NEW YORK (AP) — A brutal night for Victor Wembanyama continued even after he returned to his hotel on Wednesday, as he was pelted with boos from jeering Knicks fans and nearly struck by a flying egg.
A video shared online showed at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel, flanked by security, following the team's game 4 loss to the Knicks.
It was not clear who threw the egg. The video showed taunting fans swarming the hotel, a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.
A few seconds after the egg cracks on a street sign, Wembanyama turns around and confronts a person standing near the hotel's entrance, before continuing inside.
The Spurs did not immediately respond to a request seeking clarity on whether the object struck Wembanyama.
The confrontation followed a historic collapse by the Spurs, who now find themselves on the brink of elimination after blowing a 29-point lead to the Knicks. Wembanyama missed two key free throws in the game's final minutes.
The Knicks victory prompted scenes of bedlam and jubilation across New York City, as ecstatic fans packed the streets, set off fireworks, scaled lampposts and at times clashed with police.
According to the New York Police Department, 56 people were taken into custody for charges that ranged from assault to disorderly conduct.
“Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night both during and after the game,” the police department said in a statement.
An NYPD spokesperson said they had nothing on file about the egg incident.
The Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox wrap up a three-game set at Rate Field on Thursday, June 11, and the South Siders can pull off the series sweep with a win.
But my top Braves vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks are calling for Atlanta to leave the Windy City with the victory after teeing off on Chicago lefty Anthony Kay tonight.
Who will win Braves vs White Sox today: Braves moneyline (-112)
On the flip side, Atlanta starter Martin Perez checks in with a sustainable 4.02 xERA with just 15 runs allowed across his past eight starts, so I’m anticipating him limiting the damage enough for the Braves to pull away in the series finale.
I’d play the Braves moneyline down to -120, too.
COVERS INTEL: Chicago White Sox starter Anthony Kay has the fifth-highest xERA among the 100 pitchers with at least 60 innings, so I expect his struggles to continue and pave the way for the Atlanta moneyline and the Over 8.5 tonight.
Braves vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)
While I do expect Perez to hold the Chicago lineup in check to a degree, the White Sox also send a potent lineup to the dish.
The Pale Hose similarly rank third in wOBA against lefties and 10th in the overall metric across the past 30 days.
Of course, Chicago has also played to the Over in 19 of their last 30 games (+9.05 Units / 28% ROI), while Atlanta has gone Over the number in 28 of its last 45 road games (+11.45 Units / 23% ROI).
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 25-14, +12.73 units
Over/Under bets: 13-11, +1.22 units
Braves vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Atlanta -120 | Chicago +100
Run line: Atlanta -1.5 (+140) | Chicago +1.5 (-165)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Braves vs White Sox trend
The Atlanta Braves hit the Over in 28 of their last 45 away games (+11.45 Units / 23% ROI), and the Chicago White Sox have played to the Over in 19 of their last 30 games (+9.05 Units / 28% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. White Sox.
How to watch Braves vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Thursday, June 11, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, BravesVision
Braves starting pitcher
Martin Perez (4-3, 3.02 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Anthony Kay (5-1, 4.40 ERA)
Braves vs White Sox latest injuries
Braves vs White Sox weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
May 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
SAN FRANCISCO – Yaxel Lendeborg accomplished everything he possibly could have to end his college career.
His one season at Michigan finished with winning the national championship in a year where he was a Consensus All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year and made the Big Ten All-Defensive team. It was a storybook ending to one of the more unique paths going into the NBA draft in modern history.
Lendeborg came through Chase Center on Thursday afternoon for a pre-draft workout and in-person interview with the Warriors. He looked to show off his versatility on the court and his fun personality off it. Lendeborg went through individual drills and 3-on-3 in a competitive setting that included five other prospects, but none as highly touted as Lendeborg.
