CHICAGO, IL - MAY 14: AJ Dybantsa smiles during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft Combine was held from May 10-17 in Chicago with the Washington Wizards being the center of attention. Obviously, when Washington has the No. 1 pick, that is to be expected.
However, in the last week, we have heard rumblings of the Utah Jazz looking to trade up to No. 1. The Jazz have the No. 2 pick and consensus No. 1 pick and former BYU star AJ Dybantsa has played in their state.
But if the Wizards think Dybantsa will be the best fit at No. 1, they will select him, and he will play in D.C.
Or will they?
Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic polled front office executives during the draft combine and found that out of 10 executives in an anonymous poll, seven indicated that Dybantsa will go at No. 1.
There is also an indication that there are four prospects who stand out, including Dybantsa. Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina are also part of this “Fantastic Four” group. It would be who Washington to take a deep look at the other three players as well.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN released a post combine mock draft with the Wizards selecting Dybantsa. But if Washington begins to covet one of the other three players in the “Fantastic Four,” then we can expect trade talk to heat up more than it already has.
On this day 70 years ago, the White Sox made a horrible blockbuster deal with Baltimore, shipping away Bob Nieman and three other future contributors. | (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images)
1905 Frank Smith tossed a one-hitter, the first of his career and fifth in White Sox history.
The proceedings didn’t begin as a Smith masterpiece, as the righty actually trailed in the game after walking Senators leadoff man Charlie Jones, Jones sacrificed to second by Hunter Hill, then driven home on a Jake Stahl (with throngs … OK, 117 fans … from his hometown of Champaign, Ill. present) single. But that was the first and only Washington hit for the game, and later on Smith helped his own cause with a double (the only extra-base hit in the contest) in the fifth inning, sacrificed to third by Fielder Jones, and scoring on a bobbled ground ball at shortstop — the second and decisive Sox run of the game.
Smith would throw two more one-hitters in his White Sox career, and only Doc White, Ed Walsh and Billy Pierce have more all-time South Side one-hitters than him.
1915 Red Faber won his seventh straight game in a 17-inning win over the Red Sox at Comiskey Park, 3-2. Both Faber and Boston loser Carl Mays, rotation members, came on in relief and essentially pitched a second complete game on the day.
Faber went 10 scoreless innings on six hits, giving up one walk and whiffing eight to improve to 9-2. The White Sox as a team stood at 20-12, alone in first place in the American League.
The 17 innings were played in three hours, 25 minutes!
1943 The White Sox won the fastest nine-inning game they’ve ever played, 1-0 over the Senators at Comiskey Park. Johnny Humphries threw a three-hitter in a game that took just one hour, 29 minutes. Humphries in fact scored the game’s only run, doubling to lead off the fifth and getting singled home by Thurman Tucker.
1956 The White Sox made a six-player blockbuster trade with Baltimore, sending George Kell, Mike Fornieles, Connie Johnson and Bob Nieman to the Orioles for Dave Philley and Jim Wilson.
Philley, an outfielder and first baseman who’d spent his first seven season in the majors with the White Sox, part of seven seasons, had a poor finish to 1956 (-0.4 WAR, .701 OPS) and was swapped to Detroit in June 1957. Right-handed starter Wilson, presumably the headliner of the deal for the White Sox, was coming off of a stellar 1955 season with the Orioles but was mediocre in Chicago (0.8 WAR, 9-12, 4.06 ERA); he pitched for the ascendant White Sox in 1957 and 1958 as well, but saw his MLB career end after 1958.
Kell, a (very dubious) future Hall-of-Famer, was at the very end of his career yet still produced at a better-than-average clip for the remainder of 1956 and 1957. Fornieles was a swingman who could both start and close games, an average pitcher who nonetheless extended his career until 1963, mostly with Boston.
But the gems of this trade were Nieman and Johnson. Nieman was seeing no playing time in Chicago but broke out into stardom with the Orioles in 1956, putting up 4.0 WAR in just 114 games (.322/.442/.497); the left fielder would go on to a solid 17.4, WAR career over 12 seasons, 14.4 WAR coming with Baltimore. Johnson was a late bloomer who was very strong as a right-handed starter for the White Sox in 1955 and outright blooming in Baltimore, putting up 6.4 WAR and a 3.42 ERA in 87 games for the Orioles through 1958 to end his MLB career.
Although GM Frank Lane made his share of trade steals, but this one was a clear loss on his ledger, getting the two worst players of the trade for his trouble.
1980 Despite a 3-2 loss to Minnesota, the White Sox remained in first place in the AL West, at 22-16. Nearly 34,000 fans showed up at Comiskey Park on a 65° Wednesday night, excited over the prospect of fielding a competitive squad once again. Down 3-1 in the ninth, the White Sox put runners on the corners with one out but could only muster an RBI ground out and strikeout to end the game.
