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Jarrett Allen’s double-double powers Cavaliers past Raptors in Game 7 to set up Pistons showdown

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Jarrett Allen, wearing a black jersey with
The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors in Game 7.

CLEVELAND — Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 114-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 7 of their series Sunday night.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points and James Harden added 18 in a series in which the home team won all seven games.

Cleveland, the No. 4 seed, will visit top-seeded Detroit on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the second round. The Central Division rivals split their four regular-season meetings.

“I think we’ve already moved on (to focusing on Detroit),” Mitchell said on the court immediately after the final buzzer. “We understand we won this game, but we play in a couple days.,”

Scottie Barnes had 24 points and nine rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 23 for the Raptors, who were in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Jarrett Allen attempts a dunk during the Cavaliers’ Game 7 win May 3. AP

All-Star forward Brandon Ingram missed his second straight game with a bruised right heel.

“We gave it all, everything we had today,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “Our guys were awesome. We made it hard on them.”

Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, as Cleveland went on a 49-21 run during a 15-minute span over the second and third quarters where it turned a nine-point deficit into an 19-point advantage.

One of Allen’s baskets during the third quarter was a fast-break dunk after Max Strus stole the ball from Barnes to make it 74-59.

Cleveland was 17 of 33 from the field, including five 3-pointers, during the run while converting seven of Toronto’s turnovers into 14 points. The Raptors shot 6 of 23 and were 1 of 8 behind the arc.

The Cavaliers also had a 25-8 rebounding advantage during the spurt, and converted 10 offensive boards into 14 points.

“They were scoring in transition, getting some offensive rebounds,” Barnes said. “The offensive rebounds were giving them extra possessions. That really hurt us, giving them momentum.”

Donovan Mitchell drives to the basket during the Cavaliers’ May 3 game against the Raptors. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Toronto led for most of the first half and had a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter before Cleveland began its comeback.

The Cavaliers were down 47-38 with 2:58 remaining before going on a 11-2 run to close the half and tie it at 49. The Cavs were 4 of 17 on 3-pointers before Harden, Strus and Jaylon Tyson connected from beyond the arc.

“Sam (Merrill) said this whole series, we haven’t closed out the second quarter. We all took that to heart. We all looked at ourselves and decided that now was the time to do it,” said Allen, who had his 11th double-double in a playoff game. “I think the defensive stops, rebounds and the offense is still shaky in some areas, but I think when we rebound the ball and get stops, that just translates to the offense so much better and transition and open shots for everybody.”

Cleveland took the lead with nine straight points to open the third quarter as Mitchell scored five and Mobley added four.

“In the first half, we were forcing it too much, driving down tunnels and forcing it to the basket,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Sometimes you have to move the defense. We just kept hammering that message.”

The Cavaliers are 6-5 in Game 7s, including unbeaten in five home games. Toronto fell to 3-4 in Game 7 and 0-2 on the road.

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Another NHL Chance For Former Senators GM Pierre Dorion?

When the Senators parted ways with head coach DJ Smith and GM Pierre Dorion during the 2023–24 season, it was fair to wonder if they'd get another opportunity. The two men were at the helm through some pretty dark days for the franchise, including a seemingly never-ending rebuild.

But after a couple of seasons as an assistant coach in L.A., Smith resurfaced this season as the Kings' interim head coach when Jim Hiller was fired, and helped guide them to the post-season.

It was a reminder that everyone is usually better in their second job because of the lessons learned in their first.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said last week that he's frustrated by the incessant questions about his future.

The Vancouver Canucks, with the worst record in the NHL this season, think there’s a chance that may also be true for Dorion.

According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Canucks, after firing Patrik Allvin on April 17, have interviewed Dorion for their GM vacancy.

Dorion was fired in 2023 because of the Senators’ botched communications during their 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Sens failed to disclose Dadonov’s no-trade list, which derailed the Knights’ later attempt to trade him to Anaheim.

The NHL penalized the Senators by docking them a first-round draft pick, a debt they were scheduled to pay off this year until Gary Bettman recently let them off the hook. The Sens will draft 32nd overall this summer, no matter what.

Dorion certainly had a long list of missteps as GM in Ottawa, but it’s not hard to imagine that, under the late Eugene Melnyk, there was considerable meddling in hockey matters.

Interestingly, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Dorion's former assistant GM may be competing with him for the Canucks job. After Dorion was fired in Ottawa, Ryan Bowness spent another year and a half with the Sens as associate GM under new Sens GM Steve Staios.

Dorion did have some highlights, though, including arguably the most lucrative first round in Sens history. He took Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson in the 2020 Draft and eventually signed both to team-friendly long-term deals. He also grabbed Ridly Greig in the first round that year.

The 53-year-old Ottawa native made the most of the 2018 Erik Karlsson trade to San Jose, acquiring Josh Norris, Dylan DeMelo, and Chris Tierney, along with a 2020 first-round pick that became Stützle, and a 2019 second that was packaged so they could draft Mads Søgaard.

He also has an ace in the hole.

While the Canucks have interviewed other candidates, no one will be able to match Dorion’s GM experience in navigating the pitfalls of an NHL rebuild while dealing with challenging ownership.

