SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: A view of the stadium and a view of Kayakers arriving in McCovey Cove on Netflix branded kayaks are seen during the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo's on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Netflix) | Getty Images for Netflix
Good morning, baseball fans!
Earlier this week, the San Francisco Giants announced that they would be working with ElevenLabs, an AI research and product company, in an upcoming multi-year partnership at Oracle Park.
ElevenLabs will become the presenting sponsor of Oracle Park’s Championship Suite. They will also “deploy AI voice and audio technology throughout the ballpark to elevate the fan experience.”
Thanks, I hate it.
I’m sure there are good or even neutral uses for AI technology, such as accessibility in the form of translation services and audio dubbing, as the announcement mentions in further detail.
But in my experience on an everyday use basis, AI features tend to be forced on the public, filled with data-mining functions to steal as much user information as possible, and lack the ability to turn them off. Meanwhile, those features tend to primarily slow down programs (often ones that users have already paid for) and make it take ten times longer to do the things they were already doing with those programs before. But that’s just my opinion.
Anyway, the announcement goes on to read like a word-soup scramble of corporate buzzwords:
“Through this integration, the organization will elevate fan engagement and optimize operations across several key areas, including real-time, AI-powered fan support for ticketing, merchandise, food ordering, and ballpark FAQs, as well as in-game activations featuring live dubbing and multilingual audio at Oracle Park.”
Sounds to me like a lot of people at Oracle Park are going to lose their jobs whenever this actually goes into effect. But yay optimized operations I guess. Because that’s what the world needs more of right now.
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants wrap up this series against the Philadelphia Phillies today at 12:45 p.m. PT.
Happy Wednesday, everyone! While things have gotten off to a bit of a rough start for the Cubs this season, they aren’t the only club suffering from early season injuries and disappointing numbers. Below, we take a look at some clubs who are being forced to re-assess their plans to get back on track.
Plus, people are still reacting to Jo Adell’s wild weekend, and also looking at how it impacted the pitcher on the mound at the time—Chris Sale. We also take a look at some wild ballpark food, as teams get more and more inventive to try going viral online and getting attention from fans.
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 28: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2025-26 Emirates Cup game on November 28, 2025 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have three games left in the regular season. As of now, it seems like they’re going to match up against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. That makes it as good a time as any to ask how you think that potential series would go.
The Hawks have turned it on over the past couple of months. They’ve been 19-4 since the All-Star break, which is good for the third-best record in the league and the best in the conference in that span. They’ve done this on the defensive end as they’ve registered an impressive 107.3 defensive rating since that time.
They’re a very different team now than they were at the start of the season. The Hawks came into this year hoping to make a Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis-led starting unit work. They pivoted away from that at the deadline, handing the reins over to Jalen Johnson.
Atlanta is a wing-heavy team. They have size and versatility at every position and would be a good test for the Cavs if they were to meet in the first round.
Meanwhile, it’s difficult to know what to make of this Cavaliers team. The highs have been high since the James Harden trade, but the inconsistencies on the defensive end make it difficult to predict how exactly the playoffs will go.
How do you think a first-round series between the Cavs and Hawks would go? Let us know by voting below, and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Jalen Green (4) against the Houston Rockets in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Suns came out against Houston on Tuesday night with a level of tenacity and execution that has been absent for nearly two months, ripping off a 24-0 run in the first quarter against Kevin Durant and the 4th-seeded Rockets, the best run Phoenix has produced since play-by-play tracking began in 1997. The energy was real, the shots were falling, and the defensive disruption finally arrived with purpose, as Phoenix leaned into the emotion of the night and translated it into production.
And then the quarter ended.
We settled back into the familiar rhythm that has followed this team as the season winds down, where productivity slips and regression takes over. In a game charged with emotion, the Suns never found a way to channel that energy into anything sustainable. And without adjustments against a team that thrives on owning the glass, the outcome felt inevitable as they were outscored 98-68 over the final three quarters.
Suns were up 42-31 when Dillon Brooks starting talking shit to Kevin Durant. The Rockets out scored the Suns 88-63 the rest of the game
The Suns can look electric for stretches, completely in sync, and then it fades. It has been a theme for the last third of the season, and it showed up again against the Houston Rockets.
