The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to even the Western Conference finals in Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs won the opener 122-115 in double overtime on Monday. The loss was the defending champion Thunder’s first of the 2026 NBA playoffs.
How to Watch San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder -247 (68.2%) / San Antonio Spurs +201 (31.8%)
Over/Under: 216.5
Series schedule, results
Game 1:Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT) Game 2: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Wednesday May 20, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) Game 3: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Friday May 22, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) Game 4: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Sunday May 24, 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock) Game 5: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Tuesday May 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)* Game 6: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Thursday May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)* Game 7: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Saturday May 30, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)*
Andy Pages knew he had to get his timing right. Down 0-2 in the count against San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller and his MLB-best 53.6% strikeout rate, with the go-ahead run 90 feet away in the top of the ninth inning, he knew he had no choice but to be ready for Miller's stuff.
But as he fouled off pitch after pitch, Pages felt his confidence grow.
"I just followed my plan," he told reporters in Spanish. "I fell behind early ... but fouling off those good pitches he was throwing me, I realized that I was 100% going to move the ball forward."
Then, on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, after fouling off the last three in a row from Miller, Pages did exactly that. The 25-year-old slugger connected on a 101.5 mph heater at chest level and sent it looping into right field, just deep enough for Alex Call to tag up from third and narrowly beat the throw at home from Fernando Tatis Jr. to put the Los Angeles Dodgers in position for the 5-4 win — and a half-game lead in the National League West.
"I think that was one of the greatest at-bats I've ever seen in person, and I've been playing a long time," Freddie Freeman told reporters. "That at-bat was incredible. To hit 95 is hard, to hit 100 is even harder. To hit 102, is probably the hardest thing to do."
Just putting a 101.5 mph pitch in play off of Miller — who to that point had only allowed a run scored on pitches above 101 mph 13 times in his big league career — was noteworthy. But the way it happened speaks volumes of the strides Pages has made at the plate.
He fouled off six total pitches, and the last three before his sac fly went as follows: he pulled a 101.4 mph fastball up in the zone to right. Miller then mixed up his velo with an 87 mph slider on the upper inside corner of the plate that Pages popped back into the stands behind home plate. Miller followed that up with another slider, this time at the knees. Pages fouled that one off, too, and shook his head as he stepped back into the box.
"There were pitches that you could see I was late on, but there were also ones that I could've done a lot damage on," he told reporters. "They simply ended up foul, but there were pitches that if I could've pushed them forward, I would've done a little more damage."
Pages' clutch swing ended up being the difference as the Dodgers went on to avenge their 1-0 loss in San Diego the night prior and even up the series. They'll have a chance to create some breathing room in the standings on Wednesday with Shohei Ohtani on the mound and in the lineup for the rubber match.
May 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Jonny DeLuca (21) makes a diving catch against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
On Wednesday afternoon, their last game at home before heading out on the road, the Rays were hoping to continue to widen their lead in the AL East by sweeping the Orioles in their three-game series. To get there, they had Steven Matz on the mound, up against Shane Baz for the Orioles, and if you had to do a double-take on that name, same, because I sometimes forget players aren’t still with us, no matter how long it has been.
Gunnar Henderson got things going for the O’s in the top of the first with a one-out single, followed by a walk to Adley Rutschman. With two on, Matz worked out of the jam and got the final two outs. In the home half, Jonathan Aranda walked, and then, thanks to an ABS challege in the Rays’ favor, Ryan Vilade walked as well. They were both left stranded, though.
The Orioles went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. And just when it looked like the Rays might do the same, Hunter Feduccia got a two-out home run, his first homer in the majors. Taylor Walls walked, but the Rays would need to settle for just the one run.
With one out in the third, Taylor Ward walked thanks to an ABS challenge. Henderson then singled. With two outs, Pete Alonso singled, bringing Ward home and tying up the game. The Rays got the final out of the inning on a night Jonny DeLuca catch that might have just been an excuse to show off his incredible hair.
Junior Caminero started the home half of the third with a single, but Aranda grounded into a double play. They weren’t able to make anything else happen for the inning.
The Orioles went 1-2-3 again in the top of the fourth, and the Rays returned the favor in the bottom of the inning.
