NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 29: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shakes hands after winning the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 29, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 4-3. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 7, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the San Diego Padres this evening at beautiful PNC Park for a three-game series in Pittsburgh.
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As the Ottawa Senators get ready to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centrer, the Atlantic Division leaders have run into late-season injury issues.
The Lightning are on a back-to-back after a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. So fatigue, along with some key injuries and absences, may begin to take its toll in Ottawa.
Tampa will again be with star defenseman Victor Hedman. On Thursday, he was placed on long-term injured reserve following a March 25 announcement that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Forwards Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, who were both named to Canada's Olympic roster in February, are listed as day-to-day and not expected to play on Tuesday night. Both were out of the lineup on Monday night vs Buffalo.
Pontus Holmberg, Hedman's Olympic teammate, is also out after colliding headfirst into an unlatched penalty box door as a Sabres player was about to leave the sin bin.
“I don't know who's working the penalty box over there," head coach Jon Cooper told the media after the game. "But I don't know if they should keep their job after what happened there. Like... leaving the door open.”
The Lightning have responded by calling up Syracuse forwards Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier and Dylan Duke to the active roster. They also reassigned Mitchell Chaffee to Syracuse. Geekie and Pelletier are both expected to play in Ottawa.
Another Olympian, Brayden Point, is probably feeling a bit sore after slamming hard into the Buffalo goal post on Monday night. But he finished the game and had a full media session afterward, so there's no reason to think he won't play.
Both Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul, who didn't play against the Senators in Tampa on March 28, are now back in the Tampa lineup, so that offsets things quite a bit. The Lightning won that game over the Senators, 4-2.
The last time the Sens faced a tired team in a back-to-back that was this banged up was exactly one week ago against the Florida Panthers. Not only did the Senators fail to take advantage of their opponent's troubles, but they were also destroyed by the Panthers, falling behind 5-0 in the first period.
So even though the Bolts won't have Hedman, Hagel, Cirelli, or Holmberg (they'll also trot out their backup goalie, Jonas Johansson), the Sens' recent history serves as a reminder that every NHL team, no matter what state they're in, has a chance to be a big problem for them.
NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers had no problem keeping their foot on the gas Tuesday night in their quest to end a five-year playoff drought.
They took care of the Devils, 5-1, at Prudential Center.
Trevor Zegras stunned New Jersey with two goals in the first 3:38 minutes of the game. Tyson Foerster then added two goals during the second period, giving him three in his four games back from an arm injury that cost him four months.
“We’ve missed him all year,” Owen Tippett said. “He has put in the hard work to get back in time. I think part of that kind of relied on us, too. It’s great to see him back out there smiling and having a good time.”
Nick Seeler buried an empty-netter from long range to close things out.
“These are the games that you want to play with each other and for each other,” Seeler said. “It has been a blast. I think this group has come together since the Olympic break more than ever.”
Zegras finished with a three-point night. Matvei Michkov assisted both of Foerster’s goals. The Flyers improved to 9-0-0 this season when Michkov records a multi-point game.
Just two days after moving into playoff position, the Flyers (40-26-12) didn’t squander the momentum. They built on it, winning their third straight and for the 15th time in the last 21 games (15-5-1).
The Flyers swept the Devils (40-35-3) in their three-game regular-season series, outscoring New Jersey 16-7.
• Rick Tocchet’s club stayed in the driver’s seat Tuesday night.
With four games remaining, the Flyers still hold the final playoff spot (third place) in the Metropolitan Division.
They remained two points up on the Blue Jackets, who rallied for a 4-3 shootout win Tuesday night over the Red Wings. The Islanders were idle, so the Flyers padded their lead on New York to three points.
The Flyers also extended their lead on the Capitals to five points.
“We believed all year that we could be in this position,” Tippett said. “The job’s not done yet, we’ve got to continue going. We’re having a lot of fun as a group in here.”
The Flyers entered Tuesday with a 57.4 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Hockey-Reference.com’s probabilities report. That should increase come Wednesday morning.
“It feels like almost for a month now we’ve been playing must-win games,” Zegras said. “We’re definitely getting more comfortable and definitely settling in a little bit, for sure.”
• Dan Vladar continued to play like the Flyers’ backbone.
