CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 17: Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat and Brandon Miller #24 of the Charlotte Hornets look on during the game on March 17, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons know that they will host Game 1 of the NBA playoffs on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. What they do not know is who their opponent will be. That gives Pistons fans an added incentive to pay close attention to the play-in games, with seeds 7-10 vying for the final two playoff spots in each conference. In the East, the Miami Heat (10th seed) will visit the Charlotte Hornets (9) on Tuesday night with the loser being eliminated from the playoffs. Then, on Wednesday, the Orlando Magic (8) visit the Philadelphia 76ers. The loser earns the seventh seed and the right to play the Boston Celtics in the first round. Finally, on Friday, the winner of the Heat-Hornets game will play the loser of the Magic-Sixers game for the eighth seed and a visit to Detroit.
In the Western Conference, the matchups will be Portland Trail Blazers (8) vs. the Phoenix Suns (7) on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET, and the Golden State Warriors (10) vs. the Los Angeles Clippers (9) on Wednesday. On Friday, the winners of Blazers-Suns will play the winner of the Warriors-Clippers.
Who are you rooting for to earn that eighth seed in the Eastern Conference? The misbegotten Magic, who are suddenly healthy but no less confusing and disappointing? The upstart Charlotte Hornets, who feel dangerous everywhere, but are just as inexperienced? The Miami Heat, who have struggled plenty this season, but always seem to give the Pistons fits? Or the sadly injured but still talented Sixers?
Does it even matter?
Anything you’re rooting for or paying particular attention to out West?
The Utah Mammoth let a critical opportunity slip away Sunday night, dropping a 4–1 decision to the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome in a game that exposed a lack of urgency at the worst possible time.
With the loss, Utah remains just three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the top Western Conference wild card spot—but the margin feels thinner with Los Angeles holding a game in hand and momentum beginning to shift.
Calgary Sets The Tone Early
From the outset, the Flames dictated the pace with a sharper, more determined approach. Utah struggled to match the intensity, particularly in the opening period, where puck battles and positioning tilted heavily in Calgary’s favor.
The breakthrough came midway through the first when Matt Coronato capitalized on a costly misplay behind the net, converting a wraparound after a failed clearing attempt. Moments later, Connor Zary doubled the lead during a chaotic net-front sequence, with the puck deflecting in off his skate to give Calgary immediate control.
Utah never fully recovered from the early surge.
Flames Pull Away As Utah Falters
Calgary extended its lead in the third period through veteran Mikael Backlund, who cleaned up a loose puck at the top of the crease after a collision left Utah’s goaltender out of position. A challenge for interference failed to overturn the goal, further stalling any hope of a comeback.
Brayden Pachal delivered the decisive blow soon after, wiring a one-timer through traffic for his first career three-point performance. Rookie Aydar Suniev recorded his first NHL point with the primary assist, adding another bright note for a Flames team snapping a three-game skid.
Dustin Wolf was steady throughout, turning aside 28 shots and controlling rebounds effectively, while Vitek Vanecek stopped 19 at the other end but received little support during Calgary’s decisive stretches.
Late Response Not Enough
Lawson Crouse finally broke through late in the third period, finishing a clean look from the right circle off a setup by Clayton Keller. The assist extended Keller’s point streak to eight games, one of the few positives for Utah on an otherwise frustrating night.
Still, the goal served more as consolation than catalyst, as the Mammoth failed to generate sustained pressure when it mattered most.
Injury Concerns Add To Pressure
Utah’s lineup was also impacted by the absence of starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Vanecek drew the start, with Matt Villalta recalled from AHL Tucson earlier in the day to serve as backup.
Elsewhere, the loss marked the end of productive runs for Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev, both of whom saw their seven-game point streaks come to a halt.
With matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues looming, the Mammoth now face a defining stretch. The standings still offer a cushion—but after a performance like this, it’s clear that cushion is anything but comfortable.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for April 13, 2026 against the A’s: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Luis Severino for the A’s.