Already, Lendeborg can see his fit on the Warriors and how he would make an impact from Day 1 if they were to take him with the No. 11 pick. His answer wasn’t about himself. More so, it was about how he can help everybody else.
“I would say, like five assists a game maybe to start off,” Lendeborg said Thursday after his Warriors workout. “A lot of defense, fastbreak opportunities for me. Depending on if I’m here or anywhere else, my role will be a lot different. But if I was here, I’ll be more like a secondary ball-handler. Whenever Steph [Curry] is taken out of the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little more offense or instant offense.”
Asked Yaxel Lendeborg how he believes he would impact the Warriors as a rookie from Day 1
Curry was in the building Thursday, though it wasn’t the first time Lendeborg has met the Warriors’ superstar. The two briefly chatted in LA right before Curry dropped 35 points and played hero down the stretch against the Clippers at Intuit Dome to keep the Warriors’ season alive in the NBA play-in tournament.
To this day, Lendeborg remembers defending Curry’s greatness growing up in arguments with his friends. Playing alongside him, like so many of Curry’s past teammates, would be a full-circle dream come true.
“It would be amazing,” Lendeborg said. “He provides so much gravity on the court that it really makes it super easy for other guys to score, other guys to just showcase any ability that they have.”
The connection between Curry, Lendeborg and the Warriors makes plenty of sense. He isn’t considered a project who will need time to develop. Lendeborg is labeled as a plug-and-play rookie as someone who will turn 24 years old prior to his first NBA game.
That can be a negative for many teams, and possibly a major positive for an older team like the Warriors that wants to compete for a chance to contend.
“I really don’t like the word ‘upside,’ because it’s basically just like, this guy can be better or not, or will he be better. If you’re better now, you can still try to get better every single day. But as far as upside, if we want to use that word, I think I have the same amount as everybody.”
Unlike most draft prospects who were big names in high school, Lendeborg barely even played high school basketball. Poor grades kept getting in the way, forcing him to go the junior college route, where he excelled at Arizona Western. Lendeborg then committed to St. John’s, until Rick Pitino’s hiring changed his course again, ultimately landing at UAB (The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
There, Lendeborg dominated lower competition. He twice led the American conference in rebounds and was named the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year in both his seasons at UAB. At Michigan, Lendeborg became the complete player he wants to be in the NBA.
Averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, Lendeborg starred in his role next to two other future first-round picks in Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Where he took the biggest leap was as an outside shooter. Lendeborg went from shooting 34.9 percent from three on just 1.5 attempts per game at UAB, to then shooting 4.5 threes per game at Michigan and making them at a 37.2 percent clip and also shot a career-high 82.4 percent at the free-throw line.
His versatility allows him to play the 3, 4 and even small-ball 5 as someone who measured in at just under 6-foot-9 barefoot and 241 pounds at the combine with a wingspan that goes further than 7-foot-3. Lendeborg’s favorite players to watch film of are Paolo Banchero, Naz Reid, LeBron James and Magic Johnson. He has heard the “Dominican LeBron” nickname handed to him, and he wears it with a badge of honor.
“I do. I really do,” he says. “It was really fun trying to keep that legacy.”
In the lead up to draft, which begins June 23, Lendeborg’s phone has been blowing up from notifications. Maybe even from you. He sees fans tagging him in mock drafts, and a lot have him going to the Warriors.
Thus far, Lendeborg has worked out for the Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder (Nos. 12 and 17), Miami Heat (No. 12), Milwaukee Bucks (No. 10), Charlotte Hornets (Nos. 14 and 18) and the Dallas Mavericks (No. 9). He also still has workouts to do for the Clippers (No. 5) and Atlanta Hawks (No. 8).
“In a way, it kind of makes me envision myself playing on a team like this, Charlotte, the Heat, all those teams that I’m getting mocked to,” Lendeborg says. “It kind of gives me something to get attached to. I can’t get too attached, though. If I don’t get drafted by any of them, I don’t want to be upset. Either way, it’s nice to see and it’s a blessing to be part of this.”
