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Should Every Oilers Playoff Night Be Bobblehead Night?

Somewhere in the Rogers Place storage room, wedged between a pallet of unsold Zach Hyman bobbleheads and a box of 2006 playoff memorabilia that nobody has the emotional bandwidth to deal with, there may be the most important piece of Stanley Cup playoff equipment the Edmonton Oilers own.

A bobblehead. Three of them, technically. 

Edmonton is 3-0 on bobblehead nights this season. A perfect record achieved under the watchful, spring-loaded gaze of miniature plastic athletes whose heads never stop nodding, as if in constant affirmation of every decision this team makes.

The Oilers’ Most Compelling Individual Storylines This PostseasonThe Oilers’ Most Compelling Individual Storylines This PostseasonAs the Edmonton Oilers chase a deep playoff run, the spotlight isn’t just on the team—it’s on the individual stories within it.

You can call it a coincidence, a small sample size, or the most statistically irrelevant winning streak in professional hockey. All of those things are probably true, but none of them matter because the bobbleheads are not losing, and we are not going to be the ones to stop them.

So the question isn't whether this is rational. The question is whether the Oilers can somehow get 18,000 bobbleheads into a playoff arena without the NHL stepping in to ruin everything, which they absolutely would.

Sure, the teams on those bobblehead nights weren't exactly murderers now. Nobody is pretending these were victories against the Presidents' Trophy winner, but before you dismiss the bobblehead victims as pushovers, just know that the Oilers were not exactly clawing their way to number one either. Respect the body of work.

Jason Dickinson "Highly Motivated" To Play: When Will He Get In?Jason Dickinson "Highly Motivated" To Play: When Will He Get In?He's itching to hit the ice. Will injured forward Jason Dickinson be cleared for Game 1, boosting the Oilers' lineup?

Yeah, sure, the Anaheim Ducks did make the playoffs this year, which does count for something. But this is the same franchise that spent the better part of three seasons in a full institutional crouch, losing hockey games with such commitment and consistency that it started to look like a strategy—because it was—who has somehow clawed its way into the postseason. 

The cream jerseys are a whole other situation. These are alternate jerseys, a third option, the NHL equivalent of ordering something off-menu and being surprised it slaps. Not some storied vintage threads soaked in championship history.

There is no logical reason the Oilers should play better in them. The jersey does not improve their skating, sharpen their edges, or fix their breakouts. And yet, when Edmonton pulls the cream ones on, something happens that no analyst has successfully put into a chart.

3 Reasons This Ducks First-Round Draw Is One The Oilers Wanted3 Reasons This Ducks First-Round Draw Is One The Oilers WantedThe Edmonton Oilers have three strengths that perfectly counter the Ducks' defensive woes, setting up a favorable opening round.

The NHL's front office probably has a memo somewhere explaining why they can't wear them in the playoffs. 

Teams have been manufacturing superstitions out of flimsier material than this for decades. The 2012 LA Kings wore the same clothes on every road trip during their Cup run. Players have refused to wash their equipment, change their socks, or alter their pre-game meal for entire playoff runs.

One guy famously grew a beard, and now everyone does it. The bar for what counts as a legitimate playoff ritual is basically nonexistent.

Oilers Injury Update: Will Leon Draisaitl Play Game 1 vs the Ducks?Oilers Injury Update: Will Leon Draisaitl Play Game 1 vs the Ducks?Leon Draisaitl skated Friday, looking sharp. Will he be ready for Game 1 against the Ducks, or will the Oilers hold him back?

So maybe all it takes is someone placing a bobblehead on the shelf above the dressing room door. A small McDavid, head nodding in eternal encouragement, blessing each player as they head out to the ice. The cream jerseys hang nearby in a display case, radiating mysterious alternate-jersey energy through the plexiglass.

It's unscientific, completely unhinged, and costs roughly twelve dollars.

Worth every penny.

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Edgecombe named a finalist for Rookie of the Year award

Edgecombe named a finalist for Rookie of the Year award  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

BOSTON — The Sixers have rookie representation on the list of finalists for 2025-26 end-of-season awards. 

VJ Edgecombe was named Sunday night as a Rookie of the Year finalist along with the Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg and the Hornets’ Kon Knueppel. Voting results will be announced at a later date. 

Since being drafted out of Baylor with the No. 3 overall pick, Edgecombe has been valuable for the Sixers on both ends of the floor and displayed alluring tools to build on.

The 20-year-old led all rookies in minutes played. Over 75 games, he averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals. Among rookies with at least 20 games played, Edgecombe ranked third in points per game, third in assists per game and first in steals per game. 

