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Player Grades: Lakers vs. Rockets

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

All season long, when faced with adversity, the Lakers have responded.

When LeBron James missed the first 14 games due to sciatica, LA went 10-4 in his absence. After both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves went down late in the season, the Lakers fought hard to keep the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference.

LA started the playoffs without Austin or Luka, but just kept on winning. They went up 3-0 in their series against the Rockets, only for Houston to respond with two wins, forcing a Game 6. The purple and gold ensured there would not be a Game 7.

It was the Lakers who went on a dominant second-quarter run and took over, putting the game to bed.

Things will only get harder as they will now play the defending champs, but if we’ve learned one thing about the 2025-26 Lakers, they’ll fight as hard as possible to find success.

So, they’ll be underdogs again, but that’s a position they’ve excelled in under JJ Redick’s.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

37 minutes, 28 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 10-25 FG, 2-5 3PT, 6-8 FT, +26

The Lakers needed LeBron to be great and he delivered. James started aggressively by scoring inside, knocking down threes and handing out a slew of assists with just one turnover in the first half.

Thanks to his play, LA got out in front early and never looked back. LeBron remained on the attack throughout the game, and yes, at age 41, he was the best player on the court.

Take a bow, king!

Grade: A+

Rui Hachimura

35 minutes, 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 fouls, 8-15 FG, 5-7 3PT, +20

There is a reason Redick was so reluctant to bench Hachimura during the regular season. He is as clutch as they come, has good size, and is one of the best shot-makers in the NBA.

All of this was on display in Game 6.

This was one of the best games Rui has ever had as a Laker. With the series momentum leaning in favor of Houston, Hachimura tipped the scales back in LA’s favor.

He was an unstoppable shooter, going 5-7 from 3-point range. The only thing more demoralizing than his shot-making was the million-dollar smile he had while jogging back on defense.

Grade: A+

Deandre Ayton

28 minutes, 7 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 5 fouls, 2-6 FG, 3-7 FT, +5

I had to triple-check the rebounding numbers for Ayton. It’s unreal that he had 16 boards in an elimination game. He did a solid job defending Şengün when he had that assignment and did the little things that impacted winning.

A hilarious moment came when NBA official Scott Foster tried to ensure Ayton didn’t get an unfair advantage in a jump ball and kept restarting the play. It didn’t matter, as Ayton still won the tip.

In this series, Ayton has been excellent, and Game 6 was no exception.

Grade: B+

Marcus Smart

35 minutes, 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-2 FT, +25

Smart proved he could handle some on-ball duties for this team in these intense games. This wasn’t the case in Game 5 when he had way too many turnovers.

Smart acknowledged this and improved dramatically in this contest. He had a plus-minus of +25, which was the second highest on the team.

Grade: B

Austin Reaves

31 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 7-14 FG, 0-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, +3

Reaves showed flashes of who he is in this game.

He had a nice spin move layup, was driving inside and his three blocks demonstrated his aggressiveness defensively. Reaves is clearly not 100% just yet, but he found ways to impact the game and was a good offensive initiator for the team.

Grade: B-

Luke Kennard

29 minutes, 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, +22

Okay, Kennard has regressed to his mean, but that’s not the worst thing. He can still be a positive on offense, but that monster Game 1 performance is likely a thing of the past.

Grade: B

Jaxson Hayes

17 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 1-1 FG, 3-4 FT, +21

After an awful Game 5, Hayes had a bounce-back performance in Game 6. He held his own on his defensive assignments and even got to the line and hit some free throws.

The Lakers needed Hayes to eat up some big man minutes, and he not only did so but was a net positive for the team during his shifts.

Grade: B

Jake LaRavia

16 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-8 FG, 1-2 3PT, +2

This was the best game LaRavia has had this postseason. He held his own defensively, shot well from deep, and had some momentum-shifting plays like his dunk midway through the second quarter.

Grade: B+

Adou Theiro, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith Jr.

This quartet played a short shift in garbage time so they will not be getting a grade.

JJ Redick

Redick stuck with a tight eight-man rotation and it paid off. He did the right thing by taking Jarred Vanderbilt out and leaning on his offensive players to get this win.

No longer doubling Şengün, they dared him to win his matchups and he couldn’t. This was a tremendous improvement from last year, when Redick did ridiculous things like making no subs in the second half and effectively playing no bigs late in the series.

This is 2026, and Redick learned who to trust, not to panic and, instead of blowing a 3-0 lead, they won a series many, myself included, didn’t think they could win.

Grade: A

Friday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber, Jarred Vanderbilt

Friday’s inactives: Luka Dončić

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Can Lakers beat the Thunder? What we learned from series vs. Rockets

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back in a big way to avoid playing Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

James had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Lakers beat the Rockets 98-78 on Friday, May 1. It was his league-record 157th playoff game with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The Lakers played with a sense of urgency and energy that was missing from their home loss on Wednesday.

“My mindset was to play with aggression,” James said during a postgame interview on Prime. “(The Rockets) changed the aggression level in Games 4 and 5. … Most of our guys haven't been in a close-out game situation. … So I had to come out and set the tone for my team and just try to find a way to close this thing out.”

The Lakers will be asked to produce the same level of energy if they want to compete with the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the second round.

The Lakers must continue to get strong contributions from players such as Rui Hachimura, who helped neutralize the Rockets and kept them from having any chance of battling back into the game with several big shots. Hachimura finished with 21 points and six rebounds. He shot 5-of-7 from the 3-point line.

