NEW YORK — Denver’s Nikola Jokic was fined $50,000 and Minnesota’s Julius Randle was fined $35,000 for their roles in an altercation near the end of Game 4 of the teams’ playoff series, the NBA announced Sunday.
Both will be eligible to play when the series resumes Monday with Game 5 in Denver.
The incident was evidently sparked when Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels took an uncontested layup with 2.1 seconds left and the Timberwolves already leading by 14 — a play the Nuggets took exception to, given how the game had been decided.
Jokic, the NBA said, “initiated the incident by confronting and shoving” McDaniels in reaction to that play. Randle, the league said, “escalated the incident by forcefully inserting himself into the scrum and shoving Nuggets guard-forward Bruce Brown.”
Jokic and Randle were assessed technical fouls and ejected from the game.
“He scored when we’d stopped playing,” Jokic said. “You guys saw what happened.”
The teams are meeting in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. Minnesota leads the series 3-1, but will be without guard Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles and will be without fellow guard Anthony Edwards indefinitely because of a knee injury. DiVincenzo and Edwards both got hurt on Saturday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a three point basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Celtics put the Sixers on the brink of elimination with a 128-96 victory on Sunday, claiming a 3-1 series lead as the teams head back to Boston for Game 5.
The Celtics three-point barrage was firing on all cylinders and their defensive gameplan all but suffocated the Sixers in the first half. By the time the Sixers found an offensive rhythm, the Celtics were hitting threes consistently, with most of the damage coming off the bench. Payton Pritchard notched a game-high six threes and 32 points.
There was not much to sort through for Bell Ringer-worthy performances.
The big fella is the Bell Ringer tonight with a clear case over everyone else. The Celtics came out with a defensive intensity for which most of the Sixers were not ready. It just so happens the man just a little over two weeks removed from an appendectomy was able to withstand Boston’s energy and produce on the offensive end.
He opened the game immediately attacking Neemias Queta and drawing two early fouls to force him to the bench. He notched the team’s first field goal converting a transition dunk following a Paul Goerge steal and continued playing forcefully against Nikola Vucevic tallying the first eight points for the Sixers in his return.
Unfortunately, everywhere Embiid looked for help on offense, he got none. That is, at least for the first half, as Tyrese Maxey did spring to life offensively in the second half after only taking three shots by halftime. Paul George went 2-for-7 from the field in the first half, and VJ Edgecombe continued to struggle from deep. Embiid’s ability to draw fouls and his gravity were the only sources of offense for long stretches. By halftime, the Sixers had only 38 points.
In the third, the Sixers began hitting shots but were unable to get stops on the other end. Embiid found his touch from the midrange and even hit a straight ahead three-pointer. He went 6-for-11 from the field in the second half and theoretically shook off the rust. Despite the poor shooting night from the team, Embiid corralled only two offensive rebounds, and did not provide enough of a barrier to the Celtics’ persistent offensive rebounding.
Given it was his first game back, and that he played 34 minutes, it was a commendable outing for Embiid. However, a more polished performance may be the only thing to keep the Sixers from elimination.
Slater, 33, owned a .460 OPS in 11 games with the Marlins this season before his release.
Pham, 38, was 0-for-13 at the plate in a part-time role after arriving on a minor league deal.
As the starting left fielder in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader, he went 0-for-2 and did not appear in the nightcap. The Mets lost 3-1 and 3-0 to the Rockies.
Nolan McLean was “pretty happy” with his start Sunday, but it was hardly his cleanest outing of the season.
The Mets rookie worked into the sixth inning in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader but never recorded an out before he was removed with the bases loaded in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Rockies.
The Rockies also produced traffic in the fourth, driving up McLean’s pitch count. Overall, he allowed two runs, one unearned, on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He threw 91 pitches.
Tommy Pham returns to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Chicago. AP
“I thought my stuff was in a good spot,” McLean said. “I am pretty happy with the outing. There was some traffic there in a couple of innings, but I felt I did a good job.”
It was the team’s fourth straight loss in a game started by McLean, who has yet to surrender more than three earned runs in an outing this season. The right-hander owns a 2.55 ERA in his six starts.
Is there added pressure knowing the room for error might be minuscule given this struggling lineup?
“The way we see it in the clubhouse, it’s just any minute now,” McLean said. “We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they are working. It’s just a matter of time. We know how good these players are.”
