For the second time in five days, Mets rookie Carson Benge came through in the clutch with a walk-off.
New York trailed the Yankees by three runs in the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon, but Tyrone Taylor stepped up with a game-tying three-run homer to send the game to extra innings. It was then Benge's turn in the 10th inning to be the hero again, putting the ball in play against a five-man infield that allowed Marcus Semien to score from third base.
"You know it's always good when you show some fight back," Benge said. "I feel like our offense did a great job of that today. You know never out of the game, always putting up competitive at-bats. And then Tyrone with the huge swing in the ninth, I blacked out for him."
With the Yankees opting for that five-man infield with a runner on third base, there was no one playing in right field with Benge up to bat against LHP Tim Hill. A bloop over the first or second baseman's head would have been enough, but Benge said he wasn't forcing anything and just focused on overcoming the challenge.
"No, nothing. I was just putting the ball in play, trying to hit the ball hard," Benge said. "That's a tough matchup, but I knew I could overcome it."
It's clear the 23-year-old is feeling more and more confident at the plate every game he plays, and credited that self confidence for his success. He's hitting .287 over his last 30 games and has been on fire as of late, hitting .387 with a .406 OBP over his last seven games.
"Definitely," Benge said. "You always got to go up there knowing you're better than the other guy, he can't get you out. I feel like going up there with that mindset has definitely helped me out a ton."
After winning two straight series, Benge believes the Mets are finally "trending in the right direction" after a disappointing start to the season.
A big factor in the recent success has been fellow rookie A.J. Ewing, who has shown impressive plate discipline for a 21-year-old and has drawn seven walks in six games. Ewing told reporters his first week in the majors has been everything he's dreamt of and is looking forward to continuing the momentum.
"It's been a lot of fun, it's been a dream come true, and I'm just excited to keep competing," Ewing said.
Ewing's sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning moved Semien to third base and helped New York pull out the victory. He added that he's been working on bunting all season and the result was better than it had been in the minors.
Like Benge, Ewing also expressed his confidence at the dish as his routine is certainly working in his favor -- slashing .294/.500/.588 through six games.
"I feel comfortable in the box, I think the batter's box is kind of like my happy place," Ewing said. "I feel comfortable, I feel like myself, and I'm just gonna keep being me."
Both Ewing and Benge's quality of at-bats have been a driving factor during the team's recent stretch and have impressed the manager early in their careers. If the Mets are going to get back to .500 and make a run, the young duo will be a main reason for that success.
"They're staying in the fight. They're not trying to do too much, they're taking pitches, they're putting together some good swings, they're putting the ball in play," Mendoza said. "That matchup there with Hill, we know he's a ground ball machine and he's a tough left-on-left, but the game is calling for putting the ball in play and that's what Carson did there.
"With A.J. getting the bunt down on a tough left-on-left, credit to player development in here that's preparing these guys to come up here and execute when the game is on the line on a tough matchup. Overall, their at-bats have been amazing. Left-on-left, taking what the game is giving them, going the other way, driving the baseball. It's pretty impressive from those guys."
“Not good at all,” Peralta said about his start. “But I was trying to navigate there even knowing that I didn’t have my command of the fastball today.”
The right-hander ended up going 5.0+ innings and although he allowed just two hits, he walked a career-high six and gave up three earned runs.
All things considered, it wasn’t Peralta’s worst outing as he battled with traffic on the basepaths for much of the day and still managed to limit the Yankees to three runs. Still, the walks are a bit of a concern as he’s now walked 25 batters in 54.1 innings this season.
“I think when I realized that I was in that situation [of not commanding well] I was trying to limit the damage and just give the team the opportunity to keep the game close,” Peralta said.
To Peralta’s credit, a lot of his misses on Sunday were very close with home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak not giving him much. Peralta, pitching to Hayden Senger for the first time in his career, also seemed like he wanted his catcher to challenge a few of the balls called on him throughout the game.
In fact, at one point Peralta took matters into his own hands and challenged a pitch called a ball from the mound. It was a ball.
And although Peralta walked his final two batters of the game to start the sixth (as well as throw a wild pitch), in the previous two innings he had retired the side in order.
“Just trying to relax and try to make pitches,” he said about trying to get through an outing without his best command. “Listening to the pitching coach is always nice when you know you have somebody there supporting you and trying to give you the best information that you can get to get through that.”
But even not at his best, Peralta's start kept the Mets close enough for their suddenly red-hot offense to erase a four-run deficit with Carson Benge playing the role of hero in the 10th inning.
Peralta’s next start will likely come on Friday, May 22 against the Miami Marlins where he’ll have a chance to get back on track and continue his very good year in his first season in Queens.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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
It all comes down to Game 7. Tonight will be a referendum on everything the Cleveland Cavaliers have been building toward since the summer of 2018. This will be an emotional game. So when you’re in the comments here, I’d encourage you to be respectful to your fellow fans.
Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!
Cheyenne Corin, a reporter on 6abc in Philly, was attempting to do her job in recapping Game 4 and the series inside Xfinity Mobile Arena, but rowdy Knicks fans swarmed her.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 10, 2026
Corin went on social media Sunday morning to let people know that, in the aftermath of the event, Knicks fans sent her flowers with a note.
“As if trolling me on live television wasn’t enough, I get a notification from security at the news station telling me that I have a bouquet of flowers that was delivered,” she said with a smirk. “So then I go look at the card, and it says, ‘You handled that like a New Yorker… come to the winning team, signed Knicks in four.'”