Texas begins a series against the Athletics of California, with whom they are tied for first place in the American League West. Wyatt Langford, who left Friday’s game due to a quad issue, is still out.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Carter — CF
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
Pederson — DH
Higashioka — C
Smith — 2B
Jung — 3B
Duran — LF
8:40 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -130 favorites.
For six weeks, Lakers coach JJ Redick emphasized that the focus was on his team, not their variety of opponents, as they looked to build the right mentality for the playoffs.
The Lakers (53-29) have fully turned their attention and focus to the Rockets (52-30), whom they’ll match up against in the first round of the playoffs after finishing fourth and fifth in the Western Conference standings, respectively.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball while defended by Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets during the game on March 16, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
Game 1 is on Saturday (5:30 p.m.) at Crypto.com Arena.
The Rockets finished the regular season sixth in net rating (plus-5.4), while the Lakers finished 14th (plus-1.5).
They’re one of six teams that finished the regular season top-10 in both offensive rating (eighth) and defensive rating (sixth), which is typically a good marker for whether a team is a contender.
“Houston’s obviously a really, really good basketball team,” Redick said. “We’re going to prepare, and we’re going to fight and we’re going to go try to win a series.”
Redick added: “We’re going to do everything we can to get our guys in a great frame of mind and great physical shape over the next four or five days and be ready to play.”
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Suns on April 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
An obvious storyline going into the playoff series will be LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant — a matchup between two of the greatest players of their generation.
It’ll mark the fourth time the legendary players meet up in the playoffs, and the first time in a non-NBA Finals series, after James’ Heat beat Durant’s Thunder in the 2012 Finals before Durant’s Warriors beat James’ Cavaliers in the ‘17 and ‘18 Finals.
For the Lakers, the top-of-the-line strategies for their series against the Rockets start with Durant, who’s in line to make his 12th All-NBA team, and Alperen Sengun, who averaged 20.4 points and 6.2 assists in his second All-Star season.
“Those are the two heads of the snake,” Marcus Smart said. “Making sure we keep those guys under control. Can’t let those other players get off as well. But the focus is those two guys and just going out there and making it as tough as possible for them.”
The Rockets’ physicality will also be a focus after they led the league in offensive rebounding percentage.
“For me, we know it and these guys know my motto: ‘The toughest team sets the rule’,” Smart said. “And the playoffs are a little bit different. Things are a lot tougher. They let you play a lot more and I think that works to my advantage and our advantage.”
Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets shoots a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Toyota Center on April 09, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images
In the backdrop of the playoff series will be the Lakers being without star guards Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain) to start the first round – and probably longer.
Not only will they be without two of their best players and ball handlers, but the spirit of their team took a hit when both suffered their regular season-ending injuries during the April 2 road loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
The Lakers went 3-2 in the five games they closed out the season without their star duo in what was both a mental and emotional test.
“This team needs great spirit and we need our remaining guys to be healthy,” Redick said. “That was our focus last week. It’s gonna be our focus this week: Building our capacity physically, making sure we don’t do too much, making sure we don’t do too little, making sure we get through the week healthy. And then the spirit, again, creating that belief. We’ve done that with this group over these last few games and we’ve gotta continue that going into Game 1.”
Marcus Smart of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Utah Jazz on April 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Resiliency has been a common theme for the Lakers in 2025-26.
They hope that remains the case.
“You’re playing one opponent in the playoffs and there’s a bunch of things that are gonna happen,” Redick said. “Some good, some bad. You may get down in a series. You may get down in the game, you may get down in the game on the road. And just you have to play with resiliency.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Yainer Diaz #21 of the Houston Astros bats against the Athletics in the top of the third inning at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 6-2 defeat at T-Mobile Park completed a 4-game sweep by the Mariners, the first time they have swept the Astros in a 4 game series since August 2018.
Two things have hallmarked this season for the Houston Astros thus far: injuries and pitching woes. Both were on display this afternoon when the Astros fell to the Mariners 6-2 at T-Mobile Park. The loss concluded a 4-game sweep by the Mariners and extended the Astros losing streak to 8 games. Houston went 1-9 on it’s 10 game road trip that included Sacramento (Athletics) and Colorado.
