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Winners, Losers from NBA Draft Lottery: Shameless tanking for the win. And Toni Kukoc.

It feels ironic that the Washington Wizards became the first team with the worst record to get the No. 1 pick since the NBA switched to these new lottery odds — just in time for the league to change everything next year to "fix" tanking. Again.

The way the ping-pong balls bounced this year left some big winners and some painful losers. Let's break down who won and who lost in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

Winner: Shameless tanking

The Washington Wizards traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis and barely played them to maintain their lottery odds (to be fair, AD was injured). The Utah Jazz were the face of tanking in the league, got a massive fine, traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. and mostly sat him to keep their draft position. The Memphis Grizzlies were just a couple of games out of the play-in when they traded Jackson to the Jazz and started tanking in earnest, going 5-28 the rest of the way.

All three of those teams were rewarded and have the top three picks in this draft. If you wonder why the league thinks it needs a new lottery system to fix tanking, this is the prime example.

Winner: Toni Kukoc, Chicago Bulls

Chicago jumped up to the top four because Toni Kukoc brought the swagger.

Six years ago, when Arturas Karnisovas took over as the lead executive in Chicago, the Bulls jumped up from seventh in the lottery odds to get the No. 4 pick, which they used to select Patrick Williams. That pick (and subsequent contract) was an anchor on Karnisovas' entire tenure.

This year, Bryson Graham has taken over as the lead executive in Chicago, and the Bulls jumped from ninth in the lottery odds to get the No. 4 pick. Most likely, they will use that on North Carolina's Caleb Willson, unless Memphis falls in love with him, in which case Cameron Boozer of Duke likely falls to the Bulls. Either way, Graham needs this pick to work out.

Winner: Washington Wizards

Washington was active in "pre-agency" at the trade deadline last February, getting good deals on two former All-Stars other teams were looking to dump move on from: Trae Young and Anthony Davis. This is a team that already had some promising young players like big man Alex Sarr and last year's first-round pick Tre Johnson. This was a team that was already going to be better and in the postseason mix in the East.

Now they likely add AJ Dybantsa, the 6'9" ultra-talented, ultra-athletic wing out of BYU, who seems like a perfect fit. Suddenly, the Wizards look interesting next season.

There is a report that Washington might be open to trading down, via Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Sure, if someone comes in with a Godfather offer they can't refuse, but that's unlikely at best. The Wizards are not giving up their first No. 1 pick since selecting John Wall in 2010, a pick that has the fan base excited, without some overwhelming talent returning.

Loser: Brooklyn Nets

The most talent-starved team in the league was let down by the basketball gods. While they will still get a quality player at No. 6 — likely a star guard like Darius Acuff Jr. or Keaton Wagler — but it's not the guy or the lottery luck they were hoping for.

Brooklyn is on track to struggle again next year, and with the coming new “3-2-1" lottery system, their chances of adding that elite talent just got longer.

Winner: Utah Jazz

The lottery gods finally smiled on the Jazz. Which is ironic because they became the face of tanking this season when the league fined them $500,000 for playing their stars 20 minutes a game, then benching them in the stretch and losing. It turns out that what the league wanted was just for the Jazz to make up an injury and bench them all game, so they did. The Jazz got all the bad press, and the basketball gods rewarded them.

This is another team already building something with guard Keyonte George and big man Walker Kessler, plus last year's No. 1 pick Ace Bailey. They already had Lauri Markkanen and then added Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline. Now put Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in the mix and they look like a potential playoff team starting next season.

Loser: Indiana Pacers

You know it's not good when just after the lottery the GM steps up and takes the blame.

As part of the trade to bring in Ivica Zubac in February, the Pacers traded their pick this year to the Clippers, but it was top-four protected. While the Pacers finished with the league's second-worst record, that made it basically a coin toss (52% to 48%) whether they would lose their pick. They did lose it, which essentially means they traded the No. 5 pick for Zubac. Make no mistake, Zubac with a healthy Tyrese Halliburton is a good pairing — and the Pacers will be back contending for the East crown next season with him — but that is a steep price.

Winner: LA Clippers

If the Pacers are losers, then the Clippers must be winners. They get to add another high-level player to a roster that is getting retooled in the next couple of years.

They are going to be an interesting team on draft night. At No. 5, that's where a run of strong point guards starts, except the Clippers traded for Darius Garland during the season (for James Harden). LA needs to find a guard or wing who can play off ball, not just on, which might be Keaton Wagler.

Loser: Sacramento Kings

Call it an ethical tank if you want, the Kings were just bad this season. At No. 7, they are still going to get a quality player, but maybe not the star they were hoping for to anchor their rebuild. Also, like Brooklyn, the Kings may be bad again next year but with flatter lottery odds (almost certainly a part of whatever system the owners approve) it will be even harder for Sacramento to get that elite talent.

Loser: New Orleans Pelicans

We knew this would be the case when it happened last June. That's when the Pelicans traded the rights to their pick this year to jump up 10 spots and select Derik Queen. Now we know that it is the No. 8 pick. Queen showed promise this season, but that looked like a bad trade at the time and it may be worse now.

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Surging Knicks will enter Eastern Conference Finals as prohibitive favorite after second-round sweep

PHILADELPHIA - A few notes from Game 4 of the Knicks’ sweep of the Sixers: 

AWAKENED IN ATLANTA

The seeds for the Knicks’ demolition in Philadelphia were planted about three weeks ago. 

The Knicks, in Miles McBride’s words, got "punched in the mouth" by the Hawks in Game 3 of their first-round series. 

Instead of wilting, New York considered it a wake-up call. 

Yes, the Knicks changed their offense after that loss on April 23 -- that’s been well-documented. 

