The California Classic is back for its eighth year this July.
It's a basketball invitational, a kickoff to the NBA Summer League, hosted by the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors as rookies from the 2026 NBA Draft, second-year players, among other athletes are out to prove themselves, vying for spots on NBA and G League rosters.
The summer showcase has returned to its dual-city, three-day format between Sacramento and San Francisco from July 3 to 6.
Games at Chase Center, presented by Carmax, will be on July 3, 5 and 6 with the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. The three-day tournament at Golden 1 Center is presented by Ticketmaster, and will take place from July 4-6, featuring the Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Warriors.
A Battle of NorCal showdown between the Kings and Warriors at Golden 1 Center on July 5 where the Mitch Richmond Trophy will be awarded.
Passes for the three-day event are available at Kings.com/CAClassic. Passes for the July 3 and 5 showcases in San Francisco are available at chasecenter.com/california-classic. The July 6 games at Chase Center will be available via broadcast only, the venue's website said.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 28: Julian Champagnie #30 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrate after being removed from the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 28, 2026 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. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs completely dominated the series and would have swept the Trail Blazers had Wembanyama not suffered his concussion: true or false?
Marilyn Dubinski: It’s easy to say true since they still got ahead without him later in Game 2 before blowing it, then also made a massive comeback to win Game 3 without him, but ultimately it’s impossible to say. He is just as capable of losing a game by trying to do too much as he is winning one for them, but why not? True.
Mark Barrington: True! But the experience of facing and overcoming adversity was good for the team and will work in their favor for the rest of the playoffs, and in years to come.
Bill Huan: The Spurs did largely dominate the series, but I don’t think it would’ve been a sweep even with a healthy Wemby. Even in a lopsided matchup, the lesser team usually has a hot shooting night combined with the better team taking their foot off the pedal, so I still believe it would’ve ended with the Spurs in 5. OKC is the exception instead of the norm, and hopefully San Antonio can reach that level one day.
Devon Birdsong: I think it’s likely, but I also think that Portland woke a slumbering beast in Game 3. From the end of that game onward, the Spurs were borderline merciless in the execution. I think there’s a possibility that this series might have gone five games anyway, because I do feel like they needed that little wakeup call to know they have to be the best version of themselves as much as possible. There’s no sleepwalking in the playoffs.
Jeje Gomez: True. It was almost a sweep with Wembanyama missing one and a half games and the Spurs having no third big man who could step up, forcing them to play small. In no way is this meant to disrespect a Portland team that played hard and outexecuted a shorthanded San Antonio team down the stretch in Game 2, but the Spurs, with Wembanyama on the floor, outscored them by 45 total points in four matchups.
What is the biggest lesson you think the Spurs learned from the series?
Dubinski: Considering one of the biggest takeaways from every game besides Game 1 was that it was always a tale of two halves – whether they had bad first halves and had to come back in Games 3 and 4, or bad second halves that either blew (Game 2) or had them holding on (Game 5) – the biggest lesson is a reminder that they have to play all 48 minutes. The Blazers are a poor enough offensive team that is prone to long droughts, so that helped the Spurs survive their own poor stretches, but better teams won’t be as forgiving.
Barrington: I think the Spurs learned that they’re good, but just being good isn’t enough to win in the playoffs. You have to keep your composure and not get complacent. The talent gap between the Spurs and the Blazers was big enough for them to get away with not being mentally ready to play at the start of some of the games, or coast after gaining a lead while still winning easily. They won’t have that luxury in later rounds. I don’t know if the Spurs are capable of playing up to their potential for 48 minutes, but they can definitely do better than the 24-minute efforts in the first round series.
Huan: The most obvious one is that they need to play a full 48 minutes, which Marilyn and Mark have already mentioned. More specifically, in order for them to play a complete game, the Spurs need to always push the pace. The offense bogs down when it becomes stagnant and lacks movement on and off the ball, and playing fast and deliberately is when they look best on both ends of the court.
Birdsong: I think they learned that they have to step on the neck every time they get an opening, because the whole complexion of a series can change in a heartbeat. We’re seeing it all over the postseason, but there’s a difference between knowing something intellectually and being on the other side of a momentum turn. It was a good scare, and I’m betting they’ll remember it. They gave Portland precious few opportunities to turn the tide over the last two games.
Gomez: I think the biggest lesson is that they can’t let opponents dictate how they play. The Trail Blazers did a lot to throw them off balance, like letting Stephon Castle completely open on the perimeter, playing extra physical to slow things down, and using a lot of different players and lineups. The Spurs were at their worst when they fell for the trap of trying to force things to match them instead of simply adapting within their preexisting identity. There’s no need for weird lineups, slow, grind-it-out possessions, or hero ball, and it seems like, as the series progressed, the Spurs realized it.
There were many good moments and performances from both teams in this series. Which will you remember as the best or most meaningful?
Dubinski: It’s easy to just say Game 1 was a huge playoff debut for Victor Wembanyama and proved he is ready for bigger things, but that really shouldn’t surprise anyone who recalls he has prior professional experience and has played in an Olympic Gold Medal Game. I think the performance that will stick with me the most is Dylan Harper’s breakout in Game 3. It was so unexpected and out of nowhere, and the way he responded to Scoot Henderson’s trash talk (who, by the way, hasn’t been the same since) was a joy to watch. It was a beautiful performance that even had Kevin O’Connor backing down from his stance that the Spurs made a mistake in drafting him over Kon Knueppel.
Barrington: I’m going to go with a Portland moment, where they were outclassed for the entire series, but didn’t give up and fought back in the closeout game to pull within single digits late in the fourth quarter. You have to respect them for keeping their edge even when they were in a bad spot. The Spurs need to learn from that and embrace that kind of intensity and composure, because things are going to be tougher going forward.
Huan: I love Mark giving the Blazers credit because it’s a great point: the Spurs need to keep fighting regardless of what the score is, even if they’re up big. Other than that, I’d say the second halves of games 3 and 4 were some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching basketball. Spurs fans have all known what Harper’s capable of, but seeing it on a big stage opened the eyes of the entire league. Meanwhile, the comeback in game 4 validated the lack of panic I felt at halftime. I’d never been more confident down 20 and knew the Spurs would claw back if they locked in, but even I didn’t see a 40-point swing. Cue the gif of LeBron pretending to be scared.
