Andrew Benintendi was one of last night’s heros, but he’s still not good. A -0.6 bWAR tells that story, but we’ll take what we can get out of the $75 million man. | (Joe Nicholson/Imagn Images)
The White Sox go for the series win this afternoon against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. A victory would give the South Siders their sixth series win of the season and move them to three games over .500 for the first time in 2026.
Sean Burke draws the start, hoping to erase the memory of his last mess — four runs, eight hits, and an early shower after 4 1/3. Still, he’s 2-3 with a 4.10 ERA in nine games, 48 1/3 innings of mostly serviceable work.
Seattle throws Emerson Hancock at the Sox, and he’s been sneaky good: 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA over nine starts. Last time out, he took the loss despite giving up just one run in six. He did tag the Sox for a win back on May 9, even though he coughed up five runs in six innings. Go figure.
Will Venable stacks them up like this on the getaway day.
It’s a familiar formula on both sides: Chicago trying to piece together enough offense to back a starter and Seattle leaning on steady pitching. With the series on the line, small margins will matter early.
The Sox have shown they can scrap out wins. So, now it’s about closing the deal and heading to San Francisco with another burst of momentum.
First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.
MIAMI, FL - MAY 19: Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) looks on during a game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on May 19, 2026 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have released their lineup for tonight’s contest against the Miami Marlins and the lineup is one that looks like another reminder of just how deep this lineup can be on any given day when injuries aren’t completely ravaging the squad.
Michael Harris II has moved up to second in the lineup, which is the highest he’s hit in the lineup so far this season by two full spots. His previous highest spot in the order was fourth, so clearly Walt Weiss is thinking that it would be better for Harris to get some more ABs at the moment — especially against right-handed pitching. Harris is entering this game batting .318/.339/.523 against right-handers with a wRC+ of 139 and six homers so far.
Also, Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the field while Dominic Smith will be taking on the role for DH in this one. Again, this is a very solid-looking lineup against righties — as evidence by the fact that the Braves as a team currently lead all of baseball in hitting against right-handers with a team wRC+ of 119 against righties.
Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez stay at the top of the lineup and as long as Chris Sale can find a way to make sure they’re not involved in any given rallies, he and the rest of this pitching staff should hopefully be in good shape. Anything can happen as we’ve seen from this series so far but hopefully the Braves will be able to take firm control of this series with their performance this evening.
Let’s hear what you think of the lineup for Atlanta. . Are you like me and you like what you see? Let us know!
Phoenix, Arizona, USA. (Photo by: Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
GIANTS
DIAMONDBACKS
Will Brennan – RF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Luis Arraez – 2B
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Casey Schmitt – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Rafael Devers – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – C
Willy Adames – SS
Lourdes Gurriel – DH
Matt Chapman – 3B
Jose Fernandez – 3B
Bryce Eldridge – DH
Jorge Barrosa – RF
Daniel Susac – C
Tim Tawa – LF
Drew Gilbert – CF
Ryan Waldschmidt – CF
Tyler Mahle – RHP
Merrill Kelly – RHP
The D-backs currently have the longest winning streak in the National League. That sounds a bit better than “have won three games in a row”. Though Arizona are still one off matching their longest winning streak of the season: April 14-18, they won two games in Baltimore, then came back to Arizona and took the first two against Toronto. It has been almost a year since the D-backs have won more than four in a row: in mid-June 2025, they won five against the Mariners and the Padres. Since then, they have won four on five different occasions, only to go 0-5 the next time. As Jack noted yesterday, long winning streaks have been rare in the Hazen era generally.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens after last night’s glorious walk-off win. Will the impetus from that carry forward, or will there be an adrenaline crash as a result? To find out if there’s a trend, I looked at how the team performed in the next game after their last ten walk-off victories, which takes us back to September 2024. Here are the result in those contests:
Apr 7: L(w) 3-4
Sep 24: L 4-5
Sep 17: L 1-5
Aug 23: W 10-1
Aug 22: W(w) 6-5
Aug 10: W 13-6
Jun 15: L 2-8
Jun 10: W 10-3
Apr 13: W 5-2
Sep 16: L(w) 2-3
Well, there we go. The Diamondbacks have lost their last three contests following walk-off wins, but overall, the D-backs have gone 5-5, including a pair of walk-off losses and one occasion where there were back-to-back walk-off wins. Those came in August 2025, when the D-backs beat the Guardians 3-2 in ten innings, and followed that up by beating the Reds 6-5 in eleven innings. But overall, while this is a small sample size, it doesn’t appear that there has been much of an impact, in either direction, resulting from a D-backs walk-off win. We’ll see what results this afternoon, as Arizona goes for the sweep.
