The Warriors’ 2025-26 season somehow still is alive.
Steph Curry erupted in the second half as Golden State rallied to stun the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the NBA play-in game on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.
The Warriors will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns in a do-or-die 8th-seed game, with the winner advancing to take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Curry, on a minutes restriction as he ramps back up after returning from a right knee injury, struggled in the first half but turned it on in the second half and finished with 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field.
Curry scored just eight first-half points, but poured in 27 second-half points to fuel the comeback win.
Curry’s 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a late lead they didn’t relinquish.
Kristaps Porziņģis had a spring in his step and finished with 20 points, while Gui Santos scored 20 points and Brandin Podziemski added 17 points. Al Horford added 14 off the bench.
The Warriors trailed for most of the second half until Horford drained a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in regulation.
Now the Warriors turn their attention to the Suns. Golden State won three of the four regular-season matchups, including the final matchup in Phoenix on Feb. 5.
One more win on Friday night and the Warriors will achieve their goal of getting into the playoffs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 15: Ryan Watson #56 (L) and Connor Wong #12 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins after the game at Target Field on April 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The Red Sox defeated the Twins 9-5. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox broke out the bats in need of a response from Tuesday’s shutout loss.
A big day for Trevor Story (5 RBIs) helped Boston earn a 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox avoided the sweep against the best team in the American League so far.
Here are three takeaways from Boston’s series finale.
The offense responds
The Red Sox put six runs on the board after Garrett Crochet’s implosion Monday night. The lineup followed that with its first shutout loss of the season Tuesday.
How would this remarkably inconsistent group respond Wednesday?
Surprisingly well.
Boston put together good at-bats from the jump and took advantage of extra opportunities. The Red Sox scored a pair on a dual-error from Twins infielder Luke Keaschall. Moments later, Trevor Story lifted a three-run home run to left field for another rare Boston homer. As referenced by The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, that marked the team’s first three-run blast of the season.
Connelly Early posted a 2.63 ERA to start the season, though the young lefty struggled to get deeper into his starts.
He did a much better job keeping his pitch count down in this start and kept a red-hot Twins lineup in check. Early settled in after he allowed a first-inning solo shot to Austin Martin.
Early finished six strong innings of one-run ball with just two hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Story time (broadcast, not Trevor)
The best in-game story came around on NESN this afternoon when Will Middlebrooks shared his recollection of a productive night with the late Jerry Remy.
The former Red Sox third baseman shared that on a road trip when he struggled as a rookie, Remy came to his room with a bottle of wine and worked on the rookie’s timing with rolled up socks to simulate baseballs.
You can catch the full story here.
.@middlebrooks with a touching story about his relationship with Remdog ❤️
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA confirmed Wednesday it is exploring a move to an age-based eligibility model that would give athletes a window of five years to compete in Division I starting immediately after their high school graduation or 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
The Division I Cabinet discussed the possibility at meetings that concluded Wednesday but did not take a formal position. The Cabinet supports having NCAA staff continue to discuss the idea with other stakeholders to gather feedback.
The Cabinet said the new model would include possible exceptions for circumstances such as pregnancy, military service and religious missions.
Currently, athletes generally are allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions.
The possibility of an age-based model comes after numerous athletes have challenged NCAA eligibility rules in lawsuits with the hope of extending their college careers and ability to earn money through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals.
During its meetings, the Cabinet approved changes to preenrollment eligibility rules, including one that would bar athletes who have entered and remained in a professional sports draft from competing in college.
One of the rules requires prospects to withdraw from opt-in professional league drafts, including the NBA draft, to bring precollege enrollment draft rules in line with postcollege enrollment draft rules. Men’s ice hockey and baseball would not be affected because athletes don’t opt in to those sports’ drafts.
The change came after two basketball players, Alabama’s Charles Bediako and Baylor’s James Nnaji, played in college this season after entering the 2023 NBA draft.