Birdsong: Having written about it, that 4th quarter comeback/explosion in Game 3 is going to stick with me for a very long time. I was already prepping an article in my head about the loss. I genuinely thought it was over. Just about every Spurs fan I know thought the same. Not only was it a historical-grade comeback, but it’s also something I’ve never seen from the Spurs before. And after 30-ish years of being a fan, that’s no small thing. I would never have bet on that in a million years.
Gomez: The last few minutes of Game 5 stand out to me. The first half was fantastic, and it set them up to win, but we had seen big comebacks and the Spurs struggling to close out Game 2 in this series, so there was some tension about whether their youth and inexperience would cost them. Instead, they looked like a veteran team that might play with its food but knows when to put opponents away. Fox and Wembanyama were terrific, but the entire group looked confident as they crushed the comeback attempt.
Los Angeles , CA - April 29: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) hands the ball over to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) after being taken out of the game during the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles , CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers completed their stretch of 13 games in 13 days and were just 6-7. But they bucked a trend in recent years of constantly churning through pitchers on the roster to get through long stretches.
This time just one rode the fresh arm express. Eder, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals on April 1, was pitching in bulk relief for Triple-A Oklahoma City before getting prepped for joining Los Angeles.
“I had thrown two innings, three innings, then I think I was going to go four the next time out, but then they said, ‘Are you good going one, so you could be available to come pitch here?,” Eder explained about pitching one inning for the Comets on April 16, then got called up four days later. “When I’m here, I’m just whatever they want, whenever they call, just be ready.”
Eder has pitched in three of the 10 games for which he was active, going one inning in each appearance, and earned his first major league win on Monday when Kyle Tucker’s walk-off single completed a Dodgers comeback win over the Miami Marlins.
But the Dodgers haven’t needed Eder nor really any of the relievers all too often during the 13 days, as their starting pitchers averaged 6.05 innings during the stretch, with nine starts lasting at least six innings, including three seven-inning starts and even an eight-inning start, all with a 2.40 ERA with 82 strikeouts against 28 walks in 78 2/3 innings.
Not having to go to the bullpen early helped keep the relievers fresh, as did the distribution of some of the losses. They lost four road games in this 13-day stretch, and did not have to pitch the ninth inning in any of those games, preventing a few unnecessary miles on the odometer.
No two ways about it
Having Shohei Ohtani as one of the highly-functioning members of the rotation is a boost not only due to his performance, but due to the fact that as a two-way player Ohtani does not count against the active roster limit of 13 pitchers.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said early last week, “there’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and that he gets special consideration. Which is probably the most bizarre rule. … For one team.”
“When Shohei was on the Angels and MLB was considering this [rule], they reached out to a bunch of teams, us included. I said, from a competitive standpoint as the Dodgers, I don’t love it, but wearing my industry hat and what’s best for Major League Baseball, it is to do everything we can for Shohei Ohtani to be in and stay in games.
“As far as the 13-pitcher rule, again, it is more that we have 13 pitchers. I had to clarify this with Jim Bowden, who said that we have nine relievers. We don’t have nine relievers, we have eight relievers just like everyone else, we have five starters like everyone else. It’s just that when Shohei is able, and the rest makes sense, Shohei pitches also. It’s not the we’re carrying an extra reliever relative to others. It’s certainly an advantage, but it should be an advantage. What Shohei does and what he’s capable of is so unique, it should be rewarded, it should be celebrated. Everyone knew the Shohei rules, and had an equal opportunity to sign him two years ago.”
While the Dodgers aren’t carrying extra reliever, simply having Ohtani start games removes innings that relievers need to cover, not to mention it allows the team to start the rest of the rotation on at least five days rest whenever possible (to date, no Dodger has started a game on four days rest this season). For instance, Ohtani during this 13-game stretch pitched 12 of the 113 innings, which means the rest of the 13-man staff only had to pitch 101 innings.
No matter how you slice it, that’s less of a burden on the rest of the staff. During the last 13 games, the Dodgers only pitched a reliever on back-to-back days seven times, and only three times had someone pitch three times over four days. That’s light work relative to most similar stretches.
Now the pitching staff is benefitting from those free innings in much larger quantity — Ohtani has pitched six innings in all five of his starts so far in 2026 — which has led to one of the Dodgers’ most stable roster stretches in recent years.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 30: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning in game one of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park on April 30, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for game 2 of today’s doubleheader. Let’s discuss.
The Golden Knights' offense continues to keep them alive and with another thrilling win, they're on the brink of eliminating the Utah Mammoth from the opening round of the playoffs.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored the game-tying goal with 53 seconds left in regulation to complete a hat trick, Brett Howden scored the game-winner 5:28 into the second overtime, and the Golden Knights won 5-4 to take a commanding 3-2 series lead over the Mammoth.
Vegas can wrap things up and move into the Western Conference semifinals with a win Friday night in Salt Lake City.
Shea Theodore also scored for the Knights, while goaltender Carter made 34 saves, including 10 in the first overtime.
Theodore's goal late in the second period gave the Knights a 3-2 lead, but Utah scored two within the first 12:42 of the third period to take a 4-3 lead.
Jack Eichel had two assists, while a total of nine Knights registered at least one point in the game.
KEY MOMENT
It's easy to say Dorofeyev's goal with 53 seconds left was the key moment, but that goal doesn't happen if Game 4 hero Theodore doesn't save the puck from leaving the zone with 58.2 seconds after his former teammate Nate Schmidt, now with the Mammoth, sent the puck around the boards from behind the net. Theodore then fed Eichel, who one-timed a shot to create the rebound for the game-tying goal. Theodore's glove save was the key moment.
KEY STAT
In NHL history, per OptaSTATS, there have been 29 instances of a team trailing in the third period in each of the first five games of a playoff series.
