Millwall moved back into the Championship’s automatic promotion position places but could only snatch a late 1-1 draw at already relegated Leicester.
Substitute Macaulay Langstaff’s first goal since February cancelled out a Foxes opener from Harry Souttar, who was playing his first game since rupturing an achilles 16 months ago. It moved Alex Neil’s visitors up to second, a point ahead of Ipswich who have two games in hand.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 23: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 23, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers seek to take a 3-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference best-of-seven series with the Houston Rockets, and our NBA player prop projections are working overtime.
The data expects a big-scoring night from NBA playoff legend Kevin Durant and a less-than-efficient one from Lakers guard Luke Kennard as we dish into Lakers vs. Rockets predictions for Game 3.
The model is pointing to four additional markets, backed by the model, for a complete six-pick card.
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Lakers Game 3 computer picks
Luke Kennard Under 13.5 Points (+100)
Projection: 9.62 points
Luke Kennard is a spot-up shooter who needs everything to go right to crack double digits consistently. The Houston Rockets' defense won't give him clean looks, and with a projection of just 9.62 points, this Under has the biggest cushion on the entire board tonight.
Our model is not feeling his points total, and we'll back the data and play the Under.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanKennard Now at bet365!/span
Marcus Smart Under 12.5 Points (-112)
Projection: 10.73 points
Marcus Smart brings energy and defense, but his scoring has never been the reason you play him. He's failed to score at least 13 points in four of his previous five road games, and our NBA player prop projections have factored this in.
Against a Houston team that will make him work for everything, the Under is as straightforward of a play as you can ask for.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Smart Now at bet365!/span
Rui Hachimura Over 14.5 points (-120)
Projection: 14.99 points
Rui Hachimura has been one of the Los Angeles Lakers' more dependable offensive weapons, and the model projects him to score Over his scoring prop total for the third time in six contests.
With the Rockets' defense keying on stopping LeBron James, this is a sneaky good play that deserves a spot on your ticket.
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Rockets Game 3 computer picks
Kevin Durant Over 23.5 points (-120)
Projection: 27.56 points
Kevin Durant is a walking bucket in a prime playoff spot against a Lakers defense that's been exploitable all season. The projections are loving this prop number, as it's something he's gone Over in five of his previous six games.
Durant averages 29.3 ppg across 171 career playoff games and is a good bet to score at least 24+ tonight.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Durant Now at bet365!/span
Jabari Smith Jr. Over 15.5 Points (-110)
Projection: 15.93 points
Jabari Smith Jr. has been finding his footing as a legitimate scoring option for Houston down the stretch. He's scored at least 16 points in seven straight games, and this Lakers defense leaks like a sieve.
The Lakers don't have much of an answer for Smith, and we'll play the Over based on the data.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet smith Now at bet365!/span
Amen Thompson Over 17.5 Points (-112)
Projection: 18.38 points
Amen Thompson has been quietly one of Houston's most reliable offensive contributors, and the projections back it up. His ceiling is 41 points, and his floor across the past 10 games is 16 points.
Thompson averaged nearly 24 ppg in three games against Los Angeles, and we'll back the projection model tonight.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Thompson Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Lakers vs Rockets Game 3
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
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Now is a good time to revisit the NBA’s GOAT debate. But for the moment, let’s forget about who the GOAT is and focus on how it should be decided.
There are probably a lot of formulas out there, maybe some involving who starred in the best Space Jam movie. But the latest idea is a sham.
Talking about longevity. Talking about LeBron James. Talking about a potential shift.
James is a wonder at 41. Throwing down reverse windmill dunks. Leading the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers to a 2-0 lead over the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series. And who knows what’s next when James and the Lakers take on the Rockets in Game 3, which tips off at 8 p.m. ET Friday, April 24 in Houston.
It is incredible to see James playing at such a high level in his 23rd season in the NBA. But biblically speaking, would Methuselah have edge in a GOAT debate because he lived to be 969?
Of course not.
Sports wise, Kazuyoshi "Kazu" Miura of Japan is reportedly the older professional soccer player in the world at 56. But does that earn him GOAT status over Messi, Ronaldo or Pele?
