The Florida Panthers are gearing up for what should be one heck of a night.
Sunday will be Game 7 between the Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It will be the biggest hockey game played in Toronto in decades, and Scotiabank Arena will be an absolute madhouse.
For the Panthers, they have been through these kind of stressful postseason situations several times over the past few years.
That experience goes a long way when it comes to preparing for a winner-take-all Game 7.
“From going through it together countless times, it’s comforting,” said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. “You know what you’re going to expect out of the guy next to you, and that’s his best at a time like this. We’re excited for another opportunity to play in another big game like this.”
"The messages, chemistry, intensity and how we prepare for it is all the same,” added Cats defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “Nothing changes. It’s getting our bodies ready and feeling the best we can coming into it.”
Don’t be surprised to see a bit of a different look when the Panthers take the ice.
Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice rarely tweaks the roster after playoff wins, but he will often use losses to move players in and out of the lineup.
The infusion of players like Evan Rodrigues, who has been day-to-day while battling an injury, and skilled rookie Mackie Samoskevich, could provide a boost to the Cats.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 6 against the Maple Leafs:
Photo caption: Photo caption: May 14, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen (27) and defenseman Seth Jones (3) congratulate defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) on his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers during the first inning of an 11-9 loss to the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Clayton Kershaw paused halfway up the dugout steps Saturday and bowed his head. The jog he was about to make to the mound at Dodger Stadium would be the first steps of what is likely the final chapter of his spectacular career.
A moment of silent reflection was in order.
“I don't like the word emotional, but there's definitely some thoughts. It's just special,” Kershaw said of his first outing of the season, an uneven four-inning stint in the Dodgers’ 11-9 loss to the Angels. “You get a little bit older, you just learn to appreciate that more. It was different.”
Kershaw threw his last pitch in August at Phoenix’s Chase Field; Corbin Carroll hit it over the right-field wall. Kershaw then walked off the mound and was put on the injured list with a bone spur on his left big toe.
The first pitch of his latest comeback came at 6:10 p.m. Saturday, a high fastball that Zach Neto took for a ball. The rest of the inning went downhill from there, with Kershaw giving up three runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning.
He recovered nicely, though, allowing two runs and two hits over the next three innings while striking out two over four innings in a wild game the Angels won behind a career-high five RBIs from catcher Logan O’Hoppe.
“I love getting back out there. It's a special thing to get to go back and pitch at Dodger Stadium,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, I wanted to pitch better. I need to pitch better going forward. But I think there's some glimpses of some of my stuff being there, which is good. The problem tonight was just command.
“But, you know, first one back and just to be back out here at Dodger Stadium was special for me, regardless of the outcome.”
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face during the third inning of an 11-9 loss to the Angels on Saturday night. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw, 37, is the Dodgers’ all-time leader in strikeouts and is 30 shy of becoming the 20th pitcher in big-league history to reach 3,000. His 212 career wins is second in franchise history behind only Don Sutton’s 233 and his 2.50 ERA ranks third. He also ranks third in starts (430).
But he’s spent almost as much time on the injured list as he has in the Dodgers' rotation over the last five seasons and the list of injuries includes so many body parts, it reads like a page out of "Gray’s Anatomy". There’s the toe, which kept him off the opening day roster. Last season it was knee, toe and shoulder injuries. In 2023, it was his left shoulder. The year before that, his back and pelvis and before that it was his forearm, elbow and back again.
Last season was clearly the most painful, though. Kershaw made seven starts and pitched just 30 innings, both career lows, and missed the World Series. Days after the team’s victory parade, he underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee and another on his left foot that left him on crutches and in a walking boot for two months.
"The superstar players that I have been around, there's always something that fuels them and they need that,” Roberts said. “Him not being a part of that last year, I know that that's fueling him.”
Logan O'Hoppe hits a three-run home run off Dodgers reliever Kirby Yates in the seventh inning Saturday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
With Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Kershaw’s high school teammate, looking on, Kershaw struggled through a 38-pitch first inning, giving up a bases-loaded single to O’Hoppe and an RBI double to Matthew Lugo. But the Dodgers needed just four batters to match that with Andy Pages belting a three-run homer, his ninth of the season, to dead center in the bottom of the inning.