Jorge Polanco has begun running and hitting off a tee in his rehab from a right wrist contusion. Polanco is also dealing with right Achilles bursitis that has been an ongoing issue since the opening weekend of the season. Polanco is under evaluation on a week-to-week basis, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With runners on second and third, Lane Thomas delivered a three-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Los Angeles Angels 11-9 and sweep the series.
It was Thomas’ first home run of the season and the first walk-off RBI of his career.
Joey Lucchesi (0-1) took the loss, facing four batters in the final frame. Lucas Erceg (2-1) earned the win.
The Angels held a 7-4 lead when the game was delayed in the bottom of the seventh for severe weather. The Royals had two on and no outs with Bobby Witt Jr. at bat. It resumed after one hour and 29 minutes, and the Royals tacked on one run with a sacrifice fly to center by Vinnie Pasquantino.
Salvador Perez pushed another run across in the top of the ninth, and Jac Caglianone, who entered the game as a reserve in the eighth inning, tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer that landed just inside the right-field foul pole.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto led off the game with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Mike Trout. The home run moved Trout into first place in franchise history with his 797th career extra-base hit.
Neto struck again in the second with an RBI double, and Adam Frazier added another in the four-run inning.
The Royals got on the board in the fifth with an RBI single from Isaac Collins and Witt’s two-run homer in the sixth. Angels starter Reid Detmers was replaced after walking the next batter. He allowed five hits and three runs in five-plus innings.
Royals starter Seth Lugo allowed 14 hits and seven runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Up next
The Angels head to Chicago, where RHP José Soriano (5-0, 0.24 ERA) will face RHP Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01) of the White Sox on Tuesday.
The Royals open a three-game series in Sacramento, where LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 4.08) will face RHP Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.86) on Tuesday.
The aftermath of the Nikola Jokic and Jaden McDaniels moment at the end of Game 4 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets has settled, but it is still worth unpacking. If you missed it, McDaniels broke one of basketball’s quiet codes. When the game is decided and the clock is bleeding out, you do not go hunting for an easy bucket.
That is exactly what he did.
After a dominant showing at the Target Center that pushed Minnesota to a 3-1 series lead, McDaniels finished a late layup to make it 112-96. Nikola Jokic did not appreciate it. He sprinted down the floor and let McDaniels hear about it, and that is when things escalated.
Jaden McDaniels scores the layup instead of running out the clock, Nikola Jokic runs all the way from the other side of the court to face him, bumps him, as McDaniels grabs Jokic's jersey, a kerfuffle ensues.
Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle get ejected from the game
No punches. Nothing out of control. Still, it crossed the line enough for Jokic and Julius Randle to get tossed with 1.2 seconds left. Why did Jokic take exception to this? “Because he scored when everybody stopped playing,” he said in his post-game presser.
Today, the fines came out following the altercation. $50,000 for Jokic, $35,000 for Randle. But no suspensions, despite players coming off of the bench.
NBA discipline for Denver-Minnesota scuffle in Game 4:
Nikola Jokic fined $50,000 Julius Randle fined $35,000
So why no suspensions? Why does everyone suit up for Game 5?
You know where this goes. The precedent is there. Go back to the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals when Robert Horry hip checked Steve Nash into the boards late in Game 4. The league suspended Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. They were not in the altercation. They simply stepped over the white line, which was enough for then-commissioner David Stern to enforce accountability for “leaving the bench” and ensure that this game, which is ever so sacred, was not violated by the abhorrent act of stepping over a line after one of your players gets unnecessarily thrown into the boards at the end of the game.
Here’s the video, which is extremely hard to find on the ‘ole internet despite it being a precedent-defining moment.
But hey, perhaps I’m just a scornful Suns fan. Maybe the national conversation has no appetite for hearing it again after this series with Oklahoma City and the noise around officiating. Maybe every fan base feels this when they are on the wrong end of enforcement. It can start to feel personal.
The rules are the rules. Or at least they are supposed to be. I am not pounding the table, asking for suspensions here. I am filing it away. Noting how some things get applied in one moment and not in another.
Game 5 between the Timberwolves and Nuggets is tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tune in. And watch all the players play.
Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) plays the puck against Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
MONTREAL — Brandon Hagel scored his NHL playoffs-leading fifth and sixth goals in the third period and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Sunday night in Game 4 to tie the series.