The Lakers will need all the rest they can get before the series with the Thunder begins on Tuesday, May 5, in Oklahoma City. The three days off won’t be enough time to get guard Luka Doncic back, though.

Doncic has not played since suffering a hamstring injury on April 2 in a blowout loss to the Thunder during the regular season.

Without the guard, Los Angeles will be tasked with overcoming the Thunder's defense and finding a way to generate enough offense to match the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Austin Reaves will be asked to shoulder some of that offensive responsibility. He made his return to the Lakers on Wednesday for Game 5 after missing time due to a left oblique muscle strain. He returned to the starting lineup in Game 6.

Reaves has 37 points, eight assists and seven rebounds combined in his first two games back. He will need to round back into form at the 3-point line, where he's made just 2-of-12 this week.

The Thunder will enter the series well-rested, having swept the Phoenix Suns. OKC will enter the second round having had a full week off.

The Thunder could also see the return of Jalen Williams in the series. He has not played since April 22 due to a hamstring strain.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's next for Lakers after win over Rockets? Thunder await

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3 takeaways from Lakers’ series clinching Game 6 win vs. Rockets

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 1: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the game Houston Rockets during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

There will be no Game 7.

After dropping consecutive closeout games that simultaneously put the series in jeopardy and gave the Rockets real momentum, the Lakers took care of business in Game 6, dominating the Rockets and leaving no doubt on who the better team was with a 98-78 victory.

The Lakers have now punched their ticket to the second round and a matchup with the reigning world champs, but analysis of that series will need to wait. For now, the Lakers get a few days to regroup and game plan, while us fans get to reflect on what was a great performance up and down the roster to knock out the Rockets.

Here are three takeaways from the huge victory…

The Closeout King

LeBron James did not have his most efficient shooting night, hitting just 10 of his 25 field goal attempts. But in scoring a team-high 28 points to go along with seven rebounds, and eight assists (to just three turnovers), he controlled the action for nearly every moment of the 37:07 he played in this game and set his team up for victory with his focus, energy, and determination.

LeBron set the tone early, ducking into the post for power backdowns while exerting his strength advantage over Tari Eason. Positioning himself on the right block, LeBron consistently put the Rockets into situations where they would either need to send help or let him cook one-on-one. And when the help did not come, LeBron made the defense pay by scoring or drawing fouls.

When he was not posting up, he was setting up the action to attack via the pick and roll where he could either get downhill for himself or try to set up a teammate for an easy look. This sort of diversity helped keep Houston’s defense off-balance and allowed the Lakers to generate decent looks against a defense that had mostly stymied them for the better part of the previous three games.

But more than his efforts to keep the Lakers offense flowing in the halfcourt, it was LeBron’s hunting of transition and open court chances that helped the team generate the points they needed to separate and then keep the Rockets at bay.

The Lakers outscored the Rockets 19-8 in fastbreak points, with much of that difference coming from LeBron’s persistence in getting into early offense when the team secured a stop and there was a sliver of a lane to push the pace.

Again, though, this wasn’t solely about his production. After the Lakers did not play with enough force and focus in Games 4 and 5, LeBron reset the team’s approach through his individual approach and everyone followed suit. He did not do it alone, but he led the way.

Rui’s sharpshooting

If Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart were the difference makers early in the series with their shot making, it was Rui’s hot hand that made the difference in Game 6 to close out Houston. Hachimura hit five of his seven attempts from deep on the night, and eight of his 15 shots overall, en route to 21 points to go along with his six rebounds and two assists.

With the Lakers getting into their offense earlier, LeBron’s post-up and pick-and-roll play tilting the game towards him, and Austin Reaves’ drives creating more opportunities for advantage creation, the Lakers ball movement improved and it was Rui who was one of the main beneficiaries.

Time after time, the ball pinged around the court and ended up in Hachimura’s hands with him calmly stepping into jumpers that he knocked down over and over again.

On a night where the Lakers only shot 40.4% from the field overall, Rui’s accuracy and secondary scoring were a huge factor in giving the team the sort of offensive boost they needed to seize control of the game. And then, once they had the lead, every ensuing jumper dug Houston’s hole deeper, never allowing them to gain any sort of footing that could help foment a comeback.

Exactly the sort of role player performance the team needed on the road to get the win.

Deandre’s defense and rebounding

On a night where his shooting from the field (2-6) and the foul line (3-7) was not there, Deandre Ayton’s attention to detail and focus defensively and on the backboards were critical to the Lakers getting this victory. Of Ayton’s 16 rebounds, 13 came on the defensive end, allowing the Lakers to not only close out possessions but to help trigger their transition game that was so helpful all night to their offense.

Further, and more importantly, was that all night the Lakers left Ayton on an island to defend Alperen Şengün one-on-one rather than sending the sort of help and doubles that allowed Houston to get into such a good offensive rhythm in Game 5. Şengün shot just 5-12 from the field, but more importantly, had just a single assist after tallying eight in the last game.

Ayton’s ability to hold up in isolation allowed the rest of the defense to stay home and attached to shooters and cutters, gumming up the Rockets’ offense. Above all else, this was the major factor in Houston connecting on just 28 of their 80 (35%) shot attempts on the night, never allowing them to find a rhythm or climb back into the game.

And, as previously mentioned, when they did miss, it was Ayton who was the primary force in helping the Lakers to clean the glass, holding Houston to just eight offensive rebounds on their 52 misses, a fantastic number even if they cut down on crashing the glass as hard as they did earlier in the series.

