SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Oracle Park on April 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the start of a three-game series between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hopefully it goes better than the last few series have gone.
For the Giants, lefty Robbie Ray will make his eighth start of the year. The two-time All-Star is 2-4 on the season, with a 2.95 ERA, a 4.47 FIP, and 40 strikeouts to 14 walks in 39.2 innings. He gave up three runs in 6.1 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays his last time out.
On the other side is right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski, a 27-year old in his fourth season. In seven games (six starts), Mlodzinski is 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA, a 2.49 FIP, and 40 strikeouts to 13 walks in 34 innings. After starting the season strong, he’s allowed five runs in each of his last three games.
Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has a knack for speaking his mind, whether warranted or not.
Barkley on Friday continued his back-and-forth with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, which initially began during Green's May 6 appearance on "Inside the NBA" on ESPN.
Barkley had expressed his opinion on the Warriors, saying their dynasty run is over and that Green and Stephen Curry should consider leaving if their career goals are to win more NBA championships.
"It’s over for the Warriors,” Barkley said on May 6. “No disrespect. It is for every old team. You have your run, you get old … it just passed you by. Y’all had one of the greatest runs ever.”
Green's response: "I think the goal is to not look like you in the Houston Rockets uniform. That is ultimately the goal."
Barkley was later backed by the guys he's been on the show with for three decades. Later in the show, they discussed how James Harden had more turnovers than field goals against the Detroit Pistons.
Green defended Harden, only for it to be a setup as producers had a stat that blew even Green's mind. Green has had 43 playoff games where he's finished with more turnovers than field goals made, tied with Kendrick Perkins for the most since 2003.
Draymond Green learning he has 43 games with more turnovers than field goals in the playoffs, tied with Kendrick Perkins for the most since 2003…but at least he's not Charles Barkley in a Rockets uniform pic.twitter.com/mAcQ8tVePR
The "feud" continued on Friday, with Barkley going on a spree of radio interviews. Here's what he had to say in response to Green, doubling down on his stance:
Charles Barkley responds to Draymond Green jab
Barkley stood on what he said about the Warriors and Green. He went on a couple radio shows on Friday, May 8 to reiterate his stance.
"Hey man, I never punch down," Barkley said. "Draymond's a good player. We're not on the same level. I can hear, but I don't have to respond every time somebody says something about me. Draymond's a really good player, he's had a hell of a career, but we're not on the same level."
"I never punch down. Draymond's a good player, we're not on the same level."
Charles Barkley had his shot to clap back when Draymond Green poked fun at Barkley's final NBA years in Houston but chose not to.
Barkley also went on "The Dan Patrick Show," where he continued to elaborate about Green's attempts to take personal shots at the Hall of Famer.
"He took a shot at me but I don’t get offended because ― I’ve said things about guys, they took personal shots at me,” Barkley said. “You know, it’s so funny, last time you had me on the show, I told you I regretted those Rocket years, especially the last two where I sucked as a player. But I wasn’t turning down no free money, I had two years left on my contract."
Turning the attention back to the Warriors, Barkley lamented how their run seems over, as he did to Green.
"He made it personal," Barkley said. "The Warriors haven’t been relevant for three or four years. They been in the play-in. When you’re in the play-in, you’re not in the playoffs."
He continued: "The play-in is something they just made up to add more games to put on a different network. The Warriors have been in the play-in I think four straight years. So they (have) been irrelevant. And I know he don’t want to say it. ... It's over for Golden State, they had a great run. He took a personal shot at me, but I'm not sensitive. But it's been over in Golden State. If Golden State was relevant, he wouldn’t be in the studio with me."
"If Golden State was relevant, he wouldn't be in the studio with me!" 😅
Here's the thing that many don't realize. Barkley was traded to Houston at 33 and played there for four seasons, from 1996 to 2000, retiring at 36. In those four seasons, he averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 152 games.