Bediako played two seasons at Alabama and entered the draft. He wasn’t selected but played three years in the G League, the NBA’s minor league. He played in five games this past season before the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a ruling that made him ineligible.
Nnaji was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. He played professionally overseas before he enrolled as a freshman at Baylor in December. He was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He would be ineligible in 2026-27 under the new rules.
In other changes, athletes are allowed to sign with agents prior to enrolling for purposes other than name, image and likeness and are allowed to accept prize money in their respective sports without impacting eligibility.
It was the largest "NBA Tip-Off" doubleheader audience since 2010, not including 2011 opening games on Christmas holiday. The doubleheader maintained an average of 5.6 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.
Here's a look at the season highlights for viewership, attendance, digital and social numbers during the 2025-26 NBA season:
NBA 2025-26 regular-season viewership
A total of 170 million people in the United States watched NBA games across ABC, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC, Peacock and NBA TV through the regular season.
It was the most-watched NBA season in 24 years. Viewership was up 86% compared to the 2024-25 regular season, according to the league.
NBA games across ABC, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC and Peacock averaged 1.78 million viewers. It was the most in seven years and up 16% year-over-year. Including NBA TV, the league had the highest amount of viewership in 13 years and was up 35% year-over-year.
There were 57 telecasts that averaged at least two million viewers this season, the most since the 2011-12 regular season, and the league had 19 broadcasts that averaged at least three million viewers – the most since the 2012-13 regular season.
The regular season drove more than 920 million hours watched, the most since the 2011-12 season.
NBA on social media for 2025-26 season
The league generated a record 228 billion views on social media this season, up 13% over a year-to-year basis, according to Videocites.
The NBA debuted Tap to Watch, to allow fans to live stream games. According to a league news release, the new implementation drove fans to nearly 20 million live game streams with nationally televised games making up 75% of that engagement. Usage was driven largely by partners such as Google, social media platforms and the NBA App, the news release said.
NBA attendance for 2025-26 season
The NBA fans showed up in record numbers this season. A new league record was set for total attendance across a three-season span (2023-24 to 2025-26), exceeding 22.18 million fans in total attendance in team arenas for the third time ever.
Fun facts from the 2025-26 NBA regular-season
Here are some highlights from the 2025-26 NBA regular-season, according to the league:
More than 40 million people in the U.S. watched NBA Cup 2025 group play games across Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and ESPN, up 90% from last year and the most-watched group play games in the event’s three-year history.
The NBA Cup final between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in December 2025 averaged 3.07 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, a 3% increase over the 2024 championship, which was 2.99 million on ABC.
ESPN delivered its largest average NBA Christmas audience since 2018 across its platforms. The five-game slate on Thursday, December 25, averaged 5.5 million viewers, up four percent from 2024. The Christmas games reached 47.2 million fans, up 45 percent from 2024. It is the largest audience reach for ESPN’s Christmas NBA games since 2010, excluding the season-opening Christmas day in 2011.
Games between the Mavericks and Knicks, and the Thunder and Cavaliers on Jan. 19, in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delivered the league’s two largest afternoon audiences on MLK King Day on record, dating back to 1992.
The first NBA All-Star Game broadcast by NBC Sports since 2002 delivered the largest NBA All-Star audience since 2011, averaging 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
More than 46 million people in the U.S. watched NBA All-Star weekend across NBC platforms and ESPN, the most in 24 years and more than triple last season.
The NBA's storied rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics on NBC on Feb. 22 was the most-watched regular-season Sunday night game since April 2, 2000, averaging 5.6 million viewers across ABC, Peacock and Telemundo. It was also the most watched NBA regular-season game since 2017, excluding Christmas Day.
Knicks and Thunder on March 29 delivered 3.4 million average viewers, marking the network’s 10th game with at least 3 million viewers, the most for any network since the 2018-19 regular season.
