PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 15: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker #99 looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs on April 15th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Phillies fans are pretty much over Taijian Walker. He’s yet to escape the first inning this year without allowing multiple runs. He’s on the final year of a four year, 72 million dollar contract. It’s been 3 plus seasons of 4.97/5.29/4.88 ball with 1.5 WAR (before last night’s shelling). Phillies fans want him gone, and the media doesn’t see interested in seeing him start again. So they could stuff him in their bullpen for now. Though the Philadelphia bullpen is not bad by FIP standards. Their 2.80 FIP is obscured by their 4.66 ERA (again, before last night’s shelling). But if he can’t escape the first inning, how is the bullpen going to work out?
So what would happen if they put him on the street and the Braves gave him a ride? The Braves have managed to get a song out of cheaply acquired free agent pitchers lately. Jose Suarez has a 2.37 FIP (through last night). Martin Perez has been decent, and was excellent while wind assisted last night. Joey Wentz (4.92/3.43/4.00 with the Braves last year) was prepared to make a run at the starting rotation before injuring his knee. Even Osvaldo Bido wasn’t entirely unhelpful before meeting the Guardians.
So would the Braves grab Walker if available? I mean, if no other organization wants him and he wants to play the DFA game like some others, maybe. NL East teams do like to pass around players. But mostly, hahahahahaha no. A lot would have to happen with the Braves and Taijuan for them to find each other. Here’s hoping they never do.
Yeah no, but let’s watch the dingers again anyway.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 17: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox is mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk-off single during the 10th inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers on April 17, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It took some unexpected heroics from Ryan McMahon, but the Yankees picked up a much-needed victory in their series opener against the Royals. Having just played a very frustrating series against the Angels, the last thing they needed was a dumb loss to open the set against Kansas City.
While the Yankees wouldn’t lose any ground on Friday night, let’s see if they gained on anyone in today’s Rivalry Roundup.
Boston Red Sox (8-11) 1, Detroit Tigers (10-10) 0 (10 innings)
Ranger Suarez and Casey Mize put on a pitchers’ duel at Fenway, with the Red Sox scoring the game’s only run on Masataka Yoshida’s walk-off single in the 10th inning.
Not only did the Red Sox get the better of Detroit in the end, Suarez won the duel as well. He ended up going eight innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. For the Tigers, Mize struck out more batters, K’ing seven, but he went 6.2 frames, having given up three hits and a walk.
However as those numbers indicate, it’s not as if either teams was just wastefully blowing chances. Sure, they had their runners, but neither team could breakthrough until the game went to extras.
In the 10th, a flyout allowed the Tigers to move their auto-runner to third, but they couldn’t bring them home the last 90 feet. Boston then took advantage in the bottom of the 10th, as after an out and a walk, Yoshida chopped through a single to walk it off against Will Vest.
St. Louis Cardinals (11-8) 9, Houston Astros (8-13) 4
Nolan Gorman’s three-run homer in the seventh off Bryan Abreu helped the Cardinals break open a game against the Astros, allowing them to pull away for the win.
The game went back-and-forth early. While the Cardinals scored the game’s first three runs, the Astros pulled two runs back in the bottom of the third. St. Louis then added a run back to their lead, but Jose Altuve’s fifth-inning home run got Houston back within a run.
However Gorman’s homer gave the Cardinals a four-run advantage, and St. Louis went on to tack on a couple more runs, ensuring that the final couple innings weren’t super stressful. The Astros have now lost 11 of their last 14 games.
Texas Rangers (11-9) 5, Seattle Mariners (8-13) 0
Jacob deGrom and the Rangers’ bullpen combined to shut out the Mariners, as Seattle ended up leaving nine runners on base in another tedious loss for their home fans.
The Mariners will probably end up shaking their heads about this one, as they went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, in addition to the nine left on base. Besides that, Texas scored three of their runs in the final three innings, meaning Seattle had plenty of time before that with the game still close.
deGrom was okay, but only lasted four innings, having allowed four hits and two walks. Texas’ bullpen picked things up the rest of the way, although every reliever put at least one Seattle runner on.
On the offensive side of things, the Rangers scored in the game’s very first at-bat, when Brandon Nimmo homered. In total, Texas recorded 15 hits, with Wyatt Langford going 3-for-5 and driving in one of the runs.
Arizona Diamondbacks (12-8) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (7-12) 3
The Diamondbacks roughed up Eric Lauer, while Michael Soroka was pretty good for them to take the opener of this interleague clash.
Toronto busted out an opener for this one, sending Braydon Fisher to the mound to start this game. He got through the first inning fine, but when the Jays turned to Lauer as the bulk guy, Arizona started to get going. While Toronto actually took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, Arizona immediately answered with a Nolan Arenado homer in the bottom of the fourth, and then took the lead thanks to Corbin Carroll and Jose Fernandez in the fifth.
While a Myles Straw homer got Toronto back within a run, Soroka ended up giving Arizona seven good innings, with just those two runs allowed. Arizona eventually tacked on, with Toronto scoring more run, but not doing too much else over the final innings. The Jays remain in the AL East cellar.
Other Games
Baltimore Orioles (10-10) 6, Cleveland Guardians (11-10) 4: This game remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh, when the Guardians broke through with four runs. Except, the Orioles then answered with six runs in the top of the eighth, swinging the game back in the other direction. Jeremiah Jackson’s three-run homer to give Baltimore the lead ended up being the game-decider as the O’s held on after that.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 17: Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson (82) rounds the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the eighth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians on April 17, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles offense is having a weird weekend in Cleveland. The were no-hit through eight innings on Thursday, but rallied late and got the tying run on base before dropping the opener. On Friday, they would be shutout for seven innings before erupting for six runs in the eighth, which would prove enough to win the game 6-4 and even up the series.
Jeremiah Jackson came through with yet another clutch home run, a three-run shot. He now leads the team with 17 RBI on the season. Who had that on their 2026 Orioles bingo card? Probably a few more people than those that expected *checks notes*…Weston Wilson and Jonathan Rodríguez (?) to contribute to any wins at all.
At 10-10, these Orioles aren’t going to be confused for some sort of juggernaut. And if they are going to turn into a true contender, there are plenty of improvements to be made. But considering the context of their current performance, I’m actually encouraged.
The offense is currently surviving on the backs of Jackson and Leody Taveras. At some point, Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso are going to find some consistency. Taylor Ward will eventually homer, probably a bunch. Samuel Basallo is too talented to keep hitting .148. Adley Rutschman is going to get healthy. Maybe those things don’t all happen at once, but they will happen, and when they do the offense is going to be tougher to handle.
So what does success look like for the Orioles right now? Having a .500 record feels fine to me. Keep their head above water and buy time for those positive regressions to come. This was never a 100-win roster anyway. It’s an 85-ish win roster with upside, especially if they add at the trade deadline. Staying close to that pacing while you are missing several key pieces is a win.
The vibes are good for this squad. Wins like last night only add to that and inch them ever closer to healthier and better days for the roster.
