I definitely have much more negative feelings reserved for the feelings. I don’t really even have strong feelings, including negative feelings, for the Dodgers — but I know a lot of others do. So, let’s hear it.
Bill Dawley would appear in 275 games as a reliever during his major league career. He’d make his debut with the Astros on April 15th and set ablaze the first half of the 1983 season, winning 5 contests while posting a 1.88 ERA. That start would culminate with an All-Star Selection at Old Comiskey Park in the Mid-Summer Classic in Chicago.
Here’s the 12th installment of our continuing legends series.
Q: Did you have any idea you were going to be dealt during spring training in 1983?
A: I had obviously been with the Reds for years and I thought that year I would make the club, but I didn’t make the starting five.
On one of the very last days of spring training, they demoted me, but back then you had 72 hours to report to the minor leagues. I was disappointed, but then I received a phone call from Chief Bender who was the man responsible for building the foundation for the Big Red Machine. He told me he about a trade to the Astros, so I get optioned to Tucson, AZ and now I’m in their system but not with the main club.
As fate would have it, the Astros started the year 0-9 and they brought me up.
Q: And then upon being brought up, you catch fire immediately and start paying dividends. What do you remember most from your first game?
A: I’m brought up and we’re playing the Expos. The first batter I faced, I actually hit in the ribs, that was Chris Spiers.
So, he’s on first and then Terry Francona comes up next and bunts into a double play with a hard ground ball to Phil Garner. I get the next guy out, we score a run the next inning, and all of sudden, I have my first win.
The team is 1-9 and I’m 1-0! (laughs) It happens again a few nights later, I get another win after the team loses a few, and I’m 2-0, but the team is 2-11. They quickly gave me the nickname “The Vulture”.
Q: All told the first half is so impressive, that you are named to the All-Star Team. What was that experience like?
A: I was sitting in a hotel in Atlanta, and back then the managers and coaches picked the pitching staff so Whitey Herzog calls and says “Congrats! You’re an all-star.”
It all happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to think about it. Ironically, I had grown up a huge Red Sox fan, and the first guy I faced that night was Jim Rice.
Q: You get Rice, you face George Brett, Lance Parrish, and Manny Trillo. You got all of those guys out. What was that experience like?
A: I was pumped. I was on cloud nine. I struck out Parrish, I got Brett to foul out to third base. After Brett, Dave Winfield came up and I made him look silly on two sliders to start things, and thought I could get a fastball by him, but he hit it into right field and then I got Trillo. I still remember what I threw those guys and it sometimes feels like yesterday.
Q: Toughest hitter you ever faced?
A: Andre Dawson. When he was with the Expos, I think I got him out every single time. When he was traded to the Cubs, he just owned me. He hit three home runs against me, a fastball, a slider, and a change up. He was my toughest out by far.
Q: Pitching in the Dome. What comes to mind?
A: I loved it. You know my first 10 or 11 innings; I hadn’t given up a run. So, one night, the count is 2 balls and no strikes on Dale Murphy, and I just thought because the dome was so massive that I’d throw him a fastball on the outer half, because no one in the Dome hits a homerun to center field.
Well, I was wrong (laughs). Dale hits it over the fence and that was the first run I ever gave up. It was a great place to pitch, and I actually liked the AstroTurf because you rarely got any bad bounces along the way.
Cooper Ingle returned from injury recently and he hasn’t missed a beat. The top catching prospect blasted off on Thursday, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and a walk. He’s now batting a ridiculous .432 with a 1.445 OPS on the season.
Additionally, Angel Genao has been off to a slow start in Columbus, but he connected for his first Triple-A home run and stole a base, which was great to see.
Kahlil Watson went 1-for-4 with a walk and two steals and Juan Brito doubled and stole a base.
Former innings eater Pedro Avila had one of his best outings of the season as a starting pitcher, allowing two runs on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Will Dion followed with a scoreless inning and Trenton Denholm closed out the victory with 3.0 scoreless innings of long relief.
Akron’s late rally fell short as the RubberDucks lost their fourth straight game Thursday.
Ralphy Velazquez led the way on offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk.
Alex Mooney had the only other multi-hit game, going 2-for-4, while Connor Barstad homered and Nick Mitchell went 1-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base.
Starting pitcher Matt Wilkinson was solid, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 4.2 innings. Jack Jasiak was outstanding in long relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless frames with three strikeouts, although he allowed an inherited runner to score.
Unfortunately, Jay Driver gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, which stunted Akron’s comeback attempt.
Game one was one hell of a wild ride as Lake County blasted off for 15 runs on 14 hits and 11 walks.
Every single player in the lineup reached base at least twice.
Leading the charged was Jace LaViolette, who went 2-for-5 with a massive home run and four RBIs.
Ryan Cesarini also had a monster game, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and a walk.
Bennett Thompson went 2-for-5 while Garrett Howe went 2-for-3 with a walk. Dean Curley went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base, Nolan Schubart went 1-for-2 with three walks, Tommy Hawke went 1-for-3 with two walks and Aaron Walton went 2-for-4 with a walk.
The craziest moment, however, didn’t involve any of those players. Trailing 13-12 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lake County called on Jeffrey Mercedes to pinch hit and despite having a .146 batting average on the season, he blasted a walk-off three-run bomb.
I’m only going to mention starting pitcher Braylon Doughty, because he was fine, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in two innings.
Game two wasn’t much to write home about. Luke Hill pretty much accounted for all of the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and a walk.
Dean Curley also went 1-for-3 with a walk and Mercedes went 1-for-2 with a hit by pitch.
Starting pitcher Rafe Schlesinger was tagged for four runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in 4.1 innings.
