Detroit Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling (8) runs past third base to score a run against Boston Red Sox from catcher Dillon Dingler’s 2-RBI double during the eighth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday, May 4, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (18-18) vs. Boston Red Sox (14-21)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Over the Monster Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.35 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (1-4, 9.12 ERA)
The Minnesota Timberwolves found an offensive approach that worked in the fourth quarter of Game 1, gashing the San Antonio Spurs’ defense with Rudy Gobert on the bench.
This Timberwolves vs. Spurs same-game parlay expects Minnesota to double-down on that approach in Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6.
Our best Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP for Game 2
SGP leg #1: Rudy Gobert Under 11.5 Rebounds (-125)
Rudy Gobert had six rebounds in Monday’s first quarter, and he still ended with 10 boards, falling short of a prop that was set at 10.5 to start the series, albeit at plus-money.
Gobert played an excellent 30 minutes in that tight win, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves tilt this series. Eight of those minutes came with Victor Wembanyama off the court, the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar’s only time off the court.
Minnesota is likely to focus Gobert on the chances with Wembanyama on the bench, but those are also likely to be few and far between, further limiting Gobert’s minutes.
SGP leg #2: Rudy Gobert Under 8.5 Points (-130)
Even when Gobert is on the court facing Wembanyama, Minnesota found success bringing Wemby into screen action, where he is prone to playing drop coverage despite Gobert creating separation in the on-ball defense. That allows for open 3-pointer looks for shooters like Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley and Naz Reid.
Gobert’s screen effectiveness helps the Timberwolves’ offense despite him not scoring, not to mention he managed just seven points in Game 1.
SGP leg #3: Over 215.5
Less Gobert will help both offenses. When he sat for the first 10-plus minutes of Monday’s fourth quarter, Minnesota scored 32 points. It had not yet managed more than 24 in any of the first three quarters.
Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Timberwolves vs Spurs predictions for Game 2.
More Covers NBA Playoff content
NBA Championship odds
Stay up-to-date with the latest NBA Championship odds for each remaining team, as well as NBA title splits, betting trends, and the previous list of teams that have won the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
NBA Finals MVP odds
See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.
Live NBA Playoff bracket
Never lose track of where each series sits with our live NBA Playoff bracket, as well as the updated prices for each team to win their respective series — round by round.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Joel Peguero #63 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants are swapping right-handed pitchers ahead of Tuesday’s home game against the San Diego Padres. A few hours before the game, the team announced that right-handed starter Trevor McDonald had been optioned to AAA Sacramento, while right-handed reliever Joel Peguero had been activated off the 15-Day Injured List.
It might seem like a surprising sequence of moves after Monday’s game, when McDonald had one of the best pitching performances of the season for the Giants, holding the Padres to two hits and one run in seven innings, while striking out eight and walking none. But the Giants had six starters and just seven relievers, as the 25-year old McDonald had been brought up to settle the rotation following Thursday’s doubleheader. And since McDonald and Landen Roupp — the ace of the staff so far — are the only starters with options, this move always seemed most likely.
But McDonald impressed his teammates, coaching staff, and front office on Monday, and he’ll certainly be back soon, be it in the rotation or in the bullpen. After his performance in the series opener, you can bet that the Giants will feel comfortable turning to him whenever.
As for Peguero, his 30-day rehab window had expired, so he needed to either be activated or optioned to AAA, and the Giants chose the former. And what a fun time to be activated, as today is his 29th birthday! Presumably the move was decided before Monday’s game, as Alex Pavlovic reported that Peguero was with the team yesterday.
The flamethrower is still a rookie, after making his MLB debut late last year. He gives the Giants some added heat, as he makes triple digits look easy. Peguero only had a 4.82 ERA in 10 rehab appearances, but struck out 11 batters while walking just three in 9.1 innings.
Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were both drafted in the 2018 class — Doncic at No. 3 and Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11. Getty Images
In a cruel twist of fate, Doncic will be on the bench Tuesday night watching the superstar whose trajectory was supposed to be his as the Lakers open their second-round playoff series against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
But his mantle remains empty, while Gilgeous-Alexander’s is decorated with the league’s most prestigious trophies.
Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander were in the same 2018 draft class. Doncic was selected third by the Mavericks and Gilgeous-Alexander was picked 11th by the Hornets before being traded to the Clippers that night.
It quickly became clear that Doncic was going to become a sensation.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
In the NBA General Manager Survey ahead of the 2020-21 season, executives were asked if they were starting a franchise today and could sign anyone in the league who they’d pick.
Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo tied for first place.