More questions attached to Orioles | Roch Kubatko Lots of roster questions. They are valid! But also, they feel like questions for another day. How do the Orioles make space for X player when they return? That answer is going to change depending on who is healthy at the time. Holliday could be fit right when another infielder picks up a nick. The Oriole would probably prefer to just get everyone healthy. That is probably an unrealistic hope.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Pete Stanicek turns 63 today. A player so nice, the Orioles drafted him twice; in the 13th round in 1984 and then (after he didn’t sign the first time) in the ninth round in ‘85. He would end up spending little time at second base, third base, and left field with the big league squad between 1987 and ‘88.
Rich Bordi is 67 years old. A reliever for nearly a decade in the bigs, Bordi played for five different teams. That included the 1986 season in Baltimore, where he had a 4.46 ERA over 107 innings.
This day in O’s history
2013 – The Orioles win their first extra-inning game of the year, beating the Rays 10-6 on a walk-off grand slam from Matt Wieters. Dating back to the previous season, the O’s have now won 17 consecutive extra-inning games.
Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) passes in front of Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the second quarter during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Charlotte’s loss to Orlando ended one of the most fun NBA seasons for the franchise since the days of Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson, and Muggsy Bogues.
Kon Knueppel was responsible for a lot of the cultural change that the Hornets saw this year, and he smashed the rookie record for three-point shots with 273, which also led the entire NBA. No rookie had ever done this before.
It would have been fun to see Knueppel and his Duke teammate Sion James continue the lovefest, but Orlando knocked them out of the NBA’s play-in tournament, 121-90.
However, while Knueppel and James and the Hornets are out, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter will move on to play Trajan Langdon’s Detroit Pistons.
And in the other play-in game, the Phoenix Suns, featuring Grayson Allen, Mark Williams, and Khaman Maluach, knocked out Mike Dunleavy’s Golden State Warriors, 111-96.
So now the playoffs begin, and the Brotherhood is well represented. How well represented?
In the East, five teams have former Blue Devils, and in the West, there are five as well, so with 16 teams in, the odds are reasonably good that a member (or members) of the Brotherhood will get a ring this June.
The odds get a bit better when you see that San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Boston are included in the list below:
The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks begin their first-round NBA playoff series. The Hawks’ surge during the second half of the season vaulted them to the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed while the Knicks are No. 3. New York won two of the team’s three regular-season meetings, including a tough 108-105 victory during the final week of the season.
Moneyline: New York Knicks -225 (66.4%) / Atlanta Hawks +185 (33.6%)
Over/Under: 216.5
Series schedule
Game 1: Sat., April 18, at New York (6 p.m., Prime Video) Game 2: Mon., April 20, at New York (8 p.m., NBC) Game 3: Thu., April 23, at Atlanta (7 p.m., Prime) Game 4: Sat., April 25, at Atlanta (6 p.m., NBC) *Game 5: Tue., April 28,at New York (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30, at Atlanta (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2, at New York (TBD)
Shaquille O’Neal has put himself in a timeout from his fellow ballplayers — and doesn’t text any NBA star past or present.
“None. I don’t like athletes or superstars because they’re a–holes,” he told The Post.
Shaquille O’Neal told The Post he no longer associates with NBA players. REUTERS
“I denounced myself from being a celebrity about 10 years ago because those people are weird. I’m not weird.”
Even when Shaq comes to Times Square to visit the tech superstore tm:rw, which he joined as an investor and partner, he keeps it low key.
“Whenever I come, it’s me and two guys. No entourage. There’s nothing but homeboys coming in,” he said.
“We come in here, we take care of business … We sign autographs. We treat people with honor and respect … I want to be a regular guy.”
O’Neal, 54, also stays grounded and has never stopped hitting the books, and currently has three degrees — a bachelor’s of arts, an MBA, and a PhD in education.
Many people think he didn’t actually earn the Dr. before his name.
“The funniest thing I get is, ‘Oh it’s honorary.’ I say, ‘No, it’s not. I had to go to school and write papers and do all that stuff,” he said.
“When I was playing against the Knicks, they were not nice, but that’s just part of the business. I don’t take anything personal,” Shaq said about his fans in New York. tm:rw
The four-time NBA champ, who has a net worth of $500 million, earned his PhD from Barry University in Miami in 2012 to set an example for his six children and his young fans.
“I’m very super successful without that, but I wanted to stress to my children and children around that education is very important,” he said.
The Louisiana State University alum — who left college after his junior year for the NBA, but went back to complete his bachelor’s — stressed the value of athletes getting schooled in business.
“We talk about the NIL [student-athlete using their name, image or likeness to earn money] what’s going on now. People always go to the money first, but you have to have the education on how to manage the money,” he said.
“So I want my children and those that follow me to say, ‘OK, he’s educated. Maybe I should do it.'”
The multimillionaire just invested in the tech superstore tm:rw. “When it comes to investing, I don’t invest for monetary purposes. I try to invest in things that I believe in and things that are going to change people’s lives,” he said. tm:rw
Dr. O’Neal is currently working on a fourth degree: a master’s in liberal arts.
“I thought about sports psychology, but it was a little too much for me, the psychology field,” he said.
In addition to his multiple degrees, O’Neal can also add real estate investor to his resume.
A native of Newark, he made sure to stop by his former neighborhood during his most recent NYC trip.
He said the area has changed for the better, partly because of his investments — two residential high-rises valued together at more than $230 million.
“It was part of my vision because one day, me and my mom came back and it was kind of beat up, and she kind of had a tear in her eye, and was like, ‘I remember when this city was beautiful. Somebody needs to do something.'”
The four-time NBA champ said his favorite memorabilia comes from his days playing with Kobe Bryant. REUTERS
Although he played in the NBA for 19 seasons, the Hall of Famer’s favorite pieces of memorabilia come from his days playing with the late Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I have a lot of Shaq and Kobe stuff in the house. It just brings back memories of the greatest one-two punch ever.”
When asked about the cons to being 7′ 1″ — the powerhouse smiled and said,
“None. When you’re this tall and this beautiful, it’s awesome.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers celebrates his run with Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 5, Mariners 0
That’s four straight wins against the Mariners this season.
That’s a good, right?
The Rangers registering a shutout with Jacob deGrom on the mound isn’t exactly shocking. The Rangers registering a shutout with Jacob deGrom having a difficult time of it on the mound, though?
deGrom only went four innings in the game, and only faced 17 batters. The problem was an inability to put away batters — deGrom used a whopping 88 pitches to get through those 17 batters, an average of over 5 pitches per at bat.
The first inning featured 32 pitches, as deGrom loaded the bases on a Cal Raleigh four pitch walk, a Julio Rodriguez double, and a Josh Naylor 10 pitch walk before striking out Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley to end the inning.
After a relatively quick 13 pitch second inning, deGrom needed 25 pitches to get through the four batters he faced in the third, then 18 pitches for the four batters he faced in the fourth.
deGrom’s slider, which is usually so effective at getting whiffs, wasn’t doing it against the M’s — out of 24 sliders he threw, just two resulted in swings and misses, and he generated just nine swings and misses in the game.
The Mariners had a whopping 27 foul balls against deGrom, resulting in extended at bats and, ultimately, deGrom leaving the game after just four innings, despite having allowed no runs.
It has to have been maddening for Mariners fans to see deGrom get chased after just four innings, get into the Rangers’ grab-bag bullpen early, and still get shut out.
Gavin Collyer made his second major league appearance, threw the ball hard, struck out two, gave up a walk and a hit in 1.1 innings, and ended up picking up his first major league win.
Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks, Cole Winn and Jacob Latz followed Collyer, and in all, the Ranger pen allowed just two hits and three walks over the final five innings of the game.
The closest the Mariners came to scoring was on a two out J.P. Crawford single off of Alexander in the sixth. Josh Naylor, who was at second, was sent home, but was thrown out easily.
Wouldn’t that make you mad, if you were a Mariners fan? It would make me mad.
Well, not mad. I’m mellowing in my old age. I don’t get mad as often. But, you know, it would generate feelings that are in the same overall category as mad.
I mean, I guess we can say for discussion purposes mad. I don’t want to get into a semantic argument here.
But I wouldn’t get mad. Don’t put in the paper I got mad.
The Rangers offense banged out fifteen hits, and one would think that would mean more than five runs, so I guess if you want to be a glass-half-empty guy you can say the Rangers should have done more damage than they did, but whatevs.
Every Ranger starter got a hit except for Josh Smith, whose early struggles continue.
Brandon Nimmo started the game off with a home run. We like leadoff home runs.
Corey Seager, who has been slumping recently, returned from a day off with a 2 for 4 game that included two doubles and also featured him getting hit on the foot with a pitch.
I wouldn’t want to be hit by a pitch, but I guess if you’re going to be hit by a pitch, the foot is probably a good place to be hit.
Wyatt Langford, off to a very slow start to the year, had three singles, which is good. None of them were hit particularly well, though, and one of them was of the softly hit pop up variety. He also struck out twice. Still, we will take the three hits, and hopefully that will help get Langford going.
Josh Jung had three doubles in five at bats, and even the double play he hit into was 99 mph off the bat. His OPS on the year is now up to 795.
Jake Burger had three more hits, pushing his OPS to 810.
Even Joc Pederson did some things, drawing a walk and hitting a single in three plate appearances. Way to go, Joc!
Joc’s birthday is coming up on the 21st. I hope everyone has thought about what they want to get him.
Jacob deGrom topped out at 98.3 mph with his fastball, averaging 96.5 mph. Gavin Collyer maxed out at 99.7 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexander’s sinker hit 91.3 mph. Jalen Beeks’ fastball reached 93.7 mph. Cole Winn touched 95.4 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz hit 94.5 mph with his fastball.
Jake Burger had a 198.0 mph single and a 108.5 mph single. Corey Seager had a 109.4 mph double and a 102.4 mph lineout. Josh Jung had a 105.0 mph double and a 101.9 mph double, with his other double being 98.8 mph. Danny Jansen had a 103.0 mph double. Brandon Nimmo’s homer was 102.4 mph.
Can the Rangers keep this going? Tune in on Saturday and find out!
Apr 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates against the Dallas Stars during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Good morning. The New Jersey Devils have failed again to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking three out of the last five years that they have been on the outside looking in. After the 2022-23 season, though, I had really thought the Devils would be on a four-year playoff berth streak.
But before we look too deeply into how Sunny Mehta is going to run the team, there is still hockey around the league to watch. The road to the Stanley Cup is not only difficult, but it is one of the longest playoffs in professional sports. This is the time for unlikely heroes, or likely ones, but also the time for survivalists. When the intensity ramps up and the players seem like they are past the point of hatred, it turn into a matter of who will outlast the other. Let’s dive into it.
Buffalo Sabres (A1/2) vs. the Boston Bruins (WC1/5)
The Buffalo Sabres, guided behind the bench by Lindy Ruff, have had an excellent season, finishing just four points back of the Conference lead with a 50-23-9 record. With a top-5 ranked offense and top-10 defense, the Buffalo Sabres have a deep scoring attack with 14 players scoring 25 or more points this season and 13 of those players having 10 or more goals. Led on the ice by Tage Thompson (40G, 41A, Gold Medal in February), Rasmus Dahlin (19G, 55A), and Alex Tuch (33G, 33A), the Sabres also have the top-end players to keep up with the best in the league. We will see how they split the goaltending between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (22-9-3, .909 SV%) and Colten Ellis (8-4-2, .903 SV%), but they did not have a clear number one in goal when Alex Lyon (20-10-4, .906 SV%) was healthy.
The Boston Bruins are a more traditional hockey group. Backed by first-year head coach Marco Sturm, the 45-27-10 Bruins are driven by David Pastrnak (29G, 71A), Morgan Geekie (39G, 29 A), Pavel Zacha (30G, 35A), and Charlie McAvoy (11G, 50A). In net, they have a true number one in Jeremy Swayman, who went 31-18-4 with a .907 save percentage this season. The depth of Boston is still strong, but not quite as high-scoring as the Sabres. Only 10 Bruins hit the 10-goal mark this season, but they are a rather tough team. Between the solid defense of Nikita Zadorov and the forechecking of Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic, the Bruins have that secondary element backing their more skilled players that makes them tough to play against.
Tampa Bay Canadiens (A2/3) vs. the Montreal Canadiens (A3/4)
Jon Cooper might never oversee a bad team. The 50-26-6 Lightning are as good a bet for the Stanley Cup as any this season despite difficult seasons for veteran defensemen Ryan McDonagh (21 points in 48 games) and Victor Hedman (17 points in 33 games). Filling the void has been 30-year old Darren Raddysh, who had 70 points in 73 games, which is remarkable for a guy who only played his first full NHL season at age 27 in the 2023-24 season. The usual suspects are still up to their scoring up front, though, with Nikita Kucherov reaching 130 points for the second time in his career. Jake Guentzel (38G, 50A), Brandon Hagel (36G, 38A), and Anthony Cirelli (52 points, Selke-level defense) have been outstanding. However, Brayden Point (50 points in 63 games) seems to have slowed down a bit with a career-low shooting percentage of 14.0. The Lightning are not a very deep team beyond their seocnd and third lines, though, and they will need to continue relying on their scorers and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who went 39-15-4 with a .911 save percentage this season.
The Montreal Canadiens have taken their first leap. Attention will surely be on Nick Suzuki, who had a 101-point season for them, though he was certainly boosted along the way by a ridiculous season by Cole Caufield, who had 51 goals. Those two took a lot of pressure off of the even-younger trio of Lane Hutson (12G, 66A), Juraj Slafkovsky (30G, 43A), and Ivan Demidov (19G, 43A), allowing them to have excellent seasons as well. Thanks to some malpractice on Long Island by Mathieu Darche, the Canadiens have also been stabilized by Noah Dobson (12G, 35A), who eats a ton of minutes (22:29) alongside Hutson (23:46) and Mike Matheson (7G, 30A, 24:10). Like the Lightning, this is a team driven by the top players. I would hope that the 21-year old Jacob Fowler gets the nod in net, given his .908 save percentage down the stretch after replacing Sam Montembeault (.873 SV%), but it is certainly possible that the Canadiens lean on the somewhat Jakub Dobes and his .901 save percentage in this series.