That job experience would almost certainly come in handy in Vancouver.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Tkachuk's Future In Ottawa Hinges On Senators Taking A Big Step Next SeasonTkachuk's Future In Ottawa Hinges On Senators Taking A Big Step Next SeasonThe Senators' Atlantic voyage next season will likely determine whether their captain stays with his ship.
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Pistons advance in playoffs for 1st time in 18 years, beating Magic 116-94

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists, Tobias Harris added 30 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Sunday to win a playoff series for the first time in 18 years.

Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008. The Pistons advance to play the winner of Sunday evening’s Game 7 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Game 1 will be Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the second in the last two nights, after the Philadelphia 76ers came back to eliminate Boston.

They trailed by 24 points in Game 6 in Orlando before rallying to take the series at home. Orlando only scored 113 points in the final six quarters of the series — an average of 18.8 per period.

Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons teammates to score 30 points in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) against the Golden State Warriors on April 17, 1977.

CAVALIERS 114, RAPTORS 102

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory over Toronto in Game 7 of their series.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points and James Harden added 18 in a series in which the home team won all seven games.

Cleveland, the No. 4 seed, will visit top-seeded Detroit on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the second round. The Central Division rivals split their four regular-season meetings.

Scottie Barnes had 24 points and nine rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 23 for the Raptors, who were in the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, as Cleveland went on a 49-21 run during a 15-minute span over the second and third quarters where it turned a nine-point deficit into an 19-point advantage.

Toronto led for most of the first half and had a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter before Cleveland began its comeback.

The Cavaliers were down 47-38 with 2:58 remaining before going on a 11-2 run to close the half and tie it at 49. The Cavs were 4 of 17 on 3-pointers before Harden, Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson connected from beyond the arc.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Raptors Game 7 – Role players get the job done

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers CLECAV looks on against the Toronto Raptors during Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 4-3 to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

22 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers

This wasn’t a great game from Mitchell, per se. We’ve seen him play much better than this. But compared to his recent performances, this felt huge. Mitchell fit in more than he fit out, despite starting the game 6-16 from the floor. The Cavs better utilized the space around him, cutting into the lane and pounding the offensive glass.

If you can’t get Mitchell free, you can at least use the defensive attention he receives to your advantage elsewhere. The Cavs did that, and Mitchell leaned further into it than in the games before.

Grade: C+

James Harden

18 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 turnovers

Harden took care of the ball for his fewest turnovers in a game this series. That’s impressive stuff for a player who has struggled in elimination games in the past. Harden, like Mitchell, didn’t have his shot falling tonight. He was only 1-5 from deep and 3-9 from the floor. But he worked the extra mile to get into the teeth of Toronto’s defense and forced them into rotation just enough to keep the offense running smoothly.

Then on defense, Harden had his occasional lapses, but he also turned up huge for three steals that all felt like energizers.

He, of course, also kept the bigs involved. That’s half the reason you traded for him.

Grade: B

Evan Mobley

13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Mobley was a beast in games 5-6. His increased aggression and clutch performances were everything you hoped to see from him. I wouldn’t say much changed about his approach to tonight — only that his frontcourt partner stole the show.

This should be a moment of graduation for Mobley. He responded to a horrid stretch on the road by rattling off three of the more impactful and successful games of his playoff career. If he carries this forward, the Cavs will be in serious business.

Grade: B

Jarrett Allen

22 points, 19 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks

I don’t think anything I type will do justice to the type of night Jarrett Allen just had.

“Man, he really put us over the top,” said Kenny Atkinson. “Best I’ve seen him.”

The Fro put on an absolute clinic in playoff toughness. He bruised the Toronto frontcourt, hammering them on the glass for 19 rebounds, 8 of which were offensive. Each rebound feels bigger than the last when playing in a Game 7 on your home floor. Allen punched in a deadly combo and ended the Raptors’ season with his rim-running efforts.

Grade: A+++

Dean Wade

5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Wade returned to the starting lineup tonight, and it immediately felt like the Cavs made the wrong decision. His indecisiveness on offense can make it hard to keep him on the floor. Especially against an aggressive team like the Raptors.

But Wade’s defense more than made up for that in this series. And despite this being his worst offensive game of the series, his minutes still felt impactful.

Grade: C+

Max Strus

12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Strus shot just 2-8 from downtown but was a team-high plus 20 tonight. I don’t think that’s a mistake. He had one of his better games of the series, bringing all of the intangibles you need to pull off a Game 7 victory. His intensity as an on-ball defender was a bright spot and something we hadn’t seen from him yet in the playoffs this year.

Grade: B+

Jaylon Tyson

7 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Tyson’s composure in his first Game 7 was a standout. The young wing has never feared the moment before, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise.

The Cavs used Tyson in the short-roll to unlock their offense and punish Toronto for swarming the ball. His decision-making over the last two games showed that Tyson’s versatility can translate to the playoffs. The lights will only get brighter, but Tyson seems to be ready for that pressure.

Grade: B+

Sam Merrill

13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Merrill’s scoring kept the Cavs from falling too far behind in the first half. His quick trigger from deep was a vital release valve for Cleveland against an athletic Raptors defense.

