Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 7-6 at Worcester Red Sox
2B George Lombard Jr. 0-3, 2 BB SS Anthony Volpe 2-4, 2B, SB LF Spencer Jones 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K — impressive opposite-field shot RF Yanquiel Fernández 1-5, 2 K 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 1-5 DH Seth Brown 1-4, BB, 2 K 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 2-4, K C Payton Henry 2-3, 2B 3 RBI, BB, K CF Duke Ellis 0-4
Carlos Rodón 6.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR — not quite the outing he was looking to wrap up his rehab Yordanny Cruz 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K (loss, blown save)
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 14-12 at Reading Fightin Phils — crazy game, Somerset led 12-9 in the eighth but coughed up five runs
DH Jace Avina 1-6, HR, RBI, BB, K RF Garrett Martin 2-5, BB, K, SB, CS LF Jackson Castillo 1-6, 2 K 2B Marco Luciano 3-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB — got a 1.107 OPS, maybe he can get himself to Triple-A before long 1B Coby Morales 3-6, RBI, K, SB 3B Tyler Hardman 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K — red hot, homers in four straight games CF DJ Gladney 3-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI, K C Manuel Palencia 2-5, BB SS Owen Cobb 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 6-1 vs. Winston-Salem Dash
2B Kaeden Kent 1-4, SB SS Core Jackson 0-4, 2 K 1B Kyle West 0-4, 2 K DH Eric Genther 0-3, BB, 3 K 3B Roderick Arias 1-2, HR, RBI, BB RF Wilson Rodriguez 0-3, K LF Josh Moylan 0-3, 3 K CF Camden Troyer 0-3, 3 K C Josue Gonzalez 0-3, K
Gerrit Cole 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR — pounded the zone but gave up some loud contact Brandon Decker 0.2 IP, 1 H 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR Bryce Cunningham 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K — second appearance of the year for the 2024 second rounder Wilmy Sanchez 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
May 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Death, taxes, Cristopher Sanchez pitching well at Citizens Bank Park. Makes you wonder if the mound there is perhaps different than the mounds across the game. There was always the allegations that the mound at Dodger Stadium was taller than anywhere else, so maybe there is something different.
This was just as well in the wake of manager Gabe Alvarez’s sudden firing on Tuesday. The team could probably use the time to absorb the news, as whatever his violation, Alvarez has had a reputation as a pretty popular and well-liked manager. With Mike Hessman now the interim skipper, the Hens will play two at Fifth Third Park on Wednesday, with Game 1 set for an 11:05 a.m. ET start time. With the team gutted by the Tigers needs and a setback for starter Sawyer Gipson-Long, the Tigers have moved reliever Eric Silva and lefty starter Carlos Peña up to the Triple-A level to help out.
The SeaWolves’ bullpen managed to lock down the late innings as the lineup roared to life in the seventh and eighth innings to come back and bury the Senators on Tuesday.
The SeaWolves had an early lead in this one, but couldn’t keep it. John Peck continued to swing the hot bat, leading off the top of the second with a double. Justice Bigbie was hit by a pitch, and after a pair of strikeouts, Andrew Jenkins reached on a throwing error from the Senators’ shortstop, Seaver King. That loaded the bases, and an infield hit from E.J. Exposito made it a 1-0 game. Brett Callahan pulled a grounder through the right side to score Bigbie, but unfortunately a rocket off the bat of Peyton Graham was hauled in by the center fielder, holding the SeaWolves to two runs.
A Graham throwing error allowed the leadoff man to reach in the bottom half, and Luke Taggart allowed two runs. Thayron Liranzo doubled to start the third inning, and a pair of deep fly balls brought him around to make it 3-2 SeaWolves. Unfortunately, Johan Simon and Duque Hebbert combined to give up two runs in the fourth.
So it was a 4-3 Senators lead, and that didn’t change until Callahan led off the seventh with a game tying solo blast. That was the outfielder’s fifth on the year already. Meanwhile, Hebbert settled things down through the middle innings, giving way to Tyler Owens, who threw a clean bottom of the seventh.