Never.
Simply put, a GOAT debate should not hinge on longevity.
Do the math
The GOAT debate should hinge on efficiency.
For those of you who think the NBA’s GOAT is Bill Russell, or Kobe Bryant or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, take your debate elsewhere. For this efficiency exercise, it’s LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan.
Clearly, James is playing better at 41 than Jordan was when was 40 and playing with the Washington Wizards. But back to efficiency.
Jordan played 15 seasons and won six titles. That’s a title for every 2.5 years in the league.
James has played 22 full seasons and won four titles. That’s a title for every 5.5 years the league.
James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a function of greatness, but also longevity. Back to efficiency.
Jordan led the league in scoring in 10 of his 15 seasons (once every 1.5 seasons). James led the league in scoring once during his 23 seasons (once every 23 years/.)
Jordan averaged 30.1 points in the regular season and 33.4 points per game in the playoffs.
Without getting muddled by math, James holds the edge in career averages for rebounds and assists. Jordan holds the advantage for steals.
James has been voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times (once for every 4.6 years played.) Jordan was voted to the team nine teams (once for every 1.7 years played.)
James deserves standing ovations for his performance at 41.
Game 3 is where this series tightens up, with the Phoenix Suns back home and urgency starting to drive pace and star usage.
This same-game parlay leans into a modest total for two efficient offenses, plus a spread that gives Phoenix enough cushion.
My Thunder vs. Suns predictions see it all run through Devin Booker, whose scoring consistency makes him the safest anchor on the board.
Our best Thunder vs Suns SGP for Game 3
The Oklahoma City Thunder have an NBA-best 66 wins, including the postseason. However, they are just 40-43-1 ATS. The Thunder are 20-20 ATS on the road and 19-18 as the road favorite. Conversely, the Phoenix Suns are 24-19 ATS at home and 12-6 as the home underdog. The Suns have covered in 23 of 39 games following a loss and in 35 of 56 games against Western Conference opponents.
The Thunder and Suns have hit the Over in five of seven head-to-head matchups this season, including one of two games in the first-round playoff series. The 214.5 total is set a bit low for two offenses that can effectively put up points, especially if Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks are playing with extra motivation.
Devin Booker has scored 20+ in 13 straight games, averaging 26.9 points along the way. In that span, he scored 23+ in eight games and finished with exactly 22 points in four more. Booker averaged exactly 22.5 points in four matchups with the Thunder, hitting the Over twice and finishing with 22 and 21 in the other contests.
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.
Mar 31, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers return home to American Family Field to begin a six game homestand against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Arizona Diamondbacks. The first matchup of this homestand is a doozy.
It’s a battle of the aces on the mound tonight with the wily veteran Brandon Woodruff pitching for the Crew while the Pirates will have the reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. This is the back end of a back-to-back stretch against reigning Cy Young winners after facing Tarik Skubal on Thursday afternoon. It’s just the second time in MLB history a team will go through that.
Woodruff is 2-0 on the year with a 3.42 ERA while Skenes is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA.
The Brewers made some roster moves ahead of Friday’s game. Tyler Black and Shane Drohan have been called up to the big league club.
“(Black)’s healthy and right now he’s one of our best 13 position players. Had a great spring, borderline made the club almost (out of spring).” Pat Murphy said “So it’s a no-brainer.”
Black will primarily play DH and first base for the Crew. Meanwhile Drohan is slated to be in bulk relief and is not currently scheduled to make any starts.
To make room, the Brewers optioned Carlos Rodriguez back to Nashville and designated Luis Matos for assignment. Matos hit just .200 (4-for-20) with a .438 OPS in nine games with the Crew. Rodriguez allowed one run in 4 IP across two outings during this stint with the Brewers.
As for the lineup tonight, Pat Murphy is stacking the lineup with left-handers against Skenes. William Contreras and Brandon Lockridge are the only true righties in the order. Brice Turang, Contreras, and Jake Bauers are atop the order. Tyler Black, just called up to make his season debut, is batting cleanup. Luis Rengifo gets the start at third with David Hamilton at short. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Lockridge make up the outfield.
