May 10, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) throws a pitch during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
Before any game action today, a quick shoutout to all the Moms out there this 2026 Mother’s Day! I just returned from a trip with my mom to see the Twins in Washington, D.C.! I calculated that she has now seen 10 baseball stadiums (one I’ll never get to—Metropolitan Stadium). It probably helps to have a baseball die-hard son (haha). I pity the fool who doesn’t think of their mother today…
Baseball-wise, the Minnesota Twins—for the second consecutive Lord’s Day—threw their rag-tag bullpen assemblage out to the mound from “Play Ball!” and somehow again came away with a victory.
The Twins struck first in the top of the third inning when a Kody Clemens double was pushed to third base by a Brooks Lee single—and then Kody scampered home on a Guardians SP Gavin Williams heave to the backstop.
The lead didn’t last long—a Jose Ramirez (who else) single scored Brayan Rocchio in B3—but MN second-man-out-of-the-pen Kendry Rojas induced an Angel Martinez fly out to the warning track with the bases loaded. Phew!
In T4, a Ryan Jeffers double and an Austin Martin single seemed to be cooking up more runs—until a Luke Keaschall GIDP doused the fire.
Fortunately, T5 brought more action—and actual scoreboard movement! Clemens again started the rally with a 2B, then scored this time on a Lee 1B. Royce Lewis then chipped in a 2B of his own to score Lee. After two outs, it looked as if the inning might fizzle with nothing further—until Josh Bell cracked a 1B plating Lewis and Martin thought “hey, that was fun—let me try it!”. 5-1 Twins!
After Rojas departed mid-B5 after some really solid (if wild) work, RP Travis Adams’ two-out BB came back to haunt on a Daniel Schneeman RBI single. Once again, however, a Twins reliever wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the damage to a minimum. 5-2 Twins.
A Chase DeLauter 1B pulled CLE to within two runs, but Anthony Banda put down further rebellion. 5-3 Twins.
As they are wont to do, Cleveland continued chipping away—this time a DeLauter RBI ground-out in B8. Yet again, this time it was Luis Garcia dousing a RISP threat. 5-4 Twins.
That is where the score would stay, with Yoendrys Gomez (who I’m sure you’ll remember on the ‘26 Sporcle roster quiz) recording the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Your Final: Minnesota Twins 5, Cleveland Guardians 4
For the first time since September of 2023, the Twins have won a series at Progressive Field. The combination of Morris, Rojas, Adams, Banda, Garcia, & Gomez held Cleveland to 4 runs. While perhaps unremarkable by other clubs’ standards, after a week of MN bullpen blow-ups it was truly a remarkable thing to behold.
Go call your Mom and tell her the Twins won!
Zach’s Zealot
Clemens: 3-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 SB (3B), generally just the offensive instigator all afternoon!
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 10: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians doubles on a sharp fly ball to center field in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on May 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Mother’s Day matinee gave us fans the first look at the newest Cleveland Guardian, Patrick Bailey and Tony Arnerich as a manager. Bailey got his first start as catcher for the club, hitting 8th and catching for Gavin Williams. Stephen Vogt was unable to manage today’s game due to illness, prompting Arnerich to step in. Gavin came into today’s game 5-2. Williams had a textbook start to the game, only allowing one run through the fourth inning. On a day where José is DH-ing, it is always nice when the defense still backs up the pitcher. In the top of the fourth, the Guards turned an impressive double play to retire the side.
The fifth inning saw a mini implosion from Gavin. In the top of the fifth, Gavin gave up 6 hits, allowing the Minnesota Twins to score 4 runs. He went 1-2-3 in the sixth inning, finishing his day 6.0IP/10H/5R/1BB/6K on 101 pitches.
Cleveland offense peppered in some runs, once again struggling to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Going into the bottom of the seventh, the team was 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded a base runner in every inning except the first.
The Guardians’ first run came in the bottom of the third on three single. Brayan Rocchio hit a lead off single to right. Chase DeLauter reached on a single and was follow up by José Ramírez hitting a RBI single.
In the bottom of the fifth, with two outs, the offense pieced together another run. Kyle Manzardo drew a walk and scored on back-to-back singles from Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martínez. Travis Bazzana drew a walk, loading them up for nothing to happen. Patrick Bailey struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, yet another patch work run crossed the plate. Much like the third inning, Brayan Rocchio and Chase DeLauter manufactured a run on back-to-back singles.
Patrick Bailey did get to flash his highly touted defense in the top of the seventh. Trevor Larnach was caught stealing 2nd base with a throw from Bailey to Rocchio.
Franco Aleman made his major league debut only a few days after his call up and proved to be everything he was expected to be. Aleman pitched two innings of much needed scoreless baseball. Aleman allowed two hits and struck out a batter.
