The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 23 pick will play out with Philadelphia 76ers making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Philadelphia 76ers 2026 projected draft picks
No. 23 (via HOU)
Philadelphia 76ers 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 23 overall, Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
One of the most under-the-radar prospects in all of college basketball this season was Santa Clara freshman Allen Graves, who was nearly a March Madness hero. It was hard not to notice the WCC Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year after he scored 30 points with 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals Feb. 7 against Washington State. The only players under 21 years old who held a higher box plus-minus, via Bart Torvik, were Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. He declared early entry for the 2026 NBA Draft but also entered his name in the transfer portal.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 22 pick will play out with Atlanta Hawks making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Atlanta Hawks 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 7 overall, Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Hawks need a guard like Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. after trading away Trae Young, using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. En route to the Sweet 16, the SEC Player of the Year proved he is one of the most enticing offensive prospects in recent memory. Acuff Jr. led the nation for points created (1,394) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. He led freshmen for field goals made in transition (72) and field goals made from both the left and right side of the court. He was among the freshmen leaders in alley-oop assists (17) as well. He has significant defensive deficiencies but playing alongside Dyson Daniels would help cover that problem.
Atlanta Hawks 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 22 overall, Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Many teams might benefit from a big like Patrick Ngongba II, who is an above-average passer for his position. His assist rate is the highest among underclassmen listed at 6-foot-11 or taller, per Bart Torvik, and he is at the top of his game when passing to a driving perimeter player. The big man, who helped Duke earn a spot in the Elite Eight, is a big-bodied prospect who can carve out space as one of the more prolific cutters in college basketball. He is on an encouraging development track, displaying legitimate year-over-year improvement from his freshman to sophomore campaign.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 13 pick will play out with Miami Heat making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
The Miami Heat have drafted several prospects known for their athleticism, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to the organization. Peat is an ideal match for this franchise given his versatility as a playmaking forward. Arizona played at a significantly faster pace (3.9 extra possessions) when Peat was on the floor relative to when he was not, per CBB Analytics, which would fit very well with Miami's fastest-paced offense in the NBA. The All-Big 12 forward just needs a jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro.
Swimmer: ‘I take a lot of guidance. I look up to him a lot’
Peaty married Ramsay’s daughter Holly in December
Olympic champion Adam Peaty has hailed father-in-law Gordon Ramsay as his inspiration as he turned his thoughts towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 31-year-old almost quit swimming just before the 2024 Games in Paris and then again straight afterwards, but confirmed he would compete in 2028 after the 50m breaststroke was added to the schedule. Peaty, who is back in action at the British Championships this week, admitted the next two years were going to be “the hardest of my career”, but took guidance from TV chef Ramsay.
Stokes: ‘Agreeing on every single thing, that’s impossible’
Pair will ‘work together in a slightly different way’
Ben Stokes has moved to play down suggestions of a disagreement between himself and Brendon McCullum, insisting he and the England head coach remain aligned despite an Ashes defeat that, at times, suggested otherwise.
In a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday, the England Test captain stressed that he and McCullum agreeing with each other all the time would be “unhealthy”. They continue to share the same overall vision for the team, he added, but things will look “different” this summer.
George Steinbrenner pours champagne over the head of his manager Yankees Billy Martin after securing the AL pennant in 1977. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive
George Steinbrenner could be quite the pitchman – whether selling New York to free agents or starring in Pepto-Bismol TV ads alongside Billy Martin. And now a new book remembers the late Yankees owner and the dynasty he founded.
The Bosses of the Bronx: The Endless Drama of the Yankees Under the House of Steinbrenner flows from the pen of sports journalist and author Mike Vaccaro. As the New York Post’s lead sports columnist for more than two decades, Vaccaro has witnessed the Steinbrenner dynasty from a rarefied perspective – the journalistic equivalent of a seat along the third-base line.
