Montreal Canadiens’ rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes has a perfect record this season against the Carolina Hurricanes. He beat them three times in the regular season and once again in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.
In those four games, the Czech netminder has a .923 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average. Dobes has been a formidable force for the Canadiens in this postseason. He’s currently first in goals saved above expected with 11,9 and has been particularly impressive on the road, where he now has seven wins.
With Thursday night’s win, Dobes caught up to Steve Penney for most wins by a rookie netminder in one postseason with the Canadiens; both have nine wins. There are only two masked men in Habs history with more wins as a rookie goalie in one postseason: Ken Dryden with 12 and Patrick Roy with 15. Both won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe trophy.
Thursday’s win was also the 10th playoff win of Dobes’ career, and he became just the 15th rookie netminder in league history to reach the double-digit mark, and the fifth to do it with the Canadiens after Jacques Plante (14), Dryden (14), Penney (15), and Roy (15).
More importantly, with another standout performance against the Hurricanes, the young goaltender could turn up the pressure on veteran goalie Frederik Anderson. The 36-year-old has struggled against the Canadiens this year, and that, coupled with his losing record in the third round, may be starting to weigh heavily on his mind. At this stage of the playoffs, any psychological advantage you can get over your opponent is a big plus.
In the second round, against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens managed to make Lindy Ruff juggle with his goaltenders, which is not great for a team’s confidence. Ruff went from Alex Lyon to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, then back to Lyon, and finally back to UPL. Having some consistency in net is huge for a team’s confidence in the playoffs.
Mendoza confirmed the team's pitching plans over the next two games, saying that Christian Scott will go on Sunday in the series finale against the Marlins and Nolan McLean will start Monday's series opener back home vs. the Reds.
David Peterson and Jonah Tong would be the next in order for Tuesday and Wednesday's games against Cincinnati. Although Mendoza said the team could also go with an opener, like they did with Tobias Myers, and is taking it "day-by-day."
"We got some of the guys here. We got Freddy tomorrow, got Scotty tomorrow, Nolan's going to go Monday," Mendoza said. "Obviously, Peterson and Jonah are going to play a part. We just got to decide whether if we're going to go openers, kind of like day-by-day. We feel good with them starting, but we'll get creative if we need to."
Tong pitched well in his season debut against the Marlins, throwing three "very encouraging" scoreless innings of relief. It was reported on Friday that Tong will stay with the team and pitch during the Reds series after they optioned Zach Thornton to Triple-A, and Mendoza said that while they don't have a long-term decision, the right-hander will likely get another chance in the coming days.
"We haven't talked about it. He's a big part of this team and this organization," Mendoza said. "We're going to continue to give him opportunities. He's got to continue to throw the ball well. What we saw yesterday was very encouraging and that's what we expect from him.
"Again, we'll see how it goes turn-by-turn, but we expect a lot from him."
Young, Minter nearing returns
Jared Young last played on April 12 due to a meniscus tear and is just about ready to make his return to New York. He is currently rehabbing with Triple-A Syracuse, but their game was rained out Saturday. Mendoza said it's probable he will rejoin the team during the upcoming six-game homestand against the Reds and Marlins again.
"There's a chance, there's a chance. But again, they got rained out today," Mendoza said. "But there's a good chance we'll see him in the next homestand."
Like Young in Syracuse, A.J. Minter was set to pitch again on Saturday as his final hurdle before returning, but Mendoza said the team will now make a decision on his next steps after he throws Sunday.
Minter will likely fill the void of recently DFA'd Craig Kimbrel in the bullpen, as RHP Jonathan Pintaro was promoted Saturday to help in the meantime.
Senga progressing
Trying to work his way back to the bigs, Kodai Senga threw 58 pitches into the fourth inning on Friday in his first rehab appearance for St. Lucie. Mendoza mentioned he's unsure if the righty will pitch again for St. Lucie, but they will determine the next steps when they see him back in New York on Monday.
"Feels good, I haven't heard much to be honest with you. So no news is good news, Mendoza said. "But I watched the outing, as long as he continues to feel good, that's what matters here."
Mendoza added: "He's going to go to New York now. We'll probably see him when we get back on Monday and then we'll go from there on what's the next step."