The Guardians continued their piecemeal scoring attempt in the bottom of the eighth. Arnerich made the call to pinch hit David Fry for Patrick Bailey as the Twins turn to RHP Luis García. It was the right choice as David Fry hit a lead off single. Brayan Rocchio continued his hot hitting day, slapping another single of his own. Rocchio went 4-for-4 on the day with 3 singles and a double. A still struggling Steven Kwan laid down a perfect sac bunt to move both runners to scoring position. CDL hit into a ground out to first, but it allowed Fry to score, bringing the Guards within one run.
Tim Herrin was tasked with closing the game. The lefty got himself in a bit of a high leverage situation, but shut it down and maintained his 0.00 ERA. A single, sac bunt, and stolen base had the runner on third with two outs and Byron Buxton up to bat. Arenrich learned from last night’s Buxton beat down and wisely intentionally walked the Twin. The final out, Victor Caratini, flied out to Chase DeLauter who caught the ball on the warning track.
Schneemann, Angel, and Bazz went 1-2-3 to end the game, adding another loss to the Guardians’ record against one of the worst bullpens in the American League. The Guardians scored 4 runs on 11 hits and 6 walks.
USA TODAY's instant reaction mock draft showed projections for where each player is predicted to land during the first round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on June 23. But outside of the biggest names like AJ Dybantsa as well as Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson, who are the other most important prospects to know?
These rankings generally reflect how front offices may view these players, though the order is likely to change after the 2026 NBA Combine concludes in Chicago. After these events, scouts will have a better idea of athleticism and true measurements from each prospect while also watching key performances in five-on-five scrimmages.
Unlike a mock draft, these rankings also do not reflect team fit or need but rather just a general range for each player.
2026 NBA Draft Big Board
The following rankings are based on a blend of consensus projections from trusted evaluators as well as impact metrics such as box plus-minus and publicly available analytic models.
MIAMI, FL - MAY 10: Miami Marlins center fielder Esteury Ruiz (3) slides to home base to score a run during a game between the Miami Marlins and the Washington Nationals on May 10, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Christopher Morel hit a go-ahead single in the eighth to lift the Miami Marlins past the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Sunday.
Morel’s one-out hit to center against Gus Varland (0-1) put the Marlins up by one run in the eighth. Following Miami’s second double steal of the inning, Heriberto Hernández hit a two-run single that scored Morel and Jakob Marsee, who was part of both double steals to give him 12 stolen bases on the season, tied for fifth in the major leagues.
Miami leads with 48 stolen bases.
Andrew Nardi got the first two outs of the ninth before rookie Josh Ekness got the final out for his first big league save. Miami won its second straight game after losing five of its previous six.
Calvin Faucher (4-2) walked one and didn’t surrender a hit in two scoreless innings of relief.
Liam Hicks put the Marlins on the board with a run-scoring single in the third. Xavier Edwards then scored on a fielding error by shortstop Nasim Nuñez on Otto Lopez’s fielder’s choice.
Sandy Alcantara allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. Brady House hit a run-scoring groundout in the fourth and Luis García Jr. had an RBI double in the fifth.
Cade Cavalli allowed two runs and four hits with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He hit three batters, including two straight in the sixth.
May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The drama of the NBA Draft Lottery came and went Sunday afternoon, and the most likely landing spot for the Bucks is what they get: they will select 10th in next month’s NBA Draft. As I’ve written about extensively, including this morning, the first-round pick swap they traded to New Orleans—which became property of Atlanta last year—will not happen, as they received the eighth pick. Atlanta receives the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks, which ended up being the former’s at eight. The disaster scenario where the Bucks leaped into the top four but had to swap back thankfully did not occur.
Two teams just a few spots ahead of the Bucks with the sixth- and ninth-best odds got all the lottery luck: the Grizzlies at third and the Bulls at fourth. They each rose into the top four, hitting on 37.2% and 20.2% chances of jumping up, respectively. Those two go right after the two big winners: first overall goes to Washington, who finished with the league’s worst record, and hit on the 14% chance of grabbing no. 1. Next up will be Utah, who was tied with Sacramento for fourth-worst, had an 11.4% chance of receiving no. 2. Right now, FanDuel has BYU’s AJ Dybantsa as the favorite to be taken by the Wizards at -550, followed by Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer. Those three, plus UNC’s Caleb Wilson, have long been the consensus top four in this class.
With those two teams rising into the top four, that meant teams with worse records fell out. This will be music to Bucks fans’ ears: the biggest loser is definitely the Pacers, who finished with the league’s second-worst record and second-best lottery odds but fell to fifth, which was their most likely outcome (27.8%). Recall that at the deadline, they traded two first-round picks (plus a second, Bennedict Mathurin, and Isaiah Jackson) to the Clippers for Ivica Zubac. Those two firsts were their 2026 pick, top-four protected, and their 2029 pick, unprotected. If Indiana had stayed in the top four (52.1% chance), they’d have kept this year’s first and instead sent LA their 2031 first unprotected. But in the 47.8% of outcomes where they fell to fifth or sixth, they’d send this year’s first to the Clippers, and that’s exactly what happened.
