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Could Bruce Cassidy Be A Good Fit As Nashville Predators Head Coach?

One of the most shocking firings of the season could possibly be a gain for the Nashville Predators. 

On Sunday, it was announced that the Vegas Golden Knights had fired their head coach, Bruce Cassidy and had hired John Tortorella for the final eight games of the regular season. 

In addition to the Golden Knights being third in the Pacific Division, still very much competing for the top spot, Cassidy had posted a 178-99-43 record over four seasons with Vegas, guiding the franchise to its first Stanley Cup in 2023.

He had also won the Jack Adams Award, given to the NHL's top coach, during the 2019-20 season as the Boston Bruins head coach. Cassidy also took the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. 

With such a decorated coach getting an unexpected boot, the possibility opens up that he could step into the head coaching role in Nashville.

Andrew Brunette has been with the Predators for three seasons, sleepwalking into the playoffs in 2024, posting one of the worst seasons in franchise history in 2025, and trying to get Nashville into the playoffs as the final Wild Card in 2026. 

Through 238 games coached, Brunette has a 111-105-22 record, and this season has helped the Predators rise from the bottom of the standings. After starting out the year at 6-12-4, Nashville has turned things around and is battling for a playoff spot in the final games of the regular season. 

While it looks like Brunette saved himself from being fired early in the season, Nashville is still struggling to find consistency and playing below expectations with star players like Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, and Jonathan Marchessault. 

General Manager Barry Trotz has also "stuck his neck out" multiple times for Brunette, advocating to keep him on after the disastrous 2024-25 season and staying with him after the Predators returned from Sweden with a 6-10-4 record. 

That being said, Trotz will retire once the search for a new GM concludes. His limited time as GM doesn't mean he's shying away from "big decisions" as he traded off four players at the deadline for draft picks. 

A handful of other coaches have been fired around the league this season in better scenarios than the Predators were in.

Apr 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette looks on during the second period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette looks on during the second period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jim Hillar was fired by Los Angeles after a 21-24-14 start and had spent two and a half seasons with the Kings. The Blue Jackets fired Dean Evason after just a season and a half, and a 19-19-7 record. 

Nashville was at sub-500 for 27 games and opted to stay with Brunette. While the Predators are playing better now, it's unknown if it'll actually pay off. As of March 30, the Predators have lost three straight games and are at risk of losing their Wild Card spot with no action until Thursday.

Meanwhile, after the Blue Jackets fired Evason and Rick Bowness took over, they have propelled themselves to the top of the Metropolitan Division standings, fighting for a top-2 spot. 

The Predators aren't necessarily struggling, but neither were the Golden Knights. Vegas has a very "cut-throat" approach to its organization, but made a risky move that opens the door for Nashville to bring in a proven coach. 

 As for Brunette, he's stayed in his position longer than most head coaches have in his situation. If he doesn't get this team into the playoffs, and even then if they don't have a good showing, it may be time to make a change. 

The Predators have a chance to make a move toward the future, whether that's Trotz making one last move to put the team in a position for success or a new GM proving things will be different. 

And if it's worth anything, Cassidy would get the chance to reunite with a pair of former players in Jonathan Marchessault and Nic Hague. 

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Yankees announce rosters for full-season minor-league affiliates

BINGHAMTON, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: George Lombard Jr. #2 of the Somerset Patriots defends his position during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

The MiLB season got underway last week, the Yankees’ Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, kicking off their season in Buffalo. The rest of the team’s full-season affiliates will get started this week, and with the season about to start, the Yankees announced the rosters for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades, and the Low-A Tampa Tarpons.

Here’s the full roster for Somerset:

The Patriots will be one of the most interesting Yankee affiliates to follow this year, at least at the beginning of the season. All eyes will be on the club’s consensus top prospect, shortstop George Lombard Jr., who starts the season in Somerset but surely with hopes of quickly climbing the ladder this summer. Lombard scorched High-A last year to the tune of a .329/.495/.488 slash line in 24 games, before hitting .215/.337/.358 in Double-A.

