Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates a three point shot against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It’s more a matter of when, not if, the Lakers fall down to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference it seems.
There hasn’t been much going right for the Lakers over the last week and Monday night was no different. For one, the Lakers lost to the Thunder, which didn’t help their own case in the playoff race, even if it was an expected result.
However, they didn’t get any favors, either. After trailing by 21 points in the first quarter, the Rockets stormed back against the Suns to win their seventh straight game and tie the Lakers. That leaves the standings looking as such.
The Lakers have the tiebreaker over the Rockets, so just matching their record would be enough to secure the fourth seed and home court advantage in the first round. But that’s easier said than done.
The Lakers play a pair of play-in teams in Golden State and Phoenix in a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Houston has its own back-to-back against the Sixers and Wolves, both games at home.
If you’re not feeling good about the Lakers’ chances, you’re not alone. While they can’t fall all the way to the sixth seed, it feels inevitable that they’ll land in the fifth seed. From there, you can pick which is the “better” opponent for the Lakers to face in the first round, but it feels like the fate will be all the same once the postseason arrives.
The St. Louis Blues announced on Wednesday a leadership change for its American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield that features assistant general managers Ryan Miller and Tim Taylor each adding the title of Thunderbirds Co-GM's on a permanent basis moving forward.
The immediate change in management structure follows the departure of former Thunderbirds GM Kevin Maxwell, who is expected to moved on to the New York Rangers in a management position.
In their dual roles for the Blues and Thunderbirds, Taylor will continue to oversee player personnel while Miller will manage contract negotiations, compliance, and various hockey operations functions.
“Kevin played an instrumental role in the development of our prospects and strengthening of our relationship with the Springfield organization during his three-plus years with our management team and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said in a team release. “Building on the success from their previous roles within the Blues organization, Ryan and Tim have proven to be an effective team with complementary talents over their two years as assistant general managers in support of me and Alexander Steen. As we move forward with them sharing the developmental and operational responsibilities of players throughout all levels of our organization, their partnership will ensure efficient communications and decision making between our staffs in St. Louis and Springfield.”
Taylor, 57, first joined the Blues as director of player development in 2011 before elevating to his most current role as assistant general manager and director of player personnel. During his tenure, Taylor has made a substantial impact on the organization through his efforts to assess, develop and guide Blues prospects at all levels. His efforts played a key role in helping the Blues capture the 2019 Stanley Cup championship. As a player, Taylor enjoyed a 13-year NHL career, including stints with Detroit, Boston, the New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay. As a player, he was a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, winning with Detroit in 1997 and Tampa Bay in 2004.
Miller, 42, came to the Blues in 2010 as the team’s director of hockey administration before being promoted to assistant general manager in 2020 after helping the Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup title. In his role, Miller negotiates contracts, ensures compliance under the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap, and prepares for players who might opt to file for salary arbitration, along with a wide range of other responsibilities.
With an affiliation agreement that began in 2021, the Blues and Thunderbirds announced an extension of that partnership through the end of the 2030-31 season in October of 2024 that further solidified the long-term future of the AHL in Springfield, one of the league’s charter cities.
Currently led by Head Coach Steve Ott, former Blues player and an assistant coach on the Blues’ 2018-19 Stanley Cup championship team, Springfield currently holds the sixth and final playoff position in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. Overall, 33 players have skated in games for both teams during the affiliation agreement, including current Blues players Dalibor Dvorsky, Joel Hofer, Matthew Kessel, Theo Lindstein, Jake Neighbours, Logan Mailloux, Otto Stenberg, Alexey Toropchenko, and Tyler Tucker.
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.
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen has been named the organization’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Nominees for this award are decided on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, with the award going to a player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.”
Lankinen, who is currently dealing with an upper-body injury, is in his second season with the Canucks after putting up career numbers in 2024–25 with 25 wins and four shutouts. This season has not gone nearly as well due to a variety of other factors including injuries to his fellow goaltenders and multiple different trades, with Lankinen having played in 44 games thus far.
Other nominees for the Masterton Trophy in 2025–26 include Jonathan Toews of the Winnipeg Jets, Linus Ullmark of the Ottawa Senators, and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche. Previous winners include Sean Monahan (2025), Connor Ingram (2024), and Kris Letang (2023).
The Canucks' Masterton Trophy nominee in 2025 was Dakota Joshua, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had surgery during the off-season before making his return to the lineup in November. Prior to that, Vancouver’s past nominees include Noah Juulsen (2024), Brock Boeser (2023), and Luke Schenn (2022).
The full list of nominees for 2026 can be found below.
