The Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder begin their first-round NBA playoff series on Sunday. The Suns beat the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament to secure the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed. The defending champion Thunder again finished the regular season with the league’s best record.
How to watch Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Game 1: Sun., April 19 at Oklahoma City (3:30 p.m., ABC) Game 2: Wed., April 22 at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m., ESPN) Game 3: Sat., April 25 at Phoenix (3:30 p.m., NBC) Game 4: Mon., April 27 at Phoenix (TBD) *Game 5: Wed., April 29 at Oklahoma City (TBD) *Game 6: Fri., May 1 at Phoenix (TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3 at Oklahoma City (TBD)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres makes a catch and avoids a collision with Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 as he robs Yoán Moncada #10 of the Los Angeles Angels of a home run in the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 18, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fernando Tatis Jr. still does not have a home run on the season and for San Diego Padres fans and the superstar right fielder, that is hard to comprehend. While the power has not shown up for Tatis Jr. after 20 games into the season, he has been an offensive contributor and proved that once again with a 2-for-4 night, with two RBI, a walk and a strikeout. That was enough to help the Padres score four runs over the eighth and ninth innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 at Angel Stadium on Saturday night. German Marquez started on the mound for San Diego and seems to be improving each time he takes the ball. The former Colorado ace did not get the win, but he did complete 5.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. The Padres bullpen took over for the remainder of the game and saw Jason Adam surrender a run in the eighth, but he also worked out of trouble in what could have been a much bigger inning for the Angels. Mason Miller, who has been automatic to this point in the season, closed the game out to secure the win and set San Diego up with a chance to take the series in the rubber match on Sunday at 1:07 p.m.
Padres News:
Ramon Laureano has been the most consistent hitter for the Padres this season and that has resulted in him climbing the lineup to the leadoff spot. He attributes some of his success this season to new San Diego hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.
Not to be lost in the celebration about the win for the Padres and the late offense was the early defense from centerfielder Jackson Merrill. He and Tatis Jr. had a near miss collision in the outfield while each attempting to rob the same potential home run, which was actually brought back by Merrill to keep the game scoreless in the early innings.
Baseball News:
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has a 50-game on base streak, but his offensive dominance was not enough to keep the Colorado Rockies from winning 4-3.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics begin their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The teams split their four regular-season meetings. The 76ers will be missing starting center Joel Embiid, at least to begin the series.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers: 45-37 (East’s No. 7 playoff seed)
Boston Celtics: 56-26 (East’s No. 2 playoff seed)
Odds
Spread: Boston Celtics -12.5
Moneyline: Boston Celtics -800 (85.2%) / Philadelphia 76ers +550 (14.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series schedule
Game 1: Sun., April 19 at Boston (1 p.m., ABC) Game 2: Tue., April 21 at Boston (7 p.m., Peacock) Game 3: Fri., April 24 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., Prime) Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC) *Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD) *Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD) *Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics combine to knock the ball away from Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at TD Garden on March 1, 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0) Sunday, April 19, 2026 1:00 PM ET First Round Game #1 Home Game #1 TV: ABC Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 97.5 Fanatic, Sirius XM TD Garden Officials: Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Tre Maddox
The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers meet in the playoffs for the 23rd time, which includes Philly’s time as the Syracuse Nationals in the 50’s and early 60’s. This is the most for any 2 teams in the league. The Celtics lead all time with 15 wins to 7 for the 76ers and they have won the last 6 series against Philly. The last time the 76ers beat the Celtics in the playoffs was in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1982 when the Beat LA chant was born as Celtics fans urged the 76ers to beat the hated Lakers.
The Celtics have won all 3 series that have been played in the Brown/Tatum era, winning in 2018, 2020 and 2023. The Celtics are 212-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 157-58 all time in games played in Boston. These two teams tied the series 2-2 this season. The 76ers won 117-116 on opening night, October 22 in Boston and they won again 102-100 in Philadelphia on November 11. The Celtics won 109-108 in Philadelphia on October 31 and again 114-98 in Boston on March 1.
Three of the games this season came before November 12 when the Celtics were just 5-7 and 11th in the league. They were just getting used to all the new players at that time while the 76ers brought back mostly the same team and were already used to playing together. The 76ers were 7-4 at that time. Philadelphia’s 2 wins were by a total of 3 points. The Celtics first win in October was by 1 point, but their March 1 win was by a total of 16 points.
Three of the 4 matches between the Celtics and 76ers this season were decided by 2 points or less. The Celtics need to avoid close games down the stretch in these playoffs if they can help it. The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA this season. They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season.