Before the game today, the Astros placed both SS Jeremy Pena (10-day) and SP Tatsuya Imai (15-day) on the IL. They optioned reliever Jayden Murray to Triple A. The recalled SP J.P. France, SP Colton Gordon and UT Shay Whitcomb from Triple A as well.
Then in the first inning, SP Mike Burrows, who looked incredible all spring, continued his regular season struggles. He allowed a 3-run homer to struggling Josh Naylor, who entered the game hitting just .102 this season with a .197 OBP and a .299 OPS, in the first inning to put Houston in an early hole.
Burrows threw a 95.8 MPH fastball right down the middle that Naylor hit for his first HR of the season 365 feet to right centerfield.
It didn’t get any better the second time he faced Naylor in the 3rd inning either.
Naylor would take Burrows deep again, on a nearly identical pitch in nearly the identical spot. A 95.6 MPH fastball, just slightly to the outside of the middle of the plate, and mid-thigh, that Naylor blasted 111.5 MPH and 433 feet to center for his second homer of the season to make it 5-0.
The Astros would try to claw back in the top of the fifth. Cam Smith led off with a single to right, followed by a single to left by Taylor Trammell. With 2 on and no out, Yainer Diaz laced an RBI single to center to get the Astros on the board, scoring Smith. Trammell would score when Nick Allen bounced into a double play to make it 5-2. That is as close as the Astros would get.
In the bottom of the fifth, Luke Raley would get a run back for Seattle with an RBI single to score Julio Rodriguez to make it a 6-2 game.
While J.P France held the line in the 7th and 8th innings, the Astros offense could not respond any further on this day.
While before today’s game the Astros listed all 3 starters for the upcoming series at home against Colorado as TBD, Colton Gordon will get the start for Houston tomorrow.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 12: Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on April 12, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs had the opportunity to control the playoff bracket. If they defeated the Denver Nuggets, who sat the bulk of their starters and only played Nikola Jokic 18 minutes, they’d bump them down to the fourth-seed, and wouldn’t need to face them until the Western Conference Finals. Instead, the Spurs, without Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, came out flat in a 128-118 loss to the shorthanded Nuggets.
Now, San Antonio will need to go through potentially Denver and the Oklahoma City Thunder on their journey to the NBA Finals. We’ll find out in a few weeks if this game comes back to haunt them. San Antonio has the second-best NBA title odds on FanDuel at +550.
The player grades here will be much lower than they have been for past games to account for the missed opportunity. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
24 points is a nice, shiny statistic, but when you score that many on 33% shooting from the field, you realize that it’s inflated. The Spurs needed someone to pull them out of the mud and get their offense going. Fox was unable to do that on Sunday. The national media narrative about the Spurs’ playoff chances always comes down to a lack of experience. Fox is one of the exceptions, having played in one playoff series. These are the type of games where you’d like to see him break out and lead the team to victory.
Is Castle the first guy to almost get a triple-double and play badly? He was 1 assist shy of a triple-double despite having a rusty first game back from a knee injury. His finishing was off, he got out of position defensively, and he didn’t seem to have the same level of aggression as usual. He did hit two catch-and-shoot threes as the Spurs attempted a comeback and grabbed some big offensive boards. He just couldn’t put together the type of impactful performance the team needed from him on Sunday.
It was a tough game for Harper. After the game, it was reported that he had a jammed thumb, which could explain why he looked so different out there. All of the aggression we usually see from Harper was gone, causing Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson to get after him on the sideline visibly. Defensively, he was a non-factor for most of the game. When he started to ramp up the pressure and use his physicality and footwork to get to the rim, it was already too late.
Champagnie has been struggling to shoot the ball recently. That could be alarming heading into the most important stretch of the year. However, we’ve seen Champagnie get hot in a hurry, so there is hope for the playoffs.