But eight years after Doncic entered the league, he has yet to win a championship or an MVP Award.
Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2 and has missed the last five weeks of action, including Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals vs. the Thunder.
AP
Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander is atop the league. For the second straight season, he led the Thunder to the best record in the NBA. And according to a player poll by The Athletic, his peers believe he deserves to repeat as MVP this year.
As for Doncic?
He wasn’t even an MVP finalist this season despite leading the league in scoring (33.5 points), finishing third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6).
Doncic had an incredible season before suffering the hamstring strain on April 2. He became the second person in NBA history to score 600-plus points in March, alongside Michael Jordan. Over that period, he led the Lakers on a 16-2 run.
But even though Doncic is a generational talent and one of the league’s top players, his career hasn’t gone as planned so far.
He was supposed to lead the Mavericks to a championship. He was supposed to win multiple MVPs. He wanted to retire alongside the team that drafted him.
But while Gilgeous-Alexander’s career has been on a rocket ship’s trajectory, Doncic’s has taken a serpentine road.
While Doncic enjoyed success early in his career, Gilgeous-Alexander has ascended as the best player in the NBA. Getty Images
The two stars’ paths converged during the 2024 playoffs when they met in the second round. Doncic carried the Mavericks past the Thunder in six games. He went on to reach the Finals for the first and only time in his career.
Things seemed to be going as planned for the Slovenian superstar.
But eight months later, he was stunningly dealt to the Lakers.
He was shocked. Devastated. Disheartened.
He was also disparaged.
Following the deal, whispers came from Dallas’ camp that they were frustrated with the superstar for a myriad of reasons, including his fitness and lack of effort on the defensive end.
Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander has quietly transformed from a promising young guard into the league’s biggest superstar.
After the Clippers traded him to the Thunder in 2019, his game flourished. And Thunder general manager Sam Presti put the perfect pieces around him, including Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso.
Gilgeous-Alexander already has an MVP, Finals MVP and title under his belt — but those could all double by the time this postseason ends. NBAE via Getty Images
Last season, the Thunder took over the NBA.
And they seem poised for another deep playoff run. They have the best defense in the league. And Gilgeous-Alexander is leading all scorers this postseason with 33.8 points a game.
As for Doncic, this was supposed to be a revenge season for him.
He came into training camp in arguably the best shape of his career. He carried the Lakers to fourth place in the West.
But he was sidelined the last month, including missing the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets.
Now, as he tries to work his way back from a strained hamstring to play in this series, he has to watch the guy whose trajectory should’ve been his.
Doncic was the player everyone expected to be atop the league.
But until he leads his team to the mountaintop, the spotlight firmly belongs to Gilgeous-Alexander.
Regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs and the hire of John Chayka to be the franchise's new GM, there have been plenty of scrutiny and rumblings that have come with it.
One report that has come out in the aftermath of the Leafs introducing Chayka and Mats Sundin as the new leaders in the hockey operations department is that Los Angeles Kings senior director of hockey operations, Jake Goldberg, has been linked to Toronto.
Frank Seravalli reported that there has been speculation about Goldberg joining Chayka's staff with the Maple Leafs.
They share a history from their days with the Arizona Coyotes. Chayka was the GM and president of hockey operations of the Coyotes from 2016-17 to 2019-20.
As for Goldberg, he was the director of hockey operations in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and in his final year with the franchise, in 2019-20, he was an assistant GM working closely with Chayka.
Amid the links and speculation between the two NHL executives, there have also been reports about potential tampering.
"At least one team raised a tampering concern with the NHL as incoming Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka began to fill out his staff," Seravalli reported.
His role with Los Angeles required him to be part of the process in negotiating player contracts, supervising the team's salary cap, preparing for arbitration when necessary, and other responsibilities related to the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.
Before becoming an NHL executive, Goldberg had multiple roles with the OHL's London Knights. He was the team's assistant director of scouting from 2013-14 to 2015-16, and in 2016-17, he was labelled as the Knights' assistant GM and director of analytics. He helped London to a Memorial Cup championship in 2016.
Furthermore, Goldberg was previously a corporate lawyer at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. He also played a role in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization during the 2012-13 campaign as an advanced statistics consultant.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres continue their three-game set tonight with two offenses still searching for consistency, which puts even more weight on the starting pitching matchup.
That’s good news for San Francisco.
With Logan Webb taking the ball against a Padres lineup that’s struggled to generate offense lately, my Giants vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks are backing the home side to take advantage in a low-scoring battle on Tuesday, May 5.
