On Thursday, former New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson was honored for skating in his 1,000th NHL game when the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Seattle Kraken for their regular-season finale.
He reached the milestone back on Monday against the Edmonton Oilers, in Edmonton.
Former Islanders teammates Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, and Josh Bailey, along with their wives, were in attendance for the celebration.
During his 1,000-game tribute video, his longtime Islanders' teammates Anders Lee and Ryan Pulock, along with Bo Horvat, had some words for their former No. 29:
bo horvat, ryan pulock, and anders lee congratulating brock nelson on his 1000th game đ„č pic.twitter.com/WMo4Z8GFxK
Drafted 30th overall at the 2010 NHL Draft, Nelson played 901 regular-season games for the Islanders, recording 574 points (295 goals, 279 assists) over the span of 12 seasons.
Dealt to the Avalanche ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Nelson has played 99 games for his new team, recording 78 points (27 goals, 26 assists), scoring 30 goals this season with 32 assists for 65 points.
Nelson and the Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings, with Game 1 on Sunday, April 19 at 1 PM ET.
Good news: Red Sox fans get to watch the two best starting pitchers in the American League this weekend when the Detroit Tigers come to town.
Bad news: The pitchers miss each other by one game and Boston must find a way to beat the two-time defending Cy Young Award winner.
Garrett Crochet and Tarik Skubal will each take the mound. Last season, they represented the class of left-handed pitching in the sport. They each set the tone of excellence for their respective rotations.
Thereâs only one problem: We really have to miss this matchup?
Here are four thoughts on the excellent southpaws before the Tigers and Red Sox begin a four-game set on Marathon weekend.
So Close
Skubal will likely pitch Saturdayâs contest against Brayan Bello while Crochet will take the ball for the Red Sox in the Sunday matinee.
Despite spending multiple years in the same division when Crochet pitched for the Chicago White Sox, the stars have only faced off against each other once.
Flashback to Opening Day 2024 and it was the pitchersâ duel baseball deserved. Crochet and Skubal each tossed six strong innings with just eight combined hits allowed and 14 total strikeouts.
The lone run against Crochet came when Andy Ibanez plated Javy Baez on a third-inning sacrifice fly.
Baseball deserves to see this matchup once again, especially as the reigning top-two finishers in last yearâs American League Cy Young Award race.
ERA Crusher?
When itâs all said and done, there may be no greater winner from Crochetâs disastrous start against the Minnesota Twins.
The Red Sox starter imploded in the second inning Monday and exited after allowing 10 earned runs to the best team in the American League (so far). That performance ballooned Crochetâs ERA to 7.58 (!!!).
That could take him months to bring that number back down to Earth and legitimately return him to award conversations. Skubal is at 2.22 through his first four starts and could now very easily walk the red carpet to his third consecutive Cy Young win, though other AL contestants will surely arise.
All that in a contract year to boot (more on that later).
Revisiting 2025
Skubal won the Cy Young Award last season with the ERA title (2.22 ERA) and the league-leading WAR (6.5). He won 13 games to Crochetâs 18 (we donât need to insert the lecture on the declining value of pitcher wins) while the Red Sox ace led the sport with 255 strikeouts and 205.1 innings pitched.
Red Sox Discount?
Boston wasted no time locking in Crochet for the future after acquiring him in a December 2024 trade with the White Sox. In the first week of the 2025 regular season, Crochet signed a six-year, $170 million extension through 2031 with an opt-out after 2030.
Getting the second best starting pitcher in the American League at $28 million per year already feels like a win for the Red Sox. That should resonate even more when Skubal likely breaks the bank in free agency next winter. Extension talks with Detroit seem to be over and Skubal will walk at the perfect time, especially after a potential three-peat Cy Young performance we alluded to early. If he exceeds $40 million per year, the Red Sox can have a rare reason nowadays to pat themselves on the back.
If you are a regular reader of this segment, you have seen this before. The best stats are the stats that can be used for hitting and pitching. Offensive and defensive efficiency is one of those. Today, we are focused on the worst pitching staff in baseball. At least, that is where the Astros ranked coming into Wednesday nightâs game. They were last in hits allowed, walks allowed, and home runs allowed. In fact, if we throw in Wednesday nightâs game they even led the league in hit by pitches.
I stepped out of the lab on Wednesday to question whether Joe Espada or Dana Brown were on the hot seat. Of course, they have no contract for 2027, so they started the season on the hot seat. I would never fire a manager or executive in April. It was more of a question of what would happen if these trends continue. The general law of statistics is that everything will regress to the mean. Today, I present the big table of how each major league team is doing in defensive efficiency.
In the case of pitching, the lower the number the better. It is a simple accounting of what percentage of base runners score. It is not a perfect accounting. We do not include players that reach on errors, but in this case we are short-circuiting the table to include the total number of runs, total number of base runners, and the defensive efficiency rating for each team. We will go last to first this time around.
Runs
Base Runners
Efficiency
Rays
85
178
.478
Blue Jays
89
204
.436
Nationals
108
249
.434
Astros
113
275
.411
Phillies
86
210
.410
Dbacks
82
202
.406
Cardinals
94
238
.395
Marlins
80
203
.394
Cubs
73
187
.390
White Sox
87
223
.390
Red Sox
81
210
.386
Angels
89
235
.379
Rockies
78
213
.366
Guardians
76
209
.364
Giants
74
206
.359
Brewers
73
204
.358
Mariners
62
179
.346
Mets
71
206
.345
Royals
67
197
.340
Orioles
70
210
.333
Athletics
74
223
.332
Dodgers
57
172
.331
Twins
77
233
.330
Yankees
61
186
.328
Reds
71
218
.326
Braves
59
181
.326
Tigers
61
190
.321
Padres
61
190
.321
Pirates
68
215
.316
Rangers
58
187
.310
Median
73
206
.359
I should go over some basic math before we dive into what it means. Each category stands on its own. So, if you were to take the median for each category and actually do the math, the median would be .354. Some of you are glazing over as you read this, but I know I have some intrepid readers out there that will notice these little things. Kudos to you for noticing.
Letâs start with the good news. The Astros are due for some positive regression on all counts. This team will not be the worst pitching staff in baseball for the whole season. They will surrender fewer hits and they will definitely get their walks down to a more reasonable level. However, the biggest thing is that their defensive efficiency will also approach the league median as well. This is because the entire league will approach the median eventually.
What exactly does this mean? If the Astros had league median efficiency they would have surrendered 99 runs instead of 113. In the early going, this would probably be equivalent to three wins. Suddenly, a 11-9 team would look a lot better than an 8-12 team. Of course, the hitting efficiency would also be closer to the median. So, maybe you would be looking at a .500 team.
The bad news is that getting to the median in hits allowed and walks allowed is not necessarily in the cards. The Astros will get closer to the median, but this might be a below average pitching staff with all of the injuries. This is mainly about efficiency. You will notice the numbers are over the board in terms of runs scored and base runners. The Rays are one of the better pitching staffs in terms of base runners. They are off the charts in a negative way.