Some of it comes down to emotional maturity. These are moments that many of these players are still learning to navigate. Not all have played in games with added weight, added noise, and added meaning. Harnessing that consistently is not easy. And layered on top of it, you are playing a Houston team that, right now, is simply better.
So you get the flash. You get the reminder of what it can look like. And then you are left searching for why it doesn’t hold. But what made Tuesday frustrating is how familiar it felt. The Phoenix Suns went right back to the same habits. No real adjustment. Another fourth quarter that slipped away. Another night trying to combat size with guard play and hoping it holds.
It didn’t.
They got crushed on the glass. 37 second-chance points allowed. That is not bad luck, that is a structural problem. That is getting outworked, out-positioned, and outmuscled possession after possession. For a team that is healthy and possesses size, the use none of it. No, they keep running a limping Grayson Allen out there so he can miss a few threes and defensive assignments.
Imagine a world where the Suns put rebounders on the floor to negate getting pwned on the glass https://t.co/0odmtRwk9S
They were talking when they were up. Feeling good. Riding that early wave. And in doing so, they poked Kevin Durant. You give a player like that a reason — any reason — and you are asking for trouble. The 21-point lead slowly disappeared, possession by possession, until it was gone.
Health is coming back, but growth is not showing up with it. Progression is sitting in the back seat of this Uber drive to the postseason. You want to see progress this time of year, even against better teams. Cleaner execution. Better awareness. A sense that things are tightening, not unraveling. Instead, it feels like the same script on repeat.
And now the margin is shrinking. Three games left, only two up on the Los Angeles Clippers. That cushion is not what it used to be. Home court in the Play-In is still there, but it is no longer comfortable. That is where the concern lives.
Because the postseason is built on emotion. It is built on moments like this, only louder, tighter, and heavier. And right now, there is a real question as to whether this team can meet that moment and execute when it matters most.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
20 on the season for Devin Booker. This surpasses last season’s total for Book. That’s right, this is the second season we’ve done the Bright Side Baller, and you may recall that Devin was the Bright Side Baller of the Year for 2024-25. He did so winning it 19 times. So this is a big moment for him.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 79 against the Rockets. Here are your nominees:
After three consecutive games scoring just one goal, the Boston Bruins finally put together a decent offensive performance in Tuesday night’s road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes.
The B’s lost in overtime, but they scored five goals. Morgan Geekie, who hadn’t scored in 17 straight games, netted a hat trick to give him a team-leading (and career-high) 37 goals.
Despite the uptick in goals, this game provided even more evidence for why the Bruins need to sign top prospect James Hagens and get him on the NHL roster as soon as possible.
Hagens, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, recently signed an ATO deal with the Providence Bruins after his Boston College season ended a few weeks ago. Hagens has four points (one goal, three assists) in six games with the P-Bruins. He has played well, showing the creativity with the puck, speed and offensive instincts that made him a highly-coveted prospect.
Hagens’ high-end playmaking ability would be a huge boost to the Bruins’ bottom-six and power play for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. (Boston has a 99 percent chance of getting in).
The Bruins rank 18th in goals scored per game since the Olympic break. They were sixth before the break. Aside from Geekie’s goal drought, one of the biggest reasons for the Bruins’ scoring output falling in recent weeks has been a lack of production from the bottom six.
Alex Steeves has one goal in his last 21 games. Michael Eyssimont has zero goals in his last nine games. Sean Kuraly has a 21-game goal drought. Mark Kastelic has gone 22 games without scoring. Tanner Jeannot has zero goals in 24 consecutive games. Lukas Reichel scored in his first game with the Bruins on March 19, but he hasn’t found the back of the net in his eight games since.
Sensing a theme here?
Here’s a look at the scoring for notable bottom-six players since the Olympic break:
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Hagens isn’t a bottom-six talent. He has the potential to be a top-six forward for a long time. But putting him in a third-line role at this early stage of his career to give this Bruins team a much-needed spark offensively wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The power play is another area where Hagens’ offensive skill set could improve the Bruins’ attack. Whether it’s zone entries, creating scoring chances, etc., Hagens could bolster a power play that ranks 27th in success rate since the Olympic break. It was the league’s third-best unit before the Olympic break.
