May 27, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) hits a double during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
The Baltimore Orioles went into the 2026 offseason with a purpose, making significant moves like signing slugger Pete Alonso, Ryan Helsley, and Leody Taveras and dipping into their deep farm system to trade for Taylor Ward, Andrew Kittredge and Shane Baz. Between those moves and the graduation of top prospects like Sam Basallo, many considered Baltimore to be one of the most improved teams of the offseason and ready to get right back into the thick of contention.
Unfortunately for Baltimore fans, that hasn’t happened. The Orioles sit fourth in the ALE with a 26-30 record, a game behind Toronto in the standings. Injuries, underperformance, and just plain bad luck have all contributed to an underwhelming first third of the season.
I reached out to old friend of VftOS, Tyler Young from Camden Chat to get his take on the current Orioles and what their fanbase is feeling and looking for right now.
Baltimore was widely considered to have had an excellent offseason and there was a lot of pre-season hype about them. What, in your opinion, are the key elements behind the under 500 start to the season?
Injuries are not the whole reason why the team has struggled, but it is definitely part of the story. Jordan Westburg won’t play at all this year. Jackson Holliday just got back. Zach Eflin made one start. Ryan Helsley has missed a month already. And that just scratches the surface. On top of that, the team hasn’t gotten enough out of its very best players. Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, and Trevor Rogers have all underwhelmed. Tough to win with that combination. There’s been a lot of trade speculation with Adley Rutschman in the centre, especially with the emergence of Sam Basallo. Do you think the club is most likely to move him, try to extend him, or let him hit free agency and go from there?
I don’t expect anything to happen with Rutschman this year. The organization is convinced they can win with this roster, and Rutschman is a key component. I also don’t see an extension coming his way. So my guess would that if they stink in ‘27 he is dealt at the deadline. If they compete, he will stick around until free agency. Is this Front Office likely to make additions through trade to bolster the lineup and rotation over the next couple of months, or are they more likely to wait and see how it plays out?
There is pressure on this front office to win, but I don’t think they will force anything. The team has largely treaded water to this point, and in a flawed AL that has been enough to keep them in the playoff mix. If they can get healthier and be right around .500 come July I would expect them to be buyers. Which prospect are Orioles fans most excited for that debuted or might debut this year?
I’ve got two: Trey Gibson and Enrique Bradfield Jr. Gibson is a fringy Top 100 type that has already made a few big league appearances this year. He’s looked good, though he profiles as just a mid-rotation arm. Bradfield is an outfielder that could debut late in the year. Super fast, great glove, and a light bat. Sounds like a perfect bench option come playoff time. Who is your favourite member of the team to watch right now?
It’s Basallo. He’s just a pure hitter with ludicrous power. The ball explodes off his bat. He has been the team’s most productive offensive weapon, and he’s still only 21 years old. Signing him to that extension looks pretty wise right now! And just a fun little exercise, if you could make a guaranteed trade for one player from a division rival, who would it be and what would you consider a fair return to acquire them?
Cam Schlittler is too obvious of an answer, but it’s the right one. A young, hard-throwing pitcher that’s already dominating is too good to pass up, even if he has to get Tommy John eventually. I don’t think the Yankees would value much of anything on the Orioles roster outside of Henderson, and I’m not parting with him. Maybe I could entice them with a package of Holliday, Gibson, two top prospects, and a Competitive Balance pick?
The NBA voted to approve a new draft lottery system designed to eliminate incentives for teams to tank during the regular season, the league announced on Thursday, May 28.
The “3-2-1 Lottery” approved by the NBA expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams and flattens odds for teams that don't make the NBA playoffs or play-in tournament. The new system takes effect beginning with the 2027 NBA Draft.
The NBA said in its announcement that the league office has met with key stakeholders to discuss current competitive incentives and solicit ideas aimed at discouraging tanking since October. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said combating tanking was a priority for the league at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in February.
Under the new system, which goes into effect for the 2027 NBA Draft, the teams with the three worst records will be “draft relegated” and have worse lottery odds to receive a top pick compared to other teams that did not qualify for the play-in tournament. Each of the "draft relegated" teams can pick no worse than No. 12 in the draft order.
No team will be permitted to select No. 1 overall in consecutive years, nor can a team receive a top-five pick in three straight drafts. The restrictions apply only to each team's own pick, regardless of whether the pick was retained by the team via trade or traded to another team.
It means for the 2027 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies will not be allowed to select within the top five using the 2027 first-round pick they obtained from the Utah Jazz in a trade deadline deal centered around Jaren Jackson Jr. The Jazz picked within the top five in each of the past two drafts and therefore aren't eligible to pick within the top-five again.
The Grizzlies were the only team to vote against the NBA's new 3-2-1 lottery system, according to multiplereports.
The NBA also announced it will have additional disciplinary authority to address tanking as a result of the new system, including "the ability to reduce teams’ lottery odds, modify teams’ draft positions and impose significant fines on offending teams."
Victor Wembanyama had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and the San Antonio Spurs sent the Western Conference finals back to Oklahoma City for Game 7, routing the Thunder 118-91 on Thursday night.
Game 7 is Saturday night in Oklahoma City, with the winner hosting the New York Knicks on Wednesday night to open the NBA Finals.
Wembanyama and the Spurs responded to a listless 127-114 loss in Game 5 on Tuesday night with their most energized outing of this see-saw series.
Dylan Harper had 18 points, Stephon Castle added 17 and Devin Vassell had 12 points and two thunderous blocks for San Antonio.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was limited to a team-high 15 points on 6-for-18 shooting for defending champion Oklahoma City.
The Thunder were scoreless for eight minutes in the third as the Spurs ran off 22 straight points to make it 92-64 with 56 seconds left in the quarter.