So, in the end, the Astros have been bad, but they have also been unlucky. So, even if they continue to be bad, they will still improve overall due to a regression to the mean. They will eventually get there when health stabilizes and when they move to a more conventional rotation with AAAA type of starters to replace the injured ones.
We will revisit these numbers later in the year, so we should keep these in the back of our mind. You will see the numbers tightening and the Astros improve overall as the season goes along. The other good news is that teams like the Rangers will get worse. On a long enough timeline the survival rate drops to zero. Do you agree?
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Jacob Melton #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays bats during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets 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
Jacob Melton was acquired by the Rays as the centerpiece in the Brandon Lowe trade. He brings a high-impact toolset: fringe 70 power, plus defense across all three outfield spots (including center field), and above-average speed.
Through his first 15 games with Triple-A Durham, that hasnât translated to production. Melton is currently running a 74 wRC+. Why would someone with a strong track record of upper-minors performance be struggling in AAA?
There are a few reasons for this. First, itâs likely just random variance in a small sample. Itâs not even May yet, thereâs no need to be concerned. Another reason is that Melton is currently undergoing an adjustment to his approach, so his early struggles may be less about regression and more about recalibration.
Damage on contact
In order to get the most out of his profile as a power hitter, Melton needs to ensure heâs consistently hitting the ball at optimal angles. He has seen year-over-year improvement in his SLG on contact (SLGcon), measured per âBBEâ (Batted Ball Event, e.g. anytime a bat makes contact with the ball).
2024: .560 (127 BBE)
2025: .729 (97 BBE)
2026: .750 (22 BBE)
League average SLGcon in AAA typically sits in the mid to upper 500s each season, so we can see that he has gone from accessing his power from an average rate to a well above average rate so far this season. His launch angle (LA) distribution helps explain why.
Analyzing LAs in buckets adds an important layer than is often overlooked when one exclusively considers average LA. Categorizing LAs in groups paints a more detailed picture of a playerâs batted ball distribution â something we can see with Meltonâs LA buckets below:
Itâs too small of a sample so far in 2026 to say that the data will be the same for the rest of the season, but the trends are more important than the exact numbers. Melton is getting into line drive and fly ball angles more consistently, and his hardest contact is coming at optimal angles for damage too. His average hardhit LA has climbed from just 9 degrees in 2024 to 19 degrees so far in 2026. Iâd expect those improved angles to translate to more in-game production over a larger sample, but that production comes with a trade-off.
Next steps
Melton is whiffing significantly more this season as a result of his shift in approach. In many ways, this looks like a deliberate trade-off: sacrificing contact to unlock more impactful contact. After maintaining a solid 23.4 whiff% across 2024 and 2025 in AAA, it has significantly increased to 41.4% this season. That level of swing-and-miss would be difficult to sustain at the major league level.
Melton can hedge against this by improving his swing decisions and figuring out a two-strike approach. The two data points Iâll be following are his zone-minus-out-of-zone (Z-O) swing% with less than two strikes and his whiff% with two strikes.
Heâll need to be selective and disciplined to maintain his plus damage on contact. His Z-O swing% so far this year is a 38.9%. This number is currently better than average but getting it closer to 40% and higher would be ideal for Meltonâs profile. It appears that heâs doing well in this area so far.
His two-strike approach is less polished as Melton is currently whiffing on 53.7% of pitches with two strikes. One possible adjustment is incorporating more opposite-field intent in two-strike counts. That would allow him to see the ball deeper and naturally shorten his swing, which could help reduce swing-and-miss. Importantly, this kind of situational adjustment wouldnât necessarily come at the expense of his improved damage on contact.
Those two markers â early-count swing decisions and two-strike whiff rate â will be key to monitor as he works toward impacting the major league roster later this season and pushing for a role in 2027.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a RBI single against the New York Mets in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, a corner outfielder wearing the jersey no. 23 got off to a rough start in his first year as a Dodgers. This season, a shiny new corner outfielder wearing no. 23 has gotten off to an equally frustrating start.
Kyle Tucker was signed to be that impact corner outfielder at the top of the Dodgers lineup, and he is still an upgrade over the maligned Michael Conforto, who now finds himself struggling in Tuckerâs old stomping grounds from the year prior. Tucker has demonstrated a remarkable eye at the plate, as reflected in a 15 percent walk rate that ranks 33rd out of 189 qualified hitters, but he has just three extra-base hits on the season with a slugging percentage at .343. His strikeout rate and chase rate are both uncharacteristically high to begin the season as well.
Tucker attributed his recent poor performances with being a bit too selective on his swing, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com, as he has struggled with adjusting his approach in unfavorable counts.
âSometimes you just find yourself chasing more, you just have to try and just narrow your zone a little bit and look in certain parts in the zone, rather than just like swinging at whateverâs thrown,â Tucker said. âSo I just try to do my best with that and just try to hone on that, and kind of pick my spots on locations where I want and just try to be early with it and try to do a little better job of that.â
Tucker did end the recent homestand on a positive note, delivering the go-ahead hit on Tuesday and drilling a home run in his final at-bat on Wednesday after lining a ball 107 miles per hour off the bat in his previous appearance. As the Dodgers prepare to open a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, a stadium that ranks first in park factor this year, the four-time All-Star is starting to find his footing at the right time.
Links
Wednesday was an atypical night for Shohei Ohtani, as it marked the first time that he only took the mound instead of both pitching and hitting in a Dodgers uniform. Fans were still treated to a spectacle from the reigning two-time NL MVP, as he delivered six full innings on one-run ball while striking out a season-high 10 Mets hitters.
The decision to have Ohtani strictly pitch on Wednesday was a precautionary move by Dave Roberts, as Ohtani had been plunked on the shoulder by David Peterson on Monday and is hitless since. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register notes that this will not become a recurring theme on Ohtaniâs start days.
ââIf he wouldnât have gotten hit, he wouldâve DHâd today,â he said. âSo I just think in this one game, it just makes more sense to give him the best chance to kind of manage the shoulder and the back.
âI think that itâs something Iâm going to keep an eye on if it makes sense but not just kind of do it proactively. ⊠Itâs got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup.â
Dylan HernĂĄndez of the California Post writes about Edwin DĂazâs knee issues that kept him out for the majority of the homestand. As noted earlier this week, DĂazâs availability for Wednesdayâs game was dependent on how his pregame bullpen session fared. He was warming up in the bullpen during the eighth inning on Wednesday, and he wouldâve entered the ninth inning for a chance to face his former team had Dalton Rushing not put the score out of reach.
BOSTON - APRIL 26: Miroslav Satan #81 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his game winning goal in the third period against the Buffalo Sabres in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 26, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Sabres 4-3 to win the series. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the regular season officially concluded late on Thursday night, the NHL finally released the full schedule for the first round series between YOUR Boston Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres.
Bruins vs. Sabres schedule
As you know, the Sabres are the higher seed and will have home-ice advantage in the first round. Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 will be in Buffalo, with games 3, 4, and 6 at TD Garden.
Game 1: Sunday, April 19, 7:30 PM
Game 2: Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 PM
Game 3: Thursday, April 23, 7 PM
Game 4: Sunday, April 26, 2 PM
Game 5: Tuesday, April 28, TBD
Game 6: Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7: Sunday, May 3, TBD
Bruins vs. Sabres TV channels
While the NHL website doesnât specify this, a release from the Bruins confirms that all first round games will be broadcast on NESN locally.