A six-run rally followed from the SeaWolves in the top of the eighth. Bigbie doubled and Chris Meyers was hit by a pitch. Izaac Pacheco smoked a single into center field to load the bases, and Jenkins was walked to force in the go-ahead run. 5-4 SeaWolves. The next two hitters struck out, but a catchers interference call with Graham batting forced in a second run, and then Liranzo drew a walk as well. That brought Peck to the dish with the bases still juiced, and the hot hitting shortstop delivered, dumping a two-run single into right field. Peck then stole second, drawing a throw that went wild, and Liranzo scored from third. When the smoke cleared, it was 10-4, and Trevin Michael would keep it that way over the final two frames in relief.
Peck: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B, SB
Callahan: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, K
Liranzo: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB, K
Pacheco: 2-4, R, BB, K, SB
Hebbert: 2.2 IP, ER, H, K
Coming Up Next: It’s an 11:00 a.m. ET first pitch on Wednesday in Harrisburg as well.
The Whitecaps losing streak reached a shocking nine in a row as they again dropped a close game on Tuesday. In the past week and a half they’ve been walked off twice, and despite putting up solid run totals, just havent’ been able to get their pitching staff going.
Right-hander Hayden Minton got the start in this one, and true to form for much of the rotation recently, he wasn’t terrible but still leaked three runs in 3.2 innings of work. Inohan Paniagua took over to finish the fourth inning, but then he allowed a run on two hits in the fifth.
So it was a 4-0 lead for the Dragons when a leadoff single from Jackson Strong, followed by singles from Juan Hernandez and Andrew Sojka produced the ‘Caps first run. That was all they’d get but in the bottom of the fifth. Seth Chavez allowed a leadoff triple in the top of the sixth, but second baseman Samuel Gil got a ground ball and cut the runner down at the plate and Chavez escaped unscathed.
In the bottom of the sixth, Garrett Pennington singled and rode home on a two-run shot from Clayton Campbell that made it a 4-3 Dayton lead. Unfortunately, Luke Stofel allowed a run in the top of the ninth for some Dragons’ insurance.
Strong led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and eventually scored on a Cristian Santana sacrifice fly, but that was as close as they’d get.
Campbell: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR, 2 K
Strong: 2-3, 2 R, BB, K
Rainer: 0-4, 3 K
Minton (L, 0-2): 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: There is hope for the Whitecaps pitching staff now that Ben Jacobs has moved up from Lakeland. His first start in the Midwest League was impressive. Kelvis Salcedo and lefty Grayson Grinsell probably aren’t too many weeks from joining him there. The Whitecaps will look to end their skid at 6:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Grayson Grinsell had a tough day on the mound, and the Flying Tigers’ offense didn’t do a whole lot at the plate in this first of six at home.
Beau Brieske made his first rehab appearance the spring. The Tigers could really use him back about now, so it was a positive sign seeing him toss a perfect first inning with a pair of strikeouts. He was 95-96 mph with the fastball, so a move to Toledo to complete his rehab work won’t be long. With any luck, he could rejoin the Tigers by sometime next week.
Grinsell took over in the second and had his first rough pro outing after looking great in April. He allowed a triple that turned into a run before tossing a clean third inning. However, in the fourth everything went sideways. A single and then a homer allowed with one out started things off poorly. Then a double and a Jordan Yost error on what would have been the second out set the table for a three-run shot that made it a 6-0 game.
The offense was missing in action until the seventh when Jesus Pinto led off with a double. Jude Warwick doubled Pinto home with two outs, and then scored on a Sergio Tapia single. Max Anderson went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in his rehab assignment.
The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres will finally start their second-round series on Wednesday night in Buffalo. While this should be an interesting series, it promises to be different from the one we saw against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and that could be a welcome change of pace. Lindy Ruff’s men do not have the kind of defensive forwards Jon Cooper had on his roster, and that should be good news for the Habs’ top line.
That’s not to say Buffalo doesn’t have a good defense, however. Their top four defensemen are a force to be reckoned with: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, and Owen Power are a solid group. The quartet will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the Canadiens’ top forwards and aiming to make their lives harder with big hits.
On Tuesday, at practice, Martin St-Louis reunited Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Even though the line struggled to make a mark against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s not surprising to see the coach want to go back to the line that has provided so much offense for this team in the regular season. The bench boss had Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, and Ivan Demidov on his second line, Alexandre Texier with Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson on his third line, and Zachary Bolduc with Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher on his fourth line. Meaning that Joe Veleno, Oliver Kapanen, and Patrik Laine were on the outside looking in.
