It did seem as though Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider had firmly placed himself in the conversation for the Norris Trophy, given annually to the top defenseman in the NHL during regular-season play.
However, Seider found himself snubbed for the award, which once again went to Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar; Seider ultimately finished fifth overall in voting.
Meanwhile, it was announced on Thursday that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who was selected by current Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman in the second round (58th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, won the Hart Trophy for the second time in his career.
Kucherov seemed like a natural choice for the award, finishing second overall in total NHL scoring with 130 points ((44 Goals, 86 Assists) behind Connor McDavid.
Seider would finish 11th overall in voting for the Hart Trophy:
Seider, who did take home the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, stands a good chance of being selected as the 38th captain in Red Wings history if his teammate Dylan Larkin ultimately gets his reported wish of being dealt to a new club.
Seider wore the "A" on his jersey this season along with Lucas Raymond as alternate captains.
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SAN ANTONIO — It was the moment before the now-famous moment.
It was delivered by the same right hand — OG Anunoby’s “right hand of God,” as Karl-Anthony Towns labeled it afterward.
Anunoby’s tip-in at the end of the Knicks’ epic 107-106 Game 4 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, which gave them a 3-1 Finals lead with the series returning here to Frost Bank Center, will go down as one of, if not the, biggest plays in Knicks history if they close this out and win the championship.
OG Anunoby blocks De’Aaron Fox’s layup attempt in the final seconds of the Knicks’ historic 107-106 win over the Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
But right before, he made what might go down as the most important defensive play in franchise history.
Jalen Brunson, with the Knicks trailing by one, tried a one-handed bank shot over Victor Wembanyama, but missed badly high off the backboard.
The rebound was batted all the way into the frontcourt, and De’Aaron Fox, already with a running start, beat everyone down the court and corralled it with 13.5 seconds left in the game.
He had what seemed like a clear path to the rim, but the smarter decision would have been to pull it out, burn some clock and force the Knicks to foul him.
He went up for a layup, though, and there was the “right hand of God” proving that to be a bad decision.
Anunoby sprinted down the floor, caught up to Fox and blocked the shot, giving the Knicks possession to set up his game-winner.
OG Anunoby’s block of De’Aaron Fox was one of the biggest plays of the game. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Plenty of Spurs fans on social media posted videos of the play and claimed Anunoby fouled Fox, but the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report released Thursday found that it was a clean block.
“Haven’t scored,” Fox explained of his decision after the game. “Try to get a layup, get up three. Force them to need a three. OG made a good block.”
If Fox had waited to get fouled by the Knicks and subsequently made both free throws, the Knicks would have trailed by three — Brunson’s 3-pointer would have been all that mattered and Anunoby’s tip-in would have been irrelevant.
Even if Fox made just one of two free throws, it would have meant Anunoby’s tip-in tied the game and forced overtime as opposed to being the winner.
Fox thought he was giving his team a three-point lead. Anunoby pounced on his mistake and set up his own moment of glory.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby #8 addresses the media in a post game press conference. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun them,” Fox said. “That’s it.”
The “right hand of God” caught up. Call it a biblical block.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 8: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks plays defense during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a season of discussion about Western Conference supremacy, the Knicks sit on the brink of winning the NBA title after an improbable, inexplicable Game 4 comeback.
Over the course of the series, the Spurs have an argument as the better team and have looked the part for the majority of the time. But, repeatedly, they have collapsed in the second half and fourth quarter and a relentless Knicks team has taken advantage.
That’s in no way to diminish what New York has done. They’re a worthy winner who went on one of the greatest postseason runs in NBA history. Even if the Eastern Conference was weaker this season, the Knicks, after a rocky start, bludgeoned their opponents en route to the Finals.
It’s been a magical run for a team that was built in a very unique way. So much credit has been given to the likes of Oklahoma City and San Antonio, teams that have largely built through the draft and still have a treasure trove of draft picks. But the Knicks have bucked that trend.
Tanking vs. trading
At his exit interview, Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka was asked about the team’s win-now approach in comparison to building through the draft like the Spurs, Thunder and Pistons have done. His response centered around the ability for those teams to tank and the Lakers not having that luxury.
It’s a fair retort, especially when taking into account that during some of the lean years for those franchises, the Lakers were raising the Larry O’Brien trophy in Orlando. The only time they really tanked in the franchise’s history, they used those players to land Anthony Davis, who helped win that title in 2020.
Building through the draft may still be the best way to construct a contending roster, but it isn’t the only way, and the Knicks are a prime example.
Of the team’s top 10 players in points these playoffs, only Mitchell Robinson was drafted by the team. OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and Jose Alvarado were all acquired via trade. Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson were all free agent signings.
