CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines looks on against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of the 2026 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at the United Center on March 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hours after losing in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley.
And you can fire up those Dusty May rumors … now.
Despite entering the NBA Playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, Mosley and the Magic built a 3-1 series lead over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons. But Orlando blew that series lead in historic fashion, collapsing in Game 6 after building a 24-point advantage early in the game. Over the final 23 minutes, the Magic were outscored 55-17, and outscored 31-8 in the fourth quarter alone.
The collapse was completed on Sunday, as the Pistons rolled to a 116-94 victory to complete their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.
Now Mosley is out, and early reports indicate Orlando is focusing on Michigan head coach Dusty May. According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, “[l]eague sources say that the Magic are admirers of Michigan’s Dusty May and would have a level of interest if he were indeed available.”
There are, however, some significant potential hurdles. First, as Stein notes, is the notion that the “expectation at this point in the college game is that May will stay” at Michigan, who knocked off Connecticut for the national championship. In addition, the Magic could have some potential rivals for May’s services, as there are other jobs available in the NBA. New Orleans, Portland, and Chicago all have open spots, and the NBA world is waiting on a decision from Steve Kerr, who could step away from Golden State.
Then, of course, there is this question: Does May even have NBA aspirations, after winning a title at Michigan?
May led Michigan on a romp through March Madness to win the program’s first national championship since 1989. The Wolverines are expected to lose Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson to the 2026 NBA Draft, where all three are projected as top-20 picks. Only Johnson could return. Michigan already has an impressive transfer portal haul lined up, but it’s going to be a completely new team, which is par for the course in this era of college hoops.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 3: Jarrett Allen #31 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers look on against the Toronto Raptors during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After RJ Barrett’s moonshot homage to Kawhi Leonard, it seemed like this Cavaliers team was bound to also pay homage to previous iterations of the franchise’s past and fold in Game 7. However, just when it looked like the Cavaliers were going to succumb to the pressure, they came out in the second half led by Jarrett Allen and others to show that this Cavs team will not be lumped together with those shortcomings of years prior.
Allen and the Cavaliers’ recent playoff outings share a common thread. One that can be summarized by shortcomings. Allen has been the poster child for the Cavaliers being called a soft team. Ever since the Cavaliers were bounced by the New York Knicks in 2023, the label of weak-minded has followed this team through the years. The following year, it was the Celtics, last year it was the Pacers, and for all intents and purposes, it looked like it was going to be the Raptors this time.
Then, coming out of the half tied at 49 apiece, Allen emerged like a man possessed. He single-handedly authored a double-double, 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter alone, that sparked a 38-19 run.
This, alongside others like Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, and Dennis Schroder, the Cavaliers came out with an edge. Those guys just understood the mentality shift the team needed after the first half of the Cavaliers succumbing to the moment. The team was too talented to be meandering at the level of the Raptors. Those guys understood this and really energized the group.
As the Cavaliers look ahead to a series against the Detroit Pistons starting Tuesday night, they should use their second half as a sign of turning the page. Riding the high would be the wrong take to walk out of Game 7 with. That edge we saw from Cleveland is something they really haven’t shown in the postseason — that counter punch was never in their arsenal.
The beauty of a series is that each one provides things to learn, but also things you can leave behind in the context of that series. Look no further than the 2025 playoffs; the Cavaliers, fresh off one of the more dominant round one series in recent memory, looked like a shell of that team, losing in the second round in short order. There is a chance to be reborn, so while the Cavaliers should carry over the mentality they showed in the second half of Game 7, they should leave behind the version of themselves that saw them fall to the Raptors in several games due to mental lapses.
If Allen’s narrative-changing outing can provide a template and inspiration for the Cavaliers, then this team has the chance to live up to its potential and talent level. The Eastern Conference is far from touting clear title contenders as it currently stands. In this parity era, anything is possible if a team gets hot. The Cavaliers certainly have a runway to the NBA Finals if they can meet the level of play we saw in the second half of Game 7.
There is always time in life to reinvent yourself, changes can always be made, and series in the playoffs are more of a snapshot than being emblematic of who a team will be. To match the physicality of Detroit, the Cavaliers will need to turn the page from the Toronto series, while keeping that edge that showed them what they are capable of.
As this season played out, most Sixers fans were probably unmoved or even disappointed with head coach Nick Nurse. The ones that were unmoved were probably set in their ways that the team was stuck in a holding pattern, waiting out the big contracts of Joel Embiid and Paul George and there wasn’t much the head coach could do. While the calls for Nurse’s firing were never overly loud, the growing amount of skepticism amongst the fanbase that Nurse could pull the Sixers out of the rut of mediocrity they had fallen into were enough of an indictment.
Had the Sixers fallen in the first round to Boston, it would have been three straight years without winning a playoff round for the franchise. A team that was known for second-round exits was on the cusp of not even getting to the second round with regularity and fading back into NBA purgatory. That’s the same spot they were in back when they lost to Boston 14 years ago in the second round. Say what you want about the last 8-10 years of Sixers basketball, they’ve at least been nationally relevant and worth talking about come May. They just haven’t done a lot of winning in May. Armed with a fully healthy rotation by the time Embiid returned last weekend against Boston, it was up to Nurse to maximize his roster and at least see if his team could strike some fear into the Celtics, if not win the series.
