Jul 7, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday (7) tosses the ball to first base after fielding a ground ball in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Jackson Holliday will bat sixth and play shortstop tonight as the Orioles look to get back in the win column against Detroit. Gunnar Henderson will bat third and serve as the designated hitter.
Coby Mayo will get the start at third base against right-handed pitcher Keider Montero, and Jeremiah Jackson will play second. Leadoff hitter Dylan Beavers, Leody Taveras and Taylor Ward will handle the outfield duties. Pete Alonso will bat second and play first base.
Chadwick Tromp will bat ninth and catch Kyle Bradish. The Orioles made a move to shake up their catching situation by recalling recent waiver claim Yohel Pozo and designating Sam Huff for assignment, but Tromp will still get the start tonight.
Bradish will look to play stopper after the Orioles dropped two winnable games over the weekend. Bradish recently received a five-year, $90 million extension, and Baltimore will look to the righty to help steady the ship this evening.
The Orioles will enter the series four games below .500 and 2.5 games back of the final wild card position. Baltimore (51-55) currently holds a one-game advantage over Detroit (50-56) in the race for the final spot.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 20: Jordan McLaughlin #0 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).
There’s not much that can be asked about journeymen on minimum contracts. They are simply expected to suit up when needed, likely due to injury to a rotation player, and mostly blend in, helping when possible but mostly just not hurting the team too much.
The Silver and Black, who couldn’t find a veteran big who could live up to those modest expectations, mostly got that from their fourth-string point guard. Jordan McLaughlin only played a total of 282 minutes in the regular season, fewer than Jeremy Sochan, as a comparison point, spread over 44 games, so it’s hard to consider him an impact player. The good news is that he didn’t try to be one when his number was called, even in his handful of playoff minutes.
At this point, McLaughlin knows that the reason he’s still in the league is that he plays within himself. The veteran guard took decent care of the ball, played disruptive defense, and was happy to pass to a more talented creator while spotting up from beyond the arc. He brought the same level of professionalism in garbage time as he did in the Conference Finals, which is what you want from your 11th guy.
Delving into the numbers from someone who played so little and so often in low-leverage situations isn’t really helpful, so any judgement of McLaughlin has to rely on the eye test, which is kind to him. As a break-in-case-of-emergency ball handler and veteran stabilizer, he looked the part. He never impressed, but he rarely looked out of place or helpless when he was on the floor, as others in the deep bench did.
Looking ahead
While McLaughlin was fine in his role last season, he benefits from the comparison to the horrendous platoon of veteran centers and an underwhelming Lindy Waters III, who showed some intriguing flashes but couldn’t crack the rotation. The expectations from everyone on the periphery of the roster were low, so McLaughlin meeting them doesn’t feel like a significant achievement.
There was a case to be made for a change in the fourth guard spot heading into 2026/27. Knowing what you are going to get from someone can be comforting, and the still youngish and supremely talented Spurs need veterans who will be fine with little to no minutes, but taking the long view, finding someone with more oomph to their game than McLaughlin might have been a good idea. After all, at some point the logjam at point guard will eventually disappear as a result of the increasing cost of the roster, and San Antonio will need actual production from a backup.
For now, though, McLaughlin (and the two-way guards) will do. The vet won’t complain about the many, many games in which he won’t get to see the floor and hopefully will continue to hit open threes to complement his solid floor game and tenacious defense.
If this is, as it probably should be, J-Mack’s last season in San Antonio, he has the opportunity to leave a good impression just by being ordinary instead of a liability in the few minutes he gets, which seems like something he should be able to accomplish.
Top performance
6 points, 1 assist in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against OKC. McLaughlin got few but important minutes in De’Aaron Fox’s absence and did well enough under the bright lights.
LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia may have been billed as his “last decision,” but one small detail buried inside his new two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers leaves the door open for an unexpected plot twist.
Unlike his contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ new deal with the Sixers does not include a no-trade clause because under NBA rules it legally couldn’t.
LeBron James has his new team with the Philadelphia 76ers, but it doesn’t mean he’s there for the rest of his career. NY Post
James wasn’t eligible for a no-trade clause because players must have at least eight years of NBA service and four consecutive seasons with the team they are signing a contract with. James will embark upon a record-breaking 24th season this fall, making the former part of the rules not a problem, but because he has never played with the Sixers before, the latter was the issue. Had James re-signed with the Lakers he would have been eligible for a full no-trade clause.
