May 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales (3) circles the bases on a two run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning/ at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
On Tuesday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates took down the Houston Astros 10-6 on the road. Third baseman Nick Gonzales was a huge part of the Bucs offensive success against Houston.
Gonzales went 3-4 with 3 hits and walked once. He has done a great job getting on base and producing in the middle of the lineup.
Gonzales leads the team with 65 hits after getting two more on Wednesday night, inlcuding a homer. He also has a batting average of .314 which is sixth in the Major Leagues. Gonzales may not show the most power, but he’s hit impressively well and held down third base this season. He now has 2 home runs and 29 RBIs, but with the high batting average and an OPS of .759,he has been a sneaky massive piece for Pittsburgh.
Players like Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, and Brandon Lowe are getting a lot of attention, but Nick Gonzales has to be the most underrated player so far. The Pirates are 33-29 and tied for second in the NL Central, and Gonzales deserves credit so far.
Gonzales recorded his second three-hit game over his last three contests and added a season-high three runs scored in the Tuesday victory. On Wednesday, he extended his hitting streak to a modest five games and is hitting .476 (10-for-21) during the stretch.
The Pirates haven’t really needed Gonzales hitting as many home runs, as their 73 home runs shows, thanks to players like Cruz, second baseman Brandon Lowe, right fielder Ryan O’Hearn, left fielder Bryan Reynolds, first baseman Spencer Horwitz and others.
Gonzales has stayed consistent with his approach at the plate, and the Pirates are good with him and his performance, which isn’t hard to understand why with his strong hitting numbers so far.
The 27 year old deserves a lot more credit for the success of the team. The Buccos’ offense is much better this year than last year’s team, and Nicky G is a big reason because of that. If the Pirates want to be a playoff team this year and snap that 11 year playoff drought, they need him to continue to produce.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Jalen Brunson (11) react in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Game 1 of the NBA Finals saw the New York Knicks come back from trailing by as many as 14 in the second half to defeat the Spurs in San Antonio by a score of 105-95.
It was a big night for New York’s star guard Jalen Brunson, who scored 30 points in the victory, nearly half of which came in the fourth quarter. However, former Kentucky Wildcat Karl Anthony-Towns also came up big for the Knicks in the Game 1 win, securing a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds to go along with 4 assists.
KAT had some key offensive rebounds for the Knicks in the win, and continued a solid postseason, where he is averaging nearly 17 points per game to go along with 10.6 rebounds, almost 6 assists, and almost 1.5 blocks per game.
The Knicks came into the Finals riding high off a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Many wondered how they would respond after the long break with the Spurs-Thunder series going 7 games, but the Knicks pulled off a massive win in San Antonio to open this series.
Tweet of the Day
KAT:
"I just felt a calm and a peace that had to be come from the woman above (his mom). I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here. It felt like I was a kid getting ready to go play my Saturday AAU games and Sunday AAU games. In a way I felt like I was seeing her in the… pic.twitter.com/iGj4FwxL8C
There’s a fine line between pessimism and realism. The line between optimism and delusion is equally fine.
On a related note, people are annoying.
“Just be a fan!”
Sorry if I can’t turn my brain off. It just functions despite self-interest.
“The Houston Rockets are doomed!”
Yes, a team stacked with good players under 25 and one of the best collections of draft capital in the NBA is thoroughly hopeless because they’re not as good as two teams. Absolutely doomed to damnation, they are.
It’s a fine line. All you can do is operate on a case-by-case basis. For example, we don’t know what Fred VanVleet might look like in 2026-27 after returning from a torn ACL.
Unfortunately, realism feels more viable than delusion in this case.
Rockets’ Fred VanVleet returning from gruesome injury
One frustrating component of this situation is the lack of precedent. Every case of a player returning from an ACL tear before, say, 2005 or so, should be thrown out. Sports medicine has improved a lot, which is why LeBron James is still practically LeBron James at the age of 41.
Yet, nothing short of sorcery could completely mitigate the effects of an ACL tear. It remains a variable. If we’re looking for recent examples of full recoveries, the data set is limited.
Zach LaVine did it. He tore his ACL in 2017 and eventually came back better than ever. He’s not a good analog for VanVleet. LaVine was a raw athlete who facilitated his comeback by developing his overall craftiness and feel for the game. VanVleet is an already-underwhelming NBA athlete who’s got craft and feel to spare.
One could argue that makes him a strong candidate to return to form. One could also argue that he couldn’t spare any of the athleticism he already had. That said, LaVine’s burst and vertical leap weren’t diminished, so perhaps VanVleet can functionally be the same athlete he was before:
Although that’s arguably part of the problem.
There’s another difference between LaVine and VanVleet: Age. LaVine was 21 when he suffered his injury. VanVleet is 32. That also separates him from Jamal Murray, who successfully returned from an ACL tear at 24. Even if VanVleet’s ACL had remained intact, there was concern that he’d decline:
He sure looked to be when he was last in action.
Rockets need point guard solutions
VanVleet was not bad in 2024-25. That would be an overstatement. He was still the undisputed champion of high-volume assist-to-turnover ratio’ing. His pull-up three was still a weapon.
But, he was the worst version of himself to exist in some time. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game with a woeful 51.5 True Shooting % (TS%).
Per databallr, the Rockets were still +3.4 when he was on the floor. VanVleet has always been someone who just finds a way to make good things happen. A timely steal here, a smart pass there. He’s always defended the point of attack well, in addition to the aforementioned superpower of never turning the ball over.