“Vladdy was outstanding,” Seeler said.
He converted 23 saves on 24 shots. The 28-year-old has given up just three goals over the Flyers’ three-game win streak.
With New Jersey on a second-period power play and trying to get back into the game, Vladar made four saves in the span of 31 seconds. That kept the Flyers ahead 4-1 at second intermission.
“Vladar made an unreal couple of saves on the PK,” Tocchet said. “Who knows if it goes in there, so I’ve got to give him a lot of credit.”
The Devils woke up after their bad start and Vladar had to deny nine shots in the first period. New Jersey scored when a shot ricocheted off Cody Glass in front, but the Flyers still led 2-1.
They restored order in the first five minutes of the second period.
Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 14 of 18 shots.
Tippett made a nifty stop-and-go move to record a secondary assist on the Flyers’ game-opening goal. Porter Martone assisted the second goal, which came on the power play. It was the 19-year-old’s fourth point in five games since he signed his entry-level deal.
“He’s a moose,” Zegras said. “For a young kid, he plays a very mature game. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with him and he has been a great addition to the power play.”
Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale each had an assist on the night, as well.
• Zegras’ first goal gave him a new career high and the second added to it.
He now has 25 goals and he’s just one point away from passing his career high of 65 set with the Ducks in 2022-23.
“He wants to make the playoffs, he hasn’t played a playoff game,” Tocchet said. “I think he wants to prove a lot of people wrong. He has played with a chip on his shoulder this year and I love that he has played with a chip on his shoulder. He pushes the pace and he’s a real good locker room guy.”
• The Flyers had a rookie on three of their four lines.
Martone was on the second line, Alex Bump on the third and Denver Barkey on the fourth.
“Love seeing the young guys in these spots, how they’re dealing with it,” Tocchet said before the game. “They’re having fun, that’s the whole part of it. Don’t be scared of it; go attack it.”
• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they visit the Red Wings (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).
Teddy Blueger wandered back to the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room around an hour after practice concluded on Monday afternoon. The rest of the stalls around his were draped with used gear.
The forward stayed out late to get some faceoff work under his belt, among other things, despite winning 70% of his draws in the previous game and averaging a win rate of 54.69% through the past five. It’s something that speaks to the forward’s desire to improve — something that mirrors his desire to remain in Vancouver, regardless of the position the team currently occupies in the NHL’s standings.
Ahead of the 2025–26 NHL Trade Deadline, Blueger spoke to Sportsnet on how he’d “love to stay” in Vancouver if things work out that way. When the deadline passed, Blueger remained a Canuck. This doesn’t mean things are completely settled when it comes to his future. Decisions will need to be made once the off-season hits, as Blueger’s contract will expire if not renewed by the Canucks by July 1.
If you look at all of the noise surrounding the Canucks — past locker room intrigue, 32nd place, and many other things — it’s likely players approaching in free agency may be tempted to turn and run the other way. But if you ask Blueger about his thoughts on staying, you’ll hear the exact opposite.
“[Staying] for however long I want, that’d be nice,” he joked during an interview with The Hockey News after practice on Monday. “Obviously, it’d mean a lot. I think we’ve been through a lot [...] and to continue to be part of this journey, and get an opportunity to have this down period, and to have an opportunity to see it through and come out on the other side, on top, and be able to compete for something and be a part of a playoff run here again, would be very, very special.”
There’s an irony to Blueger’s words on this particular topic, given the fact that when he said this, only a room or two away was the team that he once won the Stanley Cup with — the Vegas Golden Knights — back in 2022–23. Blueger has found success in this league before, with a team much, much stronger than the Canucks. But when reflecting on why he would want to stay with Vancouver long-term, it’s the thought of blue and white orca flags waving through the city or a packed building with white towels waving that first comes to mind.
“That playoff run we had a couple years ago, it was an incredible time. I think throughout the city, you just felt the energy and felt the people behind you. That’s something I think you don’t get everywhere. To be able to get to experience that again would be something special. Obviously, when you look at a group like this, you just see so much potential and so many good things that could happen here. Nothing’s guaranteed, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. It’s not going to be a steady increase, like a steady climb. There’s going to be ups and downs still, but along the way. To have the opportunity to be a part of success here would be really special.”
Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) celebrate Blueger’s goal against the New Jersey Devils in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
In some ways, gutting it out through a tough period to emerge successful makes victory taste even sweeter. The best possible example comes just down the highway where, a little less than a year ago, a gutsy Abbotsford Canucks team battled their way to the 2025 Calder Cup. If you want to win, you have to work for it, and that’s something Blueger acknowledges will be the case as the team settles into rebuild-mode.
“I think it takes some time for the group to kind of mold a new identity, a new kind of dynamic in the locker room. And I think there’s some leadership holes that have kind of gotten filled. [Filip Hronek], Marcus [Pettersson], and Brock [Boeser] have done a great job of that, and kind of trying to get everyone on the same page. I think there’s kind of a period of time where we have to develop some camaraderie, develop some unity, get to know each other better, a lot of new faces, a lot of change. So I think it’s taking time, but I think it’s gotten better. I think guys are getting along really well. We’re in that transition period of trying to build on something here.”
The Canucks have undergone so much change through the past couple of seasons that it becomes slightly shocking to realize that Blueger has only been with the team for three years now. Boeser (225), Hronek (218), Elias Pettersson (214), and Nils Höglander (184) are the only active Canucks to have played in more games than Blueger through the past three seasons. Having said that, these past three years, Blueger says, haven’t come without their lessons.
“I think especially this year, the past couple months since, guys like Myesy and Gar have gotten traded. I think it’s a lot. You really take a different perspective on the team, like all of a sudden, you look around and I’m the second oldest on the team, and I think you take into account team dynamics more. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone feels a part of it, and addressing the things that we feel like we need to improve as a group, some details, accountability, things like that, and trying to build on a certain set of values by which we all abide by. So I think you take a wider angle view, I guess, of not just taking care of yourself, but I think you have to involve everyone in team activities, make sure guys are being heard when something’s going on, and trying to mesh everyone together a little bit.”
For a player who, depending on how things go in the coming months, may not even be with the team by the time they finally find the success that so many hope for them to, Blueger certainly speaks with the commitment level of a long-tenured leader. He may not wear a letter on his chest, but as evidenced in his appearance on the leadership panel during Evander Kane’s 1000th NHL game celebration, the team clearly thinks of him as a leader. As the forward says, nothing is guaranteed — and that includes his role with the team moving ahead.
But maybe some things should be.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 22: Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards dunks the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 22, 2025 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. today. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
Over the past month, as they’ve battled for NHL playoff positioning, the Ottawa Senators have had almost historically bad luck in the injury department.
Because of that, 12 different defencemen have suited up for the club during that stretch, but lately, the news has started to turn.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Toim Stutzle's incredible goal on Sunday evening.
After the return of their number-one defenseman, Jake Sanderson, last week, there was another encouraging development on Tuesday. Thomas Chabot was back on the ice, skating with the team at its morning skate ahead of a massive game at Canadian Tire Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Chabot underwent surgery after taking a cross-check to the forearm from J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers on March 23. At the time, Chabot was expected to miss four to eight weeks, so seeing him on the ice barely two weeks later comes as something of a surprise.
"Nice to see him on the ice," head coach Travis Green said. "Anytime a guy gets out there in a morning skate, you know he's not far off. And hopefully he's back soon."
But will he back back sooner than Green anticipates?
"It's definitely going to be sooner, whenever it is," Green said.
Chabot isn’t known as a particularly physical player, and he’s certainly not a fighter, but that doesn’t mean he lacks toughness. Getting back on the ice this quickly says plenty about his willingness to push through for his team at a critical time.
"He's one of the toughest players that I've coached or played with when it comes to playing through injuries," Green said. "It's quite amazing to be honest."
Chabot has certainly had practice, playing through a wrist injury for two seasons and change before finally getting it fixed surgically once and for all.
Sens defenseman Dennis Gilbert, who would also represent an upgrade in the Sens' bottom pairing, returned to practice Monday, and Green said he's getting close to returning as well. But then there's this...
TSN 1200 on Twitter
Despite that end-of-practice note, Green didn't mention any change in Gilbert's return-to-play status.