Matz was done after four with a final line of 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K on 67 pitches. With Matz just returning from the IL it makes sense that they don’t want to overwork him. He was replaced by Jesse Scholtens. The O’s managed a two-out single by Henderson, but it was all they managed to get. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Pete Alonso broke the tie game in the top of the sixth with a solo home run. Then, with one out and to almost the exact same place in the park, Samuel Basallo hit a solo homer of his own. Jeremiah Jackson singled, but the Rays got out of the danger zone, keeping the lead from getting any bigger. Still, they were going to need to dig themselves out of a hole if they wanted to come away with the win. They didn’t do themselves any favors in the home half, going three-up, three-down.
Ward got a leadoff walk in the seventh, then with one out he advanced to second on a balk, but despite the runner in scoring position, the Orioles weren’t able to make anything happen. Baz was done, being replaced by Tyler Wells, so if you’re keeping track with have a Taylor Walls, a Taylor Ward, and now a Tyler Wells in this game. He got the Rays out in order.
In the top of the eighth, Basallo and Colton Cowser got back-to-back singles with one out in the inning. The Rays did get themselves out of another jam, though, but they were running out of chances to stage a comeback. Anthony Nunez was the new Orioles pitcher in the eighth. Feduccia got a leadoff… bunt? Yup, a little soft bunt down the third base line got him safely to first, so who am I to question it? Highlight of the inning was the O’s challenging a ball call and hearing the home plate umpire with a hot mic go “Oh geez” when he realized it was actually a strike. With one out, Chandler Simpson grounded into a force out to eliminate Feduccia. Caminero fought out a good at-bat and finally got a well-placed single into right to advance Simpson to third and putting the go-ahead run at the plate. Aranda went right into hero mode, hitting a line drive to center that was deep enough to allow both baserunners to score and tying the game up again 3-3.
Vilade walked, and that was it for the pitcher. Rico Garcia was next out of the pen. Richie Palacios then came in, singled to right, and Aranda ran so hard his helmet could not contain his hair. The Rays had the lead. Then the vibes kept things rolling as Palacios stole second and Vilade stole home. A lineout ended the inning but the Rays were now up 5-3.
Ian Seymour came in for the ninth, now just needing to keep the score in check, and he did just that. The Rays made it tense for fun, but they got the sweep when all was said and done.
Forwards Filip Jovic of Auburn and Sergej Macura of Mississippi State and guards Jaylen Petty of Texas Tech and Azavier Robinson of Butler have joined UCLA through the transfer portal, coach Mick Cronin said Wednesday.
Macura will be a junior this fall and has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Jovic, Petty and Robinson will be sophomores and have three seasons left.
Jovic averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in all 37 games for Auburn last season, helping the Tigers win the NIT title.
Macura averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 28 games for Mississippi State last season.
Petty averaged 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 33 games as a freshman at Texas Tech. He shot 41% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.
Robinson averaged 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 22 games as a freshman at Butler. His season ended in early February after a left wrist injury. Robinson shot 47% from the field and 43% from 3-point range.
The foursome join incoming freshmen Javonte Floyd and Joe Philon.
Is Kylie Jenner the good luck charm the Knicks need to reach the NBA Finals?
Good and bad omens are subjective to some, but when the beauty mogul is on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks average 8.2 more points per game, according to data by Casino.org.
The Knicks are 5-1 when Kylie has attended — an 83.3 percent courtside win rate, with a +13.5 average margin — over the past two seasons with boyfriend and die-hard Knicks fan Timothée Chalamet.
Actor Timothée Chalamet and girlfriend Kylie Jenner on celebrity row at Game 2 of the Second Round NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs series between the Knicks and the 76ers at Madison Square Garden on May 6, 2026 in New York. Getty Images
Jenner sat courtside with Chalamet for the Knicks’ 126-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5 of the first-round playoff series last month.
After that, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star took in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, when the Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 on May 6.
Chalamet, who skipped the past two Met Galas to watch the Knicks, is New York’s biggest celebrity scoring boost, with the team averaging 117.4 points when he has been in attendance — 13.6 points more than in other Knicks games analyzed, per Casino.org.
Tina Fey, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, and Ben Stiller attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2026 in New York City. Getty Images
Jenner was not with Chalamet for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night — a 115-104 overtime comeback win for the Knicks over the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
If both are in attendance for Game 2 on Thursday, New York is projected to score around 116 points, per Casino.org.
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NBAE via Getty Images
When the power couple and legendary director Spike Lee, a longtime staple at MSG, sit courtside, the Knicks are 5-0, winning by nearly 20 points per game.