After the first three games in the first-round series went to overtime, Tampa Bay overcame a two-goal deficit to end it in regulation.
Hagel gave the Lightning the lead with 4:43 left, deflecting Nikita Kucherov’s shot past Jakub Dobes.
Jake Guentzel had a goal and assist, and Kucherov added two assists on the top line with Hagel. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Tampa.
The Lightning rebounded after falling 3-2 on Friday night on defenseman Lane Hutson’s OT slap shot.
Hagel tied it on a power play at 1:40 off a centering pass from Kucherov. The Lightning got the man advantage when Oliver Kapanen was sent off for high-sticking Dominic James.
Guentzel cut it to 2-1 with 54 seconds to go the second, beating Dobes from the left side off a feed from defenseman J.J. Moser.
Zachary Bolduc and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal in 3:23 span in the second. Caufield scored for the first time in the series after having 51 goals in the regular season. Dobes made 17 saves.
Bolduc opened the scoring with 9:54 left in the second. He took a long pass from defenseman Kaiden Guhle, held off Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and had the puck deflect in off his body as he cut across the front of the goal.
Caufield struck on a power play with 6:31 left in the period, with Guentzel off for slashing Dobes’ glove. Caufield took Nick Suzuki’s centering pass in the slot and redirected the puck in.
Trevor Bauer wanted to send a message on social media to those doubting him.
The controversial former major leaguer, who is now calling suburban Long Island his baseball home, threw a seven-inning no-hitter on Sunday for the Long Island Ducks in his second start for the independent league ballclub that plays in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
After the 13-0 win over the Lancaster Stormers, Bauer took to social media.
Trevor Bauer throws during the third inning of a game against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in Central Islip, N.Y. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
Bauer allowed just one walk while striking out seven batters on 84 pitches in the abbreviated game and became just the third player in Ducks history to throw a no-hitter.
Rod Henderson became the first to do so on May 25, 2001, against the now-defunct Atlantic City Surfand Robert Stock accomplished the feat against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on July 18, 2023.
The 35-year-old former Cy Young Award winner had been coming off an opening day start last week that marked his first start in the U.S. in nearly five years.
Bauer has been trying to make a major league comeback after he was suspended for 194 games in 2022 over sexual assault allegations, which he vehemently denies and was never criminally charged for.
He has spent time playing professionally in Mexico and Japan, though no MLB team has taken a chance on bringing him back to the big leagues in the United States.
In his vlog on YouTube, Bauer talked about the fan support that he had received in his first start and how he was able to pitch in America without any major negative incidents.
Trevor Bauer smiles after the first inning of a game against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in Central Islip, N.Y. on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
“I didn’t hear any negative comments. There was no protests,” Bauer said in the vlog titled, “I Joined My New Team In New York.” “Nothing blew up. There was no meteor that hit the stadium. Apparently, those fears have been massively overstated, I think. Imagine that I can pitch in America and not have massive protests and get cancelled and whatever else.”
Joel Embiid was back on the court for Philadelphia, returning from an appendectomy less than three weeks ago to give the 76ers a needed bump in a critical first-round game against Boston.
Except there was no bump. Kind of the opposite.
Philadelphia's other stars, like Tyrese Maxey, had to adjust to the big man in the paint and seemed to defer to him early on. The result was an offense that just did not work and missed a lot of shots.
Meanwhile, Boston just kept doing what they do. Pritchard scored 32 off the bench and knocked down six 3-pointers, while Jayson Tatum scored 30 with five from beyond the arc, plus he had 11 assists.
Boston led by 16 after one quarter, and its lead never touched single digits again as the Celtics cruised to a 129-96 win on the road.
The Celtics have a commanding 3-1 series lead as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.
The 76ers are unquestionably better when Embiid is on the court, on both ends, but putting a superstar back in the lineup can mean an adjustment period. In this case, the combination of Embiid and the Celtics' defense meant Tyrese Maxey had just three shot attempts in the first half, as he seemed to defer to the big man, who had 10 (and Paul George had seven).
The 76ers also just could not buy a bucket in the first half. As a team, Philadelphia shot 12-of-36 (33.3%) and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first 24 minutes, and if that wasn't enough, also gave up nine offensive rebounds to the Celtics.
