May 4, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brad Keller (40) and catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) celebrate after the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Last night, the Phillies’ bullpen held the Rockies without a baserunner over 4 1/3 innings. Colorado isn’t exactly a titan of offensive production, but this season, they’ve also been no slouch. Holding them down like that is still rather impressive.
It got me thinking: other Jhoan Duran, who is this team’s best reliever this season? Naturally my mind went to Brad Keller, but he’s been merely good instead of his otherworldly self he was in 2025. Chase Shugart has opened some eyes so far, but would we really put him second behind Duran? There are other options to choose from, but I still think it might be Keller.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on April 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You may or may not remember this, but a while back, Kelly Flagg counseled Cooper not to go crazy when he bought his first car.
From all reports, he listened.
She also counseled him to hold off on a girlfriend. And on that point, he may not have listened. And while we can’t be sure, he may have ignored that particular piece of advice for a while now, as he is apparently dating Duke Basketball player Arianna Roberson.
They were both freshmen last year, and Roberson is from San Antonio, which is about 250 miles from Dallas. And by Texas standards, that ain’t bad, more or less a Sunday drive.
We will say this, though. We would never suggest that someone date an NBA player, because, well, they’re generally players, as Megan Thee Stallion recently discovered with Flagg’s teammate Klay Thompson.
In Flagg’s case, we wouldn’t worry nearly as much. Why?
Because he’s a very loyal guy, and he’s already proven it.
He could’ve taken a much bigger deal from Nike, rather than signing with home-state shoe company New Balance. And when he signed that deal, he explicitly mentioned being loyal to Maine.
Given what we’ve seen from Flagg so far, the state is going to profit from that decision – already has, really. Nike is roughly 5 times the size of New Balance, but Nike has been struggling lately, while New Balance is coming on. A lot of people back home are very grateful to Flagg for looking out for them.
And there has always been speculation about Flagg signing with the Boston Celtics when his rookie contract is up. This spring, though, someone asked him about that, and he said that he was in Dallas, and that he’s a very loyal person.
Given those public examples, he seems like a good man to bet on romantically.
In the third game of their second-round series on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks and head coach Joel Quenneville made the move to pull starting netminder Lukas Dostal after a first period where he allowed three goals on eight shots.
It was the second time Dostal had been pulled from the Ducks’ net this Playoff season, as the first was in Game 5 of their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, where he allowed three goals on nine shots in the first ten minutes of the Ducks’ 4-1 loss.
“Both,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after Game 3 against Vegas, when asked if Dostal’s pull was based on his performance or the team’s in front of him.
“It’s tough because it’s on everyone,” Ducks forward Jeffrey Viel said on Saturday. “You never want to see it happen, and we just weren’t ready as a team yesterday (Friday).”
Any public metric, both underlying and traditional, will suggest that Dostal has been poor in Anaheim’s crease this postseason. In nine starts, he has a 5-4 record, a 3.48 GAA, an .876 SV%, and has saved -4.32 goals above expected.
In his first season as the Ducks’ full-time starting goaltender and fresh off inking a five-year contract extension that carries a $6.5 million AAV, Dostal posted a 30-20-4 record, a 3.10 GAA, an .888 SV%, and 12.02 GSAx.
The 18 skaters in front of him, adjusting to a new system, coaching staff, and key personnel, provided Dostal and the Ducks’ goaltenders with one of the least optimal or stable defensive environments.
They allowed a total of 288 goals and 291.28 expected goals in all situations in the 2025-26 regular season (both placing them 29th in the NHL), and have allowed 3.43 goals against per 60 minutes and 2.99 expected goals against per 60 in the playoffs.
However, as was the case for the regular season, his poor numbers don’t paint the entire picture of his performance in these playoffs.
Public expected goals models are a resource for determining how the flow of a game or games play out vs the eye test, and are more detailed when it comes to determining which team got more shots off from higher quality areas of the ice.
It becomes a bit murkier when using those stats to evaluate goaltending. Public expected goal models don’t take into account aspects of play like pre-shot puck movement, player locations (outside of the shooter), screens, tips, breakaways, etc., and these are all areas where the Ducks have “left Dostal out to dry” this season and playoffs.
Typically, over a long sample, these aspects will even out with enough weaker shots or easier saves. However, seven and a half playoff games in the current Ducks’ defensive environment is not a large enough sample to declare Dostal’s impact, and the eye test may need to be relied upon more heavily.
Through nine games of the 2026 playoffs, Dostal has allowed 26 goals on 210 shots. When evaluating all 26 of those goals, just three of them could be classified as “soft” or “ones he wanted back,” and (including those three) five are goals he could have played more effectively and had the capability to save. Average to above-average starting goaltenders in the NHL aren’t or wouldn’t be relied on to stop the remaining 21 goals (author's opinion/evaluation).
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
At this point in his career, Dostal can be considered an above-average NHL starter, and as the current 10th-highest-paid goaltender, that’s exactly what he’s expected to be for the Ducks. His talent or pay grade doesn’t place him among the NHL’s elite goalies like Igor Shesterkin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, or Connor Hellebuyck.