The Buffalo Sabres held end-of-season media availabilities on Wednesday after their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, with a number of off-season questions like whether pending UFA winger Alex Tuch will re-sign, but another looming question was answered before GM Jarmo Kekalainen met with reporters, as the club announced that head coach Lindy Ruff has been signed to a two-year contract extension.
Ruff was the winningest head coach in Sabres history after a 16-year stint from 1997 to 2013 that saw the club reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and three Eastern Conference Finals in 1998, 2006, and 2007. After being fired by the New Jersey Devils late in the 2023-24 season, the 66-year-old returned to Buffalo after an 11-year absence on a two-year deal; the same term that was remaining on his contract with the Devils.
The Sabres posted a 50-23-9 record (109 points) in 2025-26, the most points by Buffalo in one season since their President’s Trophy-winning season in 2006-07. The club won the Atlantic Division and Ruff earned a nomination as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.
In their first playoff appearance since 2011, Buffalo eliminated the Boston Bruins in six games in the first round, winning three games on the road at TD Garden, and in the second round, pushed the Montreal Canadiens to Game 7, when Alex Newhook scored in overtime to end the Sabres season.
There had been some speculation before this season that Ruff would finish out his contract and would then be elevated to an advisory role, but the fourth all-time winningest head coach in NHL history seemed invigorated by leading the young Buffalo club to the post-season. After Monday’s loss, John Wawrow of Associated Press indicated that all signs were pointing to Ruff returning behind the bench and that the decision was up to him.
Many of the Sabres players on locker cleanout day pointed to Ruff keeping them accountable as one of the main reasons for the club’s improvement this season.
NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James will likely have a few things to say about free agency, the state of the NBA and his own future on July 16.
James — the NBA's all-time leading scorer — will be appearing at Fanatics Fest NYC that day at the Javits Center in New York and recording a live version of the “Mind the Game” video podcast with Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, the sports apparel giant announced Wednesday.
The taping will come roughly 2 1/2 weeks after the start of NBA free agency. James has not yet announced if he will return next season for a 24th year of his record-setting career. He just finished his eighth season with the Los Angeles Lakers and could elect to stay with that team or sign elsewhere as a free agent.
Whatever his choice is, it would seem likely that James announces something long before that July 16 podcast taping.
“None of us in here know what the future holds,” James said last week when the Lakers' season ended with a second-round playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “None of us. Nobody has any idea what the future holds. And I don’t either. Like I said, I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future. And when I get to that point, everyone will know.”
Fanatics Fest will run through July 19 — the day of the FIFA World Cup final, being played nearby in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event will play host to the teams that make the World Cup final for news conferences on July 17.
The “Mind the Game” episode with James and Haliburton will be released on July 21 on YouTube, Prime Video and other platforms.
The event is a sports fan festival, with organizers describing it as “bringing together athletes, leagues, collectors, brands, and fans for a multi-day celebration of sports and culture.” Many of the biggest names in sports are expected to attend over the four days.
Once upon a time, the Sixers held NBA Draft workouts which were open to the media.
Back when Sam Hinkie was running things, those workouts took place at PCOM in a tiny gym not befitting of an NBA franchise. Plenty of talented players came through that building. It’s where Ben Simmons had his pre-draft workout. There was even a year when Villanova’s Josh Hart and St. Joe’s DeAndre’ Bembry squared off.