Who will win Padres vs Giants today: Giants ML (-127)
Logan Webb is the biggest reason to trust San Francisco here. The veteran right-hander has consistently handled the San Diego Padres well, including a win in his last outing against them, and this version of San Diego’s lineup looks far less threatening than in years past.
The Padres have struggled to string together quality at-bats lately, scoring just four runs in five May contests, especially against pitchers who can limit hard contact and work deep into games — two things Webb does extremely well.
With both offenses trending toward low-scoring performances, this game likely comes down to which starter gives his team the cleaner innings. Right now, that edge belongs to Webb and the Giants at a reasonable price.
COVERS INTEL: Logan Webb struck out five Padres in his first start this season, picking up the win after six solid innings of work.
Padres vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-115)
This matchup checks almost every box for a low-scoring game. San Diego enters averaging just 3.1 runs per game, dead last in home runs, while San Francisco’s offense hasn’t exactly inspired confidence either. Both teams sit near the bottom of the league in OPS and slugging percentage, making sustained rallies difficult to trust.
On the mound, Logan Webb gives the Giants a reliable edge in a game that already projects to be tight. Even Walker Buehler’s underlying matchup is manageable against a San Francisco lineup lacking consistent power production.
Unless defensive mistakes or bullpen implosions take over late, this feels more like a 3-2 or 4-2 type of game.
Padres vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Padres +110 | Giants -130
Run line: Padres +1.5 (-190) | Giants (-1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Padres vs Giants trend
The Giants have played to the Under in six of their last seven games. Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Giants.
How to watch Padres vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
Padres.TV, NBCSBA
Padres starting pitcher
Walker Buehler (1-2, 4.50 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Logan Webb (2-3, 4.30 ERA)
Padres vs Giants latest injuries
Padres vs Giants weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 03: First baseman Jonathan Aranda #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays gets showered with Gatorade after walking off the game in the 10th inning against the San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field on May 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Calvin Hernandez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
An aerial view of Tropicana Field, domed multipurpose stadium of the Major League Baseball American League East division Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team on 3rd March 1998 at St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Allsport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some runs would be nice. Please note the term runs is plural. .
There is a little bit of news, Jose Berrios is feeling soreness, which, since he has a stress fracture, isn’t a huge surprise.
Shane Bieber is close to being ready to face live batters. It is like he’s at the start of spring training, so it will be a month before he’s back (all going well).
Tonight’s lineup with no Vlad, for the first time this year. I suppose he can have a game off every 36. But Springer is back and hitting at the top of the lineup.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 03: Richard Lovelady #55 of the Washington Nationals celebrates after a 3-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers at Nationals Park on May 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats have a bad home record at 4-12. However, part of that is due to the teams they have played. They have already faced the Dodgers, Braves and Brewers at Nats Park. Now, they will get a lighter touch against the Twins. They need to take advantage of this and boost their home record.
With Luis Garcia Jr. nursing a wrist injury, Curtis Mead will be at first base against a righty. Daylen Lile will hit second, with Blake Butera looking to get his left fielder going. Jorbit Vivas will get the nod at third base over Brady House. Keibert Ruiz will be behind the plate after showing some signs of life with the bat in the Brewers series. Cade Cavalli has struck out 10 in back to back starts, and he gets the ball tonight.
The Twins lineup is headlined by their leadoff hitter Byron Buxton. We will also get to see fan favorite Josh Bell back at Nationals Park. I am sure he will get a nice little ovation. Catcher Ryan Jeffers has been one of the Twins hottest hitters lately and he will hit third. Taj Bradley is finally translating his excellent stuff into results this year, and will be a tough pitcher for this Nats lineup to crack.
This series is an opportunity for the Nats to build momentum, but it is also a potential land mine. The Twins are going to view this as a get right series as well. This is a matchup of two evenly matched teams and I am excited to see it. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
Rich Paul is adamant his agency has lost clients due to NBA players’ hatred of LeBron James.
The super agent, who founded Klutch Sports Group over a decade ago, told Max Kellerman on the twosome’s “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul” podcast this week that his business has been impacted by the way some of James’ peers feel about the Lakers superstar.
LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, is adamant his agency has lost clients due to NBA players’ hatred of the Lakers superstar. Getty Images
“I’ve had NBA current players, and former players, involve themselves in a recruiting process with a kid — it’s not their son — and purposely push a kid to a different agency because of their disdain for LeBron, and I’m his guy,” Paul said. “So, I know what happens.”