Cheyenne Corin is pictured after the Knicks’ Game 4 victory against the 76ers. AwfulAnnouncing/X
Corin continued, “I don’t know how to feel about this. Y’all won the game, you moved on to the next round, we’ll see you next season, I don’t know the need for this.”
Corin later added that the person didn’t reveal themselves, but asked for them to do so in the comments.
“This is crazy, y’all are nuts,” she said with a smile.
She did make clear on her Instagram that she will not be turning into a Knicks fan or a New Yorker despite the gesture, but she’ll take it as a “peace offering.”
Cheyenne Corin hold up her flowers from Knicks fans. Cheyenne Corin/Instagram
As of this writing, the Knicks were still awaiting a challenger for the Eastern Conference finals, which will be determined Sunday night when the Pistons and Cavaliers face off in Game 7.
This will be the second consecutive Game 7 series for each team, as both won their opening-round series 4-3 before the semis.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 18: Gabe Speier #55 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park on April 18, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners may have to patch together thier bullpen for a bit longer. While Gabe Speier looked good in a bullpen today, Matt Brash struggled through two-thirds of an inning in Tacoma.
Matt Brash threw his second game with the Rainiers this afternoon. He’s been on the IL since April 29 when he had to leave a game with lat inflammation after just two pitches. In his first outing on Thursday, he threw 15 pitches, striking out all three batters he faced (all lefties) and touching 96 mph on his fastball. Brash might have rejoined the big league club as early as today, but the Mariners are taking it slow, giving him another game of live action on a warmer day. Today, Brash struck out his first batter, but walked two while consistently missing glove side.
More concerning was the series of grimaces after receiving the ball back from the catcher. And upon fielding a play, the former shortstop did not display his characteristic atheleticism, instead stabbing at the ball and shovel-passing it to first base. Still, he left after hitting 23 pitches rather than with the training staff, and the Mariners have not reported on how he felt afterwards yet. He may have just been frustrated with his command.
30 miles north, Gabe Speier threw 20+ pitches in a pre-game bullpen session. Like Brash, Speier has been on the IL since April 29, after he threw 30 pitches in relief of Brash. He’s been battling shoulder inflammation, and while shoulders are always scary, they’re especially so for Speier after he missed time (and struggled when available) with a rotator cuff strain and partial tear of his subscapularis in 2024. But Speier “has turned a corner” in the words of General Manager Justin Hollander, and this is “the best he’s felt.” Speier echoed the sentiment before heading to the bullpen early this afternoon.
With Logan Gilbert providing “pew pew” sound effects on his phone after each pitch, Speier was going max effort. He threw all of his pitches and was hitting his spots, with the last sinker and four-seamer looking particularly sharp. The team hasn’t yet announced the next step in his rehab, but will monitor how he bounces back over the next couple days.
Until they arrive, Domingo Gonzalez, Alex Hoppe, and Nick Davila will continue to battle it out for who’ll get the last spot in the pen upon Brash and Speier’s return. Neither Gonzalez nor Davila have allowed a run yet and Hoppe has struck out more than a quarter of the batters he’s faced.
Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich (22) hits a double during the first inning of their National League Division Series game against the Chicago Cubs Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Here we go — the first Brewers-Cubs series of the 2026 season, and their first meeting since the Brewers beat the Cubs 3-2 in last season’s NLDS.
The Crew is headed to Wrigley Field, as they’ll take on the Cubs for three games beginning Monday night. The Brewers are coming off a series win over the Twins in Minnesota, their third straight series victory after a 5-1 homestand against the Yankees and Padres. The Cubs, who have rattled off two 10-game win streaks already this season, sit at 29-18 on the season, 1.5 games ahead of the Brewers and Cardinals, though they’ve lost each of their last three series against the Rangers, Braves, and White Sox.
On the injury front, the Brewers are currently without Quinn Priester (early June), Brandon Woodruff (late May), Rob Zastryzny (late May), Jared Koenig (late May/early June), and Angel Zerpa (out for the season). Outfielders Brandon Lockridge (mid- to late June) and Akil Baddoo (late May or early June) are also shelved.
The Cubs are also without a lot of pitching depth. Matthew Boyd (late June/early July), Caleb Thielbar (may return this week), Hunter Harvey (TBD), Justin Steele (second half of season), Riley Martin (June/July), Jaxon Wiggins (TBD), Cade Horton (2027), Shelby Miller (2027), and Porter Hodge (2027) are all out. The only position player injury for them is first baseman Tyler Austin, who is TBD after undergoing a knee procedure during spring training.
Brice Turang is the leader of the Brewer offense, with William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and Andrew Vaughn also factoring in. Sal Frelick, Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell, and Gary Sánchez, as well as Luis Rengifo over the last week or so, have also been key. Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, and David Hamilton round things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .244/.333/.360 (.693 OPS ranks 23rd), with 30 homers (last), 218 runs (eighth), and 49 steals (fourth).
Ian Happ leads the Cubs’ offense with 10 homers this season, and the combo of Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, and Nico Hoerner makes for a formidable middle of the lineup. Rookie Moisés Ballesteros has plenty of pop, and Miguel Amaya, Michael Conforto, Matt Shaw, Nicky Lopez, and Carson Kelly round things out. As a team, the Cubs are hitting .246/.343/.406 (.749 OPS ranks fourth), with 57 homers (tied for seventh), 241 runs (fourth), and 33 steals (14th).
Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Grant Anderson, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill have racked up most of the innings and appearances for the Milwaukee bullpen, with Jake Woodford and Shane Drohan rounding things out (and I’d expect the Brewers to make an additional move to bring another arm into the fold before this series). As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.29 team ERA (third), including a 3.23 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.36 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 426 batters (fourth) over 391 1/3 innings.
Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton, Jacob Webb, and Hoby Milner bring up the anchors for Chicago’s bullpen, with Ty Blach, Trent Thornton, Ryan Rolison, and Ethan Roberts rounding out the group. Milner and Webb lead the team with 21 and 20 appearances, respectively, and Milner sports a 2.08 ERA while Webb has a 3.20 ERA. Palencia leads the team with three saves in three opportunities since returning from injury. As a staff, the Cubs have a 3.99 team ERA (15th), including a 4.12 starter ERA (16th) and a 3.80 bullpen ERA (12th). They’ve struck out 382 batters (18th) over 417 1/3 innings.
Sproat, 25, has made eight appearances (six starts) this season, spanning 36 innings with a 5.75 ERA, 5.73 FIP, and 36 strikeouts. He’s struggled primarily with walks (20) and homers (eight) this year, though he’s coming off his first career win against the Padres in a game where he went 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed on six hits and two walks, striking out six. This marks his first career appearance against the Cubs.
Imanaga, 32, is in his third MLB season, all with the Cubs. An All-Star in his rookie season back in 2024, he fell off a bit last year but has bounced back nicely thus far in 2026. Through nine starts, he has a 2.32 ERA, 2.84 FIP, and 59 strikeouts over 54 1/3 innings. He took the loss in his last appearance, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks, striking out six in a 4-1 loss to the Braves. The Brewers have had quite a bit of success against Imanaga, as he’s 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 22 innings in four starts against them.
Tuesday, May 19 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.12 ERA, 2.27 FIP) vs. RHP Ben Brown (1-1, 1.60 ERA, 2.44 FIP)
Misiorowski, 24, seems to get better every time he’s on the mound. Over nine starts this year, he has a 2.12 ERA, 2.27 FIP, and an MLB-best 80 strikeouts over just 51 innings. He got pinned with a no-decision in his last time out, but he was absolute nails, going seven scoreless frames with no walks and four hits allowed, striking out 10. He hasn’t allowed a run in each of his last three appearances, totaling 18 1/3 innings. Miz made two starts against Chicago last season, going 0-1 with six runs allowed (five earned) and 12 strikeouts over eight innings.
Brown, 26, is also in his third season with the Cubs. He’s functioned as a sixth starter type over the last couple of years, working in a swingman role but also making starts as needed, similar to Tobias Myers last year or Chad Patrick this year. He’s made 14 appearances this season (two starts), with a 1.60 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 34 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings. He’s gone four scoreless innings as a starter in each of his last two appearances, striking out 10 and allowing just two walks and one hit in those outings. Brown has made three starts against Milwaukee, with a 2-0 record, 19 strikeouts, and just two runs allowed over 18 innings.
Wednesday, May 20 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (4-1, 2.09 ERA, 2.86 FIP) vs. RHP Edward Cabrera (3-1, 4.06 ERA, 4.49 FIP)
Harrison, 24, is enjoying a breakout season thus far, making eight starts with a 2.09 ERA, 2.86 FIP, and 48 strikeouts over 38 2/3 innings. The lefty picked up another win in his last start, going five scoreless against the Padres as he allowed five hits and no walks, striking out seven in a 7-1 victory. Harrison’s only appearance against the Cubs came in relief while with the Giants last May, as he went one perfect inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Cabrera, 28, was acquired from the Marlins over the offseason after spending the first five years of his career in Miami. Over the course of his career, he’s shown flashes of his potential but hasn’t quite been able to put it all together just yet. Through nine starts this season, he has a 4.06 ERA, 4.49 FIP, and 45 strikeouts over 51 innings. After a pair of scoreless outings to begin the season, he’s allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last seven starts, including three runs allowed against the White Sox in his last appearance. Cabrera made four appearances (three starts) against Milwaukee while with the Marlins, totaling 19 2/3 innings with a 2.29 ERA and 20 strikeouts, though he went just 1-2.
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, May 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, May 19: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, May 20: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is another tough battle as the Brewers look to assert their dominance over their rivals to the south. I’ll take the Cubs to eke out two of three, but this series will hopefully be fun either way.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 13: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball as Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder plays defense during the game on January 13, 2026 at Paycom Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was meant to happen. The Spurs and Thunder seemed destined to meet in the Western Conference Finals once San Antonio became a bona fide contender, in part by dominating Oklahoma City in the regular season. The two young teams are set to rule the conference for years, led by their MVP candidates, and will have their first important battle sooner than expected.
The Thunder are the favorites. The defending champions were the best team in the regular season, cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs, and have the experience advantage. The pressure will be on them, but they know how to handle it.
Any other opponent on their first deep playoff run might be scared of the moment, but the Spurs have a rare level of confidence for such an inexperienced group and have proved that they can handle the Thunder and the high expectations that come with contention. It should be a fantastic series between two teams that could be in each other’s way on the road to a championship for the foreseeable future.