Of those 29 teams, 28 were behind in the series or had already lost the series after five games.
The lone exception is this year's Golden Knights.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Dorofeyev's hat trick takes the spotlight, obviously, as he turned the fourth of his career and second of this season. Last year's goal leader for the Knights came through with his biggest performance at the right time. Dorofeyev's first two goals tied the score - in the first at 1-1 and in the second at 2-2. After the Mammoth took a 4-3 lead in the third, he positioned himself perfectly for the game-tying goal with 53 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights will look to close out their series in Salt Lake City in Game 6 on Friday night.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) was named Third Star of the Game after the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in the second overtime period of game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.
Chris Wood’s second-half penalty gave Forest a narrow to lead to take into next week’s second leg at Villa Park
Villa, on the other hand, are more likely to build through the middle. They’ll condense the play and look for quick interchanges, Ollie Watkins attacking the space in behind – especially in the absence of Murillo – with Emi Buendia in particular but also John McGinn looking to feed him in.
And as Gibbs-White does for Forest, so Rogers will do for them, mooching about dropping grenades, while Youri Tielemans will look to conduct from deep and arrive on the edge of the box to hit shots.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 25: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the offseason officially underway, speculation surrounding the Suns’ offseason will begin. Many fans just wrapped up watching the Suns’ exit interviews with Brian Gregory and Mat Ishbia and are now excited to see where this team is headed.
That being said, there was some news that dropped recently from the Marc Stein Substack. This was tailored around one of the two players on the roster who could see an extension this offseason. That player is Dillon Brooks.
Brooks came over this year from the Houston Rockets in the Kevin Durant trade and was viewed as a positive asset, but not in all the ways many perceived. See, he has this villainous attitude, one he certainly embraced here in Phoenix, and many were uncertain how that would translate there. Well, he proved those doubters wrong and had a great year in Phoenix.
The wing this year averaged a career-high in points and rebounds, with 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 steal, and44/34/84 from the field. For someone whose role has fluctuated in different situations, he rose to the occasion with Jalen Green missing most of the season. Brooks was tasked with being the second-best offensive player most nights and succeeded in that role.
This is where it makes sense for both parties to want to keep him long-term. The fit seemed to work, and not only does he represent the culture the Suns want of hard work, hustle, and heart over everything, but the fans really bought into this villain mentality that rubbed off in a good way on his teammates.
Per Stein:
The Suns, I’m told, indeed want to secure a long-term stay for Brooks after role in establishing them as the West’s foremost regular season surprise tea but sources say that Phoenix is also mindful of the fact that an extension would kick in for Brooks’ age-32 season since there is currently only one season left on his contract in 2026-27 at $21 million.
The max extension that Brooks can command is a four-year deal in the $125 million range but the expectation is that a new deal will not reach that upper threshold.
As we can see from the snippet via Stein’s Substack, the Suns want Brooks back. We know he makes $21 million next year and $22 million this year. With him able to get an extension of up to 4 years and $125M, that would price him at $31.25 million a year, which is a big pay raise. Luckily, though, they may be able to generate a team-friendly deal, one that is still a pay raise but not completely limiting the Suns’ future financial abilities.
Looking at the future and knowing that guys like Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, Rasheer Fleming, and Khaman Maluach in a few seasons will need paydays could make them hesitant about the max for Brooks. Especially with how this team is shaped up, with $20+ million+ in dead cap from the Bradley Beal sign-and-trade last year, they cannot handicap themselves too much.
That is why I think a 4-year, $100 million deal is perfect for a guy like Brooks. A little bump up in money with the salary cap rising since he signed his last deal is good for a guy who embodies everything the team wants him to be. At age 30, this allows him to grow alongside Devin Booker and remain on the same timeline as the star the franchise remains committed to.
What do you think, though? Should the Suns retain Brooks or maybe even look to move off him? If they do extend him, what deal would you like him brought back on?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers compete for a loose ball during the second quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston Celtics (3-2) at Philadelphia 76ers (2-3) Thursday, April 30, 2026 8:00 PM ET Round 1 Game #6 Road Game #3 TV: Peacock/NBCSN Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 97.5 The Fanatic, Sirius XM Xfinity Mobile Arena Officials: Marc Davis, Nick Buchert, Ray Acosta
The Celtics look to close out their first round series once again as they visit the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 6. The Celtics lead the series 3 games to 2. The Celtics dominated Game 1 with a 123-91 win over the 76ers. The 76ers topped the Celtics 111-97 in Game 2 to tie the game at 1 game each. The series shifted to Philadelphia where the Celtics squeezed out a win in Game 3 108-100 and dominated the 76ers 113-97 in Game 4.
After the blow out win in Philadelphia, it seemed as though the Celtics were primed to finish the series at home in Game 5. It appeared that they would do just that as they led by 7 at the half and by 13 in the 3rd quarter. But they completely fell apart in the 4th quarter to lose the game 113-97. The Celtics scored just 11 points in the 4th quarter, shooting just 3-22. They didn’t hit a single field goal in the final 7 minutes. At the same time, their defense fell apart, allowing the 76ers to score 28 points. The Celtics have won 2 games by 32 points in this series, only to lose the next game at home.
In the Brown and Tatum era, the Celtics are 7-4 in close out games on the road. They are 4-1 since 2022 in close out games on the road. Teams that are up 3-2 in a best of 7 series wins the series 84% of the time. 357 teams have gone up 3-2 in a series and 300 of those teams won the series. Of those teams, 170 won Game 6 to close out the series while 130 lost game 6 and won Game 7.
Since 2003, 17 teams have either won their first round series in either 4 or 5 games (74%). Since 2015, every team that won the championship has gotten past the first round in 5 games or less. The Celtics in 2024 won their first round series over the Heat 4 games to 1. This might seem like a dire statistic, but there is a positive note to add from Celtics history. In the 2008 playoffs, it took 7 games for the Celtics to get past Atlanta in the first round and those playoffs worked out just fine for the Celtics.
