The Anaheim Ducks take on the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their second-round NHL playoff series. The Golden Knights won Game 1 3-1. Vegas is favored by 1.5 goals in Game 2. The over/under for the game is set at 6.5 goals.
How to watch Anaheim Ducks vs. Vegas Golden Knights
On this day 59 years ago, the White Sox dealt native son Moose Skowron to the Angels. | (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
1903 The White Sox were charged with 11 errors in a game in Chicago vs. Detroit. While that’s a big story in itself, it’s not the most remarkable item to come out of this game.
What is the most remarkable item to come out of this game is the fact that the Sox won the game, 10-9, scoring three runs in the ninth inning! First baseman Cozy Dolan had an error, third baseman Frank Isbell made three, shortstop Lee Tannehill had four — and starting pitcher Patsy Flaherty had three!
Chances are, Isbell and Tannehill sent their gloves out to be re-laced after this one. This game was just Chicago’s 12th of the season, and already Tannehill had amassed 11 errors, Isbell 10. And in part thanks to Flaherty’s cloddish fielding, none of his nine runs surrendered over this complete-game win were earned.
The White Sox set this new record for fumbles just two years and one day after a nine-error, 21-7 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. This 11-error game has never been surpassed in White Sox annals, and remains tied with the Tigers (1901), St. Louis Cardinals (1902 and 1909) and Boston Beaneaters (1906) for the most miscues ever committed in a major league game.
Notably, among the 17 games with the most errors (10 or 11) in majors history, four came against the White Sox (so, a full quarter of these games featured the White Sox as the benefactor).
Even more noteworthy, none of the other 16 games of 10 or 11 errors resulted in a win for the leaky team: This White Sox game is the only in history where the team with double-figure errors still won the game.
St. Louis swept Chicago in a doubleheader, with Bob Groom holding the White Sox hitless in a 3-0 nightcap win. It was the sixth time in team history the White Sox were no-hit.
However, the loss marked the end of the eventual world champions’ four-game losing streak (what would be their longest of the season), and the 11-10 club would win 89 of its final 135 games (a .659 winning percentage!) in storming to the sole 100-win season in White Sox history.
Unlike the no-hitter on May 5, the Browns actually played a very good game in this win, and moved one full game ahead of the White Sox in the AL standings. However, St. Louis was not a strong team by any measure, ending the year with just 57 wins.
This is the only time in major league history that a team has been no-hit on consecutive days. And the team no-hit was a 100-win eventual World Series winner.
Also, this was Groom’s last full season in the big leagues, and he would lead the AL with 19 losses, against just eight wins.
Baseball is crazy.
1963 Making an emergency start in Kansas City, White Sox pitcher Gary Peters hit the first of his 19 career home runs. It came in the third inning off Ted Bowsfield. Peterstossed eight innings of one-run ball in the 5-1 win. It was the first win in 1963 for Gary, who’d go on to collect 19 of them and win Rookie of the Year honors. Peters had 189 strikeouts to go along with a 2.33 ERA.
Peters is also the franchise leader in most home runs hit by a pitcher with 15, three more than Jack Harshman.
Peterswas told that he would be that game’s starter late — while on the airplane flying into Kansas City — by pitching coach Ray Berres after scheduled starter Juan Pizarro was felled by the flu.
1964 Dave Nicholson hit what may have been the longest home run in MLB history.
On this night, in the fifth inning, in the first game of a twin bill versus the A’s, Nicholson blasted a shot off of future White Sox pitcher Moe Drabowsky that went over the roof and was found across the street in Armour Square.
Some Sox fans claimed they heard the ball hit the top of the roof, but White Sox officials said when they found the ball it had no signs of tar on it, nor was it scuffed. Longtime Chicago baseball reporter Jerome Holtzman was at the game, and claimed he saw the ball bounce back up after hitting the roof — and then go back out of sight.
Nicholson’sshot went over the roof around the 375-foot sign in left-center field. It was found 135 feet from the base of the wall. Factoring in the elevation needed to get the ball over the roof (approximately 70 feet), hitting a ball on to the roof or over it required a ground-to-ground distance of at least 474 feet.
Unofficial estimates place the drive as traveling 573 feet, eclipsing Mickey Mantle’s shot at Griffith Stadium in Washington in 1956 that went an unofficial 565 feet.
For the night, Dave would hammer three home runs and drive in five in the twin bill as the Sox swept both games, 6-4 and 11-4.
The postscript to the story is that a few months later, on July 12 in Kansas City (the next time Drabowskyfaced Nicholson), he hit him in the forehead with a fastball — opening a gash that required stitches.
1967 The White Sox dealt native son Moose Skowron to California for infielder Cotton Nash, in what was the first-ever trade between the two clubs. Skowron had come to the South Side from Washington three seasons earlier, and remained a solid hitter for the duration of his tenure (4.7 WAR, 107 OPS+ over 347 games).
Nash would appear in just three games for the White Sox in 1967 (0-for-4, with a walk), which also was the brief period of time where the former University of Kentucky basketball star was a two-sport pro (MLB’s White Sox and the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels). After spending 1968 and 1969 in the minors for Chicago, the Sox swapped Nash to Pittsburgh. Meanwhile California released Skowron at the end of 1967, ending his career.
1973 With an 11-2 win to wrap up a sweep of the Yankees and run their homestand to 5-0, the White Sox improved to 15-5 on the young season and pushed their lead in the AL West to two games. The win marked the best start for the White Sox since 1912, and remains tied for the best 20-game start to a White Sox season.
Wilbur Wood went the distance to improve to 7-2. Yes, that’s right, Wood had nine of the first 20 decisions for the White Sox, due in part to weather cancellations of games in April and his ability as a knuckleballer to take on a huge workload. (Wood started the first two games of the White Sox season, the first three of five, four of eight and five of 10.) On offense, Pat Kelly and Bill Melton both had three singles in the rout, while Dick Allen went 3-for-4 with the only White Sox extra-base hit of the game, a triple to lead off the third inning. (Want an idea of how valuable and smart a hitter Allen was? His first hit of the game was … a bunt single to third base.)
Injuries and odd front-office moves by GM Stu Holcomb would eventually torpedo this promising season, as by year’s end the White Sox would fall to fifth place in the six-team division, at 77-85.
Barstool Sports founder, and well-known high-roller, Dave Portnoy dropped a $100,000 wager on the Las Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup.
Portnoy revealed his six-figure wager, placed at DraftKings Sportsbook, in a post shared to his X account on Sunday.
Key Takeaways
The Golden Knights already took Game 1 in their second-round series.
Odds now give the Knights a 15.4% implied chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Portnoy has recently won and lost five- and six-figure bets in multiple sports
Portnoy’s ostentatious wager supported a Golden Knights team that was third in odds to win the Stanley Cup at DraftKings.
His $100,000 ticket, placed at +650 odds, would pay $750,000 if the Golden Knights win their franchise’s second NHL championship and first since the 2022-23 season.
“Davey Pucks Activated,” Portnoy succinctly wrote in a post sharing his bet.
The Knights showed support for Portnoy under an original post confirming that center William Karlsson would return for Game 1 of the team’s second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. Karlsson had missed six months of action after he suffered a lower-body injury against the same Ducks team in early November.
After Portnoy responded with the “eyes emoji” that reflected his interest in the news, the Golden Knights posted a picture of an “El Presidente” jersey.
Portnoy, whose X account is @stoolpresidente, goes by the “El Presidente” nickname that translates to “The President” of Barstool.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) May 5, 2026
Golden Knights close in on the leaders
The Golden Knights were only fourth in the Western Conference and 13th in the NHL in the regular-season standings. However, they find themselves on a four-game winning streak and with a 1-0 advantage in the second round.
Monday’s opening gambit saw the Golden Knights emerge with a 3-1 victory with goals from Mitch Marner, Ivan Barbashev and Brett Howden. The series will continue at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday evening.
The win kept the Golden Knights third in Stanley Cup odds, although they shortened to +550. They now have a 15.4% implied chance to win the championship, up from the 13.3% chance they had when Portnoy submitted his ticket.
Vegas is also -350 (77.8% chance) to win the ongoing series. They’d face the winner of the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild, in which the Avalanche hold a 2-0 lead and is a -900 series favorite.
The Avalanche are also the favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +155 (39.2% chance). The Carolina Hurricanes, who are up 2-0 over the Philadelphia Flyers, are close behind at +180 (35.7% chance).
Portnoy’s big wins… and big losses
Portnoy is no stranger to large risks and massive payouts. He recently won $2.8 million from a $600,000 wager when UConn won the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He alsotook home $1.7 million from a $300,000 wager on Scottie Scheffler to win the 2024 Masters.
That said, he also had his share of losses. He recently missed out on $1.8 million after betting $50,000 on the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl and $1.4 million from a $200,000 bet on the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series.
The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres open their East second-round series in the NHL playoffs. The Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the first round. The Buffalo Sabres beat Montreal 4-2 in the first round. Buffalo is favored by 1.5 goals. The total is set at 5.5 goals.
How to watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
GreenJackets infielder Tate Southisene (7) throws the ball during the Augusta GreenJackets and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers game at SRP Park on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The GreenJackets celebrated Star Wars night with fireworks and a jersey auction. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale-The Augusta Chronicle USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Other than running into some trouble in the sixth inning, it was a really strong pitching performance by Elieser Hernández who mixed his pitches pretty well, but was especially strong with his four-seam that he utilized over 50% of the time. Because he was able to utilize his full four pitch mix (four-seam, cutter, curveball, changeup), his changeup played up and overall, again, generated weak contact and kept hitters at bay. He was removed from the sixth inning with a runner on first, because his pitch count was up to 92, and Ian Hamilton came in, threw a pair of changeups and ended the threat.
The strong pitching continued afterwards as Dylan Dodd (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 1K) needed just 11 pitches to work a scoreless inning. Dodd was able to locate his cutter real well down in the zone against some right handed hitting – something to monitor and see if he’s able to do once he’s back in Atlanta. Following Dylan Dodd was Daysbel Hernández (1IP 1H 0R 1BB 2K) who appears to be rounding into shape after sitting out the start of the season due to injury. The Daysbel slider was at its peak, pretty much rendering hitters useless against it, a very good sign. Also of note, Daysbel was nearly 50:50 with his four-seam, and slider combination which shows confidence in his ability to locate both. We all know of the high upside Daysbel has when he’s able to locate the two pitches and it appears as though he is on the right track. Following Daysbel was Rolddy Muñoz who worked around a hit-by-pitch, and an error and worked a scoreless inning himself. Rolddy featured manly his two-seam and slider, which looked particularly great, but also let it rip with a four-seam fastball. The two-seam continues to be a tantalizing pitch with its 21” IVB.
Offensively, this game had three big highlights that came on three swings. First was a fourth inning solo home run by Ben Gamel to give the Stripers a 1-0 lead.
Fast forward to the seventh and it was Ben Gamel, again, who hit a two run single that scored Aaron Schunk and Brewer Hicklen to then tie the game at 3-3. The final highlight came in the eighth when Nacho Alvarez Jr. connected on his second homer of the season, the eighth pitch of the at bat, to give the Stripers the lead, and ultimately the win.