The first seven players in Hill City’s lineup all had a hit, but no one had a multi-hit game. Yelferth Castillo and Cannon Peebles both doubled while Robert Arias and Jose Pirela both went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Starting pitcher Joey Oakie was fine, albeit a bit wild, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
Zane Petty was excellent in long relief, allowing one more run on three hits with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings. The game stayed tied until the ninth inning, when Aaron Savary allowed two runs.
2026 NHL mock draft roundup: Early Bruins first-round pick predictions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery could not have unfolded worse for the Boston Bruins.
Not only did the Bruins not get the Maple Leafs’ first-round pick to complete the Brandon Carlo trade from 2025, Toronto actually won the lottery and will pick No. 1 overall. The Leafs now have the opportunity to draft top prospect Gavin McKenna, who could be an elite forward for a long time.
The Bruins will eventually get a first-round pick from the Maple Leafs as part of the Carlo trade, but it won’t be until 2027 or 2028.
The B’s do have their own first-round pick, though. The draft order after the lottery is not yet final, but Boston’s first-rounder should be in the low-20s.
What positions do the Bruins need to upgrade with their 2026 first-round selection? The blue line is one specific area that must be bolstered in the very near future.
If you were to make a list of the Bruins’ top 10 prospects, it would be hard to put any defenseman on there. Maybe Frederic Brunet would be No. 9 or No. 10, but you could easily put a forward or two ahead of him. Simply put, there are no top-tier defenseman prospects in Boston’s system right now.
The Bruins have made three first-round picks and three second-round picks over the last five drafts, and only one of those selections was a defenseman — Liam Pettersson from Sweden in Round 2 last year. The Bruins prioritized upgrading at center the last couple years, which was absolutely the right move given their lack of high-end talent at that position following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement in 2023.
Now it’s time to switch it up a bit, if possible. The 2026 draft class is loaded with exciting defenseman prospects, but most of them are going to be off the board in the first 15 or so picks. That’s one reason why it was pretty disappointing for the Bruins to not land the Maple Leafs’ 2026 first-rounder.
If there aren’t any defenseman worth taking in the early 20s when the Bruins are on the clock in Round 1, then they should just take the best player available. The Bruins’ propsect pool has improved a lot in just the last year, but it’s not in a place where the team should be drafting for need if there are much better players available at other positions.
Which players should the Bruins target with their first-round pick? Here’s a roundup of mock drafts after this week’s Draft Lottery.
“Hextall isn’t a sexy, flashy, offensive first-rounder, but he’s well-liked and well-respected around the USHL and NHL, and widely viewed as a first-rounder for a lot of the same reasons Command is: a heavy stick, pro habits and details, position, etc. He’s got some big backers, and I could see the Bruins being interested in him as a potential future middle-six center behind James Hagens. I think he goes in the 20s or early 30s somewhere.”
“Preston would be a great pick here. Preston’s strong showing at the U-18s helped Preston boost his stock in a big way. He finished with six points in five games while being one of the team’s top all-around offensive threats. He was a puck-possession machine, and he consistently got the puck into high-danger areas.
“Preston is an undeniably talented player who could become a top-six threat down the line. Preston has a remarkable shot and often wastes no time firing in the back of the net from the slot. His shot looks NHL-ready right now.”
“Hurlbert’s vision and offensive instincts are unquestionably high-end; he finished the WHL regular season with 97 points in 68 games and added 3 more points in 4 playoff games. Play away from the puck was a concern, but the back half of the season looked much better.
“The main concern for Hurlbert is whether his offensive game can translate to higher levels of play. Improving physicality and poise under pressure would go a long way toward reassuring us of that. The NCAA environment could be a good place to push those elements of his game this fall.”
We're back for another edition of the MLB lineup report. Over a month into the season, several teams have settled into remarkable consistency, while others keep mixing and matching with no regard for platoons. Catching these shifts early is what gives you a leg up on league mates.
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Very consistent lineups of late, with Adrian Del Castillo batting fourth against righties at DH and Ildemaro Vargas behind him at first base. Carlos Santana and Tyler Locklear are both on rehab assignments, so it’s worth monitoring how the playing time shakes out at these two positions going forward.
Carlos Cortes hits fifth vs. right-handers but sits in favor of Colby Thomas against southpaws. Zack Gelof plays against some righties but not all, and takes over center field for Lawrence Butler against lefties.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (hamstring) is on the IL. In the four games since, Drake Baldwin was pushed up to leadoff against righties and Mauricio Dubón got the role against a lefty. Dubón could shift from primarily shortstop to mostly outfield once Ha-Seong Kim (finger) returns from his rehab assignment.
Adley Rutschman primarily hits third when he plays and Samuel Basallo fifth. Dylan Beavers moves up to the three-hole when Rutschman sits. He sits against lefties. Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill have very sporadic playing time.
Jarren Duran will be in the outfield every day with Roman Anthony (wrist) on the IL, and Masataka Yoshida has taken over at DH. Wilyer Abreu is hitting third with Anthony sidelined. Marcelo Mayer platoons with Isiah Kiner-Falefa but did start against his first left-hander of the year on Monday.
Moisés Ballesteros is officially the two-hole hitter against righties, but he has only started once at catcher. Michael Busch is not in a platoon. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit cleanup against righties to open the year but now typically hits eighth or ninth.
Sam Antonacci has displaced Andrew Benintendi as the leadoff hitter vs. RHP. Chase Meidroth still has the role against southpaws. Luisangel Acuña is bleeding center field playing time to Tristan Peters. Randal Grichuk was brought in to bat against lefties. Jarred Kelenic is starting against righties with Austin Hays and Everson Pereira both sidelined.
JJ Bleday is now batting second against right-handers with Matt McLain dropping to the bottom of the order. TJ Friedl and Dane Myers are platooning in CF and at leadoff. Sal Stewart has five starts at second base and three at the hot corner.