If the Celtics had one flaw this season, it was becoming complacent and allowing lesser teams to play harder than them. Along with Games 2 and 5 of this series where they looked complacent and allowed the and lost to the 76ers, of the Celtics 26 losses this season, there were several losses that were to tanking teams they should have beaten. These include losses to the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. Since 2023, The Celtics are 8-1 after a playoff loss. 6 of those wins were on the road.
One of the advantages that the Celtics have is their depth. In Game 1, the Celtics got 37 points from their bench while the 76ers got 27 points from theirs. Of course, there were about 6 minutes of garbage time in that game. In Game 2, the 76ers got 21 points from their bench while the Celtics got 20 from theirs. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench put up 35 points while the 76ers got just 14 points from theirs. In Game 4, the Celtics bench put up 57 points while the 76ers got 24 from theirs.
In Game 5, bench scoring was 29-25 in favor of the Celtics. A game after putting up 32 points, Payton Pritchard played just 26 minutes in Game 5 and only 4 minutes in the 4th quarter when the Celtics were struggling to score. The Celtics out-scored the 76ers by eight points in his 26 minutes and has been the Celtics 3rd best player in this series. Baylor Scheierman played just 8:39 in Game 5. Scheierman is shooting 46% from 3 in the series. Hopefully if the starters show they don’t have it in this game again, Joe will give his bench more minutes.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. once again. Joel Embiid is once again listed as probable for this game. He returned from an appendix removal to play in Game 4. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks and Embiid returned just 17 days after having his appendix removed. He played very well for them in Game 5 and I expect he will start and play big minutes in this game as well.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | NBAE via Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | NBAE via Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | NBAE via Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Joel Embiid
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesJoel Embiid | NBAE via Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Jordan Walsh Amare Williams Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
76ers Reserves Andre Drummond Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Dalen Terry Dominick Barlow Jabari Walker
2-Way Players MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Joel Embiid (Appendix) probable
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In Game 1, the Celtics were able to hold Maxey to 21 points on 20 shots along with 1 rebound and 8 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. He pretty much had his way in Game 2 with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 39.3% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he scored 31 points but took 31 shots to get them. He finished with 31 points, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks while shooting 38.7% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. With Embiid’s return, Maxey took just 14 shots in Game 4 and finished with 22 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 block. In Game 5, he finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block while shooting 55.6% from the field and 30.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to continue to make it a priority to defend him.
Neemias Queta vs Joel Embiid After missing the first 3 games of the series, Embiid returned to the 76ers for Game 4. He started out strong, scoring the 76ers first 8 points and drawing 2 quick fouls on Queta. He played 34 minutes, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 42.9% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc. He struggle a bit in the first half of Game 5, but took over the 2nd half as he played more in the paint and finished with 33 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 block while shooting 52.2% from the field but going 0-5 from three. Queta needs to find a way to stay out of foul trouble and to counter Embiid on defense. Honorable Mention Jayson Tatum vs Paul George Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. In Game 1, George finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, but he only took 8 shots. In game 2, he finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 53.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, he finished with 18 points, no rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. In Game 4, he finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 1 block while shooting 46.2% from the field and 3-3 from beyond the arc. In Game 5, he finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals while shooting 46.2% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him better, especially on the perimeter.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is absolutely the key to winning this, and every, game. Defense becomes even more important in the playoffs. It is very true that defense wins championships. In Game 1, the Celtics held the 76ers to 38.9% from the field and 17.4% from beyond the arc. In game 2, the Celtics defense faltered as the 76ers shot 47.8% from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc. In Game 3, the 76ers shot 43.7% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc. In Game 4, the Celtics held the 76ers to 41.3% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. The Celtics allowed the 76ers to shoot 50% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc in Game 5. When the Celtics shot weren’t falling in Game 5, the Celtics defense disappeared also. The Celtics have to play tough, physical, lock down defense from the opening tip until the final buzzer if they want to win this game.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game and has definitely been a big factor in this series. In the regular season, the Celtics were 43-12 in games that they tied or out-rebounded opponents and just 11-13 in games in which they were out-rebounded. In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the 76ers 43-40. In Game 2, they out-rebounded the 76ers 50-42, but they were unable to capitalize on them since they shot so poorly. In Game 3, the Celtics once again out-rebounded the 76ers 45-37. And, in their big win in Game 4, they out-rebounded the 76ers 51-30. In Game 5, especially in the 2nd half, they stopped fighting for rebounds and the 76ers had 47 rebounds to 49 for the Celtics. They have to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers if they want to win this game. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics need to put out more effort to grab rebounds then the 76ers.
3 Point Shooting – The Celtics are shooting 36.1% as a team from beyond the arc (5th) while the 76ers are shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc (8th). The Celtics make 16.8 threes a game (3rd) while the 76ers make 11.8 thees a game (6th). The Celtics were 2-4 in last year’s playoffs. 0-2 in this year’s playoffs and 14-17 in the regular season when they shoot under 34% from the field. In Game 2, they shot 26% from beyond the arc and in Game 5, they shot 28.2% on threes. They have to stay focused and they need to work to get open and move the ball to find the best shots. If the 3’s aren’t falling, they need to take the ball inside. And they need to defend the perimeter or the 76ers will beat them with 3’s of their own. The Celtics need to stay focused on offense and play tough perimeter defense in order to win this game.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics have to play with extra effort overall for all 4 quarters. In their losses in Game 2 and Game 5, they allowed the 76ers to play with more energy than them for periods of time during the game. They play well for stretches but let up and allow the Sixers to surge ahead. The 76ers will be playing for their playoff lives and so will play hard and desperate and with all out effort. The Celtics must match that effort and they need to stay focused on playing the right way from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
X-Factors On the Road – The Celtics will be on the road once again and they will be facing a very hostile crowd. Philly fans hate the Celtics because they have pretty much owned them in recent years. They hate Jayson Tatum because the Celtics took him with Philly’s pick after the 76ers traded up to take Markelle Fultz. There will likely be a lot of boos and the Celtics need to play through them. They have to shake off the distractions of playing on the road gand stay focused on playing Celtics basketball..
