
34
127
122
Christian Walker
Astros
1B
13
120
123
Gavin Williams
Guardians
SP
35
125
124
Brent Rooker
Athletics
OF
30
98
125
Michael Busch
Cubs
1B
14
130
126
Wyatt Langford
Rangers
OF
31
63
127
Ceddanne Rafaela
Red Sox
2B
7
128
128
Alex Bregman
Cubs
3B
6
123
129
Freddy Peralta
Mets
SP
36
126
130
Trey Yesavage
Blue Jays
SP
37
135
131
Teoscar Hernandez
Dodgers
OF
32
138
132
Jose Altuve
Astros
2B
8
132
133
Ryan Helsley
Orioles
RP
11
112
134
Nathan Eovaldi
Rangers
SP
38
141
135
Carlos Rodon
Yankees
SP
39
131
136
Shota Imanaga
Cubs
SP
40
133
137
MacKenzie Gore
Rangers
SP
41
137
138
Munetaka Murakami
White Sox
3B
7
150
139
Bryson Stott
Phillies
2B
9
143
140
Ian Happ
Cubs
OF
33
136
141
Wilyer Abreu
Red Sox
OF
34
142
142
Brandon Marsh
Phillies
OF
35
151
143
Alec Bohm
Phillies
3B
8
139
144
Jonathan Aranda
Rays
1B
15
145
145
Brandon Woodruff
Brewers
SP
42
154
146
Tanner Bibee
Guardians
SP
43
149
147
Otto Lopez
Marlins
SS
17
152
148
Tommy Edman
Dodgers
2B
10
153
149
Max Meyer
Marlins
SP
44
160
150
Isaac Paredes
Astros
3B
9
159
151
Daulton Varsho
Blue Jays
OF
36
161
152
Max Muncy
Dodgers
3B
10
144
153
Randy Arozarena
Mariners
OF
37
156
154
Sandy Alcantara
Marlins
SP
45
158
155
Kenley Jansen
Tigers
RP
12
155
156
Kazuma Okamoto
Blue Jays
3B
11
171
157
Travis Bazzana
Guardians
2B
11
164
158
Eury Perez
Marlins
SP
46
198
159
Pete Fairbanks
Marlins
RP
13
147
160
Trevor Megill
Brewers
RP
14
162
161
Carson Benge
Mets
OF
38
175
162
Braxton Ashcraft
Pirates
SP
47
167
163
Ozzie Albies
Braves
2B
12
172
164
Luis Arraez
Giants
2B
13
163
165
Jacob Wilson
Athletics
SS
18
157
166
Dansby Swanson
Cubs
SS
19
170
167
Payton Tolle
Red Sox
SP
48
174
168
Roman Anthony
Red Sox
OF
39
173
169
Sam Antonacci
White Sox
2B
14
176
170
Jake Bauers
Brewers
1B
16
166
171
Matt McLain
Reds
2B
15
148
172
Garrett Crochet
Red Sox
SP
49
113
173
Spencer Steer
Reds
1B
17
146
174
Luis Garcia Jr.
Nationals
2B
16
183
175
Jung Hoo Lee
Giants
OF
40
180
176
Luke Keaschall
Twins
2B
17
168
177
Maikel Garcia
Royals
3B
12
85
178
Luis Robert Jr.