The result was Boston racing out to a 21-point first-half lead and seemingly hitting every key shot.
PAYTON PRITCHARD THREE OFF ONE LEG BEFORE THE HORN AND THE CELTICS BENCH IS LOVING IT! pic.twitter.com/ArprVIFa9u
Boston was up by 18, 56-38, at halftime, led by Pritchard with 18 off the bench. The Celtics were rolling, and it proved to be too much to ask the 76ers to overcome that, especially for a 76ers defense that struggled to get a stop much of the night (Boston had a ridiculous 139.1 offensive rating through the non-garbage time part of this game, according to Cleaning the Glass).
In addition to Pritchard and Tatum, Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds.
Embiid finished with 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting with 10 rebounds. Maxey was more assertive in the second half and finished with 22 points, and Paul George had 16.
Nick Nurse has some work to do to see if he can get these 76ers on the same page — on both ends of the court — by Tuesday, or Philadelphia's season is going to come to an end much earlier than they hoped.
BOSTON (AP) — Josh Doan had a goal and an assist during Buffalo’s four-goal first-period, and Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots to lead the Sabres to a 6-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson and Bowen Byram also scored to help Buffalo open a 4-0 lead against a Boston team that needed a win at home to avoid moving to the brink of elimination. Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch scored 84 seconds apart in the third period to make it 6-0 and chase Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
The Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division to end an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, can finish off the best-of-seven series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Buffalo for their first playoff series win since 2007.
Krebs scored 4:17 into the game, Doan’s goal came less than three minutes later and Benson followed two minutes after that. When Byram made it 4-0 just 14:24 into the game, it was Buffalo’s second four-goal period of the series; the Sabres rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to win 4-3 in Game 1.
AVALANCHE 5, KINGS 1
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist, Nicolas Roy and Devon Toews scored in the third period, and top-seeded Colorado swept Los Angeles out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a victory in Game 4.
The Slovenian center is the top scorer in franchise history and a two-time Selke Trophy winner, and he was a star on the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championship teams in 2012 and 2014 before spending the past decade as their captain. The Kings crowd repeatedly chanted “Kopi! Kopi!” in the final minutes of the blowout, and he got standing ovations when he came out for his final two shifts.
The Avalanche all greeted Kopitar warmly while he led the postgame handshake line. He then circled at center ice with his arm raised while his teammates banged their sticks on the ice for his final farewell.
With a masterful four-game demonstration of the roster-wide talent on a team ready to win it all, Colorado advanced to face the winner of the heavyweight first-round series between Dallas and Minnesota. Those clubs are tied heading to Game 5 on Tuesday, meaning the Avs will get at least five consecutive days off before the second round, and quite possibly more.
LIGHTNING 3, CANADIENS 2
MONTREAL (AP) — Brandon Hagel scored his NHL playoffs-leading fifth and sixth goals in the third period and Tampa Bay rallied to beat Montreal in Game 4 to tie the series.
After the first three games in the first-round series went to overtime, Tampa Bay overcame a two-goal deficit to end it in regulation.
Hagel gave the Lightning the lead with 4:43 left, deflecting Nikita Kucherov’s shot past Jakub Dobes.
Jake Guentzel had a goal and assist, and Kucherov added two assists on the top line with Hagel. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Tampa.
DUCKS 4, OILERS 3, OT
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into overtime, and Anaheim pushed Connor McDavid and Edmonton to the brink of first-round elimination with a victory in Game 4.
Jeffrey Viel tied it with 6:29 left in regulation for the Ducks, who rallied from an early two-goal deficit and another third-period hole before taking a 3-1 series lead with their third consecutive victory over the back-to-back Western Conference champion Oilers.
The Ducks won when Poehling’s sharp-angled shot reluctantly trickled under Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry, who had played well in his first playoff start for his new team. An extensive video review revealed no reason to overturn the judgment on the ice that the puck had barely crossed the goal line underneath Jarry’s skate.
It no secret that former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel is a very good player. This was certainly the case yet again this regular season, as he scored 38 goals and set new career highs with 50 assists and 88 points in 81 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So far this postseason, Guentzel is only continuing to make a big impact.
In the Lightning's 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4, Guentzel scored a goal and recorded an assist. With this, the former Penguins forward now has seven points in just four games so far this postseason.