James was able to negotiate a player option for the second year of the contract, and added a 15% trade kicker, which guarantees James a 15% bonus on the remaining guaranteed salary should he be dealt during the first year of the contract. With the veteran minimum salary James is making, that should not deter any team from wanting to acquire him.
LeBron James has officially signed his two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers with a player option — plus a full 15% trade kicker, per sources. https://t.co/mXZspfkTug
LeBron James has decided to play for the 76ers, but if things go south, it’s likely Philadelphia could trade him. Getty Images for TIME
Without James’ power to veto a trade, Philadelphia retains the right to trade the four-time NBA Champion should their season go sideways.
Realistically, the Sixers trading LeBron is a long shot. At just under $4 million dollars this season, James is the biggest bargain in professional sports. His value off the floor in ticket sales, television ratings, jersey sales, merchandise, and sponsorships will far exceed his salary. Even if his production on the court falls off a cliff, he’s still worth more to the Sixers than almost any other player in NBA history making the veteran minimum.
Still, Philadelphia’s fan base has a history of turning on their stars quickly. If injuries or dysfunction derail the Sixers season, and they suddenly find themselves staring at the lottery instead of the playoffs come the All-Star break, then James’ contract gives them an escape hatch.
There’s a precedent as well. Many teams have hit the eject button on their experiments with “untouchable” stars. The Golden State Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell just 33 games after signing him to a four-year contract. The Brooklyn Nets dismantled the Kevin Durant-James Harden-Kyrie Irving experiment faster than you’d remove a bandage. Even the Lakers moved on from their Russell Westbrook experiment after one year.
LeBron says this is his final chapter and it most likely is, but without a no-trade clause, the ending isn’t entirely his to write.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 22: Houston Astros first-round draft picks Logan Hughes (L) and Jack Radel (R) pose for a portrait session after signing their contracts at Daikin Park on July 22, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros have signed 20 members of their 2026 MLB Draft class, along with three non-drafted free agents. The highest pick to sign today was second-round pick LHP Wes Mendes from Florida State University. The announcement was made by Astros Director of Amateur Scouting Cam Pendino.
The Astros three non-drafted free agents are RHP John Carver from Adelphi University, RHP Carson Estridge from West Virginia University and IF Drew Wyers from Mississippi State University. Carver was the 2026 Northeast 10 Pitcher of the Year after he recorded a 2.67 ERA (17ER/57.1IP) with 92 strikeouts and a .186 opponent batting average in 10 starts. Estridge was a 2026 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection after finishing the season with a 3.09 ERA (12ER/35IP) and 34 strikeouts in 22 relief appearances. In 2026, Wyers batted .333 (20×60) with two doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI and a 1.020 OPS in 33 games.
Astros signings from their 2026 MLB Draft are listed below.
Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh. (Photo by: John Greim/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
PIRATES
Corbin Carroll – RF
Jake Mangum – CF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Brandon Lowe – 2B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Bryan Reynolds – LF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Esmerlyn Valdez – RF
Max Kepler – LF
Ryan O’Hearn – DH
Tyler Locklear – 1B
Nick Gonzales – 3B
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Jacob Gonzalez – SS
Ildemaro Vargas – 3B
Tyler Callihan – 1B
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Henry Davis – C
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Mitch Keller – RHP
And so the Diamondbacks start their Most Crucial Season of the Series (TM, Clickbait Enterprises). Seem to have been hearing that phrase a lot lately. Certainly, for the first series after the All-Star break against the Cardinals, and then again, over the weekend in Washington. Arizona won one series and lost the other. And, guess what? Nothing much changed. Sure, we’d like to have beaten the Nationals. But considering Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake had four (4) major-league starts between them going into Washington, and neither were expected to be part of our rotation this year, I can’t say I am exactly shocked by the outcome.
Consequently, the D-backs go into Pittsburgh with the front of their rotation ready to do battle. Or so you’d perhaps think. Though if you were looking only at the results since the break, the optics would be rather different from the first half. Each starter has appeared twice, and the worst ERA belongs to… first-half MVP, Eduardo Rodriguez, at 7.27. Small sample size applies, obviously: he has only thrown 8.2 innings, but that is also the fewest in the rotation, two turns through in the second half. While regression was expected, if E-Rod ends up pitching like the 2024-25 version in the second half of the year, it’s going to make things tough for Arizona.