Mets
OF
41
209
179
Dillon Dingler
Tigers
C
8
181
180
Colson Montgomery
White Sox
SS
20
177
181
Willy Adames
Giants
SS
21
178
182
Shane Bieber
Blue Jays
SP
50
169
183
Bryan Baker
Rays
RP
15
192
184
Cam Smith
Astros
OF
42
212
185
Jacob Latz
Rangers
RP
16
187
186
Christian Scott
Mets
SP
51
210
187
Daniel Palencia
Cubs
RP
17
190
188
Taylor Ward
Orioles
OF
43
191
189
Eugenio Suarez
Reds
3B
13
185
190
Jakob Marsee
Marlins
OF
44
186
191
Noelvi Marte
Reds
3B
14
179
192
Chandler Simpson
Rays
OF
45
188
193
Josh Jung
Rangers
3B
15
189
194
Reid Detmers
Angels
SP
52
195
195
Gabriel Moreno
Diamondbacks
C
9
201
196
Michael King
Padres
SP
53
184
197
Jackson Holliday
Orioles
2B
18
182
198
Caleb Durbin
Red Sox
3B
16
206
199
Xander Bogaerts
Padres
SS
22
194
200
Lars Nootbaar
Cardinals
OF
46
225
201
Paul Sewald
Diamondbacks
RP
18
196
202
Brandon Lowe
Pirates
2B
19
200
203
Matthew Boyd
Cubs
SP
54
231
204
Casey Schmitt
Giants
2B
20
215
205
Riley O’Brien
Cardinals
RP
19
213
206
Garrett Mitchell
Brewers
OF
47
202
207
Trent Grisham
Yankees
OF
48
228
208
Bubba Chandler
Pirates
SP
55
205
209
Henry Bolte
Athletics
OF
49
249
210
Ernie Clement
Blue Jays
SS
23
204
211
Justin Wrobleski
Dodgers
SP
56
207
212
Jared Jones
Pirates
SP
57
199
213
Tyler Glasnow
Dodgers
SP
58
214
214
Matt Chapman
Giants
3B
17
211
215
JJ Bleday
Reds
OF
50
208
216
Jake Burger
Rangers
1B
18
226
217
Royce Lewis
Twins
3B
18
217
218
Bryce Eldridge
Giants
1B
19
197
219
Blaze Jordan
Cardinals
1B
20
203
220
Kerry Carpenter
Tigers
OF
51
220
221
Steven Kwan
Guardians
OF
52
230
222
Nolan Schanuel
Angels
1B
21
239
223
Andrew Vaughn
Brewers
1B
22
221
224
Adley Rutschman
Orioles
C
10
265
225
Josh Bell
Twins
1B
23
223
226
Ryan Weathers
Yankees
SP
59
242
227
Ryan O’Hearn
Pirates
1B
24
224
228
A.J. Ewing
Mets
OF
53
260
229
Cole Carrigg
Rockies
OF
54
279
230
Emmet Sheehan
Dodgers
SP
60
219
231
Jose Soriano
Angels
SP
61
193
232
Edwin Diaz
Dodgers
RP
20
241
233
Grant Taylor
White Sox
RP
21
236
234
Emilio Pagan
Reds
RP
22
283
235
Jac Caglianone
Royals
OF
55
237
236
Nick Martinez
Rays
SP
62
238
237
TJ Rumfield
Rockies
1B
25
240
238
Mickey Moniak
Rockies
OF
56
222
239
Jasson Dominguez
Yankees
OF
57
234
240
Caleb Kilian
Giants
RP
23
233
241
Logan Henderson
Brewers
SP
63
246
242
Masyn Winn
Cardinals
SS
24
256
243
Brendan Donovan
Mariners
2B
21
259
244
Troy Melton
Tigers
SP
64
250
245
Sean Manaea
Mets
SP
65
289
246
Andres Gimenez
Blue Jays
SS
25
243
247
Chase DeLauter
Guardians
OF
58
278
248
Roki Sasaki
Dodgers
SP
66
245
249
Braden Montgomery
White Sox
OF
59
257
250
Tanner Scott
Dodgers
RP
24
251
251
Dustin May
Cardinals
SP
67
235
252
Casey Mize
Tigers
SP
68
252
253
Will Warren
Yankees
SP
69
216
254
Salvador Perez
Royals
C
11
218
255
Spencer Torkelson
Tigers
1B
26
258
256
Seranthony Dominguez
White Sox
RP
25
227
257
Heliot Ramos
Giants
OF
60
274
258
Ezequiel Tovar
Rockies
SS
26
247
259
Gleyber Torres
Tigers
2B
22
272
260
Lawrence Butler
Athletics
OF
61
300
261
Davis Martin
White Sox
SP
70
276
262
Joey Cantillo
Guardians
SP
71
NR
263
Gage Jump
Athletics
SP
72
290
264
Jose Caballero
Yankees
SS
27
264
265
Emerson Hancock
Mariners
SP
73
248
266
Gregory Soto
Pirates
RP
26
253
267
Nick Lodolo
Reds
SP
74
262
268
Noah Cameron
Royals
SP
75
263
269
Kody Clemens
Twins
2B
23
269
270
Jorge Soler
Angels
OF
62
NR
271
Will Smith
Dodgers
C
12
261
272
Paul Goldschmidt
Yankees
1B
27
273
273
Curtis Mead
Nationals
3B
19
271
274
Shane Baz
Orioles
SP
76
266
275
Nathaniel Lowe
Reds
1B
28
254
276
Trevor Story
Red Sox
SS
28
296
277
Samuel Basallo
Orioles
C
13
280
278
Jake McCarthy
Rockies
OF
63
285
279
Abner Uribe
Brewers
RP
27
277
280
Jeff McNeil
Athletics
2B
24
281
281
Colt Keith
Tigers
2B
25
275
282
Trevor Larnach
Twins
OF
64
299
283
Romy Gonzalez
Red Sox
2B
26
NR
284
Trevor Rogers
Orioles
SP
77
NR
285
Sean Keys
Blue Jays
3B
20
NR
286
Dominic Canzone
Mariners
OF
65
292
287
Brett Baty
Mets
2B
27
255
288
Nolan Arenado
Diamondbacks
3B
21
284
289
Clayton Beeter
Nationals
RP
28
288
290
Kyle Manzardo
Guardians
1B
29
291
291
Evan Carter
Rangers
OF
66
NR
292
Tatsuya Imai
Astros
SP
78
NR
293
Sal Frelick
Brewers
OF
67
295
294
Brayan Rocchio
Guardians
SS
29
282
295
Ian Seymour