With numbers like these, it is clear that Guentzel is providing the Lightning with strong offensive production early on this postseason. It is not surprising in the slightest, as he is a star player who has stepped up big time in the playoffs before.
Guentzel will now be looking to stay hot for the Bolts as they continue their series against the Canadiens from here.
Guentzel was selected by the Penguins with the 77th overall pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. In 503 games over eight seasons with the Penguins, he had 219 goals, 247 assists, 466 points, and a plus-53 rating.
The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up a huge 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of the first round. With it, they have tied the series up at 2-2 as they head back to Tampa for Game 5.
This was a hard-fought win for the Lightning, too, as they came back from a 2-0 deficit. Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel was the biggest reason for the Bolts' comeback win.
Hagel scored both the game-tying and game-winning goals during the third period for the Lightning in Game 5. With this, he was the Lightning's hero in this matchup.
This was just the latest strong game from Hagel, as he is having a fantastic start to the playoffs. In four games now this series, he has six goals and seven points. He has also scored at least one goal in each game against the Canadiens, so he is stepping up big time for the Lightning.
Hagel will now be looking to stay hot for the Lightning as they prepare for Game 5.
Hagel spent three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2019-20 to 2021-22, where he had 30 goals, 31 assists, 61 points, and 102 hits.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 18: Fans of the Colorado Rockies participate in the wave during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Rockies and Mets came into this series with nearly identical records: 10-16 for Colorado, 9-16 for New York.
Which… felt misleading. Like two teams arriving at the same place for completely different reasons.
Then the Rockies swept the series, and the gap in records is growing: 13-16 for Colorado, 9-19 for New York.
Same neighborhood, different direction.
Before the season, PECOTA had the Mets at 88 wins and real playoff odds. The Rockies were pegged for around 60 wins and, essentially, a long summer.
So what changed?
For the Mets, it’s not just losing — it’s the weight of it. This is a ‘World Series or bust’ roster, built with Steve Cohen money, and it hasn’t clicked. Roles feel unsettled. The fit feels off. Even snapping the 12-game losing streak didn’t stop the bigger question from hanging over everything: why isn’t this working?
When expectations are that high, losses don’t just count — they linger.
Now the Rockies feel… different. Still imperfect, still under .500, but more coherent. More competitive. There’s actual energy — call it the Goodman/Moniak/Johnston effect — where players are giving you a reason to watch beyond the standings.
The Mets have stars. The Rockies have spark.
And to be fair — Mets fans have lived through October magic, titles, and franchise icons, from the Miracle Mets of 1969 to the dominant 1986 team. They were in the NLCS as recently as 2024. The Mets history runs deeper than Colorado’s, but Rockies fans have built their own decades of memories since 1993.
Both fanbases have stuck through plenty of losing to get those moments. Nobody’s switching sides.
So here’s the question:
For the rest of this season… who would you rather be:
The fanbase watching a $350M Goliath stumble over itself?
Or the fanbase watching an underdog finally start to figure out who they are?
And looking ahead to next year and beyond?
Do you trust the stars in New York to figure it out… Or the spark in Colorado to turn into something real?
After yet another disastrous offensive performance in Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza sat down at the podium for his postgame presser and, looking exhausted, sounded incredulous at what he just witnessed.
Not only did his team score one run over the course of 18 innings en route to getting swept by the Colorado Rockies at home, but hardly at any point did the offense look even remotely competitive.
“It’s hard to explain when you have that many guys that are going through it at the same time,” said a fed up Mendoza. “It’s just not a good showing, not good at-bats up and down [the lineup].
“Overall not hitting the ball hard consistently and it’s hard. Like I said, it’s hard to explain because usually you get 3-4 guys that go through it, but you got 4-5 guys that can carry you. But right now it’s hard to describe.”
Unfortunately, this is what the Mets’ offense is right now – one that’s scored one or fewer runs 10 times in 28 games to start the season and who ranks at or near the bottom in almost every offensive category.
From top to bottom, the offense has been struggling basically since that Opening Day game against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates where New York put up 11 runs while getting contributions up and down the lineup in a game that teased fans of what could be but now feels like an aberration.
Yes, injuries have taken their toll on the Mets who are not fully healthy at the moment, but even when most of the pieces were in place, the offense was still sputtering.