More often than not, he makes the saves he’s supposed to and gives the Ducks a chance to win nearly every game, as his job and role require. The Ducks’ locker room still has the utmost faith in their starter, and players remain quick to support him.
“It just happens in hockey,” Ducks star forward Leo Carlsson said of the team’s reaction to their starter getting pulled. “It’s hard to be our best player on the ice every game. He’s an amazing goalie still, so nothing really changed there.”
Dostal is a positionally sound goaltender, smart on his angles, efficient on his lateral pushes, tracks pucks well, plays pucks effectively, and displays quality rebound-control tendencies. His movements often don’t require him to make spectacular athletic saves, though he has the ability to on occasion, and visually, he makes many difficult saves seem easier than they are.
“It’s great. He’s been solid all year,” Viel said when asked about the team’s confidence level in Dostal. “He made key saves at the right time against Edmonton. So, we trust Lukas as much as we can. He’ll bounce back. I’m not worried about it at all. We just didn’t play well in front of him. As a team, everyone needs to raise their level.”
Though the majority of the goals he’s let in during this Ducks playoff run aren’t goals he’s likely required to stop, he has appeared shakier in his crease than usual. On the whole, his movements haven’t been as quiet, his decision-making not quite as sharp, and he’s spat out more rebounds to the middle of the ice than has been typical for him throughout his career.
In Games 1 and 2 of the Ducks’ second-round series against the Knights, Dostal was spectacular, and it appeared that he and the team in front of him had begun to turn a corner. He saved 40 of 43 shots, many, again, more difficult than they appeared, and many exactly as difficult as they appeared.
Game 3 was a step back for Dostal and the Ducks, as he was pulled after the first period, a period where he allowed three goals on eight shots. Only one of them, Vegas’ second, could be considered soft, but a reset and change in net was required, regardless.
Quenneville and the Ducks coaching staff will remain with Dostal in their net for Game 4, maintaining the status quo and sticking with the goaltender who has put the team firmly on his back for the majority of his NHL career, as the Ducks would not be in the playoffs were it not for Lukas Dostal between the pipes.
“Dosty’s playing,” Quenneville said quickly on Saturday when asked if he had made a decision in goal for Sunday.
“He came back and had three very solid games, real good games,” Quenneville concluded when asked if he expects Dostal to respond as he did after Game 5 of the first round. “I just think that sometimes it can help settle things down and get refreshed and get ready to go.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: Justin Slaten #63 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With all of the consternation about Greg Weissert’s performance lately, it’s worth remembering that he’s not supposed to be a high-leverage reliever. But the mercurial nature of bullpens means that the Red Sox frequently have no choice but to use pitchers who don’t inspire the utmost confidence. But at least the Sox can now knock Weissert down a spot in the pecking order, because Justin Slaten is officially back. “It felt like the longest month of my life,” he said of his recovery form an oblique strain. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Had yesterday’s game not been rained out and had Slaten pitched, he would’ve found himself throwing to a surprising catcher: Mickey Gasper, who was penciled into the starting lineup despite the fact that there were no injuries to either Carlos Narvaez or Connor Wong. Here’s Chad Tracy on why he did it:
Pedro Martinez also found himself throwing to a surprising catcher at Fenway recently. Back in town to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, Pedro reflected on the strange fact that the recently fired Jason Varitek wasn’t behind the plate to receive it. “To be honest, I’m not gonna go into details without knowing why because I haven’t really been inside the offices. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna let me know. There’s gotta be a reason because Tek means so much to this city just like every one of us.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Speaking of former Red Sox catchers, David Ross was also recently back in town, and he spoke about his time in Boston. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Pedro certainly sounds dismayed about Varitek’s parting, but he hasn’t given up on the 2026 Red Sox. Nor have many of the players. “I think we’ve been playing pretty good baseball lately,” said Ceddanne Rafaela. “I think it shows we’re a pretty good team and we’re going to be in a pretty good spot in September.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
They’ve certainly looked like a pretty good team when Payton Tolle is on the mound and on his game. He’ll get the start today on what will likely be an emotional mother’s day for him. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - APRIL 18, 2026: Oswaldo Cabrera #95 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders bats during the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Syracuse Mets at NBT Bank Stadium on April 18, 2026 in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
May 12th marks an anniversary that Oswaldo Cabrera isn’t necessarily celebrating. It was on that day last year that the Yankees infielder suffered a gruesome injury during a play at home plate in Seattle against the Mariners.
In the ninth inning of a Yankees 11-5 win, Cabrera was on third base when he tagged up on a fly ball by Aaron Judge to right field. He ran wide to avoid the tag attempt of Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh on the throw up the line, but overran the plate. When he tried to stop, he slid awkwardly and his left leg got caught underneath him and twisted, causing him to suffer a fractured ankle and ligament damage.
Cabrera stayed on the ground in obvious pain and medical personnel from both teams immediately rushed to his aid. He was taken off the field in an ambulance to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Now, one year later, Cabrera is recovered and playing with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
“It’s crazy and interesting to look back and see all the time that I lost, but also see all the maturity that covered in my mind in a good way,” Cabrera said. “Trying to see another perspective of baseball, that it can be worse. I was in the bottom worse, when you’re hurt and can’t do anything about it. After that, I’ve come in with the right energy every single day coming to the field.”
