OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 24: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots a free throw during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 24, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs weren’t fooling around on Sunday, and really took it to Jared McCain and the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-82.
After his tremendous performance Friday, where he lit San Antonio up with 24 points, McCain got just 4 Sunday night, and shot just 1-10 overall.
Despite the big win, Mason Plumlee again got a DNP for the Spurs.
With the win, San Antonio ties the series, 2-2.
On Monday, the New York Knicks get a chance to close out Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game time is 8:00 p.m.
The BBC’s triple threat has been a hit on Match of the Day while TalkSport’s Sports Bar fits these football times
With Gary Lineker gone after 26 years, the BBC opted, in replacing a big beast, for a triple threat for Match of the Day duties. Lineker’s dad jokes are gone, and so is the going off-piste on social media controversy, now that three of the most solid pros in the business have the anchor. Not that the game’s big issues are sidestepped, each of the trio is a fully trained-up broadcast journalist with an attendant wealth of experience. If in “Chappers”, there is a residual, clubbable blokiness and the trademark giggle of the former Radio 1 sidekick, both of his co-hosts are just as happy to join in the fun. Both Logan and Cates possess the icy, sardonic armoury to cut Micah Richards and Alan Shearer down to size when required should the incumbent, top-band pundits get ahead of themselves. All three have even been known to get Danny Murphy laughing. The revolving cast has supplied a largely seamless transition, and in lowering the heat on a BBC forever targeted by certain vessels, a definite success.
Once upon a time, the Philadelphia Flyers were among the favorites to sign Mitch Marner in free agency. Not everyone supported the idea at the time, and now that stance looks foolish.
At this time last year, the Flyers had the second-best odds to land Marner, now 29, on the open market, behind only the Chicago Blackhawks, who had every incentive to break the bank to improve Connor Bedard's supporting cast.
Marner instead had his rights traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights for forward Nicolas Roy, a 28-year-old center coming off a 31-point campaign.
Marner then signed a very modest eight-year, $96 million ($12 million AAV) contract with Vegas, and the rest, as they say, is history.
With two assists against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday night, Marner is now up to seven goals, 14 assists, and 21 points in 15 playoff games.
For his career, the former No. 4 overall pick is now up to 84 points in 85 playoff games. Not bad for a player who had a reputation for being a playoff choker.
And for the Flyers, this is just another case of missed opportunity.
Repeating the Roy-for-Marner trade would have likely required them to part ways with someone like Noah Cates or Ryan Poehling; the latter was later packaged for Trevor Zegras instead.
Heading into this offseason, Flyers general manager Danny Briere stated outright that the team believed more players would be available in free agency, but Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, and Artemi Panarin all took themselves off the market with contract extensions throughout the year.
So, the Flyers missed out on Marner, if they were ever in on him, and the Maple Leafs opted to send him to the Western Conference.
That scenario could very well play out again this summer, with big-ticket RFAs like Jason Robertson, Pavel Dorofeyev, and even Adam Fantilli potentially there for the taking.
But, to put into perspective how rare Marner's situation was, 2027 unrestricted free agents include Nikita Kucherov, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Nico Hischier.
Kucherov is the only superstar forward in that group, and Hughes may be the only one who ends up on a new team, more than likely joining forces with Hischier on the New Jersey Devils.
Now that Marner and former Flyers John Tortorella and Carter Hart are within one win of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, now is a good time to reiterate that the Flyers must be opportunistic to be successful in their rebuild.
If there’s one thing the Western Conference finals has taught us, it’s that there’s an enormous chasm between the teams in the penultimate round of the playoffs and the NBA’s other 28 ballclubs, including the Lakers.
The Thunder and Spurs have depth. They have stellar perimeter and interior defenders. They have multiple lasers. They have superstars. They have 10 players who are starring in their roles.
The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, but San Antonio also has depth that features 10 players starring in their roles. NBAE via Getty Images
How do the Lakers catch up?
The Lakers are in a unique position. The Thunder and Spurs tanked before arming themselves with draft picks and orchestrating smart trades to climb back atop the league. That’s not an option for a Lakers franchise that has won 17 championships and has no patience for losing seasons.
Even Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka laughed that off as a potential strategy.
“It’s not the Lakers’ way,” Pelinka said after the team was swept out of the second round of the playoffs by the Thunder. “We have to find sustained excellence, so it does create at times a thread-the-needle [situation] where you gotta find a way to have championship rosters every year.”
So, that raises an interesting question.
If the Lakers can’t follow that model to build a contender, what should they do?
LeBron James and Luka Doncic shaking hands during a playoff game. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Should they hunt for another superstar?
Should they devote their resources (three first-round picks and up to about $55 million in cap space this offseason) to getting great role players?
This much is sure: Superstar chasing doesn’t equate to title winning.
The Lakers learned that firsthand after they blew up their 2020 championship roster to acquire Russell Westbrook, and they also let Alex Caruso walk in free agency in 2021.
Without guys who could defend and space the floor with 3s, such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Caruso, the Lakers were a top-heavy mess that didn’t become competitive again until they dealt Westbrook ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.
Austin Reaves patting LeBron James on the back. AP
The Lakers don’t need another star.
Of course, if they can get a generational superstar who’s still in his prime like Giannis Antetokounmpo, the aforementioned sentence goes out the window. If you can get Giannis, you get Giannis.
But that’s a big “if.”
And if they can’t get him, they shouldn’t go after another superstar.
