The Detroit Red Wings entered the 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, and matched up against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Red Wings had suffered through inconsistency for much of the 1998-99 NHL campaign, but loaded up at the 1999 Trade Deadline thanks to the acquisitions of multiple high-profile veterans, including Chris Chelios, Bill Ranford, Wendel Clark, and Ulf Samuelsson.
After accumulating 93 points, the Red Wings earned the top spot in the Central Division and home ice advantage over the Ducks, whom they'd defeated two years prior in a four-game sweep.
Ultimately, the 1999 Western Conference Quarterfinal would prove no contest, as the Red Wings once again advanced with a four-game sweep of the Ducks.
On April 21, Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman registered the fourth playoff hat trick of his career as part of Detroit's 5-3 win at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit followed that win with a 5-1 triumph in Game 2 thanks to a pair of goals from Brendan Shanahan.
As the series shifted to Southern California, the Red Wings maintained their dominance over the Ducks with 4-2 and 3-0 wins in Games 3 and 4, completing the sweep.
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There’s a difference between being snubbed…and inconvenience.
The fact that Lakers superstar Luka Doncic missed out on being named an NBA MVP finalist falls into that category. He was the inconvenience that voters didn’t quite know how to handle. Because his historic season doesn’t fit neatly into the box they’ve spent years building.
So instead, they chose to close the lid.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers knocked down the game winning shot during the game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026. (NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Was that the right decision? We can make the argument either way, but perhaps there’s a solution at the end of all this that can appease everyone.
Let’s start with the finalists: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic.
All three are deserving. They all play on the No. 1, No, 2, and No. 3 seeds in the Western Conference. They are all the best players on their own team with elite level production on both ends of the floor. They check all the boxes.
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But MVP isn’t supposed to be an exercise performed with a Sharpie and a checklist. There’s more gravitas to it. There’s the eye test. There’s the feeling in your gut when you know you’re seeing one of the best players in the world do what they do best. There’s how opposing defenses throw the kitchen sink at one player just to try and slow him down only to discover they can’t.
And nobody made us feel that way this season quite like Doncic.
“I’m disappointed. I think he deserved to be there,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick. “All three guys that did end up being finalists all have a strong case. A lot of this is media momentum, unfortunately.”
Let’s start with the obvious.
He led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game. More than 2.4 points more than SGA. Pair that with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and over 100 steals. Night after night, Doncic wasn’t just producing. He was dominating. No player in NBA history has ever averaged 30+ points, 7+ assists, and 7 + rebounds on a team that won 50 games or more and not won the MVP. Doncic will have now done it twice (2024).
And let’s not forget that he had to carry the Lakers on his back for most of the season.
The Lakers takeoff this season did not come with a clean runway. There was turbulence on the tarmac. An early sciatica injury to LeBron James saw him miss the first 14 games of the season. Doncic led them to a 10-4 record. Midway through the season their second leading scorer Austin Reaves went down with an injury. So did other role players. The Lakers roster felt like it was constantly being rearranged mid-flight. But through it all, Doncic was the pilot that guided them through the turbulence.
So when his teammates that were on this journey with him were asked their thoughts on Doncic not being an MVP finalist they didn’t hesitate with their answers.
“You can see he’s the MVP,” said Lakers’ forward Rui Hachimura. “I can see he’s the MVP of this league. What he does, what he brings to the game every game.”
That’s not analytics. That’s lived experience.
But unfortunately, analytics and advanced metrics is where the divide and the case against Doncic begins.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 8, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE via Getty Images
The anti-Doncic crowd will point to his plus-4 net rating. They’ll stack that next to Jokic’s plus-10.4, SGA’s plus-14.8, and Wemby’s gaudy plus-17.3 and call it decisive. They’ll bring up the defensive metrics as well, where admittedly, Doncic lags behind. They’ll remind you, correctly, that the other finalists are all two-way players, including Wemby who at 22 years old just became the youngest and first ever unanimous player ever to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
All fair points.
But when did the MVP award become less about overall value to a team and more about the completeness of an individual player?
Not since Russell Westbrook in the 2014-15 season has a player ever led the league in scoring and not finished as a top three MVP finalist.
Doncic’s MVP campaign is messy. He’s ball-dominant. He’s emotional and racks up technical fouls like dishes. He’s defensively inconsistent. He doesn’t check every box.