The Pirates have some lefties atop their order in Oneil Cruz and Brandon Lowe, followed by the switch hitting Bryan Reynolds. Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, is batting eighth.
The Brewers will be wearing their Wisco City Connect jerseys, still searching for their first win in the uniform after going 0-3 in that first weekend in them. They’ll have to do it against the best pitcher in the National League.
Mendoza had said Thursday that Lindor will be "down for a while," but did not share any other information as the team was still reviewing his MRI results. He said Friday ahead of the team's game against the Colorado Rockies that Lindor will wear a walking boot for the next week and be reevaluated in three weeks.
"He's going to be in a boot for the next week," Mendoza said. "So trying to take the pressure off it. And then the other timeline we got is in three weeks we'll do reimaging. So that's the latest that we got here, he's going to be down for a while."
When asked about the best-case scenario for when Lindor could return, Stearns said they will need the full three weeks to determine that. He did note that the progression could be "relatively quick" if the next three weeks go as planned.
"I can't even answer that right now," Stearns said. "I think we are not going to be able to provide really more substantive information for three weeks, I think we got to see where this is in three weeks. See how the healing goes and then we'll be able to provide hopefully some more clarity.
"From my understanding there, if all goes well, we can see a relatively quick progression there. But we'll see where we are in three weeks."
Mendoza also mentioned that the team did not get a medical grade on his calf injury as they're still determining the location of the strain in the calf. He said Lindor's calf injury is different from Juan Soto's, which was labeled a "minor strain," and caused him to miss 14 games.
"No. We still got a lot of people looking at this, because the location, where it's at, we want to make sure we're not missing anything," Mendoza said. "I asked that question too. They're not saying anything as far as the grades go. It's just the location and just want to be smart, making sure we're not missing anything there."
He added: "It's the tricky part. We knew like with Soto, we knew right away, the trainers, the location of it, we're going to be in a good place here. With Lindor, we're going to have to be careful."
Lindor suffered the injury while rounding third base before sliding into home during Wednesday's game. He said Thursday that he's hopeful on returning to the field "sooner rather than later" and wants to be back before the All-Star break.
With Soto and Lindor's injuries occurring one after the other, the two superstars have barely played together this season. Stearns acknowledged that injuries happen to all teams, and New York will have to adapt once again with one of it's leaders sidelined for the near future.
"Injuries are part of this. Injuries to good players are part of this. We're certainly not the only team in baseball that deals with this and we just got to get though it."
After snapping a 12-game losing streak, the Mets will look to extend it's two-game winning streak without Lindor on Friday night when they kick off a three-game series against the Rockies.
Even with a banged-up Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves have found their playoff gear — and they’ve got Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on the ropes heading into Game 4.
While Minnesota’s smothering defense got the headlines after limiting Denver to 34% shooting in Friday’s win, the offense is also rounding into form.
My Nuggets vs. Timberwolves predictions point to another strong showing, with Donte DiVincenzo once again providing a spark.
Read on for my free NBA picks for this high-stakes battle on Saturday, April 25.
Nuggets vs Timberwolves prediction
Nuggets vs Timberwolves best bet: Donte DiVincenzo Over 11.5 points (-105)
The hosts will need a similar script this weekend to grab a 3-1 lead, and that means a neon green light for DiVincenzo, who’s nailed this points prop Over in all three games so far in the series.
DiVincenzo's hot streak includes 11-for-22 shooting from downtown, and the Denver Nuggets have struggled to contain his speed and quick release coming off screens and DHOs. Minnesota had a 21-7 edge in fast break points in Thursday’s victory, and the T-Wolves guard is a big part of that transition attack.
This O/U line is right around his regular-season mark of 12.2 points per game, but the T-Wolves need even more of DiVincenzo’s shotmaking without Edwards at full strength.
Nuggets vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
The T-Wolves have been the tougher, more imposing team through three contests, and DiVincenzo continues to burn the Nuggets from downtown.