Instead, if they can retain their Big Three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, as Pelinka has made clear is his goal, they should focus on filling in the margins. (Reaves and James are both about to become unrestricted free agents.)
The Lakers already have proof of concept that the combination works.
LeBron James stands on the court in the closing minutes of Game 4 in a second-round playoffs series against Oklahoma City. AP
After James embraced becoming the Lakers’ third offensive option, they went on a 16-2 run this spring. Doncic played at an MVP level. Reaves looked like an All-Star. And James was arguably the best “role player” in the league.
But any illusions that they were real title contenders was shattered in a 43-point loss to the Thunder on April 2, in which they lost Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) to injuries.
The Lakers showed a lot of grit by getting past the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs without Doncic and with Reaves only playing in two games.
Against the reigning champions, the Lakers fought like heck even though they were without Doncic, but their opponent was simply in another weight class.
The Thunder have two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but OKC also has 10 players starring in their roles. NBAE via Getty Images
In every contest besides Game 4, the Lakers unraveled in the second half under tired legs, while the Thunder seemingly weren’t even winded.
James, who tried to carry the team on his 41-year-old shoulders, didn’t mince words about what went wrong.
“… We fought and we played to the maximum ability of our team,” James said on the podcast, “Mind the Game,” that was released Thursday. “But ultimately, if we’re being completely honest, we were out-talented.”
The Thunder had 13 guys who were playing to their best ability. The Lakers struggled to have six.
The Lakers need guys like Caruso, who went undrafted and pours his heart into every possession. They need guys like Ajay Mitchell, who was drafted in the second round and proved he can be a laser under the brightest of lights. They need guys like Isaiah Hartenstein, who was also a second-round pick and has transformed into a pit bull in the paint.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso reacts after a play against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals. AP Photo/Eric Gay
The Lakers need to take a page out of the Thunder’s book.
Their focus needs to be on depth, not glitz.
When Thunder GM Sam Presti had a goldmine of picks during the franchise’s rebuild, he chose to focus on fortifying the edges of the roster instead of securing a superstar.
That philosophy has paid dividends.
That’s where the NBA is headed.
That’s how the Lakers could start nipping at the heels of the Thunder and Spurs.
This offseason, the Lakers need to find the diamonds in the rough. They need to add effort guys. They need to bolster their defense. They need more 3-point shooting. They need 10 guys they can trust to play playoff minutes.
They need to find the type of players they let slip through their fingers when they were hellbent on star chasing.
In a city that prioritizes star power, they need to embrace a completely different philosophy.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 24: Stephon Castle #5 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrate during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“Experience does not matter.”
This was Devin Vassell’s response to the question, “What do you and the Spurs think you’ve learned about yourself this season?”
You can no longer say they have exceeded expectations. You can no longer say they are ahead of schedule. You can no longer say that they are a couple of years away.
The Spurs have been clear for quite some time. They have all bought in. And now fans are buying in.
After 62 regular season wins, a Defensive Player of the Year honor, a Sixth Man of the Year award, a five-game series against the Portland Trail Blazers, and a six-game series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Spurs are tied against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
After the Game 4 throttling, Victor Wembanyama referred to winning “six more wins” before he relaxes. He’s not comfortable with just taking this series, he’s focused on winning it all.
In the four games thus far, the Spurs have found success when limiting the productivity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Not an easy task as SGA just picked up his second consecutive MVP trophy as well as his first ever Clutch Player of the Year honors.
In Game 1, the Spurs executed a defensive strategy on the Thunder’s star guard that stifled his shooting as well as his passing, producing turnovers which led to the double-overtime victory.
In Games 2 and 3, the Thunder adjusted by exposing the open man when SGA was double teamed. High percentage shooting from beyond the arc gave the defending champs a one game lead.
Last night, the Silver & Black altered its defense to double SGA closer in, cutting off the passing lanes, which suffocated OKC’s offense and leaving an abysmal 18% from three-point range.
The Spurs are also limiting fouls to Gilgeous-Alexander, another difficult task. He’s still making his way to the line, but is unable to sustain the level of calls he earns when paired with taking a tumble.
Earlier this season, Victor Wembanyama stated he was interested in ethical basketball. The young superstar elevated the term into the lexicon of basketball conversations. By comparison, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been accused of foul baiting and playing for the call.
The series features two of the youngest and most talented teams in the league, both with longevity in its plan. And they play two entirely different styles of basketball.
What the Thunder are doing won them a title last season. But the Spurs have found success in implementing their game, tuning out questionable calls, and allowing their talent to set the tone.
So perhaps Devin’s comment is almost fully correct.
Experience does matter. And the Spurs continue to prove that they internalize their experiences and process solutions at a rate that many have not seen before.
The question remains — will this be enough to overcome the obstacle of the Oklahoma City Thunder?
We get one step closer to answering that question on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
May 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate their win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Last Week’s Results
Monday: Brewers 9, Cubs 3
Tuesday: Brewers 5, Cubs 2
Wednesday: Brewers 5, Cubs 0
Thursday: Off Day
Friday: Brewers 5, Dodgers 1
Saturday: Dodgers 11, Brewers 3
Sunday: Dodgers 5, Brewers 1
Division Standings
Brewers 30-20
Cardinals 29-22 (1.5 GB)
Cubs 29-24 (2.5 GB)
Reds 27-25 (4 GB)
Pirates 27-26 (4.5 GB)
Last Week
Brewers: 4-2
Cardinals: 2-3
Cubs: 0-6
Reds: 3-2
Pirates: 3-3
Top Pitching Performance of the Week
As Jason said last week, this is becoming the “What impressive performance did Jacob Misiorowski pull off last week?” feature. He put together another great start, this time going six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the Cubs, allowing just three hits and a walk. He still hasn’t allowed a run since April 25, meaning it’s been a full month since an opponent has scored on him.