Chase DeLauter has held the two-hole spot against righties. Travis Bazzana has started against one of two lefties since debuting. He’s batting 5-7. Daniel Schneemann is playing second, third, short, and center while hitting all over the lineup. Kyle Manzardo bats cleanup against most righties but will occasionally sit versus them as well.
RELATED: Check out this week’s Fantasy Baseball Steals Report
Edouard Julien has held the leadoff role against righties while Jordan Beck gets that lineup slot against lefties. TJ Rumfield has hit 3-6 in all of his starts this year. Ezequiel Tovar began the year as the cleanup hitter but has hit eighth in nine straight starts.
Gleyber Torres (oblique) goes on the IL as Zach McKinstry returns. Colt Keith and Kerry Carpenter are platooning with Hao-Yu Lee and Jahmai Jones.
Carlos Correa (ankle) is out for the year, which solves the Astros’ playing time dilemma that dominated offseason discussion. The leadoff role is seemingly also up for grabs once Jeremy Peña (hamstring) returns. Yordan Alvarez hasn’t missed a game this year.
Tons of consistency as usual. The only real takeaway is that Jac Caglianone remains in a very strict platoon with Starling Marte.
Zach Neto and Jo Adell have started every game. Nolan Schanuel has started against nine of the past 10 lefties the Halos have faced. Josh Lowe is in a platoon with Bryce Teodosio. Yoán Moncada and Oswald Peraza are sharing third base while Vaughn Grissom and Adam Frazier split 2B.
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t hit in three of his past four starts on the mound. Max Muncy has been in the lineup against five of eight southpaws in 2026. Hyeseong Kim has only started at SS since Mookie Betts went on the IL. Same for Alex Freeland at 2B.
Jakob Marsee had hit leadoff in all of his starts up until Tuesday, when he was dropped to fifth. Xavier Edwards is atop the order now against righties. Kyle Stowers, Otto Lopez, and Liam Hicks also occupy a top part of the order. Joe Mack has hit seventh or eighth in his three starts since being recalled from Triple-A.
Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn returned to the lineup this week. We’ll see how that affects Garrett Mitchell, Jake Bauers, and Sal Frelick against lefties. Mitchell still hit leadoff against the first right-hander after Chourio and Vaughn returned. Brice Turang, noted power hitter, slid to the three-hole.
Royce Lewis has only started two of the past five games, bleeding starts at the hot corner to Tristan Gray. Luke Keaschall remains an everyday player but is hitting 6/7 after opening the year in the three-hole. Matt Wallner isn’t even starting against every righty.
Juan Soto was moved to leadoff on Monday. MJ Melendez bats third against righties. Carson Benge and Brett Baty mostly sit vs. southpaws.
Anthony Volpe will remain at Triple-A for now, extending José Caballero’s fantasy shelf life indefinitely. Jasson Domínguez had been a regular since being recalled from Triple-A, but Spencer Jones will now get his chance after The Martian went on the IL yesterday. Ryan McMahon is platooning with Amed Rosario.
Bryson Stott is platooning with Edmundo Sosa. It’s essentially business as usual, though.
Konnor Griffin has hit sixth in two of the past three games, the highest he’s been since debuting. Oneil Cruz, Brandon Lowe, and Ryan O’Hearn all get a lot of starts against lefties.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is up to eight starts at second base. Jackson Merrill has taken the leadoff role from Ramon Laureano. Ty France is on the short side of a first base platoon with Gavin Sheets.
Bryce Eldridge has been the DH against three consecutive right-handers since being recalled from Triple-A. There’s now one extra body, so we’ll see who the odd man out becomes or if Tony Vitello rotates days off. Luis Arráez’s minor thumb issue has solved the problem in the meantime. Casey Schmitt has been the club’s best hitter this season with a surging barrel%, so sitting him isn’t easy. Willy Adames was dropped as low as seventh this week.
A consistent 1-5 has developed of Crawford, Raleigh, J-Rod, Naylor, and Arozarena. Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone are strict platoon bats, while Rob Refsnyder, Connor Joe, and Mitch Garver mix in time against lefties. Cole Young has still played every game.
So much consistency 1-9. Ivan Herrera has started every game and hit second.
Jonathan Aranda keeps starting vs. lefties, and Chandler Simpson is in the lineup against most of them too (while leading off vs. all righties). Jake Fraley, Cedric Mullins, and Richie Palacios are all strong-side platoon bats.
Joc Pederson started in the outfield on Thursday for the first time since 2023. Alejandro Osuna is playing left field against right-handers while Wyatt Langford (forearm) remains out. Josh Jung has hit 2-4 in 10 straight. Evan Carter has started against three consecutive lefties after beginning the season 0-for-5 in starts vs. them. Ezequiel Duran has been in the two-hole in their past two games.
Kazuma Okamoto has hit 2-4 in 10 straight contests after spending much of April in the middle/lower part of the order. Andrés Giménez has started against two of the past six lefties, often with Ernie Clement shifting to shortstop and Lenyn Sosa playing second base. Yohendrick Pinango has taken over Nathan Lukes’ role atop the lineup against right-handers. He’s platooning with Davis Schneider. Note that Addison Barger (ankles) could return Friday, which might mean optioning Pinango.
CJ Abrams is the cleanup hitter and entered Thursday tied for the MLB lead in RBI. Daylen Lile is playing regularly against southpaws. Nasim Nuñez continues to operate as the primary second baseman and is tied for the MLB lead in steals.
The Thunder did what they do best.
They swarmed the Lakers. They dizzied them. They slowly unraveled them with an unparalleled level of physicality.
But the Lakers felt as though they weren’t just facing the defending champions in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series on Thursday. They felt as though they had another adversary on the court.
The referees.
After the Lakers’ 125-107 loss to the Thunder, frustrations spilled over.
JJ Redick sarcastically reiterated that the Thunder are “the most disruptive team without fouling.” LeBron James gave one-sentence responses when asked about the officiating while staring straight ahead. Austin Reaves opened up about feeling “disrespected.”