Vaccaro remembers the first one-on-one phone call he got from Steinbrenner. It came at 3.30am when he was covering the 2003 Super Bowl in San Diego for the Post. Steinbrenner was on the other side of the US, driving to the Yankees’ spring training facility in Tampa.
Despite the three-hour time difference, “he was terrific,” Vaccaro says, “a fun interview. I had [previously] been around him in group settings, but that was my first one-on-one with him.”
The book divulges the contents of that interview, including Steinbrenner’s appraisal of Larry David’s performance as him on Seinfeld: “I don’t think it sounds like me. But my wife told me, ‘George, that sounds more like you than you do.’”
Vaccaro says he was on good terms with Steinbrenner despite the usual friction between a journalist and a sports executive. “We maintained a pretty good relationship the rest of my career,” Vaccaro says. “I was fair to him. I did not always agree with the things he did. I think he respected that.”
Over the course of 30 chapters, Vaccaro shares the story of Steinbrenner – his full name was George M Steinbrenner III – and the son who succeeded him in running the Yankees, Harold Zieg “Hal” Steinbrenner.
In January 1973, the elder Steinbrenner, a Cleveland shipping magnate, purchased the Yankees from CBS for $8.8m, as the then-relatively unknown head of a group of partners. The Yankees would win seven World Series championships under Steinbrenner’s watch, backed by stars such as Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter. Yet the man nicknamed “The Boss” was also suspended from baseball on two occasions – a two-year ouster in 1974 for illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon, and a lifetime ban in 1990 for paying gambler Howard Spira in an attempt to discredit Yankees star Dave Winfield. Each time, Steinbrenner ultimately navigated his way back into baseball. Yet throughout his ownership, he displayed a notably combative approach – hiring, firing and sometimes rehiring in his quest for another championship. Exhibit A was Martin, who served five separate spells as Yankees manager and, according to Vaccaro, was in line for a sixth stint before his untimely death in a Christmas Day car crash in 1989.
“Both of them hated losing even more than they liked winning,” Vaccaro says. “It was sort of their driving fossil fuel. They were also incredibly stubborn. I don’t think Billy could ever quite wrap his head around the fact George was the boss. From day one, George referred to himself as ‘The Boss.’ It drove Billy crazy.”
In tackling this complex overall narrative, Vaccaro credits his book’s editor with some good advice about making each chapter like one of his newspaper columns: “Make them conversational, make them interesting, make them fun, not like a textbook, ‘on that day, this happened.’ Play all the hits – and the stories behind the stories, that may not be quite so well-known.”
Did you know, for instance, that George Steinbrenner spotted promise in Hal early on, due to his son’s response to a Burger King promo in the 1980s? According to the book, Burger King offered Yankees cards with a Whopper, fries and shake, and 12-year-old Hal noted that the lineup omitted popular Yankee Lou Piniella. The fast-food chain was notified, the Piniella card became a prized collector’s item, and Steinbrenner Sr noted his adolescent son’s business acumen.
The book also explores the contributions of two Yankees executives who played notable roles during Steinbrenner’s periods of exile: Gabe Paul in the 1970s and Gene “Stick” Michael in the 1990s. Paul, a former Cleveland Indians general manager, took over in a similar role at the Yankees early in Steinbrenner’s tenure. When Steinbrenner was suspended for his contributions to Nixon during the Watergate investigation, Paul got more leeway to make franchise-altering moves; according to the book, he did receive clearance from then-baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn to get Steinbrenner’s approval before successfully courting free agent Catfish Hunter.
Years later, in 1993, with Steinbrenner again out of baseball, it was a new GM – Michael – who got credit for a deal he didn’t make. The Yankees were looking to reunite with one of their exes, Rickey Henderson, but the Blue Jays swooped in first. Michael was thinking longer-term, and Vaccaro explains that the Oakland A’s demands for Henderson included a list of Yankees prospects at the time: not only Jeter, but also on future stars Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Bernie Williams.
