Last week, in our most recent edition of Rangers Reacts, we asked a simple question: have you given up on the 2026 season?
Over half of you — 53%, to be exact — said yes, you have given up already.
I will note that the timing of when this question went out probably had an impact — the Rangers had just gotten swept in Anaheim, and were losing three of four at home to the Astros, including being no hit.
Still, after a pair of middling seasons, its understandable to see what the Rangers have done so far in 2026 and assume it is more of the same.
On the national front, the question was posed as to who the best healthy pitcher in baseball is right now.
Jacob Misiorowski captured almost a third of the vote, with Paul Skenes second.
On the question of which team has been the biggest disappointment, the Mets were the clear “winner,” getting almost half the vote.
And finally, as to the team that has been the most pleasant surprise, the Rays and the ChiSox were the top picks.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with Stephon Castle #5 and De'aaron Fox #4 after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 111 to 103 to win Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I began writing for Pounding the Rock in October 2014 in the soft autumn afterglow of the Redemption Finals in June of that year. No one predicted that would be the Spurs’ last trip to the NBA Finals for over a decade.
Because I am both a Spurs fan in particular and a basketball fan in general, I would still watch the NBA finals each season, even without the Spurs involved. Long-time readers know that I cannot watch a sporting event without rooting for one team or the other. Those parts of my personality led me to write an annual column about which team Spurs fans should root for in each of the Finals which did not once include the Spurs after 2014.
Last year, the Finals were between OKC and Indiana. In my June 5, 2025 piece, I gave six reasons to choose the Indiana Pacers over OKC, and concluded with:
Like that Warriors team, this Thunder will be a massive problem for the league, and the Spurs, for many seasons to come. As a result, even if they aren’t already doing so, Spurs fan might as well start rooting against the Thunder. We certainly will be doing exactly that for the foreseeable future. Go Pacers!
When I wrote that nearly a year ago, no one (including mylsef) knew that our Spurs, not the Thunder, would become “the massive problem for the league” this season. As a result, for this season at least, I can retire my annual analysis of which team Spurs fans should root for in the NBA Finals. I have some more thoughts to share, but if you are reading this to determine who I think Spurs fans should root for in the 2026 NBA Finals, I don’t need to provide a lengthy analysis or a list of reasons to root for one team or another. Go Spurs Go!
Other thoughts
In my piece from last year, I explored the English derivation of the word “juggernaut”. I assumed it was Germanic. (Try saying “juggernaut” with a German accent. Very Germanic, right?) It turns out that the word comes from India, not Germany:
“An idea, custom, fashion, etc., that demands either blind devotion or merciless sacrifice,” 1854, a figurative use of Juggernaut, 1630s (Iaggernat), “huge wagon bearing an image of the god Krishna,” especially at the town of Puri, drawn annually in procession during which (apocryphally) devotees allowed themselves to be crushed under its wheels in sacrifice. Altered from Jaggernaut, a title of Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu), from Hindi Jagannath, literally “lord of the world.”
I raise this word again this year because after the Spurs established themselves as true contenders this season, many pundits began describing the Spurs and Thunder as the two true juggernauts in the league. Many assumed that the winner of the Western Conference Finals — assumed by all to be either OKC or San Antonio — would crush the Eastern Conference winner like the Krishna devotees under the massive wheels of his huge wagon. It turns out that we may have a third juggernaut — the New York Knicks. Although their competition was not up to Western Conference standards, the Knicks smote their playoff competition in a truly historic manner. From The Athletic:
“The Knicks enter as the hottest team in the history of the NBA playoffs. They have won 11 games in a row, against the Hawks, 76ers and Cavaliers. In running up a 12-2 playoff record, the average score of their games has been Knicks 120, Opponents 101. New York’s 19.4-point margin per game is, for the moment, six points ahead of any other postseason team since the NBA-ABA merger.”
Despite this historic dominance, and the Knicks’ massive rest advantage, the Knicks are 2-1 underdogs to a team who was picked as a possible Play-In Tournament participant at the start of the season. Of course, the Knicks have had a spotty history in the 50+ years since their last title, while the Spurs won a crown or two (or five) while the Knicks were flaming out each year. And the Spurs have several perimeter defenders a little bit better that the Harden/Mitchell backcourt that the Knicks’ guards torched in the Eastern Conference Finals. That being said, 2 t0 1 still seems a bit high.
The player of the game for the Spurs in Game 7 was Julian Champagnie. He went 6 for 10 from three, scored 20 points on 11 shots, and was a game-leading +16 during his 38 minutes on the floor. For much of the time down the stretch of an absolute must-win Game Seven on the road, Mitch Johnson went with his four top-5 lottery picks, and Julian Champagnie.