We can’t take a lot from those regular season games to predict how this game, or this series, will go. First, the Celtics did not have Jayson Tatum for any of the 4 games. Also, Philly didn’t have Paul George for any of the 4 games and they didn’t have Embiid for the November 11 and March 1 games. They will be missing Embiid for this game but Paul George will be a key player for them in this series and gives them a defender with size to put up against Tatum and Brown.
The Celtics come into this game with a clean injury report. After having 8 players sit out their final game of the season, the Celtics have no players listed on their injury report at this time. For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is the only player on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. We know that he will miss at least the first part of the series and the Celtics need to take advantage and win while he is out. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will start at center.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Sam Hauser | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George
Jayson Tatum | Getty ImagesPaul George | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesAdem Bona | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza 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) out
Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey In the regular season, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. In the 4 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 30 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 41.8% from the field and 51.4% from beyond the arc. Maxey’s speed makes him hard to defend, but 4 Celtics have had success in guarding him this season. Against Pritchard, he scored 13 points in 55 possessions. Against White, he scored 19 points in 49 possessions. Against Scheierman, he scored 8 points in 44 possessions and against Walsh, he scored 4 points in 33 possessions. Among the 4, hopefully the Celtics can keep Maxey in check.
Jayson Tatum vs Paul George In the regular season, George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season. George gives the 76ers a 2-way player with the size and ability to guard Jayson Tatum. But that goes both ways because Tatum can also guard George and is a better rebounder.
Honorable Mention Jaylen Brown vs Vj Edgecomb Edgecombe will likely come in 3rd for Rookie of the Year. He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. In the 4 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to be ready for him and defend him both in the paint and on the perimeter.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is a key to winning this, and every, game. Defense wins championships. In the first 20 games of the season, the Celtics were 18th on defense. In the 2nd 20 games, they ranked 12th. In the next16 games, they had the 3rd best defense. Overall, they are 4th with a defensive rating of 111.7. The 76ers are 17th with a defensive rating of 114.4. The Celtics must play tough lock down defense in this game if they want to beat the 76ers.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings. The Celtics are 3rd in the league with 46.4 rebounds per game. The 76ers are 17th with 43.6 rebounds per game. The Celtics are 43-12 in games that they tie or out-rebound opponents. They are just 11-13 in games tin which they are out-rebounded. They simply have to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball and find the open man. They play their best when they share the ball and keep it moving. They were 36-2 this season when they had more than 25 assists in a game. They were 35-0 this season when they had more assists than their opponent. Both the Celtics and 76ers average 24.6 assists per game. However, the Celtics need to make careful passes and limit turnovers. They also have to be aware while dribbling and not drive into a crowd or allow a defender to steal the ball since the 76ers average 19 points off turnovers per game.
Be Aggressive and Stay Focused – The Celtics need to be the more aggressive team. They have to play physical defense and they have to be more aggressive in going for rebounds and loose balls and getting to the basket, especially if their 3’s aren’t falling. Usually the more aggressive team gets the benefit of the calls and being more aggressive will help to fluster the 76ers. They also have to stay focused on on playing the right way. Move the ball, look for the open man, take good shots, play physical defense, and fight for rebounds. X-Factors Home Game – Teams play all season to secure home court in the playoffs. The Celtics need to feed off the energy of the crowd and hopefully, the 76ers will be distracted by travel and the hostile crowd. The Celtics should play harder to win on their home court. Losing Game 1 at home is a major setback, historically giving the home team only about a 58-61% chance to win the series. However, when they win Game 1 at home, they go on to win the series about 84.8% of the time. The Celtics need to protect home court and keep their home court advantage.
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. The 76ers returned their core this season and added a very talented lottery pick and so Nurse has a lot to prove with this team.
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. Refs usually allow a little more go in the playoffs but not always. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
It’s a sad state of affairs when disappointment settles in, like a thick bank of fog, even before mid-April has rolled around. I don’t have constructive suggestions. I’m not even sure these thoughts rise to the level of complaints since I’m not worked up about it anymore. What I can offer are mere observations—no hot takes, no surprises.
Starting rotation falls short so far
After all the preseason talk about our world-class rotation, let’s just say that things are running counter to plan. Crochet’s catastrophe of an outing in Minneapolis has received the lion’s share of the headlines, of course, but he’s not alone. This is no deep dive, but take a glance and admit no one predicted this. Stats as of April 18.
Garrett Crochet: -0.6 WAR, 7.58 ERA
Ranger Suárez: until Friday’s game, his stats were a not-great -0.1 WAR and a pretty ugly 5.02 ERA. That stabilizing performance improved these numbers to 0.4 WAR and 3.22. He has reentered respectable territory.
Brayan Bello: these stats got worse with Saturday’s outing, dropping to -0.4 WAR and 6.75 ERA
Errors
And after I was looking forward to smooth defense, too! I talked it up, and this is the thanks I get.
