The third baseman’s plate production is becoming an issue.
Even after an offseason tinkering with his swing, McMahon hasn’t slowed his swing and miss and the occasional power the Yankees hoped he’d flash has mostly been absent.
Despite a high-powered top half of the lineup, McMahon is one of several players slumping at the bottom, along with José Caballero and Austin Wells.
He had a couple of hard-hit balls on the West Coast trip, as well as one in Saturday’s win over Miami, but it was on the ground.
He finally snapped an 0-for-22 skid with a single in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 7-6 loss to Miami and walked in the eighth.
Those free passes have offset some of McMahon’s struggles, but not all of them.
And most distressing has been McMahon’s strikeout rate.
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) reaches first base on an error during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
McMahon whiffed 40 percent of the time heading into Sunday’s game, higher than his 32.3 percent career mark.
A year ago, his 32.3 percentage was the highest among qualified hitters.
Boone pointed to some positive signs in recent games, but acknowledged the slump.
“I like the ball he hit to left and his at-bats were better than we saw in Seattle, [when] I felt like he was in-between a lot,’’ Boone said. “I thought his intent was good on his swings on a couple of fastballs [by Eury] Pérez. … Hopefully he builds on that.”
McMahon narrowed his stance before the season to reduce his swing-and-miss rate.
It hasn’t worked, and he also seems to have lost power.
“He’s a little bit in-between,” Boone said. “He doesn’t want to chase or make bad decisions, which is great, but you’ve also got to go up there and let it rip. It’s an early-season scuffle. He’s really talented, [has] pop [and] does know the strike zone.”
Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) hits a two-run RBI single during the second inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Yankees don’t have a clear alternative at third base, since they prefer Amed Rosario to play more of a utility role — especially with Caballero playing shortstop every day due to Anthony Volpe being sidelined following offseason shoulder surgery.
But there’s also no getting around the fact that McMahon — who singled in his first plate appearance of the season Opening Day in San Francisco — didn’t have another hit until Sunday.
With the Yankees having won eight of their first nine games before Sunday’s defeat, they could live with McMahon finding his way at the plate, but that won’t last forever.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Mavericks came out with real pace in the first quarter, but more than anything, it was Cooper Flagg that set the tone early on. He was everywhere, knocking down a pull-up 3-pointer, pushing in transition and creating easy looks for others, including kickouts to shooters. Flagg dictated possessions, made the right reads and impacted the game defensively. By the end of the quarter, the Mavericks had pushed it to a 41-30 lead, and it felt like a direct result of Flagg setting the tone as the best player on the floor.
The second quarter was when the game started to shift, even though Dallas held on to a 67-61 halftime lead. The Mavericks opened the period with great flow. Cooper Flagg knocked down another pull-up 3-ball and created for teammates to push the lead as high as 58-36. But from there, the Lakers chipped away, as LeBron James got downhill and to the free throw line, while Dallas started missing shots and turning it over. A quick stretch of scoring from James cut deep into the lead, and even when Dallas had small responses, they couldn’t fully stabilize.
The second half turned into the Cooper Flagg show, as he completely took control of the game across the third and fourth quarters and led Dallas to the finish. In the third, Flagg dictated everything offensively, creating for teammates like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Marvin Bagley while also scoring with floaters, pull-ups, and cuts to the rim. Every time Los Angeles made a push through LeBron James or DeAndre Ayton, Dallas had an answer, and more often than not, it came from Flagg either as a scorer or playmaker.
In the fourth, he elevated even further, opening the quarter with a three-point play and controlling possessions with patience, getting to his spots and consistently drawing fouls. The Lakers never fully went away, but Flagg kept them at arm’s length with a mix of midrange scoring and steady trips to the line, preventing any real comeback run. Down the stretch, it became about execution, and Flagg delivered, closing the game at the free-throw line and pushing his total to 45 points. Dallas never lost control in the final minutes, and what started as a competitive game ended with a composed finish and a 134-128 win.
75: Combined scoring from Flagg and James
This game gave us one of those stats that doesn’t even feel real at first. A teenager and a 40-year-old were both on pace to score 20+ points in the same game, something that has never happened in NBA history, and it was already developing in the first half. Flagg scored a game-high 45 points for the Mavs in the win, and James answered with 30 of his own for the Lakers in the loss.
That alone tells you how strange and fascinating this game was. On one side, James is still able to control stretches of the game at 41 years old, bully his way to the rim, orchestrate offense and put up numbers like it’s routine. On the other side, you have Flagg, a teenager, matching that production possession for possession, scoring in multiple ways, and dictating the flow of the game.
What makes it even more impressive is how natural it looked. This wasn’t a “young player having a hot quarter” moment. Flagg was operating like a primary option, making reads, creating shots and carrying real offensive responsibility. To see that level of control from someone that young, in the same game where LeBron is doing LeBron things, is just wild. It’s the kind of moment that sticks with you, because you just don’t see two completely different eras collide like that very often.
1: Home win since January 22nd
Lost in everything else is just how telling this win actually is about where the Mavericks are as a team right now. This was their first home win since January 22nd, which is honestly staggering when you think about it. This isn’t a team that has been fully bottoming out with a stripped roster or sitting every capable player every night. They’ve still had real rotation guys available and enough talent to compete, yet the results have been consistently this bad. That says more about the overall level of play than anything else.
A win like this feels good in the moment, especially with how it happened, but it also comes with real implications. The Mavericks are clearly in the mix for top lottery positioning, and games like this can directly impact those odds. When you’re in that tier, every win matters in the wrong way. Sliding even a few spots in the lottery standings can significantly hurt your chances at landing the number one pick, especially in a class where that top selection carries serious value.
So while this was one of the more enjoyable nights of the season, it also highlights the balancing act Dallas is dealing with. They’ve been bad enough for long enough to be in the lottery conversation without fully committing to a complete shutdown, and that leaves them in this middle ground. Wins like this are great for development and confidence, but they also introduce risk. And as the season winds down, that tension between short-term success and long-term positioning is only going to get tighter.
2: Consecutive 45-point games for Flagg
At this point, the Rookie of the Year conversation should absolutely be a debate, but Cooper Flagg still feels like the clear choice. What he’s doing right now is on another level, especially when you factor in the responsibility he’s carrying. Back-to-back 45-plus point games and 96 points across two games aren’t just impressive for a rookie; they’re rare for anyone in the league. And it’s not coming out of nowhere — it’s the continuation of a season where he’s consistently been asked to be the engine of the offense.