The Knicks are 13-6 in games analyzed in which Lee has been in attendance.
The Knicks did not have the same luck when some other stars sat courtside.
Spike Lee reacts during the second quarter of Game 1 of the eastern conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The blue and orange are 0-2 in games in which comedian Jon Stewart and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee were in attendance.
Other Knicks die-hards such as Ben Stiller and Tracy Morgan were not included in the data.
Casino.org US analyzed more than 280 publicly reported celebrity appearances at NBA games involving the four remaining playoff teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Having transformed the Buffalo Sabres into contenders again, Lindy Ruff will have the opportunity to build on the team’s breakthrough season by continuing his second stint as coach.
The Sabres announced signing Ruff to a two-year contract extension in a move coming two days after Buffalo’s 3-2 loss to Montreal in Game 7 of a second-round playoff series. Ruff was completing the second and final season of the contract he signed upon returning to Buffalo, where he spent 10 years as a player and has since become the franchise’s winningest coach.
The 66-year-old Ruff is a Jack Adams NHL coach of the year finalist following a season in which the Sabres ended a league-record 14-season playoff drought and won their first Atlantic Division title. In beating Boston in six games of a first-round series, Buffalo also advanced in the playoffs for the first time since the Ruff-coached team reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2007.
The re-signing was expected, with both sides reaching the parameters of an agreement over the past few weeks. The only delay was not to distract from the playoffs.
Ruff’s first coaching stint in Buffalo spanned 17 seasons, which included a six-game loss to Dallas in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final, and him winning coach of the year honors in 2006. His tenure ended when he was fired two months into 2013 campaign.
After head-coaching stops in Dallas and New Jersey, Ruff was brought back by the Sabres to replace Don Granato, who was fired following the 2023-24 season.
Ruff’s return bookended Buffalo’s playoff drought in a span that featured seven coaching changes.
With an overall career coaching record of 950-741-169 and 78 ties, Ruff ranks fourth on the NHL list in wins, second in losses and fourth in games coached. In Buffalo, he’s gone 657-494-100 with 78 ties, which ranks second on the list in wins and games coached with one franchise behind Al Arbour’s 1,500-game tenure with the New York Islanders.
This year was among Ruff’s finest seasons, and came a year after he vowed to improve upon last year’s finish of 36-39-7. Buffalo tumbled out of contention during an 0-10-3 skid spanning November and December.
This time, the Sabres caught fire in early December and went 39-9-5 over their final 53 games to vault from last in the Eastern Conference standings to finish second. Buffalo’s 50 wins and 109 points were the Sabres’ most since the Ruff-coached team in 2006-07 won a franchise-record 53 games and matched a team record with 113 points.
Ruff credited the keys to this year’s turnaround to the team getting healthier and captain Rasmus Dahlin’s presence — the defenseman spent the first two months of the season dealing with his fiancée recovering from heart transplant surgery in Europe.
Another factor in the surge was promoting Jarmo Kekalainen as GM to replace Kevyn Adams, who was fired in mid-December. Kekalainen’s presence restored a level of confidence in the players by instilling belief the franchise had a clearer vision to succeed.
Though Kekalainen initially backed Ruff upon taking over, he provided no assurances regarding the coach’s future beyond this season. The two, who had never previously worked together, eventually built a mutual bond of trust and respect.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Mikal Bridges #25, Miles McBride #2 and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks look on during the fourth quarter of a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night’s win will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable games for Knicks fans of all generations. It had a bad start, questionable decisions, a historic comeback, clutch shots, and big moments. But somewhat lost in all of the memories, and incredible on-court performances are some of the numbers that sound anywhere from incredible to downright unbelievable.
So, here is a list of some of the most noteworthy stats from a noteworthy game, brought to you by reporters, analysts, and Knicks fans from all over.
Let’s start with the low point. When the Cavaliers were up 93-71 with 7:49 left in the game, ESPN Analytics had the Knicks with just a 0.1% chance to win the game. Until last night, teams trailing by 22 points or more in the fourth quarter of a playoff game were 1-594.
According to ESPN Analytics, the Knicks win probability was as low as 0.1% 🤯
Teams trailing by 22 points in the fourth quarter of a playoff game since 1997-98 were 1-594 entering Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/vk7NUIilGQ
Teams were also 3-747 in games where they were down 20 or more at any point in the fourth quarter.