The Bruins went 0-for-2 with only one shot on net in four minutes of power-play time versus the Hurricanes on Tuesday. Some of the recent struggles stem from Geekie’s goal drought that ended Tuesday, but it’s larger than one player. It’s a team-wide issue.
Boston’s three most likely first-round playoff opponents are the Hurricanes, Lightning and Sabres. All three have good penalty kills. Buffalo and Tampa Bay both have top-seven PK units. The Bruins’ playoff run likely will be short if they don’t cash in on power-play chances.
The B’s just played four road games in six days. They aren’t practicing Wednesday, but they don’t play again until Saturday when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to TD Garden. So if they wanted, the Bruins could sign Hagens and get him a practice or two before his first game.
What would benefit Hagens more: a couple NHL regular season games and four-to-seven Stanley Cup Playoff games, or some more AHL regular season games and AHL playoff games? There’s a strong case for the former, especially if the expectation is Hagens starts the 2026-27 season on Boston’s roster.
Hagens doesn’t need to be a savior. He doesn’t need to dominate. His speed and offensive skill could give the Bruins a much-needed boost come playoff time. And why wouldn’t you take a chance on that? The East is wide open.
Danton Heinen (6), Zach Werenski (22-PPG), and Adam Fantilli scored the goals for Columbus in regulation, and Jet Greaves stopped 34 of 37 Red Wings shots to pick up a huge two points. The win is Greaves 25th win of the year and breaks a four-game losing streak for the young goalie.
The game would be won in overtime by Zach Werenski, who had previously gone 0-for-3 in his career in shootout attempts. Werenski would win it in round 5.
The Blue Jackets won the game and gave Detroit a point, but they're mathematically still in the playoff chase. They didn't get much help, though, as the Senators and Flyers, both teams who are directly ahead of the CBJ, also won.
The Blue Jackets started the first period off as they have routinely, even during the losing streak, by scoring the first goal early in the period. But the Wings would strike back when Dylan Larkin tied it on the power play with 9:33 left.
Detroit would score first in the second to take a 2-1 lead, but then with 9:01 left in the period, Superstar Zach Werenski potted his 22nd goal of the season on the power play to tie the game at two a piece.
The third period played out like the second, with
Justin Faulk scoring his second goal of the game to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead. With just over four minutes left in the game, you could just feel that the CBJ were going to take another tough loss.
But when Zach Werenski fed a pass to young Adam Fantilli while Jet Greaves was on the bench for the extra attacker, and he blasted it by John Gibson, the entire game shifted in a second.
The Blue Jackets and Red Wings would go to OT, and then on to a shootout where Zach Werenski would beat Gibson in round five to send the Jackets on to Buffalo with a massive win.
Quotes
Zach Werenski - "My laces were all messed up, and I couldn't really skate, so when they called me, I was like, 'You guys sure? I’m kind of on one leg here.' My foot was in the skate but pretty wobbly. I was kind of thinking what I was gonna do when I went out there, and then I was like, 'What am I thinking, just shoot it.'"
Zach Werenski - "I saw my parents after the game in the stands, and my brother up there. Those are the moments that you play the game for. It definitely ranks pretty high up there for moments in a regular season game for sure."
Adam Fantilli - "We need all of them, and we're going to try to get every single one before the season is over and put ourselves in the best position to get in the playoffs for our fans and for our city."
Charlie Coyle - "For the fans watching, hopefully not too many heart attacks out there. But it's nice to come out on the winning side. It's huge, too, with only a couple of games left to spring us and something we can feed off of."
Detroit's Dylan Larkin - “I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one is not the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. That’s a letdown, in tough fashion again.”
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats & Notes
Danton Heinen scored his 6th goal of the season. He took 3 shots and was a plus-1.
Zach Werenski scored his 22nd goal and picked up his 58th assist. With two points, Werenski is now the franchise leader in multi-point games in a season with 26. He also now has 80 points and has become just the third American-born defenseman with back-to-back 80-point seasons. He also played 33:26 minutes and took 6 shots.
Adam Fantilli scored his 23rd goal of the season and took 3 shots.
Mason Marchment picked up his 24th assist and was a plus-2.
Denton Mateychuk recorded his 18th assist.
Kirill Marchenko tallied his 39th assist and had 3 shots.