Talen Horton-Tucker #0 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Swinger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In honor of the merciful conclusion to the Utah Jazz’s tanking era, let’s take a look back at some of the players who were instrumental in securing better draft odds and the hope of a playoff appearance next season. Referring to these players as tank commanders is not derogatory nor is it meant to degrade the skill-sets they possess, rather, these players are crucial for ensuring teams get as high a draft pick as they can, while also getting the opportunity to showcase their skills to the rest of the league in hopes of getting more opportunities. It truly is thankless work, and most are forgotten once their contracts expire, but today they get their flowers.
Luka Šamanić (17-33)
Šamanić was taken 19th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2019, where he would only appear in 3 games his rookie year. He would only last two seasons in San Antonio before he would be released and the Jazz would scoop him up. During the 2023-2024 season Šamanić appeared in 43 games for the Jazz averaging a modest 4 points and 2 rebounds per game. He was also instrumental in securing a 31-51 record, and the 9th overall pick. Currently he is playing in the Russian VTB United League where he is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist per game.
Darius Blazley (2-4)
Blazley was originally drafted by the Jazz, but his draft rights were given to the Memphis Grizzlies, only to be snatched up by the Thunder. He would get consistent playing time in OKC for four seasons before being traded to the Suns where he would only last 7 games before going to the 76ers, and finally making his way to Utah. He would play 6 games for us, 4 of which we lost. These losses again helped Utah to acquire a top 10 pick in the draft. His basketball career has not gone as planned, especially as of late. Most recently he shoved a teammate out of frustration, and was subsequently cut from the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association. At 25 years old there is still time for Blazely to turn his career around, all of Jazz nation is rooting for him.
Talen Horton-Tucker (44-72)
THT is my personal favorite of all the players listed. He spent two seasons with us and was equal parts extremely exciting and extremely frustrating to watch. At times he would forget he had four other teammates out there with him, but that’s what made him so fascinating. During my junior year of high school my friends and I would talk about THT like he was an All-Star, and that he would have a long future on the Jazz if he could just learn to pass. Scary times. (Continuous tanking can do horrible things to the mind of a fanbase.) THT’s best moment as a Jazz man came against the Spurs, where he dropped 41 points. His acrobatic layups, and thunderous dunks will be greatly missed, his tunnel vision and unwillingness to pass, will not. Today he plays in the Euroleague for Fenerbaçhe. Like Blazley, Talen is also 25 years old, and has time for an NBA comeback.
Juan Toscano-Anderson (7-15)
NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson played 22 games for the Jazz and averaged 3.4 points in 15 minutes per game. One of the plays featured on his highlight reel is an assist to Udoka Azubuike and seeing that nearly gave me a heart attack. Toscano-Anderson is the only player in team history to wear #95. In 2025 he signed a one year deal with Pallacanestro Trieste in the Italian basketball league. In his most recent game he put up 4 points, and 4 assists in 17 minutes of action.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. (2-2)
Lofton may have only played in 4 games for the Jazz, going 2-2, but he was certainly memorable. He isn’t built like your typical NBA player, but he played very well in his few games in Utah. His most impressive outing came when he dropped 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in a win over the Clippers. Lofton last played for the Shanghai Sharks, but of all the players on this list I believe in him to make an NBA comeback the most. He’s still just 23 and averaged an impressive 25 points and 12.6 rebounds in the Chinese Basketball Association.