Here is the full lottery order:
Washington Wizards
Utah Jazz
Memphis Grizzlies
Chicago Bulls
Los Angeles Clippers (via Pacers)
Brooklyn Nets
Sacramento Kings
Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans)
Dallas Mavericks
Milwaukee Bucks
Golden State Warriors
Oklahoma City Thunder
Miami Heat
Charlotte Hornets
Brooklyn had the third-best odds and fell to sixth (their most likely spot at 26%). That might seem like a big blow, but the Nets have had eyes for Giannis for a long time, and if the Bucks decide to listen to offers on their star, the Nets have the best draft asset to dangle. The other loser is Sacramento, who had the same record as Utah but lost the tiebreaker coin flip to determine who received the fourth-best odds, slipped to seventh (also their most likely spot at 25.5%) despite having the fifth-best odds.
Other teams long rumored to be interested in Giannis didn’t see their slim hopes of moving up, thus having a primo lottery pick to offer Milwaukee, come to pass: Golden State got 11th, and Miami got 13th. I have a hard time thinking that their packages, headlined by 2026 picks that are worse than the Bucks’, would be the winners in a potential sweepstakes, especially over Brooklyn. Atlanta also might be interested and can offer eight, but again, Brooklyn would outbid them. I don’t think anyone else in the top 10 would either want Giannis or be willing to give up their pick for him, especially anyone in the top four, which is seen as so loaded.
Back to the pick itself, though. Milwaukee can draft someone there or trade it after the draft concludes, to comply with the Stepien rule. If they stick with 10, my hope is that one of the four guards who many mock drafters have going between five and nine is still available: Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, or Arizona’s Braden Burries. It’s very likely all will be off the board by the time the Bucks select, though.
Assuming those guys are gone, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. would also be a good get—he was in many top 10s before a late-season back injury. Then there are two guys from Michigan: center Aday Mara and forward Yaxel Lendeborg. Mara is a big riser thanks to the Wolverines’ national title run, and even if the 7’3” Spanyard doesn’t develop an outside shot, his ceiling is high enough that he could force the Bucks to trade Myles Turner towards the end of his contract, which runs through 2029 (Turner can opt out in 2028, though).
Lendeborg is on the old side for a draft prospect at 23, but the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year was a two-way monster whose development across six years of amateur play (three in junior college) impressed me. His ceiling probably isn’t an All-Star, but of the names I’ve mentioned, he might be the most NBA-ready. At 6’9” and 240 pounds, his frame and skillset suggest he could become a productive role player pretty quickly, perhaps even as a rookie.
I’ll let our draftnik writers delve more deeply into prospects over the next six weeks. Lastly, let’s touch on trading the pick. They could offer it post-draft to another team, either as part of a package for someone already in the NBA, or for additional firsts. Maybe Joe Dumars wants to get the Pelicans back into the draft, and would take no. 10 and Kyle Kuzma for Trey Murphy. The Bucks could also trade down and get a future first for their troubles. For example, maybe the Thunder want to move up from 12. They could trade that selection, plus one of their many other firsts, to Milwaukee for the chance to pick at 10. OKC also owns Philly’s pick this year, which was already slotted in at no. 17. Or they could send any of the five firsts they’ve received from other teams (Nuggets, Clippers, Spurs, Mavs) in 2027–29.
We’ll have a lot of draft coverage in the weeks ahead, including the return of our community draft board. Until then, what should the Bucks do with this pick: keep it or move it? If you want them to keep it, who do you think they should take at 10? Who would you pick between Brown, Mara, and Lendeborg? If you want them to move it, what do you want in return?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 10: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on May 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a Mother’s Day to forget in Philadelphia, as the Colorado Rockies were blanked by the Phillies 6-0. They managed six hits, but they also struck out 10 times and did not walk once.
Sugano struggled early, but settled in later
Tomoyuki Sugano 菅野 智之 struggled out of the gate, striking out Trea Turner but then giving up back-to-back homers in the first to Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to give the Phillies an early 2-0 lead.
He got Adolis García to line out to center but then Brandon Marsh singled before J.T. Realmuto flied out to end the inning.
In the second, things didn’t get much better.
Bryson Stott doubled to lead off the inning and then Alec Bohm walked. Stott then stole third and scored on a throwing error by Goodman, which also allowed Bohm to reach second. Justin Crawford then grounded out to first, but Turner hit a sac fly to score Bohm and put the Phillies up 4-0. Schwarber then homered again — marking his 38th-career multi-homer game — to tack on another run, but Harper grounded out to first to end the inning.
In the third, he allowed just one hit to the second batter — Marsh — and then sent down five straight before giving up another single to Schwarber in the fifth. Luckily, Harper grounded into a double play and then García struck out to end Sugano’s night.
“After [the first two innings] I thought he executed better,” manager Warren Schaeffer said after the game. “In the first two innings, I don’t think he was putting the ball where he wanted to put it and a good team like that with those left-handed hitters are going to make you pay. But after that he gave us three zeroes and protected the ‘pen and then did his job.”
In total, Sugano pitched five innings. and allowed five runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. All five runs came on three homers.
