“No one remembers the wins (Goliath gets),” Calipari said during an interview with USA TODAY Sports and a few other media outlets at SEC spring meetings. “If you said, 'Who did we beat in the national championship?' They would not know. You know what they know? Saint Peter’s beat us. That’s what they know.
“That’s what makes this tournament. Don’t take that away.”
Don't take that away, because David and his 3-pointer give March Madness its soul.
Calipari looks at this from a perspective of, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. March Madness wasn’t broken. It was beautiful.
But, if you must make an unnecessary expansion from 68 to 76, why couldn’t that expansion uplift power-conference teams and mid-majors in equal proportion? That's what Calipari would like to see.
Alas, “no one listens to me,” said Calipari, now the coach at Arkansas.
John Calipari: March Madness expansion should uplift Cinderellas, too
I sure wish NCAA Tournament powerbrokers would listen to Calipari as a voice of reason.
Because, he’s right: Cinderella gives March Madness its spirit, even as upsets dwindled the past two seasons in the wake of NIL and transfer free agency.
If anyone listened to Calipari, here’s what they’d hear: Take these eight extra bids created by tournament expansion and split them into two groups:
Four bids go to power-conference teams. Four go to Cinderellas.
“I don’t think that’s how it’s going to operate,” Calipari said, “but that’s what I would say.”
NCAA Tournament expansion will add the dregs of power conferences
In the absence of an idea like the one he’s pushing, Calipari worries these eight bonus bids mostly will go to lower-end teams from power conferences.
Who wants that? Not anyone who truly loves the tournament, and not the guy who accelerated his career by taking UMass to the Final Four.
“I just think half of (the extra spots) should go to the non-Power Five. So, four of them. That would have people in our room saying, ‘Speak for yourself,’” Calipari said. “I get that, but I’ve been at UMass, and I’ve been at Memphis, and I know how hard it is to schedule. You can’t schedule your way in.”
To Calipari’s point, Miami (Ohio) encountered difficulty getting power-conference teams to agree to play the RedHawks last season. They slipped into the First Four as one of the last at-large teams selected.
Mid-majors are good theater. Mid-majors beating Goliath are great theater.
But, will anyone other than Calipari take up for the little guy?
You can bet your basketball SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti, his Big Ten counterpart, won't throw their weight behind Calipari's idea. They want these bonus bids going to the dregs of their conferences.
Here's how to spice up the 'First 12'
I’d take Calipari’s suggestion a step further. Don’t just split the final eight bids between high-majors and Cinderellas. Make sure to pit those teams against each other in the "First 12."
Think of it as a miniature Power Conference vs. Mid-major Challenge.
Or, just call it David versus Goliath.
So, Power Four teams won’t schedule the likes of Miami (Ohio) in November? Fine, but you’ll see ‘em in March.
If CBS wants to make the “First 12” a worthwhile product (rather than filler until the real tournament starts on Thursday) that's how you do it — by creating matchups that involve an underdog like the RedHawks against a power-conference brand, rather than matching up two 17-16 teams from power leagues.
It’s as Calipari said, though. Nobody will listen to him. The power conferences run college sports, and the dregs of those conferences will gobble up most of these bonus bids.
An expansion that could otherwise give us more Cinderella stories will instead mostly admit more access to weak and vulnerable Goliaths, with no David to contend with.
The embarrassment of being swept out of the Western Conference Final may not be the most damaging thing the Colorado Avalanche carry into the offseason.
For weeks, the focus has been on Colorado's inability to keep pace with the Vegas Golden Knights. Now, attention is shifting to something potentially more concerning: whether franchise cornerstone Cale Makar will be healthy when next season begins.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the injury that sidelined Makar for the first two games of the series against Vegas is serious enough that questions are already being asked about his availability for training camp and opening night.
“I’ve heard his injury is pretty significant,” Friedman said on his podcast. “And I know some people have been wondering, will he be ready for the start of next year? I guess we’ll find all that out, but I just don’t think that that’s the reason here. I think it’s more of an excuse than anything else.”
Friedman made it clear he doesn't believe Makar's injury was the deciding factor in the series. The Golden Knights were simply the better team.
Still, that doesn't make the injury any less concerning.
The Moment Everything Changed
The play itself hardly looked catastrophic.
Midway through the third period of Colorado's Game 5 matchup against the Minnesota Wild in the previous round, Makar tangled with Mats Zuccarello along the boards. Almost immediately, he grabbed at his right arm and headed down the tunnel.
The reaction raised eyebrows because Makar had already been visibly uncomfortable throughout the game, repeatedly reaching for the same area and speaking with trainers on the bench.
Although he returned later that night and continued playing through the postseason, it became increasingly obvious that he wasn't operating at full strength. Reports have since indicated the arm issue was compounded by a lingering hip injury, leaving one of hockey's most dominant players battling through multiple ailments during the most important stretch of the season.
The statistical drop-off reflected it.
After producing 79 points during the regular season, Makar finished the playoffs with just five points in 11 games. It matched the lowest postseason point total of his career, including seasons that ended in first-round exits.
More Questions Than Answers
The Avalanche entered the playoffs believing they had another legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup.
Instead, they were swept in four games, watched their stars struggle to generate offense, and exited with more uncertainty than momentum.
Now, the organization faces an offseason filled with difficult conversations.
Head coach Jared Bednar is entering the final year of his contract. The roster has clear areas that need improvement. And hanging over everything is the health of the player many consider the best defenseman in the world.
If Makar's recovery extends deeper into the summer than expected, it won't just affect his preparation. It could alter how Colorado approaches training camp, roster planning, and expectations for the start of the 2026-27 season.
For a franchise already searching for answers after a humiliating finish, the possibility of beginning next year without a fully healthy Makar would only make an uncomfortable offseason even more complicated.
Bednar said the organization expects to provide more detailed injury updates in the coming days following Colorado's Game 4 elimination.
James Dolan attends a Knicks game during the 2024-25 season. Photograph: Rich Graessle/Getty Images
The most stunning part about the Knicks snapping their 27-year NBA finals drought isn’t the 22½-point average margin of victory they posted over an 11-game playoff winning streak, or New Yorkers somehow resisting the urge to tear the city apart in celebration, or even the fact that neither the iPhone nor Facebook existed back in 1999.
No, the most surprising aspect when they sealed the Eastern Conference finals on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home court was the Knicks’ star guard, Jalen Brunson, talking about his pride in a winning culture that “starts with Mr Dolan”.
It’s one thing to shout out the boss when cornered in public, but placing Knicks owner James Dolan at the very top of the list of people responsible for the team’s dramatic turnaround feels like thanking the iceberg for the movie Titanic. The Knicks’ redemption arc doesn’t hit as hard, or quite deliver the same catharsis, without Dolan’s special blend of chaos and dysfunction.
This may come as a shock to fans boarding the Knicks bandwagon, but before Kylie Jenner and the influencer set started turning up courtside, Dolan had spent decades in a race with Dan Snyder (formerly of the NFL’s Washington Commanders) and Bob Nutting (of MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates) for the title of worst owner in US sports.
In 2018, Bleacher Report described him as “masterful at destroying two beloved franchises”, the second being the NHL’s Rangers, who haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1994. In a lengthy interview with ESPN’s Ian O’Connor in 2018, Dolan said Knicks fans who spotted him around town would “shout something horrible and run away. It’s not fun.” In another digression about selling the team, an idea he has long insisted is well off the table, Dolan spoke more urgently about his responsibility to shareholders than to fans.