“For two and a half years Michael could protect the crown jewels without fear of the Boss going behind his back to ransom them,” Vaccaro writes in the book.
It all ended up working out quite well for Steinbrenner and the Yankees: The Boss returned in 1995. A year later, under new manager Joe Torre, the Yankees returned to the World Series, which they won, starting a string of four titles in five years. On the business side, the team entered into a short-lived cross-sport partnership with the New Jersey Nets and New Jersey Devils, and into the lucrative world of TV with the regional sports titan YES Network. Vaccaro estimates the Yankees’ current value at $7bn-$10bn, and he believes their fairly new stadium has quashed any fears of a move to New Jersey.
There have been some fissures in the firmament in recent decades though. The Yankees’ long-time foes, the Boston Red Sox, got the better of the rivalry in Steinbrenner’s last years – notably in 2004, when Boston came back from a 3-0 deficit to stun the Yankees in the ALCS en route to ending an 86-year World Series drought and an almost-as-long run of humiliation against the Pinstripes. The Yankees have not won a championship since 2009, and according to the book, some fans worry about Hal Steinbrenner’s leadership compared to his father, muttering that current GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone might have faced more pressure to win “if only George were still alive.”
“Yankees fans are passionate – spoiled, maybe, too used to success,” Vaccaro says. “They really have a serious belief about what the Yankees should be – which Hal does have.”
These days, he adds, “it’s not quite as easy … the Dodgers are supposed to be invulnerable … [yet] they should have lost the World Series three different times last year. It’s something of a crapshoot when you get your team into a playoff series.” Wryly, he adds, “Yankees fans – and George Steinbrenner – would not like to hear that.”
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 12: New York Yankees Outfielder Aaron Judge (99) watches the action on the field during the regular season game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays on April 12, 2026, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After storming out to such a strong start to the season, the Yankees’ fortunes took an abrupt U-turn in the form of a five-game losing streak including getting swept by the Rays. The bullpen deserves its share of the blame, but the main culprit is a slumping offense. It has gotten to the point that Aaron Judge called out the unit as a whole for pressing and trying to play hero. In his role as captain, he took it upon himself to urge his teammates to simplify their approach. He feels they need to get back to the basics of hunting a pitch in a particular zone and passing the baton if that pitch doesn’t come. That means a willingness to draw walks instead of “trying to hit every single pitch we see up there.”
SNY | Ben Krimmel: The Yankees made a roster move after last night’s game, demoting Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Monday night was another tough outing for the 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition, as he coughed up a game-tying three-run bomb to Mike Trout in the sixth and then gave the lead away again in the very next inning after Aaron Judge had homered to put New York back in front. Bird was great in his first four games of 2026, but since then, he’s only recorded eight outs across four appearances and 18 batters faced, allowing eight hits and six runs. Once again, he’ll try to get back on track in Triple-A. In the meantime, Yerry De los Santos and Angel Chivilli are among the candidates who could come up to take Bird’s spot in the bullpen. No move has been announced yet.
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The starting rotation has stumbled a bit in contrast with the incredibly high bar they set through the first week of games, but reinforcements are on the horizon. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are set to begin rehab assignments this week after each threw three innings of live batting practice over the weekend, Cole tossing 42 pitches and Rodón 50. Both are coming off elbow surgery rehab — Cole missing all of 2025 to Tommy John surgery while Rodón had an offseason procedure to remove bone chips — and are on time with their return tables of late April/early May for Rodón with Cole expected back a month after.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Cole and Rodón aren’t the only injured Yankees set to begin a rehab assignment. Anthony Volpe — yet to debut after undergoing offseason surgery to correct a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder — is scheduled to suit up for the Double-A Somerset Patriots starting today. The plan is for him to appear in four games this week, playing 3-5 innings in each — he has received 50 live at-bats at the spring training complex and the team wants him to log the same amount in the coming week. He is expected to be handed the starting role upon his return to the major league club. Despite Volpe’s struggles on both sides on the ball in 2025, it’s a low bar to upgrade the current starter at short, José Caballero putting in woeful appearances with the bat and glove (even a rare homer last night was obscured by a routine groundball error that opened the floodgates on a bad inning).
MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: We relayed last week that the Yankees had designated Rule 5 Draft pick Cade Winquest for assignment and now it is official that he will be returned to the Cardinals after he cleared waivers. The 25-year-old reliever broke camp with the major league team after the Yankees selected him from St. Louis in December but never made an appearance despite warming up seven times. Per the rules of the Rule 5 Draft, Winquest does not need to be added to the Cardinals’ 40-man roster now that he is being returned after clearing waivers, and accordingly he has been assigned to their Triple-A affiliate.
Michael Carrick branded Lisandro Martínez’s red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair as “shocking” and said Manchester United may appeal as the defender faces a three-match ban.
If the sending off in United’s 2-1 defeat by Leeds at Old Trafford on Monday night stands, Carrick could be without his two first-choice centre-backs for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea as Harry Maguire may be suspended for a second match. Martínez was sent off after 56 minutes when Paul Tierney, after reviewing the incident on the monitor, ruled it a red-card offence, with Leeds 2-0 ahead.
Carrick said: 'The arm [is] in the face of Lisandro and he is off balance and grappling. He goes to touch his shirt and gets a red card for it.
'It is not aggressive, there is no jolt, no tug. We have got to be careful where the game is going. It is a shocking decision, absolutely shocking. The red card, that is really concerning. I know he touched his hair. There is a difference to really aggressively touching it.'
AFL tribunal hands out seven-week ban to Saints player
Collard denied using slur though he had admitted using it in 2024
St Kilda forward Lance Collard has been banned for seven weeks by the AFL tribunal for directing a homophobic slur towards an opponent.
The penalty, which includes a further two-week ban suspended until the end of the 2027 season, was announced at a sanctions hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
Seattle Kraken (34-35-11, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (38-26-17, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Seattle Kraken trying to continue a three-game home winning streak.
Vegas has gone 38-26-17 overall with a 14-5-6 record in Pacific Division play. The Golden Knights have a 36-6-11 record in games they score at least three goals.
Seattle is 16-8-1 against the Pacific Division and 34-35-11 overall. The Kraken have conceded 251 goals while scoring 223 for a -28 scoring differential.
The teams meet Wednesday for the fourth time this season. The Kraken won the previous matchup 4-3 in a shootout.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Mitchell Marner has four goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
Bobby McMann has 29 goals and 17 assists for the Kraken. Brandon Montour has three goals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 6-1-3, averaging 3.7 goals, 5.8 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Kraken: 3-6-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.2 assists, 2.9 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).
Kraken: Joey Daccord: day to day (lower-body), Jared McCann: out (lower-body), Shane Wright: day to day (upper-body), Matt Murray: out (personal), Philipp Grubauer: day to day (lower-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Philadelphia Flyers after the Flyers knocked off the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in a shootout.
Philadelphia is 42-27-12 overall and 19-13-8 at home. The Flyers have a 7-5-8 record in games decided by a goal.
Montreal has a 48-23-10 record overall and a 24-8-8 record in road games. The Canadiens have conceded 247 goals while scoring 277 for a +30 scoring differential.
The matchup Tuesday is the third time these teams meet this season. The Flyers won 4-1 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Trevor Zegras has 26 goals and 41 assists for the Flyers. Tyson Foerster has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has five goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 7-3-0, averaging 3.6 goals, 5.8 assists, three penalties and six penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Canadiens: 8-2-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.6 assists, 5.5 penalties and 14.2 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body).
Canadiens: Alexandre Carrier: out (upper body), Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Grand National, Masters, Paris-Roubaix and Champions League put it ahead of even July’s mighty trifecta
The thought struck me on the last rattler back from the Grand National, as Avanti’s wifi faltered somewhere outside Crewe and the Masters stream on my phone froze yet again. I was watching the world’s best golf tournament, on a train journey back from the world’s greatest steeplechase, having seen the best football match of the season – Real Madrid against Bayern Munich – earlier in the week. Is there a better month in the sporting calendar than April?