Lombard is the headliner, though there’s intrigue elsewhere on the roster, particularly on the pitching staff. Ben Hess, the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2024, is the highest-upside arm here, having posted a 3.22 ERA across two levels last year. Lefty Kyle Carr also merits a mention, his 2.64 ERA between Hudson Valley and Somerset among the best marks in the system in 2025. Chase Hampton, the team’s top pitching prospect two years ago before undergoing Tommy John surgery, will be worth watching here too as he tries to rebuild his stock post-injury.

Now on to Hudson Valley:

There’s probably more to watch on the position-player side here than on the pitching staff. Core Jackson and Kaeden Kent form a nice infield combo to keep an eye on, ranked back-to-back at #12 and #13, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Yankees prospects list. Outfielder Wilson Rodriguez, a 17th-round pick in 2023, is also a name to watch. Bryce Cunningham, the team’s 2024 second-rounder, isn’t listed here after getting a slow ramp-up in spring training, but likely will start his season with Hudson Valley and will look to move up from there.

And now a look at Tampa:

Henry Lalane is the biggest player listed here, literally and figuratively; if you’re looking for someone to take a Carlos Lagrange-esque jump in the Yankee system this year, you could do worse than the 6-foot-6 lefty. Otherwize, there isn’t too much to get super excited about here, at least not yet, with pitcher Allen Facundo the only other player ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30. That said, 2025 top pick Dax Kilby, who announced himself with a stellar run in short-season ball last year, will likely head to Tampa once he gets over the hamstring issue that plagued him in spring training and forced him to miss the Spring Breakout.


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Royals do not need new fences to hit homers in 3-1 win

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 30: Kyle Isbel #28 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with Jonathan India #6 after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Mikayla Schlosser/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

I did NOT have that on my bingo card.

In the game preview for today’s home opener, I wrote that the unusually warm March weather, pushed-in fences, and fly-ball prone Twins pitcher could result in a little fun for the fans. I did not expect that fun to come from Kyle Isbel and Isaac Collins. (Maybe it was just the wind, it was a windy day, but … I don’t care).

The 2025 much-maligned outfield needs to improve this year, and if this keeps up, it’ll do just fine. After a Jonathan India single to lead off the bottom of the second, Isbel came to the plate with two outs. Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson gave him a hanging slider that stayed up just enough for Isbel to get it at the bottom of the zone. He knocked it into the right field bullpen for the first Royals homer of the year at the new K. He did not, however, need the new fences to hit that homer. At least according to the booth.

The Royals offense was pretty quiet until the seventh inning, when Collins came up to bat with one out and nobody on. He got a changeup inside and managed to turn on it and deposit it into the left field bullpen off the State Farm sign. Readers, he ALSO did not need the new fences for that ball to be gone. How about that for his first hit as a Royal?

These guys combined for 13 home runs last year. Isbel with four, Collins with nine. How cool would it be if they found a little power? I won’t hold my breath or anything but this is the time of the year to *dream*.

The starter, Kris Bubic, labored a bit through the early innings. He gave up a big homer to Twins bopper Matt Wallner, who also did not need the new fences for that ball to be gone. However, Bubic gave up only one other hit, which allowed him to limit the damage of the three walks he issued. He got *very* short innings in the fourth and fifth innings, throwing only 13 pitches combined. That allowed him to keep a low pitch count and finish out the sixth inning.

Bubic’s line – 6 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR.

Daniel Lynch IV, Nick Mears, and John Schreiber combined for three relatively easy innings to close out the win. Mears managed to induce one of the easiest double plays I have ever seen on a weak liner up the middle that Bobby Witt Jr was perfectly positioned to field. He just stepped on second himself and threw to first for the double play. There was some debate over whether or not to have Schreiber, a righty, pitch to Wallner, a lefty. They decided to proceed, and Schreiber got an easy grounder to India to end the game.

Fun note – Maikel Garcia challenged using ABS and turned a 2-2 count into 3-1. He got a hittable pitch and smoked it for a double. Too bad Bobby Witt Jr lined out for a double play right after. The Royals seem to have a good sense of when to challenge using ABS. Something to keep an eye on.