Pace will be key on offense, but the Spurs must avoid mistakes
The Thunder have a terrific defense that can be equally effective at creating chaos and mucking things up in the half-court. Much has been written about the physicality of the way they are allowed to play in the perimeter, and there are few weak links to exploit. The same is true inside, where Chet Holmgren plays as a terrestrial version of Victor Wembanyama and Isaiah Hartenstein provides rock-solid center play.
The best way to flip the script on a team that frustrates opponents into mistakes that can then be converted into transition opportunities is to play fast enough to avoid their set defense while limiting turnovers. It’s in part why the Spurs beat them consistently in the regular season: they largely prevented the big runs OKC typically makes. San Antonio only coughed up the ball 12.4 times and allowed 12.4 points off turnovers to a team that has averaged over 17 turnovers caused per game and almost 23 points resulting from them during this playoff run, similar numbers to those from the regular season.
As for the halfcourt, the Spurs are surprisingly effective considering how rudimentary their offense is. Talent makes up for a lack of complexity, and the hope is the Silver and Black will find the right matchups to exploit. The guards thrived during the regular season and will need to do so again for San Antonio to have a chance. De’Aaron Fox’s play in particular could be even more important than usual, as he can bail out possessions with his pull-up jumper. The shooters will need to fire away without hesitation when open because the window to do so will shut down quickly, and putting the ball on the floor without a tight handle is asking for trouble against the Thunder. Keldon Johnson was not scared of attacking Holmgren in the regular season and will need to continue doing so. Decisiveness will be key, as many possessions as possible need to end in a shot.
As for matchups, it will be interesting to see how Mark Daigneault handles the Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama assignments. If the Thunder continue to start two bigs, one of them will have to be guarding a perimeter player, and Castle has been the preferred option for other opponents. With Castle shooting well, that might change, but there are no better options. As for Wemby, OKC has put smaller guys on him often. Will they rely on that strategy, or will they try to see if either of the starting bigs or Jaylin Williams can handle the assignment?
The Spurs will need to find ways to stress the defense using switches until a good matchup presents itself and exploit it to score one-on-one or find the open man quickly. Discipline, patience, and excellent execution will be required when the opportunity to run is not there.
The little things will matter as much as slowing down SGA on defense
It’s impossible to look at the Thunder’s success and not attribute a large part of it to the work the reigning and likely soon-to-be two-time MVP does on offense. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the most effortless scorer in the league and the savior of some bad half-court possessions that OKC can often have. When they can’t run and the ball is not finding the open man, they can simply give Shai the rock and watch him work as he soars for a mid-range jumper or drives on his way to a bucket or a foul. If he’s not at least contained, it’s tough to beat the Thunder.
Despite their success against OKC in the regular season, the Spurs didn’t really stop SGA, as he averaged 29.5 points and 5.5 assists on 50 percent shooting from the field, only slightly worse numbers than the ones he posted against the rest of the league. But they didn’t allow him to go supernova either, which is all anyone can ask. Mitch Johnson gave him different looks in those matchups, but it’s likely Stephon Castle will get the assignment in the series. Castle, who has struggled with foul trouble often, will need to be on his best behavior to avoid sending SGA to the line too often. Some double teams and traps will surely be used, but the Thunder have more weapons than the Timberwolves, so pressure will need to be applied selectively.
While keeping SGA from taking over is a requirement to win the series, the Spurs can’t simply hyperfocus on that the way they did against Edwards and the Timberwolves last round. They will also need to take care of the little things. As mentioned, no team weaponizes mistakes as well as the Thunder. They often play slowly if there’s no obvious advantage, but will run off any live ball turnover. They are a bad offensive rebounding team, and the Spurs are great at cleaning up opponent misses, but OKC can play big lineups. San Antonio can’t get too comfortable on the glass, or it could give a deadly offense more possessions to work with.
Rotations will need to be crisp as well. Similar to the Spurs, the Thunder’s offensive engine is the drive. They are shooting 75 percent at the rim for the playoffs, which should go down considerably if Mitch Johnson opts to keep Wembanyama always in help position, but sometimes they’ll command two on the ball. If their ball handlers find shooters after touching the paint, San Antonio will need to decide on the fly when to close out aggressively and risk a second drive and when to concede a semi-contested shot. Wembanyama, in particular, will have to be more disciplined than he was at times when zoning up and guarding the corner. As counterintuitive as it might sound, sometimes it’s better to let a decent but inconsistent shooter fire away than to constantly be in rotation. The Spurs know that because they did it often against OKC in the regular season.
The Thunder will score. SGA will get his buckets, and they will manufacture good shots. They have more off-the-bounce juice now than in the past, and they have finishers. All the Spurs can do is make things as hard as possible by not giving them easy transition buckets or extra possessions and trying to make sure the least effective scorer possible takes the shots.
Prediction: Thunder in seven
The Spurs seem like the only team that can realistically beat the Thunder. They have a real chance, but OKC has one big advantage: they are a significantly more well-rounded team.
San Antonio is now where Oklahoma City was before getting Alex Caruso and Hartenstein. The talent is there, but the adaptability and depth are simply not as developed. The Thunder can play big or small. They have big, physical perimeter defenders and also smaller, quicker guards. If someone is struggling in the backcourt or wing, they can throw guys like Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe on the floor, who would be rotation players elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Spurs have a strong top eight but have struggled to make two-center lineups work, are heavily relying on a rookie off the bench, and have two forwards with clear issues as their potential ninth man.