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. In the playoffs, coaching becomes more important as it becomes a game of adjustments as they play the same team game after game. So far, Joe Mazzulla has come out ahead in the series but wasn’t able to push the right buttons in Game 5 and so the coaching chess game will continue in Game 6.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. We have seen them call offensive fouls on Jaylen Brown far more than they have all season and Neemias Queta seems to be in constant foul trouble. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the calls, no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Official Report Crew Chief: Marc Davis Davis has called 589 games since the 2018-19 season and 100 playoff games. His home won/loss record is 34-32. He averages 18.9 fouls against the home team and 19.0 fouls against the road team. The Celtics are 1-2 with Davis this year and 3-4 with him last year. The 76ers are 2-4 with Davis this year and 0-2 last year.
Referee: Nick Buchert Buchert has called 515 games since the 2018-19 season and 15 playoff games. His home won/loss record is 34-33. He averages 20.1 fouls against the home team and 20.1 fouls against the road team. The Celtics are 3-3 with Buchert this year and 3-1 last year. The 76ers are 2-4 with Buchert this year and 2-3 last year.
Umpire: Ray Acosta Acosta has called 498 games since the 2018-19 season and 6 playoff games. His home won/loss record is 38-33. He averages 19.5 fouls against the home team and 19.8 fouls against the road team. The Celtics are 2-1 with Acosta this year and 2-2 last year. The 76ers are 2-4 with Buchert this year and 1-3 last year.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves with his glove during the MLB game at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Arizona Diamondbacks/Getty Images) | Getty Images
(Note: data are through Tuesday’s series opener against the Tigers only — the awkward timing of Thursday’s day game will make the data two games out of date by the time this runs.)
In the near-perpetual gloom that was the Atlanta Braves 2025 season, there was a chase rate contest. Maybe. I think there was a chase rate contest because I heard it on the broadcast. Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski talked about how then-new hitting coach Tim Hyers and the players had implemented one, with Braves players grouped by handedness (where did Ozzie Albies fit in? who knows?) and competing to see who could chase less (as a percentage of swings, or total chases? who knows?). When he was first hired (hyerd?), Hyers said that one of his orienting principles was, “You’re only as good as the strikes you swing at.” There are a lot of ways to take that, but as a guy that touted swing decisions as a key factor in his early-days-with-the-Braves pressers, it aligns to a meta-game of not chasing.
On the flip side, maybe there wasn’t a chase rate contest. Maybe it was never as concrete as the broadcast made it out to be. Maybe it only existed for a brief period, and then fell apart amid either the knowledge of such being spread to opposing teams, or the fact that the Braves’ offense (and the season) spiraled the proverbial drain fairly quickly. Maybe it’s just me, but when I search or query the internet writ large for “Braves chase rate contest” or a variant, the only thing I really get is, well, my own writing. Maybe I hallucinated it. Maybe I’m hallucinating this. It’s been a tough few years, woof.
Meanwhile, in the near-perpetual beach day that’s been the Atlanta Braves 2026 season so far, there is no chase rate contest. No, really, there is no chase rate contest. Tim Hyers is still the hitting coach, the only topline coach to survive a robust staff turnover in the offseason. The chase rate contest? I bet you wouldn’t have even remembered that maybe it existed if I hadn’t brought it up.
I’m gonna show you some stuff. It’s early days for 2026 yet, but still, it’s all in service of the title.
It’s not that the Braves were, in recent history, some kind of prodigious set of boors or rude boys. 2019 was the first year of what we jokingly/wistfully refer to as Braves_PowerPoint.pptx, and they had a below-average chase rate that year. It was average in 2021, and then hovering in above-average territory, but not egregiously so. Then you get 25, and well… chase rate contest? 2026 has been a hard reversal, though.
(A small procedural note which may be of more interest to you than the rest of this post. Due to the implementation of ABS, there are now a bunch of nascent if minor data problems. Or, more accurately, we are now nascently, or perhaps just more keenly, aware of prior minor data problems. FanGraphs now includes two different sets of plate discipline data from Statcast — “Legacy” and “ABS.” These differ, but not by much. Further, per an exchange with Ben Clemens earlier this week, it looks like the prior implementation of the Statcast strike zone was not consistent pitch-to-pitch for the same player (but is now consistent with ABS), and as a result, there are some minor weirdnesses with what “chase” meant pre-2026 compared to 2026. For that reason, I’m skipping literally all of this and its implications and simply using ranks and z-scores so that actual rates don’t matter.)
Of course, no one commits to chasing. Some guys might have swings that can not only reach, but do serious damage on, pitchers that aren’t rulebook (or likely) strikes, but generally, higher chase is the result of other decisions and processes, not something targeted in and of itself. A lot of times, it helps to contextualize chase rate with the rate of swinging at strikes.
The below is a plot of all teams from 2024. I could do earlier ones, but I think you’ll get the idea.
The 2024 Braves are the red dot, the other teams, are, well… the other teams. The 2024 Braves swung at strikes more than anyone, and they swung at balls at an above-average rate. They swung a lot, basically.
Alright, here’s 2025. It’s certainly different!
Did the Braves succeed at being more selective? They sure did! They joined a bunch of other teams that were similarly chase avoidant-ish while offering at an above-average number of strikes. We know it didn’t actually do them any good writ large, but they still did it.
Alright, let’s do 2026 so far. It’s more exaggerated in most directions because, well, the sample size is small, and differences between teams are magnified as a result.
I think this is kinda funny. The Braves are killing it offensively, but if you think about things purely in terms of swing decisions, it’s kind of unexpected. In 2024, they swung at way more strikes than anyone else (a full two standard deviations above the mean), with an elevated but non-dramatic chase (+0.5 standard deviations). In 2025, it was restrained/selective: +0.6 standard deviations for swinging at strikes, and -0.4 for chasing. 2026? +0.8 for swinging at strikes, and +1.4 for chasing, as shown in the table above. A purist might call it misplaced aggressiveness, but I think most will just call it, “Whatever it takes to rake” for now.
Of course, teams are just a composition of players, and the Braves have been fairly stable in their cast of characters, especially compared to other teams. So, even if we avoid overloading the synapses by doing just our little 2024-2025-2026 pseudo-round trip, then we get into below. And I’ll be honest, this is really funny to me, and hopefully to you.
Ronald Acuña Jr.
In 2024, Acuña was more about not chasing than swinging at every strike. He actually chased more in 2025, but swung at fewer strikes. Oops. (He still posted a 161 wRC+ and a near-.400 xwOBA. It’s fine.) In 2026, he’s chasing more than in either of the past two years, and swinging at lots and lots of strikes. There is no chase rate contest, but if there were, he’d be useful at it.
Ozzie Albies
Albies is unapologetically himself, through days of cornucopia and fallow periods both. Can you tell whether there was a chase rate contest based on Albies’ behavior? You could not. One way, and probably the correct way to read it? He would not be very useful to you in a chase rate contest.
Michael Harris II
Harris is also unapologetically himself, though as not-quite-a-veteran relative to Albies, we can’t blame him for some more variation. Like Albies, it’s not clear that he understood the idea of a chase rate contest… at least not in practice. When presumably coached around being more selective, he was instead… more aggressive. Hmm. Anyway, he’s chasing a bit less these days, though you’re probably aware that he’s re-broken out because he’s focusing on mashing the ball rather than not-doing-a-thing-he-was-incapable-of-doing-anyway (being more selective).
Matt Olson
This one is kind of my favorite. In 2024, Olson had an average chase rate and swung at a lot of strikes. In 2025, Olson just swung less, which included swinging a lot less at strikes. In 2026, Olson is being passive ayy eff. Wait a minute! Isn’t this what we were complaining about in 2025? Well, Olson has a 169 wRC+ and a near-.400 xwOBA while losing more homers than anyone else to ballpark dimensions so far (which would’ve pushed his wRC+ to some kind of absurd level had they landed beyond fences), so…
(Maybe Olson thinks there’s still a chase rate contest? If so, he’s not actually doing as well as last year.)
Austin Riley
Riley does his own thing, so his presence here (or on any similar exercise) will always be kind of strange. I won’t make any chase rate contest quips here, I’ll just say that from this, it’s pretty clear that Riley is still kind of adjusting to re-existing at the plate at this point, and if things keep up, he might pause a PA to break out in a rendition of 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” before the All-Star Break.
Drake Baldwin
Drake Baldwin once knew life under the oppressive atmosphere of the chase rate contest. Now that it’s gone, uh… well, he seems to be having a pretty good time either way.
Coda:
The Braves were second in xwOBACON in 2024, 11th last year, and are fifth this year.
The Braves were third in walk rate in 2019, but finished between 10th and 19th every year from 2021-2024. They were third again in 2025. They’re 25th right now.
The Braves’ strikeout rate has had no pattern or trend year to year, bouncing around fairly wildly. It was ninth-highest in 2024, 17th in 2025, and is currently the third-lowest rate in baseball.
The Mets have been waiting for someone other than Juan Soto to step up and boost their offense with a handful of their regulars sitting out on the injured list.
On Thursday afternoon, MJ Melendez was the man for the job.
Melendez smacked a single in his first at-bat of the day, then picked up Freddy Peralta his next time up, lifting a game-tying three-run homer over the right-field fence.
It was the lefty slugger's second home run since joining the Mets.
Two innings later, he stepped to the plate and gave himself up, dropping down a sacrifice bunt to push Juan Soto into scoring position after drawing a leadoff walk in a tie game in the sixth.
New York took its first lead of the day just one pitch later as Mark Vientos lined a double.
Melendez was set to come back up in another big spot after Soto led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to right, with the team now trailing Washington by a run.
However, with former Mets left-hander Richard Lovelady on the mound, Carlos Mendoza elected to have Austin Slater come off the bench and pinch hit.
Slater, who recently joined the Mets on a minor league deal, had just one at-bat in the last week but came into the day a career .263 hitter with 30 of his 45 homers and a .776 OPS against left-handed pitching.
He couldn’t deliver this time around, though, working the count before grounding out to shortstop.
New York, of course, ended up squandering the opportunity before going down quietly in the ninth as the team closed out the long homestand with its sixth loss in nine tries.
Mendoza explained his thought process behind the decision afterward.
“Slater is here to hit lefties, obviously,” the skipper said. “Knowing that we’ve seen Lovelady against righties as well, just wanted to take the chance their with a righty against him and try to do some damage.”
Mendy talks job security
After suffering their second consecutive loss, the Mets fell to 10-21 over the first month of the season.
They remain in possession of the worst record in baseball heading into May.
With questions about his job security, injuries throughout the lineup, and just an overall lack of production from up-and-down the roster, Mendoza says it’s been tough on everyone.
“It’s not easy, but we have to keep going,” he said. “There’s no other choice here, we have a responsibility and we have to turn this thing around -- it’s not early anymore, so yeah, it’s obviously frustrating for a lot of people in here.”
Can the Bruins force a Game 7 with a win on Friday?
The Buffalo Sabres have the advantage of leading their first round series with the Boston Bruins 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Friday, but to say that the younger Sabres do not have any pressure on them would be inaccurate, since a loss would force a seventh and deciding game at KeyBank Center on Sunday. The series has been decidedly to the advantage of the visitors, as four of the five games in the series the road club has come out victorious, and the one game the home team won was Game 1’s improbable four-goal comeback late in the third by Buffalo.
The Sabres practiced on Thursday morning before flying to Beantown, where center Josh Norris replaced the injured Noah Ostlund in between Zach Benson and Josh Doan. Head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update on Norris and defenseman Logan Stanley, who was absent from practice.
Sick, (he’s) doing better today, but we held them off.....he was worse yesterday, better today, but then you're missing a couple days and you haven't ate. We're gonna have to judge where the energy level is too at the same time.
Norris was slotted in his old spot, was that just to not disrupt the lineup too much?
For a period of time that line was really good for us, and put him back in his spot. He had a great practice today, skated really well, feeling really good. It's an opportunity where a guy like (Josh) can just step up and he could be a big difference maker for us.