This is in keeping with the usual tradition/contractual obligations, where teamsâ regular season broadcasters get the first round before everything moves to national channels in the second round.
As you can see below, these games will still be broadcast on the national channels as well, but should be available on good olâ NESN in the New England area.
Game 1: NESN, ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 2: NESN, ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 3: NESN, TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN360, TVAS
Game 4: NESN, TNT, TruTV, HBO Max, SN360, TVAS
Game 5: NESN, TBD
Game 6: NESN, TBD
Game 7: NESN, TBD
Bruins vs. Sabres radio broadcast schedule
Per the Bâs, Games 1 through 4 are confirmed to be broadcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with âTBDâ after that.
Normally, the games being on 98.5 would be, to use an appropriate metaphor, a lay-up.
However, Celtics games are also broadcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub, and their first round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers will conflict with the Bruins-Sabres series on:
Tuesday, April 21
Sunday, April 26
Tuesday, April 28
(Both teams have games on Sunday, April 19, as well, but the Celtics game is at 1 PM.)
As things look at the moment, it will be the Celtics who get bumped to 105.7 FM, with the Bâs remaining on 98.5.
I know the formatting for this post is a little annoying, butâŠSEO, Apple News, etc. You get the idea.
Overall, this is a pretty standard schedule for the Bâs, though the series does have two built-in back-to-back days off, which can help both teams during a rough-and-tumble playoff series.
A Sunday afternoon home playoff game at TD Garden should be a pretty fun atmosphere.
Iâd imagine the Bruins-Sabres series should be near the top of the league leaderboard when it comes to eyeballs watching on TV in the United States, maybe only rivaled by the Flyers-Penguins series.
The Bruins always draw well on TV, and Buffalo is a leading âplayoffs-on-TVâ market even when the Sabres arenât involved, so you can imagine how much the interest will spike with them back in the mix.
NHL playoff bracket challenge
Loyal SCOC reader tupty set up a Bracket Challenge over on the NHL website. For those unfamiliar, itâs basically like a March Madness bracket, where you pick your teams, series scores, etc.
The New York Knicks can take solace that Trae Young is nowhere to be found in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, and thus, Knicks fans don't have a chance to spit on him because he was torching their team.
Young is in a Washington Wizards uniform after a January trade, but when he was in Atlanta five years ago, he single-handedly led the Hawks to a five-game drubbing of the Knicks, leading to more postseason dread for New York.
Nothing has changed in the big picture for the Knicks, who are seeking their first Finals appearance since 1999, and welcome the visiting Hawks to kick off the best-of-seven series.
Here is a breakdown of the Knicks-Hawks series:
How the Knicks can advance
Of course, Jalen Brunson wasn't on the Knicks roster in 2021 and joined the team the next offseason after leaving the Dallas Mavericks and signing a four-year, $104 million free-agent contract.
The Knicks' playoff fortunes begin and end with Brunson, the reigning Clutch Player of the Year, so it is imperative that he gets going early and also gets his teammates involved. That means Karl Anthony Towns needs to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, and in his two games this season against the Hawks, he averaged 28.5 points and 13.5 rebounds. But the bench is the X-factor for New York, which ranked third in offensive efficiency and fifth in 3-point percentage, and can generally go nine or 10 deep during the postseason, which might give them an advantage the longer the series goes on.
New York, winners of 53 games, played at a faster pace and hoisted more 3-pointers this season than under predecessor Tom Thibodeau. But one disadvantage is that, looking ahead to Boston, a healthy Jayson Tatum could be staring them right in the face in the second round.
How the Hawks can advance
Atlanta has played outstanding basketball over the last two months, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them advance out of this round.
Their defense must be elite, and the Hawks have a top-10 defense, just like the Knicks, who are more than capable of turning stingy defense into instant offense. Job number one for Atlanta is to stop Brunson on the offensive end and make him a liability on defense, using their guards' height advantage. They must also win the rebounding battle and pound the ball inside, as New York's lack of rim presence, especially shot blocking, can be used to their advantage.
Jalen Johnson has turned into a star, averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, and teaming with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a nearly 21-point-per-game scorer, the Knicks will have their hands full against one of the best distributing teams in the league. The addition of Jonathan Kuminga should help, especially when Atlanta struggles in the half-court. But the Hawks must run the Knicks out of the gym to have a chance, but they might not have the offensive firepower to stay in the series.
Prediction: Knicks in five
Knicks vs hawks Series schedule: TV, stream information
Game 1:Â Atlanta at New York, Saturday, April 18, 6 p.m., Prime Video
Game 2:Â Atlanta at New York, Monday, April 20, 8 p.m., NBC, Peacock
Game 3:Â New York at Atlanta, Thursday, April 23, 7 p.m., Prime Video
Game 4:Â New York at Atlanta, Saturday, April 25, 6 p.m., NBC
Game 5:Â Atlanta at New York, Tuesday, April 28, TBD, (if necessary)
Game 6:Â New York at Atlanta, Thursday, April 30, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7:Â Atlanta at New York, Saturday, May 2, TBD (if necessary)
ASSEN, NETHERLANDS - APRIL 17: Alex Lowes of Great Britain riding bimota KB998 Rimini bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team competes in the practice sessions during the Pirelli Dutch Round (Round 3) of the WorldSBK or SBK FIM Superbike World Championship at TT Assen Circuit on April 17, 2026 in Assen, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All four Rangers affiliates scored double digits yesterday. Yes, even Hub City.
Hickory starter Jormy Nivar allowed one run in four innings, striking out four and walking one.
Paulino Santana was 2 for 5 with a walk. Yolfran Castillo was had a hit and a walk. Marcos Torres was 2 for 3 with two walks and three stolen bases. Hector Osorio was 2 for 3 with a double, a triple, two walks, and three stolen bases. Josh Springer had a hit, a walk and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 1 for 3 with a pair of walks. Esteban Mejia was 3 for 5.
Hub City starter JâBriell Easley threw two shutout innings, striking out three. Anthony Susac struck out two in 2.1 scoreless.
Maxton Martin tripled and drew two walks. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 4 with a double, a homer and a walk. Yeison Morrobel had a pair of hits and a walk. Malcolm Moore drew a walk. Chandler Pollard drew a pair of walks.
Dane Acker started for Round Rock and gave up five runs in 2.1 IP, walking four and striking out one. Emiliano Teodo allowed an unearned run in 1.2 IP, walking one and striking out two. Thomas Ireland, apparently sent to Round Rock as a filler arm after the Express lost Cal Quantrill, Gavin Collyer and Marc Church from their pitching staff yesterday, struck out three, walked two and allowed one run in three innings. Robbie Ahlstrom allowed a two run homer in two innings, striking out one.
Justin Foscue had a hit and two walks. Aaron Zavala had a hit.