At the turn of the century, Dolan was a New York nepo baby poster boy – a recovering addict who inherited a multibillion-dollar cable TV and sports empire and ran it with a rumpled authority that carried through even to his personal presentation: he painted himself as the Long Island boy who owns Madison Square Garden and once had his blues-rock band, JD & The Straight Shot, open for the Eagles. For Knicks fans, he was a byword for chronic mismanagement more commonly known as “Jim Fucking Dolan”. He traded away franchise cornerstone Patrick Ewing in 2000 and signed Allan Houston to a $100m extension that prompted a league exemption for teams buried under bad contracts. Under Dolan’s ownership, the Knicks found themselves in salary-cap purgatory time and again, something that left them too constrained to pursue top free agents and too mediocre to rebuild through the draft.
There’s more. Under Dolan, the Knicks traded for middling center Eddy Curry despite his documented heart condition, hired Phil Jackson a decade too late for the wrong job, and reportedly benched the cheerleading squad during a grim loss to Charlotte (a team source later denied the story was true). Rather than attend the 2017 draft, which took place in New York, Dolan chose to play a JD & The Straight Shot gig across town. While we’re on the subject of his music endeavors, in 2018 he wrote a song about not knowing his former friend Harvey Weinstein was a sexual predator.
Then there’s the treatment of the fans themselves. Knicks fans who voice frustration with Dolan – whether on picket lines outside Madison Square Garden or during in-game “sell the team” chants – risk permanent banishment. Famously, MSG security denied Spike Lee entry to the Garden on a whim in 2020 when he arrived through a gate reserved for Garden employees and media – as had been his custom for nearly 30 years.
Beat writers are careful not to be too critical of Dolan or the team, as MSG staff hawkishly manage access. In a recent interview with investigative reporter Pablo Torre, one Knicks beat reporter, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested the team’s media workroom may be bugged. Even former players tread lightly: Charles Oakley has been a ghost at MSG since he was hauled out of the arena for heckling Dolan at a 2017 game.
Dolan’s abiding loyalty to Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas was another staggering low point. In 2007, Dolan’s Madison Square Garden company was ordered to pay $11.6m to settle a lawsuit brought by a female team executive who had alleged sexual harassment by Thomas; Dolan, who had reportedly fired the woman, personally contributed $3.5m to the settlement. In 2015, Dolan brought Thomas on to the New York Liberty – his WNBA franchise. Former NBA commissioner David Stern, noting both the controversy and the Knicks’ lack of success during Dolan’s tenure, described him as “not a model of intelligent management”. (Dolan sold the Liberty to billionaires Joe and Clara Wu Tsai in 2019).
Only the tools Dolan uses to indulge his worst instincts have become more intelligent. Last month, a damning report in Wired revealed the extent to which Dolan has transformed his vast entertainment empire into a surveillance state, one that uses biometric surveillance technology to track perceived enemies in real time – from Oakley to a graphic designer who sold “Ban Dolan” T-shirts years ago to a fan whom Dolan personally deemed a security risk, monitoring her movements down to drink orders and bathroom trips before banning her from the Garden. MSG dismissed the Wired report, which stemmed from a lawsuit brought by a former member of the company’s security team, as “reckless”.
It is hard to look at Dolan’s digitally driven paranoia without being reminded of another New York nepo baby poster boy. Sure enough, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump climbed back aboard the Knicks bandwagon, confirming reports that he plans to attend the finals at the Garden next week – another instance of a major sporting event being conscripted for his presidential stagecraft. Of course Trump made sure to add that the Knicks “have really suffered for years”, and that he was “invited by numerous people” including Dolan. Incidentally, Dolan, who married his second wife at Mar-a-Lago, remains a fierce Trump supporter despite the president undercutting his grand plans to redevelop Madison Square Garden.
So how does one of the worst owners in sports wind up not only riding herd on the NBA’s hottest team, but drawing credit for the turnaround? Well, Dolan may have his faults, but cheapskating the Knicks is not one of them. After burning through one basketball executive after another – from Thomas to Jackson to Indiana Pacers architect Donnie Walsh – Dolan turned to Leon Rose, a former agent who had closed a number of client-favorable deals with the Knicks, Curry’s albatross contract among them. Dolan then largely stayed out of the way as Rose reshaped the roster: trading for Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, drafting the rangy center Mitchell Robinson, and ponying up to bring in Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks in an above-market deal that, in retrospect, looks like one of the NBA’s biggest bargains. Broken clock and all that.
It’s to the point now where any fantasy about this Knicks team winning the NBA title has to reconcile with the jarring reality of the Larry O’Brien trophy being handed to Dolan – a truly strange image to consider. And while some fans now politely applaud Dolan for finally getting the Knicks on the right track and may even endure a JD & The Straight Shot performance to mark the occasion, most are not inclined to excuse the years of emotional punishment it took to get here. After the Knicks came back to beat the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the East finals, Dolan gave away an Anunoby-signed game ball to a young fan waiting for him outside MSG afterward. Lucky kid can hardly fathom the Knicks’ misery Trump speaks of so authoritatively.
In the 2018 ESPN interview, Dolan said he didn’t think he would take part in a parade if the Knicks ever won a championship. Some free advice: stick with that plan. It’s one thing to thank the boss after a game in Cleveland – which, to be fair, coach Mike Brown (another brilliant Rose addition) did as well. But in New York, celebration and grievance can’t help but ride the same subway car. True blue Knicks fans can forgive, but they shouldn’t soon forget.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 17: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees in action during the game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The results from imaging taken on Giancarlo Stanton Tuesday showed enough progress to give him the green light to begin running again. Per Aaron Boone, he’s seeing “a lot of improvement” and, given the fact that he’s continued taking swings while on the IL, he might be able to return before too long. The Yankees DH landed on the shelf a month ago with an injured right calf.
In other injury news, Jasson Domínguez may be in a position to begin taking live BP next week, advancing him along in his recovery from an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. The outfielder would likely need a rehab stint before he’s ready to be activated.
MLB.com | Brian Murphy: The Yankees accomplished an extraordinary team feat Tuesday in the middle game of their eventual sweep, with each starter recording at least two hits for the first time in franchise history. “It feels great to be part of Yankees history,” said third baseman Amed Rosario who notched four hits, two of which were round trippers. A few other statistical nuggets to underscore the rarity of the offensive explosion:
Five players recorded at least three hits (the most since August 3, 2011)
The lineup recorded 46 total bases (the most since July 22, 2007)
The lineup had 24 hard-hit balls (the most in the Statcast era, which began in 2015)
MLB.com | Robert Falkoff: Amidst the Yankees’ historic 15-1 steamrolling of the Royals Tuesday, Cam Schlittler’s six-inning, one-run showing was an afterthought. It’s a testament to how dominant the sophomore hurler has become. “Not the best,” Schlittler said of his strong performance. “My stuff wasn’t as sharp, but I was able to put the team in position to win. That’s all you can ask for.”
His manager was more effusive in his praise of the right-handed phenom, highlighting his competitive edge. “He expects to not only pitch well, but dominate,” said Aaron Boone. “He has that mindset. Some people have that mindset but don’t have the confidence to go with it. He certainly does.”
The Athletic | Evan Drellich: ($) The MLB Players Association has proposed a new revenue sharing model, including a soft salary floor to encourage teams to spend at least $150 million. The proposal comes a day in advance of the owners’ plan, which is expected to include a salary cap. The union’s plan also includes nearly doubling the baseline MLB salary to $1.5 million with sizable increases in the pre-arbitration pool and arbitration minimums. In competing statements, the MLBPA and owners presented opposing viewpoints, with the union trumpeting competition while the owners drove home their purported belief in the importance of parity.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Knicks fans celebrate winning the eastern conference championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks last reached the NBA Finals in 1999, falling to the Spurs, and are seeking their first championship since defeating the Lakers in 1973. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know what’s poppin’?