Of the three finalists, only Edgecombe’s team reached the playoffs. The Sixers suffered a blowout Round 1, Game 1 loss Sunday to the Celtics.

Knueppel and Flagg were teammates last season as Duke freshmen. Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the 26-56 Mavs. Knueppel posted 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest for the Hornets, who couldn’t advance out of the Eastern Conference’s play-in tournament. He carried over his sharpshooting to the NBA, hitting 42.5 percent of his three-pointers. 

The Sixers have had three Rookie of the Year winners in their history. Allen Iverson earned the honor in 1997, Michael Carter-Williams in 2014 and Ben Simmons in 2018. 

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European football: Bayern Munich win 35th league title by surging past Stuttgart

  • Bayern bounce back from early concession to win 4-2

  • PSG’s title hopes hit after 2-1 home defeat by Lyon

Bayern Munich secured their 35th German league title by beating Stuttgart 4-2 to open up an unassailable lead with four games to play. Sunday’s result sent Bayern 15 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

The Bavarian side, who face Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup semi-final next week before taking on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on 28 April, were a goal down before scoring four times to quickly turn the game around.

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Yankees' Anthony Volpe notches first multihit game of rehab assignment

Through four rehab games with the Yankees' Double-A Somerset Patriots, shortstop Anthony Volpe has his first multihit performance.

In Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies' Reading Fightin Phils, Volpe's 2-for-4 afternoon started with a first-inning single.

Volpe followed third baseman and top prospect Greg Lombard Jr.'s leadoff home run against Zack Wheeler by sending a 1-0 offering back up the middle.

After an inning-ending flyout to left field in the third and a one-out lineout to shortstop two frames later, Volpe led off the seventh with a single through the middle against Luke Russo.

Following Volpe's second knock, which had an exit velocity of 104.2 mph, he stole second base.

Through 11 at-bats with Somerset since last Tuesday, Volpe (left shoulder surgery recovery) has four hits -- all singles -- and three strikeouts. He has two stolen bases and one walk.

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Hawks vs Knicks Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Today's NBA Playoffs Game 2

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The New York Knicks took Game 1 by double-digit points, but the Atlanta Hawks will look to respond when the teams meet again at Madison Square Garden for Game 2. 

Dyson Daniels has done it all for Atlanta, and my Hawks vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks expect he'll easily clear the Over on a modest combo prop.

Hawks vs Knicks prediction

Who will win Hawks vs Knicks Game 2?

Knicks: I’ll take the Knicks to win outright, although I expect the Hawks to keep things close. The Hawks were down just two points at halftime in Game 1, but the Knicks used a big third quarter to pull away and earn an 11-point win. Homecourt advantage will be the deciding factor in a tight game, so New York gets the edge, especially after how well the dynamic duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns played in Game 1.

Hawks vs Knicks best bet: Dyson Daniels Over 11.5 rebounds + assists (-120)

Dyson Daniels enjoyed a second straight productive season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 33.2 minutes and career highs of 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists across 76 appearances.

Daniels’ season average of 12.7 rebounds + assists will easily clear his combo line for Game 2, so a baseline performance will get the job done. Daniels ended the season with 12+ rebounds + assists in three straight and four of his last five. He finished with 20 in Game 1 against the New York Knicks.

The do-it-all Australian cleared his combo line in 48 of 76 games, good for 63.2%. His implied probability to clear it again means his odds should be priced closer to -170 than -120, offering solid value.

Daniels finished the regular season as Atlanta’s third-leading rebounder and second-leading facilitator. His 6.8 rebounds per game ranked third among guards.

The Hawks also shot nearly 3.5% worse in Game 1 than they did during the season, so Daniels could be due for a few more assists if his teammates convert open looks.

In four games against New York (regular and postseason), Daniels finished with assist + rebound totals of 20, 15, 14, and 17. He easily topped 11.5 in all four games, and he’ll need to be at his best to help his team compete for a win with the series heading back home.

Hawks vs Knicks same-game parlay

I picked the Hawks to cover the same 5.5-point spread in Game 1, and they lost by 11. I’m not deterred, as Atlanta has a clear path to making this one more competitive.

The Hawks were a putrid 12 of 19 from the charity stripe, falling well below their season average of 77.4%. New York hit 25 of 30 free throws, and Atlanta can do a better job at limiting opportunities there. The Hawks went 18-8 ATS between the All-Star break and the end of the season, and I expect them to keep this one close as they look to avoid a 2-0 hole.