NBA teams were 3-747 when down by 20 or more in the 4th quarter of a playoff game over the last 30 years. They are now 4-747.
Knicks come back from 22 in the fourth quarter, the second-largest 4th quarter comeback in the playoffs in the play-by-play era (since 1997).
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) May 20, 2026
As we all know now, they turned things around due to some lineup changes, a heroic effort by Jalen Brunson, a few clutch baskets by role players, and a side of Kenny Atkinson, and the Cavaliers choking. Noted by many, the Knicks ended up going on an insane 44-11 run.
The @nyknicks ended tonight's game on a 44-11 run.
No other NBA team in the last 20 years has scored at least 44 of the game's final 55 points (reg or post). pic.twitter.com/tz06fXYxdt
And much of the run was powered by Brunson, his shot-making, and him getting James Harden to switch on to him seemingly at will. According to ALL NBA Podcast, Harden was the screener defender on 21 on-ball picks in the final two periods. New York got 1.6 points per direct actions on those plays. He also guarded eight isolations in the fourth quarter-something that has only happened 30 times during the tracking era-and gave up an absurd 1.88 points per direct actions on those, which was the most of such instances since the 2013-14 season.
Brunson, as he does so often, also etched his name into the history books. He extended his lead for most playoff points since joining the Knicks, most 35+ points playoff games since he became a Knick, and now has more 35-point playoff games than 99.7% of all players in NBA history.
Most Playoff Points Since Jalen Brunson Joined The Knicks :
He also raised his average to 29.4PPG in the playoffs as a Knick, which is sixth all-time among players who have played 50 or more playoff games with one franchise.
Most Points Per Game in NBA Playoffs for One Franchise (min 50 G):
We also cannot talk about Game 1 without mentioning Mikal Bridges and his late-game heroics. Not only was he one of the few players to start the game relatively well, but he also made two of the three biggest shots in the game, and the Knicks do not win this game without him. In fact, Bridges is playing maybe his best stretch of basketball as a Knick. He’s been incredible all postseason long defensively, and has been amazing offensively over his last six games, averaging 18.7PPG, while shooting 67.1% from the floor.
Over NY's last six games, Mikal Bridges is averaging 18.7 points while shooting 67.1% from the floor.
Per @bball_ref, over the last 30 years, the only other non-centers to average more than 18 PPG while shooting above 65% from the floor over a 6-game stretch in the postseason…
While Tuesday night’s thriller wasn’t the dominant performance fans have gotten accustomed to seeing from this team, they have now won eight straight games, haven’t lost a game in 27 days, and have outscored opponents by an absurd 196 points during that span.
The Knicks haven't lost a game in 27 days 🤯
They've outscored their opponents by 196 points in that span…
It can be hard to sometimes appreciate greatness while we are in the moment. But this is a reminder that this is a very good team that is always capable of coming back from a large deficit, and is led by one of the greatest playoff performers of all-time. Enjoy it, and don’t take it for granted.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 10: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 5.59 ERA, 4.91 FIP, with 48 strikeouts to 21 walks in 46.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-2 loss to the Athletics on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and a walk in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, who enters today’s game with a 5.91 ERA, 5.94 FIP, with 23 strikeouts to 18 walks in 35 innings pitched. His last start was in the Diamondbacks’ 9-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts in nine innings. That’s practically a perfect game at Coors Field.
Andrew Benintendi was one of last night’s heros, but he’s still not good. A -0.6 bWAR tells that story, but we’ll take what we can get out of the $75 million man. | (Joe Nicholson/Imagn Images)
The White Sox go for the series win this afternoon against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. A victory would give the South Siders their sixth series win of the season and move them to three games over .500 for the first time in 2026.
Sean Burke draws the start, hoping to erase the memory of his last mess — four runs, eight hits, and an early shower after 4 1/3. Still, he’s 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA in nine games, 48 1/3 innings of mostly serviceable work.
Seattle throws Emerson Hancock at the Sox, and he’s been sneaky good: 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA over nine starts. Last time out, he took the loss despite giving up just one run in six. He did tag the Sox for a win back on May 9, even though he coughed up five runs in six innings. Go figure.
Will Venable stacks them up like this on the getaway day.
It’s a familiar formula on both sides: Chicago trying to piece together enough offense to back a starter and Seattle leaning on steady pitching. With the series on the line, small margins will matter early.