KJ Martin (2-17)
Go ahead and pat yourself on the back if you remember KJ Martin. He is, by far, the best tank commander on this list. He played in 19 games for the Jazz and went 2-17. Without Martin the Jazz may not have secured their worst record in franchise history (17-65) and the best odds in the lottery. While Utah did drop to the fifth spot, they still came away with a blue-chip player in Ace Bailey. Going back and watching his highlights from the ‘24-’25 season the one thing that really stood out was his athleticism. He had some really nice dunks off of lobs, but that was about it. Most recently he played for the Ningbo Rockets where he averaged 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
Now for this season’s batch of tank commanders! This was a special group that included some very memorable performances, and may have even yielded a diamond in the rough. Kennedy Chandler (1-10)
Chandler stands at 5’11, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in his effort on the floor. Unfortunately for him however the Jazz chose to let his 10-day contract expire. Chandler did save his best performances for last; dropping 26 and 31 in his final two games with the team. During his 11 game stint in Utah he averaged a solid 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. His best game came in a loss to the Pelicans where he had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Seven rebounds for a guy who is 5’11 is perhaps his greatest achievement. His speed, and finishing ability should be enough to stick around in the G-League, but finding a consistent shot from deep is probably his only path to make an NBA roster.
Bez Mbeng (2-13)
The 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year had some very impressive moments this season with the Jazz. He averaged 2.3 steals per game and even threw in a triple double for fun against the Grizzlies in the Tank Bowl. Mbeng will forever be immortalized in both Jazz, and NBA history as he was the first Jazz rookie to record a triple double since Mark Eaton did it in 1978. He cemented his spot in NBA history on the same night when he and John Konchar became the first teammates to record triple doubles off the same bench. The Jazz signed Mbeng to a two year deal, and I cannot wait to see him play in Summer League. He could be a very similar type of player as Elijah Harkless, with higher upside on offense.
Andersson Garcia (1-4)
They could never make me hate you Garcia. Sadly his most notable moment on the Jazz was when he elbowed Ace, and gave him a concussion. What I’ll remember him for however was his tap outs on rebounds. He smacked the air out of the ball to try and get it to his teammates. He played extremely hard during his limited time here. It was probably foolish from the beginning to get so attached to a 25 year old rookie, but I couldn’t help it. Garcia made a believer out of me. I don’t care that he shot 7.7% from deep, or that he shot 31% from the field, he will always have a fan in me. I hope he can find a home elsewhere in the NBA or, more likely, somewhere overseas.
Hayden Gray (0-1)
Gray only played in the season finale against the Lakers where he dropped 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 block. He has since been signed to a two-year deal and should play as a member of the Jazz’s Summer League roster.
For the first time in four years the Jazz will be playing to win games and compete for a playoff spot. (With some luck in the lottery they may even be competing for much more than that.) Gone are the days of watching the Jazz field a G-League level team. In a way I’ll miss it… but not that much. What obscure tanking era players did I miss, and which players do you still irrationally believe in?
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 12: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals is tagged out by Henry Davis #32 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at home plate on Josh Bell #19's fielder's choice during the sixth inning of the baseball game at Nationals Park on September 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Washington Nationals this evening at beautiful PNC Park, where they hope to raise the Jolly Roger.
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CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 02: Tyler Mahle #30 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch in the game against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on July 02, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds will be trying to win the series against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park after last night’s thrilling 2-1 win in the opener. Homers from Spencer Steer and budding superstar Sal Stewart were all the Reds needed, as Brady Singer turned in his finest performance of the season to date.
(Did I say budding superstar Sal Stewart? I believe I did.)
Su-per-star.
Anyway, Superstar Sal will try to take down old friend Tyler Mahle, who’ll get the start tonight for the Giants. He’s there after injuries decimated most of his 2023-2024 seasons, though he rebounded well enough in 16 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2025 to land a $10 million guarantee to pitch for San Francisco this season.
Mahle still lives on his fastball for the most part, though he’s dropped the slider he used in his time with the Reds almost exclusively while working a splitter into his repertoire 30.6% of the time this year. Given that he’s got a rising four-seamer, that’s likely his attempt to get the bottom to fall out of pitches hitters would otherwise think were elevated on purpose.
Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber for the Reds looking to rebound from a rough outing last time. First pitch in this one is set for the typical 6:40 PM ET start time, and the Reds lineup is listed below.
