Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
The Bombers enjoyed a day off on Thursday, before kicking off a set with the Orioles at home this weekend. With an early slate of games taking up much of Thursday, there wasn’t much positive movement for the American League’s top teams. Between a split double header, grand slams and a tough Jays loss to the Twins, let’s take a look at what happened on Thursday.
Minnesota Twins (13-19) 7, Toronto Blue Jays (14-17) 1
After two much-needed wins against the Red Sox, the Blue Jays dropped a dud against the Twins on Thursday. Despite an early lead and a strong start to the game for Toronto, the middling Minnesota squad took control of this game in the second half.
Kevin Gausman was on the hill for the Jays, who has had a terrific start to the 2026 season. He looked good to begin his outing, as the veteran righty fired three scoreless innings out of the gate, though it was matched by Bailey Ober for the Twins. Toronto broke out first with the bats, when Daulton Varsho belted his fourth homer of the season in the fourth inning, a solo shot to open the scoring.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Ryan Jeffers tagged Gausman with a two-run blast in the following half inning, which turned Minnesota’s deficit into a lead with one swing of the bat.
Two innings later, the Twins tacked on two more runs, fueled in part by Byron Buxton’s eighth home run of the season. In the eighth, they added some additional insurance thanks to RBIs from Josh Bell and Luke Keaschall against the Toronto ‘pen. With a six-run lead in tow, the Twins were able to cruise to victory in the series opener, as the Jays fall to fourth in the AL East, two games ahead of the Red Sox, who had the day off on Thursday.
Other Games
Detroit Tigers (16-16) 5, Atlanta Braves (22-10) 2: Despite a shaky start in the outing, Framber Valdez turned in a good start for the Tigers. Two early runs were the only marks on his day, as he finished striking out eight across his six solid innings of work. Detroit overcame a 2-0 deficit thanks in part to four runs in their final two innings, with doubles from Matt Vierling and Dillon Dingler leading the charge for the rally.
Baltimore Orioles (15-15) 10, Houston Astros (11-20) 3 (Game 1): The Orioles hosted the Astros for a back-to-back double header on Thursday, making up a rain out from Wednesday. In the first, The Orioles took command in the middle innings, and never trailed on their way to a win. A pair of grand slams usually does the trick, and the O’s got just that from Adley Rutschman in the fifth and Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh. Chris Bassitt also turned in a very good start, tossing 6.2 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven.
Houston Astros (12-20) 11, Baltimore Orioles (15-16) 5 (Game 2): The Astros flipped the script in the second game, jumping out to an early lead and putting up a double-digit run total of their own. After five runs in the first, Yordan Alvarez padded Houston’s lead in the second with his 12th home run of the season. Lance McCullers Jr. struck out nine in his six frames for the ‘Stros.
The Cubs just completed a 17-9 April and have won 12 of their last 15.
The Diamondbacks come to Wrigley having lost six of their last nine. The Cubs just finished taking two of three from the Padres, whose previous series was in Mexico City against… the Diamondbacks. That series was split. Arizona stopped off in Milwaukee before they headed to Wrigley for the weekend.
For more on the D-backs, here’s Jim McLennan, manager of our SB Nation D-backs site AZ Snakepit.
After being outscored in Milwaukee 28-9, the D-backs will hope for better in Chicago. Somehow, Arizona finished April better than .500, despite being outscored by 24 runs to date. This is mostly due to a severe blowout deficit: of seven games decided by more than five runs, the Diamondbacks have won only one. Their pitching has been very shaky: the D-backs came into Thursday ranked 27th for ERA, and the 13-1 loss in the series finale against the Brewers will not have helped that position. There have been bright spots. Eduardo Rodriguez finally looks like the pitcher signed to an $80 million contract in December 2023. Juan Morillo and Taylor Clarke have been effective out of the bullpen. But Merrill Kelly has been a shadow of his former self, and backup catcher James McCann is on pace for twenty-two appearances on the mound.
The offense has been solid generally, and that’s without major contributions from Ketel Marte (.682 OPS) and Geraldo Perdomo (.729), though the last of our “Big 3” from last year, Corbin Carroll, has been as effective as ever. Arizona has been getting production from unexpected sources instead. None more unexpected than Ildemaro Vargas. Now in his tenth season, he came into the year with a career OPS+ of just 78. But he ends April leading the majors in average at .378, and the NL in OPS (1.087). Sustainable? Almost certainly not. But it has been a nice story. His current 26-game hitting streak, dating back to last season, is the second longest in franchise history (Paul Goldschmidt reached 30 games). Elsewhere, rookie Jose Fernandez and veteran Nolan Arenado have also performed better than expected.
Before the start of the season, Arizona fans looked at the early schedule and thought, “If we can get through April at .500, that’ll be solid.” This is partly because the D-backs will be getting pitching help off the IL in the coming months, in the shapes of Corbin Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk. Though with all three coming off elbow surgery of various kinds, their effectiveness is to be determined. April is done, and at 16-14, the D-backs are above the intended mark. Though it certainly helped that the Mets and Phillies, part of that early schedule, have been nowhere near as good as expected. But it does feel like the current record is illusory, or at least, lucky. If the pitching doesn’t come round, there could be some harsh regression in store for the Diamondbacks, though the offense should prove capable of scoring runs as well.
Fun facts
The Cubs lost the first games of their first four homestands or road trips. They lost at home to the Nationals on Opening Day, 10-4, and to the Pirates on April 10, 2-0. They snapped the streak on April 17 with a 12-4 win over the Mets. … The Cubs’ next win at home over the Diamondbacks will be their 50th since the rivalry began in 1998. They have lost 45. At Arizona, the Cubs are just 41-55, so they trail overall, 100-90. … Last year, the Cubs won two of the three meetings at Wrigley Field, for their first series win at home vs. the Snakes since 2021. They had lost three of four in 2022 and 2023, then two of three in 2024. The Cubs’ last three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks was in 2015. This is the 10th series on the North Side since then.
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Diamondbacks market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Cubs are starting two left-handers in this series. It should be noted, then, that the D-backs are 6-0 vs. LH starters so far this year. Those lefties are: Trevor Rogers, Anthony Kay, Martin Perez, Jesús Luzardo, David Peterson and Tarik Skubal, who they beat 1-0. So I don’t know that there’s any predictive value there, just thought it was interesting.
Where was I? Oh, yes, a series prediction. Two of three.
Up next
The Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds in a four-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.
Nico Hoerner (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cubs and the Diamondbacks are possibly rivals for a wild-card berth into the playoffs. On 27 April, FanGraphs projected them to win 86 and 82 games. This series could possibly decide which team reaches the playoffs.
The Cubs were recently playing hot, with a 10 game winning streak through 24 April. It ended with two losses to the Dodgers.
Top-level comparisons follow.
Offense. This season through 26 April, the Cubs averaged more runs scored per game (5.32 vs 4.89). Swing decisions contributed to that difference. Through 26 April, when each team swung at a pitch in the ‘waste zone’ (well outside the strike zone), they whiffed at the same rate (84%). The difference was the Cubs swung at only 5.4% of ‘waste zone’ pitches, while the Diamondbacks swung at 12.4% of ‘waste zone’ pitches (the highest swing rate in the Majors).
Defense. The Cubs were better in OAA (but tied in DRS) through 26 April (Outs above average, OAA +17 vs +5, Defensive Runs Saved, DRS +16 vs +16).
Bullpen. This season through 26 April, shutdown performances by the Diamondbacks bullpen were almost double the White Sox bullpen (36 vs 19).
Starting Pitcher Matchups. The matchups are even.
Cubs Player to Watch.
Nico Hoerner.