Rockies offense kept stranding batters
The Rockies offense once again struggled against the Phillies pitching, especially Cristopher Sánchez. Sánchez threw seven shutout innings, allowing six hits and seven strikeouts. The combo of Jonathan Bowlan and Jhoan Duran racked up three more strikeouts in the final two innings without allowing a hit.
Hunter Goodman singled in the first, but then Willi Castro popped out to short to end the inning. Brenton Doyle, Mickey Moniak and Kyle Karros went down in order in the second, but then Ezequiel Tovar and Jake McCarthy led off the third with back-to-back singles.
However, Jordan Beck lined out and Tyler Freeman and Goodman both struck out swinging to end the threat. The Rockies then went down in order in the fourth and fifth before managing another single by Beck to lead off the sixth.
They batted around in the seventh a little bit with singles again by Moniak and Tovar (who had two hits on the night), but unfortunately Jake McCarthy flew out after nearly homering to end the inning.
In total, the Rockies only had multiple men on in the third and seventh, but weren’t able to capitalize either time. Tovar was the only hitter with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-3. He was also one of three starters to not strike out once (also Beck and Doyle).
“Sánchez’s changeup is deadly,” Schaeffer said. “We didn’t have an answer for it today. I thought [Tovar] swung the bat well today, got the ball up, but in general (with) Sánchez, we didn’t have an answer for that changeup. (He’s got) a good fastball, too. He’s a good pitcher for a reason.”
Up Next
The Rockies have an off day tomorrow before heading to Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Michael Lorenzen will face off against Paul Skenes. First pitch is at 4:40pm MT. See you then!
May 10, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider checks in with center fielder Daulton Varsho (5) after a potential injury against the Los Angeles Angels in the eigth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images | David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Angels 6 Blue Jays 1
Well that was awful.
The Jays got a run in the first and then didn’t get another base runner until the eighth. They did load the bases in the eighth, but Vlad ground out softly to third to end the chance
We had five hits on the day. Daulton Varsho had two (just barely beating out an infield single for the second one). Ernie Clement, Kazuma Okamoto and Myles Straw had one each.
Vlad is looking lost at the plate. The sooner he figures it out the better. Jesus Sanchez struck out three times. Lenyn Sosa twice.
Pitching?
Spencer Miles was terrific, throwing three innings, giving up two hits, getting two strikeouts without allowing a run. Tommy Nance had a quick fourth.
And then Eric Lauer came in. It was not good. Walk, homer, ground out, strike out, double, walk, double. Four runs in the inning. And that was pretty much the game.
He did end up throwing five innings, but allowed five hits, six earned, three homers, two walks and four strikeouts. As good as he was last year, he’s been awful this year. His velocity is down, but I don’t know if that’s enough to explain how bad he’s been. He’s got a 6.69 ERA now and there is no reason to expect it to get better.
I really have no idea what they are going to do. There isn’t anyone who’s ready to be slotted into the spot. Shane Bieber won’t be read for a month. Jose Berries is, well I don’t know, but there is inflammation and he’s not likely to be activated soon. Max Scherzer is finding that it takes longer to heal when you are the wrong side of 40.
And on top of all that:
Addison Barger is getting an MRI on his elbow.
He woke up with a limited range of motion today, John Schneider says. #BlueJays
Tomorrow the Rays come to town (and it is much better to see them in Toronto than at Tropicana). Drew Rasmussen (2-1, 2.95) vs. Kevin Gausman (2-1, 3.09).
With the Oklahoma City Thunder in cruise control against the Los Angeles Lakers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't need to force the issue tonight.
This Thunder vs. Lakers same-game parlay doesn't expect a dud from the OKC star, but an efficient, low-exposure game that doesn't require his full effort to get the sweep.
SGP leg #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 28.5 points (-115)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does not need to score in bunches. One of the NBA’s most clutch players — and that is putting it lightly so as to avoid debate from any De’Aaron Fox or Anthony Edwards fans — Gilgeous-Alexander is more likely not to play in the fourth quarter than he is to find himself in a clutch moment.
The presumptive MVP has averaged just 21 points per game in this series because he does not need to average more. The Oklahoma City Thunder are blowing out the Los Angeles Lakers so handily that Gilgeous-Alexander can coast in this series.
SGP leg #2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 3.5 rebounds (+120)
Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed only two rebounds in each of Games 1 and 2. Then he exploded in Game 3 with … four rebounds.
Again, SGA does not need to do more. Rebounding is an effort-forward task, and Gilgeous-Alexander does not need to put in the effort in this series.
That comes in the next round, no matter the opponent. Oklahoma City is simply being prudent by letting its star coast this week.
SGP leg #3: Thunder moneyline (-525)
The Thunder know better than most how vital some rest can be this time of year. They should put this series to bed as quickly as possible so as to add a few days of quiet before the Western Conference Finals.
With any luck, the Timberwolves and Spurs will stretch to seven games, giving Oklahoma City that much more of an advantage.
Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Thunder vs Lakers predictions for Game 4.