When it comes to building a team organically, the Knicks couldn’t be further from that.
Now, there is something to be said about the Villanova connection that so many of their top players have. It is a common thread through the team’s core that does matter.
But it’s serving as proof positive that drafting top talent isn’t the only way to build a contender in the modern NBA.
This isn’t to downplay the importance of drafting at all. The Lakers are still going to need to nail the draft picks they hold after this offseason. Fortunately, the last few years notwithstanding, they have a history of doing so. And in the new world of the new CBA with aprons, the importance only increases.
But the Knicks are an example of a team that successfully did all that. New York didn’t do it all at once, though. It took years of trades and calculated risks — and a superstar willing to take a discount — to put all this together.
The Lakers also might want to pick a random college with lots of pro players to build around. Considering the head coach went to Duke and Luke Kennard had success in LA the second half of the season, maybe that’s a starting point.
Jokes aside, though, the Lakers have a pathway to building a title contender. It might take some time and it’s going to require some good fortune and being opportunistic, but if LA can capitalize on those moments, then it could end in the team raising another banner.
Do the Boston Celtics have any interest in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, a deal that would send Jalen Brown to the Midwest coming off his All-NBA season? Things have seemed quiet on that front, league sources had told NBC Sports.
"I thought Boston was out of this. I know Boston was out of this. And I was wondering if they were playing possum or not. I think they were playing a little possum. I think they're in on Giannis... But as I said over and over again, Giannis is pushing for Miami and Boston — those are the two locations. And really wants to end up in Boston because he would have the best chance to win a title. And I think Boston is not ruling out the idea. That's my intel...
"They may not do anything. But I thought they were sitting out this Giannis thing, but I no longer think that. That's all I'm going to say."
It's all a bit cryptic, but the Celtics are not a leaky organization, so info tends to be scarce. If team president Brad Stevens really wants an offense that puts more pressure on the rim, bringing in Antetokounmpo — absolutely elite at getting downhill and not a feared 3-point shooter (to put it kindly) — is a way to force Joe Mazzulla's hand. That said, Boston would get older and bring in a player with a lengthy injury history for a player who just had his best season.
"Those same sources likewise insist that the Celtics have yet to engage in any meaningful trade conversation this spring involving Jaylen Brown after Brown's tremendous 2025-26 campaign … but it also hasn't been categorically dismissed as a possibility."
Wherever Antetokounmpo is traded, expect center Bobby Portis to be part of any deal, reports Tim Reynolds with the Associated Press.
Miami is and should remain the clear frontrunner. If one were in the Bucks front office and wanted to create leverage to drive up the asking price, one might let slip a rumor about another suitor. Not saying that is happening here, just saying there's some logic to it.
Whatever happens, the one thing everyone agrees upon is that a trade is likely before the NBA Draft on June 23.
LeBron to Warriors rumors will not die
The Antetokounmpo domino has to fall before LeBron makes his call on next season, but more and more, the most likely outcome appears to be a return to the Lakers on a short-term deal at considerably less than the $52 million he made last year. That said, the Warriors are lurking out there and there is some level of mutual interest, reports Monte Poole at NBC Sports Bay Area.
"I know it seems crazy. But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn't even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there's enough there that we shouldn't ignore the possibility. It's mostly up to LeBron." If LeBron ends up leaving the Lakers, Golden State seems the most likely destination — he stays on the West Coast, close to his family. A core four of Stephen Curry, LeBron, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler (missing the start of the season recovering from a torn ACL) is interesting, would win games and be a potential playoff threat, but with every one of them at least 37 years old there would be a considerable injury risk.
Consider it something to watch. The Lakers' focus is on re-signing Austin Reaves and finding role players who better fit alongside Luka Doncic. If that focus takes them away from LeBron long enough, maybe he heads up the coast.
NBA Draft Rumors
There's a lot of speculation about which teams might decide to trade down, if not completely out, of the top 10, and which teams are looking to move up. This much seems set, the top four picks — Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago — seem locked in, as do the top four players in whatever order (AJ Dybantsa, Darren Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson).
"There is a sense in opposing front offices that Brooklyn could trade down from this spot, whether it's with a team trying to leap way up the board or even up just one spot in the Kings or two spots in the Hawks. Weeks ago, I reported the Kings are widely believed to be targeting [Darius] Acuff... Want your guy? Trade for him."