The blueprint for success in a Warriors jersey already is being built in Lendeborg’s head. He has had the chance to show them why he’s the right player to be their next top rookie, and now all Lendeborg can do is wait and see if they’ll call his name.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 09: Pavel Dorofeyev #16 of the Vegas Golden Knights and Jordan Martinook #48 of the Carolina Hurricanes battle for the puck during the first period in Game Four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What a series this has been.
Tonight is another chapter of this epic Stanley Cup Finals battle, with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Vegas Golden Knights at the Lenovo Center tonight at 8 PM. Carolina is looking to take its first series lead and come within one game of winning the Stanley Cup.
On Tuesday, the Canes were able to tie the series 2-2, in part thanks to captain Jordan Staal, who scored two of Carolina’s five goals on the night. The Canes 5-3 win over the Knights was capped off with a Nikolaj Ehlers empty net goal that took a crazy bounce off the boards.
Staal has now scored in all four Stanley Cup Final games so far, becoming the first player since Mike Bossy in 1982 to accomplish the feat.
After going down 2-1 in Game 3 and seeing their legendary comeback attempt fall just short in double overtime, the Canes did something in Game 4 that they hadn’t done all postseason — start Brandon Bussi.
Bussi was the primary starter for the Hurricanes up until the Olympic break this year, and for much of the year he didn’t disappoint, finishing the season with a 31-6-2 record. But Frederik Andersen took over much of the work late in the season and had started every playoff game prior to Tuesday. After Bussi replaced Andersen in Game 3, which helped jump start a comeback attempt, the Canes have decided to move forward with The Bus as their goaltender.
Rod Brind’Amour’s decision to roll with Bussi — which many fans didn’t think he would do — ended up being the right one. Bussi stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced on Tuesday, helping the Canes tie the series.
It looks like Bussi will earn his second consecutive start tonight, a good sign for the Canes.
In the past couple games, the offense has come alive for the Hurricanes, led by the second line of Hall-Stankoven-Blake. In Game 4, Stankoven scored his 11th goal of the playoffs and Blake followed suit with his sixth goal of the postseason. Carolina has scored four goals or more in each of the four Stanley Cup games so far.
The one area of concern for the Canes, surprisingly, has been on the defensive end.
Multiple times throughout the series, including in their Game 4 win, there have been uncharacteristic defensive breakdowns. Vegas’ Mark Stone was able to spring loose on a breakaway for the Knights’ first goal of the game after Jaccob Slavin let him get behind Carolina’s defense.
Slavin — who has been one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL for the better part of the last decade — has not looked like himself this series. Whether it’s an injury or something else, the Canes need to get a little more out of their star defenseman on the defensive end.
But Slavin isn’t the only one, Carolina’s team defense needs to step up and limit a lot of the high danger chances that the Knights have been able to get this series. The offense has come around, which has put the Canes right back in the driver’s seat for the Stanley Cup. It’s now time their defense does the same thing.
With Bussi in net again and Staal playing like his prime self, look for another inspired performance out of the Canes tonight in front of the home crowd, with a chance to come within one game of winning the Stanley Cup.
