LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 17: Jeferson Quero #76 of the Milwaukee Brewers takes batting practice prior to Game Four of the National League Championship Series presented by loanDepot between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We are just one game into the regular season, but we’ve already seen the Brewers make one surprise IL placement and promotion with Jackson Chourio and Blake Perkins on Opening Day. Now it appears we’ll have another surprise move just ahead of the second game of the year.
There was no immediate word on whose roster spot Quero would be taking, but given the position, it’s likely that either William Contreras or Gary Sánchez are dealing with an injury and will be placed on the IL. The Brewers have not yet confirmed the transaction.
The 23-year-old Quero will be making his MLB debut. Quero has been beset by injuries the last few years. He injured his throwing shoulder in his first game at Triple-A in 2024 and that required season-ending surgery. His return in 2025 from that shoulder surgery was delayed by a hamstring issue. Quero’s elite throwing arm was weakened by the shoulder surgery but appeared to be back on track as a big league-caliber arm this spring. Pat Murphy confirmed pop times in the 1.9-second range.
Quero is a career .275/.353/.452 hitter in the minor leagues and has quite a bit of pop. He slugged 16 home runs in 2023 in the pitcher-friendly Southern League. He’s routinely been viewed as a prospect with everyday potential and All-Star upside behind the plate. The bar for success for catchers is pretty low, but Quero has a well-rounded offensive game and approach at the plate.
Last season in Triple-A Nashville, Quero hit .271/.361/.478 with 17 doubles, 11 homers, and 32 walks to 40 strikeouts across 69 games.
The Brewers allowed Danny Jansen to walk in free agency this offseason and it seemed for most of the winter the Brewers might just simply allow Quero to backup Contreras this year. The late signing of Sánchez to a major league deal changed that calculus to allow Quero some more development time in Triple-A and more regular at-bats. Instead, after just one game, Quero is going to get his ABs in the major leagues.
In 2024, Quero played opening day for Nashville and was done for the year. In 2026, Quero played opening day for Nashville and is getting the call to Milwaukee.
Luka Doncic — in the midst of a March where he is averaging 37.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game — is about to get a mandated one-game suspension after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season.
Unless the technical is rescinded by the league — which happened with Doncic's last one but is highly unlikely in this case — he will serve his suspension and sit out Monday when the Lakers face the Washington Wizards.
Doncic picked up his 16th technical after a third-quarter exchange with Brooklyn's Ziaire Williams, and the pair was assessed a double-technical.
The sequence that led to the double technicals for Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams.
If Luka's technical foul (his 16th of the season), isn't rescinded like last time, by league rule he'll have to serve a one-game suspension Monday vs. Washington. https://t.co/Qjj7EOZcTBpic.twitter.com/esYjyebu9B
"[Williams] was yelling in my face — three times," Doncic said about the altercation, via the Associated Press. "I just wanted to get out of there. It's a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed, my push was 'exaggerated,' which [it] was obviously not. And I don't know what else to tell you."
The NBA mandates a one-game suspension for any player who reaches 16 technicals in a season. Coach JJ Redick said the Lakers would appeal this technical, but from the video this seems unlikely to be overturned (as the last technical Doncic got was).
Doncic's play of late has him making an MVP push, with a crowded group at the top including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. Missing a game against a tanking Wizards team, where Doncic could have put up big numbers, does not help that cause.
Lakers guard Bronny James dunks the ball during a win over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Wednesday. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
You used to root for Bronny James to come into games ironically. Or because you just wanted to see history.
But now I bet you want to see Bronny come into the game to hoop.
Lakers guard Bronny James blocks a shot by Spurs forward Kelly Olynyk at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 10. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
For the second consecutive game Friday, Lakers coach JJ Redick called the second-year guard’s number for important minutes.
Not to complete garbage time chores. Not as a gimmick to please the King. But because he needed a ball-handler he could trust after the regular rotation got wonky in the second quarter of the Lakers’ 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena.
For the second consecutive game, Bronny helped buoy the Lakers. In four minutes, he had a deflection and drained a three-pointer that not only keyed a much-needed 9-0 Lakers run but also was the first father-to-son assisted basket in NBA history, coming on a pass from LeBron.
His former teammate sees in Bronny what his current teammates do: A hard worker who needs only to nurture his confidence to be able to contribute in the NBA.
“He’ll be great,” Williams said. “Especially starting off on the defensive end. He can guard one through four, pick up full [court,] have good ball pressure. On the offensive end, he’s a gamer. He can make shots, he can drive the ball. He can get his teammates open. The biggest thing with him is just keeping that confidence.
“When he’s confident and he’s in flow state, in rhythm, he’s a great, great player. … He’s just gotta keep working.”