Cross that when we come to it on Wednesday though. Today, it’s Merrill Kelly, who has had the best ERA post-break, at 2.70. However, his FIP is more than twice that figure at 5.41, in part because the strikeouts he got in his last couple of first-half outings have evaporated. His two starts since have been curiously similar. Each outing has been for five innings, seen Merrill throw exactly 87 pitches, allow six base-runners, one home-run (a solo shot), and get three strikeouts. Guess we know what to expect from him today. As long as the result is more like the A’s game (15-5 win) than the Cardinals (4-5 loss), I’ll be fine with that.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 26: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros hits a solo home run in the first inning of the game between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Major League Baseball announced today that Astros SS Jeremy Peña has been named the American League Player of the Week for the week of July 20-26. For the week, Peña hit .500 (13×26) in six games with five home runs and eight RBI while posting a 1.577 OPS.
Peña helped lead the Astros to a 5-1 record in the week by hitting a league-leading five home runs, including two leadoff homers and a grand slam, and recording a streak of three straight three-hit games. Overall during the week, he led all American League players in hits (13), home runs (5), runs (10) and SLG (1.077), ranked tied for first in batting average (.500) and OPS (1.577), and ranked second in RBI (8).
This marks the first career AL Player of the Week award for the highly-decorated Peña, who’s also earned an All-Star selection (2025), a Gold Glove award at shortstop (2022), and was named the ALCS and World Series MVPs in the Astros 2022 Championship season.
Peña is having a strong season, hitting .319 (72×226) with nine doubles, 11 homers, 30 RBI, eight stolen bases, a .373 OBP and an .877 OPS in 59 games, in which the Astros have gone 32-27. He’s had his season slowed due to a pair of IL stints, which sidelined him for a combined 48 games. Since his most-recent activation on July 10, Peña is hitting .419 (18×43) with a 1.214 OPS in 11 games.
This is the fourth AL Player of the Week award won by an Astro this season, with the previous three belonging to DH Yordan Alvarez (March 30-April 5, June 1-7, June 29-July 5). The Astros are the only AL team to win four Player of the Week awards this season.
MIAMI – Back in the day, opposing hitters used to tell a pitcher how his stuff was on a given night.
Now, technology tells the story.
Both measurements offered a disconcerting view of Zack Wheeler on Monday night.
The Phillies’ ace lasted just three innings in an 8-7 loss to the Miami Marlins. He gave up five runs. Among the six hits he allowed were two home runs, a double and a triple.
Wheeler left trailing, 5-2. The Phillies rallied to take a 7-5 later in the game, but lost it when closer Jhoan Duran allowed three runs in the ninth.
The Marlins snapped a 12-game losing streak.
The blown save was just Duran’s second in 26 chances.
Wheeler’s three-inning start matched the shortest in his seven seasons with the Phils. He had starts of just three innings in June 2021 and April 2022.
Making his 300th career start, Wheeler was staked to an early lead when Bryce Harper smacked a two-run homer in the first inning. The Marlins tied it in the bottom of the first on a pair of Phillies errors and a solo homer. Wheeler then allowed three runs in the second inning on a homer, a walk, a double and a triple.
While the Marlins’ bats feasted on Wheeler’s pitches, the metrics offered the reason why. The velocity and spin rates on all his pitches were down from their season norms. His best fastball of the night was 95 mph, shy of its season average of 95.2 mph. For the game, his fastball averaged 93.5 mph, down 1.7 mph from its season average.
Despite the drop in velocity, Wheeler managed to strike out six Marlins. But manager Don Mattingly did not take any chances riding out Wheeler. After a dugout consultation with pitching coach Caleb Cotham and head athletic trainer Paul Bechheit, Mattingly pulled Wheeler after three innings and 68 pitches.
It was not immediately clear if Wheeler was injured or ill. The team offered no in-game medical report, an indication that he was not hurt. Further information was to come after the game. Losing Wheeler for any amount of time would hurt the pitching-thin Phillies. Losing him for an extended amount of time would be devastating. The team is already scouring the trade market for starting pitching help.
After the third inning, Wheeler approached Harper in the dugout and offered a fist bump. One could assume the pitcher was saluting Harper for providing the early 2-0 lead, which turned out to be short-lived.
Wheeler left trailing, 5-2, but the bullpen kept it right there and the bats came alive with four runs against reliever Cade Gibson in the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Harper started it off with a walk and Alec Bohm (RBI single), Bryson Stott (single), J.T. Realmuto (RBI double) and Justin Crawford (two-RBI single) continued the rally.
The Phillies extended their lead in the eighth when Stott tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto.