The Sox have shown they can scrap out wins. So, now it’s about closing the deal and heading to San Francisco with another burst of momentum.
First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.
MIAMI, FL - MAY 19: Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) looks on during a game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on May 19, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have released their lineup for tonight’s contest against the Miami Marlins and the lineup is one that looks like another reminder of just how deep this lineup can be on any given day when injuries aren’t completely ravaging the squad.
Michael Harris II has moved up to second in the lineup, which is the highest he’s hit in the lineup so far this season by two full spots. His previous highest spot in the order was fourth, so clearly Walt Weiss is thinking that it would be better for Harris to get some more ABs at the moment — especially against right-handed pitching. Harris is entering this game batting .318/.339/.523 against right-handers with a wRC+ of 139 and six homers so far.
Also, Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the field while Dominic Smith will be taking on the role for DH in this one. Again, this is a very solid-looking lineup against righties — as evidence by the fact that the Braves as a team currently lead all of baseball in hitting against right-handers with a team wRC+ of 119 against righties.
Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez stay at the top of the lineup and as long as Chris Sale can find a way to make sure they’re not involved in any given rallies, he and the rest of this pitching staff should hopefully be in good shape. Anything can happen as we’ve seen from this series so far but hopefully the Braves will be able to take firm control of this series with their performance this evening.
Let’s hear what you think of the lineup for Atlanta. . Are you like me and you like what you see? Let us know!
Phoenix, Arizona, USA. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
GIANTS
DIAMONDBACKS
Will Brennan – RF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Luis Arraez – 2B
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Casey Schmitt – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Rafael Devers – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – C
Willy Adames – SS
Lourdes Gurriel – DH
Matt Chapman – 3B
Jose Fernandez – 3B
Bryce Eldridge – DH
Jorge Barrosa – RF
Daniel Susac – C
Tim Tawa – LF
Drew Gilbert – CF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Tyler Mahle – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
The D-backs currently have the longest winning streak in the National League. That sounds a bit better than “have won three games in a row”. Though Arizona are still one off matching their longest winning streak of the season: April 14-18, they won two games in Baltimore, then came back to Arizona and took the first two against Toronto. It has been almost a year since the D-backs have won more than four in a row: in mid-June 2025, they won five against the Mariners and the Padres. Since then, they have won four on five different occasions, only to go 0-5 the next time. As Jack noted yesterday, long winning streaks have been rare in the Hazen era generally.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens after last night’s glorious walk-off win. Will the impetus from that carry forward, or will there be an adrenaline crash as a result? To find out if there’s a trend, I looked at how the team performed in the next game after their last ten walk-off victories, which takes us back to September 2024. Here are the result in those contests:
Apr 7: L(w) 3-4
Sep 24: L 4-5
Sep 17: L 1-5
Aug 23: W 10-1
Aug 22: W(w) 6-5
Aug 10: W 13-6
Jun 15: L 2-8
Jun 10: W 10-3
Apr 13: W 5-2
Sep 16: L(w) 2-3
Well, there we go. The Diamondbacks have lost their last three contests following walk-off wins, but overall, the D-backs have gone 5-5, including a pair of walk-off losses and one occasion where there were back-to-back walk-off wins. Those came in August 2025, when the D-backs beat the Guardians 3-2 in ten innings, and followed that up by beating the Reds 6-5 in eleven innings. But overall, while this is a small sample size, it doesn’t appear that there has been much of an impact, in either direction, resulting from a D-backs walk-off win. We’ll see what results this afternoon, as Arizona goes for the sweep.
The Buffalo Sabres held end-of-season media availabilities on Wednesday after their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, with a number of off-season questions like whether pending UFA winger Alex Tuch will re-sign, but another looming question was answered before GM Jarmo Kekalainen met with reporters, as the club announced that head coach Lindy Ruff has been signed to a two-year contract extension.
Ruff was the winningest head coach in Sabres history after a 16-year stint from 1997 to 2013 that saw the club reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and three Eastern Conference Finals in 1998, 2006, and 2007. After being fired by the New Jersey Devils late in the 2023-24 season, the 66-year-old returned to Buffalo after an 11-year absence on a two-year deal; the same term that was remaining on his contract with the Devils.
The Sabres posted a 50-23-9 record (109 points) in 2025-26, the most points by Buffalo in one season since their President’s Trophy-winning season in 2006-07. The club won the Atlantic Division and Ruff earned a nomination as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.