Augusta always delivers. Club football hits peak levels of drama and jeopardy. Then there is Aintree, Paris-Roubaix, the start of the County Championship cricket season and the World Snooker Championship. To round it off, the life-affirming sight of the great and the ordinary doing remarkable things at the London Marathon. “April is the cruellest month,” writes TS Eliot in The Waste Land. But he was not a sporting man and was living in very different times.
On Monday, the Vegas Golden Knights hosted the Winnipeg Jets in the penultimate game of the 2025-26 regular season. In an all-important game in the battle for control of the Pacific Division, they came to play. They took advantage of a much weaker Jets team and, aided by a four-goal third period, rolled to a 6-2 victory.
Right from puck drop, the Golden Knights established themselves as the better team. They generated five high-danger scoring chances while holding Winnipeg to one, and controlled 86.81% of the expected goal share.
“We had a lot of pressure, but didn’t score,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella postgame. “I think the shots were eleven to three, but it’s still zero-zero. I think sometimes teams get impatient, and that’s when they start opening themselves up… They just kept on point, and we found a way to score some goals.”
In the second period, the Golden Knights kept up their dominant play and capitalized on a few of their chances. They outshot the Jets 16-10 and generated 17 scoring chances.
The Golden Knights broke the ice at 7:38 in the second. Jack Eichel stripped the puck from Mark Scheifele and took off up ice in a 2-on-1 with Mark Stone. Eichel got the pass across, and Stone ripped it home for the 10th short-handed goal of his career.
Eichel and Stone short handed 2-on-1. Looks like Hellebuyck makes the save on Stone but the puck leaks through and trickles across the line.
The wheels came off in the third period, with five goals scored in the first six minutes. The Golden Knights outshot the Jets 12-10, and both teams combined for 23 scoring chances.
The Golden Knights extended their lead just 31 seconds into the third. As he circled the wagon, Jack Eichel backhanded a drop-pass to Ivan Barbashev, who slammed the puck into the empty net.
Pretty behind-the-back pass by Eichel and Barbashev slams it home.
The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead just 1:03 later. Ivan Barbashev caught up to Brayden McNabb’s stretch pass and entered the zone. Barbashev left the puck for Mark Stone, who pulled up and threaded a cross-ice pass to Rasmus Andersson. Andersson flew deeper into the zone and wired a shot past Connor Hellebuyck.
And Vegas answers right back. Mark Stone finds Rasmus Andersson in transition and the defenseman wires it home for his fifth goal in the past ten games!
The Jets answered back at 4:41 in the third. Mark Scheifele forced a turnover, and Gabe Vilardi threaded a pass to Kyle Connor, who was all alone in the slot. Carter Hart kicked out Connor’s wrister, but Scheifele banged in the rebound.
And now Winnipeg answers right back. Scheifele sneaks down below the right circle and bangs home Kyle Connor’s rebound.
Scheifele took a high-sticking double minor just 24 seconds later, and the Golden Knights put the game away on the ensuing power play.
The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead at 5:42 in the third period. After playing catch with Jack Eichel, Mark Stone found Pavel Dorofeyev all alone in the right dot. Dorofeyev dusted off the puck, picked his spot, and beat Connor Hellebuyck far-side.
Pavel Dorofeyev with a snipe for his 37th (and 20th PPG) of the season.
The Golden Knights tacked on a sixth goal at 7:38 in the third. The puck took a hop off Dylan DeMelo over to Jack Eichel right in front of the net, and Eichel fired home his first power-play goal of the season.
BREAKING: Jack Eichel has scored a power play goal in the 2025-26 season.
“They’re joining together at the right time here,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella after the 6-2 win. “They have a strong belief that they can play. So hopefully that’ll continue, bring us through our next game, and then get us ready for the real stuff.”