After Kershaw retired the side in order in the second, Taylor Ward put the Angels (19-25) back in front in the third, hitting his 11th home run. A walk, a double and a sacrifice fly from Neto extended the lead in the fourth before Kiké Hernández pulled a run back for the Dodgers with a lead-off homer, his seventh, in the bottom of the fourth.
Kershaw was done by then, having thrown 83 pitches, nearly half of them in the first inning.
“The stuff overall, I was impressed with,” Roberts said. “The velocity was more than it's been in quite some time. At times the slider was good. At times the curve ball was good. He mixed in a lot of change-ups, which was good.
“The command just wasn't consistent. He got to a lot of two-strike counts and couldn't put hitters away, where typically that's his hallmark.”
The Dodgers went in front for the first time in the sixth, turning three walks, two hits, a stolen base, a wild pitch and a ground-ball double play into three runs and 7-5 lead that O’Hoppe erased with his 10th homer, highlighting a five-run Angel seventh inning.
Five players — O’Hoppe, Luis Rengifo, Lugo, Nolan Schanuel and Kevin Newman — had two hits each for the Angels, who will try to sweep the three-game series Sunday afternoon.
For the Dodgers, Freddie Freeman matched a season high with four hits and is batting .407 in May, raising his league-leading average to .375. Pages, Hernández and catcher Dalton Rushing each had two hits.
Notes:Shohei Ohtani, who went hitless in six at-bats for the first time since 2019, threw 50 pitches in his most extensive bullpen session since undergoing a second surgery on his right elbow in 2023. The up-and-down session, in which Ohtani simulated a break between innings, was his second in a week. ... To make room for Kershaw on the 26-man roster the Dodgers optioned right-hander Ryan Loutos to the minors. To create space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved Snell to the 60-day injured list.
The Florida Panthers still have some work to do if they want to reach the conference final.
A win on Sunday night in Game 7 will punch Florida’s ticket to Raleigh, where the Carolina Hurricanes are waiting to find out who they’ll be matched up against.
Late Saturday, after the Dallas Stars knocked out the Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Western Conference Final, the NHL released the full schedule for both conference finals.
As we still don’t know if it will be Florida or Toronto facing the Hurricanes, the league released two options for the Eastern Conference.
Should Florida advance, Game 1 against Carolina would be Tuesday night at 8 p.m. from Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
Home games for Panthers fans to attend would be on Saturday, May 24, Monday, May 26 and Friday, May 30.
Photo caption: May 18, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) reacts after scoring the game winning goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the fourth overtime period of game one in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Saturday, another step in his throwing program in his return from elbow surgery.
Ohtani advanced from the 35 pitches he tossed in is previous bullpen session on the same day that the Dodgers activated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who made his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani did not throw any sliders in the bullpen. He simulated a two-inning outing by throwing 25 pitches, resting and then finishing with 25 more pitches.
Ohtani was the designated hitter Saturday against his former team. As a pitcher for the Angels, the right-hander went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. He made 86 starts with the Angels from 2018-23.
Ohtani hasn’t pitched in a major league game since Aug. 23, 2023, for the Angels. He is recovering from right elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023. There is no timetable for his return to the mound.
The 37-year-old Kershaw began his 18th MLB season on the injured list while recovering from toe and knee surgeries. He made five rehab starts and went 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings. He entered Saturday’s start as the club’s all-time strikeout leader at 2,968 and was 212-94 with a 2.50 ERA in 432 appearances (429 starts). With Saturday's start, the three-time Cy Young Award winner ties Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years with the Dodgers franchise.
To make room on the roster for Kershaw right-hander Ryan Loutos was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Also, left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Snell, who recently started a light throwing program, has made just two starts for the Dodgers and has not pitched since April 2. He signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason.
Pablo López combined with three relievers on a three-hitter as the Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-0 on Saturday for their third straight shutout and 13th consecutive victory.
The Twins haven't allowed a run since giving up six of them in the third inning of an 8-6 victory at Baltimore in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday.
Milwaukee has been shut out in four of its last five games, the first time that’s happened in franchise history, according to Sportradar. According to Sportradar, the last team to get shut out four times in a five-game stretch was the Miami Marlins in July 2022.
Ryan Jeffers went 4 for 5 with a homer and double, and Kody Clemens went 3 for 5 with a homer as the Twins collected 18 hits.
López (4-2) struck out six and allowed two hits and two walks in six innings. Justin Topa, Jorge Alcala and Kody Funderburk each pitched one inning of relief.
The Twins took control of the game by scoring single runs in each of the first six innings. Four of those runs came off Tobias Myers, who was sent to the minors earlier this week before getting called back up when left-hander Jose Quintana went on the injured list.
Jeffers opened the scoring by hitting a 420-foot shot to left-center with one out in the first inning. He also doubled and scored in the third, singled in the fourth and singled in the eighth.
Myers (1-1) allowed 11 hits over 3 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking nobody.
The first batter López faced was Brice Turang, who hit a liner off the upper part of the right-hander's right leg. López stayed in the game after taking a few warmup tosses and allowed just one more hit.
Minnesota's winning streak is its longest since the Twins reeled off 15 straight victories in 1991, the year they won their last World Series title.
Right-hander Zebby Matthews (0-0, 0.00) is expected to get called up to the big leagues to start Sunday's series finale for the Twins. Right-hander Freddy Peralta (4-3, 2.66) will start for the Brewers.
The Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime in Game 6, eliminating the Jets and sending themselves to the Western Conference Finals for a rematch against the Edmonton Oilers.
The first period ended scoreless, with little going on in terms of offence. The shots finished 6-4 in favour of the Stars.
The second period brought some offence by way of none other than Mark Scheifele, scoring the opening goal just mere hours after his father passed away. Unfortunately for the Jets, Sam Steel recorded his first goal of the postseason to tie the game. The period favoured the Jets, outshooting the Stars 12-8.
Josh Morrissey awkwardly fell to the ice while tangled with Mikko Rantanen, forcing him to exit the game, and he did not return for the third period.
In the third, Mason Appleton had a glorious chance to take the lead, but a last-ditch effort by Jake Oettinger stoned the Jets forward, keeping the game tied at a goal apiece. Connor Hellebuyck made a pair of his own highlight-reel saves in the third period, denying Mikael Granlund of a sure goal and Rantanen, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Stars capitalized on their power play opportunity, which carried over from the end of the period. Thomas Harley found space in the slot, hammering the game-winner past Hellebuyck and sending the Stars to the Western Conference Finals.
The Jets' season comes to an end at an earlier stage than the team and the fans were hoping for. The Jets struggled on the road, losing all six games throughout the first two rounds. The Jets now head into an offseason filled with question marks. With several free agents, the Jets' general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff, will have his hands full.
Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
After losing his father, Brad, overnight on Friday, Mark Scheifele scored a goal for the Winnipeg Jets to open the scoring in Game 6 against the Dallas Stars.
On Saturday evening, ahead of Winnipeg’s contest against the Stars, Jets coach Scott Arniel confirmed that Scheifele would still play, saying he “wants to play for (his dad).”
“Certainly, when life situations happen like this, they're hard on everybody. But you know what? Mark doesn't want those guys to hang their heads or be down. He wants a win. And that's what they're all talking about: ‘We want to get a win for Mr. Scheifele (and) get a chance to get ourselves back home to play Game 7.’ ”
Despite the death of Scheifele’s father still being raw, he gave the Jets a 1-0 lead in the second period.
The play started in the left corner of Dallas’ zone, where right winger Gabriel Vilardi won a puck battle. He found left winger Kyle Connor, who fired the puck on goal and Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger made a pad save, but the puck rebounded into the slot area. Scheifele picked up the puck and made no mistake from point-blank range.
Scheifele celebrated the goal with a smile on his face, followed by smiles and hugs from his teammates who were on the ice.
That was Scheifele’s fifth goal of the playoffs, and he now has 11 points in just as many games. This is his second goal of this second-round series, with his first goal coming in Game 1.
Scheifele’s moment is similar to when Martin St-Louis scored on Mother’s Day in 2014 after his mother, France, died. St-Louis’ goal was also the opener in Game 6.
Much like how Dallas leads the series 3-2, the Pittsburgh Penguins led the series with the same score, against St-Louis’ New York Rangers. New York went on to win the series in seven games.
Yankees veteran DJ LeMahieu has returned to the fold with undefined expectations in an unspecified role, but his first start at Yankee Stadium in 2025 sparked some newfound optimism.
Batting eighth and playing second base, LeMahieu raised fans' eyebrows at the plate and in the field on Saturday afternoon against the crosstown rival Mets. He put the Yankees on the board first with a solo home run in the third inning -- snapping a nearly 10-month streak without a long ball -- and also flashed the leather with a slick back-handed diving grab up the middle that robbed Francisco Lindor of a single.
The all-around effort from LeMahieu wasn't enough, as the Mets outlasted the Yankees in a 3-2 thriller to even this weekend's Subway Series in the Bronx at a game apiece. But the 36-year-old showed the sold-out crowd that more turn-the-clock-back performances could be in store, just as long as he stays fully healthy.
"It felt good to play at Yankee Stadium again. Obviously a big series, so just excited to be out there," LeMahieu said after the game. "I don't think there was too much emotion, maybe for me. But it was good, it was fun. I feel like I'm finding my rhythm pretty quickly after coming off the IL. It's a couple of games, but I definitely feel like I'm in a pretty good spot."
LeMahieu's third-inning homer was a typical blast from the past. He drilled an 0-1 down-the-middle fastball from Mets starter Griffin Canning that flew over right fielder Juan Soto and landed just beyond the wall and into the seats. The short-porch shot traveled 333 feet.
In his second at-bat, LeMahieu ripped a 100 mph single to center, setting the Yankees up for a fifth-inning rally that was ultimately wasted. He then found himself in a position to play the role of hero in the eighth, with the bases loaded, two outs, and the score knotted at 2-2. But he wasn't rewarded for smacking a 106 mph liner to right -- the ball quickly found Soto's glove, ending the threat.
It's been quite some time since the Yankees last saw LeMahieu produce hard contact and connect with power. Hampered by foot and calf injuries, he hit a measly .204 with just seven extra-base knocks and 26 RBI across 67 games last season. The start to his 2025 campaign was delayed due to a calf injury.
LeMahieu's time away from the big league club this past March and April allowed Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Oswaldo Cabrera to fill the void at third base. Now, both of LeMahieu's replacements are on the injured list, and opportunity is conveniently knocking for a player who's been written off a few times and considered dead weight.
"Some big-time ABs today. Back-side homer, base hit up the middle, and probably his best at-bat ends up in an out with the bases loaded," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Really encouraging to see him having those level of at-bats in his first few outings... Injuries have taken him off the field. He's never been not outstanding in the field whenever he's been out there. That's who he is. He's an elite defender."
Only time will tell what LeMahieu offers as a platoon piece -- he only logged two at-bats during spring training and has yet to reach a dozen this season -- but the early results suggest there just might be something left in the tank.
It's hard to follow up on being part of a combined perfect game, but Mets prospect Jonah Tong did his best on Saturday.
In his latest start for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Tong was dominant again, pitching six scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks. He struck out eight batters in Binghamton's 12-0 win over the Hartford Yard Goats. Tong's fastball sat between 93-95 mph and showed off his array of pitches. He lowered his season ERA to 2.12 and has allowed just two earned runs over his last 25 innings pitched. In that span, he's struck out 48 batters.
Tong would not get run support from his teammates, who were shut out until they broke the game open with a huge sixth inning.
Binghamton pushed across five runs, thanks in large part to home runs from Nick Morabito and Kevin Parada. Parada had himself a career day at the plate, finishing 2-for-5 with two home runs and a career-high four RBI.
It's been a struggle for the Mets' 2022 first-round pick in his second full season with Binghamton, but perhaps this is a sign of his bat awakening. He has five hits in his last two games and three home runs on the season in 27 games, after blasting 13 across 114 games a year ago.
The Mets' Double-A affiliate would push across four in the eighth inning, thanks to Ryan Clifford. Playing first base on Saturday, Clifford cleared the bases with a double. It was Clifford's second hit of the game, and he finished 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs. Saturday's performance raised Clifford's batting average to .238, and it was his second consecutive multi-hit game.
Jett Williams, the Mets' No. 2 prospect according to SNY's prospects writer Joe DeMayo, played center field and went 1-for-6. He also extended his hitting streak to five games.
Jonah Tong's last start? Perfect. This start? More dominance.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield missed the team's Game 5 matchup against the Washington Capitals due to an undisclosed injury. The Hurricanes still picked up a victory without the right-shot defenseman in the lineup, defeating the Capitals by a 3-1 final score. With this, the Hurricanes knocked out the Capitals and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.
Now, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour has provided an update on Chatfield. While speaking to reporters, including the Raleigh News & Observer's Chip Alexander, the Hurricanes' bench boss said he is hopeful Chatfield will be to go for the Eastern Conference Final.
It would be great for the Hurricanes if Chatfield is given the green light to return at the start of the next round. The 29-year-old is an important piece of their blueline due to his smart defensive play and overall reliability.
At this juncture, the Hurricanes are still waiting to find out if they will play the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Florida Panthers. The two Atlantic Division clubs play their Game 7 on May 18.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if Chatfield is good to go for Game 1 next round. The five-year veteran appeared in 79 regular-season games this season for the Hurricanes, recording seven goals, 18 points, 64 hits, and a plus-22 rating. In nine games this post-season, he has one goal and a plus-9 rating.
Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Max Pacioretty has been quite impactful for the Toronto Maple Leafs this post-season, and this was undoubtedly the case in the Original Six club's Game 6 matchup against the Florida Panthers.
In a win-or-go-home Game 6 for the Maple Leafs, Pacioretty scored at the 14:17 mark of the third period. This insurance goal from the former Hurricane was massive for Toronto, as it gave them a 2-0 lead with a little over five minutes to go.
Pacioretty's goal was a good one, too. After receiving a nice feed from Bobby McMann in front, Pacioretty one-timed home on the backend past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
With this latest strong performance, Pacioretty now has three goals, eight points, and a plus-3 rating in 10 playoff games this year. This includes two goals and six points in the second round against the Panthers alone. It will now be interesting to see if Pacioretty can stay hot in Game 7 against the Panthers from here.
In five games with the Hurricanes during the 2022-23 season, Pacioretty scored three goals and recorded an even plus/minus rating.
On Wednesday, May 21, the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and New York Knicks (51-31) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks routed the Celtics in Game 6 in New York, 119-81, behind Josh Hart's triple-double and four Knicks' starters, Jalen Brunson (23), Karl-Anthony Towns (21), Mikal Bridges (22), and OG Anunoby (23) scoring 21-plus points. The five Knicks' starters combined for 99 of New York's 119 points and outscored Boston as a team, 99-81.
Indiana beat Cleveland in Game 5, 114-105, on Tuesday, May 13, so they have the rest advantage entering this matchup. However, having a week off isn't always the best formula in the playoffs as rust could set in, but given the Knicks' rotation and heavy minutes to the starters, the rest should prove helpful for Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton had 31 points in the Game 5 win over Cleveland and 26 points over the Bucks in Game 5's closeout victory.
The Pacers went 20-20 on the road in the regular season with a point differential of 2, while the Knicks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Pacers vs. Knicks live
Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: TNT / Max
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Pacers vs. Knicks
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Odds: Pacers (+145), Knicks (-175)
Spread: Knicks -4
Over/Under: 223.0
That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 109.5, and the Knicks 113.5.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s Pacers vs. Knicks game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Jalen Brunson Over 28.5 Points in Game 1 and the Knicks to win the series in 6:
"The Pacers have the rest advantage over the Knicks with a week off, but momentum will be in the Knicks' favor, plus atmosphere. Madison Square Garden will be rocking again and I expect Jalen Brunson to be aggressive in this series. Brunson led the Knicks in scoring in both Game 1's with 29 and 34 points and 50 combined field goal attempts (23 and 27), in addition to 17 free-throw attempts.
Brunson went Under his points prop in two straight games now (Games 5 and 6 versus Boston), so I am going to buy low on Brunson in a new series. Brunson scored 26 and 33 points in two of three meetings during the regular season versus Indiana. I like the chances he goes for 29-plus points up to 30.5.
For the series, I like the Knicks in 6 (+600) or the series to go 7 games (+220) as a hedge. The favorites in each of these markets are the Knicks to win in 7 games (+400) followed by the Pacers to win in 6 games (+450). The series to go 6 or 7 games are both tied at +220 odds. This could be one of the most memorable or forgettable Eastern Conference finals in recent history, so I will go with my gut and take the 6-to-1 value on the Knicks to win 4-2 and sprinkle the +220 odds on the series to go 7 games as a hedge."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pacers & Knicks game:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +4
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 223.0
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Pacers vs. Knicks on Wednesday
The Knicks are 2-0 ATS and on the ML in Game 1 during the postseason
The Pacers are 2-0 ATS and on the ML in Game 1 during the postseason
New York is 3-3 at home during the playoffs and won the past two
Indiana is 4-1 on the road during the playoffs with four straight wins
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks in scoring both Game 1's with 29 and 34 points
Pascal Siakam has led the Pacers in scoring four of 10 playoff games, including Game 1 of the first round
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) - Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) - Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) - Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Brett Baty has wasted no time proving his ability to hit for power at the big league level since the Mets promoted him as an injury replacement nearly two weeks ago. He's hit five home runs over his last nine games in the majors, complementing the bottom half of the lineup.
But the long-awaited growth from Baty hasn't only been visible at the plate. He's also shown improvements in the field, and a few slick plays at third base on Saturday afternoon helped the Mets outlast the crosstown rival Yankees in a 3-2 thriller in the Bronx.
Baty's first web gem came in the second inning, when he barehanded a weak chopper and threw across his body to first to rob the speedy Anthony Volpe of an infield single. Two innings later, Baty fleeced Volpe again, this time flashing the leather with a scoop on another in-between grounder.
The ball found Baty on five more occasions, and his final contribution was snatching a weak fly from Ben Rice that sliced toward shallow left field in the ninth. Baty also collected an infield single in that inning, finishing the day 1-for-4, but it was his work at the hot corner that caught the Mets' attention.
"We've seen the athleticism from him and his ability to play up the middle. Today was a helluva game defensively for him," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the win. "The fact he's getting reps in the middle of the infield allows him to be better with his footwork. His read off the bat, the quickness of it. It's good to see Baty contribute in a lot of different ways."
When the Mets sent Baty back down to Triple-A in late April, realizing that regular playing time just wasn't in the cards for him, Mendoza reminded the 25-year-old that he's a big-league talent. The message appeared to stick, as Baty's teammates have noticed him playing with newfound confidence.
"He looks different, looks more comfortable," Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said of Baty. "He’s in a good mental space right now and truly believes he belongs here. With that said, he still works hard day in and day out to get better. He understands his role right now and he’s trying to excel at it."
Baty's role with the Mets remains fluid, considering that competition for playing time still exists between him and, youngster Mark Vientos, and an even veteran Jeff McNeil. But, in the meantime, Baty is making the most of his latest opportunity, determined to prove that he's not a flash in the pan.
It was another electric atmosphere at Yankee Stadium. A day after the Yankees faithful rained boos and expletives at Juan Soto, the crowd was treated to a hard-fought, nail-biter on Saturday.
Despite allowing two home runs, the Mets scraped together enough offense to beat the Yankees, 3-2, and even the Subway Series. There were mesmerizing defensive plays and clutch hits, but the cherry on top was the matchup between Edwin Diaz and Aaron Judge with two outs in the ninth and the game on the line.
Diaz would come out the victor, striking out Judge on a 3-2 heater up in the zone to preserve the one-run victory.
"Big league game, big league matchup. Every pitch was intense, every play," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the win. "One-run game and then you get the matchup of Diaz-Judgey. That’s what you pay for."
While Diaz's personal victory over Judge capped the win, it was the little things that helped the Mets take the middle game of this weekend's series. Saturday's starter Griffin Canning continued his stellar pitching, allowing two runs (both solo shots) in 5.1 innings.
"It was awesome. Fun to compete in," Canning said of the atmosphere. "Awesome, awesome energy in the stadium and a fun lineup to compete against."
Canning was followed by 3.2 scoreless innings from the Mets' bullpen trio of Huascar Brazoban, Reed Garrett and Diaz. That allowed the Mets offense, which finished the game 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base, to scratch across the go-ahead run in the ninth.