The Spurs and the Thunder are five deep going seven.
On Jalen Brunson’s work ethic and leadership after yet another sweep:
“His work ethic is second to none. On top of that, he’s pretty even-keeled. Never gets too high, never gets too low. And when your leader is that way — which you need to have, especially when you hit adversity — it’s easy to get everybody else to follow.”
On the identity and sacrifice behind the Knicks’ Finals run:
“Our identity lies in our intangibles. And I go back to what our standard is. Guys on [the Spurs and Warriors], they all sacrificed. They all had a competitive spirit that was unmatched. They all stayed connected through tough times. They all believed in each other and the process while holding each other accountable. Those intangibles are what I’m starting to see with our group as being what our identity is, which is similar to some of the other teams I’ve been fortunate, blessed and lucky to be a part of that have made it that far.”
Jalen Brunson
On the team’s collective sacrifice during the Finals run:
“We have good character guys in there. We have guys that want to win. We have guys that are willing to sacrifice. It’s a team effort.”
On keeping the ECF celebrations muted and getting back to work:
“The celebrations were minimal. We really wanna get back to work. We know what happened last time we had the long layoff, so we already talked after the game right away about preparing, getting to practice, back to the work. That’s what’s made us special and it’s what’s gonna give us a chance to win the next series.”
On adjusting to yet another long break before the Finals’ Game 1:
“We’ll do a better job this time around of just preparing for that kind of situation to happen. I think obviously the coaches have done an amazing job getting us ready for Game 1, but obviously we didn’t go out there and shoot well. I think I looked up at one point and we were at four percent from three. So we just got to figure out a way to get those kinds of game-like reps. I think the coaching staff heard us loud and clear: We want to get back to work to keep the rhythm and maybe change up the philosophy of how we have those scrimmages that we didn’t do last time. I think we’ll be better prepared. But at the end of the day, it’s all about execution, desperation, energy. We got to bring it Game 1. This team’s hungry, and that’s the most important thing. Even with an amazing, historic win we had tonight, the celebrations were at a minimum. We really want to get to work. We asked Coach [Mike Brown], can we get back to work quick. We know what happened last time we had a long layoff, so we already talked after the game right away about preparing, getting to practice, getting back to the work. It’s what made us special and it’s what’s going to give us a chance to win the next series.”
On reviving hope in New York as a lifelong Knicks fan:
“When I was growing up, watching the Knicks, it was just hoping one day you could just put the jersey on. [I] Never knew I’d be in this position at this mic talking about us going to the Finals and the city believing in us. There’s nowhere better in the world when [Madison Square] Garden has hope.”
On the collective effort behind the Finals run:
“We got to this point because we worked together. We’ve been a team. We unified. The collective group has shown up in spots when we need to.”
On acknowledging fans’ celebrations but recognizing there’s still work to do:
“Experience teaches you a lot. This is my third conference finals in a row, and I finally got over the hump, finally got to the Finals. I’m gonna enjoy this moment. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our fan base to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this. But for us as the players, we understand that the job’s not done, we’ve got to get back to work.”
On Brunson’s commitment to the work behind the scenes:
“The magic’s in the work; he’s a testament of that. He believes in that. He showcases that every single day to all of us and drives us all to be better.”
On his own willingness to sacrifice for winning:
“I’ve always said I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to impact winning and help this team win. That’s the blessing of our group.”
Wings, Wings and More Wings!@AdamSchein breaks down how he prefers his chicken wings!
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 26, 2026
Josh Hart
On the chicken-wing man:
“You got chicken wings. You supposed to be asking questions, and you went and got chicken wings. Hell no. You don’t get nothing. Then wings are hitting though.”
On keeping a selfless mindset through the Knicks’ 11-game win streak:
“I don’t think a switch flipped per se. This is a selfless team. Being unselfish, I think that’s the biggest thing. And where we’re at right now, everyone is unselfish. We’re willing to sacrifice numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.”
On the surreal journey from Villanova to the NBA Finals:
“Yeah, it’s something that is surreal. When you’re in college and you’re in that locker room, you always kind of — you know, the goal is the NBA. And you know the percent chance that you guys are gonna be on the same team is very slim, if not none. And it’s always something you talk about and dream about, but you know the reality is almost impossible. So the fact that it actually came to fruition is super cool, because I know the time that these guys put in. I know where their hearts are. We already share a bond and a brotherhood for life, and this is just another step there. Obviously, this is not the ultimate goal. But, you know, you just keep adding memories to that, and these are memories that we’ll have for a lifetime.”
On whether self-doubt crept in during his journey from joining the Knicks in 2021 to making the Finals:
“For sure. For sure. It was some tough, long nights.”
On the ups and downs of his role this season:
“Shout out to God for keeping my head right. Been a lot of ups and downs individually. From not playing to getting thrust into a rotation. High minutes, low minutes. It’s been a lot. But it’s all worth it in the end.”
"It's definitely a blessing to be a piece of the puzzle, especially in this organization… no other player, no other guard that I want to be along besides JB so I'm just very grateful to be in this position."
On embracing his role after the Eastern Conference clincher:
“Everybody out there is trying to do just one thing: win. All trying to play hard, at the end of the day, just trying to get a Knicks win.”
On being grateful to be part of the Knicks’ core:
“I think it’s definitely a blessing to be a piece of the puzzle, especially in this organization. You know, like JB was saying, just grateful to be in this position, the organization believing in me personally, you know, bringing me over here. But there’s no other player, no other guard that I wanna be alongside besides JB. So I’m just very grateful to be in this position, and you know, I just gotta keep it going.”
On his message to Jalen Brunson after the ECF title:
“I just told the maestro to keep doing it. He’s very level-headed, always wants to do team-oriented things. He’s very focused.”
On the Knicks’ pride and momentum during the Finals run:
“They have a lot of pride in there. A lot of pride. Let’s see what happens. They’re on a roll.”
On how the Knicks have elevated their pace and performance:
“The last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, everyone is moving and grooving. Every game they seem to get better and better (with) movement, defense. I think the pace is what’s really changed. They can go on runs now, 10 or 15 points, and just blow the game right open. And they weren’t doing that during the regular season.”
On sharing history if the Knicks win a title:
“It’s good for me. It’s a resurrection. They’re talking about me more now than then. It’s the same thing now with these guys. When they start winning, they got to bring us up. That’s what we’re comparing. They’re saying Brunson is better than Clyde or he’s better than [Patrick] Ewing, [that] he’s the greatest Knick.”
On adjusting to life after being traded to Cleveland:
“I was preparing myself for my retirement. I was reading self-help books, something I would have never done if I stayed in New York. It turned out to be a blessing, but I was devastated when I got traded.”
On how long it took to forgive the Knicks for trading him:
“It took me about seven or eight years. I didn’t follow the game after I retired. I was trying to adjust to life. The biggest thing I found was that I had to control my ego. My phone isn’t ringing off the hook no more and the Knicks had moved on to the next Clyde.”
“The last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, everyone is moving and grooving."
“Just enjoy the moment, the most important thing that these guys do. You never know when you’re gonna get back. When we lost the Finals in ’94, I thought we’d be back a couple of times, [which] didn’t happen for me and my teammates, for some of us. Just enjoy the moment.”
On why this roster understands what it takes to win:
“A lot of these guys have been through a championship in college with the Villanova guys. They understand what it takes. We’ve got a great leader in Jalen [Brunson] and Karl-Anthony Towns. I’m excited about it. These are such even-keeled individuals. All those guys. I think Leon [Rose] and [William Wesley] did a great job putting together like-minded individuals. And that’s what it takes. Guys that are not gonna get too high, get too low, and they cheer for one another and they like one another. That’s what it takes, to have that togetherness, because things can get tough. You got to know who’s in the same boat as you. You don’t want to see guys jumping ship. And these guys don’t jump ship. If the boat’s gonna go down, they’re gonna go down together.”