Defense. He won Gold Gloves in 2023 and 2025 for his play at second base. This season, his 3 OAA ranks 7th in the Majors. Ian Happ, playing left field, who has won Gold Gloves in the latest four seasons, said Nico Hoerner is the definition of a great baseball player.
Batting. Each season starting 2020, his OPS+ was over 100. This season’s 170 is a career best. He had 20 RBIs in the first 20 games. Extrapolating, will he have 160 RBIs by the end of the season? He rarely whiffs (10.1% through 18 April). He has a high squared-up rate (32.6% through 18 April).
Overall Value. In games through 18 April, his 1.7 bWAR led the Majors.
He likes pizza. In a recent interview, he replied 10 to 12, when asked the most slices of pizza he can eat in one sitting.
Pitching Matchups.
Friday, 11:20 AM MST.
Zac Gallen. On 25 April, a comeback hit his shoulder. On 26 Nick Piecoro wrote that Torey Lovullo said Gallen was “doing better today.” It is very likely he will pitch this game, which is his next regular start. This season he started 6 games with an ERA of 3.14.
Colin Rea. On 25 April, in the game that broke the Cubs’ 10-game winning streak, he allowed 6 earned runs in 3.1 innings against the Dodgers. Does he have the mental strength to bounce back?
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Diamondbacks.
Saturday, 11:20 AM MST.
Ryne Nelson. He has allowed 14 earned runs in his last 5.1 innings pitched (2 games). I’m confident he will bounce back. Prior to those games, his ERA was 3.54.
Shota Imanaga. His season ERA is 3.15.
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Cubs.
Sunday, 11:20 AM MST.
Merrill Kelly. In his first two starts, his ERA was 9.31. The root cause was his start against the White Sox. Inn game three, he struggled with his command. He walked 5 batters in the first five innings. In the fourth inning, a two-run single scored two walked batters. It happened when his fastball missed the target, instead crossing the center of the plate. If he again struggles, he may not complete 5 innings.
Matthew Boyd. This season, his ERA is 7.00. In three of his four starts, he did not complete 5 innings. That’s encouraging because the Diamondbacks bullpen has twice as many shutdowns.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Maria Lysaker/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you haven’t been paying much attention to non-Orioles baseball so far this year, I regret to inform you that the 2026 New York Yankees are a good team. Their 20 wins are the most in the American League. They have scored 153 runs, second-most in the AL. They have allowed 106, which is the fewest. And while the Orioles spent yesterday playing a doubleheader, the Yankees had an off day.
It could be a long four-game series. And, in fact, the Orioles play the Yankees in seven of the next 13 games.
On offense, the Yankees are being led, as expected, by Aaron Judge. In his 11th season, Judge leads the league with 12 home runs and has an OPS of 1.002. More surprising is first baseman Ben Rice, who has 10 home runs and an even higher OPS than Judge. In Rice’s case, something tells me that a .373 BABIP and a17.2% walk rate are probably not sustainable. Arguably, they are the best offense in the AL.
The starting pitching on the Yankees has been insanely good this year. It has been the best in baseball. The Orioles will face their top four starters in this series. Two of them are lefties. Three of them have K/9 over 10. They just called up one of their top prospects, Elmer Rodríguez, to round out the rotation.
The relief pitching hasn’t been as good as the starters, but they have still been good with an opposing OPS of .710. Closer David Bednar leads the league with nine saves, but his ERA of 3.55 and WHIP of 1.658 are a little ugly.
Note: As of Thursday night, the Orioles have not announced any starters for this series. Chris Bassitt and Brandon Young pitched yesterday, so they are out. With Trevor Rogers and Dean Kremer on the IL, it’s unclear how things will shake out.
Kyle Bradish could pitch on regular rest tonight and Shane Baz could pitch on regular rest on Sunday. Down in the minors, Cade Povich last pitched on April 25th. It stands to reason he’ll be called up for this series to pitch today or tomorrow. As for Monday? Maybe Albert Suárez, if they add him back to the 40-man.
Game 1: Friday, 7:05
TBD vs RHP Will Warren (3-0, 2.59 ERA, 37 SO)
After pitching to a 4.44 ERA over 33 starts last year and getting a few Rookie of the Year votes, Warren is off to a great start in 2026. After failing to pitch deep into the game in his first four starts, Warren has gone seven and six innings in his last two.
So far this year, Warren has good numbers across the board with a 28.7% strikeout rate and just a 5.4% walk rate. When he isn’t striking guys out, he is getting groundouts 48.8% of the time. He’s been doing this despite an average fastball velocity of 93.9 mph.
Last year, Warren faced the Orioles four times, and they did pretty well against him. In 20 innings, he gave up 11 runs (4.95 ERA) and the Orioles hit .272/.333/.506. But that was 4.44 ERA Warren, not 2.59 ERA Warren. In limited plate appearances, Gunnar Henderson (3-for-7, 4 BB) and Colton Cowser (3-for-7) have fared well against Warren.
Game 2: Saturday, 1:35
TBD vs LHP Ryan Weathers 1-2, 3.21 ERA, 40 SO
Lefty alert! The Yankees traded for Weathers in January, with the 26-year-old pitcher coming to the American League for the first time in his career. After a tough start with the Padres, Weathers looked good for the Marlins over the last two seasons before the trade. That has continued for six starts this year with the Yankees.
Weathers is a big strikeout guy with a K rate of just under 30% so far this year, but has struggled with the homer. He’s given up five long balls in six starts, but none in his last appearance against the Astros.
Weathers has never faced the Orioles, and no current Orioles have much experience against him.
Game 3: Sunday, 1:35
TBD vs LHP Max Fried (4-1, 2.09 ERA, 37 SO)
Oh great. Max Fried. Back-to-back lefties!
Imagine a world where the Orioles had signed Max Fried before the 2025 season instead of the Yankees? I can’t either, but it would have been cool. Fried has been exactly what the Yankees expected after signing the ace to an eight-year contract.
Fried’s 47.1 innings pitched over seven starts is tops in the league at this point. He hasn’t been striking as many guys out so far, but is keeping guys off base with just 4.9 hits per nine innings and a WHIP of just 0.803.
Last year, Fried faced the Orioles twice. In June, Fried had the old Quality Start with three runs in six inning. In September, Fried struck out 13 Orioles in 7 shutout innings.
From their time together in the NL East, Pete Alonso has faced Fried 48 times with a hitting line of .238/.333/.405 with two home runs.
Game 4: Monday, 7:05
TBD vs RHP Cam Schlittler (4-1, 1.51 ERA, 49 SO)
Are these guys kidding me with these tiny ERAs? Come on!
The Yankees drafted Schlittler in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He debuted last year with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts and has been even better this year. He has that tiny 1.51 ERA and leads the league in FIP (1.51), WHIP (0.744), and K/BB (8.17). In case you’re wondering, the Orioles drafted Preston Johnson in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He is currently on the roster of the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League.
Schlittler’s Statcast page is a sea of red. His fastball averages over 97 mph and he has a curve ball that drops in at just 84. He strikes out over 30% of batters and hardly allows home runs.
Last year, Schlittler faced the Orioles twice. In 12.1 innings, he allowed just one run on 5 hits and struck out 15.
How do you think the Orioles will do this series? Let us know in the comments.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 29: Ildemaro Vargas #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning at American Family Field on April 29, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
McCann has set a mark by pitching more times before the end of April as a position player than anyone in MLB history, according to Baseball Reference’s Jessica Brand.
The long-time major league catcher has already thrown in four games, including Thursday’s blowout loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Woodruff’s first pitch of the game was a four-seamer at 84.2 mph, and it didn’t improve as he tried to settle into his outing. He worked around a leadoff walk with a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless first inning, then didn’t touch 85 mph with any of his pitches in the second while retiring a batter and surrendered a single to start the frame.