Video of the play is difficult to watch, definitely not for the squeamish. Cabrera said he has never looked at the replay, although he did see some photos of the incident.
“Even when I got hurt that day, I didn’t look at my foot at all,” he said. “Since I got hurt until they fixed it, I never looked at my foot. I’m not strong now to watch the video again.”
He credits Yankees head trainer Tim Lentych with getting him through the initial moments after the injury.
“They came in right away and put a towel on it,” Cabrera said. “Timmy came and he was my angel at that time, talking with me and trying to calm me down. Of all the bad things, that was a beautiful thing for sure.”
After the game, many of his teammates — including Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe — went to the hospital to visit him. Cabrera said that meant a lot to him.
“That’s all that matters. That’s why I love those guys so much,” he said. “In the good times, they are there, but also in the bad times, they are there, too.”
The next day, Cabrera flew back to New York. He underwent surgery to repair the ankle on May 15th, thus ending his season. At the time, he was playing well, batting .243 (26-for-1o7) in 34 games with four doubles, one home run, 11 RBI, 11 walks and 17 runs. He was starting at third base, but also saw action at second base, left field and right field. Rehabbing the injury was hard, even for the always-upbeat Cabrera. But he worked his way back and continues to do so.
“Obviously, it was a lot of things with the ankle and we are trying to fix it and get it better every single day,” Cabrera said. “Every day is much better, but at the same time, the tough part is getting my rhythm back after a year of not doing baseball stuff. That’s the challenge that I have right now. It’s nothing I cannot do. That’s why I come here every day and try my best every single day.”
Often in football, running backs who are returning from a knee injury must make that first cut or take that first hit to know mentally that they are fully recovered. For Cabrera, the biggest obstacle at spring training he had to overcome in his mind was sliding.
“I was running 100 percent, I was doing everything 100 percent. Now let’s see how it feels sliding the bases,” he said. “That was the biggest step. I was in a short distance and coming in slow and sliding. After the first one or two, I was like, ‘No, I have to do it real.’ So I went and ran like normal and sliding. After that, it was like, I’m good.”
Perhaps the biggest thing the 27-year-old Venezuelan gained from going through the injury was a greater appreciation for baseball.
“It’s made me feel blessed every single day to play,” Cabrera said. “Pitch by pitch I feel blessed.”
The Yankees optioned Cabrera to the RailRaiders in March. He appeared in 32 of the team’s first 36 games and batted .217 (26-for-120) with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, 12 RBI and 13 walks.
While it is not exactly the start to the season he hoped for, Cabrera is starting to show signs of breaking out. He has hit safely in seven of his first eight games in May, including a combined 5-for-6 effort with four doubles in a doubleheader on May 1st against the Buffalo Bisons.
One thing Cabrera is not doing is using his injury as an excuse for his slow start.
“I’m just trying to find the best version of what I am,” he said. “We’ve been trying different things at the plate. That’s why we are maybe not at the spot we want. But I know I’m going to get there. I’ve been there before, so I’m not worried. I know I can make it happen.”
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 09: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets looks on prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets fell to the Diamondbacks 2-1 in Phoenix on a night where the bats fell silent once again. Clay Holmes had another strong outing, yielding just two runs over 5 2/3 innings of work and Austin Warren and Craig Kimbrel combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, but the Mets managed just three hits off Merrill Kelly and Holmes was saddled with the loss.
Huascar Brazobán will serve as the opener for the Mets today in their rubber game against the Diamondbacks with David Peterson as the bulk pitcher behind him.
Bo Bichette has already had several hard-hit balls go for outs in this series and his hard-hit rate and exit velocity suggest that his underperformance thus far in 2026 is at least partially due to bad luck. That is further backed by the fact that the defensive runs saved against him is the best in the league, which was mentioned on last night’s FOX broadcast. “It feels like every day there’s one at-bat when he hits a rocket and somebody is making a play,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before last night’s game. “I am not worried about him. The ball is going to find holes. He’s too good a hitter.”
Tobias Myers, who earned his first career save on Friday night, has been a versatile Swiss Army Knife for the Mets, writes Laura Albanese of Newsday.
“We’re not in the place that we should be,” Ron Darling said to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman on their podcast on his relationship with former teammate Lenny Dykstra ahead of the 1986 championship reunion later this summer.
The Mets signed right-hander Xzavion Curry to a minor league deal, per MLB Trade Rumors. He began this season with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League and was in the Rockies organization last year after stints with the Guardians (who drafted him) and Marlins before that.
Around the National League East
Longtime Braves manager and Hall of Famer Bobby Cox passed away yesterday at the age of 84. Tributes rolled in from across the baseball world yesterday. “Bobby Cox led one of the greatest eras of sustained excellence in baseball history,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
The Braves honored Cox with a 7-2 win over the Dodgers behind a strong start from Spencer Strider.
The Nationals rallied for three runs in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Marlins, who hit three homers in an 8-7 victory in this NL East showdown. Jakob Marsee’s go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth was the decisive hit for Miami.
The Cleveland Guardians acquired catcher Patrick Bailey from the Giants in a trade yesterday in exchange for the No. 29 pick in this year’s draft (a competitive-balance pick) and left-handed pitching prospect Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson.