Thompson has not scored since Game 1, and during the regular season, not scoring in four games is not a big deal, but everything in the playoffs is magnified. What have you seen from him in his quest to get back on the scoresheet?
You look at the opportunities in the game. A game ago, (the Bruins) were talking about how they needed more out of (Morgan) Geekie and more out of (David) Pastrnak. This is the time of the year, where I think the attention towards your best players always comes to a highlight. If one guy doesn't have goals for two or three games, no different than McDavid in Edmonton with his start to the playoffs, it's that time of year. I think if you look at the game and you break it down, (Tage) had an unbelievable chance in the third period where (Peyton) Krebs fed him across crease and he didn't finish. If that goes, you're probably not asking me this question today, but it didn't go in. (Our) best players, we're depending on them to be difference makers, but the cool thing about our team all year long has been that if the top guys weren't producing for a few games, we had other guys, whether it was our defense, whether it was (Beck) Malenstyn, guys like that were helping us win hockey games, and it's really what our team has been about the whole year.
Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates with second baseman Brice Turang (2) after hitting a two run home run in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
For the second time in three games, the Brewers outscored the Arizona Diamondbacks by double digits. Milwaukee got to Michael Soroka early and often, and despite Brandon Woodruff’s exit in the second inning, the bullpen — led by Shane Drohan — held Arizona to just one run over 7 2/3 innings. Milwaukee is now two games over .500 as they head to the nation’s capital for a series against the Washington Nationals.
Woodruff walked D-backs leadoff man Geraldo Perdomo to start the game, but retired the next three batters to get back to the dugout unscathed.
Woodruff came back out for the second inning, but clearly didn’t look right and was pulled after allowing a one-out single to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Grant Anderson came in to finish the inning with strikeouts of Nolan Arenado and Alek Thomas.
Brandon Woodruff was pulled in the second inning of his start today.
His fastball velocity was in the mid-80s after being in the low-90s in his previous outings this year pic.twitter.com/WINt00WHZa
With Woodruff out of the game early, this one effectively became a bullpen game for Milwaukee. Thankfully, the Brewers’ offense was able to give their pitching staff some quick run support with a three-spot in the bottom of the first off Soroka. With one out, William Contreras lined a double down the left field line. Garrett Mitchell, who had led off with a walk, scored from first to give the Crew an early lead. Soroka then walked Jake Bauers to put runners on first and second.
Tyler Black flew out for the second out, but Luis Rengifo kept the inning alive by lacing a double into the gap in right-center field. Contreras scored, Bauers scored, and just like that, the Brewers were up three runs before the end of the first inning.
Milwaukee added three more runs in the bottom of the third. After Brice Turang led off the inning with a single, Contreras delivered again, hitting a moonshot over the center field fence for a two-run home run. Soroka couldn’t stop the bleeding there, allowing back-to-back singles to Bauers and Black. Rengifo grounded out for the first out of the inning, but Bauers scored from third to put the Brewers up six runs.
Arizona finally got on the board in the fourth off Shane Drohan, who had come in to start the third inning. Corbin Carroll led off with a double to give the D-backs their first runner in scoring position. Drohan struck out cleanup hitter Adrian Del Castillo, but allowed consecutive singles to Idelmaro Vargas and Gurriel. Gurriel’s single scored Carroll from third to put Arizona on the board.
After that, Drohan settled in, escaping the inning by retiring Arenado and Thomas. With Woodruff exiting early, he gave the Brewers exactly what they needed — length and stability out of the bullpen. He turned in four strong innings, allowing five hits but just one earned run.
After giving up three runs in each of his first two appearances with Milwaukee, Drohan has responded by allowing just one run over his last five innings. He’s starting to look like a more dependable option — most likely as a long reliever, but with the ability to step into the rotation if needed.
Meanwhile, the Brewers’ offense kept the pressure on, adding two more runs with consecutive singles from Hamilton, Mitchell, Turang, and Contreras. That last hit from Contreras ended Soroka’s day after eight runs on 10 hits. The Crew also tacked on three more runs in the sixth — thanks to a Bauers groundout and a two-run double from Black — and another in the seventh on a Sal Frelick homer, his third of the year and second of the series.
Frelick’s home run brought the score to 12-1, but Milwaukee wasn’t done there. They scored their 13th and final run of the game off of D-backs catcher James McCann, who walked Black with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth. Jake Woodford struck out two on the way to retiring the side in the ninth, bringing the game to its final score of Milwaukee 13, Arizona 1.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Woodruff’s status, the rest of this game was incredibly encouraging. The bullpen shut down a dangerous Diamondbacks lineup, and every starter besides Greg Jones recorded at least one hit — including William Contreras, who went 4-for-4 with four RBIs. Hopefully, the Brewers can carry their offensive momentum into their upcoming series against a Nationals team that swept them earlier this year.
Tomorrow’s series opener pits No. 1 starter Jacob Misiorowski against right-hander Jake Irvin. First pitch is set for 5:45 p.m. CT.
Thursday afternoon’s game at Citi Field between the Mets and the Washington Nationals was a microcosm of what’s been a disappointing 2026 season for the home team. After falling behind 3-0, the Mets tied the game in the third on a three-run blast from MJ Melendez and then took the lead on a Mark Vientos RBI double in the sixth.
On one pitch, a 2-1 changeup from Weaver that caught too much of the plate, the Mets went from being back on track as winners of the series, to falling to 10-21, the worst record in the majors.
Afterwards, Weaver was outspoken about the pressure to perform that he and all of his teammates are feeling on a daily basis.
“I think at the end of the day, this pursuit of perfection is just an ultimate pressurized failure mindset,” Weaver said. “I just think it just becomes everybody wants to be the hero because we care and we want to win really, really bad. And I just don’t think success lives in that realm. It truly doesn’t, and I think the freedom of which we play day to day is kind of being suffocated a little bit.
“I want to just do my job, it’s that simple. There are moments that feel really close, and then there’s just one mistake that magnifies our situation. So, of course I sit there and feel the weight of the world and feel like I let the team down, but at the end of the day I do feel like I’m in a good spot.