It was the start of a four-game losing streak that bounced the White Sox from first the next day. The White Sox would bid goodbye to a winning record a month later, but in a weak AL West stuck in and out of second place past the All-Star break, with a record as poor as 39-44.
The second half was a full free-fall, with a 32-49 record, as the White Sox finished the year in fifth place, at 70-90-2. Britt Burns, at 21, was brilliant for the club (15-13, 2.84 ERA, 11 complete games, and a 7.0 WAR that remains tied for 25th among all franchise seasons) and Chet Lemon had another solid year (4.2 WAR), but that was about it for a floundering franchise.
2009 The White Sox tied their team record for worst defeat when they were annihilated, 20-1, by the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. The 19-run margin was first set on May 10, 2002 in Anaheim.
Bartolo Colón, Lance Broadway and Jimmy Gobble gave up all the runs. Colón at least had something of an excuse — of the eight runs he allowed, seven were unearned!
The Cleveland Guardians look to finish a four-game sweep and push their winning streak to six when they visit the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park this afternoon.
I’ll break down why I’m taking the visitors to break out the brooms in my Guardians vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, May 21.
Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Guardians moneyline (+100)
The Cleveland Guardians come into the series finale as a slight underdog, but there’s plenty to like about the visitors in this matchup.
The Detroit Tigers are banged up, missing three starters in Gleyber Torres, Javier Baez, and Kerry Carpenter. Unsurprisingly, Detroit is 2-13 over its last 15 contests while mustering a mere 2.47 runs per game through that span.
The Guardians, meanwhile, are 8-1 over their last nine, ranking second in runs scored (102) and third in on-base percentage (.347) among all teams this month.
Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)
Detroit has a dismal offense, but also a solid starter on the hill today in Casey Mize.
Mize, who has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of seven starts, carries a stingy 2.43 ERA and ranks in the 85th percentile in xBA (.211).
The Tigers can’t score, Mize won’t give up a ton, and both teams have bullpens with a sub-4.00 ERA. That all adds up to a third straight meeting with Under 7.5 runs.
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 1-0, +0.67 units
Over/Under bets: 0-1, -1 unit
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Guardians +108 | Tigers -113
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+178) | Tigers +1.5 (-186)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+117) | Under 7.5 (-122)
Guardians vs Tigers trend
Detroit has cashed the Under in five of its last six games. Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.
How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Thursday, May 21, 2026
First pitch
1:10 p.m. ET
TV
Guardians.TV, DSN
Guardians starting pitcher
Joey Cantillo (3-1, 3.40 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize (2-2, 2.43 ERA)
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Guardians vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 20: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 20, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the Western Conference Finals Wednesday evening with a 122-113 win. The series is now tied 1-1
Jared McCain came off the bench to score 12 points, hitting 4-14 overall and 3-9 from behind the three-point line.
Mason Plumlee did not get off the bench for San Antonio.
Victor Wembanya continues his assault on the league, scoring 21 points, pulling down 17 rebounds, passing out 6 assists and blocking 4 shots.
This has quickly become the most interesting rivalry in the NBA, but the future belongs to Wembanyama and OKC will have to find a way to counter him. They can either find someone who can more or less match his abilities, which is a long shot at best, or they can find some modern equivalent of the Jordan Rules, and that might mean substantially altering their roster.
Fortunately, they have a ton of options.
They could, for instance, build a frontcourt specifically to cage Wembanyama, at least offensively. We’re just using hypothetical examples here, but if you threw Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Zion Williamson at him, that’s a frontcourt that would expose his biggest weakness, which is his pipe-cleaner frame. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar entered the league, his physique was somewhat similar, but by the time he retired, his body was much thicker. But it took him years to muscle up.
Alternatively, they have a ton of draft picks to work with. Over the next five years, the Thunder have up to 11 first-round picks and between 12-15 second-round picks.
Already one of the deepest teams in the NBA, Oklahoma City clearly can’t use that many picks. It’s possible they could put together a deal for, say, Antetokounmpo, who would help a lot. Or they could look for another emerging young big man.
Or to go another route, the Thunder could just ruthlessly pursue great three-point shooters to counter Wemby. With great ball movement, you could just bomb away, and as freakish as Wembanyama can be, he can’t chase the ball around the perimeter. Again, this is hypothetical, but imagine if you hit him with Steph Curry, Kon Knueppel, and Luka Doncic.
Everyone is going to have to figure out how to deal with Wembanyama as the future of the league. OKC probably has the best chance of actually doing it.
Deandre Ayton is the Lakers’ biggest X-factor in the offseason. NBAE via Getty Images
Ayton is one of three Lakers, along with Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart, who have a player option for the 2026-27 season.