But the Lakers can’t blame the referees.
They’re down 2-0. They’ve lost both games by 18 points. They’ve averaged 19.5 turnovers this series.
The Lakers need to look in the mirror before pointing the finger. They need to figure out a way to stop the Thunder from blowing open games. They need to protect the ball. They need to make their 3-pointers.
The Thunder are stunningly aggressive. They’ve mastered gamesmanship.
Reigning NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got the nickname “Foul Merchant” for a reason. The Lakers knew what they were getting into with this series.
“They’re super tightknit,” Redick said. “They don’t complain to the officials and maybe they’re the beneficiaries of that, I don’t know.”
Do the Thunder get away with fouls? Absolutely.
Are the Thunder masters at drawing fouls? Absolutely.
Is there something absurd about the fact that James has only shot five combined free throws over the last two games? Absolutely.
Is that an excuse for the Lakers’ loss? No way.
The Lakers lost their cool. They let their emotions take over. It took them out of the game. It was a distraction.
The Lakers can’t do that, even if they had reason to be upset.
With just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter, James was irate that he didn’t get a whistle after Jaylin Williams clobbered him as he went up for a layup. He fell to the ground. He grabbed at his hip.
“LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I’ve ever seen,” Redick said. “I mean, I’ve been with him two years now. The smaller guys, because they can be theatric, they typically draw more fouls. And the bigger players that are built like LeBron, it’s hard for them.”
As for James? He wanted to keep his money after Game 2.
When asked if he was satisfied with the referees’ responses when he was talking to them throughout the game, he deadpanned, “No.”
As for why James doesn’t think he gets a lot of whistles?
“I don’t know,” he said.
Then there’s Austin Reaves, who lost his cool in the fourth quarter when he felt as though referee John Goble snapped at him when he tried to switch spots before a jump ball.
“I was just trying to keep an advantage,” Reaves said. “And he turned around and just yelled in my face. I just thought it was disrespectful.”
Reaves started barking at Goble. He had to be held back by Luka Doncic. He directed an expletive at the referee.
But as the Lakers were focused on what they viewed as the officials’ faux pas, they let the game get away from them.
It’s a shame because they showed a lot of toughness in Game 2.
The Lakers were surrounded by a sea of dark blue shirts and a decibel level that will probably cause future hearing damage, and they fought like hell against a deeper, younger and better team.
There were 12 lead changes and five ties. The Lakers tried to match the Thunder’s physicality. In the first half, they outshot the Thunder from beyond the 3-point line 43.8% to 25%. They held reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 22 points. ‘
James had another strong performance, finishing with 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting, six assists and three steals. Reaves, who had just eight points in Game 1, roared back with a game-high 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting, 3-for-6 from deep in Game 2.
But ultimately, the Thunder turned a 5-point lead with 7:36 left into a route. They got under the Lakers’ skin. They frustrated them. They did what reigning champions do.
The Lakers are playing the best defense in the league. It’s suffocating. It’s overwhelming.
They need to figure out a way to generate enough offense in spite of the Thunder’s superpower. They don’t need to bemoan what the referees may have missed.
It’s not helpful.
It’s not the reason why they’re two losses away from their season ending.
“We didn’t lose because of the refs,” Redick said. “That’s never the case. You don’t lose because of refs, You lose because the other team outplays you. And Oklahoma City outplayed us.”
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Yankees 9, Rangers 2
The playoff-bound Red Sox posted three All-Star selections in 2025 with Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet and Aroldis Chapman. The trio of offseason additions stood among the game’s top performers, though the closer was the only Boston player to suit up for the midsummer classic in Atlanta.
Baseball sits just over two months from the All-Star break, which this year will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia as part of America 250 celebrations across the country. The star-spangled celebration of the country’s national pastime should be a memorable installment.
While Boston remains under .500 to start the season, the Red Sox could still have legitimate representatives in the game.
Here are three Red Sox hopefuls who could find themselves in Philadelphia in mid-July:
Willson Contreras
2026 Stats (Entering Thursday): .264/.376/.481, .856 OPS, 8 HR, 23 RBI
Previous All-Star selections: 3 (2018, 2019, 2022)
Boston really can’t ask for much more from the veteran first baseman so far in a Red Sox uniform. He’s the lone source of true power in the lineup and his energy is a rare sparkplug for a clubhouse that’s needed exactly that time and time again.
Wilyer Abreu
2026 Stats (Entering Thursday): .299/.381/.467, .848 OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI
Previous All-Star selections: N/A
Abreu already has a pair of Gold Gloves to his name. A strong start offensively could put Abreu in the All-Star conversation and earn more deserved national attention as a standout in Boston’s outfield log jam.
Aroldis Chapman
2026 Stats (Entering Thursday): 0-1, 0.77 ERA, 12 G, 9 SV, 14 K, 3 BB
Previous All-Star selections: 8 (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2025)
The Red Sox have had some lengthy stretches without Chapman pitching this season. Nonetheless, he’s done the job when his number gets called. The lefty put together a resurgent 2025 campaign where he was nearly unhittable for the Red Sox.
He may be a tick below that this season, but he’s still one of the better relievers in the sport.
The Western Conference series between the Spurs and the Timberwolves moves to the Twin Cities for Game 3 tonight with the series tied at one game apiece.