But the offense isn’t the only thing that changed. 

“I feel like our mindset shifted,” McBride told SNY. “We know we’re the better team (but) we can’t just come out there and expect to win, because they’re talented too. So I feel like our mindset just shifted totally to ‘take the game’ instead of (waiting for) them to give us the game.”

McBride certainly had a "take the game" approach on Sunday. 

He made four three-pointers in an 81-second span to give the Knicks an early 14-point lead.

New York never looked back, building a 24-point lead at halftime and going up by as many as 44 in the second half. 

They beat Philadelphia by 30 to extend their playoff win streak to seven games, winning each of those by an average of 26.4 points. 

Given the circumstances, has any Knick team in the last 50 years played a better seven-game stretch?

Don’t think so. 

Now New York will enter the Eastern Conference Finals as the prohibitive favorite. 

“I think the more we’ve played together as a team, the more we’ve grown. And we’ve continued to get better,” Jalen Brunson said. “It’s a chemistry thing. It’s a feel thing. It’s how things get better. Things get better over time.”

Things are getting better at the right time for Brunson and the Knicks.

A SLOW BUILD

The Knicks underwhelmed for long stretches of the regular season. Fans and media questioned their legitimacy again and again. But that sentiment never effected the team, Brunson says. 

“It was a rollercoaster for sure,” he said. “I think outside the Knicks organization, things looked worse than what they were. From the outside looking in. But inside the building, we were working every single day to be the best team we can be. That’s all we were focusing on. 

“There were times when there were positives and negatives, ups and downs. But that’s what our goals were. And that’s still our goal. Be the best we can be. Continue to learn. Continue to get better. The journey shows you who you are.”

So far, the journey has shown that the Knicks are a resilient, talented team. 

Now, they can take a short rest and get ready for the next round of the playoffs. 

The conference final will start on either Sunday or Monday. Game 4 of Cavs-Pistons is Monday night.

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What NBA Draft prospects will Brooklyn Nets consider at #6?

Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

Not sure if you heard, but the Brooklyn Nets fell to the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If you want to hear the longest F-bomb in the history of Locked on Nets, hosted by Erik Slater, here’s Sunday’s episode, where Slater and I talked and groaned through the latest Brooklyn Nets disappointment…

Terance Mann provided a more SFW reaction on social media…

The two-year tank is over. The Houston Rockets have swap rights with the Brooklyn Nets next season, though given the ultra-flattened odds set to come into effect, there is a world where both the Nets and Rockets miss the playoffs, and Brooklyn gets a decent pick anyway. But GM Sean Marks can’t bank on that, and besides, it’s a bit too early to think about the 2027 NBA Draft Lottery; the Nets have all but sworn to improve next season after winning just 46 games over the past two seasons.

Luckily, they have Head Coach Jordi Fernández, who, despite the record, seems to be pretty good. After that, it’s bleak. Michael Porter Jr., with one more year on his contract, is up for an extension likely in the $40 million range. Nic Claxton, with two years left on his $22 million AAV deal, has likely regressed into negative-value territory, though perhaps there are some executives around the NBA who don’t watch enough of the Nets to know that yet. Day’Ron Sharpe is a pretty good backup center, especially with a $6 million team option next season. Egor Dëmin had a nice rookie season all things considered, though he has much work to do to become a valuable playoff contributor. The other rookies are much, much further away. Josh Minott seems like a real player. Ziaire Williams might be too. We’ll see about Noah Clowney.

Barring some splashy summer moves, that’s about it. So who can the Nets add with the #6 overall pick in June? Who can we get excited about? (Let’s assume that Dybantsa/Boozer/Peterson/Wilson go with the first four picks, in some order.)

Kingston Flemings

I think you’ll hear this name a lot leading up to the NBA Draft. Flemings, a 19-year-old guard who had an incredibly productive freshman season for the University of Houston, had been linked to the Nets throughout the season — perhaps there’s already some mutual interest between the two sides. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sportsmocked him to the Nets following the lottery drawing…

The quick sell is simple: Flemings defends, he drives the ball, and his 2.9 assist:turnover ratio could indicate some real playmaking ability. And for a guy whose shot was questioned, well, 38.7% from deep on six attempts per 100 ain’t bad, nor is 84.5% from the line and 44% on long twos. At 6’4”, can he play with enough force to finish inside consistently? Does his outside jumper have room to grow?

These are the questions, but given his strengths — not to mention a lauded work ethic and disposition —it’s easy to see the Nets taking a chance on him at #6.

Darius Acuff Jr.

He’s probably going to be there at #6. Maybe the Chicago Bulls take him at #4 ahead of Caleb Wilson, and it’s also possible the Los Angeles Clippers take the SEC Player of the Year at #5 despite already rostering another small guard in Darius Garland.

But it feels like this 19-year-old and the Nets are going to hear a lot about each other in the coming months. Listed 6’3”, Acuff is a polarizing prospect, not because of his height but in part because of his frame. He is quite skinny — shifty but not overly explosive — and he is the betting favorite to be the worst defender in the NBA next season. He rarely rebounded, stole, or deflected the ball in college. It’s not easy for any young guard in the league, but Acuff’s defensive effort at Arkansas was consistently under the microscope, not to mention the frame.

Now that that’s out of the way, good God can he play offense. He was at the absolute center of John Calipari’s offense, handling a ton of pick-and-roll, and shot 60% at the rim, 40% from the midrange, 44% from deep, and had 3x as many assists as turnovers. Again, he won SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Tournament’s MVP. The arguments about what it means to be a small guard in the NBA won’t be fun, but his highlights…that’s another story.