The Royals move to 2-2 in this nascent season. They have an off day Tuesday and return to action on Wednesday against the Twins at 6:40pm US Central time.

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Game #4 GameThread: Rockies @ Blue Jays

TORONTO, ON - JUNE 24: (EDITORS NOTE: A long exposure was used in camera to produce this image.) The roof closes as the smallest panel rotates along the tracks after the Toronto Blue Jays victory against the Cincinnati Reds after their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 24, 2009 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The second series of the season.

We should be in Hakodate, Japan, when this goes up. It will be Cherry Blossom time when we are there, which, I’m told is a very busy tourist time. I remember a line in a book by Warren Cromartie who went over there to play ball after his playing days in Montreal were over and wrote a book about it. He said that the Japanese had tried their very best to pave every inch of the country (maybe he should have left the cities occasionally).

Cromartie played seven seasons for Yomiuri and showed a lot more power there than he had over here. I really enjoyed the book, but I gave it to someone and it never found it’s way back to me. I ought to download it before we go.

Go Jays Go.

[Tom M]: Here are the lineups:

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Royals 3, Twins 1: BREAKING — Twins Still Bad Against Southpaws

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 30: Center fielder Lane Thomas #15 and right fielder Matt Wallner #38 of the Minnesota Twins collide in shallow right field while fielding a pop up during the 8th inning of the opening day game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on March 30, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After showing some good life in games two and three against the Orioles, the bats fell silent once again with left-handed Kris Bubic on the mound. For seemingly the 10th season in a row, the Twins simply can’t manage to string together any offense left-handed starting pitchers.

The Twins had some early traffic with a hit by Austin Martin who was then immediately picked off, continuing Martin’s trend of showing good flashes immediately by a boneheaded mistake that makes you question how long he’s been playing baseball. Luke Keaschall also walked in the inning but didn’t manage to score.

The Twins’ lone run came off the bat of Matt Wallner, who stroked his first dong of the season in the second inning. With the obvious small sample caveat, he’s looked much more in control against left-handers so far this year, with the homer today adding to his two walks he took against Trevor Rogers in the opener. 

From that point on, the Twins only managed two hits for the next seven innings, with the latter of those coming with two outs in the ninth. Needless to say, the offense did not do their part today.

Things were better on the pitching front. Simeon Woods Richardson gave up some hard contact but was able to limit the damage, as he typically does. His new splitter looked particularly strong, keeping the Royals sluggers off balance for most of the day. SWR’s only real “mistake” came on a 2-1 slider to nine-hole hitter Kyle Isbel, and even that was a pretty good pitch that Isbel just got the better of. 

Kody Funderburk allowed a solo homer himself to the Royals’ eighth hitter, Minnesota native Isaac Collins, but otherwise the entire pitching staff did enough to win this game. 

There’s still some positives here. Bubic was an All-Star last year and is one of the nastier pitchers in the game when healthy and the Twins still managed to get a lot of hard contact on him that found gloves. Brooks Lee and Ryan Jeffers in particular were seeing the ball well. Obviously you need the results to follow, but this was a much better showing that the Trevor Rogers game last week when the Twins simply withered away. 

The Twins are off tomorrow, but will be facing lefties again Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. They’re also lined up to face both two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and two-time All-Star Framber Valdez next week. This lineup will need to figure out how to hit southpaws quickly or else they’ll be pretty far back in the standings less than two weeks into the season.

STUDS

  • Austin Martin at the plate: 1-1, 2 BB
  • Matt Wallner: lefty v lefty dong to briefly give me life

DUDS

  • Austin Martin on the bases: caught stealing twice
  • The entire lineup except for Martin and Wallner: 2-24, 1 BB
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Mets at Cardinals: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 3/30/26

Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch during spring training at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Mets lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Juan Soto – LF
  3. Bo Bichette – 3B
  4. Jorge Polanco – DH
  5. Brett Baty – RF
  6. Jared Young – 1B
  7. Marcus Semien – 2B
  8. Carson Benge – CF
  9. Francisco Alvarez – C