San Antonio responded emphatically Wednesday night in Game 2 after dropping Game 1, delivering a wire‑to‑wire effort resulting in Minnesota’s worst postseason loss in franchise history. San Antonio set the tone from the jump forcing turnovers on Minnesota’s first three possessions and immediately controlled the pace. Their defensive pressure and transition attack created a 24–17 first‑quarter lead that ballooned rapidly. The Spurs outscored the Wolves 35–18 in the period, turning a modest lead into a 59–35 halftime advantage, Minnesota’s lowest first‑half scoring output of the season. Ultimately, San Antonio led by as many as 47 points, outscored Minnesota 58–36 in the paint and forced 22 turnovers resulting in 29 fast-break points. Victor Wembanyama led the way with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The Timberwolves have shown tremendous resiliency this postseason and so its doubtful their confidence will waver following a single loss, but they need more from their stars at both ends of the floor. Minnesota shot just 40% from the field (35-88) while allowing San Antonio to shoot 50% (45-90). Specifically, Anthony Edwards (knee) and Ayu Dosunmu (heel) each came off the bench for the TWolves, but neither was particularly effective. Edwards shot a pedestrian 5-13 from the field while Dosunmu was shut out in ten minutes.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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This game opened Spurs -3.5 with the Game Total set at 215.5.
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**Anthony Edwards has played in each of the first two games in the series but started neither of them.
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The Yankees are on a roll. After a 6-1 homestand in which they mopped the floor with the Orioles and decisively took two of three from the Rangers (again), the Bombers boast an AL-best 26-12 record. Now, they’ll shove off for a nine-game road trip, beginning with a three-game set against the Brewers in Milwaukee.
The last trip the Yankees took to American Family Field was highly enjoyable. In 2024 they scored 15 runs in consecutive contests, and would have wrapped up a sweep if the Crew didn’t outlast them in an 11-inning game to open the series. Last season, of course, the Yankees swept the Brewers in the Bronx to open their regular season, setting home run records along the way. What will 2026 hold for this matchup? One thing we know for sure: Carlos Rodón is scheduled to make his season debut in the series finale.
Milwaukee is currently stuck in the middle of a five-team dogfight in the NL Central—as everyone expected. They enter action at 19-16, good for third place behind Chicago and a resurgent Cardinals team they just saw on their recent road trip. They’ve had a tendency to play above their proverbial weight class in recent years, but right now the middle of the road feels about right for their roster construction. That said, they have some excellent pitching, and some of their finest arms will take on the Yankees’ best.
Fried didn’t have his best stuff last time out against Baltimore, but grit his teeth through 5.1 innings, allowing three runs and striking out six batters. It’s easy to forget about it now, but Fried’s first start as a Yankee came in that game where the Yankees scored 20 runs and homered nine times—and Fried didn’t pitch all that well. But of course, the Yankees scored 20 runs. Everyone sorta wrote off that start from Fried, and they were right to do so.
Misiorowski—a.k.a. The Miz—became a sensation when he was called up last June, even getting flown out to the All-Star Game to get a national audience. The tall Missourian didn’t finish the season with spectacular results, but his first full season in the Bigs is off to a strong start. He actually had a no-hitter going in his last start against the Nationals before cramping up and having to leave the game in the sixth. We’ll see how far he can go in his first career matchup with the Bombers.
Schlittler keeps acing all the tests. His Monday night start was not Cam at his sharpest either, with seven hits and three walks to just four strikeouts, but he started throwing 101 mph as a lark, setting new a career mark in fastball velo. Sure. Why not. I guess you gotta keep yourself entertained some way or another. He wound up loading the bases in the sixth and departing for Jake Bird, who grabbed a key strikeout to end the inning. That kept his numbers looking pretty: a 1.52 ERA with 53 Ks and nine walks.
Who won the Rafael Devers trade? Why, the Milwaukee Brewers, of course! Kyle Harrison began on the Giants as a top prospect, packed his bags for Boston, and found himself on the move to the Wisconsin pitching factory when the Red Sox lost Alex Bregman and suddenly needed more infielders. So now the Red Sox don’t have Devers, Bregman, or Harrison. To me, that’s awesome.
Of course, six starts are six starts. But the 24-year old southpaw is looking like a keeper for Milwaukee, with a 2.12 ERA. Two starts ago, he cruised through six scoreless one-hit innings against the Pirates, while striking out 12. The Yankees have managed some success against southpaw starters this year—including MacKenzie Gore in the Texas series finale—so we’ll see if that trend continues against Harrison.
The first of two eagerly-awaited returns in the rotation is scheduled for the Sunday matinée, with Rodón taking the hill. Carlos’ last rehab start was eventful; he allowed a lot of hits and runs but pitched into the seventh inning, so he should be fully built up. Rodón’s start-to-start consistency was a revelation last year after he felt like a bit of a mystery box in 2024. Hopefully his first outing back will be a good tone setter against a wonky Milwaukee offense that just got some major reinforcements: Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio made their returns to the lineup on Monday.
Logan Henderson is another typical homegrown Brewers pitching prospect developed from an obscure school: taken in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. (Notable former Yankee Jay Buhner went there, though!) Milwaukee’s No. 6 prospect had a solid couple games last year and just came up from the Minors to toss six quality innings against the Nationals last Sunday. Don’t expect eye-popping velocity or imposing physical stature, but his fastball has terrific arm-side run.
The game had just ended and Austin Reaves made a straight beeline for referee John Goble.
A crowd formed around him, including his Lakers teammates, staffers and another referee, while Reaves gave Goble a piece of his mind after being “disrespected” during Los Angeles’ 125-107 Game 2 loss to the Thunder to fall in a 2-0 series hole in the Western Conference semifinals.
It made for an unusual scene since referees usually do not receive talking-downs after games and marked the second time Reaves sternly addressed Goble.
Austin Reaves spends some time after the final whistle talking to the officials.pic.twitter.com/bEkQD4skAd
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 8, 2026
“At the end of day, we’re grown men and I didn’t feel like he needed to yell in my face like that. I told him that, I wasn’t disrespectful,” Reaves said. “I told him if I did that to him first I would have gotten a tech, I felt like the only reason I didn’t get a tech was because he knew he was in the wrong. I felt disrespected.”