One other player to watch will be Tim Stutzle, who was in obvious pain and having his left shoulder worked on during Sunday's game.
With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Senators are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 90 points. They sit one point ahead of the New York Islanders, with a game in hand, while both the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are just two points back.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
The Chicago Cubs, already off to an uneven start this season, will lose right-handed starter Cade Horton for the rest of the season due to elbow surgery, manager Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday, April 7.
Horton, 24, finished runner-up in 2025 Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 2.67 ERA over 22 starts, and likely has the most dominant repertoire of Cubs starters. He pitched into the seventh inning in defeating the Washington Nationals in his season debut March 31, but exited his second start against Cleveland after just one inning.
Now, a rotation that seemed plenty deep after the acquisition of Edward Cabrera from Miami in the off-season will be stretched to the limit.
Horton was preceded to the IL by lefty Matthew Boyd, a 2025 All-Star who suffered a biceps strain. Veteran right-hander Javier Assad was already recalled to take his roster spot.
Now, the club is counting significantly on the return of lefty Justin Steele from Tommy John surgery performed almost exactly a year ago. Steele eyed a May return, but the Cubs placed him on the 60-day IL to begin the year, making that goal a tad ambitious.
And it also puts a greater onus on lefty Shota Imanaga to return to his 2024 form. The Cubs acquired Cabrera in the hopes it would take some heat off Imanaga, who has faded badly each of the past two second halves.
Minus Horton, that margin for error has narrowed for the Cubs, who have lost six of their first 10 games this season.
As the remodeled Mets lineup coalesced during the first week and a half of the regular season, Juan Soto was the constant. He hit when others didn’t. He needed no adjustment or warm-up period. He provided identity for a lineup still discovering one. So being without him and his .355 average and .928 OPS for two to three weeks as he recovers from a calf strain will obviously test them.
It will test them, in part, because to the extent that there is ever a good time to be without Soto, this is not that time. After hosting the Diamondbacks and Athletics this week – neither of whom are built to be pushovers, whatever their early-season showings might suggest – the Mets will fly to Los Angeles to face the mighty Dodgers and Chicago to face the Cubs.
Plus, early in the season is one time of year when the Mets’ other superstar, Francisco Lindor, is often at his worst. He entered Tuesday’s game 2 for his last 20, swinging earlier and often than his manager would like in what Carlos Mendoza characterized as an attempt to swing out of his slump. Bo Bichette is not fully clicking yet, either.
Still, there are reasons to believe the Mets can tread water offensively while Soto heals.
Luis Robert Jr. has already shown flashes of his superstar potential with the Mets. He is hitting .333 with a .907 OPS and demonstrating improved patience, currently looking capable of realizing his potential as a lineup keystone.
Francisco Alvarez, too, looks more like the best version of himself early this year than he did early in 2025. He has a hit in each of his last three games, homered twice Friday in San Francisco, and looks confident at the plate. Production similar to what he sustained after returning from the minors last year (.276 average with a .921 OPS) would help offset the loss of Soto significantly – not to mention what it would do for the Mets when he returns.
More imminently, the Mets will also cross their fingers that Mark Vientos can extend his current torrid stretch into the next week or two. The man who seemed in danger of falling out of the Mets’ plans entirely when spring training ended has hit his way back into relevance. He has a hit in all but one game he has played this year, including seven in his last three games.
Vientos will not sustain a .476 average and 1.236 OPS all season, in part because when healthy, the Mets do not have an obvious position at which he could get regular at-bats. But with Soto injured and Jorge Polanco battling an Achilles issue, they have plenty of room for him now.
As a righty, Vientos also offers help replacing Soto when the Mets face left-handed starters, against whom Soto has a career .843 OPS. Vientos will be a natural fit for all Mendoza’s lineups against lefty starters, though he likely would have found his way into them even without Soto’s injury, too.
Tuesday, against right-hander Zac Gallen, rookie Carson Benge replaced Soto in left field defensively with Vientos at first base and Brett Baty starting in right. With Soto out, Baty will likely get more chances against left-handed starters than the three plate appearances he has taken against lefties this season. Baty is a career .202 hitter against lefties with a .553 OPS, but he took major steps forward against left-handed pitching last year when he hit .247 with a .678 OPS. He is 1 for 3 against lefties this season, and the one was an RBI double.
Against righties, Jared Young will likely continue to see more opportunities than the Mets anticipated when they named him to their Opening Day roster. Young, who went 3 for 3 playing in place of Soto in Sunday’s game in San Francisco, has a 1.005 OPS in 13 at-bats this year.
Even with reasons for optimism around hitters in the bottom of their lineup, the easiest way for the Mets to build sustainable offense without him is for Lindor and Bichette to carry them through it. And the Mets building sustainable offense without Soto is important so that neither he nor his team feels pressured to hurry and turn a small problem into a big one: After all, the best way to survive games without Soto is to avoid them as much as possible.
CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 29: Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 29, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Charlotte Hornets (43-36) at Boston Celtics (53-25) Tuesday, April 7, 2026 8:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #79 Home Game #39 TV: NBC/Peacock, NBCSB, FDSN Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 92.7 WFNZ-FM, Sirius XM TD Garden
In another game that could be a first round preview, the Celtics host the Charlotte Hornets. The teams in the 6th through 10th spots are all separated by just 2 games. With each of these teams having 3 or 4 games left to play, every game is important for the final seeding. The Hornets are going to want to win so as not to drop into the 9th or 10th spot, which will require 2 wins rather than 1 in order to make the playoffs.
This is the 3rd, and final, game between these 2 teams. The Hornets won the first game between these two teams 118-89 in Boston on March 4. The Celtics evened the series with a 114-99 win in Charlotte on March 29. The Celtics are 82-47 overall all time against Charlotte and they are 43-21 in games played in Boston. The Celtics won the series last season, winning all 4 games.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 3.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 2.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York, 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 8.5 games ahead of 5th place Atlanta, and 10 games ahead of 6th place Toronto and 10.5 games ahead of 7th place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 34-15 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 27-11 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 3 games.
The Hornets are 8th in the East, 7 games behind 4th place Cleveland, 2 games behind 5th place Atlanta, and half a game behind 6th place Toronto. They are tied with 7th place Philadelphia, and 9th place Orlando and 1.5 games ahead of 10th place Miami. They are 25-24 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 22-17 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 4 games.
After this game at home against Charlotte, the Celtics will play one game on the road at New York and then host New Orleans in back to back games. They will finish the season by hosting Orlando. After this game at Boston, Charlotte has just 2 more games to play. They will then host Detroit before taking on the Knicks at New York.
The Celtics have a clear injury list for the first time in a long time. Nikola Vucevic returned on Sunday after missing 4 weeks due to finger surgery. The Hornets are close to full strength as well. Two-way player, PJ Hall is out due to an ankle injury. Coby White is listed as probable due to left groin soreness.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs LaMelo Ball
Derrick White | Getty ImagesLaMelo Ball | Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs Brandon Miller
Jaylen Brown | Getty ImagesBrandon Miller | Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kon Knueppel
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesKon Knueppel | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Jordan Walsh Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Nikola Vucevic Ron Harper, Jr
2-Way Players None
Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Hornets Reserves Grant Williams Sion James Josh Green Ryan Kalkbrenner Pat Connaughton Tre Mann Liam McNeeley Coby White Tidjane Salaun
2-Way Players Tosan Evbuomwan Antonio Reeves PJ Hall Injuries/Out PJ Hall (ankle) out Coby White (groin) probable
Head Coach Charles Lee
Key Matchups Jaylen Brown vs Brandon Miller Miller is averaging 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He’s shooting 48.1% from the field and 43.0% from beyond the arc. In the first 2 games against the Celtics, he averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc. He is a good 3 point shooter and so the Celtics have to stay with him on the perimeter.
Derrick White vs LaMelo Ball Ball is averaging 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 40.6% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc. In the first 2 games against the Celtics, he averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 38.9% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the arc. He is 2nd in the league with 255 total 3 pointers this season and is always a threat from the perimeter. He is quick and always a threat to steal the ball.