On the back end, Mike Matheson was still with Alexandre Carrier, Kaiden Guhle with Lane Hutson and Jayden Struble with Noah Dobson. That left Arber Xhekaj as the odd man out, since Adam Engstrom has been returned to the Laval Rocket. Given how big the Sabres’ defense is, I can’t imagine that the gritty defenseman will be sitting for the whole series.
Of course, what we saw in practice and in the warmup in the first round wasn’t always what we saw during the games, so no one should be shocked if that’s not how the Canadiens line up on Wednesday night. Still, it would be surprising if St-Louis didn't stick to his usual first line.
On Tuesday, Ruff told the media that Sam Carrick, who was originally supposed to miss the second round, was now officially considered day-to-day. No such luck for Noah Ostlund, however, as the centerman is still expected to miss the best-of-seven series. As for the Habs, with Dobson’s return in Game 7 against Tampa, they can be considered fully healthy, well aside from the bumps and bruises hockey players always play through of course.
The Sabres have a very good record in the first game of a series; they are 26-15 (.634) and 12-5 when the series starts on their own turf, for a whopping .706 winning percentage. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have improved their record to 76-50 in the first game of a series when they beat Tampa Bay to kick off these playoffs. On the road, that gives them a 14-32 record, for a measly .304 winning percentage.
Both teams won the first game of their previous series, so something will have to give when they both meet on Wednesday night. The Habs and Sabres have also split the season series evenly, with both teams winning two games each and scoring 13 goals across the four games. It’s interesting to note that Jakub Dobes was in the Canadiens’ net for both wins, the only two games he’s ever played against Buffalo.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and you can catch it on HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Pierre Lambert and Wes McCauley are set to officiate with Scott Cherrey and Jesse Marquis being the linemen.
A fourth manager of the season seemed a wild strategy but Portuguese coach has galvanised the squad and this journey could end in the Champions League
Football, it transpires, is not rocket science. If it were, Nottingham Forest would not be close to securing Premier League survival and two games from Champions League football next season. The club’s approach could hardly be described as methodical but whether by accident or design, Vítor Pereira, Forest’s fourth head coach in six months, has found the right formula.
When eight changes to the lineup were announced for Monday’s visit to Chelsea, eyebrows were raised as the second string were sent out. It allowed Pereira to rest others for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg at Aston Villa. Within two minutes they were ahead and by the hour they were out of sight and a further step towards salvation thanks to a third away win in a row.
Detroit won Game 1, 111-101, versus Cleveland to give the Pistons four-straight wins overall and at home in the playoffs. Unlike the first round, Detroit is up 1-0 in the semifinals behind an all-around team effort.
Six different players scored 11 or more points for the Pistons in Game 1, with all five starters doing so. Detroit forced 19 turnovers and only committed 11 themselves, which was the biggest storyline. The Pistons and Cavaliers shot nearly identical, but Detroit attempted 35 free throws to Cleveland's 16. The turnover battle and free throw edge will be what to watch for in Game 2.
Can Cleveland get consistent scoring help outside of Donovan Mitchell (23) and James Harden (22)? Max Strus (19) and Evan Mobley (14) were the only other players to reach double figures for the Cavaliers. Cleveland is now 0-4 on the road in the playoffs and could use a victory in Detroit to settle the score before heading home where Cleveland is 4-0 during the playoffs. The home team in general, is 8-0 this postseason in Cleveland's two series.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Little Caesars Arena
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
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Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-162), Cleveland Cavaliers (+136)
Spread: Pistons -3.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Pistons -3.5 with the Total set at 215.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers
PG James Harden
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Dean Wade
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
Detroit Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris
C Jalen Duren
Injury Report: Pistons vs. Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
None
Detroit Pistons
Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 2. He missed Game 1.
Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic
Detroit is 48-42 ATS and 20-20 ATS as the home favorite
Detroit is 48-41-1 to the Under
Detroit is 24-21 to the Under at home
Detroit is 21-19 to the Under as a home favorite
Detroit is 24-21 ATS as the home team
Cleveland is 36-54 ATS, ranking second-worst
Cleveland is 17-28 ATS as the road team, ranking second-worst
Cleveland is 8-6 ATS as the road underdog, ranking fifth-worst
Cleveland is 45-45 to the Over
Cleveland is 25-20 to the Over as the road team, ranking fifth-best
Cleveland is 8-6 to the Under as a road underdog
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers +3.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5
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He will be replaced by Mike Hessman, who played 1,436 games at the Triple-A level and hundreds more at lower levels. Hessman has been a hitting coach with Toledo since 2023 and worked with the Tigers before that, accepting a demotion to the minor-league staff after the 2022 season.