Here’s how to catch tonight’s action:
Time: 8 PM Eastern
TV/Streaming: ABC, SN, CBC, TVAS
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
Odds: Hurricanes -160 Moneyline, Hurricanes -1.5 at +158
IT HAS BEEN 14 YEARS: The Cubs have not been swept in a series at Colorado since Sept. 25-27, 2012, when they lost by 10-5, 6-0 and 7-5. This is their 13th series there since that sweep. They lost two games, then won the finale in 2019 and 2024. The Cubs have been swept in four total series at Denver. The three before 2012 were two games and four games in 1997, then three games in 2010. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TWO IS RARELY ENOUGH: The Cubs scored only two runs last night. It was their seventh game with exactly two, and the fourth they have lost. They are 1-7 with one run and have been shut out seven times, so they are 4-18 with two or fewer runs — and 30-16 with three or more. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
MORE ON THE LACK OF OFFENSE: In their last five games, the Cubs have scored 12 runs: three in three games, two in one and one in one. They have scored in only 10 of 47 innings, and produced multiple runs in only two, both with two runs. They have scored more than two runs in an inning only once in their last 10 games: the four-run, ninth-inning rally that beat the Athletics, 7-6, last Thursday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Jody Davis hits his first MLB home run and the Cubs defeat the Giants 6-1 at Wrigley Field. It’s the team’s fifth win in their last six games after a 10-36 start to the season. It’s also the last game before a players’ strike that would last nearly two months and wipe out a third of the season. This game happened 45 years ago today, Thursday, June 11, 1981.
For the third day in a row, the Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Honestly I have no idea why it takes this long, why they can’t do this by two hours to game time. Anyway, please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.
Edward Cabrera’s last start was… oh, I won’t be charitable. It was awful. He allowed three home runs and eight runs in fewer than four innings, the first time he’d ever allowed eight runs in a game.
The last time he pitched in Coors Field was Aug. 26, 2024 and he allowed three runs in 5.1 innings. Honestly, doing that today would be a significant improvement over last time out.
Ryan Feltner missed most of 2025 with back and shoulder issues and also missed five weeks earlier this year with ulnar nerve inflammation.
He’s made two starts since returning and both were very good — in total, 12 innings pitched, five hits and one run allowed.
He has not faced the Cubs since Sept. 18, 2022 and I post that boxscore link mostly for amusement value, because there’s only one position player from that lineup still on the team (Ian Happ). Current Cubs are a very small sample size 2-for-16 against him.
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on May 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Yankees re-signed Paul Blackburn to a one-year deal back in December, I actually liked the move. A veteran pitcher who had spent his entire career as a (rather lackluster) starter, he was, at a minimum, important early-season depth for a team that knew heading into the winter that it would have three starting pitchers — Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt — open the year on the injured list. And while the rotation depth was fortunately not tested any further in spring training, having a pair of veteran arms in Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough was the type of Plan B that big-market teams with larger payrolls should always have.
This wasn’t why I was intrigued, however. Three years ago, in September 2023, the Yankees claimed journeyman starter Luke Weaver off waivers. They liked what they saw, re-signed him to a one-year deal with a team option for 2025, and although they had him prepare as a starter in spring training, they had him ticketed for a spot in the bullpen from pretty much day one. You know the rest — he became a dominant bullpen arm that locked down the closer’s role in the Yankees’ 2024 AL pennant run, followed that up with an up-and-down 2025, and signed a two-year deal with the Mets in free agency this past winter. To me, Blackburn seemed like a perfect candidate to try this again.
Fast forward to June, and it seems like this is the Yankees’ goal. Unlike Yarbrough, who primarily — although not exclusively, as we saw on Monday night — pitches when the team needs multiple innings (particularly in garbage time), Blackburn has been increasingly used in more and more…I wouldn’t say high leverage roles, but middle innings in games that the Yankees neither have a large lead nor have put up the white flag. And for his part, he hasn’t been half bad in that role: since the start of May, he has allowed just five runs, three of which came back on May 13th in Baltimore.
However, is this performance sustainable, or is Blackburn’s stretch of strong performances yet more evidence for the volatility of relief pitchers? The underlying data is, well, rather contradictory.
Blackburn has done a very good job at both avoiding hard contact and generating groundballs — in fact, his groundball percentage ranks 14th out of the 183 relievers with at least 20 innings so far this season, and his hard hit percentage 64th. At the same time, though, he struggles to get batters to chase at pitches out of the zone or whiff at pitches in the zone, a combo that makes him one of the worst strikeout pitchers in the game. While Tim Hill (69.8 GB%, 11.8 K%), Yennier Cano (61.7 GB%, 19.8 K%), and Tyler Rogers (68.9 GB%, 15.1 K%) prove that you can still be a reliable reliever — nay, even a dominant one — while pitching more to contact, it does leave less room for error.