Senga had gone 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA over five starts prior to hitting the IL on April 28 due to lumbar spine inflammation. His velocity was noticeably down during that early-season stretch, but now it appears to be heading in the right direction.
"Whenever he's throwing mid-90s, it's a sign that he's feeling healthy," Mendoza said. "We saw I think it was 96 [mph] yesterday. So yeah, I mean obviously the velo's important for him, especially when the forkball's in play. But again, he's got a lot of weapons, but the velo is part of it."
SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 18: Rodolfo Durán #48 of the San Diego Padres throws the ball during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday, May 18, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
San Diego Padres catcher Rodolfo Durán signed with the Friars in January of 2025 as a minor league free agent after playing in the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals organizations after signing with the Phillies in 2014.
An international free agent signing at the age of 16 out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Durán was with the Phillies until November of 2021. Granted minor-league free agency after spending his entire time in the Phillies minor league system, Durán signed with the Yankees in December of 2021.
After two seasons in the Yankees minor leagues, Durán signed a minor-league free-agent deal with the Kansas City Royals. That resulted in a one-season stay, and he was again a free agent after the 2024 season.
The Padres assigned the catcher to the El Paso Chihuahuas after his first Spring Training in Padres camp. After adjusting to a new organization, Durán split time behind the dish with Luis Campusano. In 2025, Durán played in 86 games and hit .288/.344/.503 with 16 home runs and 73 RBI. After one year in the Padres system, Durán re-signed with the Friars for the 2026 season.
In his daily newsletter, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, reported that Durán chose to re-sign with the Padres because he got more opportunities. “They gave me the opportunity. Last year I played a lot. As a free agent, as a minor leaguer, you want to play and you want to keep showing them what you got and to get that chance.”
In spring of 2026, he was invited to major league spring camp and played in 16 games with a .250/.419/.667 line, hitting three home runs with eight RBI. He was sent to the Chihuahuas roster after an impressive spring.
The catcher the Padres signed to be their third catcher, Blake Hunt, was hurt early in camp and Durán quickly stepped forward as the third catcher behind Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano. In the first 23 games he played in 2026 for the Chihuahuas, Durán hit .238/.356/.429 with four home runs and 20 RBI.
Elite defense
In his first season with El Paso, Durán used his cannon of an arm to throw out 20 of the 71 runners attempting to steal. With a pop time of 1.88, Durán is in the elite level of catchers. After rising to the third catcher position in the organization, Durán spoke with John Conniff of MadFriars.com about what has improved in his game since coming to the Padres.
“My consistency has become much better, especially with my defense. That had been the biggest thing I needed to work on coming here.”
Durán also spoke about his leadership role and wanting to improve his work with the pitchers, giving them confidence that he is there for them. “I want them to know that I got them.”
The Padres had a scare with primary catcher Freddy Fermin earlier in the season when he was hit by foul balls behind the plate and looked like he might miss time. The Padres brought Durán in for the taxi squad in case he was needed. Fermin did not go on the IL and Durán returned to the Chihuahuas. But when Luis Campusano fouled a ball off his foot in early May, Durán finally got his chance. Campusano went on the injured list on May 7 with a fractured big toe. Durán made his debut that night, catching Michael King versus the St. Louis Cardinals.
He got his first major league hit, a home run, against Seattle on May 16. He almost had two home runs in that game but was robbed at the center field wall by Julio Rodriguez, who made a leaping grab. Yesterday, against the Athletics, Durán was the catcher for Walker Buehler and got his second major league hit. He also had two walks, bringing his total to three free passes.
Durán does not have an impressive slash line with the Padres. He is hitting .188 with a .611 OPS but has a 41.7% caught stealing rate behind the plate. He has been particularly proficient with the ABS system, challenging nine pitches and winning eight of those challenges.
Both King and Buehler have credited him with helping them battle through difficult starts and his manager, Craig Stammen, gave him credit for the Padres only win against the Dodgers in their recent series.
“(That) was definitely a Rodolfo Durán game. If he’d have got that line drive to left field to fall in, he couldn’t have had a better game, honestly. Threw a couple guys out, caught a shutout. We feel really comfortable with him behind the plate. When we got him last year as a six-year free agent, we didn’t know a ton about him, and he just proved that he’s everything we needed and wanted from a guy that could be our third catcher.”