In hindsight, the first signs that something was amiss may have appeared in Woodruff’s previous outing against the Pirates, when 59 of his 71 pitches were varieties of fastballs. His four-seamer averaged 92.9 mph — which was actually up a tick — but he was part of the decision to come out of the game after only five innings, according to Murphy.
Despite Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff being pulled after just 1.1 innings, they still blew out the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-1 on Thursday. But in the process, Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas made Venezuelan history.
Vargas went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in the loss. He extended his hitting streak to 26, which ties the record for longest by a Venezuelan-born player, originally set by Wilson Ramos in 2019, via independent journalist Francys Romero.
Vargas’ .378 batting average is 20 points higher than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, who has the second-best batting average in baseball at .358. Vargas’ .378 batting average is 42 points ahead of Xavier Edwards of the Miami Marlins, who is in second place in the National League in batting average at .336.
With the 2026 MLB season only a month old, both the players and owners are already looking to the future. The league’s collective-bargaining agreement (CBA) expires at the end of the season, and both sides are expected to engage in multiple contentious rounds of negotiation.
In an effort to get ahead of that, the owners and MLBPA will reportedly start meeting in the coming weeks, per The Athletic. At the center of those talks is a salary cap, which the owners are eager to implement.
We’re roughly one month into the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season, and that means it’s time for a league-wide check-in. Specifically, we’re going to highlight 10 baseball entities that qualify as “pleasant surprises” thus far. What’s a surprise? Something that’s gone contrary to general expectations. What’s the pleasant part of this? It means the player/team/etc has exceeded expectations in a positive way.
Now let’s look at 10 pleasant baseball surprises that stand out through the first month of the season. We’ll proceed in no particular order, just like time itself …
The Phillies swept the Giants in Thursday’s doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park with a 3-2 walk-off victory in Game 1 and a 6-5 walk-off victory in 10 innings in Game 2, leading them to a 3-0 start under interim manager Don Mattingly.
It was the first time the Phillies had two walk-off wins on the same day since July 24, 1998, against the Marlins. The last team to accomplish the feat was the Pirates on May 28, 2004, against the Cubs.
Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) walks off the mound with an injury in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone and happy Friday!
The M’s are on national TV tonight with an Apple TV broadcast on tap for the series opener with the Royals. The Apple TV broadcast has long been my favorite of the national TV presentations. Which ones have you been impressed with so far in 2026?
Adam Jude at The Seattle Times spoke to Mariners brass about the impressive start to the season for M’s second baseman Cole Young.
Around the league…
Brewers veteran starter Brandon Woodruff was removed from yesterday’s game and will undergo an MRI after seeing an alarming drop in velocity during his outing.
Rustin Dodd at The Athletic spoke to several professional athletes — including Logan Gilbert — about why they take on a “persona” when they get on the field or court. ($)
With the first month of the minor league season in the books, we‘re checking in on the top 25 Mets prospects who made our list ahead of the 2026 season.
I was a Nolan McLean skeptic coming into the season. It’s not that I thought he would be bad, but in the 48.0 innings he pitched last season, he was basically as good as the NL and AL Cy Young Award winners and I did not think that would be sustainable over an entire season. Well, here we are a month into the 2026 season, and by the eye test and by the metrics, it seems like it might be sustainable; the right-hander is somehow even better than he was last season! One month down, five more to go, if these trends continue, the Mets might be looking at their seventh Rookie of the Year and/or fifth Cy Young Award winner, either of which would be their first since 2019 when Pete Alonso won the former and Jacob deGrom won the latter.
It’s not exactly fair to grade Carson Benge the same way I am grading everyone else on this list (with the exception of Nolan McLean, but with him, it’s a moot point). Yes, Benge is struggling, but might he be excelling if he was in Triple-A? Might another hitter who is in the upper levels of the minors right now struggle just as much, if not more, if promoted to the majors tomorrow? Over the offseason, Benge spent a lot of time working with his former head coach at Oklahoma State, Josh Holliday; his swing during his time at OSU was decidedly not a major-league swing, with too much hand movement interfering with his ability to get them into optimal hitting position and to keep his body balanced. Early in the season, it was looking like Benge had gotten into that habit, something he eliminated just prior to signing with the Mets and going pro. Whether or not he is doing this intentionally, if so, if he begins to succeed with it or adjusts and streamlines his mechanics, remains to be seen. Regardless, this is certainly not the start that even the biggest Benge critic was expecting.
It’s been a confusing month for Tong. Outside of an elevated walk rate- command has been a weakness Tong has traditionally always had, though it really wasn’t much of a noticeable issue last season- Tong is still doing everything you want to see. He has limited batters to a .211 BAA and his 38 strikeouts are most on the team and second in the International League. Issuing all those free passes and allowing five home runs in 25.1 innings will screw with your ERA, though. I’m not too worried about Tong, and obviously I’d rather see excellent performance than poor performance, but I think the right-hander will start improving as the weather warms and he gets better acclimated to the Triple-A/MLB ball.
Two games in and A.J. Ewing already has 7 hits in Triple-A. That’s…something else. After having no trouble in Single-A, High-A, or Double-A last season, Ewing continued where he left off, demolishing the Eastern League until his promotion to Syracuse earlier this week. As I’ve said before, there are things Ewing could improve, mainly improving his groundball:flyball ratio, which was a not-that-great 55.1%:22.4% in Binghamton. While it would be great if he keeps posting impressive numbers and gets promoted to Queens sooner rather than later, I’d rather see Ewing not be rushed and improve on the things he could stand improving on, so he can truly be a big-time contributor when he gets the call
Reimer has gotten off to such a cold start to the season after having such a great year last year. He has been walking a lot, which has basically been sustaining his offense- such that it is- but he has also seen a spike in his strikeout rate by nearly 10%. The rest of his batted ball data is more of less in line with the numbers he posted in 2026, so here’s hoping this is just an adjustment period while facing better pitchers.
I repeated I don’t know how many times last year that when Ryan Clifford is on, he is capable of single-handedly carrying a team, but when he’s on the schneid, he is almost unwatchable. Such has been Ryan Clifford’s April. In his first two series’, he hit .219/.265/.250 in 8 games with 1 double, 2 walks, and 16 strikeouts. In his next series, he hit .200/.333/.333 in 6 games with 2 doubles, 3 walks, and 8 strikeouts. In his next, he hit .375/.474/.875 in 5 games with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 3 walks to 2 strikeouts. In his next, he hit .217/.296/.478 in 6 games with 2 home runs and 3 walks to 11 strikeouts. As I write this, Clifford has notched just one hit in the three games in Syracuse’s current series against Lehigh Valley while drawing 1 walk and striking out 7 times- and of course it was a home run. I’m just not a believer in Clifford’s hit tool; I mean, you’d hope with a .340 BABIP, a guy could do better than a .224 average, but here we are. He’s on the cusp of the majors, at this point, he is what he is.
I had very high hopes for Watson coming into 2026, and, well, they really haven’t been realized yet. He has roughly the same sample size in Double-A Binghamton in 2026 as he did last season, and basically everything is trending in the wrong direction (with the exception of his walk rate, which is slightly improved). He is inducing about 10% fewer groundballs and is allowing about 10% more line drives, contributing to the high BABIP and the more hits allowed than innings pitched. Hopefully, as the weather improves, so too does Watson.
Jack Wenninger has been one of the bright spots in an April that has seen so many players, in the majors and in the minors, under-perform. I’m happy that the right-hander is getting the recognition that he deserves. The stuff has been effective and there are no major red flags to think that he will be hit hard by the regression bug. I do think he is performing above his head a little bit, but I think Wenninger is unquestionably a major league caliber pitcher and will pitch in some capacity sooner rather than later.