Barkley was named to the All-Star Game in 1997, but didn't play due to injury. Barkley joined a team with Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon; playing with those Hall of Famers, he averaged under 20 points per game for the first time since his rookie season in 1984-85. He averaged 19.2 points that season.
The 1996-97 campaign marked Barkley's last real chance at winning a championship, as the Rockets lost to the Utah Jazz in the 1997 Western Conference finals in six games. Barkley averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in the series.
Injuries would derail the tail end of Barkley's career, ending with a ruptured his left quadriceps tendon during the 1999-2000 season.
Unless Green was referring to career-ending injuries, maybe looking like Houston Barkley isn't so bad, after all.
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts bats for Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets on a rehab assignment on May 8, 2026.
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers star Mookie Betts played five innings at shortstop and had a singled in his three at-bats for Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment on Friday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. The tentative plan is for Betts to play two games for the Comets then return to Los Angeles and be activated on Monday, if all goes well.
“One part is to take six or seven at-bats, and feel good with his timing. Build up some endurance in playing defense, on both sides of the ball with the running piece,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday at Dodger Stadium. “Hopefully he gets tested where he doesn’t feel anything.”
It’s the first minor league game Betts has played since 2015 while with the Boston Red Sox. He’s since had injured list stints in 2018 (abdominal strain), 2021 (right hip inflammation), 2022 (right rib fracture), and 2024 (broken hand), and in each of those occasions used simulated games and batting practice as his rehab assignments.
“Once he gets back with us, we’re not going to run him out there every single day. There will probably be a couple days where he can get reintroduced to playing a lot,” Roberts said. “I’m going to count on Mookie. As long as he’s healthy, we’re better with him.”
Once Betts returns, whether it’s on Monday or some other date, one infielder will need to be sent down. Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim have minor league options, while veteran reserve Santiago Espinal does not.
“We’re going to have some hard conversations. But fortunately, we don’t have to have those until he does come back,” Roberts said. “As we’ve seen, these things can change quickly, so we’ll be prepared.”
The Grand Rapids Griffins are hoping to gain the upper hand by eliminating the Manitoba Moose in the Calder Cup Playoffs, currently enjoying a two games to one series lead after rebounding from their Game 1 loss.
And it was defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka who scored what was nothing short of a highlight-reel worthy goal to try and help them make that quest a reality.
Sandin-Pellikka took a pass in the neutral zone and proceeded to dangle through a pair of Manitoba defenders before slipping the puck through the pads of goaltender Thomas Milic into the back of the net, sending the crowd at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids into a frenzy.
The goal gave the Griffins a 2-1 lead over the Moose with 5:10 left in the second period.
The Swedish defenseman, who was Detroit’s first round pick (17th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, was one of several rookies to make the Red Wings roster this past fall thanks to a strong showing in Training Camp and the preseason.
He ultimately appeared in 68 games, scoring seven goals with 14 assists while averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per outing.
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Apr 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) prepares to throw a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
It’s game 2 for the St. Louis Cardinals in San Diego as they’ll ask Michael McGreevy (2-2, 2.52 ERA, 24SO) to lead them to a victory Friday night. Griffin Canning (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 7 SO) will make the start for the Padres. Friday night’s broadcast will be handled by Apple TV, so that 7-day trial is your friend. First pitch scheduled for 8:45pm central time.
LOS ANGELES — Blake Snell will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves in a matchup of National League division leaders.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is set to rejoin the rotation sooner than anticipated after teammate Tyler Glasnow left a start early this week because of back trouble. Glasnow was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with low back spasms, and Los Angeles recalled right-hander Paul Gervase from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Snell missed most of the 2025 regular season because of a lingering shoulder injury, making just 11 starts after signing a $182 million, five-year contract in November 2024. But the left-hander went 3-2 in six postseason games to help the Dodgers win their second consecutive World Series title.