Through April 13, the Red Sox were collecting errors at a slightly increased rate from 2025, when they led the league in errors for much of the season. It took four errorless games in a row to drive the rate down, if only slightly. This streak is the first of the season where the Sox have played more than two games in a row without an error. Along the way, they have also already logged four two-error games. So much for the Sox newfound defensive prowess.
And so it goes
Marcelo Mayer needing to step up, Roman Anthony shedding his cape and revealing that he is all too human, the stupid hit celebration…I won’t belabor these points again, so much as offer them as punctuation to my point that the Red Sox have been anything but fun to watch in 2026.
MLB Side Quest
As a matter of self-care, I turned to my local Mariners to seek relief from the torture of Red Sox fandom. Surprise, surprise, I ran up against a wall there too.
An almost equally slow start to the season (9-13, compared to the Sox 8-12 as of April 18) has them falling far behind all expectations.
Old friend Rob Refsnyder is hitless (0-18) as of April 18.
Ferry fries have been MIA at T-Mobile Park due to some unfathomable oversight and it’s simply wrong. What does a fan have to do to have fun in 2026? I arrived incredibly early for a game last week JUST TO BOOST MY SPIRITS BY TAKING A SELFIE WITH THE FERRY FRIES only to find that they were completely out, indefinitely. As in, needing to source a new supplier or whatever. You know it’s bad when even comfort food lets you down.
It has to get better, right?
[Author’s note: at least the ferry fries returned, though with an unexpected rebrand. I will hope the same for the Red Sox.]
Aug 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) hits a single against the New York Yankees during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Mariners mercifully broke the losing streak last night with a convincing 7-3 win over the Rangers last night. With how streaky the team has been to start the year, we can only hope this marks the beginning of a long winning streak, if only to get my day job manager to shut up. Anybody else have a manager who bothers them when they know your favorite team isn’t playing well? How do you deal with it? I have to do something, this disrespect can’t continue.
Happy Sunday everyone!
In Mariners news…
Bryce Millers pitched in his first rehab start for Tacoma yesterday, topping out close to 99 mph with the fastball, and allowing three runs on four hits in 1.2 innings. Bryce will have at least one more rehab start before coming back to Seattle for his season debut.
Don’t forget to help us get our new reverse mailbag series started! Drop into the thread on the site feed and leave a spicy take for us to react to!
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto came out of yesterday’s game with tightness in his lower back. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that he expects Realmuto will be not be in the lineup today as the Phillies look to avoid a sweep against the Braves at home.
Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski has a bad ass glove with a Gengar card on the back of the webbing. But lest we forget, Will Klein did it first.
As someone who works at a mostly outdoor establishment, you always have to get the umbrellas down before they turn into weapons.
Nick’s pick…
Starting April 25th, the world of fencing is getting a whole lot more Star Wars with the debut of “Fencing Visualized” a system that can track the tips of the foils without the need for markers.
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 14: Scott Kamieniecki #28 of the New York Yankees pitches during a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 14, 1994 at Milwaukee County Stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the afternoon of October 7, 1995, Scott Kamieniecki prepared to take the mound at the Kingdome for what would be the pinnacle of his Yankees tenure. As would be the case throughout that tenure, though, the moment was fraught. On the heels of a near-family tragedy the day prior that left him shaken, the 31-year-old who had endured demotions, reassignments, injuries, and struggles for the past five years was handed the ball with the chance to lead his team to victory in its first playoff series since 1981.
Scott Andrew Kamieniecki Born: April 19, 1964 (Mount Clemens, MI) Yankees Tenure: 1991-96
Scott Kamieniecki grew up in Metro Detroit, starring at St. Mary’s of Redford High School before getting taken in the second round of the 1982 MLB Draft by his hometown Tigers. He spurned them, instead enrolling at the University of Michigan. A rare player to see his stock drop during his college years, Kamieniecki would end up drafted by the Yankees in the 14th round in 1986, facing long odds to work his way to the big leagues.
He steadily rose through the ranks, finishing the 1990 season at Double-A. But it was his performance at the following spring training that put Kamieniecki on the path to the Show. “What we saw of Scott in spring training opened up a lot of eyes,” Yankees pitching coach Mark Connor later said. “The first day I saw him throw on the side, I told him, ‘that stuff is good enough to pitch in the big leagues.’”
That ‘stuff’ included a fastball that topped out in the low 90s, unremarkable in today’s game but enough to earn him a reputation as a fireballer in the early 1990s. His greatest hurdle was the mental side of the game. Highly competitive on the mound, Kamieniecki would later recall how living and dying with every pitch held him back early in his pro career. “I would have been out there in the second or third inning and had a negative attitude, like, ‘Here we go again, it’s not my day,’” he said of his ability to cope with adversity. “Now, I try to channel my energies somewhere else. If a guy gets a base hit, it’s not the end of the world.”