SP: Clay Holmes – RHP

Cardinals lineup

  1. JJ Wetherholt – 2B
  2. Ivan Herrera – DH
  3. Alec Burleson – 1B
  4. Masyn Winn – SS
  5. Nolan Gorman – 3B
  6. Jordan Walker – RF
  7. Nathan Church – LF
  8. Pedro Pages – C
  9. Victor Scott – CF

SP: Kyle Leahy – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 7:45pm EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

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AFL player Tristan Xerri banned for three games for ‘disgraceful’ blood smear

  • Kangaroos star sanctioned for wiping blood on opponent’s face

  • Xerri admits incident during Essendon game was a ‘brain fade’

North Melbourne star Tristan Xerri would have risked a heftier AFL ban had he not shown remorse for wiping blood on the face of Essendon captain Andrew McGrath.

Xerri will miss North’s next three games after he pleaded guilty to his serious misconduct charge.

Continue reading...
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March Madness favorites: Ranking Final Four teams' odds to win national title

The 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament is down to the Final Four.

The initial 68-team field has dwindled to the semifinals, with a national champion to be crowned a week from today. After a bracket that featured four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four last season, this year's bracket has a couple of shockers.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket hot takes: Duke blows it, UConn wins it, Arizona shouldn't care

No. 2 Connecticut knocked off No. 1 overall seed Duke on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Braylon Mullins. No. 3 Illinois advanced to the Final Four with a win over No. 9 Iowa, which had knocked out No. 1 seed and defending national champion Florida in the second round action.

That leaves Michigan and Arizona as the lone remaining No. 1 seeds left in the tournament. But are those two the favorites to cut down the nets? Both programs are seeking their second national title, while the Huskies are seeking their seventh. The Fighting Illini are seeking their first.

Here's a look at the Final Four teams with the best odds of winning the national championship:

March Madness favorites: Ranking Top 20 college basketball teams based on odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30

  1. Michigan: +165
  2. Arizona, +180
  3. Illinois, +475
  4. UConn, +550

Final Four schedule, game times

Saturday, April 4

  • Game 1: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 UConn | 6:09 p.m. | TBS | Sling TV
  • Game 2: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 1 Michigan | 8:49 p.m. | TBS | Sling TV

No. 3 Illinois and No. 2 UConn get the Final Four started at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4, from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. No. 1 Arizona and No. 1 Michigan are scheduled for an 8:49 p.m. ET tip to set the stage for the national title game on Monday, April 6.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness power rankings: Michigan with best odds to win national title

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NBA power rankings: Thunder, Spurs stay hot, but who took the No. 1 spot?

We’re down to the final stretch of the 2025-26 NBA season.

No team has more than eight remaining games, and the 10 teams – five from each conference – that will miss the playoffs and Play-In Tournament are already determined.

Still, there’s plenty at stake, where teams can mount late charges to improve their seeding. In the East, only one game separates the No. 5 team, the Toronto Raptors, from the No. 7 squad, the Philadelphia 76ers. The six-seed, an automatic playoff spot currently occupied by the Atlanta Hawks, is the prize everyone below is chasing.

Out West, the San Antonio Spurs suddenly have a very real shot to catch the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 1 seed. OKC has been rolling lately, but its remaining schedule is the toughest in the NBA, according to Tankathon.com.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 21 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through March 29. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Top 10

1. San Antonio Spurs, 56-18 (+1)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 59-16 (-1)

3. Detroit Pistons, 54-20 (—)

4.Boston Celtics, 50-24 (—)

5. Los Angeles Lakers, 48-26 (+1)

6. Denver Nuggets, 48-28 (+1)

7. New York Knicks, 48-27 (-2)

8. Cleveland Cavaliers, 46-28 (+2) 

9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 45-29 (—)

10. Houston Rockets, 45-29 (-2)

It might not be fair, in practice, to drop the Thunder down one spot, even as they’ve won 14 of their last 15. But the Spurs have been even hotter, and, with their 4-1 record this season over Oklahoma City, they look every bit like a legitimate title contender. Over the last nine games, the Spurs have posted the NBA’s second-best offensive rating, scoring 123.9 points per 100 possessions.

