Manchester City did not choke at Everton to hand Arsenal the advantage but it was another reminder the Premier League’s random qualities are still key
For me Clive, it’s all about the Socratic paradox. The wisest man is the man who knows enough to know he knows nothing. I’ve always said that. Or never said it. Or only said it sometimes. One of those. Either way the Premier League title race could have been designed to prove that, in an age of thundering takes and mega-certainties, nobody actually has any idea what’s going on here.
Manchester City’s draw at Everton on Monday night has already been described as The Moment. Advantage Arsenal. This is the consensus. On Tuesday morning, Rob Earnshaw was asked on Sky Sports if this is “the week the season will be decided” and replied: “ABSOLUTELY,” almost before the question had ended. And while you have to admire Rob Earnshaw’s sense of showmanship, there is still a large chance this might not actually be the case.
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Chris Devenski has been suspended for three games and fined for intentionally throwing at Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart, Major League Baseball announced.
Devenski intentionally threw at Stewart in the top of the seventh inning of Pittsburgh’s 17-7 win at PNC Park. He was ejected following the incident.
Pirates manager Don Kelly also was suspended for one game and received an undisclosed fine, MLB senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill announced.
Devenski’s suspension is set to start when the Pirates open a road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. If Devenski appeals, the suspension would be put off during that process. His fine was not disclosed.
In 2001, the Cubs were coming off a 97-loss season. The Dodgers were good, but hadn’t made the playoffs in four years.
That was the backdrop to what began as an ordinary Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, off to a good start that year, entered the day at 17-11, two games in the lead in the NL Central. They had shut out the Dodgers the day before, 4-0, led by seven strong innings by Kevin Tapani. The Dodgers were 17-12, also in first place in the NL West.
And the game was fairly ordinary — for a while. Sammy Sosa and Todd Hundley hit two-run homers in the fourth off Darren Dreifort for a 4-0 lead. The Dodgers were shut out by Julian Tavarez for five innings before future Cub Eric Karros hit an RBI single in the sixth to make it 4-1.
That’s where things stood going to the bottom of the seventh. A perfectly ordinary game…
Damon Buford and current Cubs radio announcer Ron Coomer singled, followed by an RBI single by Eric Young Sr.., making it 5-1. Ricky Gutierrez attempted a sacrifice bunt (remember those?), but wound up safe on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases.
Bill Mueller singled in a pair of runs, now it’s 7-1. RBI hits by Sammy Sosa and Rondell White made it 9-1. Hundley struck out, but Julio Zuleta smashed a three-run homer and the Cubs had an eight-run inning, leading 12-1 heading to the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth, Gutierrez hit a one-out double, followed by a walk by Mueller. A comebacker by Sosa to Dodgers pitcher Jose Nuñez was thrown away, with Gutierrez scoring and runners winding up on second and third. Another walk loaded the bases and Hundley struck out.
Now there are two out, the bases loaded and the Cubs with a 13-1 lead.
Cubs pitcher Courtney Duncan walked, forcing in a run. Buford singled in two runs, now it’s 16-1. Another single by Coomer re-loaded the bases again, and Augie Ojeda hit a grounder to third that could have ended the inning, but it was booted by Dodgers third baseman Dave Hansen (another guy who briefly played for the Cubs). Two runs scored on the error, making it 18-1.
A single by Gutierrez, batting for the second time in the inning, scored Coomer to make it 19-1. Mueller walked, loading the bases, and Sosa drew a walk, scoring the 20th run.
The Dodgers went out meekly in the ninth and the Cubs had their 20-1 victory, with back-to-back eight-run innings. Sadly, no extensive highlights survive from this game, though the first minute or so of this highlight video from that day show a few plays from the game:
The Cubs swept that 2001 series against the Dodgers, winning the final game 3-2 on a walkoff hit by Hundley, and eventually led the NL Central by 3.5 games before losing eight in a row later in May. They followed the eight-game losing streak with a 12-game winning streak, going back into first place where they’d stay until mid-August. Their final record of 88-74 was a 23-game improvement over the previous year, but they missed the then-single wild card spot in the NL by five games.
The Cubs’ 20-1 blowout of the Dodgers happened 25 years ago today, Saturday, May 5, 2001.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 01: Cade Denton #31 of the Salt River Rafters throws a pitch during an Arizona Fall League game against the Scottsdale Scorpions at Scottsdale Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Original photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images 11/1/2026
The hard-throwing righty had just helped his Oral Roberts Golden Eagles go deep in the 2023 College World Series by posting a 1.83 ERA over 35 appearances and carried a 12.1 SO/9 over 64 innings of work. You might have overlooked both Denton and Oral Roberts as that was the season Paul Skenes took Louisiana State all the way, but the Rockies didn’t, signing him for above slot value and quickly assigning him to their farm system.
He made eight appearances that season: four with the Arizona Complex League following the draft and four with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies to end the season.
However, Denton seemed to largely fly under the radar during his minor league career and hasn’t been ranked among the organization’s top prospects despite solid results. He spent most of the 2024 season with the Grizzlies, posting a 2.86 ERA in 26 relief appearances, but struck out just 23 batters in 28.1 innings.
Following a late-season promotion to the High-A Spokane Indians, Denton made an additional five appearances. However, he struck out just three batters and had a 7.36 ERA over 7.1 innings.