Bronny’s been working in the G League the last two seasons, bouncing between the big leagues and the developmental circuit, where last season his averages were solid — including 21.9 points, per game — but nowhere near as efficient as they’ve been this season. In 13 games, he’s averaging 14.8 points on 54.7% shooting, including 41.7% from three-point range.
Lakers forward LeBron James greets his son, guard Bronny James, on the court during a game against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 25. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s always been able to shoot the ball. He shot the ball at a high level pretty much throughout his years of playing ball. So I just think there’s the confidence in the rhythm and just getting the strength back and his wind and everything. Everything is just coming back.”
That’s carried over to the big club; Bronny is shooting 41.9% from three-point range in those instances when Redick has called on him — as he also did in a 137-130 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
In that victory, Bronny had four points, two steals and a block in 13 minutes. Redick credited the 21-year-old with settling the team with a pull-up jumper with 3:55 to go in the game, which was the second this season LeBron and Bronny played together.
The first time it happened, in the season opener in 2024, the prevailing thought was that it wouldn’t happen again for a long time — and if it did, something had probably gone very wrong for the Lakers that game.
But that’s not the case. No, because Bronny has made a convincing case as an NBA player.
“I’ve been wanting to play basketball my whole life,” Bronny said. “It’s a dream come true. I’m so privileged to be able to play basketball for a job and I love every single second of it. My teammates embrace it. I’m best friends with all my teammates and my coaches. I’m just happy to be here.”
He’s become an effective plug-and-play piece — and not on a tanking Nets team that regularly runs out G League-caliber players, but on a playoff-bound Lakers team that has won 14 of its last 16 games.
The No. 55 draft pick in 2024, Bronny has surpassed Dalton Knecht, the 17th pick in that same draft, in the Lakers’ pecking order.
He’s become a player who can be counted on, and he’s especially valuable to a team that happens to badly need youth and athleticism, as the Lakers do.
You want to talk twists? How about whatever happens with LeBron — when, or if, he retires — the Lakers should seriously consider keeping Bronny in the fold. Seriously.
The NHL's 15-game schedule on Saturday, March 28, could see a lot of movement in the playoff standings throughout the day.
The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Ottawa Senators at 1 p.m. ET and the New York Islanders are also in action at that time. If the Lightning win, they'd move in front of the Buffalo Sabres for the Atlantic Division lead based on points percentage because they have played fewer games.
If the Senators win and the Islanders lose, Ottawa would move into the second wild-card position. If the Islanders win, they'd temporarily move from the second wild-card spot into second place in the Metropolitan Division, passing the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
But all that could change later in the day. The Sabres could reclaim the Atlantic Division lead if they end their three-game losing streak. Buffalo would also move into the top seed in the Eastern Conference if it gains one more point than the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. The Penguins and Blue Jackets have games later in the day.
Another team to watch is the Detroit Red Wings, who host the Philadelphia Flyers at 8 p.m. on ABC. If the Senators and Islanders lose early, the Red Wings would take over the second wild-card spot with a victory. The Flyers open the day five points out of a playoff spot and are desperate for a win.
In the West, the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks visit the second-place Edmonton Oilers at 3:30 p.m. The Ducks would bump their division lead to seven points with a regulation win or the Oilers could cut their deficit to three points.
Also, the Nashville Predators host the Montreal Canadiens at 7 and the Los Angeles Kings visit the Utah Mammoth at 9. The Kings would move into the second wild-card spot with a victory and a Predators regulation loss.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, tiebreaker procedures and playoff bracket for the 2025-26 season:
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: None
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas
NHL games today (Saturday, March 28)
All times p.m. and Eastern
Ottawa at Tampa Bay, 1
Florida at N.Y. Islanders, 1
Anaheim at Edmonton, 3:30
Minnesota at Boston, 5, NHL Network
Dallas at Pittsburgh, 5
New Jersey at Carolina, 5
San Jose at Columbus, 5
Seattle at Buffalo, 5:30
Toronto at St. Louis, 7
Montreal at Nashville, 7
Winnipeg at Colorado, 7
Philadelphia at Detroit, 8, ABC
Utah at Los Angeles, 9
Vancouver at Calgary, 10
Washington at Vegas, 10:30
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 27. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes (96)
Pittsburgh Penguins (88)
Columbus Blue Jackets (87)
Atlantic Division
Buffalo Sabres (96)
Tampa Bay Lightning (94)
Montreal Canadiens (90)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (88)
New York Islanders (87)
Sitting out of playoff position: Ottawa Senators (86), Detroit Red Wings (86), Philadelphia Flyers (82), Washington Capitals (81), New Jersey Devils (76), Toronto Maple Leafs (75), Florida Panthers (73), z-New York Rangers (67)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 27. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Central Division
x-Colorado Avalanche (106)
x-Dallas Stars (97)
Minnesota Wild (94)
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks (86)
Edmonton Oilers (81)
Vegas Golden Knights (78)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (80)
Nashville Predators (77)
Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (76), Seattle Kraken (74), Winnipeg Jets (72), San Jose Sharks (71), St. Louis Blues (71), Calgary Flames (68), Chicago Blackhawks (67), z-Vancouver Canucks (50)
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 27.