The Lakers and Nuggets, who have been stellar recently, are each angling for the coveted No. 3 seed in the West and both have 48 wins.

The teams sliding here are the Knicks, who have been outperformed by Los Angeles and Denver, and the Rockets, who have lost five of their last 10.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Nos. 11-20

11. Atlanta Hawks, 42-33 (+4)

12. Toronto Raptors, 42-32 (+2)

13. Phoenix Suns, 41-33 (—)

14. Los Angeles Clippers, 39-36 (+2)

15. Philadelphia 76ers, 41-33 (+2)

16. Orlando Magic, 39-35 (-5)

17. Miami Heat, 39-36 (-5)

18. Charlotte Hornets, 39-36 (—)

19. Portland Trail Blazers, 38-38 (+1)

20. Golden State Warriors, 36-39 (—)

There’s movement all over the middle of the pack. The Hawks have maximized new acquisitions, and no one has been better than point guard CJ McCollum. The Hawks don’t miss Trae Young, and his absence has allowed Jalen Johnson to fully take over as the star point-forward of the team. Headed into its game Monday against the Celtics, Atlanta has gone 12-2 in March, best of all teams in the East.

Though there’s probably too much ground for them to make up, the Clippers have won five consecutive and could be a lurking threat out West, especially after they struggled to start the season.

Two teams plummeting down the rankings are the Magic and the Heat, who have each gone 1-7 in their last eight games. Miami’s defense, which had been a strength most of the season, has been a recent liability. The Heat rank 27th in the league over the last eight games with a defensive rating of 125.5. A loss Sunday, March 29, against the Pacers – one in which Miami scored 11 points in the fourth quarter – at this point in the season, is inexcusable.

The Magic aren’t doing much better, with a defensive rating over that span of 125.4.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Nos. 21-30

21. Milwaukee Bucks, 29-45 (—)

22. Chicago Bulls, 29-45 (—) 

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 25-49 (—)

24. Dallas Mavericks, 24-50 (-1)

25. New Orleans Pelicans, 25-51 (—)

26. Utah Jazz, 21-54 (—)

27. Sacramento Kings, 19-57 (—)

28. Brooklyn Nets, 18-57 (—)

29. Washington Wizards, 17-57 (—)

30. Indiana Pacers, 17-58 (—)

There are 10 teams currently eliminated from playoff and play-in contention. Each of them is in this bottom third. These teams have, by and large, shut down star players and are playing to lose. It’s a common tactic in the NBA and shouldn’t even carry some moral judgment. But it’s also not worth spending a lot of time dissecting the recent play of these teams, as they build for the future.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings: San Antonio Spurs, OKC Thunder battling for No. 1

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Braves vs. Athletics game thread: March 30

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 28: Overall view in the fifth inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here we go, folks. The Braves are coming off of a series win and looking to make sure that they’ll stay above .500 for another couple of days. Meanwhile, the Athletics are rolling into town after getting bopped by the Blue Jays for three straight games. Can Bryce Elder continue to keep the A’s struggling? Or will the Braves exacerbate the concerns of the A’s? Let’s see what happens tonight!

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Game Thread: White Sox (0-3) at Marlins (3-0)

Munetaka Murakami looks on, preparing to hit at least one more home run tonight, hopefully. | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The winless White Sox will face the undefeated Marlins in Miami tonight to start the second series of the 2026 season.

Davis Martin, who had a fair Spring Training, will get his first start of the season. Martin owned an ERA of 3.24, with 13 strikeouts, eight walks, and six earned runs throughout 16 2/3 innings. Edgar Quero is back behind the plate. Will Venable has mixed up his lineup a bit, putting Munetaka Murakami as his second batter and Colson Montgomery, who hit a grand slam in Sunday’s game, at cleanup:

While the South Siders hit a rough patch against a tough Brewers team, there are some highlights left from the opening series. The team shared that the young slugger Colon Montgomery had surpassed Alexei Ramírez, becoming the fastest player in team history to record his first two career grand slams. Previously, Ramírez managed it in 97 games in 2008, but Montgomery made it happen faster.