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May 10, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Let’s just go ahead and forget almost everything that happened during the first week of the month of May, shall we?
Fresh off a streak-busting victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday spearheaded by Chase Burns, it was once again a Cincinnati Reds starter that fueled a win on Sunday. This time, it was 2025 All Star Andrew Abbott, who fired 6.0 IP of efficient (85 pitches), scoreless ball in his best outing since Opening Day. The bullpen backed up Abbott, who’ll take hom today’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game honors, and that was more than enough for a Reds offense that poured out 5 runs on Astros pitching on the day.
Spencer Steer homered from the #2 spot in the order, doing so after manager Terry Francona moved him up along with Will Benson (who was on-base twice out of the leadoff spot). Elly De La Cruz chipped in with a trio of hits and a steal, JJ Bleday continued his white-hot start in a Reds uniform by tripling in a pair of runs (along with a pair of walks, a steal, and a run scored) and Blake Dunn doubled and walked in a rare start against a RHP.
All told, the Reds pounded out 9 hits, walked five times, and Benson’s HBP added on to a pretty excellent offensive showing when the club really, truly needed it.
Other Notes
Abbott’s full line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K on 85 pitches. He lowered his season ERA down to 4.47 and looked much, much more like his typical self.
The bullpen allowed nary a hit nor walk while fanning 5 across 3.0 IP. Hat tip to Tejay Antone, Sam Moll, and Graham Ashcraft on a great day of work.
Matt McLain, who was once again batting 8th, walked twice (one of which drove in a run). The walks are great from him, obviously, but man it would be wonderful to see him hit a ball hard again.
For the third time already this season, the Reds will have a day-off after having played a game in Cincinnati in which their next game is also at home. So, they get a nice little break without having to travel through it. Nex tup will be the Washington Nationals in town on Tuesday, and Brady Singer will get the start in that one. It remains to be seen how the Reds will line up their rotation after that as Rhett Lowder is heading to the IL for some rest.
Los Angeles Lakers are running out of answers against the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, and even another vintage performance from LeBron James may not be enough to keep their season alive tonight at Crypto.com Arena.
My Thunder vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks expect Oklahoma City to stay firmly in control — to the point where OKC’s biggest star may not need to carry a massive offensive load.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Thunder vs Lakers Game 4 prediction tonight
Who will win Thunder vs Lakers Game 4?
Thunder: There has been nothing “gentlemanly” about how thoroughly Oklahoma City has dominated this series. It should not become a gentleman’s sweep. Put the Lakers out of their misery.
Thunder vs Lakers best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 28.5 points (-115)
This is doubt in the Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder are so dominant in this series that the MVP does not need to pour in points.Gilgeous-Alexander does not need to throw himself to the floor to draw foul calls.
SGA has scored just 18, 22, and 23 points in the three games of this series, yet OKC has covered the spread in each game. Winning Games 1 and 2 by 18 points apiece did not stress the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander should stay in cruise control for now. The stress will come in the next round.
Maybe this can be construed as doubt in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Then again, much like throwing yourself to the hardwood to draw foul calls, finding rebounds takes effort. And neither SGA nor OKC needs to expend much effort to beat the Lakers.
Gilgeous-Alexander has cleared this modest rebounding prop just once in this series, grabbing all of four rebounds in Game 3. He is not living at the rim; his defensive assignments cannot get into the paint, and the Thunder might sit SGA for the entire fourth quarter, given how lopsided this game should be.
Thunder vs Lakers SGP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 28.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 3.5 rebounds
Thunder moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Later, LeBron
Even LeBron James cannot win this series on his own. But he can go down swinging.
James cleared this modest points prop in the first two games of this series. Given the obvious stakes of, ya know, elimination, expect James to get to the rim until the score is too lopsided to dream about.
Given Oklahoma City turned an 11-point lead into a 23-point win in the fourth quarter of Game 3, covering the spread is always possible for the Thunder in this series.
Oklahoma City has not merely covered the spread in this series. The Thunder have now covered the spread in all seven meetings with the Lakers this regular season and postseason. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.
How to watch Thunder vs Lakers Game 4
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries
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May 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) is greeted in the dugout after scoring a run during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in DRBland. The Rays were in Boston, where everyone was wearing a touch of pink to wrap up the weekend series. The Rays were first in the AL East by a wee little percentage point and hoping to push ahead and claim it properly this week. To deal with Boston, the Rays were relying on Nick Martinez on the mound, while the Red Sox had Payton Tolle up.
The Rays wasted little time getting on the board, as Junior Caminero hit a one-out home run in the top of the first inning. Two outs followed, but the Rays had the initial lead.
In the home half of the inning, with one out, Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch to get a free bag. Two outs followed, though, keeping the Red Sox scoreless. Contreras was apparently not feeling great after being hit by that pitch, though, and he left the game between inning, being replaced by Andruw Monasterio.
Ryan Vilade singled to start the second, but he tried to leg it out into a double and was snagged at second base. Two outs followed, ending the inning in short order. In the home half, Mickey Gaspar and his incredible mustache got a one-out double, but the Red Sox ended up leaving him stranded.