Paul’s shocking revelation came as he and Kellerman were discussing the results of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and how players and media have publicly talked about it.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
LeBron James helped lift the Lakers over the Rockets in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Paul accused the masses of giving Nuggets center Nikola Jokic a pass for a postseason loss to the Timberwolves that they wouldn’t have given to James.
“The reason why you don’t hear a lot of conversation about Jokic is because I don’t believe people are happy to see Jokic lose,” Paul said.
“But when LeBron loses, people are happy to see him lose. Especially his peers. Guys that played in the league that have platforms today. For different reasons, it’s extra. They are happy to see him lose. For whatever reason. That’s just how I feel, and I think it’s true.”
“When LeBron loses, people are happy to see him lose,” Rich Paul said this week. Getty Images
Paul didn’t expound on exactly why he believes James is so despised by some in the Association, though he did say it’s “deeper than” them just being envious of the future Hall of Famer’s situation.
“I just think that in our community,” he said, “it makes you feel better when someone else has a thing of detriment placed upon them because of what you lack and what you always wanted.
“That’s the DNA of our communities. We’re born into that. An athlete is not an exception.”
Paul went on to say he’s all for critique, but he insisted it’s more than that when it comes to James.
“I’m telling you,” he said, “it’s a deeper thing.”
May 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) in the field in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
First, the good news. The Red Sox got a slew of cautiously optimistic injury updates this afternoon from Comerica Park in Detroit. First up, Roman Anthony:
Roman Anthony is dealing with a wrist sprain and is day-to-day. There are no plans to put him on the IL at the moment, per @ChrisCotillo.
He won’t be available these last couple of games in Detroit, but in the grand scheme of things, this is far from the worst update we could have gotten today.
Next up, Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez:
Chad Tracy says "all things are pointing toward" Sonny Gray starting tomorrow. Then it'll be Early and Bennett in the first two days against TB with Suárez trending positively, too.
If we fill in the rest of the blanks here and get Ranger Suarez to start Saturday and then Payton Tolle on Sunday before the off day on Monday, the Red Sox may finally be tracking towards a scenario where they can get Brayan Bello out of the rotation. (Fingers crossed!)
Unfortunately though, they won’t be able to keep him off the mound tonight. Now as you’ll probably notice in the lineups below, the Red Sox are actually not starting Brayan Bello tonight — instead going with Jovani Moran. Bello however will likely appear as the bulk guy somewhere in the game as the Red Sox play lefty / righty matchups and try to minimize the bullpen damage as much as possible. It’s a last ditch effort to try and make a Bello game competitive (good luck with that!).
In fact, the effects of his ineffectiveness are reaching all the way down to Worcester as we got this tweet from Tommy Cassell today.
According to WooSox acting manager Iggy Suarez, pitchers Jack Anderson and Eduardo Rivera will probably not pitch in today’s AAA game since the Red Sox are “thin” right now with available arms. The two are also preparing to pitch out of the bullpen at the moment.
In other words, even the team is preparing for another Bello bludgeoning.
If all that wasn’t bad enough, take a look at tonight’s lineup. There’s no Roman Anthony as we discussed above, but there’s also no Masataka Yoshida and Marcelo Mayer because there’s a lefty on the mound. It gets even worse when you consider that lefty is Framber Valdez and that his 3.35 ERA this year is being inflated by one bad start in Minnesota where he gave up eight runs. In the other six combined outings, he’s only given up seven earned runs in 35.1 innings.
Oh, and in addition to all of this, Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman have both pitched in back to back games, so Chad Tracy is probably going to want to stay away from them tonight if possible.
In other words, the only reason to expect a win from the Red Sox in this game is because baseball is baseball and at times it likes to be the dumbest sport ever and produce stunningly unexplainable results. Short of that happening though, the Red Sox have already kind of won in the big picture today with those injury updates, so we’ll just have to suffer through tonight.
Today’s Lineups
RED SOX
TIGERS
Jarren Duran – LF
Matt Vierling – CF
Willson Contreras – 1B
Kevin McGonigle – SS
Wilyer Abreu – RF
Jahmai Jones – DH
Trevor Story – SS
Dillon Dingler – C
Ceddanne Rafaela – CF
Riley Greene – LF
Andruw Monasterio – DH
Wenceel Perez – RF
Caleb Durbin – 3B
Spencer Torkelson – 1B
Connor Wong – C
Zach McKinstry – 3B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B
Hao-Yu Lee – 2B
Jovani Morán – RHP
Framber Valdez – LHP
⚾️ First Pitch: 6:40pm — Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Apr 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A baseball sits in a puddle on the rain tarps at Fenway Park before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals.. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Due to inclement weather passing through the St. Louis area, tonight’s game against the Cardinals has been postponed. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader between the two teams on July 7, the next time the Brewers visit St. Louis. The makeup game will be at 1:15 p.m. and the scheduled game will take place at 6:45 p.m.
