HOUSTON – As good as the Yankees looked during their eight-game winning streak, they ended it on Sunday with an all-around stinker.
Deep in the heart of Texas, Luis Gil got deep-sixed while his previously red-hot offense did not come alive until the ninth inning, resulting in a 7-4 loss to the Astros at Daikin Park.
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Gil, who only has a few more guaranteed starts in the big leagues before he is likely to be the odd man out when Carlos Rodón returns from the injured list, did not do much to help his case on Sunday.
The right-hander gave up six runs across four-plus innings with plenty of loud contact, including a pair of two-run homers that put the Yankees (18-10) in an early hole.
Equally as troubling as the hard contact was the lack of swing-and-miss. Gil did not record a single whiff on the 22 four-seam fastballs the Astros (11-18) swung at, and only generated three whiffs overall on the 34 swings they took.
Gil’s clunker snapped a strong stretch of starting pitching that had fueled the Yankees’ winning streak. The six runs he allowed nearly matched the amount of earned runs (seven) the Yankees had allowed in their last eight starts combined.
Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after striking out during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Aaron Judge, meanwhile, provided the only offense in seven innings against Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, who allowed just three hits. On his 34th birthday, Judge crushed a solo home run, his 10th of the year, to get the Yankees on the board in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-1.
The Yankees mounted a two-out rally in the top of the ninth, with RBI doubles from Paul Goldschmidt and J.C. Escarra and an RBI single from Ryan McMahon. But it proved to be too little, too late.
Gil’s day got off to an inauspicious start, when he walked leadoff hitter Carlos Correa on four pitchers. Two outs later, he threw a 3-2 changeup down the middle to Christian Walker, who clobbered it for a two-run shot that came off the bat at 109.8 mph.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In the third inning, Gil got two quick outs before Yordan Alvarez smoked a single and Isaac Paredes followed by crushing a 95 mph sinker off the left-field foul pole for another two-run homer that made it 4-0.
Then in the fifth, Gil gave up a walk and a double to the first two batters, at which point Aaron Boone decided he had seen enough and went to the bullpen.
Paul Blackburn entered and immediately fell behind 3-0 to Paredes, who got the green light and roped an RBI single.
Walker followed with a double to the gap that drove in two more runs for the 7-0 lead.
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/ Karen Warren)
Kevin Durant will again be unavailable to help his Rockets team.
Durant has been out for two of the three games during the bewildering series between the Lakers and Rockets, as he will also miss Game 4 due to an ankle injury, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
Durant has a bone bruise that would typically sideline him for two to three weeks during the regular season, Charania reports, and the 19-year veteran will not be cleared in time for the Rockets’ possible final game of the season.
Durant, 37, has only been limited to one appearance during the playoffs, missing Game 1 due to a knee injury, and he was declared out of Game 3 with an ankle injury.
Kevin Durant will miss Game 4 of the Rockets-Lakers first-round series in the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. AP
The Lakers are up 3-0 in the series, bordering a sweep behind the efforts of 41-year-old LeBron James as Luka Doncic continues to nurse a hamstring injury suffered late in the regular season, and Austin Reaves — who missed Game 3 despite being upgraded to questionable — has been dealing with an oblique strain.
Reaves is questionable to play in Game 4.
The Lakers have won Games 1-3 by a combined 20 points, notably stealing what looked to be a Rockets win in Game 3, forcing overtime, where they won 112-108 in Houston.
James is averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the series while shooting over 47 percent from the field and hitting close to 44 percent of his threes.
Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton (5) as he drives to the basket during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In Durant’s only game played in the series, he managed to log 41 minutes, pouring in 23 points with six rebounds and four assists, though he did commit nine turnovers and four personal fouls.
The winner of the series, which will likely be the Lakers, will move on to face the NBA title favorite Thunder, assuming they don’t blow their 3-0 lead over the Suns.
Champions-elect Inter were held to a 2-2 draw at Torino on Sunday, with the Serie A leaders letting slip a two-goal lead and leaving the title race ticking over with four rounds left.
Inter appeared to be cruising after Marcus Thuram put them in front in the 23rd minute and Yann Bisseck doubled their lead 16 minutes after the break with another header but Torino clawed their way back into the game.
On the verge of elimination, the Houston Rockets may once again be without their best player.