If the series goes long and is close, the Thunder simply seem better prepared to adjust or find an unlikely contributor that gives them an edge. The Spurs’ best chance, on the other hand, seems to be to just out-talent OKC early and not relent until they are against the ropes, so that any tweak is made to try to stay alive instead of gaining the upper hand.
It should be a fun series and the beginning of a long rivalry. Hopefully, the Spurs will find a way to come out on top in the first of likely many postseason matchups, but it won’t be easy.
The 2026 NBA playoffs has reached its penultimate stage with the conference finals next up.
Out West, it’s a matchup that’s been highly anticipated for a long, long time. The No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder will battle the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs. Both teams are stacked with depth and quality and are arguably the two best teams in the league. It might just be the real final series.
The Eastern Conference will feature the No. 3 New York Knicks and No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers. New York has been the best in the conference so far, while the Cavaliers are coming off a Game 7 blowout road win over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
So, which matchup combination would be the best for the NBA Finals? Let’s rank the four possibilities from least to most entertaining:
4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
While it’s unique, the winner would likely be too predictable. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso, Jared McCain and more should be too much for a Cleveland core that is anchored by Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Max Strus. Mitchell and Harden are the main players who can create magic, but need to be more consistent. Doing so enough times to take down Oklahoma City in four games…seems too much to ask.
3. San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
A similar scenario likely unfolds here. Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell and more are a tough balance to take down. Cleveland won both battles this season with both matchups in December, but one did not feature Wembanyama. The two teams are different now, and San Antonio theoretically eliminating Oklahoma City should be enough momentum to defeat an inferior Cleveland side — unless Mobley and Allen rise to slow Wembanyama for four wins. It’d also be a new winner from last season regardless of the result.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New York Knicks
The Knicks take both of the top spots due to being the superior team in their conference. Barring a shock collapse, they should go through vs. Cleveland. So that puts Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, among others, against Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, Mitchell, Williams, and Caruso are the key Thunder pieces. The series likely comes down to Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Brunson. The back-to-back MVP should be the preferred victor, which would also make Oklahoma City back-to-back champions.
1. San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks
No repeat bid on the line and two of the NBA’s most storied franchises hoping to end title droughts? This arguably is the best matchup. San Antonio’s drought since 2014 is undoubtedly shorter than New York’s wait since 1973. But that makes the stakes even bigger for Brunson and Co. to stamp themselves in the history books. They’d have to do so against a deep Spurs side that is anchored by Wembanyama, who is looking to make his own history at age 22 and in just his third season. San Antonio would also need Fox to stay consistent, but interest in this possibility should be the highest.
The 2026 NBA playoffs has reached its penultimate stage with the conference finals next up.
Out West, it’s a matchup that’s been highly anticipated for a long, long time. The No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder will battle the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs. Both teams are stacked with depth and quality and are arguably the two best teams in the league. It might just be the real final series.
The Eastern Conference will feature the No. 3 New York Knicks and No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers. New York has been the best in the conference so far, while the Cavaliers are coming off a Game 7 blowout road win over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
So, which matchup combination would be the best for the NBA Finals? Let’s rank the four possibilities from least to most entertaining:
4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
While it’s unique, the winner would likely be too predictable. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso, Jared McCain and more should be too much for a Cleveland core that is anchored by Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Max Strus. Mitchell and Harden are the main players who can create magic, but need to be more consistent. Doing so enough times to take down Oklahoma City in four games…seems too much to ask.
3. San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
A similar scenario likely unfolds here. Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Keldon Johnson, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell and more are a tough balance to take down. Cleveland won both battles this season with both matchups in December, but one did not feature Wembanyama. The two teams are different now, and San Antonio theoretically eliminating Oklahoma City should be enough momentum to defeat an inferior Cleveland side — unless Mobley and Allen rise to slow Wembanyama for four wins. It’d also be a new winner from last season regardless of the result.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New York Knicks
The Knicks take both of the top spots due to being the superior team in their conference. Barring a shock collapse, they should go through vs. Cleveland. So that puts Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, among others, against Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, Mitchell, Williams, and Caruso are the key Thunder pieces. The series likely comes down to Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Brunson. The back-to-back MVP should be the preferred victor, which would also make Oklahoma City back-to-back champions.
1. San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks
No repeat bid on the line and two of the NBA’s most storied franchises hoping to end title droughts? This arguably is the best matchup. San Antonio’s drought since 2014 is undoubtedly shorter than New York’s wait since 1973. But that makes the stakes even bigger for Brunson and Co. to stamp themselves in the history books. They’d have to do so against a deep Spurs side that is anchored by Wembanyama, who is looking to make his own history at age 22 and in just his third season. San Antonio would also need Fox to stay consistent, but interest in this possibility should be the highest.
You can probably guess why the headline to this recap is what it is, because, well, there aren’t many non-profane words to describe the Cubs’ 9-8 loss to the White Sox Sunday afternoon on the South Side.
Two blown three-run leads. A remarkable ninth-inning comeback. And then… well, just too many home runs served up to an up-and-coming Sox team that seems to enjoy hitting them.
I suppose I’ll begin at the beginning.
The Cubs jumped out to a quick first-inning lead. Nico Hoerner led off the game with a single and Michael Busch made it 2-0 with this home run, his fourth [VIDEO].