Can Durán be more than a third catcher?
When Campusano, who still has not started any rehab work, returns, the Padres will have a decision to make. Front-line starter Fermin has had an abysmal start to the season. His hitting line of .149/.240/.195 is the worst of active, full-time players. He has 13 hits with four doubles and three RBI in 87 at-bats. He has taken multiple punishing foul balls behind the plate in his starts and has had a recent poor performance with ABS challenges.
Fermin has options and could use a break to reset his swing, and some time with ABS in the minor leagues might not be a bad option. It seems unlikely that the organization will keep an 11-year minor league catcher on the roster and send an experienced major-league catcher to the minors. But it is shown that Durán is more than capable and has more power potential than Fermin.
The defense and offense shouldn’t be any worse, and the offense could be better, with Durán getting a shot with the Padres and Fermin taking a break to work on some skills. It would undoubtedly be a short-term move but giving Durán more time to show what he can do would not be the worst thing.
Based on the comments of Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen earlier this week, the club is satisfied with their three-headed goaltending monster of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis, but there has been speculation that the Sabres could be looking for an upgrade between the pipes this summer, based on the inconsistent performance of Luukkonen and Lyon in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"They're all real good people, real good teammates, real good pros. I think Lindy touched on it too, that they pushed each other, they supported each other, they challenged each other, they had fun. All of them want to probably play more games, but that's great." Kekalainen said. "It's internal competition, and we'll be better off at some point. We may have to change that, but I think it's worked great so far, and it's been the strength of our team. We had Ellis go in a few times and play incredible games, Lyon and (Luukkonen), they played the most of the games and had good seasons."
The Sabres have less than $13 million in cap space entering the off-season, but do have an organization chock full of young prospects and their 2026 first round pick, which could make pursuing a goalie a realistic possibility.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff gets a two-year contract extension
Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff speculated this week on an appearance on WGR 550 that it might be the time for the Sabres to take a big swing at a top goalie, such as Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, but a deal for the Olympic gold medal, Vezina, and Hart Trophy winner would be extremely costly, even if the 33-year-old netminder asked to be moved. Other possibilities could be two-time Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, but as an unrestricted free agent, he would require a hefty price tag.
Another name that has been speculated about in connection with clubs in search of goaltending help is Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at a $6 million cap hit, and based on the exodus that included veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk prior to the trade deadline and rumors involving the Sabres and Blues regarding defenseman Colton Parayko and Robert Thomas, the club under new St. Louis GM Alex Steen appears to be entering a potential rebuild.
Luukkonen has three more years left on a five-year extension signed in 2024 at $4.75 million per season. The 27-year-old has a five-team no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1 and could be attractive as part of a deal for another goalie or from another club looking for help between the pipes. Lyon ($1.5 million), Ellis ($850,000) and minor leaguer Devon Levi ($812,500) are all under contract through next season.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 18: Slade Cecconi #44 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates after picking off Riley Greene (not in the image) #31 of the Detroit Tigers during the bottom of the fourth inning at Comerica Park on May 18, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) is relived against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images
When you root for a team that isn’t in the playoffs anymore it’s very natural to reminisce on what you used to have. When you root for a team that didn’t make the playoffs at all that kind of thought only comes more quickly. For about three months now I’ve been coasting through this season thinking about the NBA Draft Lottery, and now that we’ve secured the #2 pick in this year’s draft, there’s nothing more we can do except wait. Or at least that’s what normal people would do.
For me and my undiagnosed AuDHD my mind can only go back in time until we officially have one of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Cam Boozer on our roster. Once the draft and free agency are over I’ll be locked into what we can accomplish next season, but for now I’m thinking about the guys who aren’t here to be a part of our come up. I’ve thought about it long and hard and I now have my all-time starting 5 from Utah Jazz players who were pretty good: not Hall of Famers, not All-Stars, not even very good. Just pretty good. Be sure to tell us who you’d pick in your Starting 5, but without further ado, let’s go back to a simpler time.