By the time the series was over, there wasn’t much doubt as to who the better team was. Sure, Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7, but the Sixers thoroughly outplayed the Celtics in their three wins in the series prior to Saturday night. They led most of the way on Saturday and withstood every push the Celtics made to steal the game. You don’t win three games on the road in a best-of-seven playoff series as the lower seed by accident. The narrative had flipped completely from Game 1 to Game 7 as the Sixers went from heavy underdogs to just flat-out better than the Celtics. It was a shocking twist that can mostly be attributed to Nurse coaching circles around Joe Mazzulla.
A lot of people will tell you that basketball is the sport in which coaching matters the least. You can only have five players on the court at one time and often times the team with more talent is the one that prevails. While there is merit to that, it shouldn’t diminish the amount of credit owed to Nurse for Philly’s surprising rally from 3-1 down against the Celtics.
Development of young players and maximizing the usage of role players are often times two things a coach in any sport can score some points with his fans over. VJ Edgecombe looked timid in Philadelphia’s blowout loss at home in Game 4. The rookie was anything but those two adjectives for the rest of the series. He scored in double figures in all three of the final three games in the series. His field goal attempts increased in each game as did his three-point attempts. He rebounded well for a guard for the entire series. The rookie was playing with a lot of confidence as the series reached its conclusion and contributing immensely on both ends of the floor. Edgecombe had a +19 rating in Game 7, making him the team leader in the +/- department in the series-clinching win.
It’s fair to still have questions about Philadelphia’s bench after the series win. But the Sixers might have bowed out in five games had it not been for an outstanding Game 5 from Quentin Grimes as a reserve. Andre Drummond didn’t stuff the stat sheet, but for the first time in a playoff series it didn’t feel like the minutes without Embiid on the floor were a nightly sweat. If you do want to look at the statistical performances of Drummond, be sure to circle his 26 minutes with 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting, eight rebounds and +12 rating off the bench in the Game 2 victory before Embiid returned. Philly might not be the deepest team left in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, but if Nurse can hit the right buttons out of the ones he does have to push, the Sixers can be successful with a shorter rotation.
Another key for Philadelphia in the first round was Paul George deciding to turn back the clock. It is possible that the 25-game suspension George served allowed the veteran wing player to recharge a bit and he came back with a renewed focus that resulted in him locking in on basketball in ways we’ve never seen him do in a Sixers uniform. However, a veteran like George, who’s played on teams in both Los Angeles and Indiana that went to the conference finals, might not have recommitted himself to this Sixers team if he didn’t think they were capable of a deep playoff run. Nurse has cultivated an environment of cohesion that has resulted in a more connected Sixers team. That has made it easier for everyone to buy into what their roles are. At least some of that culture has to be responsible for George’s recent uptick in production.
With all of this said, we must still acknowledge the obvious that Embiid was the best player in the series. The big man became the first player in NBA history to score at least 100 points in a playoff series he did not play the first three games of. Of course, you need talent to win in any sport. But Nurse has raised the ceiling of his roster in the blink of an eye. A world once existed in which Nurse was the fall guy for problems that could primarily be attributed to Daryl Morey and Elton Brand. That world no longer exists. Nurse has exceeded all of our expectations this season.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Tommy Sacco Jr. #91 of the Houston Astros at bat during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on February 25, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (17-16) lost 9-6 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 1st inning scoring 2 runs on a Price 2 run single. They got 2 more runs in the 3rd inning on a Biggio 2 run home run. Bielak got the start and went 5 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense scored 2 more runs in the 6th on a Price solo home run and Strahm RBI double. The pen relieved Bielak in the 6th but struggled allowing 7 runs as Reno took the lead. The offense was unable to rally as Sugar Land fell 9-6.
Jose Fleury, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (13-14) won 7-5 (BOX SCORE)
Dombroski started for the Hooks but had some troubles allowing 5 runs over 3.2 innings. The offense got on the board in the first scoring 2 runs on a Whitaker 2 run single. The Hooks responded again in the 4th scoring 4 runs on a Sacco solo home run and Encarnacion 3 run double. In the 5th inning, Sacco connected on another solo home run to extend the lead. The pen was solid tossing 5.1 scoreless innings as they closed out the 7-5 win.
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (SAVE)
A+: Asheville Tourists (6-21) lost 6-5 (BOX SCORE)
DeVos started for Asheville and was solid allowing 2 runs over 4.2 innings while striking out 6. Asheville got on the board in the 4th on a Batista RBI single and then tied things in the 6th on a Schiavone solo home run. In the 7th, Brutcher gave Asheville the lead connecting on a 3 run home run to right field. Wohlgemuth came on in relief but struggled allowing 4 runs as the Blue Rocks took the lead. Unfortunately the offense was shut down the rest of the game as Asheville fell 6-5.
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (10-17) lost 2-1 (BOX SCORE)
Carrera got the start for the Woodpeckers and pitched well tossing 4.2 scoreless innings. Smith came on in relief and went 3 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 8th on an Alvarez RBI single but that was it from the offense as the Woodpeckers fell 2-1.
San Diego, CA - May 3: Griffin Canning #17 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park on May 3, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Griffin Canning made his first start as a member of the San Diego Padres AND it came at Petco Park in front of the Friar Faithful. Canning ended with a no-decision, but left the game after five innings, allowing just one run on a solo home run to Drew Romo, with seven strikeouts. Canning did not look good to start the game, but that could be due to his return from an Achilles injury that cost him the majority of the 2025 season. It would be understandable if the Southern California native had a hard time controlling his emotions in front of a large contingent of supportive family and friends. While Canning did not get the win, he did walk off the mound after the top of the fifth inning after striking out the side to get his team back to the plate in the bottom of the frame. San Diego did allow the Chicago White Sox to tie the game late, but Xander Bogaerts came through with an infield single that allowed the Padres to take a one-run lead at 4-3. Mason Miller came into lockdown the ninth inning and the win, which prevented San Diego from suffering its first sweep of the season. The Padres will hit the road to San Francisco to take on the Giants at 6:45 p.m. today.
Padres News:
With Canning being added to the roster so he could pitch in the game on Sunday, a move had to made to clear space and that came in the form of a German Marquez being added to the injury list.
With the new owners of the Padres being announced this week, Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball looked at the details behind the move and what the process looks like going forward for Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.
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After defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 by a 2-1 final score, the Montreal Canadiens have made a roster move.
The Canadiens have announced that they have assigned defenseman Adam Engstrom to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
While Engstrom has been on the Canadiens' roster, he has not appeared in a playoff game for them this spring. Now, with this news, he is heading back to Laval for the time being.
Engstrom played in his first 15 career NHL regular-season games this season with the Canadiens, where he had one assist and a plus-2 rating.
In 45 regular-season games this year with the Rocket, Engstrom had 10 goals, 24 assists, 34 points, and a plus-14 rating. This is after he had five goals and 27 points in 66 games with the AHL squad during the 2024-25 season.
SURPRISE, AZ - MARCH 20: Kansas City Royals catcher Blake Mitchell (2) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Texas Rangers during a Spring Breakout game on March 20, 2026, at Surprise Stadium at Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Royals selected Blake Mitchell with the eighth overall selection in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft, a somewhat surprising pick at the time. High school catchers are an extremely risky demographic with a high failure rate, but the Royals believed in his hitting ability. To Mitchell’s credit, he had an excellent debut in 2024, hitting well in A-ball and forcing his way to High-A by the end of the year.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, he fractured his hammate bone last February and 2025 was therefore a bit of a lost season for him. He displayed the same command of the strike zone and propensity for striking out as he did in his debut season, but the recovery from the fracture sapped much of the power from his swing.
A lot of eyes were therefore on Mitchell this year. Could he develop as a hitter? Would he get his power back? Additional organizational pressure was also on Mitchell thanks to the unfortunate fact that Kansas City’s three previous first round picks before him—Asa Lacy, Frank Mozzicato, and Gavin Cross—have flamed out in the minor leagues, with the Royals officially releasing Lacy this year. No team can endure drafting so high for so long and get nothing out those valuable picks, least of all a small market team.
So has Mitchell advanced? Well, he’s having a season for the ages, that’s for sure.
Let’s start with what kind of hitter Mitchell is, because that’s important. The Royals have, traditionally, valued defense, baserunning, athleticism, and contact ability. They have not valued power or plate discipline. But Mitchell is made up almost entirely of the latter two. Interestingly, the Royals knew it when they drafted him, comparing him to Bryce Harper.
And Harper, well, Harper is great, but he’s not a traditional Royals hitter. Harper knows the zone, has a swing built for home run power, and isn’t afraid of striking outs. As a result, he walks a lot, hits a lot of home runs, and strikes out a lot. Those three events are sometimes called the “three true outcomes” because all three events happen independently of the defense. For his career, Harper’s plate appearances have resulted in one of those three outcomes 43.6% of the time, which is a lot, but not quite the extreme upper end. The real platonic ideal of the “three true outcomes” hitter of recent years has been Joey Gallo, who has walked, struck out, or crushed a homer in 58.7% of his career plate appearances. That’s a huge percentage.
But Gallo can’t hold a candle to what Mitchell is doing, because Mitchell is achieving one of the Three True Outcomes an almost unbelievable 70.3% of the time.
Six home runs now for Blake Mitchell on the season. A monster blast to dead center. pic.twitter.com/XiJzNugJaJ
The above video is really the key to understanding why this is happening at all. Mitchell generates crazy bat speed with a fly-ball swing, which translates to elite exit velocity figures and verrrry long homers. As a result, pitchers stay away from him, and Mitchell is more than happy to draw walks when they’re not giving him something to hit. At the same time, Mitchell isn’t a guy to choke up on the bat and look to poke pitches to the opposite field and is perfectly content with a full-throated swing—even if he ends up whiffing.
Mitchell’s triple slash in High-A is really funny because of this: .213/.479/.508. With a 33% walk rate, he’s gotten 31 walks on May 3; Salvador Perez has walked 31 times in a whole season just once. But he’s also struck out 30.9% of the time, which is just a crazy situation.