He was flat against Denver. There weren’t a lot of opportunities for him to attack a closeout, and he didn’t make enough of an impact defensively to keep the Nuggets’ aggressive ball-handlers out of the paint.
Plumlee just doesn’t have enough left in the tank. He got dominated by Jonas Valanciunas and let the Nuggets get whatever they wanted inside. Denver outscored the Spurs 62-54 in the paint.
Vassell turned it on far too late. When he started pressuring the Nuggets defensively, the Spurs got a few turnovers that made it look like they might get back in the game. There just wasn’t enough time for them to come all the way back. He made some mind-boggling turnovers, like dropping a ball out of bounds and passing out of a shot to no one. You have to give him credit for trying to get them back in the game in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to make up for his early-game mistakes.
Barnes needed 17 points for the Spurs to set the record for the most players on the roster to average double-digit points. You could tell that Barnes knew this, too. He took some truly bizarre shots that can only be explained by trying to reach that record. To make matters worse, he didn’t even get to 17, so it was all for nothing!
Johnson really tried to get physical and will the Spurs back into the game. He attacked Denver inside over and over again for a nice 18-point outing. He was put in a tough spot defensively, often guarding bigger players inside. He, along with the rest of the team, made some errors on the glass, not boxing out a few times and allowing offensive put-backs. The Spurs were outrebounded in this one, 58-45.
Bryant has earned a playoff rotation spot. He has played his best basketball down the stretch, pairing confidence with his next-level motor. He was one of the few Spurs who played with a sense of urgency against Denver. Bryant was the team’s best option at center despite being just 6-foot-7. He soared for three blocks and had an incredible alley-oop slam in the second half.
Going -14 in 6 minutes has to be some sort of record. Biyombo is a great vet to have around for the locker room and the community in San Antonio, but his impact on the game has diminished greatly.
Grade: D
Inactives: Victor Wembanyama, Luke Kornet, Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller
The video game overlords have been kind to the Colorado Avalanche as of late.
In our latest NHL 26 bug-ridden, glitch-infested experience, the Avalanche picked up a 4-0 shutout win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
Nathan MacKinnon scored twice while Gabe Landeskog and Logan O'Connor also picked up goals for Colorado. Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves.
Tristan Jarry made 32 saves for Edmonton.
First Period
About six minutes into the game, Brent Burns fired a slap shot on Jarry, but the goaltender made the stick save. During the same sequence, Colorado went on an early power play after Connor Murphy wiped out Ross Colton near the boards when the puck wasn’t in play, earning an interference minor.
The Avalanche nearly struck on the man advantage off the draw when Devon Toews ripped a slapper from the point that was deftly redirected by Brock Nelson in front, but it clanged off the post before Jarry scooped it up.
After the failed power play, Martin Necas found MacKinnon off the rush. His backhander deflected into the air, and Jarry sprawled across the crease, somehow catching it in his glove while lying on the ice.
But on the following faceoff, Jarry’s lucky charm sank straight into the North Saskatchewan River. Following a draw win by Jack Drury, Burns fired from the point and O’Connor redirected it home to make it 1-0.
At the end of the first, Colorado held a 1-0 lead, while Edmonton’s edge in shots (12-11) felt more like a participation ribbon than anything meaningful.
Second Period
At 1:51 of the second, Colorado doubled its lead when Toews carried into open ice and fed Landeskog cross-crease for an easy tap-in.
Colorado continued to lock things down defensively, though Edmonton’s depth tried to claw back. Adam Henrique snapped a shot from a tough angle, but Wedgewood turned it aside.
Moments later, MacKinnon battled Henrique to recover the puck, fed Colton, and headed to the bench. Colton broke in alone but was denied by Jarry’s glove.
After 40 minutes, Colorado led 2-0 and held a 22-19 advantage in shots.
Third Period
Embarrassment is the only way to describe the third for Edmonton.
After a routine save on MacKinnon, Jarry played the puck to Mattias Ekholm, who instead knocked it into his own net, making it 3-0—and handing MacKinnon another goal.