Giants ace and workhorse Logan Webb is spending a rare stint on the injured list as well with right knee bursitis.
In an electric moment, Bobby Witt Jr. sped around the bases for an inside-the-park home run in the Royals’ 5-1 victory over the Tigers at home.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
In a new episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane discuss whether two series wins in a row really changes anything for the Mets.
Seth Ashby explored whether MJ Melendez’s surprising level of production for the Mets is sustainable.
This Date in Mets History
On this date in 2000, the late, great Rickey Henderson took his 10,000th career at-bat, becoming just the 21st player in baseball history to do so.
Los Angeles Lakers' Luke Kennard L goes for the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder's Jared McCain during the 2025-2026 NBA regular season basketball game between Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, the United States, April 7, 2026. (Photo by Ringo Chiu/Xinhua via Getty Images)
In Saturday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Jared McCain and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled right on by Luke Kennard and the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-108. OKC now has a 3-0 lead and will win the series. This team is 7-0 so far in the playoffs. There will be no collapse.
McCain didn’t score as well as he has recently, but didn’t need to. He finished with one three-pointer in 10 minutes and also had one assist.
For the Lakers, Kennard had a nice night with 18 points on 7-10 shooting, including 4-6 from behind the line.
On Sunday, Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs will square off with the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4. The Spurs currently lead, 2-1.
BINGHAMTON, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: Ryan Lambert #19 of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies looks on during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Brooklyn took an early lead, lost it, clawed back the tie in the seventh (the end of regulation for a doubleheader), then traded runs two extra innings before ultimately falling in walkoff fashion in the tenth. Vincent Perozo and John Bay went deep, while Mitch Voit – by far the most notable prospect in the lineup – had three strikeouts and was hitless in five at bats.
You’ll never guess what happened in game 2. If you said the same thing as game 1, you’re basically correct. Brooklyn got down early, clawed back to equalize in the top of the seventh, then lost in walkoff fashion. At least it only took seven innings this time. Yonatan Henriquez, Ronald Hernandez, and Trace Wilhoite deep in the loss.
This game featured a 3-for-13 performance with RISP, only four strikeouts for the Mets’ pitching, and a caught steal of home, but St. Lucie won anyway. Jose Chirinos made another strong start to lower his ERA to 2.52 on the season despite middling stuff metrics and is perhaps a name to monitor.
May 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
While the Atlanta Braves split the series against the Dodgers on Saturday with a 7-2 victory, the team and fanbase were saddened with the news that their former longtime manager, Bobby Cox, passed away at the age of 84.
Cox had managed the Atlanta Braves for parts of 25 years between 1978-2010, earning five National League pennants throughout the 1990’s and helping Atlanta win the World Series in 1995. At the tail end of his Hall of Fame managerial career, a 21-year-old Freddie Freeman was under his tutelage for 20 games, and the impact Cox had on Freeman was immense.
Freeman reacted to the news of Cox’s passing as he spoke about him candidly with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA prior to the start of Saturday’s game. The Dodgers held a moment of silence for both Cox and Ted Turner, the late media mogul responsible for the creation of the 24-hour news cycle.
“I’ve been thinking all morning about memories and interactions with him, and a lot of it is baseball, but my favorite memory of Bobby is 2017 spring training… Most of my interactions at that time with Bobby had been all baseball, and to see Hall of Famer Bobby Cox— the joy on his face once he saw my six-month-old son— that’s stuff I’ll never forget… He lived a great life; everyone loved him in baseball, Braves country loves him… I think a lot of people have heavy hearts, but they’re also having a good time thinking about all the wonderful memories and impacts that Bobby had on their lives today… we’re going to miss him immensely.”
“He was a Hall of Famer. He did it the right way. He loved his players, loved this game, loved the way he wore spikes as a manager— that’s pretty cool. He was a guy that wore his uniform. Guys like Tommy [Lasorda], Bobby, I look to, and we lost a great one. We lost a legend.”
Links
After missing the Dodgers’ first 38 games of the season, Blake Snell made his 2026 debut, and it lasted all of three innings after tossing 77 pitches and allowing five runs to score.
Snell was originally slated for a final rehab start on Saturday, but opted to face a team like Atlanta to see where he’s at. Saturday proved that is still some ways to go until he’s at a point where he can stretch deep into games, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I said yes before they even asked,” Snell said. “I wanted this start. Facing a team like Atlanta, really good, it’s going to let you know where you’re at pretty quickly… I feel really good. I feel like I’m going to recover good. So I’m excited about that,” Snell said. “But yeah, I got a lot of work to do to get ready for the next start. Put the bullpen in a position not to cover six innings.”
Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich appeared on the Old Man and the Three podcast where he discussed the feeling of losing last year’s NLCS in the manner they did, which featured Shohei Ohtani having one of, if not, the greatest single game performance of all time.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 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
Keep the broom handy. The Knicks will face the 76ers on Mother’s Day in Game Four of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Xfinity Mobile Arena. New York holds a commanding 3-0 series lead and sits one win away from a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Sixers, meanwhile, are desperate to extend their season, to avoid a sweep on their home floor. The Knicks have ripped through six straight playoff wins, while Philly has looked washed and pressed after tumbling with the Celtics in the first round.