Weâre about 24 hours away from game one! Before the Minnesota Timberwolves begin on their postseason quest, letâs review their performance throughout the 82-game regular season. We had 42 voters chime in on their player grades as well as what they think will happen in the playoffs inâŠ
(Note: Canis Pulsus Vol. 48 data was collected through 4/15)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN â APRIL 5: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves smiles after the game against the Charlotte Hornets on April 5, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Ant finishes the season with an A- grade, right around where he was all season. It feels like while Edwards leveled up in certain areas of his game, while thereâs still some glaring holes in other areas. Worst of all, this was the most amount of games heâs missed in a season. He missed 21 games with a good chunk of those coming near the end of the season. As they say, the Wolves will only go as far as Ant can take them.
Full voting results:
Julius Randle
B (33.3% each)
Quarter 1: B+ (38.2%) Semester 1: A / B+ (31.9% each) Quarter 3: B (28%)
If you had to plot Julius Randleâs effectiveness throughout the season, it would look like a damn seismograph. High peaks early, immediately turning into low valleys, spiking up and down the rest of the way. Randle almost got the Andrew Wiggins âThe Best Ability to Availabilityâ award had he not been shut down for the final three games of the season for rest. His Hyde and Jekyll tendencies will be a huge factor in the postseason.
Full voting results:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA â MARCH 25: Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the Houston Rockets in the third quarter at Target Center on March 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Rockets 110-108 in overtime. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It felt like Jaden was having a career-best season, especially early on. Despite some regression later in the year, Slim still finished with career-highs in scoring, shooting, and playmaking. The consistency must improve if he truly wants to emerge as that long-term second star next to Ant that many are hoping for. Perhaps most importantly, his mental game must keep improving. We had a fair share of âJaden getting lost in the gameâ due the return of foul issues or other shenanigans.
Full voting results:
Rudy Gobert
B+ (31%)
Quarter 1: B+ (35.3%) Semester 1: A (33.3%) Quarter 3: A (28%)
Rudy finished the season as the league-leader in field goal percentage. He was fairly consistent and reliable as that âfloor raiserâ the Wolves have become used to. Gobert will surely end up on another All-Defensive team after a solid season. Opponents keep trying him in isolation situations, and they keep failing. Rudy did struggle at the charity stripe this season though, reverting to his first sub-60% season in 10 years.
Full voting results:
Donte DiVincenzo
B (35.7%)
Quarter 1: B (35.3%) Semester 1: B (34.7%) Quarter 3: B+ (36%)
The real Mr. 82 has been solidly âgoodâ all season. Sometimes great, sometimes not so much, but for the most part, consistent. Donte saw a spike in playing time this season, averaging a career-high 30.4 minutes per game. He launched and sank more three-pointers than he did in his first season with Minnesota, but the efficiency has ticked down at all three levels. No matter how his stroke is feeling, the Big Ragu always is going to put his body on the line and make the hustle plays.
Full voting results:
DALLAS, TEXAS â MARCH 30: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the third quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on March 30, 2026 in Dallas, 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ayo Dosunmu
A (42.9%)
Quarter 3: B+ (28%)
Ayo received the highest grade of any player and itâs much deserved. In just 26 games with the Wolves, Dosunmu notched 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on elite shooting splits (.521/.414/.925). He has simply been amazing and will hopefully be a part of the Timberwolves organization for a long, long time. Heâs truly one of the biggest X-factors for Minnesota in their postseason run.
What a rollercoaster of a season itâs been for Naz. It began with a really tough start to the season on the heels of a heart-breaking family tragedy. He eventually found his form as the year progressed, but has been dealing with a bevy of injuries recently. Naz is trying to get right before the postseason starts because he will play a big role in Minnesotaâs success.
Full voting results:
DETROIT, MI â APRIL 2: Kyle Anderson #12 of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on April 2, 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kyle Anderson
B+ (31.7%)
The Wolves welcomed back their Chinese-Jamaican King! SlowMo has been deployed early and often by Coach Finch. After playing just 24 of 57 possible games this season between Utah and Memphis, Anderson played in 19 of 21 possible games with Minnesota. Heâs picked up almost exactly where he left off on the defensive end of the court. You can bet heâs going to see the court during the postseason.
Full voting results:
Mike Conley
C- (28.6%)
Quarter 1: C (29.4%) Semester 1: C- (23.9%) Quarter 3: C (30.6%)
Minnesota Mike played in 46 of the Wolves first 60 games, which included a 2-3 week vacation during the NBA trade deadline. Then he essentially received 12 straight healthy scratches after that. Conley has since found opportunities on the court amid Minnesotaâs injury spell, and he has taken advantage of those opportunities. Most importantly, heâs hit 45.2% of his three-pointers after shooting just 31.1% earlier in the season. Can he have one more magic (Mike) moment in the playoffs?
Full voting results:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA â MARCH 25: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates against the Houston Rockets in the third quarter at Target Center on March 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Rockets 110-108 in overtime. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bones has been a revelation for the Wolves this year. Not quite as consistent or versatile as the other half of Twin Turbos, Hyland has provided much-needed bench scoring amid Naz Reidâs struggles. Heâs having the most efficient season scoring the ball and is a spark plug that galvanizes both his teammates and fans. The Skelly Celly has also taken a grip around all of Minnesota.
There were a lot of high hopes for Clark Countyâs role this year. The defensive hole that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left behind was one that many thought Clark could step into, and despite some early season success, has found himself in a bit of a doghouse. Finch has only played Jaylen in 14 of the teamâs final 22 games, and under 10 minutes in half of those games. The infamous stat of the Wolves record when Clark plays 15 minutes of more concludes at 20-5, for now.
Full voting results:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA â APRIL 12: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 reacts as Joe Ingles #7 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans in the fourth quarter at Target Center on April 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Pelicans 132-126. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TJ Shannon, similar to Clark, was expected to have a significant role with the Wolves this season. Unfortunately, he floundered early. He received just a C+ grade for the Quarter 1 Progress Report, then went missing in action due to a nagging foot injury for the next two quarters of the season. Shannon finished with a bang in this final quarter. Well, more like his final three games, where he averaged 27.3 points on 55.6% shooting from the floor. TJ sunk 3.3 threes and 7.3 free throws during that stretch, just a glimpse of his full potential.
The 19-year-old Frenchman appeared in 40 regular season games, but just double-digit minutes in seven of those games. Finch has been very selective with how heâs deployed the rookie much to the fans chagrin. Thereâs been enough flashes to be optimistic about his near-term and long-term future. Joan dominated by averaging a double-double in 11 G League games with Iowa, so hopefully we can see him continue next season with Minnesota.
Full voting results:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. â APRIL 2026: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Joe Ingles (7) basket in the second quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans, final regular season game. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Joe Ingles played basketball! Well, 5.7 minutes in 27 games may not seem like much, thatâs actually more than the 19 games he appeared in a season ago. Joe is always bringing the good vibes and as the kids say, âUnc still got it!â In his only non-garbage time game of the season, Ingles posted 15 points, 6 boards, and 10 assists against the Pelicans in game 82! A+ for Joe.