“We sit there and we just tell you guys ‘It will come. This is the game. This is the law of averages’ and all these things, but at the end of the day, those words just don’t hold the same weight when you go day after day. I think the encouragement and the motivation to pursue just being the best person you can be and the best baseball player you can be is the only answer. Until we prove that, I understand the grievances from the outsiders."
Weaver is far from the only Met who has had his struggles this season, but he was acquired this offseason to be in high-leverage spots, exactly like the one he found himself in on Thursday afternoon.
With his performance on Thursday, Weaver now has a 6.00 ERA on the season, allowing eight earned runs in 12.0 innings.
“Typically, you don’t see an entire kind of collective group at the same time not playing their best brand of baseball. It feels individualized. It feels like a moment like today where everybody played well and we’re playing well as a group, and today I kind of let the team down. It just kind of feels like there’s a little bit of a culture that has adapted to it, unintentionally, and it’s just kind of how winning and losing goes.
“When you win, you feel on top of the world. When you’re losing, everyone wants to talk about the failure of the outcomes. The magnification just becomes immense. Sleep is lost, the mind wanders, and you just kind of get into a fixation that you really don’t need to be in. I think the answers are kind of in those words. It’s simplifying the process and maybe doing less. Maybe it’s less reps and more about enjoying why you do this for a living and trying to just find your inner kid and enjoy why you play the game and not trying to do it for other people.”
With 10 wins in their first 31 games, the Mets find themselves in last place in the NL East, certainly not where anyone on the team or around the team thought they’d be as the calendar flips to May.
According to Weaver, the Mets’ performance on the field hasn’t matched their preparation off of it, and perhaps taking a step back to refocus is something the team must do to right the ship.
“I’ve been a part of great teams and part of teams that weren’t up to par. I look at this team, and if you took our record off and just looked at the internal things that you guys can’t see, the conversations, just the enjoyment on a day-to-day basis, I wouldn’t believe you if you told me what our record was,” Weaver said. “I think that is a testament to the people we have in here, the mindset that we bring on a day-to-day basis.
“You’ve got to reframe the way that you think. Make it a priority to be like ‘This old habit is going to die today’ and this new, kind of rejuvenated mindset is something that I’m going to have to attack it and say ‘This is how I want to play baseball.’”
That's the record of NBA teams who have gone up 3-0 in a playoff series. Only four teams have even forced a Game 7.
The Lakers raced out to a 3-0 series lead against a Houston Rockets team that has been without Kevin Durant for all but one game (not to mention missing other veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams). History told us where this series was headed.
Except, now it's 3-2, the series is headed back to Houston, and the Lakers are in real trouble.
The Rockets have looked a little better with each game, they have found an identity and confidence. For the first 10 quarters of this series, the Lakers looked like the veteran team that had a little more juice left in them, a team that might make a run. They were the aggressors pressuring on defense while their role players like Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard were knocking down shots.
However, for the last 10 quarters, the Lakers have just looked old. If not for one moment of their brilliance/horrible Rockets self-inflicted wounds at the end of Game 3, the Lakers would be trailing in this series.
"We're obviously the better team, I feel like," Jabari Smith Jr. said, reflecting the growing confidence that is clear the second you step into the Houston locker room.
Somewhere in the middle of Game 3, with Kevin Durant in the back getting treatment on his ankle, the young Rockets core started to coalesce.
"We're just a tight-knit group of guys, especially the young guys, we really banded together," Tari Eason said. "And I'm just proud of us… We just got to keep it rolling, one game at a time, back home, Game 6."
Rockets find new identity
For three games, Houston looked overwhelmed — by the moment, by the pressure defense from Los Angeles, by everything. Ime Udoka caught some flak for saying his team needed to "grow up." However, maybe that's what they needed to hear.
The Rockets have come together and made a few adjustments. They cranked up their defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and getting points in transition. On offense, they started hunting Kennard. Also, the Rockets started getting Alperen Sengun the ball more in the middle of the floor (where it's harder to bring help).
Sengun, for his part, has settled into his role as more of a facilitator.'
"We learned it watching films, watching their defense, kind of understanding what they do now and there's no, no reason for me to rush the shot or, like, attack the double team," Sengun said after a 14-point, nine-rebound and eight-assist night in Game 5. "I'm just trying to pick them apart and find my teammates and find open shots. And that was my job today."
He did his job — every Rockets starter finished in double-digits.
That Rockets youth seems to be wearing down those Lakers, who have just looked old and slow, even with the return of Austin Reaves.
Lakers need to re-establish their identity
While the Rockets' offense has improved in the last few games, Lakers coach JJ Redick didn't see his team's defense as the issue after a 99-92 loss in Game 5 at home.
"You hope 99 [points] is enough to win and we just couldn't make shots," Redick said. "We missed some layups. Certainly, [we] had some good looks from three that didn't go down."
"I mean, we have some opportunities to make some shots we didn't make, obviously. Think we're generating good shots," LeBron James said, echoing his coach. "As much as we gotta defend, we also gotta score in this game too, and I don't think we did that at a good rate, especially in the second and third [quarters]."
Reaves' return was supposed to help with that, and he did put up 22 points off the bench, but he did most of that damage at the free throw line. Reaves shot 4-of-16 for the game and looked to wear down late, shooting 1-of-8 in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers are still in the driver's seat — they still need to win just one of two games. Reaves should shake off the rust and look better going forward. LeBron has been in more high-leverage games than anyone on the planet and has lifted up teams to big wins before. Marcus Smart has been on big stages before and won. The Rockets are still young and making the mistakes of youth (Eason going back up with a putback with 38 seconds left in Game 5, when the Rockets were up three, rather than kicking out to run down more clock, for example). The odds remain in the Lakers' favor.
But make no mistake, they are in trouble. And the young Rockets believe they can make history.
Sparkling cameos by skipper Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler complemented a stellar display with the ball and in the field, carrying Gujarat Titans to a four-wicket victory over defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday.