• Milwaukee, with the No. 10 pick currently, has worked out Acuff, met with Mikel Brown, and shown interest in Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings — all guards expected to be taken before the Bucks select at No. 10 (although Brown appears to have slipped on some boards and could fall to 10 or later), Jake Fischer reports at The Stein Line. It's worth mentioning here that multiple reports say the Bucks are acting like a team expected to have multiple lottery picks, implying they will get one in an Antetokounmpo trade (the Heat have the No. 13 pick, for example).
• Fischer reports that the Clippers, Nets, Kings and Hawks — picks 5-8 — are all comfortable staying where they are at and may not trade down as others suggested.
Other trade rumors
• The Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings had "preliminary" discussions about a potential trade for the veteran center, Fischer reports. The Kings are asking for a first-round pick in any trade, specifically eyeing the Hornets two first-rounders this year (No. 14 and 18). To make the math work, Miles Bridges might be a guy the Kings are interested in, but the Hornets likely want to get off longer-term salary than they would for a guy entering the final year of his deal (while the Kings likely prefer taking on the shorter-term money). One other team to keep an eye on with Sabonis: The Toronto Raptors.
• What do the New Orleans Pelicans want? One report from Fischer says that teams calling about Trey Murphy III (and Herb Jones) are being told the Pelicans want back players who can help them now, not draft picks for the future.
However, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports the Pelicans like a specific player in the top 10 and would be willing to make a bold trade to land in the top 10 and get that player. That makes more sense in this context: If the Pelicans want more of a win-now team, why trade Murphy at all?
• Also, don't expect a Zion Williamson trade this summer.
NEW YORK (AP) — Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, the second such honor of his career after also winning the Hart in 2019.
The league announced the news Thursday prior to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Kucherov led all players with 1.71 points a game on 44 goals and 86 assists. With 130 points, he ranked second to only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who had 138.
McDavid was a close second by 10 points in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was third and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini fourth.
Kucherov had 42 more points than his next-closest teammate, Jake Guentzel. He was third in Hart Trophy voting a year ago and second in 2023-24.
Following the Knicks' incredible comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, two questions emerged from New York's 107-106 win over the Spurs.
First, what was Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox thinking going for a layup in the waning seconds with his team up one? (We will get to that later.) And second, was OG Anunoby's block a foul?
On that second point, you'd think it was a blatant foul if you follow Spurs Twitter, Reddit and message boards. A subsection of Spurs fans are convinced Anunoby fouled Fox on the layup attempt. It wasn't called such during the game and it wound up costing San Antonio a chance to survive their 29-point collapse.
Well, the NBA's last two minutes report on Game 4 came out Thursday evening and revealed that the call on the court was correct.
"Anunoby makes a legal attempt to block Fox's shot and dislodges the ball from his control before making incidental arm contact," the report read.
All De’Aaron Fox had to do was run the clock out 😭
With the Spurs up one with 20 seconds to go, Jalen Brunson's shot attempt went too high off the glass and a footrace for the ball ensued. Fox used his impressive speed to track down the ball with about 11 seconds to go. Instead of holding the ball and letting the Knicks foul him to go to the free throw line, Fox went up for the dagger and was denied.
“I just thought I’d be able to outrun him,” Fox told reporters, including The Athletic's Sam Amick, after the game. “That’s it.”
Anunoby's block kept the Knicks deficit at one point, and allowed the forward to tip-in a Brunson miss in the next possession to give New York the lead and, ultimately, the win.
Fox was asked why he made the choice he did and the 28-year-old explained himself, and ultimately gave credit to Anunoby.
“Try to get a layup, get up three and force them to need a three,” Fox said. “OG made a good block.”
The play will now go down in NBA Finals/Spurs infamy, especially if San Antonio is unable to bounce back. They'll try to stave off elimination in Game 5 on Saturday and try to even up the series back at MSG on Tuesday.
When all hope is lost, seeing your favorite team somehow beat all the odds and emerge victorious despite being backed into a corner for most of the game is a feeling that can likely only be matched by witnessing the birth of your first child. The second child probably doesn't hit as hard.
It was one of the greatest NBA Finals games in recent memory, perhaps only being matched by the iconic Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, where LeBron James famously chased down Andre Iguodala for a key block. But even that game didn't feature a comeback of such epic proportions.
That begs the question, where does this Knicks' win rank among the greatest comebacks of all-time? Here are our picks:
Ranking the 10 greatest comebacks in sports history
10. 1995 Indiana Pacers
Comebacks don't have to be long, drawn out affairs. Sometimes they can happen within minutes, or in this case, nine seconds.
Trailing by six points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with just 18.7 seconds to go, Pacers' legend Reggie Miller rattled off eight points in 8.9 seconds to secure a 107-105 win at Madison Square Garden.