Vince Rozman was a big part of Hinkie’s front office, largely helping with draft prep. Rozman was elevated from scouting coordinator — a position he took way back in 2006 under Billy King — to director of basketball operations and scouting innovation in 2013. Even when Hinkie left and the team opened up its state-of-the-art facility in Camden, New Jersey, Rozman remained. He became an even bigger fixture, speaking to the gathered media about prospects coming through that day. He came across sharp but personable.
Fast forward to 2026 and Rozman has been on quite the journey. Should the next step in it be running the Philadelphia 76ers? In a word — yes.
Bob Myers said last week he’s looking for someone to run things “day-to-day” while he’ll have a say in “high-level” decisions around the draft, free agency and trade deadline. His search appears to be off to a positive start. The list of reported candidates is vast and varied. There are plenty of folks with connections to Myers from the Golden State Warriors, some hotter names on the market and a couple shoot-your-shot candidates.
Of all of them, Rozman might have the best resume to lead the franchise into the future and (eventually) build around the backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
After his promotion by Hinkie, Rozman was elevated by … whoever was running the front office in 2018 to senior director of scouting. He was promoted once more to VP of scouting in 2019, a position he continued to hold when Daryl Morey took things over ahead of the 2020-21 season.
It was a frenetic time for the Sixers prior to that (relatively speaking). Elton Brand was still considered the team’s lead executive. Along with ownership, the Sixers hired Doc Rivers as head coach to replace Brett Brown. A few months later, they brought on Morey after he left his longtime post with the Houston Rockets.
The 2020 NBA Draft was fast approaching after Morey’s hire. Rozman was already leading the charge on the organization’s draft prep and strategy. He was then charged with getting Morey up to speed.
“It’s been great, honestly. … I think we’ve all been kind of in a firefight, because he’s been here for two weeks and we need to catch him up,” Rozman said in November of 2020. “We felt really, really prepared to be able to do it. The good thing is we tend to think similarly on players, so that’s helpful. If you think of it from Daryl’s standpoint, he’s coming in, he needs to catch up on the roster, he needs to catch up on our scouting staff, the front office, the draft.
“I think we’re all lucky that he’s obviously well-qualified to do it. But I don’t know that the process has necessarily changed. Instead of informing (general manager Elton Brand) and talking through all the draft-related possible transactions or players or what have you with Elton and our scouting staff, it’s now with Elton and Daryl, and obviously (executive vice president of basketball operations) Peter Dinwiddie, as well, to be ready for (draft night).”
That night was not only Morey’s best running the Sixers, it was one of the best nights a front office has had in franchise history.
Morey changed the composition of the roster by moving off the ill-fitting Al Horford and Josh Richardson. Danny Green and Seth Curry were acquired and both started for a team that was the No. 1 seed in the East in 2021-22. The team also selected Tyrese Maxey with the 21st pick, arguably the biggest draft steal in franchise history. They also selected Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed, two players who have carved out NBA roles on good teams.
The following offseason, Morey promoted Rozman to assistant general manager. Unfortunately, the Sixers didn’t have as much draft luck in 2021, selecting Jaden Springer, Filip Petrusev and Charles Bassey. Bassey was the only player who was on an NBA roster to end this season. The players selected after Springer make it a tougher pill to swallow.
The following season, Rozman decided to spread his wings after 16 years in Philly. He took a job with the Oklahoma City Thunder as VP of identification and intelligence. He’s spent the last few seasons largely running the draft room for Sam Presti, one of the best executives in the sport. Not to rub salt in any wounds, but it wouldn’t be surprising to hear Rozman’s initial scouting of Jared McCain as a draft prospect was involved in that trade process.
One of the Thunder’s biggest recent draft wins is Ajay Mitchell. He was initially taken by the New York Knicks in the second round, but OKC maneuvered to acquire the young guard out of UC Santa Barbara. In just his second NBA season, Mitchell has been a huge part of the Thunder’s success, playing a pivotal sixth-man role in the regular season and playoffs. Folks around the league have wondered aloud if Mitchell is primed for a James Harden-type situation, eventually departing OKC to star elsewhere.
Mitchell is brought up here because these are the types of wins the Sixers need. The organization is locked into three max contracts. It will likely prove difficult for any new executive to find a way out of the deals for Joel Embiid and Paul George, so perhaps the best person for the job is the one who can find ways to build on the margins. Mitchell was initially on a two-way contract before proving his worth and getting converted to a standard NBA deal.