Grade: A-

Dennis Schroder

2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

Schroder’s Game 5 takeover was the anomaly from this series. Still, the additional ball handling he provides took pressure off Mitchell and Harden and widened their margin for error. That was helpful, though Schroder shot just 1-7 from the floor.

Grade: D

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Jarrett Allen, Donovan Mitchell each have big nights as Cavaliers pull away to take Game 7 from Raptors

For the final 27 minutes of Game 7, the Cleveland Cavaliers that a lot of people expected to show up in Game 1 — the one with more talent than their Toronto opponents — finally showed up.

In the final three minutes of the second quarter through the end of the third quarter, the Cavaliers shot 51.5% from the floor, hit 38.5% of their 3-point attempts, grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and turned them into 14 points, and forced seven turnovers that became 14 points the other way. In that same stretch, Toronto shot 29.2% from the field and was 1-of-8 from 3.

By the end of that, the Cavaliers had turned a nine point deficit into a 19 point lead, and the game was all but over.
Toronto made a push in the fourth but never got the deficit down to single digits, and Cleveland cruised to a 114-102 Game 7 win.

With the victory, the Cavaliers advance and will travel to Detroit to take on the No. 1 seed Pistons on Tuesday night for the start of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The star of this game for Cleveland was big man Jarrett Allen, who stepped up with Evan Mobley in foul trouble and finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds (eight of those offensive), three blocks and a couple of steals.

Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavaliers and James Harden, after a slow start, scored 18.

Scottie Barnes had a strong game for the Raptors with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, plus nine rebounds. RJ Barrett added 23 points, but shot just 9-of-25 to get there. As a team, Toronto shot 29% from 3-point range for the game.

In the first half, it looked like the Cavaliers might be plagued by the things that slowed them all series. Cleveland had 13 turnovers leading to 14 Toronto points in the first half, and that, combined with the Cavaliers' starting 4-of-15 from beyond the arc, had the Raptors leading the whole way, by as many as 10. It was only getting to the free-throw line that was keeping the Cavaliers within striking distance.

And they did strike — an 11-2 run to end the half tied the game up, and it was 49-49 at the break. That was where the Cavaliers started to turn everything around.

Cleveland started the third quarter with a 9-0 run, five of those from Mitchell. Toronto started the third 3-of-12 from the floor, but the bigger issue was the five quick turnovers that had the Cavaliers running the other way.

Suddenly, the Cavaliers were up by 15 and in control. That lead stretched out to 22, and after that, the game was never really in doubt.

This is the Cavaliers who need to show up in Detroit on Tuesday.

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Sox fazed by Friars, drop series finale, 4-3

May 3, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Anthony Kay (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Anthony Kay did the best he could to secure a series sweep, but fell short. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

If you had told me about six weeks ago how disappointed I would be at the Sox losing a 4-3 nailbiter and failing to complete a series sweep against one of the National League’s better teams, I probably would’ve told you that it was a good thing.

And I would be correct! While today’s tight 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Padres was certainly a frustrating one to watch, it speaks volumes that I actually expected them to have a chance to win, even after falling behind in the middle innings. They aren’t exactly the Cardiac Bears of this past fall, but if this game gave me anything, it’s that the late innings of a close game are no longer completely futile for the White Sox.

That might seem like backhanded praise, but when it comes to the post-2021 White Sox there haven’t been many avenues for giving them credit without a healthy dollop of criticism. What may seem like a baseline to many other franchises — still hanging around .500 as we get close to a third of the way through the season — seems like excellence to us. That might be embarrassing to some degree, but then again, if you care about being embarrassed, the White Sox are unequivocally the wrong team to get behind.

As has been much the case lately, pitching wasn’t much to blame for today’s tally in the loss column. At the same time, we’re getting to the point in the season where it becomes easy to understand who exactly you do or do not want on the mound at any given time. And as stellar as the Sox pitching staff has been as of late, Griffin Canning gave the kind of performance that would likely make fans wish the South Siders had landed him to fill out the back of their rotation rather than Anthony Kay. Kay has had his moments, and he’s giving the team a chance to win, but after a bit less than a month and a half of play, it seems clear that even a highly successful campaign across the Pacific isn’t quite enough to make a pitcher who can actually get through a big league lineup more than twice.

To be fair, Kay did hold serve plenty well early on, keeping San Diego off the board long enough for backup catcher Drew Romo to continue his best Seby Zavala impression and get the Sox offense rolling early.

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Unfortunately, the lefty then provided another few reminders of why it’s been a few years since he consistently threw the ball in an American time zone, as he wasted little time in giving the lead back up thanks to two homers within a span of three plate appearances to homers from Miguel Andujar and San Diego’s third baseman, who Sox fans might be familiar with as the cousin of franchise legend Jon Jay and brother-in-law of noted Chicago slugger Yonder Alonso.

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Canning was locked in after Romo’s dinger, but Sox hitters managed to get him out of their faces after five innings. At that point they were confronted with lefthander Adrián Morejón, who probably made them wish they were still facing Canning given Morejón’s bevy of 100 mph sinkers against which Sox hitters had virtually no chance.