On the Knicks’ historic 11-game run and two-way dominance:
“I haven’t seen nothing like this. You probably have to go back to the 76ers, when Moses [Malone] said, ‘Fo,’ Fo,’ Fo.’ ’ … We’re rolling right now. The team should feel good, and all the work that they put in over the year has culminated into what you see. In order to do what you’re doing, both sides of the ball have to be played very well. And those guys are playing both sides of the ball very well — defensively, offensively. They’re executing, cutting down on the turnovers, just enjoying one another. The atmosphere that’s in this arena, wherever we go — on the road, at home — New York is just representing. They understand the moment.”
On seeing franchise legends hand out the 2026 Eastern Conference trophy:
“That’s legacy there. Those two guys was pillars of this organization for so many years. To be able to see them hand out the trophy, it means a lot.”
On celebrating the Knicks’ return to the Finals:
“Just a special moment. I’m happy for those guys because they did it together.”
The back page: ULTIMATE 'WARRIOR'
Mess: No drought about it, Brunson's Knicks can repeat after 1994 Rangers
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 27, 2026
Mark Messier
On what it takes to end a championship drought:
“It’s a selfless endeavor trying to win a championship. And the Knicks have figured out a way to play together and sacrifice themselves for the team, and it’s being led by a warrior in Brunson.”
On the city rallying around the Knicks:
“It’s just great to see. Everybody is caught up in it.”
On staying relaxed under pressure and trusting yourself in championship moments:
“If you’re thinking about consequences, that’s when things are not going to flow for you. You have to trust yourself. You have to do what you’ve done 1,000 times and not let the moment and pressure tighten your instincts, your natural motion that you’ve done thousands of times. Jalen has shown that he’s not afraid to fail. And I think, because of it, he’s able to get himself in that relaxed state under the most pressurized moments. And you see that when you’re talking about Jordan or Kobe or Larry Bird or any of the great players who’ve played the game. Magic Johnson. They trusted themselves implicitly in those moments because they’ve done it so many times and they’re able to stay in that flow state. And they’re not afraid.”
On embracing the weight of ending a long championship drought:
“Trying to do something that hadn’t been done at that time in 54 years was an amazing opportunity for me. It was something I really leaned into and felt the enormity of it. Generations of fans who have been waiting to see a Stanley Cup on the Madison Square Garden ice. And then to win it at home in a Game 7 [against the Canucks] was just incredible.”
On why the Knicks are easy to root for during this run:
“They’re an easy team to root for when you watch them. They’re celebrating each other. They’re seemingly devoid of ego, which sometimes can be a problem. And then it has to be coached and taught and mentored to the team, to the culture, and it seems like Brunson is doing that. And of course he can always lead by example. And nobody is playing harder on the court or wants to win more than him.”
Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division)
Raleigh, North Carolina; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Hurricanes -228, Canadiens +187; over/under is 5.5
STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Hurricanes lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes host the Montreal Canadiens in the third round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the eighth time this season. The Hurricanes won the previous meeting 4-0.
Carolina has a 34-11-2 record at home and a 53-22-7 record overall. The Hurricanes are 56-6-6 when scoring three or more goals.
Montreal is 31-10-10 in road games and 48-24-10 overall. The Canadiens rank fifth in the league serving 10.4 penalty minutes per game.
TOP PERFORMERS: Andrei Svechnikov has 31 goals and 39 assists for the Hurricanes. Logan Stankoven has six goals over the past 10 games.
Nicholas Suzuki has 29 goals and 72 assists for the Canadiens. Alexander Newhook has scored six goals with two assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 9-1-0, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.9 assists, 5.9 penalties and 15 penalty minutes while giving up 1.7 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 3.5 goals, six assists, 5.8 penalties and 20 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Hurricanes: None listed.
Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs works against Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 26, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Facing elimination for the first time this postseason, the San Antonio Spurs come into this pivotal Game 6 with their backs against the wall. With 10 games already played between them and the Thunder this season and Game 6 looming, both of these teams are way passed the point of being surprised at what the other is trying to do. They’re both also worn down and beaten up, which means still finding a way to lock in and do the little things that are needed to come away with playoff wins, all while dealing with heavy legs, will be more important than at any point this season for either team.
Considering that they’ll need to win two games in a row including what would surely be a chaotic Game 7 on the road against the defending champs, the Spurs are in as good a position as possible given the circumstances. They’ll have a raucous San Antonio crowd behind them tonight that can hopefully give them any juice they might currently be lacking in these latter stages of the Western Conference Finals as they look to force that Game 7. The Spurs have surprised not only Silver and Black fans this season, but also the entire NBA audience as a whole. Do they have another surprise in them?
San Antonio Spurs (2-3) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (3-2) May 28 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Watch: NBC, Peacock | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Line: San Antonio -3.5
He caught the attention of headlines afterwards for failing to address the media after Game 5, but Victor Wembanyama didn’t have the sort of performance in that game that the Spurs need him to have if they want to get to the NBA Finals, let alone win them. He went just 4/15 from the field, with a lot of that offense starting at least 18 feet out from the basket. When he has his outside shot falling, Wembanyama looks like the basketball demigod that people imagine him to be, but when he isn’t knocking down jumpers he still has a tendency to play far from the hoop. This is not new criticism of him: casual fans and analysts alike just assume that the 7’4 Wembanyama should just be able to dominate a game inside whenever but the Thunder have done as good a job as anyone to this point at keeping a body on him to either push him away from the basket or to contain him on his drives. Time and time again Wembanyama has responded to adversity defiantly. Expect him to rise to the challenge tonight on his first career elimination game.
With tonight’s game a do-or-die situation, Mitch Johnson’s bench rotations will be of great interest. It’s no secret that this hasn’t been a great series for Luke Kornet. Kornet, who played a pivotal role throughout the regular season as a competent back up big to Wembanyama, has a cumulative plus-minus of -52 in the first five games of this series. He played just 8 minutes in the Game 5 loss, his fewest of the series thus far. Perhaps there’s a chance Mitch decides to cut out his minutes entirely in a game of this magnitude, riding Wemby as long as he can while maybe going small in the odd minute where Vic isn’t on the court.
Kornet is far from the only one who’s struggled on San Antonio’s bench in this series though. Dylan Harper had that 24 point explosion in Game 1 as a starter, but he hasn’t looked the same since suffering an adductor strain in Game 2, while Keldon Johnson and Carter Bryant have also been kept on a relatively short leash by the San Antonio head coach. If it’s a tight game, especially in the 2nd half, it seems to this point that the guy Johnson trusts the most is the rookie Harper.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
This Columbus lineup is extremely stacked. Cooper Ingle went 1-5 with a two RBI single in the 8th. Ralphy Velazquez extended his on base streak to 12 games with a single. Angel Genao went 1-3 with an RBI, single, and a walk. Kody Huff went 0-1 with 2 RBIs via a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
Koby Allard got the start and went 5 scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts and 0 walks. Andrew Walters and Franco Aleman both appeared in this game and they both looked great. Walters struck out two and didn’t allow a single hit. Aleman still has yet to allow an earned run in AAA this season. I expect both of these two to make an impact in the Guardians bullpen at some point this season.
It was a rough game for the RubberDucks offense. Former RubberDuck Matt Wilkinson shut them down with 7 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit. Jake Fox was the only player to record a hit tonight, he went 1-3 with a walk. This offense badly misses Angel Gena0 and Ralphy Velazquez.