In a related note, the absolute play of the game was Luke Kornet’s block of Isaiah Hartenstein’s breakaway dunk attempt.
That play happened with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Spurs up 97-91. Absent that block, OKC would have cut the lead to four, probably forcing a Spurs time-out with the OKC fans making it impossible for anyone to hear. Instead, the Spurs got the ball back and scored, turning the game into a much more comfortable (and quiet) 99-91 eight-point lead. During the six minutes he played, Kornet had the same number of blocks as Victor Wembanyama (1), and two more offensive rebounds (3 to 1) — and hustled into the key play of the game that sent the Spurs into the NBA Finals.
Why do I mention Champagnie and Kornet together? Each of them were undrafted out of college. Very Spursian. They join other key Spurs from the past who were either undrafted or second round picks: Avery Johnson, Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills, DannyGreen! and many others. The Spurs’ proud franchise was built not only on top picks like the Admiral, the Great Duncan and Victor, but also on players other NBA teams decided were not good enough to play in the league.
I haven’t done a Fun with Box Scores edition in quite a while, largely because Pounding the Rock has a guy who does it much better than I can. But Game Seven’s box score has some notable items. For instance, both teams shot 45% from the field, but the Spurs went 17/40 from three, while OKC was 12/35. Put another way, the Spurs shot five more threes — and made all of them.
Also, Stephon Castle had the devil of a game: 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 turnovers. The Spurs’ nuns still forgave him because he had 16 points and 4 offensive rebounds. Ryan Harper had 3 offensive rebounds, meaning the two young Spurs guards combined for 7 offensive rebounds.
Another cool stat — after OKC got 9 offensive rebounds in the first half, they had only 1 in the entire second half. You think the Spurs coaching staff may have emphasized that at halftime? Yeah, me too. The Spurs got 5 more offensive rebounds for the game (15-10), and had 1 fewer turnover (13-12), which means 6 extra opportunities to score in a game decided by 8 points. By the way, the 111-103 final was the second closest game of the series. A very odd series, with two excellent games bookending five contests which were not in doubt in the fourth quarter.
One final question: why does ESPN always have Dylan Harper listed last on the Spurs box score? It is certainly not alphabetical, or based on his uniform number. Maybe because he went to Rutgers?? If anyone has a logical answer, please drop it in the comments.
One last stat: this one from halftime of Game Seven. The Spurs were up 3 points, 46-43. In the first half, the Spurs were 7 for 8 from the free throw line, while the Thunder were 4 for 8. Which means that with all the shooting and rebounding and steals and defense in the first half, the Spurs were ahead because they made three more free throws than OKC on their eight attempts.
That also made it odd that OKC’s coach chose to replace two of his starters to start the second half. I thought that sent an unusual message to a team that had the best record in the league the past two seasons. It might have been better to tell his guys “we got this”, “we are at home and we weathered the storm”, and yes, “we are the defending champs, let’s go out and show the world.” Instead, OKC benched two starters.
In contrast, when Stephon Castle got his 4th foul in the third quarter, and Victor got his 5th foul with over seven minutes left in the game, Mitch Johnson subbed them out for less than two minutes each, and then sent them back into the game. He trusted his guys to play without fouling, and switched Castle off SGA for much of the remaining game. (During Victor’s minute-long rest, Kornet has his chase down block — and then immediately subbed out to much adulation from the Spurs’ bench.) Johnson knew that the team needed Castle and Victor on the court for the Spurs to win Game Seven on the road, and he was right. Nice job by the Spurs’ head coach — also a rookie in his first playoffs.
Several good quotes to mention. First, Anthony Edwards said this about the Spurs, and in particular their offense when Victor was not in the game: “It made it hard on us because now everybody (on the Spurs) was playing free,” Edwards said. “They play egoless basketball anyway, but they made it a little tougher.”
As a coach, I want opposing players to describe my team’s offense as “egoless”. Love it. The second quote was from Reggie Miller after Keldon Johnson, who lives on a farm, drained two key threes in the fourth quarter: “His goats are very happy.”
Finally, my buddy Ferg dropped this dime describing Chet Holmgren’s four point, four rebound performance in Game Seven. “He Chet the bed”.
Because this is my “rooting for” post, I end by pointing out that the Spurs were clearly the fan favorites in the Western Conference Finals. Other than people from Oklahoma, or the OKC players’ close relatives, it seems that everyone was either rooting for the Spurs or against the Thunder. I don’t know if that will carry over to the Finals. There are an awful lot of New York Knicks fans out there, and I mean awful when describing Knicks’ fans. (To my Knicks fan buddies, sorry for the cheap shot.)