Carolina Hurricanes (M1/1) vs. the Ottawa Senators (WC2/6)
The Devils’ bane will look for a different victim this playoff series, and this time they have to deal with an Atlantic Division opponent. In five of the last seven years, the Hurricanes have been eliminated by Atlantic opponents, beating only the Bruins in the 2022 First Round during that time. But the Hurricanes are good. With the 2nd-ranked offense and 5th-ranked defense in the league by total goals, their 53-22-7 record was no accident. Their weakness, though, is goaltending. Despite few goals against, their team save percentage was .886 this season. The forwards are very solid, though. Seven players hit the 20-goal mark, and Taylor Hall was just behind at 18. On the blueline, Shayne Gostisbehere is a monster (13G, 37A in 55 games) when he is actually ion the ice, and rookie Alexander Nikishin has fit in well in Rod Brind’amour’s system alongside fellow Carolina newcomer K’Andre Miller, who reached 35 points (37) for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
The Ottawa Senators have had a roller coaster season. From wild, slanderous rumors about the locker room to borderline slanderous AI use after Brady Tkachuk won a Gold Medal with Team USA, they should be applauded for staying together this long. But they are a talented team with a mix of young stars and still-productive veterans. Tim Stutzle led them with 83 points, while Drake Batherson hit the 70-mark for the first time in his career. With Gold Medal winners Brady Tkachuk (59P in 60GP) and Jake Sanderson (54P in 67GP), alongside veteran scorers Claude Giroux (14G, 35A) and David Perron (25P in 49GP), the Senators have a rather interesting mix. As long as they can get some vintage Linus Ullmark (.891 SV%, 28-12-8), they will be a threat to Carolina.
Pittsburgh Penguins (M2/7) vs. the Philadelphia Flyers (M3/8)
After years of coaching malpractice, first-year Head Coach Dan Muse has turned the Pittsburgh Penguins around. And, yes, some will complain that the Penguins got in with a lot of loser points at 41-25-16. However, they are dangerous. They went 34-25-23 in regulation this season, going just 7-16 in three-on-three and shootouts. However, the playoffs should be expected to reward better regulation teams, and the Penguins would have finished even better had Sidney Crosby not been hit in the knee in the Olympics Semi-Final game, which caused him to miss a couple weeks. But Crosby (29G, 45A in 68GP), along with Erik Karlsson (15G, 51A), Bryan Rust (29G, 36A in 72GP), and Evgeni Malkin (19G, 42A in 59GP) are all still excellent players. Even Kris Letang, with 34 points in 74 games while playing nearly 22 minutes a game, is still a player to watch. But now, the Penguins have reinforcements. Anthony Mantha, a buy-low shot by Kyle Dubas, scored 33 goals and 64 points for them. Ben Kindel, the 10th overall pick in 2025, had 35 points in his rookie season. Egor Chinakhov, who fell out of favor in Columbus, was traded for relative peanuts and put up 36 points in 43 games with the team. The big mistake for them was likely trading Tristan Jarry for Stuart Skinner, as Skinner put up an .885 save percentage in 27 games with the team, meaning that Arturs Silovs (.887 SV% in 39 games) might get more play.
The Philadelphia Flyers, I would argue, deserve much less to be in the Playoffs than Pittsburgh. With the 21st-ranked offense and a 27-27-28 regulation record, the Flyers are the only Eastern Conference playoff team to go to overtime more often than they won in regulation. The roster, too, is much weaker. With only two 60-point scorers in Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras, the Flyers hope for more from Matvei Michkov, Christian Dvorak, and Owen Tippett on the big stage, as they all finished with 51 points. With solid defense from former Brad Shaw and John Tortorella protegees Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen, though, they can slow the game down and make scoring difficult. Dan Vladar, who had a good season in his first year as an NHL starter at 29-14-7 with a .906 save percentage, will play a big part in whether they can hold up to Pittsburgh without three-on-three available.
The Western Conference Matchups
Colorado Avalanche (C1/1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC2/8)
The Colorado Avalanche look like they just need to show up for the series this time around. They went 55-16-11. They had two 100-point scorers in Nathan MacKinnon (127) and Martin Necas (100). Cale Makar went over a point-per-game again. Brock Nelson proved foolish Islanders fans wrong with a 33-goal, 65-point season (and a Gold Medal). Veleri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen provide great two-way play and can turn it up in the playoffs. Brent Burns proved foolish Hurricanes fans wrong with a 35-point, solid two-way season at now 41 years old. Gabriel Landeskog is back, and he is still pretty good. And perhaps most importantly, Scott Wedgewood led the NHL in save percentage at .921 this season, backed by Mackenzie Blackwood’s .904 mark. The Avalanche should be Cup favorites.
The Los Angeles Kings do not deserve to be here, but I will forgive it on the point of giving Anze Kopitar one last show in the playoffs. Even worse than the Flyers, the Kings went 22-27-33 in regulation for a disgusting playoff-bound record of 35-27-20. They have the 29th-ranked offense. They had one 50-point scorer in Adrian Kempe, who put up 73 points. Kevin Fiala is out for the season after an awful Olympics injury. But they do have Anze Kopitar, who is still a great two-way center. They have added Artemi Panarin, who seemed to fit in well after being traded from New York. Drew Doughty is still eating minutes and getting good results despite not being a producer anymore. And, of course, the Kings have the playoff legend, Corey Perry. It will be interesting to see whether Darcy Kuemper (19-14-15, .891 SV%) or Anton Forsberg (16-12-5, .909 SV%) gets the net, but I really do not think the combined magic of Kopitar, Perry, and whatever else they can conjure up will be enough to fell Colorado.
Dallas Stars (C2/2) vs. the Minnesota Wild (C3/3)
The Dallas Stars are dealing with untimely injuries. Miro Heiskanen is questionable, but expected to play Game 1. Roope Hintz will miss the first two games. Tyler Seguin has been out with an ACL tear. And worst of all, Nathan Bastian has been out but may return early in the playoffs. It is a testament to the team that, even without Hintz, they are still massively threatening. Jason Robertson (45G, 51A), Wyatt Johnston (45G, 41A), and Mikko Rantanen (22G, 55A in 64GP) can terrorize any opponent. And with depth in Matt Duchene (45P in 57GP), Mavrik Bourque (20G, 21A), and Jamie Benn (36P in 60GP), they should be able to survive a short time without Hintz. The Stars have one of the most defensively sound top group of defensemen in the league in Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, and Esa Lindell, with all three eating over 23 minutes a night. The big hope in Dallas should be that Jake Oettinger (35-12-6, .899 SV%) amps it up in the playoffs.
The Minnesota Wild are now headlined by Quinn Hughes. Despite only playing 48 games with the club, Quinn was fourth on the team in scoring with 53 points. He was bested only by Mats Zuccarello, who apparently gets better with age at 54 points in 59 games in his age-38 season, alongside fellow Gold Medalist Matt Boldy (42G, 43A) and Kirill Kaprizov (45G, 44A). The Wild have a solid middle group of Brock Faber (15G, 36A), Joel Eriksson Ek (19G, 32A in the 1C role), Marcus Johansson (49P in 75GP), Vladimir Tarasenko (47P in 75 GP), and Ryan Hartman (23G, 20A in the 2C role). But after that, well, just hope that they play good defense. The Foligno brothers should be tough to deal with, and Jared Spurgeon will play good defense, but it is an offensively thin depth group. They are backed, though, by Jesper Wallstedt (18-9-6, .915 SV%) and Filip Gustavsson (28-15-6, .903 SV%), so they should have the advantage in goal.