Unlike 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge, 2025 first-round pick Mitch Voit was always going to be something of a project. Not considered nearly as polished as Benge, he ran roughshod over the lower minors, while Voit is not. The infielder has been treading water in Brooklyn, anchored down a bit by a sub-.300 BABIP that he should have the ability to raise in the long haul with more line drives hit with authority and fewer weakly hit fly balls- both things he is capable of doing.
Santucci’s 5.71 ERA is pretty deceptive. He is allowing too many walks- he’s always had that problem- but outside of that, he’s doing everything else right. He’s been limiting the hits, keeping the ball on the ground at a solidly average rate, and has been striking out a surprising number of batters; with a 53.1% LOB%, it just seems like Santucci is getting burned by the relievers after him failing to get outs.
What superlatives can we use that haven’t already been used? The youngest qualified player in the Florida State League, Peña is fourth in the circuit in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, ninth in OPS, sixth in stolen bases and is walking more than he is striking out. His batted ball data is impeccable, and with the exception of not pulling the ball enough, almost perfect. Yes, he is just 18-years-old, but at this point, he is making the Florida State League look like child’s play. The Cyclones are gonna need some marquee players to put butts in those seats, let’s make it happen sooner rather than later.
Thornton was pitching exceptionally well in Double-A Binghamton last season, prior to an oblique injury sustained in early July that ended his season prematurely. This season? Not so much. So far in the young season, the left-hander is more hittable than he was last year, with his peripherals all trending in the wrong direction. Between the chilly weather and his shaking off the cobwebs, I wouldn’t be worried right now, but as a pitcher who is a sum-of-all-parts guy rather than someone with exceptional stuff, Thornton admittedly doesn’t have too much wiggle room for mistakes.
Through his first twelve games, Morabito hit .295. Over the course of his next 12, he hit .225. Nick Morabito is an extremely BABIP-dependent hitter given the fact that he hits over 50% of the balls he puts in play on the ground; case in point, he had a .333 BABIP over his first 12 games, and a .241 in his next 12. The outfielder has been walking a lot more, striking out a bit less, and has been showing a little more power as compared to last season, all of which is sorely needed ones if he wants to take the next step and become a meaningful MLB contributor on the offensive side.
Gordon began the season on the 7-Day Injured List with a lat injury. He began a rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets at the end of the month, allowing three runs on three hits while throwing 23 pitches, recording just one out.
Chris Suero was never going to run a particularly high batting average, but yeesh. Thanks to his power and his walk rate, he’s put up an above-average wRC+ though. Go figure. The backstop/outfielder has seen a 10% decrease in his line drive and groundball rates, and a massive 20% increase in his flyball rate. His Pull% dropped almost 20% while his Center% increased about 10% and his Opp% increased about 5%; in short, Suero is hitting more balls in the air, which is good, but he’s hitting fewer balls to his pull-side for power. All those extra flyballs are dying out there in center and right. Conceptually, should be a correctable issue, so here’s hoping.
Ross began the year on the 7-Day Injured List, suffering from ‘arm fatigue’. He appeared in four rehab games, two with Single-A St. Lucie and two with High-A Brooklyn, and looked fine in them. He has since appeared in a single game for Triple-A Syracuse after being activated, allowing a pair of runs in 0.2 innings, allowing a hit, walking two, and striking out one.
Lambert still is who he is; he’s been stingy allowing hits but negates that by allowing tons of walks, this season a bit more than last. Key to his schtick has been his ability to strike batters out left and right, and Lambert has not really been able to do that so far this season, at least up to his standards. Nothing about his performance has been all that red flag worthy outside of the uptick in walks and decrease in strikeouts, but we’re working with an 8.2 inning sample size here. I have confidence that things will normalize a bit as the season progresses.
Another player whose offense I expected to be depressed due to being in Brooklyn, I didn’t necessarily expect Jimenez’ batting line to be so depressing. Jimenez comes up to the plate looking to swing and swing hard, and that he does, resulting in plenty of strikeouts and plenty of poorly hit balls put in play for easy outs. Very few players hit their way out of Brooklyn, and Jimenez will likely have to either adapt, growing as a player and changing his approach to whatever degree, or risk posting the worst offensive numbers among every player in the minor league system like he is now.
Lantigua was held back in extended spring training when the minor league season began in order to better rehab a core muscle injury. He was activated at the end of the month and played in both halves of a doubleheader, notching one hit, a double.
The physical and baseball growth that was envisioned when Eli Serrano III was drafted still hasn’t manifested itself. The outfielder is walking plenty and has shown no major platoon splits against fellow left-handers, but the hit tool still isn’t up to snuff and the power still isn’t up to snuff; scouts and evaluators still rave about certain underlying hitting metrics and expected statistics, but at a certain point, we need to start seeing the results that have largely been absent.
Guzman got off to a slow start, hitting below the Mendoza line, failing to record a single extra base hit, and striking out at an elevated rate while barely walking. Around the middle of the month, things started clicking and hit a solid .275 with 4 doubles, 1 triple, and 4 home runs for the rest of the month, with 9 walks to 14 strikeouts. The strikeouts are baked into Guzman’s profile, but as long as he is hitting for power, you can live with that. He has about the same amount of games with St. Lucie this year as he did last year, and while he hasn’t been able to continue that torrid pace- he hit .333/.381/.604 with 13 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 home runs in 26 games- he has been looking solid since the middle of the month.
Expectations weren’t especially high for Gutierrez coming into the year. He showed some improvements as a hitter, the advanced metrics showed many were legitimate, and his defense generally got neutral-to-positive reviews. Playing in Brooklyn, I’m not surprised that he is struggling offensively, but more concerning to me is that there are more reports that his defense is bad. I knew he had a scattershot arm, but based on what I have heard, from what I have seen, and from the stats, it’s bad enough that he might not be able to stick behind the dish despite doing everything else back there solidly enough. As a 20-year-old catcher, there’s still plenty of time to figure things out, but he’s really going to need to improve his defense since his offensive profile is not exactly sky high.
Vargas started the season out slowly, but it looked like he was starting to come out of that funk towards the end of the month. In the last series he played in, against the Erie SeaWolves, he hit .412 with a pair of doubles and a pair of stolen bases, walking 4 times to 5 strikeouts. Unfortunately, he was placed on the on the 7-Day Injured List on the 29th with a shoulder injury.
When the basketball leaves a shooter’s hands they usually know when it’s going in. It feels soft off the fingertips, the rotation is spinning, the shot feels true.
In their first-round series against the Rockets, there’s one statistic that screams out amongst all the others: three-point shooting.
The key to the Lakers winning the series is simple: make more threes. The team that’s shot better from deep in every game has won.
NBAE via Getty Images
The math is simple: whichever team shoots better from three, they win the game.
For the Lakers, they started this series scorching hot from the perimeter.
Game 1: Lakers at 52.6% from deep — win.
Game 2: Lakers at 46.4% — win.
Game 3: Lakers at 41.4% — win.
Through the first three games, the Lakers efficiency from beyond the arc changed the geometry of the game.
Luke Kennard was great in the first three games of the series but struggled in the last two. He needs to find a way to have a bigger impact offensively if Los Angeles wants to advance. NBAE via Getty Images
But in Games 4 and 5 of the series, when those three-point shots weren’t falling, everything collapsed.
Game 4: Lakers at 22.7% — loss.
Game 5: Lakers at 25.9% — loss.
In the two losses the Lakers shot a combined 12 for 49 from three. An average of 24%. That’s not a variance. That’s a problem.
In the first three games, Houston shot an average of 28.5% from three.
However, in the last two games, the Rockets have not only shot at a higher clip of 37.5%, they’ve more than doubled up the Lakers in made threes overall with 26 combined made threes..