The three two-way players and Julian Phillips each had strong seasons and performances with the Iowa Wolves, helping them end their 11-year playoff drought. They didnât have any true opportunities to play a meaningful role with the Timberwolves, but if you want to hear more about their seasons, check out my Iowa Wolves coverage.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA â APRIL 07: Head coach Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 07, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every year, we hear the âFire Finchâ chants. Every year, he proves how silly that wouldâve been. This hasnât been a banner regular season for Chris Finch, but is it all his fault? Thereâs fervent voices on both sides of this argument, but he has notched the same record with the Wolves as he did last season. Thereâs been considerably more injuries and roster losses, though many still thought Minnesota shouldâve taken a step forward.
Full voting results:
Front office
A (28.6%)
Quarter 1: B (29.4%) Semester 1: A- (31.9%) Quarter 3: A (28.6%)
The front office did a great job at the trade deadline and putting together the Twin Turbos. Hindsight always makes it easy to nitpick though. Choosing Naz over NAW. Choosing Rob Dillingham. But in the meantime, the Wolves still have a lot of value on their roster and have the opportunity to keep the core together long-term this summer. There may be a lot of changes in the offseason, but Tim Connelly has done well once again.
Full voting results:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. â APRIL 2026 Kevin Garnett acknowledges the crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Behind Garnett is his daughter Kavalli. The Hall of Fame forward and all-time franchise leader in nearly every major statistical category walked into the arena after player introductions, receiving a roar from the crowd and patting his heart with his hand. Garnett, who had a falling out with previous owner Glen Taylor after his career was over, reached an agreement last year with the team to serve as an ambassador. His No. 21 jersey will be retired at a later date. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans, final regular season game. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Ownership
A (26.8% each)
Quarter 1: B (26.5%) Semester 1: A (31.9%) Quarter 3: A / B+ (20% each)
Wolves fans finally got to enjoy the return of Kevin Garnett at Target Center. It was a beautiful night of basketball with a ton of highlights from the young guys and good vibes all around. Ownership has done their part to make fans enjoy the overall experience this season, but they may need to consider how to get them in the seats with the decline of attendance and rising prices.
Full voting results:
What will be the result of the round one Denver Nuggets matchup?
Wolves in 7 (28.6%)
The result is not too surprising with just 59.5% of voters going with the Timberwolves. There was a dueling pair of 21.4% of votes for Wolves in 6 and Nuggets in 6. Either way, fans are expecting a long and drawn out series between two teams who are 14-14 against each other in all-time postseason games.
Full voting results:
The key for the Timberwolves to defeat the Nuggets isâŠ
Defense and limiting Jamal Murray
More than half the responses included locking in on the defensive end and limiting the non-JokiÄ players, particularly Jamal Murray. In his four regular season matchups against Minnesota this year, Murray averaged 31.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. Thatâs pretty good. The Wolves cannot simply rely on one of two players to slow him down though, as it will be a total team effort.
My hot take from the Wolves-Nuggets series isâŠ
No ice packs will be harmed this time around
In case you forgot, Jamal Murray threw objects onto the court from the bench during a live play that couldâve severely injured players, yet received nothing but a fine.
I was glad to see there was a voter who felt certain that this wouldnât be the case this time. Some other interesting answers included:
Jokic will not get a triple double
TJ Shannon will provide solid bench scoring
Jaden McDaniels will average more than 20 points per game
Ayo will be too much for Denver to handle
Kyle Anderson will have a triple-double
Jamal Murray crashes out
Chris Finch will get out coached again and his seat will be burning hot
Core vs non-core for next season will become obvious
DENVER, COLORADO â MARCH 1: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates the win against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 1, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the regular season over, my feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves areâŠ
Slightly optimistic (61.9%)
Preseason: Very optimistic (63.3%) Quarter 1: Slightly optimistic (61.8%) Semester 1: Very optimistic (70.8%) Quarter 3: Slightly optimistic (54%)
Thereâs reason to not be overly optimistic considering the difficult task Minnesota has ahead of them. This iteration of the Wolves hasnât stormed the league, but anything is possible in the playoffs. Will Ant, Jaden, and Naz be at close to full health? Will a fully rested Julius pay dividends? How about the debut of playoff Ayo and Twin Turbos)? Thereâs plenty of questions ahead.
Full voting results:
The Minnesota Timberwolves finish the season with a 3.19 GPA, just a slight dip from their 3.26 third quarter grades. Thatâs still an improvement from the 3.05 they finished with last season! Thank you to all who have participated.
Thereâs a strange, almost cruel symmetry to the way this first-round series between the Rockets and the Lakers has taken shape.
Three weeks ago, the Lakers looked like one of the NBAâs best teams, on the precipice of making a deep playoff run. Meanwhile, the Rockets were stumbling through March grasping for something to hold onto.
Now the roles have reversed, violently.
The Lakers limp into the postseason missing their top two scorers in Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves â thatâs nearly 60 points per game gone like smoke.
Thereâs a strange, almost cruel symmetry to the way this first-round series between the Rockets and the Lakers has taken shape. Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesNow the roles have reversed, violently. Getty Images
The Rockets enter the playoffs soaring, winners of nine of their last 10 games. Theyâve rediscovered their identity, and it starts and ends on the defensive end.
The Lakers will try to hold onto the rope long enough for their two stars to try to come back later in the series. Until then, here are some of the matchups to look for:
LeBron vs the Machine
The Lakersâ only chance of getting past Houston without Doncic and Reaves hangs on the back of a 41-year-old LeBron James.
Houston wonât treat him like a king. The Rockets will treat him like the head of the snake. Stop him and let the role players try to beat you. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Houston has a lot of players on its roster who can do that.
Letâs start with Amen Thompson â long, relentless and unapologetically physical. He finished fifth for NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, and we expect another top-five finish this year. Thompson will take on the assignment of guarding James straight up at times, stripping away the need for help defense thereby allowing the rest of the players to stay home on their assignments.
When Thompsonâs not on LeBron, the Rockets can also throw 6-foot-11 forward Jabari Smith Jr. on him with his over 7-foot wingspan. If they want a different look, Houston coach Ime Udoka can also put 6-8 physical forward Tari Eason on him.
The Lakersâ only chance of getting past Houston without Doncic and Reaves hangs on the back of a 41-year-old LeBron James. NBAE via Getty Images
Alperen Sengun vs DeAndre Ayton: The Battle Beneath
In a series defined by perimeter defenders and NBA legends, the most important matchup in the series might happen in the paint.
Turkish big man Alperen Sengun is now a fulcrum. Heâs a two-time All-Star and a problem in the paint who demands constant attention. The assignment of guarding him belongs to former No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton.
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In his first season with the purple and gold, Ayton has been inconsistent, his focus and effort drifting at times â until recently. The last six weeks have offered a glimpse into what he can be when heâs engaged, physical, present and focused.
Ayton has the most difficult assignment of any Lakers player. Rebound everything. Keep the Rockets off the offensive glass. Contain Sengun as much as he can, be the rim defender when the Lakers switch to a zone defense and run the pick and roll with James and Luke Kennard in order to make a dent on offense as well.
The assignment of guarding him belongs to former No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton. Getty Images
Different Defensive Looks and Disruption
Not an individual matchup, but we expect the Lakers to give the Rockets different looks on defense throughout the series. The team frustrated its opponents throughout the season by switching to a zone defense during games. We expect some zone looks in this series as well.