Misiorowski’s performance was perhaps not even the best of the week, though, as Kyle Harrison turned in seven scoreless frames against the Cubs, striking out 11 and allowing just two hits and a walk. Logan Henderson also went five scoreless with seven strikeouts, allowing two hits and three walks in a win over the Dodgers.
William Contreras had a big week offensively for the Brewers, putting up a team-high 10 hits, slashing .455/.478/.591 with a homer, three RBIs, five runs, and a steal. That included back-to-back three-hit games in wins over the Cubs and Dodgers on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Shoutout to Jake Bauers, whose on-base streak reached 22 games on Friday night before coming to an end on Saturday. That also pushed him to a 12-game hitting streak, a career-high mark in his seventh MLB season.
The Brewers had a fairly quiet week on the transaction front, as the only swap they made was recalling right-hander Carlos Rodriguez on Sunday morning, sending lefty Robert Gasser back to Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move. Gasser made two starts in his latest big-league stint, spanning 8 1/3 innings with six earned runs and seven strikeouts against the Twins and Dodgers.
Right-hander Peter Strzelecki, who was selected on May 16 before being designated for assignment the next day, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Nashville. Instead of accepting the demotion, however, Strzelecki opted for free agency, signing with the Yankees on a minor league deal. He’s now with their Triple-A affiliate.
In the injury update category:
Right-hander Quinn Priester, who had already had a short rehab stint in late April/early May, is back on a rehab assignment. He gave up five runs in just three innings on May 21 with Nashville, as his fastball sat 92-93 mph, still slightly below the 93.5 mph average we saw a year ago. He’s currently listed as an early June return, meaning we can expect at least a couple more rehab outings.
Lefty Jared Koenig threw a live batting practice on May 20, and a decision on a potential rehab assignment is now pending.
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff simulated two innings in a 30-pitch bullpen on Monday before throwing 50 pitches in a live BP on Friday, hitting 94 mph on the radar gun.
Outfielder Brandon Lockridge got the stitches on his right knee out on Tuesday and is still slated for a mid- to late June return.
Left-hander Rob Zastryzny and outfielder Akil Baddoo are also on rehab assignments with Nashville.
May 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) reacts after striking out to end the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
That’s a big side of offensive ineptitude the Phillies delivered this weekend. Now, luckily, they get to move out west and play two teams playing good baseball, including a juggernaut. Cool.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Jack Wenninger #92 of the New York Mets throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Jack Wenninger allowed four runs over five-plus innings, matching the total he had for the entire month of April and more than he had in the entire month of May coming into this contest. The offense kept the team in the game, with Ryan Clifford adding another double and home run to his total for the season, but the team had trouble getting men in scoring position and driving them home.
The one run that Syracuse scored in the fourth was all that was needed to win this one. Joe Geber and the bullpen combined to shut the Herd out, scattering a pair of hits and three walks over seven innings. The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth when Ryan Clifford hit his tenth homer of the year, and technically second on the afternoon.
Bryce Conley and Joe Whitman traded zero after zero, both pitchers throwing scoreless inning after scoreless inning. Conley ended up throwing 5.0 scoreless innings, scattering 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4 while Whitman went 6.0 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 8. In the top of the seventh, Binghamton finally put something together. Jose Ramos led off the inning with a solo homer, and the blazing hot Nick Lorusso followed one batter later with a solo blast of his own. The Rumble Pony bullpen wasn’t able to keep the shutout going, as Dan Hammer put a baserunner on third that a Brian Metoyer wild pitch brought home, but they still got the job done.
A shutout is a shutout, even if it’s only seven innings. The Cyclones nickel-and-dimed the Renegades, logging three hits and drawing seven walks en route to a series split. Brady Miller started this one after the rain finally cleared after about 45 minutes after scheduled gametime, but only threw five pitches before being removed from the game due to some kind of injury; he showed no apparent pain or issues when warming-up or throwing those five pitches, but Eduardo Nunez saw something that concerned him and removed the right-hander from the game. Tanner Witt and the rest of the Brooklyn bullpen, rested thanks to Saturday’s cancelled game, ended up pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and four walks, giving the offense more than enough support to get the win. And here’s something you don’t see everyday: stealing 4 bases is impressive enough, two separate players doing so? Most impressive.