Anyway, because I traditionally root against teams from New York, my choice is doubly easy. I just don’t believe the series will be.
Stephen Curry's season-long sneaker free agency is over with the international star announcing on social media a deal to take his Curry Brand to Chinese show powerhouse Li-Ning.
"The future of Curry Brand will be powered by a company truly rooted in sports and innovation," Curry said in his post and open letter announcing the deal. "A partner dedicated to creating quality products with sneakers that I believe in that will continue to deliver at the highest level...
"Together, we will continue the Curry Brand mission with stories, platforms and products that will inspire the next generation around the globe."
Curry becomes the biggest basketball star signed to Li-Ning, which also has contracts with Jimmy Butler (Curry's teammate on the Warriors) and De'Angelo Russell, as well as former NBA player and Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade.
A 10-year deal means Curry and Li-Ning are thinking about how to continue and grow the brand beyond his NBA playing days. Curry, 38, has played 17 seasons in the NBA and has talked about being much closer to the end of his career than the start.
Curry had been with Under Armour for a dozen years, but last November the two sides announced they had parted ways. That led to a long season of sneaker free agency, during which Curry paid tribute to the legends of the game by wearing their shoes on the court. At the end of the season, Curry auctioned off those shoes to raise money for his Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, and they raised $1.7 million.
Curry's split with Under Armour allowed him to take the Curry Brand with him, and his brand can sign players to endorsement contracts (the way a player can sign with the Jordan brand rather than directly with Nike). This deal also shows Curry is thinking globally about growing his brand.
Li-Ning plans to build Curry Brand stores in the coming years in both the United States and China.
The Chicago Blackhawks came in 31st place this season. They had the 2nd best odds of winning the draft lottery and fell to fourth. It wasn't an ideal year for those reasons, but there was some significant development that took place for certain players on the team.
Now, the team is focused on what they need to do in order to start coming out of their current rebuild, which began as we know it in 2022.
In the meantime, there are a couple of former Blackhawks who will be competing in the Stanley Cup Final starting on Tuesday night. Last week, the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes clinched their berths in the Final as the Western Conference and Eastern Conference champions, respectively.
There is one former Blackhawk who will play in every game unless he gets seriously hurt, and one who may or may not draw in depending on how things shake out for his team.
Taylor Hall - Carolina Hurricanes
The Chicago Blackhawks had Taylor Hall on their team for parts of two seasons. The idea behind acquiring the former Hart Trophy winner was that he'd be a great wingman for Connor Bedard. After all, Hall had lots of experience helping first overall picks get their feet wet in the NHL.
Hall's first season in Chicago was mostly missed due to injury. He only played in 10 games during 2023-24. In 2024-25, he played 46 games with Chicago before being traded to the Hurricanes. It was clear that he wanted a chance to win during the late stages of his career.
Now, he's in the Stanley Cup Final, and he's been one of the key pieces for a Carolina team that's been looking to get over the hump for years.
With his 16 points in 13 playoff games, he is tied for third in postseason scoring and leading the Hurricanes. The two NHL players he's tied with have already been eliminated: Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
If the Hurricanes win the Cup, he has a legitimate chance to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Playoffs.
Hall's line with Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven has been Carolina's most dominant, scoring roughly half of their even-strength goals since the playoffs began, and that is something to watch out for heading into the series.
Against the Golden Knights, there will be more chess-style matchups for the Hurricanes to deal with, and that is where Hall's line can make them even more dangerous if they stay as dominant as they've been since mid-April.
Brandon Saad - Vegas Golden Knights
Everyone in Chicago remembers Brandon Saad. He was a major part of the Blackhawks winning their second and third of three Stanley Cups in the 2010s.
Now, in the later years of his career, Saad has a mixed role with the Golden Knights. He still has a high-end motor, but their roster is so deep that they don't need him every night.
During the regular season, he played in 49 games for Vegas while scoring 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points. When they have injuries or inconsistencies amongst their forwards, he's a great veteran to plug and play.
Saad didn't play against the Utah Mammoth in the first round, but he suited up for three games against the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. In the Western Conference Finals, he played in two of their four games as they swept the Colorado Avalanche.
Four of Saad's five playoff appearances have come on the road, which could play into Vegas' matchup strategy, or it could just be a coincidence.
If Vegas wins the Cup, Saad's name will go on it for the third time no matter how much he plays in this series because he played in over half of their regular season games.
Other Notes
Jaycob Megna also played 44 games for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2023-24 season. He played only four games with the Vegas Golden Knights this season and is a black ace in the playoffs for them this year.
If the Knights win, that would mean that Megna was a black ace on the Stanley Cup champion for the second year in a row, as he was a part of the Florida Panthers organization in 2024-25.
Hall and Saad's team can be seen fighting for the Stanley Cup in Game One on Tuesday night. On ABC, the festivities will kick off at 7 PM CT.
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On today’s episode, Jack Borman of Locked on Timberwolves joins the show to break down what the Minnesota Timberwolves’ offseason could look like:
— The Timberwolves will have re-signing Ayo Dosunmu at the top of their offseason priority list. The question is how long it will take to re-sign Dosunmu and how that will affect the rest of the roster.
— The Wolves will be able to offer Dosunmu more money and years than other teams, which puts them in the driver’s seat to retain the 26-year-old guard.
— Could the Timberwolves look to trade Donte DiVincenzo this offseason? It would be a difficult decision to trade an injured player set to miss most or all of the season, but the Wolves might value using his $12.5 million contract to help match salary in a potential trade.
— There is value in having DiVincenzo on the roster even if he does not play many games on the court. If his contract expires on the Wolves’ book, it would make it much easier for the team to re-sign him next offseason.
— The NBA announced a new draft lottery system that makes it so that the bottom three records in the league receive fewer ping-pong balls than the teams above them in the standings. Could this increase the value for Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert in a trade?
— If the Wolves decide to move on from Randle, a team at the bottom of the standings might have interest in Randle as he could help them avoid finishing with one of the three worst records, which would maximize their chance of winning the draft lottery.
Mirra Andreeva routed Sorana Cirstea, Marta Kostyuk overpowered Elina Svitolina and Alexander Zverev saw off Rafael Jodar, all three winners moving into the last four
A majestic, mature performance from Andreeva, locked-in from the start and ruthless to the end, a forehand winner to the corner securing the win. She’s into her second grand slam semi and will face the winner of our next match between Svitolina and Kostyuk.
Cirstea knows the jig is bust, going for everything because what else can she do. But an error hands over 15-30 and a backhand winner down the line raises two match points.
On a team that has won back-to-back World Series with a veteran MLB roster, and continues to boast one of the most highly-touted farm systems in the entire sport, big-league roster spots can be scarce, and MLB opportunities hard to come by.
Right now, that dynamic is applying to two young standouts in particular.
River Ryan (a right-handed starting pitcher ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline) and James Tibbs III (a left-handed-hitting outfielder ranked 10th) are having to wait their turns.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryan River (77) throws during a Spring Training workout at Camelback Ranch. Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
A former two-way prospect in the Padres system who was acquired to little fanfare in exchange for the then-DFA’d Matt Beaty in 2022, the right-hander blossomed into one of the most talented pitchers in the Dodgers’ highly ranked pipeline, rising quickly to make his MLB debut in 2024 –– when he had a 1.33 ERA in four tantalizing starts.
That rookie campaign, however, was cut short because of Tommy John surgery.
And after spending all of last year recovering from the procedure, Ryan is still waiting to make his return to the big leagues.
The Dodgers were always going to be cautious with Ryan’s workload this year, especially early in the season, given the limited number of innings he will likely be able to pitch in 2026. That became even more true after he suffered a hamstring injury in April that sidelined him for a month.
Team officials have said repeatedly they want him to build a “foundation” in triple-A Oklahoma City before bringing him up to the big-league roster.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher River Ryan #77, poses for a photo on a back field at Camelback Ranch Glendale, the Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training complex in Phoenix, Arizona. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
But, since returning to action three weeks ago, the 27-year-old has looked dominant.
He has given up just one earned run in his last three starts. He has built up from four innings to five to –– for the first time in his professional career –– six in his most recent outing last Thursday. He also racked up eight strikeouts in that latter game while –– for the first time this season –– not issuing a walk or hit batter.
“It was great to see him get to six innings,” Gomes said. “The stuff coming out of hand is awesome.”
Whether it has nudged him closer to a long-awaited call-up remains less clear.
With the Dodgers in the midst of a 19-games-in-20-days stretch right now, it’s possible that the need for an extra starter may arise at some point in the next couple weeks. But the team also currently has a locked-in six-man rotation, including newly-acquired veteran Eric Lauer. As long as that remains the case, it could be difficult to recall Ryan, as it would force them to play an arm short in the bullpen.
“We’re gonna keep building him up and try to build a nice foundation,” Gomes reiterated this week, “before we look to do anything there.”
Thus, Ryan might have to remain patient right now, even as he flashes a six-pitch mix headlined by a fastball that has touched 100 mph of late.
James Tibbs III #98, poses for a photo on a back field at Camelback Ranch Glendale, the Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training complex in Phoenix, Arizona. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I think the good thing about River, and what we try to tell our guys, is part of the benefit of being in our organization is that you’re gonna have really good resources, and the small downside is that there’s a lot of really good players,” Gomes said. “So I think it’s, keep your feet where they’re at and continue to perform. I think River also knows, when we optioned him out of camp, a lot of this is this is a guy that’s coming off Tommy John. We have to be mindful of his innings and workload, and not just be short-sighted, of like, ‘Oh, well, he’s pitching great now.’”
A similar dynamic is playing out with Tibbs.
A former first-round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants who was tried twice in a two-month span last year, Tibbs has found an obvious comfort level in the Dodgers’ organization.
Last year, he impressed with double-A Tulsa, posting a .900 OPS with seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 36 games after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline.
This year, the 23-year-old has elevated his game to a different level in Oklahoma City, batting .322 with a Pacific Coast League-leading 17 home runs –– including five over his last four games.
The start of that homer streak coincided with Teoscar Hernández’s hamstring strain last week, an injury that created an opening on the Dodgers’ big-league roster for a left-handed-hitting outfielder.
The club, however, opted to call up long-time prospect Ryan Ward, giving the once-overlooked slugger his first extended runway at the MLB level.
“I just think Ward-o has done this for a while and he’s certainly earned [this opportunity],” Gomes said. “It’s good to get him back up and into the mix and hopefully get a really opportunity here.”
Something working against Tibbs right now: He hasn’t played the outfield since May 7, while battling what The Athletic first reported is a minor forearm injury to his throwing arm. Instead, he has spent the last weeks exclusively as a designated hitter.
Still, just like Ryan, Tibbs’ time will come at some point.
“He’s performing great, obviously,” Gomes said. “The numbers are fantastic.”
For the Dodgers, it’s a good problem to have.
For their two most standout prospects so far this year, it means being patient a little bit longer.
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The hottest topic in Mariners-ville the last two weeks has been the decision by the Mariners front office to combine the starts of Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller into a “piggyback” start. Both pitchers have had their struggles so far in 2026, so the idea of letting each pitcher throw 4-5 innings at most using maximum effort seems like a pretty good solution on paper. In execution, it seems it could have been communicated a bit better to the players themselves who both expressed confusion after the first two starts, but have now seemed to accept this method into their lives and the Mariners have gone 2-1 in these piggyback starts. Rick Rizzs has been calling it “the twirling tandem” which rolls off the tongue better.
So I hit y’all with a bunch of pitching-related questions in the FEED last week, so let’s tally them up and throw some rankings on them using my patented and very scientific Mariners Hot Take Ranking System:
FIRST QUESTION
Do you like the concept of piggybacking starting pitchers IN THEORY? (Y/N)
The Noes have it, and I’m kind of surprised since this site has historically supported advanced stats and new approaches but maybe this one was a bridge too far. Rating this take as BRASH because all takes on this subject are heaters it seems.
SECOND QUESTION
Do you like the concept of piggybacking starting pitchers IN PRACTICE (Y/N)
The Noes once again have it, but this one is less surprising given the resulting drama and speculation about this decision causing a rift in the clubhouse. We saw Castillo visibly upset in the dugout after being pulled while still pitching well with a lead and we heard Miller’s initial version of “I’m just here to help the team win” said through gritted teeth and clenched fists. So I rate this one a BEAVAN because it’s to be expected.
THIRD QUESTION
Are the results so far good enough to override player/clubhouse vibes concerns? (Y/N)
The Yeses have this one by quite a bit. RESULTS BASED ANALYSIS, OH YEAAAAHHH. Now we’re cookin’. Wins are wins, babyyyy. Since RBA is the antithesis of advanced metrics/SABR in baseball, which is the approach LL was built upon, I have to give this a CLIFF LEE for this surprising heel turn into traditional baseball analysis. They don’t ask how, they ask how many.
FOURTH QUESTION
Would you prefer a 6-pitcher rotation instead of piggybacking? (Y/N)
The Noes have this one nearly unanimously. The six-pitcher rotation is officially dead in the dirt. I give this one a BOSIO because it’s the more conventional option when a team has this many viable starters, but it clearly impacts the rhythm of every starter instead of just the “twirling tandem.”
Finally, we did a quick poll:
Given how questions one and two went, these results are not surprising. The peopLLe have spoken and in spite of the positive results through three starts, y’all do not like the piggyback approach. Once again I must slap a BRASH rating here because of the lack of willingness to accept a new idea founded on getting the best result possible from two struggling pitchers. I get it, no one wanted to see Miller and Castillo upset and even though things appear to have been smoothed over PR-wise, the initial bad feelings could certainly linger and we’d all be the last to know about it.
Finally, I’ll just add that from a fan perspective, attending Sunday’s game for the third piggyback start was very fun to witness. When Miller is dealing like he was on Sunday, he is a true thrill to watch. And then knowing that around halfway through the game we’d get to watch Castillo in closer mode? Also thrilling! So purely from the spectator perspective, I find it very entertaining.
All right, folks, thanks for chiming in with your opinions and takes in the FEED. We’ll see where the twirling tandem takes us next or perhaps there will be a new drama bomb of some sort next week. Keep tabs on the FEED for more prompts and polls like this one.
On Sunday night, the Kitchener Rangers left Kelowna with the Memorial Cup after beating the Everett Silvertips 6-2 in the final. Amongst the winners was a Montreal Canadiens prospect, right-shot defenseman Andrew MacNiel. The soon-to-be 19-year-old is a defensive defenseman who was drafted in the sixth round by Montreal at the 2025 draft.
Through 10 playoff games, the 6-foot-2 and 170-pound blueliner put up two points, both goals, including one game-winner. He finished the postseason with a plus-two rating and four penalty minutes. At the Memorial Cup tournament, he made the headlines with a no-holds-barred fight against Silvertips’ Jaxsin Vaughan on May 25, a spirited tilt which ended in a draw.
In the regular season, the blueliner put up seven points in 48 games and was assessed 47 penalty minutes. MacNiel plays a rugged game and needs to learn to land his hits on the right side of legality.
The tough guy has a heart of gold, though. During the playoffs, he set up a fundraiser called Andrew’s Ambition for cancer research, through which he pledged to donate $2 for every blocked shot. On May 25th, the initiative had raised over $50,000 dollars, obliterating its $10,000 goal.
Of course, MacNiel still has a long way to go before he can skate in the NHL, but he has an interesting mix of skill and brings a lot of physicality to his game, something the Canadiens are rather light on, especially if Arber Xhekaj isn’t there in the long term.
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 1: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on March 1, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs enter this year’s NBA Finals on a collision course of experience vs. exuberance. The Knicks return to the Finals for the first time since 1999 with a group of veterans in their prime with shared playoff experience. The Spurs’ latest iteration to make the Finals comes during their first playoff run behind French phenom Victor Wembanyama. They’re entering the series just three days after wrapping up a grueling seven games against the Thunder, while the Knicks have had an extra week to rest up and tinker in the lab.
To the extent that regular season matchups may resemble the Finals product, the Knicks hold the upper hand – winning two of three, including the NBA Cup championship game and a 25-point blowout in March. But both teams responded to playoff adversity by evolving into new forms. FanDuel’s odds on the NBA Finals champion are a window into the complex matchups and adjustments that will go into determining the champion, and the Knicks now find themselves as the betting underdogs.
KNICKS (+168)
The Knicks have been playing incredible basketball. They’ve won 11 consecutive playoff games, all by double digits. Their 19.4 point differential during the 14-game playoff run is nearly five points better than the next best differential in playoff history. They’ve been grabbing nearly 60% of rebound chances, and outscored the Cavs in both second-chance and transition points in their closeout game.
Jalen Brunson has been the tip of the spear, averaging 26.9 points and 6.6 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns unlocked a new skill pack on offense, averaging a career-high 5.9 assists and more than 10 boards per game. His ability to pull Wemby out of the lane was key in their regular season success.
Beyond the stars, the Knicks’ entire playoff rotation has been excellent. OG Anunoby has stuffed the stat sheets, averaging 19.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and knocking down 48% from deep. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart have scored in double digits and contribute to a swarming defense that averaged over 10 steals per game in the ECF. Landry Shamet probably won’t keep shooting 91% from three, but Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, and Jordan Clarkson are solid options at key matchups.
SPURS (-200)
The Spurs leap-frogged to the front of the Western Conference ahead of schedule. Conventional wisdom (and historical precedent) says that championship teams need multiple rounds of live playoff experience to fortify their layers of adjustments. But that experience also exposes the risks of injuries and salary cap management, whereas youth can supply a reservoir of energy to burst through growing pains. As each series went longer, the Spurs got better.
Wemby’s 41 points and 24 rebounds in game 1 against OKC was emblematic of his ability to control entire games with nearly unlimited offensive and defensive arsenals. He can completely close off the paint or lock down on the perimeter, and he posted 48.1/40.0/89.5 shooting splits against OKC’s elite defense. He’s averaging a 23-point double-double with 3.5 blocks in the playoffs.
The league now revolves around Wembenyama, but the emergence of the Spurs’ young role players and reserves has been the story of their resilience. Stephon Castle took on the top defensive matchups while averaging 19.2 points and 6.7 assists over the playoffs. Dylan Harper looks like a potential future MVP with advanced feel on both ends. Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell both played tough defense and shot well on more than six 3PAs per game in the WCF. With De’Aaron Fox back from an ankle injury, the Spurs’ offense is deep with dynamic playmakers.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 10: Kyrie Irving #11 and Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks high five during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the Emirates NBA Cup Quarterfinals on December 10, 2024 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The winds of change are blowing for the Dallas Mavericks. The magnitude of those winds is yet to be determined, but the likelihood of them being gale-force appears higher than not at this point. Already, the Mavs have hired a new President in Masai Ujiri, a new GM in Mike Schmitz and they will soon find a new coach to replace Jason Kidd.
ESPN’s Zach Kram recently suggested six different trade ideas for the upcoming NBA offseason, two of which featured the Mavericks. Specifically, one trade centered on Kyrie Irving with another revolving around Daniel Gafford, as previously covered here at Mavs Moneyball. Each of the trade proposals held a logical basis for both sides and made for some intriguing discussions, but can the Mavs actually “win” either trade, much less the aggregate of both, as proposed?
The Gafford proposal
In this proposal, the Mavs ship Gafford out to the Los Angeles Lakers for a return of Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and pick 25 in this year’s Draft.
The Irving proposal
In this proposal, the Mavs move Irving to the Detroit Pistons and get Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Ron Holland and pick 21 in this year’s Draft.
If both deals were made, that means Dallas goes into draft night with first round picks 9, 21, 25 and 30. Not bad for a team that is currently all but devoid of draft capital until 2030, but also not the whole story. These deals would also add four wing players (Vanderbilt, Knecht, LeVert and Holland) to a roster that currently includes Cooper Flagg, Max Christie, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Khris Middleton and Caleb Martin.
Of course, roster size and general logic dictate that further moves would have to be made before the final roster was settled upon, but there are concerning ramifications of these deals regardless.
Taking on contracts for too-few picks
The incoming players in these proposals cause more harm than good. Not necessarily because the players are bad or have bad contracts per se, but because none of those players necessarily move the dial more than what Dallas already has. The Mavs would be giving themselves unnecessary work trying to figure out who and how to move players like Washington, Marshall, Christie, Middleton, Vanderbilt, Knecht and/or LeVert. They simply can’t all fit. Dallas instead should use their resources to acquire players that fit a more pressing need, rather than stack more wings on a wing-heavy team.
Too many 2026 draft picks; too few picks overall
Consider this – it’s quite difficult to draft four players in the same draft, then actually implement all four toward a positive impact going forward. Yes, Dallas needs to restock the cupboard in a major way, but they aren’t necessarily achieving that efficiently with these moves. Getting two late-first round picks in the 2026 draft looks good on paper, but it does not solve the problem of having little control over future drafts through 2030. If Dallas is going to trade their starting point guard and former NBA Champion along with their (sometimes) starting center, they simply need to get many more picks, across many more years, than they would be getting in these moves as proposed.
If the Mavs selected four players in June, the presumption is that all four would be part of the youth movement rebuild around Flagg. It’s not a stretch to think at the very least two of those players would be starters (especially with the departure of two vets), maybe more. Sounds like a fun young team, but it also sounds like a college squad playing in the NBA. Further, all of said players would then be coming up for rookie extensions at the same time, so you had better hit and hit big on the selections, then be ready to pay everyone at the same time. It’s just hard to believe this is practical in any real sense. I understand the message from Ujiri is that all moves will be made for the future, but that doesn’t mean all moves need to be made right now.
If Dallas elects to move Gafford or Irving (especially the latter), they need to be targeting a better cross-section of picks over a wider range of future years. If they can manage to pick up a few current NBA players that fit a need, all the better.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder attempts a shot against Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter in Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been interesting to watch Jared McCain through the playoffs, as he radically exceeded most people’s expectations. It’s also been fun to watch the reactions of Philadelphia fans and Sixers writers as they realized that Philly really blew the McCain trade.
In Oklahoma City, McCain emerged as a major force. Like we saw at Duke, he played with immense confidence and enthusiasm, and he was a real thorn in the side of the San Antonio Spurs.
“I never had expectations for myself coming in,” he said. “Once I knew that I can provide some help for this team, it was almost like, let me. I want to do anything I can to help this team win.
“If you told me four months ago that I would start in some Western Conference Finals games and play the role that I was able to play, not that I thought you were crazy, but I would look at you a little weird.”
What’s also striking is what his teammates have said about him. Take Isaiah Hartenstein:
“I think he’s a special human being. I mean, I think just in general, no one will change the way he is. I think I’ve never seen someone so happy every single day and I think it just gives something to a locker room that… I can’t be mad looking at him, if that makes sense.”
And Jaylin Williams said this:
“He’s just a good dude… he’s confident in himself, he’s confident in his ability, he’s confident in his own skin… he’s happy, he makes a good time, regardless of what it is… he always brightens whatever room that he’s in.”
Philly made a mistake in letting McCain go. After what we’ve seen, it’s hard to imagine the Thunder repeating it.
Pavel Dorofeyev enters the Stanley Cup Final at the top of his game, tallying nine points over his last eight appearances while posting remarkably strong underlying numbers.
That's why he headlines tonight's Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes props and NHL picks for the series opener in Carolina.
Best Golden Knights vs Hurricanes props for Game 1
Player
Pick
Pavel Dorofeyev
Over 0.5 points
-120
Noah Hanifin
Over 1.5 blocks
-150
Sean Walker
Over 1.5 shots
-125
Game 1 Prop #1: Pavel Dorofeyev Over 0.5 points (-120)
Pavel Dorofeyev has taken off since being promoted to the top line alongside Jack Eichel. He has averaged an ultra-efficient 3.53 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play while generating expected goals at an elite clip.
Dorofeyev is also a big threat on the man advantage, where he leads the Vegas Golden Knights in goals and shots during the playoffs.
He is an exceptional shooter and generates plenty of looks. He will really test Frederik Andersen, who is riding a high now but posted a highly underwhelming .874 save percentage during the regular season.
Expect Dorofeyev to hit the scoresheet in Game 1.
Betable to -130.
Game 1 Prop #2: Noah Hanifin Over 1.5 blocks (-150)
The Carolina Hurricanes ranked second in shot attempt rate during the regular season and led the way in the playoffs.
Their shot-generating efficiency creates numerous block opportunities, and Noah Hanifin is a prime beneficiary.
His pairing is being spoonfed defensive zone starts and allowing shot attempts at a higher clip than either of Vegas’ other pairings.
Hanifin averaged 2.3 blocks per game against Top-5 teams in shot volume this year, and 2.6 on the road.
Back him to block a couple up to -170.
Game 1 Prop #3: Sean Walker Over 1.5 shots (-125)
Sean Walker had a very strong shooting season, going Over 1.5 shots in 65% of his games.
That includes two Overs against the Golden Knights, in which he attempted 6+ shots in both games while combining for six shots on goal.
Walker is primed to pick up where he left off. The bulk of his volume comes from the right point, and Vegas ranked 30th in shots allowed from that area this season.
He has seen more offensive zone starts than any other Hurricanes defenseman in the playoffs, leading to extra looks at the net.
Playable to -135.
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Malhotra is a highly sought-after coach around the league, and the Maple Leafs weren't the only team that was likely interested in acquiring his services behind their NHL bench.
Vancouver's latest hire has spent the past two seasons coaching in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, the American League affiliate of Vancouver. His time as a head coach in the minors is where he really earned his recognition.
In his first campaign in Abbotsford, Malhotra led the AHL Canucks to a Calder Cup championship. That 2024-25 AHL title put Malhotra on the map as a real candidate to coach in the NHL, and that has come to fruition, with Vancouver winning that race with a sensible internal hire.
It's not out of the ordinary for Calder Cup-winning coaches to be noticed by NHL teams and eventually get hired by one.
Looking at the history of coaches who became AHL champions, Ryan Warsofsky, Sheldon Keefe, Jared Bednar, Jeff Blashill, and Jon Cooper, all won the Calder Cup in the last 14 years, and are NHL coaches. Malhotra is now a part of that list.
Malhotra's links to Toronto don't end at the passing possibility of the Leafs hiring him as their next bench boss, as he was a part of their coaching staff in the past.
From 2020-21 to 2023-24, Malhotra was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs, serving alongside Keefe for four seasons.
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The Knicks are in the NBA finals for the first time since 1999. Photograph: David Maxwell/EPA
Zohran Mamdani’s relentless quest to corner the youth vote has continued with the news that New York’s mayor has repealed bedtime for the city’s children during the hometown Knicks’ NBA finals run.
The Knicks are in the finals for the first time since 1999, and the series against the San Antonio Spurs starts on Wednesday.
Mamdani signed an executive order on Monday titled “repealing kids’ bedtimes for Knicks Finals run.”
In words that will strike terror into the hearts of parents hoping to get their kids up for school for the next few weeks, section one of Mamdani’s order reads: “I hereby direct that bedtimes in the City of New York are repealed during the NBA Finals so that kids of all ages can root for their New York Knicks.”
The Knicks are looking to win their first title since 1973. “As Mayor, you’re forced to make many difficult decisions,” Mamdani wrote on social media. “This was not one of them.”
Pavel Dorofeyev
Sean Walker