The Hawks and Knicks faced off four times this season, finishing with combined game totals of 215, 213, 210, and 253. Game 1 finished just a bucket shy of hitting the Over, and I’m betting on that extra bucket in Game 2.

Atlanta’s shooting was off, as the team hit just 44% of their field-goal attempts, and leading scorer Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with only 17 points on a miserable 6-for-17 shooting. A slightly more efficient offensive attack from the visitors should push this one to hit the Over.

Hawks vs Knicks SGP

  • Dyson Daniels Over 11.5 rebounds + assists
  • Hawks +5.5
  • Over 217

Our "from downtown" SGP: Garden Buckets

Jalen Brunson has been at his best at home, averaging 27 at Madison Square Garden and 25.1 at all other venues. He’s averaged 29 points in four matchups with the Hawks. 

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points in Game 1, and he went for 21 and 36 in two other matchups with Atlanta this season. He’s got a size advantage against the Hawks’ undersized frontcourt.

Alexander-Walker averaged a career-best 20.8 points per game this season and scored 20+ in 46 of 78 appearances. NAW reached that scoring total in 24 of 39 road games, and I expect a bounce-back performance after his inefficient Game 1.

CJ McCollum finished with a team-high 26 points in Game 1, and in 76 games between the Wizards and Hawks, he scored 18+ points 40 times.

Hawks vs Knicks SGP

  • Over 217
  • Jalen Brunson Over 28.5 points
  • Karl-Anthony Towns Over 20.5 points
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 19.5 points
  • CJ McCollum Over 17.5 points

Hawks vs Knicks odds for Game 2

  • Spread: Hawks +5.5 (-110) | Knicks -5.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Hawks +190 | Knicks -230
  • Over/Under: Over 217 (-110) | Under 217 (-110)

Hawks vs Knicks betting trend to know

The Hawks have cashed the moneyline in 31 of their last 50 games for +14.55 units and a 12% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Knicks.

How to watch Hawks vs Knicks Game 2

LocationMadison Square Garden, New York, NY
DateMonday, April 20, 2026
Tip-off8:00 p.m. ET
TVNBC

Hawks vs Knicks latest injuries

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Guardians Win the Series Over Orioles

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 19: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Guardians and Baltimore Orioles faced off for the final game of the four game series. With the Guardians up 2-1 on the series, the worst case was a series split. A welcomed change of pace after dropping back-to-back series.

Joey Cantillo took the mound for the Guards and had a rocky start. In the first 9 pitches, he only threw 2 strikes and had two runners on via a single and walk. Austin Hedges visited the mound and Joey locked in for the next 3 innings. Through the fourth inning he drastically improved his strike/pitch rate and kept Baltimore to two base runners.

The defense behind Cantillo looked to start the game in prime form with David Fry making a stellar catch in right field to end the third.

It took the Guardians a few innings to get the offense rolling. In the bottom of the third inning, Austin Hedges reached on a fielding error then went first to third on Brayan Rocchio’s single. Steven Kwan’s sac fly scored Hedgey, putting Cleveland on the board first.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Guards pulled further ahead of the Orioles, building on their lead. José Ramírez hit a first pitch, lead off home run. He punished the 89.8 mph four-seamer, launching it 408ft to the bleachers.

It didn’t stop there, either. David Fry got on base with a single to left. Daniel Schneemann worked a full count and drew a walk after facing eight pitches. Juan Brito doubled, scoring two. Schneemann had a great jump on Brito’s double. The misread by Oriole’s outfielder Blaze Alexander gave Schnee the timing he needed to score.

The final run of the inning came with two outs. Brayan Rocchio slapped a single to left that scored Brito from second base.

Things fell apart for Cantillo and the defense in the top of the fifth. Joey struggled pitching again, giving up a walk and a single before recording the first out. Taylor Ward hit a home run off of Cantillo, bringing the Orioles within two runs of tying. With two outs, Pete Alonso singled and Jonathan Rodríguez walked, putting Cantillo in the same situation for the second time in the inning resulting in his early pull from the game. Vogt turned to Matt Festa to finish out the inning. Matt Festa did his job, getting a hit directly to the second baseman Juan Brito sure to end the inning. Except, Brito committed a throwing error, loading the bases instead. The Baltimore pinch hitter hit up the middle in what should have been the third out, again. And, again, Juan Brito couldn’t flip the ball to Brayan Rocchio in time for the out, resulting in a fielder’s choice that brought Baltimore within one and loaded the bases. Thankfully Steven Kwan was able to nab a fly out to center to finally retire the side. Cantillo finished the day having gone 4.2IP, 5H, 4R/3ER, 6K.