Jet Greaves made 34 saves and got his 1st career assist on the Werenski power play goal.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 1/4 on the power play.
The Columbus gave up a goal on the only power play Detroit had.
Columbus won 54% of the faceoffs - 34/63
The Blue Jackets had 20 hits and 21 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are in Buffalo on Thursday to take on the Sabres.
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Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks were heavily outplayed by the Golden Knights on Tuesday. Vegas held a 28-14 even-strength scoring-chances advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring-chances battle 13-4. In the end, this looked like a game between teams from two different leagues, as Vancouver struggled to generate any offensive pressure at even strength.
Few heatmaps look like the one from Tuesday night. The Canucks generated a total of 11 shots, which is why there is so much white on their side of the map. As for the Golden Knights, they crashed the net all night, which Vancouver had no answer for.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, April 7, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap up this game, the Canucks' best player was Nikita Tolopilo. Vancouver's goaltender allowed just two goals on 28 shots, and saved 1.74 goals above expected. In the end, Tolopilo was the only bright spot as he kept his team in the game until the final whistle.
The Canucks hit the road for three straight in California, starting with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Vancouver still has two more games against the Kings, with the second meeting being the Canucks' home finale. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm PT.
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save on Vegas Golden Knights forward Brandon Saad (20) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After losing their first match in nine games on Sunday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hosting the Florida Panthers’ C or D team at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Matthew Tkachuk was out of the lineup because he was on baby watch. Sergei Bobrovsky was acting as the backup. Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, and Evans Rodrigues were all out of action.
Meanwhile, Montreal had some fresh reinforcements with Kirby Dach, Alexandre Texier and Adam Engstrom entering the lineup. Brendan Gallagher was a healthy scratch, Joe Veleno was dealing with the flu, and Kaiden Guhle was given a day of maintenance. With Texier’s return, Alex Newhook moved to center, and Oliver Kapanen was demoted to the fourth line alongside Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault.
Against a lineup that looked strangely like the one the Canadiens beat 10-2 in Carey Price’s last game, the Habs severely underperformed. Over 40 minutes, they had only tested Danil Tarasov 14 times, despite getting three power-play opportunities, and their only goal came on the man-advantage.
Over the course of the last four games, the Canadiens’ level of play just hasn’t been the same, even in the games they did win. As the coach likes to say, it’s not all about the result; it’s about the process, and the process has been severely lacking lately. The Canadiens have been coming out flat, and Tuesday night was no exception.
Speaking to the media after the game, Martin St-Louis acknowledged that his team was having a dip in performance and explained:
There’s always a part of fatigue that goes into it, and not just physically; there’s an element of mental fatigue. We had a sequence when we really had to push and get some points, and we were pretty much perfect…that’s really demanding, you need to stay alert, there’s a pressure that comes with it, a stress as well, when you get that check next to your team, does that make you decompress a bit? Is that what’s missing to keep the pace you had? More than likely, but the goal remains to go back to that level, knowing it might have been impossible, difficult to keep that level.
Chasing The Milestone
With Cole Caufield still looking for his elusive 50th goal of the season, his teammates were once again desperate to find him with the puck, and just like on Sunday night, it resulted in poor execution. Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky were constantly trying to feed him the puck, even if he was as covered as can be. At times, he was even covered by a couple of players, and they still looked for him.
The only one who wasn’t changing the way he was playing was Caufield himself, only taking shots when appropriate. He was even the one who fed Ivan Demidov for the Canadiens’ power play goal. Still in the second frame, we saw less of the first line. Caufield had 4:27, Suzuki 3:51, and Slafkovsky 4:04.
In the final frame, the Canadiens finally turned it on, so to speak, peppering the Cats’ net with 15 shots and scoring twice. In the frame, Caufield 5:54 of action, Suzuki 6:49, and Slafkovsky 7:12. Speaking after the game, the captain had this to say about the team not being very good tonight:
"It started with my line; I was pretty brutal all night until I had the easiest goal of probably my career there, so it started with us. We were a bit too casual and thought we were soft as a group...