The average margin of victory has been 15.3 points, with the Spurs winning by an average of 18.3 points.
Wembanyama has been at the forefront of all three victories.
The 7-foot-4 star joined Hall of Famers David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the only players in franchise history with five games of 25 points and 10 rebounds in a single postseason.
Wembanyama made his first two shots — both 3-pointers — and blocked Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup in the first 1:27 as San Antonio took a 9-2 lead.
Wembanyama had 11 points, five rebounds an assist and a block in the opening quarter.
The series remained physical and contentious, with the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren jawing with and bumping into Vassell after the Spurs’ wing blocked the 7-footer’s dunk attempt in the second quarter.
Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams returned after reinjuring his hamstring in Game 2 and missing the next three games. Williams was limited to one point on 0-for-1 shooting in 10 minutes.
Martin St. Louis finds himself in a difficult situation.
The Montreal Canadiens are down 3-1 in their Eastern Conference Final Series against the Carolina Hurricanes, on the brink of elimination.
While St. Louis has never been in this position as a head coach, he’s overcome a 3-1 deficit three times over the course of his 16-year NHL career as a player.
Two of those miraculous comebacks came with the New York Rangers in 2014 and 2015.
In 2014, down 3-1 in the second round to the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis decided to join his team for Game 5 just three days after the sudden passing of his mother.
The Rangers were able to climb their way back in the series, winning three consecutive games.
That second-round comeback was headlined by St. Louis’s emotional Game 6 goal, which happened to fall on Mother’s Day.
The Blueshirts would go on to reach the Stanley Cup Final, but ultimately lost at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings.
One year later, in 2015, the Rangers found themselves in an identical position, down 3-1 in their second-round series against the Washington Capitals.
Winning two out of the next three games in overtime, the Rangers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to reach the Eastern Conference Final.
Now, St. Louis is using his past experiences with the Rangers to inspire his young Canadiens team, conveying the message that no matter how difficult it will be to come back from their 3-1 series hole, it’s possible.
“He’s done it twice,” Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobeš said of St. Louis’s past experiences coming back from a 3-1 series deficit. “If Marty can do it, we can do it.”
From his days as a player to now as a coach, St. Louis is keeping the same mindset in this situation.
“It’s just not worrying about the hole. It’s just winning a game, one game. You can’t look at the mountain, you just gotta look at what’s in front of you and stay present,” St. Louis said.
RICHMOND, VA - APRIL 02: Drew Cavanaugh #19 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels poses for a photo during the Richmond Flying Squirrels photo day at CarMax Park on Thursday, April 2, 2026 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Simon Bruty/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Arizona Complex League was off on Wednesday, and the Dominican Summer League still hasn’t started, but the other four Minor League Baseball affiliates of the San Francisco Giants were all in action. So let’s get into it!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
A few small bits of news. AA Richmond infielder Dayson Croes was activated off of the 7-Day Injured List, while High-A Eugene outfielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL) was reassigned to the Arizona Complex League. Unclear what that move is about, as it’s certainly not a demotion, or Diaz would have been moved to Low-A San Jose (he’s also been playing quite well lately, and is hitting right at league average).
AAA Sacramento (31-20)
Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 12-5 Box score
In yesterday’s roundup, I wrote about how catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) could definitely factor into the organization’s plans at some point, given that Patrick Bailey has been traded, and that neither Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) nor Daniel Susac (No. 20 CPL) was yet a proven entity. Often times when I write things (good or bad), prospects spend the following game making sure I look like I don’t know what I’m talking about (which, indeed, is the case).
But Drew is a sweet guy, so he did the opposite. The 2023 17th-round pick had one of the best games of his career on Wednesday, which is a pretty huge achievement given that his entire 2025 season (and the start of 2026) was built on good games followed by great games. But Wednesday was special: Cavanaugh came to the plate 5 times and reached base in all 5 at-bats. The total damage? 1 walk, 2 singles, 2 home runs, and 5 runs batted in.
With that, Cavanaugh now has a 1.381 OPS and a 240 wRC+ through 11 games in AAA this year, after putting up similarly scintillating figures in AA before his early-year promotion. And for anyone wondering, the lefty has a whole lot of talent behind the dish, as well.
Since the Giants have 3 catchers in the Majors and a 4th on the 40-man roster, they can afford to let Cavanaugh take his time annihilating Pacific Coast League pitchers, and working his way through any bumps or walls that pop up in the coming days, weeks, and months. But my goodness, he sure went from organizational filler to a great story to an inevitable Major Leaguer in shockingly short time period. What a story!
One thing to note: the Giants, somewhat surprisingly in my eye, did not give Cavanaugh an invite to spring training this year, so he’s not as familiar with the pitching staff as Rodríguez, Susac, Eric Haase, and Logan Porter are. That will probably be a factor to consider if he starts knocking on the door of the Majors, though that’s putting the cart ahead of the horse.
Another recent promotee had a great game as well, as right fielder Turner Hill went 3-5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
The home run was certainly surprising to see, as it was not only his 1st of the year, but just his 6th career dinger in nearly 1,300 Minor League plate appearances. But then again, Reno gonna Reno…
Hill continues to make a case that he can play a Jared Oliva role at some point. The recently-turned 27-year old, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023, began the year in AA (though that was probably just a logistics thing, given his prior success at the level), and moved up to AAA when the Giants sent a wave of River Cats to the Majors, and had a hole in the outfield. It’s probably safe to say that Hill isn’t going back: in 28 games with Sacramento, he has a .848 OPS, a 131 wRC+, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and excellent defense across all 3 outfield positions. He’s turned into a quality depth piece to have around.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well for another recently-promoted player, as left fielder Scott Bandura struck out in all 5 of his plate appearances. A day to forget … or to learn from.