Vegas Golden Knights (P1/4) vs. the Utah Mammoth (WC1/7)
The Vegas Golden Knights are an odd group. They have five 60-point scorers (and Tomas Hertl at 58). They have great defensemen in Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin, now alongside Rasmus Andersson. But unlike the early-years Golden Knights, this is not a deep team, and the addition of Mitch Marner did not do as much to boost their top six scoring as they should have hoped. Their only depth scorers are Reilly Smith (16G, 10A in 69GP) and Brett Howden (12G, 10A in 58GP). That is largely why they failed to reach 40 wins, going 39-26-17, in addition to shaky goaltending. Akira Schmid is the most reliable choice in net with his .893 save percentage in 34 games played, while Adin Hill went 10-9-6 with an .870 save percentage. Carter Hart is also an option with his .891 save percentage, but he only played 18 games this season. He has the edge now with a six-game winning streak on a .930 save percentage, though new head coach John Tortorella should take caution in his prior 12 games at an .871 save percentage.
The Utah Mammoth are easier to read. With three 70-point scorers in Clayton Keller (88), Nick Schmaltz (74), and Dylan Guenther (73) and a middle six that should feature Logan Cooley (24G, 19A in 54GP) and JJ Peterka (25G, 22A), with two-way specialists Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain, the Mammoth are solid. A former Devil, John Marino, has a lot to do with it. I do not like using plus/minus as a stat in general, but when numbers get as high as Marino’s +43, well, it looks nice, and his 36 points showed some offensive growth for him from a personal standpoint. Marino, Nate Schmidt, and Mikhail Sergachev (10G, 49A) form a solid top end of the defense that can keep up in both ends, and they are backed by Karel Vejmelka, who played a league-leading 64 games in net (38-20-3, .896 SV%) for the Mammoth.
Edmonton Oilers (P2/5) vs. the Anaheim Ducks (P3/6)
The Edmonton Oilers need to get it together. At 41-30-11, there were times their playoff spot did not even look guaranteed. And this is ridiculous! Connor McDavid scored 138 points after committing to two more years at no raise. Leon Draisailt had 97 points in 65 games. Evan Bouchard turned himself around with 95 points, including an insane 58 pointsin the second half of the season. But the bottom six is a mess. The third pairing is a mess. And worst of all for Edmonton, their attempt to improve from Stuart Skinner with Tristan Jarry backfired, as Jarry imploded with an .857 save percentage after posting .907 with the Penguins. Connor Ingram, with a 16-10-3 record and .899 save percentage, now looks like their only choice in goal.
The Anaheim Ducks are the only team other than the Kings in these Playoffs to have a losing regulation record at 26-33-23, winning 17 games in overtime or shootouts. The Ducks do have good players. Cutter Gauthier had 41 goals and 69 points in his second season, while Leo Carlsson (67P in 70GP) and Bennett Sennecke (60) also posted 60-point seasons. Troy Terry, as long as he is on the ice, cna be a threat with his 57 points in 61 games, while Chris Kreider broke 20 goals again for his new club. Led on defense by Jackson LaCombe (10G, 48A), Jacob Trouba (10G, 25A), and now John Carlson (4G, 10A in 16GP), this can be a tough team to read. They have skill. But as long as Lukas Dostal is only putting up an .888 save percentage while the defense gives up over 30 shots a game, they may struggle against a team like Edmonton.
The Rules: Gamethread rules apply. Please do not swear in the comment section, and keep comments relevant to the hockey games going on. Beyond that, do not attack any other commenters, and do not ask for or pass along illegal streams on this board.
With that, thank you for reading! I hope to see you all around here commenting on these games.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates continue a three-game set this afternoon at PNC Park, with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET.
With Paul Skenes on the hill, my Rays vs. Pirates predictions are eyeing Pittsburgh to win another one here.
Read more for my MLB picks for Saturday, April 18.
Who will win Rays vs Pirates today: Pirates moneyline (-165)
The Pittsburgh Pirates turn to ace Paul Skenes today. While he hasn’t had the greatest start to the campaign, the right-hander still has a 4.00 ERA through four starts, compiling a 3-1 record. He’s struck out 18 in 18 innings while walking seven batters.
Skenes has gotten an average of 9.5 runs of support when he takes the mound, hence the impressive record. Skenes has held this Tampa Bay Rays lineup to a .161 average across 31 at-bats in his career.
Pittsburgh won’t have it easy against Drew Rasmussen, but their offense has scored 12 runs across their last two games, and they always turn up when Skenes takes the hill.
Even if it’s low-scoring, the Pirates will win this contest behind their ace.
COVERS INTEL:Skenes has been dominant at home in 2026, posting a 1.46 ERA across two starts in 12.1 innings of work.
Rays vs Pirates Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-120)
Both of these teams rank in the top 10 in MLB in runs scored, but we’re looking at a true pitcher’s duel at PNC Park. Skenes is a beast on home turf, and he’s had success against Tampa in the past.
Rasmussen is also dealing this year. He has a 1.13 ERA across three outings, with opponents hitting just .138. Both pitchers consistently pound the strike zone, and there’s not a ton of hard contact coming off either of them.
The Under cashed in the series opener, and it’s also hit in the last four meetings dating back to last season.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 6-2, +1.71 units
Over/Under bets: 7-1, +5.19 units
Rays vs Pirates odds
Moneyline: Rays +115 | Pirates -127
Run line: Rays +1.5 (-150) | Pirates -1.5 (+130)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-120) | Under 6.5 (+100)
Rays vs Pirates trend
The Pittsburgh Pirates have hit the Moneyline in 30 of their last 50 games at home (+8.45 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Pirates.
How to watch Rays vs Pirates and game info
Location
PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
First pitch
4:05 p.m. ET
TV
Rays.TV, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Rays starting pitcher
Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 1.13 ERA)
Pirates starting pitcher
Paul Skenes (3-1, 4.00 ERA)
Rays vs Pirates latest injuries
Rays vs Pirates 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.
His "quiet" November game against the Wolves was still 27-12-11, which is all that’s needed this afternoon. Jokic leads the NBA with 34 triple-doubles this season and has averaged 35-15-11 against this exact opponent this season.
Like most NBA defenses, Minnesota has no answer for Jokic, and getting plus-money for something he does nearly every other game feels like a good play this afternoon.
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Prime Video
Prop #2: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 made threes
The Hawks guard averaged 3.2 made threes per game this season and drained 4-plus in 29 of 78 games on nearly 40% shooting from downtown.
The Knicks come into the playoffs allowing made threes at a 38.1% clip over their final 15 games. We’re getting plus money on what is essentially his floor, which is exceptional value.
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Prime Video
Prop #3: Kevin Durant Over 24.5 points
-110 at bet365
Houston Rockets legend Kevin Durant's two quiet games against the Los Angeles Lakers in March came with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves healthy, but both are out tonight, and it's all systems go for the Slim Reaper.
Instead of competent defenders, Durant will draw the likes of Jake LaRavia, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt, which should make him smile.
Durant has scored at least 25 points in four of his last five games and is fresh off a week's rest and fully motivated for his first playoff series with Houston.
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Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers computer picks and NBA picks for April 18 are led by Immanuel Quickley.