Looking deeper into the Statcast data, Blackburn has thrown seven different types of pitches this year, a reflection of his background as a starter: a sinker, a cutter, a changeup, a curveball, a sweeper, a four-seamer, and a slider. Of these, he tends to lean on his sinker and his cutter against righties, mixing in his sweeper against righties. Against lefties, he has used a wider repertoire, leaning on his cutter, changeup, and curveball and mixing in the sinker. He’s only thrown eight fastballs and four sliders, and given the context, I’m pretty sure the sliders were simply sweepers that didn’t register correctly on Statcast.
Not surprisingly, given the larger number of right-handed hitters compared to lefties, Blackburn has combined to throw his sinker and cutter a whopping 65.4 percent of the time. Unfortunately, these are also the pitches that hitters have done the most damage on: batters are hitting .324 against the sinker and .357 against the cutter, and the xBA for each shows relatively little regression should be expected, at least in terms of batted ball data (.338 and .275, respectively). The changeup, cutter, and sweeper, on the other hand, have been very effective in their smaller sample sizes, responsible for 11 of his 20 strikeouts and just four of his 27 hits.
So where do we stand on our original question? In truth, the question is still up in the air. Should Blackburn be able to generate more soft grounders with the sinker, he may be able to continue this hot stretch and become a solid middle reliever for the team as we head into the summer months. But unless he can find a way to generate some swing-and-miss, however, it seems unlikely that he can pull a Weaver and turn himself into what the Yankees are looking for, another true bullpen ace.
Jun 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) tags out Minnesota Twins left fielder Ryan Kreidler (5) at home plate in the third inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (28-40) vs. Minnesota Twins (31-38)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (2-4, 3.95 ERA) vs. RHP Zebby Matthews (2-3, 4.15 ERA)
Los Angeles, CA - April 21: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Rockets in the first half of game 2 of a Western Conference first-round NBA playoff basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we look at Marcus Smart.
Whatever expectations the Lakers had when they signed Marcus Smart last summer were not only met but exceeded.
Through his gritty defense, vocal leadership and contagious effort, Smart quickly earned the respect of his teammates and fans alike. The veteran was everything his reputation advertised and the team needed.
Beyond his production, Smart’s impact and connectivity next to his star teammates also served as important proof of concept as the Lakers approach a pivotal offseason.
With the franchise expected to make significant changes this summer, Smart proved he can help contribute to whatever shape the roster takes if brought back. And if he’s not, he displayed how important having players like him can be.
How did they play?
Typically, 6’3” guards aren’t able to be defensive anchors for a team, but Smart is the exception.
Whether it was guarding up or down, diving for loose balls or stepping in for charges, Smart injected much-needed care into the Lakers’ defense.
It is no secret that the Lakers’ roster lacked defensive talent last season. However, there was a level of effort that Smart helped cultivate that ultimately got the most out of the group.
Even if the results didn’t equate to an above-average defense by the end of the year, Smart’s individual efforts deserve recognition.
Although much of his value comes from the intangible parts of his game, the numbers showcased how tangible his impact actually was.
The Lakers were a fantastic 8.9 points better with Smart on the floor this past season and allowed 7.3 points less per 100 possessions. Both are elite indicators of a player being a meaningful difference maker.
For as good and consistent as Smart was as a defensive tone setter, his offense waxed and waned.
Playing next to the likes of Luka Dončić , LeBron James and Austin Reaves, Smart was slotted off=ball more than ever before (72% of his makes were assisted on).
As a result, this put more of an emphasis on Smart’s perimeter shooting, an area he has historically been just okay at, which was the case once again. When removing garbage time, Smart converted just 33% of his 3-point attempts and 30% of his above-the-break chances.