The Rays got riled up in the third. Nick Fortes got a leadoff single, then advanced to second on a sac bunt by Taylor Walls. Chandler Simpson singled to score Fortest, with some thanks to an ugly Trevor Story deflection, that let the ball dribble out into left. Jarren Duran threw home for some weird reason instead of to second, and Simpson was able to safely wind up at second after all was said and done. Story was charged with an error. With two outs, Ben Williamson singled, bringing Simpson home. Yandy Diaz then singled as well, putting runners at the corners, but no additional runs scored.
Caleb Durbin started the home half by getting hit by a pitch, the second of the game for Martinez. They might want to be careful of that, things got zesty in a Red Sox game last week when they thought those HBPs were intentional. Durbin then attempted to steal second and was caught. With two outs, Monasterio doubled, but the Sox left him stranded.
In the fourth, Cedric Mullins got a leadoff single, then tried to steal second and got caught in a very lengthy rundown. Two outs followed. Masataka Yoshida singled to start the bottom of the fourth. The Rays got three outs in a row to follow that, though.
The Rays went 1-2-3 for the first time this game in the fifth. With two outs in the home half, Duran singled. Monasterio singled right behind him, putting two men on, a pop-out ended the threat and the inning.
Tolle’s day was done after five, and he was replaced by Zack Kelly. Kelly gave up a leadoff walk to Williamson. Then, with one out, a pinch-hitting Jonathan Aranda singled. That was it for Kelly, who was then replaced by Tyler Samaniego. Cedric Mullins put down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Williamson and extending the Rays’ lead. A lineout ended the inning, but we love to see insurance runs.
In the bottom of the inning, Trevor Story got a one-out double. Gasper then singled, bringing Story home and making the team extra-grateful for that bonus run. Martinez got the second out of the inning and then Kevin Cash headed out to make the switch. Martinez’s final line for the game was 5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K on 80 pitches. A solid outing for him, with some command issues, but otherwise really good results. Kevin Kelly replaced Martinez and collected the final out of the inning.
Justin Slaten was the new Red Sox pitcher for the seventh and he got the Rays out in order. The Rays returned the favor by getting the Red Sox out 1-2-3 in the home half.
Greg Weissert came out of the pen for the Sox in the eighth and faced only the minimum three batters. Ben Williamson got a one-out walk, his second of the game, and then advanced to second on a Yandy Diaz groundout. That was it for Weissert. Jovani Morán came in to replace him and got the final out of the inning. The Rays also dipped into their bullpen in the eighth, bringing out Garrett Cleavinger and after a pretty long inning, he did manage to get the Sox out in order.
In the ninth, Jonny DeLuca got a one-out walk. Nick Fortes then hit into a double play to end the inning, and with that, the Rays would have to hope their three-run lead was enough to hang on for the win. Bryan Baker came in and gave up a leadoff double to Gasper. Marcelo Mayer then walked. Baker was clearly having some issues with command, and it couldn’t happen at a worse time. Caminero made an incredible toss over to first for the second out of the inning but it was within millimeters, so Boston challenged, which was reasonable, but the call was upheld and the game was down to the final out. That last out came on a flyout from Duran to end the game and the Rays came away as both game and series winners.
The Brooklyn Nets will be picking sixth in the 2026 NBA Draft, following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday afternoon. Mr. Whammy’s valiant efforts to butter up Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum before the drawing were not fruitful…
After posting the NBA’s third-worst record this season, this was a poor outcome for Brooklyn. (I opted for “nauseating” above.) Technically, this was a bottom-third outcome for the Nets, who had a 7% chance of falling to #7 and a 26% chance of falling to #6.
The Nets also have two second-round picks this season, which they posted on social media just after the results…
Nearly two years ago on June 24, 2024, Sean Marks made a pair of franchise-altering trades to kick off the summer. Brooklyn shipped Mikal Bridges across the East River for a whopping five first-round picks (and a swap!), then announced almost simultaneously that they had traded four Phoenix Suns picks and swaps to Houston, in exchange for their own ‘25 and ‘26 first-rounders.
One day later, the Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall. They still owned the 2024 Nets pick, after all, which had spiked in the lottery after Brooklyn had a good ‘ol fashioned miserable season, no tanking involved. It was time for GM Sean Marks to get in on that sort of luck, setting the team up to tank hard over the next two seasons. The move was lauded; the following spring, Marks was voted the 8th-best executive in the NBA by his peers.
Now, the Nets’ two year tank is over. In 2025, after starting the season 9-10, they received the #8 pick, just two spots ahead of the Suns pick they traded away. This June, they’ll be picking at #6, missing out on a consensus top-four of AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson, while the New York Knicks could be coming off an NBA Finals trip.
The Nets traded three first-round picks and one first-round swap to regain control over their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks so they could tank.
They move down a combined five slots in those two lotteries. Absolutely brutal.