Much of the Knicks’ success has come from dominating in the paint and on the glass, repeatedly turning missed shots into crushing second-chance points. Philadelphia has struggled to match New York’s conditioning, size, and physicality for a full 48 minutes.
In Friday’s Game Three, the Knicks pulled away for a 108-94 win behind another sterling performance from Jalen Brunson, who finished with 33 points and nine assists. Mikal Bridges added 23 points while Josh Hart chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Sixers with 22 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 17 points and seven assists. Paul George piled up 15 first-quarter points before vanishing, missing his final nine shots.
The postseason has exposed Philly’s lack of depth and heavy reliance on star creation. The Cheesesteaks can still generate bursts of offense, but not for long. New York’s defense (especially the wings) has simply suffocated them.
Maxey remains the engine of Philly’s offense, but the Knicks have neutralized him effectively for most of the series. Joel Embiid continues to battle through all sorts of aches and pains, relying on flops and dirty plays to make any headway. Oubre has been one of Philadelphia’s few consistently aggressive contributors, attacking the rim and crashing the boards. George remains an aging veteran; he can light up the first quarter and then fades into the ether. Rookie VJ Edgecombe offers athleticism and defensive energy, but has been unreliable offensively.
New York looks fully in control right now. Brunson has dictated the pace of the series, Towns has turned his passing ability into a true weapon, and Bridges has stepped seamlessly into a larger defensive role, especially with OG Anunoby sidelined. Hart continues doing it all on the margins—rebounding, defending, pushing pace, and playing massive minutes without slowing down. Landry Shamet also gave the Knicks an unexpected offensive lift in Game Three off the bench.
Anunoby remains day-to-day with a hamstring strain and is unlikely to play. For Philadelphia, Embiid is expected to play despite ongoing problems with his ankle, hip, etc.
Prediction
ESPN gives New York roughly a 66% chance to close out the series. Right on. Expect the Phillies to play with desperation early, but if the Knicks continue winning the rebounding battle and forcing Maxey into difficult half-court possessions, New York should pull away again. For the Knicks to finish the sweep: keep Brunson in attack mode, keep Towns out of foul trouble, and continue turning missed shots into extra possessions. The formula has worked three straight times already.
Interesting fact: the Knicks have not completed a best-of-seven playoff sweep since 1999. Today, the fatigue factor favors New York. Philadelphia’s core players have logged enormous minutes throughout the postseason. Maxey already leads all playoff players in total minutes played, and his legs have turned to rubber in the last two fourth quarters. He’s a fine young player. He’s no Jalen Brunson. Look for Cap to lock this game down in the third quarter and a party in the fourth. New York by 15!
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (3-0) at Philadelphia 76ers (0-3) Date: Sunday, May 10, 2026 Time: 3:30 PM ET Place: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA TV: ABC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
By the time Mitch Marner completed a natural hat trick and added a shorthanded assist in Friday night’s Game 3 rout of the Anaheim Ducks, the narrative around his playoff pedigree had been flipped on its head. The Vegas Golden Knights thumped Anaheim 6-2 to take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals, and Marner’s four-point explosion wasn’t just the game’s highlight—it was the latest chapter in a postseason renaissance that has Leafs Nation asking uncomfortable questions.
John Tortorella, Vegas’ no-nonsense head coach, didn’t mince words when asked about the long-standing doubts that followed Marner out of Toronto. In a clip that quickly went viral, Torts looked straight into the camera and delivered a blunt verdict: “That narrative is a bunch of bullsh*t.”
It was classic Tortorella—fiery, protective of his player, and dismissive of years of Toronto media and fan scrutiny. The comment landed like a body check, forcing everyone who had labeled Marner a playoff underachiever to confront the numbers now staring back at them.
Let’s put the numbers side by side, because the contrast is stark.
Toronto Maple Leafs Playoffs (2016-17 through 2024-25, nine postseasons, 71 games): 18 goals, 53 assists, 71 points, +10 rating.
That works out to roughly 0.25 goals per game and a 1.00 points-per-game average. Marner was a playmaking machine—his assist totals often masked modest goal output—but the production never quite matched his regular-season dominance or the expectations that came with a top-line role and massive cap hit. Year-by-year highlights tell the story of consistent but rarely transcendent playoff hockey:
A NATURAL HAT TRICK FOR MITCH MARNER!!! 🚨🚨🚨
And it's his first hat trick in a #StanleyCup Playoffs game!
Across those 71 games, Marner posted just one career playoff hat trick, none, actually, until Friday night in Anaheim. Shooting percentage hovered around 12 percent. He was often the target of criticism in high-stakes moments: second-round exits, Game 7s, and series against heavy defensive teams like Boston and Tampa Bay. Pundits and fans alike pointed to the gap between his 90- to 100-point regular seasons and what they saw as vanishing acts when the lights were brightest. The “Mitch Marner playoff disappearances” memes were relentless.
Vegas Golden Knights Playoffs (2025-26, nine games):
6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points, +5 rating.