Snell has been on the IL since late March with left shoulder fatigue. He had been scheduled to make one more minor league rehabilitation start for Class A Ontario on Saturday, but instead will face the Braves at Dodger Stadium.
Glasnow exited after one inning against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He had an MRI that showed “nothing really significant,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday before the opener of a three-game series against Atlanta.
The 32-year-old Glasnow is 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA in seven outings this season.
The 6-foot-10 Gervase, 25, is 2-0 with a 3.65 ERA in nine games for Oklahoma City this year. He made one appearance for the Dodgers last season, striking out two batters in two innings. He also pitched in five games for Tampa Bay, compiling a 4.26 ERA.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell delivers against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 29. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers took two steps forward and one step back in their quest for full strength Friday, putting Glasnow on the injured list because of back spasms while planning to activate Snell from the injured list on Saturday and Betts on Monday.
Snell’s start Saturday will be his first since the World Series. The two-time Cy Young winner opened the season on the injured list because of shoulder fatigue, as the Dodgers eased him into spring with the goal of putting him in the best possible position to succeed in October.
Glasnow left Wednesday’s game because of the injury. An MRI examination revealed “nothing really significant,” according to manager Dave Roberts, but the IL stint allows Glasnow to avoid rushing to be ready for his next start, with the bigger October picture in mind.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Glasnow never has made more than 22 starts in a season. He has been on the injured list in every full season since 2019.
With Glasnow’s status in question, the Dodgers on Thursday reconsidered their plan for Snell. They originally planned for him to make a final rehabilitation start Saturday, but Roberts said the pitcher and the team agreed he could throw the planned five innings in Los Angeles as well as he could in Ontario.
The Dodgers recalled reliever Paul Gervase to fill Glasnow's roster spot. They could return him to triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Snell on Saturday.
Betts strained an oblique muscle April 4. The shortstop is scheduled to play two minor league rehabilitation games Oklahoma City Friday and Saturday, then return to Los Angeles for evaluation, with the hope he’ll be cleared for activation Monday.
“We’re not going to run him out there every single day,” Roberts said.
Snell and Betts are not the only reinforcements on the way. Utilityman Kiké Hernández and reliever Brusdar Graterol began rehabilitation assignments this week.
The return of Betts would appear to allow the Dodgers to jettison infield reserve Santiago Espinal, although the team opened the season with Espinal on the roster and Hyeseong Kim at triple-A, allowing Kim to play every day and Alex Freeland and Miguel Rojas to split time at second base.
However, since rejoining the Dodgers when Betts was injured, Kim is batting .314 with an .801 OPS.
The Dodgers dropped outfielder Kyle Tucker to sixth in the lineup Friday, in a batting order Roberts said was designed to combat Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale.
In his career, Tucker is 0 for 9 with four strikeouts against Sale.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Brandon Lockridge slammed his legs into the concrete base of a wall pursuing a foul pop fly, and was taken from the field by cart Friday, May 8 at American Family Field.
Lockridge was chasing a foul ball hit by the New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger in the top of the fourth inning when he went into a slide and slammed into a wall that was unpadded at the base. He winced in pain and tumbled face down on the foul line for several moments.
Brandon Lockridge was in serious pain after crashing into the wall in foul territory pic.twitter.com/tgLfCpHaIp
He was eventually helped to his feet, yet needed the assistant of a cart to exit the field. Garrett Mitchell replaced Lockridge, who had an RBI single earlier, in the outfield.
The Brewers were leading the game 5-0 when Lockridge, 29, was hurt. He's batting .294 with a .709 OPS in 85 at-bats this season.
Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said postgame that "Initial X-rays say it's not fractured" but added that Lockridge has "a huge laceration."
"It's going to be a while. It's all the way down to his bone, the laceration. So, pretty ugly," Murphy said.
"We don't know the extent of any other damage because there's so much swelling that we're going to have to wait until it goes down to get an MRI," he added.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 02: Carmen Mlodzinski (50) of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 02, 2026 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the San Francisco Giants looking to grab a win.