The Houston Rockets own Brooklyn’s 2027 first-round pick, in the form of a swap. Hence this two-year window. With the NBA Draft Lottery set to undergo drastic reform next season, you could argue the Nets did not tank hard enough; the league-worst Washington Wizards won the #1 overall pick. The Indiana Pacers had the second-worst record and fell, but only to #5 (thus relinquishing their pick to the Los Angeles Clippers).
But the Chicago Bulls and their ninth-worst record shot up to four. The Memphis Grizzlies traded places with the Nets, jumping from #6 to #3….
As we reported earlier, one NBA insider told NetsDaily that they believe Brooklyn could trade up now that disaster has struck. I personally don’t see it — everybody loves the top four prospects — but you never know.
“The only reason you bank firsts like that is to be able to strike opportunistically,” he said. “Now, [moving up] in this draft, they will have to find a dance partner. But say they land in the dreaded fifth spot. They have enough draft capital to get them to the third.”
Was this outcome inevitable? No. All the Nets needed was a bit of good fortune to swing their way, and they didn’t get it. Okay, maybe it was inevitable.
Update: Sean Marks speaks
Erik Slater of Locked on Nets and ClutchPoints was in Chicago for this latest misfortune, and spoke to Sean Marks after the drawing. Here was Marks’ immediate reaction to landing the sixth pick…
Sean Marks on the Nets falling to the sixth pick:
"There's going to be some really good options for us, whether we were picking one or ten. With multiple assets that we have in this draft and multiple future assets, we're going to continue to build this team up into hopefully… pic.twitter.com/q3MRs5OYGC
Slater then asked if this outcome would lead to more aggression in the trade market…
Sean Marks on whether the Nets are more likely to be aggressive on the trade market after falling to the 6th pick:
“Hard to tell. I think it’s all about how these guys develop, right? I don’t think you want to make rash decisions before you’ve seen how they look. I think we all… pic.twitter.com/HSxFOTU4ek
Two teams that took steps at the trade deadline to add veteran talent so they wouldn't tank next season — then glued those guys to the bench for the rest of this past season, ensuring they would tank this year — were rewarded by the basketball gods with the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Washington Wizards — who traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, then basically benched them and had the worst record in the NBA this past season — won NBA Draft Lottery and now have the No. 1 pick in next's month's deep NBA draft.
Utah jumped up to No. 2 pick after trading for (and sitting) Jaren Jackson Jr. for the stretch run of the season. The Jazz can now add an elite player — likely Kansas point guard Darryn Peterson — next to Keyonte George with a front court of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler. Even in the West, that lineup is going to win some games.
The Memphis Grizzlies jumped up to the No. 3 pick with the sixth-best odds, and the Chicago Bulls jumped from ninth to fourth.
That means the Sacramento Kings and the Brooklyn Nets — two teams that didn't tank but were just bad and needed talent — fell in this draft.
Here is how the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery shook out:
1. Washington Wizards 2. Utah Jazz 3. Memphis Grizzlies 4. Chicago Bulls 5. LA Clippers (via Indiana Pacers) 6. Brooklyn Nets 7. Sacramento Kings 8. Atlanta Hawks 9. Dallas Mavericks 10. Milwaukee Bucks 11. Golden State Warriors 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers) 13. Miami Heat 14. Charlotte Hornets
Some other notes on how the NBA Draft lottery broke down.
• This is the second year in a row that the team with Anthony Davis on their roster got the No. 1 pick.
• This is the first time the Wizards have selected No. 1 since they took John Wall back in 2010 — and Wall represented them on stage Sunday.
• Most teams have BYU's AJ Dybantsa at the top of their board. If that's the case in Washington, next season they could start Young, Kyshawn George (or Bilal Coulibaly), Dybantsa, Davis and Alex Sarr — that's a quality starting five that could make some noise in the East.
• Memphis and Chicago jumping up can help them get players to start the retooling (or, for Memphis, rebuilding) that will come.
• The LA Clippers get a big win as they get set to retool for whatever is next (and whatever happens with Kawhi Leonard this summer). The Clippers should be able to land a top point guard — Kingston Flemmings, Darius Acuff Jr. — to be part of the foundation going forward.
• Not ideal for Indiana, but they got Ivica Zubac to be the big they need with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton next season. That team will be a contender, they just are not adding a top-four pick.
• Oklahoma City — the defending champions who are undefeated in these playoffs (7-0) after winning 64 games this season, will have two first-round draft picks, Nos. 12 and 17, both via trade. Sam Presti is a wizard.
• Charlotte, coming off a breakout season after drafting Kon Knueppel No. 4 a year ago, will have two first-round picks, Nos. 14 and 18. They are just getting deeper and better.
• Atlanta has two picks as well, Nos. 8 and 23; while Dallas has 9 and No. 30.
• This is the last time we will see this NBA Draft Lottery format. Whatever comes forward next season — the league appears to be leaning toward a modified “3-2-1" system with 18 teams in the mix — it will be different. For better or worse. (You can be sure Adam Silver and the league will take a victory lap about how there is less, if any, tanking next season, but that is far more about the quality and depth of the draft than the lottery system.)