Francisco Alvarez, who has three hits in his last 20 at-bats, leads all qualified hitters on the team with a .240 average and a .760 OPS. Nobody else has an OPS above .669 and that belongs to Francisco Lindor who will be out for the foreseeable future with a calf strain.
Sure, Juan Soto is slashing .304/.418/.413 in 13 games but since returning to the lineup after missing two weeks with a calf strain of his own, he’s 3-for-15 with no RBI or runs scored. In fact, teams have resolved to not pitch to him and are making anybody else in the lineup beat them.
Right now, nobody has been able to step up to the plate.
“We all know what kind of talent we have in that lineup and what kind of hitters we have and how much damage they can do so it’s just a matter of time that they’re gonna wake up and bring the best out of themselves,” Soto said. “I know they're trying their hardest but sometimes things don’t go your way and you just gotta keep it as you are, a professional, keep your head and keep moving forward.”
After making significant changes to the roster this offseason and going from comfortable to perhaps unconventional, none of the moves have really paid dividends yet.
Bo Bichette had a nice moment on Thursday night against the Minnesota Twins with a bases-clearing double to give the Mets the lead late, but outside of that he’s been a huge disappointment after being billed as somebody who makes solid contact and hits in the clutch.
Luis Robert Jr. has followed up a torrid start with a prolonged slump, Marcus Semien went 1-for-12 against the Rockies and Jorge Polanco is on the IL.
Meanwhile, homegrown players like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos who were tasked to take another step in the right direction this season have failed to do so.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this to be honest with you, that goes on for so long when you got so many guys struggling at the same time,” Mendoza said.
The team-wide slump, which was the biggest problem during New York’s recent 12-game losing streak, has led to uncomfortable questions surrounding the skipper with the Mets a season-worst 10 games below .500 at 9-19.
And it’s not just this year. Since June 12 of last year, the Mets are 47-74 despite being committed to winning and spending more than nearly everybody else thanks to owner Steve Cohen.
With all of that, is Mendoza concerned about his job security?
“The only thing I’m worried about here is I gotta get the guys going,” he said. “I get it. I get it. It sucks and I know the questions will continue to come up, but my job is to find a way to get those guys out of the funk. That’s the bottom line.”
How exactly Mendoza plans to do that remains to be seen because, by his own admission, he’s tried everything. So far nothing has worked.
At the end of the day, though, it’s on the players to play better.
“As players we have to perform,” Soto said while defending his skipper. “This is definitely not Mendy’s fault or David [Stearn’s] fault. They definitely put a great team together and we have to be the ones that gotta go out there and perform at the end of the day.
“I don’t think [Mendoza’s] been doing anything wrong. I think he’s been doing a great job as a manager. He’s moving the pieces and putting the pieces in the right spot, we just haven’t come through, but it’s not his fault at all.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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
Payton Pritchard’s 32 points led the Boston Celtics to a dominant 128-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night despite Joel Embiid’s return from an appendectomy.
The win gives the Celtics a commanding 3-1 lead as the series heads back to Boston for Game 5, when the C’s will have a chance to clinch an Eastern Conference Semifinals berth.
Boston had a clean bill of health for Game 4 and started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta.
On the other side, Joel Embiid returned to the court for the first time since April 6 and Kelly Oubre Jr., who was listed as questionable with right adductor soreness, suited up, too. They both started the game alongside Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George.
At the start, the game was all about the centers. Neemias Queta scored the Celtics’ first 5 points on a couple dunks and a 1 of 2 trip to the free throw line. When Nikola Vučević subbed in early for him about 3 minutes into the game, Vooch scored Boston’s next 4 points.
At the same time, Embiid looked like he always does. He immediately drew a couple fouls and hit all four free throws during his first 7-minute stretch on the court. He had 8 out of the Sixers’ 10 points when he sat, as the Celtics were up by 1.
While the centers were going off, the game was clunky and nobody else could hit anything. Maxey didn’t even have a shot attempt until there were about 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
When George hit a three-pointer to put the Sixers up 13-12, the Payton Pritchard show began, as he immediately answered it with a 3 of his own, then hit another after Andre Drummond (finally!) missed a corner attempt.
Late in the first quarter, the bench went on an 8-0 run of its own. Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh kept a play alive with 3 offensive rebounds off of missed shots and each hit a three-pointer. By the end of the quarter, the C’s bench had 24 points — more than the Sixers’ total 18.
