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On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Phillies series preview

As you know, the Cubs are off to a rough start this season.

But then, so are the Phillies. The teams enter this series with identical 7-8 records, and the Phillies have lost four of their last five, scoring a total of just 11 runs in those five games.

Here’s more on the Phillies from Ethan Witte, manager of our SB Nation Phillies site The Good Phight.

The Phillies begin this series in a rut. They aren’t scoring consistently, having not scored in 68 of their last 76 innings, looking rather futile while doing so. However, when they do put together scoring runs, those runs tend to come in bunches. Bryce Harper has been swinging a hot bat of late, getting his season line up to .273/.375/.527 with three home runs. However, his production has been balanced by the lack of production from Alec Bohm, who is 0 for his last 16. The starting pitching has been decent of late, helped by a bullpen that has also been especially stingy. However, everything will be determined by how well the offense is playing, which is hasn’t been encouraging lately.

Fun facts

The Cubs will play at Philadelphia today through Wednesday, then host the Phillies for four games next Monday through Thursday. The final game will wrap up the season series between the teams, on April 23.

That is the second-earliest date on which they have finished playing each other. In 2001, they met at Philadelphia for three games on Apr 6-8, then played three at Wrigley Field on April 17-18, with a doubleheader the second day.
…..
The second game this year will be the 2,400th in the rivalry, which began in 1883. The Cubs have a .524 winning percentage against the Phillies, with 1,248 wins, 1,132 losses and 18 ties. They have won 138 more than they have lost at home, but have lost 22 more than they have won at Philadelphia. Their next loss there will be their 600th. They have won 577.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Monday: Javier Assad, RHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.529 WHIP, 3.15 FIP) vs. Cristopher Sánchez, LHP (1-1, 1.65 ERA, 1.347 WHIP, 1.06 FIP)

Tuesday: Colin Rea, RHP (0-1, 3.18 ERA, 1.147 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) vs. Aaron Nola, RHP (1-1, 3.63 ERA, 1.096 WHIP, 3.90 FIP)

Wednesday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (0-1, 2.81 ERA, 0.813 WHIP, 2.21 FIP) vs. Jesús Luzardo, LHP (1-2, 6.23 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, 2.34 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Monday: 5:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, FS1 (outside the Cubs and Phillies market territories)

Tuesday: 5:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, TBS (outside the Cubs and Phillies market territories)

Wednesday: 5:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

I picked two of three the last time the Cubs were on the road and was right! (Rays series.) So… why not do that again?

Up next

The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the New York Mets beginning Friday afternoon.

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Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, 40, says he is retiring from the NHL

Jonathan Quick

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick (32) waves to fans after a 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Danny Wild/Danny Wild-Imagn Images

SUNRISE, Fla. — Jonathan Quick says he is retiring at age 40 after nearly two decades in the NHL, a stretch during which he was one of the best goaltenders of his generation.

Quick said his start for the New York Rangers at the Florida Panthers is his last game. It’s his 921st appearance, counting playoffs.

“He earned the respect of his teammates, coaches and staff members through his work ethic and dedication to his craft,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said in a statement posted on social media. “Jonathan is a special person and player, and the entire Rangers organization wishes him — along with his wife, Jackie, and three children, Madison, Carter and Cash — all the best in retirement.”

Quick backstopped the Los Angeles Kings to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and ’14 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the first of those two title runs.

The Milford, Connecticut, native was the U.S. starter at the 2014 Olympics and has a Cup ring from 2023 as a backup for the Vegas Golden Knights.

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Bucks finish with 10th-best NBA Draft Lottery odds as standings finalize

May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; A overall shot of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place West. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

The Bucks’ 2025–26 regular season is mercifully over, and while we still have more questions than answers—including a now-official question as to who will be coaching them come October—we do have more clarity on where Milwaukee could be drafting in June. As you’ll read, while the standings are set in stone, the lottery odds for other teams are not. Because of the Bucks’ pick swap with the Pelicans, they still have to wait to find out how many ping-pong ball combinations they have. Let’s dive in.