All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed Houston’s Game 3 loss with a sprained ankle, had been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports leading up to tip-off, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Durant missed Houston’s 112-108 loss Friday, April 26 that dropped the Rockets to a 3-0 hole in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant sustained the sprained ankle in the second half of Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21. In that game, Durant scored 20 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. After intermission, however, Lakers coach JJ Redick threw double-teams at Durant, forcing the ball out of his hands. In the second half, Durant scored just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.
But all eyes turn to Sunday’s game as the Rockets are trying to avoid a sweep.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Durant’s status Sunday vs. the Lakers:
Is Kevin Durant playing tonight vs. Lakers?
Although Houston had been listing Durant as questionable on early injury reports ahead of Game 4, the team downgraded him to out in the 4:30 p.m. ET injury report.
Per the report, further testing revealed that Durant has also been diagnosed with a bone bruise in the sprained left ankle, prompting him to seek continued treatment ahead of Game 4. In fact, Durant wasn’t present on Houston’s bench during Game 3, with coach Ime Udoka saying that his absence was because he was getting treatment on the ankle.
“He was getting treatment regardless before (the game) and working on some things,” Udoka said after Game 3. “He was getting in the pool and trying to get some running in and do all those things to prepare. He was back there getting treatment, getting the ice and doing things you can’t do on the bench.”
Durant faced some criticism online for his absence from the bench.
Kevin Durant stats
In 78 games this season, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.
The first three games of the opening round playoff series between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings were tightly contested.
Game 4 was anything but.
The Avalanche rolled to a 5-1 victory over the Kings to complete the sweep and punch their ticket to the second round. It marks just the third time in franchise history that the Avalanche have swept their opponent in the opening round of the postseason, with Colorado going on to win the Stanley Cup in two of those previous three seasons.
Colorado was powered by Nathan MacKinnon, who finished with three points on two goals and an assist. Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Nic Roy also scored, while captain Gabe Landeskog added two assists.
Scott Wedgewood, who started all four games in the series, turned aside 24 shots as the Avalanche completed the sweep. Anze Kopitar’s career came to an end following the loss.
First Period
The Avalanche killed off two penalties in the first half of the period after Roy and Nick Blankenburg were both called for interference, though the second penalty was, at best, a ticky-tack call.
Los Angeles also fell victim to a controversial interference call when Brian Dumoulin knocked Artturi Lehkonen down in front of the net. On the ensuing power play, MacKinnon blasted a one-timer from the left circle to make it a 1–0 game. It was the Rocket Richard Trophy winner’s first goal of the postseason and Colorado’s first power play goal of the playoffs.
At 17:58, a flurry of penalties broke out involving both teams. Jack Drury and Alex Turcotte each received minor penalties, while Samuel Helenius was assessed two separate minors along with a 10-minute misconduct. Jeff Malott was also sent off for roughing Drury during the same sequence, turning the moment into a multi-player scrum with penalties on both sides.
Second Period
Makar made it 2–0 at 5:48 when he tracked down a loose puck at the blue line, danced around Kings defenseman Taylor Ward, and snapped a wrister past Kings netminder Anton Forsberg, who made 27 saves, to double the lead. Ward tried to haul him down after realizing he was beaten but couldn’t slow him before he got the shot off.
The Kings got a lifeline with 6:17 left in the period when Joel Edmundson fired a shot through a screen by Kopitar, beating Wedgewood to cut the deficit to 2–1.
With under five minutes remaining in the second, Kadri took a series of punishing hits from Edmundson, who eliminated him against the boards.
But with Josh Manson out for an undetermined amount of time with an upper-body injury, the question remains who will step up and provide that physical edge for the Avalanche. MacKinnon certainly didn’t hesitate, delivering a heavy hit on Dumoulin at the blue line just before the end of the period.
The Kings came out with a head of steam in the early moments of the third period, desperate to avoid getting swept. Kopitar led the rush up the ice and got a shot off on Wedgewood, but the Avalanche goaltender came up with the save.
Nic Roy cashed in at 3:13 with his second goal of the series, punching home a rebound off an initial shot from Artturi Lehkonen to restore Colorado’s two-goal lead at 3–1. The play was set up by Sam Malinski, who fed Lehkonen along the right wing as the Finnish forward fought off a defender before getting the puck on net.
Just 2:48 later, Colorado added an insurance marker when MacKinnon fed Devon Toews, and the star defenseman ripped a top-shelf wrister to make it 4–1, as the Avalanche made it clear they wanted to close out the opening round with a statement win.
With the seconds ticking away, it became evident that the Kings may have traded for Artemi Panarin at the deadline just to make their annual first-round exit feel a little more expensive.
MacKinnon added an empty-net goal, and his second of the night, to make it 5-1. It was MacKinnon's 57th career playoff goal in his 99th career playoff game.
In the end, it was a championship-caliber performance from the Colorado Avalanche.
Even without their most physical presence in the lineup, every line elevated its game, every shift carried weight, and every response felt intentional. That’s what separates good teams from dangerous ones—and right now, this group looks very much like the latter.
The Avalanche will face the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, with the Wild earning a 4-3 overtime victory on Saturday to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Apr 23, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher JR Ritchie (56) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss announced after today’s 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies that rookie starting pitcher JR Ritchie will get his second major league start on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers.
Weiss also confirm that former right-handed starter Reynaldo López is heading to the bullpen to work out some mechanical issues that are framed as the culprit of his last two sub-optimal starts.
Ritchie made his MLB debut on April 23, picking up the victory after tossing seven innings of two-run ball. The righty struck out seven against the Washington Nationals.
López, pitched in only one game in 2025 after a sterling first season in Atlanta in 2024. The 32-year-old has made five starts this year for the Braves, logging 21.2 innings. However, he allowed a combined seven earned runs in his past two starts – including four in a single inning of work on April 21.
Rehabbing starting pitcher Spencer Strider pitched five strong innings for Triple-A Gwinnett today and could be activated off the IL within the next week. The Braves have not yet announced if Strider will make an additional minor league start.
Ritchie will make his home debut, weather permitting, as the Braves take on a Tigers squad looking to win the American League Central Division.
On the play, which came midway through the second quarter, Castle was driving against Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, who tried to draw a charge. When Castle crashed into Grant, however, the two fell to the court, and Castle landed on his left hand.
He initially remained in the game, but repeatedly favored it, especially when it grazed against other players. Eventually Castle asked to be subbed out, and he headed into the locker room.
🚨Spurs rushed Stephon Castle to get X Rays on an injured hand. He was in pain after this play and asked to be subbed out so he could go to the locker room right away.
According to the ESPN broadcast, Castle received X-rays, though he eventually returned to the bench. Once seated, he continued to be in apparent discomfort, shaking his left hand.
Castle did have more tape on the hand, and he returned to the game briefly before being subbed out with 1:57 left in the first half.
Through two quarters, Castle played 11:48 and went 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points, adding 2 assists.
The Spurs struggled in the second quarter, as Portland has opened a 58-41 lead at the half.
The good news for San Antonio was that Castle was on the floor to start the third quarter, which coincided with a 13-0 Spurs run to start the period.
After a promising 10-8 win over the Minnesota Twins last Thursday, the Mets’ offense appeared to regress back to the doldrums of their 12-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Colorado Rockies 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
The numbers weren’t pretty. The Mets had just four hits off of Jose Quintana and the Rockies bullpen, they went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, and they left six men on.
In both the first and eighth innings, the Mets loaded the bases with one out. But both times, they came away with nothing.
“It’s frustrating, obviously,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “Not having good at-bats and then we had an opportunity with the bases loaded right away and couldn’t’ cash in. Every time you get an opportunity like that, we’ve got to be able to capitalize there, and we haven’t been able to do that.
“We’ve got to get going.”
Mendoza was asked, point-blank, if the offense is fixable.
“Yes. We’ve got to do something,” he said. “That’s not a good showing. We’ve got to fix it.”
Nolan McLean, the Mets' rising star on the mound, was electric in the early going, facing the minimum through the first three innings. He ran into trouble in both the fifth and sixth innings, and ultimately was pulled with the bags full in the sixth.
All in all, he allowed two runs (one earned run) on five hits, striking out seven and walking two.
McLean took the tough-luck loss in Sunday’s first game, but said afterwards that he and the entire pitching staff believe in this Mets lineup.
"The way we see it in the clubhouse is, 'any minute now.' We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they're working,” McLean said. “It's just a matter of time. We know how good those players are who are in the lineup for us.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 26: Garrett Mitchell #5 dumps water on Kyle Harrison #52 of the Milwaukee Brewers after a 5-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on April 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kyle Harrison turned in a brilliant performance, and the Brewers capitalized on a five-run fourth inning to snap their four-game losing streak and avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The win puts Milwaukee back over .500 ahead of a Tuesday matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Neither team scored until the bottom of the fourth, when Milwaukee broke through against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski. William Contreras led off with a single, and Jake Bauers followed with a ground-rule double that likely would’ve scored him had it stayed in play. Gary Sánchez then grounded out to second, but Contreras came home from third to give the Brewers their first lead of the series.
Jake Bauers' double leads to an RBI from Gary Sánchez
Garrett Mitchell then struck out for the second out, and Sal Frelick quickly fell behind 1-2. Frelick fouled off the next pitch, but Joey Bart was called for catcher’s interference, sending him to first. From there, Mlodzinski unraveled. Luis Rengifo singled to knock in Bauers, David Hamilton doubled off the right-field wall to score Frelick, and Brandon Lockridge singled to clear the bases.
When the dust settled, the Brewers were up five runs, and Mlodzinski was walking to the dugout. Evan Sisk came in to face Brice Turang, who hit a tailing line drive to left field that hung in the air just long enough for Pirates outfielder Jake Mangum to make the catch.
Mlodzinski couldn’t make it out of the fourth inning, but Harrison was nearly untouchable through six. He pitched like an ace today, and the results showed it. Harrison threw 101 pitches over six innings, striking out 12 while allowing just one hit (a ground-ball single off the bat of Marcell Ozuna) and one walk. The more he pitches, the more promising he looks.
Trevor Megill got into a little bit of a jam in the seventh inning after allowing a leadoff double and a walk, but he bore down to get back to the dugout without allowing a run. In the eighth, Aaron Ashby loaded the bases on two walks and an error by David Hamilton, but also escaped with a scoreless frame. Abner Uribe struck out two Pirates in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to give the Brewers their first shutout win of the season.
Some of the issues that have plagued the Brewers early in the season are still present. The bullpen hasn’t been as dominant as in years past, and Milwaukee managed just two hits after Mlodzinski exited the game.
Still, today’s win felt like a step in the right direction and a reminder of why the Brewers have won the NL Central in four of the past five years. Quality pitching and timely offense are a winning formula, and today, Milwaukee got both.
The Crew will get a much-deserved day off tomorrow before welcoming the Diamondbacks to American Family Field for a three-game series. First pitch for Tuesday’s opener is set for 6:40 p.m.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 26: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals delivers a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on April 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Right as I hit send on a tweet questioning the logic of Blake Butera pinch hitting Jose Tena for Jacob Young, Tena blasted a solo homer in the 10th, which proved to be the difference in the game. It was a pitchers duel, with no runners scoring for either team in the first nine, but the Nats managed to get two runs across in the 10th to win it.
This game felt very different from most of the 2026 Nationals games we have watched so far. Most Nats games this year have been very high scoring, and even when they are not, teams are threatening. However, both pitching staffs shut down dangerous offenses this afternoon.
It was a true pitchers duel between Foster Griffin and Sean Burke in this one. Despite the White Sox using an opener, Burke still managed to toss 7.1 scoreless innings. Burke befuddled Nats hitters with his rising fastball and big overhand curveball. He looks like a real nice arm that could slot into the middle of the White Sox rotation for years to come.
Foster Griffin was matching Burke pitch for pitch though. This was Griffin’s best outing as a Nat, which is saying something because he has been solid each and every start. The crafty lefty threw 7 shutout innings with 8 strikeouts and just two hits. He was masterfully wielding his seven pitch mix today, with the cutter and sweeper being the stars of the show.
Griffin’s deep bag of pitches makes him so unpredictable. It just felt like White Sox hitters were guessing wrong all afternoon. Griffin’s ERA is down to 2.67 on the season. He is also just so much fun to watch because of how smart he is as a pitcher.
A great outing for Foster Griffin today! He threw 7 shutout innings with 8 strikeouts and only 2 hits and 2 BB’s allowed.
Griffin is an arsenal maxxer, throwing 7 pitches at least 9% of the time.
With Burke and Griffin rolling, offense was tough to come by. There were hardly any rallies to speak of. For a while, it just felt like the Nats were speedrunning their at bats. The White Sox made Griffin work a little more, but that was mostly because of how much they were whiffing.
The 9th inning was the first time either team felt like they threatened. In the top of the inning, the Nats had a man on third with one out due to Nasim Nunez getting a single and working his magic on the bases. However, after James Wood was intentionally walked, both Curtis Mead and Daylen Lile popped up to end the inning.
In the bottom half, the White Sox threatened thanks to an Everson Pereira base hit and an error by Richard Lovelady on a pick off attempt. Lovelady got out of the jam by getting two huge strikeouts. He was fired up after getting out of the jam. Lovelady is a real character, and looks to have found a home with the Nats after bouncing around a ton over the past couple years.
It was the 10th inning that proved decisive though. The Nats manufactured the first run. On an 0-2 pitch, Jorbit Vivas did a nice job rolling one over to the first baseman and getting the runner to third. Then CJ Abrams got robbed of a hit, but still got the sac fly. That opened the scoring, but the Nats needed more to feel comfortable.
That was the moment where Blake Butera made the gutsy move to go to Jose Tena. On a 3-1 pitch, Tena unloaded on a fastball that caught the heart of the plate. He knew it was gone and watched his 100th career hit fly. It was an insurance run that was desperately needed.
After being recalled today, Paxton Schultz came on to close the door. While he allowed the Manfred runner to score, he got a pair of massive strikeouts to end the ball game and improve the Nats record to 13-16.
The Nats were playing baseball everyday for a while. They had 17 straight games without an off day. It was a run that the Nats navigated quite well, going 9-8 in that span. That is a great job from the boys, who have a much deserved off day tomorrow.
The Nationals took 2 of 3 from the White Sox and just finished a 17 day stretch without a day off at 9-8.
Really fun team to watch right now. Staff is getting a lot out of the guys and squeezing every drop out of 40 man with players coming and going from minors.
Now, the Nats will head to New York to try and extend the Mets misery. The Mets snapped their 12 game losing streak a few days ago, but now they just dropped a series to the Rockies. Hopefully the Nats can continue being road warriors and keep the momentum rolling.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 25: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The rivalry between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets gained another chapter Saturday night at Target Center.
Despite losing both Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards to injuries for the rest of the series, the Timberwolves won Game 4 112-96 to take a 3-1 series lead with a performance that spoke volumes about each of the two teams.
In the final seconds of the game, and the Timberwolves up by 14 points, Mike Conley threw a pass up ahead to Jaden McDaniels, who, instead of running out the clock, layed the ball in the basket. Nikola Jokić took exception.
It is an awful look for the 3-time MVP, who seemed more concerned with guarding the unwritten rules of the game than anyone on the opposing team, to start a fight as his team falls down 3-1 to a team missing two of their best players.
If Jokić wanted to avoid getting punked or embarrassed, he should have done so after Game 2 when McDaniels called out Jokić and the entire Nuggets roster as bad defenders. Instead, McDaniels and the Wolves hung 68 points in the paint on the Nuggets’ defense in Game 3 en route to a 113-96 blowout victory.
When asked why he was so upset about the McDaniels layup, Jokić said, “Because he scored and everybody stopped playing.” Jokić was understandably not very interested in breaking down the play further, but he did say he has no regrets.
By his lofty standards, Jokić has had an awful series. His defensive limitations have been on full display, while his offensive game has been completely disrupted by Rudy Gobert. In the last three games, each of which the Nuggets lost, Jokić has shot 23-68 from the floor (33.8 percent). In the fourth quarter, Jokić has made just two of his 16 shot attempts.
As the shooting percentages have gone down, the flopping and gamesmanship with the officials have gone up. Rather than attempting to match the Timberwolves’ level of play or competitiveness, Jokić has far too often focused his attention elsewhere.
“I thought we were very competitive tonight,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said about his team’s performance. “The competitive spirit question bothers me because I thought we were extremely competitive tonight at the start of the game. I thought we got into them. It was a game I thought we had control of, and in the third quarter, we just could not make a run.”
While the Nuggets may have been competitive to begin the game, the rest of the contest tells a different story. The Nuggets got outscored 62-42 in the second half with two of the Wolves’ offensive engines, DiVicenzo and Edwards, out of the game.