And to go with the positives from the first series, Murakami homered in all three games. (I even got to see one in person.)

The Marlins are starting Chris Paddack, who had a solid Spring Training. Paddack ended with an ERA of just 0.69, striking out 12, only giving up three walks and one earned run on seven hits in 13 innings. Not bad for a No. 4 starter.

First pitch is 5:40 p.m. CT. You can listen on ESPN Chicago 1000 or watch on CHSN.

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Game 4: Red Sox at Astros

Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Red Sox are still on the road, having decamped south to Houston to face the dastardly Astros after losing 2 of 3 to the Reds. Which is fine. It’s March. March! The game’s at 8:10 EDT and the ‘Stros will be wearing their City Connect unis, which I learned from this post:

The Sox will start Ranger Suarez — a Texas Ranger!?! — who makes his team debut. The rest is standard-issue fare. Go Sox!

Oh also you haven’t seen it, here’s Rosalia’s performance at the BRIT awards. Probably more important than all this, ngl:

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Knicks listing Miles McBride as questionable for Tuesday's game after 'tough' exit vs. Thunder

Miles McBride's first game back since mid-February surgery for a sports hernia left the Knicks holding their collective breath.

McBride collided with Luguentz Dort going for a loose ball and did not return to the game, leaving the court for the locker room midway through the third quarter of Sunday's 111-100 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now, New York is listing McBride as questionable for Tuesday's matchup with the Houston Rockets. Additionally, Landry Shamet (knee) will remain out.

"I haven't talked to medical yet, so I don't know how bad it is," Knicks coach Mike Brown said Sunday night, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy. "But it's tough. He's worked his tail off to be back.

"And I don't think he made a shot in the first half, but he gave us a lift. You felt his presence. It made us deeper. And because of the foul trouble we had, we were a little shorthanded in that second half, and it was part of the reason they were able to pull away, too."

McBride was scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting but grabbed a rebound, dished an assist and blocked a shot in 11 minutes off the bench against the NBA-best Thunder (59-16).

Prior to his Sunday return, he last played Jan. 27 in New York's 103-87 win over the Sacramento Kings.

McBride entered Sunday with averages of 12.9 points and 2.8 assists in 28 minutes through 35 games (14 starts).

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Pistons vs Thunder Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Tonight’s NBA Game

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The top teams in each conference face off tonight as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Detroit Pistons at Paycom Center.

With defensive attention focused on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Detroit’s frontcourt decimated by injuries, my Pistons vs. Thunder predictions call for Chet Holmgren to have a monster night at home.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this powerhouse showdown on Monday, March 30.

Pistons vs Thunder prediction

Pistons vs Thunder best bet: Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds (-120)

Chet Holmgren is averaging 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and he’s recorded 24-plus points+rebounds in 39 of 64 appearances. That includes five of his last eight games heading into tonight's tilt with the Detroit Pistons.

Holmgren has been more productive at Paycom Center, averaging 27.4 points+rebounds at home compared to just 24.8 on the road. He’s hit the Over on this combo line in 20 of 31 games in front of the home crowd, recording exactly 23 twice more. Holmgren has posted 24+ points+rebounds in four of his last five at home, finishing with 23 once more.

Star defender Ausar Thompson should be tasked with guarding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight, which means Holmgren should see more open looks. In a game with a 218.5 implied point total, there may be additional rebounding opportunities if the teams are forced into tough, contested shots.

Isaiah Hartenstein will be sidelined for the second leg of the Oklahoma City Thunder's back-to-back set, allowing Holmgren to operate as the team’s unquestioned leader in the frontcourt. He’s averaged 25.3 points+rebounds while sharing the court with Hartenstein, compared to 27.2 with Hartenstein sidelined. Jalen Williams’ absence will also boost Holmgren’s statistical workload.

All-Star center Jalen Duren is out tonight, and backup Isaiah Stewart is still sidelined. Detroit will have to rely on undersized big man Paul Reed to pick up the slack and limit Holmgren in the paint and on the glass. That’s a mismatch opportunity, and Holmgren should feast.