Khal Stephen had another great outing. He tossed 6 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks. I would like to see that strikeout number increase but it’s hard to complain about 6 scoreless innings. His ERA is down to 2.74 on the season.
No multi hit performances from anyone on the Captains today, but we did see Dean Curley, Luke Hill, and Aaron Walton hit doubles. Nolan Schubart went 1-2 with a HR and two walks.
It wasn’t the best start for Franklin Gomez today, as he allowed 3 runs on 8 hits in 4.2 innings. However he was still able to strike out 5 batters, his ERA sits at a cool 2.47 on the season.
It wasn’t a big day for the Howlers offense. Cannon Peebles went 1-3 with an RBI single. Yeiferth Castillo went 3-4 with three singles.
Nelson Keljo continues to rack up the strikeouts against Single A hitters. He did allow two runs in 3.2 innings pitched but was able to strike out 7 batters. His ERA on the season is at 3.14.
One week ago, the Colorado Avalanche looked like a team that was inevitable. Today, they're cleaning out their lockers after one of the most stunning collapses in franchise history.
For months, the Avalanche looked destined to lift the Stanley Cup. They won the Presidents' Trophy. They overwhelmed opponents with speed and skill. They entered the Western Conference Final as heavy favorites.
Four games later, they were swept. Not beaten. Swept.
The easy explanation is to point at Vegas and say the Golden Knights got hot at the right time. The better explanation is that Colorado spent an entire season flirting with problems that eventually became impossible to ignore.
And no, this has nothing to do with some mythical Presidents' Trophy curse.
The Presidents' Trophy isn't cursed. It's a trophy. You make your own destiny. And the Avalanche made theirs.
Throughout the season, there were warning signs hiding beneath the wins. If you've watched our interviews all year long, you've heard the same phrases repeated over and over: poor puck management, defensive-zone turnovers, sloppy play, unforced mistakes.
The difference was that those mistakes usually came with a safety net. Scott Wedgewood would make a ridiculous save. Mackenzie Blackwood would erase a defensive breakdown. Nathan MacKinnon would score a goal and suddenly nobody cared about the turnover that happened three shifts earlier.
Winning has a way of covering up flaws. Until it doesn't.
Against Vegas, it was like pneumonia and sepsis hit at the exact same time. The offense stopped scoring. The goaltending advantage disappeared. The power play went silent. The injuries mounted. Every issue that had been masked by elite talent and timely saves suddenly stood naked under a spotlight.
Everything that could go wrong went wrong.
Nathan MacKinnon didn't score a goal in the series. Think about that for a second. The most dominant even-strength player in hockey went four games without scoring. That's never happened before, and the Avalanche had no answer.
When The Punches Started Landing
Watching Colorado during the final three games of this series reminded me of Oscar De La Hoya's fight against Manny Pacquiao in 2008.
On paper, it looked like a massive showdown between two stars.
What people forget is what De La Hoya had to go through just to get there. He hadn't fought at that weight class in years and spent his training camp draining his body to make weight. By fight night, he looked depleted, dehydrated, and physically empty. When the fight started, Pacquiao immediately took over, and De La Hoya had no ability to change the momentum.
At one point, the late Emmanuel Steward — one of the greatest trainers in boxing history and a former coach of De La Hoya himself — watched the fight unfold and delivered a brutally honest assessment:
"He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what to do at all."
Watching Colorado against Vegas, it was hard not to think about that quote.
The Golden Knights kept punching. The Avalanche kept absorbing. And no adjustment ever came.
Vegas clogged the middle of the ice and dared Colorado to beat them from the perimeter. Colorado kept trying anyway.
Vegas erased a third-period lead in Game 2. Colorado looked stunned. Vegas stormed back in Game 3. Colorado looked stunned again.
For a team that entered the third period with a lead and won 41 consecutive regular-season games, plus four playoff games, the inability to respond was shocking.
"I think we let Games 2 and 3 slip away from us," Logan O’Connor said. "Super uncharacteristic from our group to give up the leads like that, especially in consecutive games."
The scary part wasn't just that Colorado lost those games. It was how they reacted afterward. The confidence disappeared. The swagger disappeared. By Game 4, they looked like a team waiting for something bad to happen.
Then it did.
The Offense Never Showed Up
A lot of attention will naturally fall on Nathan MacKinnon, because that’s what happens when superstars go quiet on the biggest stage.
But he wasn't alone.
Martin Necas, Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin combined for 88 regular-season goals. In this series, they combined for four. Only two came against goaltenders.
Necas was supposed to be the connector, the secondary engine who punished teams for overloading on MacKinnon. Instead, Vegas forced him to the perimeter and took away his ability to attack the middle of the ice.
Nelson generated chances but couldn't finish them. At times, he looked like a player pressing for offense that never arrived. In 20 playoff games with Colorado, he has just two goals, both empty-netters.
Nichushkin’s story was more physical than statistical. His offense had already faded late in the regular season, and it never returned in the playoffs. A lower-body injury eventually ended his series after Game 4.
Now the Avalanche face difficult questions about his future, with four years remaining on his contract and a modified no-trade clause attached.
But regardless of the individual cases, the result is the same: Colorado’s depth scoring vanished.
And when MacKinnon stopped scoring, there was nothing left to catch the slack.
The Details That Decided Everything
There’s a temptation to frame this as a collapse defined by one issue.
It wasn’t.
It was everything at once.
The power play struggled for most of the season and carried that problem straight into the postseason. Puck management issues that showed up in November were still there in May. Defensive-zone breakdowns never fully disappeared.
The Avalanche often survived those flaws because they had enough elite talent to erase the consequences.
Vegas removed that safety net.
The Golden Knights defended with structure and patience. They clogged the middle of the ice, forced Colorado to the outside, and waited for mistakes.
And Colorado kept giving them.
You can point to injuries. You can point to goaltending swings. You can point to luck.
All of it matters.
But great teams are eventually defined by what they repeatedly are, not what they occasionally become.
For months, Colorado’s flaws were survivable.
Against Vegas, they were decisive.
Even the goaltending story fits that pattern. Scott Wedgewood earned his role with a strong season, but Carter Hart consistently outplayed Colorado’s netminders throughout the series. When Mackenzie Blackwood finally delivered Colorado’s best performance in Game 4, it came too late, with too little support in front of him.
By then, the series had already slipped away.
Meanwhile, Vegas only got stronger. Health returned. Execution tightened. Confidence grew.
That’s how a sweep happens in a series that was supposed to be competitive.
Not because of fate.
Not because of a curse.
But because one team adapted — and the other didn’t.
And once the punches started landing, Colorado never found a way to answer them.
In this week's Closer Report, Josh Hader's season debut with the Astros is drawing closer as he wraps up his minor league rehab assignment. Gregory Soto is tightening his hold on the Pirates' closer role. And Kenley Jansen's status is worth watching after the veteran closer departed Wednesday's contest. All that and more as we break down the last week in saves.
⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
Mason Miller - San Diego Padres Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Miller made one appearance this week, striking out two in a clean inning against the Athletics on Saturday for his 16th save. It was the first time he didn't have to navigate baserunners over his previous five outings. With solid contributions from Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon, and Jeremiah Estrada, the Padres have collectively had one of the best bullpens in baseball.
Smith locked down three more saves to give him an MLB-leading 19. The 27-year-old right-hander has been lights out, posting a 2.70 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings. The back end of the Cleveland bullpen did take a hit, with Erik Sabrowski landing on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. Sabrowski has been one of baseball's best setup men, with a 1.71 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 21 innings while leading the league in holds at 17.