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May 6, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell prior to the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
The Dodgers and Atlanta Braves continue their weekend series on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, with a start time an hour earlier than Friday night.
Spencer Strider is on the mound for Atlanta, making his second start since returning from the injured list after missing the first five-plus weeks of the season with a left oblique strain. He struck out six last Sunday at Coors Field but also allowed three runs and walked five in his 3 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers are 2-0 when wearing their city connect uniforms, beating the Texas Rangers 6-3 on April 11 and winning 12-4 over the Chicago Cubs on April 25.
1960s Cars On Central Avenue Downtown Phoenix Arizona USA (Photo By C P May/ClassicStock/Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
METS
DIAMONDBACKS
Juan Soto – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Bo Bichette – SS
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Brett Baty – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Mark Vientos – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Carson Benge – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Lourdes Gurriel – LF
MJ Melendez – RF
Gabriel Moreno – C
Francisco Alvarez – DH
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Luis Torrens – C
Jorge Barrosa – CF
Nolan McLean – RHP
Ryne Nelson – RHP
So, after all that excitement about Ryan Waldschmidt getting called up… He’s not in the starting line-up. This does kinda make sense based on past history. It feels like Torey Lovullo likes to give prospects a parachute, letting them absorb the atmosphere gently rather than hurling them into the fire on their first night. I would not be surprised to see Waldschmidt come off the bench for a pinch-hit opportunity late in the game, and quite possibly be starting in center. We’ve been patient and waited for him to show up in the majors. Another 24 hours or whatever isn’t going to make any difference.
It’s the Mets again. The last time we saw them was just about a dozen games into the season, and we did not realize quite how terrible they seem to be. Taking two of three in New York seemed like a huge success at the time, but we did not realize how terrible they are. Now, it seems like a bit of a missed opportunity: they got swept by Colorado, and the Mets have gone 7-17 since we left town. We kick-started a twelve-game losing streak, though on this road trip, they have won series against the Angels and Rockies, so might be turning things round a bit. Both teams could certainly use a series win.
MILWAUKEE, WI - JULY 20: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a portrait with the Larry O'Brien Trophy and Bill Russell Finals MVP Award after winning Game Six of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns on July 20, 2021 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 2021 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I like to wake up each morning and, before either logging into work remotely or driving into the office, spend about 30 minutes reading new stories, scrolling my Twitter feed, and getting a gauge on what’s going on in the sports world at large. Some people need coffee to get themselves going in the morning. All I need is information. That’s the fuel, for once I start consuming it, the brain starts firing.
One story I continually see is the theory about Giannis Antetokounmpo coming to the Phoenix Suns because Phoenix is supposedly a preferred destination. We don’t know how much merit there is to any of this actually occurring, seeing as the sources never feel consistently reputable.
Still, over and over again, media outlets keep pushing it, fans keep talking about it, and every corner of Suns discourse somehow circles back to Giannis. People wonder if it’ll happen. Some are so damn excited that the possibility even exists.
The Valley jersey looks too clean on Giannis for this not to happen.
It gets the clicks. I get why the remote possibility of acquiring the 10-time All-Star is discussed. I guess I’m part of the problem as well, as I sit here and type this out. But I do so more out of frustration than fantasy.
If you want to talk about things that get my blood pumping, this is one of them. Because I can’t. I genuinely can’t do this again. I cannot go through another aging star with a massive price tag coming to Phoenix, getting everybody hyped as if the parade route is already mapped out, then watching the team fall flat on its face as everyone scrambles around pointing in every different direction trying to explain why it failed instead of acknowledging the glaring goddamn reason sitting right in front of them.
We lived it with Kevin Durant. We lived it with Bradley Beal. So why the fuck would we willingly hop back on the same goddamn carousel again? I truly do not understand the mindset.