That’s a 1.44 points-per-game clip—nearly 50 percent higher than his Toronto postseason average. More telling: Marner has already matched or exceeded his single-postseason goal totals from several Toronto runs in just nine contests. His shooting percentage is a scorching 24 percent. He’s not only setting up teammates; he’s finishing. The natural hat trick Friday—power-play tap-in, patient wrister, and a sharp-angle squeeze—marked the first three-goal playoff game of his career. He also added a shorthanded helper.
The eye test matches the stats. Marner is playing with confidence, pace, and an edge that Tortorella has clearly unlocked. “I’ve watched this guy play for so many years in this league,” Torts said earlier in the postseason. “Up close and personal with him now, he’s a hell of a player. He does so many good things away from the puck. I think that helps him offensively have the puck more. How patient he is with the puck. It was fun to watch.” The coach’s pre-series comments about the “bullsh*t” narrative were even more pointed—evidence that Tortorella sees Marner not as a fragile star, but as a misunderstood one.
Your new playoff point leader (13) and co-goal leader (6):
Context matters, of course. Vegas’ path so far has included a first-round matchup against Utah and now Anaheim—teams many view as lighter lifts than the Eastern Conference gauntlets Marner faced annually in Toronto.
Critics have already begun the “he’s feasting on weaker competition” counter-narrative. Yet Marner’s underlying metrics—shot attempts, scoring chances created, and even defensive contributions—remain elite. Vegas controls play when he’s on the ice at even strength, and his chemistry with Jack Eichel and the power-play unit has been immediate.
So were Toronto fans and pundits wrong?
The honest answer is layered. Marner’s Toronto playoff numbers were not bad—they were good, often very good by most standards. He led or co-led the Leafs in playoff points multiple times and posted career-best runs in 2022-23 and 2024-25. But in a market that measures success by Stanley Cup contention rather than first-round exits, “good” was never going to be enough for a player drafted fourth overall, paid like a superstar, and paired nightly with Auston Matthews.
The pressure cooker of Scotiabank Arena, the annual Boston series disappointments, and the endless media scrutiny created a feedback loop that amplified every turnover and quiet game. Marner himself has never been one to dodge the conversation. He heard the noise in Toronto and, by all accounts, internalized some of it. In Vegas, the spotlight is different—fewer Canadian national broadcasts, a front office and coaching staff that seem genuinely invested in his strengths rather than frustrated by perceived flaws.
Marners joined the boys mid Biz cry session (over missing him) to talk about his hat trick and the Knights taking game 3😂⚔️ pic.twitter.com/2AgAD4h1cN
Tortorella’s blunt motivational style appears to have been the perfect antidote to years of second-guessing. None of this erases what happened in Toronto. The Leafs invested heavily in Marner expecting him to be the difference-maker in May and June. He wasn’t ,through no single fault of his own, but as part of a larger roster and cultural dynamic that repeatedly came up short. Yet the speed with which he has reinvented himself in Vegas raises legitimate questions about whether the narrative was ever fully fair. Was it the player, or the environment? As the Golden Knights prepare for Game 4 in Anaheim on Sunday, with a potential second-round clash against Colorado looming, Marner’s story is still being written. One hat trick and nine dominant games do not a legacy make.
But they do force a reevaluation. Toronto fans who spent nearly a decade questioning Marner’s playoff mettle now watch him lead the NHL in postseason scoring while wearing a different logo. Tortorella’s “bunch of bullsh*t” line will echo for years. Whether the narrative was entirely wrong or simply incomplete is up for debate. What’s undeniable is this: Mitch Marner, freed from the weight of Maple Leafs expectations, is finally playing like the difference-maker many always believed he could be.
Sep 29, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh poses for a photo during Media Day. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The day has finally arrived.
Today, we’ll know the final order of the upcoming NBA draft where the Hawks are slated to have three picks — one of those landing in the lottery despite Atlanta making the playoffs.
Last year, the Hawks acquired a valuable pick swap by sending out the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to pick up the 23rd overall pick in that draft — Asa Newell — and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick swap between the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans.
Both teams missed the playoffs (and the Play-In Tournament entirely), giving the Hawks extra lottery balls to jump into the top 4.
Now let’s answer a few questions about today’s proceedings:
What are the lottery odds for this pick swap?
There has been some misinformation floating around about the true odds of where this pick will end up. Due to the statistical complexity of all of the lottery scenarios — as well as the chances both Milwaukee and New Orleans both see their combinations drawn — it’s not as easy as adding the two teams’ odds together.
The final odds, corroborated by a recent release from the NBA:
First overall pick: 9.700%
Second overall pick: 9.965%
Third overall pick: 10.135%
Fourth overall pick: 10.304%
Top-4 pick: 40.204%
What happens if the Hawks don’t hit the lottery?
In this case, the Hawks could finish no higher than seventh and no lower than 11th (although 11th would be a statistical improbability). The Hawks have a roughly combined 50-50 shot at receiving the seventh or eighth overall pick.
Seventh overall pick: 19.75%
Eighth overall pick: 30.18%
Ninth overall pick: 9.19%
10th overall pick: 0.67%
11th overall pick: less than 0.01%
Who is representing the Hawks at the draft lottery?
In years past, it has been the wife of the principal governor, Jami Gertz, on stage. However, the Hawks didn’t manage to have any luck with her as the talisman from 2018 to 2020.