Rozman has proven to be an excellent talent evaluator, able to find stars, role players and diamonds in the rough. He has familiarity with the organization, but he’s also been working under arguably the best executive in basketball.
For you Process true believers, Rozman comes with the ultimate stamp of approval.
Vince Rozman is incredible. He’s also a hidden gem because he deflects credit so graciously.
He’s *great* -with people -at evaluating talent -at systems -as a communicator
The Thunder made a brilliant hire. At some point soon someone really smart is going to hand him the keys. https://t.co/iCVP4sWNOi
The Winnipeg Jets will host a 2026 NHL Draft Party at Canada Life Centre on Friday, June 26, giving fans the opportunity to watch the club make the eighth overall selection in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Several notable Jets prospects are expected to attend the event, including Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow and Sascha Boumedienne. Alumni and other team personalities are also scheduled to appear for autograph sessions and panel discussions throughout the evening.
Photo by Joe Camporeale/USA Today
Tickets become available Friday morning through Ticketmaster. Admission includes a beverage, a meal and a commemorative 2026 NHL Draft souvenir item. The organization is also offering an early-access pre-sale for season ticket holders.
The event will feature live entertainment, giveaways, merchandise opportunities and food and beverage options on the arena floor. Doors are set to open at 5 p.m., with the NHL Draft beginning one hour later.
This year’s draft will take place in Buffalo, with Round 1 scheduled for June 26 and Rounds 2-7 following on June 27. NHL clubs will once again operate remotely from their home markets under the league’s decentralized draft format.
The Jets currently hold seven selections in the 2026 draft, including one pick in each of the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, along with two seventh-round picks.
Should Winnipeg's management staff consider holding onto its first round pick, the Jets will be selecting at No. 8 overall. There is speculation, however, that the team is considering trading up for an NHL-ready player or trading down for a roster player who could immediately impact the team as early as the 2026-27 season.
Trevor Linden had a very eventful NHL career both on and off the ice. This included being elected NHLPA President in 1998, which was a title he held until 2006. During his time as President, Linden was at the forefront during the 2004-05 lockout, and helped negotiate a new CBA that saw the league return to action after.
After the Vancouver Canucks fired Head Coach Adam Foote on Tuesday, Linden appeared on Sportsnet 650to speak about Vancouver's new management group. The 56-year-old spoke about the Sedins and Ryan Johnson being a united front, and how he did not have the same support during his tenure as President of Hockey Operations from 2014 to 2018. To this day, Linden is well respected by Canucks fans and is someone people in the market enjoy listening to when he does radio hits.
A day after the clip was posted, NHL Agent and Co-Managing Director of Octagon-Hockey Allan Walsh took to social media to share his thoughts on Linden. In a post on "X", Walsh wrote, "Trevor Linden and “presenting a united front” should never be uttered in the same sentence. One of the persons most responsible for going behind the back of NHLPA leadership to strike a deal with Gary on a triple hard salary cap with escrow. Cost players billions of dollars."
Walsh currently represents over 25 players in the NHL. Among them is Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek, who signed an eight-year extension worth $58 million in 2024. Other notable players that Walsh represents include Jonathan Huberdeau, Jonathan Drouin and JJ Peterka.
Feb 10, 2020; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Former Vancouver captain Trevor Linden walks out for a pre-game ceremony as part of Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin jersey and number retirement ceremony week in Vancouver. Prior to a game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Nashville Predators at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
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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The New York Knicks are on a wild run in the 2026 NBA playoffs, and a WWE star may be behind it all.
It was a wild Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, with the Knicks erasing a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 115-104 overtime win, the second-largest comeback in the fourth quarter of a postseason game since 1997. While New York is certainly praising the late-game heroics of Jalen Brunson and company, people are pointing out that the shocking result happened because of WWE wrestler Danhausen − and his proclamation before Game 1.
Does it make sense? Not really to non-wrestling fans, but those interested in both can't help but notice Danhausen may have something to do with the Knicks' success.
Who is Danhausen?
Danhausen may come off weird to non-wrestling fans, as someone with white, black and red face paint talking in strange ways. His gimmick is that he places curses on wrestlers and other things, and they end up working in mysterious fashion.
After he was with All Elite Wrestling from 2022-26, he made his first WWE appearance at Elimination Chamber in February. His debut was odd, but he has since become a fan favorite wrestler thanks to his comedy and creativity.
Danhausen and the Knicks
The odd relationship with New York goes back to the first round of the playoffs. As part of WWE's promotion of WrestleMania 42, Danhausen appeared on "First Take" and placed a curse on Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith.
The segment was strange, but it had some effect: the Atlanta Hawks took a 2-1 lead over the Knicks. Danhausen even gloated about it on an episode of SmackDown.
However, Danhausen later revealed someone paid him "human monies" to lift the curse off of the Knicks.
The result? The Knicks win three straight games to win the series, and follow it up with a dominant sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. ESPN even noted on "First Take" on May 19 that the Knicks were 6-0 since the curse was lifted.
Danhausen curses Cleveland Cavaliers
As if it couldn't get weirder, Danhausen appeared on ESPN program "NBA Today" ahead of Game 1. On the show, he placed a curse on the Cavaliers.
It didn't end there, as Danhausen went to Madison Square Garden ahead of the game with his own Knicks jersey.
All of that led to what happened in Game 1, when the Cavaliers were up 93-71 with 7:52 left in the game and on the way to victory. New York instead went on an incredible 44-11 run to cap off the comeback.
After the stunning result, fans took notice of Danhausen's actions, and he was already taking full credit for it, and demanding courtside seats between Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner so the Cleveland curse can continue.
Believe it or not, there may be some magic behind the Knicks' playoff run, and it better ensure it stays on Danhausen's good side in order to win its first NBA title since 1973.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Keegan Thompson #34 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies announced a few roster moves this morning:
Selected the contract of RHP Keegan Thompson from Triple-A Albuquerque
Placed RHP Victor Vodnik on the 15-day injured list with right ulnar nerve inflammation
Designated IF Blaine Crim for assignment
Thompson will make his first appearances on the Rockies’ active roster after being claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason. He was DFA’d at the end of spring training and outrighted to the minors. Thompson made 11 total appearances (5 starts) for the Isotopes this season and has gone 1-3 with a 3.34 ERA, 10 walks and 19 strikeouts. In his last appearance on May 14, he pitched four innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Thompson will wear #34.
In a corresponding move, Vodnik was placed on the 15-day IL with right ulnar nerve inflammation. Vodnik has struggled so far this season, including a rough outing on Monday against the Texas Rangers where he allowed three runs on just one hit with two walks and zero strikeouts. Vodnik owns an 8.00 ERA on the season, including an 8.44 ERA in May.
Blaine Crim was also designated for assignment. He came on strong in the waning months of 2025, but was sidelined by an oblique injury in spring training that ultimately cost him his spot on the MLB roster. Crim has performed well in Albuquerque so far — slashing .265/.339/.449 with seven home runs in 36 games — but it appears his time with the organization has run out.
ESPN announcer Mike Breen was ready to drop another legendary call, but the ball had other plans.
With just 5.3 seconds left in regulation in a tie game Tuesday night, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill took an open 3-point shot at the top of the key.
Many inside Madison Square Garden, including Breen, believed Merrill was about to break Knick fans’ hearts as the ball looked destined for nothing but nylon.
But the ball rolled around the rim and fell out, sending Game 1 of Eastern Conference finals to overtime before the Knicks ultimately prevailed 115-104.
“I think I got the ‘B’ of ‘Bang!’ out,” Breen said on Mad Dog Sports radio Wednesday morning. “That’s not the first time that’s happened. That’s happened a few times, because it looked right on target.”
Iconic broadcaster Mike Breen Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Breen’s iconic “Bang!” catchphrase has been the backdrop to countless iconic NBA moments since the broadcaster began calling games on WFAN and MSG in the early 2000’s.
Moments like Luka Doncic’s game-winning 3-pointer over the Clippers in overtime in 2020, Derrick Rose’s 2015 Eastern Conference semifinals Game 3 buzzer-beater and Ray Allen’s Corner 3 against San Antonio in 2013 all received the coveted “Bang!” treatment.
But Tuesday night’s half-bang went viral across social media, with Barstool Sports dubbing the moment the first premature “Bang!”
The ball came this close to going down. @TheHoopCentral/X
While the ball did not go down, that Breen began his legendary catchphrase still emphasized how important Merrill’s shot was to the game’s narrative.
“It’s, ‘Wow, what a great victory for the Cavs to win game one on the road.'”
Cavalier guard Sam Merrill. Getty Images
The narrative seemed to be written even before that shot.
The Knicks trailed 93-71 with 7:52 remaining in the fourth quarter and it looked like the Cavaliers were going to steal a win in the Garden with a 99.9% win chance, according to ESPN.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 24: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to drive the ball around Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on October 24, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey, look! A news drop that isn’t playoffs-related. The Spurs have announced that they will be playing two regular season games overseas for the 2026-27 season, both against the New Orleans Pelicans. The first will be in Paris, France at Accor Arena on January 14, 2027, and the second will be at Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England on January 17.
“It’s an incredible honor to make our return to France and play our first-ever game in England, given the strong embrace we’ve felt from the community and fans across Europe,” said San Antonio Spurs CEO RC Buford. “Bringing world-class basketball, community impact engagements and compelling fan activations to a European market, alongside the league, aligns directly with our organization’s vision to unite our global audience through unforgettable experiences and a shared love of sports.”
The Spurs have a unique history engaging with international basketball since joining the NBA in 1976. More than 50 international players have suited up for the franchise, including seven from France, and the team welcomed the NBA’s first-ever French jersey patch partner, Ledger, in 2025. The Spurs have made a purposeful effort to enhance the cross-cultural exchange between NBA basketball and international fans as part of the organization and league’s long-term commitment to growing the game globally, most recently hosting “Spurs Week Paris” in February 2026 and a Playoff watch party in Paris in April 2026. The January 2027 games will mark the Spurs sixth regular-season game in France and first regular-season game in England, in addition to seven preseason games played across Europe.
In addition to the games, the NBA, the Spurs and the Pelicans will conduct NBA Cares social impact programming focused on health, wellness and sustainability, coach and referee development programming and interactive fan activities that will bring the NBA experience to fans in Paris and Manchester. The Spurs will continue their work with Ledger to bring youth basketball programming and court renovation efforts across the two cities throughout the team’s time in market and will build upon their existing global programs such as Play Paris and Spurs Community Leadership Institute (SCLI) to maximize impact.
This will be Victor Wembanyama’s second time playing in his home country with the Spurs, with the first being last season in two games against the Indiana Pacers. The two teams traded blowouts, with Wemby looking good in their win and okay in their loss amidst a tough month of January for him, although we learn just a couple of weeks later that his struggles were due to deep vein thrombosis, which ended his season during the All-Star break. Hopefully he will be healthy in his return to Paris next season. He will definitely be on another level as a player and have some more hardware to show off compared to last year.
The Pelicans finished a distant 11th in the West with a 26-52 record this season despite getting 62 games from Zion Williamson — the second most of his career — but he wasn’t quite the game-changer he has been in the past (when healthy). However, they did not have former Spur Dejounte Murray most of the season after he suffered a ruptured Achilles in Janaury 2025, but he was good in the 14 games he did play towards the end of the season. They also recently hired former Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who has plenty of young talent to work with and develop — a noted strength of his.
There is certainly room for the Pelicans to improve and jump at least into the play-in next season if they stay healthy. It is often a tense match-up with the Spurs regardless of where the teams are in the standings, so it should be a good series for our overseas friends to experience.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 09: Zach Thornton (21) of the New York Mets delivers a pitch during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins on March 09, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mets have officially called up Zach Thornton, who will make his major league debut tonight for the Mets against the Nationals. The left-hander will wear number 49, most recently worn by Chris Devenski but most notably worn by another left-hander, Jonathon Niese. In a corresponding move, the team has optioned Daniel Duarte to Triple-A.