Anaheim Ducks: Ville Husso
Boston Bruins: Charlie McAvoy
Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin
Calgary Flames: Devin Cooley
Carolina Hurricanes: Taylor Hall
Chicago Blackhawks: Spencer Knight
Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
Columbus Blue Jackets: Boone Jenner
Dallas Stars: Jamie Benn
Detroit Red Wings: Dominik Shine
Edmonton Oilers: Connor Ingram
Florida Panthers: Brad Marchand
Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar
Minnesota Wild: Jesper Wallstedt
Montreal Canadiens: Mike Matheson
Nashville Predators: Ozzy Wiesblatt
New Jersey Devils: Brenden Dillon
New York Islanders: Kyle Palmieri
New York Rangers: Matthew Robertson
Ottawa Senators: Linus Ullmark
Philadelphia Flyers: Garrett Wilson
Pittsburgh Penguins: Anthony Mantha
San Jose Sharks: Laurent Brossoit
Seattle Kraken: Jordan Eberle
St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington
Utah Mammoth: Clayton Keller
Tampa Bay Lightning: Darren Raddysh
Toronto Maple Leafs: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Vancouver Canucks: Kevin Lankinen
Vegas Golden Knights: Akira Schmid
Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin
Winnipeg Jets: Jonathan Toews
Apr 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) during the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-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.
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MEMPHIS, TN - APRIL 6: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 6, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the two of you out there waiting for the newest entry in the Cavalier of the Week series. Forgive me. I have dropped the ball and now have to pick up the slack. That being said, in the time I haven’t handed the award out, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been on a little bit of a run, going 9-2 since I last donned someone with the incredible honor of being a Cavalier of the Week.
That being said, I am going back to the well and nominating Jarrett Allen for Cavalier of the Week again. The first two-time winner of the illustrious award. What an honor Jarrett.
In all honesty, with the level of defense — if you can even call it that — we have seen in the last month or so, I cannot in good faith award either James Harden or Donovan Mitchell with the award.
Average Player Grade over last 11 games: A-
Stats during that stretch: 4 games played 16.3 ppg, 9 rpg, 0.8bpg in 21.4 mins per game
Standout performance: Tuesday 3/31 against Los Angeles Lakers (18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists in 19 minutes)
For those immediately wondering how I can pick Allen for the award when he has only suited up in four of the eleven games, I do not blame you. Despite the Cavaliers currently ending the season with one of their best stretches in terms of record. It doesn’t feel like the team can make a real swing for a title if Jarrett Allen isn’t on the floor.
To see how the Cavaliers rely on Allen, look no further than the “standout performance” for Allen. The Cavaliers looked awful against the Lakers. Plain and simple, the team could only find reliable contributions on offense if Jarrett was given the ball. Allen delivered on every touch. His efficiency against Los Angeles is not an outlier. Allen has had the best stretch of his career both in terms of aggressiveness and efficiency.
While it was only 19 minutes, once Allen was off the floor, the Cavaliers couldn’t find a reliable look offensively, and it led to Atkinson pulling all the starters midway through the third. The formula for a good game for the Cavaliers’ offense was highlighted in this game. Get Allen involved early and often. Most teams do not have the answers to the Harden and Allen pick-and-roll. Once that pairing has its fingerprints on the game, it opens up looks for the Cavaliers on the perimeter.
Now, this highlights an issue we have seen for the Cavaliers this whole season. When Allen is out due to injury, there is no way to replicate this two-man game with the rest of the roster. Mobley, for all he can do on both ends, is not the same roll man as Allen at all. This leads to the Cavaliers’ offense looking like a bunch of chickens running with their heads cut off.
As the Cavaliers look toward the postseason, Allen is the main player to watch. He feels like both an offensive and defensive stalwart. For this responsibility to fall on someone who is still fighting through an injury is far from ideal. The Cavaliers are looking to be fighting an uphill battle as the postseason approaches. However, at least there can be confidence that Allen, if healthy enough is going to be a major contributor.
Jarrett, for the second time… your award is in the mail.
Nov 22, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims (00) looks for an outlet pass against Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) and forward/center Isaiah Stewart (28) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Relax, you need some information first: what’s left of the Milwaukee Bucks takes on the Detroit Pistons tonight in the Motor City. It’s game 80 of the season and the Pistons have wrapped up the first-seed in the East, while the Bucks are locked into the 11th or 12th spot. And you know what that means—meaningless basketball! Still, just like me, you’ll tune in because we are basketball Bucks sickos, finding comfort in the numb. Despite sitting at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings, the season series between Milwaukee and Detroit has been relatively close, with the Pistons leading two games to one. Will they clench the series with a win tonight, or will the makeshift Bucks level it up?