Not that long after Reaves’ postgame outburst, Lakers coach JJ Redick took it even further by calling out the stripes while stating LeBron James has the “worst whistle” of any star player.
He did clarify that he did not feel the referees cost his team the game.
“I sarcastically said the other day, they’re the most disruptive team without fouling,” Redick said. “I mean, they have a few guys that foul on every possession. All the good defenses do. … They’re hard enough to play, you’ve got to be able to just call if if they foul, and they do foul.”
Plenty of teams have made it known that they believe the referees are one-sided when it comes to Thunder games and frustrations boiled over for the Lakers on Thursday now that they’ve lost both games in these series by 18 points and stand two losses away from elimination.
Reaves said Goble particularly upset him late in the game when the guard alleged the referee “yelled in my face” while he positioned himself during a jump ball.
I want to call this the game within the game, but these teams versus this crew has been explosive for the entire game. Lakers were furious about the way that jump ball was officiated. Thunder snagged it, went down the floor and got a Cason Wallace 3 and Redick timeout. pic.twitter.com/ZJaZWbkofX
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) May 8, 2026
The Thunder gained possession and hit a 3 to take a 107-94 lead with 5:54 remaining.
“I thought it was disrespectful,” Reaves said. “The whole time that was going on over there, I don’t think he said much to them.”
The Lakers called timeout right after that score and Reaves tore into Goble, with lip readers speculating he said: “That’s some bulls–t for you to talk to me like that.”
It appeared he called the referee a crass term for a female body part after Goble turned his back to him and walked over to the scorer’s table.
Reaves later said he felt he was respectful to the referees all night and has said there’s “a million” times where he’s said “way worse stuff.”
Redick said he had no problem with his team’s emotions, while not mentioning Reaves specifically, and the series shifts to Los Angeles on Saturday with the Lakers essentially in a must-win spot.
“Our guys were so good tonight just staying together, poised,” Redick said. “The emotion is part of basketball. I think some of the reason (the Thunder are) officiated the way they are is because they don’t show emotion, and that’s a credit to them. They’ve really been taking the emotion out of the game. They’re super tight-knit. They don’t complain to the officials and maybe they’re the beneficiaries of that, I don’t know.”
OKLAHOMA CITY — Over the course of NBA history, there have been impressive coaching performances.
Rick Carlisle inserting J.J. Barea into the Mavericks’ starting lineup in the middle of the 2011 NBA Finals against the Heat’s “Big 3” is one.
Trailing 2-1 to the Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals before Steve Kerr inserted Andre Iguodala into the Warriors’ starting lineup is another.
But for Lakers coach JJ Redick, defeating the reigning champion Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals without Luka Doncic might top them all.
Redick has shown promise in his first two years as a head coach at any level. He’s guided the Lakers to back-to-back 50-win seasons. He led the wounded Lakers to a first-round upset over the Rockets without his leading scorers. That’s not accidental. That’s real coaching.
But beating the reigning champion Thunder? This assignment is different.
For Redick to do the impossible, he must prove that he can outthink a machine.
A cold, precise and relentless machine.
But don’t take our word for it. Take Redick’s. He said it out loud.
“The Thunder are one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history. That’s just the reality, they’re that good,” a brutally honest Redick said. “They are a well-oiled machine.”
Part of what makes that machine move is that the Thunder don’t just beat you — they suffocate you to death. They force turnovers, they clog passing lanes, they switch on the perimeter, and when you try to drive to the basket, they’ll block your shot back to last week.
And as Redick pointed out, they do all of that without committing fouls.
“They’re top five in every disruptive category … and they don’t foul,” Redick said.
Read between the lines, and that’s not analysis, that’s a warning flare to the officials.
It gives off vintage Phil Jackson vibes. Say something to the media loud enough that it echoes into the officiating crew’s subconscious. Redick knows he’ll need every little edge he can get to beat OKC, and in the playoffs, edges don’t exist unless you manufacture them.
Because on paper, there isn’t a single area in which OKC is vulnerable.
“They don’t have a weakness,” Redick admitted.
He’s right. The Thunder are young, fast and deep. They defend without fouling. They can kill you in the half court or in transition. They protect the rim. They shoot 3s at a high clip. They guard the perimeter. And they have the reigning MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can glide to the paint like a whisper and shoot free throws like clockwork. Around the league, they call him “the foul merchant.”
Redick sees it. Opposing coaches see it. But the question is: Can you stop it?
Redick was asked how the Lakers can win this series. His answer was plain and simple.
“Belief, attention to detail and poise.”
Simple words that hide an impossible assignment. For the Lakers to win this series, they need to shoot greater than 40% from 3. They have to defend at an elite level against the best offense in basketball. They need to limit their live-ball turnovers, and they need to stop the Thunder’s runs before they blink and are down double digits.
They failed at all three in Game 1.
“They’re really good at runs … limiting their runs is going to be really important,” Redick said.
Easier said than done. Like threading a needle in the middle of a hurricane.
Similar to his players on the court, there’s no margin for error for Redick when coaching. Everything he does must be perfect to beat OKC. The timing of his timeouts. His rotation gambles. Trusting the right player to stay on the court for one extra minute. Subbing out the wrong one a possession too late. To win the series, it won’t be about schemes or X’s and O’s. It’s about the little decisions he makes in short five-second windows that will come with consequences that will reverberate for quarters.
Unfortunately for Redick, he could coach brilliantly and the Lakers will still lose in five.
That’s not a failure, either. That’s reality.
The Lakers were swept by the Thunder in the regular season by an average of nearly 30 points per game. It’s the largest margin of victory by any teams in a playoff series in NBA history. That didn’t magically disappear in Game 1 when they lost by 18.
So for Redick, what defines success at the end of this series?
Steal a game and you’ve disrupted the narrative for a day.
Win two and you’ve earned respect.