St. Lucie held on and secured the win by the skin of their teeth, staving off a ninth inning rally. Antonio Jimenez, back from the developmental list, doubled in a run to put St. Lucie on the board in the third and the team scored two more in the fourth. The Cardinals chipped away, scoring a run apiece in the sixth and seventh, but both runs were negated in the bottom of the eighth, when St. Lucie put up a two spot. If they hadn’t, the Mets would’ve lost this one, as Joe Scarborough had problems in the top of the ninth. A single and a double between a flyout and a groundout put men on the corners, and then an overturned strike call led to a walk that loaded up the bases. Shortstop Ryan Weingartner hit a ball into left-center that luckily ended up turning into a ground rule double, scoring two runs but keeping the tying run on base. With a blown save staring him in the face, Scarborough hunkered down and got third baseman Brayden Smith to weakly fly out to center to end the game.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 5-4 at Lehigh Valley IronPigs
SS George Lombard Jr. 1-3, BB, 3 RBI, K, SF — two-run single put Scranton on the board, tied the game with a sac fly in the fifth, and scored go-ahead run in the ninth after a walk RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K — with Scranton down to last out, doubled to score two runs and put RailRiders in front 2B Oswaldo Cabrera 1-5, K, SB, fielding error 1B Seth Brown 0-3, BB, 2 K 3B Tyler Hardman 0-3, BB, 2 K, fielding error — E5 allowed first IronPig run to score as Lehigh Valley went ahead 3-0 DH Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-3, BB, K C Payton Henry 1-4 CF Duke Ellis 1-4, K — nice diving catch in center to end it LF Kenedy Corona 2-3, sac bunt, outfield assist
Brendan Beck 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, WP — not dominant, but hung in there into the seventh Kervin Castro 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K — gave up go-ahead double to Felix Reyes in the eighth Bradley Hanner 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (win) — down to a 1.54 ERA in 17 games (23.1 innings)
Double-A Somerset Patriots:W, 5-2 at Chesapeake Baysox
DH Jace Avina 2-5, 2 RBI, K — two-run single in the second put Patriots on the board first RF Garrett Martin 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, K — 15th dinger of the season doubled Somerset’s lead in the fifth, new career-high CF DJ Gladney 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 SB — they stopped him at the plate, but not on the bases 3B Coby Morales 0-5, 2 K LF Jackson Castillo 1-4, K C Manuel Palencia 2-5 1B Abrahan Gutierrez 2-4, K SS Owen Cobb 1-4, 2 K 2B Santiago Gomez 2-3, 2B, BB, K — registered first career hit(s) above A-ball
Chase Chaney 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (win) — smooth start Kelly Austin 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, HR Michael Arias 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (save)
Garrett Martin slugs his @Yankees system-leading 15th HR of the season!
After 14 HR in 102 games last year, Martin has a new career-high in just 41 games this year! 👀 pic.twitter.com/bcaDm8zTlJ
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:W, 4-0 (7) at Brooklyn Cyclones — blanked in rain-shortened, three-hit shutout
SS Kaeden Kent 1-3, 2 K, SB RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-3 C Eric Genther 1-2, 2B, BB — allowed 10 stolen bases from the Cyclones, tough day behind the plate 1B Kyle West 0-3, 2 K, throwing error 3B Enmanuel Tejeda 0-3, 2 K 2B Roderick Arias 0-2, BB, K, CS DH Josue Gonzalez 0-1, 2 BB LF Josh Moylan 0-3, 2 K CF Camden Troyer 1-3, K, SB
Franyer Herrera 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 7 K, WP Brady Kirtner 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K Aaron Nixon 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K Thomas Balboni Jr. 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K Jack Sokol 0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, HBP — game was called with two outs in the bottom of the seventh after Sokol hit a batter
— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) May 24, 2026
Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 8-4 vs. Clearwater Threshers
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-4, K, HBP, picked off — not a good day on the bases for Tampa 3B Hans Montero 2-3, 3B, BB, 2 RBI, K, SF — didn’t go deep after three-homer day, but did go 391 feet on his RBI triple; up to a .948 OPS DH Luis Puello 2-5, RBI, K, GIDP, CS LF Willy Montero 1-3, K PH-CF Luis Durango 0-1 RF JoJo Jackson 1-2, 2 BB, RBI, GIDP, CS, fielding error C Engelth Urena 1-1, 2B, 3 BB, RBI, dropped ball error CF-LF Gabriel Lara 0-4, SB 1B John Cristino 1-3, BB, K 2B Luis Escudero 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, fielding error — first career homer in A-ball made it 6-0 in the sixth
Tyler Boudreau 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K (win) — 11 swings and misses, including six on pretty solid outing Brennan Stuprich 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K — kinda fell apart in the ninth Jose Ledesma 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
🎙️Hans Montero’s 5th Triple drives in 2! (He was Yankees Top IFA a few years ago. Seriously needs to be considered for a promotion already)#RepBx#Yankeespic.twitter.com/8EeBlfUzqM
Happy birthday to Neil Ramirez, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 2002 – With four homers on May 23rd, one on May 24th, and two more today, Shawn Green becomes the first major leaguer to hit seven round-trippers in three games. The Dodgers outfielder’s nine big flies in a week also breaks a National League record, established by Ralph Kiner with eight and tied by Ted Kluszewski and Nate Colbert. In this game, Diamondbacks southpaw Randy Johnson passes Walter Johnson to become seventh on the all-time career strikeout list with his 3,509th. After fanning Green in the 1st to catch the “Big Train”, Dodgers outfielder Brian Jordan swings and misses a 2-2 pitch in the 2nd inning to become the “Big Unit’s” historic victim — and other stories as well.
1923 – Crossing the plate for the 1,741st time, Ty Cobb surpasses Honus Wagner‘s record for most runs scored in a career. The “Georgia Peach” will tally 2,245 runs during his 24-year tenure in the major leagues, a mark which will not be equaled until 2001, when Rickey Henderson breaks the record.
1935 – Babe Ruth shows flashes of his past glory by hitting the final three home runs of his career in the Boston Braves’ 11-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In addition, his final homer is the first in Forbes Field‘s history to clear its right field roof.
1951 – Willie Mays debuts for the New York Giants, striking out in the 1st inning against Bubba Church. Mays goes 0 for 5, but makes three good plays in the field.
1958 – In a doubleheader sweep by the Pirates at Forbes Field, the Giants’Willie Mays acts as a peace-maker, preventing a berserk Orlando Cepeda from causing havoc with a bat during a bench-clearing brawl in the opener. The melee results from lingering bad feelings between the two teams after an exchange of beanballs in an earlier game on May 7th, and breaks out with P Ruben Gomez batting for the Giants. Mays tackles the bigger Cepeda, rushing to the defense of his countryman, and pins him down until things calm down.
1981 – Carl Yastrzemski becomes just the fourth player ever to appear in 3,000 games.
2009 – The Pirates beat the Cubs, 10-8. Freddy Sanchez goes 6 for 6 with four runs, three RBI, a double and a homer, the first Pirate in 19 years to have six hits in a game. Jason Jaramillo and Andy LaRoche each go 3 for 5.
1721 – John Copson becomes America’s 1st insurance agent.
1787 – Constitutional convention opens at Philadelphia, George Washington presiding.
1842 – Christian Doppler presents his idea, now known as the Doppler Effect (through the changing colors of binary stars), to the Royal Bohemian Society, Prague.
1927 – Henry Ford announces that he is ending production of the Model T Ford.
1935 – Legendary American athlete Jesse Owens equals or breaks four world records in 45 minutes at a Big Ten meet at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan; remembered as “the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport”.
1965 – Muhammad Ali KOs Sonny Liston at 2:12 of round 1 at Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston to retain his WBC/WBA heavyweight boxing title.
2013 – Yuichiro Miura of Japan becomes the oldest person to climb Mount Everest at 80.
Today in Music History:
1962 – Wand Records releases The Isley Brothers’ cover single “Twist & Shout”; it becomes their first top-20 hit, peaking at #1.
1965 – Dave Davies of The Kinks knocked unconscious in an on stage scuffle with drummer Mick Avory at Cardiff’s Capital Theatre.
1967 – John Lennon takes delivery of his psychedelically painted Rolls Royce.
1968 – Rolling Stones release song “Jumping Jack Flash”.
1979 – RCA releases David Bowie‘s 13th studio album, “Lodger”; his third collaboration with Brian Eno in what becomes known as his ‘Berlin trilogy’ features contributions from guitarist Adrian Belew.
May 24, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser (17) jumps onto home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the ninth inning to lead Baltimore to a win over the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
If you’re an optimistic Orioles fan, you can find things to like about the Birds’ doubleheader split against the Tigers yesterday. They completed a series win over a struggling Detroit team, starting their 10-game homestand on the right foot. They got another quality start from Brandon Young, who’s stepping up his game in the absence of the Orioles’ many injured pitchers. And Colton Cowser delivered what might have been the Birds’ most exciting hit of the year, a dramatic, walkoff, three-run homer with two outs and an 0-2 count in the ninth that sealed a Game 1 victory.
If you’re a pessimistic Orioles fan, you might point out that the O’s were one strike away from getting swept in a doubleheader by a sorry Tigers team that had lost seven in a row. Or that the Birds’ offense was mostly missing in action besides Cowser’s dinger, managing only eight hits in the two games combined. Or that Trevor Rogers stumbled through another unacceptable outing, giving up four runs without getting out of the fifth inning in the Birds’ 4-1 loss in the nightcap.
Either way, you’re not wrong. You have to take the good with the bad with these 2026 Orioles. Every win keeps their hopes of relevance alive while every loss puts them closer to the point of no return. For every struggling Oriole who shows signs of improvement, like Cowser, there’s another who just continues to spiral, like Rogers. It’s been an emotionally draining season and we’re only just reaching the one-third mark today.
The Orioles could hardly have afforded to lose a series to a team as bad as the Tigers, so at least they avoided such ignominy. It doesn’t give me any real confidence, though, that they’ll be able to do the same against the Rays, their next visitor at Camden Yards. The Rays, the best team in baseball, schooled the Birds with a three-game sweep last week in Tampa. If they were to do the same this week, the O’s would fall to a season-worst 10 games under .500.
The Orioles will need to shake off last night’s loss and play their best baseball against a stellar opponent for the next three days. Are they up to the challenge? I have no idea.
Trevor Rogers almost looked like his 2025 self last night when he retired 10 batters in a row. And then it all fell apart again. What a bummer of a season he’s having, to put it mildly.
Not forever, no. But if you’re asking how soon they’ll part ways with him, that’s something that only O’s ownership knows.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! May 25 has been a popular day for Orioles birthdays; seven former Birds were born on this day. The most prominent is shortstop Miguel Tejada (52), who had four great years with the O’s from 2004-07 (and one less-than-great return in 2010) and set a franchise record with 150 RBIs in 2004. Statistics-wise, Tejada probably deserves to be in the Orioles Hall of Fame, but his links to performance-enhancing drugs at various points of his career eliminate that possibility.
Other former Orioles born on this date are 2025 two-game righty Carson Ragsdale (28), catchers Fernando Lunar (49) and Melvin Rosario (53), right-hander Bill Dillman (81), and the late outfielder Andrés Mora (b. 1955, d. 2015) and first baseman Jim Marshall (b. 1931, d. 2025).
On this date in 2003, O’s reliever Buddy Groom set an obscure record. He pitched in his 638th major league game, in none of which he got a plate appearance (since he was a relief pitcher for mostly AL teams in the non-interleague era). That broke the MLB record set by Red Sox reliever Bob Stanley. Groom went on to pitch 786 games in his major league career, and no, he never did step foot in a batter’s box. They should’ve let him take an at-bat in his final MLB game, just for kicks.