Duran surrendered a run to blow a save chance against the Guardians on Friday, then bounced back with three straight scoreless outings for three saves this week. He's certainly making up for the time he missed with an oblique strain, converting 11 saves with a 1.62 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings.
Chapman got a week of rest as he didn't see any save chances. Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten lost the lead for the Red Sox on two occasions. The team currently finds itself in last place in the AL East. While they'll likely stick it out and try to get in the hunt over the next two months, Chapman will be a hot commodity if the team sells at the trade deadline.
Muñoz picked up a save against the Royals on Friday and had strung together five straight scoreless appearances before giving up a solo homer in a non-save situation on Tuesday against the A's. The 27-year-old right-hander is up to nine saves with a 4.79 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings.
On one hand, Muñoz has lowered his walk rate from last year and is generating far more whiffs, giving him an elite 29.2% K-BB rate that bodes well for better performance. On the other hand, he's giving up more hard contact than ever, giving up a 14.3% barrel rate and 49% hard-hit rate. Hitters are slugging .625 on his fastball. Still, it feels a little more fluky, and I trust he'll get back to his dominant self through the rest of the season.
After starting the season with 15 consecutive scoreless appearances, Iglesias finally has an ERA after giving up two runs against the Red Sox on Tuesday. Still, he held on for his ninth save of the season, looking as effective as ever in his 12th MLB campaign.
▶ Tier 2
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Louis Varland - Toronto Blue Jays Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
O'Brien recorded four outs and gave up an unearned run to take the loss against the Reds on Saturday for his only appearance this week. He remains at 13 saves with a 2.96 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings.
Baker appeared in two games this week, picking up his 14th save with a scoreless inning against the Yankees on Friday. The 31-year-old right-hander is well on pace for over 30 saves this season, not something we thought we'd get out of a Rays reliever coming into the year.
The Cubs have had a hard time getting a tight lead to the ninth for save chances all season. Palencia hadn't pitched in a week before getting the seventh inning in a blowout loss on Tuesday. He gave up one run on a solo homer.
Varland completed a clean, two-inning save against the Pirates on Friday with three strikeouts. He was unavailable on Saturday after the extended outing, with Jeff Hoffman stepping in for a save. Varland was then used in the eighth on Wednesday against the Marlins to face the heart of the order. He kept Miami off the board before Tyler Rogers picked up the save in the ninth.
Scott didn't get a save chance this week, either. Instead, he made a pair of scoreless appearances against the Brewers over the weekend, striking out five over two innings of work. With Scott unavailable on Monday, Blake Treinen stepped in to record the final out for a save against the Rockies. Scott then pitched the eighth inning against the top of the Rockies lineup on Wednesday before Kyle Hurt took the ninth for a save. While Scott should be considered the primary closer in Los Angeles, it's clear manager Dave Roberts isn't going to save him for every save chance.
▶ Tier 3
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks David Bednar - New York Yankees Josh Hader - Houston Astros Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates Devin Williams - New York Mets Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins Jacob Latz - Texas Rangers Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Sewald continues to get it done for the Diamondbacks. He picked up three saves and a win this week, giving him 14 saves with a 3.80 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts over 21 1/3 innings.
Bednar got back on track with two scoreless outings. He struck out the side in a non-save situation against the Rays on Friday, then picked up a save against the Royals on Monday. Bednar is another reliever with better underlying metrics than surface stats, suggesting better days ahead.
Bryan King recorded back-to-back saves against the Cubs over the weekend, then gave up one run in the eighth inning against the Rangers on Wednesday before Enyel De Los Santos stepped in for his fourth save. King has led the way in Josh Hader's absence with six. His utility could be coming to an end soon, with Hader approaching his season debut in the coming days. He's been out of action all season recovering from a biceps injury. The 32-year-old left-hander made his eighth rehab appearance on Wednesday and will likely get one more outing in with Triple-A Sugar Land before he's activated from the injured list. We'd place him here in the rankings for now, but he could quickly rise if he looks like he's returned to form following the long layoff.
Soto has fully entrenched himself as the Pirates' primary closer. He picked up back-to-back saves this week against the Blue Jays and Cubs. The 31-year-old left-hander has converted five saves this month and six on the season to go with a 2.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. Fellow left-handers Evan Sisk and Mason Montgomery have been excellent in middle relief, giving Soto the chance to be saved for the ninth inning.
Just when Williams looked to have turned a corner, he surrendered four runs and took the loss while recording one out against the Marlins on Sunday. He had worked his ERA down to 4.32, then ended that day with a 6.35 mark. Williams recovered on Wednesday with a scoreless inning against the Reds, striking out the side for his eighth save, but had to work around three walks and strand the bases loaded.
In Detroit, Jansen surrendered three runs, blowing a save and taking a loss against the Orioles on Sunday. He then departed from Wednesday's game against the Angels with a right groin injury and will undergo further evaluation. If Jansen is forced to miss some time, Kyle Finnegan would likely step in as next in line for saves. Though Finnegan's 1.82 ERA is mostly a mirage, as he's issued more walks than strikeouts with a 15/19 K/BB ratio across 25 2/3 innings. Drew Anderson has shown far better skills, with a 45/16 K/BB ratio over 36 2/3 innings. But he's been used for multiple innings in his outings, including three scoreless frames against the Angels on Wednesday.
Fairbanks took the mound four times in the last week, picking up a win and a save. Nine of his eleven runs allowed have come in three blowup outings. He's been otherwise solid for the Marlins when healthy, converting six saves with a 21/7 K/BB ratio over 14 innings.
Latz gave up a solo homer against the Astros on Tuesday, but held on to convert a four-out save with two strikeouts. Four of his six runs allowed have come over his last three appearances. Still, he's been incredibly solid for the Rangers, settling in as the team's closer with six saves and a 2.16 ERA over 25 innings.
After giving up four runs in two appearances last week, Domíguez bounced back with a pair of scoreless outings. He picked up his 11th save against the Twins on Monday. The Grant Taylor hype turned out to be a bit premature after he picked up a save last week. He pitched the fifth inning in his next outing, giving up two runs against the Giants, then tossed a scoreless seventh against the Twins.
▶ Tier 4
Trevor Megill/Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers Rico Garcia/Anthony Nunez - Baltimore Orioles Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals Kaleb Killian - San Francisco Giants
Megill may be taking a step towards retaking the primary closer role. He pitched the ninth with a six-run lead against the Cardinals on Tuesday. This came after Uribe tossed a scoreless eighth and displayed a controversial gesture toward the Cardinals' dugout as he walked off the mound. Megill was given the ninth again on Wednesday, converting a save against the Cardinals.
Garcia and Nunez have split save chances in the absence of Ryan Helsley, with three saves each. Nunez converted a save on Friday against the Tigers, then gave up a run to blow the lead in the eighth inning against the Rays on Monday. Helsley is working his way back from a bout of right elbow inflammation and hopes to return sometime next month.
Erceg had a rough week. He gave up three runs against the Mariners on Sunday, then blew a save chance and took the loss with two runs allowed against the Yankees on Monday. It was always going to be difficult to maintain success with a 5.4% K-BB rate. But Erceg appears to have a leash on the closer role, for now. Daniel Lynch IV may be the biggest threat for saves in the bullpen, but he's the only effective left-hander on the roster. Carlos Estévez, out with a shoulder injury, could be cleared to resume throwing, but it'll likely be a while still before he's able to return.
Kilian struck out the side in a perfect inning of work against the White Sox on Sunday for his third save of the season. He then tossed two scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, giving him a 2.22 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 26/12 K/BB ratio across 24 1/3 innings. If there's anyone worth rostering for saves in San Francisco, it's Kilian.