Raptors vs Cavaliers computer picks for April 18
Raptors
Cavaliers
Quickley o11.5 points -115
Merrill o9.5 points -105
Quickley o4.5 assists +122
Mitchell u27.5 points -115
Ingram u21.5 points -120
Mobley o16.5 points -115
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Raptors computer picks
Immanuel Quickley Over 11.5 points (-115)
Projection: 14.7 points
Immanuel Quickley is projected to beat this line by over three full points, good for a +27% EV edge.
"The matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers is a strong one for 3-point shots; the opposition's starting PGs have compiled the 2nd-highest three percentage in the NBA this year (41.4%)."
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Immanuel Quickley Over 4.5 assists (+122)
Projection: 5.1 assists
With a nearly +21% EV edge, this Quickley prop is a four-star play.
"The Toronto Raptors will likely see a spike in opportunities today from squaring off against the 10th-most up-tempo tempo home team in the NBA over the last 5 games (the Cavaliers)."
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Brandon Ingram Under 21.5 points (-120)
Projection: 19.9 points
Our computer is bullish on Quickley but bearish on Brandon Ingram, expecting him to fall 1.6 points shy of today's betting line.
"This year, the other team's starting SFs have tallied 3.9 three attempts per game (3rd-fewest in the league) against the Cleveland Cavaliers, labeling this as a difficult matchup."
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Cavaliers computer picks
Sam Merrill Over 9.5 points (-105)
Projection: 10.8 points
Sam Merrill has cleared this line in seven of his last 10 games, and our system believes home court will help him reward Over bettors again.
"As it relates to scoring, the Cleveland Cavaliers's stellar 121.9 points per game with the home court advantage measures as the 2nd-strongest in the league over the last 25 games."
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Donovan Mitchell Under 27.5 points (-115)
Projection: 25.5 points
Our computer believes Donovan Mitchell won't have an easy time of things from 3-point land, which will lead to him falling short of his scoring prop today.
"The matchup vs. Toronto is a hard one for shots from behind the three-point arc; when the Raptors are the visiting team, opposing starting SGs have averaged the 2nd-least 3-point attempts per game in the league this year (4.3)."
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Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-115)
Projection: 18 points
Evan Mobley has gone Over this line in 14 of his last 19. Our system is calling for 18 points from the Cleveland big man, good for a +14.1% EV edge.
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How to watch Raptors vs Cavaliers tonight
Location
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Tip-off
1:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
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This Sunday night, the NBA Playoffs return to NBC Sports for the first time since 2002, and make their debut on Peacock. It all starts at 6:30 PM ET when the Orlando Magic take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Then, at 9:00 PM, it's the Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Jrue Holiday added 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in the win.
“We kept our composure,” said Avdija. “I feel like we showed character today. We showed growth. We showed we’re capable of keeping our composure and making winning plays. We didn’t give up the whole game. That’s what matters.”
“It’s the culmination of a tough year,” said Blazers acting coach Tiago Splitter.“But this group is very resilient. I think we showed that in the fourth quarter, just believing in ourselves and getting it done. I’m happy for them. They went through a lot throughout the season, and to be in the playoffs is a great accomplishment for this group.”
Splitter took over after head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested on October 23.
The San Antonio Spurs, making their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, won 62 games to finish second in the Western Conference.
Victor Wembanyama has been a cornerstone for San Antonio, averaging career highs in scoring (25.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg) while leading the league with 3.1 blocks per game in just 29.2 minutes per game.
The Spurs have won two of three games against the Trail Blazers this season, including a 112-101 victory on April 8. Wembanyama did not play in any of those games.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball coverage will also be available on NBC and Peacock. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 17: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox reacts with Roman Anthony #19 after hitting a walk-off single during the 10th inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers on April 17, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know how sometimes you hear a statistic that feels so outrageous you have have to dig into the details and verify it yourself? Well, Chris Cotillo dropped one of those last night when he tweeted this after the Red Sox 1-0 win in ten innings:
Red Sox have seven wins wearing the green uniforms — and all seven are walk-offs.
Now let’s be clear, the Red Sox don’t always win when they wear these uniforms (they’re 7-5 overall in the Fenway greens), but when they do, they always hit a walk-off. For more context on how outrageous this stat is from Cotillo, let’s think about how common walk-offs are across the MLB landscape. On average, teams have hit about seven walk-offs per season over the last 30 years, but since you can only hit a walk off at home and you only win on average a little over half of those 81 games each season, the odds of any random win at home being a walk-off are actually about one in six. (Think somewhere in the ballpark of about seven times out of 42 for simplicity’s sake.)
So now let’s apply the math. The odds of hitting something with a one in six chance seven times in a row? One in 279,936. That’s the absurdity of what the Red Sox are doing in these green uniforms!
So with something so rare and majestic ongoing, let’s relive the magic up to this point, starting with the first Red Sox walk-off in these uniforms back in May of last year:
The streak began in rather unusual and innocuous fashion with no real sign of what was to come. The Red Sox actually lost their first ever game wearing these green uniforms on May 16th to Atlanta, but their mere presence must have awakened something in the old ballpark, because the very next night, the Red Sox (back in their regular uniforms) came from 5-0 down to beat the Braves 7-6 in walk-off fashion.
The next time they were supposed to wear the green uniforms was the following Friday on May 23rd, but bad weather disrupted the start of a four game series against the Orioles and postponed the Thursdays game, which completely shuffled the deck. As a result, the Sox ended up playing a double header on Saturday, and the first game played that day became the green uniform game of the series, which is the walk-off highlight you see above.
Three weeks later, a more traditional pattern would start to settle in.
Like most things that turn into a huge deal, the Red Sox walk-off streak of wins in the greens should have been cut off before it got rolling. This is the game Garrett Crochet nearly threw a complete game shutout, but Aaron Judge got him with a game tying homer in the ninth. With context, we now know all that did was allow Carlos Narvaez to continue the green walk-off streak in extras.
If there’s a signature game in these uniforms, I’d argue it’s this one. Between the way this ninth inning unfolded, the way the win was also part of a four game sweep and a ten game winning streak, the way Roman Anthony walked, the way this ball was absolutely clobbered, the fact this might be Dave O’Brien’s best call ever, and of course the way Ceddanne Rafaela reacted, was all just pure cinema!
What would an electric Red Sox streak be without Roman Anthony right in the middle of it? He had been in the majors for less than two months at this point, and looked incredibly comfortable throughout this at bat.
I think this is the point where people really started catching on to the green uniforms and their walk-0ff magic. The summer wasn’t even over and the Sox had walked off five times in an outfit that only made its debut in May.
This was the perfect explanation point on a season that got Boston back in the playoffs for the first time in four years. Unfortunately, there weren’t any postseason games played at Fenway Park, which obviously also means the 2025 list ends here.
But with a new season, we have a continuation of the streak. The Red Sox wore their greens for the first time in 2026 last night, and so far, everything seems to be carrying over. It’s also a fun little nugget that the guy who wears No. 7 delivered the hit that extended this streak to seven.