Houston isnât a strong 3-point shooting team outside of Reed Sheppard, which could allow the Lakers to play zone sometimes and dare the Rockets to beat them from distance. They also want to disrupt passing lanes, force turnovers and blitz Kevin Durant. Blitzing Durant when he had the ball worked in their last two matchups in Houston. In their first matchup March 16, they erased a six-point halftime deficit by blitzing Durant and holding him scoreless the entire second half until a last-second layup in garbage time.
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The Rockets have one of the slowest paces of play and will want to slow down the game and grind it to a halt in the half court. The Lakers, meanwhile, need chaos and to get out in transition. Quick strikes before the Rocketsâ defense can even set up.
Houston will need Sheppardâs 3-point shooting in this series, but when heâs on the floor, look for LeBron and the Lakers to hunt him on defense. Drag him into screens. Force switches. Attack.
Not an individual matchup, but we expect the Lakers to give the Rockets different looks on defense throughout the series. Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant: The Last of the Mohicans
Durant is the quiet storm that hovers over this series. Houstonâs elite perimeter defenders allow Durant to expend his energy on the offensive end of the floor, where he can take over entire games.
The Lakers will likely throw the smaller Marcus Smart and stronger Rui Hachimura at him, hoping the combination can disrupt his rhythm. LeBron will even guard him at times as well. Help will inevitably come. It has to. But every second defender you throw at Durant allows someone else to be wide open.
If Houston finds those players and they make those shots, the Lakers are in big trouble.
Expect James to have the ball in his hands most of the time on offense, hunting mismatches and forcing Houston to make tough decisions. On defense, LeBron will lurk, providing help on Durant.
This might be the final chapter between LeBron and Durant and who wins the individual battles could be the player who leads his team to victory in the series.
Game 1 on Saturday will go a long way to decide who will win the series. Both teams will try to set the tempo early and impose their will. Houston has the momentum, the depth and the defense that travels.
The Lakers have LeBron, shooting and the hope that if they hold onto the rope long enough, Doncic and Reaves can return to rescue them later in the series.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 4: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs on April 4, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It feels like the difference between the NBAâs regular season and playoffs becomes more stark every year. While high-scoring games and tanking talk dominated the national discourse over the leagueâs 82-game slog, there was quietly a fascinating championship race bubbling beneath the surface. There are several viable contenders in both conferences this season, and if the play-in tournament is any indication, the product is going to be so much more competitive and engaging than the regular season ever was.
The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the playoffs as the favorites to win it all, and theyâre fighting against the recent history of the league to do it. No team has won back-to-back championships since Kevin Durant was on the Golden State Warriors back in 2017 and 2018. OKC has the likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with the leagueâs best defense, but occasional outside shooting woes and lingering injuries to co-star Jalen Williams make the Thunder vulnerable.
The San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets are both dreaming of winning it all behindx their superstar big men Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. The race in the East is even more wide open with the top four teams in the playoff bracket all believing they have what it takes to reach the 2026 NBA Finals.
With the playoffs about to get underway, letâs rank every team in the field by their championship chances. Weâll update this story with the two No. 8 seeds once those are decided in the final round of the play-in tournament.
14. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are back in the playoffs for the first time in five years, and they have a strong foundation to continue growing for the future. Portland has a burgeoning star creator in Deni Avdija and a defense that ranked No. 3 in the league since the All-Star break. Avdijaâs ability to take bumps on his drives to the rim and consistently get to the foul line gives this team a chance to generate consistent offense when everything else fails. Donovan Clingan feels like a star in the making for his rebounding and rim protection, but heâs about to have his hands full against Victor Wembanyama in the first round. I think Portland can take a game off the Spurs, but Iâd be surprised with anything more than that.
13. Los Angeles Lakers
Itâs a shame that the Lakers will head into the offseason without knowing how good this team truly is. Luka Doncicâs hamstring strain and Austin Reavesâ oblique strain will decimate Los Angelesâ chances in the playoffs with both expected to miss the start of their first-round series against Houston, if not the entire thing. LeBron James is the focal point once again for the Lakers, but he just doesnât have enough help to advance even if Houston can get caught in the mud offensively. I would have picked the Lakers to win this series with Doncic and Reaves healthy, but thatâs not the case, so I have to go with the Rockets.
12. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors deserve a lot of credit for jumping from 30 wins to 46 wins on the back of an elite defense. Scottie Barnes has taken a real leap on both ends, the Brandon Ingram addition has worked out reasonably well, and the front office has hit the jackpot with some value free agent signings (Sandro Mamukelashvili) and second-round picks (Jamal Shead). The catch with Torontoâs turnaround is they still canât beat a good team, with most of their wins coming by taking care of business against bottom-feeders. The Raptors at least know who they are as a team, which should work to their advantage in a first-round series against a new-look Cleveland team thatâs still coming together after the trade deadline. Iâd be surprised if Toronto wins a series, but they should keep things competitive if nothing else.
11. Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiidâs health has haunted the 76ers on just about every playoff run of his career, and itâs happening again. Embiid is sidelined after having his appendix removed earlier this month, but Philly didnât need him to earn the No. 7 seed in the East by beating the Magic in the play-in. Tyrese Maxey has had a special season, and he can take over any game in crunch-time even if the Boston Celtics have some ideal defenders to throw on him. Embiid miraculously returning to peak form would give Philly a chance in this series, but Boston still feels like a comfortable favorite to advance, even if it takes six games.
10. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks traded Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis ahead of the deadline, and suddenly morphed into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Since the deadline, Atlanta ranks No. 6 in the league in net-rating, outscoring opponents by 7.4 points per 100 possessions. The New York Knicks have more talent on paper, but the Hawks are playing such good ball on both ends that thereâs a real chance for an upset. Atlanta has the bodies to throw at Jalen Brunson on the perimeter, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels getting the assignment most of the series. Alexander-Walker will also be counted on to produce offensively as he shares the creation burden with C.J. McCollum. The fun thing about the Hawks is that almost everyone in the lineup can attack off the dribble, and it should put a Knicks team with a couple weak links defensively in an uncomfortable position. I still like New York to advance, but it wonât be easy.
9. Houston Rockets
The Rockets felt like they would be toast in the first round of the playoffs for most of the second half of the season, but a strong closing kick plus a favorable matchup against a Lakers team missing its two best players gives Houston a reason to believe. The Rockets arenât the same team without injured starters Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet, but thereâs still a pathway to advancing here. Kevin Durant has put up an All-NBA caliber year at age-37, and heâs again going to have to carry the offense for long stretches in this series. Alperen Sengun is a workhorse in the middle who should have his way with Deandre Ayton. Amen Thompson could be a breakout candidate with elite defense and transition scoring, but there are questions about his halfcourt offense. Itâs hard to believe weâre getting another KD vs. LeBron series in 2026 â it would just be a lot more fun if everyone else around them was healthy.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Wolves vs. Nuggets might be the best rivalry in the NBA at this point as the two teams prepare for their third playoff series in four years. The Wolves remain something of a mystery even after 82-games with recent injuries to Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, the trade deadline acquisition of Ayo Dosunmu, and the integration of Bones Hyland into a real rotation piece. Minnesota is still an elite defensive team with Rudy Gobert on the floor, posting a 109.4 defensive rating in his minutes that would have ranked third in the league. Of course, Nikola Jokic poses unique problems even for the leagueâs best defenders, and it feels like Minnesotaâs only real chance is if itâs offense reaches levels it hasnât hit during the regular season. Edwards will have to play at his best level to give Minnesota a chance, but the Wolves also need Julius Randle to repeat his inspired playoff run last year, and for Dosunmu and Naz Reid to stay hot as shooters. It feels like a long-shot the Wolves can win this series, but itâs hard to discount them after back-to-back conference finals trips.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs traded Darius Garland for James Harden at the deadline to become bigger, tougher, and more durable for the playoffs. Harden turned in another All-NBA caliber season at age-36, but itâs hard to trust him in the playoffs after so many high profile failures. Clevelandâs biggest issue is that the team just hasnât really been healthy all season, but it finally seems like they should have all their key pieces for this run. Harden has helped take Jarrett Allenâs offense to the next level, and their pick-and-roll combination could determine Clevelandâs offensive ceiling just as much as Donovan Mitchellâs shot-making. The Cavsâ defense has been a little spotty, and keeping Toronto in check in transition will be a good gauge of their overall level. It feels like the Cavs could be in for more changes if they go bust on this run (a LeBron reunion, anyone?), but thereâs still significant upside here if it all comes together.
6. New York Knicks
The Knicks have tons of talent, but often leave their fans wanting a little bit more. The starting lineup has essentially played teams even for two years, and thatâs not good enough given the cap space and future assets devoted to that grouping. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns should be a deadly pick-and-roll combination, and theyâve started to look a bit more in-tune to end the season. Miles McBride is back from injury and offers some sorely needed shot-making upside and lineup versatility. Mitchell Robinson always feels like an injury waiting to happen, but his offensive rebounding is dominant and can change a series. I want to see how the Knicks can defend against Atlantaâs transition offense and unpredictable pick-and-roll combinations. I want to see if Brunson and KAT can stay on the floor defensively together in the gameâs biggest moments. The Knicks can absolutely win the East, but it feels like they should have been the favorite given preseason expectations, and I canât confidently say thatâs the case.
5. Detroit Pistons
The Pistonsâ worst-to-first story is absolutely incredible. Two years ago, Detroit won 14 games. This season? 60 games and the No. 1 seed in the East. Cade Cunningham is back from a collapsed lung, and should be ready to carry this team in tough moments. The star point guard has a lot on his plate because Detroit just doesnât have much shooting or halfcourt creation around him. The Pistons spent the regular season developing the leagueâs deepest bench, and players like Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed are about to be in the spotlight for big minutes. Jaren Duren needs to prove his offensive explosion can translate to playoff settings, while the wing combination of Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland must prove they are ready for primetime so early in their careers. Detroitâs model of an elite defense and a superstar guard worked pretty well for the Thunder in their championship run last season. A lack of trust in the offense is the one thing holding me back from picking Detroit to make the Finals, but they have as good a chance as anyone in the East.
4. Boston Celtics
Raise your hand if you believed the Celtics would be in for a gap year as Jayson Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles. Iâm ashamed to admit I thought so, too. Instead, the Celtics enter the playoffs as the Eastern Conference favorites, with Tatum back in the lineup and a young and more athletic supporting cast around him. Joe Mazzulla got the most out of the patchwork front court, and now Neemias Queta needs to cement his breakout season in the playoffs. Jaylen Brownâs career year will also be under the microscope on this run, as will the shot distribution between him and Tatum late in close games. Derrick White getting hot with his shot would change everything for Boston, but heâs still somehow an elite player even when his jumper is cold. Bostonâs offense always hunts great shots, and the defense is even tougher with Tatum happy to do the dirty work. This isnât the best Celtics team of the Jays era, but itâs still damn good, and maybe even the best in the East.
3. San Antonio Spurs
The Spursâ preseason win total was set at 44.5 games by Vegas. Instead, San Antonio won 62 games and forced some uncomfortable questions about whether Victor Wembanyama is already the best player in the world. The Spurs put the rest of the NBA on alert by beating defending champion Thunder three straight times in Dec., and they kept rolling from there. Wembanyama is a problem without a solution for opponents; there are times where I think heâs the most talented player in league history thanks to his 8-foot wingspan, elite speed and coordination, high motor, and burgeoning skill. San Antonio was widely expected to have shooting questions around their young French superstar, but that didnât really matter much as Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, and Devin Vassell all hit at least 38 percent from deep. The spotlight will be on Stephon Castle to prove himself as a future All-Star, and there are some questions about how his physical two-way player translates without proven shooting ability. The Spurs finally put a good supporting cast around Wemby just as he reached a new level of dominance. This team is absolutely going to win championships eventually, but there are a couple veteran teams in front of them that I think will be hard to get past this year.
2. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world since the dawn of the 2020s, and this playoff run is shaping up to be a golden opportunity to continue adding to his legendary resume. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander feels like heâs finally started to pull away Jokicâs crown, and Wembanyama is coming for it if he doesnât already have it. Jokic is simply too good of a player to retire with only one championship, and this is a real chance to win another one. The Nuggets improved their depth over the offseason, which came in handy as they were hit by a rash of injuries to key rotation pieces during the regular season. As the bench developed, Jamal Murray solidified his place as a worthy second banana by turning in the best season of his career. Weâve seen Murray have killer playoff runs before, and he feels primed for one this year. The health of Aaron Gordon and to a lesser extent Peyton Watson could determine Denverâs ceiling. If they can beat the Wolves, a potential second round matchup with the Spurs is looming, and the winner likely gets the Thunder. Itâs an incredibly difficult road just to get to the Finals, but Denver has the offensive ceiling to do it. Will they defend enough? Will they stay healthy? Denver still has some questions to answer, but if it all comes together, it still has championship upside.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder felt like a potential dynasty after winning the championship last season, and now the basketball world is about to see if theyâre up for it. OKCâs championship defense is every bit as good as it was a year ago. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander almost feels unstoppable at this point: heâs slippery enough to get wherever he wants with his handle, long enough to shoot over anyone, and his knockdown touch on mid-range pull-ups is suddenly now extending beyond the three-point line. Every other piece on the Thunder plays their role to support SGA, and there are multiple members of this supporting cast destined for stardom in their own right. Chet Holmgren is an elite two-way big with excellent rim protection and the perimeter skill of a wing. Cason Wallace is growing into a lockdown defender, and Ajay Mitchell is developing into the supplementary ball handler OKC needs when Shai sits. The shooting can be a little bit spotty, and Jalen Williams missing most of the season to this point is certainly unnerving. Itâs easy to forget that the Thunder really didnât look all that dominant on their playoff run last season, getting the benefit of opponent injury luck in their two toughest series. Still, this defense will travel in any matchup, they wonât have to play Denver or San Antonio until the conference finals, and SGA really is tracking as an all-time great. The Thunder are good enough to break the NBAâs no repeats streak. Itâs going to take a Herculean effort to stop them.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas speaks at a press conference on Friday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Emily Curiel/Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The Kansas City Royals are 7-12 and just lost a heartbreaker to the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon. Despite that, I imagine that there were still plenty of smiles at 1 Royal Way yesterday after the KCMO City Council passed a stadium financing ordinance that could provide up to $600 million for the construction of a new stadium in the âWashington Square Park/Crown Center area.â The vote passed 11-1-1. This vote was a big step for KCMO to keep the Royals in the city, but itâs just a step with more to come. This legislation authorizes KCMO City Manager Mario Vasquez to officially start negotiating with the Royals, as we see in Section 3 of the bill:
Section 3. That the City Manager is hereby directed to negotiate, in coordination with the appropriate agencies, a comprehensive lease and a comprehensive development agreement with the Kansas City Royals organization, developers, city incentive agencies, and other relevant parties for the development of a new stadium and team offices in the Washington Square Park/Crown Center area.
Kansas City Star reporter Dylan Lysen wrote a quality article on what this does and does not mean, and what steps are next:
It mostly sets up a general framework and roadmap for city officials to reach agreements with the Royals and other government agencies who would all be involved in bringing the stadium to life.
Getting the project any further along will not only require buy-in from the team and the state, but the City Council will also still need to approve any funding promises, a lease and other details at a later date before construction can begin.
The Royals seem pleased with the vote; they released a statement stating:
The Royals remain grateful for the work and attention of local leaders. We respect the process, which includes the City Council and Parks Board consideration, and the City Managerâs presentation of a term sheet for review and negotiation, with a long-term vision that we expect to include one of the largest private investments in Kansas City history. As always, our motivation is to find the best solution for our team, our fans, and our community. Weâre excited by the possibilities this opportunity presents for our hometown
The teamâs success in local politics did not translate on to the field, as the team lost 10-9 in a walk-off in Detroit. Lucas Erceg, who blew the save in the ninth inning, shouldered the blame for the loss:
âWe finally turn the corner, and I just come out and blow the lead like that and lose the game. So, I feel like this loss is on me. But, then again, thereâs always tomorrow. And Iâm going to be ready for tomorrow. I hope that Iâm in the same situation tomorrow night and get back to winning.â
For something more positive, Kiri Oler referenced a piece of literature Iâd never heard of breakdown of Seth Lugoâs pitches that was way above my head but still an enjoyable read:
In defense of the hitters, Lugo gives them a complicated set of variables to consider during the small window of time allotted for a swing decision. Heâs got seven(ish) pitches to his name, and they all make an essential contribution to who he is as a pitcher.
Maybe the Royals can channel the power of Mike Trout when they face the New York Yankees this weekend. The slugger hit his fifth home-run in the four game series at New York on Thursday.
Old friend Mark Canha has asked to be released by the Texas Rangers so he can pursue big league opportunities with another team.
Old friend Richard Lovelady has been acquired by the Washington Nationals from the New York Mets.
The San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds had their benches clear after the final out of the Giants 3-0 victory.
The San Diego Padres could be sold as early as next week that could approach a record $3.5 billion.
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach expects a lot of trades during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand played the Robin to Barreroâs Batman. Encarnacion-Strand finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Ryan Noda and Bryan Ramos added the only other Norfolk hits.
Tides starter Nestor German matched Barreroâs big day with 10 strikeouts on the mound. German allowed one run on three hits and one walk over 4.1 innings. He threw 49-of-81 pitches for strikes.
After allowing 30 runs yesterday during a doubleheader, Chesapeake limited New Hampshire to only 12 runs on Thursday. Neither team scored in the first four innings, but the Fisher Cats sprung for six runs in the fourth. Baysox starter Evan Yates recorded only one out in the inning. He ended the day with six earned runs on six hits and six walks.
Frederick Bencosme and Douglas Hodo III cut the lead in half with RBI singles in the fifth, and Bencosme trimmed the deficit to two by putting the ball in play in the eighth. Unfortunately, the Fisher Cats posted their second six-spot of the day in the bottom half of the inning. Eric Torres and Christian Herberholz posted zeros, but Ben Vespi allowed the game to get out of hand with six earned in the eighth.
Tavian Josenberger plated two with a double in the ninth.
High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees) 5, Frederick Keys 2
Frederick starter Joseph Dzierwa took the loss after allowing three runs in five innings. Baltimoreâs second round pick from 2025 surrendered a two-out, two-run single in the top of the first. He settled in with four scoreless innings, but he left after issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth. Dzierwa ended his day with only two hits allowed, but the four walks proved costly. Juan Rojas allowed the inherited runner to score.
Frederick struggled to get things going at the dish. Vance Honeycutt scored the teamâs first run on a bizarre play in the fifth. With the bases empty, Honeycutt snuck a ball beyond a diving center fielder. Honeycutt slipped when rounding second, but the throw sailed over the third basemanâs head. Honeycutt came all the way around to score on a little league home run.
Honeycutt plated Ike Irish with a base hit in the bottom of the ninth.
Delmarva struck first when Stiven Martinez raced home on a wild pitch in the first, but Fredericksburg rattled off six straight runs. DJ Layton plated Martinez with a single in the sixth, but the Nationals tacked on two more to prevent things from getting interesting.
Todd Kniebbe kept Fredericksburg off the board over the final 2.1 innings. Starter Brayan Orrantia allowed three earned over four innings, and Dalton Neuschwander coughed up five over 1.2 frames. Box scores
Fridayâs Schedule
Norfolk: at Durham, 6:45 pm. Starter: Levi Wells (1-1, 1.26 ERA)
Chesapeake: at New Hampshire, 6:03 pm. Starter: Luis De LeĂłn (1-1, 6.00 ERA)
Frederick: vs Hudson Valley, 7:00 pm. Starter: JT Quinn (0-0, 1.00 ERA)
Happy Friday, everyone. The Cubs are back home tonight and looking to keep the good times rolling, and with the struggling Mets coming to town, they might just get their wish. In the meantime, weâll take a look at whatâs happening around baseball. The top stories of the continuing trend of teams extending their breakout rookies, as the Tigers sign Kevin McGonigle to a monster eight-year extension worth $150 million. His (also rich) teammate, Tarik Skubal, teased McGonigle in a press conference, asking if the rookie would be treating the boys to dinner in Boston.
We also look at the thrilling resurgence of Mike Trout, who had an unreal series against the Yankees, and is reminding everyone of the Mike Trout of old, something I think all baseball fans can enjoy. And one Mariners reporter is getting a lot of heat online for trying to use AI to help her craft her questions.
Thereâs also an updated starting pitcher ranking to look at, while the Rockies are just trying to keep drones out of their airspace.
Marcus Semien | (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)
Meet the Mets
The Mets mercifully had the day off yesterday, and theyâre set to begin a three-game series at Wrigley Field this afternoon as they attempt to snap an alarming eight-game losing streak.
Seeing Brock Nelson Again: Islanders Prepare For First Game vs. Former TeammateAs the Islanders prepare to face Brock Nelson for the first time, former teammates Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal reflect, while Calum Ritchie discusses being traded for a franchise icon.