Walking a lot, striking out a lot, and hitting a lot of home runs is a relatively common combo. But what Mitchell is doing so far this year is literally unheard of. No qualified hitter in MLB history has ever ended up with a walk rate and a strikeout rate north of 30%. Heck, lowering that figure to a 20% walk and strikeout rate only yields 10 hitter-seasons since 1970 (not counting 1994 and 2020):
Season
Name
PA
BB%
K%
AVG
OBP
SLG
wRC+
1998
Mark McGwire
681
23.8%
22.8%
0.299
0.470
0.752
205
1996
Mark McGwire
548
21.2%
20.4%
0.312
0.467
0.730
190
2018
Mike Trout
608
20.1%
20.4%
0.312
0.460
0.628
188
1987
Jack Clark
559
24.3%
24.9%
0.286
0.459
0.597
176
1999
Mark McGwire
661
20.1%
21.3%
0.278
0.424
0.697
168
1971
Willie Mays
537
20.9%
22.9%
0.271
0.425
0.482
157
1989
Jack Clark
594
22.2%
24.4%
0.242
0.410
0.459
151
2007
Jack Cust
507
20.7%
32.3%
0.256
0.408
0.504
145
1999
Jim Thome
629
20.2%
27.2%
0.277
0.426
0.540
142
1977
Gene Tenace
581
21.5%
20.5%
0.233
0.415
0.410
134
Now, let’s be fair: we’ve only had a month-ish of baseball so far, and the chances of Mitchell having his own bizarre 30/30 season over the full year are basically nil. But Mitchell does have 330 plate appearances in High-A ball overall, and he’s walked 23.3% of the time and struck out 32.4% of the time.
What’s the takeaway here, then? For starters, I don’t think High-A is challenging him nearly enough, and if it were up to me I’d promote him to Double-A tomorrow. Mitchell needs to cut down on his strikeout rate if he wants the best chance to succeed in the big leagues, but right now he can sleepwalk to being the most dangerous hitter on the team by simply murdering mistake pitches and spitting on the ones that aren’t in the zone.
The other takeaway here isn’t really a takeaway but an invitation to examine if Mitchell might indeed be able to succeed in the big leagues with a big ol’ strikeout rate. I have thus far been very skeptical of Mitchell for this reason, but he’s starting to show a level of plate discipline and game power where it just might work. I mentioned Gallo earlier, but his career .194/.319/.456 line, while bizarre, kept him in the league for a decade. Could Mitchell be a sort of Gallo at the plate? Maybe! The other potential guy to look at is Munetaka Murakami, the rookie Japanese slugger who has a 144 wRC+ despite a 33.1% strikeout rate because he walks almost 19% of the time and hits dingers left and right. Like, the White Sox could not care less that he’s only hitting .223.
I’d love it if Mitchell could wrangle his strikeouts down to a more manageable level. At the same time, it’s almost more fun to consider a world in which the Royals are the ones with the ridiculous Three True Outcomes player. Can the Royals develop such a hitter? That is another question, one that I don’t really like my gut answer to. I guess we’ll just half to wait and see.
Who will win Brewers vs Cardinals today: Cardinals moneyline (+100)
Chad Patrick owns a sparkling 2.47 ERA, but his underlying profile is littered with red flags.
He's posted a 5.52 xFIP, 5.56 SIERA, and a +2.6% K-BB% — the lowest mark among today’s projected starters.
He’s also allowing a 50% fly ball rate, which could be trouble against a St. Louis Cardinals offense that sits sixth in ISO and second in HR/FB vs. right-handed pitching over the past five weeks.
Brewers vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)
The Cardinals rank ninth in runs per game and fourth in homers, with the emergence of young bats like JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker really lengthening their lineup.
Patrick’s high fly-ball rate could be a problem, especially on a warm day with the wind blowing out.
The Milwaukee Brewers are also well positioned to produce. Kyle Leahy has conceded multiple runs in all six starts, and 3+ runs in four of six.
He’s giving up damage consistently and has not lasted six innings once. The fourth-ranked Brewers offense should cause him problems.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 11-5, +3.88 units
Over/Under bets: 6-10, -5.06 units
Brewers vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Brewers -115 | Cardinals -105
Run line: Brewers -1.5 (+140) | Cardinals +1.5 (-160)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Brewers vs Cardinals trend
The Cardinals have hit the Moneyline in 13 of their last 22 games (+6.85 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Brewers vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Monday, May 4, 2026
First pitch
7:45 p.m. ET
TV
FS1
Brewers starting pitcher
Chad Patrick (2-1, 2.57 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Kyle Leahy (3-3, 5.52 ERA)
Brewers vs Cardinals latest injuries
Brewers vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks will open their Eastern Conference Semifinals series Monday night at Madison Square Garden on NBC and Peacock.
The third-seeded Knicks advanced from the first round with a playoff franchise-record 51-point victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6, becoming the only team in the NBA to win a series in each of the past four seasons.
The 76ers, the seventh seed, eliminated the Boston Celtics and became the 14th team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1. Philadelphia is also the first No. 7 seed to beat the No. 2 in the East since the first round was expanded to seven games in 2003.
Teams that win in Game 1 have won 75.3% of playoff series in NBA history. The Knicks are seeking to make the conference finals for the second consecutive season. The 76ers are trying to make the conference finals for the first time since 2001 (when they reached the NBA Finals and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers), the third-longest conference finals drought behind Washington and Charlotte.
See below for additional information on the 76ers-Knicks game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks game preview:
The 76ers defeated the Celtics largely on the return of Joel Embiid, who returned from an emergency appendectomy on April 9 to play in the final four games of the series. Embiid had 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Game 7. Embiid led the series with 28 points per game and paced the Sixers with 9 rebounds per game and 7 assists per game.
"What changed in this series was Joel Embiid came back, and they were a completely different team,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said.
When Embiid starts Game 1, it'll be his fifth consecutive game, his longest stretch since six in a row from Dec. 30-Jan.9. Since December 2023, he hasn't played in more than six consecutive games.
Tyrese Maxey also has been a major factor for Philadelphia, averaging 26.9 points, 6.6 assists and a 40.9 minutes (most of any remaining player in the playoffs), and 16-year veteran Paul George made 22 of 40 3-pointers against Boston.
The Knicks are aiming for their first four-game winning streak in the playoffs since 1999 (when they won a franchise-record six consecutive in reaching the NBA Finals).
“It really came down to our defense," New York point guard Jalen Brunson said of the Game 6 victory. "It allowed us to play fast. Allowed us to play in transition. And we made shots. Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively. I think that’s really important.”
The Knicks also outscored the Hawks by 105 points in the First Round, the third-largest margin in a playoff series in NBA history behind Cleveland over Miami in the first round last year and Denver over New Orleans in the 2009 first round.
Karl-Anthony Towns had his second triple-double of the series in Game 6, becoming the first Knick with multiple triple-doubles in the same playoff series. OG Anunoby was also a presence for New York, averaging a personal-best 21.5 ppg in a playoff series while making 17 of 30 3-pointers and grabbing 8.7 rpg.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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Coming off a series win in Anaheim over the weekend, the Mets (12-22) still own the worst record in baseball. Weather permitting, they’ll have an opportunity to overtake the Rockies (14-21) in a three-game series against them that’s scheduled to begin this afternoon in Denver.
The forecast for the next three days is the biggest story at the moment. There’s a chance of rain in Denver this evening, which is why the start time of the game was moved up to 5:40 PM EDT. Things are likely to get much dicier after the series opener, though, as there’s a high probability of rain for most of the day on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, there’s almost certainly going to be continued precipitation, and it might be cold enough for that to be snow.
If the second game of the series gets postponed, it might be possible for the teams to squeeze in a frigid doubleheader if the field at Coors Field is playable by a reasonable time on Wednesday. If not, both teams have an off day on their schedule on Thursday, and neither would have onerous travel ahead of them heading into the weekend. The Rockies are set to head to Philadelphia for a three-game series this weekend, and the Mets are scheduled to finish their road trip with three games in Arizona.
As for the Mets’ attempt to turn around their miserable season, well, at least they beat one of the other worst teams in baseball over the weekend. They’ll need to do the same against the Rockies in this one, but given the struggles of nearly every hitter in their lineup and the Rockies’ recent three-game sweep of the Mets in Queens, you really can’t take anything for granted here.
Thanks to his pair of two-run home runs in the series finale yesterday, Mark Vientos joined Juan Soto and MJ Melendez as the only Mets hitters with an wRC+ over 100. Melendez leads the way with a 177 wRC+ in 39 plate appearances, but he’s sporting a .474 BABIP and a 33.3 percent strikeout rate. Soto has a 158 wRC+ on the season and is on a six-game hitting streak. And Vientos is at a 107 wRC+ thanks to his big day at the plate, having entered the game with just an 84 wRC+. Francisco Alvarez is the only other Mets hitter who’s healthy and hovering around league average with a 98 wRC+.
With the Giants having plummeted to last spot in Major League Baseball in runs per game, the Mets rank 29th with 3.47 runs scored per game. Even in winning their series against the Angels over the weekend, they only have averaged 4.00 runs per game. League average so far this season is 4.50 runs per game, which means there’s still a lot of work to do. The fact that Vidal Bruján’s career numbers at the plate (.543 OPS, 54 wRC+) wouldn’t look too out of place in the Mets’ lineup if he were to be included in it is still pretty damning.
The Mets haven’t been spectacular in terms of run prevention, either, but they’ve been much better at it than they’ve been at scoring. At 4.38 runs allowed per game, the team has the 14th-lowest mark in baseball, one that obviously makes them slightly better than the aforementioned league average.
The Rockies, meanwhile, have allowed 4.91 runs per game, the seventh-highest rate in the sport. Their home ballpark always plays a role in that, of course, but the their struggling pitchers didn’t have much of a problem shutting down the Mets’ lineup in their recent series in Queens. The Mets managed just four runs total across that three-game series as Colorado swept them.
Rockies hitters have scored 4.29 runs per game, which isn’t all that impressive but is still quite a bit better than their counterparts in the Mets’ lineup. Among those with at least 50 plate appearances, Mickey Moniak is by far their best hitter this season, as he’s hit .327/.374/.724 with 11 home runs and a 185 wRC+.
Four other Rockies are hitting above league average by wRC+: Troy Johnston (124), Hunter Goodman (114), Edouard Julien (110), and Tyler Freeman (103). And two hitters are just below league average: Jake McCarthy (97) and TJ Rumfield (97).
The team isn’t without its own struggling hitters, as Willi Castro (68 wRC+), Brenton Doyle (49 wRC+), and Ezequiel Tovar (36 wRC+) have been pretty easy outs.
If these teams don’t play all three of these games this week and neither one gets into the playoff mix, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a game or two canceled entirely and not made up later in the season. Being that it’s early in the year, it seems more likely that one game today and a doubleheader on Thursday would be the worst case scenario in terms of scheduling, but if the Mets end up playing 160 or 161 games this season, this would be why.
Monday, May 4: Opener + David Peterson vs. Tomoyuki Sugano, 5:40 PM EDT on SNY
The Mets haven’t specified who their opener will be in the series opener, but Peterson’s traditional start against the Nationals his last time out couldn’t have gone much worse. He gave up seven runs, all earned, in just three-and-two-thirds innings. Having found better success in the two outings that preceded that, both of which came out of the bullpen after an opener, the Mets will be hoping for similar results in this game.
Coming off a so-so debut season in Major League Baseball last year with the Orioles that saw him finish the season with 157.0 innings pitched and a 4.64 ERA, Sugano signed a one-year deal with the Rockies over the offseason. The underlying metrics suggest that his impressive ERA is not sustainable, but the Mets have had a hard enough time this year when facing struggling pitchers. Maybe they’ll surprise us and beat a pitcher who’s off to good start.
Tuesday, May 5: Freddy Peralta vs. Michael Lorenzen, 8:40 PM EDT on SNY
Freddy Peralta has continued being himself, and his ERA was helped by his own error in his most recent outing, one that resulted in two of the three runs he allowed being unearned and helping to turn the game into a loss for the Mets. Peralta has completed six innings twice in his seven starts with the Mets and is averaging a bit more than five-and-one-third innings per outing. That’s on brand, as are his current ERA and FIP.
Lorenzen gave up just one run on seven hits in seven strong innings against the Mets on April 24. Since then, he’s made one start that saw the Reds get him for four runs in five-and-a-third innings. But he’s been particularly bad at home, which isn’t uncommon for pitchers in Colorado. Lorenzen has an 8.56 ERA at Coors Field this year in just 13.2 innings of work. Here’s hoping the Mets can take advantage of that.
Wednesday, May 6: Christian Scott vs. Jose Quintana, 3:10 PM EDT on SNY
After a disastrous return to the major league mound that saw him totally lose the strike zone, Scott returned when Kodai Senga went on the injured list and had a solid second start. He went five innings, gave up three runs, two of them earned, on three hits, struck out eight, and impressively didn’t walk anyone.
The former Met pitched well when the Rockies were in Queens recently, as he gave up just one run in five-and-one-third innings with five strikeouts, two walks, and just two hits allowed. And it might surprise you to read that he has a 3.98 ERA since the Mets chose not to pursue him in free agency following the 2024 season. He’s done that despite a 5.05 FIP over that span, but the difference in those metrics is more pronounced this year than it was last year with the Brewers.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 20: Matt McLain #9 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after hitting a double in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on April 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds clearly began to put an emphasis on defense at some point over the last year. It was the driving reason behind their acquisition of 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes from Pittsburgh at last season’s trade deadline, a move that locked them into a glove-first (if not glove-only) player for a handful of guaranteed years into the future.
Of the 116 MLB players who have logged at least 650 PA since the start of the 2025 season, none have a lower total wRC+ than Hayes’ 55. However, his DEF – per FanGraphs – has been the 6th best in the time, and clearly the team feels that what he provides at the hot corner with the glove is enough to offset his bat (for the time being).
Chalking up a position like 3B to being glove-only is rare in this day and age, as that has typically been reserved for players who also carry a pretty potent bat. It helps that Cincinnati sports Elly De La Cruz right next to him at short, since the combined output of those two positions wouldn’t totally make you blink if, say, you were getting Elly’s production out of 3B and Hayes’ out of SS.
Things get complicated when you begin to realize that the Reds don’t just have one infield position being chalked up to being glove-only, but they’ve had two – and had it that way for quite awhile now.
If we circle back to that list of 116 MLB players who have logged at least 650 PA since the start of 2025 – the one where Hayes ranks at the bottom on the wRC+ leaderboard – you’ll find Matt McLain ranking as the second worst by that metric. He owns a 76 wRC+ over that time (in a larger 720 PA sample), and while that’s still light years better than the 55 of Hayes, it’s an unavoidable fact that the Reds are now rolling out just about every single day the two lightest-hitting regulars in all of baseball together.
There are parallels between the two beyond that. Back in 2023, Hayes had seemingly cemented himself as a 3+ WAR per season regular after hitting .271/.309/.453 with 15 homers for the Pirates, good for a 101 wRC+ that more than complemented his elite defense. McLain, meanwhile, broke into the big leagues that year in a huge way with a .290/.357/.507 line in 403 PA that had FanGraphs value him at an identical 3.2 fWAR to that of Hayes that season.
Both, though, have hit significant hiccups since. Hayes has dealt with a back issue off and on that’s cost him time, and McLain famously lost his entire 2024 campaign after oblique and shoulder problems. So, ever since those duel 2023 breakouts, the two have looked like complete shells of themselves.
FanGraphs has at least loved McLain’s defense enough this season to value him at just 0.0 fWAR despite a 71 wRC+, one that has featured one game in which he hit 2 homers and 33 others in which he’s hit zero. He’s mired in a 3 for 31 slump since that game towards the end of April, and his collective work has Baseball Reference valuing his 2026 season a -0.5 bWAR so far.
McLain will turn 27 this summer, so it’s not as if he’s still got a ton of ‘maturing’ left to do. The question, as it was last year, is just how long it will take him to find his 2023 form again after major shoulder surgery, and the timetable to find out whether that’s a reality is beginning to extend a lot further than I think a lot of us imagined it would. In the meantime, we’re also now getting a glimpse at what prospect Edwin Arroyo can do two years removed from his own similar shoulder surgery, and the former consensus Top 100 overall middle infielder is off to a roaring .305/.386/.489 start in 160 PA with AAA Louisville in his age-22 season.
It’s not yet time to pull the plug on McLain completely. His glovework provides legit big league value at both 2B and SS, and those don’t grow on trees. But as he inches closer to both being 27 years old and to his first trip through the arbitration process, the clock is certainly ticking on just how much longer the Reds can wait to find out if he can truly be a co-star on this team as they try like heck to establish a recurring winner.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Payton Pritchard #11 and Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics look on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just wanted to highlight this post, which was well thought out and presented in an organized fashion.
In particular I liked the section on living and dying by the 3. I think most would agree that the 3 pointers have served us very well over the years and this isn’t a “they are shooting too many 3’s” critique. Rather, it is pointing out that we need to address the need of having another option to go to when they aren’t falling. Porzingis was the example given, but it doesn’t just have to be a big man. It might be a great downhill attacker or perhaps just a guard that is more skilled at feeding the rolling bigs.
That’s just one topic covered in this post, so check out the rest and jump into the discussion.
FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 7, 2025: Eli Willits #13 of the Fredericksburg Nationals in action during a Carolina League game against the Carolina Mudcats at Virginia Credit Union Stadium on September 7, 2025 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Mudcats beat the Nationals, 6-3. (Photo by Rodger Wood/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
“I think we have the best talent in all of Minor League baseball”. That is what Nationals 11th round pick Jack Moroknek said about the Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals team he plays on. That is not much of an exaggeration either, with MLB.comranking them as the 5th most stacked roster in the minors. I got to see this group live and in the flesh yesterday, and they did not let me down.
Fredericksburg is your classic minor league town. As I entered the town with my dad, we passed a duck crossing sign and a plethora of fast casual food options. Before the game began, we were serenaded by the Garrison Elementary choir, who delivered a cute, but excellent rendition of the National Anthem. I got to see minor league baseball at its finest.
As much as I was charmed by the pageantry, I was here to see a ball game. While prized prospects Gavin Fien and Coy James were not playing, due to injury and an off day, I still got to see plenty of talent. The Fred Nats top three hitters were first overall pick Eli Willits, top 10 prospect in the system Luke Dickerson, and MacKenzie Gore trade piece Yeremy Cabrera. Those three players combined to get on base 8 times in this game.
Eli Willits was the main attraction though, and seeing him live and in the flesh was quite the experience. He is such a well rounded player, with hitting skills, outstanding defense and insanely aggressive base running. Willits got a base hit on the first pitch he saw yesterday afternoon, and finished the game with two hits, a walk and two stolen bases.
Jack Moroknek raved about Willits when I asked about him. He said that Willits is “35 in an 18 year old’s body. He is the most mature 18 year old I have ever met”. You can see that maturity on the field, with Willits playing shortstop at a big league level already on the defensive end.
Willits is just such a smooth player, and you could tell who the former first overall pick was pretty easily. Once he gets to the big leagues, fans are going to have so much fun watching Willits in the field and on the bases. He already has 21 stolen bases on the season, and is an absolute mad man when he reaches first base. Eventually, he may need to be tamed a little bit on the bases, but for now, his all out aggression is super exciting.
The fun thing about A ball is that you have elite prospects like Willits, but you also have lesser known guys chasing their dreams like Moroknek and Juan Cruz. Moroknek told me that, “I never thought baseball was going to be my job, so every day is a dream for me”.
While Moroknek acknowledged the velocity is different in pro ball compared to what he saw in college at Butler, he has adapted well. He has a .344 average and an OPS over 1.000. The 22 year old also had a 16 game hitting streak that was recently snapped, though he did say plenty of those hits came on “broken bat flub shots”.
Like Moroknek, Juan Cruz was also a small school guy, going to Alabama State University. He had an offer in the transfer portal to go play at Georgia, but when the Nats drafted him in the 20th round, he could not pass up the opportunity. Cruz told me he decided to sign because “it is every kid’s dream to play professional baseball”.
Cruz and Moroknek are two underdogs just following their dreams, while Eli Willits is the son of a big leaguer who is a former first overall pick. The great thing about minor league baseball is that these guys become brothers as they play six days a week, and ride the bus to small towns across Virginia and North Carolina.
Minor league baseball is so much fun, and it is not just because of the big name prospects. Players like Cruz and Moroknek who are the lifeblood of the system. It will be an uphill climb for these guys to make the big leagues, but the great thing about baseball is that it is possible. Baseball is a true meritocracy, and if these guys put up numbers as they climb through the system, they will make the big leagues eventually.
Back to the prospect side of things though, another player who really stood out yesterday was Yeremy Cabrera. At one point, Cabrera was an underdog just like Cruz and Moroknek. He signed for only $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Cabrera managed to turn himself into a real prospect in the Rangers system. This winter, he was traded to the Nationals as part of the MacKenzie Gore deal.
Last year, Cabrera played for the same Hickory Crawdads team he was facing yesterday. He put up solid numbers, but the Nats wanted him to repeat the level. Based on what he has done this season, a promotion should be on the way. Cabrera went 3-5 with a homer and a double yesterday. He is now hitting .297 with a 1.022 OPS at just 20 years old.
If you want to see this Fred Nats team, which is 19-8 to start the season, you should come down soon. Before too long, players like Willits, Cabrera and maybe even Moroknek will be promoted to High-A Wilmington with how they are performing. Minor League games are always fun, but they are even better when you get to see high end prospects like the Fred Nats have.
Even with a couple absences, this Fred Nats lineup was absolutely stacked. They set the tone in the first inning, with four runs against Hickory. It was a nice and easy win for the Fred Nats, who cruised to a 9-1 victory.
I did not get to see Miguel Sime Jr., or Landon Harmon, the Fred Nats top two arms, but the pitching was solid. Grant Manning, a minor league free agent signing, impressed me, striking out four in three scoreless innings.
As I was talking to Jack Moroknek in a little tunnel down the left field line, I could not help but compare the Fred Nats locker room I was looking at to the Nats locker room. Obviously, things are much more glamorous in the big leagues. However, these guys are not here for glamor, they are here to grind and play ball. As Jack Moroknek told me, “The grind is fun. With the group of guys we have, it does not make it seem like a grind for me”.
Awaiting the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, following New York's dominant defeat of the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, are the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid-led Sixers are coming off a 3-1 comeback to top the Boston Celtics, and are ready to keep that momentum going against New York.
Here's what to expect from what could be a drawn-out, physical series, and who will come out on top...
The biggest question for both teams is how they’re going to make life easier for their elite scoring guards without exposing them too much defensively. New York’s offense has largely figured this out forJalen Brunson, who started slow against Atlanta but should have more opportunities against Philadelphia.
The Sixers offer him a couple of targets in Maxey and Embiid, the latter obviously being a strong defensive player but less comfortable switching out on the perimeter. They do have an assortment of defensive wings who are likely to occupy his time, though, in Paul George, V.J. Edgecombe, and Kelly Oubre Jr.
That may leave them more inclined to play Brunson straight-up, switch fewer screens, and help off non-shooters less aggressively. The Knicks have a real wrinkle to throw at them now with Brunson involved in more off-ball and screening options, so expect a chess match from the jump.
Philly likely moves to all-but-ignore Josh Hart on offense early on, maybe starting Maxey on him, forcing him to hit some threes to punish them. Hart and the Knicks will have to be ready to make them pay.
There’s few other hiding spots for the Sixers star. If he’s on Mikal Bridges, the Knicks should feed him every trip down and get solid offense out of it. These matchups very often just come down to Brunson and Maxey calling for screens to face each other, and this series may serve as a larger version of that.
The Knicks have another edge over their previous meeting, which is Karl-Anthony Towns. The Sixers likely don’t want Embiid stretched out of the paint or having to watch his foul trouble guarding Towns one-on-one, so expect George to start out on him.
Towns will have to display much of the patience and passing ability he did against Atlanta, since these Sixers wings are built a bit better to deal with Towns and will be hunting those passing lanes. The Knicks will need another big series out of him if the Sixers overload on Brunson.
There’s two big advantages for the Knicks on paper: their rebounding and depth. New York is rebounding a third of its own misses in the playoffs after finishing top-five in rebound rate during the regular season.
Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) secures a rebound during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. / Lucas Boland - Imagn Images
Philadelphia has been solid on the defensive glass in the postseason, but doesn’t boast the same offensive rebound playoff stats or regular season numbers. The Knicks' bigs should do their job against a weak Sixers frontcourt, but it’s the battle of the guards and wings that will decide this contest. Bridges, Hart, and OG Anunobywill need more big performances.
As for depth, the 76ers played only seven guys in their Game 7 win, with Andre Drummond and Quentin Grimes coming off the bench. Their next options are Justin Edwards and Trendon Watford.
Meanwhile New York just got great bench lifts in the first round from Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, and Mitchell Robinson, and may tap back into Landry Shamet for shooting. If they can maintain this edge it would be massive on the series, owning the first few minutes of every second and fourth quarter.
With the Sixers offense, Maxey is the biggest puzzle piece, and the Knicks don’t have a simple answer. None of their one-on-one matchups are very clean outside of McBride, and Maxey pressures every screen coverage to its limits.
Drop and Maxey gets a full head of steam or clean pull-up, switch and live with bad matchups that likely involve Embiid putting someone in the cup, and he can blow right past or split a hedge if it’s not perfect. The Knicks will need a mix of their lead defenders and some aggressive coverages to slow him down.
Bridges or Hart likely gets the start so Brunson can hide on Oubre. There are also small things they can do try and slow Maxey down: get the refs hung up on Embiid screens, throw occasional unders in to force long pull-ups, and target him without mercy on the opposite end.
Towns will need to defend without fouling and most importantly, brush off the flop calls Embiid is bound to draw. A bad call or two may turn a game, but Towns getting in his head over bad officiating can turn the series.
If he does it right, the Knicks won’t need to be over-aggressive on help. Also expect to see some Anunoby on Embiid after past successes, especially with Towns showing he can be useful guarding and helping off a wing.
The 76ers are going to try to attack Brunson as part of their game plan, and he’ll need to be more prepared than when he gave up multiple big nights to CJ McCollum. Expect the fearless rookie Edgecombe to go at him with gusto early on.
Philadelphia has proven itself talented and viable, but they’re going up against a very tough New York team that isn’t trying to recover from a seven-game dogfight. Combine that with the bench and rebounding advantages, and it’s tough to see the Knicks not coming out of this one victorious.
COVERS INTEL: Seven of St. Louis’ projected starters own 
Kurt Helin
Vaughn Dalzell