And yet, in the month of March, Doncic dominated the entire league. The Lakers went 16-2 over an 18-game stretch. Doncic was the undisputed Player of the Month, breaking Kobe Bryant’s franchise record, and finishing second only to Michael Jordan with 600 points. His MVP odds surged. He went from out of the race, to second behind SGA by March 31.
“If we continue to finish the season the way we’re playing right now, and he continues to play that way — to me, he is the MVP,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick at the time.
Even Doncic was asked about his MVP case.
“The better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” he said in Spanish, half-joking, fully aware of the dialogue going on in the sports talk world.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Then came April.
In a head-to-head matchup against SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Doncic had a golden opportunity to put a final exclamation point on his MVP campaign. Instead, he suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain and the Lakers lost to OKC by 43. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Doncic would miss the final five games of the season, just as voters were getting ready to make their final selections.
And there’s the rub. Sometimes MVP races aren’t just decided by numbers. They’re decided by moments. And in that moment in OKC, Doncic’s MVP slipped away.
Because the truth is, had he stayed healthy, had the Lakers lit up OKC in those two late-season matchups, had the Lakers surged to the three-seed, then we’re having a very different conversation right now. Not only would Doncic be the finalist, but maybe he’s the favorite.
So was he snubbed?
Not exactly.
But he was minimized.
Voters didn’t ignore him entirely, but they did find reasons to prioritize players who fit the evolving definition of MVP: efficient, elite on both ends of the floor, and attached to team success from start to finish.
Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the game on April 4, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images
Still, the omission exposes something bigger. And that’s that the league needs to make some changes.
Changes not just to the 65-minimum games played threshold, that’s obvious. But other changes as well.
How about an NBA Offensive Player of the Year award like the NFL has?
If that award existed, then there wouldn’t even be a debate. Doncic would be holding the trophy.
Apr 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) reacts against the Philadelphia Phillies after the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves got what is hopefully good news related to closer Raisel Iglesias as it was conveyed to reporters prior to tonight’s game that an MRI showed only inflammation with no structural damage to his shoulder.
Raisel Iglesias returned to Atlanta for a MRI that showed no structural damage. The Braves are hopeful his stay on the IL will be a short one. They debated about just resting him for 4-5 days, but didn’t want to go short in the bullpen
As MLB.com’s Mark Bowman relayed, the team hopes Iglesias will only stay on the IL for a limited amount of time. He last pitched on April 19 in Philadelphia. For the season, he’s pitched in eight games, tossing 8.2 shut-out innnings while striking out 11 batters and collecting five saves.
Free agent singee Robert Suarez, who led the National League in saves with the San Diego Padres last season, will likely serve as closer while Iglesias is out of action.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear frontrunner to repeat as MVP, and his case for that is intertwined with his play in the clutch this season. Oklahoma City won 64 games not just because SGA was the best player in the first 43 minutes of a game, but also because of how dominant he was in the last five.
Which is why Gilgeous-Alexander was voted NBA Clutch Player of the Year, garnering 96 of the 100 first-place votes (cast by a select group of media). Hall of Famer Reggie Miller made the announcement on Peacock.
Denver's Jamal Murray finished second in the voting, just one point ahead of the Timberwolves Anthony Edwards, who was third (the 65-game rule does not apply to this award). Murray had 33 second-place votes (worth three points each) and 18 third-place votes (worth one point), while Edwards had one fewer second-place vote with 32 and two more third-place votes (20).
Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in the clutch, averaging 6.5 points per clutch game, as well as with 175 total clutch points this season, leading the Thunder to a league-best +92 in clutch minutes and a 20-7 record. What's more, he had to do a lot of that on his own — Murray was second in total clutch points with 166 but he had a lot of help in the form of Nikola Jokic (155).
The other four first-place votes that didn't go to SGA went to players who did not finish in the top three. Cade Cunningham got one and finished fourth in the voting, Jalen Brunson (who won the award last year) had two first-place votes but finished fifth, and the Nuggets' Jokic got one first-place vote but finished sixth.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets dribbles into Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2 – April 21, 2026
Location: Crypto.com arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: NBC/Peacock
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Lakers: Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Jake Laravia, Lebron James, Deandre Ayton
The playoffs continue tonight for the Rockets. The biggest question is the status of Forward Kevin Durant, as he is listed as a game time decision with his knee bruise. Honestly, even without Kevin Durant, this Houston team should win over a depleted Lakers team, but then again, Houston could put up another stinker offensively.