Let’s say that it happens. Let’s say that somehow, someway, the Phoenix Suns are able to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. I’m not even going to start contemplating what we’d have to give up, because you know and I know that it’s highly unrealistic. The Suns simply do not have a trade package you could piece together that would be desirable enough to land him.
Sure, there are other teams out there that can offer better packages. We know that. We also know, thanks to the cases of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, that players can force themselves to a desired destination even if other offers are objectively better.
The problem is those two moves completely nuked the Suns’ cupboard. That thing has an old box of Cheerios and some honey in it (because honey never expires). And if you think the team would give up Devin Booker for Giannis, that in and of itself is certifiably insane. Booker is younger. Booker has given this city 11 years of dedication. Booker is the identity of the franchise. I highly doubt the organization would pivot away from that for an aging, injury-prone power forward as a replacement.
Still, let’s play the “what if” game. Let’s say this team acquires Giannis. Then what?
The assumption is you’d have to give up enough assets that your depth is completely shot to shit, and now you’re running veteran minimums out there night after night trying to patch together a rotation whenever somebody inevitably misses time. Chimezie Metu, anyone? And you know what that does? It puts extra strain on both Giannis and Booker, which equates to injuries and exhaustion because there’s zero margin for error. Every game becomes a survival exercise. And I don’t know if people realize this or not, but neither Booker nor Giannis exactly comes with pristine bills of health anymore.
Since coming to Phoenix and destroying our dreams in the 2021 NBA Finals, Giannis has averaged 61.2 games played per season. He played only 36 games last year. Time typically is not kind to older big men who play with the level of aggression that Giannis does. Remember Dwight Howard? He was dominant early in his career. Then the paychecks got bigger, the body started wearing down, and the production slowly followed. You do not want to become the 2017 Atlanta Hawks, stuck paying for what a player used to be.
That’s the challenge facing any team pursuing Giannis. Because wherever he goes, the expectation is that he gets another extension. He’s slated to make $58.5 million next season and has a player option worth $62.8 million the following year. He’s going to want one more massive bag before retirement. Phoenix should not be the team left holding it for a player who could be on the back nine of his career, halfway to the clubhouse for a nice Arnold Palmer.
Maybe that’s part of why Phoenix appeals to him. Mat Ishbia has shown in the past that he’s willing to spend for talent. The hope is that ownership has been learned from those mistakes. The reminders are already sitting there staring everybody in the face. Go look at the dead cap money.
If Giannis Antetokounmpo honestly were to come to Phoenix, I would not be a happy fanalyst. It’s one thing to bring in somebody who is overpriced and injury-prone. It’s another thing entirely to bring in the guy who ripped your heart out in the NBA Finals. Why in the name of John Paxson would we want that? Are we that masochistic? Do we need him to not only fuck us in the Finals, then come here and fuck our cap sheet for the next few years too?
We’ve got to get out of this mentality that every player who bats their eyes toward the Valley of the Sun needs to be Photoshopped into a Phoenix Suns jersey and admired like the Wolverine meme holding a picture frame.
Every damn day lately, it’s another “Giannis to Phoenix” rumor. I genuinely cannot do the “aging superstar + zero depth + pray for health” experiment again. We already lived it.
I understand there are sections of the fan base that view everything at surface level. I recognize that. Still, I’ve seen way too much conversation about Giannis coming to the Suns over the past week, and it finally got me to the point where I had to write something about it.
Because, for everything this organization and its leadership keep saying about continuity and development, this move would be 25 steps backward. People need to start understanding that. They need to accept it. They need to stop getting hypnotized by the name on the back of the jersey and start appreciating the one on the front.
And maybe that’s the disconnect in all of this. Fans are still conditioned to think the next big name automatically equals the next big leap, even after the past few years have shown exactly how fragile that equation can be. Star chasing sounds exciting in May. It looks great in graphics packages and rumor cycles. Then the season starts, depth disappears, injuries pile up, and everybody acts stunned when the math no longer works. Phoenix does not need another shortcut disguised as ambition. It needs sustainability, identity, and a roster that actually fits together around Devin Booker instead of constantly asking him to survive another experiment.