The Nuggets’ two best players, Jokić and Jamal Murray, shot a combined 6-24 from the field, including nine straight misses from Jokić to close the game as Gobert and Murray locked them down for the third consecutive game.
Adelman, like Jokić, took exception to the layup by McDaniels at the end of the game.
"I didn't like what McDaniels did. The game was over…in 2026 that stuff just doesn't happen anymore that's something that happens in the 80s where teams would continue to score, but that's who he is.”
One thing Adelman is correct about: Game 4 and this entire series is precisely who Jaden McDaniels is.
McDaniels knew exactly what he was doing by putting the ball in the basket at the end of the game, just like he knew what he was saying after Game 2. He knew the reaction both would likely generate and was unafraid the Nuggets would do anything about it. When confronted, McDaniels, with a smile on his face, grabbed the jersey of Jokić and pushed him out of the way.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 26, 2026
McDaniels does not care if he gives another team bulletin board material. He does not care about any unwritten rules, and he certainly does not care about what anyone thinks of him or his teammates. He just wants to play basketball.
“I said what I said,” McDaniels explained. “And then after that, just come to hoop every night.” When asked if Jokić said anything to him, McDaniels replied, “I don’t know what he said to be honest. I just seen someone that was big as hell.”
The only surprise was that McDaniels took it easy on the Nuggets by laying the ball in instead of breaking out his signature dunk, which has come to be known as the Slim McNasty, as he did in Game 7 of the 2024 series between these two teams.
I'm honestly far more surprised that Jaden didn't pull out the Slim McNasty than I am that he put in the layup pic.twitter.com/nTIJOoAAMw
For much of the night, Target Center felt like a balloon that someone had let all the air out of. They lost, in many ways, their heart and soul, DiVincenzo to a catastrophic Achilles injury, and the franchise superstar Edwards to a hyperextended knee.
The Timberwolves could have let their emotions get the best of them. They could have let the game go before halftime and tried to regroup before Game 5 with the series still tied.
Instead, they decided to battle back.
“That might be the most proud of our team I’ve been all season,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said after the game. “Losing those two guys was really tough, tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime, kind of reset things, figure out what we have and who we have going forward.”
“Really proud of the guys,” Gobert stated. “You know, we lose two of our main guys early in the game, kept competing, had a lot of adversity, a lot of things didn’t go our way, kept competing no matter what, kept playing together. Every single guy that came in the game brought something and able to close out at the end, so really proud of the guys.”
The biggest bright spot on the night was the 43-point performance from Ayo Dosunmu, who saw an increased role with DiVincenzo and Edwards both out. The scoring total was a career-high for Dosunmu and a Timberwolves playoff record for scoring off the bench, a mark Dosunmu set just a game earlier with 25 points in Game 3.
“I didn’t know he was that damn good, I ain’t gonna lie to you.” Julius Randle said of Dosunmu’s Game 4 performance. “But, damn, I’m glad we got him.”
Dosunmu said the key to his performance was “just being aggressive.” He continued. “Just staying true to my technique and my routine. I think that’s very important having a very strict routine off the court. I think that plays a huge part into your performance on the court. Then just entering flow state.”
At every turn in Game 4, the Timberwolves and Nuggets told everyone watching exactly who they are as a team.
The Timberwolves, without their starting backcourt, kept their composure. The Nuggets, on the other hand, had no response for the Wolves on either end of the court while their best playing starting a brawl because of an extra two points in garbage time.
The Wolves, every step of the way, overcame the adversity that was thrown their way, while the Nuggets seemed to succumb to the pressure.
The Timberwolves will hope to bottle up that feeling one more time to close out this first-round series. The Nuggets, meanwhile, will need some soul-searching if they’re even willing to do so.
Apr 26, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) looks on during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
A weird weekend of baseball ended in a frustratingly conventional way. Kyle Bradish had an uneven day on the mound, Grant Wolfram struggled out of the bullpen, and the Orioles bats lacked punch in a 5-3 loss on Sunday afternoon in Baltimore.
This was a laborious start for Bradish. He made it through five innings, but none of them were clean, and many of them required some serious help from his defense in order to survive them.