Where We’re At
Despite the NBA investigating the Bucks for “their handling of the player participating policy,” Milwaukee continues to field tanking unconventional lineups, including sitting seven of their top players against the Nets—take that, NBA PA, Shams Charania, and anyone else who’s taken umbrage. And, hey, if Giannis gets his wish, we might even see a lineup featuring three Antetokounmpos! But only if it’s about winning and culture, right Giannis? Squabbles aside, it’s been refreshing seeing the Bucks play as a team recently, especially one driven by Ryan Rollins, Ousmane Dieng, and other young(ish) Bucks like Pete Nance and Jericho Sims who could stick around long-term (shout-out to Cormac Ryan, too, who’s doing everything he can to earn an extended look in Milwaukee or elsewhere). Also, with yesterday’s loss to the Nets, the Bucks are just a game ahead of the Chicago Bulls in the standings. So, if you’re feeling down, that might (paradoxically) ease your pain.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have earned the right to play—or sit—whoever they want after locking up the best record in the Eastern Conference. A gritty defensive team that pays homage to Detroit teams of yesteryear, the Pistons’ attention is focused on postseason success after losing to the New York Knicks 4-2 in the first round last year—and not winning a series since 2007-2008. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will likely feature in end-of-season Coach of the Year conversations, and the Pistons have to be happy with how he’s led the team to success in the recent absence of should-be-but-can’t-be MVP candidate Cade Cunningham (eight wins, three losses). But for a coach who’s relied on depth and players coming through in waves—11 players average over 17 minutes per game on the season—Bickerstaff still has work to do figuring out who deserves to be in the inevitably-shortened playoff rotation. Tonight, then, might just have meaning after all.
Injury Report
With the Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back, their official injury report hasn’t yet been submitted. However, with Giannis (knee), Kyle Kuzma (Achilles), Kevin Porter Jr. (knee), Bobby Portis (wrist), Ryan Rollins (hip), Gary Trent Jr. (hip), and Myles Turner (ankle) all out against the Brooklyn Nets yesterday, we’re likely in for some interesting rotations once again tonight.
For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham (left lung; pneumothorax) and Isaiah Stewart (left calf; strain) are both questionable.
Player to Watch
After a rocky first half to the season, in which he was barely in the rotation—just 14.4 MPG in 30 of the team’s first 41 games—Jericho Sims’ second half has been nothing short of inspiring. Prior to yesterday’s game against the Nets, Sims had appeared in 33 of a possible 37 games, averaging what-would-be career highs of 22.7 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 1.9 APG (he even had a career-high-tying six assists against the Nets last night). But this pattern of deficiency and excellence is not limited to the first and second halves of the season. Overall, Sims has proven elite in points per shot attempt (99th percentile for bigs), effective field goal percentage (99th percentile) and, surprisingly, assist to usage ratio (91st percentile), per Cleaning the Glass. Yet, he’s also proven poor in steal percentage (9th percentile), block percentage (10th percentile), and, true to the eye test where his hands often look like two balloons, turnover percentage (0th percentile—yes, apparently that is a thing!). All considered, this Jekyll-and-Hyde profile shouldn’t be surprising—Sims is an NBA journeyman after all. However, with all eyes on the future, if Sims can even marginally shore up these weaknesses, his efficiency alone could make him a far more impactful rotation piece moving forward. What better time to start than tonight, against budding All-Star big Jalen Duren?
How To Watch
Tune in at 6:00 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
The dying days of the NBA regular season are loaded with unknowns.
While bettors are scratching their heads when it comes to motivations, minutes, and matchups, take comfort in knowing that bookmakers are doing the same.
Picking through the prop markets for value at this time of year requires digging deeper beyond stats and projections. I do my damndest to find those underlying edges with my best NBA prop picks for Wednesday, April 8.
The Oklahoma City Thunder can secure the No. 1-overall seed in the NBA Playoffs with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. This contest looks a lot stiffer than OKC’s recent run of games.
The Thunder were set as double-digit faves in nine of their last 11 outings. Oklahoma City steamrolled in their three most recent showings, allowing for a lighter load for starters like Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren logged just 18, 20, and 22 minutes in that span, but the game script says he’ll see his normal workload (30+ minutes) vs. a Clippers squad (+6.5) still pushing for postseason positioning.
Los Angeles is running thin in the frontcourt. It’s been missing reserve center Yanic Konan Niederhauser for a month, and lost Isaiah Jackson to an ankle injury at the end of March. That’s left L.A. to roll out a much smaller rotation and lean on the 37-year-old legs of Brook Lopez as the lone center.