- Suzuki on what went wrong
About The Second Line
Putting Texier on the second line with Newhook and Demidov produced good results. St-Louis has often praised the Frenchman’s ability to extend the time spent in the offensive zone, and that’s exactly what he did, which allowed the Russian rookie to have more puck possession in the offensive zone. Spending more time there meant the defenders were more tired, and he proved quite a handful for them.
It’s also worth noting that Newhook took 14 faceoffs on the night and won 10 of them, a 71% success rate. The fact that he had been doing well in that aspect of the play of late was one of the reasons why the coach was comfortable putting him back at center.
De Lane à Nick, dans la dernière minute, contre la Floride, en avril...
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026
In the end, the Canadiens did find a way to win with Lane Hutson manufacturing a last-minute Suzuki equalizer to take the game to overtime. While Montreal was unable to take advantage of the power play they got in the extra frame, they still came out on top in the shootout with Caufield and Texier finding the back of the net and Jakub Dobes shutting the door.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026
With those two points, the Canadiens have now caught up to the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning points-wise, with all three teams being on 102 points. Still, the Bolts are first in the division, followed by the Sabres and then by the Habs because of their number of regulation wins and their number of wins not in the shootout.
On Thursday, the Canadiens will take on Tampa Bay, and with the stakes being so high, it would be shocking if they came out flat. Perhaps that’s exactly what the doctor would order, a match against a direct rival with added meaning.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Josh Hart #3 and Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Hawks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Hawks are turning their eyes towards the postseason.
Postseason basketball is often more physical, slower-paced, and features a shortened rotation. Backup center Jock Landale has proven to be a big midseason pickup, providing size and floor spacing that makes everyone else’s job easier.
But after a dirty takedown from Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic, an ankle injury will sideline him until at least the playoffs — and possibly longer.
Of course, Onyeka Okongwu can’t realistically play 48 minutes a game. That begs the question: which player would be the best candidate to play backup center for the rest of the season and into the games that matter most?
Please discuss your answers in the comments below.
May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Kelly Olynyk is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images
Every April, USAA honors the sacrifice and resilience of more than 1.6 million kids for Month of the Military Child. San Antonio Spurs Lil’ MVP Camp, presented by USAA, celebrates the strength, service and skills of local military kids with an on court experience.
Recently, some of the campers took to the podium to participate in a “presser” similar to what Spurs players and coaches go through before and after games.
In this post, the kids got some questions. Spurs bog man Kelly Olynyk also fielded some of the same questions.
Julian expected that a draw was the most probable while Evalei doesn’t think she could beat the varmint. Kelly Olynyk thought it was a great question, but needed to study film to give an accurate response. Darian’s confidence was off the charts as he was sure he’d win.
Favorite Spurs player”?
A resounding response for Victor Wembanyama.
The kids were asked who inspires them. Family members were the most common.
What would be your basketball super power?
Dunking. And for a youngster under four feet tall, that seems like a super power, but who knows? These kids might just grow into players who can dunk with their normal human powers.
What is your favorite basketball memory?
While I am sure these kiddos are too young to remember the Spurs annihilating the Miami Heat in 2014, they had some solid personal memories including hitting buzzer-beaters and having their parents watch them succeed.
Tomorrow’ NBA and WNBA superstars today. Fun little video and a great was that USAA is supporting military families.
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Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
The NBA play-offs begin on 19 April with the start of the finals set for 5 June [Getty Images]
The NBA play-offs are a four-round tournament to determine the winners of the NBA Championship.
Sixteen of the 30 NBA teams - who start the regular season - qualify for the end-of-season format.
The top six with the most wins in each Conference (East and West) automatically secure their spot in the play-offs.
The teams that place between 7-10th then play for the remaining spots in a 'play-in tournament'.
Teams are seeded by their final position in the Conference table.
NBA play-off format
Teams will need to progress through four rounds to claim the NBA title.
First round (16 teams compete)
Conference semi-finals (Eight teams compete)
Conference finals (Four teams compete)
NBA finals (Two teams compete)
In each round, the team with the better regular-season record will gain home-court advantage. That team plays games one, two, five and seven at home.
Each round uses a best-of-seven format. If one team wins the first four games, they will progress to the next round. There could be anywhere between 60-105 games in total, in the play-offs.
In the first round, the top seeds will play the bottom seeds from each Conference.