In the second inning, Ceddanne Rafaela led off with a double. He attempted to tag up and advance to third on the Marcelo Mayer fly ball that followed, but a strong throw from right fielder Tyler O’Neill and a slide that popped Rafaela up off of the base instead gave Bradish two outs.
In the Red Sox side of the third inning, Bradish issued two walks and uncorked a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position with two outs. That’s as far as they would go, Bradish striking out Roman Anthony to escape the jam.
The fourth inning saw Bradish issue another walk, this one a lead-off base on balls to Wilyer Abreu. But the runner would be quickly eliminated when he got too eager to advance on a missed bunt attempt by Rafaela at the plate. Samuel Basallo fired over to first, behind Abreu, and got him scrambling back to the bag.
It was in the fifth inning where Bradish finally succumbed to his struggles. Caleb Durbin led off with a single and then stole second base. An Andrew Monasterio single brought Durbin in for the first run of the day. A few batters later, Willson Contreras launched a two-run bomb to left-center field for a 3-0 lead.
Bradish finished up the fifth inning, and that marked the end of his outing. The righty gave up the three runs on four hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. It wasn’t a disaster, but it was also far from what we normally expect from the 29-year-old. His stuff seemed to be lacking across the board. Spin rates were down. Velocities were down. And whiff rates were down. Maybe it was the colder temperatures. Or maybe it’s just part of the process that comes with building back up after missing most of the 2025 season.
It’s not as if the Orioles offense was doing much to support him. They struggled to handle Boston’s starter Connelly Early. The young lefty tossed four shutout innings to begin the game, scattering two singles and walk in that time.
The Orioles first run of the day came in the bottom of the fifth. Basallo led off the frame with a solo homer to right field, his fifth long ball of the season.
Boston answered right back in the top of the sixth inning. Grant Wolfram had come on in relief of Bradish, and immediately got smacked around. Abreu led off with a single, then came in to score on a Rafaela triple to center field. Mayer followed that with a base knock to bring Rafael home and make it 5-1.
That was all for Wolfram. He faced three hitters and failed to retire any of them. Yennier Cano came on and did an impressive job to get out of the inning without allowing any more runs. That was despite the first batter he faced, Durbin, reaching on an error by Jeremiah Jackson. Gunnar Henderson helped out with a nice snag to get the first out. Cano got the next out on his own, fielding a Monasterio ball back to the mound and then tagging out Mayer as he tried to get home. The final out of the inning came when Basallo nabbed Monasterio trying to steal second base.
Henderson followed his nice glove work with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. His ninth home run of the season came off the bat at 105.3 mph, but it counted for just one anyway. The Orioles trailed 5-2.
In the bottom of the eighth inning the Orioles would score again. Colton Cowser pinch hit for Blaze Alexander and reached base on a single up the middle. A dribbler in front of the mound advanced Cowser to second with two outs. And then it was Henderson that came through with an RBI single to make it a 5-3 game.
That is as close as it would get. Aroldis Chapman came on for the ninth inning and made quick work of the O’s lineup to secure the 5-3 win for the visitors.
What a bummer. This series had started off so well on Friday night. And given how poor the Red Sox had been playing coming in, paired with their Saturday evening/Sunday morning drama, it felt like a chance for the Orioles to get division play off on the right foot. Instead, they wilted today.
The 5-3 scoreline feels kind to the Orioles. The Red Sox went just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, Rafaela got thrown out at third base because he (just barely) popped off the base, and Abreu was picked off at first base because he didn’t wait for a bunt to get down. They could/should have scored more.
The Orioles bats had just two extra base hits (the two home runs) and worked one walk. It was a bad showing against a young pitcher.
At least the Orioles bullpen, minus Wolfram, was good. Cano, Anthony Nunez, Rico Garcia, and Andrew Kittredge combined for four scoreless, hitless innings. They each have ERAs under 2.00 on the year.
The Orioles are off on Monday. They will then wrap up the month of April with a three-game set at Camden Yards against the Astros. That’s another under-performing team that you would like to see the Orioles beat. It has to happen eventually, right? Right!?
Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) tags out Colorado Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy (31) in the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Mets fell to the lowly Rockies by a score of 3-1 in the first game of the doubleheader. Lack of offense and poor defense was the name of the game yet again in their second straight loss to Colorado.