Center fielder Grant McCray had a nice day, hitting 2-4 with a triple, a walk, and a strikeout. McCray has really seen his status take a hit this year: he openly campaigned for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but lost that battle to Oliva, who wasn’t even on the 40-man roster. Since then, he’s watched as Drew Gilbert got promoted, Will Brennan got promoted twice, Victor Bericoto got rostered and promoted, and Rodríguez and Casey Schmitt got reps in the outfield in the Majors. But the 2019 3rd-round pick is fighting to get back there … while his overall numbers are modest (.752 OPS, 104 wRC+), he has a 7-game hit streak currently, during which time he’s 11-23 with 1 triple, 4 doubles, 6 walks, and just 4 strikeouts.
It was a funny pitching game, as the starting pitching was bad and the bullpen was excellent. That starter was RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL), who had a bit of a funny game.
Tidwell showed good command, as he threw 54 of 82 pitches for strikes and didn’t walk a single batter. But living over the plate had its consequences, as he got knocked for 10 hits in just 4 innings, which resulted in 5 runs. Tidwell wasn’t entirely hittable, though, as he did strike out 6 batters … but even in Reno, giving up 10 hits while facing just 22 batters is mighty ugly, and it raised the 2022 2nd-rounder’s ERA to 6.75, while moving his FIP to 5.21. Even with the struggles, though, we’re seeing Tidwell’s electricity: his 12.2 strikeouts per 9 innings ranks 9th out of the 87 PCL pitchers with at least 20 innings thrown this year.
As for the bullpen, 4 arms combined to throw 5 shutout innings. It began with a perfect 5th inning from rehabbing RHP Jason Foley, who has yet to allow a run in 5 rehab appearances with Sacramento (he did give up some runs in his 1st rehab appearance, though, which came with Low-A San Jose). He should be in the Majors soon, and that will be exciting.
RHP Dylan Smith tossed a pair of shutout frames, while RHPs Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL) and Marques Johnson handled an inning apiece. Johnson struck out 2 batters in a perfect inning, and now has a 4.05 ERA and a 4.46 FIP. His strikeout and walk numbers have both taken a big hit this year, unfortunately. But that’s to be expected when adjusting to a new level.
Revenge is a dish best served by a tugboat. Or something like that.
Wednesday was a special day for one of the newest prospects in the system, LHP Matt Wilkinson. The hefty lefty, who came over in the Patrick Bailey trade, was not only making his 3rd start with his new organization, but making his 1st start against his old team. The 23-year old was dominant in 6 starts with the RubberDucks prior to the trade … but not nearly as dominant as he was facing off against them.
Wilkinson gave up a single to the 1st batter he faced … and then faced 21 more batters, without allowing a single hit. Not a damn one! In all, Tugboat tossed 7 shutout innings while giving up just 1 hit and 1 walk, and needing just 75 pitches. A thoroughly impressive and dominant performance.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 28, 2026
The 2023 10th-round pick wasn’t overwhelming anyone, as he only recorded 3 strikeouts on the day, but it was a game full of soft contact and easy outs, and it lowered his ERA to 1.87 on the year, with a 2.92 FIP. Right now, it seems that Wilkinson and his new teammate, LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) are battling it out for the title of best pitcher in the Eastern League on any given day. There are 45 pitchers in the league with at least 30 innings thrown this year, and Wilkinson is 2nd in ERA, 2nd in FIP, 16th in strikeouts per 9 innings (10.2), 11th in walks per 9 (2.7), and 2nd in batting average against (.153). What an awesome dude.
The rest of the pitching was handled by RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL), who tossed 2 no-hit innings with 2 walks and 1 strikeout. Bednar has had a little bit of a disappointing year — which has featured time on the Development List and a demotion from AAA to AA — but he does have a nice 3.10 ERA and 3.91 FIP across the 2 levels. His strikeouts are down a bit year-over-year despite not really addressing his walk issue.
A quiet day on offense. Shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL) had a great game though, hitting 2-2 with a double, a walk, and a sacrifice bunt. The 2023 4th-round pick has been slumping a bit in May, after a solid April, and has a .712 OPS and 88 wRC+ on the season. Nice to see him have a game with not just some damage, but no strikeouts.
As for the top prospects, center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) hit 1-4 with 2 strikeouts and a stolen base, left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) hit 1-4 with a double and a strikeout, and right fielder Jonah Cox went 1-5 with a triple. Dayson Croes made his return after missing about 6 weeks with an injury (and a subsequent rehab assignment in the ACL), and went 1-5 while playing third base.
High-A Eugene (35-12)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 10-7 Box score
A quiet game for Eugene’s stars, but some other intriguing prospects had standout days. The highest-ranked trio sat atop the order and didn’t do much: right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) led off and went 0-5 with a strikeout, and was followed by center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL), who hit 1-5, and was followed by shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) who had an 0-5.
But immediately after that, the fun started to happen, as the final 6 hitters combined to reach base 15 times. It started with the cleanup hitter, first baseman Zander Darby, who went 1-3, drew 2 walks, and smashed a solo home run.
Darby has positively exploded this year. The 23-year old lefty, who was taken in the 12th round of the 2024 draft, had a strong year in Low-A San Jose last season, but really struggled upon a late-season promotion to Eugene, as he posted just a .123 average, a .489 OPS, a 45 wRC+, and a 42.0% strikeout rate in 21 games with the Emeralds. He certainly made the adjustments, though, as this year he’s up to a .324 average, a .954 OPS, a 158 wRC+, and a 27.8% strikeout rate, and, through 40 games, has matched the home run total that he posted last year across the 2 levels, in 79 games. It’s always great seeing players take off like that!