“You gotta give them a lot of credit. They made shots tonight, including some guys who normally don’t make threes,” said J.J. Redick after Game 5. “We just couldn’t make shots. We had some good looks from three that didn’t go down.”
One stat that hasn’t changed all series is the significantly more shots the Rockets have attempted compared to the Lakers. Houston has attempted 69 more field goals than Los Angeles across the five games in the series. That’s not a typo.
That’s what happens when you turn the ball over as much as the Lakers have, including more than 20 turnovers in Games 3 and 4.
Austin Reaves’ return was supposed to be a major boost for a struggling offense, but he shot 4-for-16 from the field in Game 5. NBAE via Getty Images
The Rockets also average nearly 15 offensive rebounds per game. They are the best offensive rebounding team in the league, and in the last 25 years.
When you lose the possession battle as badly as the Lakers have you better shoot the lights out to counteract that. That’s what the Lakers did early in the series. Now they aren’t and the consequences are dire.
Part of the change is the regression to the mean. The Lakers shot 36% from three during the regular season, and after starting the series at 46.8%, they are now averaging 37.7% for the series. Much closer to where they were during the season.
Part of it is bad luck. The Lakers had at least a dozen shots rim out in Game 5. Including several that were halfway down the basket before bouncing out.
Rui Hachimura’s emergence has been a win for the Lakers, but he needs to play a bigger role Friday night in Game 6. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Part of it is the Rockets adjustments. And through five games in the series, they’re finally figuring out the Lakers.
Early in the series, Luke Kennard, who led the league in three-point shooting percentage this season, was given room to operate on the court. In the first game of the series, he punished Houston. He wasn’t quite as hot in the next two games, but he was still lethal from long range.
In Games 4 and 5, Houston started hunting him defensively. Following him around like a shadow. The result? Kennard is 0-for-7 from three in the last two games.
Reaves’ return in Game 5 injected energy and excitement but he was rustier than a swing set in an abandoned park. After missing the last four weeks with an oblique injury, he struggled to find his rhythm in his return, shooting 4-for-16 from the field, and 2-for-8 from deep.
And then there’s James.
He might be the biggest offender of them all. After shooting 44% from deep in the first three games, he’s 0-for-9 combined in the last two.
In the GOAT conversation, LeBron James’ legacy will never be the same if the Lakers become the first team in NBA history to lose when up 3-0. AP
At 41 years old, he can still dominate a game, including summoning his greatness when needed. But what he can’t do anymore is sustain that level of play for 40+ minutes a game over a grueling, physical, and punishing seven-game series.
And Houston knows it.
Once shooting stops being a weapon, it becomes a liability. So what do the Lakers do when the three-ball has gone missing? Will they adjust in Game 6?
If the Lakers don’t rediscover their perimeter touch soon, no other adjustments will matter. The math in this series has already told us everything we need to know.
If you shoot better from three, you win the game. Miss them, and you lose.
And if the Lakers lose two more, they will be on the wrong side of history forever.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the second quarter of a game against the Boston Celtics in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is what the Sixers were supposed to look like. This is who they were supposed to be, from the moment Paul George arrived in the summer of 2024, satchelful of Josh Harris’ cash in hand and visions of greatness dancing in his head.
Which is to say, connected and competitive. Explosive and entertaining. Versatile and voracious.
With the season seemingly lost, they have suddenly found themselves, beating Boston twice to even their best-of-seven first-round playoff series at three games apiece, with Game 7 scheduled for Saturday night in TD Garden.
Nobody saw this coming. Not after the Celtics clubbed the Sixers last Sunday — yes, it was just five days ago — to go up 3-1 in the series. But the Sixers used a dominant fourth quarter to win Game 5 on the road, and on Thursday stormed to a 23-point lead before prevailing, 106-93.
The offense hummed. The defense was active. The crowd was alive.
Pretty complete night. Except for one thing.
“It really does not matter,” Nick Nurse said.
He noted that in the playoffs, each game is an entity unto itself, that momentum is a myth. Which was his way of saying that none of this means a thing if they don’t finish the job.
“I’m tired of losing to them,” said Joel Embiid, who has seen the Celtics end the Sixers’ season three times in his 10 seasons. “We have a chance to accomplish something special.”
Certainly his return three games ago from an emergency appendectomy has galvanized the team. He poured in 33 points in Game 5, and while he shot poorly Thursday (6-for-18), he “commanded the offense,” in Nurse’s estimation, assembling a 19-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist stat line. (In another lifetime, Brett Brown would have said Embiid “quarterbacked the gym.”)
Meanwhile Tyrese Maxey was slithering his way to 30 points, and George was providing two-way excellence, scoring 23 while jousting defensively with Boston’s two excellent wings, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Kelly Oubre Jr. and VJ Edgecombe scored 14 points apiece, and the Sixers won the rebound battle for the first time in the series. (It’s also possible they had something to do with the C’s dismal 12-for-41 three-point shooting, though it appeared Boston missed a ton of open looks, too.)
Again, this was the blueprint when George, a nine-time All-Star, signed his four-year, $212 million free-agent contract with Philadelphia in 2024. This was Daryl Morey’s fever dream. But ill health has plagued Embiid and George, the major reason the Sixers won just 24 games in 2024-25 and eked out a so-so 45 this season. (Not to be forgotten, either, is the 25-game suspension George served this year for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.)
Now, George said, they are “super, super close” to becoming the team they hoped to be, way back when — a team on which “no one has to go out there and do it alone,” as he put it.
“I was more than fine coming in, being a third option and allowing those guys (i.e., Maxey and Embiid) to be themselves offensively,” he added. “I told ‘em, ‘I’m gonna get the stops. You guys go out there and go score, and be who you are on the offensive end.’”
So optimistic was George that on Media Day 2024 he declared that the team “should compete for a championship.” Turns out that the only good thing to come out of the season was the opportunity to draft Edgecombe at No. 3 last June.
Even so, the Sixers have seldom had their entire team on the court. Now they do. Now things have “kind of been playing out” the way George envisioned.
“I mean, it’s a joy and a pleasure to watch Tyrese get better, and Joel out there healthy,” he said. “It’s been fun.”
In Game 5 the Sixers repeatedly dumped the ball down low to Embiid in the second half, and he either exploited his mismatch with Boston’s centers or when double-teamed pitched the ball out to open shooters. The Sixers wound up outscoring the Celtics 28-11 in the fourth quarter to win, 113-97.
That put the fans in a giddy mood for Game 6. They cheered loudly when public-address announcer Matt Cord, in what might or might not have been his last game, noted that there were no Sixers injuries to report shortly before tipoff, and cheered even louder when Embiid joined his teammates on the court for warm-ups.
He went right to work, scoring the Sixers’ first five points on a short jumper and a three-point play. Boston nonetheless led after a quarter, 23-20, but Maxey notched 13 of his points in the second quarter and George added 10 of his points in the third, as the Sixers outscored the Celtics 62-40 over those two periods to take command.
In one sparkling sequence early in the third, Embiid and George fired respective behind-the-back passes to Oubre and Edgecombe for dunks, the latter after Oubre denied Brown at the rim to ignite a fast break.
Now the place was really jumping, and at night’s end the fans reprised their “We want Boston” chant, first heard in the play-in game against Orlando and mocked by Boston followers in Game 4.
But again, none of this matters anymore. All that matters is Game 7, and in looking ahead Maxey dipped deep into the cliche handbook.
“Sometimes it’s not about the X’s and O’s,” he said. “It’s about the Jims and Joes.”
Or, at least, the Jos. Among others.
“It’s gonna be a dogfight,” Maxey added. “It’s gonna be extremely difficult, every single second. Gonna be a roller-coaster ride.”
As Oubre said, “I wouldn’t say we’ve gotta be perfect, but we’ve gotta be close to it.”
Really, though, they just need to be themselves. They need to be who they thought they could be, and who they have finally revealed themselves to be. And not a moment too soon, either.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
#1 – ¿Dónde está España?
The Celtics’ Spain pick-and-roll action is the most efficient play call they have, especially against a big man like Joël Embiid. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise to see them go to this action to start the game.
First with Sam Hauser and then with Jayson Tatum, the Celtics scored their first four points with this play call. Embiid really struggles to protect the drive, and Paul George can’t always stay connected to the ball-handler. Therefore, this creates opportunities at the rim—what more can you ask for?
Well, after running it twice in the first three minutes of the game, they stopped it for 16 minutes, and we had to wait until the end of the second quarter to see that play again. Why? Why change an offensive play call that works, that has been working all season, in an elimination game?
The Celtics ran it only a few times in the first half, and when you consider how efficient these actions are, it is hard to understand the reasoning that led the Celtics away from that movement.
The Celtics are scoring at a very poor efficiency rate against Paul George in isolation this series, but they are also struggling against the usual mismatches. Tyrese Maxey has been much better than in previous years at staying in front of Jaylen Brown, and he is now able to force mid-range shots instead of giving up drives.
Brown has also struggled against Kelly Oubre, committing four turnovers when defended by the Sixers wing. The driving lanes weren’t open as usual, and the 2024 Finals MVP wasn’t able to navigate space the way he likes to.
41% shooting from the All-Star, with only two assists and 18 points, was one of the reasons the Celtics couldn’t keep up in the game—but his defense might have been the biggest problem.
Calling yourself the best two-way player in the game in December is certainly a bold move, but what matters most is staying true to your word when the playoffs come around. Last night, Brown was the weakest link in the Celtics’ defensive shell and caused multiple breakdowns.
First, there is this transition defense against VJ Edgecombe, where he lets him go right by and doesn’t offer any resistance. This is the playoffs—you’re playing a Game 6. Every possession should matter, even in transition.
Then, in the half-court, the Celtics wanted to avoid giving Joël Embiid one-on-one situations against their centers. The goal was to send a second defender while making sure the corners and the paint remained protected. The problem is that Brown isn’t able to do both, and when the help comes from him, it gives a free pass to his defender at the rim—especially when the rotation behind him isn’t there either.
The body language and defensive execution on that play against Kelly Oubre as the ball-handler provide a great example of the defensive level we saw last night. There is no pressure, and the wing gets to his spot with ease.
As the Sixers realized Brown couldn’t keep up with Oubre off-ball, they put the wing in the opposite corner from Embiid, waited for the help to come, and for Brown to lose track of his matchup—leading to another open layup at the rim.
After Game 5, I wrote about how the Sixers exposed the Celtics’ drop coverage.
Guess what? The Celtics stuck to the same coverage, and the Sixers exposed them again. As we saw in the last game, both Neemias Queta and Nikola Vucevic don’t have the backpedaling ability and hip mobility to keep up with Tyrese Maxey… so why keep trying?
The Celtics should try putting Jayson Tatum on Joël Embiid to take away the two-man game from the Sixers. Kelly Oubre is an average enough shooter that you can try putting Neemias Queta on him—or go small, double aggressively on Embiid with better rotations—but something different has to be shown to the Sixers. They are getting too comfortable. You can’t let that happen in a Game 6.
We already mentioned his stellar defense in isolation, but the rim protection he also brings, for a wing, has been elite. On that Spain action from the Celtics—one of the rare times they didn’t score—he came off Jayson Tatum to block Queta at the rim. Wow.
Offensively, he brings the versatility needed alongside a quick guard like Maxey and a big man like Embiid. He knows how to play off them and use their gravity. On this play that gave the Sixers a 23-point lead, PG tricks Jaylen Brown and cuts behind the defense for an easy layup at the rim.
What becomes really problematic for the Celtics is that he is making the tough shots he likes to take from mid-range. This gives the Sixers another offensive option to attack smaller bodies like Sam Hauser.
The Jays have one game to step up and show who the best wings in this series are. But so far, with his elite defense and efficient offensive role, PG has been dominating that debate.
#6 – What happened to the offensive rebounds?
In three of the first four games, the Celtics had an offensive rebound rate above 40%. Over the last two games, that number dropped to 28% in Game 5 and 15% in Game 6. What happened to winning the possession battle and attacking a team weakness?
The Sixers ranked 27th in defensive rebound rate this season. Their numbers are basically saying: “crash the glass, and you’ll be fine.”
This needs to be addressed.
#7 – Turnover economy favors the 76ers
While they are losing the possession battle on the rebounding side, the Sixers are also forcing more turnovers—which is rare, but it is working. First, there is the way Jaylen Brown commits offensive fouls. He is already up to 10 this postseason, twice as many as the second player in that category.
Then there is the impressive length and defensive discipline from the Sixers, who know the Celtics’ playbook and have been very good at anticipating movements and forcing difficult passes.
Overall, the Sixers took three more shots than the Celtics and had three more free throws—a small possession gap that could cost Boston its season on Sunday in Game 7.
#8 – Has anyone seen Hugo Gonzalez?
The Celtics are losing the possession battle in both rebounds and turnovers. You know who might help in that area? Hugo Gonzalez.
The young rookie could also help with switchability. Against the Knicks earlier in the season, he showed he could defend both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns in the same game. It might be time to unleash him against the Sixers.
#9 – Going to the bench with 10 minutes left?
This one is more of an open question for you in the comments, because it’s another strategic decision I don’t fully understand.
Does it make sense because you want to approach Game 7 with as much energy as possible? Or did you expect the bench unit to pull off a comeback? Was it more of a message to the starters?
#10 – The best words in sports… Game 7!
The best two words in sports… GAME 7! 🍿
It’s win or go home with a trip to the East Semis on the line. The 76ers and Celtics will meet in a Game 7 for the 9th time, the most between any two teams in NBA history.
Now is the time to breathe and enjoy it while it lasts, because the season could end this weekend. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about a Game 7 at TD Garden—a chance to see what this group is really made of.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics look onm during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics haven’t learned their lesson. Instead of preparing for a second-round series against the New York Knicks, they’re boarding a flight back home to host the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7.
On Thursday night, the Celtics fell to the Sixers, 106-93, squandering their second chance to close out Philadelphia after taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. With an offense that has lost its identity and a defense unable to contain Joel Embiid’s postseason resurgence, Boston is down to its third and final chance to avoid one of the most catastrophic collapses in its franchise’s history.
The demons that have tormented the Sixers for years — and haunted Joel Embiid — no longer linger in Philadelphia’s locker room. This is now on the Celtics. They lost home-court advantage, failed twice to close out the series, and find themselves in a familiar position Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown know all too well.
“A lot of us have been in this situation before, Game 7,” Tatum told reporters at Xfinity Mobile Arena, per CLNS Media. “So it should be a fun one.”
During the NBA’s pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Celtics found themselves pushed to seven games in the semifinals against the Toronto Raptors after taking a 2-0 series lead. In 2023, they allowed an inferior Atlanta Hawks team to take them to six games in the first round, then lost in seven to a 43-39 Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Last year, they twice squandered 20-point leads at home just before Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.
For the better part of nine years, Tatum and Brown have battled their track record as leaders of a team addicted to inviting chaos.
The fourth quarter of Game 5 and the third quarter of Game 6 don’t suggest Philadelphia was the better team. That overlooks the issue entirely. Those frames exposed Boston as a team once again, lacking the killer instinct that they had in the regular season. They held an 86-85 lead to start the fourth quarter in Game 5 and shot 3-of-22 from the field (13.6 percent), scoring just 11 points. In Game 6, they scored 14 points in the third quarter while shooting 6-of-22 from the field (26.1 percent).