There was one member of the Sox who seemed unfazed by Morejón’s electric stuff, as Derek Hill reminded us all that he’s more than a defensive replacement by smashing a home run to deep left-center field to tie things up at three in the seventh inning.

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That’s when Jordan Leasure came into the game. While I have been a fan of Leasure since his acquisition, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny that the man is simply not the candidate for holding leads or preserving close games. On this day, however, Leasure did his job. It was the combo of righty Tyler Davis and lefty Bryan Hudson — both of whom have admittedly been outstanding, to this point — that did the damage in this one. Davis allowed the first runs of his big league career at a rather inopportune time, allowing a walk and a pair of singles in a manner that gave Xander Bogaerts the chance to put the Padres ahead with just a few outs to play.

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It goes without saying that given the presence of Mason Miller, the Padres are probably the last team in the league you want to be playing a close game against in the late innings. Although the Sox did manage to scratch across a baserunner thanks to Tristan Peters poking a scrappy single to right field, that was all the ink the Sox had in their pen this series. Miller had little trouble retiring everyone else he faced to secure a win for the Friars.

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The squad will be staying out west for the rest of the week, as they now head north to Anaheim for another three-game set with the Angels. We’ll see you for that one tomorrow night, at 8:38 p.m. Central time!

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White Sox Minor League Update: May 3, 2026

Korey Lee drove in the tying run and had the walk-off RBI to lead the Knights to a win. | Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights

The big news today came from a player participating in very likely his last game in Double-A: Braden Montgomery, South Side Sox’s No. 1 White Sox prospect, is joining the Triple-A Charlotte Knights on his way up to the South Side. Montgomery has been outstanding so far in 2026, slashing .313/.429/.606 and hitting six homers after putting up just 12 all of last season. Montgomery’s rise through the system has been swift: The former Boston first-rounder made his pro debut at Kannapolis in 2025, and traversed three levels (up to Double-A) over the course of the summer. His Spring Training work with the White Sox impressed, and it was somewhat surprising that he was reassigned to Birmingham to begin 2026. But he’s headed east to Charlotte now, and the countdown for his debut on the South Side — almost certainly to come later this year — is officially on.

Charlotte Knights 10, Gwinnett Stripers 9
The Knights (16-17) ended up splitting the series with the Stripers (20-13) after a walk-off win Sunday, 10-9, despite the Charlotte pitching being a little rough round the edges. Lefthander Hagen Smith slightly struggled through the first inning after loading the bases with all three of his walks on the day, and a two-run single marked the lone hit he gave up to give Gwinnett an early two-run lead. Smith settled in after that and was solid for his remaining pair of frames and ended up striking out three and was able to maintain a sub-3.00 ERA, now sitting at 2.82 after seven starts and 22 1/3 innings.

Charlotte’s bullpen also wasn’t on its A-game, and every pitcher who appeared on Sunday surrendered at least one run. Jonathan Cannon allowed the most runs out of the pen (three) in three innings of relief, and is sitting at a 11.85 ERA in 13 2/3 innings (four games) — woof. The Knights offense had taken a one-run lead in the bottom of the second with RBI doubles from Josh Breaux and Jacob Gonzalez — an exclamation point to Gonzalez’s three-hit day — but Gwinnett tied it up in the fourth and the arm barn fumbled the lead shortly thereafter.

That brings us to today’s hero: Korey Lee. Not only did Lee join Gonzalez in the three-hit club, but he capped off a five-run eighth inning with a solo homer to give Charlotte a one-run lead, 9-8. Unfortunately, Zach Franklin gave up a solo homer to Rowdy Tellez in the top of the ninth to tie the game at nine, blowing the save.

But Lee struck again in the bottom of the ninth, walking the game off on a bases loaded, line-drive single up the middle, 10-9, saving Franklin’s outing by gifting him the win.

Birmingham Barons 10, Chattanooga Lookouts 9
They didn’t take the same route there, but the Barons (13-14) and Lookouts (18-9) ended up with the same score as the Knights, with Birmingham outlasting first-place Chattanooga to win the series and their third in a row, 10-9. Two five-run innings for the Barons carried them through to the end, but the bullpen threatened to hand the lead over to the Lookouts.

For four innings, Connor McCullough shut Chattanooga down with just three hits, a walk, and two strikeouts, and the pen had started out strong with one clean inning but essentially spoiled his start.

The sixth inning, especially, was a complete mess. It took three pitchers to get out of the inning after the Lookouts dropped a six-spot to take a one-run lead. Lefthander Jacob Heatherly was responsible for four of the runs, only getting one out before being replaced by Eric Adler. Two more scored off of Adler, receiving the blown save after giving up the lead, also only recording one out before Chase Watkins came in to clean it up and get the third out. Watkins would end up with the win, thanks to the Birmingham hitters exploding for another five runs the very next inning, which set up Nick Altermatt for his first save of the season.

Before officially being promoted to the Triple-A Knights later in the day, Braden Montgomery was 1-for-4 with a run scored, finally making the jump to the next level with an outstanding 1.035 OPS to start the season. The RBI leader for today, however, Wilfred Veras after a three-run homer. And it was another forgotten prospect, Jacob Burke, who tallied three hits for the second day in a row (3-for-5) while driving in two.

Overall the Barons went 6-for-13 with RISP and left six on base, while outhitting the Lookouts, 9-7, and stealing three bases in four attempts.

Greensboro Grasshoppers 8, Winston-Salem Dash 6
The Dash (16-11) were outhit 12-9 by the Grasshoppers (16-11), and a rocky defense committing three errors that led to three unearned runs ended up being the difference in the W-S defeat. The loss was charged to righthander Jake Curtis after Greensboro tagged him for five runs on six hits, though just two of those runs were earned; the home run he gave up hurt a bit more and almost negated his six Ks. Winston-Salem’s bullpen performance wasn’t terrible and at least the final three runs were earned, but the two additional runs that Garrett Wright relinquished were the nail in the coffin for the Dash.

Both Kyle Lodise and Kaleb Freeman drove in a pair of runs each for the Winston-Salem offense, while Anthony DePino stayed hot at the plate with another multi-hit day. The Dash definitely had their chances to win, but went just 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left a whopping 14 runners on base. Caleb Bonemer reached base four times, going 1-for-3 with three walks, and while his error didn’t cost a run this time around, he’s committed seven now this season. He’s fielding just .900 at third base, and .895 at short. Let’s get that glove worked in, Caleb!

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7, Augusta GreenJackets 6
Luckily for the Cannon Ballers (10-17) bullpen, the bats sparked early with a four-run first inning and posted 12 hits on the day, providing much-needed run support to defeat the GreenJackets (14-13), 7-6. After a very slow start to the year, the Ballers have finally won a series and reached double-digit wins in 2026. When times are tough, it’s the little things …

Kannapolis rolled with a bullpen game Sunday, and lefthander Jackson Nove began the game with two scoreless innings while striking out three, but the next two relievers allowed six runs across the next five innings, including three homers that nearly blew the lead for the Ballers. Even though he surrendered four runs in his four innings of relief, Trey Cooper still was awarded a hold, and Jordan Morales secured the win after his final two scoreless innings.

The offense did just enough to maintain the lead, because as a team they were brutal with runners in scoring position (2-for-15), and left 10 runners in base. RBIs were scattered across six different players, but Javier Mogollón was excellent at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two doubles on the day, and was a menace on the basepaths with two stolen bases. Seven of the Dash’s 12 hits were for extra bases, including three solo homers, a triple,and three doubles, putting them in a solid position to win.

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Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson taking the high road entering Joel Embiid showdown after 2024 leg grab

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson speaking at a press conference, Image 2 shows Joel Embiid shooting a free throw, Image 3 shows Joel Embiid grabbed Mitchell Robinson's leg during a 2024 playoff game
Mitchell Robinson and Joel Embiid will meet again in another Knicks-76ers playoff series.

At least publicly, Mitchell Robinson isn’t holding a grudge against Joel Embiid.

When the Knicks and the 76ers met in the playoffs two years ago, Embiid’s flagrant foul, in which he grabbed Robinson’s left leg while he was airborne, eventually cut Robinson’s postseason short.

Then-teammate Donte DiVincenzo called it a dirty play.

Asked about it Sunday, Robinson took the high road.

“I don’t [think he’s a dirty player]. I really don’t live in the past,” he said, as the Knicks prepared to host the 76ers for Game 1 of the second-round series. “It is what it is. I just move on.”

Robinson is focused on slowing down the superstar center and helping the Knicks return to the Eastern Conference finals.

He will have a major role, not only defending Embiid, but as one of the key pieces to the Knicks defense overall.

In the opening-round series against the Hawks, the 7-footer was terrific, averaging 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and a block in 14 minutes per game.

Mitchell Robinson addresses reporters during a May 3 press conference. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

The Knicks outscored the Hawks by 20.5 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor.

Embiid is coming off a strong series himself, averaging 28 points and nine rebounds after missing the first three games of the playoffs following emergency surgery for appendicitis late in the regular season.

“He’s a great player, and it’s fun playing against him,” Robinson said.

Asked the key to defending Embiid, Robinson said: “Watch out for fouls.”

In Game 6, the Knicks destroyed the Hawks, winning by a franchise playoff-record 51 points.

Joel Embiid prepares to shoot a free throw during the 76ers’ May 2 game against the Celtics. NBAE via Getty Images

Robinson wasn’t around for the on-court celebration.

He was ejected in the second quarter after getting into an altercation with Hawks guard Dyson Daniels.

“Two grown men playing competitive basketball, kind of the nature of this game,” Robinson said.

He was also fined $50,000, in part for a social media post in which he mocked Daniels by retweeting a reel of an AI singing rodent that included graphic lyrics.

Joel Embiid grabbed Mitchell Robinson’s leg during a 2024 playoff game. Screengrab via X/@BigKnickEnergy_

He received a call from the league office about it.

“Honestly, I forgot,” Robinson said when asked the nature of the conversation. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

Most importantly, Robinson wasn’t suspended for the dustup and will be available for Game 1 against Embiid and the 76ers.

The Knicks are going to need him.

“He can be big. Mitch is unique, so no matter who we play, Mitch is extremely important to what we’re trying to do, the way he offensive rebounds, the way he’s a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game, the way he protects the rim, his versatility guarding,” coach Mike Brown said. “All that stuff is extremely important for us in this series. We need him to bring it at a high level, as well as everybody else.”

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A way too early preview for Cavs vs. Pistons: Things won’t get easier for Cavaliers

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 27: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons hugs Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game on October 27, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliersdid enough to get past a plucky Toronto Raptors team that put up a much better fight than we thought going into the series. Now, they have their hands full against a 60-win Detroit Pistons team.

The Pistons didn’t look like the juggernaut they were in the regular season in the first four games of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. All of the concerns about their offense not being able to translate to the playoffs were validated. That was, until things changed in the last three games.

Whether or not you want to attribute the Pistons’ coming back from their 3-1 deficit to their grit and determination or if you want to chalk it up to the Magic folding is up to you. Both views are valid. What we can confidently say is that there are ways that this Pistons team will really push the Cavs.

Detroit had the second-best defense in the league throughout the regular season. That is mostly attributed to their ability to keep teams from getting to the basket. They limited their opponents to the fifth-fewest shots at the rim throughout the year. And when they did allow a look in the restricted area, teams converted on only 62.8% of those attempts, which is the second-best percentage in the league.

Their biggest strength carried over to the playoffs. The Pistons had the best defensive rating in the first round (103.2). The principles that made them so formidable in the regular season were present against Orlando. The Magic converted only 56.2% of their looks at the rim.

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This is one of the areas Toronto had success with against the Cavs in the first round. They kept Mitchell from getting into the lane, effectively making him an outside shooter. He wasn’t able to make them pay for that strategy, which is one of the reasons the offense struggled as much as it did.

Detroit presents a lot of those same issues. If you can keep Mitchell from getting to the basket, offense becomes a lot more difficult for Cleveland.

At the same time, Detroit doesn’t have a defender as equipped as Scottie Barnes was at staying in front of Mitchell. Barnes’s combination of size and length disrupted Mitchell in a way we haven’t seen before in the postseason. Even if Detroit has a better overall defense, Mitchell should be able to get going a little bit easier than he did in the first round.

The Pistons’ offense has been the big concern all year. The first round didn’t do anything to dispel those worries.

Detroit’s offense became stagnant in the half-court against Orlando. They weren’t able to get the three-ball to fall, Jalen Duran’s easy offense dried up, and everything fell on Cade Cunningham’s shoulders.

Cunningham is one of the best players in the league and showed why in the second half of the first round. He single-handedly willed his team to victory as he recorded 45, 32, and 32 points in the three elimination games.

Dean Wade will once again play a huge role for the Cavs in the second round. He’ll be tasked with keeping the other team’s best player under wraps. Wade handled that assignment well when he was matched up against Brandon Ingram and Barnes. Cunningham is much better than both, considering his incredible playmaking ability.

If you can keep Cunningham in check, the Pistons’ offense can fall apart quite quickly, as we saw in the first half of the first round. Tobias Harris, Daniss Jenkins, and Caris LeVert are fine role players, but they aren’t elite secondary creators. That, combined with the lack of outside shooting, makes them way too dependent on one player than you’d ideally like.

Still, this will be a dog fight. The Cavs have struggled mightily with physical and aggressive teams in the playoffs. Detroit will be the grittiest and toughest team this core has ever faced. Even though the Pistons aren’t a perfect team and may not be a true title contender, they will give the Cavs all they can handle. Expect this series to go long.

Game 1 tips off Tuesday night in Detroit at 7 PM.

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NBA announces schedule for Cavs vs. Pistons second-round series

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 03: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 113-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers might’ve saved this era of basketball with a Game 7 victory over the Toronto Raptors. However, they won’t have long to celebrate that victory. They’ll be back in action right away as they start the second-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday evening.

Here’s how the schedule looks:

  • Game 1 in Detroit: Tue., May 5 at 7 PM on NBCSN and Peacock
  • Game 2 in Detroit: Thur., May 7 at 7 PM on Prime Video
  • Game 3 in Cleveland: Sat., May 9 at 3 PM on NBC and Peacock
  • Game 4 in Cleveland: Mon., May 11 at 8 PM on NBC and Peacock
  • Game 5 in Detroit: Wed., May 13, time and TV TBD
  • Game 6 in Cleveland: Fri., May 15, time and TV TBD
  • Game 7 in Detroit: Sun., May 17, time and TV TBD

Games five through seven will only be played if necessary.

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There’s only one day between each game in this series. That could be difficult for both teams that are coming off grueling seven-game series in the first round, with each ending on Sunday.

This is expected to be a close series. They split their four games in the regular season.

The Cavs prevailed in their first meeting in October, 116-95, in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score accurately indicates. Donovan Mitchell scored an effortless 35 points in the victory.

Detroit came back and won the next two.

On Jan. 4, the Cavs had a chance to win late, but Ausar Thompson won the game with an offensive rebound and putback to secure a 114-110 victory. In February, the Pistons took care of a skeleton-crew Cavs team in a crazy overtime win.

Finally, the Cavs won their last meeting of the season in March 113-109 without Mitchell. James Harden had 18 points and seven assists in the victory.

We’ll see how the postseason shakes out when the series starts in a few days.

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Jasson Dominguez gives Yankees rare glimpse of power from both sides of plate

Jasson Domínguez of the New York Yankees looks on after hitting a two-run home run.
Jasson Domínguez of the New York Yankees looks on after hitting a two-run home run.

Jasson Domínguez provided another glimpse Sunday of what’s tantalized the Yankees since they signed him as an international free agent nearly seven years ago.

The switch-hitting 23-year-old, who’s been unable to prove he’s a full-time major league player, doubled twice and hit his first homer of the season in an 11-3 win over the Orioles.

Starting at DH with Giancarlo Stanton on the IL with a calf injury, Domínguez took advantage of his latest opportunity — something he hasn’t always done.

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After going hitless in his first two at-bats, Domínguez doubled down the left field line and scored the go-ahead run in what was then a close game in the sixth. 

Then came a two-run homer, from the left side, to spark a seven-run inning in the eighth, which Domínguez capped by doubling again from the right side.

The Yankees have been waiting for years for Domínguez to hit consistently from that side of the plate, despite having grown up a right-handed hitter.

“That’s his natural side,” Aaron Boone said. “When you see him hit or take BP, you see it’s not an unnatural move.”

Jasson Dominguez had a hit from both sides of the plate in the same inning on Sunday. AP

Domínguez has pummeled the ball right-handed in his month at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, but has never produced enough from that side to warrant being an everyday player at the major league level.

With Cody Bellinger in left field and Trent Grisham in center, Domínguez found himself at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again this season.

There remain not only doubts about hitting righty, but also on defense.

Before the game, Boone said he would look to get Aaron Judge a DH day at some point this week, with Domínguez now serving as the fourth outfielder after losing Randal Grichuk.

Domínguez said his three-hit game Sunday was “awesome” and that he’s been working to get more comfortable hitting right-handed.

He’s been down this road before, having first come up to the Yankees late in 2023.

“Adversity is always tough, but that’s what I’ve got to do,” Domínguez said. “I’ve got to do my job.”

A performance like the one Sunday, he said, “definitely helps.” It was the second time in his career he’s had a hit from both sides of the plate in the same inning.

Domínguez is the only Yankee to do that since Mark Teixeira did it in 2016.

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Mets finally able to 'turn the page,' finish off much-needed series win over Angels

The Mets have been looking for this type of response all season. 

Just hours after wasting a handful of opportunities in a walk-off extra-inning loss to the Angels, New York answered right back with a huge 5-1 victory on Sunday. 

That gave them just their second series win since April 5, and their fourth of the season. 

“Last night was a tough one for us,” Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m glad that we were able to turn the page and come back with the quick turnaround and just got out and get the job done -- it was good to see.”

“That’s the name of the game,” Mark Vientos added. “Just putting yesterday behind us and focusing on the next.”

Vientos accounted for the majority of the Mets' offense on Sunday, putting together a much-needed power display with a pair of long two-run homers.  

He’s now hitting .275 with five XBH's a .891 OPS over his last 12 games. 

Clay Holmes was massive as well, continuing his ace-like start to the season, delivering 6.2 innings of one-run ball. 

Holmes and the bullpen were helped by the Mets' defense all day, with the most notable play being Carson Benge's spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the ninth. 

"I thought we played a pretty good game defensively," Mendoza said. 

"A guy like me, I need the defense," Holmes added. “Just to see them out there giving it everything they have and working like they are -- it was fun and really good to see."

The all-around effort certainly was encouraging, but still sitting at 12-22, the Mets know they'll need more of the same moving forward as they look to get things trending back in the right direction.

"The only thing it does is make our flight happier, that's about it," Vientos said. "We've got to win tomorrow."

"That's what it's going to take," Mendoza added. "One series at a time, one game at a time."

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Jarrett Allen turns the lights out on Raptors season, leads Cavs to Game 7 win

May 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) goes for a loose ball against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the first half of game seven in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

CLEVELAND — To say losing Game 7 to the Toronto Raptors would be disastrous for the Cleveland Cavaliers is an understatement.

Eight years of building led to the most expensive roster in the league that traded for a 36-year-old former All-Star at the deadline just to save this season. Dropping this game would’ve been an indictment of every decision the front office made that led to this point, as well as the players who once again got bounced in the playoffs by a lower-seeded team.

However, judgment day has been cancelled. Or at the very least, it’s been put off for at least a week.

It wasn’t pretty in the first half, but a strong response in the second half was enough to close out a plucky Raptors team in seven games, 114-102. It should’ve never gotten to this point, but the Cavs did what they needed to grab a win. And at this point, that’s all that matters.

As has been the case throughout most of this series, the Cavs started poorly. Jarrett Allen missed a wide-open dunk on Cleveland’s first offensive possession. That set the tone for what became a disastrous first quarter.

Toronto was once again the aggressor. They jumped out to an early 10-point lead behind seven early points from certified Cavalier killer Jamal Shead.

This continued in the second quarter.