Midway through the period, Parker Kelly got a look in the slot, but Jarry came up with a highlight-reel blocker save as Murphy delivered a big hit nearby.
Edmonton pushed back briefly as Henrique led a rush and dropped it for Matthew Savoie, but Wedgewood shut the door again.
From there, Colorado kept piling on. MacKinnon turned on the jets, beat Jarry five-hole, and made it 4-0 for his second of the night.
Nic Roy nearly made it five late, but his wrister rang iron and ricocheted away.
Real Life
The Avalanche will square off against the Oilers at 7:30 p.m. local time in Denver, with the matchup taking place at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
The Atlanta Braves and their scorching hot offense are taking on the surprisingly good Miami Marlins tonight as they look to extend their division lead.
The Braves are scoring runs at a pace that only three teams in MLB are doing at a higher rate, and only the Dodgers have hit more HRs. No Braves player has more than six at-bats against the Marlins’ starter Eury Pérez, yet have four HRs against him in that limited action. Tonight is primed for another offensive explosion, but we know these Braves can be feast or famine at times when it comes to offense.
Grant Holmes is on the mound for the Braves, and has looked great so far this season. The Braves are in a good spot to win tonight. These are the exact type of games they need to win if they want to re-claim the division crown this season.
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 11: Trevor Larnach #9 of the Minnesota Twins reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 11, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):6:40 PM TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Over the Monster
You’re not going to believe this, but the Twins are facing a left-handed starter once again. Even more suprising: it’s once again one of the best starters in the sport. The good news is the Twins have already conquered Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez in the past week, so how much harder could Garrett Crochet be?
The other good news: your Minnesota Twins are in first place, tied atop both the AL Central and American League standings with the dreaded Cleveland Guardians. Sure, every team in the AL has between six and nine wins, but this is about two weeks later than I thought the Twins would be able to claim a top spot in the standings. They’ll look to keep the good vibes going tonight!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees throws against the Athletics during the first inning at Yankee Stadium on April 08, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s a lot of good and bad to the length of MLB’s 162-game season. On one hand, it can be long and arduous, making games at the beginning and end of the year feel much further apart. The season can feel endless if your team is down in the dumps. The benefits are that there’s always something to watch every day, and that individual games over the course of the season are too minuscule for it to make or break a season early on.
It also means that teams will go on hot streaks where they look unbeatable and cold streaks where you wonder if they will ever end. It’s usually an emotional roller coaster for every team with any aspirations (except the Dodgers, to an extent). With the Yankees on a five-game losing streak, looking as decrepit as possible, it serves them well to get off the schneid at some point. Getting away from a longtime house of horrors and returning home to a nice, warm day in the Bronx might do the trick.
Will Warren will get the ball for his fourth start of the young season to open the series with the Angels. Through three starts, it’s been very Warren-y, as he’s pitched under five innings per start with a good 3 ERA (135 ERA+) and 4.03 FIP. All of his starts have followed a trend, where he’s looked dialed in for two or three innings at a time before unraveling. In his most recent start against the A’s, he fell apart in the fifth after being dialed in through four innings. He’ll look to rectify that and get deeper into tonight’s game, although the bullpen has been in better shape with recent lengthy starts from Max Fried and Ryan Weathers.
Yusei Kikuchi has spent his entire career in the American League, and with that, has plenty of experience against the Yankees. The 34-year-old left-hander is coming off a serviceable 2025 with the Angels, but has struggled to start 2026, with his best start being 4.1 innings of two-run ball against the Astros, while allowing eight hits. This will be his 17th career game against the Yankees, entering with a 3.27 ERA in 74.1 innings. I always remember his first start against them in 2019 for Seattle, where there seemed to be a foreign substance on his cap that the umpires didn’t do anything about in the midst of a brilliant, 7.2-inning outing.
Even as he nears his 35th birthday, Kikuchi’s fastball remains a mid-90s offering, even if he has drastically reduced its usage over the last two years at the expense of throwing more changeups and adding a new cutter. After throwing more sliders than ever in 2025, he’s toned it down in 2026 after it yielded a lot of damage. He’ll lean on his curveball and changeup against righties and look to generate soft contact. His location has been subpar to start the year, and he’s allowed a lot of hard contact, so the Yankees should be looking to swing early and often.