Random Orioles game of the day
On May 25, 1999, the Orioles began a nine-game west coast road trip with a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Angels. The O’s jumped out to a quick lead, scoring a first-inning run on B.J. Surhoff’s sac fly, but they were held scoreless for the rest of the game. Angels starter Omar Olivares worked eight strong innings and Troy Percival nailed down the save in the ninth. The Birds’ Scott Erickson went 7.1 innings but was tagged for three homers, including two by Garret Anderson. The loss dropped the Orioles to 16-28, the worst record in the American League.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 13: Head Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 13, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson’s honesty and transparency are among his best attributes. He’s always going to tell you the truth, which is different than most coaches who give trite answers that mean very little.
That honesty, though appreciated by me, might not always be welcomed by everyone. Especially when his group is down 3-0 to a New York Knicks team that has simply been better.
On its surface, that’s a rough quote. There’s no way around that.
Yet, if you listen to the whole quote within its context, and the question that led up to it, it makes much more sense. He’s asked why he would believe they can win one game. He’s not making excuses for them being down.
Reporter: “What’s your answer to your own question (why you believe the Cavs could win the next game)?”
Atkinson: “We’ve had success against this team before. We’ve had really good moments in this series, up 20 in Game 1. Even Game 2, take that run out from the beginning of the third quarter and it’s pretty tight.
“I think analytically, think we’ve won the … I said three out of three (after Game 3), we’re two out of three, in the expected wins. I don’t know if you guys follow that, the expected score. We’ve won two out of three.
“I know you’re looking at me confused, but there is really… if you believe in process and all that, … Take that layer. I know I don’t throw that on them. I see it for myself. We have this feeling, I have this feeling, then I can go to our analytical table.
“Last night, our expected score was like one point or two, us shooting way below expected. Them shooting way over. I know no one wants to hear that. I think you guys like it. I know the general public, no one wants that. Everyone is outcome-based. Sure, I get that too.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Mark Price shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Analytics can be an easy punching bag, especially when what happens on the court goes against what the numbers suggest. But it’s important to remember that analytics are just stats. And stats are tangible facts that come from the game. It’d be stupid not to use those facts as a coach.
Anyone who works in an analytics department for an NBA team will tell you that the results in a single game or series could go against longer trends. Usually, the numbers will even out over a long enough stretch, but playoff series are sprints, not marathons.
The Cavs have, in fact, been on the wrong side of the numbers game so far in this series.
New York has sometimes dared Cleveland’s best shooters to beat them from deep, and they haven’t been able to make them pay. So much so that Knicks head coach Mike Brown said that his team was “lucky” that Cleveland had been missing good looks before Game 3.
These misses have cost the Cavs games and a chance to be competitive in the series.
3 Point Shooting Last night Actual / Expected / Delta Knicks 11-28, 10.6-28, +1.2 points Cavs 12-41, 15.1-41, -9.3 points
For the series Actual / Expected / Delta Knicks 34-95, 36.4-95, -7.1 points Cavs 37-126, 47.5-126, -31.5 points https://t.co/XAgcz1rpwI
As a coach, all you can do is instill confidence in your group and make sure the process is correct. After all, Atkinson isn’t able to come off the bench and start knocking down open looks himself.
Delivering a message to his team that they should stick with what they’re doing is reasonable. They aren’t going to radically change who they are overnight, especially against a Knicks team that is selling out to stop rolls to the basket and anything inside the paint. If the outside shots start falling, they might be able to win a game and send this series back to New York.
At the same time, when these comments are said to the public, they come across as arrogant and detached from reality. It’s what someone would say if they want to keep their job and shift the blame to others while also discrediting their opponent.
I’ve been around Atkinson long enough to believe that his intentions weren’t to do so. He’s honest to a fault with reporters. And it’s understandable to think that his good three-point shooters will eventually start knocking down open looks.
We’ll see if the Cavs can do so in Game 4. If they don’t, their season could come to an unceremonious close in a series they actually lost in four games.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 24: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Colorado Avalanche at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Egor Chinakhov Born: February 1, 2001 (Age 24/25 season) Height: 6’ 1” Weight: 203 pounds Hometown: Omsk, Russia Shoots: Left Draft: 2020 first round (21st overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets 2025-26 Statistics: 72 games played, 21 goals, 21 assists = 42 points (w/ Penguins: 43 games played, 18 goals, 18 assists=36 points); 6 games played, 0 goals, 0 assists in playoffs. Contract Status: Just completed a two-year contract originally signed with Columbus. Set to become a restricted free agent and is arbitration eligible.
For reference when looking at Chinakhov’s monthly splits for this season, he was acquired by the Penguins on December 29th from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and made his Penguins debut on January 1st. Knowing that removes any confusion about what stats belong with Columbus and which with Pittsburgh.
While he didn’t score in his debut with the Penguins on New Years Day, he didn’t wait long to make an impact with his new team, scoring in his second game just two nights later in Detroit, then adding another five in January and becoming one of the Penguins most valuable players in the second half of the season.
March was a make or break month for the Penguins playoff hopes, and they faced a daunting schedule without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for lengthy portions. That is exactly when the Penguins needed their depth to step up and Chinakhov held up his end of the bargain, scoring six goals and recording 15 points in 17 games to help keep the Penguins afloat during the crucial stretch.
Story of the Season
When a player is described as needing a fresh start or a change of scenery, it’s often deployed as just a nice way of saying that specific player isn’t very good. Since Kyle Dubas took over the Penguins front office, he has brought in a few names that have been labeled in that fashion and the results have been mostly as expected with those players.