This line has fluctuated between 22.5 and 24.5 throughout the day, but I’m more than willing to bet it up to 24.5.

Pistons vs Thunder same-game parlay

Detroit will be missing Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, and all of Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren are doubtful.

Despite Detroit’s deep bench and scrappy style of play, they’re simply outmanned by the first-place Thunder, who will cruise to their 60th win of the season.

The Thunder should put away the Pistons with ease, and starters on both sides may see less run late in the game. The short-handed Pistons will struggle to score against OKC’s dominant defense, so I’ll take the Under here.

Pistons vs Thunder SGP

  • Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds
  • Under 219
  • Thunder -12

Our "from downtown" SGP: Defense matters

SGA has seen his scoring dip from 31.4 points to 29.4 points per game across his last 12 outings, and he’s reached 30+ points only six times in that span.

Get the popcorn ready as one of the NBA’s best scorers takes on one of its best defenders. Thompson is one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year, and he should be tasked with guarding SGA tonight. 

Thompson’s 107 defensive rating ranks seventh among starters with at least 40 appearances and 25 minutes per game, and he can limit the reigning MVP in the scoring column.

He's also recorded multiple swipes in 36 of 65 games, including three straight. In his first tilt with OKC, Thompson recorded three steals.

Pistons vs Thunder SGP

  • Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 29.5 points
  • Ausar Thompson Over 1.5 steals
  • Under 218.5

Pistons vs Thunder odds

  • Spread: Pistons +12 (-110) | Thunder -12 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Pistons +475 | Thunder -650
  • Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)

Pistons vs Thunder betting trend to know

The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit the Team Total Under in 15 of their last 20 games at home (+9.25 Units / 41% ROI) Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Thunder.

How to watch Pistons vs Thunder

LocationPaycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
DateMonday, March 30, 2026
Tip-off9:30 p.m. ET
TVPeacock

Pistons vs Thunder latest injuries

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Why Mets have Jorge Polanco at DH for second straight game, Jared Young in starting lineup

Monday marks Luis Robert Jr’s first time out of the Mets’ lineup this season.

The outfielder was one of the teams most productive bats in the season opening series win over the Pirates, but they opted to sit him to open the seven-game roadtrip. 

With Robert out of the lineup, Carson Benge slides over to make his first start in center and Brett Baty will play right for his first-ever big-league appearance in the outfield. 

Jorge Polanco is set to DH for the second straight game as he deals with an Achilles issue that flared up over the weekend, so taking his place at first base is Jared Young.

Carlos Mendoza said the team isn’t concerned as Polanco plays through the issue, but they are trying to limit his exposure in the field as they treat it.

“We just have to be careful with him, especially this early,” the skipper said. 

Mendoza also explained that the team decided to give Young his first start of the season in an effort to load up on their lefty bats with right-hander Kyle Leahy on the mound. 

“We’re comfortable with him,” he said on Young. “I wanted to get as many left-handed hitters in the lineup as possible. That’s why Luis understanding he’s going to get an off day in the middle of this stretch here that we’re playing, it made the most sense with Baty in right, Benge in center, and Jared at first.”

While Mark Vientos was passed over this time, Mendoza said pregame Saturday that he expects he’ll make his first start of the season when the Mets face lefty Matthew Liberatore in the series finale on Wednesday. 

Despite seeing just one at-bat to this point, Mendoza is confident Vientos will be ready when his name is called.

Bo knows

Carlos Mendoza wasn’t surprised by how Bo Bichette handled things on Sunday. 

The Mets’ new third baseman owned his early-season struggles after squandering more opportunities and going hitless again in the series finale loss to the Pirates. 

Bichette thought it took too long to start receiving boos from the orange and blue faithful, as he put together what he descried as “terrible at-bats” in search of his first Mets moment.

The skipper expected that type of response from a player he called a “total pro.”

“This is a guy that grew up in the game,” Mendoza said. “He understands the meaning of every pitch, every at-bat, every game, and he understands the stage -- when he signed here, he knew what he signed up for, and he was like I love it, I can’t wait. Watching him yesterday handling the whole situation the way he did, I wasn’t surprised.”