The Rockets will (almost certainly) be adding a rotation-caliber point guard to the rotation. For this team, that alone is a positive. Still, they’d better not be counting on VanVleet as a surefire starter. Either they’re ready to give Reed Sheppard a longer leash, they’ve got an acquisition in mind (whether a starter or someone to bolster a platoon) or they’re wildly optimistic:
Player: Rutger McGroarty Born: March 30, 2004 (age: 22) Height: 6’1” Weight: 212 pounds Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Shoots: Left Draft: 2022, first-round, No. 14 overall by Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 Regular Season Statistics: 24 games played, 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 total points, minus-3 rating Contract Status: Entering final year of entry-level contract with $925,000 salary cap number
Story of the Season
McGroarty’s season got off to a difficult start when an upper-body injury sidelined him for training camp, the preseason and the first month of the regular season. He eventually returned to the lineup in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, put up great numbers and found his way back into the NHL lineup in early December.
There were a lot of games where his play looked better than the actual on-ice production.
While he managed just three goals and six total points in 24 NHL games, he had an outstanding year in the AHL with 10 goals, 24 assists and 34 total points in 30 regular season games, while also playing a strong defensive game. He has also been productive in the AHL playoffs.
It’s a very bizarre set of numbers. The shot-attempt share and expected goals share outstanding within the context of this Penguins team.
But everything else?
Largely underwhelming, both in terms of his own production and the team-wide performance. It’s all a very small sample size, so there is definitely some noise here, but it’s still a tough year in terms of actual performance.
Highlights
Questions to ponder
The biggest question surrounding McGroarty at this point almost always seems to come back to his skating, and whether or not it is good enough to be an impact player in the NHL. Can he improve it enough to get there? Is it good enough as it is?
Ideal 2026-27
The ideal scenario for McGroarty would be for him to simply have a better start to his season than he had in 2025-26. He needs a full training camp, a full preseason, and an opportunity to prove himself and earn a spot on the opening night roster right from the start.
With Antony Mantha and Noel Accairi likely leaving Pittsburgh, and with the potential for some other trades this offseason, there should be roster spots up for grabs. McGroarty taking one of them and being able to be a regular contributor would be a massive development for the Penguins. The farm system has improved, but they need some of these young guys to start developing at the highest level. If McGroarty can play a full season and flirt with the 20-goal mark (or exceed it) that would be a big step toward that.
Bottom line
Just as was the case with Ville Koivunen, McGroarty is entering a big season for the Penguins and for his development. He is going to turn 23 years old by the end of the season and has performed well enough at the AHL level that he has very little to prove down there. There’s going to come a point where he is going to need to start showing something more at the NHL level and turning it into tangible, meaningful production. It is not quite a make-or-break season, but it is very close to being one for him.
Final Grade: C
There were some brief glimpses of what McGroarty can be, and could be, but not enough of them. Part of it was the preseason injury. Part of it was usage and role. And part of it was just his own play and the growing pains that come from being a young NHL player that had something of a disrupted season.
Max Clark homered for the second straight day and the Hens crushed the Cubs again with a strong effort from the bullpen as well.
Troy Watson made a short start and did quite well against a pretty good Cubs lineup. He blanked them on three hits and a walk over 3.2 innings of work with four strikeouts.
Tyler Gentry opened the scoring with a solo shot in the third. Eduardo Valencia launched home run number 11 on the year to open the fifth, and it was 2-0 Hens.
In the sixth, Max Anderson led off with a walk and stole second base. Hao-Yu Lee smoked a sharp single to left that scored Anderson and took second on the play. A Trei Cruz single plated Lee for a 4-0 lead.
Ricky Vanasco took over from Watson for four outs, striking out two. Woo-Suk Go followed that up with a pair of perfect innings and three punchouts of his own. Tyler Mattison handled the eighth without allowing a baserunner either.
In the seventh, Max Clark cracked a 420 foot shot to right that left the bat at 108 mph. Yesterday he homered off a lollypop from a position player, but this was a no-doubter and over the past two weeks Clark has started pulling the ball with more authority. Good signs from the top outfield prospect in baseball.
Here’s a look at Max Clark’s solo bomb from earlier. Left his bat at 108 MPH and went 420 feet. It’s his 4th home run of the year, and his 2nd in as many days. pic.twitter.com/YbEgqXAb7E
Hao-Yu Lee doubled in Ben Malgeri and Gage Workman in the eighth. After walks to Cruz and Valencia, Jace Jung doubled in two and scored on groundout later in the inning to make it 10-0. Scott Effross allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Lee: 2-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B
Clark: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, BB, K
Valencia: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB
Watson: 3.2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:38 p.m. ET start on Thursday.
Kenny Serwa put together his best outing of the season, but it took a late rally for the Flying Tigers to comeback and win this one.
Serwa gave up a run in the third, but otherwise the knuckleballer was in full control. He fired five innings of one-run ball with a walk allowed against seven strikeouts. Wandisson Charles handled the sixth and seventh innings without allowing a run.
The SeaWolves had the leadoff man on repeatedly in this one, but couldn’t break through until the eighth. Bennett Lee led off the inning with a solo shot that tied the game at 1-1. Seth Stephenson followed with a single and stole second base. Brett Callahan flew out, but John Peck reached on an error and Thayron Liranzo walked to load the bases. The Dragons’ Mitch White walked Justice Bigbie to force in a run, and a Peyton Graham single made it 3-1.
Tyler Owens wild pitched in a run in the bottom of the eighth, so it was 3-2 Erie heading into the ninth. Stephenson walked with one out, and the speedy center fielder had no trouble scoring on a Callahan drive to center that got down for a double. Luke Taggart struck out three in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save, but only after allowing a pair of two-out singles that brought the go-ahead run to the plate.