Then there is Egor Chinakhov.
Brought over from Columbus just before the new year, Chinakhov carried the “change of scenery” moniker as a former first round pick who was struggling mightily with the Blue Jackets, recording just three goals and three assists through the first 29 games of the season. It was a high price for Dubas to pay for Chinakhov, sending over a second and third round pick plus Danton Heinen to Columbus, but the pay off was well worth the cost.
Chinakhov joined the Penguins at a critical juncture of their season, coming off a December that saw them go 5-5-4 and lose eight straight at one point, including a slew of embarrassing meltdowns that resulted in several blown multi-goal leads.
Although Chinakhov didn’t arrive in Pittsburgh until around the midway point of the 2025-26 season, his impact was felt the rest of the way. After making his Penguins debut on New Years Day, he scored nine goals in his first 20 games with the team leading into the Olympic break and helped them post a 12-3-3 in that same span, putting an ugly December behind them and giving them momentum for the home stretch once the season resumed.
Coming out of the break, the Penguins were sitting in a playoff spot but facing a daunting March slate and missing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Like many of his teammates, Chinakhov stepped up with an outstanding performance throughout this stretch, recording 15 points across 17 games that solidified the Penguins as a playoff team.
In total with the Penguins in 2025-26, Chinakhov played in 43 games, tallying 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points. That works out to a .84 points per game pace over an 82 game season and a massive improvement over his time with the Blue Jackets where he was at just a .21 PPG pace.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
One thing Egor Chinakhov does very well is put the puck in the net. His shot speaks for itself and Penguins fans saw first hand just how lethal he is when the puck is on his stick. Chinakhov does not create many high danger opportunities on the ice but he doesn’t need to when he can shoot the puck as well as he does.
Chinakhov ranked second in both GF% and G/60, but the only players above him in those catrgories were Filip Hallander and Avery Hayes respectively, both who played significantly less minutes this season than Chinakhov. He was the only Penguins player to top a P/60 of three this season, and even though that number is isolated to his time with the Penguins and does not account for him time in Columbus, that gives him the fourth best P/60 in the entire league this season when just looking at his second half.
Chinakhov is an offensive weapon. His shot enables him to look very good on goals and finishing, it’s going to be exciting to see a full season’s worth of data next year with him in a scoring line role surrounded by players who can get the puck to him. Figuring out how to get a spot or role on the power play ought to be a top off-season coaching priority for Dan Muse to ponder to unlock even more from Chinakhov’s game to help the team.
Chinakhov’s shot is otherworldly, and his speed is right there to boot. Those are scarce skills to combine a shot like that on a player who can move as fast. Maybe Chinakhov is the long awaited good karma the Penguins were due for Konstantin Koltsov, a player with all the speed in the world, but cursed with cinder blocks at the end of each arm where his hands should have been.
The wildest part about the shot metrics are how many wrist/snap shots Chinakhov takes. He has almost unmatched velocity and often can release these just as quickly. As long as they’re on target, goalies don’t stand a chance against this type of power. Interestingly enough, however, according to NHL Edge, Chinakhov did not score a goal on any of his 10 hardest shots of the season.
The speed bursts and acceleration that Chinakhov regularly displays is just absurd. It’s one trait besides his shot that really makes him stand out on the ice and there were several instances this season where his speed caught defenders flat footed and created chances for the Penguins.
Highlights
I’m still taken back that Kyle Dubas traded a 2 and Heinen for EGOR Chinakhov
There is little reason to believe Chinakhov won’t be in a Penguins uniform next season, but he will need a new deal this summer since he is a pending restricted free agent. He made $2.1 million against the cap on his last deal that was signed with Columbus and he has surely done enough to warrant a pay raise on this deal. How much of a pay raise remains to be seen but given the Penguins cap space it won’t be any issue for them to take on.
Besides money, the other question regarding Chinakhov’s new deal will be length and that’s where more of the risk comes into play. Perhaps Dubas has seen enough and is convinced Chinakhov can live up to his first round billing and will feel confident in giving him a long term deal to remain in Pittsburgh. On the flip side, maybe Dubas is more interested in a bridge deal as a “prove it” challenge for Chinakhov. It will be interesting to see how this plays out between the front office and the player this summer.
Bonus question: What is Chinakhov’s ceiling as a player?
After coming over from Columbus in Decemeber, Chinakhov was an absolute offensive force for the Penguins. His numbers in Pittsburgh spread out across a full NHL schedule work out to roughly 35 goals and 70 points. That puts him in company with players like Adrian Kempe, Brandon Hagel, and fellow pending RFA Pavel Dorofeyev. Those are some pretty good comparables and the Penguins will be thrilled to have Chinakhov post those type of numbers.
It almost feels like we are putting blinders on when we only look at his work with the Penguins and ignore how bad he was in Columbus, but that team was a complete disaster until their midseason coaching change so it’s hard to know exactly what to make of that.
Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking, but given how good Chinakhov looked in the Penguins system, it doesn’t feel like that much of a stretch to think he could be a centerpiece for the Penguins future both in the short and long term.
Ideal 2026-27
Taking his 43 game sample size with the Penguins from this past season and extrapolating it over the course of 84 games is the ideal scenario for Chinakhov next season. He’s more than earned a top-six role and as long as he’s playing with guys who can get the puck on his stick he can do the rest with his speed and shooting ability.
His own playmaking ability gets overshadowed by his lethal shot, but in his time with the Penguins this season he showed that he was more than capable of dishing the puck just as well. Getting him looks from his teammates combined with setting up chances for his teammates will go a long way towards the Penguins success in 2026-27.