While not as effective on offense as he is on defense, Smart showed how versatile and helpful he could still be.
Despite his struggles from the perimeter, Smart still found ways to be a spark on that end. His ball-handling, playmaking and downhill ability proved critical in the playoffs once Dončić and Reaves were ruled out. His knack for crashing the offensive glass also created countless extra possessions throughout the year.
What are their contract situations moving forward?
With a player option at his disposal, Smart can either opt into the remaining $5.3 million of his deal with the Lakers or opt out and test the market. After his strong year, there are expected to be plenty of suitors he can pick from.
At 32, Smart’s decision will likely come down to playing for a contender and/or landing a more lucrative deal than the one he currently has. The Lakers are uniquely able to offer Smart both.
With ample cap space and a clear role in place, a return may benefit both parties.
Should they be back?
If a new deal can be reached and is reasonable from both a financial and years perspective, the Lakers should absolutely bring Smart back into the fold.
Beyond checking multiple boxes on the court, Smart was also a successful case study of the type of players who succeed around Dončić and Reaves.
The fluidity and chemistry between the trio were evident as ineups featuring Smart, Reaves and Dončić had an incredible +22.1 net rating. For context, that was the best mark among all 3-man pairings last season.
In an ideal world, the Lakers could find a younger and better version of Smart this summer, allowing him to slide into a more appropriately sized role. Not only would this add more defensive talent and depth to the roster, but it would help Smart stay sharp and healthy all year.
Ultimately, it is not a guarantee that Smart would even want to return or prefer another opportunity elsewhere. But if he does opt to remain in Los Angeles, then the Lakers should be excited for a reunion.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Alexander Command
Position: Center Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 187 Shoots: Left Team: Orebro
Scouting report
There’s a craftiness to Command’s game. The Swedish pivot knows what to do with the puck on his stick. He can shoot it and pass it. He won’t overwhelm you with speed or power, but he just seems to get the job done.
“I see him as a second-line center all day long,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “The way he plays — he’s smart, he’s competitive.”
Playing at the junior level in his home country, Command led Orebro with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) over 30 games this season. He had 96 shots and a plus-10 rating. He added 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and 40 shots in 14 playoff games.
At the 2026 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship that ended last month, Command had seven points (three goals, four assists), 21 shots and a plus-4 rating in seven games for Team Sweden, which won gold.
Button sees some Joel Eriksson Ek qualities in Command. The Wild center, also from Sweden, was drafted 20th overall in 2015 and has gone on to record 60-plus points twice and 30 goals once.
“Joel has that competitive fire and the smarts,” Button said. “I think Alexander has the same things, I think Command has the same type of elements in his game. He makes other players better.”
COVERS INTEL: The Chicago Cubs rank 27th in clutch batting win probability (-0.98) during their highlighted slump after posting a sixth-ranked 1.26 mark through the prior 23 games to highlight an unsustainable – and catastrophic – drop in timely hitting has been another huge contributor to the skid. Chicago begins returning to form at the plate this afternoon.
Cubs vs Rockies Over/Under pick: Under 11.5 (-122)
The Cubs and Rockies played to the Under the first two games of the series with just 15 runs combined, so with the potential for both teams to rest regulars Thursday, this total is too high for me.
Additionally, while Chicago righty Edward Cabrera was hit hard in his return from a blister on his middle finger, he surrendered three earned runs or fewer in nine of 10 starts while pitching to a nearly identical 4.00 ERA and 4.01 xFIP to start the year.
Finally, considering the highlighted Cubs struggles at the dish, I’m not anticipating Chicago flipping the script entirely this afternoon and would play this Under to -125.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 25-14, +12.73 units
Over/Under bets: 13-11, +1.22 units
Cubs vs Rockies odds
Moneyline: Cubs -155 | Rockies +130
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (-100) | Rockies +1.5 (-120)
Over/Under: Over 11 (-115) | Under 11 (-105)
Cubs vs Rockies trend
The Cubs have cashed the Under in 18 of their last 30 games for +5.15 units and a 16% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rockies.