But the best day belonged to left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL), who is starting to find his footing following a breakout 2025. The 21-year old lefty from Mexico, who looks much more athletic and strong this year, went 3-4 with a grand slam, a double, and a stolen base, and it’s safe to say that’s a game to remember.
Gutierrez is one of the best contact hitters in the system, though it’s taken a while for that to play out this year. He’s kept his strikeout rate low (it’s at 16.8% for the year, and has been around that mark all season), but the average is only just starting to come up, and has climbed to .259 (still nearly .100 points below what it was a year ago). But what he’s lost in average, he’s made up for in power. He entered the year with 3 career home runs in 85 games across the DSL, ACL, and Low-A. And on Wednesday, in his 37th game in High-A? He surpassed that mark with his 4th home run of the season. It’s always exciting when a high-contact, low-power player starts to add power without it sapping his contact, though, as the average and swinging strike rate point to, there is some work to do before his contact is fully back on track. Still, it’s an .810 OPS, a 124 wRC+, strong outfield defense, and 12 stolen bases without getting caught for Gutierrez who, in my eyes, has done nothing to lose his spot in the top 20.
Rounding out the dinger party was a fellow small player who has been bulking up a little, second baseman Jean Carlos Sio (No. 44 CPL). Sio, who missed the start of the year with an injury and then had a rehab assignment, went 2-4 with a 3-run shot, and the just-turned 22-year old already has 4 homers in just 12 games with Eugene this season.
Jean Carlos Sio is the hottest hitter on the planet!
Sio, who was signed in 2023 out of Cuba, had quite a breakout year last season, which featured an .808 OPS and a 130 wRC+, with just an 18.0% strikeout rate in 28 games with the Emeralds following a late-season promotion. Given that prior success, the Giants probably don’t need to see him maintain his current performance — he has a 1.117 OPS and a 197 wRC+ — for very much longer before they see how he fares in AA.
An uninteresting pitching day. Starting RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) went 5 innings, but wasn’t fooling anyone. He allowed 7 hits during that time (which included a home run and a double), while also walking 3 and striking out just 4, en route to 5 earned runs on his ledger.
It’s been a so-so year for the 22-year old Marte, who came to the Giants in the Mike Yastrzemski trade last season. He has a 3.74 ERA, a 4.07 FIP, 8.5 strikeouts per 9, and 4.0 walks. A very middle-of-the-pack season thus far, though there’s a lot of potential in that arm.
Following him was RHP Hunter Dryden, who ceded a home run, 2 doubles, and 4 walks in just 2.2 innings, tagging him for 2 runs. Dryden, who struck out 4, has had an odd season, and the 2024 17th-rounder is sitting on a 3.58 ERA and a 4.26 FIP. Year-over-year, his strikeouts are up a bit from his debut season in San Jose (10.0 to 11.0 per 9 innings), and his ground ball rate has spiked (39.9% to 49.4%). But he’s also seen spikes in his walks (4.0 to 5.2 per 9) and home runs (0.3 to 0.8 per 9).
But the pitching ended well, with RHP Ryan Vanderhei retiring all 4 batters he faced, with a strikeout. The 2023 10th-round pick has had an awesome season, with 30 strikeouts against 8 walks in 25 innings, to go with a 1.80 ERA and a 3.00 FIP. In his last 8 games, Vanderhei has thrown 12.1 innings and allowed just 5 hits, 2 walks, and 1 run, with 15 strikeouts.
Low-A San Jose (25-22)
San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 3-2 Box score
Down in the California League, LHP Jordan Gottesman put forth one of the best pitching performances in the system this year. Last year’s 6th-round pick was utterly sensational against Fresno, tossing 5 shutout innings with just a single and a walk allowed, while striking out 7 batters.
That represented a nice bounce-back for the 23-year old from Northeastern, as he had allowed 4 runs in his last start … which had come after back-to-back scoreless 5-inning starts. It takes a while to erase a 4-run start from an ERA, but still … not allowing a run in 3 out of 4 starts in a month is a very impressive thing!
The only thing looming over Gottesman right now is home runs, as he’s allowed 5 of them in 39 innings. That’s given him a 5.37 FIP despite a lovely 2.77 ERA, a pretty nice strikeout to walk ratio (41 to 13), and just 29 total hits allowed in those 39 innings.
A very mild-mannered game on offense, with just 5 hits and 1 walk secured. Right fielder Broedy Poppell had the biggest hit, as he went 1-3 with a solo home run. Last year’s 13th-round pick has really been struggling in his debut season, particularly with contact, as he has just a .232 average and a 28.8% strikeout rate, leading to a .691 OPS and a 78 wRC+. But he’s been a bit better in May than he was in April, particularly on the power front (he has 5 extra-base hits in 44 at-bats this month, after just 1 in 51 last month). Hopefully those improvements continue for the switch-hitter.
Also a nice day for center fielder Andy Polanco, who hit 1-3 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout. The just-turned 21-year old, who was taken in the 11th-round in 2024, has struggled on offense in his 2nd ACL season, as he has a .675 OPS, a 71 wRC+, and a 31.7% strikeout rate. But his defense continues to impress, and he’s up to 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts on the year. Through his 2-year career, Polanco has swiped 40 bags in just 82 games.
Home run tracker
7 — Drew Cavanaugh x2 — [4 in AAA; 3 in AA] 6 — Zander Darby — [High-A] 5 — Jean Carlos Sio — [4 in High-A; 1 in ACL] 4 — Carlos Gutierrez — [High-A] 3 — Broedy Poppell — [Low-A] 1 — Turner Hill — [AAA]
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: 6:05 p.m. PT at Reno (SP: TBD) Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Akron (SP: Cesar Perdomo) Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Jacob Bresnahan) San Jose: 6:50 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: TBD)
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes that tanking is a scourge and the biggest current threat to the league. Now he has his radical solution to "fix" this problem.
By a 29-1 vote, the NBA Board of Governors voted to approve the new "3-2-1" lottery system that will go into effect next season. The new system both expands the number of teams in the lottery to 16 (up from 14) and dramatically flattens the odds, making it less likely that any one team will win. This new system actually punishes the teams with the three worst records in the league, they will have less of a chance than teams that finish 4-10, providing an incentive for teams to win games near the end of the season.
It also is set to make the NBA Lottery draw into a live televised event — not an unveiling of picks drawn in a back room, as is currently done, but the picks will come out live on air.
How the “3-2-1" system works
Here's how this system breaks down:
• It's called the "3-2-1" system because of how many ping pong lottery balls a team gets.
• The lottery now includes 16 teams: The 10 teams that miss even the play-in, the four teams that finish ninth or 10th in their conferences, plus the loser of the 7/8 play-in game.
• Also, the lottery will be drawn all the way through the No. 16 pick (currently, only the top four are drawn by the lottery and it is reverse record order after that). However, the teams with the three worst records can fall no further than 12th.
• The three teams with the worst records will be "draft relegated" (still a terrible name) and be penalized for their struggles by only getting two lottery balls, giving them a a 5.4% chance at the No. 1 pick.
• The teams with the 4-10 worst records will receive three lottery balls each and an 8.1% chance at the No. 1 pick.
• The teams that finish as the No. 9 and 10 seeds in each conference will each get two lottery balls and a 5.4% chance at the No. 1 pick (the same as the teams with the three worst records).
• The teams that lose the 7/8 play-in for each conference get one lottery ball, and with it a 2.7% chance of landing the No. 1 pick (for example, this season that would have been Orlando and Phoenix).
• The first 16 picks of the second round would be the reverse of the first round. To use this year's draft as an example, because the Wizards have the No. 1 pick, they would pick 46th overall in the second round, while a team that slid to 16th would have the 31st pick, the first of the second round. (That is different than the current system, where the second round is based purely on record. For example, Brooklyn had the third-worst record in the league, dropped to sixth in the first round because of the lottery, but will have the No. 33 pick, the third in the second round, regardless.)
• Teams cannot win the No. 1 pick in consecutive years.
• Teams cannot have top-five picks in three consecutive years. (Consider this the Spurs rule, it is clearly a direct reaction to them after some people were unhappy the Spurs got to draft Victor Wembanyama No. 1, Stephon Castle No. 4 and Dylan Harper No. 2 in three consecutive years.)
• This new plan also grants Silver dramatically expanded, unchecked authority to punish teams he perceives as tanking, including fines of up to $10 million, taking away ping pong balls, or even forcing them to surrender draft picks.
• This system is set to sunset after three lotteries (after the 2029 draft) and will either be retained, modified (again) or scrapped.
What are pros and cons?
On the positive side, this system is going to do what Silver and the owners intend: There is far less incentive to tank, and more teams will compete through the end of the season to avoid landing in the bottom three. If you believe that tanking is the biggest blight the league faces today, this is a huge win.
On the negative side, there are real concerns about how this change, starting next season, will affect already-traded picks or might dampen the market for trading future first-round picks. If a team sees better odds of potentially moving up in the draft, those picks become more valuable and less likely to be traded.
The lone no vote on the new plan was from Memphis, because they are screwed over by one of the odd provisions of this system, where the restrictions on a pick stay even if it is traded. Memphis owns the rights to Utah's first-round pick next year (part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade), but because Utah drafted fifth last year (Ace Bailey) and will pick second this year, their pick cannot fall in the top five — even though that is now Memphis' pick. Meaning Memphis can't pick higher than sixth next year with the Utah pick (Memphis did not know that at the time of the JJJ trade).
The timing of this new plan is crucial for the perception Adam Silver wants. Next year at this time, he will be taking a victory lap about how there was no tanking (even as unintended consequences quickly start to appear), but the reality is there would have been less tanking next year because it's seen as a much weaker draft class. This year saw nine teams tanking by the end because it is a particularly deep class with multiple franchise-changing, cornerstone players at the top and quality players well down the board. Next year, nobody was tanking for that class before this was approved.
The other knock is that this moves the league further away from the original purpose of a draft — to redistribute talent and allow the worst teams to draft the best players. It's how the NFL does it: The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst record, so they get to pick Fernando Mendoza. Now, a genuinely bad NBA team could be screwed over and drop dramatically multiple years in a row.
On the positive side, it will force those same front offices to be far smarter and more creative in building out a roster rather than hoping for lottery luck.
The hockey world mourned the passing of Claude Lemieux after the news broke that the four-time Stanley Cup champion died on Thursday, May 28.
Lemieux was taken by the Montréal Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL draft. He played for the team for seven seasons and won his first Stanley Cup with them in the 1985-1986 campaign. He then joined the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche where he won the rest of this three championships, two with New Jersey and one with Colorado. He finished his career with stints on the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
The Quebec native helped fuel the rivalry between the Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings when, in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference Finals, he slammed into Kris Draper. Lemieux was suspended two games for the hit.
Several of Lemieux's former teams and media personalities from across the sports world expressed their condolences for the hockey great's passing, which is being investigated as suicide.
NHL commissioner honors Claude Lemieux
National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement upon Claude Lemieux's death praising him for his accomplishments on the ice.
“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game Players in hockey history," he said.
“Lemieux forged his postseason reputation and won the Cup for the first time as a rookie in 1986, when he scored 10 goals in the Playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoffs MVP in 1995, scoring 13 goals in 20 postseason games with the New Jersey Devils. He also was an integral part of Cup-winning teams in Colorado, in 1996, and back with New Jersey in 2000.
“Overall, his teams reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 15 straight seasons; his 234 postseason games played rank sixth in NHL history; and his 80 career Playoff goals rank ninth. In recent years, as a player agent, he has represented some of the top stars in the NHL.
“We send our deepest condolences to Claude’s wife, Deborah, and his four children, Brendan, Claudia, Michael and Christopher.”
Canadiens, Avalanche, Devils pay tribute to Claude Lemieux
The Montréal Canadiens shared the news of Claude Lemieux's death and mourned his passing.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. I wish to express my most sincere and deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” Geoff Molson, owner and CEO of Groupe CH, said in a statement. “A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honors. He embodied the very essence of being a Montréal Canadiens player."
In an Instagram post, the team said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear the news of his death.
In his tribute, former Detroit Red Wings player Darren McCarty said that Lemieux was a venerable threat on the ice and a different person off it.
"This is extremely sad no matter what feelings from past or present you hold, he wrote on X. "My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends and people who got to see the person off the ice wasn’t the person on. As I’ve said and will always call it as I see it 'If your on the ICE with Claude Lemieux and your turn your back. YOU Are an IDIOT. But off the ICE I’ll turn mine.'"
Just heard the news on #ClaudeLemieux This is extremely sad no matter what feelings from past or present you hold. My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends and people who got to see the person off the ice wasn’t the person on. As I’ve said and will always call it as I…
The official X page for Canada Hockey also honored Lemieux.
"We are saddened by the passing of Team Canada alumnus Claude Lemieux, and send our condolences to his family and friends," the team wrote.
Nous sommes attristés par le décès de Claude Lemieux, ancien d’Équipe Canada. Nous transmettons nos condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches. ❤️
We are saddened by the passing of Team Canada alumnus Claude Lemieux, and send our condolences to his family and friends. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uqMwtCd33m
Jemele Hill, Vic Lombardi among media mourning Claude Lemieux
Jemele Hill and Vic Lombardi also took to social media to pay tribute to Claude Lemieux.
Hill recalled the rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.
"This is just horrible news. I watched a lot of hockey growing up and even collected trading cards," she said on X. "As a Detroiter, we spent a lot of time absolutely hating Claude Lemieux, but he was a heck of a player."
Lombardi reflected on the right wing's impact on Colorado sports.
"This awful," he wrote on X. "Such an instrumental piece of the Avs first Cup winner. He was the sandpaper that team desperately needed. So him many years later. Could not have been nicer."
This is just horrible news. I watched a lot of hockey growing up and even collected trading cards. As a Detroiter, we spent a lot of time absolutely hating Claude Lemieux, but he was a heck of a player. https://t.co/j60JAczpYN
This awful. Such an instrumental piece of the Avs first Cup winner. He was the sandpaper that team desperately needed. So him many years later. Could not have been nicer.
The clip immediately went viral. It even reached his alma mater, Villanova, with former men’s basketeball coach Jay Wright posting the clip to his X account, adding “Love it!”
Wright has several connections to this Knicks team, having coached stars Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges to national titles with the Wildcats.
Jalen Brunson during game four of the Eastern Conference Finals Getty Images
Brunson’s arrival in 2022 helped change the Knicks’ fortunes, though when Robert Francis Prevost was named Pope last year, many thought his ties to the ‘Nova Knicks were a sign from above.
If anything, Pope Leo’s apparent endorsement is a helpful way to fill the wait ahead of the June 3 start of the NBA Finals.
Knicks guard Josh Hart attempts a shot while being defended by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
The Spurs and reigning champion Thunder are still duking it out to join the Knicks in the championship round, but whether they have a higher power on their side remains to be seen.
WINNING FACTS: By winning last night, the Cubs avoided falling into fifth place in the division. The have been fifth after 13 days on which they played this season, but not since they were 11-9 on April 19. They have been fourth after four games, third after seven, second after 11 and first after 19. The Brewers have been first on 20 days; the Reds, on 19; the Pirates, eight; and the Cardinals, three. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
HITTING USUALLY MEANS WINNING: The Cubs’ 14 hits last night tied for their fifth most this season. They had 18 vs. the Phillies on April 23, 16 vs. the Rays on April 7, 15 vs. the Phillies on April 14 and 15, and 14 vs. the Mets on April 17 and the White Sox on May 15. All but the 18-hit game and 14 vs. the Sox were on the road. The Cubs won all those games. They are 16-1 this season when they have produced double-digit hits. The only loss was by 13-7 at Philadelphia on April 13, the day before the Cubs began their first 10-game winning streak. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
WEBB SPINNING: Jacob Webb, month of May: 11 games, 13 innings, 0.69 ERA, 0.769 WHIP, no home runs allowed, two walks, 18 strikeouts.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Kyle Hendricks throws a five-hit complete game and the Cubs defeat the Phillies 5-1 at Wrigley Field. The team improves to 33-14 and leads the NL Central by 5.5 games. It happened 10 years ago today, Saturday, May 28, 2016.
The Pirates lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Pirates lineup.
Colin Rea, RHP vs. Paul Skenes, RHP
After a pretty good start to his 2026, Colin Rea has been hit pretty hard in his last two starts, though the most recent one (last Saturday vs. the Astros) was decent — seven innings, four hits, three runs.
Rea has not faced the Pirates this year. Last year in three starts against them he had a 2.65 ERA and 0.941 WHIP and only one home run allowed in 17 innings.
Two current Pirates who hit him well are Nick Gonzales (5-for-12, a home run) and Bryan Reynolds (8-for-19, two doubles, two home runs).
It’s weird to see “3.00” as Paul Skenes’ ERA as he’s been below 2.00 most of his MLB career. He got pounded for five runs in less than an inning in his first 2026 start, largely due to a misplay by Oneil Cruz, then over the next eight: 1.09 ERA, 0.527 WHIP, 55 strikeouts and only five walks in 49.1 innings.
But then he got hit hard his last two times out: 15 hits and nine earned runs in 10 total innings, and his K rate dropped.
So maybe the Cubs are facing him at a good time for them.
Cubs teams have hit Skenes reasonably well. Their .737 OPS in seven games they’ve faced him is the best for any team that’s faced him more than three times. Same for the 2.94 ERA he has against the Cubs — worst for any team that’s faced him more than three times.
Thus… don’t assume this is a loss. The Cubs have done okay against Skenes in the past, and he’s coming off two (for him) bad starts. Fingers crossed.
Please visit our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout. If you do go there to interact with Pirates fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
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After a Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of a second NBA Finals appearance in two years.
In Game 5, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a performance worthy of his MVP title to help the Thunder secure a 127-114 victory, finishing with 32 points and 9 assists while converting 16 of his 17 free-throw attempts. The Thunder’s bench also contributed greatly, both offensively and defensively.
The Spurs got a strong 24-point effort from Stephon Castle and 22 points from Julian Champagnie in the loss, but Victor Wembanyama was held to just 4-of-15 shooting from the floor for 20 points as the Thunder’s physical frontline swarmed him all evening.
NBA Western conference finals: what to know
What: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs
When: May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, Texas)
Channel: NBC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
Should the Spurs win tonight, the Western Conference Finals will move back to Oklahoma City for a winner-take-all Game 7.
Thunder vs. Spurs Game 6 start time:
Thunder vs. Spurs Game 6 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight, May 28.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
If the San Antonio Spurs need to draw inspiration to keep fighting in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, perhaps “El Jefe” can arrange a team field trip to the Alamo.
San Antonio is facing elimination at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday and this high-stakes showdown is the perfect setting for my Thunder vs. Spurs same-game parlay.
My NBA picks like San Antonio to force a Game 7 in a high-scoring finish, highlighted by star Victor Wembanyama.
The San Antonio Spurs have the third-highest homecourt net rating in the postseason and will warm up their cold shooting from Game 5 by getting back inside the Frost Bank Center.
The return to Texas will also help the Spurs tighten the screws on turnovers, which really hampered their offense in this series. The defense is doing a great job of slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which is like cutting the head off the snake.
San Antonio is 5-1 straight up coming off a loss this postseason and 20-6 SU in those spots overall.
SGP leg #2: Over 218.5
The Game 5 final smashed the closing total and could be a hint of where this series is headed in terms of scoring. Chet Holmgren finally woke up, and the Oklahoma City Thunder bench doesn’t allow much of an offensive dip, meaning San Antonio will have to score in Game 6.
The Spurs are at their best playing with pace, fueled by transition offense. These teams produced totals north of 230 in the regular season and that’s where we’re trending on Thursday.
SGP leg #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 points
After a 5-for-15 dud in Game 5 and bailing on the postgame presser, Victor Wembanyama is under the microscope in this do-or-die outing.
San Antonio’s coach and players are begging Wemby to be more aggressive, and while some models sit at 27 points with 18 FGAS, I expect 22+ shots from the 7-footer.
Wembanyama bounces back from quiet efforts, averaging 28 points in the last 21 games following 15 or fewer FGAs. Nine of those have hit 30+ points.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Thunder vs. Spurs predictions for Game 6.
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Start spreading the news: the New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals.
While the Western Conference competitors — San Antonio and Oklahoma City — sort themselves out, the Eastern Conference champion Knicks sit with 12 total postseason wins and await their opponent for the Bill O’Brien Trophy.
New York will be an underdog in the NBA Finals, regardless of the opponent, and Kalshi is offering prediction markets on the Knicks’ total number of playoff wins when the smoke settles on the tournament.
Here’s a look at those NBA odds and what market makes the most sense to New York backers.
How Many Playoff Games Will the Knicks Win?
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Prediction markets have “Yes” 15+ wins listed with a 50% probability, which would get better if the Western Conference Finals go seven games.
The New York Knicks need 16 victories to win the title, and 15 would make it a thrilling seven-game series. We had one of those last year, with the Oklahoma City Thunder edging out the Indiana Pacers in a do-or-die finale.
New York will be the more rested of the two contenders, but barely avoided the “rust” spot in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals after an extended break. The Knicks needed to rally from 22 points down in the fourth quarter to win the series opener, en route to a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
👍Go New York, Go New York, Go!
If you’re not as ambitious about the Knicks but give them plenty of respect for their postseason play, 14+ wins is trading with “Yes” as a 70% probability at Kalshi. This option pays out if the series goes at least six games, putting weight on the Knicks to win at home.
New York has been excellent in a star-studded Madison Square Garden this spring, owning a 6-1 record in the Mecca while boasting a playoff-best net rating of 16.1 at home.
I like this “Yes” option, as it pays $2 for every $1 investment at the current probabilities and doesn’t need the series to go seven games to win. Most NBA Finals go six games, and the Knicks have the personnel, star power, and coaching to make these matchups competitive.
👎No New York, No New York, No!
If you’re not buying into the Knicks’ postseason run and think whoever comes out of the West will squash a rusty New York squad, then “No” 13+ wins is paying a pretty penny.
This side of the market is essentially picking the Western champs to sweep the NBA Finals, which has occurred just nine times. The last time a title winner broke out the broom in the finals was when Golden State swept Cleveland in 2018.
If that happens to the Knicks in 2026, you’re looking at a current $12 win for every $1 investment. Again, this prediction market will fluctuate based on whether there’s a Game 7 in the WCF.
New York has won all three Game 1 outings so far in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, and the NBA Finals won’t tip off until June 3, putting the Knicks’ red-hot run on ice for more than a week.
On Thursday afternoon, the NHL Alumni Association announced the passing of former NHL all-star and noted tough guy, Claude Lemieux.
A four-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe winner, Lemieux's death was sudden, with reports indicating local law enforcement were responding to an attempted suicide at a business owned by Lemieux and family.
Photo by Dick Raphael/USA Today
Just two nights prior, Lemieux had carried in the torch for the Montreal Canadiens in advance of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
He was just 60 years old.
A Quebec product, Lemieux went on to win the Stanley Cup with his hometown Canadiens, as well as with the Colorado Avalanche and twice with the New Jersey Devils.
"He was loved by his wife and four children, and on behalf of the Lemieux family, we kindly ask that everyone respect their privacy during this difficult time. Memorial service details to follow," the NHL Alumni Association wrote on Thursday.
Lemieux put up 1,777 penalty minutes in his 21-season career, while also managing 379 goals and 786 points in his 1,215 total games played. He also operated at a strong .68 point-per-game rate in the postseason.
Lemieux's son, Brendan, spent four years with the Winnipeg Jets organization - suiting up for both the Manitoba Moose and the Jets. He later moved on to the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings, before ultimately travelling to Switzerland, where he spent the past two seasons playing for HC Davos.
Claude Lemieux’s death came just days after he was back in the NHL spotlight.
The four-time Stanley Cup winner died at 60 years old, the league’s Alumni Association announced Thursday, after Lemieux was just at his former home arena — the Bell Centre in Montreal — on Monday night.
Lemieux carried out the ceremonial torch for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Canadiens and the Hurricanes.
Claude Lemieux holds a torch as he enters the arena before Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series between the Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Montreal. Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP
He carried the torch through a tunnel of excited fans, who were cheering and filming him on his walk. Upon reaching the inside of the arena, he raised the torch and pumped his fist as fans roared for their former winger of seven years.
The death was ruled a suicide, as reported by TMZ after Lemieux was found at a family business Thursday morning in Florida.
Longtime NHL forward Claude Lemieux has died at the age of 60, the NHL Alumni announced.
Lemieux was just in Montreal days ago, carrying the torch before the Canadiens playoff game. pic.twitter.com/tcGGglhnFY
Lemieux, a Quebec native, was drafted by the Canadiens in 1983 and spent the first seven seasons of his career in Montreal.
He won his first Cup with the Canadiens in 1986 before adding three more with the Devils (twice) and Avalanche.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. I wish to express my most sincere and deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said in a statement. “A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honors. He embodied the very essence of being a Montreal Canadiens player. Today we mourn the untimely passing of one of our champions. Our thoughts are with his family on this difficult day.”
Lemieux also spent time with the Coyotes, Stars and Sharks.
He retired in 2009 for a second time following a comeback season with San Jose at 43 years old.
Claude Lemieux carries the torch in the opening ceremony of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on May 25, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. NHLI via Getty Images
Montreal went on to lose 3-2 during an overtime period. They also lost Wednesday’s Game 4, 4-0.
With their backs against the wall, the Canadiens head to Carolina for Game 5 and if they force a Game 6, they will be back at Bell Centre for what would undoubtedly be an emotional scene.
The last time the Canadiens were in the Stanley Cup Final was in 2021, when they lost to the Lightning in five games. They last won the Cup in ’93.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points
Price: -113 at bet365
You can say what you want about De'Aaron Fox as a bettor, but I’m not passing on Over 14.5 points in this spot. The San Antonio Spurs are facing elimination at home, and this will already be Fox’s fourth game back from injury.
That matters because his minutes have been managed carefully all season, and we still haven’t really seen his full workload in this series due to multiple blowouts. Tonight will be different.
With the Spurs favored by only 3.5 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder, this could be the most competitive game Fox has played since returning, and that’s where his value rises. In close games, his usage climbs, the ball stays in his hands late, and his scoring ceiling increases dramatically.
This feels like a spot where San Antonio leans heavily on Fox offensively, and I price him closer to -215 to clear this total.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
Price: -112 at bet365
Victor Wembanyama amassed a billion rebounds in the first two games of the series, but since then, he’s recorded a total of only 18 boards on 43 combined rebounding chances across the past three outings.
The biggest difference is Wemby’s aggressiveness on the offensive glass. He stacked 14 offensive boards in the opening two games of the WCF but has pulled down only four rebounds on the offensive end over the last three showings.
Wembanyama has looked tired and is playing too passively at times, especially in Game 5. The Spurs are begging their big man to be more aggressive in Game 6, and that means getting inside and crashing the offensive glass for putbacks.
Game 6 models range from 12.3 rebounds to 15.5, with most projections sitting north of his current total.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Over 219.5
Price: -110 at bet365
This pick still comes down to pace. Both teams have a shot volume in the first five games almost identical to their regular-season averages, and that’s been driving scoring throughout the series.
San Antonio put up 114 points in Game 5 despite shooting below their standard, thanks to generating 92 shot attempts. Back at home, I’d expect better efficiency from the Spurs, especially if they continue to get lots of quality looks.
On the other side, Oklahoma City has topped 120 points in three of the last four games. The Spurs have also gone Over in nine of their last 10 games, with those contests averaging 227.4 combined points.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
How Many Playoff Games Will the Knicks Win?
Fox o14.5 points