With a lefty on the mound, all the lefty-killers are in the lineup, although none have them have really done damage against southpaw pitching yet. Paul Goldschmidt leads off, playing over the red-hot Ben Rice, followed by Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton. Amed Rosario will start over Ryan McMahon and bat fifth over Jazz Chisholm Jr., while Randal Grichuk gets another start as he looks to finally get a hit. José Caballero and Austin Wells swung the bat better in Tropicana Field, so let’s hope it sparks something at the bottom.
It’s a lot of hot and cold in the Angels’ lineup. Zach Neto leads off, followed by future Hall of Famer Mike Trout, who’s cooled off after a blisteringly hot start. Nolan Schanuel and the sorta-suspended Jorge Soler follow, along with Yoan Moncada, Jo Adell, former Ray Josh Lowe, Logan O’Hoppe, and Adam Frazier, who I am just now learning is still in the league. Old friend Oswald Peraza is available off the bench.
Apr 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) wears the green monster mask after hitting a two run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Guardians and Cardinals begin a three game series in St. Louis today. Let’s see what we should expect.
The Cardinals are 8-7, 19th in wRC+ at 95, 14th in baserunning at 0.6, first in Defense at 8.0, and 28th in pitching ERA at 5.10 (5.43 FIP).
The Guardians are 9-7, 12th in wRC+ at 101, 24th in Baserunning at -0.9, 10th in Defense at -0.5, 17th in pitching ERA at 4.05 (4.04 FIP).
Matchups:
7:45PM ET Monday – Williams vs. Liberatore
7:45PM ET Tuesday – Cantillo vs. McGreevy
1:15PM ET Wednesday – Cecconi vs. May
Quick write-up today – watch out for Jordan Walker, he’s figured out how to hit.
When midnight struck moments after Michigan's 69-63 win over UConn in the national championship game on April 7, the rush for teams to add the top available talent was on. A few top players have already signed with their new schools in the seven days since.
Louisville is an early winner of the transfer portal, having added former Kansas center Flory Bidunga and former Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad as a package duo, as the pair of veterans announced the move simultaneously on April 12. Bidunga was USA TODAY's No. 2-ranked player available before committing, only behind Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic.
There are still plenty of talented high-major players available, though. Over 1,900 players have entered the transfer portal so far, after all.
Here's a look at our top players still available in the 2026 college basketball transfer portal:
Transfer portal rankings: Top uncommitted players in college basketball
Rankings based on players available as of 5:24 p.m. ET on Monday, April 13.
1. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
Iowa State forward Milan Momicilovic entered the transfer portal on April 12, and instantly became the top player available thanks to his length and 3-point shooting ability. The 6-foot-8 junior averaged 16.9 points per game last season while shooting an NCAA-leading 48.7% from distance, which was 1.6% better than Liberty's Brett Decker Jr., who had the second-best mark.
Momcilovic has 101 starts in 102 career games for the Cyclones, and led the No. 2-seeded team in scoring this season. He's also entering his name in the 2026 NBA Draft while in the portal.
2. Juke Harris, Wake Forest
Sophomore guard Juke Harris took a massive leap in 2025-26, going from 6.1 points per game off the bench as a true freshman to one of the ACC's top scorers at 21.4 points per game as a sophomore. The 6-foot-7 guard also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, and shot 33.2% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts per game.
Harris offers elite length at guard and also top-tier scoring ability, making him one of the top available players.
3. Allen Graves, Santa Clara
Santa Clara forward Allen Graves previously declared for the NBA draft before later entering the transfer portal April 10.
The 6-foot-9 true freshman averaged 11.8 points with 6.5 rebounds per game this season off the bench, but he established himself as one of the best mid-major players late in the year. He scored 17 points with seven rebounds and a block in Santa Clara's NCAA Tournament loss to Kentucky, even making a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final seconds before Kentucky's Otega Oweh forced overtime.