Kamieniecki started the year at Triple-A in 1991, where his 2.36 ERA with just two homers allowed in 76.1 innings made him a standout. A late bloomer at 27, he was ready at the right time, when the Gene Michael-led front office was beginning to promote its promising youngsters instead of trading them away for established veteran talent. “There’s a lot better atmosphere, knowing you’ve got a chance,” Kamieniecki said. “In the past, they neglected their system and traded guys away for a quick fix. Now they’ve brought up three or four of our players, and we’re feeling like a part of the Yankee future.”
His comments would prove remarkably prescient. Kamieniecki was called up to make his big-league debut just a week later, allowing two runs over six innings to earn his first victory. He was a bright spot on a team that would finish the year 20 games below .500, posting a 2.68 ERA through his first seven starts. Nonetheless, the following camp, he was forced into a battle with Greg Cadaret for the final spot in the rotation. It would begin a frustrating cycle that would go on throughout Kamieniecki’s Yankees career, with the right-hander shuttling between the rotation and bullpen with remarkable regularity.
Kamieniecki started 48 games between 1992 and 1993, a high-water mark during his time in New York. He pitched to a 4.23 ERA and 95 ERA+, serving as a solid contributor for a struggling team but doing little to cement his status going forward. Before the 1994 season, with the Yankees on the come-up, they signed veteran Bob Ojeda, a key cog on the ‘86 Mets nearly a decade earlier, supplanting Kamieniecki in the team’s rotation. While the veteran endured the indignity of returning to the bullpen, Ojeda lasted a combined three innings through two starts before the Yankees cut him loose. Back in a starting role, Kamieniecki was circumspect. “You can’t get upset and you can’t carry it out on the field,” he said at the time. “I’ve worked too hard.”
He’d stick in the rotation most of the season, putting up his best numbers in pinstripes. At 30, it looked like Kamieniecki might finally have the wind at his sails.
Of course, Kamieniecki would end up one of many victims of the labor dispute that would end the MLB season in August.
The following season, he’d miss time with injury early in the year on the Wild Card-winning club and nearly lose his job in August, this time to a young starter at Triple-A named Mariano Rivera. “It’s New York,” Kamieniecki said. “It’s the way things were before I got here and the way things will be after I leave. You have two or three bad games and you’re on the hot seat. I’m used to it.”
Nonetheless, the resilient right-hander stuck in the rotation, making a pivotal start in Game 4 of the ALDS with the chance to send the Yankees to the doorstep of the pennant. The day prior, his children were involved in a house fire that nearly turned into a tragedy. “You’re talking maybe 30 seconds more and you lose both kids,” he said later of the jarring incident which nearly precluded him from pitching in the biggest game of his life.
Kamieniecki ended up taking the bump, though he allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings in an eventual loss. The next spring he faced a familiar fate after undergoing elbow surgery in the offseason, with another member of the ‘86 Mets, Dwight Gooden, signed to take his place in the rotation. This time, he didn’t find out directly from new skipper Joe Torre but instead heard from the press that he would be on the outside looking in. A professional but disgruntled Kamieniecki called the situation “deja vu three years over,” adding simply, “nothing surprises me around here.”
When he did get the chance to pitch, he did little to build trust with his new manager, allowing 30 runs in 22.2 innings. ”If he’s like he was the last two starts, we have to start looking,” Torre said after Kamieniecki’s final outing in pinstripes. ”We can’t afford to have starters pitch two innings. It’s detrimental to the rotation and to the bullpen.” He was sent down shortly thereafter and non-tendered after the season.
After his departure, Kamieniecki was more blunt about his dissatisfaction with how he was treated in New York. He claimed the team put him on the DL with a “bogus” elbow injury, decried Joe Torre as a liar, and expressed frustration that the team made a public showing of getting him sized for a World Series ring but never gave him one.
By the time he made those comments, though, he was on to greener pastures. Kamieniecki had a career year in 1997 at the age of 33, going 10-6 with a 4.01 ERA while starting 30 games for the playoff-bound Orioles. He’d end up tossing eight scoreless innings in the ALCS against Cleveland that year, a performance which no doubt felt like a vindication of his second-class status while a Yankee.
Kamieniecki would spend two more seasons in Baltimore before splitting 2000 between Cleveland and Atlanta. He briefly returned to the Yankees as a non-roster invitee in 2001 spring training, seemingly burying the hatchet with Torre, but he didn’t make the cut. His career would end with eight games for the Iowa Cubs.
In all, the 14th-rounder who didn’t crack the big leagues until the age of 27 ended up sticking for 10 years, proving that he belonged. Kamieniecki appears to have left any hard feelings over his treatment by the Yankees in the past, making his Old-Timers’ Day debut in 2019.