This win would prove absolutely pivotal for the Pacers as well, as it took Indiana all seven games to do away with the Knicks.
9. 2006 Michigan State Spartans
Trailing 38-3 with less than 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, the Michigan State Spartans looked dead in the water facing the Northwestern Wildcats. They'd already lost each of their previous four games and were just waddling to the end of the game without much of a fight.
At least, that's what you might have expected. However, the Spartans did the opposite, scoring 38 unanswered points to cap off the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I football history.
The Spartans scored on five straight possessions to end the game (four touchdowns, one field goal), and added a punt return TD in the midst of the comeback as well. In total, the Spartans scored 24 points in the fourth quarter alone.
It was a tremendous win for Michigan State, and while you'd hope it would catapult the team into a feverish finish to their season, the Spartans actually would not win another game that year. They finished the season 4-8 overall and 1-7 in Big Ten play.
8. 2001 Duke Blue Devils
This contest had everything, stakes, rivals, and an absolutely unforeseen comeback.
In the fourth meeting of the year between heated ACC rivals Maryland and Duke, the two teams battled it out for a spot in the March Madness title game. These teams had been at each other's throats all year, with Duke winning two of their previous three matchups, but Maryland holding a +7 point differential.
This one was for all the most important marbles though. And Maryland looked primed for a spot in the title game. They led 39-17 early on, but Duke slowly clawed back.
By the end of the first half, they trailed by 11, and with seven minutes to go in the game, Duke took their first lead of the contest.
The Blue Devils closed the game out on a 23-12 run to dispatch the Terrapins. They'd end up defeating Arizona in the title game as well to secure Coach K's third national title.
7. 2026 New York Knicks
Maybe it's recency bias, maybe it's Maybelline. Regardless of the emotions running high in our minds currently, it's hard to argue just how massive this win was for the Knicks and the city of New York as a whole.
After the Spurs won Game 3, San Antonio looked like they would be heading back home with all the momentum, stealing both games at Madison Square Garden from the Knicks to even the series up at 2-2. However, OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson had different plans.
Trailing by 27 at halftime, and facing a deficit of 29 points, the Knicks won the third quarter by 12 points and the fourth quarter by 16 points to win 107-106 on an Anunoby tip-in with less than two seconds left.
That capped off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history as the Knicks gathered a commanding 3-1 series lead.
6. 1993 Buffalo Bills
Playing the Houston Oilers for the second game in a row after falling to them 27-3, the Bills looked like they were ready to be run off the field yet again, but this time, a loss would've ended their sason in the first round of the playoffs. Trailing 28-3 at halftime, the Bills came out of the locker room and promptly threw a pick-6, giving the Oilers a 32-point lead.
The Bills would immediately find a new gear though, rattling off 28 points by the end of the third quarter alone. That's the most in NFL history in the third quarter of a playoff game.
Sure, the scoring cooled off in the fourth quarter, but the Bills actually took the lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Frank Reich to Andre Reed. Ther Oilers would kick a field goal to send the game to overtime, but the momentum was clearly in Buffalo's favor, and they won the game in OT.
While this comeback has since been overtaken for the largest in NFL history, the fact this happened in the postseason is what keeps it on this list.
5. Paul Lawrie, 1999 British Open
Sometimes, an epic comeback requires a little bit of luck. That isn't to say Paul Lawrie's victory at the 1999 British Open wasn't earned. He came into the final round trailing by 10 strokes. His victory marked the largest final round comeback in major championship history.
Of course, what people remember most is the iconic collapse from Jean van de Velde. The Frenchman carded a triple bogey on the 18th hole, giving Lawrie a chance to win in a playoff alongside Justin Leonard. After four holes, Lawrie emerged victorious. He posted a final round score of 4-under 67, the best mark of the day from anyone who finished inside the top-10 of the tournament.
4. 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
This wasn't just one 3-0 comeback. This was two, wrapped into one. Not only did the Flyers need to claw back and win three consecutive games to force a Game 7, but in that winner-take-all contest, the Bruins got out to a 3-0 lead.
The Flyers won four straight games, scored four straight goals, and became the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
3. 2017 New England Patriots
Love them, hate them, the New England Patriots' dynasty was certainly formidable. You could never count Tom Brady and company out. Even when they trailed by 25 deep into the third quarter, you had to imagine that a few fumbles and questionable play calls from the opposition were coming because that's the kind of voodoo magic that the Patriots brought.
In this case, the Atlanta Falcons were the victims as the Patriots secured their fifth Super Bowl.
2. 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
Perhaps we could still see another this year, but the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers currently remain the only team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. That alone would warrant placement on this list, but it ranks so high because of everything it stood for.
The Cavaliers were facing the 73-9 Golden State Warriors, the greatest regular season team of all-time. The Warriors boasted unanimous MVP Stephen Curry and were looking to become back-to-back champions.
They had everything, but they didn't have the King. LeBron James, accompanied with stellar sidekicks like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, as well as unforgettable defense from role player Matthew Dellavedova, was able to lead the Cavs to three straight wins, capturing the iconic "Blocked by James!" moment along the way.
1. 2004 Boston Red Sox
As stated earlier, a 3-0 comeback is obviously one of the toughest things to do in sports. In hockey, such a comeback has happened four times. In Major League Baseball, it's happened only once.
Everything about this series was special. Not only did the Red Sox accomplish the "never happened before or after" feat against their greatest rivals the New York Yankees, but in doing so, they also broke the Curse of the Bambino, an 86-year World Series drought, as the Red Sox went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
This series brought us the Curt Schilling bloody sock game, two walk-off wins from David Ortiz, and a Game 7 grand slam. It had everything and may never be topped as the greatest comeback in pro sports history. It was so good, it even prompted a Netflix documentary.
Sources reportedly told The Stein Line's Jake Fischer on Thursday that the Warriors have not factored into any recent trade talks for Antetokounmpo.
“Minnesota and Golden State were both prominent Antetokounmpo suitors in February when the Bucks briefly invited trade interest in their Face of the Franchise, but sources say neither team has factored into the Bucks' recent trade talks,” Fischer wrote.
If not the Warriors, where could Giannis Antetokounmpo land?
Antetokounmpo, 31, is a two-time MVP who appears to be on his way out of Milwaukee after 13 seasons with the Bucks. He has two years remaining on his contract (player option 2027-2028) and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2028.
The 6-foot-11, 243-pound forward called "The Greek Freak" averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists on 62.4% field-goal shooting but appeared in only 36 games during the 2025-26 season.
Many teams have been linked to be in the running for the 10-time All-Star, but it's the Miami Heat that seem to be the best fit and pose the best trade offers, compared to other teams hoping to be suitors in the sweepstakes.
The Heat are prepared to offer Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and future picks, The Stein Line reported.
The Bucks are reportedly shopping around to see if anyone can beat that package.
Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the second time, adding to his team's awards haul.
Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 130 points in 76 games - a league-best 1.71 points per game - as the Lightning clinched their ninth consecutive playoff berth and finished second in the Atlantic Division. He had 42 more points than his closest teammate, the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26 after the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini.
He edged fellow finalists Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) in a vote by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He beat McDavid by 10 points.
Kucherov led the league in scoring the past two seasons and was a finalist both times. He won the award in 2018-19.
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (Vezina Trophy) and coach Jon Cooper (Jack Adams Award) also received NHL honors this season.
Other NHL awards winners
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player): Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid
Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox has his hand examined by trainer Brandon Henry (R) as interim manager Chad Tracy #17 (C) looks on during the first inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 4, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Late last August, Roman Anthony stormed into Yankee Stadium for the first time in his career and announced his presence in the most unmistakable manner possible:
The bomb, the bat flip, the body language; all there for the world to witness. In the moment, it felt less like a baseball game and more like a Coronation Day, with Anthony set to take his place as the latest in a long line of kings who have patrolled left field at Fenway Park over the generations. He was here, he was awesome, he was signed to an extension, and Yankee fans were going to have to spend the next decade watching highlights like this every time they faced the Red Sox.
But of course, baseball is never that simple. Since that seemingly momentous moment, the Red Sox have played the Yankees for a trio of three game series (including the playoffs), and Roman Anthony has missed eight of the nine games with three different injures, all sustained while simply swinging a bat.
The oblique injury he suffered on a swing that ended his season last September is well known and documented, so there’s really no need to dig further into that one, but given where we are with his latest injury, it’s probably a good time to review his comments after the upper back tweak that cost him the final two games of the Yankee series in April.
Here’s the problem: These weird things on a swing have now happened in three consecutive baseball months (September, April and May), and the only reason it might not happen in June is because he hasn’t been on the field yet.
So with the background covered, let’s dive deep into the astronomically frustrating timeline of Roman Anthony’s latest injury, starting on May 5th:
Roman Anthony has a wrist sprain and is day-to-day. He’ll be out the next couple days but the Red Sox aren’t putting him on the IL as of now.
Roman Anthony is going on the IL, Chad Tracy said. His wrist isn’t getting better, but the Red Sox hope he won’t miss much more than the minimum 10 days.
Also on that day, Roman Anthony clarified the injury was to a ligament below his ring finger, and not to his wrist.
Roman Anthony says he sprained a ligament below his ring finger but doesn’t believe he’ll miss much time. Hope is he can return as soon as he’s eligible.
But even at this point, they still weren’t ruling out the idea of Anthony coming off the IL in the minimum ten days. They just had to wait for his “grip strength” to get back to normal.
Roman Anthony is “improving” and the focus is improving grip strength.
Tracy wouldn’t answer if Anthony would be ready to come off IL Friday, but says wants to see grip strength get back to normal – then he would test it by hitting in the cage.
But it still took another week after that before there was any real improvement reported in his grip strength.
Per @alexspeier “Roman Anthony got re-examined today, and the team remains satisfied that he continues to improve/heal (his grip strength is back to normal), but he won’t try to swing today.” pic.twitter.com/sM6nu75jGh
And it was another four days after that when he finally was able to take dry swings (swinging without hitting the ball).
Roman Anthony took 12-15 dry swings today and felt much better so the Red Sox are encouraged that he has turned a corner. Will do the same thing tomorrow and increase volume day to day.
Now, here we are another week after that, and there’s still no real update. So my question is, what the hell happened on May 28th when Roman Anthony swung off a tee?
I see two general possibilities here — One concerning, and the other alarming. The first being he might have reinjured it while swinging and making contact with the ball, and we’re just not being told the details. That could result in a return date being pushed back weeks or even months depending on the extent of the damage.
But as bad as that sounds, it’s actually not the scenario that’s keeping me up at night and poisoning my joy. Instead, that honor goes to the possibility that a downright frightening whisper in the back of my brain could be right. Like a demon from the depths of the Earth I can’t outrun, it keeps telling me that Roman Anthony might just be a guy that breaks easily, recovers slowly, and it’s always going to be that way.
In other words, it’s asking the question: “What if Roman Anthony’s body can’t handle Roman Anthony’s elite, robust and violent swing?” That’s the scenario I fear the most, and I really, really don’t want to have to go down that road.
A bit of this fear slipped out in real time when Tim Healey first reported Anthony was going on the IL. Here’s my raw, emotional (over?)reaction.
Here we are a month later, and nothing that’s happened since makes me feel any better about this whole thing. In fact, each day the news doesn’t improve, it reminds me more and more of anther player I followed, covered, cherished, and wrote about for years here on SB Nation’s Rockies sister site, Purple Row: Troy Tulowitzki.
Because you see, in all my years of watching this glorious sport, I have never been more confident that two guys I watched from the moment they began to rise through the minors were going to be all time great players. They of course are Roman Anthony and Troy Tulowitzki, and I’m sure you already see where this is going.
Last winter, there was a part of me that wanted to write around a dozen Roman Anthony articles fawning over how good I thought he was going to become based on the underlying metrics, his rapid rise, his make up, his eye at the plate, the quotes he gave me when he was in Worcester, and the general way stars and power develop in the sport.
I mean, when you look at something like the highest hard-hit percentage in the 2025 season (min. 150 batted balls) and see a 21-year-old atop a leaderboard like this, it’s just astounding:
60.3% – Roman Anthony
59.6% – Kyle Schwarber
58.7% – Shohei Ohtani
58.2% – Aaron Judge
But I really, really didn’t want to feel the smite of the baseball gods again (they got me good when I did it with Tulowitzki all those years ago) so I refrained. Instead, I just happily perused Baseball Savant for hours and figured I’d get to write those things this summer when reality reflected it.
Alas, here we are. Roman Anthony is injured and healing slowly again, the Red Sox are having a historically horrendous season, and just like Troy Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies, the Red Sox absolutely need Roman Anthony to be healthy and reach his peak.
Every night, we watch this sorry excuse of a lineup get outgunned by the rest of baseball, and all of New England keeps wondering how the club is going to fix it. Well, unfortunately, it’s much, much harder to repair a bad lineup than it was 20 years ago given the way teams understand value and lock up their young stars. This coupled with performance enhancing drugs being legislated out of the game earlier this century, and we’ve (rightfully) also pretty much extinguished most of the production and availability of guys that was once commonplace for guys in their mid to late 30s.
This is all to say, if the Red Sox want to have that absolute stud in their lineup the team can build around and the region can adore, their best chance of getting it is still already in their clubhouse. I’m not just talking about getting a good hitter, I’m talking about getting an outstanding hitter. The kind that makes impacts that ripple through the lineup each trip around.
Because Roman Anthony has that ceiling and the Red Sox have built the roster as if he’s guaranteed to get there, this has to work. If it doesn’t, and the reason it doesn’t is because the injury bug drags Roman Anthony into its lair, I can’t emphasize enough how much that’s going to suck!
Not only is Roman Anthony’s ceiling rare and unique, but he also seems remarkably aware of it. Take a look at this quote from just before his latest injury saga when asked what he thought of his season so far:
“Kind of a letdown, honestly… Short sample size, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be… When I’m at my best, my swing decisions are great… When you’re swinging at good pitches, you have a better chance of hitting the ball in the air, and you have a better chance of doing what you want to do.”
These are the comments of a (at the time) 21-year-old on pace for about 4.0 WAR in 2026. He hadn’t even begun to blossom yet this season, and he was still tracking to be better than about 95 percent of the players in the league (yes, even with the low batting average and throwing yips).
Again, the stratosphere is the limit here; and the good news is, that still hasn’t changed. What has changed is we’re increasingly confronted with the possibility that Roman Anthony might have the foundation of a skyscraper and the building material the first two little pigs used.
No matter how good he is, it doesn’t matter if he can’t consistently get out on the field, because much like a hurricane on your wedding day, brake failure at a stoplight, or a raccoon infestation in your attic, repetitive, nagging injuries will ruin everything great you’ve worked for. They are striaght up poison to a professional athlete, and they’re happening to the most important member of the Boston Red Sox.
So with that, I’ll leave you with one final thought: The best thing that can happen to the 2026 Red Sox for the long-term outlook of the franchise isn’t a miracle playoff run or even more people getting fired. Instead, it’s getting consistent, good news on the Roman Anthony injury front and having him close the season looking like the guy he was about to become when he annihilated that pitch in New York last year.
That certainly won’t solve all this team’s problems, but it will solve a bunch of them.
Former Cavaliers big man Channing Frye isn’t shy to show confidence in his championship-winning team from the 2016 NBA Finals.
In an interview feature by Bleacher Report highlighting “How 2016 Cavaliers Made the Greatest Comeback in NBA History,” Frye said it didn’t matter who they played in Game 5, the Cavaliers were going to win the game.
“I am a firm believer that even if Draymond [Green] was there, we would have still put that belt on ’em,” Frye said. “Unless he would have grown two more arms, and 6 more inches, no.”
Ex-Cavaliers center Channing Frye said it didn’t matter whom the Warriors had on the court during the 2016 NBA Finals. USA TODAY Sports
It’s been 10 years since Cleveland ignited the infamous 3-1 Warriors blown lead in the NBA Finals.
In that game, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each had 41 points and combined for nine 3-pointers.
The Warriors’ Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5 after picking up his fourth flagrant foul of the postseason. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Green was suspended for Game 5 after picking up his fourth flagrant foul of the postseason, forcing him to watch next door from the old Oracle Arena at the Oakland Coliseum because he was not permitted to be in the building.
With no Green on the court, the Cavaliers went on to win, 112-97. Cleveland then won Game 6, 115-101, and then Game 7, 93-89, making it one of the greatest series comebacks in NBA history and bringing LeBron James his first NBA title as a member of the Cavaliers.
Frye recalled one of the advantages Cleveland had was when Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli went down in the series, making it easier for them to attack the rim and play more physically.
Channing Frye has fond memories of the 2016 NBA Finals. X/@@BleacherReport
With Golden State having no big man on the court and no Green, who was the Defensive Player of the Year the season before, it gave James and Irving a major advantage on the court.
“I don’t know what happened with those boys; they went to the moon,” Frye said. “And I said, watching that firsthand, ‘Hell, no.’ “
Frye went on to compare the speed that James and Irving were playing as similar to a character in an anime.
“Total respect to Golden State, but it was like two sword fighters,” Frye said. “You just hear the noise, and then they’re over there, and you’re like ‘Damn, when did that happen?’ “
May 24, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Umpire Scott Barry (87) walks off the field during a rain delay during the game between the Washington Nationals against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
New York Knicks game analyst Monica McNutt is on an apology tour after she questioned why superstar singer Taylor Swift was at Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, McNutt addressed the viral hot-mic moment and the wave of Swiftie backlash that followed June 11, saying that she was "wrong" about Swift not being a Knicks fan.
"Swifties, I appreciate your passion. I said what I said," McNutt said. "And here's the deal, if I'm wrong. I am wrong, apparently, because she's got an OG Amar'e Stoudemire jersey."
"I misspoke. I did not know. But here's the deal, context, I literally just did a piece on celebrity row. I've been with this organization for five years. I know these folks. Ben Stiller. His wife, Christine (Taylor). Spike Lee. All of them. Fat Joe," she added.
McNutt offered additional clarity, telling the outlet that she had not seen the "New Romantics" singer at a Knicks game this year, or last year.
"And we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé (Travis Kelce). Obviously, Travis supports the Cavs. She didn't have any Knicks paraphernalia, so I did not know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout, T-Swift. We can be united in orange and blue, like, it's fine."
McNutt's backpedaling came less than 24 hours after she was caught dissing Swift to fellow Knicks colleague Tyler Murray shortly after spotting her: "She's not a Knicks fan. Get outta here, girl."
Taylor Swift's support of Knicks predates appearance
Unbeknownst to some, including McNutt up until recently, Swift has been a Knicks fan for a while. In a 2014 interview with TIME, Swift opened up about her love of the Knicks shortly after she moved to New York City.
Responding to a comment made by TIME correspondent Jack Dickey about how bad the Knicks were doing then, Swift made it clear that her love of the team didn't depend on how well they're playing.
"I love them, though," Swift said. "Why does that matter?"
Swift told TIME that her interactions with Stoudemire and his then-wife Alexis at the Met Gala helped cement her love of the Knicks, noting that the couple were the "most normal people at that event, every single time."
"I talk with them and hang with them every time I’m there. So I’ve always had this sort of love of the Knicks, just because Amar’e is so cool," Swift said.
"And also I performed at the Knicks’—at Madison Square Garden’s—Kids Talent Competition at halftime when I was 12 or 13. And ever since then I’ve had this kind of sparkly, magical opinion of Madison Square Garden and the Knicks, since they let me sing when I was a little kid," Swift added.
Swift, who donned a "Stevie Knicks" tee, was one of a dozen A-listers spotted rooting for the Knicks on June 10. She sat courtside with Haim sisters, Alana and Este, who were also wearing shirts with Knicks-related puns.
Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and Sebastian Aho added a second-period goal in a breakout game for Carolina’s top-line performers, helping the Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Thursday night to move within a victory of winning the Stanley Cup.
Captain Jordan Staal added his fifth goal in the series on a night when Carolina overcame multiple hiccups from these playoffs, from a shaky power play to being outplayed in the second period of this series. And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.
And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.
It all came together in Game 5, with Svechnikov’s short putaway at the post on the power play giving Carolina a 4-1 lead midway through the third period. And unlike most multi-goal leads in what has been a wild and thrilling series, this one held up, with Brandon Bussi finishing with 22 saves in his second career postseason start.
That gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas, with the Hurricanes playing for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since coach Rod Brind’Amour captained them to the title in 2006.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for Vegas, finding the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado. Carter Hart entered this one as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games, then did it again to continue a difficult series while finishing with 20 saves.
Vegas had twice before been in a 2-2 series in these playoffs, in the first round against Utah and the second round against Anahaim. Both times, the Golden Knights won Game 5 and then closed out the series in Game 6.
This time, they’ll have to win on home ice to force the series back to Carolina for a Game 7 on Wednesday night. And they’ll have to take two in a row against a Hurricanes team that hasn’t suffered consecutive losses since mid-January.
Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury. Karlsson skated to the tunnel midway through the second period and didn’t return.
Jun 11, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) fields a ground ball during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Rangers series started out so promising, but the Royals dropped the final two games of the series, including a 4-2 loss on Thursday afternoon. The game started after a delay of over two hours over concerns relating to local storms, although no rain ever fell at the stadium. The Royals managed just six hits and three walks, while falling to 28-40 on the year.
Royals starter Michael Wacha had some early struggles, but was able to save the taxed bullpen by giving the team seven solid innings. Brandon Nimmo got to him in the first with an RBI double to put the Rangers on the board. The Rangers put runners at the corners in the third, and former Royals catcher Elías Díaz lay down a perfect bunt that allowed Ezequiel Durán to scamper home from third. Corey Seager made it 3-0 Rangers with a solo home run to lead off the third.
Royals hitters battled back against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker. They loaded the bases in the third inning, but Michael Massey grounded into a double play. The twin killing did bring home Kansas City’s first run of the game, and Kameron Misner picked him up with an RBI single, his first hit since being called up. But Nick Loftin grounded out to end the threat.
The Royals chased Rocker out of the game in the fifth with a Bobby Witt Jr. single, but rookie reliever Robbie Ahlstrom quickly ended the inning. In the sixth, Evan Carter singled home another run to make it 4-2, Rangers.
Beck Way provided two solid shutout innings with four strikeouts, a sorely-needed performance for this bullpen. The Royals dropped five of their six games to the Rangers this year, getting outscored 36-21.
The Royals continue the homestand by hosting the Houston Astros, starting on Friday night.