Push it to seven and we might need to change the Coach of the Year Award winner this season.
Win the series and we can enshrine him into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame tomorrow.
Because if Redick upsets this version of the Thunder without Doncic, then it isn’t just an upset, it’s the best coaching performance of all time. It would be studied and analyzed forever.
Until then, Redick is staring straight into the eye of a storm, clipboard in hand, trying to outthink a well-oiled machine that crushes everything in its path.
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Had Luka Doncic not been traded two days prior to the Dallas Mavericks acquiring Caleb Martin during the 2024-2025 season, it’s reasonable to think the latter transaction would have been one of the more puzzling in recent memory. In fact, despite the seismic Doncic-for-Anthony-Davis swap, the Martin trade drew its fair share of attention anyway.
Quentin Grimes was shipped out along with a second round draft pick to net Martin, despite his being injured at the time. In his first 15 games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Grimes had games in which he scored 30, 44, 30, 25 and 39 points. In roughly the same timeframe, Martin sat on the bench riding out his injury.
This was the shadow under which Marting entered the 2025-2026 season.
Martin’s season got off to an inconsistent start as head coach Jason Kidd experimented with lineups. The first 10 games resulted in more “Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision” (two) for Martin, than double-figure scoring nights (zero).
When he was playing, he would bounce between four minutes of garbage time and 18 minutes of meaningful game time. This trend continued until mid-January, when Martin suddenly found his shooting stroke. Beginning on January 14th, Martin strung together 20-minutes or more in 10 out of 12 games. Unsurprisingly, Martin started nine of those 12 games. He looked healthy, showed some defensive chops and nearly a year after arriving in Dallas, fans finally got a glimpse of what a healthy Martin could bring when given a consistent role. Ironically, Martin’s first start of the season kicked off a four-game winning streak, which proved to be the longest winning streak of the season for the Mavs.
His minutes began to wane in early-March and a March 15th win over the Cleveland Cavaliers was the last time he suited up, missing the final 14 games of the 2025-2026 season to injury.
Martin’s best game came during the aforementioned win streak. In a 144-122 win over the Utah Jazz on January 15th, Martin scored 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the floor, including 2-for-2 from. He also dished six assists, grabbed five rebounds and had three steals.
Entering the 2026-2027 season, Martin remains under contract at a salary of ten million dollars. The following year, in what will be his age-32 season, Martin holds a player option at just over nine million dollars.
There is a scenario where Martin’s contract is viewed as a bargain. A 3-and-D wing is highly coveted around the league, but the reality is that he more often than not lacks the “3” in “3-and-D” and has not been able to establish consistent footing with the Mavericks thus far. As a result, the contract is more of a burden than not, and it’s difficult to imagine Martin opting out of his player option after next season, should he remain with the team until that time.
Martin really has no logical role on the Mavericks going forward, and frankly, may not have had one from the word “go.” That’s not meant as a slight to Martin, but he just simply doesn’t fit the Cooper Flagg timeline at age 31, nor does he fit a team with Flagg, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Max Christie and Klay Thompson taking up wing minutes. Granted some of those players may not be with the team long term, but regardless, both Martin and the Mavericks would likely be best served going different ways. Martin should be helping a contender while the Mavs could apply ten millions dollars to other assets.
Martin suffers from much of what Anthony Davis suffered from. He is associated, for better or worse, with an odd time in Mavericks’ history and a former GM that is generally loathed by the fanbase. He shouldn’t be vilified for that, nor should he be vilified for being injured so often. All things considered, Martin did his job as best he could and likely played tough through injury more often than he should have. That said, he performed as well as you would expect a player to perform when getting inconsistent opportunities as a role player. I hope the Mavs can move Martin to a team he can more positively impact this offseason and that Dallas can use that salary flexibility to improve in their own way.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
A.J. Dybantsa feels like a sure thing as he enters the 2026 NBA Draft. The 6’9 wing has loads of scoring upside with a rare combination of length, explosion, and flexibility that allows him to put constant pressure on the rim as a driver, or flow into mid-range pull-ups that are difficult to contest for any defender. While Dybantsa isn’t the No. 1 prospect on our board, he still feels like the most likely player to be chosen with the first pick after the lottery determines the draft order on Sunday.
Dybantsa feels like the best shot-creator in this draft class. He’s so hard to contain off the dribble with a quick first-step, the bend to turn the corner, and the ability to stop on a dime to rise into a shot. His playmaking was better than originally advertised during his freshman season at BYU with a 22.1 assist percentage. While he’s not really a defensive playmaker, it will be hard for teams to attack Dybantsa on the ball given his big frame and long arms.
Dybantsa would be a good fit for any team in the lottery, but four spots stand out over the rest.
Dybantsa grew up in suburban Boston, but he’s spent the last two years in Utah after playing for Utah Prep as a high school senior and then starring at BYU this past season. Jazz governor Ryan Smith was reportedly footing part of his NIL bill for the Cougars, and the Jazz would like nothing more than for its rebuild to be capped off by adding Dybantsa to its young core. The basketball fit here would be really good. The Jazz already have Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey in place, and Dybantsa should end up as the best shot-creator of the bunch. Head coach Will Hardy has done an excellent job developing Markkanen as a fellow big wing, and he would likely create an environment for the BYU freshman to thrive. Why is Utah only No. 4? Well, the Jazz tanked shamelessly this year, and they don’t really deserve the lottery luck. I’d also like to see Dybantsa at a place where he doesn’t have to immediately share the ball with multiple other potential All-Stars. Utah is a good landing spot for A.J., but not the best.