That’s not the norm, as both quarters rank among their lowest-scoring stretches since Opening Night — first and third lowest, respectively.
“Our intentions are good,” Tatum said. “We want to go out there and play the right way and win. It’s just, we just got to be a little bit more together, a little bit tougher. Play with more pace, play faster. You know, how they have played majority of the season and since I’ve been back. It’s just kind of getting back to who we are.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts after being called for a foul during the second quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tatum exited the game with 4:03 left in the third quarter. He rode a stationary bike before returning to Boston’s bench and did not return for the remainder of Game 6. After the loss, he clarified that leg stiffness was the reason for his exit and said he expects to be ready for Game 7.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla turned to the team’s reserves, giving Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper Jr. the entire fourth quarter. That group showed more life than the starters had since the second quarter of Game 5, outperforming Boston’s previous five frames. They shot 48 percent from the floor against Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe, and sparked an 11-0 run to cut Philadelphia’s lead down to 12 points with 7:40 left in regulation.
For a moment, it was an encouraging (yet temporary) shift. But ultimately, it still wasn’t enough.
Embiid and the Sixers never felt threatened because the Celtics hadn’t solved a single issue that kept them from advancing at home in Game 5. Derrick White missed two floaters six feet away from the rim, then argued with officials after a clear double dribble call, all in the first quarter. Neemias Queta again ran into foul trouble, picking up three with more than five minutes left before halftime, including two while Embiid was on the bench. Boston’s inefficiency even showed up at the charity stripe, as Tatum and Brown combined to miss six free throws, adding to a damaged offense that’s hanging by a thread.
Brown, who played over 28 minutes in Game 6, picked up his 10th offensive foul of the series. That accounts for nearly half of Boston’s 23 offensive fouls, the most of any team this postseason.
For the first time since opening the season 0-3 in October, the Celtics are staring at a potential second three-game losing streak. Only this one would end their championship aspirations for good if they come out as the same sloppy, uninspired group that’s allowed the Sixers to batter them around over the past two games.
“We can’t let that happen in the next game,” Brown admitted to reporters, per CLNS Media. “We gotta be the harder playing team.”
Saturday night will be the ninth Game 7 between Boston and Philadelphia, the most of any playoff rivalry in NBA history. Historically, the Celtics have won six of the previous eight. But it’ll take a massive turnaround on all fronts to prevent the Sixers from eliminating Boston from the postseason for the first time since 1982.
“All things considered, we’re in a great spot going home for a Game 7,” Brown said. “Expecting a great atmosphere. Expecting a great fight from our group. Last two games wasn’t the best, but you move on. So I’m looking forward to it, and I’m excited for Game 7.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 30: The Boston Celtics bench looks on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through their own doing, the Celtics have brought themselves to a point they never should have reached. There’s a difference between a lesson and one that’s been nearly a decade in the making without much improvement. They keep putting themselves in this spot time and time again, all while expecting a different result. That’s not growth, nor does it fall in line with the process of learning. At some point, it’s simply an underachievement.
Boston’s bench brought more to the table than its starters, and that’s nearly impossible to overcome in the playoffs. The Sixers entered the series as the underdog, missing Embiid for the first three games. In response, the Celtics displayed the urgency of a team waiting for Philadelphia to slip up rather than a team determined to chase after the series clincher themselves. It’s nothing new, and in the past, it’s only led to their season’s end.
During their 2024 championship run, the Celtics suffered only three losses. After each one, they responded with urgency and a win. That’s the difference between a team ready for the next stage and one setting itself up for failure.
They could still very easily put the Sixers away in seven, but at what cost? Fatigue is a real factor in the playoffs, as is momentum. The Knicks just eliminated the Hawks by scoring 140 points while watching the Celtics grapple to compete. New York is a much greater challenge than Philadelphia, meaning the margin for error wouldn’t be what it’s been in the first round if Boston does make it out. The Knicks are stronger, healthier, and have bragging rights. They know what it takes to outplay the Celtics.
For Boston, there’s no safety net. That’s gone. The Celtics have to be at their best or at least very, very close to it on Saturday night. They can praise Embiid and Philadelphia all they want, but that’s not the deciding factor that has extended this series. It’s the result of falling into bad habits that have long left this team hanging their heads in disappointment, and facing the same postgame questions about decisions and improvements that should have been made.
They were the superior team throughout the regular season, and through no fault but their own, they have become a watered-down version of themselves.
That hasn’t been enough to get away with in Games 5 and 6, and it won’t work in Game 7.
The bottom line is the Celtics need to approach Saturday night determined to make a statement. Because through the first six games, it doesn’t seem like Tatum and Brown have graduated in ways their 2024 championship suggested. They were given a pass last year under extreme circumstances, and although a talent-depleted roster did make it harder at the start of the season, we’re 88 games deep with this group.
The Celtics weren’t lucky. They earned each of their 56 regular-season wins to lock the No. 2 seed in the East. Any leniency for integrating the offseason’s additions expired long ago, and it doesn’t excuse their fumbles at the goal line. This is completely on them.
“We have an opportunity for Game 7 at home, and there’s been great teams, great players that have played in Game 7s, and it’s part of the journey,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “We didn’t play well tonight. We’ll move on to the next game.”
In their 79 years of existence, the Celtics have never blown a 3-1 series lead. That possibility is now staring them in the face.
Not even 12 hours after the final buzzer sounded from Houston’s game five victory, Shams Charania of ESPN broek the unfortunate news that Kevin Durant will be missing Game 6 of the Rockets-Lakers with a bone bruise on his ankle that he sustained in Game 2. The usual return timeline for a bone bruise is two weeks, so it is very likely Durant will not return at all this series.
Thankfully, Houston has looked pretty good — and more like last year’s team — without Durant on the floor, and that should continue. In Durant’s absence, members of the young core like Jabari Smith jr, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard have stepped up in big ways. In fact, Kevin Durant’s injury has saved the Rockets in this series in various ways. This is not a jab at Durant, but rather a credit to Ime Udoka for finally making the necessary adjustments. The Rockets are really easy to defend because Ime Udoka is so obstinate about how he employs Durant.
In the one game he played, Durant committed NINE turnovers to a squad not known for its defense. With Sheppard, Thompson, Eason, Smith, and Sengun in the starting lineup, the Rockets are much different team to defend using the strategies the Lakers employed against Durant when he was the primary ball handler. The young Rockets put a different kind of defensive strain on individual Laker defenders due to their tenacity and athleticism.
There were just 11 total team turnovers for the Rockets in Game 5, and Durant nearly matched that himself in the one game he played due to Udoka’s strategy. Sheppard, Smith, Eason, and Holiday combined for 12 assists to 1 turnover, while Sengun and Thompson combined for the bulk of the team turnovers with 8 total between them.
In my opinon, Durant’s continued absence will allow the starting lineup of Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith jr, Tari Eason, and Alperen Sengun to continue building chemistry, which will be beneficial, as this lineup has performed the best for the Rockets this series. Additionally, I feel that Durant’s injury really forced Ime Udoka to make adjustments, as now he does not have Kevin Durant to bail out his lack of offensive creativity.
The Kevin Durant-less Rockets will play Game 6 in Houston with a tip-off of 8:30 pm. As always, be sure to check back at the Dream Shake for pre- and post-game coverage.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson opened up about his mental health after both he and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels were ejected for fighting in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday night.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson opened up about his mental health after he and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels were both ejected for fighting in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series Thursday night.
“Knew something was gone happen,” Robinson wrote in a Facebook post after the Knicks’ 140-89 series-clinching win — and the largest win in a playoff game in franchise history.
“My mental just not the same I’m just lost in the world at the moment.”