▶ Tier 5
Kirby Yates/Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn - Los Angeles Angels Gus Varland/Richard Lovelady - Washington Nationals Tony Santillan/Graham Ashcraft - Cincinnati Reds Mark Leiter Jr./Joel Kuhnel/Hogan Harris - Athletics Juan Mejia/Antonio Senzatela - Colorado Rockies Eric Orze/Justin Topa/Luis Garcia - Minnesota Twins
These are the situations that are probably better off left untouched for fantasy purposes outside of the deepest of leagues. Varland had been gaining steam with the Nationals, but has now made seven appearances without recording a save as the team has gone with a matchup-based committee. Richard Lovelady and Orlando Ribalta recorded the two Nationals' saves this week. Kirby Yates picked up his first save with the Angels this week, striking out one batter in a clean inning against the Rangers on Saturday. He's one of the few in this tier worth speculating on in deep leagues if desperate for saves.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 22: Tre Donaldson #3 of the Miami Hurricanes dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft is about a month away, and for the Golden State Warriors, the draft represents a prime opportunity to retool as they seek to re-open their competitive window. The Dubs currently hold the No. 11 and No. 54 picks in the 60-selection draft, though that could certainly change between now and draft day.
While three teams continue to fight for an NBA title, the Warriors are deep in draft prep, and six names have recently emerged for workouts with the team. According to a report from Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, the Warriors are working out Miami guard Tre Donaldson, Texas Tech forward Dillon Mitchell, Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel, Grand Canyon guard Jaden Henley, Michigan State center Carson Cooper, and Purdue forward Oscar Cluff.
As is the case with so many pre-draft workouts, none of these players are in contention for the Warriors with their first-round selection. In fact, none of the six were projected to be drafted at all in the latest ESPN mock draft. That doesn’t mean that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Co. are only looking at this group as potential undrafted free agents, as a lot can change in the next month (and contract situations can impact the second round fairly dramatically). But these are all players that the Warriors are doing due diligence on for the second round, or after the two-day draft has concluded.
But, as the Warriors have shown plenty of times in recent seasons — including with Will Richard a year ago — overlooked players who aren’t Day 1 selections can still be mighty fine hoopers.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his solo home run with Dino Ebel #91, to take a 1-0 lead, during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the 10th straight time in Los Angeles, the Colorado Rockies lost to the LA Dodgers as they fell 4-1 on Wednesday. In a game featuring two of Japan’s baseball heroes on the mound, it would be the Dodgers’ unicorn of a player that highlighted the game as Colorado managed just one hit.
Sugano’s shortened start
Making his first career start at Dodger Stadium, Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) had the monumental task of trying to tame the Dodgers’ offense with the eyes of the world upon him.
Things got off to an ominous start in the bottom of the first inning for the veteran righty when Shohei Ohtani (大谷 翔平) belted a lead-off home run, his ninth long ball of the year, on Sugano’s third pitch to give the Dodgers a quick 1-0 lead. It was the third time in MLB history that a pitcher hit a lead-off home run, Ohtani being the only one to accomplish the feat.
After Andy Pages flew out to right field, Freddie Freeman then laced a ball to left field for an opposite-field home run, his seventh of the year, to put the Dodgers up 2-0. Sugano responded accordingly and retired the next two batters to escape the inning, highlighted by a Max Muncy strikeout.
He then went to work attacking the Dodgers’ lineup. He ended up allowing just four more hits after the two home runs. Pages collected a single in the third inning, but it was the three hits with two outs in the fourth inning that proved costly. Hyeseong Kim laced a single to center field, followed by a double from Will Smith. Alex Call then sent a ball into left field for an RBI single to score Kim, but an excellent throw from Troy Johnston cut down Smith at the plate and ended the inning.
Sugano then got two quick outs in the top of the fifth, but a throwing error by third baseman Willi Castro allowed Pages to reach, and with the left-handed Freeman coming up to the plate, manager Warren Schaeffer decided to pull Sugano from the game.
He ended up tossing 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He had three strikeouts, including one of Ohtani, and issued just one walk. He threw 83 pitches, 48 for strikes, and induced six groundouts along with three flyouts. He also managed to pick off a batter at first base.
“Sugano, I thought, gave us a chance to win,” Schaeffer said. “Just a couple of homers in the first inning, but then he settled in.”
“The fastball command wavered a little bit [in the fourth inning], but he was good overall.”
One of One
The Rockies were going to have a tough time against Ohtani at the plate, but he proved just as troublesome on the mound.
Through six innings, Ohtani did not allow a hit while striking out seven batters. His pitches had the signature bite and kept the Rockies off balance, but the oddity of his outing is what was fascinating.
Ohtani battled his command as he allowed a season-high four walks and hit a batter while throwing 56-of-99 pitches for strikes. He found himself working behind hitters often, as the Rockies did put together some quality at-bats despite the lack of production.
The Rockies’ lone run against Ohtani came in the fourth inning after TJ Rumfield drew a leadoff walk — his second of the game — becoming the first hitter to draw two or more walks in a game against Ohtani since Cal Raleigh in 2023. Hunter Goodman was then hit by a pitch, setting up Johnston to bounce into a fielder’s choice and put runners on the corners. Castro then chopped a ball high to second base, where Alex Freeland snagged the ball and dove to first base to get the out, allowing Rumfield to score and make it 2-1 at the time.
Ohtani exited the game after the sixth inning, securing a quality start and a unique line, as it was the first time in MLB history that a starting pitcher allowed one run on no hits with four walks and seven strikeouts over six innings.
It was also the first time since 1971 that a player hit a home run and threw six no-hit innings.
“Ohtani, we couldn’t find a barrel tonight,” Schaeffer said, “I thought we made him work… gave us chances to score but couldn’t get the knock.”
Bullpen fills in
Thanks to a mostly rested bullpen and the off day on Thursday, Schaeffer felt comfortable lifting Sugano in the fifth inning to bring in Brennan Bernardino to finish that inning. Bernardino then completed a quick 1-2-3 sixth inning to keep the score 3-1 and hand the baton to Antonio Senzatela.
Senzatela easily navigated a leadoff walk in the seventh, getting a couple of groundouts and a lineout but the Dodgers found a way to add on to their lead in the eighth. Pages hit a leadoff home run, his 13th of the year, to make it 4-1. After allowing a single, the Rockies then had to turn to Blas Castaño, who managed to strike out Mookie Betts and then induce a double-play ground ball.
The Dodgers bullpen, on the other hand, kept things rolling for 1.2 innings after Ohtani departed, but thankfully, with two outs in the eighth, Tyler Freeman collected the Rockies’ first hit with a single into right field. However, Kyle Hurt managed to slam the door in the ninth to complete the sweep.
Up Next
The Rockies are off Thursday before welcoming the San Francisco Giants to Coors Field to kick off the homestand. Michael Lorenzen (2-7, 7.21 ERA) will face off against the Giants’ Logan Webb (2-4, 5.06 ERA).