TORONTO, ON- NOVEMBER 24 - Forward Brandon Ingram (3) of the Toronto Raptors looks for a way around guard Jaylon Tyson (20) of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Toronto Raptors play the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. November 24, 2025. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs starting on Saturday. The Cavs lost all three of their regular-season games to the Raptors, but each came before December. Let’s take a look at what the numbers say about this Raptors team.
The Raptors have simply been a solid team on both sides of the ball, although they’re better defensively. What they do on that end heavily influences their offensive attack. So let’s dive into the defensive numbers first.
Scottie Barnes (1.4 steals per game) and Immanuel Quickly (1.3 steals per game) have excelled in this area. Both are physical at the point of attack and have active hands in passing lanes.
The Raptors are also committed to getting back in transition and are good at stopping the ball on the break. This has led to them giving up transition opportunities to their opponent on just 13.3% of their defensive possessions, which is the second-fewest in the league.
NBA offenses are built and conditioned to score in transition. There are few teams better at keeping opposing offenses from doing so than the Raptors.
Scoring in the half-court is considerably more difficult than doing so in transition. Toronto has a 96.7 defensive rating in the half-court that ranks 11th in the league. That isn’t outstanding, but their ability to force teams into consistently going up against their set defense is a win on its own.
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Your offense is going to be better in transition than it is in the half-court. Being able to generate shots in the open court is almost always better than the alternative. That’s worth highlighting because the Raptors aren’t elite at capitalizing on all of their transition looks.
They’re 15th in points added per 100 transition possessions. That means that they’re middle of the road in transition efficiency, but being able to get in the open court so often helps offset that. Ideally, you’d like to be great at both — as the Indiana Pacers were last season — but running this much does completely change how you guard them, as the Cavs saw in their three meetings this season.
The Cavs’ three-point defense has been an issue all season. The Raptors aren’t a team that can really exploit that. Toronto doesn’t shoot threes at volume — 25th — and they don’t shoot it particularly well when they do generate looks.
The most efficient ways to score are the rim, the free-throw line, and from beyond the arc. The Raptors only excel in one of those areas. They take the ninth-most shots at the rim and have the eighth-best percentage (68.5%). However, that doesn’t translate to getting to the line.
If they aren’t getting to the rim, they mostly settle for in-between shots. They’re taking a higher percentage of shots in the midrange than they are from three. You don’t see that often.
Toronto is only one of four teams that take more midrange shots than threes. The other three in that group aren’t known for having great offensive processes: the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks.
Defensively, they don’t do a great job of keeping teams from getting to the basket and are prone to fouling them. This is partially due to a roster construction that is built more around wings than strong interior defenders.
The best three-point defense is limiting outside attempts. The Raptors don’t do that at a high level.
How to beat the Raptors
The Cavs need to keep the Raptors’ offense from running on them. This means they must limit turnovers and emphasize getting back defensively.
Since James Harden’s debut, the Cavs have done a good job of protecting the ball. They’ve been seventh in the league in offensive turnover percentage (13.1%) in that time. However, they’ve struggled with keeping opponents from getting out and running against them. They allow their opposition to attack in transition on 16.1% of their possessions since Harden’s debut, which ranks 20th in the league. Keeping the Raptors in the half-court is a must, considering that’s where a high percentage of their points come from.
Offensively, the Cavs need to keep focusing on their strengths since the Harden trade. They’ve done a better job of getting to the rim, drawing fouls, and generating three-point looks since the beginning of February. All of which are things the Raptors have struggled with.
Additionally, the Harden trade has boosted the Cavs’ half-court offense. They’ve attacked in transition the third fewest in the league since Harden’s debut. Instead, they’ve opted to operate in the half-court and have been exceptional at doing so. Since the beginning of February, the Cavs have registered a 104.7 offensive rating in the half-court, which is good for third in the league since that time.