Brett Callahan with a big RBI double in the 9th that puts the SeaWolves up 4-2. pic.twitter.com/9QQkCuxa7p
Ben Jacobs had a rough outing, but the Whitecaps rallied with a three-run eighth inning to win on Wednesday and even the series.
Andrew Sears started things off with a rehab start. He gave up a run in the first, but only one hit and no walks, with four strikeouts over three good innings of work. He looks close to heading back to Double-A Erie soon.
Jacobs succeeded him, allowing three runs in five innings of work with six strikeouts. Jacobs wasn’t hit hard other than a Jacob Friend solo shot, but three walks and some wildness in the fourth especially helped the Dragons out quite a bit.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Whitecaps took advantage of leadoff walks to Jackson Strong and Luke Shliger. Cristian Santana struck out, but Juan Hernandez walked as well, loading the bases. Woody Hadeen singled in Strong, while Andrew Sojka singled in Shliger and Hernandez to make it a 3-3 game.
Dayton scored one in the seventh to take a one-run lead, but in the bottom of the eighth, Hadeen and Penngton walked and Bryce Rainer strafed an opposite field doubled to score Hadeen. That tied the game, and then the Dragons couldn’t handle a Clayton Campbell pop-up and Pennington scored. A Strong ground out allowed Rainer to score and make it 6-4 where it ended. Jalen Evans tossed a perfect ninth to earn his first save with the ‘Caps.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 11, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 5 (box)
A six-run rally in the eighth blew open a close game as the Flying Tigers took down the Mighty Mussels on Wednesday.
They jumped out to an early lead in the first as Jordan Yost led off the bottom half with an opposite field single and took second on a passed ball. Jude Warwick walked, and with one-out, Edian Espinal smoked a drive into the right field corner for a two-run triple. Espinal remains a very interesting story as the Tigers teach him the catching position while he continues to rake, now holding a .915 OPS on the season. Jesus Pinto, the other fast riser in Lakeland, reached on an error as Espinal scored to make it 3-0.
Meanwhile, Cash Kuiper was crusing through three innings. In the fourth, he couldn’t quite corral a comeback from Enrique Jimenez, last seen being traded by the Tigers to the Twins for Chris Paddack. An error by Carson Rucker followed, and then Hunter Dobbins took a catchers interference call. Kuiper wasn’t hit hard, but a three-run inning for Fort Myers followed from those mistakes, including another one from right fielder Anibal Salas, tying the game. Fort Myers added one in the fifth as Kuiper’s outing came to an end.
The Flygers answered back in the bottom of the fifth. Salas singled, and Yost walked before Warwick tripled them both in to re-capture a one-run lead. Warwick got a little greedy heading down the third base line and got tagged out, but they had the lead. Jan Carabello allowed Fort Myers to tie things up again in the seventh, but in the eighth Lakeland took control for good.
Jude Warwick puts Lakeland ahead 5-4 with a sharp 2-run triple down the line, but he gets tagged out after starting too far from the base. pic.twitter.com/9MnVhVTYoL
Yost was hit by a pitch and stole second base to start the inning. Warwick singled, and Beau Ankeney doubled them both in after a pretty epic 10 pitch battle. Fort Myers went back to the pen, but the new reliever hit Espinal before striking out Pinto. Nick Dumesnil grounded out, moving both runners into scoring position, and Rucker walked. Hunter Dobbins followed with a grand slam to left center field to put this one in the bag.
Hunter Dobbins turns on this slider and crushes a grand slam to left to put Lakeland up 11-5. @AaronArnstein would have called it, but the microphone is angry at him. pic.twitter.com/sNSasex9qo
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks talks to the media during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Sharon Chi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The consensus NBA Finals favorite, the mighty San Antonio Spurs, and all their backers ate humble pie on Wednesday…
…and a banged-up yet unstoppable Jalen Brunson served it to them.
Read this Bulletin while rejoicing in the fact that New York is just three games away from sporting 24-karat rings on their collective fingers.
Mike Brown says that Rick Brunson told him to "shut the hell up" when it came to complaining about the officiating tonight: pic.twitter.com/8YF8PXJO7i
“I didn’t think he was (limited). I’ve got to go back and watch the tape. He caught a lob. He was still a vertical threat. … And then defensively, I thought he was pretty good as well, trying to rebound, keeping those guys off the glass.”
On trusting Jalen Brunson late:
“We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him. And he got it done for us, and that’s happened time after time after time.”
On Brunson’s second-half takeover:
“He’s a gamer, man. In the biggest moments, he shows up, and that’s what MVPs are supposed to do. He carried us home. We put the ball in his hands and said we are going to live and die with him. And he got it done for us, and that’s happened time after time after time. He got to his spots and he made plays.”
On learning through a tough win:
“We felt we didn’t play well, but it’s good to learn with a win.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ impact:
“He’s a problem. You put a small guy on him, he’s got a chance to offensive rebound. You put a big guy on him, he’s got a chance to pick-and-pop and go around guys. We have to just keep trying to move him around based on who is guarding him throughout the course of the ballgame, but he was huge for us with his double-double. He came up with some timely buckets for us. He’s a problem. You put a small guy on him, he’s got a chance to offensive rebound. You put a big guy on him, he’s got a chance to pick-and-pop and go around guys.”
On Landry Shamet’s play off the bench:
“Landry was huge off the bench. Not only [scoring, but] defensively he was huge for us.”
On OG Anunoby’s impact:
“OG got it going in the second half. He was huge for us in the second half.”
On Jalen Brunson’s injury scare nearly pushing him to sub Tyler Kolek in:
“I’m too emotional and you know, when I get caught up in injuries, so when he got hurt and he went out, ‘Jose, let’s go.’ And I was about to throw Tyler Kolek in the game, too. Jalen came back, tough as nails, and to me he didn’t seem like he had any effect afterwards. I haven’t talked to our medical people. He didn’t look like it was bothering him down the stretch, and so I think he’s OK.”
On the team’s resilience:
“These guys are resilient, man. They get better as the game goes along. They really try to pay attention to the details that we are throwing at them.”
On staying the course when trailing in Game 1:
“You know, we’re down double digits tonight, and we were also down double digits in Game 1 against Cleveland. And for our guys just to stay with it is huge. Because anything can happen in a 48-minute game, as long as you stay the course.”
On making transition defense adjustments on the fly:
“These guys are just fast, and we can’t buddy-run — you’ve got to sprint back, and you’ve got to shift to the ball. You’ve got to make the paint look crowded, and then you’ve got to get to their shooters, just because they are so good in transition.”
On the bench unit:
“We’ve gotten lifts from our bench at different times. All of those guys have had big moments for us throughout the course of these playoffs so far. For us, that’s something that we’ve wanted to establish during the course of the [regular season] for moments like these.”
On Rick Brunson calming the team:
“We were all bitching too much at the officials. Rick Brunson was great. He told me to shut the hell up – sorry Mom – and he told the rest of the team to be quiet and leave the officials alone. It was great of him because we were all kind of losing our minds, and I did it, the rest of the guys did it, and it helped us put our energy elsewhere – especially in the second half.”
On his minute-management philosophy:
“In terms of the minutes, it’s a philosophy I had. One of the many things I learned from Pop and Steve [Kerr]. Steve was really good at trying to play a lot of different guys. Not only that, a guy that hadn’t been in the rotation for a while, one game he might throw him out there as a starter. That kept guys engaged or on their toes, however you want to call it. Then at the end of the day, I’m not a medical person, but just from what medical people say, if you can kind of control the minutes during the regular season, it helps them during the postseason. From people telling me that, I believe it. That’s what I tried to do.”
On navigating adversity during the season:
“First of all, there’s always rocky moments during the course of the season. That’s what the season’s there for. I actually hoped there would be some big, rocky times or adverse times because you have to try to fight through them as an organization, not just as a team, but as an organization, to see if everybody can stay connected during those times. Getting to the Finals is not easy. If you can navigate through some of those adverse or tough times throughout the season, you’ll give yourself a chance when it really matters, which is the postseason.”
“Honestly, I just think our chemistry. Just knowing that we have each others’ back. There’s a lot of things Xs-and-Os-wise that we could’ve done better, but I think most importantly our togetherness was the biggest difference.”
On respecting the Spurs:
“They come ready to play more than any other team that we’ve faced. And so, we have the utmost respect for them. We know that we’ve got to be ready for Game 2. We just found a way to make big plays to end the game.”
On never leaving the clutch zone:
“I think it starts with my confidence. It comes with my work ethic. I think most importantly, knowing we’re on the road, and knowing my teammates have my back, I think that’s the biggest thing in an environment like this. The trust they have in me and the trust I have in them, it’s got us to this point. I mean, I’m very thankful for them every single night we go out there together.”
On closing out Game 1:
“I don’t want to say calmness, but I think we know what we have to do. I think we are a pretty together group. Be able to trust each other and still have each other’s back and know that we just have to keep chipping away, chipping away. It’s just a credit to the mentality that we have as a team.”
On sticking together through adversity:
“I was happy by how we stuck together. It wasn’t really our night. Wasn’t my night most of the night. But I liked how resilient we were tonight. We kept chipping away.”
On the team’s comfort late in games:
“I think we know what we have to do. I think we are a pretty together group. Be able to trust each other and still have each other’s back and know that we just have to keep chipping away, chipping away. It’s just a credit to the mentality that we have as a team. But we can’t just be satisfied with that. We have a long way to go and we have a lot of things to do to be better, but happy we came away with a win.”
On Josh Hart’s reliability:
“Whatever you need from him, he’s going to execute. That’s just who he is. He’s always been that way. I can’t explain it. He just has a knack for doing things like that, and in crucial times as well. It’s a credit to who he is as a player.”
On his injury status heading into Game 2:
“I’ll be alright.”
OG Anunoby
On his second-half explosion:
“My teammates were finding me and I was being aggressive and ready to shoot. Just shoot with confidence.”
This, then the postgame interview.
Never thought I’d become this huge a KAT fan.
Always been a great guy and a great player.
And yet feels like he’s gone through a very late-career maturation process through a tumultuous season.
“Today, our offense didn’t show up until late and our defense was there from the beginning, and that’s what saved us. If we can find a way to get the offense going and continue to improve our defense — not only just keep it where it was tonight, but improve on it — we’ll give ourselves a chance to win every night.”
On the collective concern after Brunson’s injury scare:
“You know, when we all saw him limp off, we were worried not only because he’s Jalen Brunson but more because he’s our brother and we are a family in our locker room. Just worried about his health. But when we were on the court and I saw him walking back out to the bench, it was a relief feeling just to know he’s safe. That was really at the end of the day all we care about it is his safety.”
On defending Victor Wembanyama:
“You’re just trying to make it difficult. He’s an amazing, a one of a kind player that this league has ever seen, so you just try to make it as difficult as possible for him.”
On sensing his mother’s presence:
“To be honest with y’all, and I don’t want to sound sugarcoating in any way… I don’t know what it was but I just felt a calming (presence) and a peace that had to be coming from the woman above. In a way, I felt like I was seeing her in the stands. It was fun and was really comforting. It felt like a certain presence that was here that was very comforting and very loving. I felt like I could have fun out here in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which is the weirdest thing.”
On Brunson’s clutch skills:
“With the ball in his hands, I’m never surprised. I tell you, that last shot — I think it was a shoot-floater. That was nasty, I ain’t going to lie.”
On trusting his preparation:
“You just trust your work and you trust your decision-making, and I always say [I want to be] aggressive in play-making.”
Mitchell Robinson was asked if he enjoyed the physicality of tonight's game:
“My job is my job, and it remains the same: to be ready for whatever situation or moment you’re asked to step into, and that’s the only thing I think about. I’m not thinking about how it started, anything in the past. … We’ll do the whole reflection and look back thing when it’s all said and done. We are all focused on our job and how we can best help each other try to get a win.”
On maintaining perspective through highs and lows:
“I’m a believer that everything you go through … prepares you for where you’re ultimately headed in one way or another, even if it doesn’t line up perfectly. I’m really grateful for all the highs and lows I’ve been through personally. All I know right now is that I’m here. Like I said, I’m trying not to get too reflective, open up that can of worms of looking back on everything, quite yet. There’s [three] more wins between me and doing that, that I’m more worried about.”
On Jalen Brunson’s leadership:
“He’s our captain for a reason. He’s not afraid of the moment.”
On the team’s unselfish locker room:
“Truthfully, with this team — I’ve said it a number of times — we’ve got a group that truly roots for each other, wants each other to succeed. It’s special when you have a locker room where those ulterior motives bleed into your locker room. Look at our bench, different guys throughout the playoffs that have been inserted, have had to step up, play bigger roles in certain situations. There’s a lot of reasons on paper where it would look like you could get a little bitter about so-and-so is taking so-and-so’s minutes, whatever the case may be. Truthfully, this team, we have a special group where we all root for each other, know that job and role could look different for anybody any night.”
“I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here.”
Karl-Anthony Towns shares the sense of peace he felt going into Game 1 of the NBA Finals 🏀 pic.twitter.com/grbyAYdT4P
“Honestly, with KAT, I feel like when he’s locked in he’s not just doing the scoring, doing the assisting, but he’s setting the pick (on the pick) and roll, and he’s diving hard, and then defensively he’s bringing a physical presence. What he did for us was not just guard him at a high level, but he kept him from getting those second-chance opportunities, which I think is something Wemby does phenomenal. I feel like that’s huge. Taking away a first shot is big, but to take away that second one was big for us.”
On the late surge earning them a Game 1 victory:
“I think once we settled down and locked in as a team, we changed the game.”
On Knicks fans traveling to San Antonio:
“It’s not surprising at this point. We know they’re going to be there and gonna be loud, so shoutout Knicks nation.”
"It was good. Can't think about it too much. Now we got to go tomorrow, watch film, learn from the win. They're going to come out with a lot of energy, a sense of urgency, a sense of desperation and we got to do the same thing."
On his second-half energy after running up and down the court all evening:
“I had a lot of energy. I think I only played like seven minutes in the first half. I knew I had to come out, be aggressive. It was just come in and inject energy.”
On Jalen Brunson closing games:
“We’re extremely comfortable. We want him with the ball at the end. He’s one of those rare or few guys if you’re in a one or two possession game at the end, and if he has the ball, you’re extremely comfortable, extremely calm. I don’t want to give him too much credit, like I’m looking at him in awe or something. But we’re extremely comfortable with that. He had big shots, and he had big plays.”
On the team’s toughness:
“We’ve just got a lot of tough guys. A lot of guys that don’t quit. You know, everybody in this locker room has had adversity. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t, and they wouldn’t be here if they didn’t make it through that adversity. So whenever we’re down, we don’t panic. We continue to play our brand of basketball, and you know, that’s always … that’s cool.”
In response to being asked about the quality of the Game 1 win, Mikal Bridges said:
On the Knicks’ approach to Game 2 after stealing home advantage:
“We take care of what’s in front of us. Another game Friday. Start zero-zero.”
On the team’s hunger:
“We’re going to keep fighting, no matter what. We all just were hungry and desperate. That’s all we’re going to be. Every single day. Every single game.”
“He definitely holds himself accountable. I would suspect he’ll learn a lot of things from tonight’s game and come out with a good approach in Game 2.”
On getting Wembanyama moving toward the rim:
“We got to get him moving in space and toward the rim, whether that’s on rolls or running in transition. But we need the pressure on the rim and the force in the paint.”
On losing the offensive rebounding battle:
“The offensive rebounds crushed us. Twenty-three second-chance points. We’re up one point, 93-94, 94-95, get them to miss. Brunson hits a 3, they go on an 11-0 run. Tough.”
On defending Jalen Brunson:
“He’s a tremendous player that’s skilled, picks his spots, knows his angles. Shoots contested shots without being sped up. He’s a phenomenal player and we just have to keep making him work. He had a phenomenal game. He got going and got a few in a row, but 30 points on 31 shots, is something you probably want to keep making him work for those points. Probably some of the other stuff that we can control, instead of him making or missing shots.”
On fatigue as a factor:
“I don’t think it was fatigue. I’m sure guys got tired at times. I don’t think anyone’s performance was based on fatigue, I think we just need to be sharper and execute better. And continue to work the game and not fight it at times and play the right way.”
"It's almost not like I have anything to figure out. It's almost like I have to play normal, not even good…"
–– Victor Wembanyama on what he has to do to beat the Knicks after losing Game 1pic.twitter.com/eSnojh1bxG
“It’s not like I have anything to figure out. It’s almost like I have to be normal, not even good… It’s like just doing the right things is enough… When we shoot ourselves in the foot, this is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better, I’m going to be so much better.”
On adjusting his play after the loss:
“I agree with the coach. Every team guards differently, I’m gonna figure it out. I was bad tonight, it’s not more complicated than that. I think we let that one go.”
On defending Brunson better moving forward:
“He’s an elite player, and we don’t have many more chances. It’s a first-to-four series. So we’re going to have time to work on it.”
On being down in a series before:
“We’ve been down in a series before. I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried in the slightest.”
On a fan running onto the court for a selfie:
“I’ve never been in that situation. I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me.”
Dylan Harper says that he does not feel like fatigue played an issue in the Spur's performance tonight:
"I feel both teams were fatigued.. I feel like they just executed a little bit better" pic.twitter.com/xz4kIHR93P
“We’re confident but also have a chip on our shoulder from this game we just lost. You never want to lose and going into this next game, we’re going to be even more hungrier and keep on proving.”
On fatigue impacting Game 1:
“I feel both teams were fatigued, really. I just feel like they executed better.”
Devin Vassell
On the need for better rebounding:
“We know we’ve got to control the boards. With this series, they like to crash the glass — KAT, OG, all them. Can’t just be one half where we’re crashing the glass. We’ve got to help Vic. We’ve got to help the bigs down there. That’s going to be a huge part of this series.”
“It’s really been terrible defense on the Knicks. Cause if you actually look at [Julian Champagnie’s] threes. Why is he wide open? There’s no reason to be leaving him wide open.”
On how the Knicks can beat the Spurs:
“The Spurs can’t guard the pick and roll. When [the Knicks] run the pick and roll with KAT they get something good everytime. We have to give KAT his flowers.”
"These guys are on the brink of doing something so so special" – Monica McNutt on the history and the statistics being on the Knicks' side as they take Game 1 in the NBA Finals. @NYKnicks | @McNuttMonica | #AlwaysKnickspic.twitter.com/Be2UhOxTid
What - Game 2 (0-1) When - 8 p.m., Thursday, June 4 Where - Lenovo Center; Raleigh, NC How to Watch - ABC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to bounce back in Game 2 after dropping the Stanley Cup Final opener to the Vegas Golden Knights.
It was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams as both utilized effective forechecks to force mistakes and capitalize on chances, but in the end, Carolina made one more mistake than Vegas.
Both teams will be looking for a better defensive effort overall given the sheer amount of turnovers and sloppy plays in their own zones, but for Carolina, being more sharp in coverage will be a major key.
Four of the Golden Knights' five goals came from an in-alone look in and around the slot, so the Canes need to do a better job of managing the puck in their own zone, cutting down turnovers and covering those high-danger areas.
Offensively, the team also needs the top line and the top power play unit to start producing to match Vegas' top players.
The depth is showing up for the Canes, but they can't carry the load.
Those need contributions will be critical if they want to pull off a Game 2 win.
Streaks
Shayne Gostisbehere (3g, 2a) has points in four straight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers (2g, 3a) has points in three straight games.
Game Notes
Carolina and Vegas have never met in the postseason before.
This is both team's third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history (CAR - 2002, 2006, 2026; VGK - 2018, 2023, 2026).
William Carrier played for the Golden Knights from 2017-2024, winning the Cup with them in 2023.
Noah Hanifin (2015-2018) and Dylan Coghlan (2022-2024) both played for Carolina.
The Hurricanes went 0-2 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, with both games taking place in October.
All-time, the Canes have a 9-7 record against Vegas.
Key Matchups
Projected Starting Goalies
Frederik Andersen: 12-2; 0.920 Sv%; 1.65 GAA
Carter Hart: 13-4; 0.921 Sv%; 2.33 GAA
Leading Scorers
Goals - Logan Stankoven (9) / Brett Howden (11)
Points - Taylor Hall (16) / Mitch Marner (22)
Power Play
Carolina - 12.1% (7/58)
Vegas - 22.4% (11/49)
Penalty Kill
Carolina - 92.9% (52/56)
Vegas - 88% (45/50)
Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Jordan Martinook William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield K'Andre Miller - Sean Walker Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin
Frederik Andersen Brandon Bussi
Injuries and Scratches: Mike Reilly, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Pyotr Kochetkov
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner Tomas Hertl - Colton Sissons - Mark Stone Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar
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On the 558th Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a blockbuster sneaker deal. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry announced a 10-year agreement with Chinese brand Li-Ning earlier this week.
Curry was a sneaker free agent for less than a year, after abruptly separating from Under Armour in November. As part of the new deal, his Curry Brand will expand under Li-Ning, with lifestyle and golf products expected in the coming years. The deal appears aimed at replicating something like what Nike built with Jordan Brand over the last three decades.
The hosts talk about the underlying deal motivations. Nearly 99% of Li-Ning’s revenue comes from China, and Curry Brand will provide a jumping off point for the company to increase sales in other parts of the world. The opposite is also true: Curry stands to make millions more in China by being associated with a domestic brand, especially now that Chinese consumers are increasingly choosing to avoid companies based in Europe and the Americas.
Next the hosts talk about the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. It’s a dream matchup for the NBA, which gets to pit a young, generational talent (Victor Wembanyama) against the country’s largest market, whose main team hasn’t been to the Finals in nearly 30 years.
They close by talking about the World Cup and the vibes in America with about a week left until games kick off. They talk about how the six-week tournament is really two separate events. At the start, a barrage of group stage matches will produce a lot of matchups with limited interest, empty seats, and plenty of soccer fatigue. Then, once the knockout stages start, the tournament’s most important matches will be among the biggest sporting events ever held.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
It turns out the Colorado Avalanche didn’t just lose a general manager—they handled the exit of a key front-office figure with a level of composure that quietly says a lot about how the organization operates behind the curtain.
What could have become a messy, drawn-out power struggle instead unfolded with surprising speed. And if there’s one thing this entire situation makes clear, it’s that Chris MacFarland wasn’t pried away through chaos or internal fracture—he was simply presented with an opportunity too juicy to refuse.
A Rapid-Fire Departure That Caught The League Off Guard
There was no prolonged rumor cycle, no weeks of “sources say” positioning, and no public tug-of-war over loyalty. Instead, the Nashville opportunity materialized and accelerated almost immediately after Colorado’s season came to a close.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts Podcast, the timing suggests the Predators likely initiated contact with Colorado almost as soon as their Western Conference Final run ended. The speed alone turned heads around the league.
By the time discussions progressed, it was clear this wasn’t a casual inquiry—it was a fully formed push from Nashville’s side to land their next head of hockey operations.
When Bill Haslam and MacFarland addressed the media during the introductory press conference, neither side explicitly confirmed just how early the process began. But the urgency was hard to miss between the lines.
Still, the more revealing detail may be what didn’t happen in Colorado: resistance.
As Friedman noted, the Avalanche essentially did right by MacFarland. With Joe Sakic firmly entrenched as President of Hockey Operations, the upward mobility for MacFarland—or frankly anyone beneath him—was always going to be limited. That reality had been understood internally for some time.
So when Nashville came calling with a promotion-level opportunity and full organizational control, Colorado didn’t block the door. They stepped aside and let him walk through it.
A Rare Case Of Mutual Clarity In A Murky Business
In a league where front-office departures often spiral into speculation, blame, or revisionist history, this one feels unusually clean.
MacFarland wasn’t pushed out. He wasn’t marginalized. He wasn’t forced into a corner. Instead, he was offered something front-office executives rarely turn down: a clearer title, greater authority, and a new franchise willing to fully invest in his vision.
As Friedman put it during the discussion, the Predators essentially asked, “What’s it gonna take,” and then didn’t blink when the answer came back.
And that’s really the crux of it. If you’re in MacFarland’s position—aware of the ceiling above you in Colorado and suddenly presented with a franchise-altering promotion elsewhere—it’s hard to argue there’s a “right” decision beyond the one he made.
Avalanche fans may feel the sting of the departure, but frustration seems misplaced. If anything, the organization’s handling of the situation reflects a level of professionalism that’s increasingly rare in high-stakes sports front offices: they didn’t obstruct a career move they knew they couldn’t realistically match.
In the end, the Colorado Avalanche made the right move, one the Vegas Golden Knights were unwilling to make for Bruce Cassidy.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 03: José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home running the fourth inning during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Apologies for the old school Today on PSA, but the editing night ran into morning rather quick this time around. The Yankees gave us a classic “just out of reach the whole time” type of game, giving up a run and then clawing it back just to give up another and stay barely behind. The series might be lost, but they could still salvage the finale and get a little momentum back for their upcoming matchup with their archrivals.
We’ve got a busy morning with a matinee getaway game, so let’s get into what’s in store beforehand. Sam starts us off with a look at the best defensive plays the Bombers made in the field in May, and then comes back to go through the Rivalry Roundup as the Tigers delivered a surprise sweep of the Rays. Jeff gives Phil Linz his flowers on his birthday and remembers his infamous harmonica story, Jonathan examines Ryan McMahon’s play in the last month and where he’s managed to make improvements, and Peter has the At-Bat of the Week featuring Paul Goldschmidt.
Today’s Matchup:
New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians
Time: 1:35 p.m. EST
TV: YES Network, Guardians.TV
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. Who outside of the usual top of the lineup candidates can step up with Aaron Judge out?
2. Will Big G be able to hit the ground running when he comes back, or are you expecting a slow start?
MLB.com | Jason Foster: We’re six weeks out from the 2026 All-Star Game, taking place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The official voting opened yesterday, and the Yankees feature a trio of strong candidates to start in Aaron Judge (if he’s healthy), Ben Rice, and Cody Bellinger. A desperately weak second base field may even open up a spot for Jazz Chisholm Jr., despite his own best efforts (last night notwithstanding). Pitching isn’t chosen by the fans but it’s hard to argue that the Yankees won’t have at least one starting pitcher included in the group as well.
SNY | Ben Pawlak: The course is not yet clear for the Captain. Aaron Judge will undergo further imaging on his chest and ribs to best identify the course of treatment for this bone bruise that has upended his season. Suffice to say Judge will not be in the lineup for Thursday’s finale with the Guardians, and I would put his status for this weekend’s brush with the Red Sox in doubt too.
The Athletic | Brandon Kuty ($): The Yankees announced they were moving Carlos Lagrange to the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday, seeming to put him on a fast track to debut with the big league club this year. With the performance of the Yankee bullpen, especially the higher-leverage arms needed to navigate the seventh or eighth innings, Lagrange’s success as a reliever becomes more of a need than a want. Camilo Doval doesn’t seem to have the consistency necessary for a high-leverage spot, and while Lagrange can hit the same velo, hopefully he can be more reliable as he gets tuned up for MLB.
Evidently, Lagrange’s 2026 bullpen debut went quite nicely.
First relief appearance of the season for Carlos Lagrange:
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: In all our Gerrit Cole excitement, it’s worth remembering that Clarke Schmidt is also rehabbing from Tommy John, and the right-hander has begun throwing bullpens at Yankee Stadium. Schmidt underwent surgery on July 11th of last year and will likely be able to face live hitters before the 12-month anniversary of the procedure. What his exact role with the Yankees will be is to be decided, but you always need more pitching.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 3: The New York Knicks bench celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game One of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks stunned the NBA world (for better or worse) on Wednesday night, stealing Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio for the team’s first road win on the biggest stage since Game 2 back in 1994.
In an ugly, physical, defensive-focused game, the box score doesn’t look pretty, but we’ll try to grade the guys based on how they looked and their impact, rather than judging them by their efficiency, considering the stage.
Looking at the statline alone and knowing Brunson’s shortcomings defensively, you might have an eyebrow raised looking at this grade if you didn’t watch the game, but to fully contextualize things, you have to look at the bigger picture.
Harrison Barnes flopped to his knee in the first quarter, prompting him to head to the locker room. OAKAAK Luke Kornet stepped on his foot in the second quarter. He was in serious pain for much of the first half as he struggled with his shot and looked apprehensive at times. He started 1-for-8 and 6-for-20. He couldn’t buy a three. It wasn’t his night.
And then he just fried their faces off in the fourth quarter. 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting. Calming down the troops after surrendering a brutal 9-0 run in the final minutes with a clutch three with 1:50 to go. Making impossible shot after impossible shot.
He doesn’t get an A because he was a big part of the team’s offensive struggles in the first half, but he was fantastic. On a day where nobody seemed to be firing on all cylinders, he was the best player out there.
This was Mikal’s worst game since Game 5 against Atlanta. He looked apprehensive as he adjusted to the truly generational rim protection of Victor Wembanyama. For a guy who’s one of the best shooters in this series, he didn’t take a three. Because of the way the Spurs are structured, he also doesn’t have a clear defensive responsibility.
But he was a big part of silencing San Antonio’s offense with active hands and strong contests. He also sneakily was the catalyst behind the Knicks picking themselves off the mat after falling behind 94-95, subbing in for Landry Shamet with 2:16 to go and being on the court for the game-ending 11-0 run. He got the assist on Brunson’s go-ahead triple.
His first half was very mediocre. He got into foul trouble and was clogging up the offense because of ghost coverage, which he wasn’t able to shoot his way out of.
Yet, like he always does, he found a way to make an impact. 10 rebounds in 19 second-half minutes. +17. Three clutch steals in the fourth quarter. He was everywhere.
If he starts making open threes, the Spurs are in trouble.
It was a weird game for OG. He was, like Bridges, apprehensive early, but he got more aggressive in the second half. He wasn’t able to fully get his game off because of Wemby’s rim protection, but he nailed three clutch triples in the second half to give the offense life.
He made four straight clutch free throws that took the life out of the Spurs. He played formidable defense all game. It was a solid OG game, but one that he can improve upon.
What a fantastic game for the Big Bodega, who’s playing the best team basketball of his career.
He didn’t make his threes. He didn’t make a shot outside the restricted area. He once again failed to clear 20 points.
Didn’t matter. He successfully dragged Wemby out of the paint and drove right past him. He spearheaded the third-quarter comeback that made it a game. Maybe Chet Holmgren can take notes.
Shaq and Charles Barkley said KAT made it look easy driving on Wemby
But what elevates his performance above all the rest? His defense on the most unstoppable force in basketball. Wemby was uncomfortable with him all game, going just 2-for-12 with three turnovers with Towns guarding him. In a postseason where he’s played the best defense of his career, he just had his magnum opus.
When the Knicks were down 14 in the third quarter and needed a life raft, McBride was on the court, doing all the little things and making the right plays.
He played better than his stat line. He had two of the most emphatic plays of the game in that third quarter.
Alvarado had some moments in his NBA Finals debut, but there were some moments that stood out to me in a negative way.
At times, he took too long to get into the offense. This works when you have a 1A like Brunson, but a player like Alvarado needs to get into the offense sooner. He’s not a gifted scorer or shooter, so his value on that end comes from his playmaking. He didn’t do enough there.
The decision-making was also odd. He isolated on Wemby at the three-point line with 5 seconds on the shot clock. He was taking rough floaters. He sagged off Julian Champagnie late in the first half.
His offense wasn’t all bad, though. He had a nifty reverse layup to get around the long arms of Wembanyama and nailed a three late in the first half. Overall, pretty average.
Shamet had the worst plus-minus on the Knicks, but it didn’t reflect his level of play.
Offensively, he was the only player who was able to make a three. He hit one in the midst of the big 3Q run, he hit a go-ahead layup early in the fourth, and had the quick trigger that the team needed badly.
Why was he -11? He was on the court for that late Spurs sprint before being replaced by Bridges with 2 minutes to go.
How do you judge a man who played just 13 minutes and didn’t touch the ball a lot?
He missed a dunk, he yammed it on his old best friend, and he grabbed six rebounds. All with a broken hand.
He could do more, but he was good in his spurts. He had one fantastic defensive possession on Wembanyama to force a turnover and another tremendous seal to give Brunson space to hit a key layup. He’s a high-IQ player who will be vital to getting three more wins.
Clarkson played six minutes, and you didn’t notice him much. Not sure why he attempted a three as his only shot, but we’ll have to see if he can get back to what he’s thrived at in Game 2