Two years ago, the Hawks grabbed the number one pick with the top executive at the time, Landry Fields, present for the ceremony. This time, it will be new general manager Onsi Saleh to answer the call.
What about the other Hawks picks?
The Hawks will also have the 23rd overall pick (via the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs) as well as the 57th overall pick (via the Boston Celtics).
What else to watch for this draft lottery?
One of the most interesting things to look for is where Indiana’s pick lands. If it stays within the top four, the Pacers keep the pick. If it slides to fifth or sixth — and there’s a roughly 50% chance at this scenario — the pick goes to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Speaking of the Clippers, their own pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder no matter what happens today, owing to the Paul George and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade way back in the 2019 offseason. There’s even a roughly 7% chance that the pick jumps into the top 4.
How and when can I watch, stream, or listen to the lottery?
Location: Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
Start Time: 3:00 PM EDT
TV: ABC
Radio: ESPN Radio
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, DirecTV, Fubo, YouTube TV
Apr 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) high fives his team after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.
Player Snapshot
Position: SF/PF
Age: 23
2026-27 Contract Status: $2.8 million (team option)
SunsRank (Preseason): 6
SunsRank (Postseason): 11
*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.
Season in One Sentence
Dunn’s development stalled out as he declined from a key rotation player to being out of the rotation.
By the Numbers
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
70
19.4
5.8
4.2
1.5
0.9
45.3%
33.1%
48.9%
110.4
108.7
+4
The Expectation
Going into this season, everyone (myself included) hoped that Dunn would build off of a promising rookie season and continue to grow into a solid rotation player for the Suns’ future. Whether he started or came off the bench, we expected him to play high minutes and have a positive impact on games with his defense and rebounding. Offensively, the expectation was that he would continue to improve his three-point jumper and get comfortable in the new Jordan Ott offense.
The Reality
It was a frustrating season for Dunn as he showed the limitations and holes in his game during his sophomore campaign. He started the first six weeks of the season playing about 24 minutes a game in October and November, averaging over 8 points per game and shooting well from distance. As with many young players, the Dunn experience was highly volatile, and Ott opted to play more experienced players in his place, including Royce O’Neale, Jordan Goodwin, Haywood Highsmith, and Rasheer Fleming.
Dunn showed slight improvement in some areas this season; his three-point percentage ticked up from 31.0% to 33.1%, and he averaged more rebounds and assists than last season, too. However, the concerns remain about his shooting. He has yet to shoot over 50% from the free-throw line in his career, and while improving his three-point percentage from his rookie season, Dunn still looks hesitant and uncomfortable shooting wide-open threes. He only made 12 total threes above the break this year.
His strengths as a cutter and mover on offense do not outweigh his inconsistencies. So, until Dunn can become a reliable shooter, teams will opt to leave him open or foul him at the rim without any concerns because of his limitations.
Defensively, Dunn still gets whistled for fouls, making it hard for him to stay on the court against the league’s best players, and his energy and hustle did not match those of others around him. What we were hoping to get from Dunn this season was what Jordan Goodwin actually provided, and now the Suns have to decide if Dunn is worth building around moving forward.
What It Means
Dunn’s overall lack of development has him on the outs of the rotation heading into next season. He will not fetch much in return as a trade piece in any deal the Suns could pull off this summer, and his offensive limitations do not align well with the current roster, which relies heavily on spacing and three-point shooting.
Dunn is one of the most intriguing pieces on the Suns’ roster, as one of the few first-round draft picks of the decade. If Dunn can elevate his shooting and defensive impact, then the Suns could look to sign him to a team-friendly extension next season. If he continues to bounce in and out of the rotation, the Suns could move on after this season or next, when he has a team option for the fourth and final year of his contract.
Dunn has a lot of pressure to take a big leap in his third season. Right now, he is fifth in the pecking order of the Suns’ young players who need development. Jalen Green, Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Oso Ighodaro are all ahead of Dunn in priority because of their untapped potential. Last offseason, Ryan Dunn was a core piece to the Suns’ future; this offseason, he has become almost an afterthought.
Defining Moment
Dunn’s defining moment came early in the season against the San Antonio Spurs in November when he scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in a dominant win. He showcased everything he could be for the franchise if he could consistently knock down open threes, attack the rim, and play aggressive defense against one of the best teams in the NBA. Unfortunately, that confident version of Dunn rarely showed up in games the rest of the season.
Grade: C
Ryan Dunn deserves a C because even though his minutes in the rotation were inconsistent, he never detracted from the Suns’ identity and was always ready when his number was called on. It was not the big season we were hoping for, but he still contributed 19 minutes of hard-nosed, Suns brand of basketball every game this year.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 28: A Baltimore Orioles bucket and baseballs on the field field a game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 28, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Starting pitcher Trace Bright had a rough night, including a six-run second inning where he faced 11 batters and allowed six hits, including a home run, two walks, and three stolen bases. Overall, he gave up eight runs in four innings pitched.
Relief pitchers Cameron Foster and Alex Pham combined to allow three more runs in three innings. Josh Walker was the lone pitcher to not allow a run.