Three Takeaways of the Knight
1. As Jack Eichel pointed out, the Golden Knights’ power play hasn’t been cold over the past 10 games. However, it has been lukewarm at best. Tonight’s game was a penalty fest from start to finish, with 32 total PIMs– a perfect time for the dam to break. The Golden Knights went 2-for-7 on the power play, with both goals coming on the double minor right after the Jets scored their second goal of the game.
“You want to generate chances and momentum,” said Jack Eichel following the 6-2 win. “It seems like sometimes we’re struggling to get set up and kind of getting pushed out of the zone… There was some simplicity to it tonight. I think we just won a few battles, and were able to get a couple of shots, recover pucks, and move it around quickly.”
2. Towards the end of the second period, the Golden Knights scored a goal just 9 seconds after another power play expired. In the 1:54 leading up to Reilly Smith’s goal, the Golden Knights fired off 10 shot attempts. Seven of those ended up on goal, and three were blocked– two by Jets captain Adam Lowry, and one by Ivan Barbashev.
According to Golden Knights head coach John Tortarella, that shot-first mentality has been a point of emphasis.
“We sometimes try to pass the puck into the net,” Tortorella said. “We’re trying to concentrate not just on the power play but five-on-five, trying to sift more pucks to the net and not overpass. There’s a fine line there because there are a number of skilled players on this hockey team. We certainly want to let them make plays, but there are certain times you can just put it in the paint.”
3. Don’t look now, but the Golden Knights have a very real chance of winning the Division. If they secure one point in Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Kraken, they lock up first in the Pillow Fight– er, Pacific Division.
“I don’t think any of us would have expected to head into the last game of the year with the chance to win the division with the number of points we had– but here we are. It’s on us to go out there and do a job and try to win a hockey game,” said Jack Eichel. “I don’t think anybody would be upset if you said that we won the division this year.”
PLAY-IN GAME: The Suns and Trail Blazers meet to decide the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
BOTTOM LINE: The Phoenix Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament. The winner secures the seventh seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The Suns are 29-23 in Western Conference games. Phoenix averages 112.6 points and has outscored opponents by 1.5 points per game.
The Trail Blazers are 29-23 in conference games. Portland is 23-18 in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Suns average 14.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Trail Blazers allow. The Trail Blazers average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 more made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Suns give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.8 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Suns. Devin Booker is averaging 23.8 points and 2.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Donovan Clingan is averaging 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for the Trail Blazers. Deni Avdija is averaging 24.5 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 5-5, averaging 115.1 points, 44.2 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 7-3, averaging 118.3 points, 46.3 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.2 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Collin Gillespie: day to day (shoulder), Grayson Allen: day to day (hamstring), Devin Booker: day to day (ankle), Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Royce O'Neale: day to day (knee), Jalen Green: day to day (knee), Jordan Goodwin: day to day (ankle), Dillon Brooks: day to day (hand).
Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
PLAY-IN GAME: The Clippers and Warriors meet with the winner advancing to play for the eighth seed.
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Clippers host the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament. The winner moves on in the tournament to play for the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The Clippers have gone 10-6 against division opponents. Los Angeles ranks last in the Western Conference recording 40.6 rebounds per game led by Kawhi Leonard averaging 6.4.
The Warriors are 24-28 in Western Conference play. Golden State has a 5-6 record in one-possession games.
The Clippers' 12.4 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.5 fewer made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Warriors give up. The Warriors average 15.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 13.3 per game the Clippers give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the Clippers. Darius Garland is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.
Stephen Curry is scoring 26.6 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the Warriors. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 113.9 points, 41.0 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.8 points per game.
Warriors: 3-7, averaging 111.4 points, 40.3 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Isaiah Jackson: out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Kawhi Leonard: day to day (ankle).
Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), LJ Cryer: out (ankle), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Draymond Green: day to day (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