Fun fact about Busch’s homer from BCB’s JohnW53:
The Cubs had not had a two-run homer hit by their second batter of the game since Aug. 3, 2024, at home vs. the Cardinals, following a leadoff walk.
They had not had one after a leadoff single since June 20, 2024, at Milwaukee.
The batter who hit both: Michael Busch.
Alex Bregman followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to eight games. One out later, he moved to third on a single by Seiya Suzuki, then scored on this wild pitch [VIDEO].
It’s 3-0 early! What could possibly…
You don’t want to know the answer to that question. But you will get it, right here.
The Cubs got that run back in the fourth. Dansby Swanson led off with a single and Nico walked, Both runners moved up on a fly ball by Busch, and this single by Bregman scored Swanson [VIDEO].
Unfortunately, the ball didn’t go far enough to score Hoerner and he was stranded. That turned out to be important.
The Sox made it 4-2 in the fourth off Colin Rea, who hit the first batter he faced, Miguel Vargas. Vargas eventually cored on a double by Andrew Benintendi. Then Rea walked the leadoff hitter in the fifth and, as you well know, that’s never a good thing. The Sox wound up scoring a pair of runs on a double by Vargas and that was it for Rea, who has struggled in his last couple of starts.
The bullpens for both teams took over and did well for a while. Jacob Webb, who’s been very good lately, threw 1.1 scoreless innings, as did Hoby Milner. For the Sox, they got five shutout innings of relief from Sean Newcomb, Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson. The Cubs stranded a bunch of runners in those innings, too.
Personally, I think I’d have let Milner throw the entire eighth inning. I know he’s not used to multiple innings but he’d thrown only 18 pitches (14 strikes) to record his four outs. Craig Counsell did let him start the inning and he struck out Colson Montgomery. Phil Maton came on in relief and got Chase Meidroth to ground out.
Two out, nobody on, and then Maton fell apart. Walk, single, three-run homer by Tristan Peters. That, my friends, was Peters’ first MLB home run. It gave the Sox a 7-4 lead. Maton has been just awful most of the year, now with a 9.49 ERA, and the Cubs signed him to a two-year deal with a third-year option. That’s looking like a really bad signing right now.
So. To the ninth, and Seranthony Dominguez on to close for the Sox. Dominguez had some rough outings early in the year but had converted seven straight save opportunities since blowing a save April 16 vs. the Rays.
The Cubs had themselves an amazing ninth inning. Bregman led off with a walk and after Ian Happ struck out, moved to second on a wild pitch. Suzuki then hit a ground ball to third that was thrown away by Vargas and was safe, advancing to second, with Bregman stopping at third.
Conforto has shown a flair for the dramatic in his first couple of months as a Cub. The homer, his third, tied the game 7-7. Also, from John:
A Cub had hit a game-tying three-run homer in the ninth inning only 15 times previously since 1910, first season for which baseball-reference.com has searchable play-level data.
The last to do it was Anthony Rizzo, at Cincinnati on April 21, 2017. He did it with two out. Nine days earlier, Willson Contreras had done it with one out at St. Louis.
The only three earlier since 1994: Shane Andrews, at home vs. the Braves, with nobody out, on April 10, 2000 Kosuke Fukudome, at home vs. the Brewers, with nobody out, on March 31, 2008 (his first game as a Cub) Geovany Soto, at home vs. the Brewers, with two out on Sept. 18, 2008.
There’s still only one out after Conforto’s blast, but Miguel Amaya popped to short center and PCA lined to second. In the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Palencia allowed a one-out double but got out of the inning scoreless, so on to extras the game went.
But that’s all they got. Happ was intentionally passed and Suzuki struck out to end the inning.
Still, there’s a one-run lead with three outs to go. Who’s going to pitch?
Well, there aren’t a lot of choices here. The Cubs could have gone with Ty Blach, who was just called up from Triple-A Iowa Sunday. Blach hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2024 and is 35 years old and wasn’t doing all that well at Iowa.
So Ryan Rolison, who threw the eighth Saturday night, was the choice. Meidroth was the placed runner for the Sox. They had Andrew Benintendi lay down a bunt, and here’s what happened [VIDEO].
That was pretty clearly a terrible call by Laz Diaz, and it took very little time for it to be overturned. So the Sox have a runner on third with one out.
Not that any of it really mattered when Sox catcher Edgar Quero hit a walk-off homer off Rolison.
From John:
That was the Cubs’ first walk-off loss of the year. They had won six games on walk-offs.
The Cubs blew three leads today, 3-0 and 8-7. They have blown 21 for the season, in 16 different games, including seven in the next half-inning after going ahead.
They are 8-8 in the 16 games.
The Cubs scored a lot of runs in this series — 21 of them, to be exact, averaging seven per game. That’s really good! They have now scored 241 runs for the year, which is 5.13 per game, which would be 831 for the year.
The problem, as you surely know, is pitching. The Sox scored 22 runs off Cubs pitching in this series. The Sox have some pretty good young hitters, but they are not that good. The Cubs need better starters and relievers; the current bunch, decimated by injury, is just not up to the task at this point. This was a winnable game, even after the two blown leads.
A reinforcement could come soon when Caleb Thielbar returns, but the Cubs will need more bullpen help. And clearly, they need a starting pitcher, or maybe more than one. It’s still several weeks until Matthew Boyd can return.