The Lakers simply do not win this game — or the series — without Ayton anchoring their defense with the focus and force he displayed.

You can follow Darius on BlueSky at @forumbluegoldand find more of his Lakers coverage on the Laker Film Room Podcast.

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Lakers blow out ice-cold Rockets 98-78 to win series, advance to face Thunder

There was no history made in Houston on Friday night. In fact, it was a night Rockets fans would like to forget entirely.

The Lakers came out aggressive and focused from the opening tip, while Houston didn't match that energy. At the same time, its offense went ice-cold at the worst possible time — Los Angeles packed the paint defensively and the Rockets shot 2-of-11 from 3-point range and a disturbing 29.3% overall in the first half, scoring just 31 points. Think of it this way: LeBron James outscored the Houston Rockets by himself, 14-13, in the second quarter.

It didn't get much better in the third quarter, with the Rockets shooting 1-of-6 from 3 and 33.3% from the floor in the frame. While the Lakers were not exactly lighting up the scoreboard, they had LeBron James, who had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and he dominated the game.

Los Angeles cruised to a 98-78 win to take the series 4-2, ending talk of the Rockets becoming the first team to come back from 0-3 down to take a series.

The Lakers advance to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder starting Tuesday night in OKC.

Give the Lakers their flowers. They entered this series without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), and while Reaves returned and had a good Game 6 (15 points), this was an impressive team effort throughout the series. LeBron led the way, but role players — such as Luke Kennard early in the series and Rui Hachimura in Game 6 — stepped up when the team needed them.

Houston didn't lose this series on Friday night; it lost it in the final 30 seconds of Game 3. That's when the Rockets blew a six-point lead thanks to a couple of ugly turnovers and an ill-advised foul. Win that game, maybe things play out differently, but once the Rockets went down 0-3, everything had to be perfect — and the Rockets were not perfect or anything close to it in Game 6.

Friday's game was decided from when there was 4:51 on the clock in the first quarter to 8:02 of the second, when the Lakers went on a 27-3 run, going up by 19. Their lead never touched single-digits again, the Rockets simply weren't good enough on offense to close that gap. Nor were they able to get consistent stops.

Part of that was Hachimura, who added 21 points and hit a few clutch 3-pointers for the Lakers when it felt like the Rockets were making a push.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 18 points while Alperen Sengun added 17. The Rockets played this series with Kevin Durant only appearing in one game (and no Fred VanVleet or Steven Adams for any of it). Their young players showed flashes of potential but could not sustain it. It leads to an interesting offseason in Houston as it decides whether to run it back and bet on better health and its young players improving, or if the Rockets feel this is a sign to shake things up.

The Lakers don't have to start thinking about the offseason yet, they have at least four more games to play.

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Bruins' Charlie McAvoy ejected for slash after he was slew-footed

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy could draw the attention of NHL Player Safety after being ejected for slashing in Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, May 1.

So could the Sabres' Zach Benson, whose dangerous play led to McAvoy's retaliation.

The incident happened during the final minutes of the Sabres' series-clinching win against the Bruins.

Benson tripped McAvoy with a slew foot, receiving a two-minute penalty. That type of play is dangerous because the recipient of a slew foot is unable to brace himself as he falls.

McAvoy, who has dealt with a broken jaw and lost teeth this season, got up and went after Benson with a baseball-swing slash. He received five minutes and a game misconduct.

Generally, a slew foot leads to a fine rather than a suspension. The slash will be a judgment call based on the perceived severity. Islanders star Mathew Barzal was fined $5,000 for a slash this season.

If McAvoy is suspended, he would serve it next season

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie McAvoy ejected for slash on Zach Benson after slew foot

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Ducks to Face Golden Knights in Round Two of 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Ducks now know their second round opponent. They'll be heading to Sin City to face the Vegas Golden Knights after dispatching the Edmonton Oilers in six games. The Golden Knights eliminated the Utah Mammoth in six games, winning 5-1 in Game 6 on Friday night.

Anaheim defeated Vegas in all three regular season games, with two of those matchups going to overtime. All three games finished 4-3, too. It was just the second time since Vegas entered the league in 2017 that Anaheim had won the season series.

Like their Round one opponent, the Golden Knights have a wealth of playoff experience on their roster. Many of the players from the 2023 Cup-winning team are still on the roster, led by forwards Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Eichel's eight points in the first round were tied for the third-most among all skaters.

Jackson LaCombe took on the assignment of matching up against Connor McDavid, one of––if not the––best players in the world, and did it with aplomb. LaCombe also collected nine points in his first Stanley Cup Playoffs series, tied for second among all skaters in the first round. He and Jacob Trouba will likely take on the responsibility of matching up against the top line of Eichel, Ivan Barbashev and Pavel Dorofeyev. Dorofeyev scored in the final minute of Game 5, tying the game and grabbing his third goal of the game.

Feb 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) shoots the puck against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) shoots the puck against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The biggest factor in this series will be goaltending. Lukáš Dostál was not at his best for Anaheim, displaying a .874 SV% and a 3.87 GAA. He was chased from Game 5 after allowing three goals on nine shots, but bounced back in Game 6 with 25 saves on 27 shots against. "I feel like I kind of got that day and a half," Dostál said after Game 6. "And that I have the time to recover physically and mentally."

Three different goaltenders started a portion of the regular season for the Golden Knights, with Carter Hart taking the reins in the final stretch. Hart won his last six games of the regular season, but wasn't much better in the first round than Dostál, carrying an .876 SV% through six games.