Part of that bench scoring total was a ridiculous one-legged on-the-run three-pointer from Pritchard to beat the buzzer and put Boston up 34-18.
Jaylen Brown started the second quarter clearly trying to get more involved and, despite missing a pair of free throws early, he hit a corner 3 for his first made shot of the game.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before it was the Pritchard show again. He hit his fourth three-pointer a few minutes into the quarter, then drove into Adem Bona for a midrange score to get to 18 points — 13 more than any other Celtic at that point.
After Hauser hit a three-pointer of his own, the Celtics were up 45-24 and Xfinity Mobile Arena started getting quiet. While the Sixers started hitting shots and built up some momentum, a Luka Garza three-pointer and a Brown step back 3 over George helped maintain a solid lead.
By the end of the half, Boston was up 56-38, with Pritchard’s 18 points leading the way. No other Celtic finished with double-digit points, with Brown coming closest with 8.
Both Jays struggled shooting in the first half, with Tatum only hitting 1 of 8 shots and Brown going 3 of 9 from the field. The starters as a whole only had 24 of Boston’s 56 points.
On the other side of the court, Embiid led the Sixers with 12 points, but nobody else had more than 7 — Maxey, on only 3 field goal attempts — and the team looked far less potent than they were over the first three games of the series.
As the second half began with Pritchard on the bench, the Jays got a chance to build some rhythm and both capitalized, as Brown and Tatum quickly scored 7 points and 6 points, respectively.
While the Sixers made an effort to get Maxey more involved — an effort that resulted in a three-point make on Philly’s first possession of the third quarter — the Celtics did a good job of making his life difficult. When Maxey got a breakaway in transition, White turned on the boosters and blocked him from behind to erase an easy basket.
The rest of the Sixers offense struggled to start the half as well, especially Edgecombe, who seemed to have lost all the confidence he displayed in Game 2 after starting the night shooting 1 of 7 from the field.
With about 7 minutes to go in the third quarter, the Celtics were up by 24 points, 71-47. The Sixers started hitting some shots, but could not get stops, so the lead hovered around 20 points for the rest of the quarter.
By the end of the quarter, Brown and Tatum had 18 and 20 points, respectively, but the Pritchard show wasn’t over. He hit two more three-pointers, a tough fadeaway, a pair of late buckets and a couple free throws to finish the third with 32 points — 10 more than anyone else in the game.
By the time the fourth quarter began, the Celtics were up by 21 points and the game was all but over. Then, less than 2 minutes in, a Tatum 4-point play extended the lead to 30 and put it even further out of reach.
Another Tatum three-pointer sealed the deal with about 6 minutes left to go, and less than a minute later the Sixers called it quits and emptied the bench.
Pritchard, Boston’s undisputed MVP of the night, finished with 32 points on 57.1% shooting from the field, 6 three-pointers, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal.
Tatum finished with 30 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds and 11 assists. Notably, after shooting 1 of 8 from the field in the first half, he shot 7 of 8 in the second half.
Brown finished with 20 points on 40% shooting, 7 rebounds and a pair of stocks.
In his return, Embiid played 34 minutes and racked up 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. His playoff record against the Celtics is now 3-13.
Maxey and George put up 22 and 16 points, respectively. Edgecombe finished with only 6 points on 22.2% shooting.
Overall, the Celtics shot 48.3% from the field and 45.3% from three-point range, with 24 three-point makes, while the Sixers shot 41.3% from the field and 30% on threes.
The C’s also won the rebounding battle 51-30 and put up more shots than Philadelphia, 87-80, but finished the game with more turnovers, 12-8.
Game 5 will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, at TD Garden in Boston. It will be broadcast on ESPN.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball while defended by Paul George #8 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we saw in Game 1, playing poorly while missing every shot possible is a bad combination.
The Sixers got blown out again 128-96 by the Boston Celtics in Game 4 Sunday night, falling to a 3-1 series deficit.
In his first game back since appendectomy surgery, Joel Embiid looked like the only Sixer ready for this game. He finished with 26 points shooting 9-of-21 from the floor with 10 rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Maxey was just way too passive to start the game, going for 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting with six assists. Paul George had 16 points and four rebounds going 6-of-13 from the floor.