Although Nikola Jokic couldn’t get anything to fall in Game 3, I expect a bounce-back performance. The three-time MVP has averaged 27.4 ppg and 12.4 rebounds per game in his playoff career.
Nuggets vs Timberwolves SGP
Donte DiVincenzo Over 11.5 points
Timberwolves +1.5
Nikola Jokic to record a double-double
Our "from downtown" SGP: Jaden Keeps Backing It Up
McDaniels didn’t hold back in blasting the Denver defense earlier this week — and then backed it up with 20 points in Game 3, capped off with a monster slam.
He also chipped in 10 boards on Thursday while holding Jamal Murray to just 16 points. Put simply, McDaniels’ two-way play is key to a Minnesota victory here.
Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)
Nuggets vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The Under went 28-14 in Minnesota's 42 regular-season outings at Target Center this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Nuggets vs Timberwolves Game 4
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Nuggets vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 23: Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers reacts after scoring on an inside the park home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third inning at Globe Life Field on April 23, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for April 24, 2026 against the A’s: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Luis Severino for the A’s.
We begin an exciting and no doubt action-packed series against the maybe, eventually Las Vegas A’s tonight. Alejandro Osuna is playing again. I know y’all like him and so I figured you’d be happy.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Pederson — DH
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
Jung — 3B
Carter — CF
Higashioka — C
Smith — 2B
Osuna — LF
7:05 p.m. Central start time. The Rangers are -140 favorites.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves gives an interview after the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
So, we ended up getting some interesting nuggets of news from the pregame press conference that Walt Weiss has before every home game. There’s one bit of concerning news, one bit of hopeful news and then something that seems obvious but it’s good to hear confirmed.
Let’s start with the concerning news, shall we:
Michael Harris II won’t start on Friday after all
There was a bit of an injury scare for Michael Harris II after he had to exit Thursday’s win over the Nationals during the seventh inning as a precautionary move. At first, it seemed like the “All Clear” was here after Harris said that he “expected” to play on Friday and then he was listed in today’s lineup as well.
#Braves CF Michael Harris (quad tightness) has been scratched from Friday's lineup. MGR Walt Weiss said he's day-to-day and they don't anticipate it being an IL situation.
Unfortunately, they’ve scratched him from today’s lineup and are now listing him as being “day-to-day” with the left quad tightness. You don’t want to expect the worst but when you consider the injury luck that this team has had to deal with in recent years, I think we’re all hoping to the baseball gods above that Money Mike’s quad doesn’t act up on him any further.
Raisel Iglesias could be back ASAP
Now granted, this doesn’t mean that Iglesias’ IL stint is going to be shorter than 14 days but apparently Weiss and the Braves training staff are encouraged with how he’s feeling so far. Weiss did state that Iglesias hasn’t started throwing yet but they aren’t expecting this to be a lengthy IL stint. Again, just like Harris, we’re all hoping that this is strictly just a two-week rest period for Iglesias and that there aren’t any setbacks between now and his anticipated return from the IL. For now, things are looking up in that department and the bullpen won’t have to hold down the fort for any longer than expected during Iglesias’ absence.
Raisel Iglesias has not resumed throwing yet, but Walt Weiss said the #Braves are encouraged by his progress and hope to have him back as soon as the IL stint is up.
Didier Fuentes received the call-up but went right back down after his short outing on Wednesday night. JR Ritchie was called up instead and ended up delivering a very creditable debut performance in helping the Braves pick up the series win. Clearly the Braves’ brass liked what they saw, since Weiss told the media that Ritchie will be sticking around with the big league ballclub and he now has an opportunity to pitch his way into staying in the rotation.
Couple notes from Walt Weiss this afternoon:
• Michael Harris II has been scratched (as I’m sure you may have seen) and Eli White will play center field tonight
• JR Ritchie remaining with the club for now because “we wanted him to be an option in the picture moving forward”
Obviously, it’d be a pretty huge development if Ritchie ended up being ready for The Show already. It would also bring up some questions about where he’d fit in with the rotation once guys like Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach make their eventual returns from injury. It’s a good problem to have though, as you can never have too much pitching and having a talented young arm like Ritchie’s around would certainly be a positive for the Braves going forward.
Los Angeles, CA - April 21:Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) pulls down a rebound in front of Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) in game 2 of the NBA playoff round 1 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
April 24, 2026
Location: Toyota Center – Houston, Texas
TV:Prime Video
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 27: Landen Roupp #65 and Jung Hoo Lee #51 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game at Rate Field on June 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Maybe the Giants won’t have such a bad season? That’s certainly on the table. Not just because they humiliated the Los Angeles Dodgers this week, but because they really have been playing slightly better over the past couple of weeks (8-6 since April 7th). And, yes, that’s because some of the key contributors have started to contribute and some surprises have emerged, but there are two key players who will be critical throughout the summer.
Jung Hoo Lee has temporarily hit his way out of the “bust” conversation concerning his free agency by hitting .320/.340/.440 over his last 14 games and 53 PA. It looks even better in a smaller sample, but the point is that for two seasons now he’s basically been an afterthought and the organization never had a contingency for that outcome. They dropped a massive deal on him because they hoped after a year or two of adjusting to the big leagues that he’d blossom into, well, basically a Luis Arraez type — high contact guy who could create traffic on the basepaths.
Lee started off last season on fire, with 43 hits in his first 36 games (151 PA). That triple slash of .312/.364/.507 (.871 OPS) was All-Star reserve-worthy, but the .251/.315/.374 (.690 OPS) he hit the rest of the way (114 games, 466 PA) should’ve had him looking for a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training in the offseason. His current full season line is basically equivalent to those final 466 and so it’s probably safer to assume that this is who Jung Hoo Lee is. But, if the Giants are going anywhere this season, they’ll need him to hit beyond that and closer to what he’s doing now.
Is there any hope of that beyond fanatical wishcasting? Yes!
Crack into that 466 plate appearances block of Jung Hoo Lee’s 2025 and you get something much more relief-inducing: one massive cold streak. There was a 46-game stretch (193 PA) where Lee was among the worst in the sport: .182/.269/.300. There were 6 doubles, 4 triples, a couple of homers, a trio of stolen bases, and 18 walks against just 17 strikeouts in there, but overall, pretty gnarly and, of course, substantial. But from July 2nd until the end of the season (68 games, 273 PA), he was a much more respectable .298/.348/.425 (.773 OPS). If you split it again and just look at his second half, that OPS does drop to about .758, which is now bordering on “not what you paid for,” though still, compared to the rest of the Giants’ typical lineup, not terrible.
So, there is reason to believe that Jung Hoo Lee has the tools to compete in the major leagues. In theory, one thing that JHL does that Arraez can’t do is hit for more power. That plus his ability to at least appear average in the outfield creates a balance in the lineup that otherwise doesn’t exist in his absence. The Giants don’t have anyone of his profile they could plug into right field, as much as we all wish it was Grant McCray. Hopefully, the flashes we have seen and are seeing right now are the things he can build on for the next time the league adjusts to him rather than the brief burp of momentary readjustment on his behalf.
Christian Koss (lol): 1-for-1 (1.000), 6/18 = 95+ (33%) Daniel Susac: 3-for-4 (.750), 15/85 = 95+ (17.6%) Jared Oliva: 1-for-2 (.500), 4/27 = 95+ (14.8%) Jerar Encarnacion: 2-for-5 (.400), 29/119 = 95+ (24.4%) Luis Arraez: 7-for-18 (.389), 101/391 = 95+ (25.8%) Heliot Ramos: 9-for-24 (.375), 120/390 = 95+ (30.8%) Drew Gilbert: 2-for-7 (.286), 28/106 = 95+ (26.4%) Jung Hoo Lee: 6-for-21 (.286), 72/368 = 95+ (19.6%) Below .200: Willy Adames (.182), Harrison Bader & Rafael Devers (.154), Casey Schmitt (.125), Patrick Bailey (.111), Matt Chapman (.071), Will Brenan (.000).
So, obviously, the Giants will need Adames, Devers, Chapman, and Heliot Ramos to hit, too, but the point is that having Arraez and Lee also in there does lengthen the lineup and make it more dynamic. The problem is that Lee has been bad enough for long enough that there’s certainly some doubt. And then there’s his injury track record, which is the big thing hanging around the other key player the Giants will need to be perform if the team is going to be good this season.
Landen Roupp is just like Jung Hoo Lee in terms of what he brings to the starting rotation. He lengthens it and makes it more dynamic. After he handled the Dodgers, I wondered if his combination of red ass and pitch repertoire made him the team’s new Ryan Vogelsong — a comparison I felt was apt given Vogelsong’s role as the organization’s roving pitching instructor. But then people pointed out that he doesn’t give up home runs, so, maybe he’s more like Matt Cain? Well, hmm. Maybe there is no 1:1 comparison out there just yet, at least in terms of Giants history.
Today, Roupp’s curveball leads the National League in Run Value (+4), tied with the Angels’ Jose Soriano and Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft. It’s got a 33% Whiff rate on it and just a 4.8% Hard Hit rate. From a Pitching+ perspective (104), he’s right there with Tyler Glasnow (105) and Tyler Mahle (104). Reminder of Pitching+ (emphasis mine — also, remember that 100 is league average):
Pitching+ is one of three models that, along with Stuff+ and Location+, attempts to look at the process underlying a pitcher’s performance in order to remove some of the noise that can be present when looking at on-field results. […]
Stuff+ looks only at the physical characteristics of a pitch. Important features include, but are not limited to, release point, velocity, vertical and horizontal movement, and spin rate. A pitcher’s secondary pitches are defined based on their primary fastball — with “primary” defined by usage in an outing — and so are judged by velocity and movement differentials along with raw velocity and movement numbers.
Location+ is a count- and pitch type-adjusted judge of a pitcher’s ability to put pitches in the right place. No velocity, movement, or any other physical characteristics are included in the statistic. A breaking ball should go to different parts of the strike zone in 2-0 and 1-2 counts, and Location+ captures that phenomenon. Stringer-based command statistics that attempt to judge what a pitcher was intending to do with each pitch do not add predictive value to those models, so Location+ only looks at actual locations and implicitly assumes the intent is generally the same across the league in certain counts with certain pitches.
Trent Thornton leads the list with 160 innings, and that’s in large part from 154 IP and 29 starts made for the Blue Jays in 2019, his age-25 season. He had a 4.84 ERA and 4.59 FIP and would make just 6 starts combined in 2020 and 2021. He made one start in 2023 and that was that: he was a reliever the rest of his career. Adbert Alzolay started 27 games before 27 and most of those came in 2021, his age-26 season (21 starts). After 2021, he never started again. Glen Otto made 33 starts for the Rangers in 2021 and 2022 combined and hasn’t pitched since 2023, when he was used as a reliever in 10.2 major league innings. Jharel Cotton started 29 games between his age-24 & 25 seasons but that was it for him as a starting pitcher despite pitching two more major league seasons (2021 and 2022). More recent examples are Hayden Birdsong (ahem), the Athletics’ Joey Estes, and the White Sox’s Shane Smith. Roupp is basically better than this field, so there’s not really a good comp to be had.
I think we all know why, too: injury! He’s missed time from injury in every year of his pro career with two concerning ones cropping up last year (right elbow inflammation in July and knee inflammation in August). It’s a lot to ask of this #3 starter to get to 180 innings and maybe even 160 innings, but that’s the sort of contribution the team will need from him if 2026 is going to be memorable. Taking his above average performance as a given (which is risky, I admit), the more innings from the starting staff means less work for the bullpen. The Giants’ 837 innings from their rotation last year was just 17th in MLB. The top 10 teams all had winning records, and so figure it’ll take somewhere in the 860s to crack that list.
Every fan has their pet player who they think will be the key to the team’s success in a given season, and that’s fine — sorry to those who thought Bryce Eldridge might be a central figure in this post — but here are two players who the Giants simply can’t play well without. They might be able to get buy with some 0-for-4s from Jung Hoo Lee (who, to be clear, has had a lot of them), but his mere presence in the lineup can sometimes be enough to setup the other guys. Roupp, on the other hand, might be able to have a bad turn through the rotation if the other arms have done well, but otherwise, the Giants need Roupp to be as consistent as a peak Matt Cain or Ryan Vogelsong and simply shove when put in front of an opponent.
And yes, obviously, these two straws can only stir a drink that’s been made. If Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Willy Adames, Luis Arraez, and (long sigh) Rafael Devers don’t approximate their career norms and with the extraordinary caveat of general good health on the roster, then there’s no lineup for Jung Hoo Lee to lengthen or dynamize and no pitching staff for Landen Roupp to prop up.
But without either of these players, the Giants won’t be going far.
The unfortunate reality for the Detroit Red Wings is that they now own the NHL's longest active postseason drought at 10 years.
Near the end of January, they were in a prime position to make the postseason. They were tied for first overall in both their division and the Eastern Conference, but as they have in each of the last three seasons, things began unraveling at the beginning of March.
Eventually, Detroit tumbled out of their playoff spot and had to scratch and claw for every possible point in the standings as the schedule ran out of runway. Their fate was officially sealed with a 5-3 loss at Little Caesars Arena to the New Jersey Devils in their 80th game.
During Thursday's press conference, GM Steve Yzerman acknowledged there were multiple warning signs he was wary of before Detroit began falling in the standings.
“We had concerns,” he said. "We were in third overall or something, and we're like, 'Let's be realistic.' I don't think we're as good as our record at the time, but we are winning games, and we are where we are, and at the deadline we were where we were, and for the most part we were playing at .600 hockey, a little over .600, and at the end we were under .400."
One of the main areas of concern for the Red Wings all season long was their lack of even strength scoring, which finished 30th overall in the NHL.
They were also heavily reliant on goaltender John Gibson, who, after a subpar first two months, caught fire and became arguably the best player at his position in the League for several weeks.
For Yzerman and the Red Wings, the bottom line is that they need more talent on the roster.
“We need better players, we need to improve specifically in certain areas," Yzerman said. "We can talk about goal scoring; we need to improve in that area, particularly five-on-five."
“Collectively, if you’re watching the playoffs, and I’m assuming and I’m hoping our players are, to play with the intensity and determination needed to be successful to make the playoffs and get there," he said. "But ultimately it’s incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team.”
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Entering your name into the 2026 NBA Draft doesn't shut the door completely on college eligibility, as the deadline is when players must decide to forgo their college eligibility or retain it by "testing the waters." Some people have decided to return to college hoops while others have entered the transfer portal while putting their name into draft consideration, and they have another month before they have to officially withdraw and return to their respective college program.
Still, several top prospects have already decided the pro ranks will be their next career stop. Here's who has decided to enter the 2026 NBA Draft and who still hasn't made a decision yet with the deadline approaching, as well as other key dates for the process:
Who has declared for 2026 NBA Draft?
Here is who has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. Players are listed in order of where they are projected to be picked in the latest USA TODAY Sports' latest NBA mock draft, as well as other notable names.
A big name to announce their draft decision was Cameron Boozer. The Duke star declared for the draft.
List updated at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24:
Note: * Denotes players who have also entered the transfer portal and/or testing NBA waters
A few notable names have not announced their decision. Here's who hasn't announced yet and must decide by the 11:59 p.m. ET deadline.
9. Arizona G Brayden Burries
Arizona C Motiejus Krivas
USC G Alijah Arenas
When is the NBA draft entry deadline?
Players must make their decision for the 2026 NBA Draft at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24.
Should a player enter the draft but decide to "test the waters" and keep their college eligibility, they have until May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET to withdraw and return to their respective college program. The NBA-specific deadline for an early entry player to withdraw from the pool of prospects is June 13 at 5 p.m. ET.
When is the 2026 NBA Draft?
The 2026 NBA Draft begins June 23 at 8 p.m. ET with the first round at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The second round starts at 8 p.m. ET on June 24 at the Barclays Center.