"We're gonna have a couple of days now, so I think it's gonna be important, physically and mentally," Dostál said. "We're gonna make sure that we're gonna be ready for the next one because it might be a completely different opponent than Edmonton is. That's what's so magical about the playoffs. When you keep advancing, you get to play different teams with different styles."

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Christian Scott set the tone for Mets' comeback win over Angels with improved second start

Earlier in the day, Christian Scott said he was ready to leave his rough first start behind him. And that's exactly what the young Mets right-hander did on Friday.

Going up against the Angels, Scott wasn't his sharpest, but showed improvement, going five innings in the Mets' eventual 4-3 win. But it could have gone sideways fast, and it almost did, for Scott and the Mets in the first inning.

Scott allowed a one-out single to Mike Trout and two batters later, Jorge Soler took him deep. The Mets, losers of 17 of their last 20 games, were already down two runs. But Scott settled in.

Aside from the third inning when he hit Zach Neto with a pitch to lead off, and he eventually scored on two stolen bases and a throwing error by Francisco Alvarez,the Angels could not get anything going off of Scott. Scott would retire the last nine batters he faced.

"That first inning, coming back from that last outing and he kept going," manager Carlos Mendoza said of Scott's outing. "He didn’t put his head down and kept attacking and gave us five innings and a chance to win a baseball game."

"When you go down 2-0 pretty early, you can start to overthink things," Scott said. "I think I did a good job going pitch by pitch, attacking the strike zone, bearing down and competing when I had to."

Scott, whose first big league start in almost two years was spoiled by erratic control that forced him out of the game after just four outs, said Friday's start felt like any other, and that his mindset was on attacking the zone, getting ahead and staying ahead. Scott credited Alvarez for being on the same page as him and calling a good game, but also leaned on his confidence to get over his rough first start and Friday's tough first inning. 

"I’m confident in myself and my stuff," Scott said. "I know I belong here and my stuff plays at a high level when it’s in the strike zone. Just have to be consistent... Just do that consistently is my goal moving forward."

"That’s what makes him. Not just because of the stuff, but he has a good head," Mendoza said. "Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. Could have been easy for him to just put his head down after the last outing. First inning, he goes, ‘here we go again.’ And he didn’t show any sign. I’m not surprised by it. Goes to show you he’s a mature kid."

Once Scott was out after five innings and the score still 3-0, the comeback commenced. In the sixth, the Mets scored three runs on a pair of two-out singles. Ronny Mauricio then completed the comeback with a go-ahead solo homer. The bullpen continued what Scott started, retiring every Angels hitter they faced to finish the game.

"I’ve given up homers before, it’s not the end of the world," Scott said of overcoming the first-inning homer. "But I thought the offense did a really good job battling the whole day. Bullpen came in and not giving up a baserunner was nice to see them bearing down and competing at a high level. It’s early in the game, just have to give the team a chance to win and I thought I did that."

Scott not only gave the Mets a chance to win Friday's series opener, but Mendoza said the 26-year-old set the tone for the rest of the team.

"It started with Scotty. When he got punched, he punched back," Mendoza said. "He set the tone there."

Entering play Friday, the Mets held the worst record in baseball (10-21). Their offense was stagnant and questions regarding Mendoza's job security were rampant. But the team stuck together and prevailed, and it began with Scott's bounce-back start.

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'It was something different': Mets' energy shifts in series-opening win at Angels

Ronny Mauricio picked a good time for his first home run of the season.

The Mets' ninth batter and starting shortstop in Friday's 4-3 win at the Los Angeles Angels took José Fermin's 94 mph pitch deep to right-center field on a 1-1 count with one out, giving New York (11-21) enough of a window to complete a four-run comeback in Anaheim, Calif.

"It feels great to be able to help the team in a situation like that," Mauricio said through an interpreter. "... We're coming out here, we're working, we're doing everything that we have to do to go out in front."

A day that started with president of baseball operations David Stearns' published comments about not intending to "make a change" at manager, followed by Carlos Mendoza's on-record remarks about the phone call, ended in a gutsy victory.

"It says a lot, especially after what we've been going through," Mendoza said. "You get down early in that first inning -- that two-run homer out of the gate -- but they fought back and they found a way. That's a good sign -- when you're able to come back and lock it down, good at-bats, continue to just create some traffic ... it was a solid team win."

With two more games at the Angels (12-21), led by Saturday's 9:38 p.m. start on SNY, the Mets have an opportunity to build as the initial series and overall nine-game road trip begins.

"Every win means a lot, especially when we've dug ourselves into a hole like this," said Marcus Semien, whose two-RBI single with two outs in the sixth inning capped the Mets' three-run rally to tie the game at 3-3. "Especially a comeback win on the road -- that's big. It's big for the group. 

From Christian Scott's career-high-tying eight strikeouts in a bounce-back start to the timely hits and the Mets' four-man bullpen consecutively retiring the final 12 batters, Mendoza saw his team dig deep.

"I think they're all different, but every time you get an opportunity to win a game like that -- we haven't been able to win games like that when you get down 3-0 and the feeling's like, 'All right,'" he said. "Today, it wasn't the case. It was something different -- the energy in the dugout, the guys playing loose, the guys playing their game and we saw that. And it started with Scotty -- when he got punched, he punched back. So, it kind of set the tone there."

"We always feel like we're in the game," Semien added. "It's nine innings of baseball. We're all major league players, so we're working hard to scratch and claw to get back into the game."

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Do The 2026 Astros Have a 2014 Feel to Them?

Remember the tv soap opera “As The World Turns”?