Series one – first seed vs eighth seed
Series two – second seed vs seventh seed
Series three – third seed vs sixth seed
Series four – fourth seed vs fifth seed
The winners of Series one and Series four play each other in each of the Conference semi-finals, as do the winners of Series two and three.
The winner of those games will meet in the Conference final.
The NBA Finals
The winner of each Conference final will face off in the NBA finals for the Championship.
In 2026, the finals will begin on 3 June, with a potential seventh game pencilled in for 19 June.
New York Knicksv Vs Baltimore Bullets Baltimore Bullets' Wes Unseld (41), is up with a rebound in first period of outing against Knicks at Garden. (Photo By: Dan Farrell/NY Daily News via Getty Images) | NY Daily News via Getty Images
During Michigan’s win over UConn Monday night, Aday Mara threw a quick and devastating outlet pass over the Huskies’ defense that made announcer Bill Raftery excitedly say, “shades of Wes Unseld.”
Many people immediately wondered: who the hell is Wes Unseld?
And since he retired in 1981, a lot of readers were born well after his career ended. And in truth, in later years, Unseld was a shadow of what he had been.
And what he was earlier in his career was phenomenal.
Just 6-6, but a solid 250, Unseld came into the league in 1968 and won Rookie of the Year and also MVP.
He played center and when he came in, that meant he had to deal with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Willis Reed, among others.
In a couple of years, he would have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to deal with as well.
Despite being vastly smaller than these enormous rivals, Unseld more than held his own, and, as Raftery suggested, he had one of the greatest outlet passes ever seen. Perhaps only Russell, Kevin Love, and Bill Walton were in the same tier as outlet passers.
Basically, Unseld achieved all that he did by outworking his opponents.
Later in his career, knee problems began to limit his mobility. He remained a good rebounder and passer until retirement, but he couldn’t move like he had as a younger player.
There really isn’t anyone else quite like him in the history of the game.
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates a three point shot with guard Aaron Holiday (0) against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week’s question has us looking forward to the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The Rockets currently sit in fifth place, but they have been jockeying with three other teams in their tier — the Denver Nuggets, LA Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets have won 9 in a row, but the other two teams have been slumping.
The Rockets would be playing the Lakers if they season ended today. What we’d like to know is which one of the teams in their current tier would you least like to meet in the postseason, Lakers, Nuggets or Wolves? Who would be the toughest matchup?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with results.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 14: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Utah Mammoth at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 14, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their 2025-26 regular season award winners on Tuesday. No, team MVP is not Sidney Crosby, but a Swedish defenseman who has been on “God Mode,” elevating his play and positioning the Penguins for a playoff berth. See the full list here. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins say forward Blake Lizotte is making progress from an upper-body injury and has resumed skating, raising hope he could return sooner than expected, possibly before the end of the regular season. [PensBurgh]
Pittsburgh officially recalled goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate on Tuesday. [Trib Live]
Expectations should be tempered with Murashov once again on the NHL roster, and he very well could be Artur Silovs’ backup for a few games. However, with Stuart Skinner’s status still uncertain amid his injury, it is interesting to examine the possibility that Stuart’s misfortune turns into Murashov’s golden opportunity 10 years after Matt Murray arrived on the scene. [PensBurgh]
News and updates from around the NHL…
The New Jersey Devils are evaluating head coach Sheldon Keefe following the dismissal of general manager Tom Fitzgerald, with his future uncertain as the organization reassesses its direction. [Sportsnet]
The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Neil Glasberg and PBI Sports to assist with their search for a new head of hockey operations, according to TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston. [TSN]
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 7: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on April 7, 2026 at TD Garden 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1. Locked In 4th Quarter
Boston did a great job of slowing down the Hornets attack to end the third quarter, finishing on a 10-0 run with all the momentum and a slim 90-87 lead. Once the fourth quarter started, the Celtics went to another level defensively, holding the Hornets to 15 points on 7-21 (33%) shooting from the field and 1-7 (14%) shooting from three. They did a great job of putting pressure on the Hornets ball handlers, forcing them into bad turnovers and running the fast-break the other way.