Hopefully Sengun, Jabari, and Amen Thompson all bounce back from their lackluster Game 1 performances. ( I am excluding Reed because to give him grace since it was his first real NBA playoff game). If not, the Rockets could be in trouble, and facing an 0-2 deficit before the series shifts to Houston this Friday.
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The Lakers and Rockets are back in action today in Los Angeles for Game 2 of their first-round NBA Playoff series.
The Lakers didn’t need anything fancy in a Game 1 that made history in more than one way. Even without two key players, Los Angeles defended, controlled the tempo, and let their veterans handle the rest.
Houston heads into Game 2 down a game to the Lakers after the 107-98 loss on Friday, and another loss tonight would put the series in a tough spot before it even shifts back to Texas.
It’s possible they’ll continue to be without Kevin Durant, too; the forward is listed as a game-time decision tonight after missing out on Game 2 with a knee contusion.
Rockets vs. Lakers: what to know
What: NBA Playoffs First Round, Game 1
When: April 21, 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Following tonight’s game, the series moves to Houston for Game 3 on Friday, April 24 and Sunday, April 26.
Rockets vs. Lakers start time:
Tonight’s (April 21) Rockets vs. Lakers playoff game tips off at 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. ET.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA playoffs including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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Sling TV is another affordable way to stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles past Josh Okogie #20 of the Houston Rockets during the first half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the NBA playoff games for Tuesday, April 21, 2026:
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat — 7:30 PM ET (TNT)
Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder — 8:00 PM ET (NBA TV)
Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns — 10:00 PM ET (TNT)
Detroit Tigers first base coach Anthony Sanders (77), right, talk to third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) during the ninth inning against Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (12-11) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (12-9)
Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Brew Crew Ball Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (1-1, 3.31 ERA) vs. LHP Kyle Harrison (1-1, 3.07 ERA)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up in the outfield during batting practice before the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers starter Blake Snell will see his first game action of 2026 on Wednesday, officially starting a minor league rehab assignment with the Class-A Ontario Tower Buzzers in the second game of their road series against the San Jose Giants.
The Dodgers have mentioned multiple times this season that Snell’s timetable for return is some time in late May, which fits roughly with his opening his rehab assignment on Wednesday.,That leaves time for three or four rehab starts to build back up. If Snell takes the full 30 days on his rehab assignment, he’d still be ready to return by the final week of May.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters in San Francisco on Tuesday that Snell would make at least three rehab starts, but most likely four.
“I would say the floor is get to five innings for sure. How we get there, we’re going to talk about it — as far as the three, four, or repeat the three [innings], I’m not sure about the progression,” Roberts said, as shown on SportsNet LA. “But the floor is getting to five innings, for sure.”
Ontario’s game in San Jose on Wednesday starts at 6 p.m. PT.
Also of note, reliever Brock Stewart on Tuesday shifted his rehab assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City after pitching twice last week for Class-A Ontario.
Apr 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Players and coaches are wearing number 42 in recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals play game 2 of their road series versus the Miami Marlins Tuesday night. Dustin May (2-2 with a 6.98 ERA) will start for the Cardinals while Chris Paddack (0-3 with a 5.59 ERA) will get the ball for the Marlins. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm central time.
It was revealed during a report on ESPN's NBA Today that Dončić and Reaves both began practicing with the Lakers on Monday, April 20. While Dončić is still considered out indefinitely, ESPN reports Reaves has been progressing, and there is optimism in the building that he could return towards the end of the series.
"The sense around the Lakers is that Austin Reaves is actually the one that's further along than Luka Dončić in their respective rehab processes," Shams Charania said on the broadcast. "... Remember early April here, he had a four-to-six-week timetable. So theoretically, that puts him on track late in this series, potentially early in the next series."
Charania added that Reaves has begun one-on-one on-court work and is expected to continue his progression to three-on-three and five-on-five before a return to game action.
Dončić, meanwhile, is currently not expected to return in the first round.
Neither has played since April 2 due to a grade 2 left hamstring strain (Dončić) and a grade 2 left oblique strain (Reaves). Dončić flew to Spain in the last week of the regular season to undergo an injection procedure in hopes of accelerating the healing process in his hamstring, while Reaves remained in Los Angeles to rehab his oblique.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 16: Luis Gil #81 of the New York Yankees stands for the national anthem during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The American League East has been a bit of a mess so far this year. The Yankees squandered a strong opening week, but the rest of the division has similarly alternated between dominance and disaster. Entering Tuesday night, everybody is within four games of .500. It’s a perfect time to sprinkle a little rivalry into this stew! The Bombers ship up to Boston following an offday for their first meeting of the year against the Red Sox.