The expectation around the NBA is that Reaves will opt out of his $14.9 million option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career. He’ll be eligible to sign a maximum five-year contract worth $241 million with the Lakers or a four-year, $178 million deal with another team.
Smart, who has a $5.4 million player option for 2026-27, should be able to sign a more lucrative deal this offseason — including one with the Lakers — if he opts out after having his best season in a few years.
But Ayton, and his $8.1 million player option, will be a pivot point for the Lakers’ offseason as he weighs his options after saying after the season ended that he didn’t know what decision he’d make.
“Just being honored and happy to be on this platform,” Ayton said. “And another chance, and all of that. There’s great players I learned [from] here. I haven’t really thought about nothing else, to be honest. I have a little break to myself.”
Ayton added: “I trust my agents. That’s about it. That’s really out of my hands; I love it here regardless. Fans and everybody that’s been around me, the coaching staff. They treat me like family.”
But Ayton, and his $8.1 million player option, will be a pivot point for the Lakers’ offseason as he weighs his options after saying after the season ended that he didn’t know what decision he’d make. AP
With the Lakers looking to “retrofit” the roster around superstar guard Luka Doncic, there’s a heightened spotlight on the team’s big man rotation — especially the starting center.
Doncic has been at his best when playing alongside a rim-running, lob-threat center who’ll also protect the rim defensively, evident during his run to the 2024 NBA Finals when the Mavericks had a center rotation of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
Ayton and his style of play don’t fit that archetype.
There was a push-pull dynamic between what Ayton had been and wanted to be versus what the Lakers needed from him throughout the season — which Ayton acknowledged after the Lakers’ playoff run ended.
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, “had to adjust” his style of play after joining the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, is used to being the featured option within an offense and have the opportunities to impose his scorer’s mentality.
But that wasn’t what the Lakers needed from him most games. They needed his presence on the boards. A stout rim protector and defensive anchor. Even when his offensive touches were limited and consistently infrequent.
This dynamic is why Ayton said he came to the Lakers with a “different mindset” and “had to adjust.” And why he referred to 2025-26 as “humbling.”
This dynamic is why Ayton said he came to the Lakers with a “different mindset” and “had to adjust.” And why he referred to 2025-26 as “humbling.” Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
It reflected in his career-low averages of 12.5 points and eight rebounds. But to his credit, Ayton also shot a career-high 67.1% from the field. The Lakers were better at protecting the rim when Ayton was on the floor during the regular season and a significantly better rebounding team with Ayton playing during the playoffs.
“I came in here with a scorer’s mentality, and we don’t really need that,” Ayton said. “We have the best players on the team and the best playmakers. Kind of had to break down my game where just rebounding, defending the rim was what the team wanted. It’s not what I want, but it’s what the team wanted the most.”
This is why he’s the X-factor for the Lakers’ offseason. Getty Images
This is why he’s the X-factor for the Lakers’ offseason.
If Ayton opts out and signs with another team, it would help open pathways for the Lakers to sign or acquire another starting center who is a better fit alongside Doncic.
Ayton opting in or re-signing with the Lakers on another deal would make those pathways narrow and murkier.
It’s important to note that Doncic and Ayton are represented by longtime agent Bill Duffy of WME. And that Doncic recruited Ayton to the Lakers last summer after Ayton was bought out of his contract with the Trail Blazers.
The Lakers have been searching for the right center to pair with Doncic since they acquired him last February.
And they’re still searching.
How simple or complicated that search will be this summer will depend on Ayton.
As is customary, the GM and coach of all the teams that made the final four had a scheduled media availability before the start of their third-round series. On Wednesday, Eric Tulsky and Rod Brind’Amour from the Carolina Hurricanes spoke to the media early in the afternoon, while Kent Hughes and Trevor Letowski from the Montreal Canadiens met the press later in the day.
When Tulsky was asked about how the Canadiens operated their rebuild, he said:
Yeah, I mean, he’s done a great job. The team has come a long way; they’ve got a really strong young core, and they’re well set up to obviously have a great run this year and set up to keep getting better from there. Very impressed with what they’ve done, what they’ve put together. It’s going to be a tough round for us.
That’s a fair assessment, especially when considering that most pundits considered the Canadiens’ window of contention hadn’t opened yet, and here they are in the Eastern Conference Final, just four wins away from playing for the Stanley Cup.
As for being well set up for the future, I believe their goaltending duo says a lot about how well Hughes and his team have planned. They may not have drafted Jakub Dobes, but they did recognize he was a better option than Cayden Primeau, and they now have him competing with Jacob Fowler, who was the heir apparent. Up front, they still have exciting prospects coming through the ranks in Alexander Zharovsky and Michael Hage, and they also have good blueliners waiting for their opportunity.