"I talked to Hess this morning to establish the cadence that goes on with him," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. "Obviously, I don't have a comment on the whole thing. In terms of my confidence in Hess and the transition, he's going to handle it very well. He communicates. He's got the trust of the players. He and I talked regularly already, even as he was the hitting coach. Now as the manager, the conversations change a little bit, but we have full confidence in Hess being able to continue on in making our players better and communicating to me and my staff what he needs to in order to get the players who come up here ready to play."
Alvarez was named as the Tigers manager ahead of the 2025 season after three seasons as Double-A Erie's manager before that, where he had a 232-178 record and three division titles.
"We will have no further comment," the Tigers said in a statement.
Contact Andrew Birkle via email at abirkle@freepress.com.
Free Press sports writer Evan Petzold contributed to this report.
Just when the Detroit Tigers needed someone to step up and be a presence in a sea of calamity, someone to throw them a life raft, someone to make them feel like their world isn’t collapsing around them, along comes Framber Valdez acting like a human Titanic.
Valdez is the Tigers’ new ace, their highest-paid player, the one the Tigers desperately are relying on to keep their postseason hopes alive until Tarik Skubal returns to the mound later this summer.
And on Tuesday evening, he melted down for the entire Tigers’ franchise to see, reminding everyone of the ugly warts in this talented left-handed pitcher.
Valdez’s selfish act of immaturity was so outrageous in the Tigers’ 10-3 shellacking to the Boston Red Sox that when he intentionally hit Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with a 94.4 mph fastball in the middle of his back during his latest temper tantrum, even his own manager couldn’t stand up for him.
“We play a really good brand of baseball here,’’ Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said in his press conference after the game. “That doesn't feel like it. That's not judging intent. I have no idea.
“But when you go out on the field and end up in those confrontations, you usually feel like you're in your right.
“It didn't feel good being out there."
In other words, how are you going to actually fight for your own teammate when you feel like punching him yourself?
“I understand," Hinch said. "I understand their (Red Sox) frustration and the optics. I understand the whole thing.’’
Valdez, who gave up nine hits and 10 runs runs (seven earned) in just three innings, insisted with a straight face that he wasn’t deliberately trying to hit Story after giving up back-to-back homers, saying the pitch simply got away from him, and there’s no way he deserved to be ejected.
“Not at all," Valdez said through interpreter Carlos Guillen. “It was not on purpose. It might've looked like that but it wasn't. I was trying to throw a strike after two consecutive home runs, and the pitch just came out of my hand.
There is no chance that this same man who drilled his own teammate in the chest with a fastball last season with the Houston Astros would now intentionally hit an opponent.
No way, right?
Right?
Anyone else believe him?
Yes, just in case anyone forgot, this is the same guy who was so angry after giving up a grand slam to New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham last September, that he crossed up teammate and catcher Cesar Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker that slammed into his chest protector. Instead of apologizing, Valdez turned his back in disgust.
Valdez, summoned into Astros manager Joe Espada’s office after the game, told reporters it was simply miscommunication.
And you wonder why he was still on the free-agent market a week before spring training, signing a three-year, $115 million contract when he was expected to receive a deal close to free-agent starter Dylan Cease’s six-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays?
Now, with the Tigers badly needing an influx of help, with three members of their opening-day starting rotation and 14 players on the injured list, they are about to be playing one man short.
Valdez, 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA, surely will be suspended at least five days for his actions that should be announced Wednesday.
“I do not expect to get suspended,’’ said Valdez, who chose that moment to throw his first four-seam fastball of the season.
Maybe he should look around the room, and see if there’s a soul in the Tigers’ clubhouse that feels the same.
If you gave them a lie detector test, they’d probably all come to the same conclusion as Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy.
“I thought it was weak and I thought everybody saw it,’’ Tracy told reporters. “Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it. It was weak.”
Really, once Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu opened the fourth inning by hitting mammoth home runs off Valdez, with Contreras flipping his bat after his 449-foot shot, Story could sense it was coming.
“I was in there ready to hit,’’ Story said, “and it showed up way behind me, off the numbers. I think we all know what’s what ... it’s pretty indisputable.’’