It was revealed last week that Thornton would get the call in place of the injured Clay Holmes, who is expected to miss significant time while he recovers from a fractured fibula. Thornton entered the year as the No. 14 ranked prospect in the Mets’ farm system by Amazin’ Avenue and becomes the fourth member of the team’s 2023 draft class to make his way to the majors for the club this year. Thornton posted a 3.60 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 24 innings for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies this year before his promotion to Triple-A. In Syracuse, he made just two starts and posted a 2.25 ERA, with 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Duarte pitched in last night’s 9-6 loss to the Nationals but served an important role for the Mets, eating up 2 1/3 innings to save the rest of the bullpen, which will presumably be needed tonight with Thornton making his debut, as well as tomorrow with a yet-to-be-announced starter taking the mound. The right-hander allowed just one hit, struck out one, and did not walk a batter, while throwing 21 of his 28 pitches for strikes. It was his first major league appearance since 2024 as a member of the Twins.
In a positive development, just hours before the Golden Knights will open their Western Conference Final against Presidents' Trophy winner Colorado Avalanche, captain Mark Stone took the ice Wednesday morning in Denver, with what appeared to be the Golden Knights' scratches.
Stone suffered a lower-body injury on May 8 during Game 3 in the second round against the Anaheim Ducks, and then missed the last three games of the conference semifinal.
The 34-year-old veteran hadn't practiced with the Knights since.
"There's no update on injuries right now," Vegas coach John Tortorella said.
The Knights, who are playing in their fifth conference finals in nine seasons, open their series with the Avalanche at 5 pm pacific.
While Vegas was able to get past the pesky Ducks in six games without Stone for the last week of the series, the challenge is greater against an Avalanche team that is 8-1 in the postseason, including a perfect 6-0 in Denver.
Through nine playoff games, Stone had seven points (3 goals, 4 assists). Vegas is 6-3 with Stone on the ice.
And while Stone's return to the lineup seemingly on the horizon, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar announced the team will be without all-star defenseman Cale Makar for Game 1 of the Western Conference final.
Makar is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, though Bednar said his superstar blue liner is expected to play at some point in the series.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) controls the puck in front of Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period of game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.
The New York Knicks erased a 22-point deficit in Game 1 and won in OT, 115-104. Jalen Brunson put the Knicks on his back and scored 38 points in the game and 17 of them coming in the fourth quarter and OT.
Cleveland only had one day off and was at a major rest disadvantage entering Game 1, so the 11-point loss was a tough for the Cavaliers. Cleveland shot 40% from the field, 32% from three, was out rebounded 47-38, and turned the ball over 21 times. Donovan Mitchell was the only Cavalier to score more than 15 points as he dropped 29 and Evan Mobley led the game with 14 rebounds, while James Harden struggled with double the turnovers (6) compared to assists (3).
New York won its eight-straight game and made one of the most historic comebacks of all time. Entering the fourth quarter, the Knicks were 4-of-23 from three (17.3%), and were out-played for three quarters. New York also left plenty at the free-throw line, going 21-of-32 (66%), but in the end, it didn't matter as the Knicks pulled through. Brunson dropped a game-high 38 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 13 rebounds. Landry Shamet was one of the heroes of Game 1 going a perfect 3-for-3 from deep and playing the final stretch in the fourth quarter and OT.
Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
Time: 8:10 PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Knicks (-225), Cleveland Cavaliers (+185)
Spread: Knicks -6.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Knicks -6.5 with the Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
PG James Harden
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Dean Wade
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Knicks vs. Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
None
New York Knicks
None
Important stats, trends and insights: Cavaliers vs. Knicks
New York is 52-42 ATS and an NBA-best 31-15 ATS as a home favorite
New York is 50-44 to the Under and 24-22 at home
New York is 24-22 to the Under at home and 16-16 to the Over as a home favorite
Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-57
Cleveland is 10-8 ATS as a road underdog and 8-10 on the ML
Cleveland is 28-21 to the Over on the road
Cleveland is 48-49 to the Under on the season
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s Cavaliers and Knicks’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks -6.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5
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