One major focus for the Penguins this offseason involving Chinakhov will be figuring out a way to get him more power play time, ideally by getting him a permanent spot on the top unit with the likes of Crosby and Karlsson. Simply having his shot lingering as a threat should be enough to open up opportunities for others on the ice, but knowing he needs little space to get shots on net at even strength, the extra space on the man advantage could turn him into even more of a weapon and fully unleash his game.
Bottom line
There’s no question about it, Egor Chinakhov has been one of the more important and impactful acquisitions by Kyle Dubas since he came to Pittsburgh. From a healthy scratch in Columbus to a top-six mainstay with the Penguins, Chinakhov shattered whatever expectations anyone had of him when he was acquired.
It didn’t take long for his game to blossom in the Penguins system and it has everyone wondering what exactly the Blue Jackets were doing that they failed to unleash the player we were watching on a nightly basis. His shot is lethal, he can skate by you in a flash, and he has playmaking ability that the Penguins were sorely lacking in years past. Every shot he takes feels like a rocket coming off his stick, and more than once did he score where no one was actually sure the puck went in the net or not.
There is a new deal to iron out this summer between the Penguins and Chinakhov and it’s a deal he certainly earned with his play once the Penguins traded for him in December. If he can continue to develop and be the player we saw in the second half of the season, then it’s a safe bet he’ll have a home in Pittsburgh for many years to come.
Final Grade
A.
It’s fair to say the Penguins probably don’t survive that March stretch without Chinakhov playing at the level he did. With Crosby battling injury and Malkin either being suspended or injured himself, the Penguins needed players to step up and Chinakhov was one who did on almost a nightly basis.
Even outside of that March stretch, it was clear Chinakhov brought something to the Penguins that they did not have on the roster before he arrived and helped take an already good offense and make it that much better. Working closely with fellow Russian Malkin seems to have unlocked something in Chinakhov that remained buried during his time in Columbus.
If there was one knock on Chinakhov from this season it’s his performance in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers. In his first taste of playoff hockey, he put up a goose egg in all offensive categories over the six games. It wasn’t even that his process in those games was bad he just could not buy a goal and the Penguins were desperately in need of some.
All in all though, not much to complain about from Chinakhov in his first stint with the Penguins. He’s an exciting player who revitalized his career and has the makings of a player who could be a very important piece in what Kyle Dubas is trying to build in Pittsburgh.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 2 : Brenden Dillon #5 of the New Jersey Devils takes a shot on goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game against the Washington Capitals at the Prudential Center on April 2, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
An illuminating conversation with Brenden Dillon:
What happened with the #NJDevils this season?@BDillon04 joined the guys and talked about the team's disappointing year and outlook with Sunny Mehta.
“There have been conflicting reports about Simon Nemec and whether he requested a trade from the New Jersey Devils. Regardless, I think there is a very real chance Sunny Mehta trades Nemec this summer – and rightfully so. The 22-year-old is a flawed player and hasn’t come close to living up to the expectations that come with being selected 2nd overall in the draft.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“Sunny Mehta has a few tasks at hand as the New Jersey Devils’ new general manager. Among them is improving the team’s depth on defense and up front. One model he could look to is what Kyle Dubas has done as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM over the last year and change.” [Devils on the Rush]
Hockey Links
A bit of a stunning result in the Western Conference Final:
“There are still teams with significant raises for top players kicking in next year, along with other key unrestricted and restricted free agents who will demand more expensive contracts. The combination of those forces will leave a few organizations without the requisite cap space to bring everybody back.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was called out by a fan holding a trophy during the Thunder's Game 4 loss to the Spurs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder sit six wins from the Larry O’Brien Trophy and a second consecutive championship, but one Spurs fan came prepared with a different trophy for the Oklahoma City star Sunday.
A woman sitting courtside at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio for Game 4 brought a mini Oscars-esque trophy that said “Best Flopper” on it, according to video and photos.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who has a reputation for alleged flopping and ending up on the court after attempting shots, even fell right in front of the fan during the opening quarter, according to The Athletic.
Spurs fans hold up Oscar trophy, diving scores to troll SGA.
A Spurs fan holds a trophy during San Antonio’s Game 4 win against the Thunder. Getty Images
It marked the latest twist in how Gilgeous-Alexander has been received in San Antonio during the Western Conference finals, as he also encountered “flopper” chants in Game 3.
“It does nothing,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN after the Thunder’s Game 3 win.
“Doesn’t fuel me. Doesn’t discourage me. It’s part of the game. It’s nothing. I’ve been dealing with it for a long time. I don’t really hear it.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts during the Thunder’s Game 4 loss May 24. Getty Images
Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players in scoring this postseason by averaging 28.1 points-per-game, and he won his second consecutive MVP award May 17 — adding to a campaign where he earned a fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance and averaged 31.3 points per game during the regular season.
That helped the Thunder earn the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed entering the tournament, but now, with the series going back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, their chances at a repeat title have suddenly become complicated.
The Spurs — behind Victor Wembanyama’s 33 points — crushed the Thunder 103-82 on Sunday in Game 4 to even the series at two games each, with Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field.
He also went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to move the ball during the Thunder’s May 24 loss. NBAE via Getty Images
“They just punched us in our face early,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters postgame Sunday.
“That’s two games in a row they’ve come out the aggressors. Last game, we were able to course-correct. [Sunday], we just didn’t do so. “