Buffalo Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn appeared to take a skate to the hand in Friday's Game 2 but stayed on the ice against the Montreal Canadiens while killing a penalty.
The incident happened in the second period of Friday's game while the Sabres were killing the leftover time on a first-period penalty to Josh Doan.
Jordan Greenway leveled Canadiens rookie of the year finalist Ivan Demidov with a big hit in the defensive end. Demidov's skate came up and appeared to clip Malenstyn. His glove came off and he shook his hand.
Demidov got up and skated to the Canadiens dressing room, but Malenstyn couldn't leave because the Sabres were still killing the penalty.
SAN ANTONIO, TX. - MAY 2026: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) looks for a way around San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) in the second quarter at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs, NBA Western Conference Semifinals, Game 2. NBA Playoffs. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.
The Spurs played their most dominant game of the season on Wednesday night, blowing out the Timberwolves 133-95, and now the tally for the series is 1-1, with Minnesota having stolen home court advantage with their Game 1 two point victory. If playoff series were decided by point differential, this series would be over, but it’s wins that count, and each team has one. The Spurs have to win at least one of the next two games to take back home court advantage and avoid a 3-1 deficit. Only 15 teams have come back from 3-1 deficits in 303 total seven game series in the NBA, although two of those happened in the first round this year, but the young Spurs don’t need that drama. Tonight isn’t a must-win, but it’s about as close as it gets for the young Silver and Black team, because if they fail, the next game definitely will be.
The Spurs need to continue with the improvements they made in Game 2, with attacking quickly on offense and not getting bogged down in the halfcourt one-on-one game that Minnesota excels at defending. The return of Carter Bryant to the lineup really helped the Silver and Black defense, and Keldon Johnson seems to be adjusting to playoff intensity after a slow start. The Spurs offense runs through it’s talented trio of young guards, and if Stephon Castle can stay out of foul trouble, he can have good night for the visitors.
With Donte DiVincenzo gone for the season, the Spurs have been double teaming Randle and Edwards as soon as they get the ball, a strategy that was very effective on Wednesday night because both of those players aren’t great at passing the ball. The Wolves might try to give more minutes to Naz Reid to improve their offensive movement but if that happens, the Spurs can take advantage on defense. If San Antonio can keep up the pressure on both ends of the court, it could be a great night for Spurs fans, but that’s always hard to do on the road. Anyway, GO SPURS GO!!
Game Prediction:
Chis Finch goes on a hunger strike to protest unfair treatment from the officials. Nobody notices.
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, Second Round, Game 3 May 8, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
May 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins (24) celebrates a three-point basket in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
There is nothing better than playoff basketball. Yeah, the NBA regular season has taken a public relations hit in recent years, but when the snow thaws and the postseason begins, there’s still no drama quite like it.
The storylines. The overreactions. A narrative can totally change in a matter of 48 hours. Legacies can shift on a dime.
The Detroit Pistons were a quarter and a half away from being dubbed frauds, chokers. You name it. J.B. Bickerstaff may have heard the “can’t get it done in the playoffs” chatter get louder. Cade Cunningham would have moved from your favorite player’s favorite player to the “are we sure he can carry a team all the way?” narrative.
Then, in the pressure cooker of it all, the Pistons looked themselves in the mirror and figured things out, staving off a pesky Orlando Magic team. A beautiful thing that is a microcosm of all that is right about postseason hoops. Fast forward a week, and the momentum has carried over to the second round, where the Pistons have won two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers in workmanlike fashion, seizing control of the series in the process. Here are a few thoughts about what we’ve witnessed so far.
Tobias Harris. That’s The Tweet.