The Mets did load the bases with one out in the first against old friend Jose Quintana, but both Marcus Semien and Brett Baty struck out to end the threat. Baty thought he had walked but an overturned call ended the inning. That was it on the offensive side until Tyrone Taylor hit a home run to lead off the fifth inning. Quintana had retired 11 batters in a row up to that point. It was a bit of a makeshift lineup given the lefty on the mound and the doubleheader, but this team has no excuse to score only one run against a team with inflated ERAs. Baty struck out three times and Tommy Pham still does not have a hit since his call up..
Opposite Quintana on the mound Nolan McLean was good enough but allowed a run when he loaded the bases in the fourth with nobody out. After Troy Johnston singled to put Colorado on the board, McLean limited the damage with a strikeout and a double play to get out of the inning. Unfortunately the sixth was again his undoing, although in this case he was not helped by his defense. After a double and a walk to lead off the inning, he induced a ground ball, but in attempting to turn a double play, Mark Vientos hit the runner running to second and got zero outs. Huascar Brazobán entered in relief of McLean and got a double play but the go-ahead run came home. That closed the book on McLean whose final line was 5 innings pitched, five hits, two runs, one of which was earned. He also struck out seven and walked two. Brazobán would give up another run in the seventh to put the game further out of reach for this abysmal offense.
The team did manage to load the bases in the eighth but Luis Robert Jr. popped up and Mark Vientos struck out to end the inning. The team pitifully went down in order in the ninth and with the Red Sox already firing Alex Cora you have to wonder how much longer this will continue before changes will be made in the organization.
Big Mets winner: Tyrone Taylor +12% WPA Big Mets loser: Marcus Semien -18% WPA Mets pitchers: -5% WPA Mets hitters: -45% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Tyrone Taylor home run in fifth +16.1 WPA Teh sux0rest play: Mickey Moniak single in fourth -11.3% WPA
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets looks back after being taken out o the game during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on August 31, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Bo Bichette – 3B Juan Soto – DH Francisco Alvarez – C Brett Baty – 1B MJ Melendez – LF Marcus Semien – 2B Carson Benge – RF Ronny Mauricio – SS Tyrone Taylor – CF
Sidney Crosby has been productive on offense for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Philadelphia Flyers, pacing all players in shots on goal in this Round 1 series.
My Flyers vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks expect more of the same from Sid the Kid in Game 5.
UPDATE: Added who will win prediction.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 5 prediction
Who will win Flyers vs Penguins Game 5?
Penguins: Believe it or not, Pittsburgh holds a 6.41-5.94 xG edge at 5-on-5 through four games, and Arturs Silovs seems to have given them a jolt in net.
I think Pittsburgh grinds out another win at home before bowing out in six.
Flyers vs Penguins best bet: Sidney Crosby Over 2.5 shots (-165)
Sidney Crosby has registered at least three shots on goal in every game this postseason. Even with the Philadelphia Flyers leaning on their structured defensive system, Crosby is still getting his share of looks.
That should continue in Game 5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are once again playing an elimination game, which means they’ll rely heavily on Crosby.
Considering it's also a home game for Pittsburgh, Head coach Dan Muse will control the matchups and be able to get Crosby some extra shifts away from Philly defenseman Travis Sanheim.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 5 same-game parlay
Bryan Rust has hit the scoresheet in a remarkable 73% of his games this season following one day of rest. That number jumps to 80% when isolating home dates.
Rust leads the Penguins in high-danger chances during this series and is attached to the hip of Sidney Crosby in all situations, making him a real threat to produce.
Meanwhile, the Flyers have generated more chances with Travis Konecny on the ice than with any other forward on the team.
Flyers vs Penguins SGP
Sidney Crosby Over 2.5 shots
Bryan Rust Over 0.5 points
Travis Konecny Over 0.5 points
Flyers vs Penguins Game 5 goal scorer pick
Egor Chinakhkov (+285)
Although Egor Chinakhkov ranks first among all Penguins in shot attempts and scoring chances, he has zero goals or points to show for it.
Chinakhov was one of the league’s better finishers in the second half of the season and did his best work at home, where he’s found the back of the net in 10 of his past 20 games.
Sidney Crosby has recorded 3+ shots in 14 of his last 17 games against the Flyers. Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Flyers vs Penguins Game 5
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, Sportsnet
Flyers vs Penguins latest injuries
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