Ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Colton Dach and Jason Dickinson to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 conditional first-round pick.
While Dickinson was the main piece in this trade for the Oilers, Dach has the potential to be a solid player for them. He undoubtedly demonstrated that during the Oilers' most recent contest against the Utah Mammoth.
After missing a month of action due to injury, Dach had a strong return to the lineup for the Oilers against Utah. At the 2:09 mark of the third period, Dach scored his first goal as an Oiler, and it was a nice one. After having his one-timer stopped by Karel Vejmelka, Dach picked up the rebound and beat the Utah goaltender with a great snapshot.
This goal gave the Oilers a 5-4 lead over the Mammoth, but Utah ended up winning the contest in overtime. While the Oilers lost, this was certainly a good moment for Dach. This is especially so when noting that he is looking to cement himself as a regular in Edmonton's lineup.
In four games with the Oilers since the trade, Dach now has one goal, one assist, and 11 hits. This is after the former Blackhawks forward has three goals, nine points, and 189 hits in 53 games this season with Chicago before the trade.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball while being defended by Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Phoenix Suns (43-36) vs. Dallas Mavericks (25-54)
When: 7:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns are coming off one of their most physical and emotional games of the season against the Houston Rockets in a late-night fourth-quarter collapse. It was the first time every player from last summer’s blockbuster trade got to play, and the energy between the two teams was at playoff intensity. The Suns led 84-81 to start the fourth quarter, but could not withstand the Rockets’ physicality and talent to highlight yet another poor Suns fourth-quarter performance.
The Mavericks will not bring in the same level of playoff intensity into the final regular-season game in the Mortgage Matchup Center. They are 25-54 and have booked their offseason travel plans; all they need to do is go through the motions three more times. Meanwhile, the Suns are solidly in the play-in as the seventh seed in the West and only need one more win to ensure their position. The Suns won the first two games of this three-game regular season series and are looking to sweep another Western Conference bottom dweller this regular season.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Haywood Highsmith — OUT (Knee Injury Management)
Mavericks
Cooper Flagg — PROBABLE — Left Wrist)
Dereck Lively II — OUT (Foot Surgery)
Kyrie Irving — OUT (Knee Surgery)
PJ Washington — DOUBTFUL (Elbow Soreness)
Caleb Martin — DOUBTFUL (Heel)
Naji Marshall — DOUBTFUL (Left Hip Contusion)
Daniel Gafford — DOUBTFUL (Shoulder)
What to Watch For
The player to watch this game is Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cooper Flagg, who has been sensational for the Mavericks. He is the engine of everything they do. Flagg recently scored 51 points in a game against the Magic, becoming the youngest player to score over 50 in an NBA game. He followed up that performance with 45 points against the Lakers in his next performance. He will be the most exciting player on the floor to watch, and the player at the top of the Suns’ scouting report.
The last time these two teams matched up, the Suns dominated the game early. They led by as much as 31 in the second quarter before the Mavericks inched their way back into the game, scoring in transition and getting to the free-throw line. The Mavericks shot 42 free throws compared to the Suns’ meager nine attempts. The Mavericks also outscored the Suns 27-10 in fastbreak points, with the majority coming in the second half against a Suns team that let off the gas too much.
Now that the Suns are back to full strength with Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks back in the lineup and a few games under their belt, the Suns need to build continuity and fast. Can the Suns get back to their maniacal effort and focus on defense, or will their sloppy, casual play over the last month continue to show itself?
Key to a Suns Win
The Suns have to defend, specifically without fouling. The Mavericks cannot score effectively in the half-court, so transition defense will be the biggest factor in the Suns gaining a decisive win. If the Suns get back in transition, it will be difficult for a poor shooting Mavericks team to score against an engaged defense. Getting back in transition will also put the Suns in the best position to defend without fouling.
The Suns have to avoid the emotional hangover from an intense loss against the Rockets and show up with a high level of focus to get what should be a decisive win against the Mavericks. If the Suns drop this game against the Mavericks, the Clippers will be nipping at their heels for that crucial 7-seed.
The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs are not far away, with the first series set to begin on Saturday, April 18.
The league is on track for the biggest postseason turnover in history, with the potential for half the field — eight of the 16 spots — to be teams that did not qualify a year ago. There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final.
The regular season runs through Thursday, April 16, a day after Eastern Conference teams wrap up.
Who's in the playoffs
WEST: Central Division rivals Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota are in, with the top-seeded Avalanche on track to win the Presidents' Trophy and ensure home ice throughout the playoffs. Five spots remain open.