José Ramírez came up to bat in the bottom of the fifth with one out and promptly reminded us fans that he is capable of single handedly changing the flow of a game. José saw a ball, took a strike, and then launched a low changeup to the porch in left field.

His second home run of the game aptly put him in sole possession of second most home runs at home in franchise history.

Peyton Pallette came out in the top of the sixth to pitch for Cleveland. He made two quick outs and was assisted by a great play in left by Angel Martínez to retire the side.

Peyton stayed in, going 1-2-3 in the seventh. Erik Sabrowski came on in the eighth giving up a walk, but then striking out the next three batters. In the bottom of the eighth Rhys Hoskins drew a lead off walk, and with David Fry’s single up the middle and a walk from Daniel Schneemann, they loaded the bases with no outs. Brayan Rocchio delivered with a two-out, two-run single on a liner to center.

Shawn Armstrong closed the game out in a non-save situation. Armstrong and Angel retired the Orioles 1-2-3, with Angel making another great catch in center. The Guardians win the game and win the series. The Houston Astros are coming to town for a three game series starting tomorrow night, in Cleveland.

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Orioles scores: Rogers gets torched, O’s offense falls short again in 8-4 loss to Guardians

Apr 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) walks to the dugout after striking out during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

The Orioles dropped the finale of their four-game series to the Guardians, 8-4, as their offense underachieved again, their defense continued to stink, and their erstwhile ace coughed up six runs and suffered a noticeable velocity dip in his second straight ugly outing.

Other than that, though, it was a great afternoon of baseball.

The first four innings of this game featured the classic combination of terrible 2026 Orioles baseball — offensive futility and defensive shenanigans — along with the unfortunate new wrinkle of a horrendous Trevor Rogers performance. Normally, Trevor Rogers Day is one of celebration, in which fans can take comfort that they’ll at least get a quality outing from the Orioles ace. Today, though, he was sucked into the abyss of ineptitude that’s swallowed up so many of his teammates.

Things started out innocently enough, with Rogers mowing down the first seven batters he faced. But then came the defensive shenanigans I referred to earlier, and Rogers has nobody to blame but himself. On an Austin Hedges grounder to first base, Rogers raced to the bag to receive the feed from Pete Alonso, and then just…ran right past the base. He couldn’t get back before Hedges reached safely, and Cleveland had a gift baserunner on the Rogers error.

The Guardians, of course, took full advantage, because every Orioles defensive misplay is required to lead to at least one run. It’s in the MLB rulebook, look it up. Brayan Rocchio advanced Hedges to third on a single, and Steven Kwan scored him on a sac fly. An inning later, the Guardians made it 2-0 when José Ramírez blasted Rogers for a home run to left, the 290th of his Hall of Fame career. Well, there’s no shame in giving up a dinger to a guy like that, and at least things hadn’t spiraled out of control for Rogers.

…Oh. I spoke too soon. After the home run, Rogers suddenly couldn’t get anyone out. A single and a walk brought up Juan Brito, who lofted a shot to deep center field. It wasn’t an easily catchable ball, but a natural center fielder might’ve had a play on it. Unfortunately, the Orioles’ center fielder on this day was infielder Blaze Alexander, who got himself turned around and had no chance to reach the warning track as the ball fell in safely. Two runs scored on the double. If I could make a humble suggestion to the Orioles: maybe stop playing infielders in the outfield?

Two batters later, Brito scored on a Rocchio RBI single, extending the Cleveland lead to 5-0. It marked the second straight outing in which Rogers allowed four or more runs, something he hadn’t done since May 2024 with the Marlins (somehow he didn’t even do it in his disastrous four-start debut with the Orioles in September 2024). Not only that, but Rogers’ fastball velocity was notably down nearly 3 mph from his average. It’s fine. This is fine. Everything is fine. Rogers gutted through five innings, but coughed up a second Ramírez homer before he left.

As for the Orioles’ offense, well, the majority of the game was the same, sad story we’ve seen this whole series and most of the season. Birds hitters looked completely inept against a cavalcade of Cleveland pitchers, making weak contact — when they made contact at all — and coming up empty in most RBI situations. The O’s put up goose eggs in eight of their nine offensive innings.

The only exception was the top of the fifth, when it briefly looked like the O’s might stage a multi-run comeback like they did in Friday’s win. Starting the inning with a 5-0 deficit, the Orioles put two runners on base for Taylor “Two Bags” Ward, who added an extra two bags in this case, cranking a three-run homer to left field to whittle the deficit to 5-3. At long last, Ward — who homered 36 times for the Angels last year — picked up his first dinger as an Oriole in his 22nd game. He’s been one of the Birds’ best hitters all season, so I wasn’t going to rag on the guy for not homering, but it’s nice to get that first one into the ledger.

