PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 02: Tom Dundon, Portland Trail Blazers owner, speaks during a press conference at Moda Center on April 02, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tom Dundon purchased the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul Allen in March of 2026. Dundon has been a successful owner in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, but his cost-cutting methods have been shocking since taking control of a beloved NBA team.
Dundon low-balled head coach Tiago Splitter after he guided the team to the playoffs for the first time in five years, and has reportedly been offering perspective head coaches a starting salary around $1 million, far below NBA norms. He wouldn’t let players on two-way contracts travel for the playoffs. Now, Dundon is doing mass layoffs on the business side for the Trail Blazers that will reportedly cut about 70 jobs.
Was told around 70 people were let go today in the Blazers' layoffs on the business side. Know some of the names but out of respect to them I'll let them announce it when and how they will.
Layoffs in pro sports don’t happen all that often. Some of the employees impacted after been with the team for decades, including insider Casey Holdahl, who started in 2007. If you’ve consumed NBA coverage on the internet over the last 20 years, you have probably come across Holdahl’s byline.
On Tuesday, he announced he was among the affected by the layoffs.
I have indeed been let go after 18+ years with the @trailblazers. My sincerest thanks to all of you who have read/listened/watched/engaged with my work over the years.
Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s unquestionably built a successful hockey team, and will reportedly make a deep investment in winning once he sees proof of concept. Dundon is quickly learning there’s a much higher degree of scrutiny in the NBA, and his methods are already being judged. Perhaps Dundon will be able to find a successful head coach for half the cost of the lowest-paid coach elsewhere in the league. Maybe he’ll eventually get the Blazers to championship contention like he did with the Hurricanes.
For now, there will be healthy skepticism about his brazen cost-cutting moves. This is clearly a trend in the early days of Dundon’s Blazers ownership, and I wouldn’t expect it to stop here. Follow our legendary Trail Blazers community Blazer’s Edge for more coverage of the team and Dundon’s ongoing cheapness.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: Chris Martin #31 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Athletics in the bottom of the fifth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have activated pitcher Chris Martin from the injured list, the team announced today. To make room for Martin on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned pitcher Gavin Collyer to AAA Round Rock.
Martin landed on the injured list in mid-April after allowing 6 runs in 6.1 innings over 8 appearances in the first three weeks or so of the season. He has been with Round Rock on a rehab assignment, and made three appearances for the Express. In the first, on May 12, he faced six batters and allowed four hits, including two homers. In the second, on May 15, he faced six batters and allowed four hits again, though no homers this time. In the third outing, on May 16, he retired all three batters he faced on a total of seven pitches.
After the unexpected bullpen game yesterday, the Rangers needed to get a fresh arm up. Collyer pitched each of the previous two days, and so was going to be unavailable today. That, along with his having options available, meant he was the odd man out. Collyer did a respectable job in his first taste of major league action, putting up a 2.84 ERA and a 3.09 xERA in 12.2 innings over 14 games. If Collyer can stay healthy and throw strikes at Round Rock, he should be up again later this year.
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The battle for the East officially begins tonight as the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
The Knicks are entering the series well-rested as their last game, a 144-14 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers to sweep them in the second round, was over a week ago on May 10. OG Anunoby, who got injured early in the series with the Sixers, is likely to play tonight after sitting out the last two games.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, played just two days ago in Sunday’s Game 7 against Detroit. Both of the Cavs’ playoff series so far have gone to seven games.
The Knicks haven’t advanced to the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven’t won it all since 1973. The Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time without LeBron James since 1992 and have never made the Finals without James on their roster.
NBA Eastern Conference Finals: what to know
What: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, Game 1
When: May 19, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden (New York, New York)
Channel: ESPN
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Game 2 in the series is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks start time:
Game 1 between the Cavaliers vs. Knicks Eastern Conference Final is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET tonight, May 19.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: The sneakers worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game against the Boston Celtics on April 9, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just days before the NHL trade deadline, reports revealed that the Buffalo Sabres were willing to match the St. Louis Blues’ high asking price for veteran defenseman Colton Parayko.
The deal ultimately fell through when Parayko exercised his no-trade clause to decline the trade. Parayko went on to finish the season with the Blues and formed a steady partnership with rookie Theo Lindstein.
Although Parayko wasn’t traded during the season, some insiders have indicated that the Blues could revisit Parayko trade discussions in the off-season.