That run was driven in by de facto captain Francisco Lindor. Against tough Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz, Luis Torrens drew a one-out walk and was lifted for pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña. Bertt Baty's infield single and Tyrone Taylor's hit-by-pitch gave Lindor an opportunity to give the Mets the lead. After getting ahead 3-0 in the count, Lindor didn't try to do too much, and lifted a sacrifice fly to allow the speedy Acuñato score.
"No one is trying to be the hero," Lindor said of the team's offensive mindset. "Just play the game."
Lindor said his approach in that ninth-inning at-bat was to get a good pitch to hit and not put too much pressure on himself. As the shortstop said, "If I don’t get a good pitch to hit, then it’s Soto’s turn."
Once he got to 3-1, Lindor wanted something to get in the air, and that's what he did.
FRANCISCO LINDOR BRINGS HOME LUISANGEL ACUÑA WITH A SAC FLY!
"Today was a good team win," he said. "Good defense, good pitching. To beat a team like that, you have to do a lot of things the right way… Brazoban coming in with people on base, Garrett executing, Canning and then you have Diaz coming in looking really good. Torrens starting the game, [Francisco Alvarez] closing the game. Baty had like five great plays. And then just passing the baton in the offense. They have a really good pitching staff and have to take it one at-bat at a time."
And what about the Subway Series so far?
"The atmosphere here has been fantastic. Whether it’s their fans or our fans, they’ve brought the energy," Lindor said. "It’s been good. It’s the loudest it’s been of any of the Subway Series that I’ve played."
Pete Alonso, who tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth, said the Citi Field crowd during last year's NLDS against the Phillies -- when Lindor hit the grand slam -- was the loudest atmosphere he's been a part of. But the 2025 Subway Series ranks "top three" for him.
The Mets' slugger was asked how the team -- especially Soto -- has been able to handle the hostile environment.
"To be honest, it’s persistence and sticking to the gameplan and trust," he said. "Trust in the guy in front of you and behind you. When it’s your turn in the box or whenever the ball is hit to you, you trust your preparedness. Every single guy trusts themselves and their teammates. That’s huge, especially in the later innings. There’s no second-guessing. Everyone has that connectedness and trust within each other.
"For us, the job at hand is to win the game….This team, this core, we’ve experienced a bunch of hostile environments. Especially with the playoffs and every time we play a couple of the in-division rivals, the Dodgers, it’s those super high-energy series. We are battle-tested in these types of environments. We’re excited for another exciting game tomorrow. It’s a great matchup and that’s a great team over there. That’s the beautiful part of the Subway Series, no matter what side you’re on, it’s that electric environment. It’s really fun baseball."
The Mets will look to take the rubber game of the first Subway Series this season on Sunday. They'll look to keep that "team" mentality as they go against arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now, Max Fried.
Jaylen Brown's raw playoff numbers were close to last season, when he was the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP: 22.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game, although his efficiency was down and he didn't have the same explosiveness. Still, when the Celtics needed him, Brown stepped up with 26 points and 12 assists in Boston's Game 5 win, and he was a solid 20 points with six rebounds and six assists in Game 6.
He will be evaluated this week to determine if surgery is needed, sources said. ESPN previously reported that Brown had received pain injections in his knee. Those injections began in March, sources said.
In March Brown was out for six games over a 13-game span due to a "right knee posterior impingement," He also sat out the final three games of the regular season. In early April he told NBC Sports Boston the pain was ongoing but he was going to play through it.
"I've had to come to grips that every night I'm not gonna feel my normal self," Brown said at the time, "but that doesn't mean I still can't make plays and things like that. So, it's just something that we are working through."
Even if Butler needs surgery, he should be recovered and ready to go by the start of training camp.
Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office face some difficult decisions this offseason. If they just ran it back, the payroll and luxury taxes — Boston is well into the second apron — would exceed $500 million. There had been an expectation that Boston would trim a more expensive rotation player or two next season to bring down those costs even before Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles. Now with the Celtics' best player out for much, if not all, of next season, that retooling may be larger with Al Horford and Jrue Holiday players considered very possibly on the move. There had been speculation the Celtics might even test the trade market for Brown, seeing if a good team with young players and picks — Houston and San Antonio — might trade for a veteran wing who has been a Finals MVP.
A meniscus injury isn't going to slow that talk down any.