If the Cavs can keep Toronto from getting out in transition and continue to execute at a high level with their half-court offense, they should win this series.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate Bryce Harper #3 after rounding the bases on a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the finale against the Cubs, with a series win on the line. Here are the lineups, let’s discuss.
The Mets have placed INF/OF Jared Young on the 10-day injured list with a left meniscus tear, and according to The Athletic's Will Sammon, Young will undergo surgery in New York.
To take Young’s spot on the major league roster, OF MJ Melendez has been recalled.
Additionally, RHP Luis Garcia has been released after previously being designated for assignment.
The veteran Young had gotten off to a strong start this season, going 7-for-20 with two doubles, two RBI, and a .391 OBP.
But manager Carlos Mendoza announced before Tuesday's loss to the Dodgers that Young has been dealing with a knee issue, which has kept him out of the lineup since Sunday.
"Jared is dealing with some left knee discomfort. Happened Sunday after the game," Mendoza said. "Didn't get better yesterday, so we have to see what we're dealing with here."
Mendoza said at the time that an IL stint was possible, and further testing obviously made that possibility become a reality.
Melendez, meanwhile, was signed by the Mets on a split contract this offseason, and while there was a possibility he could make the team out of spring training, the former Royal started the year with Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .216 in 14 games.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 16: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 16, 2026 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While a seven-game series is all about the first to four, not the first to one, there is added pressure on the Lakers to come out victorious in Game 1.
Many NBA experts don’t give them a chance to win this series. Game 1 will be a great opportunity not only to prove those critics wrong but also to start the series against Houston up 1-0.
“Tremendously important for us,” Smart said after Tuesday’s practice. “We know we got a team that’s going to come in and try to set the rules, right. Especially first game, you want to set the tone for the whole series, let them know this is how it’s going to be.
“Not only that, it just sets the tone in general so the refs can understand, ‘This is how we’re going to play. This is how we’re going to do it. Let us play.’ It’s very important for us because they are very aggressive and they do a really good job of setting the tone and we’re going to have to do a good job matching that energy if not going above it.”
In the NBA, the team that wins Game 1 wins the series 77.8% of the time. So, yes, winning the first game as the home team would be ideal for Los Angeles. It would not only get them started on the right track, but also give them the confidence that they can win despite the guards they are missing.
“I think it’s important that we have the right spirit and we have a belief,” Redick said. “Certainly winning Game 1 can help with that, but I’m confident. Our group is in this to fight until we win the series.”
During this week of practice, Redick has stressed that the right spirit is rebounding the ball and limiting turnovers. LA has struggled to keep Houston off the glass even in wins this year, and if they can beat them on the boards on Saturday night, the odds of a victory will be good.
After Wednesday’s practice, Rui Hachimura echoed the sentiments of Redick and Smart on how much winning Game 1 matters.
“We got home court advantage and we gotta get the first one,” Hachimura said. I’ve been to a couple of playoffs, and the first game is really important.”
The Lakers seem to all be on the same page regarding the importance of Game 1.
They’ll have a few more days to work on their game plan before attempting to execute it on Saturday. Hopefully, a week of rest and practice gives them the energy and preparedness to accomplish their first task. Because it may be the first to four that wins, but that path begins with earning the first victory.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders will not be competing in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But, for the first time since 2021-22, the Bridgeport Islanders will be battling for the Calder Cup.
And they're getting reinforcements.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche announced on Wednesday that not only would defenseman Isaiah George and forwards Victor Eklund and Liam Foudy be back in Bridgeport for the last week of their regular season and the playoffs, but that Cal Ritchie would be heading down as well.
Ritchie, who began this season in Bridgeport, was recalled by the Islanders on Halloween and remained up with the big club for the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old, who recorded 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 65 games with Long Island, is eligible for the AHL playoffs because he was sent down ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline -- a paper transaction, something we saw many teams do.