Denton was assigned again to Spokane for the 2025 season, where he found his footing. A workhorse reliever for the Indians, Denton made 42 appearances and posted a 3.73 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 50.2 innings. He also tallied seven saves. He did struggle somewhat with his command, issuing career high 20 walks for a 3.6 BB/9—a career high tying his metric during his initial four-game stint in Fresno. He also gave up a career high eight home runs.
Once there, Denton quickly stood out. He struck out 18 batters and walked only four over 13 innings of work for the Salt River Rafters. He did allow five earned runs, but all five came in one bad inning that included a grand slam on October 16th. Denton finished the Fall League with a 3.46 ERA due to his combined efforts outside of that outing.
An important part of Denton’s success in Arizona was finding rhythm with his fastball. Delivering out of a low arm slot, Denton’s fastball rides upwards and is at its best when he places it at the top rail with higher velocity—maxing out around 96 MPH. Denton had lost velocity on the pitch in 2024, but during the Fall League, he had regained the velocity and control.
“During the Fall League I finally got [the fastball] to the top of the zone where I wanted it to be. It’s not a four-seam carry fastball, but pitching coaches prior [had said] that it’s a deceptive arm slot,” Denton explained of his success. “So just trying to get that ball to the top of the zone to get whiffs, just trying to keep emphasizing filling up the zone, filling up the top of the zone with the fastball and everything else will keep working the way that it’s supposed to.”
“That was really cool,” Denton said. “After a rough second outing—I think it was—in the Fall League where you go out there and you give up a grand slam. You’re like ‘yeah, pitch [well] the rest of the Fall League, put your name out there.’ [I] didn’t expect to be reliever of the year. There was quite a few guys that that I think were also deserving of that honor, but I was super excited. It was really cool.”
He went on to praise his wife and family for the support and excitement they’ve shown for him.
“My wife was really excited whenever that happened. Those are the moments that you get to share that joy with other people and family and friends and stuff,” he said. “So it was definitely a good fall and definitely a cool award to get.”
Denton has continued to emphasize the importance of family throughout his baseball journey.
“It’s been amazing,” he continued. “I mean, without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. They came to probably about every college baseball game I played in, and they were just here for spring training. It’s really cool to just share that with the people that are closest to you and the people that got you to the place you are now. Now you’ve just got to go out and prove it to everybody else.”
Denton joined the big league camp multiple times during spring training and appeared in three Cactus League games as the Rockies tried to grow on the momentum he gained during the fall. He gave up one earned run on one hit—a solo home run—while striking out four batters and walking one over 2.1 innings. Denton also appeared in the Spring Breakout prospect showcase game.
“With the the new the new pitching directors here, pitching staff, there’s a lot of the mental side of the game that I think comes into play [in spring training] where you’re trying to find a way to get into a groove.”
Denton was assigned to the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats to start the season. As he works with the new pitching development staff in the organization, their philosophies remain aligned.
“The philosophy, like I said, it’s ‘fill up the zone to two strikes’ and then then, you know, ‘kill.’ That’s what they said, is ‘Get there and your stuff’s meant to get guys out with two strikes. You’re not trying to generate whiffs as early in counts. You’re trying to get strikes. Whiffs are fine. Whiffs are good. Whiffs will always be okay, but fill up the zone, strike guys out and finish at bats when you can.’”
Once again, the Albuquerque Isotopes managed to split a game series, winning the final three games against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres). It marked the third time since the six-game format was implemented that Albuquerque won the final three contests to earn a split after losing the initial three games. The Isotopes outscored El Paso 49-18 over the final three games of the series. On Friday, Albuquerque exploded for 26 runs, the most scored in franchise history, as every player recorded at least one hit, an RBI, and a run scored. The following day, they scored 19 runs to win 19-7 after being down 5-0 in the first inning. On the homestand, they ended up batting .332/.433/.484 with 41 strikeouts and 40 walks. Meanwhile, pitching posted a 6.67 ERA, allowing 53 runs (40 earned) on 74 hits with 45 strikeouts and 28 walks.
⬆️ Stock Up:Cole Runnings
Not that his stock needed much more raising, Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) had himself quite the week, earning Player of the Week honors in the Pacific Coast League. During the series against El Paso, Carrigg slashed .583/.615/.875, going 14-for-24 with two doubles, a triple, a homer, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. He led the PCL in runs scored (11) and stolen bases (four), while tying for first in hits (14) and placing third with 21 total bases. This also comes as Carrigg is in the midst of a 24-game on-base streak and a 13-game hitting streak. Last Saturday, he also went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBI, tying career highs in all three categories.
It was an amazing weekend for our bats, and Cole Carrigg led the way! He's been named PCL Player of the Week.
Carrigg was 14-for-24 with four extra-base hits, eight RBI and four steals in the set. His best performance was a four-hit, five-RBI night on Saturday vs. El Paso. pic.twitter.com/6e9FmwfJUM
⬇️ Stock Down:Turbulence on the flight of the Condor
After a hot start out of the gate, Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) has hit a bit of a rougher patch where he isn’t seeing much success at the plate. During the home stand, Condon slashed .150/.393/.150, going 3-for-20 with three RBI. His plate discipline remains impeccable, as he drew six walks and had just five strikeouts and increased his on-base streak to 24 games. In 59 plate appearances at home this season, Condon has just one extra-base hit. Hopefully, Condon can tap back into the damage he can do with his bat and complement the discipline even more.
Upcoming
The Isotopes head to Sugar Land, Texas, to face off against the Space Cowboys (Houston Astros).
The Yard Goats ended up splitting the series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Philadelphia Phillies). They were outscored 40-32 including both a 12-6 victory on Sunday, as well as an 11-3 loss on Friday and a 15-5 loss on Thursday.
⬆️ Stock Up:Take a good look, you won’t see it for Long-well!
Aidan Longwell went on an absolute tear this week, going 9-for-23 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs in six games. The first baseman also recorded nine RBI with just one walk and three strikeouts.
In 26 games this season, Longwell is slashing .282/.333/.524 with 11 doubles, one triple, four homers, 20 RBI, six walks and 18 strikeouts. The double lead only Andy Perez (10); he’s tied with Dyan Jorge and Benny Montgomery with one triple apiece; the four homers rank second behind Bryant Betancourt; and the 20 RBI lead the team ahead of Roc Riggio’s (No. 14 PuRP) 16.
Aidan Longwell makes it look wayyyy too easy with his 3RD HR THIS HOMESTAND🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/wBU2zReKTL
⬇️ Stock Down:Pa-checo yourself before you Pa-wrecko yourself
LHP Alberto Pacheco had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad outing this week. He came in to relieve the titular Cade Denton in the third inning of April 30’s contest against the Phils and did not record a single out, but gave up seven earned runs on three hits (though one resulted in a grand slam). He also hit a batter and walked three without any strikeouts.
Upcoming
This week, the Yard Goats will head to Binghamton for a series against the Rumble Ponies (New York Mets).
High-A: Spokane Indians (1-5, 9-18 overall)
The Spokane Indians have struggled so far in 2026, which was reflected in their week against the Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants). Despite having two off days last Monday and Tuesday (which resulted in a Saturday doubleheader), they only managed one win on Friday. Additionally, they were outscored 34-17 (including an 11-0 loss in Game 1 of the doubleheader and an 8-1 loss on Sunday). They did, however, win 7-1 on Friday behind an excellent two-pitcher performance (see below).
⬆️ Stock Up: The Cat-lett is out of the bag
LHP Everett Catlett had an excellent outing this week, earning him Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honors.
Catlett made one appearance on Friday against the Emeralds and absolutely dominated in the 7-1 victory. He threw six innings behind starter Lebarron Johnson Jr., who pitched three innings and only allowed one run on one hit in three innings of work.
Catlett finished the game with six scoreless innings of work, allowing twice as many hits as Johnson Jr. (2) but striking out 11 and only walking one batter. That lowered his ERA from 5.09 to 3.80 in five starts for the Indians.
In his previous start on April 24th, Carlett threw 4.2 innings and allowed one run (a solo homer) on two hits with five walks and seven strikeouts. His stock is definitely climbing!
⬇️ Stock Down:Min Belyeu
Max Belyeu (No. 15 PuRP) struggled this week at the plate, going just 2-for-15 (.133) with one RBI, three walks and 10 strikeouts. He attempted to steal one base, but was caught. Belyeu has struggled in his repeat High-A assignment (though he only played 21 games there last year after the Draft. In 22 games, Belyeu is slashing just .185/.290/.395 with a team-leading 38 strikeouts.
Upcoming
This week, the Indians will welcome to Avista Stadium the Tri-City Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels).
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (3-3, 15-12 overall)
The Grizzlies equalized the Stockton Ports (Athletics), outscoring their competition 43-33. They started off the week with a bang, shutting out the Ports 10-0. They also had two 9-8 games directly following, one being a win and the other being a loss. They scored nine runs for a third time on Saturday en route to a 9-4 victory.
⬆️ Stock Up:Jolly Holliday
Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP) is becoming more comfortable, as was evident this week. The fourth-overall draft pick went 6-for-12 with a double, two home runs (one of which was a grand slam), 11 RBI, eight walks and just three strikeouts.
Not to be outdone, Roldy Brito (No 11 PuRP) also had himself quite a week. He went 8-for-21 with three doubles, two home runs (including a grand slam), seven RBI, three walks and three strikeouts.
Brito flips the script in grand fashion!
Roldy Brito's grand slam regains the lead for the Grizzlies in a back and forth game in Stockton
While the infield soared, the backstop struggled. Matt Klein went just 1-for-16 with a run scored. He also recorded three walks, but struck out five times. Klein is hitting just .156/.304/.313 in 18 games this year.
Upcoming
The Grizzlies will travel to San Jose for a series with the Giants (San Francisco Giants).
The Arizona Complex League kicked off on Saturday, and the ACL Rockies have played two games so far, winning both. They beat the ACL Angels on Saturday 4-0 and the ACL Giants on Monday 4-3.
⬆️ Stock Up:U-got-it, Ronny!
Over two games, 21-year-old Ronny Ugarte had quite the showing! The Venezuelan first baseman went 5-for-7 with a double, a home run and three RBI with zero strikeouts and one stolen base.
⬇️ Stock Down:Garci-oh
On the flip side, 19-year-old Dariel Garcia has yet to record a hit. The Puerto Rican shortstop went hitless (0-for-6) with a walk and two strikeouts.
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
In the game thread on 1 May, there was some doubt about the sustainability of the Diamondbacks’ performance (16 wins, 14 losses before the game started).The game was close, with the Diamondbacks losing by one run.
For whatever reason, the Diamondbacks are not pitching well in the first inning. With my optimistic viewpoint, I’m confident the problem can be fixed. Perhaps the fix is as simple as using an opener for every game (as suggested in the thread).
The first inning ERAs for Diamondbacks pitchers (3 game minimum, games through 3 May) follow:
Nelson, 12.79 ERA
Soroka, 10.5 ERA
Kelly, 9.0 ERA
Gallen, 6.43 ERA
Rodriguez, 6.00 ERA
Pfaadt, 3.00 ERA
Fixing the first inning pitching would go a long way toward the Diamondbacks reaching a wild card berth into the playoffs. Let’s look at how likely is it that the Diamondbacks will reach the playoffs?
Wins needed to be a wild card – Last 4 seasons.
The following list shows wins needed to gain a NL wild card berth into the playoffs. The list only includes seasons after the playoff format changed.
2022, 87 wins.
2023, 84 wins.
2024, 89 wins.
2025, 83 wins
My conclusion: this season, if the Diamondbacks win 84 games they will have a 50% chance of a wild card; win 87 games they will have a 75% chance of a wild card; and win 89 games they will have a 99% chance of a wild card.
Wins needed to be a wild card – 3 projections.
On 29 April, two projections (Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus) showed 86 wins would earn a wild card. The FanGraphs projection showed that 83 wins would do it, but it projected the Diamondbacks with only 82 wins.
How many games will the Diamondbacks win?
My final preseason prediction was that the Diamondbacks will win 85.1 games. That was about the same as my Too Early Win Projection. Based on historic wins needed, 85 wins would give the Diamondbacks slightly over 50% chance of a wild card. However, this season is unusual because the range of possible wins is very wide.
“This season is unusual because of the wide range of possible wins. My view is that the Diamondbacks will win between 81 and 89 games, depending on the health and performances of nearly all Diamondbacks players. Therefore, my confidence that they will reach the playoffs is less than 50%. Nevertheless, there is a realistic chance of reaching the playoffs…. Makakilo, 23 March Round Table
An Alternate way of predicting whether the Diamondbacks will be a wild card.
The team with the most triples in a 3-game series.
Teams with at least 3 stolen bases in a 3-game series.
Teams that win an epic battle.
Teams with at least 9 RBIs in a 3-game series.
Let’s expand that view to regular season games against likely wild card teams. Through 3 May, the Diamondbacks played 3 teams that could be NL wild cards:
2 game series against Padres. 11 hits per game, 1 triple, & 8 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could do well as a wild card.
3-game series against the Brewers. 6.7 hits per game, & 3.7 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could be average as a wild card.
3-game series against the Cubs. 7.3 hits per game, & 3 RBIs per game indicate that the Diamondbacks could be average as a wild card (despite the Cubs sweeping the series).
Perspective: Sustainable Performance.
Batting is a strength of the Diamondbacks. In games through 3 May, the Diamondbacks 4.55 runs per game ranked 11th in the Majors. Players such as Nolan Arenado seem to be improving during the season.
Pitching sustainability will be boosted by players returning from the injury list.
In 1-run games through 3 May, the Diamondbacks’ 6 wins and 5 losses (39 runs scored and 38 runs allowed) was about average. However, this could improve because my feeling is that the Diamondbacks are at their best in 1-run games.
Leveraged batter run value is encouraging.
A hat tip to Preston Salisbury because in a game thread he made a comment about base runs. That prompted me to look at Baseball Savant and found the following data about batter run value.
In games through 28 April, the Diamondbacks batters created +15 leveraged runs, which was higher than most other NL contenders for wild card berths. Examples were the Cubs (+21), the Padres (+6), Pirates (+3), the Phillies (negative 19), and the Mets (negative 24). The Diamondbacks ranked eighth highest in the Majors.
Summary: Will the Diamondbacks reach a wild card berth into the playoffs?
First inning pitching is a problem. All things considered, my prediction is the Diamondbacks will win 85 games.
Looking at the broad range of possible season wins (81 to 89 games), how well the Diamondbacks play could greatly impact their chances, either negatively of positively. It’s encouraging that the Diamondbacks batters created more leveraged runs than most NL contenders for wild card berths. The Diamondbacks performance may be sustainable for several reasons.
In two of the last four seasons, it only took 84 wins to obtain a NL wild card berth in the playoffs. Three different projections estimate that this season it will take between 83 and 86 wins.
With the problems that the Phillies and Mets have experienced, and with the Diamondbacks [recently] above 500, there is a real chance (about 50%) for the Diamondbacks to reach a wild card berth into the playoffs!
The Padres will likely be a NL wild card. If the Diamondbacks win most of their games against the Padres (they play 11 more times this season) that will be a big step in controlling their destiny.
The New York Knicks scorched the nets at Madison Square Garden in the series opener and take aim at a 2-0 lead when they host the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night.
My same-game parlay for Game 2 of this Eastern Conference semifinal likes the points to keep flowing, along with standout efforts from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Here are my best NBA picks and SGP predictions for 76ers vs. Knicks on May 6.
Our best 76ers vs Knicks SGP for Game 2
SGP leg #1: Over 215
The New York Knicks shot 63% from the floor and scored 137 points in the series opener. While I expect New York’s success to come back to earth, its offense throws a lot at Philadelphia, especially with Joel Embiid limping around on defense.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers, they need to promote pace on offense, and I expect the Sixers to do their share of the scoring in Game 2. This total has jumped only two points from the closing number of 213 O/U in Game 1, leaving a low bar for the Over.
SGP leg #2: Kelly Oubre Over 5.5 rebounds
Kelly Oubre Jr. is averaging six rebounds for the postseason, but his work on the boards surges in this series. Embiid is being drawn away from the rim and isn’t mobile enough to chase down misses.
Oubre had five boards on eight rebounding chances in Game 1, with New York not missing much. There will be more rebounding chances in Game 2, and Oubre is projected for six or more rebounds after pulling down seven in both regular-season meetings with the Knicks.
SGP leg #3: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 18.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns has served more as a conduit for the Knicks' offense in the playoffs, passing off rather than attacking. However, Philadelphia has to change how they defend KAT.
That means sending smaller players at him up top or sagging off with Embiid. Either way, Towns can find the bottom of the basket, and Game 2 forecasts have him scoring around 22 points.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Knicks predictions for Game 2.
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Across 1,960 career playoff and regular-season NBA games, LeBron James has never been a larger underdog than he is against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Ben Fawkes, the 15.5-point Game 1 line represents the largest perceived deficit of James’ illustrious 23-year career.
Key Takeaways
LeBron hasn’t been as large of a series underdog since 2006.
The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets at +550 underdogs in the first round.
Bronny James has +500 odds of scoring 15 points in the upcoming series.
The Los Angeles Lakers are taking on a real-life Goliath in the form of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are -15.5 at home ahead of tip-off in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Los Angeles Lakers are consensus 15.5-point underdogs in Game 1 tonight at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
➡️That would be the biggest underdog LeBron James has been in ANY game in his 23-year career
James is already 11 regular-season games clear of Robert Parish and 39 playoff outings ahead of Derek Fisher for the NBA’s all-time record in career appearances. But while he has won four championships and produced countless unforgettable moments, he has never been a larger underdog than he is tonight.
The Lakers’ +600 moneyline odds at DraftKings suggest they only have a 14.3% chance to steal Game 1 on the road. Notably, they’re still without leading scorer Luka Doncic, who suffered a hamstring injury on April 2 against this same Thunder team.
Upsets aren’t impossible. The Lakers overcame huge +550 odds to win their first-round series against the Houston Rockets, eliminating a team they were given a 15.4% chance of beating in six games.
However, in extending their season, they also accepted a date with a team that tormented them during the regular season.
LeBron, Lakers face daunting task
The defending-champion and NBA Finals odds favorite Thunder (-155) went 4-0 against the Lakers during the regular season. Those wins came by nine, 29, 36, and 43 points, and they did not have MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the nine-point victory.
DraftKings has the Thunder at -1600 (94% implied chance) to eliminate the Lakers and move on to the Western Conference Finals. LA is only +900 (10% chance) to continue past the series.
For context, here are all of the opening series odds for the other NBA conference semifinals:
San Antonio Spurs (-525), Minnesota Timberwolves (+350)
New York Knicks (-260), Philadelphia 76ers (+215)
Detroit Pistons (-125), Cleveland Cavaliers (+105)
According to SportsOddsHistory, that makes this the second-most lopsided series of LeBron’s career as an underdog. The only other time he faced a greater deficit was in the 2006 Conference Semifinals, when his Cleveland Cavaliers were +1200 against the Detroit Pistons. Detroit won the series in seven games after falling behind 3-2.
Oddsmakers at DraftKings don’t believe that James has much of a hope of extending the series as he did back in ‘06. There are -320 odds the Thunder cover a 2.5-game spread, meaning they have an implied 76.2% chance of winning the series in four or five games.
Notably, the Thunder enter the series having already swept the Phoenix Suns. They also swept their first-round opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, before they were taken to seven games by the Denver Nuggets one year ago.
They went on to win the NBA Finals, beating the Indiana Pacers in seven games.
Bronny James prop special
As LeBron looks to add a possible final crowning achievement to his playoff resume, his son, Bronny James, is enjoying his first taste of playoff action.
Bronny finished the first round against the Rockets with 10 total points scored while getting playing time in five of six games. FanDuel Sportsbook published a special market for Bronny to reach 15 total points in the series with the Thunder for +500 odds, suggesting he only has a 16.7% chance to hit the mark.
Bronny had 10 total points the Lakers' series vs. the Rockets 😳
The 2025-26 season was another tough year for the Chicago Blackhawks. They finished the campaign at the bottom of the Central Division standings with a 29-39-14 record and 72 points. They also lost eight out of their final 10 games.
While the Blackhawks had some rough moments this campaign, forward Ryan Greene was certainly one of their bright spots. The 22-year-old forward had a solid rookie campaign for Chicago, posting 12 goals, 17 assists, and 29 points in 81 games. With this, he cemented himself as a full-time NHL player.
Greene also ended the season on a strong note for the Blackhawks. He scored a goal in each of his final three games of the campaign and will now be looking to carry that momentum over to next season.
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When noting that Greene is a young forward with plenty of promise who is just kicking off his NHL career, there is no question that he has the potential to hit a new level. With next season being just his second full campaign in the NHL, it would not be shocking in the slightest if he put together a breakout year for the Blackhawks.
Greene has the tools to blossom into an impactful offensive contributor. It will be interesting to see what he can do in 2026-27, but there is a lot to like about his game.
Thompson just completed his first season as Bridgeport Islanders head coach, leading a team that finished in last place in the AHL in 2024-25 back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021-22.