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 27: Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka (34) throws a pitch during a MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on May 27, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
No matter how you split it, it’s been a pretty fun couple of weeks to be a Diamondbacks’ fan. Since May 9th, the day after the D-Backs lost an extra-inning affair to the Mets, they’ve gone a major league best 14-4 including today’s win. They’ve pitched to a 2.69 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP between then and today while putting together a .271/.346/.423 slash line and scoring 5.3 runs per game. This stretch has obviously been keyed by an incredibly hot stretch at the plate by Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll, but it’s also been a stretch that has shown the depth this team has up and down the lineup as well as on the pitching staff. There are obvious qualifiers, namely that none of their opponents in that stretch have winning records, but good teams are supposed to beat bad teams, none of these teams are pushovers, and they’re all professionals.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the team-focused approach the players have brought to the stadium every day during this stretch where there are days the offense has to carry the pitching staff and the pitchers find ways to support a struggling offense. This afternoon featured more of the latter as the D-Backs’ dynamic offense managed just three runs on six hits and a pair of walks while striking out eight times. Instead, Michael Soroka continued to impress in his first season with the D-Backs, keeping his ERA down at 3.25 and firmly putting that rough outing against the Brewers in the rearview mirror. As has become D-Back pitcher tradition, Soroka was the victim of one bad inning, but was otherwise pretty efficient at keeping the struggling San Francisco offense off-kilter throughout the afternoon. His one bad inning came in the third when he allowed a leadoff single to Drew Gilbert and a one-out double to Will Adames before grooving a fastball to Luis Arraez that just eluded both Soroka and Geraldo Perdomo to sneak into centerfield and plate both Gilbert and Adames to give the Giants an early two-run lead. Outside of that rough patch, Soroka limited the traffic around him by leaning on his slurve and four-seamer to keep batters guessing even if he struggled to strikeout very many Giants.
Meanwhile, an Arizona offense that has been on an incredible heater lately struggled to find any kind of traction against Trevor McDonald making just his seventh career start. Through the first five innings, Arizona batters had been limited to just three total baserunners. Unsurprisingly, Marte shifted the dynamic in the sixth with a leadoff single before being erased on a would-be double play from Corbin Carroll that he just beat out to keep the pressure up. Carroll advanced to third on a Perdomo single and eventually scored on an Adrian Del Castillo single before Ildemaro Vargas collected his 35th RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly to deep right field that tied the game. The D-Backs manufactured their final run of the game in the next inning by loading the bases on a pair of one-out singles and an ugly error from newly-entered reliever Matt Gage before Perdomo scooped a Gage changeup to left field for another sacrifice fly to give the team the lead for good.
Poor play was yet again a theme for a Giants team that has mostly disappointed to this point in the season. There was the key fielding error by Gage that loaded the bases in the seventh and set up the go-ahead sacrifice fly, but there were also two baserunning blunders that kept the Giants from tying the game in the bottom of the eighth. Adames again doubled to put the tying run into scoring position and bewilderingly tried to score on a bloop single from Arraez that Jorge Barrosa couldn’t quite corral and a perfect relay play cut him down at home. Then Arraez, who had moved up to second on the play, wandered too far off the base and Kevin Ginkel executed an excellent pickoff move to catch Arraez and end the inning. But good teams are able to take advantage of poor play from their opponents and the D-Backs have been doing that in spades lately. They are now seven games over .500 and will take on a Mariners team that has failed to find any traction in a strangely weak AL West and junior circuit more generally. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers flirted with a no-hitter until the eighth inning and earned a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, winning the finale 4-1 on Wednesday.
Less than 24 hours after taking a pitch to his right hand, Shohei Ohtani was both the starting pitcher and the leadoff hitter for the series finale. After starting his day on the mound with a scoreless first inning, Ohtani connected for his second leadoff home run in as many starts to give the Dodgers another first inning lead. It was Ohtani’s third home run in just his sixth at-bat against Tomoyuki Sugano. Ohtani now has 22 leadoff home runs as a Dodger, passing Joc Pederson for the third most in franchise history.
Freddie Freeman gave the Dodgers their seventh home run over their last nine innings at the plate by taking Tomoyuki Sugano the other way for his third home run over his past eight games, giving the Dodgers their second 2-0 first inning lead in as many games.
The two runs in the first were plenty for Ohtani on the mound, as although he allowed a pair of two-out walks over his first two innings, the Rockies went scoreless through their first go-around. Colorado to lead off the fourth inning with a pair of baserunners, as T.J. Rumfield walked before Hunter Goodman was drilled by a pitch. A fielder’s choice from Troy Johnston moved Rumfield to third base, and Willi Castro drove him in on a groundout.
The Dodgers would get that run right back in the bottom half of the fourth, as Alex Call followed up Hyeseong Kim and Will Smith with the Dodgers’ third straight two-out hit. While Kim scored on the play, Smith was cut down at the plate trying to extend the lead to three.
Ohtani was able to complete six innings after tossing just five in his last start in San Diego, and although he held Colorado hitless, he put five runners on base as he walked four along with the hit batsman. While Ohtani does have seven different pitches in his repertoire, he relied heavily on his fastball and sweeper, accounting for 88 of his 99 pitches on the night and six of his seven strikeouts. He tossed his curveball, sinker and splitter a total of 11 times while completely ditching his cutter and slider altogether.
After allowing the one run over six innings, Ohtani’s ERA now sits at 0.83 over his first nine starts on the year, besting Fernando Valenzuela’s 0.91 ERA he had over his first nine starts in his legendary 1981 season.
Will Klein followed Ohtani with a scoreless inning with the potential no-hit bid intact, but a two-out single from Tyler Freeman against Tanner Scott in the top of the eighth ended the bid with just four outs to go.
Andy Pages added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth with his third home run in his last four games to give the Dodgers a three-run lead. Pages’ 13 home runs on the year are now the most on the team while he is the first player this season to reach the 50 RBI plateau.
Kyle Hurt recorded his first career save to lock down the sweep of Colorado. Hurt has been remarkable over his first 17 appearances on the season, as he has 20 strikeouts to only four walks over 17 innings while carrying a 1.06 ERA.
The Dodgers are now in the midst of a five-game winning streak and are now winners in 11 of their last 13 games. The three-game sweep of the Rockies was the first series sweep at home since the Dodgers took all three against the New York Mets from April 13-15. With the Philadelphia Phillies sweeping the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers now increase their division lead to 4.5 games over both San Diego and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Game particulars
Home runs— Shohei Ohtani (9), Freddie Freeman (7), Andy Pages (13)
The Dodgers are off on Thursday but are back at home to welcome the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series beginning Friday (7:10 p.m. PT, Apple TV). Justin Wrobleski faces Zack Wheeler.
Judge unleashed a laser from right field to throw a runner out at the plate in the third inning Wednesday night, keeping Gerrit Cole’s shutout intact on the way to a 7-0 win over the Royals that finished off a sweep at Kauffman Stadium.
“I thought the game really got going with Judge’s play,” said Cole, who tossed 6 ²/₃ scoreless innings. “He set the tone.”
It was still a scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning when the Royals had a runner on second and two outs for Maikel Garcia, who hit a sinking liner to right field. Judge knew he could either make a do-or-die diving attempt on it or pull up and try to throw out Michael Massey at the plate. He chose the latter, playing it on one hop and casually firing home to nail Massey for the third out.
“All I was thinking was, ‘Don’t let this guy score,’ ” Judge said. “Especially Gerrit coming back, second game, it’s a tight game. I know if we stop them from scoring there, they’re probably not going to score the rest of the game. Just trying to do my job.”
Aaron Judge throws Michael Massey out at the plate during the third inning of the Yankees’ 7-0 win over Royals on May 27, 2026 in Kansas City. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Judge, who dealt with a right flexor strain late last season that initially shut him down altogether before sapping some of his arm strength upon his return to the field, got healthier with rest this offseason and then came back looking like himself this spring.
But even knowing Judge’s arm, Cole thought the runner was going to score “for sure” before seeing it play out.
“He was dead to rights,” Cole said. “That just elevated our play a little bit, and we rolled from there.”
Aaron Boone said he thought it was the right send by the Royals because it was going to take a perfect throw to nab the runner. Judge delivered just that.
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“It was a sneaky great play,” Boone said. “What he does so well out there is slows it down. He moves quickly, but not in a hurry. To take a tricky hop and gather himself and slow down and execute a perfect throw, that’s a really good play right there.”