VJ Edgecombe again didn’t have it, finishing with six points on 2-of-9 shooting. Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 32.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The Celtics scored their first two baskets of the game with the ball handler getting Embiid into space and finding a wide open Neemias Queta near the rim. On the other end, it took the Sixers nearly four minutes to hit their first field goal of the game, but Embiid had already forced the Celtics to go to Nik Vucevic, drawing a quick two fouls on Queta.
The Sixers really couldn’t buy a jumper to fall out of the gate. That first made field goal was a transition dunk. Embiid made their first basket in the half court as well taking Vucevic down to the post. Edgecombe was the first Sixer not named Embiid to score and that came at the 5:24 mark.
Embiid only sat for a couple minutes and yet the Sixers couldn’t survive a second of them (insert the “first time?” meme). Pritchard got lost for a couple of wide open threes before Jayson Tatum steamrolled down the lane for an open layup. Andre Drummond fouling Tatum on a three-point shot was the last straw for his shift.
It’s not like Embiid was a cure all for their problems. The Sixers surrendered four straight offensive rebounds on a single possession. This was also in the middle of a stretch where Embiid was responsible for two turnovers and an offensive foul. The Celtics ended the quarter on a 11-2 run to storm out to a 16-point lead.
Second Quarter
The Sixers continued to generate good looks that continued to clank off the rim. They kicked to Edgecombe for a wide open corner three that didn’t fall, George missed a driving floater, and Embiid missed two open midrange jumpers. There were other problems but none of them really mattered if the Sixers couldn’t put the ball in the hoop.
Nick Nurse was forced into trying both options at backup center when Drummond went down with a leg injury. He was just passing out of the post when he went down grabbing his hamstring area without much seemingly happening which is not a great sign.
Quentin Grimes following up a three with a steal and a fastbreak dunk was the first sign of life the Sixers had shown in about 10 minutes of game time. They strung together some baskets and stops to get the lead under 20 but again killed their momentum with bad mistakes. Edgecombe threw a pocket pass way over Embiid’s head, then Grimes and Embiid botched a fast break, one that Nurse challenged for some reason and lost.
Quentin Grimes with an excellent behind-the-back pass to Adem Bona who finishes at the rim over Queta pic.twitter.com/2l7I4sEqqb
After Luka Garza hit a three coming out of the challenge the Sixers closed the half well defensively. They had dug themselves such a hole though that Jaylen Brown hitting a contested stepback three felt backbreaking. The same goes for Embiid missing two of his four latest free throws and having another open midrange jumper rim out. Brown hit another tough turnaround, this time in the midrange, to keep the Celtics’ lead at 18.
Third Quarter
Another concerning part about the first half is that the Sixers got smoked with both of the Jays shooting very poor. They combined to go 4-of-16. Tatum started the second half with a midrange that became an and-1. Brown knocked down a three before doing the same. Meanwhile, the Sixers continued to shoot themselves in the foot on the other end — Maxey appeared to slow up on a fast break, giving Derrick White time to block his layup attempt.
It’s not surprising they looked like they let go of the rope with how poorly they shot. It was still jarring to see the only player show any life all night was the guy who had to have an emergency appendectomy less than three weeks ago. This stat tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontempts was sent out less than halfway through the third quarter.
The Sixers have missed 32 shots and don't have a single offensive rebound tonight.
Ironically, the Sixers finally had a stretch where their three-point shots were falling. Maxey had a couple fall earlier in the quarter before George and Embiid found something of a groove. The Sixers couldn’t make any progress though because of another flaw getting them in trouble — their overhelping. Pritchard was the leading scorer in the first half, and yet the Sixers continued to help off of him one pass away. The Celtics were more than happy to kick it to him and let him convert the open shots. The Sixers went into the fourth trailing by 21.
Fourth Quarter
As if things hadn’t gotten embarrassing enough, the Celtics quickly pushed their lead to 30 for the first time of the game. As Tatum was at the line finishing off a four-point play, the Celtics fans who had made the trip loudly mocked Sixers fans with “We want Boston” chants.
It seemed like the only battle left was whatever the arena could do to drown out the Celtics fans. There were two karaoke sing-a-longs during timeouts, which is two more than I remember happening at all during the regular season. The renditions of “Baby” and “A Thousand Miles” were quite loud, but not as loud as the Boston fans once the Celtics got back on the court and started draining threes again. The “We want Boston” chants rung out again as Embiid checked out for the final time.