Point Guard: Ricky Rubio
If you know me as a basketball fan, you will know that my favorite archetypes of players are facilitators, and in my mind Ricky Rubio was one of the best. Sure, he never lived up to hype he had coming into the league, and he was never able to justify selecting him over Steph Curry, but having a 12 year career when you’re only true skill is slinging the rock is pretty solid. He was only in Utah for two seasons but was able to give us 12 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds a night on fairly decent shooting splits.
He’s actually the catalyst for this entire article; I was scrolling Twitter and ran across a Ricky Rubio highlight reel and I couldn’t help but smile. He may have never been the point guard, but he’ll always be my point guard. I couldn’t tell you how sad I was to see him retire from the NBA, but they say to not cry because it’s over, and to smile because it happened.
Shooting Guard: DeShawn Stevenson
We’ve got a major throwback for this entry. It would be understandable if you forgot, or even didn’t know at all, that Stevenson played for the Jazz. It was a different time; we just started a new millennium, a gallon of gas was around $1.50, and NBADraft.net just announced to the entire world that Stevenson’s NBA comp was THE Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
Suffice it to say he never lived up that standard, and his three and a half season in Utah weren’t any indication that he would become anything more than his 6 points per game average, but every now and then he would display something just special enough to think that he could turn things around. In his last 54 games for the Jazzmen he averaged a career high 11.4 points per game before he was traded to the Orlando Magic.
I’m not sure why I have such an affinity for him, really. I followed his career in Washington, I was excited to see him be a part of the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks squad in 2011, and I was even rooting for him during his time in Ice Cube’s Big 3 league. By all metrics I shouldn’t care about a player with averages like his, but you can’t help who you love.
Small Forward: Joe Johnson
Yes, I do mean old man Joe Johnson. I can hear a lot of people SCREAMING at me to have Andrei Kirilenko or Joe Ingles here, and while they were certainly great players, they were much more than just role players. I’m not exactly sure what the word for a player between role player and star is, but both of them would be in that category. Some people may also be yelling at me because Iso Joe is a 7x All-Star, but when he made his way to Salt Lake City he was four years removed from All-Star status and 35 years old, so I think this selection is more than acceptable.
To quote the late great Bill Russell: “this game has always been , and will always be, about buckets.” In the case of Joe Johnson, he was able to score with the best of them. Roughly 5000 people in human history have played in the NBA and only 56 of them have ever scored more than 20,000 points; Iso Joe is one of those elite. His midrange game was always a lethal weapon for him to use, but once he got to Utah he was able to really display his post work a lot more; really a refined repertoire for someone in his position. Much like DeShawn Stevenson, I’ve always loved Joe Johnson and I’m happy to say that he’s still killing it in the Big 3 league. Johnson is one of those players who could really hoop until he’s 60, and I hope I get to witness that entire playing career.
Power Forward: Derrick Favors
This biggest knock on Derrick Favors’ entire career is that he was born about 15 years too late. For his particular skillset, being a very good post player, he would have been a multi-time All-Star if he was playing in the 80’s or 90’s. Unfortunately for him he was drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, and just as he was entering his prime as a player, the NBA was starting to move towards a more perimeter centric philosophy thanks to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Despite the fact that he wasn’t able to mold his game with the league, he was still very effective within his niche skillset.
He and Greg Monroe both share the unique distinction of being born just a tad too late to thrive in the NBA. During Favors’ decade in Utah he had only 5 seasons averaging more than 10 points per game, but overall was very solid. If that doesn’t scream “Hall of Pretty Good,” I don’t know what will.
Center: Hassan Whiteside
In a similar story to Derrick Favors, the NBA just pasted Hassan Whiteside by. Utah was Whiteside’s last stop in his NBA career, and while his averages for a backup center were more than respectable, the NBA had fully moved into a perimeter centric offense and Whiteside, to say the least, was not equipped for that role. He was still able to secure 5 rebounds and block 1.6 shots per game during the 2021-2022 season, but with limited to no offensive bag he was phased out of the league.
This may seem like a weird selection to some people, but if I am anything, it is a homer. I grew up in West Virginia, and if you ever played for West Virginia University or Marshall, there is a great chance that I will support you until my last breath. I was actually able to be in attendance for a game between WVU and Marshall at the Charleston Civic Center where Whiteside put up 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks and ever since then I was drawn to him as a basketball player. It was a pleasure to see him play in the league, and it was an extra nice treat to see him finish his career in Utah.
Nostalgia is one hell of a drug, and it is one that I am addicted too. As we look forward to the NBA Draft it’s nice to remember where we came from. I look back at some of these years that the aforementioned players were here and remind myself that we’re onto better things. As we’re approaching the actual draft there will be A TON of draft coverage from everyone here at SLC Dunk so be on the look out for that!
Who would be in your all-time starting five? Do you think you have the most unique taste in Jazzmen role players? Sound off in the comments below!
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 6: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF
Bo Bichette – SS
Juan Soto – LF
Brett Baty – 3B
Mark Vientos – 1B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Marcus Semien – 2B
MJ Melendez – DH
Luis Torrens – C
SP: Freddy Peralta (RHP)
Marlins lineup
Xavier Edwards – 2B
Liam Hicks – DH
Otto Lopez – SS
Kyle Stowers – LF
Jakob Marsee – CF
Connor Norby – 1B
Owen Caissie – RF
Graham Pauley – 3B
Joe Mack – C
SP: Max Meyer (RHP)
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
May 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Austin Martin (16) celebrates his two run home run against the Boston Red Sox with teammates during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 3:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
I’m not really sure why I’m more optimistic right now about the 2026 Twins than I have been at any point of the season so far. My best guess is that, by all accounts, the team is not as catastrophically bad as they could be, on pace for a high-70s win total, and holding down a third-place position instead of dwelling in the cellar. Minnesota is only three games below .500 — a manageable deficit — and are actually one of only six teams in the American League with a positive run differential (+1, but it counts.)
They have an identical record to the reigning league champions, and a better record than recent Wild Card Detroit, Wild Card hopeful Kansas City, struggling Houston, upstart Baltimore, and their current opponents in the Boston Red Sox. The prospect pipeline has also begun to kick into gear, and players are being optioned/DFA’d at a rate relatively commensurate with their on-field performance.
What’s more, the starting pitching has gotten even healthier! As of this morning, Taj Bradley has been reinstated to the active roster, and will take the ball against Boston this afternoon.
Bradley is making his first start since May 5th, a six-inning win against the Washington Nationals, with eight strikeouts. Bradley has probably been the Twins’ best starter statistically, leading the regulars in ERA+, ERA, K/9, and bWAR, among other fields. His reactivation also bumps another poor performer off the active roster, itself a net positive.
For the Red Sox, it’s old friend Jovani Moran opening the doors for what will presumably be Brayan Bello and his -1.4 bWAR. The fifth-year starter has been absolutely smacked around to start the season, posting a 7.16 ERA with what might be the worst fastball in the American League (-13 run value and league-average velo.)
The Twins go for another series win against Boston here this afternoon. GO TWINS GO!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 12: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox hands the ball to Chad Tracy #17 after being taken out during the eighth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on May 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hold onto your hats (and your hearts) folks. We have Jovani Moran on the mound to start, who’ll soon make way for Brayan Bello. Bello has been good in two relief/opener outings with this guardrail in place but with an overall 2-5 record, a 7.15 ERA, and a WHIP of 1.80, he feels like a gamble at all times.
Marcelo Mayer hasn’t moved to shortstop—yet—he’s still holding down 2B until Sunday’s game. We have Isiah Kiner-Falefa at short today, Nick Sogard at third. Connor Wong is catching with Chad Tracy’s favorite, Mickey Gasper, at DH. Let’s see if we can string something together, starting today. Go Sox.
Cleveland sports fans are getting severe deja vu with the Cavs down 0-2. But with the series shifting back to their home floor, it's time for Cleveland to dig deep ... again.
Ahead of tonight's Game 3 clash with the New York Knicks, our NBA player prop projections have locked onto the highest-value betting angles on the market.
By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, May 23.
Knicks vs Cavaliers computer picks for Game 3
Knicks
Cavaliers
Hart u12.5 points -105
Harden o18.5 points -105
Towns o11.5 rebounds -112
Mitchell o3.5 assists -165
Bridges o12.5 points -105
Mobley o8.5 rebounds -105
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Knicks Game 3 computer picks
Josh Hart Under 12.5 points (-105)
Projection: 10.70 points
Josh Hart made the Cleveland Cavaliers pay for sleeping on him in Game 2, dropping a massive 26 points while the Cavs focused on Jalen Brunson. Cleveland won't dare him to beat them again in Game 3. Expect a much more disciplined defensive effort from the Cavs tonight, making the Under on Hart's points prop the smart play.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds (-112)
Projection: 11.77 rebounds
Karl-Anthony Towns is in his bag right now. The New York Knicks' big man has cleared the way in the paint with back-to-back double-doubles, pulling down exactly 13 boards in both Games 1 and 2. Expect him to spearhead the rebounding effort for New York again tonight.
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Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points (-105)
Projection: 13.62 points
While it may seem obvious, Mikal Bridges' points prop presents immense value tonight. With Cleveland’s defense heavily focused on trapping Jalen Brunson and adjusting to contain Josh Hart after his Game 2 outburst, Bridges is bound to see plenty of open looks.
Having already cleared this line in Games 1 and 2 with 18- and 19-point performances, he is in a prime position to stay hot tonight.
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Cavaliers Game 3 computer picks
James Harden Over 18.5 points (-105)
Projection: 20.05 points
The word of the day for James Harden is simple: more. The Cavaliers desperately need him to elevate his game in every facet.
While he put up 15 and 18 points in Games 1 and 2, it clearly hasn't been enough to match a red-hot Knicks squad. Harden has been far too quiet, and it's time for him to pump up the volume to prevent Cleveland from sliding into a familiar, inescapable postseason hole.
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Donovan Mitchell Over 3.5 assists (-165)
Projection: 4.78 assists
New York's defensive game plan starts and ends with making life miserable for Donovan Mitchell. With the Knicks doing everything they can to bottle up his scoring, Mitchell will have to lean heavily into his playmaking to keep Cleveland afloat.
He hasn't cleared his assist prop yet in this series, but the Knicks' suffocating pressure is going to force the ball out of his hands and right into a cashable Over for his assist line.
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Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds (-105)
Projection: 8.56
Don’t let a single bad outing scare you off Evan Mobley tonight. While the Knicks limited him to just six rebounds in Game 2, Mobley has otherwise been a cash machine on the boards this postseason.
Back on his home floor, expect the Cavs' big man to play with renewed aggression underneath, making the Over on his rebounding prop a fantastic bounce-back target.
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How to watch Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3
Location
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Date
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
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The Houston Rockets have a major offseason ahead. Amen Thompson and Tari Eason are both up for contract extensions, and reports have come out that Fred VanVleet may get his contract restructured, and this is not counting them having Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back next year.
Fred and Adams will obviously both be returning from injuries, so it is safe to say there will be some regression. Vanvleet is coming off an ACL tear, but since he is not exactly known for his high flying play, so thankfully we don’t have to worry too much about an athletic regression, but with him and Reed being our only high volume respected three point shooters any type of regression is a cause for concern esspecially since last season the Rockets were at a severe mathematical disadvantage every night since they only averaged 31.5 three-point attempts each game.
Enter the Dallas Mavericks, who are now in year two of the post-Luka Doncic rebuild era, and have veteran point guard Kyrie Irving. With Kyrie near the end of his career, it is unclear if he will want to stick around to watch a rebuild in Dallas, and that makes the latest reporting on the Kyrie Irving front, according to Brandon Robinson, also known as Scoop B, the Rockets have interest in Irving.
“Furthermore, the Houston Rockets are also actively monitoring Irving’s availability, ready to spark a bidding war.”
Additonally ESPN’s Shams Charania also reported that multiple contending teams are interested in Irving and are keeping tabs on the Dallas Mavericks, following the ouster of Jason Kidd as head coach, which was preceded by the hire of Masai Ujiri as the Mavericks’ vice president and decision maker.
Irving, who will turn 35 at the end of the 2026–2027 campaign, is recovering from an ACL tear that held him out for much of the 2025–2026 campaign, which was essentially a disastrous year for Dallas.
From a contractual standpoint, Irving has a $39.5 million guaranteed year left in 2026–2027, followed by a $42 million player option in 2027–2028. He will undoubtedly wash his hands of the transaction for long-term security.
When Irving last played in 2024–2025, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 47.3 percent from the field, 40.1 percent from beyond the arc (on 7.2 attempts), and 91.6 percent from the foul line. These stats were good enough to earn Irving another All-Star selection.