Unfortunately, this new date will present a challenge for the Brewers. Between June 26 and July 12, the Brewers had 17 games in a row scheduled without an off day. Now, that stretch will be extended to 18 games in 17 days. Between June 16 and July 12, the team will have just one day off. The only good news is that stretch happens right before the All-Star Break, which will give the team a chance to recover.
On the Cardinals side, they were currently in a streak of 17 games in a row before this postponed game and are scheduled to fly to San Diego after tomorrow’s game. They will also have to play 14 games in 13 days leading up to the All-Star Break with the rescheduled game.
For tomorrow, the updated starters are still TBD. Brandon Sproat was scheduled to face Andre Pallante tonight, with a TBD starter — expected to be Jacob Misiorowski — facing Matthew Liberatore tomorrow. The teams have not announced if they are updating those starters.
First pitch is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. tomorrow. The forecast is clear of inclement weather so that game should happen as scheduled.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 30: Starting pitcher Chris Bassitt #40 of the Baltimore Orioles works the first inning against the Houston Astros in game one of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a rough couple of days for the Orioles. That series in the Bronx was an absolute disaster, and it likely has the entire clubhouse on edge. Those games felt like they were from another era. It had early-2000s vibes, a time when the Yankees still had most of the players from their dynasty of the 1990s, and the Orioles were in the midst of a run that featured exactly zero winning seasons between 1998 and 2011.
No major changes for the O’s are on the immediate horizon though. That’s likely because it’s May. There is little to be done. The team simply has to survive this wave. They can either rise above and get their feet under them, or they can be pulled under and crushed by the weight of it all. Fingers crossed.
Chris Bassitt is on the bump. He has been one of the team’s bright spots lately. Over his last four starts he has thrown a total of 21.2 innings and has a 2.92 ERA. The peripherals aren’t as pretty (4.16 FIP, eight walks, 14 strikeouts), but we will take what we can get right now.
The Marlins aren’t coming in with the best form. They lost three of four to the Phillies this weekend, and scored a total of six runs over their last three games. So, maybe the Orioles actually have a chance? We’ll see.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Jacob Degrom #48 of the Texas Rangers reacts during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mike Brown is only the Knicks’ head coach because not even back-to-back 50-win regular seasons were enough to save his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, from being fired after New York stumbled in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring.
The implied word from on-high for all to see that even though Thibodeau posted a .565 winning percentage over his five years and won NBA Coach of the Year in 2021, the franchise's first trip to the doorstep of the NBA Finals in a quarter of a century was unsatisfactory.
The perception – and possible reality, too – is that there is a mandate for the first-year man in New York: It better be a trip to the NBA Finals or bust.
“People have talked about a mandate, I'm coaching to win,” Brown said Tuesday after a dominant Game 1 win of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
“It doesn't matter what others say,” he continued. “I'm disappointed if we're not in the Finals and having a chance to win it."
Brown said he’s been “fortunate, blessed, lucky” to have made the Finals six times with three different teams during his career as a head coach and assistant, with four titles.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, and I know that’s what I do it for,” he said.
As far as the “mandate and all that stuff,” Brown said the NBA Finals-or-bust attitude is something the head coach embraces.
“That’s what I expect, that’s what I want to do,” he said, “and hopefully it can happen, but who knows?”
Despite acknowledging at least that elephant in the room, Brown doesn't let the proverbial Sword of Damocles above his head impact his coaching.
"He doesn't listen to the outside noise and doesn't let that affect him," Josh Hart said Tuesday. "He's focused every day on how he can come in and make this team better. He listens to his coaches, and he listens to us with our feedback and what we have to say, and asks us questions and stuff like that.
"I think it's just a good line of communication with everyone within the organization, with obviously him at the helm of how we can make this team the best unit that we can be. And he's doing an amazing job."
So are the Knicks playing at a championship level in the head coach's eyes?
“We’re playing well at the right time, but I think we have room to grow,” Brown said. “We can’t give up 34 free throws like we did last night. It’s gonna be tough if you give up 34 free throws. We had 15 turnovers last night. We can’t have 15 turnovers against this team because they thrive at the free-throw line, they thrive in the steal game, they convert those turnovers into points really quickly.
“And they didn’t shoot well. We know they’re gonna shoot better. We know that [Tyrese] Maxey is gonna be more aggressive, so we have to be even more alert than what we were in our last game.”