The Grizzlies blew up their core by trading Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane in the last 12 months, and a Ja Morant deal is probably next. At least Memphis sold high on its best pieces, stocking one of the league’s sharpest front offices in the draft with a surplus of future first-round picks. The Grizzlies already have a strong foundation in place for their next generation with Zach Edey and Cedric Coward, and landing a shot-creator as skilled as Dybantsa would take their rebuild to the next level. I like that Dybantsa could immediately step into a starring role in Memphis, and the team would still be flushed with future assets to continue building a great team around him. Memphis owns swap rights with the Magic in 2029, Orlando’s first-round pick outright in 2030, and swap rights with Washington or Phoenix in 2030. I think Coward is a perfect wing to pair Dybantsa with right off the bat, and it would also give the Grizzlies a lot of flexibility in the backcourt as they decide on how to build the team after Morant is traded. I trust the Grizzlies’ front office more than most when it comes to the draft, and that’s when they don’t get any good luck. If they move up in the draft again, look out.
I put the Sacramento Kings at No. 1 on my list of teams that deserve lottery luck, and I didn’t even consider placing the Wizards in the top-4 after some of their tanking shenanigans this year. With that said, it’s hard to think Sacramento is a good landing spot for any player from their perspective given all the dysfunction around the franchise, plus the league needs more stars in the East. Dybantsa to Washington would immediately make the Wizards a pretty interesting team next year. Suddenly Anthony Davis could be sticking around for the next couple years, Trae Young wouldn’t have to handle the entirety of the creation burden himself, and Alex Sarr could grow into more of an opportunistic scorer while focusing most of his energy on defense. The Wizards haven’t had a true franchise player since John Wall, and they haven’t had a 50-win season since 1978-79. This fanbase has been through a lot, and it would be fun to see a potential future superstar in D.C. to add some more excitement in the East. I can’t condone the Wizards’ tanking, but Dybantsa in Washington would be good for everyone involved.
Jordi Fernandez is the best in the game when it comes to getting the most out of talented wings. The Brooklyn Nets head coach coaxed a career-year out of Cameron Johnson, then did the same thing the next year with Michael Porter Jr. after acquiring him from Denver. Fernandez feels like the ideal head coach for Dybantsa in the NBA, and going to Brooklyn would also give him a long leash to learn how to lead a franchise while they build the team around him. The Nets might have the worst roster in the NBA going into next season (it’s either them, Sacramento, or Chicago). They have tons of cap space this summer, and owe a first-round swap to Houston in the 2027 draft, so there’s no incentive to be bad even before we get to the new lottery reform changes. I also like the idea of Brooklyn adding Dybantsa because it would put more talent in the East after Cooper Flagg and Victor Wembanyama both landed in the West following 25 years of Western Conference superiority. Dybantsa in Brooklyn would be something of a slow burn, but that’s okay. It’s a perfect spot for him to grow.
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.
*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.
Highwood Highsmith was a pleasant surprise that was brought in with the big picture in mind.
| GP | MIN | PPG | RPG | APG | STL | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | OFFRTG | DEFRTG | +/- (TOTAL) |
| 7 | 13.0 | 5.4 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 52.2% | 57.1% | 85.7% | 117.8 | 116.1 | +10 |
The expectations for Highsmith should not have been high, given the circumstances. He signed with the Suns after choosing between multiple playoff contenders.
Highsmith’s midseason addition was a pleasant surprise, brought on with the big picture in mind, considering he was fresh off a meniscus-tear recovery this season. He was always going to be rusty. The injury was in August during camp, so the fact that he got back on the court this year at all was a win for him mentally. Next season, we should see more growth as he starts to trust his legs again.
The goal was to get him in the system. Learn. Adapt. Progress. It was a bit of a rollercoaster with him missing an additional 12 games after he made his debut and played in 6 of 7 games to begin his Suns career.
Highsmith only appeared in 7 regular-season games, but made the most of his time when he played. He only played 12+ minutes in four games this season, averaging 7.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.0 SPG on 50% shooting in those four contests.
There were some serious defensive flashes from Highsmith throughout his opening Suns tenure. He also displayed (occasionally) that he can score when needed, even if that isn’t in his job description.
Zooming out, it’s easy to see the real reason why Phoenix brought him in. He was a useful role player and difference-maker for the Miami Heat for several years. He provides the length and defensive chops that fit right in with Jordan Goodwin, Dillon Brooks, and others.
Highsmith said, “Defense wins championships. If you can guard a lot of different positions, your versatility can help a lot. You can switch a lot of different pick-and-rolls and [play] different schemes, stuff like that. I feel like that’s very valuable for any team around the league, having someone like me that can guard one through four, sometimes the five … I’m going to keep proving that I’m one of the best and most versatile defenders in the NBA, in my opinion.”
Finding a “cheap” role player who coaches can trust, especially when they are in the mold of a high-IQ, 3&D wing, is a win. Despite the limited gameplay this season, his addition was never about the immediate future.
In a season where he only appeared in 7 games in limited minutes, it’s difficult to find a ton of “defining moments”, but this play and game were by far his best as a Sun.
He finished with 16 points on 4 of 5 shooting from deep in 18 minutes of action. Haywood also had 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in the ballgame. This late-game steal right after he knocked down a big shot was the single best HH moment we had, and hopefully a precursor of what’s to come.
He did some brief cardio in a couple of small stints against the Thunder in the 1st Round of the Playoffs. He compiled 3 rebounds in 11 minutes and did not record a point on 0-2 shooting. He was mostly brought in as a “change of pace” attempt by Ott for defensive purposes.
I believe he can do more than he showed us this year, because he has been a strong wing in the past. He wasn’t overly impressive or anything, but that was expected with him working back from an injury.
Get him to camp healthy, and he should be a consistent ~15-20 minutes per game impact player off the bench. He fits the identity this team is looking for. It will be especially interesting to track the likes of Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, as one (or both) of their departures could set him up for an even more significant role. I’m here for more Rasheer Fleming, Jordan Goodwin, and Haywood Highsmith minutes next season.