How to watch Cubs vs Rockies and game info
Location
Coors Field, Denver, CO
Date
Thursday, June 11, 2026
First pitch
3:10 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, Rockies.TV
Cubs starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (3-3, 4.99 ERA)
Rockies starting pitcher
Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.22 ERA)
Cubs vs Rockies latest injuries
Cubs vs Rockies weather
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In a surprising twist, the Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly turned to the Edmonton Oilers in search of big upgrades to their group of defensemen going forward.
Veteran Nick Seeler is beginning to show signs of wear and tear as he gets older, and pending RFA Emil Andrae is looking increasingly likely to be on another NHL team next season.
That leaves the Flyers in need of another left-shot defenseman, and a solid one with experience, too, after they just made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years.
One player with such experience is Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who helped guide the Western Conference titans to back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.
Nurse, 31, has four seasons remaining on his contract at a $9.25 million cap hit, which is the major detractor when it comes to both trading him and trading for him.
According to On Pattison's Anthony San Filippo, though, the Flyers could be one of the approved destinations for the Oilers defenseman, who has a full no-move clause, and the Flyers have interest if the price is reasonable.
"A source outside of the Flyers organization said Nurse, who has a full no-trade clause in his contract through the end of next season, has told the Oilers there are a few teams he is willing to be traded to right now. Are the Flyers one of them? It’s unclear, but a separate source told me they would be an approved destination," San Filippo reported.
Logistically, the Flyers could very easily absorb Nurse's full cap hit without much trouble going forward, but that would also be money spent that they could allocate elsewhere.
RFAs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale need new contracts, Matvei Michkov is eligible for an extension as of July 1, Dan Vladar will sign an extension this summer, and maybe the Flyers sign John Carlson in free agency, too.
Nurse wouldn't stop any of those things from happening, but it would make for an unnecessarily tight ship if an opportunity arose for the Flyers to add, say, a No. 1 center or player-adjacent.
“That’s the difficult part of the conversation,” a Flyers source told San Filippo, saying that there has been internal discussion about how it would have to look for them to be interested enough to pick up the phone. “It depends on what the cost is for them to retain, and how much they would be retaining.”
Nurse is an overall better, more versatile player than someone like Rasmus Ristolainen, who currently carries a $5.1 million cap hit.
So, to make Nurse's contract palatable, the Flyers would have to get his number down to somewhere between that and $7 million.
Salary retention costs a lot these days, and it's a risky move for a contender like Edmonton to pay players to play on another team, but they have little choice with the primes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl winding down.
As for any potential trade compensation, it is worth noting that the Flyers do not have fourth- or fifth-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, though they do have both in 2027 in addition to two third-round picks.
It's also fair to wonder if the Oilers would entertain a straight player swap with retention for someone like Andrae, potentially in addition to another bubble NHLer or useful depth player.
The Flyers have plenty of avenues to explore, and Nurse's $74 million contract is certainly one of them, even with its warts.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: A detailed view of the bat of Samad Taylor #0 of the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2026 MLB Draft Preview: Jared Grindlinger scouting report.
The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at Huntington Beach, California, two-way player Jared Grindlinger.
Jared Grindlinger is a 6’3”, 185 lb. lefthanded hitter and thrower who is matriculating from Huntington Beach High School in California. Grindlinger is one of the youngest players in this year’s draft class, having just turned 17 this past April. Grindlinger was originally going to be in the 2027 draft class, but reclassified four months ago to being draft-eligible in 2026. He is committed to the University of Tennessee, where his older brother, Trent, is a freshman who has been the Volunteers’ starting catcher this year.