In their first playoff appearance since 2011, Buffalo eliminated the Boston Bruins in six games in the first round, winning three games on the road at TD Garden, and in the second round, pushed the Montreal Canadiens to Game 7, when Alex Newhook scored in overtime to end the Sabres season.
There had been some speculation before this season that Ruff would finish out his contract and would then be elevated to an advisory role, but the fourth all-time winningest head coach in NHL history seemed invigorated by leading the young Buffalo club to the post-season. After Monday’s loss, John Wawrow of Associated Press indicated that all signs were pointing to Ruff returning behind the bench and that the decision was up to him.
Many of the Sabres players on locker cleanout day pointed to Ruff keeping them accountable as one of the main reasons for the club’s improvement this season.
NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James will likely have a few things to say about free agency, the state of the NBA and his own future on July 16.
James — the NBA's all-time leading scorer — will be appearing at Fanatics Fest NYC that day at the Javits Center in New York and recording a live version of the “Mind the Game” video podcast with Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, the sports apparel giant announced Wednesday.
The taping will come roughly 2 1/2 weeks after the start of NBA free agency. James has not yet announced if he will return next season for a 24th year of his record-setting career. He just finished his eighth season with the Los Angeles Lakers and could elect to stay with that team or sign elsewhere as a free agent.
Whatever his choice is, it would seem likely that James announces something long before that July 16 podcast taping.
“None of us in here know what the future holds,” James said last week when the Lakers' season ended with a second-round playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “None of us. Nobody has any idea what the future holds. And I don’t either. Like I said, I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future. And when I get to that point, everyone will know.”
Fanatics Fest will run through July 19 — the day of the FIFA World Cup final, being played nearby in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event will play host to the teams that make the World Cup final for news conferences on July 17.
The “Mind the Game” episode with James and Haliburton will be released on July 21 on YouTube, Prime Video and other platforms.
The event is a sports fan festival, with organizers describing it as “bringing together athletes, leagues, collectors, brands, and fans for a multi-day celebration of sports and culture.” Many of the biggest names in sports are expected to attend over the four days.
Once upon a time, the Sixers held NBA Draft workouts which were open to the media.
Back when Sam Hinkie was running things, those workouts took place at PCOM in a tiny gym not befitting of an NBA franchise. Plenty of talented players came through that building. It’s where Ben Simmons had his pre-draft workout. There was even a year when Villanova’s Josh Hart and St. Joe’s DeAndre’ Bembry squared off.
Vince Rozman was a big part of Hinkie’s front office, largely helping with draft prep. Rozman was elevated from scouting coordinator — a position he took way back in 2006 under Billy King — to director of basketball operations and scouting innovation in 2013. Even when Hinkie left and the team opened up its state-of-the-art facility in Camden, New Jersey, Rozman remained. He became an even bigger fixture, speaking to the gathered media about prospects coming through that day. He came across sharp but personable.
Fast forward to 2026 and Rozman has been on quite the journey. Should the next step in it be running the Philadelphia 76ers? In a word — yes.
Bob Myers said last week he’s looking for someone to run things “day-to-day” while he’ll have a say in “high-level” decisions around the draft, free agency and trade deadline. His search appears to be off to a positive start. The list of reported candidates is vast and varied. There are plenty of folks with connections to Myers from the Golden State Warriors, some hotter names on the market and a couple shoot-your-shot candidates.
Of all of them, Rozman might have the best resume to lead the franchise into the future and (eventually) build around the backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
After his promotion by Hinkie, Rozman was elevated by … whoever was running the front office in 2018 to senior director of scouting. He was promoted once more to VP of scouting in 2019, a position he continued to hold when Daryl Morey took things over ahead of the 2020-21 season.
It was a frenetic time for the Sixers prior to that (relatively speaking). Elton Brand was still considered the team’s lead executive. Along with ownership, the Sixers hired Doc Rivers as head coach to replace Brett Brown. A few months later, they brought on Morey after he left his longtime post with the Houston Rockets.
The 2020 NBA Draft was fast approaching after Morey’s hire. Rozman was already leading the charge on the organization’s draft prep and strategy. He was then charged with getting Morey up to speed.
“It’s been great, honestly. … I think we’ve all been kind of in a firefight, because he’s been here for two weeks and we need to catch him up,” Rozman said in November of 2020. “We felt really, really prepared to be able to do it. The good thing is we tend to think similarly on players, so that’s helpful. If you think of it from Daryl’s standpoint, he’s coming in, he needs to catch up on the roster, he needs to catch up on our scouting staff, the front office, the draft.