Rays
SP
79
NR
296
Michael Wacha
Royals
SP
80
297
297
Robbie Ray
Giants
SP
81
NR
298
Carter Jensen
Royals
C
14
NR
299
Blaze Alexander
Orioles
SS
30
294
300
Cooper Pratt
Brewers
SS
31
NR
June 29 Notes
- Falling off: Ben Brown (165th), Jesús Sánchez (229th), Addison Barger (232nd), Kodai Senga (244th), Zack Gelof (267th), Cole Ragans (268th), Spencer Horwitz (270th), Marcus Semien (286th), Edward Cabrera (287th), Bryce Elder (293rd), Alex Lange (298th)
- Catchers Kyle Teel and newcomer Cooper Ingle were there with Foster Griffin and the rehabbing Nick Pivetta and Vinnie Pasquantino as the nearest misses this week. I certainly like Ingle in two-catcher leagues, but that he won't play much against lefties holds him back in one-catcher leagues.
- You're not going to see much bigger of a split between a player's actual stats and his expected stats than what the Rockies' TJ Rumfield has pulled off this month. He entered Sunday's game with a .310 average, a .607 slugging percentage and a .424 wOBA in June. He also entered Sunday's game with a .201 xBA, a .292 xSLG and a .275 xwOBA. With a .294 average, 12 homers and 45 RBI overall, Rumfield has been one of this year's nicer surprises, and he's been just as effective in road games as he has been in Coors. Still, I'm hesitant to move him much higher than his current No. 237. The exit velocity numbers just aren't there to suggest he's going to be a long-term first baseman, and the Rockies are going to want to take a look at Charlie Condon eventually, though they do have the option of using him in right field initially.
- Cincinnati's Matt McLain has a team-high .381 xWOBA this month, but it's not doing him much good, as he sat behind Edwin Arroyo both Saturday and Sunday. Maybe McLain doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt at this point, but he truly is swinging the bat well; his xwOBA and 92.3-mph average exit velocity in June are both career highs, and even ignoring the expected numbers, his actual slugging percentage of .424 is quite good. It'd be unfortunate if the Reds gave up on him at this point. They really should finally give him that crash course in center field if they think Arroyo might be the answer at second.
- I took Kodai Senga off the list before his rather impressive showing Sunday against the Phillies. If the Mets return him to the rotation — and even if he doesn't fare particularly well in a tough assignment against the Braves next weekend — he'll probably rejoin the list next week. The ghost forkball looked better Sunday than it had at any point this year.
June 22 Notes
- Falling off: Jordan Lawlar (197th), Luke Raley (276th), River Ryan (278th), Angel Martínez (281st), Cedric Mullins (288th), David Hamilton (291st), Jack Leiter (292nd), Hogan Harris (293rd), Michael Soroka (294th), Heriberto Hernández (296th)
- With Bobby Witt Jr.'s leg issues becoming at least a little bit of a concern, there's a change in the top spot for the fourth straight week. Let's go with Yordan Alvarez, who is DHing the vast majority of the time and hopefully will get the chance to put in a completely full season for the first time at age 28.
- That Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is experiencing some back issues is a little scary, especially given his power outage. Still, as disappointing as he's been when it comes to hitting homers, his bat speed has held up just fine and he's pulling the ball in the air right at his career rate. I dropped him a few spots to No. 15, but I'm not panicking right now.
- One of the fun things about trying to rank players is you have the A's saying Brent Rooker, who was placed on the IL retroactive to June 9, should be back from the bone bruise in his left knee when first eligible and then just never mentioning him again, even though he was eligible to return on Friday. So, he essentially stays put at No. 98 for now, though the Joey Meneses callup on Sunday didn't seem like a great sign. Lawrence Butler has capitalized on Rooker's absence and is regained a spot at the bottom of the top 300, but the outfield will get crowded again once Rooker returns as the DH.