However, after looking at the contracts, the trade doesn’t make much sense to me. Just from a contract perspective, I am unsure how a trade would work with Fred VanVleet’s essential no-trade clause. Additonally with Houston being capped at the first appron and Dallas being capped at the second appron, it makes a deal even more difficult.
However, I am curious to hear what you all think do you like the idea of a Kyrie trade? What would your proposed trade package be? Let me know, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for all your Houston Rockets news needs.
Remember when Adrian Houser was our best pitcher? | (MLB Photos/Getty Images)
It’s a trifle unlikely that a strategy of nine-up-nine-down-nine-run-inning-five-more-innings-without-a-hit will work two games in a row, so the White Sox may want to try a different form of attack today.
That approach will start against Adrian Houser, who was Chicago’s best pitcher last year — 6-2, 2.10 ERA — before being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline. Houser hasn’t fared so well this season, with a 5.25 ERA and -0.6 bWAR, though he’s only given up four earned runs in 17 2/3 innings over his last three starts. The righty doesn’t strike out many (26 in 48 innings), which may present a problem for him against the Three True Outcomes members of the White Sox lineup.
At the top is Sam Antonacci, who went into the record books barely a month into his major league career last night when he became only the 11th batter to get hit by a pitch twice in one inning.
The White Sox counter with Bryan Hudson, the opener for (presumably) Erick Fedde. The southpaw sports a fine 1.57 ERA (though 1.348 WHIP), but is usually only good for one inning. Fedde is 0-4 with a 4.30 ERA and got knocked around by the Cubs last time out. They’ll face a Giants lineup that’s last in the majors in runs per game.
First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Central. It’ll be 63 degrees under partly sunny skies, with wind blowing from left field at 14 mph and gusts up to 23. Usual broadcast suspects.
May 22, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Yohendrick Pinango (24) gets doused with ice water after a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Jays are in tough against Paul Skenes.
The Jays say that Addison Barger will start throwing and hitting tomorrow. And Tommy Nance and Joe Mantiply should start throwing tomorrow too. And Max Scherzer is throwing as well, he threw 30 pitches n the bullpen yesterday.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (28) are shown during the first inning of their game Friday, May 22, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Being down 4-0 after the first inning put a damper in the series opener on Friday night in Milwaukee, but the Dodgers offense at least nominally threatened for most of their 5-1 loss to the Brewers.
The Dodgers batted 22 times with at least somebody on base on Friday, compared to 15 plate appearances with the bases empty. That feels weird to say in a game that the Dodgers only had three hits.
All three hits were singles, and all came with nobody out. the one non-leadoff hit was in the seventh inning, when Dalton Rushing singled after Teoscar Hernández reached on an error. Throw in six walks — three of which also led off an inning — and Max Muncy getting hit on his right wrist by a pitch, and the Dodgers had their chances, but they didn’t do much with them.
That seventh inning produced the only run for Los Angeles, with two flyouts scoring Hernández from second base. the Dodgers had one hit in 17 at=bats with anyone on base on Friday, and no hits in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.
So far this season, MLB teams bat 55.9 percent of the time with nobody on base, and 44.1 percent with someone on. Dodgers splits are similar, batting 54.6 percent of the time with nobody on base. They are fourth in MLB in plate appearances with people on base, and sixth in PA with runners in scoring position.
But that was flipped on Friday, batting just 40.5 percent of the time with no one on. It’s out of line with the other three low-hit games this season:
April 14 vs. Mets (3 hits, 2 runs): 10 PA on base, 21 without
April 21 at Giants (3 hits, 1 run): 13 PA on base, 23 without
May 10 vs. Braves (2 hits, 2 runs): 10 PA on base, 26 without
May 22 at Brewers (3 hits, 1 run): 22 PA on base, 15 without
All those opportunities on Friday led to only one run for the Dodgers, who have been held to three or fewer runs 12 times in their last 22 games. Getting to four runs has been the magic number for Los Angeles this season, winning 27 of their 29 games when scoring at least that many. They are 3-3 when scoring exactly three runs, and just 1-14 when scoring two or fewer runs.
Knicks
Cavaliers