The 48-year-old former third-round pick who played 25 NHL games over a four-year career with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers has been behind an NHL bench before.
Thompson has six years of NHL assistant coaching experience. He served one season as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers (2014-15), two with the San Jose Sharks (2020-2022), and three with the Philadelphia Flyers (2022-2025) under John Tortorella.
As for the connection between Rocky Thompson and #Isles coaching staff:
While Thompson was never an assistant for Pete DeBoer, assistant coach Bob Boughner had Rocky as his assistant in San Jose for his final two seasons there (2020-2022).
Rocky's job in Bridgeport, changing the culture while also getting prospects back on track, earned him this opportunity on DeBoer's staff.
The Hockey News confirmed that Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner remain with the team, so this could be your Islanders coaching staff for the 2026-27 season.
New Orleans has been deliberating over finalists Darvin Ham (a Bucks associate head coach under Rivers), Steve Hetzel (Brooklyn assistant), Sean Sweeney (San Antonio associate head coach) and Rajon Rondo (a coaching associate with the Bucks). Mosley has long been believed to be a possible candidate if he became available, but it's unclear as of yet if he'll be added to the list.
Rondo is an interesting name. The four-time All-Star point guard has been out of the league for four seasons and is on the radar of a number of general managers, but is he ready for that leap? It has long been expected in league circles that the Magic's Mosley would move to the front of the line in New Orleans if Orlando moved on from him, which it did. Ham was a former head coach with the Lakers, and his name has come up as a possibility in Orlando’s coaching search.
While New Orleans is narrowing down the field, Portland continues to cast a very wide net, reports Amick.
As league sources said on Monday, the Trail Blazers have cast a net so wide that the list of candidates could be almost 20 coaches long and, in the end, will consist of names procured by both Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin. What's more, league sources say, there is no clear messaging as of yet about a possible timeline on the hiring.
While Tiago Splitter did a good job taking over a team a couple of days into the season (after the arrest of Chauncy Billups on alleged gambling charges) and leading the Trail Blazers to a surprise playoff berth, league sources told NBC Sports he does not appear to be a favorite of new owner Tom Dundon, so the door is wide open. Then there is the lingering money question: Rumors circulated that Dundon was trying to get a coach to take the job for $1.5 million or less — mid-major college coach money — the team has pushed back hard on that. Still, the chatter around the league is that Portland is trying to hire on the cheap, whatever that final number is. As Amick notes, it is thought that the least any coach in the league is making is at least $2 million, in Sacramento's Doug Christie (who is keeping his job).
It appears it could be a while before Portland has a coach.
For teams outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the offseason will finally get in full swing tonight with the NHL Draft Lottery. The San Jose Sharks enter the night with the ninth-best odds of moving up, but there is also a chance that they could fall back.
The Sharks have six possible outcomes at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. They could win big and earn the honor of picking first overall for the second time in three seasons, they could pick second, or even third, overall. The most likely outcome is that they stay in place and pick ninth overall, but they could also fall to either the 10th or 11th overall pick as well.
In the United States, the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be broadcast on ESPN beginning at 4 p.m. PT. For those in Canada, it'll be available on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
SHARKS' RECENT LOTTERY HISTORY
The San Jose Sharks have only won the NHL Draft Lottery once in 2024, however that was only because they entered event with the highest odds on the night. That first-overall selection, Macklin Celebrini, ended up changing the franchise's trajectory right out of the gate.
Last year, the Sharks were again projected to earn the first-overall pick heading into the Draft Lottery which would've earned them the right to select star defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Luck wasn't in their favor on that occasion, as the New York Islanders jumped from the 10th overall pick to the first pick, dropping the Sharks to the second selection.
Important note, no team in the 30-year history of the NHL Draft Lottery has earned the first overall pick with the ninth-best odds entering the night, meaning history doesn't favor the Sharks tonight.
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LeBron James defied all odds again.
In the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, King James led a Luka Dončić-less Los Angeles Lakers to a surprising six-game series win over the Houston Rockets.
Over the course of the series, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. After closing out, he told NBA on ESPN correspondents “the mission has always stayed the same throughout my career and that’s to go out there and try to dominate.”
Next up, King James and co. will attempt to dominate once again against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s No. 1 seeded, defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Since they don’t have home court advantage this time around, their three hypothetical games at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena are scheduled to take place:
If you’d like to be there, last-minute tickets are available for each and every contest in LA.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one game at the Crypto.com Arena was $250 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices start at $146 including fees for games at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center.
While pricey, don’t underestimate just how much you can help the Lakers at home.
Over the course of the 2025-26 regular season, the Thunder beat Los Angeles in all four of their meetings and won by an average of 29.3 points (!) per game.
According to NBA.com, that should come with a disclaimer because “LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves played in the same game just once and were minus-16 in 17.9 minutes.”
Sources told The California Post that “Dončić is expected to miss the first two games of the Western Conference semifinal series in Oklahoma.”
Will he be back for Games 3 and 4?
While we can’t say for certain, we do know the best way to find out is live.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 Western Conference Semifinals series below.
Lakers playoff home game ticket prices
A complete calendar including all announced Lakers home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Lakers home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Saturday, May 9
$292(fees included)
Game 4 Monday, May 11
$250(fees included)
Game 6 Saturday, May 16
$300(fees included)
Thunder playoff home game ticket prices
All Thunder playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
Thunder home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Tuesday, May 5
$146(fees included)
Game 2 Thursday, May 7
$168(fees included)
Game 5 Wednesday, May 13
$205(fees included)
Game 7 Monday, May 18
$323(fees included)
How to watch the Lakers and Thunder on TV
Fans hoping to catch LeBron and co. on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN, TNT, Prime Video, NBC and NBA TV.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NBA playoff schedule
Been meaning to see how the postseason has shaken out thus far?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
As the Mets' 2026 season spiraled early, with New York going from 7-4 to 7-16 before bottoming out at 10-21 as their shockingly bad nine-game homestand against the Twins, Rockies, and Nationals concluded this past weekend, it was easy to lose sight of why New York had fallen so far.
Yes, they were a bad team. And it seemed kind of beside the point to bother to dig beyond that given how deep their struggles were, how rare the wins were, and how bleak it seemed.
But focusing on the why was important when it came to diagnosing the problem and envisioning the possibility of a recovery.
The why, of course, was the offense.
During their 12-game losing streak, the Mets mustered just 22 runs, an average of 1.83 per game.
It was more of the same during their 3-6 homestand against the Twins, Rockies, and Nats, when New York scored 13 runs combined over their six losses -- an average of 2.16 per game.
There were other issues at play during that 10-21 start, including way too many mental and physical errors, along with the serious struggles of Kodai Senga (who pitched himself out of the rotation before landing on the IL) and David Peterson (who has excelled in relief this season, but struggled when handed the ball to start).
But the takeaway here is that the Mets have the kind of pitching that could anchor their rise back to respectability and (yes, it's still possible) contention.
Apr 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. / Neville E. Guard - Imagn Images
First, let's look at the rotation...
Nolan McLean is an emerging ace with wipeout stuff who has a 2.97 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. His 2.13 FIP leads the National League, and his hits per nine rate (5.9) and strikeout rate (11.7) are elite.
Clay Holmes' 1.69 ERA is the second-best in the NL and his 0.98 WHIP ranks sixth. His 3.66 FIP and relatively low strikeout rate (6.5) suggests there will be some regression to the mean, but Holmes has become a legitimate rotation weapon. And when it comes specifically to the low K rate, it's mitigated by Holmes' ability to get hitters to chase and to pound the ball on the ground -- his ground ball rate this season is in the 94th percentile.
Fredy Peralta has been steady, if not spectacular, posting a 3.52 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 42 strikeouts in 38.1 innings. He's been rounding into form lately, pitching 5.2 innings or more in each of his last four starts while seeing his fastball velocity tick up.
Christian Scott remains a bit of a mystery in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, but his second start was eye-opening, with the right-hander firing four no-hit innings after allowing two runs in the first frame. Scott has the kind of swing-and-miss stuff to excel.
The fifth starter spot is still being pieced together, but it's fair to believe Jonah Tong -- who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his most recent start for Triple-A Syracuse -- will be a factor by June or July.
Then there's the bullpen.
There were some early hiccups, including a brutal four-game stretch where Devin Williams couldn't harness his stuff and back-to-back appearances for Luke Weaver where he allowed six combined runs.
But Williams has four straight scoreless appearances under his belt, and has been dominant during that span -- allowing just one hit in four innings while walking none and striking out five. Meanwhile, Weaver has been terrific since his aforementioned two-game hiccup, allowing two runs in 7.2 innings over his last seven appearances dating back to April 18.
May 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) and pitcher Devin Williams (38) celebrate the victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez - Imagn Images
Elsewhere in the bullpen, Huascar Brazoban (1.08 ERA, 0.84 WHIP in 15 appearances) and Brooks Raley (1.42 ERA, 0.86 WHIP in 14 appearances) have been tremendous.
The relief corps will also get a boost soon, with A.J. Minter expected to be activated off the IL in the next few days.
One thing the Mets will arguably have to do in the near future when it comes to their bullpen is adjust the configuration. It's very hard to maintain success when three relievers (Peterson, Sean Manaea, and Tobias Myers) are ordinarily used for multiple innings at a time, which limits how often they can pitch and has a trickle down effect on the other relievers. Peterson has been very good in relief, while Myers has been stellar in his role. Manaea, whose fastball velocity has not returned after his injury-riddled 2025 campaign, has a 6.55 ERA and 1.63 WHIP.
But again, the Mets have the pitching to succeed, and their overall runs allowed (151, seventh-best in the NL) is inflated due in part to the three starts where Senga surrendered 17 runs in just 8.1 innings.
This takes us to the caveat, which is a huge one.
Will the Mets, still without Lindor, Polanco, and Robert, hit enough to be able to take advantage of what their pitching staff can do?
As far as how much they'll have to hit, it's fair to believe that -- given the quality of their pitching staff -- the Mets will win far more often than not if they can simply be about average offensively.
For example, while winning three of their last four games, the Mets have scored four, five, and four runs. Not exactly an offensive onslaught.
New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) greets shortstop Bo Bichette (19) after defeating the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium / William Liang - Imagn Images
But just being average will require a massive improvement from what they've been most of the year, since New York has scored only 122 runs -- the second-fewest in baseball.
That paltry run total is obviously colored by everything that was covered above, including the absence of Soto, the current injuries, and most of the Mets' key offensive players going through prolonged slumps at the same time earlier this season.
In that regard, things seem to be going in the right direction.