Maybe in the case of our 2026 Astros, it could be the daily viewing of “As The Losses Mount”.   

Seemingly with each passing day, it feels as if meaningful baseball in October will elude us once again. Consider just how long ago it actually was, since we Houstonians endured consecutive postseasons sitting idle.   

You’d have to go back to 2014.

In 2014, Dusty Baker wasn’t even managing, having been released by the Cincinnati Reds. Speaking of managers, for a portion of that 2014 season, Houston was led by Bo Porter. 

Carlos Correa was still in the minors.  

Rob Manfred wasn’t even “officially” MLB Commissioner.   

Neither Biggio nor Bagwell had been enshrined in Cooperstown.   

Center Field still featured Tal’s Hill. 

The A’s still played in Oakland.   

Okay, you get where I’m going with this. The injection of historical context, (even in early May) is only fitting because if the trend of dropping series continues, the Astros season will be history and they’ll be home in October for consecutive seasons.

That would be very 2014.   

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A’s Drop Series Opener To Guardians 8-5

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Brent Rooker #25 of the Athletics hits a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the bottom of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on May 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

May has officially begun, and the A’s begin the month with a series-opening loss to the Cleveland Guardians, falling to their AL Central foes in a high-scoring 8-5 contest. The starting pitching wasn’t great, the bullpen allowed three runners to cross home plate, and while the offense provided five runs they left 10 on base tonight and let this game slip away. The Mariners lost tonight but the Rangers won. The division lead is still ours and still at one game.

Teams trade early runs

Righty J.T. Ginn got the ball tonight looking to continue the solid streak he’s been on since joining the starting staff. He ran into some early trouble tonight though as the first three batters he faced all reached, loading the bases with nobody out before most people had found their seats. Not a good start.

This tough spot didn’t faze the young righty though. He buckled down and got two huge strikeouts before getting out of the early jam with a high flyout to right fielder Colby Thomas to end the threat:

That’s what we call a magic trick, folks.

Now it was the A’s turn to bat. Shea Langeliers got things going with a one-out single against Cleveland starting pitcher Joey Cantillo. After a flyout from Kurtz it was Brent Rooker up to the plate with two outs and he absolutely smacked the second pitch he saw over the wall in left field, giving the A’s the first lead of the game:

Pretty amazing considering how this game started. That was Rooker’s third of the season and he really needed that one. Snapped an 0-for-20 streak at the plate, longest of his career. He wasn’t done there tonight either.

While Ginn pulled some magic in the first, he couldn’t do it again in the second. A walk and single started the inning and Ginn got two outs right after that, but he got tagged for a two-run double that tied this game up at 2. Could have been worse.

The middle frames

From there Ginn actually settled in for a bit. He went three up, three down in the third and fourth innings, at one point retiring seven in a row.

On the other side, the A’s were getting contact against Cantillo and broke through again in the fourth. A pair of back-to-back walks to open the frame was followed by a sac bunt to put two runners in scoring position for Zack Gelof. Once considered a building block of the organization but beginning the year in Triple-A, Gelof came through with perhaps his biggest hit of the year to date, a two-run single to retake the lead for the Green & Gold:

Things have been rough for Gelof over the past couple of seasons but he’s already had a couple moments for this club so far. Gelof would actually be thrown out at home when Jacob Wilson grounded a ball to short to end the frame. Not a great call, going for home with only one out, but we like the aggressiveness. That’s a moment too.

Again, once the A’s took the lead Cleveland began to rally. Back-to-back walks to the top of the lineup to open the fifth was Ginn just asking for trouble. While he escaped the wrath of Jose Ramirez, another walk loaded the bases and veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins made Ginn pay with a two-run double after that that tied this game back up. And at 88 pitches, that was the final straw for Mark Kotsay to come get his starter and turn things over to the bullpen.

  • J.T. Ginn: 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 88 pitches

For someone whose control had been a major selling point, it was a bit disappointing to see Ginn’s command off essentially all night long. Cleveland made him pay for those free passes as three of them ended up crossing home plate. Considering his streak entering tonight he shouldn’t be in danger of being passed over for his next scheduled start, which lines up to be against the Phillies in Philadelphia next Friday.

Hogan Harris replaced Ginn and gave up a sacrifice fly that gave Cleveland their first lead of the game, which was charged to Ginn, though he did get Bazzana to strike out to end the threat. Still, the damage was done and the A’s offense had work to do.

Comeback attempt falls short

It took a couple innings but they got something going in the seventh. Starting with a Wilson single and a pair of walks, Rooker came to the plate with no outs and delivered a base knock that whittled the Cleveland lead down to three:

Of note, one of those walks was to Nick Kurtz, which was the 20th straight game he’d drawn a walk. That officially surpasses Barry Bonds in the modern era:

Next up, the all-time record by Roy Cullenbine in 1947, who walked in 22 straight games. Think Kurtz can do it?

Anyway, the bases were still loaded with no one out. The A’s were in business. But it was the Guardians’ turn for some magic. Now into the Cleveland bullpen Darell Hernaiz struck out, then Soderstrom, and finally a fly ball that looked on its way out of the yard was instead robbed by Guardians center fielder Steven Kwan. Owch:

Absolutely horrible luck. On the bright side the fire in the A’s wasn’t out quite yet. Still down three runs, the bats continued to work. A Jeff McNeil double and Jacob Wilson on base via error put runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth with just one out. Tying run at the plate, and the heart of the order coming up. Instead Langeliers and Kurtz both struck out swinging, ending the threat. Another big owch.