• Here is what the rest of the first round looks like:
15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland) 16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix) 17. Oklahoma City (via Philadelphia) 18. Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando) 19. Toronto Raptors 20. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta) 21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota) 22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston) 23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland) 24. New York Knicks 25. Los Angeles Lakers 26. Denver Nuggets 27. Boston Celtics 28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit) 29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio) 30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City)
• The NBA Draft occurs on June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Here’s a stat you might appreciate: This will be the last 76ers stat column of the year.
The 76ers did things in this series and in particular in their 144-114 Game 4 loss to the Knicks that they’ve never done before and in one case that nobody has ever done before.
And we’ve got all the numbers to prove it. If you’re reading this, please sit down. It’s not pleasant.
MOST POINTS ALLOWED IN 56 YEARS: The Knicks’ 144 points are the 2nd-most the 76ers have ever allowed in a playoff game and the most in 56 years. On March 30, 1970, they lost 156-120 to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Bucks at the Spectrum in Game 3 of their Eastern Division Semifinal series. The 144 points are tied for the most the 76ers have allowed in any game – regular season or playoffs – in 33 years, since a 149-93 loss to the Super Sonics at Seattle Center. And the most points they’ve allowed at home in any game in 52 years, since a 146-127 loss to the Celtics at the Spectrum in March 1974. It’s the 4th-most points ever allowed by a home team in the postseason, behind the Raptors in a 150-122 loss to the Nets in Bay Lake, Fla., during the 2020 Bubble, that 76ers’ loss to the Bucks in 1970 and the Pistons’ 145-101 loss to the St. Louis Hawks at Olympia in 1958.
NOBODY ELSE HAS EVER DONE THIS: In NBA history before this year, only six teams had lost multiple games in a postseason series by 30 or more points. Then the 76ers did it twice in a month. With 123-91 and 128-96 losses to the Celtics in Games 1 and 4 and 137-98 and 144-114 losses to the Knicks, also in Games 1 and 4, the 76ers lost multiple games by 30 or more points in two consecutive series. The only other team to lose by 30 or more points in a series multiple times in franchise history is the Nuggets, who did it 38 years apart in 1987 and 2025. The 76ers are now the only team in NBA history to lose four playoff games in a season by at least 30 points. They lost as many playoff games by 30 or more points in the last 22 days as they did in the previous 16,069 days. A third of the franchise’s 30-point losses have come in the last month – four of 12. The 76ers lost more games by 30 or more points this offseason (four) than the regular season (three).
WORST START EVER: The 76ers’ 19-point deficit after the first quarter is the 3rd-largest in 76ers postseason history and largest since they trailed the Bucks by 26 points (40-14) in that 156-120 loss to the Bucks in 1970. The Knicks’ 43 points in the first quarter are the most the 76ers have ever allowed in a postseason first quarter. The previous high was 42 in a 128-124 loss to the Hawks at Wells Fargo Center in 2021. It’s the most points they’ve allowed in any quarter of a playoff game since the Bulls scored 45 in the fourth quarter of a game the 76ers won 118-112 at the Spectrum in 1990. The Knicks’ 81 points at halftime are tied for 7th-most in NBA history and the most the 76ers have ever allowed in a postseason first half. They allowed 77 in that 156-120 loss to the Bucks in 1970. It’s also tied for 3rd-most points the 76ers have ever allowed in the first half of any game – regular season or postseason. The 76ers’ 24-point halftime deficit (81-57) is 3rd-worst in franchise postseason history behind two losses to the Bucks. They trailed by 36 at halftime of that 156-120 game and by 29 in a loss to the Bucks in Game 6 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.
BREAKING A RECORD NOBODY WANTS TO BREAK: Paul George and Tyrese Maxey each finished at minus-35, the two worst plus-minus figures in 76ers postseason history. No 76er had ever been worse than minus-34 before in a playoff game. That was Tobias Harris, who was minus-34 in a loss to the Raptors in Game 5 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Additionally, V.J. Edgecombe was minus-33, making the 76ers the 19th team in NBA history with three players at minus-33 or worse in a playoff game.
WORST 3-POINT DEFFENSE EVER: The Knicks made 25 of 44 shots from 3 for 56.8 percent. That’s the highest shooting percentage in NBA playoff history by a team attempting at least 40 attempts. The previous high was 55.6 percent by the Cavs, who made 25 of 45 3’s in a win over the Hawks in the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks’ 25 3’s tied the NBA record shared by those 2016 Cavs and the Bucks, who made 25 in a win over the Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers, conversely, shot just 22.9 percent from 3, 6th-worst in franchise postseason history (minimum of 30 attempts).
Apr 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (24-15) and Braves (27-13) face off for a Mother’s Day rubber match at Dodger Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Justin Wrobleski (5-0, 1.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) takes the ball for the Dodgers.
Bryce Elder (3-1, 2.02 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) counters for Atlanta.
COVERS INTEL:
