May 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It is nice to get a one-run win for a change. They are 5-10 in one run games. I expect that to level off some.
There is a bunch of little bits of Jays news:
Braydon Fisher gets the ‘start’ today, playing the opener for Spencer Miles. Maybe they can get four innings from Miles? Fisher has gone two innings once this season. But, it is likely the bullpen is going to have to cover 5ish innings. And we have been testing those arms a lot lately. That’s what I don’t like about bullpen days, there isn’t much room for taking a guy out quick if he ‘doesn’t have it that day’.
They are saying that Jesus Sanchez got winded last night on that diving non-catch. It was very awkward, but then it seems most of his plays in the outfield are awkward. He’s on a nice little run, hitting .429 over his last dozen games. A bit more power would be ok, but we’ll take what we can get.
John Schneider called Andrés Giménez’s 11-pitch at-bat was the at-bat of the season. And he has done very well with RISP .371/.385/.600. With bases empty .181/.200/.289. Some one should tell him there are always runners on base. I remember that Ryan Goins had a season like that and I said something like ‘if you can hit like that, why not do it all the time.’ I mean Goins had a career as a utility infielder. If he could flip a switch and be ‘Babe Ruth’ why not do that? Who doesn’t want to be rich? I think he blocked me on twitter soon after that. Which is fair.
Trey Yesavage struck Aaron Judge out three times yesterday. Watching Trey pitch yesterday, you get the feeling he’s going to win a Cy Young at some point. Having him and Dylan Cease at the top of the rotation for the few years should be fun.
How many times do you get to see two starting pitchers who are at the top of their game face each other. I remember Dave Stieb and Jack Morris. Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett? Well, Burnett wasn’t at the top of his game the time they faced each other.
Apparently, Cam Schlittle said the Jays ‘will BABIP the **** out of you’. He hasn’t watched them at all this season.
The Jays are still just 2 games back of a Wild Card spot which seems amazing. And more surprising, there are only three times to pass to get to it. The AL has been terrible this season, so far. But, really the Jays are going to have to get to .500 before we can seriously think about that. They are 5 games under .500 at the moment.
I had thought the strike zone was pretty big last night, but I was wrong, Sorry Brock.
Non-Jays, but wouldn’t this have been amazing:
Shohei Ohtani, Tampa Bay Ray? The proposed 2023 deadline deal that would’ve shocked baseball. Unlocked and free to read. https://t.co/l5qdrJWbKw
With the Arsenal Fun Boat having finally docked at its destination on Tuesday after a 22-year voyage, attention on Wednesday turned to Aston Villa’s Crazy Train as its passengers alighted in Istanbul. Having passed away last summer, Ozzy Osbourne, whose famous anthem serves as Villa’s walk-on music, was not present to see his team lift Bigger Vase but the ease with which they strolled to victory would certainly have met with his approval. In spanking three goals without reply past Freiberg, Unai Emery’s side ended a trophy drought that stretched back 30 years and for their Spanish manager it marked a fifth success in the competition with three different teams. It is a state of affairs rendered all the more remarkable by the weird quirk that each of them has ‘villa’ in their names.
Regarding songs to play during VAR decisions (Football Daily letters passim) how about Rise by Public Image Ltd, featuring the oft repeated line: ‘I could be wrong I could be right’?” – Adrian Bradshaw.
Why stop with VAR music to fill dead spots in games? Imagine, the next time a player goes down, hearing that memorable opening line from Johnny Cash, “I hear the trainer coming!” What? Oh” – John Nielsen-Gammon.
A doff of the cap to the great Unai Emery, who won the Uefa Emery League yet again last night but also achieved a rare, unprecedented double this season as he also got promotion to Primera Federación, the third tier of Spanish football, in April with Real Union, which he has been the owner of since 2021 (his father and grandfather used to play for them)” – Noble Francis
Re Steve McClaren and his new role at Rotherham (Football Daily passim, full email edition), do you think he thought it was Rotterdam and he got confused by the accent?” – Dan J Levy.
Mar 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (12) and Wizards guard Will Riley (27) in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Yesterday, the NBA released the 2025-26 All-Rookie Teams. As the team with the worst record last season, the Washington Wizards relied heavily on young rosters. However, that didn’t translate into any players making the first or second teams.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA All-Rookie Team.
That’s unfortunate, especially considering that both Tre Johnson and Will Riley averaged double figures in scoring. Johnson received 19 second team votes and 5 second team votes.
Wizards rookies Tre Johnson and Will Riley did not make either of the NBA All-Rookie Teams.
Johnson averaged 12.2 PPG on 35.8% 3PT across 60 games.
Riley came on toward the end of the season and finished averaging 10.3 PPG on 43.9% FG. pic.twitter.com/JR5EVRTKi7
Despite their omission from the Rookie team, this does not mean that Johnson and Riley aren’t poised to be long term contributors for Washington. Let’s call it motivation for the next year.
The Montreal Canadiens did not have a morning skate today ahead of their 8:00 PM game against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, as is often the case, the healthy scratches took to the ice after the Canes’ practice. TVA Sports’ Felix Seguin was at the arena and reported that there was a new face in that healthy scratch squad: Arber Xhekaj. The gritty defenseman skated alongside Jacob Fowler, Samuel Montembeault, Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher, and Joe Veleno.
That seems to indicate that Xhekaj, who played just 1:52 in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres, will make way for Jayden Struble tonight as the Habs kick off their third-round duel against the Hurricanes, as we suggested in our pre-game article. The Canes don’t play as physically as the Sabres do, so the move makes sense. That’s not to say the Canadiens shouldn’t bring some physicality themselves. Expect Josh Anderson, Samuel Bolduc, Kaiden Guhle and Struble to be ready to make the game uncomfortable for the opponents with some big hits.
Furthermore, against a rested Carolina team, Martin St-Louis will no doubt want to spread the workload among his defensemen better. Not that Xhekaj cannot play, but Struble has proven to be a viable option alongside Lane Hutson in the past. Given how much ice time the sophomore defenseman will have, it makes sense to have another blueliner he’s used to play with in the lineup.
That doesn’t mean we won’t see Xhekaj in this third round; if there are some extracurricular activities, he’ll be ready to jump back in if called upon. Because of Noah Dobson’s injury, Xhekaj and Struble have both seen a fair amount of action in these playoffs. The former was dressed for all but one of the games (Game 7 against the Lightning), and the latter was dressed for the entirety of the first-round but was sidelined in the second round.
As for the other reservists, Joe Veleno had played six games, Brendan Gallagher three (all in the first-round), and Patrik Laine wasn’t called upon, just like Samuel Montembeault.
And he maintained that feeling in a recent discussion about his playing career.
During the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast, which he co-hosts with NBA legend Steve Nash, James reiterated that he needs time to think about what he’ll do entering an offseason where he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.
LeBron James plans on making his retirement decision after an upcoming family vacation. Getty Images
“I’m still in the moment of just taking my time,” James said. “I haven’t even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I’m a free agent and I can control my own destiny — being here with [the Lakers] for a foreseeable future or if it’s going somewhere else.
“But like, I haven’t even really even got to that point. I haven’t even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day. That’s kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind. But, I think at some point in June, late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going and as July rolls around and maybe into August, we start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like.”
Free agency season is loading for @KingJames, but not until after Memorial Day.
James reiterated his family will be a priority in his decision. He and his wife, Savannah, have three kids: Lakers guard Bronny, 21; Arizona Wildcats guard Bryce, 18; and Zhuri, 12.
“It’s very important,” he said. “I mean, 1A and 1B, is [what] do I feel comfortable doing with my career? But also with my family, how do they feel about whatever decision that I’m able to come up with and make? And that’s a joint decision as well. It’s 1A and 1B. I don’t think one is higher than the other.”
James is coming off a two-year, $101.4 million contract with the Lakers that included a $52.6 million salary for 2025–26.
The options James will mull over are retirement, or play a record-extending 24th NBA season either after re-signing with the Lakers or signing with another team.
“If it’s continuing to play the game that I love, which I know I can still give so much to the game and play at a high level, or if it’s not,” James said, “but I have not gotten to that point yet. When I get there, it’d be fun to kind of see what the future could hold. Either if it’s, like I said, in another NBA arena for another year or not.”
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During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania mentioned that James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told him that virtually “every” contender has called Paul about James since the Lakers’ season ended.
James reaffirmed if he does return for a 24th season, it’ll be with a franchise where winning is the priority.
“Winning is most important,” James said. “Because you want to be excited about going to work every day. And being around a group of guys that feel the same way, and try not to take steps backwards. Understanding the season is a marathon, or whatever the case may be. But those building blocks throughout the course of the season is what matters when you get to the sprint, which is now, the postseason.
“I’m not going anywhere it’s a start over at Year 24. I’m done with that.”
James is coming off averaging 20.9 points (51.5% shooting, 31.7% on 3-pointers), 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 regular season games (career-low 33.2 minutes).
He upped his averages to 23.2 points (45.9% shooting, 32.7% on 3-pointers), 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds in the Lakers’ 10 playoff games (38.4 minutes) before they were swept by the Thunder in the second round.
James missed the first 14 regular season games because of sciatica he started dealing with last summer. He also entered the 2025 offseason dealing with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee that he suffered in the season-ending Game 5 loss to the Timberwolves in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
“I had a couple of bumps and bruises to end the season, but I think we can both agree that an offseason without rehab is a success after a long season,” James said to Nash. “I’ll take it.”
MIAMI (AP) — League One Volleyball is bringing an expansion franchise to Miami for its third season, boosting the women's professional volleyball league to 10 teams for its upcoming third season.
The league made the announcement on Thursday, adding that it will also introduce an Eastern and Western Conference format for the 2026-27 season.
Miami will join the league's Eastern Conference, along with Atlanta, Madison, Minnesota and Nebraska. The Western Conference will include Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, Salt Lake and San Francisco.
The league said the goal of the new format is to create new regional rivalries and more competition for fans and athletes.
“Expanding to Miami marks an exciting next chapter for the league as we continue building a truly national platform for professional volleyball," said commissioner Sandra Idehen in a statement. "Miami’s passion for sports, global influence, and deeply rooted volleyball community make it an ideal home for our newest team. With the addition of LOVB Miami and the launch of our Eastern and Western Conferences, we’re creating even more opportunities for regional rivalries, marquee matchups, and unforgettable fan experiences throughout the season.”
League One Volleyball, branded as LOVB and pronounced “LOVE,” launched in January 2025 after securing more than $100 million in funding from private equity and individuals, including Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and NBA star Kevin Durant.
It has expanded since debuting with six teams and is among numerous recently launched women's leagues hoping to capitalize on rapid growth in popularity and investment in women's sports.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the first inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on May 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (2-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. Dustin May (3-4, 4.81 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the St. Louis Cardinals looking to grab a win.
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The NHL and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Thursday announced their entry into a memorandum of understanding to protect the integrity of trading markets involving the league.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a formal, non-binding document that details the objectives and responsibilities of at least two parties.
Key Takeaways
The arrangement mirrors one the CFTC signed with the MLB in March.
The NHL was the first professional American sports league to partner with prediction platforms.
NHL data will be shared with the CFTC, which will help watch for insider trading
With the agreement in place, the NHL will work with the CFTC to help regulate prediction markets featuring NHL players, matches, and future events. In return, the CFTC — a federal agency in charge of regulating licensed prediction platforms — will use information and resources provided by the NHL to keep a watchful eye over customers' trades and to crack down on suspicious behavior.
The CFTC and the NHL also appointed representatives who will regularly communicate to collaborate on ideas related to the integrity of markets in hockey and related events. They will also share confidential information and maintain open lines of communication.
Additionally, the NHL has internal protections and integrity partners who help combat nefarious forms of sports betting and prediction trading.
The NHL was an early adopter of prediction platforms. Its deals with Kalshi and Polymarket, which were finalized last October, were the first between a professional American sports league and prediction operators.
“Integrity has always been and remains paramount to the NHL and fundamental to the trust our fans and partners place in our game,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
“Our agreement with the CFTC enhances the comprehensive integrity monitoring systems already in place and strengthens our ability to identify, deter, and address potential risks. This MOU reflects a shared commitment to transparency, oversight and protecting the integrity of the game.”
Although the MOU is non-binding, it establishes a deeper connection between the CFTC and one of the most popular sports leagues in America. This comes two months after the MLB signed the first MOU with the CFTC related to prediction market integrity.
Fighting against insider trading
The rapid growth in the popularity of prediction platforms has raised real concerns about the possibility of insider trading. An infamous example of that came when a U.S. soldier involved in the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro won more than $400,000 on Polymarket by predicting the event would happen shortly before embarking on the mission.
While the NHL already had employees and agencies responsible for identifying possible cases of insider trading, the new collaboration will strengthen its protection against these events.
“I’m proud the CFTC and NHL have officially signed an MOU, furthering the agency’s commitment to improve data sharing between professional sports leagues and the Commission,” said CFTC chairman Michael S. Selig.
“This agreement is another step toward safeguarding the integrity of sports and protecting market participants in prediction markets from insider trading, fraud, and other abuses. I applaud NHL Commissioner Bettman for collaborating with the CFTC and taking a leading role in protecting the integrity of professional hockey in our markets.”
While prediction platforms are experiencing a similar catapult into the mainstream as the sports betting boom that occurred after federal legalization in 2018, they should now be more equipped to identify and stop illicit behavior.
Taking the necessary steps
As NHL partners, Kalshi and Polymarket had already given the trading information access to the league’s data distributor and its betting integrity agency, IC360.
In other prediction market news, a new report from gambling research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated that Kalshi generated $1.3 billion in NHL trading volume during the year that ended at the start of May. That represented 2.8% of its American sports trading volume, just behind the MLB (3.2%).
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a double against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on May 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman doubled in each of his first two at-bats in Wednesday’s win over the San Diego Padres, finishing off a productive series at Petco Park. He now has 560 doubles in his career, tied for 30th all-time in MLB history.
He’s tied with Eddie Murray and Jeff Kent, both who like Freeman came to Los Angeles in the back half of their careers. Freeman and Murray were linked not only given their timing in joining the Dodgers, but by production as well. By similarity scores, Murray was the most similar player to Freeman for every age from 21 to 32. Murray and Kent are both in the Hall of Fame, and Freeman will join them one day in Cooperstown.
Freeman in his first four years with the Dodgers hit 180 doubles, the most in any four-year span in franchise history. He began the year tied for 34th all-time with Manny Ramirez, another former Dodger, and has since passed Alex Rodríguez and Freeman’s former Atlanta Braves teammate Chipper Jones.
Up next is Carlos Beltrán in 29th place with 565 doubles.
We are through 50 games of this Dodgers season, and Freeman has 13 doubles, putting him on pace for 42 this year. Freeman has five seasons with at least 40 doubles in his career, plus 39 doubles last season.
The New York Mets will try to salvage a series split as they take on the Washington Nationals this afternoon.
The Washington offense continues to roll night after night, and I like it to get a win and carry the Over in my Mets vs. Nationals predictions.
Read on for more analysis and to get my free MLB picks for Thursday, May 14.
Who will win Mets vs Nationals today: Nationals moneyline (+100)
New York Mets starter David Peterson has struggled to get back to the pitcher he was in early 2025. He’s 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA this season, and while he’s been better working behind an opener, his stuff still isn’t what it once was.
Mets vs Nationals Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-122)
The Nationals have been the best offensive team in the majors so far this season, scoring 5.58 runs per game. That might be more sustainable than many suspect, as Washington has a .331 xwOBA on the year, sixth-best in the league.
But the Mets offense is waking up as well. New York has averaged 7.0 runs per game over its last nine, and both Juan Soto and Bo Bichette have hit three homers in this series so far. These teams are putting up tons of runs, and the Over is the play tonight.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-13, -4.98 units
Over/Under bets: 7-13, -6.53 units
Mets vs Nationals odds
Moneyline: Mets +100 | Nationals -104
Run line: Mets +1.5 (-213) | Nationals -1.5 (+203)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-117) | Under 7.5 (+113)
Mets vs Nationals trend
The Over is 5-0-1 in six meetings between the Mets and Nationals this season. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Nationals.
How to watch Mets vs Nationals and game info
Location
Nationals Park, Washington, DC
Date
Thursday, May 21, 2026
First pitch
4:05 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Nationals.TV
Mets starting pitcher
David Peterson (2-4, 5.40 ERA)
Nationals starting pitcher
Cade Cavalli (2-2, 4.05 ERA)
Mets vs Nationals latest injuries
Mets vs Nationals 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.
White Sox fans have seen it all, complained about most of it, and still came back for more. | (Patrick Gorski/Imagn Images)
Welcome back to our Discussion series. With an off-day to sit and ponder, today’s question focuses on the people who live and die with every pitch: what are the best and worst traits of our fan base?
South Siders are a cocktail of loyalty, humor, pure stubbornness, and survival instinct. This bunch has survived more rebuilds, fake turnarounds, and bullpen implosions than anyone should have to. Still, we show up and convince ourselves that the next batch of prospects is the answer. Pride? Sure. Baggage? Lots of it.
Some say White Sox fans are some of the sharpest and most passionate in the game. Others say decades of letdowns have baked in an expectation of disaster before hope can even stretch its legs. Is that hard-earned wisdom, or just pessimism that has become deeply embedded in the fan experience?
No trophies for ‘best fans’ here, and no need to air out the laundry. We’re just curious about what actually makes Sox fans tick. Is it the stubborn loyalty, the pitch-black humor, the endless Twitter brawls? Or is there something uniquely South Side that outsiders simply don’t understand?
Step up and sound off because if there’s one thing Sox fans never run short on, it’s opinions.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 23: Catcher David Fry #6 and Tyler Freeman #2 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate a 4-1 win against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field on April 23, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Stephen Vogt is a great manager, but we need to see some adjustment in how he uses David Fry.
Good news on David Fry! He appears to be a solid major league hitter. He has a 112 wRC+ this season and a 110 wRC+ for his career.
Bad news on Guardians’ catchers! The Guards have two amazing defensive catchers who cannot hit a lick – Hedges has a career 51 wRC+ and Bailey has a career 71 wRC+.
Good news! David Fry can play catcher, so he can be put in a catcher position to allow the team not to endure a Patrick Bailey or Austin Hedges at-bat with the game on the line.
Bad news! Stephen Vogt seems to have too much confidence in Bailey and Hedges as hitters (mistake!) and/or not enough confidence in David Fry as a catcher (he may be right!) to optimally employ this strategy. Notably, he can pinch-hit for Bailey or Hedges in the 7th or 8th and then get whichever defensive savant he wants in the game in the 9th to relieve Fry to reduce any defensive risks.
Last night, in the bottom of the fifth last night, Tuesday, May 20th, with right-hander Kyle Finnegan on the mound, Stephen Vogt pinch-hit Travis Bazzana for David Fry, who was in right-field at the time. I am really not sure why he did this, as Finnegan was clearly at the end of his appearance and Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch was likely to bring a lefty in to face a left-handed hitter, as he proceeded to do. Mostly, the issue with this move was the Fry was now unavailable to move to catcher if a pinch-hitter was needed for Patrick Bailey later in the game. This is not an isolated incident, nor is choosing to start David Fry at DH where moving him to catcher requires the team to lose the DH-spot.
Consequently, the worst possible outcome occurred later in the game. Needing one run to tie the game, Patrick Bailey took the most important at-bat of the game for the Guardians with only Petey Halpin and Austin Hedges available on the bench to bat for him. Bailey got the groundball to tie the game, but not without significant travail. Now, Bazzana did single ahead of Bailey’s at-bat to give the team the chance to tie the game, so maybe Vogt wins on this gambit. Yet, it doesn’t change the fact that Vogt and the team need to be clear on this strategem – if at all possible, Fry needs to be kept available to be used in the catcher spot so that Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey do not have the fate of any game resting on their bats unless absolutely necessary.
Stop being confident in Bailey and Hedges to hit with the game on the line. There is AMPLE evidence that neither should be trusted to hit. Optimize David Fry’s presence on this roster by leveraging him into catcher at-bats late in close games. Please and thank you.
Ray Bennett, the longtime NHL assistant who spent last season running their woeful power play, won’t return for the 2026-27 campaign, the team announced, and the Capitals subsequently announced that he’d joined their staff as an assistant.
The decision for Bennett to leave the Islanders was mutual, according to The Post’s Ethan Sears, and it marked the second change since the Islanders’ season ended outside of the playoffs — with AHL head coach Rocky Thompson also getting promoted to the NHL staff earlier this month after one year running Bridgeport.
Assistant coach Ray Bennett of the New York Islanders works the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena on April 09, 2026 in Elmont, New York. Getty Images
“The organization would like to thank Ray for his hard work and dedication to the organization last season,” the Islanders said in a statement.
Bennett, who also spent time as an assistant with the Blues and Kings, arrived last year as an addition to Patrick Roy’s staff after a stint with the Avalanche running their power play, but the Islanders’ unit kept struggling and finished with the third-worst unit in the NHL during the regular season at 16.5 percent.
Over the final 12 games of the regular season, with the Islanders clinging to their playoff hopes, they converted just five of their 34-man advantage opportunities, and that percentage worsened to just 2-for-18 across their final six games.
That, somehow, marked an improvement from their 12.5 percent rate from 2024-25.
Matthew Schaefer, who won the Calder Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year, led the Islanders with eight power-play goals while Bo Horvat added seven, but no one else collected more than five.
New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer looks on during the third period against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
It’ll serve as a primary issue for DeBoer, who coached the final four games after Patrick Roy’s firing, and his staff to solve entering next season, and now, with Bennett not returning, someone else will be tasked with running it, too.
Two of the key contributors for their teams in Game 1 — Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper and Thunder star Jalen Williams — both could not finish Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals due to what appears to be hamstring injuries. Both are set to undergo an MRI, reports Tim MacMahon and Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The status for both in Game 3 — and the rest of the series — remains in question.
Williams missed six Thunder playoff games — two against the Suns and the entire Lakers series — with a left hamstring strain, and that was the leg again getting treatment. After a 26-point, seven-rebound performance in Game 1, Williams played just seven minutes in Game 2 before leaving the game, getting treatment on the bench for a while before going back to the locker room and being ruled out for the night.
It's been an injury-plagued season for Williams, who made an All-NBA team a season ago and was a critical part of Oklahoma City's title run, but played in just 33 games this season due to recovery from wrist surgery and then a right hamstring strain. Harper, the Spurs rookie, had a breakout Game 1 starting in place of the injured De'Aaron Fox (ankle): 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and seven steals. However, he left the game in the third quarter of Game 2 not to return, with what appeared to be a right hamstring injury.
Harper’s absence as a ball-handler, alongside Fox missing both games this series due to ongoing ankle soreness after rolling it in the last series against Minnesota, has put a lot of pressure on Stephon Castle as the primary ball-handler and shot-creator against an elite defensive team in Oklahoma City. The result is that Castle has 20 turnovers through the two games of this Western Conference Finals. "They turn you over," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said of the Thunder after Game 2. "So when you're down some of your primary creators and initiators, it causes a little bit of an extra strain, whether that's who to play, what to play, what to run, etc. It's tough fully loaded against these guys."
We should have official word on Harper and Williams as we move closer to the tip-off of Game 3, on Friday night in San Antonio (tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET, a game you can catch on NBC or stream on Peacock).
However, it seems unlikely either Harper or Williams would play in Game 3, and their status for the rest of the series may be up in the air.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics arrives to the arena before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2025-26 season had a lot of surprises for Boston Celtics fans. Jaylen Brown’s ascension to a top-10 player over the regular season. Neemias Queta’s explosive growth into a serviceable starting center. The Stay Ready crew’s energy and impact. Sadly, a disappointing first-round playoff exit.
However, one of the biggest surprises was the disappearance of Derrick White’s shot. White may have started his career in San Antonio with a shaky shot, but he developed into a certified sniper in 2022-23 — his first full season with the Celtics — and shot at least 38.1% from three-point range over the three seasons preceding 2025-26.
So, what went wrong this season? And what might it mean for his future with the team?
Examining White’s shooting over the 2025-26 season
There was no gradual buildup to White’s shooting struggles: it was evident right out of the gate. The 31-year-old started the season with a string of inauspicious “tour date” shooting performances, kicked off with 7/20 shooting from the field in the Celtics’ opening night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He shot only 4/13, or 30.8%, from three-point range on opening night, but that proved to be his most efficient showing over the first seven games of the season. Over those seven games, White hit only 30.8% of his shots from the field and 25% of his three-point attempts while jacking up almost 17 field goal attempts per game.
In lieu of Jayson Tatum, the Celtics resorted to using White as a second option on offense, as he finished behind only Jaylen Brown in shot attempts per game. While he put up 12.6 field goal attempts per game the year before, he shot 16.2 per game over the first 38 games of the 2025-26 season — a nearly 30% increase.
Despite a handful of explosive performances, like a 33-point showing on 55% shooting from the field and 64.3% shooting from three-point range against the Miami Heat last December, White clearly struggled early on with his newly expanded role on offense.
Nevertheless, he seemed to build some momentum toward the end of 2025. White’s three-point shooting efficiency improved from 25.4% on 10.5 attempts per game in October to 35.7% on 7.5 attempts in November, then to 38.2% in December on 10.9 attempts per game.
That momentum collapsed in January, when he shot only 37.3% from the field and 25.9% from three-point range, but things evened out a little in February, when he shot 39.5% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range.
By the time Tatum returned in March, White was shooting 39.2% from the field on 15.2 attempts per game and 33% on 8.8 three-point attempts per game — both well below his career averages.
Many pundits (including me) expected Tatum’s return to benefit White by lessening his offensive load and allowing him to be used in a more off-ball role. While his volume drastically decreased with Tatum back on the court — he attempted only 11.4 field goals and 6.5 three-pointers per game following Tatum’s return on March 6 — his efficiency did not improve. In fact, from three-point range, it only got worse: White hit only 30.9% of his three-pointers over his last 17 games with Tatum back in the lineup.
Volume-wise, it was a career year for White. He averaged a career-high 16.5 points on 14.4 shot attempts per game, 4.4 rebounds (the second-highest mark of his career) and 5.4 assists — another career high. He also averaged career highs in steals per game (1.1) and blocks per game (1.3).
However, it may have been White’s single-worst season in terms of shooting efficiency. He shot 39.4% from the field (the worst mark of his career) and 32.7% on 8.3 three-point attempts per game (his second-worst three-point shooting season of his career). His 48.9% effective field goal and 52.9% true shooting percentages were also career-worsts.
His expanded offensive role through February played into that inefficiency, as he was only assisted on 71.8% of his three-point makes over the course of the season, and only 11.4% of his three-point attempts were from the corner — both being the lowest marks of his Celtics tenure and the second-lowest marks of his career in their respective categories.
White’s shooting struggles got even worse in the playoffs, where he shot 32.1% from the field on 11.6 shot attempts per game and 27.3% on 7.9 three-point attempts. His lack of success seemed to impact his confidence, too, as he hesitated on a handful of open shots and passed out of multiple scoring opportunities, even when the Celtics were desperate for a basket. He did not score more than 11 points until he broke out in Game 7 (interestingly enough with Tatum sitting out with an injury) but, by then, it was too late.
Is White’s future in Boston at risk?
Despite White’s huge contributions to the 2023-24 championship run and the team’s overall success in recent years, he could be on the chopping block if Brad Stevens is looking to make waves this offseason.
His defense remains elite — it seems like he only gets better and better at racking up stocks at the years go by — but it is unclear if the soon-to-be 32-year-old can regain the shooting efficiency that made him one of the best role players in the game.
A consistent, smaller role than the one he was pushed into for 2025-26 may help since White has historically been at his best as a tertiary option behind the Jays. He did struggle to hit shots while playing alongside Tatum this year, but that may be due to his fluctuating role on offense as he was asked to step up as a creator in the early season, then got lost in the mix upon JT’s return.
If White is unable to return to form, he might not fit in if the team continues to be built around the Jays and a three-point-heavy offense moving forward. Neither of the Jays are elite shooters in terms of efficiency from deep, but their gravity can create open opportunities for others, so they need to be surrounded by above-average shooters who can capitalize on those open looks in order for Joe Mazzulla’s offense to churn at a high gear.
Other factors to consider regarding White’s future in Boston are his salary, age, and redundancy with the team’s up-and-comers.
White will be 32 by the time the 2026-27 season begins, with two years of more than $30 million in guaranteed salary and a $34,844,000 player option for 2028-29. Stevens got the C’s under the luxury tax this year, but that price tag is difficult to maintain next to the Jays’ two supermax deals. Following the 2026-27 season, the contracts of Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza and Amari Williams will expire, so it could prove to be quite a task to retain them while keeping White and the Jays.
Additionally, White has earned his reputation as an elite role player so, in combination with his sizable contract, he could be used as an asset in potential trade deals. That’s also where his redundancy with others on the team could come into play, since Boston has Payton Pritchard on a bargain contract and a small collection of young, exciting wings on rookie deals, like Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez.
If Stevens is serious about upgrading the Celtics’ impact at the rim, he may see White and his contract as more expendable than Pritchard or the team’s stable of young wings.
White has become a fan favorite in Boston for his defensive impact, willingness to lose teeth to win games, and his magical buzzer-beating shot in Miami to send the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals to Game 7, but he could end up a trade casualty regardless — especially if he can’t get his shot back early next season.
COVERS INTEL: The 