Holmgren will draw checks from the slower Lopez or smaller forwards John Collins and Nicolas Batum. His points production is forecast between 15.5 and 16.2 versus a scoring prop of 14.5 O/U.
There’s a much higher ceiling for OKC’s 7-footer, with these numbers tempered by his reduced action in the Thunder’s blowouts. Holmgren dropped 22 points in his last matchup with L.A. in December, and the Clippers still had Ivica Zubac.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Oklahoma, FanDuel Sports SoCal
Prop #2: Donovan Mitchell Under 24.5 Points
-105 at bet365
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks are going to be sick of each other. Not only do they close out the schedule with a home-and-home set, but they’re likely meeting in a first-round playoff series.
Cleveland is locked in the No. 4 seed and has nothing to play for in these final games, which means not only protecting your stars but also not tipping your hand against this Atlanta defense.
Guard Donovan Mitchell is one matchup the Hawks need to solve, but they may not get much intel from the Cavs, at least not tonight.
Mitchell suffered an ankle injury on the weekend and sat out Monday’s win over Memphis. While he’s listed as questionable, Mitchell downplayed the injury and has been adamant about playing out the final games of the schedule.
Player projections vary based on his floor time, with some models sitting as low as 23.2 and others peaking above 29 points. Given Atlanta’s defensive prowess (No. 9 in defensive rating) and the Cavs potentially capping Mitchell’s minutes, I’m leaning toward the lower forecasts.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Ohio, FanDuel Sports Southeast-Atlanta
Prop #3: Aaron Gordon Over 2.5 Assists
+120 at bet365
The Denver Nuggets aren’t done yet. With three games remaining, Denver is fighting off a crowd of Western Conference contenders for the No. 3 seed. A matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies helps a lot.
The Nuggets are peaking at the perfect time, bringing a nine-game winning streak into Wednesday, and veteran forward Aaron Gordon is rounding into form after dealing with injury issues all winter.
Gordon does it all for Denver, including setting up his teammates. Since getting back to his normal workload in mid-March, Gordon is averaging 3.0 assists on 6.3 potential assists over his last seven games.
He’s dished out five and three dimes in overtime wins against Portland and San Antonio and faces a much easier defense from the Grizzlies. Memphis gives up the fifth-most assists and sits 20th in assist rate allowed on the season. And that's the full squad. The Grizz could hold open tryouts for warm bodies today with just seven healthy players listed.
Player projections for Gordon all sit north of three assists with a ceiling of 3.5 dimes tonight.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Altitude Sports, FanDuel Sports Memphis
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Tuesday night’s Eastern Conference results were not great for the Islanders as the Ottawa Senators beat the Atlantic-leading Tampa Bay Lightning (with a five-goal third period!) in regulation and the Red Wings and Blue Jackets had a three-point game, with Detroit falling via shootout.
But at least we know where everyone stands with four games to go, as those results consumed the final games in hand hanging over the Isles’ heads:
Philadelphia begins the day in the Metro’s third spot with 92 points on just 25 regulation wins
Ottawa occupies the second wild card spot, also with 92 points but 35 regulation wins
Below the playoff line, Columbus has 90 points (27 regulation wins), while Detroit and the Islanders each have 89 points (29 and 28 regulation wins, respectively)
Today is Pete DeBoer’s third and final day of trying to orient the team before the games resume Thursday against the Leafs. It’s only three days and it’s only four games, but it will be fascinating to see what DeBoer does with the structure and the lineup.
Islanders News
Among those lineup things…putting Mat Barzal back at center? He and Brayden Schenn could stay together but alternate roles, perhaps. [Newsday | Post]
Kyle Palmieri is the team’s Masterton nominee, and he does not rule out returning in the playoffs (if they get there). [Newsday | Post]
DeBoer and Bo Horvat on working together at the Olympics. [Isles]
Other practice updates: maintenance day guys back on the ice. [Isles]
Anders Lee on what’s changing under DeBoer. [Po$t+]
Remembering the Lighthouse Project, and why it never happened. [Newsday]
Elsewhere:
Alex Ovechkin will decide this summer whether to continue. Won’t we all. [Sportsnet]
A goalfest between Utah and Edmonton could be a playoff preview. [Sportsnet]
USA TODAY Sports requested all forms of compensation for the men’s basketball head coach, and/or acquired the federal tax return, from each school in the Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences and from prominent schools outside those conferences whose teams have appeared regularly in NCAA tournaments in the past five years.
Except as noted, a not available (designated by “—" in the table) denotes schools that are private; did not release the information; or schools whose coaches are new. A $0 means the coach doesn’t get compensation from that source. In cases where an athletically related outside-income report was unavailable, a coach’s compensation might be undercounted by thousands of dollars from that category alone.
Figures for public schools are based on the coach’s contract year that covers, or covered, the 2025-26 season, including the most recently available base salary.
COMPENSATION CATEGORIES
SCHOOL PAY: The most recently available base salary, except as noted; income from contract provisions other than base salary that are paid, or guaranteed, by the university or affiliated organizations, such as a foundation or an athletics department operating as a related non-profit organization. Examples include payments in consideration for shoe and apparel use; television, radio or other media appearances; and personal appearances.
It also includes deferred payments earned annually, conditional or otherwise; contractual expense accounts (if unaudited) and housing allowance; signing and other one-time bonuses considered to be earned in the current contract year.
It does not include other amounts that might have been earned as annual incentive bonuses in other years, the value of standard university benefits such as health care or the value of potentially taxable items such as cars; country club memberships; game tickets for the regular season, postseason and other sports; the value of stadium suites; travel upgrades; spouse/family travel and game tickets; and amounts connected to transactions related to buyouts owed by coaches for terminating a contract with a prior employer.
OTHER PAY: Amounts listed on the coach’s most recently available, self-reported athletically related outside-income report. Some public schools, citing public records disclosure exemptions, do not provide the outside-income report.
TOTAL PAY: Sum of School Pay and Other Pay.
MAXIMUM BONUS: The greatest amount that can be received if the team meets prescribed on-court performance goals (e.g., NCAA Tournament goals, wins totals, regular-season and/or conference tournament championships, coaching awards, etc.), academic and/or player-conduct goals. Also includes amounts for reaching ticket sales, attendance or other goals, including those related to national TV appearances and guarantee-game revenue. Bonuses that can be awarded on a discretionary basis are not included.
BONUSES PAID: These were not calculated for the 2025-26 seasons.
SCHOOL BUYOUT OWED AS OF APRIL 1, 2026: Amount school would owe coach if he is fired without cause on April 1, 2026. Except as noted, these figures do not take into account the potential impact of automatic contract extensions that could be achieved in connection with meeting goals such as the team appearing in the NCAA Tournament. Many of these amounts are expressly subject to coach’s duty to make good-faith efforts to find another job, with income from that employment offsetting the amount owed. If mitigation and offset are not addressed in contract, coach still may have obligation to make efforts in that regard.
NOTES
AMOUNTS IN ADDITION TO COACHES' TOTAL PAY: Includes payments made by schools and/or their affiliated organizations on behalf of coaches who owed buyout amounts to their previous employer for terminating contracts so they could accept employment elsewhere.
PITTSBURGH AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS: The pay information listed came from federal tax returns or the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law report. Documents provide compensation for 2023 calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses.
The Washington Nationals (4-7) and the St. Louis Cardinals (6-5) link up on MLB TV for the second of a three-game series. Washington won Monday's matchup, 9-6, and St. Louis took Tuesday's meeting, 7-6 in extra innings.
The Nationals are 1-6 in the last seven games and have been struggling to permit runs. The pitching staff owns the worst ERA to start the year with a 6.06 mark. Along with St. Louis, Washington allows an MLB-worst .278 opponent batting average. On the other side, the Nationals are tied for the second-most home runs hit (16) and have the second-best batting average (.276) behind the Dodgers.
St. Louis is on the final matchup of a six-game road trip where they are currently 2-3. The Cardinals are 4-2 at home compared to 2-3 on the road this season. St. Louis is hitting .225 as a team (19th), but allowing an MLB worst batting average .278 as a pitching staff with the 26th-ranked ERA (5.31).
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Nationals
Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Time: 4:05 PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cardinals at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Washington Nationals (+102), St. Louis Cardinals (-122)
The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker is hitting .300 with 12 hits and 26 total bases over 40 at-bats
The Nationals’ James Wood is hitting .197 but has a team-high four homers, including back-to-back games
The Cardinals’ Masyn Winn is hitting .176 with six hits, six strikeouts, and five walks over 34 at-bats
The Nationals’ CJ Abrams is hitting .308 with 12 hits and eight runs scored over 39 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Nationals
The Cardinals are 5-6 ATS this season
The Nationals are 7-4 ATS this season
The Cardinals are 6-4-1 to the Over this season
The Nationals are an MLB-best 9-2 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Nationals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Cardinals and the Nationals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Nationals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Nationals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.5
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Apr 7, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Matt Shaw (6) reacts after hitting a RBI double in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Up until Monday afternoon, Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen was the probable starter for tonight’s matchup against the Cubs — probable.
His wife Stevie went into labor early with their second child and the Rays had a bullpen game. A 16-hit day and 9-2 drubbing was the result.
Mason Englert, Cole Sulser, and Yoendrys Gomez got things done on the pitching side of things, with the three responsible for covering tonight’s 27 outs.
As far as the bats, the Rays didn’t get their first baserunner until the fifth, when Junior Caminero walked. Chandler Simpson got the first Rays hit of the ballgame off Javier Assad right after.
In the eighth, a Jonathan Aranda double would plate Richie Palacios, and a Ryan Vilade single would plate Richie Palacios in front of a promising Tuesday night crowd of 21,377.
For the rubber match of the series, Colin Rea and Joe Boyle are the probable starters, as we go from Tropicana Field at 6:40 PM EST.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: A view of a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As all eyes were on Jackson Ferris, who made his 2026 debut at a new level, pitching in Triple A for the first time in his career, it was a different, younger Dodger starting pitching prospect who stole the spotlight. Marlon Nieves delivered an outstanding start for the Ontario Tower Buzzers.
Player of the day
Signed by the Dodgers in 2023 as an international amateur free agent for a relatively small fee, Marlon Nieves finished the 2025 campaign strong in Single-A with a 2.20 ERA in 36.2 innings. The young right-hander made his first start for the Ontario Tower Buzzers and completely dominated the Inland Empire 66ers, with six innings of one-hit ball. On rare occasions, when the opposition put a runner on base, Nieves handled things well, like he did in this double play.
— Ontario Tower Buzzers (@towerbuzzers) April 8, 2026
As impressive as the quality of this performance was also the length of it. Walking only one hitter, Nieves kept things efficient in order to complete six full frames in a game where the scoring for the Tower Buzzers took a while to get started, thus requiring him to fully shut down the opposing lineup.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
One of the more promising arms in the Dodger system, Jackson Ferris made his first start for the Oklahoma City Comets, and if you look a little deeper, his outing was more productive than the two runs allowed in 3.1 innings of work would indicate—Ferris didn’t even need a James Tibbs III masterclass to help guide the Comets to a win at home, for starters.
The Dodgers were quite careful with Ferris, removing him with only 63 pitches after Jonah Bride’s two-run shot in the fourth. That homer provided all the scoring that was done against Ferris, who an inning before showed composure to pick off a runner in scoring position as he ill-advisedly tried to steal third with two outs.
Tibbs III didn’t homer, but the man batting behind him did, as Nic Senzel was responsible for driving in two of the Comets four runs, going 2 for 4.
Utilizing three different relievers for more than one inning in this one, the Comets saw things get very dicey in the ninth—Paul Gervase allowed one run and faced the bases loaded with only one out, trying to protect a 4-3 lead. The right-hander did his best Houdini impression by striking out Richie Martin Jr. and Cameron Cauley to earn the save.
Double-A Tulsa
Wasted opportunities were behind a 8-5 defeat at the hands of the undefeated Cardinals, whose six-run outburst against Evan Shaw proved too big a hole for the Drillers to come out of, losing this one despite out-hitting their opponents 12-9.
It doesn’t matter the context; whenever a team ends a game going 2 for 20 with runners in scoring position, the setup for disappointment is established. That’s what happened as the Drillers failed to properly capitalize in a game where they had a runner in scoring position in eight out of the nine innings. Only one of their 12 hits was an extra-base one.
Highlighted in a negative effort despite the five runs, shortstop Elijah Hainline received a golden sombrero, striking out four times in a 1 for 5 effort.
High-A Great Lakes
Running all over the Whitecaps, with five stolen bases by four different players not caught once, and with a two-run shot from Victor Rodríguez, the Loons took home a 7-3 win in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score would indicate. Two of the Whitecaps three runs were scored in the ninth inning as they entered the final frame with only a single hit.
Great Lakes starter Aidan Foeller could’ve been more efficient than the four walks he allowed in 4.2 innings of work, but he did the most important thing, which was keeping the Loons at bay, allowing only one earned run. One more out, though, and he would’ve earned the win, which instead was given to Myles Caba, the first reliever out of the bullpen.
Class-A Ontario
In a pitching battle, as both starters combined for eleven scoreless innings of work, Mieves didn’t even taste the lead until his final inning of work, when Landyn Vidourek put the Tower Buzzers on top with a solo shot. An inning later, they added three runs in the seventh, more than enough cover in what was an outstanding pitching performance not just by Mieves but by the bullpen as well.
Right-hander Jecsua Liborius earned the save by striking out the side in the ninth, helping the Tower Buzzers hand the 66ers their fourth defeat in as many games this season.
Transactions
Jackson Ferris, who had previously been with the extended spring training, was added to the OKC roster.
Right-handed starter Payton Martin joins the Tulsa Drillers from Arizona as Nick Nastrini gets released.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Joseph Sullivan #19 of the Houston Astros bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (6-4) lost 1-0 (BOX SCORE)
Alexander started for Sugar Land and turned in his best outing of the season as he tossed 7 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts. In the 9th, Murray allowed a run as the Rainiers took the lead. The offense had a quiet night collecting just three hits as they were shutout in the 1-0 loss.
Sam Carlson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Jayden Murray, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (1-3) won 6-3 (BOX SCORE)
Sullivan put the Hooks on the board early connecting on a leadoff homer, his first of the season. Nezuh got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. The Hooks rallied in the 5th scoring 4 runs on an Encarnacion 2 run double, run scoring on a wild pitch and a Ferreras sac fly. In the 6th, Nelson added an RBI double to extend the lead. The bullpen pitched well tossing 5.1 scoreless innings as they closed out the 6-3 win.
Rodriguez got the start for Asheville and was really good allowing just 1 hit over 4 scoreless innings while striking out 5. He was relieved by Cruz who allowed 1 run over 4 innings, striking out 3. Unfortunately the offense had a rough day at the plate collecting just 3 hits as they were shutout in the 1-0 loss.
Note: Rodriguez has a career 3.09 ERA in the minors.
Anthony Cruz, RHP: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-3) lost 13-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board first getting 2 runs on a Wakefield home run in the first inning. Verdugo got the start but struggled allowing 3 runs over 2.2 innings. He was relieved by Hebert who allowed 4 runs over 1.2 innings. Beck made his season debut and struck out 3 over 2.2 scoreless innings in relief. In the 7th, the Woodpeckers got a run back on a Flores solo HR. The bullpen imploded in the 8th allowing 6 runs as the RiverDogs blew it open. Sierra added a 2 run HR in the 9th but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 13-5.
The Pittsburgh Pirates just locked up star shortstop Konnor Griffin with a nine-year, $140 million contract extension. The rookie had already locked up another longtime partner before inking the deal when Griffin married his longtime partner, Dendy Hogan, on January 17, 2026.
Who is Konnor Griffin’s wife? Here’s what we know about Dendy Griffin
Griffin, from Jackson, Mississippi, began dating Dendy Hogan in 2020 when he was 14 years old, according to Sports Illustrated. The couple got engaged on Oct. 11, 2025, sharing several beachside pictures on Instagram, and walked down the aisle a little over three months later.
Her Instagram page includes photos of them from Griffin’s time at Jackson Preparatory School, his visits to the University of Mississippi and LSU during high school, and their homecoming and prom photos.
Konnor Griffin career stats
The Pirates drafted Griffin out of high school, taking him ninth overall in the 2024 MLB draft.
He rocketed through Pittsburgh’s farm system in 2025, rising from low-A Bradenton to AA Altoona over the course of the season. He hit .333 with a .415 on-base percentage, 24 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases in the minors, according to Baseball Reference.
After a handful of games at AAA Indianapolis to begin the season, Pittsburgh called up Griffin to the majors. He made his MLB debut on April 3, 2026, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the Pirates’ 5-4 win against the Orioles, according to Baseball Reference.
Griffin was born on April 24, 2006, in Jackson, Mississippi.
The Arizona Diamondbacks (5-6) and the New York Mets (7-4) link up on MLB TV for the second of a three-game series. New York won yesterday's matchup, 4-3 in extra innings .
Arizona was on a two-game winning steak and had a chance to tie its season-long three yesterday, but folded a late lead. The Diamondbacks are now 0-4 on the road compared to 5-2 at home this season and has scored 11 total runs over four away games.
New York is 3-1 at home, but just came off a seven-game road trip in St. Louis and San Francisco. The Mets went 4-3 in that road trip and enter this matchup on a season-best four-game winning streak. The Mets are tied eighth in ERA (2.15), plus they are eighth in batting average (.249) to open the season.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Mets
Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Time: 4:10 PM EST
Site: Citi Field Park
City: Flushing, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Mets
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Arizona Diamondbacks (+113), New York Mets (-136)
The Mets’ Mark Vientos is hitting .417 with 10 hits and 15 total bases over 24 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .297 with 11 hits and 22 total bases over 37 at-bats
The Mets’ Francisco Lindor is hitting .167 with 7 hits, 10 walks, and 9 strikeouts over 42 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo is hitting .162 with six hits over 37 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Mets
The Mets are 6-5 ATS this season
The Diamondbacks are 8-3 ATS this season
The Mets are 4-5-2 to the Over this season
The Diamondbacks are 6-4-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Mets
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Diamondbacks at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 7.5
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SAN FRANCISCO — The play-in tournament officially awaits the Warriors, who locked their spot in as the Western Conference’s final entrant with Tuesday night’s results.