Story glared toward Valdez after being hit, players poured out of the dugouts, but there were no punches thrown or even shoves. Why fight when everyone is in full agreement of what happened?
“We handled it,” Story said. “We said what we said on the field, and I think that’s where it stays.”
Now, Michael Hill, senior vice president of on-field operations for MLB, will have his say.
And, perhaps behind closed doors in a meeting with Valdez, Hinch will have plenty to say, too.
The New York Knicks steamrolled the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1, 137-98, behind 35 points from Jalen Brunson (27 in the first half). New York has won four straight playoff games by 16, 29, 51, and 39 points.
Philadelphia played a Game 7 in Boston on Saturday, then had a day off before playing Game 1 in New York on Monday. It's not a shocker that the 76ers got blown out, but they will need a full 60-minute effort in Game 2 to avoid going back to Philadelphia in the hole. The 76ers shot 41% from the field in Game 1, turned the ball over 19 times, and lost the rebounding battle (38-29). Nobody reached 20 points for the 76ers, but the good news is they shot 34 free throws to the Knicks' 17 and no starter played more than 28 minutes for Philadelphia.
New York is the hottest team in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, unless you are a Detroit Pistons fan. However, the Knicks four consecutive wins of 33.7 points per game has been dominant. The Knicks shot 63% from the field and 51% from three in Game 1. Four of the Knicks starters scored 18 or more points and combined to shoot 70.2% from the field (33/47) and 61.1% from three (11/18). They'll look to continue that hot shooting in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden before heading to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers vs. Knicks
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: 76ers vs. Knicks
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+220), New York Knicks (-270)
Spread: Knicks -6.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Knicks -7.5 with the Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Knicks vs. 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
PG Tyrese Maxey
SG VJ Edgecombe
SF Kelly Oubre Jr
PF Paul George
C Joel Embiid (probable)
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Knicks vs. 76ers
New York Knicks
None
Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid (ankle) is listed as PROBABLE for Game 2
Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers vs. Knicks
New York is 49-41 ATS and 48-42 to the Under this season
New York is 30-14 ATS at home, ranking first
New York is 23-21 to the Under at home
Philadelphia is 27-19 ATS as the road team
Philadelphia is 14-14 ATS and 11-17 on the ML as a road underdog
Philadelphia is 49-42 ATS
Philadelphia is 48-43 to the Under and 24-21 to the Under as the road team
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s Knicks and 76ers’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +6.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 05: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walks off the court after the second quarter of a game against the Detroit Pistons in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 05, 2026 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. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“You look at my turnovers, a lot of them were just on me and nothing they did,” Harden said afterward. “That’s the game right there. … I gotta be better and will be better turning the basketball over.”
Harden is partially right. Several of those turnovers were sloppy. There’s a backcourt violation that shouldn’t have happened, once he correctly tried to take Duncan Robinson off the dribble but bounced it off his foot, and there were a couple he simply lost control. Things like that are just part of the game.
But there’s a bigger issue at play here. Turnovers have been a problem for the Cavs — particularly for Harden — during the postseason. This was the third time in eight playoff games that he’s had more giveaways (7) than made field goals (6). How often it’s happened shows that this is more than just a lack of focus.
Throughout his career, Harden has often operated in lineups that try to create perfect spacing. Ideally, all of his teammates are shooters so that the defense is forced to make a difficult decision. Do you try to send extra bodies to the basket to help on a Harden drive, or do you stay on the perimeter to prevent three-point shots?
That was a tough call when you were going up against the 2018 Houston Rockets. It isn’t going against Cleveland’s current starting lineup.
Neither Detroit nor the Toronto Raptors have respected three of the four Cavaliers starting alongside Harden. Teams are daring Dean Wade and Evan Mobley to shoot from the outside, and are willing to take their chances with Jarrett Allen inside.
Throw in Donovan Mitchell, who doesn’t move much off-ball, and you have a stagnant offense that is cheating into the lane to both cut off drives and lobs to the bigs. And if you try to force it inside, there’s a good chance that it’s going to wind up in a turnover.
There’s a downstream effect to not having good spacing. Now, defenders can be physical and tight at the point of attack because they know that there’s more than enough help behind them if they get beat off the dribble.
That leads to more turnovers like this, where Cade Cunningham is giving Harden no room to breathe.
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The additional help inside also bleeds into the shot diet. Harden took seven threes and just two shots at the rim. If the defense is crowding the paint, your only choice left is to shoot over the top.