The rally continued, thanks to some bad Guardians defense. With two outs, Pete Alonso singled and Johnathan Rodríguez walked, chasing starter Joey Cantillo from the game. Against reliever Matt Festa, Jeremiah Jackson shuffled a grounder to the hole on the right side. The second baseman Brito fielded it cleanly but yanked a wild throw to first, allowing Jackson to reach. The next batter, pinch-hitter Dylan Beavers, rolled a grounder near the second base bag. Again Brito fielded cleanly but again muffed the throw, lobbing too late to the shortstop Rocchio as Jackson slid in safely to second. Beavers had a gift RBI and suddenly it was just a one-run game, 5-4, with the bases loaded and the chance for more damage.

Sadly, Coby Mayo flied out harmlessly, and the Orioles essentially never threatened again. Despite the Birds’ success against the Cleveland bullpen earlier in the series, they had no answer for the Guardians’ relief crew on this day. Rule 5 righty Peyton Pallette painted the strike zone for two perfect innings, followed by a scoreless inning apiece from Erik Sabrowski and ex-Oriole Shawn Armstrong. The Guardians added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on Rocchio’s two-run single off Cameron Foster.

Before that, at least, Tyler Wells had his best outing of 2026 with two perfect innings, including five strikeouts. It’d be nice if Wells could do that in high-leverage situations, but kudos to him in any case. Tyler’s performance was one of the few highlights in another all-around ugly, lackluster showing by what’s becoming an increasingly uncompetitive Orioles team.

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Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers demolished with ease by Celtics in Game 1

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 22.5
VJ Edgecombe – 15
Joel Embiid – 11.5
Paul George – 8
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5
Justin Edwards – 4
Andre Drummond – 3
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain :’( – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

The Philadelphia 76ers were demolished 123-91 by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday afternoon. It was bad. Very bad.

The Sixers are embarking on this series without Joel Embiid, who is still recovering from an emergency appendectomy less than two weeks ago. And boy, could they use him right now. (No, I’m not saying he should be playing. I’m just saying his absence is a very palpable loss on days like today, obviously.)

This one was pretty ugly start to finish for Philly. It is amazing to watch one team be outplayed by another in truly every single facet, on every single level in a game. These two teams are just playing different sports. The Celtics have an incredibly deep, talented roster with real strategy on the court. The Sixers look like they’re playing a pick-up game, with no rhyme or reason other than just desperately clawing at any chance to get a few points.

However it was expected to go, it actually went worse.

Game 2 is on Tuesday night.

Let’s get to the Bell Ringer. Term used lightly here.

Tyrese Maxey: 21 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists

Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) controls the ball while Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) defends in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Tyrese Maxey commanded the offense for Philadelphia on Sunday in more ways than one, scoring a team-high 21 points and adding a team-high eight assists.

The problem was that the Sixers just were completely outplayed as a team. There was nothing Maxey could do individually about it to change that, especially with the Celtics prepared to pay extra defensive attention to him. There seemed to be no urgency from Nick Nurse either to start calling for more screens to help Maxey get any space with the ball. It just felt like there was little he could do given the circumstances and he produced what he could.

Of course, Maxey didn’t shoot very well like the entire team. Again, partially likely due to having anywhere from one to three Celtics in his face when trying to score. The pathetic thing is that, at 40% from the floor (8-for-20) and 25% from three-point range (25%), Maxey was actually one of the Sixers more accurate shooters on Sunday.

He was far from perfect, don’t get me wrong — he needed to get more shots to fall and had three turnovers himself. I’m just adding context that I think is relevant.

Maxey finished the game with 21 points, 1 rebound and eight assists.

VJ Edgecombe: 13 points, 3 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals

<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images

The biggest (only?) bright side to the Sixers making it to this first-round series against the Celtics is at least we are getting to give VJ Edgecombe his first NBA playoff reps in his rookie season. That’s a plus.

One of the first things I noticed about Edgecombe in this one was that he did not seem phased by the context of the game at all. First NBA playoff experience in his life, starting for a team that is coming into this series as a massive underdog to the Celtics, in Boston. It looked like just another game for Edgecombe, with the rookie playing aggressively and fearlessly as he has all year for Philadelphia.

He struggled along with his team, don’t get me wrong. It was an inefficient game for him as it was everyone else in a Sixers uniform, with the rookie shooting 6-for-16 field goals and 0-for-5 from long range. You obviously want him hitting more shots than that from the floor, but the Sixers were grasping at straws for really any opportunity to shoot, so there wasn’t exactly the most excellent spacing and shot selection available.