On offense, Boston went on a 26-7 run from the 1:44 mark of the third quarter to the 5:48 mark of the fourth quarter that essentially iced the game. The Celtics shot 9-18 (50%) from the field and 3-9 (33%) from three in the quarter. Boston’s ball movement was a big key to their success, making multiple passes to find the open shot, demoralizing Charlotte’s defense.
2. Brown Takeover Mode
Jaylen Brown played a great game against the Hornets, finishing with 35 points and 9 rebounds on 13-29 shooting. Even after scoring 7 points in the first quarter, Boston got outscored 31-20 and just out flat. It was Brown who sparked the offense in the second quarter, finishing with 11 points on 3-6 shooting including his 2,000th point of the season, becoming the 8th player in Celtics history to hit that mark in a season.
Jaylen Brown surpassed 2,000 points on the season tonight — becoming the 8th Celtic to ever do so in a single season
The other 7 Celtics to accomplish that:
Larry Bird (4x) Paul Pierce (4x) John Havlicek (2x) Jayson Tatum (2x) Isaiah Thomas Sam Jones Kevin McHale
Brown continued to carry the load for the Celtics, playing every minute of the second half, scoring 17 points on 7-15 shooting. Coming out of halftime, he shot 2-7 and the Hornets were still hanging around. Then he hit back-to-back shots to end the third quarter including a buzzer beater that got him back in the flow of his offense.
Brown had 8 points and shot 3-6 in the fourth quarter, forcing the Hornets to have Kon Knueppel switched on to him on defense and attacking the rookie on almost every play down the floor. He would get to his spot with ease and Charlotte had no answers to guard him. The Hornets looked gassed in the fourth quarter trying to keep up with the Celtics offense and Jaylen was a big part of that.
3. Walsh Energy Shifter
Jordan Walsh played maybe the most perfect game he could have against the Hornets in this one, finishing with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and doing all of the little things that kept him out there over Baylor Scheierman. Walsh’s ability to guard LaMelo Ball was a huge highlight in the second half, essentially shutting off the water to the Hornets’ entire offense.
Walsh played the final 7:31 seconds for the Celtics in the third quarter and was tasked with guarding LaMelo Ball who already had 32 points up until that point. Ball only scored 4 more points the rest of the quarter at the free throw line due to Walsh completely clamping him down. LaMelo only attempted one shot on Jordan Walsh and we saw Walsh do an incredible job navigating around screens to still contest Ball’s shot at the rim.
Walsh did everything he needed to do when it came to his offensive game, shooting 4-4 from the field and 1-1 from three. When he grabbed an offensive rebound that turned into a tip-in dunk in the second quarter, that is when I knew we were going to get a good offensive game from Walsh. When he is aggressive and looking to shoot, it makes his time on the court flow so much better for the Celtics. If the Celtics can get this version of Jordan Walsh for the rest of the season, he is going to find himself getting legitimate playoff rotation minutes off the bench.
4. Tatum Efficient Game
Jayson Tatum had some eye-popping stat-lines in his last few games but this one was just a clean 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 8-15 shooting from the field and 3-7 from three. Tatum did a great job of just taking what the defense gave him when it came to his scoring and finished with an efficient shooting night. I don’t know if it has something to do with playing the Hornets specifically but the two games that Tatum has arguably looked the most comfortable against has been Charlotte.
There was no hesitation on his drives to the basket and his three point shoot looked really smooth. The Hornets have a lot of mismatches on defense when it comes to guarding Tatum and he was able to take advantage on them all night long. Nothing made me more certain that he loves playing against Charlotte than the side-step three he made in front of the Celtics bench in the fourth quarter.
5. Queta Offensive Board Domination
Neemias Queta has been on fire for the Celtics over his last 4 games, averaging 17.5 Points, 9.0 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists, and 2.8 Blocks, on 73% shooting while finishing as a combined +104. In this matchup against Charlotte, Queta once again had a good performance, finishing with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block on 6-7 shooting.
The part of his game that stood out the most to me was the fact that 5 of his rebounds were offensive rebounds and all of them resulted in put back baskets for him. Queta did a great job of taking up space underneath the basket and keeping the ball high after coming down with the rebound to finish the play. If there was one knock on Queta’s game sometimes it was the fact he would keep the ball low and exposed for teams to poke it away, this game he took a real step forward in that department.