The A’s went down in order in the ninth to seal this one. Their record now stands at 17-15 after the first game of May. Hopefully this isn’t another year where the season is sunk by a terrible May. Not off to a good start in that regard.

Tough pill to swallow, this one. The A’s offense came through tonight for five runs, but the pitching couldn’t hold down a Guardians offense that didn’t allow a hit to Jose Ramirez. Ginn was shaky tonight and clearly didn’t have his control in this one. Kurtz, though he drew that record-breaking walk, went 0-for-4 and came up short in some moments. Everyone of the other starters other than Hernaiz got at least one hit tonight (and Hernaiz drew a pair of walks). It doesn’t help when your bullpen doesn’t keep the deficit to a minimum but still. For someone who was a darkhorse candidate for AL MVP, Kurtz has been a bit absent in the early going.

It’s going to be a quick turnaround as the series continues tomorrow afternoon in the second game of the series. For the A’s it’ll be left-hander Jacob Lopez getting the ball for his sixth start (seventh appearance) of the season. Things have not gone all that smoothly for Lopez in his second full season with the A’s, and his spot in the rotation has to at least be feeling insecure. With other arms in the system ready to jump at their opportunity Lopez needs a big game tomorrow or else the voices calling for a change will get bolder and louder. He’ll be opposed by Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi, who’s in line for his seventh start of the year. He saw the A’s twice last year, first going seven shutout innings against us in June before, strangely, giving up six runs in nearly nine innings of work in a Guardians win. Should be another good one at Sutter Health Park tomorrow!

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McClanahan & Co shut out the Giants: Rays 3, Giants 0

May 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

It may have taken some time to get his sea legs back, but Shane McClanahan pitched with a level of conviction we haven’t seen since before the injuries. As a result, he turned in his best outing of the season and set the table for the Rays second shutout in their last three games. His six-shutout innings were the most he has thrown in nearly three years. It was the sharpest he has looked post injuries and sight for sore eyes, especially in the wake of the news that Ryan Pepiot would be out for the remainder of the season. Having Mac back on the mound in any capacity this season would have been a positive for the Rays. To see him return to form this quickly is as good as the Rays brass could have hoped for.

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Opposite McClanahan was San Franciso Giants starter, Robby Ray, who also turned in a strong performance but left trailing and took home the loss. McClanahan and Ray battled it out over the first six innings and Mac came out on top as Ray made a few costly mistakes to the big boys, Yandy and Caminero.

The first mistake, if you can even call it that, came in the bottom of the second inning when Yandy Diaz flicked a outside fastball over the wall in right field to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. His fifth homer of the year and a perfect Yandy blast at that.

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Two innings later Junior Caminero turned on a high and inside fastball and deposited it deep into the left field stands. It was his ninth homer of the year and it traveled 432 feet.

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Then in the sixth inning, Walls doubled to lead off the inning, quickly stole third, and scored on a Chandler Simpson sacrifice fly. The Rays took a 3-0 lead and that score would hold.

That was essentially all the action in this one. McClahanan worked quickly striking out five and walking none while scattering five hits across his six innings. Ray only allowed four hits, but three of them went for extra bases. he also struck out five and walked none.

The Rays pen did their job again as Seymour, Sulser, and Baker held the Giants scoreless and to just one hit. Baker took home the save, his eighth of the year.

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The Rays staff as a whole has been fantastic over the. Across their last eight games, they have allowed a total of just eleven runs. They have gone 7-1 over that stretch. The Rays are firing on all cylinders right now. They are hitting for power, limiting runs, and the defense has improved. They are playing winning baseball at a high level and will look to continue that tomorrow and secure a third straight series win.

Following the confirmation that he will be transitioning to the rotation and following in the footsteps of Rasmussen, Springs, and Littel, Griffin Jax will make his second consecutive open/start opposite Landen Roupp of the Giants.

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Resilient Royals strike again, defeat Mariners 7-6

Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez share a celebratory chest bump.
BRONX, NY - APRIL 17: Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (9) celebrates with Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) during the MLB professional baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tonight’s match was about the closest you can get to playoff baseball on May 1. Bryan Woo and Cole Ragans are both considered aces on their staffs, though you might not know it from how they performed tonight, and each took home a no-decision. There were multiple lead changes, and the bullpens were tested to their limits. In the end, the Royals emerged victorious in their first contest of a new month.

Things got off to a fast start for KC. If you sat down a little late, you’d have found KC in front 3-0 before you even got logged into Apple TV. Maikel Garcia singled to right, Bobby Witt Jr. singled to shortstop, and Vinnie Pasquantino – freshly returned to the lineup after aggravating a back injury during the first contest in Sacramento – also singled to right to drive in the first run of the game. Connor Joe had a fielding error, and the Royals had a run in with runners at second and third with no outs for Salvador Perez.

Perez, of course, has been a lightning rod for criticism during the Royals’ slow start, but he whalloped a sinker that got a little too much of the plate down the left field line to drive in both runners. Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone both made outs, but Isaac Collins parachuted a pop-up down the left field line to bring home Salvy with two outs and give the Royals a 4-0 lead.

Cole Ragans, unfortunately, was not destined to look like the same guy who had absolutely dazzled the Angels. He walked J.P. Crawford, struck out Cal Raleigh, and then gave up a massive two-run home run to Julio Rodríguez. Rodríguez, of course, is known for turning things on once May starts, and he didn’t take any time with that tonight. Ragans settled down a bit until the fifth inning – though he still flashed some poor control at times. In the fifth, he allowed Connor Joe to bash his first MLB home run in more than two years. Fortunately, the bases were empty, and the Royals still led 4-3.