After Game 7 against Toronto, multiple players mentioned that winning that series was a big step because this group was so new together. That newness is seen in how they’re still figuring out how to space the floor.
Harden only played with Allen and Mobley together in nine regular-season games. That number drops to four if you throw Wade into that grouping. By contrast, they’ve played twice as many playoff games together, and it’s only eight. That simply isn’t a lot of experience for a player who’s spent the better part of a decade playing in a completely different environment.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, there isn’t an easy solution for this. They simply need at least two bigs on the court at all times, and matchups like this call for extended Wade minutes even when he isn’t providing much offensively.
Max Strus had an incredible game. His shooting got the Cavs back into this one as he poured in 19 points on 13 shots. But even with that, the Cavs lost the minutes he played by nine. Single-game plus/minus isn’t always the most useful stat, but it does point to him not being asked to play an ideal role on this team.
The Cavs don’t have enough defensively in lineups where Strus is asked to defend bigger threes and fours as he’s had to do in both playoff series. In Game 1, Cleveland had a dreadful 124.5 defensive rating with Strus on the court.
This has been a common occurrence. Coming into Game 1, the Cavs have had a 117.1 defensive rating with Strus on in the postseason and a 104 without him. Wade has been nearly the exact opposite.
This isn’t a criticism of Strus. He holds up as well as you can expect in these situations. Instead, it’s a shortcoming in the roster’s construction that he’s continually being asked to guard out of position.
This forces the Cavs to make a decision. Do you believe an undersized defense can work so you can have better spacing? Or, do you trust Harden and Mitchell to figure things out with a cramped half-court offense? Choosing that second option makes sense. You’re just putting a lot on a point guard who’s being asked to play in a completely different context.
Mitchell’s scoring struggles compound these issues.
Mitchell once again wasn’t able to get to the rim. Only one of his 19 shots came in the restricted area. And while he did a good job of finishing the midrange floater (5-7), not driving completely to the hoop limits his ability to get to the line.
Mitchell took just two free-throw attempts in Game 1. This has been a recent trend throughout the postseason. He’s only attempted over that many twice in eight playoff games. By contrast, he only registered two or fewer free-throw shots 16 times in his 70 regular-season games.
Afterward, Mitchell blamed the lack of free throws on the officiating, but made sure not to go over the line to get fined. And while there’s some reason for frustration on his part, if he’s not getting to the rim, he’s simply not going to get calls.
Mitchell has been forced to play in tight spaces before in the playoffs with the Cavs. However, Toronto and Detroit are easily the two best defenses he’s faced in that time — at least they are in terms of locking down the paint.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson made some head-scratching decisions.
Here’s a quick rundown of things you usually don’t see in a second-round playoff game:
No Cavalier played 36 minutes or more, including the star guards.
Allen saw just 18 minutes after picking up three fouls in the first quarter. He finished with four personals.
The third center, Thomas Bryant, played 10 minutes, including at the start of the fourth.
Atkinson went with a group that included Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Bryant a minute into the fourth quarter of a six-point game. All three have already spent time this postseason out of the rotation.
Cleveland played exaggerated drop coverage, making it easier for Detroit’s guards to attack.
I know this was a short turnaround, and we’re expecting this to be a long series, but this game was managed like it was a regular-season game, not a playoff series opener.
The Cavs didn’t let Cunningham beat them as a scorer. He had 23 points on 6-19 shooting in 42 minutes after racking up 32, 32, and 45 points to close out the Orlando Magic in the first round.
Cleveland was able to contain him by showing multiple bodies when he tried to finish at the rim. He went just 2-7 on shots in the restricted area and 3-11 on looks in the paint overall.
This was one of the few things the Cavs did well in Game 1.
Despite the many areas the Cavs need to clean up, they still had a chance of winning this game.
This one was there for the taking. If the Cavs committed a few less turnovers and grabbed a couple more defensive rebounds, they probably would’ve come away from Game 1 a winner.
On one hand, that’s encouraging. It shows that the Cavs still have a good chance of taking this series. However, it’s never ideal to lose a winnable away game, especially for a team that is now 4-12 on the road in the postseason since trading for Mitchell.
We’ll see if the Cavs can make the necessary adjustments and split the two road games before the series shifts to Cleveland.