While the Yankees did send the Red Sox packing in last year’s Wild Card Series, the fact is they had trouble handling their AL East rivals last year—Boston was no exception. They took the season series over New York 9-4, including a three-game sweep at Fenway Park in June. The Yankees cannot afford to overlook their struggling but still dangerous opponent in this series. Luis Gil will be tasked with getting the Bombers off to a good start in enemy territory.
Gil’s second start of the year came on Jackie Robinson Day and was not overly impressive. He survived five innings but allowed three home runs to the Angels—three of the ten overall hard-hit baseballs he surrendered in that outing. His fastball velocity is still down from his rookie year, and it’s getting clobbered; all three Angel homers came against it. For what it’s worth, the Red Sox have struggled against heaters to begin the year, with a .318 wOBA against them which ranks 26th in the league. By comparison, the Halos are fifth in the league with a .375. His changeup and slider are excellent pitches, but they’re only truly deadly if hitters have to fear a healthy four-seamer, too. We’ll see how Boston handles high velocity tonight.
The precocious Connelly Early was impressive to start Wild Card Game 3, but fellow rookie Cam Schlittler outshone the Virginian southpaw en route to a dominant win that sent Boston home. Early pitched great early (sorry, expect a similar joke in the recap if he does so again) but a rocky fourth inning featuring some bad defense sent him into a tailspin. Early impressed during the spring and earned a spot into the rotation to begin the season; he hasn’t blinked since. He boasts an advanced repertoire for a rookie, with six different pitches which he uses in a largely east-west attack on opponents. That said, Statcast puts him down for a 5.25 ERA, far above his actual ERA of 2.29. Could some regression be coming for Early tonight?
The Yankees offense which crushed Kansas City’s pitching over the weekend largely did so against other lefties. Noah Cameron and Cole Ragans both got hit hard. Hopefully the Monday rest day didn’t cool off their lumber. With that in mind, who better than Amed Rosario to bat leadoff ahead of Aaron Judge? Ben Rice has looked undaunted by lefty pitching—he’s in there over Paul Goldschmidt tonight. Giancarlo Stanton will DH, then Cody Bellinger will play center field with Randal Grichuk manning left. Jazz Chisholm Jr., José Caballero, and Austin Wells round out the starting nine, and Trent Grisham will be available off the bench.
How to watch
Location: Fenway Park — Boston, MA
First pitch: 6:45 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES (NYY) | NESN+ (BOS) | TBS (national)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WEEI 93.7, WESX 1230 AM, WCCM 1490 AM (BOS)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 20: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals steals second base in the sixth inning ahead of the throw to Jorge Mateo #2 of the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on April 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Braves stormed into DC and knocked off the Nats in game one of the series. Now, the Nats will look to even things up in their four game set with the division leaders. To do so, they need to tighten up defensively. The errors have been piling up for the Nats lately.
This is a bit of an unusual lineup from Blake Butera. The thing that immediately stands out is Jacob Young in the 3 hole. Butera said he wanted to avoid stacking too many left handed hitters. Brady House will be out of the lineup. In his place, Jorbit Vivas will play third. Usually the Nats rotate catchers, but Drew Millas will get his second straight start. Foster Griffin has been the Nats best starter this year, but today will be a challenge for the lefty.
The Braves are making a couple alterations themselves. Drake Baldwin will be in the DH spot, meaning Jonah Heim will catch. Mauricio Dubon will be at shortstop in place of Jorge Mateo. Despite leaving the game yesterday, Ronald Acuna Jr. will be back in his customary lead off spot. Reynaldo Lopez started his career in DC, so tonight will be a bit of a homecoming for the 32 year old right hander.
The Braves took over in the middle innings last night to take game one. Now, it is time for the Nats to strike back. With Griffin on the mound, there should be some confidence, but the Braves are on a roll. Follow along down below and let’s go Nats!
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 20: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals steals second base in the sixth inning ahead of the throw to Jorge Mateo #2 of the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on April 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Can the Braves win seven in a row? Can Reynaldo Lopez have another good outing? Is Jake Irvin actually just Jose Urena in some kind of weird Face/Off thing? Stay tuned and find out. Maybe.