Over the same span, however, Bryan Woo hadn’t allowed a single baserunner since Collins’ single. But Vinnie put an end to that really quickly, leading off the sixth.

Two outs later, Jac joined his Italian-American brother.

Those dingers felt even more important as Cole gave up his third home run of the night in the bottom of the inning to Randy Arozerena. He was pulled for Nick Mears, who got the job done, recording the final two outs of the inning despite walking the first batter he faced.

Daniel Lynch IV, only recently installed as the Royals’ preferred seventh-inning pitcher, had to face the 9-1-2 hitters in the bottom of the inning. He got behind Leo Rivas 3-0 before striking him out looking, walked Crawford, struck out Raleigh, but gave up a game-tying home run to the magma-hot Rodriguez. Game tied. Lynch became the tenth Royals’ reliever with a Meltdown this year. The only players to pitch in relief for KC and not accrue one are Bailey Falter, Mitch Spence, Mason Black, and Tyler Tolbert. In other words, the only guys who haven’t been allowed to pitch in high leverage.

But hey, Sal was leading off the top of the eighth. What could go wrong? Nothing! He led off with a double into left center, advanced to third on a Carter Jensen groundout, and then Matt Quatraro made the controversial decision to pinch-hit Lane Thomas for Jac Caglianone. It worked, and Thomas drove in the go-ahead run by flipping an inside changeup over the second baseman’s head.

Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out two and walking one. Then it was Lucas Erceg’s turn in the ninth inning. He needed to record a clean inning in order to prevent Julio Rodríguez from getting a chance to finish what he had started.

We diagnosed Erceg’s issues with his slider just yesterday, so Lucas led with his four-seam fastball and sinker against two lefties and the switch-hitting Raleigh. He threw no changeups; he threw only two sliders. For what it’s worth, he doesn’t often throw his slider against left-handed hitters; only about 22% of the time compared to 33% of the time against righties. Regardless, he got two pop-ups and struck out Crawford with a beautiful front hip goofy slider. It took Erceg only 12 pitches, 8 of which were strikes, to pitch a perfect ninth. It’s still a bit concerning to see his slider and changeup MIA, and he had trouble locating the four-seamer, but a win is a win!

The Royals have now scored 6+ runs in 6 of their last 9 games. Wouldn’t you know it, they’ve won 6 of their last 9! It’s probably not a coincidence that they did this while Vinnie was going 6-for-24, all but 1 for extra bases, plus walking 6 times and only striking out 3. Oh yeah, Salvy has gone 10-for-36 with 2 homers and 2 doubles in the same span. It’s almost like having the middle of the order show up in positive ways can make this offense look a lot better! Prior to the nine-game stretch, Salvy had a .536 OPS with Vinnie at .470. Checking in again after tonight’s game, they’re at .615 and .631, respectively. Sure, those still aren’t good, but they represent MASSIVE improvements in a very short span. That highlights how bad they were, how hot they’ve been, and how small the sample sizes still are in this young season.

The Royals will attempt to continue their perfect May tomorrow night, though it promises to be even more difficult than tonight. Seth Lugo (2.63 ERA) will go for the Royals, but Emerson Hancock (2.86 ERA) will go for the Mariners. It’s anyone’s guess if they can pull it off, but it sure would be sweet to go into Sunday afternoon with a chance to sweep their way to a winning road trip.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Raptors Game 6 – Evan Mobley masterclass isnt’ enough

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers made their bed. Now they have one game left to get out of it.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

24 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 3 turnovers

Mitchell should be the best player on the floor. That hasn’t been true for four straight games. Mitchell has finished with a negative plus/minus in each game since Game 2 — and wasn’t able to change that even with his strong end to this one.

The Cavs nearly had enough to come back and win tonight. Mitchell’s in-between scoring helped bring them back, but his previous three quarters are what put them in the hole.

Grade: D+

James Harden

16 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Harden’s turnovers are hard to defend. He’s often so careless with the ball that it drives you crazy. His 5-14 shooting didn’t help either.

Still, Harden’s command of the offense has felt night and day compared to Mitchell. The Cavs at least have a chance with the way Harden is playing. He’s generating advantages, even if he isn’t consistently converting on them.

Grade: C+

Evan Mobley

26 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

The last two games have been huge for Mobley’s reputation. After consecutive stinkers in Toronto, Mobley put up back-to-back heroic fourth quarters in games 5-6.

Mobley nailed a corner three-pointer in the fourth quarter to keep Cleveland alive. Then, he buried CMB in the paint for the tying bucket. His defense helped hold the Raptors to just 12 points in the fourth quarter, and his shot-making felt like the counterstrike that the Cavs have needed with Mitchell struggling.

Grade: A

Jarrett Allen

14 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Allen deserves massive credit. He set the tone early by being aggressive on offense (even laying himself out on the opening possession). As the game went on, his contested rebounds were pivotal in Cleveland’s rally. Allen snagged some key boards and did all he could to get his team the weekend off.

I removed half a grade for his 2-6 free-throw shooting.

Grade: B+

Dean Wade

10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Wade’s the best fit next to the core four. He’s proven that in this series. He’s done a phenomenal job defensively and is doing enough to stay on the floor offensively. I think the Cavs need to revert to Wade in the starting lineup for Game 7.