- For the last year or so now, I've thought the Rockies should send Ezequiel Tovar to Triple-A for a spell just to try to somehow motivate him and get him to stop swinging at everything. He's been just as hacktastic as ever this year, swinging at a league-high 61 percent of the pitches he sees, but the results have been worse than ever; he's hitting .213/.259/.327 with his weakest exit velocity numbers to date. His defensive numbers are also worse than usual. The kid who hit .269 with 26 homers and 45 doubles as a 22-year-old in 2024 is probably in there somewhere. Still, I dropped him to No. 247 this week.
- Spencer Arrighetti just missed the cut this week, but I seriously considered adding him for the first time. Giving up three homers to the Guardians on Saturday left him with a 6.50 ERA in his last three starts, but those outings have come with a 29 percent strikeout rate and a 3.34 xERA. He had a 1.94 ERA and gave up a total of three homers in his first nine starts, but since those came with a 21 percent strikeout rate, a 12 percent walk rate and a 5.06 xERA, I've had a hard time thinking of him as a reliable option.
Luka Doncic is headed to Europe for specialized treatment on his Grade 2 hamstring strain in hopes of a more rapid return to the court, reports Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. This came in consultation with the Lakers' team doctors, according to the report.
Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain against the Thunder on Thursday night, and the Lakers announced he will be out for the remainder of the regular season.
However, it's the playoffs that are the looming concern. The average time missed for a Grade 2 hamstring strain is more than a month, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes (who maintains a database tracking NBA injuries). The playoffs start in less than two weeks, on April 18. If Doncic were out for a month, he would likely miss the Lakers' entire first-round series. Hence the effort to find a treatment that can help him return sooner.
The Lakers' Austin Reaves is also out for 4-6 weeks with an oblique strain and will miss the first round of the playoffs.
Without their two leading scorers and shot creators, Los Angeles would be heavy underdogs in any likely first-round matchup. The Lakers currently are tied with the Nuggets for the 3/4 seed in the West and could slide as low as the No. 5 seed. That would leave them with a first-round series against a quality opponent, such as Houston or Minnesota.
Without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday despite 30 points and 15 assists from LeBron James, who now becomes the focal point of the offense. The Lakers had no answer for rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 against Los Angeles. Doncic being out for the remainder of the season also leaves him one game short of the league's 65-game threshold to be eligible for postseason awards — and he would be a lock top-five finisher in MVP voting and be First Team All-NBA. Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, has said he would file an "extraordinary circumstances challenge." Written into the CBA, the exception states that if "it was impractical for the player to play in one or more of the [missed] games" and the player would have reached 65 games if he had played in those games, an independent arbiter (selected by the league and player's union) can grant him an exception. Doncic missed two games in December for the birth of his child.
The Nets have a staggering seven rookies — a record five of them first-round picks — and must develop every one they can to spur their rebuild.
For injured Danny Wolf, the work doesn’t end just because he’s been shut down for the season. If anything it gets more intense.
“Obviously losing sucks, and every time you ask anyone, they’re going to give you the same answer that losing is no fun.” Wolf said. “Everyone in the locker room from top to bottom thinks we could’ve had a much better season. But within that, you have to find things you can learn from, that you can gain from.”
After suffering a season-ending left ankle sprain March 22, Wolf will end his debut campaign averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.
And from the moment the tanking Nets started leaning into their rookies on Feb. 5, the big man bumped those figures up to 10.8 points, 5.6 boards and 2.7 assists.
Danny Wolf the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Wolf fell to 27th in the draft due to questions about his defense and shooting. He played defense at an NBA level, but his shooting is still very much in question, at a streaky 32.2 percent from deep.
What’s beyond question is that Wolf must learn to finish better at the rim.
“Defensively, there were definitely a lot of people questioning who I’d be able to guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to more than prove, but be a good defender,” said Wolf.
“The shooting and the offense, it was nowhere near what I know I’m capable of doing and that upsets me. I was able to shoot well at times, and there’d be times where I felt I couldn’t make a shot. That’s a rookie season; there’s going to be ups and downs.”
Nowhere near enough ups at the rim, figuratively and literally.
While Wolf is sizable at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds, his lack of vertical explosion has limited him. His 24-inch standing vertical was tied for third worst at the NBA Draft Combine, and has led to poor finishing against more athletic foes.
“Everyone’s bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic [at this level],” said Wolf. “What is it that you need to do to be able to match that, but also be better than that?”
Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) grabs his ankle in pain during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Justine Willard-Imagn Images
Where Wolf has to be better is at the rim, where he shot just 54 percent. That’s just 12th percentile among forwards, per Cleaning The Glass. It’s an Achilles’ heel he needs to fix, offseason work that’s already begun.
“Obviously the numbers speak for themselves; I was nowhere near where I wanted to be or could have been. And finishing, I did an OK job at times getting in my spots,” Wolf said. “A lot of it is getting stronger. And the positive outlook of an injury [is] I’ve been able to really hone in on the weight room more than I would’ve been able to if I was playing.
“I have a good four or five months of weight room ahead of me and just being able to fill out my frame better. That’ll really help me, just getting stronger; and with that, more explosive. And I know my rim finishing next year, I’ll be able to look back on this year and see that it was something that really, really helped me.”
While Wolf is focused on his body, coach Jordi Fernández is counting on growth through reps and technique.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Fernández. “One is experience, right? The reps, the game slowing down. A lot of times you just rush. We tell guys, ‘Hey, just play off two feet and don’t leave your feet.’
“But he’s done a great job and he’s been able to implement a lot of stuff, power through, because you have better balance, finding a body first. This all comes with a lot of work, watching film and through the summer and then the real reps. So the process [has] already started. He’s already gotten better. We’re not concerned about his finishing. We know it has to get better, but we also know it will get better.”
With the St. Louis Blues still working to earn a wild card position in this year’s playoffs, and the Avalanche on the cusp of a Central Division title, there was plenty to play for, and Ball Arena was the scene on Easter Sunday evening.
Colorado comes in on the second of a back-to-back, having beaten the Dallas Stars 2-0 in regulation yesterday, and the Blues just secured two points over the Anaheim Ducks and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
Valeri Nichushkin was listed as OUT with an upper-body injury ahead of puck drop, so the Avs would go without their best d-man and a very valuable forward.
Valeri Nichushkin (upper body) will not play tonight.
This game started strong with both clubs making their intentions clear with a focused defensive effort. It appeared the Avalanche would take the 1-0 lead if not for a coach’s challenge that deemed the play offside.
Shortly after Colorado’s goal was called back, the top line was unable to retrieve and break out of their own, resulting in a net front scramble that eventually ended with Robert Thomas’ one-timer over the shoulder of MacKenzie Blackwood.
The Blue note would establish an early 1-0 lead.
The team in dark blue and burgundy wouldn’t let the lead last long as Parker Kelly notched his 20th of the season and tied things at 1-1.
As mentioned in previous recaps featuring a Kelly goal, Guerilla Sports’ Meghan Angley vowed to adopt a whale if Parker Kelly scored 20 goals. Well, here we are. I wonder what its name will be!
Waffles coming soon to Avs nation in honor of Parker Kelly hitting 20 goals… I haven't abandoned opening things up to name a whale, but I told @jessemontano_ we needed to have whale right now. pic.twitter.com/V3HVvLBlnd
Nathan MacKinnon would earn a late power play in the first, but with too little time remaining in the frame to create. Breaking the 1-1 tie would have to wait until period number two.
The tie breaker wouldn’t come on the opening power play for the Avalanche; in fact, they didn’t have a single shot on net.
Instead, it was Brent Burns who sent a shot from the blue line toward a screening Landeskog. Hofer couldn’t fight through the Swedish distraction and was beaten on the far side by Burns’ shot from distance.
Colorado’s newly minted lead would last all of 29 seconds with Robert Thomas scoring his second of the evening on a perfectly executed two-on-one. Things were tied at 2-2.
Both Hofer and Blackwood would make some timely saves in the middle portion of the second period to keep things tied.
The same would be true for most of the third until Robert Thomas put away the game-winner and hat-trick clinching goal with 2:30 seconds left.
The Avalanche would not overcome the deficit, and winning the division will have to wait.
Blues win 3-2.
Takeaways
Parker Kelly scoring 20 goals is an incredible feat, and he should be proud. Kelly is signed through the 2030-31 season, and if he can consistently be a 20-goal scorer, his $1.7M AAV contract will look like money in the bank.
St. Louis lurking in the wild card conversation is a bit of a suprise but they have been one of the hottest hockey teams in the league since the Olympic break.
I’d presume most Avalanche fans would be okay with Jordan Binnington on St. Louis not making a playoff appearance in 2025-26.
We saw a classy and special honoring of Brent Burns’ 1,000 consecutive games played, and Colorado’s iron man was clearly appreciative but appeared a bit shy in the moment. He’s never come across as a ‘me’ guy, so that makes sense.
Upcoming
A home-and-home will travel to St. Louis for a Tuesday night game between these two clubs yet again.
Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!