As a hitter, the reports on Grindlinger describe him as contact-oriented, without a lot of present power, but with a build and swing that projects for power in the future. BP describes him as having “elite” contact ability and strike zone control.
Defensively, Grindlinger plays the outfield, though his lack of speed means he’s probably a corner outfielder, with right field being the best fit due to his arm. His speed will probably decrease as he fills out, which could result in him ending up at first base.
On the mound, Grindlinger is “all about projection,” per MLB Pipeline, which notes that his present stuff isn’t all that impressive. His fastball has touched 96 but is generally in the low 90s, with a slider that is a work in progress. His changeup is seen as his best offspeed pitch, with MLB Pipeline noting he has thrown both a circle change and a kick change.
Grindlinger is a really interesting draft candidate. His re-classifying just five months before the draft means that teams had not focused on him previously as much as other high schoolers who were draft-eligible this year. His being so young means that there’s much more projecting that has to be done with him, as well as the fact that as a two-way player he has not focused on either pitching or hitting as much as a non-two-way player would have at this point. To put his youth into context, on draft day, Grindlinger will be roughly five months older than Sebastian Walcott was when the Rangers signed him.
Grindlinger is a high upside, high risk guy right now, and the chances are good that he will be off the board when the Rangers pick. If he’s not, the Rangers, who have two way teenagers Josh Owens and Seong-Jung Kim playing in the ACL this year, would have the opportunity to add another youngster with two-way potential to the system.
Jun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
What a game. What a team. Those players and us fans wish we could have those last seconds back, or heck, even the entire fourth quarter. The roller coaster ride of emotion had a lot of peaks but the downward swirl there in the fourth makes you almost want to erase it from your memory because of the pain it brought.
That’s what we at Pounding the Rock are here for. Join us on this journey to erase the pain of that loss. We have the technology. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, it means going through the better parts (highlights, if you will) of the game and remembering that the joy of winning never comes easy nor does it come without the disappointment of losing.
So sit back, try to enjoy some of the good parts of Wednesday’s game as we try to erase from memory the second half/fourth quarter of the game. If you hear the voices of Kate Winslet, peak career Jim Carrey, early career Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood, that’s normal. It’s completely normal.
Victor Wembanyama led the team with 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while Dylan Harper contributed 21 points on 8 -12 shooting off the bench.
Early on, there were some good, purposeful ball movement to find the open player in the corner for an open three. A lot of those seeing as how the team set a record for most threes in the first half. The first half being the operative word.
The Spurs swarmed early and got some easy points off of turnovers. Playing aggressive, yet loose, seems to be a winning formula they’ll hope to duplicate and maintain.
Victor Wembanyama got crafty with his footwork to get around his defender for the bucket inside. If this move was a craft beer, it’d be described as hoppy but a subtle bounce with a sweet aftertaste.
Analytically speaking, the pull-up mid-range jumper is inefficient. But aesthetically speaking, the mid-range jumper is pretty, especially when Dylan Harper is able to probe his way through the defense and make space for himself to pull up.
We know the second part of the saying “Live by the three . . .” but this is a highlights article remember, so we’ll stop there and have a moment to appreciate Carter Bryant’s early development into becoming the next great D and Three wing.
This mildly chaotic scrum off a jump ball ended with a drained three for the Spurs. The most impressive part was Dylan Harper fighting (successfully) for the ball in a sea of Knicks arms.
If you missed the game because you were too busy trying to duplicate the memory-erasing technology from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs will head home for Game 5 on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 30: Hunter Dobbins #40 of the St. Louis Cardinals in action against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 30, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will continue their joyride in New York Wednesday afternoon as Hunter Dobbins will get the start for the Redbirds. The New York Mets will hope Christian Scott can pull off a miracle as he will take the mound for the metros. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10pm central time and the broadcast will be available on Cardinals.tv.
COVERS INTEL: Chicago White Sox starter Anthony Kay has the 