Parayko just completed the fourth year of the eight-year, $6.5 million AAV contract he signed with the Blues. The 33-year-old will have the no-trade clause on his contract until the end of the 2027-28 season, after which it will become a modified 15-team no-trade clause.
While Parayko has the right to decline a trade, the Blues can still attempt to move him to a team he might be willing to go to.
A recent report from TSN’s Bruce Garrioch indicates that the Ottawa Senators could be one of those teams that make a push to acquire him.
That won’t be easy for the Senators, or any team interested in acquiring Parayko, as Garrioch reports that the Blues are asking for a high-end prospect and a first-round pick.
Parayko brings a skill set that very few players in the NHL can match. Standing 6-foot-6, Parayko is a solid defender, capable of using his size to protect the front of the net. Additionally, he moves well enough to defend the rush and move the puck fairly efficiently.
But Parayko also brings a wealth of experience from playing at the highest level. Parayko has skated in 800 NHL games, won a Stanley Cup in 2019, and recently represented Canada at the Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Parayko has been a leader on the Blues for quite some time now, and could be a candidate to take the captaincy if soon-to-be-GM Alexander Steen elects to keep him on the roster.
Whatever happens with Parayko, all that is for certain is that he will help whatever team he ends up with. Whether he stays with the Blues as they attempt to regroup and make the playoffs in the coming years, or joins a Stanley Cup contender. Either an NHL club is better off having Parayko than not.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are searching for their next head coach after Craig Berube's dismissal on May 13.
Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy remains to be seen as the No. 1 coaching candidate available. To the point where the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings have sought permission to speak to Cassidy.
However, the Golden Knights have withheld permission for those two teams to contact him. Part of that could be related to those teams being division rivals to Vegas.
As for the Maple Leafs, a recent report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman seems to imply that Vegas, to this point, has not denied a permission request from Toronto.
"Vegas is not inclined to give permission to Edmonton or LA. We will see about Toronto," Friedman reported on X.
Even though the Golden Knights fired Cassidy in March, he still has one more year on his contract with the organization. So, even if he's been dismissed, Vegas still have the contractual rights.
Cassidy stood behind Vegas' bench for just shy of four regular seasons and coached the team through three post-seasons. He won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in his first year coaching them in 2022-23.
He also helped the Knights to two Pacific Division titles. This past campaign would've marked a third occasion, but John Tortorella replaced Cassidy with eight games left in the year, finishing the regular season for Vegas.
When Maple Leafs GM John Chayka faced the media following his decision to fire Berube, he revealed that the organization's search for a new head coach will be vast. Some days later, reports suggested that Toronto would be looking for a "fresh" candidate rather than a veteran bench boss in the coaching carousel.
Regardless of the probability of a Maple Leafs and Cassidy marriage, the Golden Knights have not denied any requests from Toronto's brass.
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“Everyone deals with this,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday. “It’s part of a major league season. Virtually every team is going to deal with their fair share of injuries. It’s tough when it happens to your best players. You’ve got to find a way to get through it and guys have to step up.”
Weiss added that Baldwin initially felt a slight discomfort after his second at-bat but not painful enough to warrant his removal.
“He felt a little more after the last at-bat. I took him out of the game after that one,” Weiss said. “Obliques are obliques and they’re never fun to deal with.”
Baldwin has returned to Atlanta, where he will undergo an MRI and additional testing.
The 23-year-old Baldwin has followed a standout rookie season with impressive offensive numbers through his first 48 games. Baldwin began Tuesday with a team-leading .303 batting average and 57 hits, and is tied with Matt Olson with a team-high 38 RBIs.
Last season, Baldwin became the first catcher since Buster Posey in 2010 to win Rookie of the Year. Baldwin hit 19 homers and drove in 80 runs, receiving 21 of 30 first place votes.
Baldwin’s removal coincides with the return of five-time All Star Ronald Acuña Jr. Acuña, the NL 2023 MVP, had been sidelined since May 2 because of a left hamstring strain. He was activated Monday and will hit leadoff as designated hitter on Tuesday.
“I guess, if there is a silver lining, we replace Baldwin with a guy like Ronald Acuña,” Weiss said. “Not many teams get to do that. That’s the good news there. But truth be told — we’re losing arguably our best hitter. Drake has been unbelievable.”