Grade: A-

Max Strus

6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Strus hasn’t gelled with the core four like he did in the past. I truly think that has more to do with Mitchell than him. Still, the Cavs can’t afford to keep him in this spot. Strus is undersized at the wing and hasn’t made a significant difference in how the Raptors defend the backcourt. He isn’t posing a big enough offensive threat to force an adjustment.

Grade: C–

Thomas Bryant

0 points, 2 rebounds

We’ve seen enough of Bryant in this matchup. He just doesn’t have it.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Tyson did his thing, floating in the short-roll and making plays from there. The only problem was his 1-5 shooting from downtown. That’s not going to cut it.

Grade: C+

Sam Merrill

2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 steal

Merrill went 0-3 from deep and shot just 1-2 elsewhere. That caused him to play just 18 minutes as the rest of his game was tested by Toronto’s full-on attack.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

7 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 turnovers

Schroder saved the day in Game 5. In Game 6, he partially threw it away. He shot 0-4 from the floor and flat-out made the wrong read at the end of the game.

Grade: D-

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Mets earn a much needed win

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Ronny Mauricio #0 of the New York Mets celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 01, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a series loss to the Nationals, which had a blowout loss followed by a heartbreaking late-game loss, the Mets headed west again, starting in Anaheim to face the Angels. Christian Scott was getting his second start of the season, hoping to have a much better performance than his first, which would be difficult not to. All he had to do was get through more than 1.2 innings and/or give up less than five walks.

After an uneventful top of the first for the Mets, Christian Scott’s first inning of his second start seemed to get off to an inauspicious start. A one-out single from Mike Trout turned into a two-out, two-run home run to Jorge Soler to put the Mets in an early 2-0 hole after the first inning, which has proven to be an insurmountable problem for the Mets as of late.

(Author’s note: during the second inning, the broadcast kept dropping out, and I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t immediately think that it could be a blessing in disguise, not being forced to watch whatever disaster was awaiting me in the future innings. Alas, I was cursed with a return of service and the ability to forge ahead.)

It took until the bottom of the third for anything to happen again, with Zach Neto reaching first on a leadoff hit by pitch. He then stole second base, and stole third, and then scored when Alvarez’s attempt to throw him out ended up in left field. So the Mets were then down 3-0 in the third, which was as close to a death sentence as the Mets could get in the third inning.

The Mets weren’t able to get any luck until Bo Bichette, in the top of the sixth, hit a line drive directly into the leg of Walbert Ureña, driving him from the game in favor of Brent Suter. Suter then gave up a single to Soto, and Alvarez, which drove in the Mets’ first run of the game. Baty grounded out to set up runners on second and third with two outs, which has typically been the end of the inning for the Mets this season. The Angels brought in Chase Silseth to face Marcus Semien. And then, the most amazing thing happened.

Marcus Semien got a hit. With runners in scoring position. And two outs. And the game was tied.

Carson Benge grounded out to end the inning, but there was potential for a win for the Mets now, which they were in dire need of. Huascar Brazobán came in to relieve Scott, who had a much better start the second go around this season. Scott gave up three runs (only two earned) on three hits, and eight strikeouts which ties his career high. Brazobán had a clean inning, keeping the Mets in the game.

José Fermin came in to relieve Silseth in the top of the seventh, and he gave up a one-out solo home run to Ronny Mauricio, his first of the season, to put the Mets ahead by one run. Nine outs to go, the Mets had a lead. A slight lead, a scary single run lead, but a lead is a lead.

Raley, Weaver, and Williams each pitched a scoreless inning to keep the Mets ahead to the end and then, unbelievably, they won. The Mets won a game, a one-run game, and their pitching staff was able to retire 21 batters in a row to end the game. It was the 2026 Mets version of an episode of The Twilight Zone.

An optimist could hope that this is the start of something for the Mets, that they could build on this and win another game, maybe sweep, win a series or two or even three on the road against not very stiff competition. A realist would recognize that that idea has been brought up before in the past few weeks without materializing. A pessimist would expect a few losses to follow this win. But all anyone can know at this point is the facts: they play again tomorrow night at 9:38 against the Angels, with Nolan McLean facing Reid Detmers. Anything else would be a stab in the dark.

SB Nation GameThreads

Amazin’ Avenue

Box scores

MLB.com
ESPN

Win Probability Added

What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Devin Williams, +20% WPA
Big Mets loser: Christian Scott, -12% WPA
Mets pitchers: +41% WPA
Mets hitters: +9% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Marcus Semien two-run single in the sixth inning, +22.3% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Jorge Soler’s two-run home run in the first inning, -18.4% WPA

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When does NHL playoffs second round begin? What we know about schedule

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs still has time left, with one Game 7 scheduled for Sunday, May 3.

But the NHL is giving the second round an early start.

The Carolina Hurricanes will host the Philadelphia Flyers at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 2 on ABC. The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

The Colorado Avalanche will open their second-round series at home at 9 p.m. ET Sunday against the Minnesota Wild. The Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings and the Wild beat the Dallas Stars in six games.

The Buffalo Sabres also advanced to the second round after a 4-1 victory against the Boston Bruins on Friday, but they're waiting for Sunday's Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens game at 6 p.m. ET to determine their opponent. The Lightning beat the Canadiens 1-0 in overtime Friday to stay alive.

The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth on Friday and will face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. No starting date has been announced.

Sunday's NHL playoff games

All times p.m. ET

  • Montreal at Tampa Bay, 6, TNT, truTV. Game 7 of first round
  • Minnesota at Colorado, 9, TNT, truTV. Game 1 of second round

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff schedule: When does the second round begin?