Join us in wishing a happy 62nd birthday to a reliable and resilient Yankee if ever there was one.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 18: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners is out as he slides into second base and Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers throws the ball to first base for a double play during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park on April 18, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Seattle Mariners last night by a score of 7-3.
Evan Grant writes that the Rangers continue to be bedeviled by George Kirby.
Jameson Taillon did not look sharp early and then said as much during his postgame interview. But he got better as his start wore on. Just under half of Jameson’s starts as a Cub have been quality starts. We all know that not all quality starts are created equal. Without any digging, there are some clunkers surely within that batch of games. But we also know that there are some good ones that didn’t reach the minimum definition. In the modern game, there a lot of pretty good starts that don’t reach six innings. He’s now gone six innings three straight times. He’s hanging around and giving the team a fighting chance. He’s a good rotation piece for the marathon part of the process.
Importantly, Jameson has stayed largely healthy throughout his Cub tenure. That’s becoming a valuable skill. Any once perceived existence of depth has been decimated by a swath of early season pitching injuries. I’ll admit to having blind spots for players on other rosters around the MLB. I put better than 90% of my baseball focus on the Cubs, so while I self-identify as a pretty knowledgeable Cub fan, I admit to being a casual baseball fan’s knowledge of modern players. That is even worse when it comes to minor league players. Years ago, when the team was rebuilding, I woke up every day to read prospect stories (mostly written by Josh). But again, flying blind. At this point, I have to confess to being largely unaware of more than a third of the present Cub pitchers. I feel like I probably heard the names Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb somewhere in the past and feel like I was vaguely aware of Riley Martin. But I’m going to need a scorecard sooner than later.
It’s hard not to be at least a little distressed about the mounting injury toll. It’s another display of the fickle nature of baseball that the injuries and the first sustained winning streak of the year are contemporaries of one another. You may have heard me say in the past that the road to the top isn’t guaranteed and isn’t a straight line. Ask the Toronto Blue Jays. They seemed to finally break through last year. They are off to a really rough start to 2026. Maybe they’ll be able to draw on some past success to turn their early struggles around. But they certainly don’t yet look like the team that got within a few inches of winning last year’s World Series.
After the Mets leave town, things are going to get a lot harder. The Phillies come to town for four, then the Cubs go west to face the Dodgers and Padres. All of that happens without a day off. Sunday’s game against the reeling Mets is a big one. Get this sweep. It could be almost a month before the Cubs face a team with a losing record. Right now today, it looks like a month straight of games against teams that are over .500 and either in first or second place in their division. This is a brutal stretch of games. The Cubs are probably going to need even more from their offense that has come to life over the last week or so. And they’ll likely doing it while facing better starting pitching and some of the more dominant relievers in the game today.
Oh yeah, also I had the math wrong yesterday on the Cub win pace. Writing at the end of a long day can be challenging. Anyway, the up to date math has the Cubs on an 89-win pace. But hey, they are on a 162-win pace over their last four. Stats are all about framing and context.
Buckle up.
Three Positives:
Jameson Taillon threw six innings, allowing five hits and three walks but only one run. It’s not a work of art, but it led the Cubs to victory.
Ian Happ had a solo homer and drew two walks. He scored twice.
Carson Kelly got only the one plate appearance. That one plate appearance was a three-run homer.
Game 20, April 18: Cubs 4, Mets 2 (11-9)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Carson Kelly (.346). 1-1, HR, 3 RBI, R
Hero: Jameson Taillon (.226). 6 IP, 24 BF, 5 H, 3 BB, ER, 4 K (W 1-1)
Sidekick: Ian Happ (.112). 1-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.080). 0-3
Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.068). 0-3
Kid: Nico Hoerner/Alex Bregman (-.063). 0-4/0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Carson Kelly’s three-run pinch hit homer with two outs in the sixth inning. (.340)
*Mets Play of the Game: Mark Vientos hit a solo shot with one out in the second inning for the game’s first run. (.110)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 19 Winner: Nico Hoerner received 119 of 191 votes
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Nico Hoerner +12.5
Carson Kelly +7
Edward Cabrera/Daniel Palencia +5
Phil Maton -6
Matt Shaw -8
Pete Crow-Armstrong -15
Up Next: The Cubs will seek their first sweep and five-game winning streak of the season. Javier Assad (1-1, 8.10, 10 IP) makes his third start of the year. Tobias Myers is a 27-year-old righty, originally drafted by the Orioles with the 181st overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Winter Haven, Florida. This season he is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 relief innings. He started six games last year as a Brewer. He doesn’t appear stretched out to start. David Peterson normally takes this turn in the Mets rotation but has allowed 14 ER in just 19.2 IP.