This was hardly news for a team that has more or less known its position for the better part of the close to the regular season. There was a remote possibility that they could jump the Clippers into ninth by winning out, but that was ended by Los Angeles beating the Mavericks.
So, for the fourth time in its seven years, the Warriors are play-in bound. They will have to win two road games against some combination of the Clippers, Trail Blazers and Suns, in order to advance to a first-round matchup with either the Thunder or Spurs.
Draymond Green said the play-in tournament is “not exciting.” AP
“I’m a competitor, so I’m gonna do all I can to win, but it’s not all that exciting,” Green continued. “As a competitor, you want to rise to the challenge, but I’m not going to sleep tomorrow night like, ‘Man, we’ve got the play-in next week.’”
The expanded postseason format introduced in 2020-21 is the only reason the Warriors are still alive after going 9-18 without Stephen Curry the past 27 games. Still, Green said, “it ain’t working.” The idea was to encourage more teams to compete to the end of the regular season.
“I think it worked initially,” Green said. “And now, to have a team stuck in 10th, it ain’t working. We could’ve lost our last 15 games and been stuck in 10th. … The play-in came about to make teams maybe through 12 or 13 keep going. They ain’t keep going (this season). They kind of slowed down. And then they hit the brakes.”
Green spent as much time assessing the pros and cons of the play-in as he did the details of Golden State’s 110-105 win over the Kings, and who could blame him? Sacramento and four other teams below the Warriors clearly weren’t incentivized to try for the No. 10 seed.
Stephen Curry — in his second back back from a knee injury — went for 17 points in 25 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
There was so little at stake, or at least so little reason for the Kings to want to win, that they intentionally fouled Seth Curry — an 86.4% free-throw shooter — down by 3 with 1:39 to go.
Asked for his solution to the NBA’s tanking problem, Green gave it some thought and suggested more punishments such as the respective fines the league dolled out to the Jazz ($500,000) and Pacers ($100,000) for their actions earlier this year.
“I get fined when I do wrong, so just fine the hell out of them,” Green said. “We love taking money from players. Keep fining the teams. I’ve seen two fines. And we all know everybody’s tanking. But you’ve seen two fines. If it was players, they’d snatch that money in a heartbeat.”
The league has been divided into two groups: teams trying to win and teams trying to lose. The Warriors have been buried at the bottom of the first bucket for most of the past two months, now, giving little meaning to the outcome Tuesday or any game of late, really.
De’Anthony Melton went for 21 points in 29 minutes — his highest scoring game since March 16. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
They’ve had a reason to care about the product on the court the past two games: It’s the beginning of a short window to get Curry and their other injured players reacclimated and reintegrated before the games begin to matter again.
Curry came out of his second game back from a knee injury healthy and with 17 points in 25 minutes. But he was largely quiet in the second half, and Kerr said he looked “a little rusty,” while calling out his responsibility for three of the Warriors’ 11 third-quarter turnovers.
“Steph was part of that with a couple poor decisions … he knows he had a little bit of a ragged game handling the ball,” Kerr said. “The second game back, to me, is always harder than the first. When you’re coming back, the first one, you get that adrenaline, and I think the other night, it was such a high-level game, and tonight, I felt like there was a little bit of a letdown for the whole team.”
The Warriors lost another chance to learn how they want to use Curry with Kristaps Porzingis, who was ruled out with knee soreness, along with Al Horford (calf), Quinten Post (foot), Gui Santos (pelvis) and Will Richard (back). The big man brought in at the trade deadline fouled out of Curry’s return, so the duo has only shared the court for eight minutes.
Perhaps the biggest thing the Warriors can take away from the win is confidence in De’Anthony Melton, who played his best game in nearly a month.
“I just wanted to figure out a way to get out of this slump,” Melton said after a 21-point effort in 29 minutes, his highest scoring output since March 16. He missed two of the 10 games since, averaging just 8.0 points per game on 30% shooting from the field — 23.1% from 3.
Curry’s return has opened up the floor for everyone, but especially his backcourt partner. Melton also said a thumb injury that made it painful to dribble or catch the basketball has healed.
“That’s the biggest thing I think,” he said. “It was just lingering with me a little longer than I liked (and) kind of started to mess with my mental a little bit, feeling confident out there.
“My body’s started to recover better and I’m starting to feel a lot better than I did. Those types of things matter.”
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Chet Holmgren
Donovan Mitchell
Aaron Gordon