So with that, you might be wondering … “When do the Red Sox play in their green uniforms again?” Well, as long as they stick to their usual pattern, it will be on their next Friday night home game, which is set for May 1st against the Astros. If they win in walk-off fashion again on that night for the eighth time dressed in green, that one in 279,936 from above becomes one in 1,679,616. You could start a religion out of this.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 6: Jaylen Brown #7 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics talk during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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
Welcome to one of the larger and more preposterous playoff preview power poll projects I’ve ever attempted. We are ranking the Top 50 players in the NBA Playoffs, an utterly ridiculous effort that is, frankly, not possible to do responsibly. There is no methodology so sound that one person can rank 50 people; there is no theory so ironclad that it can avoid the rampant, harmful subjectivity of the recesses of my troubled mind. So, without meaningfully explaining my definition of “Top 50” or a philosophy of value or any kind of scientific method, I’m going to do it anyway. Also check out our rankings of every team in the field by their championship chances.
In an effort to not make this a million words, I have only given the Top 25 (spoiler alert: it’s actually 26, you’ll see why) players their own blurbs, and then grouped the back 25 (spoiler alert: it’s 24) together in some loose categories that I think capture the spirit of the exercise. In any case, lots about this will be demonstrably wrong, and I apologize that there is absolutely no way to avoid that. Onwards!
The best player in the world until someone else feels sufficiently inevitable with the ball in their hands. Shai has achieved peak scoring excellence in that you just think his shot is always going in, and he scores at a volume, efficiency and location (over 77 percent of his shots are twos and he shoots 55.3 percent from the field … he’s a guard!) that simply shouldn’t be possible. He has the belt.
2. Nikola Jokic
Made up award: The Novak Djokovic Lifetime Achievement Award for Serbian Sports Excellence
I debated whether Jokic or Victor Wembanyama would get the second spot, but their majestic head-to-head battle clinched it for the Joker. The San Antonio Spurs are contenders for a number of reasons, the biggest (and tallest) one being Wemby. The Denver Nuggets are contenders for one reason and one reason only: Jokic, who could enter some seriously hallowed all-time ground if he grabs a second ring in a stacked West.
3. Victor Wembanyama
Made up award: Voted “Most likely to record a quadruple double in the playoffs”
Wemby and his precarious health have been treated carefully this year to maximize his impact and longevity, but the kid gloves are going to have to come off eventually. When they do, he’s such an outlier that I would believe any statistical achievement if he plays 43 minutes. There have only been four quadruple doubles in NBA history, and yet I’d somehow be surprised if he wasn’t the fifth.
4. Luka Doncic
Made up award: The Bitcoin Award for Player Who Can Swing the Market the Most
Luka’s availability after an unbelievably poorly timed hamstring injury is the great question mark of these playoffs. If he can return, and actually be Luka Doncic, before the Lakers are eliminated? It’s a whole new ballgame for everyone.
5. Anthony Edwards
Made up award:The John Henry Award for Potentially Having to Dig a Tunnel through a Mountain
Edwards is everyone’s favorite young player who might be the next Michael Jordan — he’s electrifying and displays two-way brilliance that is rare for the modern scoring guard. But he has his work positively cut out for him in these playoffs, needing to shake off some late-season injuries and then probably beat Denver, San Antonio and OKC all in a row just to make the NBA Finals. Best of luck.
6. Donovan Mitchell
Made up award: The Ralph Fiennes “We need to get this guy an Oscar” Award
This is a guy who has made the playoffs every year of his career but never made the Conference Finals, so fans are crying out for him to please get some hardware this time around. I’ve always been bullish on Mitchell as an elite playoff guy, whose highs are high enough to beat literally anyone single-handedly. But he will need to do that consistently for once to get over the hump.
7. Cade Cunningham
Made up award: The Cade Cunningham “so likeable that his injury might kill the 65 game rule” Award
Everyone was so in agreement that Cunningham deserved to be on the All-NBA First Team that we all collectively freaked out about the 65-game rule to try to salvage his candidacy before he was granted an exemption (which is probably the best reason to kill the rule). Cunningham was the twin-turbo V8 engine that drove the Pistons to the number one seed, but may be leaned on too heavily to create shots with Detroit lacking a second scorer.
8. Jaylen Brown
Made up award: The Captain Phillips “I am the captain now” Award
Brown has improved his game in ways I simply did not believe were possible at this point in his career. With Jayson Tatum out most of the year, he proved he could be the First Violin in a world-class orchestra that’s about to go on tour. Truly a spectacular season for one of my favorite players.
9. Jalen Brunson
Made up award: The Second Round Pick Award for second-best second-round pick of all time
Behind only Nikola Jokic in second round pick achievement, Brunson is of course an elite first option, an elite shot creator and an elite foul-sponge, a critical skill in the playoffs with tighter whistles across the board. It’s worth wondering, though, if the Knicks can actually win the East with Brunson at this kind of usage. I think they can, but the rest of the roster will need to take on part of the burden.
10. Jayson Tatum
Made up award: The Patriots-Falcons 28-3 Super Bowl Award for Best Comeback
Almost an unfathomably great result for Tatum, who tore his Achilles less than a year ago and now stands poised for his 122nd career playoff game and counting. He and Brown are two of the most successful playoff guys in terms of number of games played to start their careers, and Tatum is a championship-winning first option when healthy. We shall see how much strain he’s ready to take.
11. Devin Booker
Made up award: The Damian Lillard “You might need to demand a trade at some point” Award
Booker seems committed to Phoenix financially and competitively, and it’s impressive work that such a flawed team made the playoffs. But the Suns spent all their draft capital and young pieces to build a team, tear it down and now is staring down mediocrity for the foreseeable future. There are plenty of ways to pivot around such a great player, but there’s a chance this gets 2021ish Damian Lillard. Just a chance.
12. Tyrese Maxey
Made up award: The Lightning McQueen “Ka-Chow” Award for Being Fast
There is no correlation between average player speed and… being a good player, which is why Maxey is my pick for fastest NBA player in lieu of data. This is purely in terms of visually explosive burst in transition and on drives. The Celtics have struggled to contain Maxey for years, and he is Philly’s singular win condition.
13. Kevin Durant
Made up award: The Al Horford “should we talk about how old this guy is more?” Award
Durant is still putting ball in hoop like no other in year 19 which is, somehow, still not discussed nearly enough. LeBron James cornered the market on “wow he’s how old” discussions, but Durant is casually averaging 26 a game in 36 minutes in 78 games played. In the playoffs, you often need a bucket. For all the stuff that comes with the Durant experience, he is still the bucket.
14. Jamal Murray
Made up award: The Jaylen Brown Award for scoring leap I didn’t see coming
Did you know this was Murray’s first career All-Star season? Somehow, some way, Murray became a far more efficient shooter this season and ratcheted up his scoring to over 25 a game. He and Jokic have a premier partnership that we already know can win a title. Will they win another?
15. Jalen Johnson
Made up award: The Casual NBA Fan award for “WHO are you saying is three whole spots better than LeBron?”
Many NBA fans may have missed this development, but Jalen Johnson has been soaring up the superstar boards all season, basically getting better and better for five straight years … all the way to somehow looking like an All-NBA first option. Trae Young’s departure took off the training wheels, and now we’re flying.
16. Chet Holmgren
Made up award: The Banana Boat Award for going from Third to Second Banana
Holmgren is a first-time All-Star who made a serious leap over Jalen Williams, whose injury-laden season saw Chet take on a bigger role. He’s a cornerstone defensive force and exactly what the Thunder need to dynasty this thing up.