On offense, both Creed Willems and Jud Fabian hit their seventh home runs of the year. Both had two-hit games. As a team, they struck out 15 times with every batter in the lineup racking up at least one.
This was a great game for the Baysox through the first 5.1 innings, because that’s how long Evan Yates had a no-hitter going. Yates retired the first 10 batters he faced before issuing a one-out walk in the fourth inning. Post walk, he got six more outs before finally surrendering a hit with one out in the sixth inning.
Yates was immediately removed for relief pitcher Ben Vespi, and that’s when things went south. Before getting out of the inning, Vespi gave up both a three-run homer and a two-run homer.
The offense had just five hits and scored their only run on a Griff O’Farrell double followed by a Maverick Handley single. Heston Kjerstad began his rehab from a hamstring strain with a 1-for-3. Jackson Holliday is also on a rehab assignment with Chesapeake, but had a scheduled day off.
High-A: Jersey Shore BlueClaws (PHI) 10, Frederick Keys 5
Kiefer Lord allowed three runs in the top of the first inning, and things didn’t get much better. He lasted just three innings and exited the game with four runs allowed. His relief, Carson Dorsey, allowed a whopping nine hits in four innings. That resulted in six more runs for the BlueClaws. It was a sloppy defensive game, with four errors. Two were by Dorsey.
Four of the Keys’ five runs came in the bottom of the ninth, but the rally ended when Ike Irish flew out to end the game. Irish went 0-for-4 in the game. Reed Trimble and Wehiwa Aloy each singled in the contest.
Low-A: Salem RidgeYaks (BOS) 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 4
Denton Biller allowed three runs in 4.2 innings and Dalton Neuschwander followed with four runs in 3.2 innings. Just two of those runs were earned as the Shorebirds made four errors in the game.
It was a rough night for offense, who went just 2-for-21 with runners in scoring position. DJ Layton continued his hot play with a three-hit game. Jose Perez doubled, homered, and walked. Stiven Martinez had two hits as well.
I would say, “Mr. Brown! You did an excellent job!”, but you would probably think I was talking to myself.
So, ….. “Ben-nie, Ben-nie, Ben-nie and the Cubs!” Hmph, cheesy.
Ben Brown delivered Friday night, four innings pitched, no runs, no hits, 31-of-46 pitches for strikes, one batter over the minimum. Excellent. What ever else could the Cubs need from the mound?!
Javier Assad, come on down! 3.2 IP of shutout ball, a hit and walk, 26-of-41 pitches strikes. And if the Cubs needed any more — Ethan Roberts pitched a solid inning and didn’t hurt himself on a chunk of metal!
The offense showed itself off below. Hope they keep it going during the rest of the road trip!
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Paranjoy Goswami (Total Pro Sports): MLB Rumors: Two Teams Emerge As Early Landing Spots For Freddy Peralta. “The Athletics are in a playoff race this year, but need some help with their starting pitching to sustain their challenge” said Curt Bishop of Sports Illustrated. ….. “The Cubs need somebody to eat innings and carry the torch in the rotation. A trade to the Cubs would also reunite him with his former manager, Craig Counsell.”
With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the ’80s. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Albert Collins and rock & roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as jazz guitarists like Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre. Vaughan bridged the gap between blues and rock like no other artist had since the late ’60s. From 1983 to 1990 Stevie Ray was the leading light in American blues, consistently selling out concerts while his albums regularly went gold. His tragic death in 1990 at age 35 cut short a brilliant career in blues and American rock & roll just as he was on the brink of superstardom.
Albert King (1923-1992), who was billed as “King of the Blues Guitar,” was famed for his powerful string-bending style as well as for his soulful, smoky vocals. King often said he was born in Indianola and was a half-brother of B. B. King, although the scant surviving official documentation suggests otherwise on both counts. King carved his own indelible niche in the blues hierarchy by creating a deep, dramatic sound that was widely imitated by both blues and rock guitarists.
An Illinois man who collects Bearbricks toys earned a Guinness World Record when his collection was tallied at 3,482 pieces.
Daniel Park, aka BrickChicago on social media, officially cataloged his collection in March, and it was confirmed by Guinness World Records as the largest collection of Bearbrick bears. Park said he started collecting the colorfully painted plastic figures after opening a blind box about five years ago. “What captivated me then, and continues to drive me now, is the brilliance of the standard platform,” Park told Guinness World Records. “It is a remarkable canvas that allows for infinite creative expression, while maintaining a consistent, iconic silhouette.”
“2026 is shaping up to be the biggest travel year of the decade — and this video is your ultimate cheat code. 🌍✈️ We’re counting down the TOP 25 places to visit in 2026, spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, and beyond. From iconic cities you’ve dreamed about your whole life to wild, unexpected destinations most travelers never dare to visit, this list has it ALL.
“We’re talking jaw-dropping landscapes, legendary food scenes, once-in-a-lifetime cultural experiences, and places that will absolutely blow up on social media this year. One destination even has a famous street food where the local favorite is literally mice on a stick 🐭🔥 — and yes, we’re telling you why people LOVE it.Whether you’re planning your next big international trip, building your travel bucket list, or just dreaming about escaping everyday life, this is the most important travel video you’ll watch for 2026.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