Seeing Edgecombe hit a big euro-step into a floater over Jayson Tatum is the kind of thing I hope Edgecombe is able to take from this series. These are just two teams on completely different levels of basketball overall, so there might not be as much success as he’d like, but there’s still a lot the rookie can develop and learn from with this experience nonetheless.

Edgecombe finished with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Porter Martone: 1 game-winning goal inGame 1

<p>(Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)</p><br> | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Nineteen-year-old Porter Martone has been in Philadelphia for less than a month, but he’s already responsible for one of the biggest, realest moments of sports-induced joy the city has experienced as of late.

The Philadelphia Flyers took Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road Saturday night when Martone scored the eventual game-winning goal. It was Martone’s first ever NHL playoff game.

Martone is already no stranger to stepping up in the clutch. His first NHL goal came back on April 5 in the regular season, when he netted an overtime winner to lift the Flyers 2-1 over the Boston Bruins.

Between having to watch this Sixers-Celtics mauling and a brilliantly-bad Phillies team, a team like the Flyers having exciting young talent stepping up in a big moment is just enough to keep us all from going completely insane right now. Flyers lead the Penguins 1-0 in the best-of-seven series. Next game, also in Pittsburgh, is Monday at 7 p.m. ET.

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Bruins vs Sabres Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for NHL Playoffs Game 1

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Buffalo Sabres winger Josh Doan proved to be an effective offensive presence throughout his first season with the club, and that strong play will continue against the Boston Bruins tonight.

My Bruins vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks expect Doan to clear his SOG prop on Sunday, April 19.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 prediction

Who will win Bruins vs Sabres Game 1?

Sabres: Buffalo's skill, team speed, and home-ice advantage should definitely be a factor after 15 years of sitting on the sidelines come playoff time. If Jeremy Swayman doesn’t stand on his head, it’ll be tough for the Bruins to hang around.

Bruins vs Sabres best bet: Josh Doan Over 1.5 shots (-150)

Josh Doan generated at least two shots in 61% of his games against Bottom-10 shot suppression teams this season. That includes three Overs in four tries against the Boston Bruins, against whom he averaged 2.75 shots per game.

He cleared this line in 10 of 12 home dates vs. Bottom-10 shot suppression sides, averaging 2.3 shots on 4.5 attempts.

Not only is the matchup good, but he’s skating on a line with Josh Norris. Doan averaged 10.22 shots on goal per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play — easily the highest of any linemate he had all season.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 same-game parlay

Doan has excelled playing alongside Norris and Zach Benson, outscoring opponents 8-2 at 5-on-5. They help elevate his offensive ceiling at even-strength.

He also skates on the No. 1 power play, where he has exposure to elite weapons like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin.

On the other side, Charlie McAvoy averaged a point per game over the second half of the season and hit the scoresheet in a remarkable 78% of his appearances. He’s in line for monstrous minutes in this high-event series, making him a good candidate to produce.

Bruins vs Sabres SGP

  • Josh Doan Over 1.5 shots
  • Josh Doan Over 0.5 points
  • Charlie McAvoy Over 0.5 points

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 goal scorer pick

Josh Doan (+285)

Josh Doan is a playoff-type player. He plays a hard-nosed game and will work to get to the dirty areas of the ice, which is what’s needed at this time of year.

He has the hands and skill to finish in tight, and he has a better track record than many realize. He ranked third on the Sabres in 5-on-5 goals and outscored the likes of Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the man advantage.

Bruins vs Sabres odds for Game 1

  • Moneyline: Bruins +130 | Sabres -150
  • Puck Line: Bruins +1.5 (-190) | Sabres -1.5 (+160)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+120) | Under 6.5 (-140)

Bruins vs Sabres trend

Josh Doan has logged five points over his last five games. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Sabres.

How to watch Bruins vs Sabres Game 1

LocationKeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
DateSunday, April 19, 2026
Puck drop7:30 p.m. ET
TVESPN

Bruins vs Sabres latest injuries

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Houston was the 'perfect place' for Kingston Flemings. Now he's off to the NBA | Exclusive

Before the season, Kingston Flemings asked Houston assistant Hollis Price what it would take to be on the walls of the Cougars' practice gym. Price said he needed to be an All-American.

Fast forward a few months later and Flemings secured that goal of one day seeing his face up on the walls at Houston, after finishing off the best season by a true freshman in Houston history. The second-team All-American is now taking the next step in his career, declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft on Sunday, April 19.