He will teach you the way. | NHLI via Getty Images
A day after a widely panned press conference to introduce their new GM and figurehead, the Toronto Maple Leafs were handed a gift by the hockey gods/conspiracy forces by winning the draft lottery to get the #1 pick this summer.
This was quite the cliffhanger, as had just one lower team won the first or second pick lottery, the Leafs would have fallen out of the top five, meaning their high first-round pick would transfer to the Bruins as part of a trade that was only top-five protected.
Making matters worse for the last-place Vancouver Canucks, the San Jose Sharks then won the 2nd-pick lottery, giving them three consecutive years with a pick in the top two, and four consecutive years with a pick in the top four. While the Sharks took a big step forward this season, the tanking residue is still paying dividends.
And, of course, Toronto and San Jose’s lottery wins mean the Rangers drop from 3rd overall to 5th. Pity, that.
Islanders News
In far less surprising news, the NHL announced the Calder finalists as shoe-in Matthew Schaefer (duh), preseason favorite Ivan Demidev and the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke. This award is voted on by the writers. [NHL | Newsday]
In Islanders-initiated news, after a successful season at the helm of their AHL squad, Rocky Thompson has been brought up to Pete DeBoer’s NHL staff. Thompson was an assistant in the NHL previously with the Flyers, Oilers and Sharks (with current Isles assistant Bob Boughner), and he overlapped with DeBoer a bit when he was head coach of the Knights’ AHL affiliate in Chicago when DeBoer was in Vegas. [Isles]
No lottery luck this summer; the Islanders will select 13th overall, the slot where they selected Derek King and Dean Chynoweth back in the ’80s, which was {counts in head} damn…a long time ago. [Isles]
Here’s Matthew Schaefer and his roommates explaining how the draft lottery works:
Elsewhere
Tuesday night the Avalanche and Wild exchanged quick early goals again, but then Colorado settled in and maintained control on the way to a 5-2 (EN) win and 2-0 series lead. [NHL]
What a difference 24 hours made for the mood in Toronto. [Sportsnet]
Apparently Leafs GM John Chayka did Shane Doan dirty, and that bothers Coyotes followers who think of Doan as a swell guy. [Arizona Sports]
Jim Rutherford will steap away from the “day to day” with the Canucks after the draft and after they presumably name a GM, sunsetting his very odd tenure with that team. [NHL | Sportsnet]
Four first-round losses for the Lightning does not change their commitment to Jon Cooper. [Sportsnet]
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) looks on during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
As the debate to re-sign Evgeni Malkin continues to be the dominant news item (and figures to remain that way until a decision is made), two opposing views on Malkin’s future with the Penguins win out above everything else: one argument is that he’s still productive and deserves to return for a final season, while the other says the team should move on to prioritize a long-term rebuild. Which one will win out is anyone’s guess. [PensBurgh]
Forward Anthony Mantha said he felt “right at home” during his lone season with the Penguins after posting career-best numbers, including 33 goals and 64 points. His postseason performance left much to be desired, however. As he likely hits the open market, Mantha said he’d still welcome a return to Pittsburgh. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday night despite having the fifth-best odds, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft. After a disappointing 2025-26 season, the team is now in a position to draft a difference-making prospect as new general manager John Chayka helms the ship in rough waters. [Sportsnet]
Jim Rutherford said he will step down as the Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations and move into an advisory role following next month’s draft. [TSN]
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman revealed in a statement on Tuesday that he stepped away from the team to focus on his mental health, explaining that his decision, while difficult, was necessary to take care of himself and return as a better player, teammate, and person. [Sportsnet]
New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer headlines the finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy, joined by Montreal’s Ivan Demidov and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke. [ESPN]
NEW YORK - JULY 19: New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling speaks during the teams 63rd Old Timers Day before the game against the Detroit Tigers on July 19, 2009 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the outpouring of grief and good memories flowed after John Sterling’s passing on Monday, I’m sure many of us found ourselves watching old Yankees clips and listening to Sterling’s calls. It’s been oft-repeated this week, but there truly was no one like Sterling, and going through his many fun, bizarre, and quirky calls has been a sad but joyful walk down memory lane.
Let’s keep on walking down that road. Sterling was perhaps known better for his home run calls than anything else. What began as a gimmick deployed for certain players turned into a signature, with Sterling committing to deploying a unique (and often whimsical) home run call for every individual player at some point during the 2000s. Every Yankees fan probably has a favorite. What was yours?