Hopefully they can hang in there until then, or until a deal or deals can be made. Fortunately, everyone else in the NL Central also lost Sunday, so the Cubs’ division lead remains at 1.5 games over the Brewers and Cardinals.
Oh, yes, one other problem with this game:
Yeah, that’s going to have to change.
Oh, speaking of the Brewers? They’ll be at Wrigley Field to open a three-game series Monday evening. Shōta Imanaga will start the opener of this series for the Cubs and Brandon Sproat goes for Milwaukee. Game time Monday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Rainiel Rodriguez #88 of the St. Louis Cardinals at bat during a spring training game against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who’s rising? Who’s falling so far in the minor leagues for the Cardinals? We had on Kyle Reis to speak about that and worked in conversations about who the next man up might be for various spots on the big league roster. As usual when you involved Kyle, it was an entertaining and thought provoking conversation.
We covered a lot of ground: Rainiel Rodriguez gets multiple crazy comps, are they teaching Tai Peete to bunt with runners in scoring position to be the future centerfielder (we jest!), Liam Doyle’s rocky start and much, much more.
We think you enjoy the convo and always love to hear from the community. You’ll have thoughts about the next man up conversation – we guarantee it!
All the links are below. It would be fantastic if you could subscribe while you listen (you know how the internet works!). As always, thanks for listening!
One of the Philadelphia Flyers' top objectives this off-season should be to add another impactful defenseman. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Boston Bruins blueliner Mason Lohrei stands out as an interesting potential option.
Questions about Lohrei's future in Boston came up often during this season, and it should carry over to the summer. The 6-foot-5 defenseman notably was scratched by the Bruins multiple times during the playoffs and simply could use a change of scenery. With the Flyers needing an offensive defenseman, he would be an intriguing buy-low target for them to consider.
If the Flyers acquired Lohrei, he could compete for a spot in their top four due to his ability to play both the left and the right side. However, even if he played on their bottom pairing and was often used on their power play, he would have the potential to provide the Flyers' blueline with a real boost.
Lohrei appeared in 73 games this season with the Bruins, where he recorded seven goals, 26 points, and a plus-17 rating. This is after he had five goals and 33 points in 77 games with the Bruins in 2024-25. Overall, the 25-year-old defenseman has shown that he has the potential to produce decent offense from the point.
Yet, with Lohrei still being young, it is fair to wonder if he could hit a new level if given a change of scenery. Perhaps joining an exciting team on the rise, like the Flyers, could help him do just that.
Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio (3) reacts after being fouled as he shot a three-point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Saturday, April 21, 2018, in Salt Lake City. | Rick Bowmer / Associated Press
After reigning MVP and the runner-up for MVP in 2019, James Harden and the rest of the Houston Rockets gentlemen-swept the Utah Jazz 4-1 in April of 2019 and beat the Jazz for the second year in a row in the playoffs, the Jazz decided it was time to change it up and “upgrade” the roster. With a desire to improve their 3PT efficiency (10th & 12th in both 3PA/100 and 3PT% the prior two years), they moved on from two of their least efficient high-minute players, Ricky Rubio and Jae Crowder. Rubio’s contract expired in free agency, and rather than re-signing him for roughly $17M per year — the deal he ultimately signed with the Phoenix Suns — the Jazz instead opted to trade for 31-year-old point guard Mike Conley, who was making roughly $30.5M annually.
On July 6th, 2019, the Jazz traded Crowder, Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, the draft rights to Darius Bazley, and a future 1st-round pick (which ultimately became Walker Kessler) to the Memphis Grizzlies for Conley. That’s a hefty price for an aging guard who was already approaching the back end of his prime. Now, Mike Conley was a fantastic guard; Mike was an excellent facilitator, and despite being undersized, he still found ways to make opposing teams feel his presence on the defensive end in one way or another. Remember, the Jazz’s goal for the offseason was to help Donovan Mitchell with the scoring load while still not overtasking him with ball-handling responsibilities, and Mike Conley offered just that. Conley was joining the Jazz after shooting 37.4% from 3PT land on 4 attempts per game over the last 10 years of his career — it’s safe to say that he had a burner on him — and in that same span, he averaged 6 assists per game. There was no doubt that he could bring positive value and still carry an offense when Donovan Mitchell was off the floor — something Ricky Rubio didn’t do.
However, a question still lies: Did Mike Conley cover enough of the margins to be “better” than Ricky Rubio?
Excusing opponent 3PT data, there was still a +1.7 net point differential in favor of Conley. The Jazz successfully found a player who carried a more efficient offense
The switch from Rubio in 2018-19 to Mike Conley in 2019-20 was felt. The Utah Jazz jumped from the 13th-ranked offense in the NBA to #1 the following year. Conely boosting team TS% data was bound to happen when you supplant a career 41.7% eFG shooter (Rubio) for a player who shot ~11.0 eFG points better for their career (Conley). The offensive rebounding data is lineup noise due to playing with Gobert and Derrick Favors, who were one of the better off. glass crashing tandems in the NBA, but Conely brought a steadier offense with lower TOV rates, and because he left a larger 3PT footprint on games in both his passing and scoring.
When you’re comparing these two fantastic guards through the lens of a complementary role, I think it should be important how they’re complementing the players who were considered the best players on the team.