17. Scottie Barnes
Made up award: The Eye Test Award for being better than your stats
Barnes’ Basketball Reference page doesn’t really suggest he improved much as a scorer, but he shot the ball much better and was a major part of a pretty spicy Toronto team that is looking to spoil some fun in Round One.
18. LeBron James
Made up award: The “Lock In” Award for potentially most epic lock-in
If LeBron James can carry the Los Angeles Lakers out of the first round without their two best scorers — Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — that would be one of the premier lock-ins of all time. I’m a Celtics fan, but I’m going to be rooting for this.
19. James Harden
Made up award: The Lucy Pulling the Football Award for most consistent playoff disappointment
Not generally the most reliable guy in the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers nonetheless traded Darius Garland for Harden in a last-ditch effort to salvage their meh season. It could work; Harden is a good player. But nothing historically suggests it will.
20. Jalen Duren
Made up award: The “Most Improved Player Award” Award for exemplifying what that award is supposed to mean
Duren almost doubled his scoring output this season and was the second-biggest reason the Pistons took the league by storm. He is a dominating force on the glass and a pretty solid interior scorer, given his complete lack of a jumpshot. I’m a big fan of Duren.
21. Deni Avdija
Made up award: The Zion Williamson “I’m going to the rim no matter what” Award
Deni isn’t Williamson, who actually does not shoot threes at all anymore by the way, but he is at his best when he is trying to get downhill on every possession. He was a one-man wrecking crew in the first Play-In game, but we will see if that works against Wembanyama, whose 872-foot wingspan might cause problems.
22. Karl-Anthony Towns
Made up award: The James Harden “not sure how reliable this guy is” Award
Towns’ playoff plus/minus stats are not what you want out of your supposed second option, but it has proved difficult for the Knicks to keep both he and Brunson on the court and survive defensively. To avoid becoming the next Harden, towns will need a moment.
23. Alperen Sengun
Made up award: The Kevin McHale Award for 2020s Post Bag
Sengun is a legitimately great post scorer in the year 2026, and it’s pretty fun to watch him eviscerate rim protectors who haven’t had to deal with that since 1987. Balancing his and Durant’s shot diets is the real challenge.
24. Stephon Castle
Made up award: The Jayson Tatum “he’s HOW young?” award for only being 21
Castle is so far beyond what I could have ever expected out of him at his age, and looks like a potential future star. To quote myself when I was talking about Roman Anthony, I am two years older than Stephon Castle. I am not old.
25. Evan Mobley
Made up award: The Not-Tim Duncan Award for player who is not Tim Duncan
One of my favorite niche NBA media moments of the last five years was this strange series of Bill Simmons podcasts circa 2022 where he and Ryen Russillo kept referring to Mobley as potentially the next Tim Duncan. I was also supremely in on Evan Mobley, and have not quite made back my investment either. He’s a really good player and a beast defensively, but he’s been too inconsistent, especially on offense, to go any higher.
26. Derrick White
(Bonus solo blurb, it was going to be the Top 25 get their own blurbs but I literally forgot about Jalen Brunson when I wrote this the first time and refuse to bump DWhite)
Made up award: The Matisse Thybulle Award for Blocking Threes
Derrick White has blocked nine threes this year. That isn’t quite the most, but he’s consistently up there in three-blocking, a skill that I’m just not sure how you teach or learn. Stuff like that is what makes White so valuable, because he’s also a great scorer and creator. What a player.
The “How healthy will you be?” Group
27. Austin Reaves
28. Jalen Williams
29. Aaron Gordon
Three players who are critically important to their respective teams that either haven’t been healthy for much of the year or may not be healthy going forward. Gordon and Williams seem fine at the moment, with Gordon in particular coming back in force, but none of their respective lineups are the same without them. Only the Thunder could hope to survive an extended absence of any of these three.
The “We need offense, do you have offense?” Group
30. Paolo Banchero
31. Julius Randle
32. De’Aaron Fox
33. Amen Thompson
Four guys that have had up and down offensive years and four guys who will have to be on the up part of the up and down for the playoffs if their team has any big-time goals. Specifically, I’m looking at Randle as a primo candidate to sink or swim his whole team. Edwards can’t be the only creator for Minnesota, since Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels are not reliable offensively. Thompson may get exposed for his poor shooting, but is capital R required for Houston with their relative lack of ball handlers.
The “Actually, we’re good on offense, can you just play defense?” Group
34. Rudy Gobert
35. OG Anunoby
Perhaps the two most important defensive players in these playoffs because of their matchups. Anunoby is going to have to guard some of the best wings in the league throughout the Knicks’ run, and the Eastern Conference might as well be a Wingstop with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, they’re everywhere. Gobert, meanwhile, has Wembanyama and Jokic coming at him like a train. He will have to go full Tobey Maguire Spider-Man to stop them.
The High Variance Group
36. Brandon Ingram
37. Franz Wagner
These guys could score in bunches and swing a series by themselves or completely disappear and … swing a series by themselves. Ingram is a player that I wasn’t particularly interested in anymore after his Pelicans tenure expired, but he had a really nice year in Toronto and got back to the All-Star game for the first time since 2020. Both these guys are important bucket-getters on teams without an embarrassment of creators, so lock in.
The Guy I Couldn’t Put in a Group
38. Joel Embiid
Embiid is a player I continue to feel bad for, and having an appendectomy right before the postseason is the worst luck imaginable for a guy who has had a career of the worst luck imaginable. I’ve tried to make this list relatively injury-agnostic, but I didn’t want to speculate at all for Embiid, whose playoff impact I can’t really measure or project whatsoever. So here he is in his own group, presented essentially without comment.
The Bucket of Wings
39. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
40. Mikal Bridges
41. Jaden McDaniels
It physically hurt me to put Alexander-Walker this low since he has more than doubled his scoring this season and is unironically shooting 50-40-90 Bridges and McDaniels are both critical players for their teams, but just feel like a lesser version of what they could be; especially Bridges, who was a legit first-option in Brooklyn for a minute there. But wings are king, and these guys will play a lot.
Important Players on Important Teams
42. Ausar Thompson
43. Jarrett Allen
44. Alex Caruso
A bit of a grab bag here, but these are essential players on teams with championship aspirations. Ausar is definitely still a work in progress offensively but he is also one of the best defensive players in the league, an accolade you could also toss on Caruso, a peak pot-stirrer that somehow makes all of his opponents worse at basketball. Allen, meanwhile, is battling a knee injury but is a massive non-negotiable for the Cavs given how small the rest of their lineup is.
The X-Factors
45. Dyson Daniels
46. Jrue Holiday
47. Naz Reid
48. Payton Pritchard
49. Isaiah Hartenstein
Quite the collection of dudes here, all of whom could be described as “oh (insert name from this group), I really like that guy.” They all play pretty different games, but their teams would not be the same without them.
It’s pretty funny that in a Top 50 players list I had a pretty easy time coming up with the Top 49 but really couldn’t pick the last guy in. This is basically the free space in bingo; just put whoever you want here. I, for one, really wanted to put Baylor Scheierman or Neemias Queta here, but decided against it. Let me know in the comments who you’d put at 50, and what I messed up. If everyone just agrees with me, something went horribly wrong.
COVERS INTEL:
Nikola Jokic
Raptors
Cavaliers
Kurt Helin
Vaughn Dalzell