"Ritchie will be playing. We assigned him. We're gonna send him to play in Bridgeport," Darche said. "It's a great opportunity. It's funny, I talked to Cal. I remember at the start, early on in my career, I remember at the end of the year, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards did this. They won the Cup with Philly. I think Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, one year in Anaheim, they went back. I think it's a great experience for him."
Eklund, selected 16th overall this past summer, made his NHL debut on Tuesday night in the Islanders' regular-season finale, recording an assist, two shots on goal, and two hits skating on the top line alongside Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom.
He recorded nine points (two goals, seven assists) through his first seven AHL games.
Foudy, who got two games with the Islanders last season before getting a look on the fourth line in the season finale, has been one of Bridgeport's best players this season and has 46 points (25 goals, 21 assists) in 58 games.
George, who got 33 games with the Islanders last season but just four this season due to injuries, has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 45 games.
There are two more players headed to Bridgeport as the Islanders also announced that Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley and the Islanders came to terms on his entry-level deal, which kicks in for the 2026-27 season -- he'll sign an ATO to play with Bridgeport.
In his junior season, Finley recorded 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games.
Also, 18-year-old forward Daniil Prokhorov, whom the Islanders selected in the second round (No. 42) of the 2025 NHL Draft, is coming over from the KHL.
He played 23 games for Moscow Dynamo, recording one goal before failing to find the scoresheet in two playoff games. He played eight games in the MHL (junior equivalent), with six points (three goals, three assists), before 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 25 VHL games (AHL equivalent).
Prokhorov is eligible to play in the playoffs.
Bridgeport has one week left of the regular season before they begin the playoffs, as they are still fighting for home-ice advantage.
"First of all, they can look at us and say, we're in the playoffs, you're not," Darche said on Bridgeport. "My goal is for both teams in the playoffs. It's great. Even Cal—when I talked to him last night—I told him about Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. It’s an awesome experience. Pro playoffs are a grind. You're not flying charter, you're busing everywhere. So for him to go through that, I expect him to be a major contributor. Winning anywhere is always good. Hopefully, they go on a run.
"I'll be at pretty much every game. It's fun watching those guys. What I like about Rocky -- the last few games, I probably watched 45 of their 72 games. If I'm home, I’ve got my laptop watching -- Victor Eklund on the first power play, getting minutes. Same with Cole Eiserman. Liam Foudy took a huge step. Beckman, Warren, George—you saw them come up. Isaiah George, I thought he was very good, the way he skated. The coaches down there have done a phenomenal job.Having a run can only help. Look at Tampa in Norfolk before they won Cups—Palat, Johnson, Killorn—those guys learned how to win. There’s nothing like pro playoff hockey. It’s not like juniors or college. That experience will benefit these guys immensely."
After 25 years, Bridgeport will be relocating to Hamilton, Ontario, beginning in 2026-27. Going out with a Calder Trophy would be impressive, and Darche is loading up his AHL roster to hopefully make that a reality.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 15: Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians is caught stealing second base by Masyn Winn #0 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning while wearing the #42 to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day at Busch Stadium on April 15, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Slade pitched today. It started raining early in his start, and that really seemed to mess with him. His velocity was down and his command was bad. Despite that, he managed to go 4 innings giving up only 1 run. Walked 5, struckout 4.
The Guardians scored right away when Kwan hit a lead off double down the 3rd base line. DeLauter moved Kwan over with a groundout. In a strange sequence of events, Jose grounded to short, which Kwan tried to score on, but tripped halfway down the line, then got into a rundown and eventually got tagged out at third. Jose got to second, though, which proved crucial when Manzardo drove him in with an RBI single right after. Manzardo was 2/2 today.
In the top of the 6th, Jose fouled a ball off his shin, and was on the ground in pain for a while. He got up and finished the at-bat, but looked to be lumbering to first on his groundout. He stayed in the game at DH.