One thing I found interesting is that despite Rubio heavily favoring rim assists and how much he had the ball, Gobert’s FGA did NOT drop, and he still got his (relative to his average season & surrounding season FGA/FGA per 100 numbers):
Now let’s look at Conley & Rubio with Donovan Mitchell:
Now I find this SUPER interesting and there’s a lot to unpack here. While there is a +3 point differential in overall ORTG (in favor of Conley), there is only a marginal +1.6 difference in team TS%. It’s important to note that even while Rubio wasn’t efficient, he was still boosting the shot quality for everybody else on the basketball court at a high level.
It’s hard to say if the point guard context played a role in Donovan Mitchell’s overall efficiency numbers or if it was just a 3Y improvement like we typically see in budding young players, but if there’s one thing that’s certain regarding this side-by-side, it’s that Ricky improved Donovan’s overall shot quality more than Mike did. Now, because Donovan is a score-first guard whose offense is heavily slanted towards shot-making, he needs a real playmaking infrastructure around him. Donovan’s playstyle is largely complementary in a high-usage way. What I mean by that is that while he CAN pass the ball, he won’t do it at volume on a rate basis just due to the score-first nature of his game and how he operates. He is a high-volume second-side ball handler whose imprint on team offenses is boosting team TS% and TOV%, except he boosts each of those because he is efficient overall, and he takes a lot of shots (taking a lot of shots = less passes = ultimately lowering TOV%) — the ball falls a lot, but when it comes to enhancing his teammates and providing offensive ancillary goodness, that’s where he needs help.
Accounting for Donovan Mitchell’s style of basketball, and going back to Mike Conley vs Ricky Rubio, the player who complemented Donovan better overall while still increasing teammate productivity and providing ancillary goodness was probably Ricky Rubio.
I’ve talked about Mike Conley having better TO value over Ricky, but his worst years in passing TOVs were his years with the Jazz, which is highly uncharacteristic of him from an entire career standpoint.
The spacing was already an issue, but when you have a team that turns the ball over a lot, paired with NO playmaking outside of Rubio and Joe Ingles, it’s suboptimal for a lead guard! There is a real chance the Utah Jazz missed out on building WITH Ricky Rubio as the orchestrator and primary facilitator of the offense due to, primarily, just caring about “ball-goes-in” hoops. The Utah Jazz did the worst possible job when it came to maximizing Ricky Rubio’s talent and putting an optimal team around him.
Defense:
I’ve already stated that Conley found ways to make his presence known on defense despite his size, but his impact was incomparable to Ricky’s productivity on that end.
Ricky forced significantly more opponent turnovers, whether that be from drawing charges, fighting through, and drawing illegal screens, nabbing steals in the POA, or simply just using his IQ, reading the defense, and breaking up plays by defending in the passing lanes. He was widely used as a punching bag throughout the league because of how physical he was and how he annoyed players by simply being a pest; because he was such a nuisance on defense, the players would beat up on him even more.
Defense is what makes Rubio stand out in the lineup data; Rubio covered a lot of the defensive flaws that the Jazz and Donovan Mitchell had. After Rubio departed from the Jazz, Utah’s defense went from the 1st and 2nd-ranked defense in back-to-back years to the 13th, 3rd, and 10th-ranked defense in each season with the trio of Conley, Mitchell, and Gobert — and that difference says a lot when you have one of the best paint defenders ever to play the game on the back line.
Rubio also added great rebounding value to the team, averaging 4 rebounds a game and a dREB% of 13.1 for his career at 6’2 is valuable stuff.
While Ricky Rubio had his flaws, he covered so much on the margins where I conclusively believe that the Utah Jazz missed out on a path that could have brought them to greater heights than a second-round exit. However, I do think that Mike Conley did exactly what the Utah Jazz wanted him to do, and he did it very well. The Jazz were very blessed to have these two greats play in purple.
BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE BOJAN SIGNING:
What has been deemed the 2nd-best free agent signing in franchise history, the Utah Jazz signed Bojan Bogdanovic to a 4-year, $72M contract (~$18M AAV). My belief is that the Utah Jazz were so hyper-fixated on “ball-goes-in” hoops that they didn’t realize he didn’t do much else. He was a very turnover-prone forward who had positional size whose role was to score, and that he did.
Bojan was an abysmal defender who did not rebound the ball well at all. Which is something you’d expect from an aging forward. (No wonder the Utah Jazz only got Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee when they shipped Bojan to Detroit)
Though the Jazz got what they wanted, they lost a significant amount on the margins. My favorite saying in basketball is “if the ball isn’t falling, WHAT DO YOU DO?” and Bojan didn’t have much to offer when the ball wasn’t falling; in fact, he was a liability.
SIDE THOUGHT: The Utah Jazz could’ve had the same impact, and if not better, had they not traded Grayson Allen to the Memphis Grizzlies for Conley (just at a different position).
After signing Bojan and trading for Mike Conley, they took up $50M of the Utah Jazz’s $118M active cap, while they were already -$18M deep into the entire cap as a whole — Bojan and Conley took up ~42% of our active cap. With Rudy Gobert on the brink of a new max contract in 2021 and Donovan Mitchell approaching a rookie extension, along with losing both depth & additive players on the margins, the Utah Jazz were dead in the water before they even swam.
The 2019 Utah Jazz offseason will go down as one of the most detrimental offseasons in franchise history. Every dream of watching Donovan Mitchell in his prime while playing next to Rudy Gobert in a Utah Jazz uniform was killed in 2019.