There a lot of teams that face the Cubs and I feel sorry for. The Mets are not one of them, despite having a family member who is a (NJ resident) Mets fan. Kick them while they are down and sweep this series.
Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle played a role in Columbus' clutch win over the Flyers, as he scored two goals in the contest. With this, there is no question that he helped the Blue Jackets pick up this much-needed victory.
For the second straight season, the Carolina Hurricanes have played a part in eliminating the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one day before their last regular-season game.
Mathieu Olivier has been an outstanding fit on the Columbus Blue Jackets' roster since his arrival to the team during the 2022-23 season. It is exactly why he earned a six-year, $18 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets last March.
Boone Jenner (13) scored the only goal for the Blue Jackets in the season finale, as they were dumped by Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
Jet Greaves stopped 19 of 21 Caps shots, including 7 while shorthanded in the loss. Greaves played a really good game, but the rest of his teammates seemed to pack it in for the season.
Kirill Marchenko - 27 - He finished the 2025-26 season leading the team in goals for the third-straight season (tied in 2024-25), while also ranking second in points as well as third in assists. He is only the second player in franchise history to score 20-plus goals in their first four seasons with the club (R.J. Umberger).
Adam Fantilli - 24 - Took a slight step down in goals as he had 31 last season.
Zach Werenski - 22 - Werenski led league defensemen in even strength goals. and had 4 power play goals.
Charlie Coyle - 20 - He scored 20 goals in a season for only the third time in his career (25 in 2023-24 with Boston & 21 in 2015-16 with Minnesota). He had 7 power play goals.
Mason Marchment - 19 - Scored 15 after being traded to Columbus. His 19 are the second highest of his career. He had 3 power play goals.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will re-sign head coach Rock Bowness to a new contract. The deal is for next season. With him coming back and having a shortened preseason with the team, can he take this team to the next level? Stay Tuned!
Following the 2026 NHL trade deadline, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets were among the teams that targeted forward Bobby McMann before he was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Seattle Kraken.
One of the positives is the injury situation. For the most part, the team stayed relatively healthy throughout the season. The problem was the timing of the injuries. Damon Severson and Mathieu Olivier's late-season injuries seemed to slow the CBJ to a crawl.
The Blue Jackets finished with 218 man-games lost. In 2024-25, they had 309, 563 in 23-24, and 541 in 22-23.
There are 22 different players on the playoff teams this season. All teams except the Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers have ex-Jackets on their rosters. Many others work in the various front offices, but we'll stick to players today.
Boone Jenner (12), Charlie Coyle (19,20-PPG), Kirill Marchenko (27-GWG), and Sean Monahan (13) powered the Blue Jackets' offense in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Mason Marchment (19) and Adam Fantilli (24) scored the only goals in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. Jet Greaves made 19 saves in the loss.
The Columbus Blue Jackets' Stanley Cup Playoff hopes are officially on life support. For the second year in a row, the CBJ will go down to the wire and will most likely be eliminated. It's not officially over, but it's close.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2025, where the CBJ will most likely pick 14 or 15.
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Who will be crowned NBA champions for the 2025-26 season? That's the question basketball fans are looking forward to finding out as the playoffs officially got underway on Saturday, April 18.
But for those who can't wait until the Finals are over in mid-June, we have some clues.
USA TODAY Sports simulated each series of this year's playoff bracket 100 different times to come up with an idea of the most likely outcomes.
Starting with ESPN's Basketball Power Index figures, we built an engine with Microsoft Copilot that ran all 100 simulations at once. And here are the results.
Simulated NBA championship results
The top-seeded and defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder came out on top in the majority of our 100 simulations. But it wasn't a runaway by any means.
However, just four different teams were represented as champions in at least one simulation.
The final tally:
Oklahoma City Thunder: 55%
Detroit Pistons: 30%
Boston Celtics: 10%
San Antonio Spurs: 5%
Not surprisingly, those four teams make up the top seeds in each conference.
Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson were the supposed jewels of the 2023 NBA Draft. Three years later, they meet in their playoff debuts after very different paths to this point.
Wembanayma and the San Antonio Spurs look like title contenders for the next decade, while Henderson and the Portland Trail Blazers are quite possibly already stuck on the proverbial treadmill of mediocrity.
My Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions and these NBA picks trust Wembanyama to deliver in his postseason debut on Sunday, April 19.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs prediction
Who will win Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 1?
Spurs: The San Antonio Spurs should focus on wrapping up this series quickly if they dream of a long postseason run. The specter of the Denver Nuggets in the second round, or even the Minnesota Timberwolves, should worry the Spurs enough to emphasize rest and recovery before the second round.