The Braves selected the contract of catcher Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A Gwinnett. Tromp and Sandy León will split the starts at catcher during Baldwin’s absence.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 1 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and Thunder will go down as one of the most epic playoff games for both the Spurs and NBA — something this rivalry has had a knack for generating over the last 15 years. The young Spurs led most of the time against the defending champions despite no De’Aaron Fox but still found themselves having to overcome their own mistakes to pull it out in double-overtime.
They were able to do so with a series of insanely clutch plays and historic stat lines, all while reaching many milestones both in franchise and NBA Playoff history, and we’re about to go through all if them that I could find (many courtesy of Spurs stat guru Jordan Howenstine). But first, we’ll start with the one that may matter the most when looking at the long-term outlook of this series, courtesy of Michael C. Wright of ESPN:
The Spurs are the fifth team in NBA history to win five of their first six games against the team that owned the best record in the NBA that season. The previous four all won a playoff series against the team that had the best record.
In other words, no team has beaten an opponent in 5 of their first 6 match-ups in a season and gone on to lose a playoff series to them. Of course, there is the added quirk of one of those five games being the NBA Cup Semi-finals, so it’s not like the Spurs swept the Thunder in the regular season or are up 2-0 to start the series, but history is still on their side.
Now we move on to stat milestones specific to Game 1. Without Fox, the Spurs trotted out the youngest starting lineup in Conference Finals history, averaging just under 23 years old. That beat out the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 championship team’s starting lineup by 279 days.
Spurs are rolling out the youngest starting lineup in the all-time history of the NBA Conference Finals.
This was also the Spurs’ first road win in Game 1 of the Conference Finals since 2005, when they beat the Suns in Phoenix Game 1. (We all know how that turned out!)
First time the Spurs have won a Conference Finals Game 1 on the road since 2005.
Last time was when San Antonio beat Phoenix in Game 1 of the WCF 121-114 on May 22, 2005.
Next up is Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 41 points on 14-25 shooting, 24 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks in a career-high 49 minutes of action. He had already become the first player since Chris Webber in 2002 to have double-double at halftime in his first ever conference Conference Finals game with 14 points and 10 rebounds (and the first Spur since Tim Duncan against OKC in 2012), and by the end he was the youngest player to post a 40/20 game in playoffs history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as the second Spur after David Robinson.
Victor Wembanyama is the first player to have a double-double (14/10) in the first half of their first ever Conference Finals game since Chris Webber on May 18, 2002 vs the Lakers (14/10) – exactly 24 years ago to the day.
Victor Wembanyama is the second player in Spurs history to have 40 points and 20 rebounds in a Playoff game. David Robinson had 40/21 against Phoenix in 1996.
But it didn’t end there. He’s also the first player since Dirk Nowitzki in 2003 to have 25+ points and 15+ rebounds in his first Conference Finals game (which was against the Spurs, and some may forget he missed most of that series). He was also only the second player 22 or younger to post 30+ and 20+ in playoff game since the 1976 merger, along with Moses Malone in 1977, and the first to do it in his first Conference Finals game since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960.
Victor Wembanyama is the first player to have 25+ points and 15+ rebounds in their first-ever NBA Conference Finals game since Dirk Nowitzki in 2003.
Victor Wembanyama is the first player to have 30+ points and 20+ rebounds in his first-ever Conference Finals game since Wilt Chamberlain had 42/29 in 1960.@EliasSports
Then we have Dylan Harper, whose rookie star keeps shining brighter the deeper we get into the playoffs. He got the start with Fox out, posting 24 points on 8-20 shooting (albeit 0-7 from three), 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals. (And perhaps just as importantly, just 1 turnover to help mitigate Stephon Castle’s 11 on the night. If Fox sits again for Game 2 — which may be a strategic move since it’s no longer a must-win game, although I personally take every game extremely seriously — the ball needs to be in Harper’s hands more.)
His 7 steals beat out Dejounte Murray, who had 5 against the Warriors in Game 4 in 2017, for the Spurs rookie record for a playoff game. He also joined some elite Spurs company with Alvin Robertson, Avery Johnson, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard as the only Spurs with 6+ steals in a playoff game.
At the NBA level, he became just the second rookie to record 20/10/5/5 (steals) in a playoff game, with the other being Magic Johnson, and the first to post 20/10/5/7. But it wasn’t just a historic rookie stat line: since steals began being recorded in 1973-74, he joins Larry Bird and Julius Irving as the only players to post that stat line in the playoffs AT ALL!