Toronto held a nine-point advantage with 2:41 left in the first half, but the Cavs erased it just before the break. A 11-2 run, capped off by a Jaylon Tyson triple, evened things up and gave Cleveland momentum for the first time all evening.

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That carried over into the third quarter. The Cavs registered the first nine points of the second half. In total, the Cavs had a 20-2 run that flipped a nine-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.

Evan Mobley picked up his fourth foul just four minutes into the half. That meant that the Cavs would have to rely on Jarrett Allen for likely the remainder of the third quarter.

However, what looked like a lifeline for a Raptors team that was losing momentum was actually the final nail in the coffin for their season.

Allen, who’s been much maligned for not showing up in the biggest moments, put the game away. He was the best player on either team all night — that showed up most in the third quarter. He single-handedly squashed the Raptors’ hopes every time they had something positive going their way.

Defensively, Allen was everywhere. He shut down seemingly every drive to the basket by providing great contests without fouling and was there to clean up the glass when Toronto missed.

Offensively, Allen dominated the paint in all the ways you want him to. He forcefully attacked the basket every time he had a runway to do so. And when another Cavalier had the audacity to take a shot, Allen was there to clean up the mess if they missed.

In the end, he registered 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter with five coming on the offensive end in the third quarter. By contrast, the Raptors as a team had just 19 points and eight rebounds in the third.

Allen’s efforts allowed the Cavs to win the third 38-19.

The Raptors didn’t roll over in the fourth. They cut what was a 22-point deficit to 11, but they weren’t able to get closer than that.

Allen led the way with 22 points and 19 rebounds on 7-11 shooting in what was an all-around team effort.

Cleveland received positive contributions from nearly everyone who stepped on the floor. Sam Merrill poured in 13 points on 3-7 outside shooting. Max Strus provided hustle and grit, which led to him leading the team in plus/minus by being a +20. Jaylon Tyson supplied great energy on both ends and hit some momentum-changing shots.

These contributions were much needed on a night when the Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t the best version of themselves.

Donovan Mitchell was held to 22 points or less for the fourth time this series. He had 22 on 9-20 shooting.

James Harden kept the offense on schedule and did a good job of taking care of the ball. However, he didn’t have his most efficient day shooting as he went 3-9 from the field. Nearly all 18 of his points came at the free-throw line, where he went 11-13.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett led the way once again for Toronto. Barnes paced the team with 24 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with six assists. Barrett put in 23 points and six assists in the loss.

The win keeps the season alive. They’ll head to take on the 60-win Detroit Pistons, led by former Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, in the second round. That series starts in Detroit on Tuesday at 7 PM.

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Bryce Eldridge and Jesús Rodríguez to be promoted

Well, it’s finally happened. The San Francisco Giants have backed into the perfect opportunity to recall their top hitting prospect, left-handed hitting DH/1B Bryce Eldridge, along with one of their more intriguing ones, right-handed hitting C/3B/1B/DH Jesús Rodríguez. It’s desperation season already for the Giants and we’re all about to find out if these youngsters will sink or swim.

Buster Posey didn’t have very many levers to pull to try to improve a moribund lineup, but Eldridge’s .963 OPS in 30 games and Rodríguez’s .840 in 24 games for Triple-A Sacramento are solid. It’s also the obvious move at this point, as the chances of the team making the postseason seem to be on the verge of transitioning from “probably not” to “longshot.” They need more and better contact, more on base-ability, and, of course, more power. In theory, both players check all three boxes.

  • Eldridge is 5th in the PCL for batting average (.333), Rodríguez is 7th (.330).
  • Eldridge is 2nd in OBP (.445), Jesús Rodríguez is 15th (.400)
  • Eldridge’s OBP is 5th, Rodríguez’s is 20th.

Of course, they’re not without their flaws. Our managing editor, Brady, doesn’t feel that Eldridge is quite ready at this point for a very simple reason: a 30% strikeout rate. It is the result of plenty of swing and miss in his game (22nd percentile in Whiff rate). The rest of his Statcast profile reminds of Rafael Devers, too. Plenty of swing and miss in the strike zone. Does that make this recall premature? Probably. But the Giants are desperate. And the fans ought to be, too. At this point we’re watching a really bad Marvel movie and only some random cameos are going to rescue the feeling of wasted effort investing in this team. The Giants will be playing at home against the Padres, who will be throwing three straight right-handed starters and, as a staff, are middle of the pack in terms of strikeouts per game. So, Eldridge is getting a nice setup.

Rodríguez doesn’t make consistently hard contact (33% Hard Hit rate — 32nd percentile) despite making lots of it (90% zone contact rate — 89th percentile). It also remains to be seen just how versatile he is as a catcher and corner infielder and whether or not Tony Vitello will deploy him in that way (he can just ask Christian Koss what good being a Swiss Army Player has done him).

This might be a downbeat post about what should be some exciting news. On the one hand, the Giants have two promising prospects to call up; but, on the other hand, those players will be expected to give a team filled with All-Star veterans a season-saving transfusion of talent. It’s far from the front office’s plan they devised in the offseason, but maybe the ones being made out of necessity will prove better in the long run than these best laid ones through which we’re presently suffering.