After Wheeler’s departure, Kyle Backhus, Jose Alvarado, Jonathan Bowlan, and Orion Kerkering combined on five shutout innings before Duran let it get away in the ninth.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 23: Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park on June 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, July 27, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are starting a three-game set as they welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks for their annual trip to PNC Park.
Getting the start for the Pirates is Mitch Keller, who boasts a 6-7 record with a 5.90 ERA. In Keller’s last start against the New York Yankees, he pitched five innings, giving up three hits and no runs in a 5-3 victory at Yankee Stadium. This is Keller’s second start against the Diamondbacks this season. He pitched six innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs, back on May 7 in a 4-2 victory against the Snakes at Chase Field.
Merrill Kelly is making the start for the D-Backs in the first game of the series. Kelly is coming off of a win in his last start against the Athletics. He pitched five innings, giving up five hits and two runs in a 15-5 route at home. Kelly is looking for his fourth victory in the month of July after picking up five losses in June.
Both teams are right in the thick of things in the NL Wild Card standings, making this a massive series for Arizona and Pittsburgh. With the trade deadline a week away, these games could have a lot of weight in determining what each team does ahead of Aug. 3.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Merrill Kelly (8-8, 5.12 ERA) vs. Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.90 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
The Chicago Blackhawks have spent a lot of money this off-season. They traded for and signed Bowen Byram, added a couple of depth free agents in Ian Cole and Cole Smith, extended Connor Bedard, and signed Patrick Kane.
Now, they can stay above the cap floor and don't have any bad money locked in their books for an extended period. In the future, as other young players are looking for big extensions, the Blackhawks should have no issue.
They still have room to make moves to become a better team right now, and hope that it helps them continue building a winner for the future. After signing Kane, they likely aren't the front-runner for a big move between now and training camp, but if the right deal came along, they might consider it.
Of the realistic players who may still be moved before summer is over, Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets is at the top of the list. There have been reports of him wanting out, while conflicting rumors out of Columbus say that those are false. Either way, there is smoke surrounding his future.
The favorite to land Marchenko, if he's moved, seems to be the Montreal Canadiens. However, there are other teams with a seat at the table. There is no reason to believe that the Blackhawks aren't one of them. They have cap space and assets necessary to make a big move like that.
The Blackhawks have a lot of forwards who do the same thing: provide middle-six-level offense. Outside of Connor Bedard, there is nobody who is a lock to provide north of 70 points. Others, Patrick Kane, Frank Nazar, or Anton Frondell, may be able to, but it isn't a guarantee at this stage of their careers (for different reasons).
If Marchenko plays 80+ games, he should have north of 70 points with ease, including the 30-goal plateau. Over the last three seasons, he has 58 goals and 83 assists for 141 points in 155 games played. That type of goal-scoring winger who also makes plays would be great for one of Chicago's top centers.
With the surplus of NHL-ready forwards that the Blackhawks have, a few of them may have to go the other way to make room. Guys like Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, Sacha Boisvert, and Marek Vanacker, among others, could all go in a deal like this.
At 26 years old, Marchenko is just getting started. If he gets traded, it is because he doesn't want to stay with the Blue Jackets.
He is going to earn a lot of money, so the Blackhawks would have to decide if he's worth the payment via trade and in dollars when that time comes. Right now, it's easy to see him producing at a high rate with a center like Connor Bedard feeding him the puck.
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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Sox fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Hey White Sox fans, we already have covered some trade deadline-type stuff with Reacts, including which areas the team will need to target to improve the roster, and, somewhat controversially, which rookie will need to be dealt to improve the team.
Because we’ve already done Chris Getz’s work for him, we now turn to the race for the playoffs, and a simple question: Will the White Sox hold off Cleveland and finish in first place this season? (Understanding that the race is bunched, and neither the Twins nor the Tigers can be counted out of the race yet.)
Keep in mind, the Guardians have the easiest remaining schedule in baseball, with three series left (two vs. the White Sox, one vs. the Red Sox) against teams more than a game or two better than .500. The White Sox, by virtue of being in the AL Central, don’t have the toughest remaining schedule, either, but it’s in the middle of the pack.
Entering Monday’s action, the White Sox are 2 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland, and four in the loss column. Although it could change, Chicago currently holds the tiebreaker advantage vs. the Guardians, so even a tie in the standings means the White Sox advance as the AL Central champion.
SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT: On June 10, after the Cubs lost at Colorado and the Cardinals won at New York vs. the Mets, the Cubs were 34-34 and the Cards were 37-28. Since then, the Cubs are 25-12; the Cards, 16-24 — and two of the Cubs’ losses were to the Cards, at Wrigley Field on July 3-4, before they won the series finale. Instead of trailing the Cards by 4.5 games, the Cubs now lead them by 6.0. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
A POTENTIAL RECORD BREAKER: The Cubs’ first hit tonight will give them the record for most consecutive games on the road with a hit by a National League team. They are tied with the Pirates at 4,788 games. The Cubs’ streak began after they were the victims of a perfect game by Sandy Koufax at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 9, 1965. The Yankees hold the MLB record, 5,366 games and counting, since Sept. 20, 1958. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
A HOMER STREAK: The Cubs have hit at least one home run in eight consecutive games, a season high. They had done it in seven games twice, May 2-8 and June 15-24. They had an eight-game streak last year, a nine-game streak in 2024 and streaks of 10 and 13 games in 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
EVERY OTHER GAME: In their last 12 games, Cubs pitchers have alternated walking exactly one and exactly three, with just one exception, in the seventh of the games: 1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 4, 3, 1, 3, 1, 3! (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
David Peterson began his Cubs career with one good start. Then he had a disaster. But since then, he’s made two starts that have been pretty good: 11.2 innings, five hits, five walks (0.857 WHIP), one run (a solo homer, 0.77 ERA).
Just keep that going. And, David? Don’t do what you did in that disaster outing, because that was against… the Cardinals. Do better. Thank you.
Matthew Liberatore has made two starts against the Cubs this year. In the first, May 31 at St. Louis, he threw 5.1 shutout innings. In the second, July 5 at Wrigley Field, the Cubs scored four runs (three earned) off him in five innings.
Since that start against the Cubs, Liberatore shut out the Braves for six innings July 11 and gave up five runs in 5.1 innings to the Angels July 21. So, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Please visit our SB Nation Cardinals site Viva el Birdos. If you do go there to interact with Cardinals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Meg Harris new 100m freestyle champion as Alex Perkins lifts 100m butterfly crown
Jenna Forrester adds 400m individual medley title to her 200m backstroke gold
Mollie O’Callaghan has been sensationally dethroned as Commonwealth Games 100m freestyle champion by Meg Harris as the Australian tsunami of swimming medals gushed relentlessly in Glasgow.
Harris’s shock triumph came after Jenna Forrester continued her brilliant meet with a second gold medal, adding the 400m individual medley title to her 200m backstroke crown.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers plays defense during the game against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There is no question that LeBron James isn’t the same level of player heading into this season as he was for most of his career. In fact, it would be absurd to think he would be. But with that being said, he’s still a high-end player who can do things on the court that few others in the history of the game ever could.
Last week LeBron James announced he would be signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, immediately making them possibly the most interesting team in the NBA. But what does that mean on the court? In addition to James, the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown over the offseason, adding both All-Star players to a roster that already includes Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey. There is no reason this team can’t compete with anyone in the league. But it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best team in the league, or even the Eastern Conference for that matter.
With the defending world champion New York Knicks right down the road, a still intriguing Boston Celtics, a revamped Miami Heat, and a challenging Cleveland Cavaliers, the East is anything but a cake walk. So for this week’s NBA Reacts survey, we want to know who you think is the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Get your votes in now and be on the lookout for results later this week!
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Despite all the player movement this summer — including Jaylen Brown and now LeBron James landing in Philadelphia — the Celtics are still squarely in the Eastern Conference mix.
Think of it this way: Boston finished unexpectedly with 56 wins last seasons. Since then, they’ve effectively traded Jaylen Brown for a healthy Jayson Tatum, now more than a year removed from his Achilles injury, and added veterans Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr. to shore up some holes in their lineup. With another year of development for their wing depth, they should fare better next year.
Sure, James and Kawhi Leonard are back in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now in Miami. The Pacers are getting back Tyrese Haliburton and added Ivica Zubac. The Hawks and Hornets retooled their rosters, too. And the defending champs will have Madison Square Garden rocking again.
But if you’re a betting man or woman, our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics just behind the Knicks and 76ers and ahead of the Raptors in the East for the Eastern Conference title. Analytics-based prediction models like Sporting News’ Stephen Noh’s WinProjectionModel.com has Boston in a three-way tie with Toronto and New York with 54 wins; Cleveland and Philly trail behind at 51 and 47 respectively.
Jul 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) attempts to catch a batted ball by the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