Expect a sweep in this series, beginning with a Game 1 win by the home team.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 points (-115)
Welcome to the playoffs, Victor Wembanyama. Debuting as a No. 2 seed is already an impressive accomplishment from the young San Antonio Spurs superstar, not that he does not have grander ambitions in mind.
While the 7-foot-4 Frenchman is a difficult matchup for every team in the NBA, he should be particularly frustrating for the Portland Trail Blazers. At 7-foot-2 and 280 pounds, Donovan Clingan is a massive human being, but he's not quite quick or agile enough to defend Wembanyama outside the paint.
Unfortunately for us, Wembanyama never actually played against the Trail Blazers this season, missing all three of those games for various reasons, but this presumption still holds up to scrutiny.
He should get a pile of open looks from deep in this matchup, and shooting 34.9% this season from beyond the arc justifies every one of those attempts.
Wembanyama started showing postseason form before the regular season ended, clearing this prop in four of his final five games. In fact, he scored 40+ points in three of those.
The playoffs may need to brace for Victor Wembanyama.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs same-game parlay
Clingan has all the looks of a 15-year contributor in the NBA. He may never be All-NBA, but he is a legitimate player. Yet, his playoff debut may be one to forget simply because of Victor Wembanyama’s two-way influence.
Perhaps Wembanyama’s focus will wane in this first round, but that should not come on either end of the court in Game 1.
Portland's best hope of remaining competitive in both this series and particularly this Game 1 is to slow down the pace. Portland has been off since Tuesday’s win in the Play-In Tournament, but it still had to get to San Antonio and prep for the Spurs.
With the clear talent disadvantage, taking some air out of the ball will increase the variance and give Portland at least a puncher’s chance.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs SGP
Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 Points
Trail Blazers +11
Under 221
Trail Blazers vs Spurs odds for Game 1
Spread: Trail Blazers +11 | Spurs -11
Moneyline: Trail Blazers +450 | Spurs -600
Over/Under: Over 221 | Under 221
Trail Blazers vs Spurs betting trend to know
The Trail Blazers have gone 6-2 ATS in their last eight games, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 6.3 points even when including the two ATS losses. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Spurs.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 1
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Trail Blazers vs Spurs latest injuries
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When the decibel level inside Crypto.com Arena surpasses 100 dB, you typically know which superstar caused it.
Maybe Luka Doncic just hit a one-legged 3 as he fell into the first row.
Maybe LeBron James just threw down a thunderous one-handed slam off the fast break.
Maybe Austin Reaves just broke a defender’s ankles with a crossover and hit a fadeaway jumper plus the foul.
But on Saturday night for Game 1 of the NBA playoffs between the Rockets and the Lakers, the noise was for someone else, someone nobody expected.
It was for Luke Kennard.
Luke Kennard led the Lakers to a playoff victory against the Rockets. Getty Images
Kennard is the type of player that most teams treat like a luxury, not a lifeline. But without Doncic and Reaves, Kennard had the Lakers looking organized and dangerous.
Kennard didn’t just step into a bigger role in the Lakers’ 107-98 Game 1 win over the Rockets. He hijacked the entire premise of this series. Houston came in expecting to load up on LeBron and dare other Lakers players to beat them.
Kennard didn’t just accept the dare. He embarrassed it.
Kennard hits a jumper over Jabari Smtih Jr. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“That was my matchup, and he went off; I gotta be better than that,” said Rockets forward Amen Thompson, one of the NBA’s best defenders who was tasked with guarding Kennard in Game 1.
Kennard torched the Rockets for 27 points. He was 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. He achieved a milestone in the process, becoming the third player in franchise playoff history to hit 100% from deep on five or more attempts, joining Robert Horry (1997) and Byron Scott (1991).
It was also the second-most points scored by a player in their Lakers playoff debut.
“I like that he was invested in shooting 3s. He played a fantastic basketball game,” coach JJ Redick said. “He was really aggressive tonight.”
Aggressive is the right word. But incomplete.
Kennard wasn’t just aggressive — he was decisive. There’s a difference, and it matters in the playoffs. Aggression can be reckless. Decisiveness is controlled.
And for a Lakers team that has spent the last two weeks searching for an offensive identity without its top two scorers, Kennard provided the clarity they’ve been missing.
Kennard stepped up as the Lakers were missing key pieces to their roster. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ offense, led by Kennard and James, was methodical in its approach. They were intentional and efficient. They ran the plays they wanted and hit the shots they created.
“I thought we executed very well,” Kennard said after the win. “We stayed poised and organized throughout that entire game.”
For Kennard, he’s had to adapt to his role changing on the fly. Acquired at the trade deadline from the Hawks for Gabe Vincent, Kennard was a spot-up 3-point shooter off the bench for the Lakers.