Cecconi gave up a run in the second, and the game was quiet until the 6th, when things seemed to get away from the Guardians’ bullpen. Brogdon pitched a scoreless 5th, but was then brought back out for the 6th. He gave up back to back singles, then the Cardinals bunted the runners over. Brogdon then walked Victor Scott and was pulled for Herrin. Herrin gave up RBI sac fly to Wetherholt, and then a 2-run single to Alec Burleson that barely escaped through the middle of the infield.
The Guardians fought right back (down 4-1 at this point), putting two guys on with two outs in the 7th with Bo Naylor up against a lefty. Bo got to a full count and then smoked a ball into the gap in right-center, scoring both Hoskins and Schneemann.
Festa came on for the 7th (after getting out of trouble in the 6th), and gave up an RBI double to Nathan Church (who has had the series of his life this week).
The Guardians had the top of their order up in the 8th, but went 1-2-3 to Cardinals LHRP JoJo Romero. Festa pitched a scoreless 8th, but Riley O’Brien shut it down in the 9th.
The Guardians head back home for a 3-game set against Baltimore starting tomorrow.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 07: Former Pirates pitcher AJ Burnett throws the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 7, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Batman will be back in the building at PNC Park and where he belongs.
A fan favorite despite only playing three years in Pittsburgh, no one captivated the fan base quite like this former All-Star pitcher.
A.J. Burnett will throw out a ceremonial first pitch on Friday night before the Pirates host the Tampa Bay Rays for the first of a three-game series.
Burnett voiced the Pirates new City Connect debut video and donned the Pirates new alternate.
The Pirates will debut their City Connect jerseys during Friday’s game at PNC Park and wear them throughout the season on Friday home games.
“Batman” signed with the Pirates prior to the 2012 season and won 16 games his first year. He was a member of the 2013 Pirates club that won 94 games and clinched a playoff bid for the first time since 1992.
Burnett finished 10-11 with a 3.30 ERA over 39 starts and struck out 209 batters in 191 innings.
He left Pittsburgh and pitched in Philadelphia during the 2014 season before returning home for 2015.
The Pirates finished 98-64 as Burnett totaled a 3.18 ERA over 26 starts, the lowest in his entire 17-year MLB career with five different clubs.
Burnett earned his only All-Star appearance as a 38-year-old crafty right hander that owned a 122 ERA+ and 143 strikeouts in 164 innings of work.
Burnett tweeted his own hype video with the caption, “See Yinz this weekend,” to fire up the fan base.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 14: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single in the third inning during the game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, first these two teams took forever to get the lineups posted, and then I got snowed under by work, so now, I get to dump the Statcast graphic here for both lineups. Yay.
The “big” change for the Braves is flip-flopping Mauricio Dubon and Michael Harris II. This is the first time that’s happened this season against a right-hander, as to this point, all lineups against righties had Harris hitting either immediately ahead of Dubon, or a few spots up. Doing this creates more alternation in handedness, though the flip side is that Mike Yastrzemski has dropped behind Ozzie Albies as well, so this move largely just breaks up a chain of three straight lefties. Fun times.
The Marlins have put in a bit of a different lineup compared to their earlier efforts, with Deyvison De Los Santos starting at first and Heriberto Hernandez starting in left field. As a result, Otto Lopez moves up to third in Agustin Ramirez’ absence.
The batter-versus-pitcher stuff here is kinda fun, if ultimately meaningless. Every single guys in the Braves’ lineup has faced Chris Paddack, though only Yastrzemski and Smith have faced him enough to amass double-digit PAs. Yastrzemski has crushed him (.550 wOBA, .468 xwOBA); the combined line for this lineup is a .325 wOBA and .370 xwOBA in 76 PAs.
Elder has faced the Marlins a lot, but their cast of characters rotates a fair bit, so we’ve only got six of the nine guys in their lineup with direct major league experience against Elder — and no one has more than eight PAs. Collectively, it’s a .459 wOBA and .321 xwOBA in 26 PAs, with Hernandez and Xavier Edwards the two good xwOBAs among the six.