Flemings, a projected top-five pick in USA TODAY's latest NBA mock draft, said it was a tough decision to go one-and-done in college, especially after Houston's loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. After taking some time off following the Cougars' 65-55 loss, he made the unsurprising decision to take the next step.

REQUIRED READING: NBA mock draft 10.0: First-round projections before 2026 playoffs begin

"Obviously it was a hard decision whether to come back and play with my boys, take it one more year and try to go get the (national championship)," he said. "But this opportunity doesn’t come all the time. … Had to make the right decision, for sure.”

The former five-star recruit per 247Sports' Composite rankings could be the highest-selected player under coach Kelvin Sampson during his Houston tenure, with the feat currently held by Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who was selected No. 8 overall in 2023 after his true freshman season.

Despite the Cougars' recent success with seven Sweet 16 appearances and two Final Fours since 2019, Houston has only produced four NBA draft picks under Sampson, with Flemings easily possessing the highest ceiling of any Cougar under one of college basketball's best coaches.

There was no better choice for Flemings, though, and he credits his development with choosing Houston.

“I think it was the perfect place for me," he said. "Coach Sampson’s the perfect coach for me. Just coming into the year, I just tried to prove everyone right that recruited me, and just did whatever I could to win. I’m grateful for my decision.

"... If you want to win, if you want to become a better man, better player, everything like that, choose Houston. It’s not going to be easy, but every single day you come in here, you try to get better and you’ll get better in every single way.”

Flemings averaged 16.1 points with 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game this season, starting all 37 of Houston's games. He also shot 38.7% from 3-point range and was a pesky defender, averaging 1.5 steals per contest.

He made national headlines after exploding for 42 points and six assists in a 90-86 loss to Texas Tech in January, cementing himself as one of the best true freshmen in a loaded NBA draft class that includes numerous one-and-done prospects. USA TODAY projects nine of the first 10 picks to be true freshmen.

"Coming into this year, I wanted to be one of the best freshmen and I think I proved that," Flemings said.

In the coming weeks, Flemings plans on training his 3-point shot, his floater and improving his handle, aiming to dribble lower and tighter to prepare for NBA defenders.

He's also bringing the hard-nosed Houston mindset to the next level.

“I think (I'm) just a winner and someone that teammates like to play with," Flemings said. "Not going to be a bad guy for the team or a cancer. Someone the team’s going to love and a winner.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kingston Flemings details NBA draft decision in exclusive interview

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Jayson Tatum has strong return to playoffs for Celtics, who rout 76ers 123-91 in Game 1

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first playoff game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon last season, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Neemias Queta added 13 for the second-seeded Celtics.

Tatum scored 21 points in the first half, playing in just his 17th game this season following surgery last May to repair his Achilles tendon.

Boston never trailed, building a 35-point lead as coach Joe Mazzulla gave minutes to 12 players. The Celtics connected on 16 3-pointers.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston.

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and eight assists for the 76ers, who played without Joel Embiid. The 2023 MVP continues to recover following an appendectomy on April 9. It’s unclear when he will be able to return.

Paul George scored 17 points and V.J. Edgecombe added 13. Philadelphia was 4 of 23 from 3-point range.

Maxey was hounded by a Celtics defense that contested 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half and held him to 8 of 20 from the field.

Philadelphia’s 64-46 halftime deficit was its largest in a playoff game against Boston since 1982.

Tatum had 10 first-quarter points, punctuated with an emphatic two-handed dunk, to help the Celtics end the period with a 33-18 lead.

Philadelphia struggled at the outset to keep pace with Boston’s shooting, making one of its first nine attempts from 3. The 76ers also had issues keeping Boston out of the paint after Embiid’s understudies, Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, each picked up two quick fouls.

That prompted Sixers coach Nick Nurse to bring in Dominick Barlow, who played just 10 minutes in Philadelphia’s play-in victory over Orlando.

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Jalen Brunson, Knicks embrace playoff intensity entering Game 2 against Hawks: 'We've just got to be ready'

After Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' first-round series with the Atlanta Hawks does not lack playoff intensity.

Saturday's 113-102 New York win saw Knicks captain Jalen Brunson outduel CJ McCollum, who took issue with his technical foul after a kick to Brunson's midsection during a shot at the third quarter's 1:40 mark and the Hawks facing a 57-55 deficit.

"I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show," McCollum said after Saturday's game. "He acted it out until they reviewed it. It's a normal jump shot, nothing there -- unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 (fine) back."

Brunson told reporters after the Knicks' Sunday practice that he has "no reaction" to McCollum's postgame comments.