Honorable Mention Sam Hauser vs Kon Knueppel Knueppel is averaging 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He is shooting 48.9% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. In the first 2 games against the Celtics, he averaged 16.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist while shooting 44.4% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. He leads the league in 3 pointers made with 265. The Celtics have to stay with him on the perimeter.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the key to winning. The Celtics are 4th the league with a defensive rating of 111.7. The Hornets are 12th in the league with a defensive rating of 113.4. The Hornets are 4th with an offensive rating of 118.7 while the Celtics are 2nd with an offensive rating of 119.9. The Celtics are capable of playing lock down defense but there are times when they lose focus and allow their opponents to score way too easily. They need to continue to make defense a priority and play tough defense in this game against a very good offensive team.
Rebound – Rebounding is important to give the Celtics extra possessions and to limit possessions for their opponents. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to give extra effort to beat the Hornets to rebounds. The Celtics are 4th with 46.5 rebounds per game and the Hornets are 5th with 46.2 rebounds per game. The Hornets are 2nd with 17.8 second chance points per game and the Celtics need to limit those for the Hornets by putting more effort into grabbing rebounds.
3 Point Shooting – The Celtics are 4th in the league, averaging 41.8 three pointers per game. The Hornets are 2nd, shooting 43.1 threes per game. The Celtics are shooting 36.4% as a team from beyond the arc (9th) while the Hornets are shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc (3rd). The Celtics make 15.2 threes a game (3rd) while the Hornets make 16.4 thees a game (1st). The Celtics need to work to get open and move the ball to find the best shots. If the 3’s aren’t falling, they need to take the ball inside. And they need to defend the perimeter or the Hornets will bury them in threes. In the Celtics March 4 loss to the Hornets, the Celtics shot just 27.8% on 3’s while allowing the Hornets to shoot 38.8% from beyond the arc. In their March 29 win, the Celtics shot 41.2% from beyond the arc while holding the Hornets to just 27.9%. The Celtics need to stay focused on offense and play tough defense in order to win this game.
Move the Ball Carefully– The Celtics are tough to beat when they keep the ball moving and find the open man but when one player over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. The Celtics are 33-0 when they have more assists than their opponent but just 18-23 when they have fewer assists than their opponent. Keep the ball moving and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether in the first quarter or the 4th quarter. They have to make careful passes and not turn the ball over because in their loss to the Hornets, the Celtics turned the ball over 15 times but in their win, they turned it over just 5 times.
X-Factors Home Game and Motivation – The Celtics need to feed off the energy of the crowd and hopefully, the Hornets will be distracted by travel and the hostile crowd. The Celtics should protect their home court and play harder because of it. Both teams are playing for their seeding in the playoffs. The Celtics need to win to guarantee the 2nd seed. The Hornets are playing to stay in the 7th or 8th spot and avoid having to win 2 games to make the 8th seed. They are going to be very motivated to win and the Celtics have to be focused and play with extra effort to get the win.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) is hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
We’re ten games into the 2026 season, which is not nearly enough to look for things that are concrete. A new approach by one player may only be just a blip on their season long radar. Drawing a conclusion from a ten game sample isn’t really going to give us a lot of information, but it’s worth a try.
Out of all of the things that are happening with the team so far, which one feels the most “real” when it comes to something that might hold all season long?
Much of this offseason centered around the team’s signing of Adolis Garcia to replace Nick Castellanos in right field, a lot of that discussion not really understanding the move. Early on, Garcia has at the very least hit the ball hard, putting himself in the top 25 in average exit velocity, in the top 50 in barrels per plate appearance. He’s started to run into a little more batted ball luck, so it’s nice to see results go with the work.
Several other players are having a decent start to the season, so let’s figure out which one is the most “real”?
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NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.
The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. is expected to go in the first round after declaring on Tuesday. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.
Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Labaron Philon Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 11 overall, Golden State Warriors
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Warriors could still use more reliable players in the backcourt and could find a fairly compelling player in Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon. Even though the All-SEC guard was not playing at 100 percent during March Madness due to injury issues, he played well in the tournament, recording 35 points during a loss against Michigan. He also notched 29 points in his first game and 12 assists in his second. The guard averaged 22.0 points per game and he improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 39.9 percent as a sophomore, also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process.
Here's a running list of player movement in the Big Ten this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).
Here's a running list of player movement in the SEC this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).
Here's a running list of player movement in the ACC this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).
Here's a running list of player movement in the Big 12 this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).