The front office believed it needed a 3-point shooter who could hit open shots when defenses collapsed on LeBron and Doncic. Kennard’s buzzer-beater against the Magic on March 21 was direct proof of that.
LUKE KENNARD HITS THE GO-AHEAD 3 TO WIN IT FOR THE LAKERS
Then Doncic went down April 2, and everything changed.
With one hamstring strain, Kennard was thrust into the role of Lakers starting point guard. He went from spotting up, spacing the floor and staying out of the way of the stars to becoming one of the organizers of them.
“Honestly, I feel like those games leading up to right now, I developed a rhythm kind of playing in that role,” Kennard said. “It gave me confidence going into the playoffs … just being aggressive.”
Confidence is contagious in playoff settings. But it’s also fragile.
Kennard won’t be perfect from 3 every night. The Rockets will inevitably adjust. They’ll close out harder on him. They’ll start double-teaming him, forcing someone else to make shots. Playoff basketball demands constant recalibration.
“He was way too comfortable early in the first quarter, and that got them going,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Kennard. “We gotta do a better job on him. 9-13, 5-5 from 3, he’s way too comfortable.”
Luke Kennard on his game-high 27 points tonight, his aggression and LeBron James setting the tone. pic.twitter.com/KgeVezbGTT
Thankfully for the Lakers, Kennard doesn’t need to always be perfect to be effective. He just needs to remain confident, aggressive and involved.
“He kept the defense always off balance tonight,” James said of Kennard.
Kennard forces defenses into uncomfortable math. Help on LeBron and he’ll kill you from 3. Stay home on the shooters and LeBron can drive to the basket or run the pick and roll in the paint with Deandre Ayton.
“He is the No. 1 shooter in the NBA … but now he’s doing it in the playoffs when it really counts,” Ayton said. “I was speechless tonight. 5-for-5 from 3 in the playoffs as a Laker? Yeah, that hits different.”
Deandre Ayton on his game tonight, his confidence on the court, and what he saw from Luke Kennard tonight. pic.twitter.com/tIr0Wt57eU
When the Lakers traded for Kennard in early February, they weren’t doing it to save their season. They were hoping to acquire a specialist. A luxury piece.
But injuries don’t care about roster design. They expose it.
And in Game 1, Kennard didn’t just fill a role. He reshaped the entire structure of the Lakers’ offense without Doncic and Reaves.
So if you’re the Rockets, the problem isn’t that Kennard scored 27 points or had a perfect shooting night from 3. It’s the possibility that this new version of Kennard — controlled, aggressive, organized — won’t disappear as the series goes on.
Because if he doesn’t, then the Lakers aren’t just surviving this series. They’re flipping the entire thing on its head.
And maybe, just maybe, Kennard was acquired to save the season after all.
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The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics kick off their Round 1 battle at TD Garden this afternoon, and there is a flurry of NBA player prop projections to take advantage of.
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76ers Game 1 computer picks
Andre Drummond Over 6.5 points (-105)
Projection: 8.44 points
With Embiid sidelined, Andre Drummond will have his number called in this series, and he's averaged 12 points per game over his last three games and scored 14 and 10 in his last two against Boston.
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Adem Bona Over 3.5 points (+100)
Projection: 4.53 points
Adem Bona averaged 5.7 points per game in his last six regular-season games, including two games of 10 and 13. This is a low bar to clear.
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VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points (-115)
Projection: 16.99 points
VJ Edgecombe averaged 16 points per game as a rookie and went Over this number in three of his last four, including 19 against the Magic in the 7/8 Play-In game.
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Celtics Game 1 computer picks
Derrick White Over 4.5 assists (+135)
Projection: 5.54 assists
Derrick White averaged 5.4 assists per game this season and logged eight and seven assists in his last two games against the Sixers.
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Sam Hauser Over 6.5 points (-133)
Projection: 9.12 points
Sam Hauser's confidence will be sky-high entering the playoffs after he finished the regular season by scoring 24 points against the Pelicans and shooting 8-for-12 from deep.
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Derrick White Over 13.5 points
Projection: 16.28 points
White's shooting percentage came back up to 47.8% in April after three straight months of below 40% shooting. He also averaged 19.8 points per game against Philly this season and cleared this total in all four games.
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How to watch 76ers vs Celtics Game 1
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Tip-off
1:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jack Clarke fired home an 87th-minute penalty to save a point for Ipswich in a pulsating 2-2 draw with their promotion rivals. Jarred Gillett awarded the spot-kick when he adjudged Adilson Malanda had tugged the substitute George Hirst in the box.
Middlesbrough, who are on a seven-match winless run, went ahead through David Strelec only for Kasey McAteer to equalise five minutes later. The visitors took the lead through Tommy Conway but Clarke’s spot-kick meant a point apiece.
76ers
Celtics