The alternate angle of this Knicks-Hawks fight is WILD.
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 1, 2026
Robinson also reshared his pregame post that said, “Trying so hard to be calm.”
That comes as new video footage, appearing to be from a fan emerged on social media.
Taking to his Instagram Story, Robinson posted a video that showed a cartoon animal singing the message: “Hey, I gotta question cus I really need to know, do you ever get tired of being bitch ass n—a, .p—- ass n—a.”
Things got chippy when OG Anunoby made a pair of free throws to extend the Knicks’ lead to 50 points with 4:39 remaining in the first half.
During the second attempt Robinson boxed out Daniels, who hit him with an elbow, before they came face-to-face and exchanged words.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson opened up about his mental health after both he and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels were ejected for fighting in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday, April 30, 2026. X
They got tangled up and things escalated from there, with players and coaches from both teams holding the players back.
Atlanta center Onyeka Okongwu and the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson held Robinson back as the melee nearly spilled into the fans sitting courtside.
Both players were ejected and received technical fouls. X
Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and several coaches pulled Daniels away.
At one point, Knicks head coach Mike Brown ended up on the ground underneath the scuffle.
Robinson and Daniels both received technical fouls and were ejected.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) scuffles with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) as forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) attempt to hold them back during Game 6. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The NBA hasn’t handed out any suspensions, as of Friday morning.
Robinson and Daniels’ beef had been building after they had a dust-up in Game 1 and Robinson got a technical, as noted by The Athletic’s Fred Katz.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson #23, fighting with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels #5, in the 2nd quarter of Game 6 of the first-round playoff series in Atlanta on April 30, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The pair exchanged words throughout the series and things reached a tipping point Thursday night.
Meanwhile, on the court, it was a brutal beatdown by the KNicks.
Atlanta’s 83-36 deficit was the largest at halftime in NBA playoff history, according to ESPN.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors high fives teammates during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 26, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Game 6 hasn’t necessarily been kind to The Six.
The Toronto Raptors have a mixed-bag of results in game six of playoff matchups:
Game six: 6-7 (one during the NBA bubble)
Facing elimination: 2-3
Home: 2-2
Away: 3-5
For the Raptors to extend their current series to a seventh game, they must exorcise a familiar demon in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday.
This looks familiar
If it feels like both teams have been here before, it’s likely because Raptors and Cavaliers fans remember their 2015-16 playoff matchup. It was the first post-season meeting between the two organizations, and ultimately ended up being the most competitive series in the ‘LeBronto’ three-parter.
Like in the current series, the Raptors had strong starts to games one and two before subsequently falling apart in the second half. Led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, Toronto protected its home court with a convincing Game 3 win and a gritty Game 4 performance.
Much of the criticism in Cleveland was directed at the team’s tertiary star, Kevin Love. During their nightmarish visit to Toronto, the dynamic power forward averaged 6.5 points on 21.7 per cent shooting. Defensively, Love recorded one block and zero steals during this stretch. But in Game 5, the veteran responded with 25 points while shooting 80 per cent. Love also finished with two blocks and one steal. After struggling in this year’s trip to Toronto, Evan Mobley also bounced back in Game 5 with a team-high 23 points, three blocks and one steal.
The Cavaliers secured the series win ten years ago in the following contest, this time with their Big 3 of Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving combining for 83 of the team’s 113 points. While the Raptors certainly struggled with the infamous trio, it was a combination of J.R. Smith catching fire (15 points, five three-pointers) and the bench’s efficiency from the perimeter that pushed the Cavaliers to the finish line.
Realistically, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden show up in the close-out game tonight. But for the Raptors to force a seventh game, they can’t let a bench option like Dennis Schroder explode for 19 points as he did in Game 5.
It must be a team-effort
In the times the Raptors have ended up on the victorious side of a Game 6, it has typically involved a committee-like approach. Getting this far into a series often means teams are familiar with each other’s playbook. This leads to offence being generated from either elite on-ball creation or players getting open looks due to a rotating defence.
The last time the Raptors won a Game 6, it was during a 125-122 win against the Boston Celtics in the bubble. Six players finished with double-digit scoring. March Gasol also recorded eight points. Even with the generational Kawhi Leonard in 2019, the Raptors needed their depth. Against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6, Toronto had four players with at least 14 points. Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell also contributed nine points each. In the title-clinching win, the Raptors had five players record at least 15 points.
With Brandon Ingram’s heel issues and Scottie Barnes dealing with a right quad contusion, the Raptors may not have enough firepower – of the healthy variety – to produce a team-wide offensive explosion. But if they are to muster something, it begins with the foursome of RJ Barrett, Collin Muray-Boyles, Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter.
Barrett must rediscover his shooting form, both from the three-point line and the charity stripe. The Canadian wing averaged 27.3 per cent from deep and 46.2 per cent from the free-throw line in the last two games. Any kind of spacing Barrett can manufacture will be invaluable on a team that might be missing its two best shooters in the starting lineup. Simply put, Barrett also needs to be a better free-throw shooter for the amount of time he’s on the court, and especially due to his wrecking-ball play style.
Murray-Boyles is clearly dealing with multiple injuries. At times, it looks like his body could fall apart at any moment. Despite his visible impact, the rookie is only averaging 20 minutes per game in the series. With the emergence of Schroder and the big man duo of Mobley and Jarrett Allen showing up in the last game, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic needs to keep Murray-Boyles on the court as long as possible.
Shead and Walter provide a similar archetype that isn’t fully appreciated until an elimination game. They are at their best when they’re knocking down triples and playing a type of defence that doesn’t require support. We know the pair can do the latter. While Walter is arguably the best shooter on the team, Shead might end up being the true X-Factor. The Cavaliers dared the former Houston Cougar to beat them from outside when it mattered most in the fourth quarter of Game 5. Shead had multiple attempts and couldn’t make Cleveland pay. Expect the Cavaliers to double-down in Game 6.
The others
The post-season typically boils down to unexpected players having moments. It would be nice if Jamison Battle could catch lightning in a bottle (again). Jakob Poeltl – despite playing limited minutes – will probably continue to be efficient with his usage and take advantage of the rare size advantage.
But there could be a massive game in store for Sandro Mamukelashvili. The sharpshooting power forward recorded 10 points in Game 5 after scoring a combined two points in the prior two contests. Mamukelashvili was debatably the most valuable bench option for Toronto during the regular-season. If he can help negate the impact of the Cavaliers’ bench, it’ll go a long way in forcing a final game.
Heading into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Dallas Stars looked to make it four straight postseason runs of getting to, at least, the Western Conference Finals.
In his first season behind the Dallas bench, Glen Gulutzan helped the Stars to a second-place finish in the Central Division, with Stanley Cup aspirations, per usual.
But their dreams didn't become reality. Their dreams turned into nightmares as they were sent packing by the Minnesota Wild in the first round after six games:
While the roster had a few differences from the previous season, as all rosters do, one big piece was missing from that team.
And that's now New York Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer, who was the person who led the Stars to the Western Conference Finals in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The longtime bench boss was relieved of his Dallas duties following the decision to pull his No. 1 netminder, Jake Oettinger, early in Game 5 of their must-win 2025 Western Conference Finals game after the American goaltender allowed two goals on the first two shots he faced.
Casey DeSmith relieved him, allowing three goals on 20 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
It was a move that DeBoer had no reservations about, as he was trying to spark his group. It was just a move that ultimately didn't work, and he lost his job over it.
Now, DeBoer has a lot of work to do on Long Island to get his new team in a position to play like Stanley Cup contenders, with general manager Mathieu Darche needing to give him a roster that is capable.
The Islanders have missed the playoffs the last two seasons. The goal for 2026-27 is to ensure Matthew Schaefer is playing playoff games this time next season.