Carolina (M1) vs. N.Y. Islanders (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Columbus (M3)
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 27.
Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild cardld play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18.
Here are a couple of fearless predictions: The New York Yankees will give up a run at some point this season. And the San Francisco Giants will score one.
When either will happen, we're not entirely sure.
The Giants opened the season getting shut out in back-to-back games for the first time, mustering a total of four hits.
The pitching matchup is in favor of some more scoring on Saturday, but my Yankees vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks have the Yankees winning again.
Yankees vs Giants predictions
Yankees vs Giants best bet: Yankees moneyline (-130)
Everything has come up good for the New York Yankees in the season's first two games. New York pitchers have struck out 19 in 18 shutout innings and allowed one extra-base hit.
Will Warren, Saturday's starter, has been solid for the Yankees but not on the level of their first two starters. He adjusted his delivery, resulting in a 1.42 ERA spring ERA.
The San Francisco Giants, meanwhile, are already showing signs of frustration. Losing pitcher Robbie Ray seemed to take issue with former college coach Tony Vitello's rah-rah clubhouse speeches after yesterday's game.
COVERS INTEL:The Giants are 0-7 with runners in scoring position through the first two games of this series with the Yankees.
Yankees vs Giants same-game parlay (SGP)
After two pitching masterpieces, we could be in store for a slugfest. Warren was two full runs worse on the road last year (5.52 ERA compared to 3.50 at home). His WHIP was .571 higher, and opponents had 157 more points of OPS against him in road games.
Giants starter Tyler Mahle, an offseason acquisition after a strong year with Texas, has a 5.13 career ERA in his new home park, allowing four home runs in five starts. So, the Yankees should also be able to put up plenty of runs.
Yankees vs Giants SGP
Yankees moneyline
Will Warren over 2.5 earned runs allowed
Over 8.5 total runs
Yankees vs Giants home run pick: Aaron Judge (+220)
Judge should probably always be the home run pick in a Yankee game, but he's been even better in his hometown park. Friday's blast was his fourth in five games in San Francisco, and his 1.455 OPS at Oracle Park is fifth highest in any stadium—and Coors Field is one of the four where he's hit better.
He's also a streaky home-run hitter. Over the last two seasons, 39 of his 111 home runs have come after he's already homered within the last day. He went deep on Friday.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 0-3, -3.0 units
SGPs: 0-3, -3.0 units
HR picks: 1-2, +1.25 units
Yankees vs Giants odds
Moneyline: New York -125 | San Francisco +113
Run line: New York -1.5 (+135) | San Francisco +1.5 (-155)
Over/Under: Over 8 (+100) | Under 8 (-120)
Yankees vs Giants trend
The New York Yankees have hit the Team Total Over in 18 of their last 23 away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Giants.
How to watch Yankees vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (2025: 9-8, 4.44 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Tyler Mahle (6-4, 2.18 ERA)
Yankees vs Giants latest injuries
Yankees vs Giants weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SNY's Joe DeMayo and Jim Duquette mentioned during the recent spring breakout game broadcast that the organization was going to be aggressive with the 18-year-old prospect in his stateside debut.
He now appears set to jump the Complex League and kick things off with St. Lucie on April 7.
Peña showcased some of his potential during the spring breakout loss to the Rays prospects, playing a few innings at shortstop and reaching twice with a walk and a 102 mph single to right.
The youngster was also spectacular as he opened his career in the DSL last year, overcoming a dreadful 0-for-26 start to finish with 24 extra base-hits and a .949 OPS over 55 games.
He also swiped 21 bases in 25 attempts and had as many walks as strikeouts (36).
As DeMayo recently noted in his Prospect Mailbag, it wouldn't shock anyone to see Peña on top 100 prospect lists and competing to be the No. 1 ranked prospect in the system by the end of the season.
While it’s another light slate for the NBA on Saturday, there are six games on tap, and that gives us plenty of excellent targets for our player props today.
Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Johnson get outstanding matchups today against the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings, respectively, while I also like Kon Knueppel to continue his three-point barrage.
Let’s take a look at all three of these matchups as I break down my NBA picks for Saturday, March 28.