Our own Andrew Mearns helpfully ranked all 144 distinct player home run calls we have on record, so peruse those rankings if you need to as you try to pick out your favorite. Maybe the classic “Bern baby Bern” takes your top spot. Perhaps it’s the simple “El Capitan” that sprang from John’s voice every time Derek Jeter went deep. For me, there was nothing better than hearing “Robbie Cano! Don’tchaknow?!” every time the sweet-swinging second baseman sent one out of the park.
It’s hard to pick just one, so if you can’t narrow it all the way down, go ahead and give us a top-three or -five. Heck, feel free to, as Sterling would, get as creative as you want; if there’s a specific play that or call that stands out in your mind, however famous or obscure, please highlight it.
On the site today, Andrew reviews a packed Tuesday of action in the American League, and Jonathan profiles Ivy Andrews, a pitcher born on this day in 1907. Also, John posits that it’s in both the Yankees’ and Anthony Volpe’s best interests for Volpe to get some exposure at other positions, perhaps second base. Later, Andrés analyzes Elmer Rodríguez’s second start in the majors, Kento chronicles the long road in the wilderness the Yankees walked at first base before finding Ben Rice, and Scott discusses Jonathan Ornelas, a lower-profile prospect succeeding with Triple-A Scranton this year.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers
Time: 7:05 p.m. EST
Video: Amazon Prime Video, Rangers Sports Network, MLB Network
I think many Rockets fans were happy when the Rockets decided to convert JD Davison’s two-way contract to a regular NBA contract. As much as I enjoy Aaron Holiday and his minutes, it was time for Davison to get a standard NBA contract.
Davison saw relatively limited action during his first season with Houston. He averaged 2.5 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 rebounds in 28 regular-season games, playing an average of 7.8 minutes per game. These stats, however, aren’t Davison’s fault, as he was on a two-way contract until April 7. For context, NBA two-way players are only able to play a maximum of 50 regular NBA games and are ineligible for the playoffs. Davison also had a 8-point and 4-assist game versus the Thunder on February 7.
Davison’s influence was even more obvious in the G League, as he continued to exhibit his scoring and playmaking prowess. He put up good numbers in limited opportunities, helping to reinforce the idea that he may develop into a reliable NBA contributor with more opportunities.
However, what worries me the most with Davison is his three-point shot. Davison shot just above 30% from three in college before shooting 29% in his rookie year, 40% in his sophomore year, 33% his third year, and just 27.3% this past year. Houston already has so many players who can’t shoot from three (Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, etc). Thankfully, with Reed Sheppard’s emergence, Davison should only be needed in spot minutes, and since he is still younger, he has time to develop a three-point shot.
All in all, it was hard to evaluate Davison’s Rockets season since he did not play much real NBA basketball due to being on a two-way, and also due to Ime Udoka favoring Aaron Holiday, but hopefully next season we will get to see him get more opprotunites and continue to grow. We will be doing player season reviews all month long here at The Dream Shake, so make sure to check back every day for new season reviews.
Bob Skinner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is shown here in uniform posing with a baseball bat.
The Pittsburgh Pirates family got some bad news, when it was announced that former Bucs outfielder/first baseman/coach and World Series champion Bob Skinner died at age 94 in San Diego. The cause was not released, but when you make it to 94, it could be just about anything.
Skinner spent 12 years in the MLB, including 9 seasons with the Pirates as well as spending time with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. He also spent some time later in his career as a manager with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.
Skinner was a two-time All-Star who hit .277 for his career. He was never a big power guy, with his most homers in a year sitting at 20, but he did have four seasons in which he hit over .300.
He played with the Bucs in 1960 World Series, but he got hurt in Game 1 and only returned in Game 7, where he scored a late run to help lift the Bucs to the huge upset over the New York Yankees. He also won a World Series with the 1964 Cardinals, who also beat the Yankees for the title.
Skinner played until 1966 and then started managing the Phillies in 1968, but had a losing record in 1968 and 1969. He later became a hitting coach for the Pirates and was part of the 1979 World Series winners.
Pirates owner Bob Butting had this to say about the former Pirates star:
“Bob was an important part of one of the most beloved teams in our storied history and helped deliver a moment that will forever be woven into the fabric of our city. Bob was a talented player, a proud Pirate and a respected member of the baseball community.”