Graves has three seasons of eligibility left and is already on the NBA draft radar, making him an enticing prospect.
4. Massamba Diop, Arizona State
Arizona State center Massamba Diop emerged as one of the top rim-protecting big men in the Big 12 this season despite being a true freshman, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. The 7-foot-1 former 3-star prospect from Senegal also averaged 13.6 points with 5.8 rebounds per game.
The market for top-tier big men is expensive, and Diop will be near the top.
5. Rob Wright, BYU
A former five-star recruit, Rob Wright had a solid true freshman year at Baylor, averaging 11.5 points with 4.2 assists per game. He transferred in conference to BYU for the 2025-26 season and turned in one of the best campaigns in the conference.
Wright upped his scoring average to 18.1 points per game last season, along with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists as projected No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa's running mate. Perhaps he wants to show he can be a No. 1 option at a new school as a transfer.
Other top uncommitted players
Here's a look at the rest of USA TODAY's top-20 ranked uncommitted players:
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Christian Encarnacion-Strand #33 of the Cincinnati Reds bats during the sixth inning of the World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Goodyear Ballpark on March 4, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Christian Encarnacion-Strand era of Cincinnati Reds has come to an unceremonius close. The slugging 1B was designated for assignment back on April 8th as a way to get PJ Higgins onto the roster for catching depth in the wake of Jose Trevino’s injury, and the Reds revealed today that CES did not, in fact clear waivers.
Instead, the Reds struck a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for his services, accepting cash considerations as the return. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com relayed the news on Bluesky on Monday afternoon.
CES joined the Reds at the 2022 trade deadline, doing so alongside pitcher Steve Hajjar and Spencer Steer in the deal that sent Tyler Mahle the other way to Minnesota. It was part of Cincinnati’s latest massive firesale as the Reds dealt away Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Eugenio Suarez, and Jesse Winker in other deals that calendar year (while also finally buying out the remainder of Mike Moustakas’ albatross contract). The hope was that CES would be the team’s 1B of the future with Joey Votto’s deal running down, and for a time that looked like a very real possibility.
After reaching the bigs midway through 2023, CES hit the ground running. He smashed 13 homers in just 63 games, and his 112 OPS+ led to him opening the 2024 season as the team’s 1B. It was soon revealed that he was actually trying to play through a small fracture in his wrist that had originally been overlooked, and the hope was his awful start to the year (.513 OPS in 123 PA through May 7th) was 100% due to just that. However, he’s struggled immensely ever since at the big league level as teams realized they didn’t have to throw him strikes to get him to swing, and his time with the Reds looked increasingly doomed as Sal Stewart (among others) jumped him on the right-handed hitting depth chart.
Now, though, he’ll join a Baltimore organization that just placed longtime 1B Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL with a broken foot. Pete Alonso is obviously now there, but with Adley Rutschman, Heston Kjerstad, and Jackson Holliday all also out at the moment with injuries there could well be a path to some PA at the big league level through DH duties in the near term for CES.
INGLEWOOD — The Warriors will go from playing a meaningless game to one for all the marbles against the same opponent, in the same venue, only three days apart.
“Super easy,” Steph Curry said after Sunday’s 115-110 loss to the Clippers in a regular season finale that only served as a preview of the 9-10 play-in matchup insofar as the teams’ uniform colors.
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 12, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Curry doesn’t need any extra motivation to get amped up for the Warriors’ fourth appearance in the play-in tournament. What was once a dreaded destination now serves as a glimmer of hope — the entire reason Curry clawed to come back from a persistent knee issue.
The experience helps.
“We’ve been there before,” Curry continued. “Whether it’s a Game 7 or the many play-in games that we’ve been (sarcastically) fortunate enough to play in. … I guess you’re grateful for it now just because … this is such a unique year. It’s not like we’ve underperformed. We’ve just been hit with so many injuries that your expectations had to shift.”