It was an up-and-down outing for Garrett Baumann who got through 4.2 innings of work. Garrett leveraged his four-seam 30% of the time, a bit of a spike for him, but mixed his pitches very well. By my charting Garrett was four-seam (30%), two-seam (14%), cutter (20%), curveball (13%), and splitter (20%), but struggled to identify a true whiff pitch while often unable to land his offspeed pitches in/close to the zone. Garrett also struggled with the run game a bit – allowing three stolen bases, something he has focused and worked on a lot this season so far. All that said, Garrett still allowed just two earned runs and was followed up by some solid bullpen work as well.
LJ McDonough (1.1IP 1H 1R 0ER 2BB 1K) worked into, and out of trouble, giving up a pair of walks and hitting a batter but was able to get a double play to end any threat. His fastball control struggled as he threw multiple ones too far up in the zone to make hitters swing at it. He was replaced by Ryan Bourassa who gave up a solo home run, but still pitched well. Ryan leveraged all three of his pitches (four-seam, cutter, splitter), and looked as though he executed his plan quite well. The home run was a bit of really nice hitting on a fastball up and away that the batter was able to swing through and connect on. Lastly, Blane Abeyta was fantastic in closing out the game. His sweeper was fantastic and he was starting it outside and locating it inside the zone. He combined that strong sweeper with a fastball that he commanded well at the top of the zone – overall a very strong pitching performance for Blane.
Offensively, the Clingstones went 5-for-18 with runners in scoring position and scored seven runs, but could have scored more if not for some struggles with runners at third. The scoring started early with a Jordan Groshans RBI double in the first. In the third, it was Jordan Groshans again, this time grounding into a double play but scoring Lizandro Espinoza to push the lead to 2-0. The Clingstones would then be held in check until the eighth inning when, who else but Jordan Groshans, hit an RBI triple that scored Luke Waddell. Two batters later the hot hitting Archer Brookman drove in Jordan with an RBI single that ultimately gave Columbus the lead back.
After a solo home run by the Shuckers in the bottom of the eighth inning tied the game, the Clingstones added three more runs in the ninth inning to secure the win.
Unfortunately for Rome it was one of the erratic games for Cedric De Grandpre who struggled throughout the outing and never really got into a groove. He had runners on base in three of his four innings, struggled to land his fastball in the zone, let alone at the top of the zone, and was unable to find a rhythm with the rest of his arsenal. As a result, you get a mixed bag review. Cedric has a ton of arm talent, has a pitch mix that falls in line with everything Jeremy Hefner would love to work with (four-seam, two-seam, slider, curveball, changeup), but has been very inconsistent. There are games where it all comes together and he looks like a top prospect, and then he has games like today where he struggles to land any of them in the zone. The stuff was still there, as he was able to generate 12 whiffs, but the inconsistencies ultimately cost him.
He was relieved by Jacob Kroeger (0.2IP 3H 4ER 1BB 1K) who struggled as well, particularly with his slider, unable to land it in the zone primarily making Jacob a one pitch pitcher. He was then relieved by Drew Christo (1.1IP 1H 0R 3BB 1K), a recent call up to Rome, and he also struggled to land his pitches in the zone, however was still able to get through his outing without allowing a run to score. Finally, Logan Samuels (2IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K) pitched the final two innings and unlike the previous pitchers, was able to land his pitches and attacked batters. 17 of Logan’s 21 pitches were strikes and he threw his four-seam, two-seam, and sweeper all for strikes.
Offensively, it was a never quit attitude for the Emperors. They found themselves down 10-2 after the games first five innings and rallied – scoring seven more runs before ultimately falling. Isaiah Drake was especially strong as he collected three hits including this 97 MPH RBI double.
The Emperors would threaten again in the ninth with John Gil driving in a run on a double play to make it 10-7. Dixon Williams would follow that up with a two run home run of his own later in the inning to make it 10-9, before the Emperors ultimately fell.
(17-11) Charleston River Dogs 3, (15-13) Augusta GreenJackets 5
Logan Forstyhe got the ball for the GreenJackets and was solid. After struggling in the first inning he was able to turn things around and navigate through the final three innings of his outing with his three pitch mix (four-seam, sweeper, changeup). Logan was primarily four-seam – throwing it 65% of the time but it had good shape, and while it didn’t generate a ton of whiffs, was still used to keep hitters in check with it’s solid velocity (94-95 MPH). He was relieved by Aiven Cabral who was strong – allowing just one earned run over the games final five innings. He did a really good job of getting ahead of batters early which allowed him some leeway when he was unable to finish batters. Cabral continued to utilize a four pitch mix of four-seam, two-seam (1?), slider, and splitter. Nothing particularly stood out between the two pitchers, but we did see both of them settle in and provide a solid outing.
Offensively it was a strong game by a lot of the team. The GreenJackets scored their first two runs in the fifth inning with a Cooper McMurray 94 MPH home run. They would tack on three more runs the following inning with a Dalton McIntyre two run single, and a run scoring ground out by Cooper McMurray. They would tack on their final run of the game in the eighth inning with an RBI single by Nick Montgomery.
Beyond the numbers, it was a game of really good approaches by Tate Southisene, Luis Guanipa, and Dalton McIntyre. The trio all showcased strong at bats with minimal expanding, and taking advantage of balls left in the zone. Alex Lodise went 1-for-4, but did expand up high as he is known for. Nick Montgomery continued his strong 2026 that continued to show good swing decisions – a big, and very promising, change from 2025.
As Mats Sundin enters surgery to remove the horseshoe up his you know what, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are already lining up to pre-order their Gavin McKenna jerseys for the upcoming season.
But are Leafs fans jumping the gun, or is McKenna to Toronto a done deal?
We look at the possibility of who will go No. 1 overall to the Maple Leafs, with the 2026 NHL Draft odds from Kalshi — one of our best prediction market apps — listing McKenna as the heavy favorite with an 88% probably.
2026 NHL Draft odds (No. 1 pick): Who will Maple Leafs take first overall?
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi
Being a Maple Leafs fan is truly something else. One day, they are talking about Auston Matthews' next team odds. Next, they are trying to figure out who will be picked No. 1 overall.
What the market is telling us
Unless something disastrous happens — like McKenna knocking out another dork at a bar — the Penn State product is heading to Toronto.
Ivar Stenberg has been mentioned next to McKenna for the majority of the season, but their prices at Kalshi (88¢ to 10¢) shows as of now, this isn't up for debate.
NHL draft No. 1 overall favorites
Gavin McKenna
The 18-year-old from Whitehorse has been turning heads for years, and his name has always been involved in No. 1 pick talks. While not a true "consensus" pick, like Bedard or McDavid, McKenna has done nothing on the ice to make anyone doubt his potential.
After dominating the WHL, McKenna made the jump to the NCAA to play with the Penn State Nittany Lions. He transitioned seamlessly — putting up 51 points in 36 games. He's also a pass-first winger who fits perfectly with Matthews almost immediately.
McKenna's ceiling is higher than anyone in the draft, but his marketability is what can truly make him the golden boy for Toronto. Fans are in love with him, and he's already shown more personality than robots like Bedard or McDavid ever did in their younger years.
This market could see movement as we approach the June draft, but for now, McKenna is in the driver's seat.
Ivar Stenberg
The Swedish prospect might not have as high a ceiling as McKenna, but there's no doubt scouts believe he's more NHL-ready. Stenberg already has a year of pro hockey under his belt and has proven he's a winner after taking home gold at the World Juniors.
His two-way play far exceeds that of McKenna at this stage of their career, and Toronto will have a clearer picture of what they can expect with Stenberg. That said, it comes down to whether the Leafs believe adding the Swede can increase their chances of winning now.
The drama with Matthews isn't going away any time soon, and who they choose will surely impact how they value AM34 going forward.
NHL Draft No. 1 overall pick prediction
Pick: Gavin McKenna (88¢, -735)
Looking at the overall landscape of the Leafs and the NHL as a whole (more on that in a moment), Gavin McKenna is the clear choice here.
The Maple Leafs never looked like they were "one player away" last season, and even with their projected $22 million in cap space, there are too many holes to plug to help this sinking ship.
And that's not even talking about the off-ice positives. At the end of the day, the NHL is a business, and Toronto knows it will sell more McKenna jerseys than it ever would Stenberg ones.
McKenna gives them a true "face of the franchise" if Matthews decides to dip, and there may or may not be some upcoming free agent out of Edmonton who may love the idea of playing with a fellow Canadian in a couple of years...
2026 NHL Mock Draft
NHL mock drafts are talked about year-round, but the Draft Lottery helps us paint a clearer picture of how things will go. This is how Daily Faceoff sees the Top 5 going, along with their odds of being picked in that spot, according to Kalshi.
Team
Player
Win Probability
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna
-735
88%
2. San Jose Sharks
Ivar Stenberg
-354
78%
3. Vancouver Canucks
Caleb Malhotra
+113
47%
4. Chicago Blackhawks
Chase Reid
+245
29%
5. New York Rangers
Keaton Verhoeff
+285
26%
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LAS VEGAS — Neither team particularly was happy following the Golden Knights’ 3-1 Game 1 victory over the Ducks.
Vegas got the win to open the second round, but realizes that is not sustainable after getting outplayed by Anaheim most of the night. On the other side, the Ducks missed a great opportunity to take the early lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.
“I think the biggest thing is we need to be honest with ourselves,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “We’ll look at some of the stuff and I think we have a better game coming up.”
That would be Game 2 in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights would have a hard time getting away with another performance in which they were outshot 34-22 and, according to Natural Stat Trick, gave up 12 high-danger chances compared to creating six.
“I don’t think anyone in that locker room is pretty satisfied with that win,” Vegas center Mitch Marner said. “We know we can play a lot better. I don’t think we got to our (offensive) zone game at all. We gave them some good looks that (goalie) Carter (Hart) made some massive saves on. But we know we’ve got to be better. We know the series is going to get harder. That’s how it always goes.”
If not for Hart’s 33 saves, the Ducks likely would be the ones up 1-0, but Anaheim found itself in a similar spot in the opening round against Edmonton. After the Oilers won the opener 4-3, the Ducks took the next three games and eventually closed out the series in six.
Win Game 2 at Vegas and suddenly home ice advantage belongs to the Ducks.
“It’s definitely a different task at hand,” Ducks center Ryan Poehling said. “I thought we played a great game (Monday) and just using our speed throughout the series is going to kind of be what dictates how it ends up for us.”
That athleticism figured to be a big advantage for Anaheim entering the series, but the Golden Knights counter with physicality and experience. The rough play was less on display, and Tortorella said the officials made cutting down on fighting and other post-play scrums a point of emphasis this series.
If it comes down to being able to create plays in open ice, the Ducks will have the decided edge, at least if Game 1 was any indication.
“I liked how we played,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a good pace to our game. I thought (Lukas Dostal) was good in net and I thought across the board we had everybody contributing. We had the energy we were looking for and there was speed and pace. We missed some great chances as well.”
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres showed in their six-game series victory over Boston in the first round that they aren’t just a feel-good story. In making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, Buffalo is out to make an impact in this postseason and has the chance to knock out the NHL’s most-decorated franchise in Montreal.
“I think after this series, we kind of learned that this is just hockey,” Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “The media and stuff are kind of blowing it up about playoffs and different things. But we’ve played this sport for so long.”
The Canadiens pulled off the great escape to get to this point, putting just nine shots on goal in Game 7 at Tampa Bay, but still defeated the Lightning 2-1.
“We stuck together,” Canadiens forward Josh Anderson said. “We found ways to win. I thought everyone bought into the game plan and system we were bringing each and every night.”
Now they have to do it again against a team few expected to be in this position when the season began.
The San Antonio Spurs take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the teams’ Western Conference semifinal series. The Timberwolves won Game 1 104-102. Victor Wembanyama blocked an NBA playoff-record 12 shots but it wasn’t enough to beat Minnesota, which was lifted by the return of Anthony Edwards. The Spurs are 9.5-point favorites in Game 2 with an over/under of 215.5.
How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -424 (77.6%) / Minnesota Timberwolves +327 (22.4%)
Over/Under: 215.5
Series schedule, results
Game 1:Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102 Game 2: Minnesota at San Antonio (Wednesday May 6, 9:30 ET, ESPN) Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 8, 9:30 ET, Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota (Sunday May 10, 7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock) Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio (Tuesday May 12)* Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 15)* Game 7: Minnesota at San Antonio (Sunday May 17)*
The last time the Islanders held the 13th pick, they traded it.
Back in 2022, the Islanders entered the lottery with the same odds as they did this time, 2.0%, and remained at No. 13.
But when the Islanders were on the clock in Montreal, they traded the pick to the hometown Canadiens.
Left-handed defenseman Alexander Romanov and Montreal's 2022 fourth-round pick came to Long Island in exchange for the 13th pick. The Canadiens then sent the Islanders' pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for centerman Kirby Dach.
The Blackhawks selected center Frank Nazar with the Islanders' pick.
Romanov, a pending restricted free agent who had been squeezed out in Montreal, signed a three-year deal worth $7.5 million annually with the Islanders. Over those first three seasons on Long Island, it was a process of becoming a more responsible defenseman while showcasing more offensive potential.
First-year general manager Mathieu Darche really believes in the player, signing Romanov to an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually on June 30, 2025.
Unfortunately, the first year of the deal was a nightmare. Romanov dealt with an upper-body injury early in the season, and the hope was that his poor play and analytics were largely due to it.
The struggles continued when he returned, and on Nov. 18, his season came to an end after Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen boarded him, injuring his right shoulder, an injury that required surgery.
The Islanders are relying on Romanov to bounce back, and if you know the player, you know he'll put in the work this summer to get right.
Nazar has proven to be a good example of a player who falls out of the top 10 but can still be effective in the right spot. He made his NHL debut just a season after being drafted, recording a goal in a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He went pointless in the final two games of the season.
Then in 2024-25, Nazar recorded 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 53 games, averaging 15:52 per game. He followed that season up with a 41-point 2025-26 campaign, with 15 goals and 26 assists. He averaged 18:19 per game.
Nazar played most of his second full season with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen on Chicago's second line, but he did end the season as a linemate with Connor Bedard.
Back in August, with one season left on his deal, the Blackhawks signed him to a seven-year contract worth $6.59 million annually.
Dach has struggled to stay healthy and be effective since the Canadiens acquired him. He played just 58 games in 2022-23, two in 2023-24, 57 in 2024-25, and only 37 this past season, with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points.
So far in the playoffs, Dach has two goals and an assist in seven games. He is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
If the Islanders are going to acquire a scoring forward this summer, one would have to think it comes via trade. And if it comes via trade, chances are the No. 13 pick is involved.
Or they can keep the pick and add to their booming prospect pool.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been playing spectacular basketball in unprecedented territory. We've never seen anyone be this good, for this long, especially at this age.
He's etched his name on countless of records in the NBA history books from all-time points scored, both regular season and postseason, All-Star games, most seasons played, you name it.
For someone who's done just about everything there is to do in the NBA from a four-time MVP, four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Finals MVP with three different teams ― you'd think there's nothing else he's playing for.
During an episode of his podcast Mind the Game, released on May 5, James revealed that he's motivated to continue playing due to his love of the sport, his ability to still inspire and play the game at a high level.
"I still love the process of getting up and putting my body through rigorous rehabs and training sessions and whatever the case may be to try and find the results," James said.
This postseason he's shown that there is one last motivating factor: LeBron James ... Junior.
Bronny James' presence on the team and playing meaningful postseason minutes has almost seemingly rejuvenated Poppa James.
"To be able to have Bronny in the locker room has definitely helped out a lot as well," James said on the podcast. "I have a job and a responsibility to show him what it means to be a professional. Yes, he's seen it from the outside looking in throughout the course of his life, but now, being in the locker room, being in film sessions, being on the plane, being in everything that surrounds how to be a professional, and the results that come with it. I have a responsibility in that. So those are a couple ways for me that's given me inspiration and given me motivation to still do this."
He added: "I hope it's paid off, you know, in a sense for Bronny, and in the sense of my teammates that, you know, they get to see, how I approach the game, and it comes way before the lights come on and the popcorn is popping and everyone is filled in their seats, and whatever the case may be."
LeBron and Bronny James take over for Lakers vs. Rockets in Game 3
LeBron and Bronny James are the first father-son duo to play together in a playoff game. It was spectacular.
The James gang had their moment during Game 3 of the first round against the Houston Rockets. At one point, the two went on a father-son 10-0 run that included a Bronny 3-pointer, after a screen from dad.
"One of the things that I came into this season, obviously last year, challenging for everybody as he was learning his ways on being a professional, whatever case may be, his rookie year, but he's made so many strides in his second year," James said about his son. "It resulted in him, taking the moment, obviously, without AR, without Luka, you know, he was next man up. He was one of the guys that had to step up in his absence."
Plays later, on a fast break, young Simba was filling the lane, Pops saw him and threw up an alley-oop to which Bronny caught on one side, hung in the air and reversed in and finished a layup on the other side.
James described the moment during his podcast episode with Nash as something that he'd never forget.
"To share that moment in Game 3, I believe we scored 10 straight points between the two of us," he said. "I think we both had a three, and we both had a layup, whatever the case may be, I was able to throw them a lob, and we had that, that mini-run between the two of us. And that was just something that I would never, ever forget. Something that I've learned, obviously at my elder stage, and being 41 years old, to kind of like, appreciate the small wins in the moment."
He reminisced on the in-game moment as only a proud dad could.
"That was one of the moments where I kind of. I've always been locked in and that moment right there, throwing him to lob, seeing him make the three, we kind of going back and forth, I kind of blanked out for a little bit, and just like really, just accepted and relished in that moment. That's pretty cool for me as a dad, and then us (me and Bronny) as colleagues," James said.
It's a cool moment the entire James family, he added.
"I mentioned at one point, like my mom being at the game and her being able to watch her son and grandson in postseason game at the same time. My wife was there, his sister (Zhuri) was there. I think Bryce was back home from college, he was at a playoff (game). It was like, you can't even write that script in Hollywood better than what's going on. So just being super appreciative of it."
In the first round, James averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 38.5 minutes as the Lakers defeated the Rockets, 4-2, to advance to the conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bronny averaged two points, one assist in a little under seven minutes per game during the playoff series against Houston.
LeBron: Not taking it for granted
One thing's for sure, James doesn't take his 23-year career, nor what he's been able to do — especially in Los Angeles — for granted.
James was 33 years old when he first joined the Lakers in 2018. Eight years later, he's still doing it. Sometimes, even he can't believe it.
"Listen, I came to the Lakers in 2018 at 33 and there's no way, if someone is here, would you be playing in 2026 in the postseason? Just playing. I don't know if I would have been able to answer that question," James said. "Just playing and then, let alone saying, hey, now, but now you're the No. 1 -option on a playoff team, and you're helping them win a series, like you're the No. 1 option on that team. I just, I wouldn't have believed that."
He added: "I knew I still had a lot left in the tank when I came to this franchise in '18 but to say that, you know eight years later, at 41, I would be leading the team into the postseason and coming out with a series win, I wouldn't have guessed that, and I wouldn't have bet on that."
After a surprising result in the series opener, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves take the court tonight looking to take a 2-0 lead in their second round series against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Edwards (knee) came off the bench scoring 18 points in 25 minutes to spark Minnesota. Julius Randle led all scorers in the game with 21. Wembanyama had only 11 points, but he blocked a record 12 shots and pulled down 15 boards in a losing effort for the Spurs. Dylan Harper actually led San Antonio with 18 points.
Tonight carries a very different tone than did the opener. Minnesota set the terms in Game 1 with their physicality, defensive discipline, and ability to control the paint. San Antonio now has to adjust. The Spurs showed flashes—especially when they were able to get out in transition—but their half‑court execution wasn’t consistent enough to threaten a Timberwolves team that thrives on forcing tough shots.
To find that consistency on offense in the halfcourt, the Spurs will look to Wembanyama. Minnesota did an excellent job of making life difficult on offense for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. They crowded Wembanyama’s catches, disrupted entry passes, and dared San Antonio’s perimeter players to beat them. To shift the dynamic, the Spurs need cleaner spacing, quicker decisions, and more assertiveness from Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson.
Minnesota, meanwhile, enters Game 2 with confidence and a clear blueprint. Rudy Gobert’s presence in the paint allowed the Timberwolves to stay home on shooters, while Anthony Edwards’ shot creation gave them a steady offensive anchor. What makes Minnesota truly dangerous, though, is how connected they are defensively—rotations are sharp, communication is constant, and they rarely beat themselves. If they maintain that discipline, they will control the tempo and be in position to take Game 2.
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 Game 2 Live: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 9:30PM EST
Site: Frost Bank Center
City: San Antonio, TX
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game 2 Odds: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Minnesota Timberwolves (+310), San Antonio Spurs (-395)
Spread: Spurs -9.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Spurs -10.5 with the Game 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 for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Minnesota Timberwolves
PG Mike Conley
SG Terrence Shannon Jr.
C Rudy Gobert
SF Julius Randle
PF Jaden McDaniels
**Edwards is listed as questionable. The expectation is he will play, but will he move back into the starting rotation? Check your lineups later this afternoon for confirmation.
San Antonio Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SG Devin Vassell
PF Victor Wembanyama
SF Julian Champagnie
Injury Report for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Ayo Dosunmu (calf) is lasted as questionable for tonight’s game
San Antonio Spurs
Carter Bryant (foot) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
David Jones Garcia (ankle) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
The Timberwolves are 25-20 on the road this season
The Spurs are 34-10 at home this season
The Spurs are 49-38-2 ATS this season
Minnesota is 42-47 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 37 of the Spurs’ 89 games this season (37-52)
The OVER has cashed in 39 of the Timberwolves’ 89 games this season (39-50)
Rudy Gobert pulled down at least 10 rebounds in 4 of his last 5 games including 10 in Game 1 of this series
Terrence Shannon Jr. has scored 15 or more points in 3 straight games
Stephon Castle is 14-32 in the playoffs from beyond the arc
Dylan Harper was 7-13 from the field and scored 18 points to lead the Spurs in Gm. 1
Statistically the difference in Game 1 was as simple as the Spurs shot 28% (10-36) from deep while the Timberwolves shot 38% (10-26)
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 tonight’s Timberwolves and Spurs’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Timberwolves +9.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5
Team Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Spurs’ Dylan Harper 10+ Points parlayed with Victor Wembanyama 5+ blocks
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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The Philadelphia 76ers will try to even their second-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Knicks routed the 76ers 137-98 in Game 1. New York is favored by 6.5 points in Game 2. The total is set at 215.5.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks
Moneyline: New York Knicks -274 (70.2%) / Philadelphia 76ers +221 (29.8%)
Over/Under: 215.5
Series schedule, results
Game 1:Knicks 137, 76ers 98 Game 2: Philadelphia at New York (Wednesday May 6, 7 ET, ESPN) Game 3: New York at Philadelphia (Friday May 8, 7 ET, Prime Video) Game 4: New York at Philadelphia (Sunday May 10, 3:30 ET, ABC) Game 5: Philadelphia at New York (Tuesday May 12)* Game 6: New York at Philadelphia (Thursday May 14)* Game 7: Philadelphia at New York (Sunday May 17)*
Stephen Halliday might just be the Ottawa Senators’ most compelling forward prospect.
At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds with a long reach, Halliday is a hard man to knock off the puck, and he pairs that size with slick playmaking ability. In mostly a fourth-line role, he produced four goals and 11 points in 30 NHL games this season, while continuing a trend that’s followed him at every level.
He's a guy who finds ways to produce offense.
Ridly Greig is asked last week about his roughing incident in Game 4, which landed him a two game suspension.
Whether it was with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, Ohio State University, or the AHL’s Belleville Senators, Halliday eventually ascended to the top of his team in point production.
That’s what makes his projection so intriguing. Whether you think of him as a career fourth-line contributor or imagine him eventually climbing into a top-six role, both outcomes feel equally believable right now.
Halliday took a clear step forward as a pro this season, producing at a point-per-game pace in the American Hockey League with 29 points in 29 games. His pass-first instinct stood out, with only 2 of those points being goals. But as he showed during his NHL stint, he’s got a quick, effective release when he chooses to use it.
“Yeah, no, I thought it was a great learning experience,” Halliday told Senators host Jackson Starr on Tuesday. “Super excited that I got a chance to show what I could do up with the big club, but again, I really give credit to the guys in Belleville, like David Bell and all the guys that kind of helped me along the way.”
There’s still a sense that Halliday is just scratching the surface. For now, he remains in that “happy to be here” phase at the NHL level, even as expectations begin to rise.
“Oh yeah, like if you would have told me like I'd be here sitting today, like at the beginning of the year, I would have definitely like been like, 'God, I hope,' and stuff like that.”
Even after proving he can contribute, he didn't get ahead of himself last season. Even now, with a new contract, he knows he still has a lot of work to do to become the player he wants to be. But he learned a lot last season.
“Yeah, like kind of just trying to play every shift, like it was my last, I think trying to improve my pace of play, kind of my physicality, like I wasn't as big of a physicality player like in college and in the NHL, but trying to add that type of part to my game.”
He also pointed to the culture around him as a key factor in his progress.
“Yeah, like going back to like kind of what Sandy said in that post-game interview, like the '25 best friends' thing. Every single guy in the room was trying to help each other, whether it was G or whether it was Timmy, like all of those types of guys.”
That growth earned him a two-year contract on Tuesday worth $1.075 million per season. But according to PuckPedia, it’s a two-way deal, which is a loud reminder that, as head coach Travis Green likes to say, nothing is given.
Halliday was playing regularly leading up to the NHL trade deadline, but after the Senators acquired Warren Foegele, he spent much of the stretch run in the press box.
At the moment, it looks like an NHL opportunity may be there this fall. But a lot can happen in a single offseason.
Two summers ago, like Halliday, Angus Crookshank was a top scorer in Belleville who was getting some long looks in Ottawa and looked like he might be ready to break through as a full-timer. Then the Sens went out that summer and wiped out Crookshank's chances by signing five free agent forwards: David Perron, Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins, Noah Gregor and Adam Gaudette.
What the Senators learned this season is that Halliday belongs in the NHL conversation. And if his track record is any indication, wherever he lands in the lineup, he’ll eventually find a way to produce.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News/Ottawa
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Paul George #8 and VJ Edgecombe #77 help up Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Make no mistake, the Sixers coming back from 3-1 down in their first-round series against the Celtics is by far their biggest playoff achievement in the last 25 years. It’s no surprise that the comeback was fueled by the return of Joel Embiid.
The former MVP became the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series when he did not play the first three games. He was outstanding and given all the playoff disappointments he’s been through, most of which have either been the result of bad injury luck or not enough help on the roster, no one deserved a moment like Embiid had on Saturday more than he did.
But perhaps Monday night’s blowout loss was a sobering reality of how difficult it will be to win a title with Embiid in his 30s. Many fans thought Philly was up against more than just the Knicks in Game 1 having to battle the fatigue that comes with having to erase a 3-1 deficit against a team like the Celtics. Let’s rewind to the beginning of the season to explain how we got here.
Practically everyone went into the season assuming Embiid would miss about half of the regular season. He ended up missing slightly more than half of the regular season, appearing in 38 games. With Embiid missing so much time, the Sixers ended up in the play-in tournament. Despite winning their first and only game in the play-in tournament to secure the East’s No. 7 seed in the playoff bracket, having a seed that low meant drawing the Celtics in the first round. Once the Celtics appeared on the schedule, most thought Philly didn’t stand a chance at winning the series. That ended up not being true, but it still took a lot of heavy lifting to get out of the 3-1 hole.
For as amazing as the moment was on Saturday night, it was still only the fourth out of a necessary 16 wins to capture an NBA Championship. Unlike the regular season, Philly doesn’t have the luxury of sitting Embiid every other game now. The way to avoid early-round postseason fatigue is to make quick work of your first-round opponent which gets you more time off before the second round starts. But with Embiid destined to miss so much time in the regular season, how likely is it that the Sixers could get a high seed in future postseasons that would allow them to win their first-round series in four or five games?
The point is, for the rest of his career, you’re likely asking Embiid to ramp it up after playing about half of the regular season, and to appear in six or seven playoff games per round for four rounds over two months. That’s 24-28 games without a long break in a two-month span for someone that would have only played about 40 games with plenty of long breaks over a six-month span in the regular season.
The easiest remedy for this is to build a deeper roster. As we’re seeing in the playoffs, Nick Nurse only plays seven or eight players in most games. If that number could grow to nine or 10 players in a playoff rotation, that would also mean additional depth in the regular season. In turn, that would probably result in more wins in games Embiid doesn’t play, which would give the team a higher playoff seed and ideally a faster victory in the first and potentially second round and preserve Embiid more.
Maybe Daryl Morey and Elton Brand can pull that off this summer and Philly can win 50-60 games in 2026-27. But the cold hard truth here is that we’re going to be wobbling on shaky ground for the entire time Embiid is trying to get through two months of playing in the postseason at a high level. That’s likely a truth that lasts for the remainder of Embiid’s career.
None of this is to say that it can’t be done. Philadelphia could come out on Wednesday night and look like a much different team. After all, all of its starters played under 30 minutes in the blowout loss in Game 1. That’s probably the closest thing we’ll realistically see to load management in the playoffs but maybe it’s enough to even the series. The Sixers sure responded well from blowout losses in Games 1 and 4 against the Celtics, winning Games 2 and 5 in Boston. They might not be the deepest team, but their top-end talent appears to be more reliable than it has been in previous postseasons to the point where not every win needs to be fueled by Embiid, especially if Paul George’s strong play continues.
We’re simply trying to reiterate what might have been obvious a week and a half ago, but forgotten a bit once the comeback started against the Celtics. It’s still a very steep hill to climb when it comes to winning an NBA championship with Embiid as this team’s best player. If you’re already worried about the team running out of gas in the second round, that’s not a worry that subsides in the conference finals or the NBA Finals if the team is to advance that far.
This dynamic probably creates a difficult contrast in vibes for the fanbase. Frankly, it’s understandable if you’re taking the Boston comeback as the pinnacle moment of Embiid’s playoff career and willing to accept that it probably won’t get any better. Of course, that’s a disappointment if that ends up being the case. But if you’re simply not trying to get let down whenever the team is eliminated, you’ve got a real moment to cling to now and that’s worth something. However, if you’re someone that’s gone from jubilant to quickly concerned over the possibility of the Sixers and Embiid looking fatigued and getting blown out in this series by a Knicks team that hasn’t had to expend as much energy as they have, that’s also a fair emotion to be feeling right now.
While we can look at the East with Boston eliminated and say it’s wide open and right there for the taking, you have to ask yourself if you think the Sixers can walk this tight rope for another six weeks without falling down. If your answer is no, that doesn’t make you a bad fan as much as it does a realist. On paper, the Sixers might just have enough talent to win the East this year. But the games aren’t played on paper. Every other night, the ball goes up in the air and said talent needs to show up, be available and play well enough time and time again. For as great as the Boston comeback was, and it’s undoubtedly a moment all Sixers fans should cherish, keep all of this in the back of your mind for however long this playoff run goes.
Should Philly be able to pull out this Knicks series and then lose altitude fast against Detroit or Cleveland in the conference finals, just cherish the fact that the Sixers would have eliminated their top two rivals in the same postseason. We should all allow the improbability of a championship with Embiid to force us to enjoy the good moments he does give us from here on out even more. As the saying goes, don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. But hey, it’s still far from over! On to Game 2.
The reserve guard led the team with 18 points but also dished out four assists and snatched four rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
Harper could have packed the box score even more, considering he generated 12 potential assists but watched those setups be wasted by San Antonio’s poor shooting. He tracked eight rebounding chances yet pulled down only half of those balls.
He’s a high-energy guy, and that’s what the Spurs need after a stagnant series opener. Look for San Antonio to put its foot on the gas, pushing the pace and trying to get out in transition. That’s where Harper does his best work.
Harper’s scoring projections range from 10 points to 12, with most models leaning toward that ceiling. His passing projections flirt with four assists, and his rebounding forecasts sit at 3.5 boards.
Game 2 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
-105 at bet365
Victor Wembanyama posted a "big man" triple-double in Game 1, including 15 rebounds to go along with those points and blocks.
Wemby was in position for 23 rebounding chances, converting just 65% of those into boards. That’s a slide from his 74% rebound win rate in the final two games versus Portland after returning from a concussion.
The opener was a rock fight, as both teams shot well below their season averages and dropped the pace rate to 96.0 in Game 1. I do see an uptick in tempo coming, as both teams like to get out and run – especially San Antonio. That increases shot attempts and, therefore, rebounding chances.
Wembanyama has wrangled 13 or more rebounds in nine of his last 13 games going back to the regular season, and player projections for Game 2 call for as many as 15 boards, with most models on the other side of this total.
The 6-foot-9 forward isn’t shy about letting it fly from distance and finished 2-for-3 from outside in Game 1, striking on a pull-up when the defense sagged off and knocking down a corner 3-pointer on a drive-and-kick.
Minnesota is relentless when it comes to attacking the rim, even with Wembanyama setting up shop in the paint. That collapses the Spurs’ defense and lets Reid slip to the wing with waiting hands and plenty of space.
Reid wasn’t very active from outside in the series win over Denver, and his perimeter play took a step back in the second half of the schedule. Before the All-Star break, Reid was knocking down 2.4 triples on 6.3 attempts per game. That slimmed to 1.4 makes on 4.6 long-range looks in his final 21 games.
His Game 2 forecasts are bullish on Naz beyond the arc, ranging from 1.6 to as high as 2.3 triples. Given this hefty spread, the game script says Minnesota is fighting from behind, and that prompts perimeter action in an effort to catch up.
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