Official 2026 NBA Lottery Odds

Based on the end-of-season standings, here is the current lottery order (with each position’s odds to receive the no. 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10:

  1. Washington Wizards — protected 1–8 (14%)
  2. Indiana Pacers — protected 1–4, to Clippers if fifth or sixth (14%)
  3. Brooklyn Nets (14%)
  4. Utah Jazz — top-8 protected (11.5%)
  5. Sacramento Kings (11.5%)
  6. Memphis Grizzlies (9%)
  7. New Orleans Pelicans (6.8%)
  8. Dallas Mavericks (6.7%)
  9. Chicago Bulls (4.5%)
  10. Milwaukee Bucks (3%)
  11. Golden State Warriors (2%)
  12. Oklahoma City Thunder — via Clippers (1.5%)*
  13. Miami Heat (1%)*
  14. Charlotte Hornets (0.5%)*

*These play-in teams could move out of the lottery if they advance into the 16-team playoff field, and be replaced by any of Portland, Orlando, Phoenix, or Philadelphia, though each of those teams’ picks is encumbered by swaps. S

Another note: the Jazz and Kings both finished with the same record, as did the Pelicans and Mavericks. Random tiebreakers will occur to determine which team receives the more favorable lottery placement. This will have some bearing on where the Bucks pick, as a better placement for the Pelicans increases the Bucks’ chances of drafting before 10th by 3.4% due to the swap. So we don’t actually know their true odds just yet.

As you likely know, the listed lottery odds for the team that finishes 10th aren’t actually what the Bucks have. In reality, they have a zero percent chance of receiving the top pick because in 2020, they traded swap rights to their 2026 first-round pick to the Pelicans in exchange for Jrue Holiday. Now, New Orleans has since traded those swap rights to Atlanta, so as I referred to above, what will end up happening is that the Hawks will receive whichever pick between the Bucks’ and Pelicans’ ends up more favorable. The Bucks will receive the less favorable choice.

Morgan and I delved into this a bit back in February, but now that the season is over, let’s go over how things actually shake out, factoring in the swap. We have to wait for the results of the tiebreaker to know their final odds, but here are the chances the Bucks will receive any lottery pick based on finishing 10th:

Bucks’ pickIf Pelicans are 7thIf Pelicans are 8th
10.0%0.0%
20.5%0.4%
31.2%1.0%
42.3%1.9%
50.0%0.0%
60.0%0.0%
70.0%0.0%
85.4%0.0%
95.4%8.0%
1061.5%64.6%
1121.5%21.8%
121.7%1.7%
13< 0.1%< 0.1%
14< 0.1% < 0.1%
AVG9.89.9

Obviously, odds are the Bucks will draft 10th. If they hadn’t dealt the swap rights to their pick, their odds of drafting 10th would be 65.9%, and they’d face about a 20.2% chance of dropping down further. Unfortunately, New Orleans decided to win a lot more in the second half of the year and finished somewhat close to Milwaukee in the standings, which upped the odds of Milwaukee falling back to between 23.1% and 23.5%, depending on that tiebreaker.

For what it’s worth, had they lost one more game and finished ninth in the lotto standings, their odds of still ending up with the 10th pick were still between 29.5% and 33.4%, while their odds at the top four improved from 3.3% or 4% (depending on if NOLA is seventh or eighth) to 4.8% to 5.8%. Their most likely draft position would have been ninth at 52% or 56.7%. Shoutout to Morgan for figuring out the code to calculate all these odds.

Anyway, since you should abandon all hope of receiving the number one overall pick, your dreams of Milwaukee receiving the second pick would only become reality if New Orleans (actually Atlanta) wins the lottery. The odds of that happening are less than half a percent. But the tiebreaker does improve the Bucks’ chances of netting a top-four selection from 3.3% to 4%, so take that for what you will.

Final 2025–26 NBA Standings

Here are the final standings for each conference, with the play-in ultimately set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The no. 2 seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the no. 1 seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and the winner of the 9-10 game. 

Eliminated teams in italics.

Eastern Conference

  1. Detroit Pistons
  2. Boston Celtics
  3. New York Knicks
  4. Cleveland Cavaliers
  5. Toronto Raptors
  6. Atlanta Hawks
  7. Philadelphia 76ers (play-in)
  8. Orlando Magic (play-in)
  9. Charlotte Hornets (play-in)
  10. Miami Heat (play-in)
  11. Milwaukee Bucks
  12. Chicago Bulls
  13. Brooklyn Nets
  14. Indiana Pacers
  15. Washington Wizards

Western Conference

  1. Oklahoma City Thunder
  2. San Antonio Spurs
  3. Denver Nuggets
  4. Los Angeles Lakers
  5. Houston Rockets
  6. Minnesota Timberwolves
  7. Phoenix Suns (play-in)
  8. Portland Trail Blazers (play-in)
  9. LA Clippers (play-in)
  10. Golden State Warriors (play-in)
  11. New Orleans Pelicans
  12. Dallas Mavericks
  13. Memphis Grizzlies
  14. Sacramento Kings
  15. Utah Jazz

Check out FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook of SB Nation, for all your lottery odds.

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Mets news: Ronny Mauricio optioned to Triple-A

Apr 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Ronny Mauricio (0) throws out Athletics third baseman Max Muncy after fielding a ground ball during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

As the corresponding move for Tommy Pham joining the team ahead of the series with the Dodgers, Ronny Mauricio has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Mauricio was called up to the majors on April 6, when Juan Soto was placed on the Injured List for a calf strain. Since his call up, Mauricio collected a extra inning, game winning RBI in walk-off fashion against the Diamondbacks and went 0-3 in a game where he played third base against the Athletics.

Mauricio was always a little bit of a square peg on this roster, as they already have Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Francisco Lindor locking down Maruicio’s most natural positions, as well as Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Jared Young, and Jorge Polanco all getting reps at first base as well. As our Steve Sypa said in our 2026 Season Preview, Mauricio has been a Mets’ farmhand for a long time, but there’s no clear path for him to spend significant time in the majors:

Where the 25-year-old begins the season is most likely dependent on factors beyond his control. Francisco Lindor’s surgery to correct a hamate injury may or may not cost the All-Star some time at the beginning of the season. If he is unable to start the year on the active roster, Mauricio is one of a handful of shortstop options the Mets have to fill-in for the injured Lindor, perhaps the most appealing, as he is a young, homegrown player that has more potential upside than the Jackson Cluffs, Vidal Brujans, Christian Arroyos, and Grae Kessingers of the baseball world. If Lindor is fully healthy and ready to go when the season begins, it will likely be in Mauricio’s best interest to begin the year in Triple-A, so that he can get regular at-bats. At the same time, his bat from the left-side would be useful off the Mets’ bench, as he posted a .265/.336/.447 in 132 at-bats, good for a 121 wRC+. On one hand, being used irregularly in certain situations might not be the best use for Mauricio’s development as a baseball player. But then again, Mauricio has long showed us that this is who he is, so perhaps why not?

Since Pham signed after spring training and was not working out with a club before his signing, it appears that Mauricio was simply an extra bat off the bench until Pham was ready. Pham’s contract included an opt-out as of April 25th if he wasn’t called up to the majors. The deal can be worth as much as $3.1 million if all goes well.

Pham has been a more or less replacement level player over the past few years, racking up season OPS+s of 95, 92, 11, and 85 over the past four seasons.

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Astros vs Mariners Prediction, Picks & Best Bet for Today's MLB Game

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The Houston Astros can’t get home soon enough. 

The team has not only struggled on its current 10-game road trip, but this away swing seems cursed. Injuries are piling up for Houston as it plays its final stop against the Seattle Mariners this afternoon.

Houston, which has one win in the first nine games of this trip, is desperate to avoid a sweep in Seattle. It could have bodies back in the infield and provide right-hander Mike Burrows with support on both sides of the plate.

Our Astros vs. Mariners predictions tell Seattle to put away the brooms with my MLB picks hopping on Houston.

Who will win Astros vs Mariners today: Astros moneyline (+156)

The Houston Astros took a 6-1 beating on Sunday but were without SS Jeremy Pena and 3B Carlos Correa. 

Correa is expected to return, while Pena has been placed on the injured list. But getting Correa back is a boost, providing solid hitting in the middle of the order, as he ranks in the 95th percentile in expected batting average and the 91st in strikeout rate. 

Houston needs to show up for starter Mike Burrows, who's been serviceable in his last two outings, with five earned runs on 13 hits over 10 1/3 innings.

The Seattle Mariners are hitting well vs. Houston, especially in the later frames, with 14 of 23 runs coming from the fifth inning onward. However, I expect regression from a Mariners lineup that sits near the bottom of most batting stats to start 2026.

Covers COVERS INTEL:George Kirby has allowed a home run in each of his three starts, and Houston is second in slugging (.454) and third in home runs per outing (1.19).

Astros vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+100)

Given the state of the Astros’ injury-plagued bullpen, Houston needs plenty of run support to escape Seattle without a brooming. 

The Astros lineup scored 13 runs in the opening two games of the series — both went Over — and Monday’s finale could see Houston hitting hard early and Seattle surging late. 

The Astros have been a red-hot Over bet to start 2026, with an 11-5 O/U record. Game models are calling for at least eight runs this afternoon.

Astros vs Mariners odds

  • Moneyline: Astros +156 | Mariners -163
  • Run line: Astros +1.5 (-138) | Mariners -1.5 (+133)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+100) | Under 7.5 (-104)

Astros vs Mariners trend

The Houston Astros have gone Over the total in 11 of their last 14 games (+7.60 Units/ 9% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Mariners.

How to watch Astros vs Mariners and game info

LocationT-Mobile Field, Seattle, WA
DateMonday, April 13, 2026
First pitch4:10 p.m. ET
TVSCHN, Mariners.tv
Astros starting pitcherMike Burrows
(1-2, 5.63 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcherGeorge Kirby
(1-2, 3.60 ERA)

Astros vs Mariners latest injuries

Astros vs Mariners 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.

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Blackhawks Vs Sabres: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 81

The Chicago Blackhawks will welcome the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. Buffalo is the last team to be paying their first visit to the United Center in 2025-26, and it comes in the second-to-last game of the season.

Back on November 21st, the Sabres skated off their home ice with a 9-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. That was their third win in four games, moving their record to 8-9-4. 

Shockingly, since that win over the Blackhawks, the Sabres have had a winning percentage above .700 and have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. 

They enter Monday 49-23-8 with 106 points, the fourth-best record in the NHL, and a chance to win the Atlantic Division with two games left. The turnaround has been one of the most remarkable in NHL history. 

Scouting Buffalo

The Sabres have a great mix of veterans, young players, and depth up and down the lineup. They play a fast and heavy game, which allows them to compete with whoever may be on the other side. 

Krebs-Thompson-Tuch

Zucker-McLeod-Quinn

Benson-Norris-Doan

Greenway-Kozak-Malenstyn

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Byram-Power

Stanley-Metsa

Luukkonen

At forward, Tage Thompson drives the bus offensively, and he's supported by stars like Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, Josh Norris, and Jack Quinn, amongst others. 

On defense, Rasmus Dahlin is one of the five best in the NHL, and his name will appear on lots of Norris Trophy ballots. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff has started using Owen Power, a former number one overall pick, as a shutdown defenseman, and he has thrived. It has also taken pressure off Dahlin, who is now put in even more of an offensive role. This also allows Bowen Byram to thrive playing with a player like Power, who has been focused solely on shutting down the opposition. 

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is going to start in goal for the Sabres. Since their turnaround began, he's been a wall for them. With a chance to clinch the Atlantic Division on the line, they are going with their number one guy. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Blackhawks had Oliver Moore on the ice in a regular sweater for their morning skate on Monday, but he will not play. This does, however, leave the door open for him to play in their season finale on Wednesday.

Greene - Bedard - Lardis

Bertuzzi - Frondell - Mikheyev

Donato - Nazar - Burakovsky

Slaggert - Boisvert - Teravainen

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Rinzel

Korchinski-Del Mastro

Knight

Frank Nazar was hit in the face with a puck last game. He left and did not return. However, he avoided the worst-case scenario, which is a broken jaw for the second time this season. He's missing a few front chicklets, but he will play against Buffalo. 

Ethan Del Mastro was a late scratch last time out due to injury. He was replaced by Sam Lafferty, who was a forward playing defense for a night. Del Mastro will return to the lineup against Buffalo. 

Andrew Mangiapane was also injured during the last game against the Blues, and he wasn't out for the morning skate. One of Sam Lafferty or Landon Slaggert is likely to get in the forward lineup for him.

Spencer Knight is going to start for the Blackhawks in this one. He will likely close out the season for Chicago, with there being just one more game. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available locally on CHSN. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT. 

Image

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Phillies notes: Jonathan Bowlan goes on injured list, Wheeler set for Tuesday

Phillies notes: Jonathan Bowlan goes on injured list, Wheeler set for Tuesday originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies made a roster move before Monday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs, sending right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan to the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain.

Reliever Seth Johnson, who appeared in 11 games with the Phillies the last two seasons, was recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley to take Bowlan’s place.

The Phillies acquired Bowlan from Kansas City in an off-season trade for lefty Matt Strahm. Bowlan allowed three runs in seven innings while striking out eight and walking just one in his first seven appearances for the Phils. He felt tightness and discomfort in his groin after pitching Sunday.

“It’s very mild,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We just want to be cautious. We think he’ll be ready to go after 15 days.”

Johnson, a hard-throwing right-hander, was off to a good start at Lehigh Valley. He gave up two runs in six innings, walked three and struck out 11.

Wheeler on Deck

Zack Wheeler will make his fourth minor-league rehab start Tuesday night when he pitches for Double A Reading at Somerset. Wheeler is expected to throw 80-85 pitches. He is scheduled to pitch again for Reading on Sunday. That would likely be his last rehab start before rejoining the Phillies.

Wheeler had surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome in September.

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NBA Playoff Upset Alert: Ranking the Most Dangerous Underdogs in 2026

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The first round of the playoffs can be somewhat of a formality, regardless of the sport. The NBA Playoffs, however, have provided a little spice early on in recent postseasons.

We’ve recently watched lower-seeded squads burn their opening round opponents and make a deep run, like Miami in 2023, Dallas in 2024, and Minnesota last year.

The 2026 NBA Playoff bracket is top-heavy, with the Top 2 seeds in the East and West boasting a significant gap between them and the rest of the field. But that doesn’t mean everything will go according to plan, as my NBA Playoff upset predictions and underdog rankings explain.

With the Play-In Tournament tipping off tonight, my NBA picks size up the teams seeded No. 5 through No. 10 in each conference and their “spice” level based on a potential first-round upset possibility.

No. 5 Seeds

Raptors Toronto Raptors: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

The Toronto Raptors (+425 series price) draw the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round. Toronto did beat Cleveland in all three matchups, but those came before the calendar flipped to 2026.

The Raptors have a solid defense, but may not have the scoring punch to keep pace with the Cavs’ superstars and size. 

The health of PG Immanuel Quickley is a biggest question. Without him, it makes Scottie Barnes a ball-handler and dulls his scoring punch.

Toronto needs all the points it can produce if this series turns into a shootout.

Rockets Houston Rockets (via L.A. Lakers): 🌶️

Tough to call the No. 5 Houston Rockets a “spicy” upset pick when they’re -750 series favorites against the fourth-seeded L.A. Lakers. Houston faces an injury-gutted Los Angeles squad and whatever is left of LeBron James.

Instead, I measure the Lakers’ chances of advancing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Maybe L.A. gets one game. Maybe. And that’s giving LeBron a lot of credit.

No. 6 Seeds

Hawks Atlanta Hawks: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

If the NBA postseason was an episode of “Hot Ones,” the Atlanta Hawks would be Da Bomb Beyond Insanity sauce, an almost chemical aroma that floods the senses with pain and confusion. 

The Hawks’ “Three and D” style has a similar effect and is made for postseason upsets, especially when that opponent is the inconsistent New York Knicks.

Atlanta went 1-2 versus New York, but those losses were both decided by three points. There’s a reason the Hawks are the shortest Round 1 underdog at +230 to win the series.

Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Not that Anthony Edwards lacked confidence, but an underdog with hope is a dangerous one.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (+270) aren’t afraid of the Denver Nuggets, not after knocking out Denver in 2024 and advancing to the West finals in back-to-back years.

The T-Wolves are healthy, and if the Nuggets can’t tighten the bolts defensively, every game is a coin-flip in a shootout series.

No. 7 Seeds

76ers Philadelphia 76ers: 🌶️🌶️

The Philadelphia 76ers will start the postseason without Joel Embiid after an appendectomy last week. Two to four weeks is the normal recovery time.

The Sixers play Orlando in the Play-In and would take on either Detroit or Boston in the opening round.

With Embiid healthy, spicy Philly would require a glass of milk. Without him, it barely burns the lips.

Suns Phoenix Suns: 🌶️

The Phoenix Suns play the Portland Trail Blazers in the Play-In Tournament, which is a tough draw considering how well Portland is playing. Should it survive the Play-In, Phoenix will face either OKC or San Antonio.

The Suns have a combined 4-5 SU record versus the best in the West, but don’t have the size to counter those foes through seven games.

No. 8 Seeds

Magic Orlando Magic: 🌶️🌶️

The Orlando Magic left a bad taste in our mouths by botching the season finale against Boston’s skeleton squad, dropping to the No. 8 spot in the East. That means Orlando travels to Philadelphia in the Play-In opener.

The Magic aren’t particularly great at one area, and mental toughness as well as coaching is a major blemish.

Blazers Portland Trail Blazers: 🌶️🌶️

Do I think Portland can knock off OKC or San Antonio? No. Are they a pain in the ass to play? For sure.

The Trail Blazers bring momentum (10-5 SU last 15 games) and a pesky defense (No. 1 defensive rating in that span) into the postseason, facing Phoenix in the Play-In opener. 

No. 9 Seeds

Hornets Charlotte Hornets: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

The Charlotte Hornets need two wins to get to the playoffs, opening versus Miami at home in the Play-In.

The Hornets were 18-9 SU after the break, have a solid record versus .500+ teams, and are just young and dumb enough to give Detroit a scare. 

Charlotte owned the No. 2 offensive rating in the second half of the season.

Clippers Los Angeles Clippers: 🌶️

The Los Angeles Clippers went 19-30 against teams with records of .500 or above, including losing all three meetings with Oklahoma City. 

Los Angeles earned the No. 9 seed by feasting on mild opponents down the stretch and hasn’t scored a win worth a damn in a month.

No. 10 Seeds

Heat Miami Heat: 🌶️

Regardless of the nickname, the Miami Heat are about as mild as “Taco Tuesday” at the Old Folks Home.

Miami has five wins in its last 15 games and two of those came against Washington. The Heat have hemorrhaged 127.5 points per game in that span.

Warriors Golden State Warriors: 🌶️

The Golden State Warriors’ motivation level sits somewhere between “trip to the dentist” and “attending your co-worker's improv show.” 

Draymond Green doesn’t want to be here, and Steve Kerr’s biggest concern is keeping Stephen Curry healthy for a final 48 minutes.

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Cal Quantrill named PCL pitcher of the week

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 11: Cal Quantrill #47 of Team Canada pitches during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool A game presented by Capital One between Team Canada and Team Cuba at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Round Rock express pitcher Cal Quantrill has been named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, it was announced today.

Quantrill, 31, was one of the Rangers’ final cuts this spring, but agreed to stay with the team rather than exercise his right to opt out of his minor league deal. His first start of the season for Round Rock went poorly, as he made it just two innings while giving up seven runs and, uncharacteristically, walking four batters. He followed that up with a five inning, three hit, no walk, four K shutout appearance, and then last week went seven innings while allowing just two hits, one run (on a solo homer), and no walks, striking out six.

Quantrill was signed as rotation depth for the Rangers, though so far, the team has not had to dip down to AAA for rotation reinforcements as of yet. He would probably be the top candidate to be called up if the Rangers needed to fill a spot in the minors, though the presence of Jacob Latz in the bullpen currently makes it less likely the Rangers would have to go that way for a rotation filler.

Quantrill was once a top prospect, taken 8th overall by the San Diego Padres out of Stanford in 2016 despite recovering from Tommy John surgery. He went to Cleveland in the nine-player trade at the 2020 trade deadline that sent Mike Clevinger to San Diego. Quantrill had a couple of good seasons for Cleveland, in 2021 and 2022, but even in those seasons his peripherals were weaker than his ERA would suggest.

Quantrill was traded to Colorado after the 2023 season for minor league catcher Kody Huff — who is not, incidentally, related to Sam Huff, though both went to high school in Arizona — and had a decent year for the Rockies. He made 24 starts for Miami in 2025 and two for Atlanta, combining for a 6.04 ERA and 5.76 xERA, which helps explain why he had to settle for a minor league contract this year.

Quantrill does not have the sort of stuff you’d expect to play as a short reliever, so if he were to come up at some point in a role other than as a spot starter, he’d likely be a long reliever — you could see him getting the nod to replace Latz in the bullpen if a Ranger starter were to go on the injured list and Latz was filling in for more than a one-off start. Otherwise, given the state of arms around the majors, if Quantrill continues to have the sort of success he’s had the last couple of times out, I imagine some team in need of a body for their rotation may look to sign him to eat some innings.

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Cristian Romero feared to be out for remainder of season for Spurs

  • Defender thought to have medial knee ligament damage

  • Argentine may still recover in time for World Cup

Tottenham’s deepening relegation concerns appear to have been heightened by the loss of their captain, Cristian Romero, for the remainder of the season.

Romero was reduced to tears as he left the pitch after 70 minutes of Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Sunderland, following a coming together with the striker Brian Brobbey that led to the Argentinian clattering into his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky. Romero, it is believed, has sustained medial knee ligament damage that will take around eight weeks to heal.

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Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, 40, says he is retiring from the NHL

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jonathan Quick says he is retiring at age 40 after nearly two decades in the NHL, a stretch during which he was one of the best goaltenders of his generation.

Quick said his start for the New York Rangers at the Florida Panthers on Monday night is his last game. It's his 921st appearance, counting playoffs.

“He earned the respect of his teammates, coaches and staff members through his work ethic and dedication to his craft,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said in a statement posted on social media. “Jonathan is a special person and player, and the entire Rangers organization wishes him — along with his wife, Jackie, and three children, Madison, Carter and Cash — all the best in retirement.”

Quick backstopped the Los Angeles Kings to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and ’14 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the first of those two title runs.

The Milford, Connecticut, native was the U.S. starter at the 2014 Olympics and has a Cup ring from 2023 as a backup for the Vegas Golden Knights.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Shaquille O’Neal blasted as ‘creepy horny uncle’ by viral Pacers girlfriend after proposal offer

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Two young adults, a man and a woman, react with excitement, looking off-camera, Image 2 shows Shaquille O'Neal in a suit, thoughtfully touching his chin
Pacers fans Shaq

The viral Pacers fan captured cursing at her boyfriend had some strong words for “creepy” Shaquille O’Neal after the couple appeared on “Inside the NBA.”

Michael and Grace were at the Nets-Pacers game last Thursday when, as Michael explained on ESPN, they were seen talking about the state of liberal arts education and how it “needed to be updated for how the future job market looks.”

However, that banal conversation went viral after a befuddled Grace was seen responding: “What the f–k are you talking about?” to Michael.

And that led to the couple being invited onto “Inside the NBA” for an interview on Sunday night.

Michael froze when he was dared to propose to his girlfriend, Grace. ESPN

O’Neal was not buying Michael’s explanation for the couple’s disagreement – and turned up the heat when he dared Michael to propose on live TV. The legendary big man even said he’d pay for the ring if Michael took the deal.

Ultimately, no proposal happened on air and Grace was left unimpressed by the Lakers icon.

“Shaq was like a creepy horny uncle trying to embarrass his nephew and I went along with it until the bit got embarrassing and I was like alright chill,'” she wrote on social media.

“I’m glad my boyfriend got to meet the people whose videos he shows me constantly but God am I ready to be done with Sports people. I have found u generally exhausting and, forgive me for saying so, I mean this respectfully, not smart in the ways that matter to me. TO ME.”

Following Michael’s explanation of the couple’s disagreement – which Grace has since played down – Shaq pushed back on the Indiana fan.

“What’s his name? Michael?” Oneal said. “Michael, I love you, and I love your lovely wife, but I don’t believe that story you just told. You said something else for her to say, what the ef are you talking about? Stop it. Stop it. I can tell by your wife’s face that this was planned, and your answer was planned. What were you guys really talking about? Come on, come on.”

Michael and Grace were seen having a disagreement during the Pacers-Nets game last week.

Michael then jumped in to correct him that they are not in fact, married.

“Did you just hear him correct you? He said ‘Not wife. Girlfriend,” Grace responded.

It was then that Shaq put Michael on the spot and offered a free engagement ring.

Michael, though, immediately began choking on his words, saying, “Listen,” as the “Inside the NBA” crew erupted.

Shaquille O’Neal was being a troublemaker on Sunday night. ESPN

“No, there ain’t no listen. Do it right now. Do it right now, get on your knee right now, and I’ll buy the ring,” O’Neal said. “Ask her right now, go ahead.”

Michael then countered that he would propose to Grace if the “Inside the NBA” crew agreed to come to their wedding – a request that O’Neal actually said he would abide by.

However, Grace added that she hadn’t agreed to the deal herself before Barkley joked: “You already cursed him out on national television. If you turn him down on national television, he has to abort, abort, abort.”

O’Neal’s offer to pay for the ring was generous, though it appears he had about a 30-second shot clock on it.

Should Michael and Grace choose to get engaged later on, that offer might be one that Michael wishes he took advantage of.

Grace – who already had a sizable following on X before this incident – appears done with the sports world after one fan told her to stop milking the couple’s 15 minutes of fame.

“I am literally packing it up girl,” she said. “That’s what this is.”

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Sean Murphy will now begin rehab assignment with High-A Rome Emperors

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 22: Catcher Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves fields and throws to first base during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park on July 22, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last week, we got the news that Sean Murphy would be beginning his rehab assignment on Friday with the Gwinnett Stripers. That rehab stint ended up getting postponed for a while after Murphy had some family matters to attend to before he could focus on baseball.

The good news is that things appear to have settled down for Murphy now, which means that he now has the opportunity to get things going when it comes to his rehab assignment. As it turns out, he won’t be heading to Gwinnett after all. Plans have changed and now Murphy will be starting his rehab assignment with the High-A Rome Emperors.

Rome Emperors broadcaster Gavin Brooks went on to report that the tentative plan for Murphy is to start on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — all against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws of the Phillies organization. If you’re a fan in the Rome area, Thursday night appears to be the night to go since you’ll be getting to see Sean Murphy in action while the Emperors wear those sweet ‘70s-inspired throwback-style uniforms.

That’s a digression on my part, though. The most important part is that Sean Murphy will be beginning his rehab stint shortly and that things appear to be on track for him to make a return in the near future. Here’s hoping that things go well in the rehab stint so that we’ll see Murphy get back to action and hopefully form a very formidable and dynamic catching duo with Drake Baldwin behind the plate for the big league Braves.

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Jonathan Quick announces he's retiring: Is he a Hall of Famer?

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick announced that Monday night's game in Florida will be his last.

That puts a wrap on a 19-year career that could very well likely land the ultra-competitive goalie into the Hall of Fame.

Quick, 40, won Stanley Cup titles with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2012 by going 16-4 with a 1.41 goals-against average and .946 save percentage, plus three shutouts.

Quick also won a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 after coming over in a trade. He has spent the last three years as a backup goalie with the Rangers.

Jonathan Quick career statistics

Monday's game will be the 829th of Quick's career and the 810th start. Heading into the game, he has 410 regular-season wins, 12th best all-time.

Everyone that is above him has reached the Hall of Fame, expect for Curtis Joseph, who never won a Stanley Cup; Sergei Bobrovsky, who's still playing; and Marc-Andre Fleury, who retired last year and is not eligible yet for election.

Here are Jonathan Quick's career statistics before Monday's game:

Regular season record: 410-306-90, with a 2.51 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and 65 shutouts.

Playoff record: 49-43 with a 2.32 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and 10 shutouts.

In addition to the Conn Smythe, he won the William Jennings award twice for lowest team goals-against average.

He played for the USA in the 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jonathan Quick's career numbers as he announces he'll retire

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NBA Awards Race Recap: SGA Expected to Win MVP, Flagg and Knueppel Too Close to Call

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Time has run out for NBA players hoping to bolster their cases to win MVP, Rookie of the Year, and a variety of other awards now that the regular season has concluded.

While reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to win the league’s highest individual honor for a second time, the Rookie of the Year race has become one of the most-followed stories in sports.

Key Takeaways

  • Gilgeous-Alexander is favored to win his second straight MVP after his team took the #1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season.

  • Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year is the largest favorite in any market.

  • NBA players are not eligible for regular-season awards if they didn’t meet the 65-minimum game requirement (barring extreme circumstances).

Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP last year while averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds for the 68-14 Oklahoma City Thunder en route to a seven-game victory in the NBA Finals. He followed that up with 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on a remarkable 55.3% shooting as his team finished atop the Western Conference for the second year running.

The 27-year-old’s excellence has given him a 95% chance to win the NBA MVP, according to users at the top prediction app Kalshi.

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) are both listed with 3% chances despite having remarkable seasons of their own.

While Wembanyama does not appear to be much of a threat to take Derrick Rose’s title as the youngest NBA MVP in history, he is a near shoo-in to win the Defensive Player of the Year. Kalshi lists him at 99% and everyone else at less than 1% to win the award.

The Rookie of the Year leaves the most intrigue for fans and voters. First-overall pick Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) sits at a 53% chance, and his former roommate at Duke, Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets), is at 42%. 

Flagg appeared to have lost his grip on the race when he was sidelined by an injury for nearly a month from early February into March. However, 51 and 45-point scoring nights at the start of April made him the favorite again. He finished the year averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. 

Knueppel, the fourth pick in the draft, was the favorite as recently as April 5. He finished the season with the most made threes in the NBA and a stat line of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He also missed just one game and was a driving force in the revitalization of the Hornets franchise.

While no other player received more than 1% chance to win the award, Kalshi believes there is a 6% chance that the vote will end in a tie. That hasn’t happened since 1999-00 and only occurred three times in NBA history, and it would result in Flagg and Knueppel being declared co-winners.

More NBA awards battles

The NBA attempts to highlight players who showed the most growth during the season by offering them the Most Improved Player award. Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker soared in the market over the last month, moving from a 3% chance on March 14 to his current mark of 86%. Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren is second at 13%, and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is third at 2%.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker’s cousin, is favored to win Clutch Player of the Year along with the MVP. He does not currently have an opponent with even a 1% chance.

The Spurs are shaping up to be the only team to have different players win individual regular-season awards, as Keldon Johnson is the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year at Kalshi. Like Alexander-Walker, his 90% chance to claim the honor represents an enormous growth from the 15.4% chance he was given exactly one month ago. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat) is his only real competition at 6%.

Boston Celtics boss Joe Mazzulla is making a late surge to win Coach of the Year, climbing from 24% just one week ago to his current mark of 77%. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff is at 26% despite leading the market at 61% two days ago.

All-league team chances

The All-NBA and All-Defensive teams are difficult to parse since there is overlap between the possible teams, whereas individual awards only yield one winner and a field of losers.

At the time of writing, these are the players and probabilities for the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams:

All-NBA First Team

  • Nikola Jokic - 99%
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 99%
  • Victor Wembanyama - 99%
  • Jaylen Brown - 94%
  • Luka Doncic - 70%

All-NBA Second Team

  • Jalen Brunson - 96%
  • Jalen Johnson - 87%
  • Kawhi Leonard - 87%
  • Donovan Mitchell - 82%
  • Kevin Durant - 71%

All-NBA Third Team

  • Tyrese Maxey - 68%
  • Karl-Anthony Towns - 67%
  • Jalen Duren - 51%
  • Stephon Castle - 16%
  • Alperen Sengun - 15%

All-Defensive First Team

  • Victor Wembanyama - 99%
  • Chet Holmgren - 96%
  • Ausar Thompson - 76%
  • Rudy Gobert - 66%
  • Scottie Barnes - 66%

All-Defensive Second Team

  • Derrick White - 58%
  • Bam Adebayo - 42%
  • Dyson Daniels - 39%
  • OG Anunoby - 26%
  • Donovan Clingan/Evan Mobley - 20%

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.