Kon Knueppel has been great and deserves real consideration. He’s been efficient, steady, and impactful in his role, and there’s a strong case to be made for what he’s done over the course of the season. This shouldn’t be a one-name conversation, and his production absolutely warrants being in the discussion.
But when you zoom out, Flagg’s overall impact separates him. He’s putting up around 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while taking on primary creator duties, defending multiple positions, and consistently facing top defensive attention. That level of usage combined with that level of production is hard to ignore. He’s not just contributing, he’s driving everything Dallas does.
That’s what ultimately gives him the edge. Knueppel has been excellent, but Flagg has been asked to do more, and he’s delivered at a higher ceiling. When you combine the volume, the role, and now stretches like this, it’s hard to argue against him. The debate is real, but the answer still points to Cooper Flagg.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was a good job and good effort from the Lakers, but they came up short in their first game since learning that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves would be out for the rest of the regular season.
With three starters unavailable against Dallas, LA struggled early on defensively. Cooper Flagg made another strong case to be the Rookie of the Year by scoring with ease. He had the Mavs in front by as many as 22 in this game. Dallas had control from the beginning and never let it go.
Still, LeBron James gave a valiant effort and kept LA in this one. He attacked aggressively and delivered a complete performance, finishing the night with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.
Thanks to his drive, this game remained competitive throughout.
However, it wasn’t enough to win, and considering that the Mavs are one of the weaker teams in the league, it appears that winning any games for the Lakers the rest of the way will be a tough task.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron was not just the No. 1 option for the Lakers, but he pushed the pace and was the clear leader of this team. It’s a shame the Lakers couldn’t win because this was one of his best performances of the season.
Hachimura is now back in the starting lineup, and he made the most of his increased minutes. He shot well from the field and was a solid rebounder.
Unfortunately, the Lakers needed even more than what Hachiura provided to win. Still, if he can produce like this, it should position the Lakers to at least remain competitive with what’s left of the season.
The microphones near the rims at the American Airlines Center must be amplified because LaRavia’s bricks were very loud on the broadcast. The Lakers can’t afford for him to play this poorly.
With Luka and Reaves out, this is an opportunity for Ayton to prove to everyone he deserves a bigger role. He responded by having a lackadaisical game and ended up playing less than his backup, Jaxson Hayes
Luke struggled at first, going 3-10 from the field in the opening half. He bounced back as the game progressed and ended the night with his first-ever triple-double.
Luke Kennard's first career triple-double comes midway through the 3rd Q: 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
Hayes was easily the best Lakers big against the Mavs. He scored with authority and converted at a very high rate, despite taking more shots. This has been a good year for Hayes, and if he keeps this up, he might get some starts coming up.
Grade: A+
Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr.
This trio all played under 10 minutes, so they will not be given a grade.
JJ Redick
Redick is shorthanded and trying to figure out new lineups that can work. He put Bufkin and Smith Jr. out there in the first half to try and get something going. It didn’t do much, and the Lakers are now tied with the Nuggets for the third seed. It’s hard to blame Redick for this loss. The team is just in a very tough spot right now.
Grade: C+
Sunday’s DNPs: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero
Sunday’s inactives: Marcus Smart, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Drew Timme, Chris Mañon
PHILADELPHIA — Porter Martone heard Flyers fans erupt on his game-winner — the teenager’s first NHL goal, in overtime, and with playoff positioning at stake — and he wanted to get another look on the big screen.
Only problem was, teammate Trevor Zegras whirled the rookie around by the neck and the rest of the Flyers mobbed the ice and pinned Martone against the boards in a wild celebration worthy of a playoff victory.
“Zegras got me in a pretty good headlock there,” Martone said with a laugh.
The 19-year-old Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal to push the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
“Overtime winner as a first NHL goal, that’s pretty special,” Martone said.
Martone has quickly proved pretty special as well and hasn’t just gone along for the ride in the playoff push — he’s tried to drive that train straight into the postseason. Through his first three games, Martone took 15 shots on goal over 65 shifts and 50 minutes of ice time, the kind of production that made it clear coach Rick Tocchet has all the faith in the locker room that Martone is capable of handling a playoff-tested veteran’s load.
“Even on the bench, you tell him something, he’s a very engaged kid,” Tocchet said. “He’s not afraid to say something. He was talking about the power play, ‘I’ll be here, you be here.’ I like that, a young kid like that doing that. You can just tell he’s been around. He’s just a hockey player. Love the kid.”
Unlike long-suffering Flyers fans, Martone might not have much of a wait to make the playoffs.
Martone was selected by the Flyers in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2025 draft. He just wrapped his season at Michigan State — where he scored 50 points in 35 games — and signed his entry-level contract last Sunday. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward was the only freshman selected to the All-Big Ten First Team.
The Flyers have 90 points and are in third place in the Metropolitan Division, enough to get in Eastern Conference playoff position for the first time since Jan. 12.
Tocchet, who played more than a decade with Philadelphia in separate stints at the start and end of his career, said he didn’t need to give the Flyers a rah-rah pregame speech about what was at stake.
“They know. They read,” Tocchet said. “They see the standings. They don’t need me to say, ‘Hey, there’s a playoff game.’”
For one of the few games over most of the last decade or so, there was indeed a playoff feel in Philly.
The Flyers dusted off their old good-luck anthem “God Bless America” that was a staple for years ahead of their biggest games but had largely been put on the shelf amid allegations of racism against the 1930s singer connected with the franchise for her performance with the song.
Tickets on the secondary market surged well past $100 for one in the lower level at a time of the season they could usually be had for about the price of a cheesesteak.
Martone set the tone for the Flyers only minutes into the game when he hit Christian Dvorak with a perfect touch pass for a goal.
Still buzzing from the patriotic song and early goal, Flyers fans erupted only moments later when Travis Konecny and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy briefly scrapped near the net.
Officials had to separate the teams again and McAvoy was whistled for 2 minutes for roughing as the horn sounded on the end of the first period.
The extra man was of little advantage as the Flyers went 0 for 4 on the power play until OT.
Until Martone became a difference-maker.
He scored on his own rebound on a 5-on-3 power-play goal 2:31 into OT and became the first player in Flyers history to score his first NHL goal in overtime.
“I didn’t really get a training camp to adjust,” Martone said. “I feel like I kind of got thrown into the thick of it. We’re in the playoff picture. But everyone in this locker room has done a tremendous job from the coaching staff and players, just really getting me ready. Just trying and come and give this team any help I can.”
The Flyers, once a model franchise in the league, are playing meaningful hockey in the final week of the season for one of the few times over the past 15 seasons. Chicago beat Philadelphia in 2010 for the Stanley Cup, and the Flyers never recovered, winning only three playoff series since and they haven’t made it at all since 2020 in the bubble format.
The Flyers haven’t played a home postseason game since 2018. Philadelphia hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since its lone championships in 1974 and 1975.
The Flyers play five pivotal games — the next three on the road starting Tuesday in New Jersey, the final two at home — that will decide their postseason fate.
“When you’re chasing somebody, it’s still hard,” Tocchet said. “When you’re getting hunted, it’s harder. We’re going to have to learn that.”
Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) hops to the side of the court during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
You can’t fault Luka Dončić for not doing all he can to get back on the court.
It appears that Luka is heading to Europe in an attempt to get specialized treatment to return from his hamstring strain earlier than expected. His agent Bill Duffy relayed the message to Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN on Sunday evening after the Lakers’ loss to the Mavs.
After consultation with Lakers doctors and his own medical team, Luka Doncic will seek specialized medical treatment in Europe on his Grade 2 left hamstring in an attempt to expedite his return to play, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells me and @mcten. pic.twitter.com/qutILIxzMK
Luka Dončić traveled to Europe on Sunday to receive aggressive treatment on his injured hamstring in an effort to speed up his recovery, league sources told The Athletic.
That’s certainly a lot to unpack.
Right now, Luka’s timeline is just kind of rough estimates based on previous Grade 2 strains. However, the general recovery time is around 4-5 weeks, which would rule him out for the first round of the playoffs and part of the second round, and the Lakers are not making it there without him.
But also, the playoffs are going to start two weeks from Sunday, which means he’d need to cut that recovery time in half to get back on the floor for the first round.
On the one hand, as noted above, Luka is clearly exhausting every possible option to heal this as quickly as he can. If that includes heading to Europe for treatment, then that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.
However, on the other hand, there’s also a tinge of uncertainty that exists. Hamstring strains are tricky injuries and rushing a return from them can have long-term ramifications. Obviously, he’s consulting with people he trusts within the Lakers and his own team, but there’s always going to be some doubt over whether this is the right decision.
It’s a tough spot Luka is in because he obviously wants to get back and help his team in the playoffs, especially with Austin Reaves out, too. But, again, hamstring injuries are not the type of injury you can rush a return.
There is a history of success stories with Lakers getting leg treatments in Europe. Famously, Kobe Bryant went to Germany to have his knee worked on and came back looking as good as ever. But that happened during the offseason, was a different body part and came under totally different circumstances.
Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning at Oracle Park on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
SAN FRANCISCO — Kodai Senga, on normal rest, didn’t show signs of fatigue Sunday.
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It was only the fifth time in his career that Senga pitched on the fifth day following a start. He’s usually been afforded at least the sixth day.
“Whatever the pitching schedule is, whether it’s regular rest or an extra day, as long as I know ahead of time and I am able to live on that schedule, then it’s no problem,” Senga said through an interpreter.
If the Mets rotation remains in order, Senga’s next turn will be Saturday against the Athletics at Citi Field. Senga and the others in the rotation will be pitching on extra rest because of Monday’s off-day.
Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the third inning at Oracle Park on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
On this day, Senga allowed two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 5 ²/₃ innings. He allowed two bloop singles in the sixth that factored into the two runs scored against him. Matt Chapman’s loud double was the other hit in the inning.
It was a continuation of what the Mets saw from Senga in his season debut against the Cardinals on Tuesday, when he struck out nine over six innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits.
“When you look at [Sunday’s] outing, only two hard-hit balls,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Other than that, he pretty much dominated that lineup. The fastball, the cutter was a good pitch, the forkball to put hitters away and to steal strikes when he needed to. I think overall, he was outstanding.”
It follows a second-half meltdown last season that concluded with Senga agreeing to a minor league assignment. He spent September pitching for Triple-A Syracuse in an attempt to get on track mechanically.
“The biggest thing [Sunday] was I was able to throw healthily, and I was able to get out of it healthy,” Senga said.
He received help defensively, particularly from Jared Young, who fielded Jerar Encarnacion’s shot off the left field fence in the fifth inning and threw out Encarnacion attempting to reach second.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 5: Bones Hyland #8 and Mike Conley #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves hug during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on April 5, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yikes.
On Sunday night in downtown Minneapolis, the Minnesota Timberwolves got boat-raced yet again, this time against the Charlotte Hornets 122-108. It is the Wolves’ third straight loss, bringing their season record to 46-32.
The Wolves were again without Anthony Edwards, who scored just eight points on 3-15 shooting on Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Edwards has now missed eight of the past ten Timberwolves outings as he deals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome in his right knee.
Minnesota played well for large portions of the game. The Wolves were on fire from beyond the arc in the first half, as they shot 10-21 from deep, including four from Bones Hyland, who put one in at the halftime buzzer to give his team a five-point lead.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 6, 2026
The game remained close until late in the third quarter when the wheels completely fell off the wagon for the Timberwolves. Down by one, Ayo Dosunmu fouled Coby White on a 3-pointer. White knocked down the first two free throws, but missed the third. The Wolves were unable to secure the rebound as the Hornets found White for another 3-pointer, which he knocked down for a five-point possession.
That five-point possession ended up being a microcosm of the entire night. The Wolves gave up a total of 16 offensive rebounds in the game and got double-upped 24-12 by the Hornets in second-chance points. The rebounding problem has been a trend of late for Minnesota, as they now rank 22nd in defensive rebound percentage since the All-Star Break.
That five-point possession ended up being the turning point in the game as Charlotte used it to propel them to a 15-0 run that put the game out of reach. The second half as a whole was a disaster for Minnesota, as after scoring the first two points with two Dosunmu free throws, they got outscored 47-21 to turn a modest seven-point lead into a 19-point deficit.
Each loss during this three-game losing streak for the Wolves has come, in part, because of a giant second-half run by their opponent. On Thursday, the Detroit Pistons outscored the Wolves 18-3 during the fourth quarter, on Friday, the 76ers had a 40-18 run in the third quarter, and now tonight the Hornets blitzed the Wolves down the stretch of the third quarter and into the fourth.
The Wolves are now 6-9 in their last 15 games, sporting the third-worst offense in the NBA during that stretch. While the Wolves have certainly dealt with injuries during that stretch, including Edwards, Dosunmu, and Jaden McDaniels missing multiple games, it is not a good sign that Minnesota has been so deficient on offense when a starter or two has been out of the lineup.
One major reason for the Wolves’ offensive struggles has been the play of Naz Reid. Tonight’s game was possibly Reid’s worst of the season as he scored just six points while missing 11 of his 14 shots. At the start of February, Reid was averaging 17.7 points per game, but has only scored 11.5 a game since. During that time, he is shooting a paltry 27.2 percent on 3-pointers.
“I’m not 100% sure about the shoulder, I think that’s a question you’re going to have to ask him.” Chris Finch said about Reid’s nagging shoulder injury that he’s dealt with most of the season. “Tonight, it was finishing at the rim to start. His first six shots were in and around the paint, tough shots he usually makes. He finally saw one go in and then the 3-point shot, I think he’s just rushing it a little bit, just trying to steer it in.”
Finch elaborated on the team’s struggles overall, saying, “It feels like we’re a million miles away from the team that we can be and that we are. We gotta get that back with our connectiveness and our spirit, and we gotta have some guys just play better.”
This weekend’s game has also brought a lot of clarity about what the Wolves’ seed and playoff opponent will be. The Timberwolves are now overwhelmingly likely to be the sixth seed for the second straight season, as three games separate them in the loss column from both the teams above and below them in the standings.
The Denver Nuggets have also caught up to tie the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed. While the Lakers do have the tiebreaker, it seems unlikely they can keep pace with the Nuggets as both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season, and possibly longer.
It appears it may be time to start mentally preparing for another playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves.
Up Next
The Timberwolves head back out on the road for another three-game road trip. It starts with a matchup against the Indiana Pacers, who have had an injury-riddled season with a record of 18-60 since losing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals a year ago. The game begins at 6:00 PM CT and airs on FanDuel Sports Network.
DETROIT (AP) — Iván Herrera’s two-run single capped a four-run fifth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.
Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II and Pedro Pagés each scored a run and knocked in another for the Cardinals.
St. Louis starter Kyle Leahy (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. Riley O’Brien pitched the ninth for his second save.
Kerry Carpenter led the Detroit offense with his second homer in two days. Tigers starter Keider Montero (0-1) gave up three runs — two earned — and three hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday after Justin Verlander was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left hip inflammation. Verlander had been scheduled Sunday to make his first start at Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform since the 2017 season.
Colt Keith led off the Detroit third with a single. Leahy retired the next two batters before Carpenter launched a 425-foot drive to straightaway center field to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals scored their first two runs in the fifth on Pages’ RBI single and Scott’s squeeze bunt. Herrera smacked his two-out, two-run single off Enmanuel De Jesus.
Javier Báez’s sacrifice fly in the sixth cut the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3. Gorman’s sacrifice fly in the eighth made it 5-3.
Up next
Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series Monday night at Washington.
Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (0-1, 1.50) pitches the opener of a four-game series Monday night at Minnesota.
Apr 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant (3) and forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) celebrate after a basket by Bryant during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to escape with a 117-108 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Thomas Bryant said something in the locker room before Sunday’s game that presumably got the team fired up. Although neither he, James Harden, nor Donovan Mitchell would reveal what that was.
“I’m not saying that.”
Whatever it was, it worked, at least for Bryant.
Bryant didn’t disappoint in his first start with the Cavs. He provided infectious energy on a night the team desperately needed it.
“That’s just how he plays,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “If we’re playing a pickup game tomorrow at our practice facility, he’s going to play the same. He’s going to talk, he’s going to yell and scream. … But it’s good to have a good game against your former team.”
Bryant agreed. He said it “felt good” to get the start and pour in 14 points on 6-9 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and two assists, with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen missing the front end of a back-to-back due to rest.
“He gets us going every night,” Mitchell said. “There’s a level of consistency with him.”
The Cavs desperately needed that level of consistency, considering all the players they were missing. They rested Mobley (calf), Allen (knee), and Sam Merrill (hamstring) in addition to being without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). That’s five guys right there that are a part of your playoff rotations, which includes your starting front court and their depth.
It’s irresponsible to draw declarative conclusions from how this team looks when none of the five-man lineups — even this starting lineup — should be sharing the court in the postseason. And if the Cavs are forced to run out groups featuring Larry Nance Jr. and Nae’Qwan Tomlin because of injuries, they likely aren’t going to be reaching their postseason goals.
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That said, it’s concerning that the Cavs are running into the same issues no matter who is on the court.
Indiana has one of the worst records in the league and has an incentive to make that record even worse, considering the convoluted protections on their first-round pick. That’s why they only dressed nine players for this game, and started two guys on two-way contracts.
Still, Indiana’s hustle and commitment to trying to play the right way defensively stood out. The Cavs were once again a step slow on that end, and the communication wasn’t crisp. This led to easy shots and defenders with their palms up in frustration after the ball went through the net.
It’d be easy to explain this away as the Cavs being down so many key players. However, this is something we’ve seen with this group for the last several weeks, no matter who’s in the lineup.
Cleveland locked in late defensively. They surrendered just 17 points in the fourth quarter, paving the way for what ended up being a mostly stress-free victory.
Atkinson attributed the turnaround to getting energy from a group captained by Nance, Tomlin, and Craig Porter Jr. “That was the group that shifted the momentum,” Atkinson said. “Larry and those young guys changed the complexion of the game.”
It also helped to get superstar performances from both Mitchell and Harden.
Mitchell was able to get into the lane at will in his 38-point outing. He went 14-18 (77.7%) on shots in the paint, which included going 10-12 (83.3%) at the rim.
The only thing that could stop him was turning his ankle late. Afterward, he insisted that he was fine. Hopefully for the Cavs sake, he is. They need him at this level if they want to meet their postseason goals.
Harden, conversely, made sure to keep the offense on track. This included quarterbacking the offense late to ensure it ran smoothly.
“He’ll take what [the defense] gives him,” Atkinson said about how Harden runs the offense in the clutch. “He’ll make the right play. That’s why our clutch rating is so good.”
This was only a clutch game briefly (games within five points in the final five minutes), but the Cavs’ offense was superb down the stretch. They scored 11 points in three minutes late that took things from a four-point game to a 1-point advantage, effectively ending the game.
This has been nothing new; the Cavs have the third-best offensive rating in the clutch (131.9) since Harden’s debut. That bodes well for a team that has previously struggled to close playoff games offensively.
Despite scoring 28 points and having seven assists, Atkinson was most impressed with Harden’s defense to the point that he remarked to his staff during the game that “he’s our best defender” this evening.
“I was thrilled with his defense tonight,” Atkinson said of Harden. “He’s sitting down, he’s guarding. … He’s so solid. He’s always in the right place. Got great hands, smart as heck. I’ll take that any day of the week. … He really knows his personnel, right? He knows who he’s got to close out too hard. He knows who he can back off of. He just manages the game defensively.”
As mentioned at the top, it’s difficult to take too much from this game. Despite injury scares to Mitchell (ankle) and Max Strus (wrist), the Cavs seemed to have escaped this game mostly unscathed. That’s what matters on a night like this when one more win ensures them home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and there’s little to play for.
“The most important thing for us is getting healthy,” Harden said. “When we do that, we can figure everything else out.”
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg recorded his second consecutive impressive game and made history in the process.
Flagg scored 45 points in a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Sunday, April 5, becoming the first rookie to score 40 points in a game against LeBron James.
Flagg got off to a fast start, going 7-of-10 from the field for 19 points in the first quarter. He then finished the first half with 26 points.
James finished with a team-high 30 points as the Lakers continue to march toward the postseason without the services of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. While Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will sideline him for the rest of the regular season, Reaves suffered an oblique injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for four to six weeks. Doncic's status for the postseason is not yet known.
In Sunday's game, Flagg and James made some history together. They are the first players in NBA history to score 20 or more points in the same game, with one player aged 40-plus and another a teenager, according to the NBA.
Coming off a career-high 51 points on April 3, Flagg is also the first rookie since Allen Iverson during the 1996-97 season to score 40 or more points in back-to-back games, according to the NBA. Flagg has four 40-plus point games this season and is averaging 20.8 points per game.
Here’s a breakdown of Flagg's performance against the Lakers on Sunday:
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 5: Jojo Romero #59 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on April 5, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pre-game
The Cardinals enter their April 5th, 2026 matchup vs the Tigers in Detroit with the 10th highest runs per 9 scored in the NL, but their 5.38 average runs allowed per game is the 4th worst in all of baseball. Prior to the game, the Cardinals were tied with the Cubs at the bottom of the NL Central.
Both the Tigers and the Cardinals have .500 records. If the Cardinals avoid the sweep, they will be the team with the winning record. If the Tigers sweep our redbirds, we will have went from 4-2 on the young season, to 4-5. That would take some wind out of the sails, momentum from the series wins vs Tampa Bay Rays and NY Mets. Kyle Leahy took the mound tonight vs Keider Montoro. I would describe Montoro as a back-of-the-rotation starter who relies on his good changeup to get outs. ERA probably will be mid 4s range. Leahy relies a lot on a sweeper that makes some batters chase pitches outside the zone. Leahy can also rely on trying to induce ground balls, and hopefully come up with some gidp. The verdict is still out on Leahy, but he appears to be a back-of-the-rotation starter experiment so far. What it is.
The Tigers have a better offense than the Cardinals, who are more of a mediocre offense so far compared to the Tigers, who have the 4th best team OPS in the AL. So far, the Cardinals offense has scored the same amount of runs as the two Chicago teams, and the Mariners. Which puts them middle of the pack.
If Leahy has a good start, the Cardinals have a good lineup to defeat Montero. If Leahy gives up 5 runs or more, I think it’ll be a total crapshoot. The game was streamed through the new Sunday night game-of-the-week host, Peacock, so if you have a Cardinals.TV subscription, the game was blacked out. So does MLB just expect everyone to subscribe to watch one game on a streaming site, or go out to a bar to watch the game? I guess so!
Well there you have it, I guess the Cardinals are the underdog in this matchup. But it could be a good game.
Top 1
To begin what looked like a chilly night in Detroit, JJ Wetherholt, a masked Ivan Herrera (looking almost ninja-like), and Alec Burleson were retired quickly by Keider Montero. 1-2-3
Bottom 1
Kyle Leahy was aggressive going up against the Tigers leadoff hitter Cole Keith, and struck him out to start the game. Leahy definitely needed to up his K rate there. Vs McGonigle, Leahy lost the battle; McGonigle worked it to a full count and then walked. Leahy recovered and then struck out Gleyber Torres! To complete an impressive first inning, Kyle struck out Kerry Carpenter.
Top 2
Jordan Walker lead off the 2nd with a single to right field, hitting cleanup. Nolan Gorman, another possible cleanup hitter batting fifth, popped up just outside the infield after fighting off a bunch of pitches. 1 out. Then Saggese flew out to right field. Walker’s hit had better placement, but similar nonetheless. Nathan Church was not up to the challenge, ending the top of the inning with a groundout.
Bottom 2
Kyle Leahy was looking good in the second until he started putting runners on base. Runners at first and second, Leahy faced bottom of the order Javier Baez with two outs. The escape artist, escaped unscathed.
Top 3
The Cardinals offense just wasn’t getting it done, but both teams had 1 hit at this point in the game. Baseball gonna baseball, would not have guessed these two pitchers would be having a pitcher’s duel, but Detroit in early April at night isn’t usually that conducive to hot hitting.
Bottom 3
Holt lead off the 3rd with a hit through the infield between 2nd and short. Leahy then struck out McGonigle with a filthy pitch that McGonigle could not connect with. However, the next batter Kerry Carpenter took Leahy deep to center during the next at bat. 2-0 Tigers. When Leahy gets hit, he gets hit hard. JJ Wetherholt almost made a super rangey, amazing play where he needed to slide and throw, making a play close that should not have been. The Tigers offense was dialing in on Kyle Leahy. But Kyle left the inning with only 2 runs allowed.
Top 4
Ivan Herrera lead off the 4th for the Cardinals and struck out on an ABS challenge. The rest of the Cardinals offense also appeared to be frozen in place in the freezing Michigan night.
Bottom 4
Leahy gave up a double to Spencer Torkelson to start out the 4th. Not a good start. Leahy however was able to retire two batters in a row, Torkelson advanced to third on a shattered bat. If nothing else, Leahy’s changeup looked real good tonight. He was just throwing too many pitches down the middle. Luckily, sometimes even when you throw a meatball, the hitter just pops out to center. Stil 2-0 Tigers.
Top 5
Finally the Cardinals got on base somehow, Nolan Gorman sharply hit a liner that bounced off the diving first baseman’s glove. Gorman on first with Saggese at the plate. Thomas worked the count to 3-2, then walked. There were 2 on nobody out for Nathan Church. Could Church save Easter Sunday for the Cardinals? 1-0. Foul, behind on the fastball. 1-1. 2-1 on another ball outside. It looked like Church had hit into a double play but the Tigers did not execute on the throw to second, which still got 1 out for them. Pedro Pages was up with 1 out, runners at first and third… it was quickly 0-2 for Pages. But, Pedro came up with a clutch RBI single! Nathan Church, absolutely flying around the bases, advanced all the way to third somehow. This moment knocked Montero out of the game.
Cardinals were down 2-1 with a runner at third base and 1 out when Victor Scott II layed down a bunt that actually worked out splendidly, because it scored a run and turned into VSii making it to first base. JJ Wetherholt popped out but moved Pages over to third. Then Ivan Herrera knocked in 2 runs byt hitting an opposite field lining looper which landed in right. Burleson was up with two outs and Herrera at first base, and grounded out up the middle. The damage was done though, Cardinals 4-2!
Bottom 5
Leahy continued with this 3rd MLB start of his career. Out #1 was an insanely high pop out to deep right center. McGonigle just missed a dinger. He retired Gleyber Torres. Kerry Carpenter up again, Leahy looked really good and went to 1-2 with another nasty changeup. 2-2 after a pitch missed low. 3-2 on a pich way outside. And Leahy just could not find the zone vs Carpenter, who walked to first. Kyle lost control of that at bat. Could Leahy retire Greene? He threw 3 straight balls. The wheels were coming off for Leahy. Finally a strike. Leahy quickly improved the count to two strikes. On the full count, Riley Greene hit one deep to center field and Victor Scott II pulled it in for the out.
Top 6
Jordan Walker was up at the plate. He struck out on a pitch way outside the zone, looking like the bad version of Jordan Walker. Nolan Gorman was up vs DeJesus on Easter Sunday and hit a dribbler up the middle. He almost beat it out because the ball moved slowly under the pitcher’s glove. Thomas Saggese was up and hit a deep one to right field but the outfielder was able to reign it in.
Bottom 6
Tigers down 4-2 still. George Soriano took over for Kyle Leahy. He threw 3 balls then a strike. Then another one missed low and Dingler walked. Leadoff hitter on base. Soriano did not have it tonight. Hsi slider ended up towards the middle of the zone, which got hit advancing the runner to third. Nobody out. This was the bullpen’s game to take. What would happen next? Tigers stole a base, runners at second and third. Pages with a terrible throw that bounced in the grass. Soriano battled back and it was 0-2 vs Torkelson. Then he threw one into the dirt which was blocked nicely by Pages. 2-2 count. Torkelson worked a full count by checking his swing at one in the dirt. Soriano walked the bases loaded, almost was a wild pitch. Pedro went out to the mound to calm down the vibes.
The Tigers got a run on what was in effect a sacrifice fly and Marmol decided to bail on his George Soriano plan for the 6th. There was 1 out with runners on first and second, leadoff man Jones was up with Romero. Saggese botched the double play but JoJo got an out. Cards up 4-3 with two outs, runners on first and third. It was McGonigle vs Romero… JoJo got wild and went 3-0! And then missed inside! Bases were loaded. Gleyber Torres was up and was 0-3 on the day… could he do anything? Romero threw a strik and two balls, 2-1 count. This time Saggese was able to make up for his botched DP, tossing the ball to second base for the out.
Top 7
The game felt far from over. Cardinals at bat. Church could not buy himself a hit tonight, or even a walk. One down on DeJesus striking out Church. Pedro Pages also struck out vs DeJesus. Buinting expert Victor Scott II flew out to left field this time. 1-2-3
Bottom 7
Romero was back out and quickly got a deep fly out to right field. 1 down. Riley Greene was up vs JoJo. JoJo struck him out! Two outs. Dillon Dingler which is one of the dumbest names I’ve ever heard… was up at the plate. Romero threw one low that he lost control of. But then Torres just ended up having a bad day and JoJo steamrolled through the Tigers offense like it was warm butter.
Top 8
JJ Wetherholt lead off the 8th inning for the Cardinals. He got a hit vs DeJesus! Who you might be surprised was still in the game. This hit knocked him out though. It was Herrera vs Seabold. Herrera took 3 balls in a row, and then four for the walk. Two on nobody out! Burly was up, having a no hit night. He took a strike, then whiffed on a pitch that dropped down out of the zone. Seabold threw another one outside the zone, which Burleson popped up to center field. Wetherholt was able to advance on this pop-out though, so it was not an entirely unproductive at bat.
One out for Jordan Walker, he held off on an away sweeper. Three balls in a row again, Walker thought he had a walk, but Seabolt caught the top of the zone. The next pitch was some junk down low though, so Seabolt walked the bases loaded, 1 out. Nolan Gorman was up at the plate. Took a ball inside that looked more like a nasty strike, but the Tigers didn’t challenge it. 1-1 count to Gorman. 2-1, then a nasty changeup fooled Gorman, making it 2-2. 3-2… Gorman popped out to left field, but it worked as a sacrifice fly. 5-3 Cardinals with Wetherholt scoring! Saggese struck out to end the inning. Not a very good day for Thomas Saggese.
Bottom 8
Ryne Stanek was in for the 8th. It was an 0-2 count vs Meadows. Then he threw 2 balls, 2-2. Meadows popped out. Stanek got a gift from the ump with a ball up in the zone, Tigers no challenge. 1-1 on an outside pitch. Stanek through a ball high, 2-2. Did he attack the zone? No, he threw it into the dirt. 3-2. Then he walked him, nibbling around the zone, but too wild. With a runner at first, Baez was up. Urias was brought in as a defensive replacement for Gorman at the beginning of the inning, by the way.
Stanek was able to strike out Baez on a nasty breaking ball just outside the zone. 2 outs. Top of the order, Jahmai Jones up. Stanek took the count to 1-2, then threw some slop in the dirt making it 2-2. Stanek tried to throw it by Jones, up in the zone, but he fouled it off. Then Ryne Stanek struck out Jones!
Top 9
It was 5-3 Cardinals. Seabold was still in pitching for the Tigers. Church had a chance to get his first hit of the day. He swung at some junk outside the zone and tapped out to the pitcher. Pages, first pitch swinging, grounded out to first. Victor Scott II was up! He got a single past second base! This brought up Wetherholt again… however Victor tried to steal and was barely thrown out. You just knew he was going to try to steal there.
Bottom 9
Closer apparent Riley O’Brien got the ball to try and shutdown the game with a 2 run lead. Quickly, O’Brien got the leadoff hitter with a nasty sinker! Gleyber Torres was 0-4 on the day, O’Brien looking good. But then he threw one into the dirt that Pages blocked with his body, spinning out of control. Riley was looking wild, 3-1 count… another sinker sunk the count to full. O’Brien blew away Torres with another sinker higher up. Nasty high heat. Vierling was up to bat, trying to make something happen… strike. Then a wild pitch. 1-1. The game ended with a weak flyout to the outfield.
Post-game
The Cardinals manufactured a win with some small ball, good pitching, and some defense. JoJo Romero gets my nod for player of the game, he really swayed the outcome and locked down some key outs. Kyle Leahy only gave up 2 runs today, which was another key to the game. The only poor pitching performance came from George Soriano, who otherwise has been good this year. The Cardinals pitchers looked to be struggling a bit with the cold, issuing 7 walks today. But the effectively wild “tactic” worked. Sometimes an MLB team is just tough to sweep, and the Cardinals were up to the challenge of not getting swept on the road by a pretty good team.
Ivan Herrera was your player of the game on offense, providing 2 of the 5 RBI today. He was 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout tonight. Burleson, Saggese, and Church all could not hit tonight, so it is somewhat surprising we scored 5 runs. Nolan Gorman, Pedro Pages, and Victor Scott II all had an RBI each. Teamwork gets the job done sometimes. Gorman and Walker were both 1-3, Jordan taking a walk so a .400 OBP is nice, eh? 15 total strikeouts between both teams.
The Cardinals go to Washington DC next and face the Nationals tomorrow night at 5:40pm!
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket during a 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. James finished one rebound short of a triple-double. (LM Otero / Associated Press)
The Lakers are as shorthanded as they can be, their dynamic starting backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out with injuries at a pivotal time of the season.
They're the offensive engines for a Lakers team battling for the No. 3 playoff seeding in a competitive Western Conference.
The 41-year-old LeBron James is now driving the Lakers, and despite falling just a rebound shy of a triple-double, he couldn't save the Lakers from a 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at American Airlines Center.
James had 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds. Luke Kennard delivered his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.
Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, coming off a 51-point performance against Orlando on Friday, finished with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He scored 19 points in the first quarter.
“Obviously, Cooper is in a zone over the last couple of games,” James said. “But [he] also has been playing consistent basketball all year so it’s great to see him from early in the season to where he is today.”
For the Lakers, finding ways to win without two of their best players will be their challenge over the final week of the season.
“We've got to have the commitment to do it on both ends and that's the reason that we've put ourselves in the position to be in the playoffs," Redick said, "because we became a really good offensive team and a really good defensive team."
Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will be out the remainder of the regular season — maybe even longer.
Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, confirmed to The Times that his client will seek specialized treatment for his injury in Europe with the hopes of speeding up his recovery.
Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will be out for the rest of the regular season, and likely into the playoffs. The time frame for Reaves' return is more like four-to-six weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak on the matter.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, left, drives against Lakers guard Bronny James during the second half Sunday. (LM Otero / Associated Press)
“I took my nap after practice and I woke up with that news and it was like another shot to the [head],” James said about Reaves' diagnosis. “It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka, understanding that."
Even Marcus Smart, known for his competitiveness and defensive tenacity, missed his seventh straight game with right ankle soreness.
With Doncic and Reaves out, the Lakers lose a combined 56.8 points per game and 13.8 assists per game. Doncic is fourth in the NBA in assists, with 8.3 per game, and he’s second on the Lakers in rebounding, at 7.7 per game.
“We knew that Austin was likely going to be out for a little bit of time," Redick said. “Obviously, disappointed and devastated for him to have his regular season finish this way. ... Both those guys are going to try to come back and it's our job to extend the season so that they can come back.”
The Lakers have four regular-season games left, starting with Oklahoma City on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. They play at Golden State on Thursday before facing the Phoenix Suns in L.A. on Friday.
The Lakers are tied with the Denver Nuggets for third in the West at 50-28, although the Lakers own the tiebreaker. The NBA playoffs starts the weekend of April 18.
With that in mind, Redick was asked if he had an optimistic view of Doncic being back for the playoffs.
“I just know that he's gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” Redick said. “I talked to him Friday. I talked to him again yesterday. I talked to him again this morning. He's going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it's our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”
The Lakers, mostly, didn’t have any troubles scoring against the Mavericks despite being without their star duo who combined to average 56.8 points and 13.8 assists during the regular season.
But it was their defense that let them down in their 134-128 road loss to the Mavericks in their first game since Doncic and Reaves were ruled out for the remainder of the season because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain, respectively.
The Mavericks scored 41 points in the opening quarter, had 67 points at halftime and scored another 40 points in the third in their win over the Lakers.
LeBron James drives against the Mavericks during the first half. AP
LeBron James led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists and 9 rebounds.
Luke Kennard had 15 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists for his first career triple-double.
Jaxson Hayes scored 23 points off the bench and Rui Hachimura recorded 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome another special performance from Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.
James pushes against Cooper Flagg during the first hal. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
What it means
The Lakers lost consecutive games for the first time since late February, dropping them to 50-28 on the season, the same record as the Nuggets.
The Timberwolves’ loss to the Hornets on Sunday, giving them a 46-32 record, guarantees the Lakers won’t fall any lower than fifth in the West.
The Lakers, who are still in third place in the Western Conference, won the tiebreakers against the Nuggets, Rockets and Timberwolves for playoff seeding after winning the regular-season series against all three teams and winning the Pacific Division.
Turning point
When the Lakers didn’t get defensive stops on back-to-back defensive possessions against the Mavericks after they cut their deficit back down to 112-107 with 8:45 left.
After being behind by as many as 22 points in the second quarter, the Lakers kept chipping away at their deficit, trailing by six at halftime and two midway through the third before entering the fourth down by 10.
Marvin Bagley’s putback and Brandon Williams’ free throws to put the Maveicks up 116-107 were a couple of missed opportunities by the Lakers to cut even deeper into the deficit.
Flagg went for 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds against the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks rookie followed up scoring a career-high 51 points with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds against the Lakers.
He shot 14 of 27 from the floor, and made 15 of 17 free throws.
Stat of the game: 21
The Lakers’ 12 turnovers weren’t the issue.
It was their inability to get stops after turnovers, and their poor transition defense, that hurt them the most.
The Mavericks scored 21 points off the Lakers’ giveaways, and 24 fastbreak points.
Up next
The Lakers will return to Southern California to host the Thunder on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
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Apr 5, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) dives safely back to first base on a pick off throw by Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero (not pictured) in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
A day after the Tigers secured the series victory — but lost Justin Verlander to the Injured List with a hip problem — they went for the series sweep on a chilly, breezy Sunday night. A costly throwing error by a Tigers pitcher against the Cardinals (déja-vu, anyone?) undid an early lead and sent Detroit to a 5-3 loss.
Verlander was originally slated to start, on somewhat-national television (I think it was streaming on the BlorgNet app or something); the Tigers even had a special ticket promotion going, including a t-shirt commemorating his true homecoming. Well, instead, they got everyone’s favourite sixth starter, Keider Montero, who’s in his third season… I hesitate to say “with the Tigers,” because he’s spent half of the past two seasons in Toledo. He made a dozen starts and eight relief appearances for the Tigers last year, and he was part of the WBC-winning Venezuela team earlier this spring.
Facing the Tigers tonight was Kyle Leahy, who spent the previous two years in the Cardinals’ bullpen, transitioning to a starting role this year. He had a decent 2025 in a relief role, with an ERA just above 3, a WHIP of 1.227, and while he doesn’t usually strike everybody out, he only gave up five home runs in 88 innings. He’d been a starter from the time he was drafted in 2018 through the 2022 season in the minors; he saw some action in AAA before the Cardinals made the decision to convert him to a reliever.
The game started off with both starting pitchers well in command, but the Tigers got a mini-threat going in the bottom of the second: Parker Meadows hit a sharp single and Spencer Torkelson walked, but Javier Báez hit a sharp grounder to third to end the inning. Meanwhile, Montero was only giving up soft contact, with a bloop single in the second being the sum total of the traffic on the basepaths for the Cardinals, and getting strikeouts on his sinker.
Kerry Carpenter opened the scoring with his second home run in two days; Colt Keith led off the bottom of the third with a single, went to second on a groundout, and with two outs Carpenter launched a mighty blast to straightaway centre for a 2-0 lead.
Montero, who was on a pitch count and so wouldn’t go too deep in this one, allowed a single and walked a guy to start the fifth; a groundout to second got the out at second. A single to left scored a run and ended Montero’s day, with Enmanuel De Jesus taking over. A comebacker bunt saw De Jesus fielding it and throwing it away, getting a run home to tie the game and putting runners on second and third. A single to right scored those two runs to put St. Louis up 4-2, and well, that was all pretty lousy.
But in the sixth Dillon Dingler — the master of the ABS system, apparently — walked to lead off, and he scooted over to third with a Parker Meadows single. Meadows then stole second to put a pair in scoring position, then Torkelson walked to load the bases. Báez hit a liner to left which was deep enough to score Dingler and narrow the lead to 4-3. Pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones hit a grounder to second which got Báez out at second, leaving runners on the corners with two outs. Kevin McGonigle drew a walk to re-load the bases, but Gleyber Torres grounded out to shortstop to end the inning. That felt like a squander to me, and was probably the thing that ultimately did the Tigers in tonight.
De Jesus righted the ship in the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning, and after giving up a leadoff single in the eighth, Connor Seabold took over. After a walk, a flyout and another walk, the Cardinals had the bases loaded with one out and Seabold was clearly having trouble finding the strike zone. A sacrifice fly pushed the Cardinals’ lead back to two runs, and after a strikeout the inning was mercifully over.
With one out in the eighth Torkelson walked again, but Báez flailed at an outside slider and Jones foul-tipped a high fastball into the catcher’s mitt. So much for that.
Riley O’Brien — tell me he shouldn’t have an auto-parts store named after him, I dare you — came on for the ninth and got three quick outs and everyone went home for hot cocoa.
(Catch the slightly-cleaned-up movie reference there?)
Notes and Observances
Look, you can make all the age-related quips you want about Justin Verlander injuring his hip. Goodness knows I already have, amongst my BYB colleagues. Did this joke involve a reference to a Werther’s Original? I won’t tell.
All joking aside, I’m older than Verlander, and I once had my back seize-up by getting out of my car in the parking lot at work. So for those of you younger than Verlander — a spry 43, merely a spring chicken — age is going to come for you, too, pal.
Did you see that Jo Adell of the Angels, playing right field, went over the fence to rob the Mariners of three home runs? And that the game ended up a 1-0 Angels victory? Holy mackerel! Do yourself a favour and go find that video clip. Hold on, here it is, and you are very, very welcome.
You really should be following the Artemis II mission around the Moon, and not just because one of the astronauts is from small-town southwestern Ontario like me.
On this day in 1974, Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie, was published for the first time. I think he’s done pretty well for himself in the ensuing years.
Both Lendeborg and Ball were left off their team's respective NCAA initial player availability reports that were released at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, per the NCAA's guidelines. There will be an additional player availability report released two hours before tomorrow night's tip-off inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Wolverines and the Huskies are set for an 8:50 p.m. ET tip-off on Monday. It's the first meeting between both since the 2015-16 season, when they met in the Bahamas for a multi-team event tournament in November.
Lendeborg sustained an injury with just under nine minutes left in the first half of the semifinal game when he appeared to twist his ankle after stepping on the foot of Wildcats forward Motiejus Krivas while going to the basket for a layup. It'd later be known that Lendeborg suffered a sprained MCL of his left knee and an injured ankle.
Ball told reporters on Sunday in Indianapolis that he sustained what UConn coach Dan Hurley described as a "some type of foot sprain," his injury in the first half when he got tangled up with Tarris Reed Jr. on a ball screen. He was seen in a walking boot on Sunday.
"I'm doing everything I can to prepare for tomorrow," Ball said on Sunday to reporters.
Here's a full look at both UConn and Michigan's initial injury report for Monday's national championship game:
Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game player availability report
Michigan
LJ Carson (OUT)
Winter Grady (OUT)
UConn
No one mentioned
Michigan-UConn national championship time, TV channel
Date: Monday, April 6
Time: 8:50 p.m. ET
TV channel: TBS | TNT | truTV
Streaming options: March Madness Live app | Sling TV
Michigan and UConn will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6 inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. TBS will broadcast Monday's national championship game. There will be simulcast broadcasts on TNT and truTV as well. Streaming options for the game include the March Madness Live app (with a TV login) and Sling TV.