Keaton Wagler

The Illinois guard could certainly get picked by the Clips at #5, but we have another offense-first guard (get used to it) in the mix. ESPN and The Athletic each have the 19-year-old as the #5 overall prospect, as the 6’7” 19-year-old can theoretically play at either guard spot and bring valuable shooting + passing skills to the table. He and Egor Dëmin would comprise the NBA’s least explosive backcourt next season, but some of Wagler’s highlights are just nutty…

Worried that he’s not blowing by people? Fair. But the frame might help him survive; sounds a little bit like a certain Russian ballplayer I know.

Mikel Brown Jr.

Mikel Brown Jr. is already 20 years old and played just 21 games for Louisville in his lone NCAA season, dealing with a lower back injury. You want the sell? Just check out his 45-point night against NC State…

Like Acuff Jr., Brown’s not gonna provide much defensive or rebounding value; he’s going to have to be an overwhelming offensive threat … which he might be.

He rarely got to the rim this season, and didn’t finish well when he got there, and he only shot 34.4% from deep. But Brown shot a million of ‘em, largely off the dribble, shot well on midrange jumpers, and dropped some high-level dimes out of the pick-and-roll. Plus, he was a consensus top-10 player in his high school class, and we know the Brooklyn Nets love them some pre-draft-year pedigree.

Others

My gut is that those are the four names you’ll be hearing the most, but there are certainly not the only options for the Brooklyn Nets at #6. Remember, Egor Dëmin wasn’t even in the picture when Brooklyn first drew #8 last season.

  • Labaron Philon Jr.: He’ll turn 21 early next season after playing at Alabama for two seasons, but the 6’4” guard has an electric highlight tape and shot nearly 40% from three this season. He was a better playmaker his sophomore season, and though he put up very few rebounding/defensive numbers, posting a 63 TS% while carrying a huge offensive load is more than impressive.
  • Aday Mara: He’s 21, he’s slow, yes, yes, yes. But the Spanish big man is also 7’3” with commendable passing and rim protection instincts. Drafting him at #6 wouldn’t be the sexiest pick, but it’s conceivable that he ends up as one of the draft’s six best players.
  • Yaxel Lendeborg: Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents but raised in New Jersey, Lendeborg is 23 years old. He’ll be 24 when training camp opens. However, the big wing was one college basketball’s best all-around players this past season, winning a title with Aday Mara at Michigan while making threes, making twos, rebounding, passing, blocking shots, and rarely turning it over. Is Lendeborg going to be the ideal role-playing wing?
  • Dailyn Swain
  • NateAment
  • Brayden Burries

If we’re making a really long list, I could’ve thrown a couple more names in there. There is little consensus after the first four picks. The Brooklyn Nets have the opportunity to select the best prospect they’ve had since moving to Brooklyn, but it will not be easy.

Let’s get this out of the way now: They are not trading up. It’s not happening.

What the heck would Brooklyn have to offer the teams at the very top of the draft?

Trading down is infinitely more feasible, though perhaps not likely. But it may be the right move for the Nets if they particularly like one of the older prospects like Swain/Lendeborg/Joshua Jefferson or a less heralded guard like Tyler Tanner or Bennett Stirtz. The guards projected to go in the 5-9 range are quite talented, but all have very real question marks. The older prospects, if nothing else, could be more ready to help Brooklyn take a step forward next year, perhaps quelling some of the fanbase’s frustrations. (And saving some jobs?)

The NBA Draft Lottery Gods did not smile upon the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon, but once again regarded them with wrath. That doesn’t mean the Nets can’t draft a great player, though. Here’s to hoping.

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Canadiens beat Sabres to take a 2-1 lead in the second-round Eastern Conference series

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored his second goal of the playoffs and added an assist as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-2 in a dominant Game 3 on Sunday night to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Alex Newhook had two goals, including an empty-netter, and Zachary Bolduc, Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach also scored for Montreal.

Lane Hutson and Jake Evans each had two assists, and Jakub Dobes made 26 saves as the Canadiens won consecutive games for the first time in this season’s playoffs.

Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for Buffalo, which dropped its first road game of the postseason. Alex Lyon stopped 31 shots in his second straight loss.

The teams split the first two games in Buffalo. The Sabres handed the Canadiens a 4-2 loss in Game 1 before Montreal responded with a 5-1 victory in Game 2.

Game 4 is Tuesday night in Montreal.

DUCKS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alex Killorn and rookie Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist apiece, and Anaheim beat Vegas in Game 4 to even their second-round series at two games apiece.

Ian Moore got his first career playoff goal, Cutter Gauthier contributed three assists and Mikael Granlund also scored for the upstart Ducks, who responded to their 6-2 blowout loss in Game 3 with a mature two-way performance in their first playoff run since 2018.

Lukas Dostal made 18 saves in a strong bounce-back effort after getting pulled from Game 3 for allowing three goals in his latest shaky first period, and his teammates provided more than enough offense to even the series.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas, with Game 6 back in Anaheim on Thursday night.

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights, whose three-game road winning streak ended.

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Killorn, Sennecke get big goals in Ducks’ series-evening, 4-3 win over Golden Knights in Game 4

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks

May 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) skates with the puck against Vegas Golden Knights center Colton Sissons (10) during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images

Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Alex Killorn and rookie Beckett Sennecke had a goal and an assist apiece, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 4 on Sunday night to even their second-round series at two games apiece.

Ian Moore got his first career playoff goal, Cutter Gauthier contributed three assists and Mikael Granlund also scored for the upstart Ducks, who responded to their 6-2 blowout loss in Game 3 with a mature two-way performance in their first playoff run since 2018.