Speaking of a narrative-changing, look no further than Detroit’s elder statesman, Harris, who developed a reputation in Philadelphia for producing playoff no-shows. Less than two years ago, he recorded a zero point performance in a potential closeout game against the New York Knicks. He was practically run out of town shortly after. Yet, in just a couple of weeks, he has rewritten history and completely overhauled his reputation.
There were questions all year long about who the Pistons would turn to as a second option outside of Cunningham. And for the first half of the Orlando series, those questions remained unanswered. But then something happened along the way. Harris, who hadn’t scored 20 points in consecutive games all season, proceeded to do so in seven straight games, including three must-win games against the Magic.
His post-ups have become one of Detroit’s most efficient and reliable plays. Furthermore, he has endeared himself to Pistons fans and has stated his case as one of the great Motor City playoff performers. Not too long ago, he was getting booed out of Philly. Now, the Little Caesars Arena crowd buzzes with anticipation each time the 33-year-old receives an entry pass in the short corner. This is the beauty of the playoffs, where years of mental, and emotional turmoil and scrutiny can be shed with signature moments on the biggest stage.
Many people groaned when Harris re-signed with the organization two years ago. Since then, he has become one of its most important figures, and by all accounts has been instrumental in the culture shift that has occurred over the last two years. Now, the icing on the cake is him emerging as a real second option at the perfect time on the sport’s biggest stage. It has been a redemption story for the ages, as Detroit as it gets. Give Unc his flowers; he’s earned them.
Physicality On Display
There is no doubting how much Orlando prepared the Pistons for this moment. The players and coaching staff have candidly acknowledged as much. The Magic series was full of sloppy turnovers, offensive rebounds, and loose balls being won by Orlando. They proved to be the perfect primer for facing the Cavs to this point, as Detroit has flat-out owned the boards and “50-50 balls” through two games.
The Pistons have won the total rebounding battle, but equally importantly, have bested the Cavs in offensive boards in both matchups. Early against the Magic, that was far from the case. Wendell Carter, Paolo Banchero, and co. gave the Pistons all they could handle in the paint, forced them to look in the mirror, and double-downed on their culture of toughness that led to 60 wins this past season.
While you can make the case that Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are more skilled than Orlando’s frontline, it is a different kind of skill, and they clearly pack less brute strength. Time after time through two games, Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Isaiah Stewart have gotten second-chance opportunities that just weren’t consistently there a series ago.
This has extended to the perimeter as well. Daniss Jenkins looked like a deer in the headlights through the first four Orlando games. Duncan Robinson reminded fans of Malik Beasley’s no-show against the Knicks last year. They got next to nothing on the perimeter outside of Cunningham. Certainly, some of this could have been attributed to rust or first-round jitters. But there’s no doubt that going against elite perimeter defenders like Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black has made it easier to go against the Cavs wing defense. Cunningham, Jenkins, Thompson, and even Robinson and Caris LeVert have practically gotten into the paint at will through the first two games. The spacing and movement have been crisp, and the team has even figured out how to leverage the opponent’s choice to ignore Thompson to their advantage.
Have The Pistons Found Their Closing Lineup?
Against the Magic, it was clear that Bickerstaff was trying to figure out who would remain on the floor with Cunningham, Harris, and Duren in crunch time. It took a fair amount of juggling. But as the playoffs have rolled on, Thompson’s defense has usually warranted him being out there in addition to the aforementioned three. With Robinson being hunted defensively far too often against the Magic, everyone from Caris LeVert to Daniss Jenkins to Javonte Green got their shot at being the final piece of the puzzle.
But it’s become clear through the last four games that Jenkins has cemented himself as that guy. He’s offered spacing next to Cunningham, combined with secondary playmaking, scoring, and pesky defense. This has given the Pistons their best possible shooting lineup without overly sacrificing shooting or defense. Jenkins has been trustworthy with the ball in some tight spots, and not to mention, has been a clutch free-throw shooter. He is good enough defensively and has shot it well enough that the team could have the opportunity to go offense/defense with Thompson and Robinson when applicable as the playoffs go on.