A series doesn’t really get started until the home team loses, right? After dropping two straight games at Paycom Center, the Phoenix Suns will look to get into the win column when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday.
Playing on the road and missing Jalen Williams, the Thunder may not be able to win comfortably, and my Thunder vs Suns predictions call for Phoenix to cover the spread as big home pups.
Here are my NBA picks for Game 3 on Saturday, April 25, from Mortgage Matchup Center.
Thunder vs Suns prediction
Thunder vs Suns best bet: Suns +8.5 (-105)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have an NBA-best 66 wins, including the postseason. However, they are just 40-43-1 ATS. The Thunder are 20-20 ATS on the road and 19-18 as the road favorite. Conversely, the Phoenix Suns are 24-19 ATS at home and 12-6 as the home underdog. The Suns have covered in 23 of 39 games following a loss and in 35 of 56 games against Western Conference opponents.
In seven matchups with the Thunder, the Suns covered the spread four times, including one of two games at home. The Suns hung tough with the Thunder through two quarters in Game 2, going into halftime with a 65-57 deficit. A monster third quarter from the Thunder propelled them to victory, and the game got chippy.
Following the game, Devin Booker ripped the officiating crew and called out referee James Williams by name, calling him “terrible” and questioning his integrity. Booker was fined $35,000 for his comments, but owner Matt Ishbia backed his star player and doubled down on his comments.
Dillon Brooks called Shai Gilgeous-Alexander “frail” and noted the lack of physicality in the current NBA. Both Booker and Brooks will surely be playing with chips on their shoulders, feeling slighted by the referees playing favorites and making unfair calls in favor of their opponents.
Booker’s comments triggered an investigation from the Association that found nothing to substantiate his claims, but the public call-out could lead to an overcorrection, and the refs may swallow their whistles.
The Suns can’t afford to lose this game and fall into a 0-3 hole, so I expect them to scrap and claw with a Thunder team missing SGA’s No. 2, Jalen Williams. I’ll take Phoenix to cover, and I like their chances of winning this one outright.
Thunder vs Suns same-game parlay
The Thunder and Suns have hit the Over in five of seven head-to-head matchups this season, including one of two games in the first-round playoff series. The 214.5 total is set a bit low for two offenses that can effectively put up points, especially if Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks are playing with extra motivation.
Devin Booker has scored 20+ in 13 straight games, averaging 26.9 points along the way. In that span, he scored 23+ in eight games and finished with exactly 22 points in four more. Booker averaged exactly 22.5 points in four matchups with the Thunder, hitting the Over twice and finishing with 22 and 21 in the other contests.
Thunder vs Suns SGP
Suns +8.5
Over 214.5
Booker Over 22.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Hotter than the sun
It’s now or never for the Suns. A loss would essentially end the series, as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. If Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks can all eclipse their point totals and limit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the other end, the Suns can take this one and gain some ground back in the series. It’s a long shot, but they’ve got a chance.
Jalen Green scored 20+ in three of his last four games overall, and he reached that mark in 18 of 32 regular-season matchups. He finished with 21 in Game 2.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns in scoring in Game 2 with 30, and he’s scored 18+ in each of the first two games of the series. He scored at least that many points in 38 of 56 regular-season contests, including 25 of 27 at home.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged just 30.4 points per game across five matchups with Phoenix this season, going Under 31 points three times, including a 25-point performance in his only trip to the desert. I expect the refs to be more conservative with their calls, limiting free-throw opportunities and points.
Thunder vs Suns SGP
Suns moneyline
Booker Over 22.5 points
Green Over 19.5 points
Brooks Over 17.5 points
Gilgeous-Alexander Under 30.5 points
Thunder vs Suns odds for Game 3
Spread: Thunder -9 | Suns +9
Moneyline: Thunder -325 | Suns +425
Over/Under: Over 214.5 | Under 214.5
Thunder vs Suns betting trend to know
The Suns covered the spread in 12 of 18 games as the home underdog this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Suns.
How to watch Thunder vs Suns Game 3
Location
Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Thunder vs Suns latest injuries
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