Lukas Dostal made 18 saves in a strong bounce-back effort after getting pulled from Game 3 for allowing three goals in his latest shaky first period, and his teammates provided more than enough offense to even the series.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas, with Game 6 back in Anaheim on Thursday night.

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights, whose three-game road winning streak ended.

Carter Hart stopped 19 shots despite some shaky moments, while Mitch Marner had three assists in Game 4 following his hat trick in Game 3, giving him an NHL-leading and career-best 16 points in the postseason.

Anaheim scored two power-play goals in Game 4, ending the unit’s 0-for-11 skid and finally denting a Vegas penalty kill that allowed just one power-play goal in its first nine postseason games.

After Killorn scored a tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period, Moore added one early in the third with his first playoff point.

Tomas Hertl scored for Vegas with 1:04 left while Hart was pulled for an extra attacker, but Anaheim held on.

Sennecke, the Ducks’ 20-year-old Calder Trophy finalist, opened the scoring with just the second power-play goal allowed by the Golden Knights in the entire postseason, ending a streak of 21 straight kills and the Ducks’ 0-for-11 start to the series on the power play.

Sennecke scored a goal in his third consecutive game, joining Sidney Crosby (2007) as the only players under 21 with a three-game postseason goal streak in the 21st century.

Howden scored his seventh goal of the postseason early in the second period off a slick setup from former Ducks draft pick William Karlsson.

But Killorn put the Ducks back ahead when his shot trickled through Hart late in the second period for his fourth goal of the postseason.

Vegas played without captain Mark Stone, who incurred an undisclosed injury in Game 3.

Anaheim shook up its lineup, inserting puck-moving defenseman Olen Zellweger for his playoff debut and his first game action since April 7. Moore and forward Mason McTavish also returned after healthy scratches.

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Yankees’ Spencer Jones caps off tough opening weekend with first big-league knock

Spencer Jones was thrown right into the fire in his Yankees debut. 

The 24-year-old slugger had to face a tough Milwaukee staff headlined by ace right-hander Jacob Misiorowski over his first three games at the big-league level. 

Jones looked a bit overmatched, striking out four times in his six at-bats Friday and Saturday, but he finally delivered the elusive first knock and RBI early on Sunday. 

After Jose Caballero opened the top of the second with a double, he ripped the first pitch he saw from Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson right back up the middle for a single.

The liner left the bat at a whopping 106.4 mph. 

Jones celebrated at first base then pointed towards his teammates and fired-up family, sitting in the front row behind the Yankees’ dugout. 

“It was super exciting,” Jones said. “I’m glad that my family was here to share that with me, my teammates were rooting me on, I got a lot of congratulations, and I was excited to be able to get a run across for the guys -- just a special moment.”

He finished the day hitless across his other three at-bats. 

Despite reached base just two times in his first weekend up with the club, Aaron Boone actually liked what he saw from the free-swinger at the plate. 

“He had a lot of good at-bats,” the skipper said. “Was able to get the first one today which everyone was excited about, got some decent swings off, was recognizing the zone well, wasn’t chasing, but also ran into some tough matchups.”

Despite those tough matchups, the youngster feels he’s adjusting well. 

“Trial by fire is the best way to do it,” Jones said. “Getting exposed to a lot of really good arms is the best way to get your feet wet -- as the days have gone I’ve settled in more, I’m starting to feel comfortable and do what I do, and moving forward I’ll be in a good spot.”

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Ducks find their power-play scoring touch and defeat Vegas to even playoff series

Anaheim, CA - May 10: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson, #4, center, and goalie Carter Hart, #79, watch as Anaheim Ducks left wing Alex Killorn, #17, right, scores a goal in the second period during their 4-3 win in Game 4 of their Stanley Cup Western Conference semifinal playoff series at the Honda Center in Anaheim Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ducks forward Alex Killorn, right, scores past Vegas goalie Carter Hart during the second period of the Ducks' 4-3 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals Sunday night at Honda Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Ducks’ second-round playoff showdown with the Vegas Golden Knights has become a best-of-three series.

With a 4-3 victory Sunday before a raucous sold-out crowd at the Honda Center, the Ducks evened the series 2-2 as it heads back to Las Vegas for Game 5 on Tuesday. But it wasn’t easy, with the Golden Knights twice rallying from one-goal deficits, only to see the Ducks answer each time.

And the Ducks’ power play, so lethal in the team’s first-round win over Edmonton and so ineffective in the first three games of this series, finally found a spark, scoring goals in each of the first two periods.

The Ducks' goals came from Beckett Sennecke, Mikael Granlund, Alex Killorn and Ian Moore. Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl scored for Vegas.

Read more:'That's in the garbage can.' Ducks can't stop Mitch Marner, Golden Knights in Game 3 loss

The Ducks were fast and physical in the early going, playing with an urgency they lacked in their Game 3 loss. They also did a better job protecting the puck and that paid off with the team’s first power-play goal of the series 8:43 into the first period.

Vegas had killed 11 penalties against the Ducks and 21 in a row dating back to Game 3 in their first-round series against Utah. But after Dylan Coghlan went off for interference, Sennecke teed up a slap shot from the top of the right circle for his fourth goal of the playoffs, putting the Ducks up 1-0.

The lead didn’t last long, however, with Dorofeyev evening things with a power-play goal of his own about a minute and half later. The goal, on a tip-in, was Dorofeyev’s fifth of the postseason.

Ducks defenseman Ian Moore celebrates with teammates after scoring in the third period.
Ducks defenseman Ian Moore celebrates with teammates after scoring in the third period of a 4-3 win over the Golden Knights in Game 4 on Sunday at Honda Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Granlund put the Ducks back on top less than five minutes before the first intermission, taking a pass from Jeffrey Viel along the left-side boards and getting off a shot as he battled Vegas forward Cole Smith. The puck appeared to strike the blade of Smith’s stick as Viel let it go and that proved fortunate for the Ducks since the deflection fooled defenseman Noah Hanifin and goalie Carter Hart, who both let the bouncing puck tumble through them and into the goal.

That lead didn’t last long, either, with Howden tying things again for Vegas 4:04 into the second period. The goal, on the Golden Knights’ ninth shot, was Howden’s seventh of the playoffs, giving him a share of the NHL lead. Mitch Marner assisted on the first two Vegas goals, giving him a league-best 15 points in 10 postseason games.

However, Killorn scored the Ducks’ second power-play less than two minutes before the second intermission, putting the Ducks in front to stay. Moore doubled the lead 3:43 into the third, lining in a slap shot from well above the right circle.

The two-goal lead matched the largest of the series for the Ducks. Hertl cut that in half with 64 seconds to play after Vegas pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. But the Golden Knights got no closer.

Read more:'We kept the momentum.' Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson power Ducks to Game 2 win over Vegas

Both teams have split their two games at home. The Golden Knights will have the home-ice advantage — if there is one — over the last three games since two are scheduled in Las Vegas.

Sunday’s win marked the sixth consecutive time the Ducks evened a playoff series it trailed 2-1 after three games.

Vegas played without winger Mark Stone, whose 28 goals were second-most on the team during the regular season. Stone, who had a goal and an assist in the first three games against the Ducks, is the team’s all-time playoff scoring leader with 79 points (39 goals, 40 assists) in 94 games. He sustained an undisclosed injury in the first period of Game 3 and his status for the rest of the series is unclear.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Spencer Jones’ first career hit was ‘pretty special’ Yankees Mother’s Day moment

New York Yankees right fielder Spencer Jones (78) hits a single.
Spencer Jones singles during the Yankees' May 10 loss to the Brewers.

MILWAUKEE — Spencer Jones’ first series as a big leaguer is in the books, but not before collecting his first career hit.

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The Yankees top prospect got that out of the way Sunday, in the third game of his major league career, smoking an RBI single to center field off Brewers righty Logan Henderson in the second inning of a 4-3 loss at American Family Field.

Henderson threw a first-pitch slider and Jones pounced on it, drilling it 106.4 mph off the bat to score José Caballero from second for the 2-0 lead.

The milestone hit came on Mother’s Day, with Jones’ mom and family sitting next to the Yankees dugout, as they did all weekend, including his MLB debut Friday night.

“It was super exciting,” said Jones, who had the ball in a case sitting in his locker after the game. “I’m glad my family was here to share that with me. Teammates rooting me on, a lot of congratulations. I was excited to get a run across too for the guys. It was a pretty special moment.”

Spencer Jones singles during the Yankees’ May 10 loss to the Brewers. Imagn Images

Jones’ new teammates were equally excited.

“Ecstatic,” said Aaron Judge, who was impressed by how “composed” Jones was throughout the series. “Everybody was kind of waiting for it. Just happy his family could be here for him.”

Jones finished the game 1-for-4 with a strikeout and the series 1-for-9 with five strikeouts and a walk, getting a stiff test from a challenging Brewers pitching staff that shut down most of the Yankees all weekend.

“As the days have gone, I’ve settled in more and starting to feel more comfortable, doing what I can do,” Jones said. “I think moving forward, going to be in a good spot.”

The 24-year-old (who turns 25 on Thursday) started in right field Sunday, with Judge getting a DH day, after starting in center Saturday and DH on Friday.

Spencer Jones singles for his first MLB hit during the Yankees’ May 10 game. USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

“I thought he had some good at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought got some decent swings off, was recognizing the zone. I don’t think he was chasing a lot, but also ran into some tough matchups there for him, too.”

Cam Schlittler was still “pretty sore” Sunday morning, Boone said, the day after taking a 108.5 mph comebacker off his left calf in the first inning of his six-inning gem.

The right-hander, who had a sizable welt and the imprint of the ball on his calf Saturday night, was expected to be getting treatment on it in the coming days ahead of his next scheduled start Friday against the Mets.

“I hope not, but I don’t know,” Boone said when asked if it could be an issue for his next start. “I’m sure he’ll be working overtime with the trainers and just trying to get that flushed out this week.”

Gerrit Cole made his fifth rehab start Sunday with Double-A Somerset, building up to 77 pitches across five innings while striking out eight, walking one and giving up two earned runs.

He is expected to need at least one or two more rehab starts before he could rejoin the Yankees.

To make room for Carlos Rodón on the active roster, the Yankees optioned reliever Kervin Castro back to Triple-A.

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Lakers vs. Thunder Game 4 Preview: Is this it for L.A.?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 09, 2026 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. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Now on the brink of elimination, the Los Angeles Lakers look to avoid being swept in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, May 7

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Prime Video

Unless the Lakers have a miracle in them to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, this series feels pretty much over. No matter what adjustment the Lakers come up with, what’s been established is that they’re simply not better than the Thunder.

And that’s why Los Angeles is on the verge of being swept — unless they have something to say about it.

In order to keep their season alive on Monday, the Lakers have to do something they haven’t done in this series: outplay the Thunder. This means LeBron James and Austin Reaves have to give more than what they already have in the last three games and hope most of their supporting cast play extraordinarily well.

This is what James and Reaves pretty much implied after Game 3. But the question is, will they follow through?

Over the years in the playoffs, there have been times when the Lakers let go of the rope — remember the Nuggets series in 2023 — simply because they couldn’t compete anymore. They can do that on Monday, too, but it’ll be up to them.

This season has obviously not been perfect for the Lakers, but if there are two things they have consistently done, it’s compete to the best of their abilities and rise to the occasion. That’s why it’ll honestly be a surprise if this team doesn’t go down swinging. They owe it to themselves at least to keep fighting until the final buzzer.

Whether fighting means controlling the paint, stepping up their defense, especially against the Thunder’s role players — looking at Ajay Mitchell — or simply coming out stronger in the third quarter, this is the game where the Lakers throw everything they have at OKC and let desperation take over.

Let’s see if that works for the purple and gold and if they can live to fight another day on Monday.

Notes and Updates

  • For the Lakers’ injury report, only Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) is out.
  • As for the Thunder, Jalen Williams (left hamstring strain) and Thomas Sorber (ACL surgery recovery) will not suit up.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

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Spurs coach Mitch Johnson sounds off on Wolves' physicality with Wemby

San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson had to field questions about his superstar center after his first career ejection in Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 10.

Victor Wembanyama was ejected in the second quarter after pulling in a rebound and delivering an intentional elbow to the throat of Naz Reid after being swarmed by him and Jaden McDaniels.

Johnson, after the game didn't condone the act, but was in defense of the Spurs' MVP candidate and 2026 Defensive Player of the Year.

“In general, I do think it’s getting to a point that the people that are in charge of controlling the game and protecting the physicality of the game don’t do that, then at some point he’s going to have to protect himself,” Johnson told reporters after the game. “We’ve been asking him to do that for a while. Naz Reid was okay and that call was warranted, but in terms of the game plan of every single team we face since that young man has been in the league and the physicality that people try to impose on him and the lack of protection is really disappointing."

Minnesota and San Antonio had been a physical series leading up to the Wemby's bow. On the particular play, as Wembanyama came down with the rebound, he was smacked in the head by McDaniels, who then held Wembanyama's arm afterward.

As he swung away from McDaniels, his elbow made contact with Reid, catching him in the throat.

The game's officials reviewed it and determined that the contact was an unnecessary, non-basketball play with wind up, contact and follow through, resulting in the Spurs center's first-career ejection – regular season or postseason.

“At some level, it’s starting to get actually disgusting, just in terms of when he tries to fight through things and be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff," Johnson said. "I’m glad he took matters into his own hands — not at all in terms of hitting Naz Reid, I want to be very clear about that, I’m glad Naz Reid was okay. I didn’t want him to elbow him. But he’s going to have to protect himself if they’re not. And I think it’s disgusting.”

The Spurs went on to lose the game without Wemby, 114-109.

Social media reactions to Spurs-Wolves physicality

Social media also has noticed the physicality with Wembanyama in the Wolves-Spurs series so far. Here's how X users, some clearly Spurs fans, have reacted to how the series has been played. It's social media, please be advised of explicit language.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson responds to Victor Wembanyama ejection

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Victor Wembanyama had to ask Spurs teammate what a Flagrant 2 foul means before ejection

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama committing a flagrant foul against Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, Image 2 shows Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs in a white jersey looks at Harrison Barnes, who is partially visible
Victor Wembanyama had to ask if he was ejected from the Spurs' game Sunday.

Victor Wembanyama had never been in this spot before.

After a Flagrant 2 foul was announced following a review when Wembanyama delivered an elbow to Naz Reid’s neck midway through the second quarter of Game 4, he needed to ask Spurs teammate Harrison Barnes, “What does that mean?”

And when Barnes answered Wembanyama’s question — a moment that was captured by the NBC broadcast — on Sunday, Wembanyama nodded, high-fived some teammates and walked away from the bench after getting ejected for the first time in his career.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The foul occurred when Reid, Wembanyama and another Timberwolves player were fighting for control of a rebound, and when Wembanyama collected possession, he wound up his elbow and directed it toward Reid at Target Center.

Reid fell toward the ground, and Wembanyama’s night ended with just four points across 12 minutes and 2-for-5 shooting from the field.

“I by no means thought it was intentional,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters postgame. “Tough break. … In general, I think it’s getting to a point where if the people that are in charge of controlling the game and protecting the physicality of the game don’t do that, then at some point he’s gonna have to protect himself. We’ve been asking him to do that now for a while.”

And with the Spurs forced to spend the final 38-plus minutes without their superstar, it altered Game 4, with the Timberwolves winning, 114-109, behind 36 points from Anthony Edwards to even the series at two games apiece.

Victor Wembanyama asks Harrison Barnes if he’s
ejected during the Spurs’ May 10 game. Screengrab via X/@NBAonNBC

Johnson, though, was left furious at the physicality Wembanyama has been forced to deal with — and how he has to “protect himself” on the court if the officials won’t.

“I just think that the amount of physicality that people play with with him, at some level you have to protect yourself,” Johnson told reporters. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him.

The series now shifts back to San Antonio, with Game 5 set for Wednesday, and it’s unclear if Wembanyama will face any additional discipline following the incident.

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Orioles pitcher delivers ‘most creative’ gender reveal during broadcast in sweet Mother’s Day moment

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Baltimore Orioles pitcher Anthony Nunez (66) throws a pitch, Image 2 shows A man in a Baltimore Orioles baseball uniform with a pink ribbon pin

It was the best Mother’s Day gift that Orioles pitcher Anthony Nunez could have given his sister-in-law on Sunday. 

Nunez appeared to randomly mouth the words “it’s a boy” when he came off the mound after the top of the eighth inning.

However, it wasn’t random at all, and as MASN broadcaster Kevin Brown explained during the broadcast, there was a reason why he did it. 

“Anthony is mouthing ‘it’s a boy’ for some family members,” Brown explained on air. “His brother and sister-in-law, Danny and Makayla Delgado, are expecting child No. 3. And that, folks, is one of the most creative gender reveals you’ll ever see. Anthony had the answer. Danny and Makayla did not know, and I hope that you two are watching.”

The special moment came during Sunday’s Mother’s Day win for the Orioles, who defeated the Athletics 2-1 at Camden Yards to avoid getting swept by the A’s in their three-game set in Baltimore. 

Danny and Makayla Delgado are expecting their third child, and the couple only revealed the fact that they were about to welcome another member to the family on Sunday, Nunez told reporters after the game. 

“They were all together for Mother’s Day. My brother wanted to surprise everybody,” Nunez said, according to the Baltimore Sun. “He just announced to them today that they were having their third kid, and he wanted to do the gender reveal.” 

Nunez was able to get out of the top of the eighth unscathed and with the Orioles’ one-run lead intact after walking two batters during the inning. 

Anthony Nunez throws a pitch during the Orioles’ May 10 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He managed to get a flyout to right field to end the inning, and after he revealed the gender of his brother’s next kid. 

“To be able to get three outs without giving up a run for her is awesome. Happy Mother’s Day for that, too,” Nunez said.

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Jalen Brunson celebrates Knicks’ win with daughter, wife in heartwarming playoff moment

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson kisses his daughter at the end of the fourth quarter, Image 2 shows New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson kisses his wife Ali Marks Brunson after their team defeated the Philadelphia 76ers

Winning is a family affair for Jalen Brunson, and he made sure to celebrate the Knicks’ 144-114 series-clinching victory over the 76ers as such. 

The Knicks star was captured sweetly celebrating the win with his family after he put up 22 points in 28 minutes in Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday, while shooting 8-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-10 from 3-point range. 

In one photograph, Brunson is seen picking up his daughter, Jordyn, and kissing her on the cheek. 

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) kisses his daughter at the end of the
fourth quarter after defeat Philadelphia144-114 in Game 4 Jason Szenes for the New York Post

In another image, he is seen holding his daughter, who will be 2 years old in July, and sharing a kiss with his wife Ali. 

In a separate heartwarming moment, the Knicks star is seen walking off the court while holding his daughter’s hand as she walks beside him. 

During Brunson’s postgame press conference, he was briefly interrupted by an adorable voice in the back of the room shouting, “Hi dada.” 

Jordyn could be heard shouting “dada” a second time, which caused Brunson to chuckle and lose his train of thought for a moment. 

Sunday’s win marked the second consecutive postseason run in which the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals, though the team did it in emphatic fashion against the Sixers. 

All but one game was close during the series and Brunson continued to show how he has helped turn the Knicks into a winning franchise. 

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) kisses his wife Ali Brunson at the end of the
May 10 game.
Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 and his daughter as they walk off the court
after Game 4. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Brunson has averaged 28.0 points on 48.6 percent shooting from the floor and 37.5 percent shooting from 3-point range. 

Asked to reflect on his role in reviving the Knicks fortunes, Brunson wanted to save that question for later. 

“I think that’s a question I would love to answer once I retire. This place means a lot to me and we’re still writing our story. So I’ll answer that at another time,” he responded. 

The Knicks have some downtime while they wait to find out if they’ll be playing the Pistons or the Cavaliers in the conference finals. 

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It’s unfair, but Victor Wembanyama has to be bigger person

This would’ve been a very different game had Victor Wembanyama been on the floor for most of it.

The San Antonio Spurs wasted a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead on Sunday, May 10 over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals when Wembanyama’s second quarter ejection sabotaged their efforts.

Wembanyama, 22, is a bright, young player, one who has been transparent about his relative inexperience in playoff basketball. Treat this as another lesson, rather unfairly, that he’ll have to learn.

Because not only did Wembanyama miss two and a half quarters of an eventual five-point loss, he might face further discipline from the NBA league office, including a possible suspension.

With Game 5 set for Tuesday, May 12, the NBA is expected to review the incident and make any determination on discipline by Monday evening. And if Wembanyama does indeed face a suspension in Game 5, the series might very well slip away from the Spurs.

No team is better than the Timberwolves at annoying opposing players, getting under their skin to force them to respond in ways that are uncharacteristic. Jaden McDaniels, an all-world defender and sometimes-troll, is the perfect example.

McDaniels, one series after he called out the entire Denver Nuggets by name for being “all bad defenders,” joined teammate Naz Reid in the second quarter on Sunday night, pestering Wembanyama to the point of frustration that prompted the Spurs phenom to throw a reckless elbow at Reid’s throat.

It was a dangerous play, and Reid and Wembanyama are both fortunate that the elbow appeared to catch Reid’s collarbone before striking his throat.

And, to be completely fair to Wembanyama, McDaniels and Reid were aggressively harassing Wembanyama, and he should have the right to protect himself. This, unfortunately for Wembanyama, is nothing new.

“At some level, it’s starting to get actually disgusting, just in terms of when he tries to fight through things and be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson told reporters after the game. “I’m glad he took matters into his own hands — not at all in terms of hitting Naz Reid, I want to be very clear about that. I’m glad Naz Reid was okay, I didn’t want him to elbow him. But he’s going to have to protect himself if (the officials) are not.”

Victor Wembanyama commits a Flagrant 2 foul on Naz Reid during Game 4 at Target Center.

Johnson is absolutely justified, but Wembanyama will nonetheless have to learn that he and the Spurs stand to lose more in cases like these. He’s one of the top three best players in the world, and teams are going to hunt and target him — whether that’s in an attempt to put him in foul trouble, or, like Sunday night, to get in his head. This is only magnified in the playoffs, when a suspension can swing an entire series.

Wembanyama is too good. No player impacts the game on both ends the way he does. His defensive presence alters the way opposing teams attack San Antonio, and his shooting range and offensive portfolio are singular for someone with his frame.

After playing just 12:29 on Sunday night, Wembanyama left with 4 points on 2-of-5 shooting, adding 4 rebounds and 1 assist. And the Timberwolves, both in the minutes following the ejection and in the fourth quarter, spammed attacks in the paint, knowing Wembanyama would not be there to protect the rim. Simply put: Wembanyama’s ejection made the prospect of a Spurs victory far more challenging.

“Everybody know the rim’s going to be a lot more open when he’s not on the floor,” Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards told reporters after the game. “Yeah, he’s 8 feet tall, so he’s gonna cover up the rim anytime he on the floor.”

When reviewing possible suspensions, the league looks at several factors, including a player’s history. Since this was Wembanyama’s first Flagrant 2 and first ejection, the NBA might opt to let the time missed in Game 4 stand. The league can also fine Wembanyama.

Johnson, who obviously has an agenda to push in this case, said it “would be ridiculous” if Wembanyama was suspended.

Either way, the Spurs should prepare for the possibility. And beyond that, they should continue to expect teams to provoke Wembanyama like this, simply because San Antonio is easier to beat when he’s not on the floor.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama can expect further provocation in NBA playoffs

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2026 NBA mock draft roundup: Lakers searching for a center

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators reacts to winning the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentagainst the Prairie View A&M Panthers held at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Sunday’s NBA draft lottery provided a bit of a surprise and some unfortunate good luck for the Clippers, who saw the Thunder not jump into the top four while also having the Pacers slip, resulting in the other LA team picking fifth.

The Wizards secured the top pick, a familiar place for an Anthony Davis team to be, while the Jazz, Grizzlies and Bulls round out the top of the draft.

The Lakers knew their spot in the draft some time ago following a coin flip with the Knicks that saw them land at the 25th pick. With the season on the brink of ending and the draft now approaching, let’s take a look at some of the prospects fans can start searching for on YouTube.

SB Nation — Joshua Jefferson, forward, Iowa State

In a bit of a spoiler for the rest of these picks, this is the only non-center mocked to the Lakers. However, wings are always a valuable commodity and the Lakers certainly could use more of them.

Here’s what Ricky O’Donnell had to say about this pick:

Jefferson is a big, strong forward who brings two-way ability and rare passing vision for someone his size. He made a nice leap as a shooter this year to get up to 34.5 percent from three (a career-best), but he’ll need to continue to grow in that area. He will add some toughness and rebounding to any frontcourt, and his ball handling and playmaking would let JJ Redick’s coaching staff get creative with his usage.

Friend of Silver Screen & Roll and draft expert Mike Garcia also shared some insights on Jefferson in his recent Substack post.

Simply put, he has an NBA body and reads the floor. He has a sense of confidence with the basketball and just plays poised all the time. It helps he knows exactly where to be and what to anticipate on both ends of the floor. This kind of reading ability, a lot of NBA players don’t reach.

What makes him appealing? He’s just mobile enough to be switchable, but reads the game so well, he’ll likely be neutral defensively as a big wing and possible back up 5 as a rookie, which is an absolutely big deal.

ESPN — Henri Veesaar, center, North Carolina

The general consensus is that the Lakers need an athletic, lob-catching center. However, there also might not be that type of player available. Instead, there’s a different option in Henri Veesaar from North Carolina.

Here’s Jeremy Woo’s insight:

Veesaar comes off a productive season at North Carolina and will offer sheer size and viable shooting (42.6% from 3) in a draft that has become light on true centers. He has above-average athleticism and offensive skill for his size, plus he should also be able to hold up defensively in drop coverage. The functionality he offers on offense and defense should allow him to plug into a rotation next season.

The Athletic — Henri Veesaar, center, North Carolina

Woo wasn’t alone in projecting Veesaar to LA as Sam Vecenie of The Athletic followed suit as well.

Veesaar is projecting like he prefers to stay in the 2026 draft, and he’d be a pretty excellent fit as a floor-spacing complement for the Lakers with all of their perimeter talent. Yes, Luka Dončić tends to like more of a rim-running big than a floor-spacer, but the Lakers simply need talent at the center position. At 7-foot, Veesaar moves very well for his size and also has a high-end skill set that involves both passing (as he averaged 2.1 assists per game) and shooting from distance, as he hit 42.6 percent of his three 3-point attempts per game.

CBS Sports — Rueben Chinyelu, center, Florida

Veesaar isn’t the only center expected to be available in the range of the Lakers’ pick. Reuben Chinyelu isn’t quite a lob-catching big, but he’s still a center that could prove valuable to the purple and gold.

Here’s Adam Finkelstein’s thoughts on the potential selection:

Chinyelu is another one who may very well be headed back to Florida next year, but is ready to impact an NBA game defensively right now. At 6-foot-10 with a nearly 7-foot-8 wingspan, he’s freakishly long, powerful, and yet totally switchable with great recoverability. The offense has improved, but is still limited. The Gators are waiting, but it’s not hard to see how Chinyelu could be exactly what the Lakers need.

Our good friend Mike Garcia also wrote about Chinyelu in his Substack post:

Steven Adams’s strength is otherworldly, but if there was a more mortal version of that kind of archetype, it’s Rueben Chinyelu. Rueben isn’t that kind of giant, but he has one advantage defensively that Steven Adams doesn’t have; the ability to mirror smaller point guards defensively along the perimeter, while still being a dominant rebounder. This also makes him great at hedging or trapping in screen situations and recovering to the roll man.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.