"I didn't see it," New York coach Mike Brown said Sunday of McCollum's postgame comments. "A lot of guys are going to say a lot of things throughout the course of the playoffs. So, whatever people want to say, that's up to them."

Brunson's game-high 28 points edged McCollum's 26, combining with Knicks co-star Karl-Anthony Towns to lead a full team effort for third-seeded New York against sixth-seeded Atlanta.

"We've just got to be ready for them," Brunson said Sunday, referencing Monday's 8 p.m. tipoff for Game 2. "You just know that teams usually bounce back after a loss, and so we've got to be ready to up our intensity, up our physicality and just be ready to match theirs. They're a good team, they're well-coached and they're going to be ready to go."

The Knicks seek a 2-0 lead at the Garden before the best-of-seven set goes to Atlanta for Thursday's 7 p.m. Game 3.

"It's one of those things you have to be there and experience it to really understand it," New York wing Josh Hart said of MSG's postseason energy Sunday. "Obviously, regular season's always fun, it's always cool. And I was talking to (Yankees right-hander) Cam Schlittler (Saturday) about it -- playoffs in New York is different. The vibe is different. Everything is heightened in the Garden and, obviously, for them at Yankee Stadium. You've got to experience it, man -- the energy, the passion, the love, it's crazy."

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Game 21: Tigers at Red Sox, Garrett Crochet battles both Detroit and the weather

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After getting absolutely annihilated in his previous start on Monday in Minnesota to the tune of 11 runs in just 1.2 innings, Garrett Crochet is set to retake the mound today and convince us all that everything will be fine as far as he and his health are concerned.

Unfortunately, he won’t just be battling the Tigers. Mother Nature is once again destined to play a roll in today’s match up, and here’s how the radar looks inside of an hour from first pitch:

The good news is the initial batch of heavier precipitation has moved out and east of Boston, but more unsettled weather still lurks to the west ahead of a slow moving front. That mess will push through eastern Massachusetts over the next several hours, filling in the current dry slot. While this incoming precipitation won’t be as heavy as what fell at times earlier today, it will come attached with colder and windier conditions, so a miserable weather game lies ahead (if they even try and play through it at all — The Yankees did not and waited around for three hours before starting their game against the Royals at 4:20pm). The other option will be to just wait until after sunset when it will be dryer, but still very cold and windy.

When they do get started, today’s lineup includes Roman Anthony leading off in leftfield, Andruw Monasterio at first base, and Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, and Marcelo Mayer all starting on the bench with an opposing left-handed starter on the mound in Framber Valdez for Detroit.

OTM’s own pitching guru Jacob Roy will be around later to handle the postgame wrap and tell us if we should should be freaking out or breathing a sigh a relief when it comes to Crochet.

Today’s Lineups

TIGERSRED SOX
Jahmai Jones – DHRoman Anthony – LF
Gleyber Torres – 2BAndruw Monasterio – 1B
Matt Vierling – CFWillson Contreras – DH
Dillon Dingler – CTrevor Story – SS
Riley Greene – LFWilyer Abreu – RF
Wenceel Perez – RFCeddanne Rafaela – CF
Spencer Torkelson – 1BCaleb Durbin – 3B
Hao-Yu Lee – 3BCarlos Narvaez – C
Javier Baez – SSIsiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B
Framber Valdez – LHPGarrett Crochet – LHP
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Dom Smith, Michael Harris II return to lineup as Braves seek series sweep vs. PHI

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates in the fourth inningduring the game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A sweep on Sunday Night Baseball sounds pretty sweet to me.

The Atlanta Braves will run with their standard lineup opposing RHPs to face Phillies rookie Andrew Painter. Michael Harris II, who came into last night’s game in the seventh once lefty Cristopher Sanchez departed, is back in his usual spot in the nine hole and in center field. Dominic Smith (of the big moments) is penciled in to bat seventh. Does his .362 / 1.040 OPS tear make him one of the best hitters ever designated? Some are saying… but discuss amongst yourselves.

The Phillies are looking to salvage the series.

Catcher JT Realmuto is absent for the finale, dealing with the lower back tightness that caused him to leave the game in the top of the seventh last night.

Instead, we’ll see Brandon Marsh patrol left field and batting fifth, Bryson Stott at second base and batting seventh, backup catcher Rafael Marchán batting eighth, and Justin Crawford batting ninth.

A four game set awaits in the nation’s capitol. But first, the only team to not lose a series yet this season will try for their first sweep against their division rivals in Philly starting at 7:20 pm ET on Peacock. (And thankfully, C.J. Nitkowskiwill be in the booth tonight!)

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