As for Brind’Amour, he was asked what had made the Canadiens’ power play so successful against the Buffalo Sabres, and he explained:
Well, I don’t know if that’s just in the playoffs, but they’ve been dynamic. They have dynamic players. All five of those guys in their own right are elite at what they do [Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson]. You put them together in those roles, and I think they feed off each other really well.”
-
You just watch, they’re in synch. I think a power play is about skill, and they have it. So that’s a definite concern.
-
While the Canadiens have had a good success rate on the power play in these playoffs at 25%, they’ll have their work cut out for them against Carolina. The Canes have the second-best penalty kill with a 95% success rate over the eight games they played. However, things have not gone as smoothly on the power play for Brind’Amour’s men; with the man-advantage, they’ve only scored on 13.5% of their opportunities.
It will be interesting to see just how big a role special teams play in the third round. Will penalties be called consistently? It seems like the referees struggled with that in the first two rounds, and it would be great if the quality of the on-ice product weren’t affected by them.
The Edmonton Oilers are in the market for a new head coach following the dismissal of Kris Knoblauch, and amid the pursuit of high-profile options like Bruce Cassidy, whispers have emerged about a name that once commanded respect across the NHL but now carries significant baggage: Former Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock.
On Oilers Now, host Bob Stauffer and former NHL GM Brian Lawton floated the idea, with Lawton suggesting that someone with Stan Bowman’s background might consider Babcock given his pedigree. Lawton, who knows Babcock personally, described him as a good human being who deserves a second chance in a business that can be unforgiving. Yet, the conversation quickly pivoted to the realities of Babcock’s recent past, particularly the short-lived and tumultuous stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Babcock's coaching journey is one of remarkable highs followed by a steep fall from grace. He began his NHL head coaching career with the Anaheim Ducks, leading them to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final. His true breakthrough came in Detroit, where he guided the Red Wings to the 2008 Stanley Cup and established himself as one of the league's elite tacticians. His international success with Team Canada, securing Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014, further cemented his status as a winner who could extract the best from star-studded rosters.
That reputation led the Toronto Maple Leafs to sign him to a massive eight-year, $50-million contract in 2015, positioning him as the franchise’s saviour during a rebuild. In Toronto, Babcock inherited a young core headlined by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and others. His early tenure showed promise, with the team improving and making the playoffs in three straight seasons. However, underlying issues simmered.
The most infamous incident involved a then-19-year-old Marner during the 2016-17 season. Babcock tasked the rookie with ranking his teammates by work ethic. Marner, eager to please, complied and even placed himself at the bottom. What followed was a betrayal of trust: Babcock shared the list with veterans like Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri, who were ranked lower. Marner was reportedly brought to tears, and teammates were furious with the coach for pitting players against each other in such a public, humiliating way.
These incidents paint a picture of a coach whose old-school, demanding approach, once celebrated for driving success, now collides with today's NHL values around mental health, player autonomy, and respect. Babcock's 700-plus wins and championship pedigree remain undeniable, but trust has eroded.
For the Oilers, facing pressure to deliver with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the appeal of a proven winner is understandable, especially if other targets like Cassidy prove elusive due to contractual hurdles with Vegas. Bowman himself received a second chance after his own controversies, as Lawton noted. But hiring Babcock would invite intense scrutiny and potential locker-room friction in a market already under a microscope.
As of now, Babcock insists he's content in retirement. The Oilers' search continues, likely prioritizing candidates who can unify rather than divide. In a league evolving rapidly, Babcock's history serves as a cautionary tale: success on the ice doesn't always translate when the human element falters. Edmonton must weigh pedigree against past patterns carefully if his name resurfaces.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 10: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs talks with De'Aaron Fox in the second half of a preseason game against the Utah Jazz at Frost Bank Center on October 10, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs stole home court advantage in game 1, but had no delusions of taking game 2 without a fight.
Oklahoma City reset and were able to recreate the kind of game that kept them at the top of the Western Conference all season.
De’Aaron Fox did not suit up for the second straight game with a right high ankle sprain.
Spurs' De'Aaron Fox is expected to miss his second consecutive contest in Game 2 tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a right high ankle sprain, sources tell ESPN.
Spurs play-by-play announcer Jacob Tobey broke down the entire series of events quite concisely.
The Spurs are being very mysterious again.
They still are not specifying exactly what Dylan Harper injured beyond calling it a “leg injury.”
What’s at least somewhat encouraging is that after heading to the locker room, Harper DID attempt to return before ultimately being… pic.twitter.com/iPMpRNMCuM
If the Spurs are without the services of Fox and Harper, it is likely Jordan McLaughlin will see more minutes. After game 1, Coach Johnson stated he and the coaching staff discussed bringing in J-Mac throughout the game but ultiamtely decided against it. For game 2, however, McLaughlin played seven minutes making an immediate impact on the game shooting 2 of 2 from beyond the arc. McLaughlin’s ball-handling skills may be of greater need for game 3.
Castle took the loss personally, referring to his nine turnovers as a key factor that left the door open for the Thunder to even the series. In his postgame conference, he was slumped behind the microphone. The former Rookie of the Year didn’t make a lot of eye contact and took the brunt of responsibility for the loss.
The 2024 NCAA champion did mention that with a series meeting every two days, there wasn’t time to wallow. A film study, some tweaking of the plans, and the Spurs head into game 3 in less than 48 hours. Memories have to be short as the team look to bounce back in front of the home crowd at the Frost Bank Center on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mitch Johnson called Castle a “warrior” and Victor Wembanyama praised Stephon’s game.
Wembanyama on Castle’s performance and playing through physicality:
One thing for sure, the Spurs agree that whichever five players are on the court, they are connected and ready to play.
Go Spurs Go!
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (1) led his team to victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Thunder. Getty Images
He rubbed it in our faces. He made it impossible to second-guess. He all but etched his name on the metaphorical baton.
It happened in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Thunder. The evening began with Wembanyama watching NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hand Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP Award he coveted.
It ended with our jaws on the floor.
Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Spurs’ 122-115 double-overtime win over the Thunder on Monday. He followed that by a 21-point, 17-rebound, six-assist and four-block performance in the Spurs’ 122-113 loss on Wednesday.
If anything, Wembanyama was underhyped when he was touted as the best prospect since James.
He’s not like anything we’ve seen before.
He was dominant in Game 2, constantly chasing down any missed shots with unreal timing. But Game 1 was his magnum opus. That was his official coming out party He made the reigning champions look vulnerable. He made Gilgeous-Alexander look like he pulled a fast one on MVP voters.
Wembanyama was the human incarnation of opposing teams’ nightmares.
He was the best player on the court. He was the best player in the league. He was the best player of his generation. NBAE via Getty Images
The 7-foot-4 anomaly imposed his will everywhere. The paint belonged to him on both ends of the court. He was an unsolvable math problem for a Thunder team that had the NBA’s top-rated defense two straight seasons.
But what makes Wembanyama especially dangerous is he isn’t chained by the typical restraints of big men. He can dribble. He has a soft touch. He defies the rules.
Wembanyama transformed into Steph Curry in Game 1 with 27 seconds left in overtime and the Spurs trailing by three points, 108-105. He caught the ball just past half court. He fired a 28-foot 3-pointer. The ball swished through the net, forcing double overtime.
Plays like that make you wonder about Wembanyama’s ceiling. What isn’t he capable of doing? If he stays healthy, could he soon nip at the heels of LeBron James and Michael Jordan?
Then, in the second overtime, Wembanyama single-handedly outscored the Thunder, 9-7. He went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He had as many rebounds (four) as the entire Thunder team.
In the final minute of that period, Wembanyama was fouled on a made dunk and completed the three-point play. He made an alley-oop dunk. And he concluded his one-man symphony by blocking and grabbing a shot attempt by Jalen Williams.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said what impressed him most wasn’t even measurable.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
“His level of physicality and execution through physicality was tremendous,” Johnson said. “His rebounding obviously showed in the box score, but what was off the charts was defensively, he was in his stance almost all night. That’s 49 big minutes, and it was high level for the majority of those.”
Wembanyama has said he wants to be the next face of the league. This season, he argued his case for the MVP Award, finishing third for that honor. He won Defensive Player of the Year.
Wembanyama has said he wants to be the next face of the league. This season, he argued his case for the MVP Award, finishing third for that honor. He won Defensive Player of the Year. AP Photo/Nate Billings
He wants this so bad.
There’s nothing nonchalant about him. There’s nothing halfhearted. He’s all in, and he has the skills to be transformative.
He didn’t even sugarcoat things when asked if Game 1 felt personal after he witnessed Gilgeous-Alexander receive the league’s most prestigious individual award.
“Yeah, for sure,” Wembanyama said. “Everything you just said.”
Watching Wembanyama is exciting for so many reasons.
But above all, he’s this good — and he’s only 22 years old. He became the youngest person to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game on Monday. And on Wednesday, he had game-highs in rebounds and blocks while making three 3-pointers.
This is only the beginning.
It feels as though we’re witnessing magic. We’re watching a masterpiece being painted in real time.
We’re witnessing history.
The 41-year-old James has made it clear he’s going to retire soon. But we can all breathe easy because the league has been handed over to a guy who’s going to take good care of it.
He’s going to give it his all.
And if everything goes as expected, he’s going to become one of the all-time greats.
PITTSBURGH - MAY 21: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a hat trick in the third period as Dennis Seidenberg #4 and Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes are unable to stop the shot during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 21, 2009 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Seventeen years ago today, Evgeni Malkin put on a show with one of the most remarkable goals of his career in the Eastern Conference Final.
In 2009, the Penguins stormed back to the Stanley Cup Final by blowing past the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Final, thanks in part to Evgeni Malkin’s spectacular play with six goals in the four games of the series.
The most special of those six goals came during the Penguins’ 7-4 win in Game 2 of the series.
The Penguins had trailed 3-2 in the game before jumping back out to a 5-3 lead, but Carolina wouldn’t go quietly, drawing back within a goal to make it 5-4 early in the third period.
That’s when Evgeni Malkin made headlines with a special goal, his third of the game.
“Oh my word!” Joe Beninati said on the call. “Evgeni Malkin….spectacular for the hat trick!”
Malkin’s hat-trick goal gave the Penguins a bigger lead, one that they never gave up for the rest of the game, going on to win Games 3 and 4 on the road, and punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
In his end-of-the-season news conference, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens noted he has a sign in his office with three questions that guide his roster-building process.
It reads: What do you want? What’s true? How do you get there?
And the third question? Well, the fastest path back to true title contention might be patience.
Maybe that reads like an oxymoron. But as the Celtics navigate the NBA’s new financial minefield, a second season outside the luxury tax could open up the sort of big-splash pathways that recently paved the way to Banner 18.
Roll the clock back to the last time the Celtics dropped a Game 7 at home against a lower-ranked opponent. In the aftermath of a loss to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, Stevens made the bold choice to overhaul the team’s core, shipping out Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III while bringing back Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
The Celtics don’t have that sort of financial freedom this summer — but they might soon. If Boston stays below the tax for the 2026-27 season, it would open avenues to spending more aggressively in future seasons.
The Celtics saw a new punitive collective bargaining agreement steamrolling toward big-spending teams back in 2023 and got ahead of the curve. They launched into the 2023-24 campaign knowing their new-look core likely only had two seasons to chase a title. They got one and might have made a more serious charge at another if not for health woes.
Everyone knew a roster overhaul loomed last summer. Jayson Tatum’s rehab from an Achilles injury made it a little bit easier to stomach the possibility that Boston might take a step back. And while most expected the Celtics to morph into a lottery team, the Celtics stiff-armed all gap-year suggestions and stormed to the No. 2 seed in the East.
The 2026 playoffs, which ended in a first-round exit after Boston built a 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers, exposed some vulnerabilities that were otherwise masked during a vibes-filled regular season. The Celtics can start the process of patching some of those holes this summer and might still be a legitimate threat to emerge in the East, but it will be just the running start of what might evolve into a full cannonball back into the big spenders’ pool.
Let’s be clear here: The Celtics don’t do gap years. Their 56 wins last season — most of which came while Tatum rehabbed — proved that. We’re not saying they should punt on the 2026-27 season. The suggestion here is simply that, with one more year of financial restraint, Boston can position itself to splurge in a way that most contenders won’t often dare in the apron era.
If green runs deep in Boston, patience runs scant. The goodwill of the 2024 title is already erased by the team’s season ending earlier than expected in three of the past four seasons. No one wants to waste the prime years of the Jays. Not when Jaylen Brown will turn 30 in October, and with Tatum only 17 months behind him.
Alas, the new collective bargaining agreement, in the league’s never-ending quest to enhance parity, has created endless obstacles to crafting a roster that can compete for anything more than a two-year window. Teams that build through the draft could extend their windows — which is why San Antonio and Oklahoma City appear so daunting at the moment — but most teams will be doing the second-apron Hokey Pokey given the cost of carrying multiple stars.
We can see a pathway forward where the Celtics spend a bit this offseason, perhaps bolstering their frontcourt while hunting for players of all sizes who can help put pressure on the rim. Boston could utilize available exceptions to tweak their roster, scale above the luxury tax to start the season, then make an assessment of their title potential before the February trade deadline, with a willingness to trim salary if they’re not definitively in the title mix at that point.
The Celtics were trending toward a $540 million total roster spend if they had kept their 2024 title team intact entering the 2025-26 season. Hindered by repeater penalties for big spending while chasing titles in recent seasons, Boston was on pace to owe $240 million in luxury tax payments. Stevens won Executive of the Year, in large part, by trimming $350 million off the books, all while the Celtics remained competitive in the aftermath despite Tatum’s absence.
The Celtics need to examine all avenues this summer, even trade possibilities for core members like Brown and Derrick White. We suspect they’ll ultimately find it hard to deliver surefire upgrades to this roster, at least without taking on enormous risk.
Boston can shore up some weaknesses and utilize next season to figure out how to maximize both 1) a healthier Tatum and 2) a supercharged Brown coming off an MVP-caliber season where he was in the driver’s seat most of the year.
The Celtics can straddle two tracks. They can be competitive next season and be one of the favorites to emerge in the East, all while setting up the kinds of big additions that might position them to throw haymakers with Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder during the 2027-28 season.
One more year of keeping costs manageable might allow the team to load up the slingshot back to deep-pocket spending.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
On episode 205 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor welcome on Jam Hines from No Ceilings NBA to talk about the NBA Draft. Hines is one of the top NBA draft minds in the industry, and we picked his brain about all things Ohio State.
We talk with Hines about Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr., Anthony Thompson and Amare Bynum, as well as the overall 2026 NBA Draft and the current state of NIL and how it affects the draft.
Before that, we discuss John Mobley Jr. officially withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft pool and returning to Ohio State for his junior season.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning.
May 20, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) slides in safely at home against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates got a much-need 7-0 win last night over the St.Louis Cardinals. Carmen Mlodzinski pitched a stellar five innings, the bullpen got it done for a change, and Konnor Griffin went 4-for-5 at the plate with 3 runs scored on the evening. That stat line made Griffin the second-youngest player to have 4 hits an 3 runs in a game in the last 85 years. The only player younger to do it was Juan Soto. Pretty dang good company for Konnor.
Youngest players with 4+ H and 3+ R in a game in the last 85 years:
In addition, Griffin raised his average on the year to .278, which is a far cry from the slow start he had, when some of us were questioning if he really should have been brought up from the Minors. I think he’s proving that is was the right decision.
In addition, Griffin has 3 homers on the year, 20 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases, as well as a .405 slugging percentage and a .738 OPS. Those aren’t earth-shattering numbers, but I think it’s pretty clear that not only does Konnor belong, he’s got every ounce of potential that we had hoped for.
Griffin wasn’t the only Buc blasting at the plate last night. Nick Gonzales went 2-for-4 to lift his average to .318 on the season. Spencer Horwitz hit his 4th homer of the year. And Endy Rodriguez went 2-for-3 at the plate and is now hitting .333 over limited action. Even Jhostynxon Garcia got in on the act, going 2-for-3 on the night. The Pirates showed off their improved batting order up and down the lineup, finishing with 15 team hits on the evening, but it was Griffin who stole the show, adding his name to the record books already as a 20-year-old rookie.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had optimism for the future like the Bucs do now, but with Paul Skenes and now Konnor Griffin leading the youth brigade for the Bucs, the future finally appears bright.
Hull Kingston Rovers and Wigan play each other twice in the next 10 days in two games that will fully test their depth and resilience. After a slow start in Super League, the treble winners are climbing up the table and could go second if they beat Wigan at Craven Park on Thursday night. Their second meeting is at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final next Saturday. Rovers seem to be peaking at the right time. They have been punching out peak performances in recent weeks, the latest a tough win at Leigh.
This is a golden era for the club. After reaching the Challenge Cup final and Super League semi-finals in 2023, they played in their first Grand Final in 2024, finally won the title last year and were crowned world club champions in February. Willie Peters’ squad are entering their fourth year together. He will leave in October to take over new NRL franchise PNG Chiefs and, even though most of the club’s important players will stay, it feels like their time is now.
Toledo Mud Hens 3, Indianapolis Indians 2 (F/7)(box)(Gm1)
Sawyer Gipson-Long put together his best outing since coming off the injured list, and the bullpen did a nice job holding down Indy in Game 1 on Wednesday.
The right-hander tossed 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with two walks against six strikeouts. Still no sign of steady 94 mph velo though.
The Hens opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth when Jace Jung and Max Anderson started the inning with singles. With one out, Tyler Gentry reached on an error and a sac fly from Cal Stevenson made it 1-0.
Nick Sandlin allowed Indianapolis to tie it up in the fifth, and then Beau Brieske allowed a solo shot in the sixth. In the bottom half, Corey Julks answered back with a solo shot to tie the game 2-2.
Brenan Hanifee and Woo-Suk Go locked down the Indians the rest of the way while we got a look at former Tigers’ pitcher and 2015 Beau Burrows in the seventh. Go kept the runner on second from scoring in the top of the eighth, and a Tyler Gentry single walked this one off.
Malgeri: 2-4, 2B, 2 K
Jung: 1-3, 2 R, BB, K
Gipson-Long: 3.2 IP, 0 R, H, 2 BB, 6 K
Indianapolis Indians 3, Toledo Mud Hens 2 (F/7)(box)(Gm2)
On a bullpen day for Game 2, Konnor Pilkington started things off but allowed three runs in the first two innings, and that’s all it took.
The Hens got on the board in the bottom of the third when Max Burt led off with a double. He was advanced to third and scored with two outs on a wild pitch from José Urquidy.
So it was a 3-1 deficit, and the Hens missed a few minor opportunities until the sixth when Max Clark singled up the middle and Julks singled him to third. A Jung groundout scored Clark, but the hit they needed never arrived.
Tyler Mattison struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning that saw Indians’ hitting coach Eric Munson ejected for yelling at home plate umpire Jacob Metz, but that was the last notable event. Burt and Andrew Navigato drew one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh, but Malgeri took a called strike three and Clark lifted a routine fly to right field to end it.
Julks: 2-3
Clark: 1-4, R, K
Pilkington (L, 1-3): 2.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start at Fifth Third Park on Thursday.
The offense wasn’t exactly clicking, but in top of the fourth they got loose. Peyton Graham, who has been a nice sparkplug all season long for Erie, drew a leadoff walk and then stole his 24th base. John Peck struck out, but Thayron Liranzo and Justice Bigbie drew walks to load the bases. Chris Meyers smoked a sharp single to right to score Graham and keep the bases juiced for Izaac Pacheco, who unleashed a massive blast to right center field for a grand slam. 5-0 Erie.
Izaac Pacheco hits a rocket to center for a grand slam and the SeaWolves take a 5-0 lead. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/MCajFAfQZW
The two most interesting position players after Liranzo are Brett Callahan and John Peck, and they combined to add on in the fifth. Callahan led off with a double to center field, and after Graham grounded out, Peck blasted home run number 8 on the year to make it 7-0.
John Peck mashes a 2-run homer to left center and the SeaWolves lead 7-0. It’s Peck’s 8th home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/YcvJybCiDT
Lael Lockhart Jr. took over in the sixth, and he allowed an unearned run on a Graham error at second base. In the seventh, the lefty gave up three more runs and Tyler Owens took over.
Justice Bigbie led off the eighth with a double and scored on a double down the right field line from Pacheco to make it 9-4. An Andrew Jenkins single moved Pacheco to third where he scored on a Bennett Lee sacrifice fly. 10-4.
Owens allowed a solo shot in the eighth and Yosber Sanchez gave up one in the ninth but the game was well in hand.
Pacheco: 2-4, 2 R, 5 RBI, 2B, HR, K
Lirnazo: 2-3, R, 2 BB
Callahan: 1-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB
Peck: 1-5, R, 2 RBI, HR, 3 K
Miller: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start with the series tied at a game apiece.
South Bend Cubs 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 1 (box)
The quest to win back-to-back games for the first time since mid-April failed on Wednesday.
Ben Jacobs continued his outstanding first pro season with four no-hit innings with four strikeouts to give his team a chance to build a lead. The best they could do was one run, as Andrew Sojka doubled, stole third, and scored on a Luke Shliger single in the fourth.
Duque Hebbert followed Jacobs with two scoreless frames, but Logan Berrier gave up two runs in the eighth to lose the lead, and the Cubs added one in the top of the ninth off of Luke Stofel.
Sojka: 2-4, R, 2B, K
Jacobs: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday with the series knotted 1-1.
The Flying Tigers pitching staff was pretty dominant in this one, and they got a pair of home runs to help the cause as they made it two straight over the Marauders.
Cash Kuiper has been pretty up and down in his pro debut, but he was really good on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed a solo shot, but that was all as he struck out seven over his 3 1/3 innings of work. His slider and control did most of the lifting.
In the bottom of the third, down 1-0, Carson Rucker led off with a single and rode home on a two-run shot from Anibal Salas. Edian Espinal, who played infield in college before starting to convert to catching, a move the Tigers have solidified, launched a solo shot in the fourth to make it 3-1.
Anibal Salas smokes a 2-run homer to right to give Lakeland the lead. It’s his 3rd home run of the season. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/LdIOsSVSIc
The Flying Tigers took advantage of quality bullpen work by tacking on a run in the sixth. Espinal walked with one out, took second on a back pick attempt gone wrong, and scored on a wild pitch.
In the seventh, Alistair Tanner allowed a double and then a walk. A single to left field followed, but last night’s walkoff hero, Jesus Pinto, fired a perfect strike home to cut down the lead runner, and Tanner worked out of the inning unscathed. The Marauders never threatened again as Eliseo Mota closed them out for his second save.
Jesus Pinto uncorks a perfect strike from left field to cut down the runner at home and keep Lakeland up 4-1. @AaronArnstein calls it. pic.twitter.com/lRgh1DW2P6
COVERS INTEL: The Tigers are 