Victor Wembanyama continues to have the best offensive season of his young career. The San Antonio Spurs center is averaging 24.2 ppg on 50.5% shooting from the field. He’s also getting to the line more and shooting 81.8% from the charity stripe.
Wemby isn’t taking it easy down the stretch, either. The Spurs have won seven in a row as they attempt to chase down the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed in the West, and they’ve won 12 straight with Wembanyama in the lineup – a stretch in which he’s averaged 26.1 ppg.
Wembanyama is in a great spot against the Milwaukee Bucks this afternoon, who have lost four of five and allowed 123.0 ppg during that span. Wemby should have no trouble getting Over his scoring total.
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Prime Video
Prop #2: Kon Knueppel Over 3.5 threes made
-115 at bet365
Kon Knueppel has been perhaps the most surprising rookie in the NBA this season, averaging 19.1 ppg for the Charlotte Hornets after being picked fourth overall in last year’s draft. He’s already established himself as one of the league’s premier sharpshooters, hitting 3.5 shots from deep per game and making them at a 43.8% clip.
As Charlotte has worked its way up the Eastern Conference standings, Knueppel has continued to be a major contributor. The former Duke standout has hit at least four shots from deep in three of his last four games.
The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t been great at shutting down opponents at the three-point line, where teams are shooting 35.7% against them. Knueppel is in a prime position to take full advantage of that fact today.
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Prop #3: Jalen Johnson Over 40.5 points + rebounds + assists
-105 at bet365
Jalen Johnson has been one of the Atlanta Hawks most versatile all-around threats in the NBA this year, averaging 22.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. That works out to a combined PRA average of 41.3 per contest this season.
Those numbers haven’t slipped late in the year. Johnson is averaging 39.5 PRA in March and has two triple-doubles this month alone. He’s also hit tonight’s PRA total in four of his last six games.
The Sacramento Kings are one of the worst defensive teams in the league, giving up 121.2 ppg on the season and ranking 28th in defensive efficiency. Sacramento has lost four of its last five while playing out the string, and I like Johnson to put up big numbers against the Kings tonight.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, NBC Sports California
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
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.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Jake Bennett of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Vincent Mizzoni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Boston Red Sox did not play baseball last night, or even yesterday afternoon. But, never fear! About 60 miles west, in New England’s second biggest city and home of the gravesite of the guy who invented the smiley face, several players with MLB service time and some with some more service time certain to come in 2026, played baseball. My fourth full year covering Minor Lines has arrived, and every year it’s cooler and cooler to see where the players in these box scores end up in their careers.
Last season was very results-oriented, as an exhaustive list of storylines propelled more attention on the farm in the last 12 to 24 months: the dawning of the careers of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and current Pirates outfielder Jhostnyxon Garcia; the unceremonious demotion of Kristian Campbell as well as the Triple-A club trying him all over the diamond; the trade of former Minor Lines subjects Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth; and Connelly Early absolutely dealing. This year is certain to bring some more.
There are still plenty of questions: where exactly Campbell belongs as well as his attitude around it (a disposition our own Tim Crowley had the chance to ask the 23-year-old about); when exactly Payton Tolle will be called back up to Boston and in what capacity; the focus on organizational catchers to supplement Carlos Narvaez’s place on the team; what’s going to happen to former first-round pick Mikey Romero, and so much more. But in the mean time, the WooSox faced off against the Syracuse Mets to open their season, so, for the first time in six months… let’s get into it!
There’s a lot to like about the Red Sox’s number seven prospect, Jake Bennett, who got the nod on Opening Day for Worcester. The team dealt Luis Perales straight-up for him. While he may not be Roger “The Rocket” Clemens, who was on hand for the game and threw the first pitch to his catcher (and current Red Sox hitting adviser) Rich Gedman, Jake Bennett’s command, size, and fastball has the front office penciling him in for years to come. The 6’6”, 234 pound lefty has velocity in spades, nearly touching 100 with his fastball. He had that on full display against Syracuse, as, although he was capped at 60 pitches, 44 were strikes and he had five strikeouts. He did allow a run, but it was unearned as a result of his fielding error to start the fourth, after which he exited the game and Seth Martinez allowed a home run in what would become the fatal inning for the game.
Following that, the WooSox got caught trying to cut the deficit when Braiden Ward was caught trying to steal his second base of the inning, Hayden Senger cutting him off on third with a throw to old friend Christian Arroyo, which abruptly ended the fifth. Syracuse went up by one more run off of Noah Song, who allowed four hits in his five outs, and all the WooSox could muster was a sacrifice grounder by World Baseball Classic participant Tsung-Che Cheng to score Mickey Gasper. Too little too late. The WooSox would not get another runner in scoring position and would lose the game, 3-1.
But this is an interesting team this year, as a whole. Mickey Gasper is back and in the organization in the infield, the depth pieces like Brendan Rodgers will be useful in becoming a backbone for the likes of Romero, and establishing and analyzing some more pitching depth from a team that claims to have a lot of it. We get the chance to see another guy the organization holds in high regard this afternoon as Tyler Uberstine gets the ball for Game 2. Have a happy Saturday!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 27: Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 27, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The best things from the Wizards loss to the Golden State Warriors were these:
Another aggressive and effective offensive performance from Bilal Coulibaly. The Warriors could not effectively defend him. He attacked wings and guards with dribble drives. When Golden State put Kristaps Porzingis on him and dared him to shoot, he knocked down threes…and then attacked the closeouts. Coulibaly had a 36.4% usage rate and a 130 offensive rating.
Will Riley had a hyper-efficient offensive game (160 offensive rating on 22.0% usage) that included outfoxing Draymond Green a few times, who is one of the NBA’s best defenders ever.
Will Riley shoots the ball during the Wizards loss to the Golden State Warriors. Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
What most interested me in this game was the solid performance of Pat Spencer, who was scouted and signed by the former Wizards management team led by Tommy Sheppard. Spencer played well in the G-League and summer league, and my statistical analysis suggested he might be able to make an NBA rotation.
Aside: Maybe there’s something to this statistical analysis stuff?
Despite a paucity of talent, the Wizards inexplicably (at least to me) traded Spencer to Golden State for some G-League draft picks.
Spencer is getting an extended run in Golden State’s rotation (17.7 minutes per game in 58 appearances this season), and he’s been okay. Last night, he looked like a standard NBA backup guard — 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal with solid efficiency in 24 minutes.
Spencer’s backstory is the best part because of his non-standard path to the NBA. His first sport was lacrosse, and he was one of the sport’s best players, all-time. He eschewed professional lacrosse, opting instead to attempt a basketball career.
He used his season of graduate eligibility to play at Northwestern only to have the season disrupted by the COVID pandemic. He played a season for the Hamburg Towers before signing to play for the Capital City Go-Go and Washington’s summer league squad.
Since then, he’s bounced between Golden State’s NBA roster and G-League team. This season, he’s played well enough that the Warriors converted his two-day deal to a standard NBA contract.
He also inspired one of the best quotes from a coach ever. After Spencer scored 19 points in his first NBA start, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr explained the decision to start Spencer by saying, “His coach realized Pat is that m*****f***er.” (Spencer had said something similar about himself a few days earlier.)
Anyway, kudos to Spencer for being an all-time great in one sport, and then switching to another and becoming good enough to earn a role in the NBA — the world’s best basketball league. There aren’t many people who have proven to be a great in one sport and being among the 500-600 best on the planet in another.
From the Notebook
Alex Sarr kept trying to score on Porzingis, which did not go well. He shot 0-3 from inside the arc when Porzingis was defending, and 1-3 from three-point range. He also fouled out in just 23 minutes.
Anthony Gill played another strong game — an example of how players can be successful by playing within the flow of the game and taking what the defense gives. In this game, he pump-faked threes and attacked closeouts to get relatively easy shots. This is a progression from him — earlier in the season (and throughout his career), he’s pump faked but not converted the advantage into good shots. Last night, he did.
I’ve written recently about broadcasters asserting that Leaky Black was a strong defender in college. Perhaps that’s true. At the NBA level, he’s been a disastrous combination of low effort and weak when he’s on-ball, and inattentive and slow when off-ball. He routinely gets caught ball-watching when he should be paying attention to his man cutting past him (sometimes in front of him) or sticking to his man when he should be helping. Last night, NBA tracking indicates the Warriors scored 28 points on 19 field goal attempts and produced 5 assists when Black was defending.
I still think Riley carries the ball constantly, which irritates the hoops purist in me. But, as someone in the comments suggested, if the refs aren’t going to call it, the “carries” are a kind of super power. Last night, he burned Green with a…hmm, gotta call it something…elongated hesi dribble (?) to get a layup.
Jaden Hardy did Jaden Hardy things in the fourth quarter, which is to say, he hit 4-5 from three-point range…and basically nothing else. That instant offense is fun, though. He kinda reminds me of Jordan Crawford, which is not intended as criticism or praise. There is definitely an empty calories flavor to Hardy’s game, but empty calories can be fun.
It was good to see an Omer Yurtseven make an appearance because his name is fun to say.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
WARRIORS
LGAVG
eFG%
62.1%
62.9%
54.4%
OREB%
12.8%
21.4%
26.0%
TOV%
10.8%
11.8%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.084
0.282
0.207
PACE
102
99.3
ORTG
124
129
115.6
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
Every time LeBron James steps on an NBA court he sets a new NBA record or hits a historical marker of some kind, but this one is going to be one he remembers.
With a second-quarter pass to Bronny James, LeBron and Bronny had the first father-to-son assist in NBA history.
With Marcus Smart out injured, JJ Redick has given Bronny a few regular rotation minutes against Indiana and Brooklyn this week. That means a few minutes playing alongside Dad.
"That's two games back-to-back playing meaningful minutes and him, also, making another play…" LeBron said postgame, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "Definitely a cool moment for us and also for our family."
LeBron finished with 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds in a game where the Lakers let the Nets hang around, then pulled away in the second half of the fourth quarter to win 116-99. That 3-pointer was Bronny's one bucket of the night.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 41 points, but also picked up his 16th technical of the season, which will earn him an automatic one-game suspension (unless it is rescinded, as his last technical was).
In the summer of 2023, the Los Angeles Kings traded then 24-year-old Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a second round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
It seemed odd at the time for the Kings to deal a defenseman who showed real promise in his first two seasons as a professional, but looking at the ripple effects the deal had on the organization, it's clear that both sides are happy with the outcome.
You may be surprised how the Sean Durzi trade tree has unfolded for the Kings.
In his first two seasons at the NHL level, Durzi proved he had what it takes to play with the big boys. During his two seasons in Los Angeles, the Mississauga native played 136 games, totalling 12 goals and 53 assists for 65 points. There was no surprise that a rebuilding team like Arizona showed great interest in acquiring him.
In June of 2023, the Kings and Coyotes agreed on a deal that would send Durzi to Arizona in exchange for a 2024 2nd round pick in 2024 that was previously owned by the Montreal Canadiens.
Durzi would only play one season in Arizona before the team relocated to Utah and became the Mammoth. His lone season as a Coyote turned out to be a career year for Durzi as he scored nine goals to go with 32 assists for 41 points in 76 games. His strong play led to him signing a respectable four-year contract extension worth $24 million, paying him $6 million per season.
After signing the new deal, the 2024-25 season didn't go Durzi's way as he would miss 52 games due to an injury he suffered that required surgery.
However, this season Durzi healthy and has provided some solid production for Utah as they push for the playoffs. In 52 games played, the 27-year-old has five goals and 19 assists for 24 points.
It's safe to assume that Utah views this deal as a success.
It would be completely fair to assume that the Kings used the second round pick on a prospect in the draft. However that was not the case, at all.
On June 27th, 2023, just three days after the Durzi trade, the Kings made a massive splash by trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets. The Kings sent Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iaffalo, Rasmus Kupari, and you guessed it, the 2024 second rounder to the Jets. With the pick, the Jets selected defenceman Alfons Freij who has played just two AHL games.
You would think it would end at that, but no, after just one year with the Kings, Dubois was dealt to the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper in a one-for-one trade.
It's crazy to look back and realize how each and every move an organization makes has an impact moving forward, no matter how minor it is. The Sean Durzi trade to Utah played a part in the Kings acquiring a Vezina candidate and Olympian in Darcy Kuemper.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 27: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics blocks a shot from CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at the TD Garden on March 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jordan Walsh’s third season has been a bit of a roller coaster.
He started the season as a distant idea, where youth and potential still held weight, but it was unclear if he could break through. That breakthrough did happen, and it led to a string of promising starts with consistent and meaningful playing time.
There are no guarantees in the NBA, or in the Celtics rotation. Just as quickly as Walsh ascended, he faded into the background. At no real fault of his own, Walsh became a minutes casualty due to several factors: Jayson Tatum’s return, and Baylor Scheierman’s own ascension, to name a few.
He went from starting 20 straight games, averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds on 60-45-85 shooting splits, to being stapled to the bench. He hadn’t seen the floor in six straight games.
Last night though, in the absence of Jaylen Brown, his number was called and he seized the opportunity.
Walsh’s modest statline of 5 points and 3 rebounds don’t tell the whole story. More important was the 27 minutes he logged, and what he did with them.
He finished with 3 blocks, a reminder of just how deep his defensive skill set runs. He contained a Jonathan Kuminga physical drive to the rim, and hung with the shiftier CJ McCollum, stuffing his shot twice. Walsh brought his usually frenetic style, finding the spots where his chaos and motor could do the most damage.
“Yeah, it was huge,” Mazzulla said. “Games call for toughness and physicality. Something that he brings to credit to him.”
His return to the rotation was another example of Boston’s stay-ready culture doing exactly what it’s supposed to. Walsh got his chance and delivered. He didn’t try to overdo it to win his spot back, instead playing within himself and letting his best attributes carry the night.
“The professionalism to stay ready over the course of a season says a lot about him,” Mazzulla said. “And I thought he gave us some great minutes tonight, great energy and great physicality.”
Adding a player of Tatum’s caliber back into the mix meant minutes had to come from somewhere, and Walsh was the one who lost them. But a game like this can earn him extended looks again. Mazzulla has consistently rewarded depth pieces after strong showings, and the trust never fully disappeared.
“Even when he wasn’t playing, I still had a level of trust,” Mazzulla said. “And when he’s out there, he’s going to put us in position to win. And I thought he did that tonight.”
Some uncertainty remains in the Celtics wing room. Among Scheierman, Walsh, and Gonzalez, none have meaningful NBA playoff experience. They’ve each proven themselves in different ways, but postseason basketball demands precision. There’s a real chance Walsh gets called on in a playoff series, and he’ll need to be ready. Against the Hawks, he was.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 07: Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) runs to third base during a MLB spring training game against the New York Yankees at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 7, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Rochester Red Wings played their first game of the season last night, and it was a thrilling 8-7 victory. The Nats Triple-A affiliate is full of exciting talent, and they showed what they could do last night. They will be a fascinating team to watch this year, especially early on.
Their roster is absolutely stacked with prospects or young players with big league experience. The Red Wings feature the likes of Dylan Crews, Harry Ford, Robert Hassell, Luis Perales, Mitchell Parker and many more interesting players. We are going to see a lot of these guys in the MLB at some point, so following them while they are in the minors will be important.
Your 2026 Opening Day roster is here and this group is ready to make NOISE 🗣️ ⚾
Last night, the Red Wings offense was firing on all cylinders. Everyone in the lineup got on base at least once. There was production from up and down the lineup, with a lot of important pieces for the Nats future showing their stuff. If you have time to head up to Rochester, you should do it.
The most important player on this roster is definitely Dylan Crews. After a rough spring, the Nats new regime made the gutsy decision to send the former number two overall pick back to AAA. In his first game back down there, Crews was solid. He was not incredible, but his at bats looked better. Crews got on base twice, once with a single and once on a 9 pitch walk. He also only struck out once in his five at bats, which is encouraging.
The Red Wings faced solid competition to start this one as well. Robby Snelling is a top 100 prospect for the Marlins. The Red Wings only managed one run against him across four innings, but they made him work and put the pressure on. After Snelling left, they punished the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s bullpen.
The Jumbo Shrimp relievers were wild and the Red Wings took advantage. They walked 10 times last night. Abimelec Ortiz had three of those walks, and he was the best player on the field last night. He got on base in all five of his AB’s last night, with two hits and three walks.
Ortiz came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade as one of the secondary pieces. The squatty first baseman has a track record of hitting, but does not have value in the field or on the bases. He was in the mix to make the team, but he did not have a great spring. However, if he performs in Rochester, he will get his opportunity before too long.
Another hitter who was in the mix to make the team was Christian Franklin. Like Ortiz, the Nats got him via trade. He was part of the Michael Soroka package in July. The 26 year old projects as a solid fourth outfield type who can really do damage against left handed pitching. Franklin did hit a 111 MPH double off of a righty last night though.
The Red Wings are going to be such a fascinating team. It is not just the offense either. Andrew Alvarez, who looked great in September and in Spring Training for the Nats was the starter. It was not his best outing, but we know what he can do. Julian Fernandez, Orlando Ribalta and Jackson Rutledge all got in the game out of the bullpen as well.
Today, the Red Wings have Mitchell Parker on the mound, who has made 59 big league starts in the last two seasons. It is rare for an AAA rotation to have that kind of recent big league experience in it. All of these guys are hungry and are not just content to be in AAA. They are on the hunt for big league spots.
That showed itself in the field as well. The Red Wings made a couple of web gems last night. Yohandy Morales made a diving play going into the netting and Robert Hassell made an outstanding over the shoulder catch. These guys are competing and many have gotten a taste of the big leagues.
They are ticked off to be in Triple-A and will be competing every day to show the new regime they belong in the big leagues. I love that and think this competition will be great for the Red Wings and the Nats. Over the last few years, the AAA roster has been pretty barren at times. However, that will not be the case this year. All of these guys will be ready to roll if guys at the big league level struggle.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 19: Houston Astros outfielder Zach Cole (16) bats during a MLB spring training game against the New York Mets at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Minor league baseball is back! See the results to Opening Day below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (0-1) lost 7-4 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land opened up their season at home against Round Rock. Cole got the scoring started with a leadoff homer. Alexander added an RBI single in the 2nd inning to make it 2-0. Jason Alexander got the start and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits over 2.2 innings. In the 6th, Sugar Land tied it up on a Whitcomb RBI single. After Round Rock scored a run in the 7th, Perez would tie things up with a solo HR in the bottom of the inning. Round Rock took the lead in the 8th getting a 3 run HR off of Cosgrove and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 7-4.
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 27: Toronto Blue Jays Infielder Andrés Giménez (0) celebrates with his team mates after hitting a game winning rbi single during the bottom of the ninth inning of the MLB regular season game between the Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays on March 27, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Yankees netted yet another nice victory on Friday, taking down the Giants 3-0 thanks to homers from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Although the season is young and the true important games elsewhere are yet to be determined, there is plenty of other action around the American League. From excellent starts to the season on the bump to red hot bats, here’s a look at what went down.
Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) 3, Athletics (0-1) 2
The Blue Jays made the most of a dominant season debut from their ace and a couple of big hits from their shortstop on Friday.
An Opening Day matchup of Luis Severino and Kevin Gausman turned into an excellent duel to open the season for both of these teams, though the Toronto right-hander finished with the upper hand. Neither team scored through the first three innings, as the righties were feeling it early on, though the A’s struck first when the powerful Shea Langeliers swatted his first homer of the year in the fourth.
Despite allowing the first run, it was all Gausman on Friday. The veteran made a statement to open his age-34 season, as he worked for six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 11 Athletics. After a year that had its up and down moments, this was surely a welcome start to 2026 for Gausman and the Jays.
On the offensive side, Andrés Giménez was the hero in the opener for the Jays. In the fifth inning, his timely triple turned Toronto’s 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. Langeliers would have his say once again, however, as the backstop pummeled a second home run in the top of the ninth to tie things up at two.
In the ninth, Giménez would come through again, this time with a walk-off single into right field. Each of his two big hits scored Ernie Clement, who had a pair of doubles in this one.
Los Angeles Angels (2-0) 6, Houston Astros (0-2) 2
The Angels continued their hot start to the season with a second consecutive win over the Astros. The Los Angeles bats were fired up early, and they never really looked back.
Both teams manufactured a run in the first, but the big blow came an inning later when the Angels’ Josh Lowe belted a deep three-run homer to put his squad up 4-1. The Halos would get back it in the fifth inning, this time with Mike Trout teeing off on his second homer in as many games, part of a three-hit performance by the future Hall-of-Famer.
Although Yordan Alvarez matched with a solo homer of his own in the fifth, the Astros were only able to muster two runs on their eight hits, which helped push the Angels to their second win of the season, along with 4.2 scoreless innings from the bullpen to finish the game up. The three homers from Lowe, Trout, and Zach Neto didn’t hurt either.
Friday’s win marks a pleasant start for the Angels, and perhaps foreshadows tougher days ahead for Houston. Los Angeles will aim for the sweep on Saturday.
The Tigers also cruised to a 2-0 start to the season with a comeback victory against San Diego. Veterans Michael King and Framber Valdez turned in a solid pitcher’s duel in this one as well, as the decisive scoring wouldn’t happen until late.
The Padres’ righty tossed five innings allowing just one (unearned) run on one hit, while striking out six. On the other end, Valdez was just as good. The Tigers’ new lefty grinded his way through six innings, allowing just one earned run despite plenty of baserunners.
The Padres struck first with an RBI knock from Miguel Andujar in the fourth, before both squads plated a run in the sixth thanks to timely hits. Down 2-1 all the way into the eighth, the Tigers were in need of a big hit, and they got a few of them. Riley Greene tied the game up with a bases loaded infield knock, before singles from Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler plated three more, and suddenly had Detroit in business.
Kenley Jansen was called upon to lock down the save for the Tigers, his first opportunity with the club, and the right-hander would do just that. The Tigers will look to continue their winless start to the season on Saturday.
Despite going down early on Friday, excellent pitching and timely hitting helped the Mariners net their first win Friday over the Guardians.
The game began with the red-hot Chase DeLauter belting his third home run of the young season, as the rookie continues to make huge impressions out of the gate.
Despite the early blow, Mariners’ starter George Kirby turned in a great start, as he tossed six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits and striking out six. The Seattle bats had his back too, as they woke up during the middle innings.
In the fourth a three-run homer from Cole Young turned the game around, and an inning later, Luke Raley’s second blast of the young season, a two-run bomb, had the M’s suddenly up 5-1.
The Mariners bullpen made this a largely stress-free finish, as they closed this game with three spotless innings. On both sides of the ball, Seattle held the upper hand, and as a result, they got their first win of the season on Friday.
COVERS INTEL:
