CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 23: Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with the press prior to a game against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers could make drastic changes this summer. However, those moves won’t come at the expense of either the front office or the coaching staff. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the Cavs are expected to retain both.
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, despite how things ended on Monday night.
Koby Altman and the rest of the front office have built a sustainable winner. This team has won 50 or more games in four straight seasons and has won four playoff series during that span. They haven’t been able to reach the goal of winning a championship, but that is a major accomplishment for a small-market team that doesn’t have the built-in advantages that the coastal powerhouses do.
Altman took over for David Griffin after the 2016-17 season. During his tenure, he oversaw LeBron James’s final season with the team, a multi-year rebuild, trading for Donovan Mitchell, and the team’s recent ascent back up the Eastern Conference standings.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson will also be back next season for his third season with the team.
It’s easy to blame Atkinson for a lot of this group’s failures in the postseason. Some of the in-game adjustments came too late, and he does bear some of the blame for the team not being able to close out multiple winnable postseason games.
At the same time, Atkinson guided the Cavs through a rocky regular season, navigated the addition of James Harden, and has earned the trust of his team’s star players. This is after revolutionizing the Cavs’ offense the previous year, leading them to a 64-win season, and winning Coach of the Year.
“We’ve done something that we haven’t done since 2018,” Mitchell said after the Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. “I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny, and ultimately that’s all that matters.”
Earlier on Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Cavs’ chairman Dan Gilbert is “heavily involved” again with the team after not being as hands-on while dealing with some health issues in previous years. Presumably, both the front office and coaching staff have earned his trust.
We’ll see what moves are made this summer. At the very least, we know that there will be continuity in decision-making and coaching.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 24: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is defended by Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center on May 24, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In watching this year’s conference finals, it’s apparent how woefully ill-equipped the Sixers were for a deep playoff run. Sure, I will never forget the sheer euphoria of slaying the Celtics after rebounding from a 3-1 series deficit in the first round this spring, but cold water got thrown on that fun quite quickly given how dominant the Knicks were in sweeping them in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Knicks did the same thing to Cleveland and are now back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. In the West, the Thunder and Spurs are preparing for a Game 5 slugfest on Tuesday night in a series that’s destined to go the distance. The Sixers just aren’t able to compete with these teams as currently constructed and it’s becoming more and more clear nightly.
The problems of this Sixers season, and, really, this whole era for the franchise, predate the misfires from former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, but the executive’s time running the show for the team did little to put them on the cutting edge of the sport. Morey’s time as an assistant in Boston’s front office and then as the lead exec in Houston had at the heart of the NBA’s analytical revolution, a figure who was on the lookout for what the future of basketball would be. The Sixers’ whole setup right now, in contrast, is outdated.
The Sixers and Morey’s quest for a “Big 3” is a relic that went out of vogue a couple presidential administrations ago. Looking at the three teams still standing this postseason in New York, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, the pieces are so different and result in an equation that has a championship answer, unlike what the Sixers are doing.
Sure, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are poised to be MVP candidates for at least the next half-decade and Jalen Brunson is a star in his own right, but these teams are so deep and so well rounded that their bench glue guys are way better out there on the court than some actual Sixers starters and key cogs. Alex Caruso would be, what, the fourth-best player on the Sixers? Miles McBride would have a cult devoted to him here.
The Sixers haven’t prioritized depth in favor of their top-heavy roster, but, just as importantly, they haven’t prioritized the development needed in order to have a comprehensive collection of playoff talent.
No one defines that more than Jared McCain. Now with Oklahoma City, McCain looked like a legitimate building block in his limited action as a rookie in Philadelphia. Injuries derailed him, but he also just fell out of favor in head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation, as the team opted for low-ceiling players with no potential chance to be true risers in the future over McCain.
Now with the Thunder after a deadline deal that the fan base loathed and potentially on the verge of playing in the NBA Finals in his second pro season, McCain has been more than solid off the bench for Oklahoma City. He’s shooting 37.3 percent from deep in about 15 minutes of play per night. Is he going to be a star in this league? I’m doubtful there. Would he have helped the Sixers against both Boston and New York while on a cheap rookie deal with room to grow and mature as a player? The answer to that is unequivocally yes, but the organization was not willing to put him on that type of developmental path in a season where they only ended up as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
For the more casual Sixers fan, a player in that mold who’s flown completely under the radar is the Spurs’ Julian Champagnie. The Sixers had him on a two-way contract through the middle of the 2023 season. He was waived after just playing seven total minutes as a Sixer, the Spurs scooped him up and he’s since started every playoff game for San Antonio this year. Champagnie never got a true chance to showcase himself in Philly and is now two wins away from starting in an NBA Finals game.
Under Morey, the Sixers were never good enough contenders to even make a conference finals, but tried their mightiest to do so. That’s valiant, but smart organizations across the league have illustrated that they can shoot for the Larry O’Brien Trophy with much greater accuracy than the Sixers ever could while also cultivating a base of young, cost-efficient players to counterbalance their top star. I have my doubts the next person in charge of the Sixers’ front office will rectify these issues, especially for a franchise that’s going on four-plus decades of mishaps, but here’s to hoping, I guess.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Will Dion #98 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a portrait during Cleveland Guardians photo day at Goodyear Ballpark on February 20, 2025 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Will Dion will soon make his MLB debut as a left-handed reliever for the Guardians.
Cleveland optioned Logan Allen to Columbus and brought Dion up, adding him to the roster to bring it to 40 players.
Dion has put up a quietly outstanding season at Columbus, with a 1.83 FIP and a 12.46/1.73 K/BB/9 innings since being turned into a reliever this season. Oddly enough, his only trouble has come against left-handed hitters who have put up 1.200 OPS against him this year, while right-handed bats have managed only a .514 OPS. Small sample size? Well, throughout his career, he has put up even splits, so it will be interesting to see if that continues to be the case in a bullpen role.
Dion is only 5’10 but went slightly viral a few years ago for mimicking Clayton Kershaw’s throwing mechanics from his shorter frame.
Dion features a four-seamer that sits at 91, a cutter, a changeup, a curveball, and occasionally a sinker and slider. The changeup is his best out pitch, but he has confidence to throw the cutter and slider in any count.
Dion averages around 21 inches of induced vertical break on his four-seamer which is elite. For comparison, Erik Sabrowski is one of the best pitchers for IVB and averaged 23 inches. It makes a big difference that Sabrowski throws 3-4 mph faster, but Dion’ fastball should still be difficult for hitters to square up. If he can leverage it with getting whiffs on his changeup and curveball, the Guardians have potential for another very effective reliever.
Congratulations to a 9th round draft pick from McNeese state for making the bigs! He will wear 98 and be the first Cleveland baseball player to choose that number. Excited to see what he can do.
Joe Mazzulla has won the award he recently declared “stupid.”
The Boston Celtics head coach was named the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday, beating out finalists J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons) and Mitch Johnson (San Antonio Spurs) for the honor.
Mazzulla is just the fourth head coach in Celtics history to win Coach of the Year, joining franchise legends Bill Fitch (1980), Tommy Heinsohn (1973) and Red Auerbach (1965), for whom the trophy is now named.
That’s elite company, as those other three names are Hall of Famers. Don’t expect Mazzulla to take a victory lap, however.
“I don’t need it,” Mazzulla said in late March when asked about potentially winning Coach of the Year. “I think it’s a stupid award. They shouldn’t have it. And it’s more about the players. It’s more about the work that the staff puts in. It’s just that simple.
“I really don’t ever want to be asked or talk about it again. It’s just that dumb. So, the players play. It’s about them. Staff works their ass off. I’m grateful to have them.”
He credited the players and staff again in his statement after winning the award:
“Thank you to the Lord for the platform he has given me, and to my wife and family who supported me on this journey,” Mazzulla said. “Thank you to our players who compete and give it everything they have each night. I am grateful for every member of the Celtics organization whose dedication impacts winning every day.
“This award belongs to our staff, who are there for the guys every day. Their relentless work ethic improves our team daily. This award should be named Staff of the Year.”
Mazzulla can downplay the award all he wants, but it’s still a well-deserved honor. The Celtics lost four key rotation players last offseason — Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet — and didn’t have Jayson Tatum until early March, yet still surged to a 56-26 record (well above their preseason projected win total of 41.5) and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
“I think they’re very good, and we need to continue to provide them the resources to grow and get better and continue to be the best that we can be,” Stevens said of Mazzulla’s staff.
Mazzulla has already built an impressive resume in Boston, winning 72.6 percent of his regular-season games — the highest among head coaches in NBA history — while delivering an NBA title in 2024.
Mazzulla isn’t one to rest on his laurels, however, and he’ll be firmly focused on lifting the Celtics back to contender status next season.
Like so many deck chairs being rearranged on the Titanic, the Mets roster carousel continued Tuesday.
Lefty A.J. Minter and Jared Young returned from IL stints, and Eric Wagaman was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.
Gone are outfielders Tyrone Taylor (placed on the 10-day IL with a right hip flexor strain) and Nick Morabito (optioned to Syracuse) and right-hander Jonathan Pintaro (also optioned to Syracuse).
The Mets activated left-handed reliever A.J. Minter off the injured list on Tuesday. Bill Kostroun/New York PostTyrone Taylor has been sidelined. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Mets will need to make a 40-man roster move to add Wagaman, whose contract was selected from Syracuse.
Young — out since last month with a torn meniscus — had provided a solid left-handed bat off the bench prior to the injury, while Morabito, ranked the organization’s 11th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, was 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 16: The Nike batting gloves of Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves are seen during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 16, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The stage is set for both teams in game one.
The Atlanta Braves, who’ve struggled on offense during their last series against the Washington Nationals and dropped the series, are looking to have a full turnaround in their matchup against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway. Spencer Strider will be taking the mound in hopes of topping his season-high strikeout rate (nine) from his last outing against the Miami Marlins across his sixth innings on May 21st.
Notice anyone at the DH spot? That’s right, Manager Walt Weiss has placed Eli White in the spot, shifting from the outfield and making hitting his main focus of the night.
All of the Redsox hitters have less than four at-bats against Strider, but the only numbers marked for production were from Wilson Contreras, who recorded two RBIs with a .500 OPS. Their experience is pretty limited with a healthy Strider on the mound, but with his high number of walks (12) he’s recorded since his return this month, that could be their main opening if their offensive woes continue to last.
Against Boston’s Ranger Suarez, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley have seen their on-base production fare well above .900. They will need to keep that stature and get the remainder of the offense to produce behind Strider if they want to set the tone for the series.
Tarik Skubal took another significant step toward his return Tuesday, throwing live batting practice at Comerica Park before the Detroit Tigers’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on May 26. Skubal simulated 2 2/3 innings by throwing 39 pitches, according to reports. He struck out three and gave up a home run.
That was a welcome sight for a Tigers team that is struggling without their ace.
It's been just three weeks since the two-time Cy Young Award winner had elbow surgery to remove a loose body from his left elbow. His recovery and rehab have moved at an unprecedented pace, thanks in part to a new NanoNeedle technology.
Tuesday was Skubal’s scheduled “start day” in his five-day progression back to the mound. His last outing was a bullpen session, during which he threw his full repertoire, A.J. Hinch told reporters.
The Tigers manager said that Skubal was ready to throw to hitters Tuesday morning on his weekly SiriusXM spot. He said that it could be a short sim game.
Skubal has been careful not to get ahead of himself. “I don’t know in the history of the game if there’s been a surgery 15 days ago and I’m throwing a one-inning hypothetical start,” Skubal said last week. “I want to be back as fast as possible. I also want to be healthy.”
While Skubal will need more time before he can rejoin the Tigers’ rotation, Hinch sidestepped a question about a traditional minor league rehab when asked on SiriusXM. He just indicated that Skubal will need "a rehab" to be built up enough to give the Tigers volume when he returns.
Hinch also emphasized that no step will be skipped and Skubal will not be rushed.
The Tigers, however, desperately need him back.
Skubal is one of three sidelined Detroit starters, along with Casey Mize and Justin Verlander. The Tigers are 20-31, 9.5 games behind the Central Division-leading Cleveland Guardians and the owner of baseball’s worst record in May.
Before surgery, Skubal had been pitching like himself. He had a 2.70 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP and a 45-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 43 1/3 innings in seven starts.
If you want to go deep in the NBA Playoffs, you'd better bring some quality contributors off the pine.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship blueprint contains plenty of points from the bench, and prediction markets like Kalshi are offering markets on whether OKC’s bench will outscore the San Antonio Spurs' reserves in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Sign up now using our exclusive Kalshi promo code 'COVERS' and get a $10 trading bonus after you trade $10 on any other event contracts — including Lakers/Rockets!
Sign Up Now at img src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/336/kalshi.svg" alt="Kalshi" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
*Eligible to ALL states + DC, (excluding Nevada)
Pick: Thunder bench to outscore Spurs bench — Yes
-245 at Kalshi
San Antonio bench
Key Reserves
Dylan Harper (13.3 ppg in postseason)
Keldon Johnson (8.1)
Luke Kornet (5.1)
The San Antonio Spurs are much more dependent on their starting lineup, especially so in the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs bench was logging more than 17 minutes per game for an average of 35.1 points in the first three rounds, but that has tightened to 13.3 minutes/23.5 points in the past four games.
De’Aaron Fox’s absence in the first two games of the series had San Antonio leaning hard into the starting five, but blowouts the past two games have left head coach Mitch Johnson to give his reserves more run. Game 4 finished with 30 points from the bench — a team-high for the series.
Game script for tonight calls for a closer contest, which means San Antonio leans on its starters.
Guard Dylan Harper is the only reserve averaging more than 20 minutes per game in the postseason (25.7). He’s logged less floor time in the past two outings with Fox back while lumbering through an adductor injury.
The Spurs’ starters have outscored the Thunder’s starting five by almost 32 points over the first four games, and we do see a decrease in minutes and a near five-point dip from the reserves when the team hits the road in the tournament.
Oklahoma City bench
Key Reserves
Alex Caruso (10.3 ppg in postseason)
Jared McCain (8.8)
Jaylin Williams (4.7)
The X-factor for this prediction market could be Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams. He’s sat out the past two games after reaggravating a hamstring injury early in Game 2, and is listed as questionable for Game 5.
Should Williams sit out, an already thin bench for the Thunder gets thinner due to Ajay Mitchell’s absence (out with calf injury). Cason Wallace has moved into the starting lineup in place of Williams, leaving Alex Caruso, Jaylen Williams, and Jared McCain as the biggest contributors off the bench.
The support staff slumped last time out, shooting a collective 25.5% for a combined 34 points in Game 4. The bench took 27 of 47 shots from beyond the arc with OKC trailing big on Sunday, making only five of those long-range attempts.
However, Oklahoma City’s reserves have been awesome overall, and topped the postseason with 42.9 average points in 20.2 minutes per game off the pine before Game 4.
I expect them to tighten up with a return home, where the reserves connect at a 44.6% clip during the playoffs. Even with Williams likely out, which depletes the bench, OKC’s “other guys” will continue to contribute.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a chance to grab full control of the series tonight, while the Montreal Canadiens look to avoid falling into a nearly impossible 3-1 hole at the Bell Centre.
My Hurricanes vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks expect another wide-open, offense-driven matchup, with the total pushing Over 5.5 goals on Wednesday, May 27.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight!
Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4 prediction
Who will win Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4?
Hurricanes: Carolina has generated 67.8% of the expected goals and 67.3% of the shot attempts since the first period of Game 1, and if Montreal begins to sell out to create more chances, the Habs will be all the more susceptible defensively to the Hurricanes’ counterattack.
Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes can only shelter the Carolina storm for so long.
A more aggressive Montreal attack leaves the Habs defensively vulnerable, which will also position Jakub Dobes to be all the more susceptible to the pending statistical correction to his unsustainable 3.63 goals saved above expected during the series.
So, with Carolina starter Frederik Andersen allowing -2.65 GSAx with a confidence-shattering .804 save percentage, I’m anticipating the total soaring Over the number in Game 4 and would bet it to -125.
As a result, I’m targeting Caufield to snap out of a mini-scoring funk consisting of just a single goal across the past five games despite recording a team-high eight high-danger scoring chances.
Additionally, while Suzuki has put up a solid 1.9 assists per 60 minutes in the playoffs, he’s still lagging below his elite 2.53 mark during the regular season.
Hurricanes vs Canadiens SGP
Over 5.5
Cole Caufield anytime goal
Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists
Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+210)
Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov scored in Game 3 and still has statistical correction coming in the goals department with his 5.6 shooting percentage during the playoffs lagging well behind his 11.1 career mark during the regular season. He continues to see go-to offensive minutes on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit, and Svechnikov has recorded an impressive 5.08 individual expected goals and 16 high-danger scoring chances through 11 games. I’d back the Russian to score down to a +200 price.
Hurricanes vs Canadiens odds for Game 4
Moneyline: Carolina -155 | Montreal +130
Puck Line: Carolina -1.5 (+170) | Montreal +1.5 (-210)
Over/Under: Over 5.05 (-115) | Under 5.5 (-105)
Hurricanes vs Canadiens trend
The Carolina Hurricanes have won 20 of their last 25 games (+13.50 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QUE
Date
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, CBC
Hurricanes vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Knicks' road to the 2026 NBA Finals has been quite the journey.
The Knicks’ road to the 2026 NBA Finals has been quite the journey.
They have won 11 straight games — completing series sweeps of the Sixers and Cavaliers, respectively — en route to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.
They did it behind the leadership of All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, crowned the Eastern Conference finals MVP by a unanimous vote, after some doubted that he could be a No. 1 option on a championship team.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, center, holds the MVP trophy after Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers in Cleveland, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Throughout the 2026 NBA playoffs, the Knicks have outscored their opponents — Atlanta, Philadelphia and Cleveland — by a total of 262 points, the best point differential across 11 games during any point in NBA history, regular season or playoffs, according to ESPN.
The Knicks has defeated their opponents by 23.8 points per game dating back to Game 4 of their first-round series against the Hawks.
The Knicks’ shooting prowess throughout the playoffs has been a combined effort from their starters — Brunson, wings Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby and center Karl-Anthony Towns — and the sharpshooting Landry Shamet off the bench.
All five of the Knicks’ starters scored in double digits in at least three of four games in their conference finals series against Cleveland.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots against Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference finals playoffs series in Cleveland. AP Photo/Sue OgrockiKarl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the 76ers during Round Two Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty Images
Brunson averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists per game against Cleveland, while shooting 48.7 percent overall in the conference finals.
Shamet has shot 64 percent during New York’s 11-game win streak and a record 92 percent from deep in the conference finals.
The Knicks are also 6-0 on the road in this unbeaten streak.
They now have nine days off before the NBA Finals begin June 3, and will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Western Conference finals is tied at 2-2 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5.
After cashing my first profitable MLB player props piece here, I'll look to keep the momentum rolling as a few familiar faces grab my attention tonight.
Byron Buxton, Munetaka Murakami, and Kyle Schwarber all find themselves in prime spots to do damage at the dish, so let’s dive into why each of them could be in for big evenings on Tuesday, May 26.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Byron Buxton
Over 1.5 total bases
-110
Kyle Schwarber
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-107
Munetaka Murakami
Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
-109
Byron Buxton Over 1.5 total bases (-110)
Boots will be grounded for me this evening and I need some action while I suck down a few polish dogs with extra onions.
Twins star Byron Buxton may be the best bat to back on the Southside tonight, as he takes on right hander Sean Burke, who has been getting crushed by right-handed hitters over his last few outings.
The last 30 right-handed hitters Burke has faced own a 14.3% barrel rate with just a 4.8% ground ball rate, while opposing hitters are elevating the ball 95.2% of the time. Those hitters also sport a .387 xBA, .726 xSLG, and .424 xwOBA during that span.
Buxton owns 85.5% arsenal coverage against Burke, while also elevating the ball well over his last 10 games. During that stretch, he owns a 55.2% hard-hit rate and 20.7% barrel rate.
This marks the Twins outfielder’s 36th elite rating on the road. In the previous 35, he has cleared this prop 51.43% of the time and homered 25.71% of the time as well. Of course, I sprinkled on his home run prop.
Overall, Buxton has recorded 2+ bases in six of his last 10 elite-rated spots.
As always, I’m looking out for the “I do not pay juice” crowd. If you are not a fan of laying the -110 here, sprinkle on Buxton’s double and home run props instead. The only way you are losing those is if he triples or strings together multiple singles, plus you are getting a far better number.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, CHSN
Munetaka Murakami Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-109)
Double dipping tonight as I enjoy two props from the nosebleeds.
The second play in a matchup I am all over features the most exciting player in the city of Chicago, Munetaka Murakami. Give me the Over on his hits, runs, and RBI prop set at 1.5.
The White Sox slugger enters tonight with an elite rating on Batters-Box. In 27 elite ratings this season, he has surpassed this prop 55.56% of the time. If you are looking to pair his hit with Byron Buxton’s, Murakami has also recorded a hit in 70.37% of those elite-rated matchups.
Murakami draws Twins right hander Joe Ryan this evening, giving him a great opportunity to take advantage of Ryan’s struggles against left handed hitters. The slugger owns a 1.141 OPS and .481 wOBA over his last 30 plate appearances against right handed pitching.
Ryan enters today with poorly rated matchup numbers in ISO and ground ball rate, giving one of the most dangerous hitters in the White Sox lineup a chance to elevate and drive the ball tonight.
Sprinkle the home run for some extra fun!
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, CHSN
Kyle Schwarber Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-107)
Kyle Schwarber enters today with the highest rating in this matchup, marking his 241st elite rating over the last three years. During that span, he has cleared this prop in 54.17% of those elite ratings.
No different on the road, where he has gone over this number 52.83% of the time across 106 elite ratings.
Despite the slight cold streak following an illness, Schwarber is still making 58.3% hard contact with a 25% barrel rate and just a 16.7% ground ball rate over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.
The slugger draws Padres right hander Randy Vasquez, against whom he owns 57.7% arsenal coverage.
The 27-year-old starter has been giving up plenty of hard contact lately and allowing left-handed hitters to elevate the ball at a high clip. During that stretch, he owns just a 36% ground ball rate allowed, while lefties are making 46% hard contact with a 10% barrel rate against him.
If you are willing to lay roughly -160, you can take Schwarber’s hit prop. But from a value standpoint, I think this is the better play.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSP, Padres.TV
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 158-276-24, +2.7 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Tickpick announced in the immediate aftermath of the Knicks' Game 4 win over the Cavaliers that Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden are "the most expensive NBA Finals tickets on record." The secondary ticket marketplace app said get-in prices at that point were $3,745 for Game 3 and $3,464 for Game 4.
Those price ranges are holding and even increasing into Tuesday, with the cheapest Game 3 ticket on Stubhub as of 2 p.m. ET set at $4,273. And that's just to sit in the upper deck. It'll cost more to sit in the lower bowl, and a small fortune to be really close to the action.
On Tuesday, there were two courtside tickets on Stubhub listed at $107,103 and $101,748. There was no seat listed in the 100 level of Madison Square Garden for less than $6,000. Sports business reporter Darren Rovell reported the first two courtside seats for the NBA Finals were actually sold on Stubhub on Sunday – before the Knicks clinched the Eastern Conference finals – for $279,804.
The good news for Knicks fan is there is still an opportunity to buy face value tickets to the NBA Finals through the franchise's Knicks Fan First program. Fans who register by Tuesday, May 26 at 11 p.m. ET will have the opportunity to purchase Knicks' NBA Finals tickets before the general public.
The Knicks haven't won an NBA championship since 1973, and their postseason run this year has been punctuated by raucous watch parties around the city and famous fans like Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Fat Joe, Tracy Morgan and Jimmy Fallon joining the ever-present Spike Lee courtside at many playoff games.
The NBA Finals will begin on Wednesday, June 3 with the Thunder or Spurs hosting the first two games of the series by virtue of having home-court advantage. The Knicks host Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on June 8 and then play Game 4 inside the World's Most Famous Arena on June 10.
Game 6 of the NBA Finals would also be held in New York on June 16 if the best-of-seven series were to reach that point. The get-in price as of Tuesday was also more than $4,200.
Feb 12, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dribbles the ball against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
When the offseason rolls around, the internet starts doing some wild things. People get bored. They spend a little too much time in the trade machine. The results can be nothing short of horrifying. Practical thought leaves the body like a soul departing, and what we’re left with are some truly ridiculous trades.
That’s part of the offseason’s oversaturation. Podcasts need topics, national outlets need content, and fans want something to debate. Everybody starts trying to justify bad ideas in the name of conversation.
Mission accomplished, I guess. Because I’m here to take a look at a cpuple of the absolutely absurd trade proposals floating around recently. And these aren’t coming from your local podcast. This isn’t me hopping on Suns JAM Session and tossing out a random hypothetical. No, these are from major national media outlets, and some of them are downright comical.
So let’s go ahead and take a look at a few of the more ridiculous trade ideas making the rounds.
ESPN: Suns trade for Ja Morant
This one comes to us from ESPN, who put together six trades exploring where Ja Morant could ultimately land.
Phoenix Suns get:
Memphis Grizzlies get:
Ja Morant
Grayson Allen
Royce O’Neale
Haywood Highsmith
Jamaree Bouyea
2029 second-round pick
2032 second-round pick
This is a beautifully ridiculous trade.
The Suns would give up four players and two picks for Morant, and I’ve already expressed numerous times how I feel about him as a potential member of the Phoenix Suns. His addition goes against everything Phoenix tried to build this past season, and once you factor in the availability concerns and missed games, it becomes even harder to justify.
What might be the most absurd part of the entire thing, though, is what Bobby Marks notes:
The Suns overachieved last season, and they now are faced with the choice of relying on the same roster or making an aggressive trade for a player such as Morant. Because the Suns would be taking back more salary in the trade, it would hard cap them at the first apron. The restriction could put them in a position to lose free agents Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin.
So by this logic, the Suns would add Ja Morant to pair in the backcourt with Devin Booker. Jalen Green would still be on the roster, too, meaning three-guard lineups become the norm. Yay!
And that’s where this thing really starts to fall apart. Phoenix would not only be hard-capping itself, but they’d also be knee-capping themselves when it comes to depth. They wouldn’t be able to go over the first apron at $209 million, so once again you’re piecing together the bench with a collection of veteran minimum players and hoping it works.
The viability of bringing back Gillespie, Goodwin, and/or Williams is practically out the window. Booker, Green, and Morant would account for $125.6 million of your cap, which is 76% of it. Oh, and you’re still giving up draft capital to make it happen, which chips away at your future flexibility too.
I’m sorry, this trade is completely unrealistic. It feels like an NBA 2K trade, where you jam assets together until it works for one side and completely ignore what it does to the other.
Vecenie: Malauch to the Hornets
A lot less inflammatory, still not rooted in reality, comes a suggestion from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, in which the Phoenix Suns would send out Grayson Allen and Khaman Maluach for Miles Bridges and Ryan Kalkbrenner, or the 18th overall pick.
In the Phoenix Suns offseason preview on the Game Theory podcast, @Sam_Vecenie proposed a trade to acquire Miles Bridges from the Charlotte Hornets:
➡️ HORNETS: Khaman Maluach, Grayson Allen ➡️ SUNS: Miles Bridges, Ryan Kalkbrenner (or the 18th pick) pic.twitter.com/9J6qAuKO6E
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) May 25, 2026
Phoenix Suns get:
Charolotte Hornets get:
Miles Bridges
Grayson Allen
Ryan Kalkbrenner (or the 18th pick)
Khaman Maluach
My first thought when I see a trade like this is simple. Why would Phoenix want to do it?
This feels like something that benefits the Charlotte Hornets far more than the Suns. Charlotte gets more three-point shooting and, depending on how you view the prospects, arguably gets the better young center than the one they selected 34th overall a season ago.
And to be clear, I’m a fan of Kalkbrenner. I did a ton of research on him as a draft prospect last year when Phoenix owned the 29th pick. I thought he made a lot of sense at the time. He had a solid rookie season on a team that gave real opportunities to its young players.
That still doesn’t answer the bigger question. Why would you give up on Maluach this early in his career? And why bring in Bridges, another undersized power forward, on a roster that already needs to prioritize minutes for sophomore Rasheer Fleming?
Then there’s the pick. If the return is No. 18 overall, that’s not much of a trade-off. You’re essentially flipping Maluach, who was taken 10th overall a year ago, for the 18th pick. That’s hard to justify.
This one feels like creating a trade for the sake of creating a trade, then working backwards trying to make it sound reasonable.
I’m still waiting for one of the national pundits to cook up something that feels relevant, realistic, or at the very least includes Jalen Green. Because, quite honestly, he’s the biggest trade chip the Phoenix Suns possess right now. If Phoenix can somehow flip him into something that genuinely helps move the organization forward, whether that’s players, picks, or some combination of both, that’s the route I’d explore. At least from my perspective.
Until then, we watch and wait. That’s the offseason. Everybody starts throwing ideas at the wall, hoping one sticks. National outlets keep the content machine moving. Fans debate every hypothetical like it’s already on the transaction wire.
My guess? None of these mock trades happen. Phoenix has been pretty transparent about wanting to stay measured this summer, and the organization doesn’t feel like a team gearing up for a splashy offseason. Sometimes, the loudest part of the offseason is the internet. The actual moves tend to be a lot quieter.
The margin for error is extremely slim with the Western Conference Finals down to a best-of-three series heading into Game 5.
That pressure, however, produces a big fat-ass barrel of NBA betting fun when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.
My Spurs vs. Thunder same-game parlay for Game 5 adds that enjoyment, at least if you're siding with San Antonio. I’m taking the visitor to cover the spread while getting long-range love from its long and lanky center.
The injury report is not looking good for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’re potentially down two key guards, which has forced star scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to carry more of a facilitator role instead of playing off the ball.
The San Antonio Spurs have done a great job keeping SGA out of rhythm on offense and OKC’s role players in check. This one comes down to the wire with San Antonio covering as a road dog: a role that’s produced an 11-6 ATS record this season.
SGP leg #2: Stephon Castle Over 4.5 rebounds
Stephon Castle sits second on the Spurs with 50 rebounding chances in the WCF, which have translated into 19 total boards. He’s snatched five or more rebounds in each of the first three games and while he had just three boards in Game 4, he was in position for 12 rebounding chances.
Projections sit as high as six rebounds tonight.
SGP leg #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 1.5 threes
Victor Wembanyama was more aggressive in his shot selection in Game 4, shouldering the scoring load inside and out. He attempted seven 3-pointers — making three — and has hit two or more triples in three of the four conference finals games.
San Antonio is being protective of his energy on defense, as it tries to save his legs for the offensive end. Wemby is forecasted for at least two 3-pointers in Game 5.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Spurs vs. Thunder predictions for Game 5.
More Covers NBA Playoff content
NBA Championship odds
Stay up-to-date with the latest NBA Championship odds for each remaining team, as well as NBA title splits, betting trends, and the previous list of teams that have won the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
NBA Finals MVP odds
See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.
Live NBA Playoff bracket
Never lose track of where each series sits with our live NBA Playoff bracket, as well as the updated prices for each team to win their respective series — round by round.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the first half against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on March 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been in the crossfire of many commentators after this playoff run. His comments about analytics didn’t sit well with many, and the team also underperformed in several key moments — including during the Game 1 collapse against the New York Knicks. The coach is going to bear part of the blame when things go sideways like that.
Yet, his players haven’t lost faith in him. At least not publicly. So much so that their star player thinks it’s “hilarious” that Atkinson is receiving criticism for how things ended.
“We’ve done something that we haven’t done since 2018,” Mitchell said. “I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny, and ultimately that’s all that matters. I know he’s from Long Island, he don’t give a damn. … We’re in it together.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Mitchell wasn’t alone in this sentiment.
“He’s the ultimate player’s coach, he gets it, he understands his team,” James Harden said. “I think he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible.”
This was a tumultuous regular season for the Cavs. It could’ve gone sideways at many points, but it didn’t. Atkinson deserves some of the credit there. And he does deserve praise for helping the team win two playoff rounds.
At the same time, when things go as poorly as they did against the Knicks, there’s going to be criticism thrown his way. That just comes with the business. That, however, doesn’t mean he deserves the most blame.
“It’s on us,” Mitchell said. “It’s definitely on us. It’s not on Kenny.”
Byron Buxton
Kyle Schwarber
Munetaka Murakami