Injuries have introduced an interesting dichotomy: The Western Conference rivals are intimately familiar with each other, but neither has seen the versions that will be on the court with their seasons on the line.
Their first two meetings took place before Jimmy Butler tore his ACL, their third occurred during Curry’s 27-game absence, and neither Draymond Green nor Kawhi Leonard dressed on Sunday. Not that either coach was keen to show his cards, anyway.
“We know who they are,” Curry said.
Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins dunks against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP
Steve Kerr said there was “not a whole lot to take” from Sunday’s game, though Brandin Podziemski noted that Darius Garland looked more comfortable since the teams last played in the Clippers’ first game since acquiring Garland for James Harden at the trade deadline.
“I think each team knows the other pretty well, just from playing against them a lot over the years,” Kerr said. “They’re a little different with Garland rather than Harden, but they know us well, we know them well.”
Curry said he “felt great” after taking on his largest workload since returning from the injury with 29 minutes that produced 24 points. Kerr checked in with him during the game and got the same feedback. “He said he felt really good, so that was a good step for him.”
Kerr got his second game to experiment with Curry alongside Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, and he started all three together with Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton. He called that the “best thing” to come out of Sunday’s loss.
“And no injuries,” he added. “So we should be ready to go on Wednesday night.”
Al Horford of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on April 12, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Still, the veteran trio won’t play without restrictions in the do-or-die game.
“I’m not sure exactly what the number will be,” Kerr said. “Those guys, they’re not gonna play 40 minutes. I can tell you that.”
This will be the Warriors’ fourth experience in the play-in in its seven years in existence. Curry let out a high-pitched laugh when he was informed it was their second time as a No. 10 seed. They were in the same position in 2024 and ended up being eliminated by the No. 9 Kings.
Golden State lost both games as the No. 8 seed in 2021. But its last time in the play-in was friendlier, advancing as the No. 7 seed to upset the Rockets in the first round last year.
Last week, Green said, bluntly, that it was “not exciting” to be back in the play-in, but at the same time, he added, “as a competitor, you’re gonna rise to the challenge.”
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts after a missed basket in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The trio of Curry and Green have faced elimination 13 times since Kerr became their head coach in 2014. Golden State has a 9-4 record in those games. And the banners to prove many more wins along the way in postseason games with less on the line.
“We’ve got guys that have been there,” Podziemski said. “Guys that have won. Guys that have played meaningful basketball in recent years. It always helps when you’ve got Steph. So I think that’s to our advantage. Yeah, I think I like us better than anybody in a one-game situation.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 11: Joey Ortiz #3 of the Milwaukee Brewers tags out Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals attempting to steal second base i6 at American Family Field on April 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats are coming into Pittsburgh riding high after a sweep over the Brewers. However, they will be greeted by one of baseball’s premier arms, as Paul Skenes takes the bump. With the way the Nats offense is rolling, this will be a strength against strength matchup. Skenes will be their toughest test yet.
To match up with Skenes, Blake Butera is loading up his lineup with lefties. CJ Abrams will hit third tonight, the highest he has been in the lineup all season. Butera has tried to spread out righties and lefties, but today he has four lefties at the top including reigning NL Player of the Week James Wood in the lead off spot. Brady House will get the day off, which means Jorbit Vivas will be at third base. The hot Jacob Young is all the way up in the 5 spot. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will be on the bump tonight.
So far, the Pirates offense has been much improved. Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn have been great additions for them. Those two will be hitting second and fourth. Bryan Reynolds will be in between them at DH. Marcell Ozuna has not been hitting, so he is not in the lineup. Oneil Cruz has also been red hot at the top of the Bucs lineup. Nats fans will get their first look at the Pirates 19 year old shortstop Konnor Griffin. He has been cold to start his MLB career, but he is a phenom. As we mentioned up top, Paul Skenes will be on the mound.
This should be a fun four game set between two teams on the rise. The Pirates have elite young arms, and the Nats have an up and coming offense. That sets the stage for a really exciting matchup. I can’t wait to see what this offense can do against Skenes. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