The top three teams in each of the four divisions division make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division.
The teams with the best record in each conference open against the wild-card team with the worst record; the other wild-card plays the other division winner. Teams that finish second and third in their division play each other in the bracket headed by their respective division winner. The second round thus carries a higher prospect of division foes matching up ahead of the conference finals.
All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.
The first-round matchups so far:
— Dallas vs. Minnesota.
The favorites
Colorado is the 3-1 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, followed by Tampa Bay at 9-2, Carolina at 5-1 and Dallas at 10-1, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
How to watch
Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.
After three rounds of seven-game series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.
Who to watch
— Colorado, with MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and star defenseman Cale Makar, has been hockey's best team since October.
— Connor McDavid and Edmonton lost in the Cup Final the past two years but are playing better defense and should have Leon Draisaitl for the playoffs.
— Tage Thompson was a big part of the U.S. winning Olympic gold and the Sabres' leading scorer finally gets to the postseason.
— Nikita Kucherov is right there with MacKinnon and McDavid in the NHL scoring race and has steadied the Lightning through months of injuries.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 03: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a first inning pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the Tigers home opener at Comerica Park on April 03, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up the first road trip of the 2026 season with a Wednesday afternoon contest against an old friend. While the Cardinals have Michael McGreevy scheduled to make the afternoon start, the Washington Nationals will send Ron BurgundyMiles Mikolas to the mound. Miles has had a rough start to the season with an 0-2 record and an ERA of 14.46. Let’s hope the Cardinals increase that number Wednesday afternoon.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 5: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Toronto Raptors on April 5, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Josh Lowe #3 of the Los Angeles Angels is tagged out at third by Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves as he was trying to advance on a wild pitch in the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time to paste the Statcast graphic into the body of this post because it wasn’t available when I was doing the lineups post, and also, for the Braves to have a successful West Coast-ish road trip and continue to be unbeaten series-wise in 2026, right? Oy.
A woman went into labor and gave birth inside Rogers Place in Alberta, Canada, last week during the Las Vegas, Knights’ victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
“Breaking news: We have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight,” play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels said during the second period on the Sportsnet broadcast. “There’s a baby being born on the seventh floor at Rogers Place as we speak.”
“So someone’s going to have a great story to tell,” Michaels added, before joking, “It would be nice to have the mother join us on After Hours to describe what’s happened, but that could be asking a bit much.”
The mother, who has yet to be publicly identified, did not appear on the sports network’s post-game show.
“Someone’s going to have a great story to tell,” a play-by-play announcer said (Getty Images)
Details about the mother and newborn have not been released, and it remains unclear whether medical personnel assisted with the delivery.
The Independent has contacted Rogers Place for comment.
While details on the birth itself are slim, fans on social media had big reactions to the once-in-a-lifetime event.
“At least someone is delivering, [Connor] McDavid sure ain't,” one X user wrote, referring to the Oilers’ center and captain.
“They better get season tickets for life,” another person suggested.
Others offered up their baby name ideas.
“Did she make it back for the 3rd period? And what's the kid's name? Rogers, Connor, or Seven (any Seinfeld fans?)?” one person asked.
“I think they name the baby Roger. Roger’s Place,” another said.
The Golden Knights defeated the Oilers 5-1, ending Edmonton’s five-game winning streak in a game that also saw a fan struck by a puck and a late on-ice fight, just weeks before the NHL regular season wraps April 16 and the playoffs begin.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 30 : Gabe Landeskog, captain of Colorado Avalanche, poses for a portrait at the locker room of Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
As we get closer to the NHL Awards season, Colorado’s nominee for the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy has been revealed, and the captain, Gabe Landeskog, has been nominated by the PHWA Colorado chapter for the 2026 award.
The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy is one that’s given to an NHL player “best exemplified perserverence, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”. Landeskog was also the Colorado chapter’s nominee in 2025.
Landeskog’s journey back to the NHL since lifting the Stanley Cup in June of the 2022 season has been well-documented. Initially, he missed time in the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury, but it wasn’t until the playoffs in 2025 that he finally returned to NHL hockey, then resumed regular-season play in 2025-26. Despite the ups and downs of his journey, Landeskog’s resiliency and determination to get back to playing hockey are incredibly impressive, and it’s awesome to see him get recognized for those attributes. Hopefully, he wins the award this year.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with Curtis Mead #45 after hitting a home run in the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on April 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the bullpen blew it again, the Nats need to get off the mat. Last night was a really disheartening loss that showed just how bad this bullpen is. The offense continues to get the job done though, which is really exciting for the present and future of the club.
With a righty on the mound, the Nats made a few tweaks to the lineup. Luis Garcia Jr. will be back at first base, and hitting second. Jose Tena and Drew Millas are also back in the lineup. The red hot James Wood remains the leadoff man today and will play right field. Miles Mikolas is on the mound against his old team, and this feels like a crossroads moment for him. If he is not doing well early, Brad Lord is well rested and should be ready to roll.
The Cardinals only made a couple lineup changes. Ramos Urias will be back in the lineup, shifting Nolan Gorman to DH. Nathan Church will be in center field over Victor Scott. Otherwise, it is a familiar crew. Nats pitchers will have to watch out for the red hot Jordan Walker, who looks like a different player this year. Former first rounder Michael McGreevy will be on the mound for the Cards.
If you like runs, the Nats are a team you would love to watch. The offense has been electric and the pitching has been abysmal. With Miles Mikolas on the mound, hopes are not high for the pitching staff. Hopefully the offense can continue to slug. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
A general view of the Brooklyn Bridge is seen in New York City, on November 23, 2023. (Photo by Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
METS
Ketel Marte – DH
Francisco Lindor – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Bo Bichette – 3B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jorge Polanco – DH
Gabriel Moreno – C
Luis Robert – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Brett Baty – RF
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Mark Vientos – 1B
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Tim Tawa – LF
Carson Benge – LF
Jorge Barrosa – CF
Francisco Alvarez – C
Ryne Nelson – RHP
David Peterson – LHP
Another underwhelming day for the Diamondbacks offense yesterday. After eleven games, the team is hitting a collective .213, with an OPS of .632. That’s ranked 23rd in the majors, and 59 points below league average. Though it is worth noting that offense generally is down as a whole. The OPS across all of MLB is below .700 at a mere .691, 28 points below the overall figure last year. It’s not just the expected “slow start in cold weather” thing. Through April 7th last year, the MLB OPS was .705, so this season’s figure is below even that. Remember when an OPS starting with a six indicated a hitter was really struggling? So far in 2026, it has been the norm.
That said, the D-backs had posted a .768 OPS through the same date last season, so it’s definitely an issue. Corbin Carroll is continuing to do Corbin Carroll things. But Ketel Marte (OPS+ 70) and Geraldo Perdomo (51), who were expected to power the offense to an equal extent, have got off to a slow start. As we noted on Monday, Marte is hitting the ball hard, but into the ground. His GB/FB rate is 1.60, the highest on the team among regulars. For Perdomo, there is a concerning amount of blue on his Baseball Savant page. Of particular concern, the percentage of time when he’s hitting the ball at the right launch angle (8-32 degrees), which powered his surge last year, is significantly down. He has hit just one “barrel” so far.
All told, there is reason to suggest the offense has been more “responsible” for the issues so far this year than the pitching. By Win Probability on Fangraphs, Arizona’s hitting has been worth -96%, which ranks it 22nd in the majors. The pitching is at +46%, ranked 15th. And this might be a surprise: the D-backs’ bullpen is higher still, a +18% figure which comes in twelfth. Yes, our relievers have been better than average at keeping the team in games. I reckon, as mentioned in the comments on yesterday’s recaps, that they have simply had so little room for error. You might expect each reliever to put up a zero. But when you need five of them to do so in a row…
Time for Part 2 of this brief series on early season data points, I was hoping there might be more positives to take away from yesterdays game but alas the beat or baseball season goes on.
Today I will be taking a look at a group of lefty hitters where half of them are off to pretty good starts!! The other two however have been major letdowns.
Andres Gimenez 268/318/463 – 127 WRC+
Gimenez much like the start of last season has started this season hot and he currently leads the Jays in slugging which is good for him but anytime Gimenez leads the team in slugging is likely to bad for the Jays.
For Gimenez the big data point over this small sample is him absolutely crushing right handed pitching, against RHP he is hitting 346/393/654!!!!
Yes unfortunately there is some over performance based on balls in play and quality of contact and he is highly unlikely to maintain this kind of batting line against RHP for the whole season but if you break his splits against RHP by all months where he has seen at least 150 pitches so far this month would rank 2nd in expected batting average, 3rd in expected slugging, 2nd in xWOBA and 2nd in barrel rate.
This month still has lots of time left so not really a fair comparison but so far the first 11 games of the season has been one of the better 11 game hitting stretches against RHP of his career.
Daulton Varsho 171/275/229 47 WRC+
Varsho is clearly off to a rough start especially after being so hot during Spring Training, during the Spring Varsho was doing a great job pairing his new found hard contact from last season with much more contact.
Since the start of the regular season he has so far done a good job maintaining the contact and has raised his contact% all the way up to 82.7% from last seasons 71.7% which has cut his K rate from 28.4% to 15% and he has paired this with a much higher line drive rate of 31% compared to last seasons 16.9%.
Way less Ks and more line drives you would expect this to be a good thing but unfortunately the quality of contact has really fallen off with his hard hit rate dropping from 40.3% to 24.12% and his average exit velocity currently down 7.8 MPH.
It is early but if Varsho can find a happy medium between the all power high K hitter he was last season and the low K line drive guy he has been this season he should be able to help this Jays roster score some runs.
Jesus Sanchez 286/375/429 141 WRC+
I will keep this one pretty short because the Jays have to be happy with what they have received from Sanchez in the batting lineup this season and based on quality of contact he has actually underperformed his expected batted ball stats!!!
A 47.6% hard hit rate, 9.5% barrel rate to go with a 21.9% K rate is a pretty great start to his Blue Jays career.
Addison Barger 053/174/105 – Minus 11 WRC+
Ahhh yeah not a great start to the season for Barger and he is of course now on the IL with an injury.
Even Barger’s 1 hit on the season was a ball that should have been a HR but the RF brought it back and dropped the ball so he was able to get a double but Barger is one dropped HR robbery from still having a 000 batting average.
Digging thru Barger’s data and honestly I don’t have much positives to take away, he is making more contact on both in zone and out of zone pitches so if he gets back to last season’s chase rate he could make some real progress on his K rate
He has still been hitting the ball hard with a 50% hard hit rate so hopefully the IL stint allows him to reset and come back with a better approach and he can combine the new contact rates with his regular quality of contact and get on a roll.
Davey Lopes, one of the greatest basestealers in a go-go era of Major League Baseball and a member of the Los Angeles' Dodgers' iconic infield of the 1970s, died Wednesday, April 8, the Dodgers announced. He was 80.
Lopes, a native of Rhode Island who debuted in 1972, stole 558 bases in his career, ranking 26th all-time, and won National League stolen-base titles in 1975 (77) and 1976 (63). He was the second baseman on a Dodgers infield featuring first baseman Steve Garvey, shortstop Bill Russell and third baseman Ron Cey, a quartet that first played together June 23, 1973, when Garvey supplanted Bill Buckner at first.
Two weeks later, the alignment became permanent, and the quartet became a huge part of Dodgers NL pennants in 1977 and '78, before losing to the New York Yankees in both World Series.
Yet in 1981, the Dodgers finally broke through to vanquish the Yankees, and the quartet broke up shortly thereafter, with the Dodgers opting for rookie Steve Sax at second, leaving Lopes seeking a team.
He was far from done, stealing 50 bases over two seasons alongside Rickey Henderson in Oakland and then, as a 40-year-old, swiping 47 bags for the 1985 Chicago Cubs.
Lopes' mutton chops and long hair kept a '70s-era ethos in the game well into the next decade, and the hard-nosed and respected player went on to manage the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000-2002 and serve as a coach for the Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies and Dodgers.
A four-time All-Star and Gold Glover, Lopes is survived by his brothers Patrick and John and sisters Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the New York Mets in the top of the first inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on April 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this series against the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon from Oracle Park.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 7.00 ERA, 5.04 FIP, with nine strikeouts to three walks in nine innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 10-3 loss to the New York Mets on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, who enters today’s game with a 3.18 ERA, 3.42 FIP, with 16 strikeouts to three walks in 11.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Phillies’ 10-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts and a walk in six and a third innings. One run allowed at Coors Field is practically a no-hitter, so that’s pretty impressive.
Our NBA player prop projections have been hard at work crunching the numbers for tonight's key Western Conference clash between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Before you finalize your Thunder vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Wednesday, April 8, see what our computer has to say about Jalen Williams, Derrick Jones Jr, and more.
Thunder vs Clippers computer picks for April 8
Thunder
Clippers
Williams o15.5 points -120
Jones Jr. o7.5 points -112
Holmgren o14.5 points -130
Dunn o5.5 points -111
SGA o3.5 rebounds -150
Leonard u27.5 points -120
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Thunder computer picks
Jalen Williams Over 15.5 points (-120)
Projection: 17.4 points
This is our computer's top-rated Oklahoma City Thunder player prop for tonight, clocking in with a 17.9% EV edge.
Jalen Williams has hit 16+ points in five of his last eight overall, and his ability to get to the foul line can help him here.
"This year, opposing starting PFs have attempted 4.1 free throws per game (9th-highest in the NBA) vs. the LA Clippers, succeeding in their efforts to get to the free-throw line."
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Chet Holmgren Over 14.5 points (-130)
Projection: 15.4 points
Chet Holmgren has reached the 15-point plateau in six of his last 10 and 13 of his last 20 overall. He's cleared this line in five of his last six on the road, including a 15-piece vs. the Lakers last night.
The system sees Holmgren hitting the Over once more tonight, with projections at an 11.4% EV edge.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 3.5 rebounds (-150)
Projection: 4.3 rebounds
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is known more for his scoring than his rebounding, but our computer sees SGA pulling in at least four boards tonight, making this a three-star play.
Gilgeous-Alexander takes on a Los Angeles Clippers defense that's allowed the sixth-most rebounds to opposing point guards this season.
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Clippers computer picks
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 7.5 points (-112)
Projection: 9.3 points
Our computer's top pick for tonight with a 22.6% EV edge is Derrick Jones Jr. Over 7.5 points. His scoring projection is 9.3 points, well above his posted line, due to his projected foul shot total.
"This year when [the Clippers] are at home, the opposing team's starting PFs have attempted 4.9 foul shots per game (7th-most in the league) vs. the Thunder, easily managing to get to the foul line."
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Kris Dunn Over 5.5 points (-111)
Projection: 7.0 points
Our system sees Kris Dunn clearing a very low scoring bar tonight, and doing so rather easily. There's a 21% EV edge associated with this prop.
The Clippers are the sixth-highest scoring offense in the league over the last 25 games, and opportunities should be there vs. a traveling Thunder team that just played last night.
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Kawhi Leonard Under 27.5 points (-120)
Projection: 25.5 points
Kawhi Leonard's production is decreasing slightly as the season wears on. He's fallen below 27.5 points in six of his last 10 overall, and our computer believes he'll come up two full points shy tonight, making this a four-star wager.
"Opposing team's starting SFs have averaged 25.5% on threes (2nd-weakest in the NBA) vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, branding this as a tough matchup. The LA Clippers have played at the 3rd-slowest pace-of-play in the league this year."
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How to watch Thunder vs Clippers tonight
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Oklahoma, FDSN Southern California
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Davey Lopes, the second baseman who helped lead the Dodgers to the 1981 World Series, died on Wednesday, the team announced.
“Lopes was a member of the team’s record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history,” Los Angeles officials said in a statement just minutes before the Dodgers took the field at Rogers Center in Toronto for a matchup with the Blue Jays.
Davey Lopes died on Wednesday, the Dodgers announced. MLB via Getty ImagesDavey Lopes was prolific on the basepaths, stealing 30 or more bags eight times in his 16-year career. Getty Images
“Our condolences go out to his family and friends.”
Lopes was 80 years old.
The Washburn University product was picked by the Giants in the eighth round of the 1967 draft, but he did not sign. He was then taken by the Dodgers in the second round of the 1968 draft, and he went on to have a storied career for the Boys in Blue.
He made his debut in 1972, and he became a regular contributor for the Dodgers in 1973.
Davey Lopes coached for the Dodgers following his retirement from playing. Getty Images
He was prolific on the basepaths, stealing 30 or more bags eight times in his 16-year career.
In 1978, he made his first-ever All-Star Game, and he went on to be selected to the league’s Midsummer Classic three more times.
In ’81, he was part of the Dodgers team that defeated the Yankees for the World Series crown.
Lopes finished his career with stints in Oakland, Chicago and Houston, officially wrapping his time as an MLB player in 1987. He ended up playing in a total of 1,812 games and recording 557 stolen bases with a .263 batting average.
Lopes went on to coach in retirement, suiting up for the Rangers, Orioles and Padres in the 1990s. In 2000, he was hired as the Brewers’ manager.
He piled up a 144-195 record before he was fired in 2002.
Lopes later had roles on the Nationals’ and Phillies’ staffs before he returned to the Dodgers to be a first base coach.
He ultimately retired from managing following 2017.
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