“I think we’re all lucky that he’s obviously well-qualified to do it. But I don’t know that the process has necessarily changed. Instead of informing (general manager Elton Brand) and talking through all the draft-related possible transactions or players or what have you with Elton and our scouting staff, it’s now with Elton and Daryl, and obviously (executive vice president of basketball operations) Peter Dinwiddie, as well, to be ready for (draft night).”
That night was not only Morey’s best running the Sixers, it was one of the best nights a front office has had in franchise history.
Morey changed the composition of the roster by moving off the ill-fitting Al Horford and Josh Richardson. Danny Green and Seth Curry were acquired and both started for a team that was the No. 1 seed in the East in 2021-22. The team also selected Tyrese Maxey with the 21st pick, arguably the biggest draft steal in franchise history. They also selected Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed, two players who have carved out NBA roles on good teams.
The following offseason, Morey promoted Rozman to assistant general manager. Unfortunately, the Sixers didn’t have as much draft luck in 2021, selecting Jaden Springer, Filip Petrusev and Charles Bassey. Bassey was the only player who was on an NBA roster to end this season. The players selected after Springer make it a tougher pill to swallow.
The following season, Rozman decided to spread his wings after 16 years in Philly. He took a job with the Oklahoma City Thunder as VP of identification and intelligence. He’s spent the last few seasons largely running the draft room for Sam Presti, one of the best executives in the sport. Not to rub salt in any wounds, but it wouldn’t be surprising to hear Rozman’s initial scouting of Jared McCain as a draft prospect was involved in that trade process.
One of the Thunder’s biggest recent draft wins is Ajay Mitchell. He was initially taken by the New York Knicks in the second round, but OKC maneuvered to acquire the young guard out of UC Santa Barbara. In just his second NBA season, Mitchell has been a huge part of the Thunder’s success, playing a pivotal sixth-man role in the regular season and playoffs. Folks around the league have wondered aloud if Mitchell is primed for a James Harden-type situation, eventually departing OKC to star elsewhere.
Mitchell is brought up here because these are the types of wins the Sixers need. The organization is locked into three max contracts. It will likely prove difficult for any new executive to find a way out of the deals for Joel Embiid and Paul George, so perhaps the best person for the job is the one who can find ways to build on the margins. Mitchell was initially on a two-way contract before proving his worth and getting converted to a standard NBA deal.
Rozman has proven to be an excellent talent evaluator, able to find stars, role players and diamonds in the rough. He has familiarity with the organization, but he’s also been working under arguably the best executive in basketball.
For you Process true believers, Rozman comes with the ultimate stamp of approval.
Vince Rozman is incredible. He’s also a hidden gem because he deflects credit so graciously.
He’s *great* -with people -at evaluating talent -at systems -as a communicator
The Thunder made a brilliant hire. At some point soon someone really smart is going to hand him the keys. https://t.co/iCVP4sWNOi
The Winnipeg Jets will host a 2026 NHL Draft Party at Canada Life Centre on Friday, June 26, giving fans the opportunity to watch the club make the eighth overall selection in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Several notable Jets prospects are expected to attend the event, including Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow and Sascha Boumedienne. Alumni and other team personalities are also scheduled to appear for autograph sessions and panel discussions throughout the evening.
Photo by Joe Camporeale/USA Today
Tickets become available Friday morning through Ticketmaster. Admission includes a beverage, a meal and a commemorative 2026 NHL Draft souvenir item. The organization is also offering an early-access pre-sale for season ticket holders.
The event will feature live entertainment, giveaways, merchandise opportunities and food and beverage options on the arena floor. Doors are set to open at 5 p.m., with the NHL Draft beginning one hour later.
This year’s draft will take place in Buffalo, with Round 1 scheduled for June 26 and Rounds 2-7 following on June 27. NHL clubs will once again operate remotely from their home markets under the league’s decentralized draft format.
The Jets currently hold seven selections in the 2026 draft, including one pick in each of the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, along with two seventh-round picks.
Should Winnipeg's management staff consider holding onto its first round pick, the Jets will be selecting at No. 8 overall. There is speculation, however, that the team is considering trading up for an NHL-ready player or trading down for a roster player who could immediately impact the team as early as the 2026-27 season.