6. Pritchard Woke Up In Second Half
Payton Pritchard has had an incredible run over the last few weeks, averaging 20.1 Points on 53% shooting from the field and 51% shooting from three. However, against the Hornets he started slow with only 3 points on 1-3 shooting in the first half. Boston needed his scoring off the bench and he came up big time in the second half with 9 points on 3-5 shooting with all of his baskets coming from three point range.
Pritchard was great when it came to being a catch and shoot guy in this game, letting the Celtics’ ball movement end with the ball in his hands. There weren’t a whole lot of opportunities for Pritchard to have a big game so the fact that he was able to make an impact was big for Boston’s second half run.
7. Vucevic Played Almost Entire 4th Quarter
Nikola Vucevic did not have a great game through the first three quarters when looking at the stat sheet, finishing with 0 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 0-6 shooting from the field and 0-2 from three. Given his slow shooting start, it was a surprise when Joe Mazulla played him for almost the entire fourth quarter with Queta on the bench for the first 10:24. However, Vucevic played well along with the starters, finishing with 2 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals on 1-4 shooting in the fourth quarter and being a +9.
Vucevic’s work on the boards and his defense was a big reason why he was effective in this quarter. He was playing with energy even when only one of his shots were falling. This could be due to the face he sat the entire third quarter but I hope the ending to this game is the start of a run of positive play for Vucevic heading into the playoffs.
8. Positive Paint Presence
The Celtics did a great job when it came to rebounding and scoring in the paint against a team that has two centers in Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner who are known for clogging up the area in front of the basket. Boston out rebounded Charlotte 45-40 with 13 of those rebounds for the Celtics being on the offensive glass. Boston had 6 of them in the first quarter alone but the 3 they had in the fourth quarter were the real back breakers for Charlotte.
When it came to the points in the paint battle, the Celtics were also the superior team in that regard, outscoring the Hornets 44-32. Boston’s ability to finish layups at the basket was a big positive in this game, shooting 16-21 (76%) at the rim in this game, despite Charlotte having formidable defenders.
9. (LaMel0) Ball Don’t Lie
When you think of Celtics killers, LaMelo Ball might not be the first name that comes to mind but he has had some big games in his career against Boston. For his career LaMelo averages 26.1 Points which is well above his career average as well as 6.8 Assists, 6.3 Rebounds, and 1.o Steal on 45% shooting from the field and 38% from three.
Ball had another great game against the Celtics overall, finishing with 36 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds on 12-24 shooting from the field and 6-15 from three. Although these numbers look good on paper, he spent the final 19:31 of this game with only 4 points on 0-4 shooting and 0 points in the fourth quarter on 0-2 shooting. This was due in part to the incredible defense by Jordan Walsh in the third quarter but the fourth quarter saw Derrick White take over as the defensive stopper on Ball.
It felt like once the Celtics were able to slow down LaMelo Ball and forced the rest of the Hornets team to beat them, Boston was able to thrive in the fourth quarter. The defense Walsh and White played on LaMelo should not go by waist side but I can’t deny how good Ball was in this game. He was hitting some absurd shots from three and looked like he was just playing at a different level than everyone else. He has a very bright future of being the engine of the Hornets team moving forward and I can’t wait to see more matchups with him against Boston.
10. Magic Number is 1
Just like the Celtics game against the Toronto Raptors on April 5th, Boston could be on a collision course with Charlotte when it comes to the Play-In Tournament. With this win for the Celtics, their Magic Number to clinch the 2nd Seed in the Eastern Conference is down to 1. It could be official on Thursday April 9th when Boston goes to Madison Square Garden with a matchup against the New York Knicks. A win in New York clinches it.
For Charlotte they need to win this game when it came to the Play-In standings, starting the day in 8th place but finishing it in 9th, being leap frogged by the Orlando Magic. The Play-In is so close right now that the Hornets still have time to bounce back into a higher seed but I am not sure I want to see them in a First Round Playoff matchup against the Celtics.
I have a ton of respect for the Charlotte Hornets and their offense can be absolutely lethal against a higher seed that could over look them. I’m not total against playing them however, given the fact they have yet to have answer for when Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are the court together. Charlotte could push Boston to a 6 or 7 game series but I would have it finishing in a very hard fought 5 games.