Soto's return has helped stabilize things, Bo Bichette has looked more comfortable, Mark Vientos has hit enough to lift his OPS to an above average level, Francisco Alvarez has emerged from the doldrums and hit in four straight games, MJ Melendez has come up from the minors and posted a .906 OPS, and Carson Benge is starting to get his feet under him at the plate in his first taste of the majors.
Over his last 11 games, Benge is slashing .303/.361/.545 with two homers and two doubles.
Potentially huge will be getting Polanco and Robert back, which could happen sooner rather than later. As far as Lindor and his calf injury, more will be known when he undergoes reimaging in about 10 days, with a "relatively quick progression" possible if all goes well.
In any event, while the worst seems to be behind the Mets, they still have a very tall mountain to climb.
Notable when it comes to New York's expected chances of scaling that mountain is that the FanGraphs playoff odds currently give the Mets a better chance to reach the postseason than about half the league, including the 21-14 Cardinals and 20-15 Reds -- teams that just so happen to be holding two of the three Wild Card spots in the NL.
Those odds should be taken with a grain of salt, but the Mets have the ability to rise up, even if they haven't yet earned the benefit of the doubt that they will.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Sabres center and faceoff ace Sam Carrick resumed practicing on Tuesday, and is in position to return for Buffalo’s second-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Coach Lindy Ruff anticipated Carrick will be back in the lineup soon, without providing a timetable by saying: “Once you’re cleared to practice, you’re within days of playing.”
The Sabres host Montreal in Game 1 on Wednesday night, followed by Game 2 on Friday.
Carrick wrenched his left arm during a fight with Islanders captain Anders Lee in the third period of Buffalo’s 4-3 win on March 31. He missed the final seven regular-season games and Buffalo’s six-game first-round series win over Boston.
Carrick’s return is considered ahead of schedule, and comes after he met with team doctors on Monday.
The Sabres acquired the 10th-year player in a trade with the New York Rangers on March 5. Carrick immediately took over as Buffalo’s fourth-line center, and has handled key faceoffs, especially in late-game situations in the Sabres defensive zone.
He won 82 of 143 faceoffs for Buffalo. The Sabres entered Tuesday ranked last among 16 playoff teams in winning 43.8% of their faceoffs.
Ruff previously ruled out rookie center Noah Ostlund (lower left leg) for Round 2.
Minor League Baseball: View of starting lineups for San Jose Giants and Fresno Grizzlies before game at Excite Ballpark. San Jose, CA 5/7/2021 CREDIT: Brad Mangin (Photo by Brad Mangin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X163609 TK1)
It’s been a tough go for the Colorado Rockies, who have lost their last four games, including the series opener with the New York Mets. However, the Rockies will have to wait for Game 2 since snowstorms across the Front Range led to postponing today’s game.
So we interrupt our regularly scheduled MLB game thread and instead will focus on the Rockies minor league affiliates today.
(We’ll add more game details as they become available.)
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (18-15) @ Sugar land Space Cowboys (17-16)
The Isotopes and Space Cowboys meet for the first of four series on the year, including two in Sugar Land (other: July 7-12). The Isotopes will look to extend their winning streak to four and hope to see as much success this week as they did last when they went on a hitting frenzy. The last time Albuquerque has been over .500 in May was May 20, 2019 (23-22).
Starters: RHP Velente Bellozo (0-1, 6.87) vs. RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-2, 5.79) on a rehab start.
Game 1 First Pitch: 5:05 p.m. MDT
TV: MiLB.TV
Radio: MiLB.TV
Lineups:
For the visiting Isotopes:
We open a six-game series on the road at Sugar Land tonight!
— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) May 5, 2026
High-A: Spokane Indians (9-18) vs. Tri-City Dust Devils (16-11)
The Spokane Indians host the Tri-City Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels affiliate) this morning for the opener of a six-game series. The Indians are optimistic that being back home gets them back on track after finishing their road trip through Everett and Eugene with a 3-9 record. Spokane continues to struggle offensively, scoring just 41 runs in their 12 games on the road (3.41/game) while allowing 67.
They’ll have their work cut out for them today though, with Angels No. 1 prospect and last year’s No. 2 overall pick Tyler Bremner on the mound for the Dust Devils in the series opener.
STARTERS: Tri-City Dust Devils RHP Tyler Bremner (0-0, 1.08) vs. Spokane Indians RHP Jackson Cox (0-1, 5.16)
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (15-2) @ San Jose Giants (17-10)
It’s a big week for the Grizzlies as the take on the California League-leading Giants. Fresno opens the set against a San Jose club that leads the California League in runs (198), average (.292), OBP (.387), slugging (.467) and OPS (.854). The Grizzlies counter with 33 home runs, 147 walks and an .801 OPS, giving this series plenty of offensive punch on both sides.
The Grizzlies bring one of the league’s most disciplined approaches into San Jose, ranking second in the California League with 147 walks and posting a .367 on-base percentage (4th). Cameron Nelson (24 BB, 2nd in CAL) and Ethan Holliday (17 BB, T-8th) continue to set the tone, helping Fresno grind out at-bats against a Giants staff that has issued just 113 walks — fewest in the league — setting up a strength-on-strength battle at the plate.
Starters: Fresno Grizzleys LHP Ethan Cole (2-1, 4.58) vs. San Jose Giants RHP Keyner Martinez (1-1, 5.17)