Only two rookies in NBA Playoffs history to have a game with 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ steals:
Dylan Harper becomes the third player since 1973-74 (first season steals were fully recorded) to record 20+ PTS, 10+ REB, 5+ AST, and 5+ STL in a Conference Finals Game!
The Spurs could hardly have asked for a better start to the series. Of course, nothing is set in stone, and they must remain focused and not get too high or confident while working for three more wins because it won’t be easy. Thunder fans will point to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could have been much better on offense, and they would be right. At the same time, the Spurs certainly could have been better themselves (especially from three, where they shot just 13-43), likely won’t be giving up 21 turnovers again (especially if Fox is back), and it would be a stretch to think the Thunder get 31 points and 8 threes from Alex Caruso again, who is a very erratic shooter.
Regardless, this is just the start of what should be an amazing series. Game 1 has already gone down in Spurs history as one of the best performances we’ve seen (which is saying a lot), but it will only carry so much weight into the future if the Spurs don’t take this series. We can all revel in it today, and then tomorrow, it’s back to work.
Make sure to add any more milestones I may have missed in the comments below! (It’s quite the rabbit hole to go down and almost impossible catch them all.)
Shohei Ohtani, that two-way playing unicorn, may actually get a chance to both hit and pitch when his turn in the rotation comes up on Wednesday vs. the San Diego Padres.
According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Ohtani will probably hit and pitch next time he is on the bump amid a season when he is not only struggling for consistency on offense but has also seen his status as both pitcher and hitter become a rare occurrence, with the slugger regularly sitting as DH on days he pitches.
The Dodgers' skipper said on Tuesday that the "plan" for the series finale in San Diego is to have Ohtani hit the same game he is set to start, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.
The news comes during a crucial slate down south for the boys in blue, who find themselves 0.5 games back of their NL West counterparts after dropping Monday's game, 1-0.
The two teams do battle once again on Tuesday night, with the Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan set to pitch against the Padres' Griffin Canning.
Shohei Ohtani stats, record
Ohtani has been dominant on the mound this season, posting a minuscule 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 50 strikeouts over 44 innings pitched.
To prove he is indeed mortal, Ohtani has had a pedestrian time at the plate in the early goings, at least by his standards.
The DH has an .850 OPS with 7 home runs and 24 RBI through 43 games. By contrast, he enjoyed a 1.180 OPS with 15 home runs during the month of May last season. Though he has picked it up of late, going 5-for-10 and driving in eight over the last week.
Whether he can pick up the pace with the additional ABs on the days he pitches will be answered shortly.
Carmelo Anthony said he wants to "clear the air" with his former Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin more than a decade after "Linsanity" took over New York in 2012.
Carmelo Anthony said he wants to “clear the air” with his former Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin more than a decade after “Linsanity” took over New York in 2012.
During Monday’s installment of the “7PM In Brooklyn” podcast, Anthony invited Lin to come on his podcast to “speak the truth” — but Anthony offered no other explanation.
“Jeremy Lin, I’m giving you my invite to come sit on the couch,” Anthony said.
“Let’s have a conversation, let’s clear the air on a lot of bullshit that’s out there please. And I love what you’re doing right now, man … Come speak the truth.”
NY Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony invites his former teammate Jeremy Lin on his podcast so they can clear the air of any prior misunderstandings
Melo has previously said he believes Lin’s Houston Rockets contract (3 years-$25 million) was “ridiculous” and sources suggested… pic.twitter.com/cxwsRDp2e7
Knicks faithful know that rumblings of a reported feud came about during Lin’s rise to fame during the 2011-12 season.
At the time, Lin led the Knicks to 10 wins in 13 games when he averaged over 22 points and nine assists after the Knicks called him up.
Anthony was dealing with a groin injury at the time.
After that season, Anthony made waves when he called Lin’s Houston Rockets contract offer — three years and $25 million — “ridiculous,” which led to reports that he was jealous of Lin’s fast success and it was disrupting what he was trying to build in New York.
New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony looks on against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter of their NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, February 22, 2012. REUTERS
Anthony has discussed the matter on multiple occasions.
During a May 2024 installment of his podcast, Anthony and Baron Davis, who was a member of the 2012 Knicks team, said they were supportive of Lin’s fame behind closed doors.
“People always talk about … nobody liked the Linsanity … personally me, you get what I’m saying? They throw that out there,” Anthony said.
Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony #7 and Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin #7 during the first half on November 14, 2013. Anthony J. Causi
“But people don’t know that, behind the scenes, we were very supportive of this.
“… Linsanity could have been a $100 million business easy and I’m trying to get this through to him,” Anthony recalled. “He was like, ‘Nah, I’m not brought up on that, my parents. But I respected that. I hear that, matter of fact, bring your parents in here, let us talk to them… It was [happening] so fast.”
Davis added, “Yeah, he wasn’t trying to hear that s–t from nobody.”
New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony, right, holds Jeremy Lin’s hand as he leaves the game after fouling out during the fourth quarter of an against the New Jersey Nets on February 20, 2012, at Madison Square Garden in New York. AP
Lin acknowledged “the theory” that Anthony being jealous played a part in his Knicks exit — but declined to “feed the speculation train” in a 2022 interview with the Daily Beast.
“I know, and I’m saying this truthfully, that there were multiple points of opposition completely outside of Melo within what was going on, and once [head coach Mike] D’Antoni resigned, there was already opposition within the organization — whether it was the coaching staff that took over or certain members of the front office,” Lin said.
“But there was definitely, from what I’ve heard or gathered in the few years after, it wasn’t all as rosy as people thought it was. I don’t know who to attribute it to, but I know there were multiple points of opposition.”
Lin had stints with the Warriors, Rockets, Lakers, Hornets, Nets, Hawks and Raptors after going undrafted out of Harvard.
He was part of the 2019 Raptors team that won the franchise’s first championship.
Lin later went on to play for the Beijing Ducks.
Jeremy Lin of Beijing Ducks prepares for free throw during a preseason game against Jilin Northeast Tigers in Beijing, China on October 1, 2019. ZUMA24.com
He most recently played for the New Taipei Kings of the P. League+ in Taiwan, alongside his brother Joseph Lin.
Lin announced his retirement from professional basketball in an Instagram post last August.
The Padres (29-18) beat the Dodgers (29-19), 1-0 on Monday night. thanks to a first inning home run by Miguel Adujar. San Diego looks to win the series Tuesday at Petco Park.
Los Angeles' five-game winning streak was snapped in the loss as the offense couldn't get going. The Dodgers managed five hits and 10 strikeouts to five walks in the loss. Three of the five hits came from the top of the lineup via Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. The Dodgers are 3-3 since Betts has come back to action.
San Diego is riding a four-game winning streak, their second longest of the season. The Padres offense scored 15 total runs in the two games prior to the Dodgers, but only managed one yesterday. The Padres have now shutout four teams and the following game, San Diego has lost the previous three. Will that streak continue versus the Dodgers tonight?
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Padres
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Padres
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-163), San Diego Padres (+135)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-122), Dodgers -1.5 (+102)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Padres
Tuesday's pitching matchup (May 19): Emmet Sheehan vs. Griffin Canning
The Padres’ Miguel Andujar is hitting .298 with 39 hits and 66 total bases over 131 at-bats
The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .202 with 35 hits and 49 strikeouts over 173 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Andy Pages is hitting .299 with 53 hits and 91 total bases over 177 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .265 with 44 hits and 48 strikeouts over 166 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Padres
The Padres are 21-25-1 ATS and to the Under this season
The Dodgers are 21-27 ATS and to the Under this season
The Padres are 7-4 ATS and 6-5 on the ML as a home underdog
The Dodgers are 14-9 ATS as a road favorite, ranking second-best
The Padres are 6-5 to the Over as a home underdog
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Padres
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Dodgers and the Giants.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.0
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On Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens, who have an average age of 25.8, became the youngest team to advance to the Conference Final since the Habs in 1992-93. Back then, the Sainte-Flanelle had an average age of, you guessed it, 25.8.
While that’s an interesting similarity with the Tricolore’s last Stanley Cup conquests, there is one big difference between the two editions of the team’s journey in the playoffs. Back then, the Habs had to face the Quebec Nordiques, who were second in the then Adams Division, the Buffalo Sabres, who were fourth in the same division, the New York Islanders, who had finished third in the then Patrick Division, and the Los Angeles Kings, who had finished third in the then Smythe Division.
That year, the Canadiens didn’t have to face the toughest opponents, the Islanders having eliminated the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the second round. The Pens, who had Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Rick Tocchet in their lineup, were heavily favored but bowed out of the playoffs in a dramatic Game 7 overtime loss.
This year, the Canadiens have had to face the Tampa Bay Lightning, who were fifth overall in the standings, and the Sabres, who were fourth overall, and they will now face the second-ranked Carolina Hurricanes.
Meanwhile, the other semi-finalists had easier journeys. The Colorado Avalanche faced the 20th-overall Kings, the 7th-overall Minnesota Wild, and will now take on the 13th-overall Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights took on the 16th-ranked Utah Mammoth, the 15th-ranked Anaheim Ducks, and will face the 1st-ranked Avalanche. As for the Hurricanes, they had to overcome the ninth-overall Ottawa Senators and the 10th-overall Philadelphia Flyers and will now face the 6th-overall Canadiens.
If the Canadiens manage to get through the Hurricanes, they will have beaten three of the top five teams in the league in the regular season on their way to the Stanley Cup Final. That would be quite a feat.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At long last, the Knicks will play basketball tonight.
Nine days after they finished off the Sixers in a dominant four-game sweep, the Eastern Conference Finals will finally begin, as the Cleveland Cavaliers will travel to the World’s Most Famous Arena for Game 1 tonight at 8pm.
It’ll be a truly massive difference in terms of rest between the Knicks and whoever survives tonight’s game at Little Caesars Arena. Eight days of rest versus just one. It’s a stark enough difference, especially in a playoff setting, that makes you wonder about the age-old debate.
Rest vs. rust. Is it better to get the long layoff, or will the all-around cohesion we saw in the last seven games dissipate with the amount of time off?
The concern is very valid, especially when you look at other sports. In MLB, teams with a bye to the LDS have struggled considerably against fresh teams in the Wild Card Round over the last few years. In the NHL, there’s been a startling trend of teams that sweep series and get a long layoff struggling against teams that have played these prolonged series.
With the #LetsGoBuffalo and #GoHabsGo going to a game 7, I will dig up an old stat from 4 years ago.
Since 2000, teams coming off a game 7 win are 7-1 in the next series vs teams coming off a sweep.
— Stat Boy Steven 🇳🇱🇮🇪 (@StatBoy_Steven) May 17, 2026
But those are different sports. Baseball is a game of repetition, and these guys play every single day. Hockey can be an issue with the physicality and the goaltenders getting too much time off. Basketball is different than both of those stylistically as a sport.
So what does the data say? Do teams with extra rest come out sloppy in Game 1?
The overall verdict? Not really.
Lots of debate about rest vs. rust for the New York Knicks
I crunched the numbers. There's very little evidence that rust is a factor after a hiatus during the NBA Playoffs
Since 2000, there have been exactly 20 instances of a sweep in the second round or later. I decided to exclude first-round sweeps because it may skew the sample size with top seeds who were obvious massive favorites, making it closer to this exact situation.
In those 20 instances, the team coming off a sweep is 12-8, but 8-1 since 2016. Each situation also has entirely different context to one another, so we have to dive deeper.
Teams on 8+ days of rest
Looking back to the sample since 2000, there have been 12 instances in which a team had at least eight days of rest ahead of a conference final or NBA Finals matchup, and those teams are 7-5. What occurred in those losses, you might ask?
2003 New Jersey Nets: 10 days of rest, lost in six games to the Spurs (5 days rest) 2005 Miami Heat: 8 days of rest, lost in seven games to the Pistons (5 days rest) 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers: 8 days rest, lost in seven games to the Magic (2 days rest) 2013 San Antonio Spurs: 9 days rest, lost in seven games to the Heat (2 days rest) 2019 Golden State Warriors: 9 days rest, lost in six games to the Raptors (4 days rest)
Of these five occurrences, only one has happened in the last 12 years, and that deserves a big asterisk. The 2019 Warriors were bruised and battered and lost both Klay Thompson to an ACL tear and Kevin Durant to an Achilles tear during the series. Could this theoretically happen to the Knicks, too? Sure, but it deserves to be pointed out as an outlier.
Some recent series victories include the 2024 Celtics (vs DAL), 2017 Cavaliers (vs BOS), and the 2011 Mavericks (vs OKC). But let’s go even deeper to find the series that truly match up.
Big Rest vs Little Rest
To narrow the parameters, we’re going to break down series where one team has a rest advantage of at least six days. The Knicks currently have a seven-day rest advantage, so this will give us the proper comparison we need.
This gives us seven examples since 2001, in which the team with a rest advantage is 5-2. Four of the wins came in just five games, while both losses took at least six games. Let’s look at the full context of these series and evaluate from there:
2001 NBA Finals (Lakers/Sixers) Rest advantage: Lakers +7 (9 to 2) Winner: Lakers, 4-1
After completing a sweep of the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, the Shaq & Kobe Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals in 2001, where they awaited the winner of a seven-game series in the ECF, in which Allen Iverson’s Sixers prevailed over Ray Allen’s Bucks. A quick turnaround for a very AI-centric Sixers squad doomed them from the start against a dynasty in the making.
It probably didn’t help that Philly had played two consecutive seven-game series leading into this (sound familiar?), but this was actually a potential warning for the Knicks as they enter Game 1 tonight. The Sixers actually won Game 1 in Los Angeles against a rusty Lakers squad, but the fatigue caught up to them to win the next four.
If the Knicks lose tonight, this series can be used as an example to stay off the ledge.
LeBron James didn’t have much help in his first stint in Cleveland, but it was fairly disappointing when they lost an opportunity to square off with Kobe and the Lakers in 2009, as Dwight Howard led the Magic to the heights of a young Shaq in the 90s.
This might be a case of a lack of adversity dooming a team. The Cavs started their postseason 8-0 and most of those wins were by double figures, while the Magic gritted out a seven-game series against the Celtics in the second round.
As such, guess what happened when Orlando dragged Cleveland into one-possession games early in the series? The Magic stole Game 1 on a late Rashard Lewis 3-ball and took a 3-1 lead in Game 4 after narrowly surviving LeBron’s heroics late. It all culminated in a six-game series victory where Orlando went 3-0 at home.
2011 Western Conference Finals (Mavericks-Thunder) Rest advantage: Mavericks +7 (8 to 1) Winner: Mavericks, 4-1
Dirk Nowitzki’s redemption for 2006 finally came five years later, when he took advantage of a young and inexperienced Thunder team (that included a certain James Harden) in the WCF to continue a run that would result in a shocking upset over the Heat in the Finals.
A young Damian Lillard battled Dallas to six in the first round before a sweep of the defending back-to-back champion Lakers set up this titanic clash. OKC defeated Denver in five in the first round, but was pushed to seven games by the Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies and entered this series at a tremendous rest disadvantage.
OKC lost Game 1 by nine, but turned around and stole Game 2 in Dallas to even the series and put pressure on the veteran-laden squad. The Mavericks won each of the next three games by just 17 combined points, using their experience to overwhelm a Thunder team that wasn’t quite ready yet.
2013 NBA Finals (Spurs-Heat) Rest advantage: Spurs +7 (9 to 2) Winner: Heat, 4-3
Regardless of the connotation of the superteam Heatles in the early 2010s, these were two stacked rosters that went toe-to-toe in an instant classic of an NBA Finals. A 58-win team against a 66-win team with scores of future Hall of Famers and two of the greatest coaches of all time.
San Antonio had gone 12-2 in a rampage over the Western Conference, only being challenged by the plucky Mark Jackson-coached Warriors in the second round before sweeping the Grizzlies in the WCF. Meanwhile, Miami went 8-1 in the first two rounds before being pushed to seven by Paul George and the Pacers in the ECF, prompting a massive rest differential.
The rested Spurs stole Game 1 in Miami, but this series was back-and-forth the whole way through. It seemed like the Spurs were going to topple the reigning champions in six games, but Ray Allen’s heroics saved the day for Miami and forced a Game 7 that the Heat would ultimately take at home.
Another series involving LeBron, who knew? In the midst of his legacy-sealing 2016 championship run with the Cavs, he faced an extremely similar situation to 2009, where his team was 8-0 entering the conference finals as considerable favorites against a Raptors team that would always be the bridesmaid in the East until acquiring Kawhi Leonard.
Cleveland swept their way here and showed no ill effects of a seven-day layoff prior to the second-round matchup against the Hawks. Toronto gritted through two seven-game series and had a quick turnaround after playing 7 games in 14 days against the Heat in Round 2 (sound familiar?)
The first two games saw the rested team demolishing the fatigued team, as the Cavs won by 50 points combined to take a 2-0 series lead. Toronto was able to pick itself up off the mat to win both north of the border, but got similarly pummeled in the next two games. In Cleveland’s four wins, they outscored their opponents by an average of 26 points a night.
Oh, hey, it’s LeBron again. In their ultimately futile quest to repeat as champions in 2017, Cleveland squared off with an Isaiah Thomas-led Celtics team that featured a rookie Jaylen Brown and didn’t yet have Jayson Tatum. This was an infant version of the perennial contenders we know today.
As usual, a LeBron-led team strolled into the conference finals with back-to-back sweeps over Indiana and Toronto, while the Celtics won a six-game series against the Bulls before a highly entertaining seven-game series against John Wall and the Wizards led to them limping into a matchup with a man who had made the Finals in six consecutive seasons.
Boston did have home-court advantage, but it didn’t matter. Cleveland won by 57 points combined in the first two games in Boston, showing no ill effects from a nine-day layoff. The Celtics stole Game 3 at Quicken Loans Arena without IT thanks to an Avery Bradley buzzer-beater, but the toll came due to a 10-point win in Game 4 and another 30-point blowout in Game 5 to clinch the series for Cleveland.
2023 NBA Finals (Nuggets-Heat) Rest advantage: Nuggets +7 (9 to 2) Winner: Nuggets, 4-1
There are a lot of interesting wrinkles in this series. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are getting their era-defining championship against the No. 8-seeded Heat, who were basically Jimmy Butler and a dream at this point. Gotta give credit to Erik Spoelstra for seemingly doing this over and over again.
Denver took down the Timberwolves and Suns in the first two rounds before sweeping the Lakers in the WCF in a relatively competitive series for its length. Miami stunned the top-seeded Bucks in five games before defeating a young Knicks team in six to face Boston in the ECF. It looked like the Heat would stroll to the Finals like Denver, but the Celtics rallied back down 3-0 to force a Game 7 before ultimately falling short.
The quick turnaround didn’t necessarily faze the Heat, who split the first two games in Denver, but the fatigue slowly set in as their offense crumbled to dust around Butler’s brilliance in a series that ended in five games
What’s the verdict? There are obviously different circumstances with every case, but history suggests that rust is not an excuse for teams at this stage in the postseason. You got that extra rest after how dominant you were last round; now you get a chance to prove it.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 13: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves, Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves and Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate in the eighth inning during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Truist Park on May 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good afternoon, folks. Wondering why it’s a 4:10 pm ET game? Me, too. The best explanation I’ve got for you is this tweet from Marlins beat writer Craig Mish:
Hi Jeffrey. Yes. The Marlins this offseason decided to experiment with a 1 game mid week 4:10 start. It is tomorrow. Naturally attendance is constantly discussed here. This is simply a 1 game test run.
Lucky us, on the other end of this grand experiment. Regardless, here’s hoping the Baldwin-less Braves can even up this four-game set today after last night’s game to forget.
The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers meet at Madison Square Garden for the Eastern Conference Finals. This is the second straight season the Knicks have made the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Cavaliers are here for the first time since 2017-18.
New York averaged 124.3 points per game against Philadelphia and shot 54.5% in the series, plus 44.8% from three. The Knicks are on fire and are the hottest team in the NBA with seven straight wins and six of them coming by double digits. The Knicks are 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season with eight and two-point wins.
Cleveland is coming off a seven-game series win over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons. Cleveland is 2-5 on the road this postseason, but won the last two in Games 5 and 7 at Detroit. The Cavaliers have won four of the last five games and averages 112.8 points per game in that span. The midseason acquisition for James Harden has paid off. The last time Cleveland made an Eastern Conference Finals was the same year that Harden did with Houston.
Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 8:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Knicks (-250), Cleveland Cavaliers (+205)
Spread: Knicks -6.5
Total: 217.5 points
This game opened Knicks -6.5 with the Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
PG James Harden
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Dean Wade
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby (probable)
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Knicks vs. Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
None
New York Knicks
OG Anunoby (hamstring strain) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 1. Anunoby missed Games 3 and 4 vs the 76ers.
Important stats, trends and insights: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
New York is 51-42 ATS and an NBA-best 30-15 ATS as a home favorite
New York is 50-43 to the Under and 24-21 at home
New York is 21-20 ATS as a home favorite
New York is 24-21 to the Under at home and 16-15 to the Over as a home favorite
Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-56
Cleveland is 10-7 ATS as a road underdog and 8-9 on the ML
Cleveland is 27-21 to the Over on the road
Cleveland is 9-8 as an away underdog
Cleveland is 48-48 to the Under on the season
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s Cavaliers and Knicks’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks -6.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 217.5
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