The cozy confines of Comerica Park have been kind to the Detroit Tigers since the calendar flipped to April.
Detroit rides a four-game home winning streak into Game 2 with the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday after taking a tight 2-1 series opening win yesterday.
The Tigers, who are 6-1 in their last seven contests inside Comerica, will see that home cooking slow to a simmer tonight.
Our Royals vs. Tigers predictions like Kansas City’s starter and my MLB picks are riding with the Royals as short road dogs.
Who will win Royals vs Tigers today: Royals (+116)
The Detroit Tigers’ recent run at home includes wins over Miami and St. Louis — two teams having issues keeping foes off the scoreboard.
The Kansas City Royals have been much stingier on that side of the plate, thanks in part to the efforts of starter Seth Lugo.
The right-hander’s 1-1 record over three outings doesn’t reflect his performance, allowing just three earned runs on 13 hits in less than 18 collective innings. What’s more impressive is that two of those starts came against the big bats of Atlanta and Milwaukee.
Lugo had a head start on the 2026 season after pitching well for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. He’s already working deep into games, getting into the seventh inning in two of his first three outings.
That takes pressure off the Royals’ wobbly bullpen, which gave up two runs late in the series opening loss to Detroit.
COVERS INTEL: Kansas City allows the fewest runs in the opening six innings, including just 1.57 runs allowed through six frames in road games. The Royals are 6-11 O/U against first five inning totals, including 2-5 O/U in this derivative market as visitors.
Royals vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+102)
Lugo will keep Detroit’s bats in the check while he’s on the mound. As for Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, he’s coming off his best showing of the young season.
The righty went 5 1/3 innings versus Minnesota, allowing one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts. Flaherty has fanned six batters in each of his last two starts and faces a Kansas City lineup that has struggled to produce away from home.
The Royals are driving in an average of just two runs per road game – tied for lowest in the majors – while hitting a collective .171 BA. That’s pumped out a 1-6 Over/Under record on the road.
Jason Logan's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-1, -1.0 units
Over/Under bets: 1-0, +1.0 units
Royals vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Kansas City +116 | Detroit -126
Run line: Kansas City +1.5 (-182) | Detroit -1.5 (+163)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (+102)
Royals vs Tigers trend
The Kansas City Royals have gone Under the total in 28 of their last 45 games (+9.60 Units/20% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Tigers.
How to watch Royals vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
MLBN
Royals starting pitcher
Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.53 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Jack Flaherty (0-1, 5.14 ERA)
Royals vs Tigers latest injuries
Royals vs Tigers 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.
A.J. Ewing was one of the young standouts in Mets camp this year.
With numerous regulars competing in the WBC, the youngster took full advantage of his opportunity for playing time, showcasing the many ways he can impact the game.
Thus far, he’s been able to carryover that success to open the Double-A season.
He finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base.
The 21-year-old is now hitting a whopping .421 and he’s put together three multi-hit showings over his first eight appearances on the season.
Ewing has also walked (8) more than he’s stuck out (5), he’s ripped five doubles, and has swiped five bases to help rack up an incredible .538 OBP and 1.119 OPS.
He played second base on Tuesday for the third time this season, which as Joe DeMayo noted in his recent prospect mailbag is about maintaining his versatility.
Pair these early results with his strong finish with Binghamton last season, though, and there’s not much left for the former fourth-round pick to prove at the Double-A level.
If Ewing can keep this up, perhaps he’ll make the leap to Syracuse soon enough.
The NBA returned to NBC Sports this year, and it felt like the pinnacle of the league again in more ways than one — record numbers of fans were tuning in for games.
More than 170 million people in the United States tuned in and watched regular-season NBA games this season across their partners — ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and NBA TV — the most in 24 years the league announced. That number is up 86% compared to last season.
• Sunday Night Basketball averaged 3.4 million viewers this season, making it the most-watched Sunday NBA package in 13 years (excluding Christmas Day games) as well as the most-watched NBA window since the 2015-16 season.
• Coast 2 Coast Tuesday averaged 2.6 million viewers, up 99% vs. the comparable games last year.
• Sunday night's studio show – Basketball Night in America – averaged 1.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA pregame program in 15 years.
It wasn't just NBC that saw growth this year. NBA on Prime averaged one million viewers across 67 total contests, with 14 games airing in entirely new game windows. Prime's biggest single-game came in the finals of the NBA Cup in December, featuring the Spurs and Knicks, drawing more than 3 million viewers. Prime, like NBC with Peacock, did particularly well with younger viewers, who are a coveted demographic (at Peacock, nine out of 10 NBA game viewers also watched other content on the service).
There are more stats backing up the growth:
• Overall, NBA games on ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC/Peacock averaged 1.78 million viewers, the most in seven years and up 16% over last season.
• There were 57 telecasts this season that averaged at least two million viewers, the most since the 2011-12 regular season.
• There were 19 telecasts that averaged at least three million viewers, the most since the 2012-13 regular season.
All of this comes before the NBA heads to the playoffs, when viewership traditionally spikes.
No pitcher in baseball has more strikeouts over the last five years than Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease, and I expect him to continue to rack up the Ks in tonight’s matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Read on to see why he’ll be the feature player in my Blue Jays vs. Brewers predictions and free MLB picks for Wednesday, April 15.
Blue Jays vs Brewers predictions
Blue Jays vs Brewers best bet: Dylan Cease Over 6.5 strikeouts (-155)
The Toronto Blue Jays' pitching staff largely baffled the Milwaukee Brewers in the series opener with 12 strikeouts, and I expect that trend to continue with Dylan Cease on the mound tonight.
Cease has faced the Brewers four times in his career, and went Over today’s 6.5 strikeout total in each outing, averaging eight K’s per contest.
The slider has been his most effective putaway pitch this season, garnering 10 strikeouts on a58% whiff rate and a .053 opponent batting average.
Milwaukee has the ninth-highest strikeout rating against the slider with a 33% K-rate.
COVERS INTEL: Cease's 38.8% strikeout rate is second among MLB starters to throw at least 10 innings this season.
Blue Jays vs Brewers same-game parlay (SGP)
The Blue Jays' bats seem to be coming around, sporting a .294 average over their last five games, averaging 10.4 hits per game. So I’ll continue to bet on the bats and take Over 4.5 hits against Brewers’ starter Chad Patrick.
Additionally, Patrick’s main pitch is his cutter, a pitch in which the Jays own a .389 batting average against this season.
I’m also going to keep the Daulton Varsho train rolling and take Over 0.5 hits for the outfielder. He’s recorded a hit in five straight, totaling nine base knocks in that stretch. It’s also a great matchup for him, as Varsho posted a .500 average against the cutter last season.
Blue Jays vs Brewers SGP
Dylan Cease Over 6.5 strikeouts
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
Chad Patrick Over 4.5 hits allowed
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Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Blue Jays vs Brewers home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+335)
I’ll continue to bet on Varsho today, who looks to be turning things around at the plate with five extra-base hits in his last five games.
Three of those have been of the home run variety, and this is a plus-matchup for him to hit one out of the park again tonight. Not only did Varsho have a .500 average against the cutter last season, but his xSLG was also .752 with a 35% hard-hit rate.
Additionally, Patrick is a flyball pitcher who ranks in the 25th percentile in hard-hit rate. Varsho’s raw power should shine through tonight.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 5-10, -2.25 units
SGPs: 2-13, -5.5 units
HR picks: 3-12, +0.4 units
Blue Jays vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Toronto -130 | Milwaukee +110
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+135) | Milwaukee +1.5 (-155)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-110) | Under 7.5 (-110)
Blue Jays vs Brewers trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 10 of their last 15 away games (+5.75 Units / 35% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Brewers.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, SN1
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.45 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.73 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Brewers latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Brewers 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.
The NBA Play-In Tournament continues this evening as the Golden State Warriors travel to Inglewood to take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
With tonight’s winner living to see another day for a shot at the postseason, we break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver Warriors vs. Clippers predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Wednesday, April 15.
Los Angeles is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 matchups against Golden State, and that has oddsmakers trading the Clippers at 68% (-213) to prevail at the Intuit Dome.
Our prediction:Warriors to win
For one more night, perhaps one last night, two of the three key pieces to this Warriors dynasty can rekindle those memories. No “Wall” will bother Curry or Green.
They have faced Kawhi Leonard countless times before, and with veterans like Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis now their running mates, Golden State as a whole should embrace this road atmosphere.
Sign up now using our exclusive Kalshi promo code 'COVERS' and get a $10 trading bonus after you trade $10 on any other event contracts — including Warriors/Clippers!
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More Warriors vs Clippers prediction markets
You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Warriors vs. Clippers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Clippers -4.5 spread means the Clippers will cover, while "No" means the Warriors will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Warriors vs Clippers spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
Clippers -4.5
55¢ (-122)
46¢ (+117)
Over 220.5 points
54¢ (-117)
48¢ (+108)
Our predictions:Over 220.5 points — No
All four matchups between these two teams have gone under the total this season, by an average of 17.25 points per game.
Other Warriors vs Clippers prediction markets available
Steph Curry 4+ threes (Yes: 61¢)
Kristaps Porzingis 6+ rebounds (Yes: 56¢)
Derrick Jones Jr. 1+ blocks (Yes: 57¢)
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts," which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Clippers win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?
In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.
Why should I wager on Warriors vs Clippers at Kalshi?
Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:
Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.
The New York Yankees split the first two games of their series with the Los Angeles Angels, earning a dramatic 11-10 win in the opener before dropping Game 2 in blowout fashion.
My Angels vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks expect the home side to get back on track this Wednesday, April 15.
Who will win Angels vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-178)
Jack Kochanowicz has seen his counting numbers improve this season, but a lot of that stems from luck.
He owns a 5.02 xFIP — very close to last year’s 5.18 xFIP, when he had a 6.81 ERA to go with it.
Kochanowicz has also allowed a .204 average on balls put in play. That is unsustainably low and well below the near .300 BABIP allowed over 175 innings of work the two seasons prior.
All of these numbers suggest regression is coming, and the New York Yankees (third in fly-ball rate, seventh in hard-hit rate) are a good team to force the issue.
COVERS INTEL: Kochanowicz's xERA is nearly three runs higher than his actual ERA this season.
Angels vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-116)
Kochanowicz’s underlying profile screams regression, and the Yankees' tendency to hit the ball hard and put it in the air should serve them well in a hitter-friendly ballpark with warm weather and the wind blowing out.
When Kochanowicz departs from the game, the Yankees can look forward to facing a bullpen that ranks Bottom-10 in xFIP and SIERA.
The Los Angeles Angels should chip in their fair share of runs as well. Luis Gil has a tough time keeping the ball in the park, and the Angels rank first in fly-ball rate and second in homers this season.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-3, -3.82 units
Over/Under bets: 0-3, -3.51 units
Angels vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +163 | New York -170
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-120) | New York -1.5 (+100)
Over/Under: Over 10.5 (+115) | Under 9.5 (-105)
Angels vs Yankees trend
The Angels have hit the Over in eight of their last nine games (+6.90 Units / 68% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Yankees.
How to watch Angels vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN W, Prime Video
Angels starting pitcher
Jack Kochanowicz (2-0, 3.24 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Luis Gil (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
Angels vs Yankees latest injuries
Angels vs Yankees 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.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) in goal during the second period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins accomplished the task of clinching second place in the Atlantic Division. It comes with a nice bonus of sitting out the best-of-three first round playoffs that tripped them up the prior two seasons. They’ll await the highest seed that emerges from the 3/6 and 4/5 series, with the lowest seeded team playing top-ranked Providence.
The Penguins had a 1-0-1 previous week, dealing with a few key forwards called up to the NHL. WBSPenguins.com with the recaps:
Thursday, Apr. 9 – PENGUINS 5 at Bridgeport 6 (OT) In its last-ever regular-season visit to Bridgeport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton let a three-goal, third-period lead slip away as the Islanders stole their first win of the season series. Daniel Russell and Mikhail Ilyin both picked up assists in their AHL debuts, while Finn Harding, Tanner Howe, Gabe Klassen, Harrison Brunicke and Atley Calvert provided the goals.
Saturday, Apr. 11 – GANDY DANCERS 4 vs. Cleveland 1 It required a proletarian effort, but the Steamtown Gandy Dancers rolled up their sleeves and muscled their way to an intense victory. Calvert conjured the only goal through the first 52 minutes of action, which led to a frenzied finish. Aidan McDonough tallied twice around Cleveland’s lone goal, three strikes that came in 1:50 of game time. Howe lobbed in an empty netter to improve the *Penguins* to 3-0-1-0 in its Community Night presented by Visit Luzerne County.
Sergei Murashov gave up six goals on 28 shots in the Bridgeport game – on a day he started on the NHL roster in New Jersey before being assigned back to the AHL once it was deemed Stuart Skinner was good to go. Joel Blomqvist picked up the win against Cleveland, stopping 25/26 shots.
A lot of fresh faces and young talent have rolled into town, including most recently a 2025 third round draft pick defenseman Brady Peddle. Peddle joins with recent draftees Ryan Miller and Quinn Beauchesne on AHL tryout deals for the rest of the season. Neither Miller nor Beauchesne has appeared in a game yet, but with three meaningless games coming up in the next four days there could be opportunities to give these players a chance to get into the lineup.
Some other players on NHL contracts have made their way to Wilkes, Harrison Brunicke has been back after his junior career wrapped up in a first series loss in the WHL and been used in a key role now with Wilkes. Mikhail Ilyin’s KHL season is over and he’s managed two assists in his first two AHL games. Melvin Fernstrom has also been over in the AHL for a while coming in and out of the lineup.
Here was the lineup in the last game, WBS had to deal with Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes playing out the stretch in Pittsburgh. Rafael Harvey-Pinard got an NHL game too but did not miss any games in the minor league. With the NHL playoffs about to begin, all five of these forwards have been assigned back to Wilkes today, presumably to get them ready for an AHL playoff run. Other than the injured Tristan Broz, who has been out since the beginning of March, WBS is locked and loaded.
— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 11, 2026
Wilkes has three games to finish out their 72-game season, all at home. Tonight they play Hershey, a team that should be desperate to clinch a playoff spot (and loaded up themselves by getting Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ilya Protas and Clay Stephenson back from the NHL Capitals). Next up is Bridgeport on Friday, a team that has already clinched a playoff spot but is a potential future playoff opponent. Finally the year ends up with a game against Rochester, 5th place in the North Division, who likely will have clinched a playoff spot by the time they play Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.
In a way, WBS this week will be in the same situation as their NHL affiliate was this past week, being unable to move in the standings and focused on the playoffs. They (likely) won’t go to the extremes of resting all their key players, though sensibly there’s logic in fluid lineups to give youngsters a shot while keeping the key players ready for the playoffs. Those playoffs won’t start for a little bit in Wilkes-Barre who have earned the luxury of some rest and time to prepare for whatever the second round might throw at them (which would be a pretty good Charlotte team, barring an upset).
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics talks with reporters during Boston Celtics media day at the Auerbach Center on September 29, 2025 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thanks to CelticsBlog, I had the pleasure of covering the final two games of the Boston Celtics’ regular season as credentialed media, making the journey from Tasmania, Australia. I won’t bore you with the details of the journey, but despite a 45-hour, door-to-door journey and some horrendous jet lag, I still had the time of my life.
Quickly, for those curious as to how and why an Australian became so passionate about the Boston Celtics: my dad is from Andover, Mass., and moved to Australia when he was 25 years old, against his mother’s wishes — “you’ll meet a girl, and never come back.” Mothers are always right. I was lucky enough for my Dad to pass on the passion for Boston sports.
Due to the time difference between Boston and the East Coast of Australia, Celtics games are typically anywhere between 9.30 am – 12.30 pm. Perfect if you have a free day. But on days that either of us are working or engaged in an activity that has sadly had to be prioritised over watching the Boston Celtics, we developed a simple code to avoid spoiling the results of these games. A quick “I finished the game” text to let the other party know that we are free to start breaking down the game and gushing about how mind boggling it is that Jayson Tatum already looks this good less than 12 months removed from tearing his Achilles.
There was no amount of jet lag that could dampen my spirit as I made my way to TD Garden from the South End, where I stayed during my five days in Boston. Boston was blessed with lovely weather during my stay, so I opted to walk whenever possible, including to TD Garden, through Boston Common, which was packed with people and squirrels, which were a nice novelty addition to my walk. The squirrels were the novelty, not the people. We have a few of those in Tasmania.
When I’m back home in Australia, whenever I spot someone wearing Celtics gear, I’ll often stop them and deliver a quick quip about the team. This season it was a lot of “how about Jaylen Brown, hey?” Often, the response is “oh I just like the gear.” But sometimes, I strike gold and find another Celtics sicko to have a chat with. I had to fight to break this habit once arriving in Boston. Otherwise, I would have spoken to the entire city’s population in my five days. This urge was especially hard to fight the closer I got to the Garden, and as the closer I got, the thicker the stream of Celtics gear became.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 21: Fans board the T at North Station during the Boston Celtics Victory Parade following their 2024 NBA Finals win at TD Garden on June 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was walking behind a group of one dad and five young boys, all decked out in Cs gear and were bouncing with excitement for the Pelicans game. The kids were arguing over who their favourite Celtics were. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum featured prominently in this passionate debate. Payton Pritchard received an honourable mention.
The only other time I had been to TD Garden was in the first round of the 2022 playoffs when the Celtics faced off against the Brooklyn Nets for Game 2 of that series’ a game that featured Payton Pritchard sparking a double-digit comeback. That time, I turned left as we got to the gigantic TD Garden foyer, to make our way up the main entrance escalators. This time, I made my way past that entrance, and around the building towards the staff and media entrance. I hadn’t been nervous until this moment. While I knew that Celtics PR was expecting me, it still did not feel real that a media credential would be waiting for me.
I put my bag through security, told the PR lady who I was, she handed me my credentials, and not thirty seconds later, I was walking through the tunnel and found myself six feet from the parquet. I located my fellow beat reporters, who at least pretended to be very excited to see me and were impressed that I had made the journey across the world to join them in covering the Celtics.
I was just in time to watch the bench guys go through a high-intensity workout; Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and John Tonje were battling it out. I knew, conceptually, how big NBA players (and coaches) are, but seeing Amari and Tonje banging bodies in the post hammered home that reality. The next thing I know, I hear a Ric Flair-style “Wooooo” from behind me. It was assistant Coach Sam Cassell making a grand entrance onto the court. I’m told this is a regular occurrence. Cassell jumped straight into trash-talking all three young players for getting scored on by each other and not corralling rebounds.
As we inched closer to game time, the arena slowly filled up, not just with fans but with some familiar faces. The experience of being at TD Garden, wandering through the labyrinthine hallways of the bowels of TD Garden, was like being dropped into the middle of my favourite TV show — one I’ve watched religiously for most of my life, and feel like I know all the characters intimately.
I bumped into Drew Carter in the media dining room, as we both went to grab a snack. “Wow, you’re in Boston?! How’s it going, mate?” The fact that Drew remembered me from his appearance on First to the Floor was incredible. Moments like almost crashing into Derrick White as I rounded a corner as I looked for a bathroom will never be forgotten. Thankfully, it was just almost; I would never have forgiven myself if I were the one to give Derrick a knee contusion. It was a truly surreal feeling.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics speaks during a press conference after the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 4, 2024 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-93. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Next, it was time for Joe Mazzulla’s pregame press conference, an obligation I’m not sure Joe would describe as his favourite part of being head coach of the Boston Celtics. At this moment, the press conference room is buzzing with various conversations. I believe Robbie Hodin and I were discussing the merits of Paolo Banchero as part of the “who would you rather play: Philly or Orlando?” conversation that everyone had multiple times in my two days at The Garden. A hush came over the room as Mazzulla marched towards the interview table. I sat back and observed the media veterans like Gary Washburn and John Karalis do the heavy lifting for this pregame interview. I wanted to see how the mechanics of the interviews work before I launched myself into the firing line of a Joe Mazzulla response.
It was then time to make the journey up to the rafters, which is where I would be sitting, a perfect vantage point for seeing the activity of all ten players on the court at once. I know players from the Celtics and around the league consistently mention TD Garden as one of the best atmospheres in the NBA, but I was still blown away by the crowd in both the game against the New Orleans Pelicans and the regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic. In the first game, the Pelicans were without the top end of their rotation, and for the final game of the regular season, the Celtics were missing their top seven rotation players. I would not have faulted the Garden faithful for conserving their energy for the playoffs. However, the energy was palpable from the player intros.
Despite both games on paper being somewhat underwhelming, both games overdelivered. On night one, the Celtics blasted the Pelicans and fell one three-pointer short of breaking the NBA record for most threes in a game. You could feel the crowd’s energy build as the record came within reach. It was as exciting as a 36-point blowout could be.
The second night against the Orlando Magic delivered one of the most memorable games of the year, a game that the Celtics were given no chance to win, which is the 2025–2026 Celtics’ specialty — they came out and laid the smackdown on the Orlando Magic. On that night, I was treated to the Garden crowd losing their minds amidst a third quarter avalanche fueled by Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza dismantling the Magic’s starters.
As the games conclude, it was time to race back down for Joe Mazzulla’s postgame press conference. After the Pelicans game, I was ready to ask Mazzulla a question about Nikola Vucevic stringing another strong performance together after a solid second half against the New York Knicks. As to be expected, I was towards the back end of Joe’s press conference, giving priority to the more experienced reporters, which led to the great Bobby Manning of CelticsBlog and CLNS beating me to the punch on the Vucevic topic. I was, in theory, ready for this situation, as I had prepared a long list of questions to ask Joe during the aforementioned 45-hour journey across the world.
However, I hadn’t been rehearsing those questions in my head for the last 15 minutes. I was already nervous, but it was too late to back out. I had already signalled to Celtics PR that I had a question; there was no stopping the microphone being placed in my hands at this point. I have no idea what John Karalis asked Joe; all I could do was try to formulate my question. The mic was passed to me. I could feel my heart beating in every cell in my body. I delivered my question about Joe’s perspective on the playoffs being different from the regular season, and Mazzulla blessed me with an introspective, thoughtful answer, of which I heard some of.
The following night after the Magic game concluded, I was at least 50% less nervous when the microphone was passed to me. I was lucky enough to get to ask Joe another question, and then what is a rare occurrence at this point in the season, a player at the podium as well. After the Orlando Magic game, it was Baylor Scheierman who had just dropped a career-high 30 point, 7 rebound, 7 assist game on the heads of the Orlando Magic. At this point, the confidence was brewing. I even started my question with a “Hey, Baylor,” to which he gave me a head nod. Did we just become best friends?
A couple of miscellaneous moments that would feel rude not to share: Dalano Banton had just been brought back by the Celtics for the third time to play in Game 82. Banton had just finished his pregame warmup as the President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, made his way over to him. They shared what appeared to be an incredibly positive interaction. I found this interesting as their relationship is somewhat complicated. On one hand, the Celtics and Brad clearly like Banton as they keep bringing him in. On the other hand, they don’t like him enough to keep him around long term. Well, Banton gave the Celtics front office another reminder as to why they like him by showing out in a monster win against the Magic.
I was just a few feet away when observing Ron Harper Jr.’s warmup. Something that jumped out at me was that the word “warmups” doesn’t do justice to what the players go through before a game. The assistant coaches who play one-on-one with the players are all former Division I. In this case, six-foot-six, and obviously incredible at basketball. They go at it during these warmups. Ron Harper Jr. made this specific coach look like a high school player, effortlessly cooking him while sweat was pouring out of the coach. This showing during the warmup ended up being a precursor to the best night of Ron Harper Jr.’s young career.
Finally, one of my favourite things about this experience was that, after all the post-game interviews had wrapped up and players and coaches had left the building, the reporters had started filing stories and finishing recording podcasts, a quiet settled over the arena. Once I had finished writing on both nights, I made a point to go back through the tunnel to take a final look at the parquet and soak in the experience of the night.
From feeling like a part of the beat reporting team to bumping into Derrick White, there were so many moments I was trying to burn into my memory. My expectations for this experience could not have been higher, and somehow they were blown out of the water. I am eternally grateful to CelticsBlog for giving me this opportunity. I hope to be back in the building again one day.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler ranked the top 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects. Without much surprise, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler received the top spot in Wheeler's rankings.
Seeing Fowler being named the best goalie prospect in hockey makes a lot of sense. The 21-year-old goaltender has the potential to become a star for the Canadiens and has already shown plenty of promise when given the chance to play for Montreal this campaign. In 17 regular-season games for the Canadiens this season, the 2023 third-round pick had a 9-6-2 record, a 2.43 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.
Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, Fowler undoubtedly performed well. In 27 games with Laval this campaign, he had a 19-7-1 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and three shutouts. This is after he had a 25-7-2 record, a 1.63 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage, and seven shutouts for Boston College during the 2024-25 season.
With all of this, there is no question that Fowler has a ton of potential. He should be a big part of the Canadiens' roster moving forward, and at 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to get even better.
Desperate for a win and clinging to a 7-6 lead over the Rockies on Tuesday night, Joe Espada sent Bryan King back to the mound to try to secure the game’s final three outs. Bryan Abreu, the team’s most accomplished healthy reliever, sat on a bench in the bullpen while Enyel De Los Santos, a journeyman 30-year old who signed with the Astros last August, got loose.
After retiring the first two batters he faced, King allowed hits to the next two, prompting Espada to summon De Los Santos to face the right-handed-hitting Jordan Beck. De Los Santos struck him out to end the game, securing the Astros’ first win after an eight-game losing streak.
It was a good night for a team that needed a win and a bullpen that has been maligned for the first 18 games of the season, but it was notable that Abreu, who was scored on in his first six appearances of the season, played no role in it.
“My focus is trying to match up the right pockets. Trying to put these guys in a position when they can deploy their pitches, go to the areas where they can get people out and trying to get them rolling that way,” Espada said.
That means the way Espada managed his bullpen in the final innings of Tuesday’s game will be the standard operating procedure moving forward.
“Once the dust settles some of these guys will start falling into those roles, but right now we’re going to try to get going that way and try to get these guys on a positive note,” Espada said.
The Astros bullpen is shorthanded with Josh Hader, who threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday, and Bennett Sousa, who recently started a rehab assignment, on the IL, but its ERA sits at 6.35, second worst in league, after surrendering just two runs over 5 1/3 against the Rockies on Tuesday.
Getting Hader and Sousa back will be a nice shot in the arm for the Astros bullpen, but it is hard to see it function at a high level without Abreu pitching at a high level. He had his first scoreless outing of the season on Sunday in Seattle, but he still allowed two baserunners and needed 27 pitches to record three outs.
Abreu will get his opportunities out of the Astros bullpen, but Espada didn’t sound like someone ready to use him in high leverage spots right now.
“I’m going to deploy him in moments where I think it’s what’s best for him and our team,” Espada said. “Once he gets going, he’s a force.”
Apr 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Kamil Krzaczynski/Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Taylor Hall signed with the Sabres several years ago, the 2018 MVP summed up a belief shared by many around the NHL by saying the league is better when Buffalo is competitive.
It has been a long time since that was the case.
After numerous rebuilds and coaching and front office changes, the Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 after snapping the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 14 years. As division champions for the first time since ’07, Buffalo will open at home against Boston.
Hall’s belief in Buffalo hasn’t changed, even though his tenure there lasted just 37 games.
“If you’re a sports fan, you have a bit of a soft spot for Buffalo,” said Hall, who is now with Carolina. “It’s nice to see that they’ve done it the right way this year. They play hard. They play fast. They’ve committed to playing well on both sides of the puck, and that’s the recipe. They’re going to be a tough out.”
Joy for former teammates
Hall isn’t the only ex-Sabres player to take notice and express a sense of joy over this long-awaited revival.
Casey Mittelstadt might have mixed emotions with his Bruins preparing to face the Sabres in the first round. That doesn’t take away the happiness he feels for Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and leading scorer Tage Thompson, with whom he broke into the league with in 2018.
“Very happy for those guys,” said Mittelstadt, who was picked eighth by Buffalo in 2017. “I have so many friends there and am really close with the staff, spent a lot of time there. ... I would be lying if I said I don’t cheer for them a bit. Good friends, good people and I think they deserve it.”
Fellow forward Zemgus Girgensons endured the brunt of the drought spending a decade in Buffalo before signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent two years ago. Though the drought outlasted him, Girgensons is impressed by his former team’s transformation.
“There’s a lot of talent on that team and they’re doing a good job so far,” Girgensons said. “It’s just the process of it. You can see the guys have matured a lot. It’s just the way they play. They’ve been playing good hockey, and it’s fun to watch.”
Joy for the city of Buffalo
Defenseman Tyler Myers suited up for Buffalo’s most recent playoff series in 2010 and and he shares Hall’s soft spot for the city.
“It’s my first team in the NHL, (and) I had some success there early on with the group we had,” said Myers, now with Dallas. “I’m happy to see the city and the team doing well. I obviously don’t feel that way if we’re ever up against them. But they’ve had a long road. Certainly in a way, I’m happy for them.”
Rasmus Ristolainen, whose 820 regular season games are the most of any active NHL player without a postseason appearance, finally is in with Philadelphia and feels a kinship with Sabres fans who have waited even longer than he has for this opportunity.
“The fans are die hard and love the team, as they do here, as well. Good for them,” he said
Buffalo native Patrick Kane is a three-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with the Blackhawks . During a recent visit with Detroit, he said he could feel the buzz of the fanbase. It reminded him a bit of football in nearby Orchard Park.
“The building gets wild,” Kane said. “You could see the crowd get into it. I kind of compare it to the Bills a little bit, too. The Bills are good, it’s good for the city. Same thing with the Sabres.”
Joy for the sport of hockey
It’s not just that the Sabres got into the playoffs, it’s how far they’ve come in a short while. Buffalo opened this season 11-14-4 before riding a 39-9-4 run to finish atop the Atlantic Division.
“I don’t know if anybody could have predicted the turnaround from last year to this year as quickly,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It’s incredible.”
Also incredible is how winning has re-energized a fanbase. After selling out just four games in 2024-25, the Sabres have enjoyed 22 sellouts this season, including 17 in a row leading into the regular-season finale.
“I always knew that Buffalo was a great market, a great hockey market, and what demonstrates that is while there was frustration that built over time, it has turned around on a dime, which means the fans are back,” Bettman said. “Their enthusiasm is back. It’s like what’s happened has turned the page.”
Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) flexes in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the third quarter at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Spurs are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, and we now know their first round opponent will be the Portland Trail Blazers, with Game 1 set for 8 PM CT on Sunday. That’s still several days out, so in the meantime, we’re looking back one of the best regular seasons in franchise history.
Yesterday, we looked at the first part of the season, which featured a 5-0 start, followed by the Spurs continuing to roll despite missing Victor Wembanyama for 12 straight games thanks to a calf strain. In his absence, the Spurs still thrived thanks to the leadership of De’Aaron Fox and the superior depth they had developed over the years via the draft and free agency. It all added up to a win on the road against the Lakers to earn a trip to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup Semi-Finals, which is where we’re picking things up today.
Part 2: Dec. 13 – Dec. 31 (7-2*)
* Not counting their loss in the NBA Cup Final to the Knicks.
Technically, this is just nine games (10 if you count the Cup Final that fortunately counts as Wemby’s 65th game and makes him award eligible but not in any other capacity), so it might be a stretch to consider this an entire segment of the season, but it was too memorable not to! Still, even though I counted the first part of December in Part 1 (since we’re using Wemby’s return as the launching point for this part), we’ll still point out that a win in New Orleans on December 8 kicked off their first 8-game winning streak since 2019, and they went 11-3 overall (again, not counting the Cup Final). Also, the Spurs had 8 different players lead the team in scoring in December, which is mind-blowing and another reminder of their insane depth (hat tip to TontonOngBak).
The third game of that winning streak is where we’re kicking things off here, beginning in Las Vegas with Wemby returning to from his extended absence, albeit in a bench role and on minutes restrictions, just in time for the first of what would be three surprising victories over the Thunder, beginning with a Cup Semifinal win after a back and forth 4th quarter, which officially brought the Spurs to the national audience’s attention.
While they would go on to lose the Cup Final to the Knicks (who are a surprisingly stubborn matchup for them), it didn’t officially count, although Keldon Johnson still got a big enough bonus to get his llamas! From there, they continued their win streak with a few easy games against the Wizards and Hawks before a home-away miniseries against the Thunder, in which they blew them out at home before a surprisingly comfortable win in OKC on Christmas Day. As Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went on to say, you don’t lose to the same team three times in 12 days without them being better than you.
After all that excitement, they returned home for a couple of letdown losses against the Jazz and Utah before ending on a high note. In what is becoming a trend in their home games against the Knicks, a random role player steps up with a historical performance to lead the Spurs to an exciting victory. Last year, it was Sandro Mamukelashvili with 34 points on 93% shooting (7-7 from three!), and this season, it was Julian Champagnie with a career-high 36 points while hitting a franchise record 11 threes on 17 attempts to lead them to a come-from-behind 134-132 win on New Year’s Eve and cap off a memorable 2025 for the team.
It sure was a December to remember after such an amazing run, and now, the Spurs were officially on everyone’s radar. Check back tomorrow as we visit part three, which was arguably their only “rough” patch of the season.
It's a true coin-flip game when the Orlando Magic visit the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in NBA Play-In Tournament action.
Our Magic vs. 76ers predictions and free NBA picks will tell you what the best bets for this matchup are, and how you can use prediction markets like Kalshi to get the most bang for your betting buck.
Prediction markets currently favor the Philadelphia 76ers, giving them a 54% chance to win. The Orlando Magic are live underdogs with a 47% chance to win.
Our prediction:76ers to win
Here's what our expert has to say about tonight's game: "Even with Joel Embiid out after an appendectomy, the Philadelphia 76ers will get past a shaken Orlando Magic squad Wednesday night. The Sixers know how to operate without their oft-injured big man and went 19-8 SU as home favorites this season."
Sign up now using our exclusive Kalshi promo code 'COVERS' and get a $10 trading bonus after you trade $10 on any other event contracts — including Magic/76ers!
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More Magic vs 76ers prediction markets
You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Magic vs. 76ers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.
You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the 76ers -2.5 spread means the 76ers will cover, while "No" means the Magic will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using theCovers odds converter).
Magic vs 76ers spread and total at prediction markets
Outcome
Yes
No
76ers -2.5
47¢ (+113)
54¢ (-117)
Over 223.5 points
52¢ (-108)
49¢ (+104)
Our predictions:76ers -2.5 — No and Over 223.5 points — No
The Magic are the team with momentum on its side, having won five of its last six overall. The Sixers' recent 2-3 run is notable in that they beat up on the dregs of the league (Milwaukee, Indiana) but couldn't run with the big boys (Houston San Antonio, Detroit).
Both squads can't throw a pea in the ocean at times, with Orlando ranking 25th in eFG% and Philly one spot behind, so give me the Under.
Other Magic vs 76ers prediction markets available
Tyrese Maxey 30+ points (Yes: 53¢)
Paolo Banchero 5+ assists (Yes: 61¢)
VJ Edgecombe 6+ rebounds (Yes: 53¢)
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the 76ers win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
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In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.
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DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have agreed to an eight-year, $150 million contract extension with rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle.
The deal begins next season and carries through 2034, covering his final five seasons of club control and his first three years he would have been eligible for free agency. The $150 million is guaranteed and the deal includes contract escalators for the final three seasons that could raise the value to a maximum of $160 million.
McGonigle will earn guaranteed salaries of $1 million in 2027, $7 million in 2028, $16 million in 2029, $21 million in 2030, $22 million in 2031 and $23 million in the 2032, 2033 and 2034 seasons.
The contract escalators could increase his 2032 maximum base salary to $25 million, his 2033 maximum to $26 million and his 2034 maximum to $28 million.
The deal includes a $14 million signing bonus and a $5 million bonus each time the contract is assigned to another major league team.
McGonigle, 21, had four hits in his major league debut, an 8-2 win at San Diego on March 26. He is hitting .311 with one homer and has a .417 on-base percentage. He has reached base in 13 consecutive starts and 15 of 16 games. He is one of only 10 players in the major leagues with more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight) among players with at least 11 walks.
The strong start has supported McGonigle’s preseason ranking as one of the game’s top prospects. He has started at third base and shortstop for the Tigers.
McGonigle was selected by the Tigers in the first round of the 2023 draft at No. 37 out of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot may have made his final NHL appearance this week, closing the book on what has been a long and quietly impressive career.
The 38-year-old Caledonia, Ontario native started Monday’s game for the Detroit Red Wings against the Tampa Bay Lightning, allowing four goals on 26 shots in an overtime loss. While no official decision has been announced, the outing is widely expected to be both his final start with Detroit and potentially the last of his NHL career.
Talbot, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of University of Alabama-Huntsville, built a reputation over more than a decade as one of the league’s most dependable journeyman goaltenders. With his contract set to expire this summer, Detroit appears poised to move in a different direction, with top prospect Sebastian Cossa expected to take on a full-time role next season.
The transition signals the likely end of Talbot’s tenure in Detroit, especially as his performance has begun to decline with age. He finishes the 2025–26 season with a 12-9-6 record, a 3.10 goals-against average, and a .886 save percentage across 33 appearances, his lowest statistical output since 2019.
Despite the recent dip, Talbot’s career body of work remains strong. Over 13 NHL seasons, he provided steady goaltending for eight different franchises, including the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, and most recently the Red Wings.
If he chooses to retire, Talbot would finish with a career record of 278-204-53, along with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, numbers that reflect consistency and reliability over time.
There is still a possibility he could extend his career, following a path similar to fellow veteran James Reimer, who returned to NHL action this season at the same age with Ottawa. However, if Talbot does continue playing, it is unlikely to be in Detroit.
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COVERS INTEL: Kansas City allows the fewest runs in the opening six innings, including just 1.57 runs allowed through six frames in road games. The Royals are 6-11 O/U against first five inning totals, including 2-5 O/U in this derivative market as visitors.
