MONTREAL — After receiving their first wake-up call of the playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes have responded like the beasts of the East they have been all season.
Following a loss to open the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes have won back-to-back games in overtime to take a 2-1 lead against Montreal in the best-of-seven series. They look like their old selves again, and it has them two games from reaching to the Stanley Cup Final.
“We’re feeling good about playing hockey again,” said winger Taylor Hall, who scored his fourth goal this postseason in Game 3. “Now the game is starting to slow down, and you’re making reads without even having to think about it.”
That spells trouble for the Canadiens, who registered just two shots on goal combined over the third period and OT. Carolina has outshot Montreal 64-26 over the past two games.
“They throw a lot to the net, so they’re going to outshoot you,” said Montreal’s Cole Caufield, who scored 51 goals during the regular season. “I think everybody that plays them knows that, and you can’t look at it that way — that they kind of tilt the ice that much.”
Shot volume is something the Hurricanes have done consistently in the eight years since coach Rod Brind’Amour took over. What has changed in this series is preventing the young, skilled Canadiens from generating offense.
“You need everything working against a team like that,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I don’t think you can just rely on the power play.”
Caufield chalked up his team’s struggles to Carolina’s pace and aggressive play. That the brand of hockey Brind’Amour wants to play.
“It’s putting the stress on them,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “It’s a hard system for us to play sometimes because you’ve got to be on your toes. You’re always skating. But you can see it’s pretty effective, and it’s probably not the best to play against.”
It did not look at all right in Game 1, which the Canadiens won 6-2 after getting off to a hot start, finding long breakout passes and staying patient in solving Carolina’s relentless forecheck to hand the Hurricanes their first loss of the playoffs.
“It’s definitely a turning point for us: a little adversity,” Gostisbehere said. “Having two sweeps the first two rounds — not a lot of adversity in that sense. For us, it was a good kick in the teeth.”
The Hurricanes now are as close to the final as they’ve been during this run of success under Brind’Amour, which included getting swept twice and losing in five games in their three previous trips to the East final. This spring, they are 5-0 on the road and 5-0 in overtime thanks to a consistent approach.
“We try to play our game home and away,” first-line center Sebastian Aho said. “The game’s the same, I feel like. Obviously the environment is a little bit different, whether you’re home or away. But I feel like the game stays the same.”
Game 4 at Bell Centre in Montreal is Carolina’s first chance to move to the verge of making the final. The Canadiens feel like they have another level to get to, and they need to find it quickly.
“We didn’t expect this to be easy, and we’re OK with that,” St. Louis said. “There’s not one thing. We have to put it all together. You’re at this stage right now, you have to put it all together. Execution’s part of that. Jam is part of that. There’s not one thing. We’ve just got to put it all together, and I know we can.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 10: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins throws to first base to retire CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at loanDepot park on May 10, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are many more than 10 trade candidates in Major League Baseball. If you think about, every player is a trade candidate; I mean, you can technically trade any player if they waive their no trade clause, and until American sports institutes the “ironclad no trade clause” which prevents both the team and player from consenting to a trade (sidebar: imagine how much content we’d all get out of that), everyone can be a “trade candidate.”
Instead, we’re picking the 10 most interesting trade candidates, people who would not simply be a boring, 35-year-old first-baseman with decent power numbers on a losing roster. I’m talking sneaky trades, players with the potential to dazzle, deals the potential to change everyone’s fortunes overnight. That, or to be really, really funny.
(Note: Trade are ranked in order of how much I’d like to see them happen, corrected for one standard deviation of Boston Red Sox bias, but not ranked by how likely they are to occur. You really can’t know these things this early.)
1. Tarik Skubal
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 6 (wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, that’s just an example, I’m not going to write it out every time)
Do the Detroit Tigers want to trade Skubal? No, they don’t, but they also didn’t want to be 10 games below .500 in late May with Skubal coming off apparently very-successful elbow surgery. Unless the Tigers are really super-duper confident they can re-sign Tarik Skubal (they aren’t), they probably have to trade him. Jon Heyman’s really-super-happy-positive reporting about the surgery leads me to believe the Tigers are working hard to downplay Skubal’s injury to improve his market. I expect he will be traded.
The interesting bit is what they may or may not be able to get back given Skubal’s injury timeline. Any trade would be a physiologically-dubious rental, and how much would you pay for a rental car that just recently failed inspection? That said, Skubal isn’t some Toyota Camry; he’s a Ferrari that makes a good rotation great overnight. Someone will talk themselves into this, and it won’t be a long talk.
2. Sandy Alcantara
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 2
Alcantara was an ace-level pitcher between 2021 and 2023, but has not been remotely that since missing all of 2024 with Tommy John Surgery. It’s worth wondering if the Miami Marlins would rather just hang onto Alcantara as they try to moneyball their way out of having just one winning season since 2011. They almost certainly won’t get ace-level compensation anymore as Alcantara continues to try to figure out his post-surgery career, but they also might want to get something before its gone — he only has one year left of team control after this one, and his trade market will evaporate if they allow his contract to progress another year.
3. Jarren Duran
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 0, I would just say “mhmm, yep”
I’m a Red Sox fan, so the “mhmm, yep” would be a reaction to the fact that Duran is redundant on this team, plain and simple. He’s a nice luxury who can plausibly hit leadoff, but his 9 WAR 2024 is starting to look like more of an aberration than who he always was. Plainly, he hasn’t been able to hit this year, striking out constantly with super-problematic whiff rates. Once Roman Anthony returns from injury, the Red Sox outfield is set with Cedanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu being two of the only offensive bright spots all year. If those are his hitting chops right now, he just doesn’t have a position in Boston.
4. Rafael Devers
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 19, then cackle hysterically for four minutes
This would be flooring if it actually occurred, since Devers has spent most of 2026 looking like the mother of all cursed contracts. He has been slowly course-correcting, but the San Francisco Giants aren’t a big budget team that has routinely been willing to pay the luxury tax. They are on the hook for $171 million for seven years after this — not sure who is trading for that, but given that Willy Adames and Matt Chapman both have full no-trade clauses, Devers is somehow still the easiest to move.
5. Seth Lugo
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 0.5 (would consider saying wow)
Is Seth Lugo an elite starting pitcher? No, not really, but he’s much improved since last year, still throwing 873 different pitches and liable to seduce someone into thinking his 2024 All-Star campaign could be recaptured sometime soon. He can pitch a lot of innings, (ideally) get some ground balls and I think would benefit a good team as a third or fourth starter without too much pressure. He’s 36 with two full years of team control after this one, so the Royals could plausibly make some demands for him. Maybe one demand. One single demand seems fair.
6. CJ Abrams
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 1 solid wow
Here’s the rundown about CJ Abrams: he’s 25, a great hitter, wicked fast but a horrendous defensive shortstop. He’s also on the Washington Nationals, who are currently .500 but are absolutely not expected to maintain that. A lot of teams would love a hard-hitting shortstop who can fly, but there’s a lot of evidence he probably shouldn’t be a shortstop. Some executives think his defense is better than his metrics, so I suggest that whoever that was trade for him! Put your money where you mouth is.
7. Yordan Alvarez
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 5
This would be serious business. The Houston Astros have had the season from one of the circles of Hell (which one is still up for debate), but Alvarez has been every bit the ball-striking machine they all knew he could be when healthy. He would command a major return, though I don’t know if Houston wants to be in the business of trading 29-year-old MVP candidates with two more years left on their deal and plenty of time to turn things around.
8. Joe Ryan
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 4
Joe Ryan has been awesome again this year, utilizing his witch’s brew of pitches to smack hitters around like he’s Doctor Octopus in a slap fight. They apparently came close to trading him last year, and with the Twins fire-sale not quite done burning down the roster, I wouldn’t be shocked at all (though it would matter a lot) if Ryan and #10 on this list make their way out of Minnesota.
9. Robbie Ray
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 0, not sure 2026 Robbie Ray is a wow guy
I said this list was going to be “interesting trade candidates” which makes me wonder how exactly Robbie Ray got himself on the docket. He actually was an All-Star in 2025 but was much worse after the All-Star break, I’m not going to sit here and tell you I think Robbie Ray will swing the fortunes of some budding contender. But he is a professional starter who showed last year he could pitch big innings again; he’s a half-season rental that probably won’t cost much at all, I’d be shocked if the Giants don’t move him.
10. Byron Buxton
How many times would I say “wow” if this happened: 2, 4 if he’s healthy
We are big fans of Byron Buxton around here … when healthy. He’s a center fielder who hits for serious power and runs seriously fast. Two years left on his deal, only 32 with late-career DH potential, every team wants that. But this is also his 12th MLB season, and he has played over 100 games in only three of them. That will be factored into whatever package the Twins try to get back for him.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing free agent targets for the Philadelphia Flyers will return to the NHL for another season rather than retiring, according to a new report.
Flyers legend Claude Giroux, who was traded away for Owen Tippett and draft picks back in 2022, has decided on playing in 2026-27 after spending some time considering his future, according to The Athletic NHL insider Pierre LeBrun.
"Claude Giroux needed some time after the season to mull over his future, as far as whether he wanted to continue playing," LeBrun wrote.
"I was told Monday that the 38-year-old forward, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, has decided he wants to come back and play another season."
Giroux, now 38, is still an effective player, even if that is one or two steps behind the player he was during his Flyers heyday.
The ex-Flyers captain has spent the last four seasons playing for his hometown Ottawa Senators, scoring 85 goals, 157 assists, and 242 points in 327 regular season games.
Giroux did not record any points in the Senators' sweep and exit at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes this postseason, but posted a goal and four assists in six playoff games last year.
Many have wondered if the longtime Flyers talisman could return to Philadelphia for one last farewell tour, and while that is still unlikely, putting off retirement at least preserves that meager possibility.
The Flyers advanced further in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs than the Senators did, and old teammates like Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Danny Briere, and Travis Sanheim can play a role in convincing Giroux to ending his NHL career where it began.
In need of center depth, experience, and versatility, Giroux would check all of the boxes for the Flyers in a free agency class that is otherwise barren at the forward position.
Undoubtedly, Giroux can still win faceoffs and help aid an abominable power play that way, too.
It's unclear if a reunion was ever considered or even on the table, but one way or another, Giroux will play in the NHL next season, keeping a dream for some Flyers fans alive for another few months.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks celebrates in the locker room with the Bob Cousy Trophy after winning Game Four of the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 25, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“I truly felt that this team was an NBA Finals team. I felt like we had a true opportunity. … I did have that belief from Day 1.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s value to the Knicks:
“Mitch can start for any team in the league — any team. And if he started, he might be first team all-defense and some other things, who knows? But this does not work if Mitch does not allow us to do that. If he doesn’t sacrifice himself and allows us to do that, because you’re talking about a starting center that you throw in the game maybe for 30 seconds sometimes, or two minutes, whatever it is, you pull them right back out. So it starts and ends with him, and him sacrificing himself for the team.”
On Jalen Brunson and how he compares to Tim Duncan and Steph Curry:
“The aura that those guys have, the quiet strength that they have, is unbelievable.”
On Landry Shamet’s impact in the ECF:
“Landry Shamet has continued to step up big on both ends of the floor.”
On these Knicks’ identity:
“They’re so resilient. We hit adversity during the regular season, which was fantastic. I embraced it. I wanted it to happen. We hit it numerous times. And our guys were tested then, and they stayed connected. And to see the ups and down, especially early in these playoffs against Atlanta and to see them stay connected while trying to sacrifice and believe, it’s fantastic. You don’t know if there’s gonna be carryover with those things in the postseason until you go through it, and going through it with these guys, these coaches and seeing it gives you hope for a lot of things, because the group has been fantastic.” Both Brown and the players have cited a higher level of focus since their Game 3 loss in Atlanta. They’ve been fantastic trying to pay attention to all the details that we’ve been throwing at them. And we’ve thrown a lot of adjustments offensively and defensively at them throughout the course of these playoffs. And to still see them locked in and try to be focused on the details at hand, again, that just speaks volumes of my coaching staff and the way that they’re presenting and changing and all that stuff. But more so about these players and their want to go try to get a ring.”
On his philosophy with bench players:
“I’ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be a part of some good coaching staffs and be with some great coaches. Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, they were guys that went deep into their bench. And they both always used to say, it’s not about now; it’s about the postseason. It’s not about now; it’s about the postseason. And you keep guys engaged by doing that, and you do develop not just a bench but the team, as well, because guys get used to playing with other guys, just in case something goes down. And so, again, it’s something I stole from them. Very few things I came up with on my own. I’ve seen it work in the past, and that’s kind of what I thought I wanted to do here. Tried to do it in Sacramento, too. So again, you’ve kind of been through it. You learn. You develop a philosophy from what you learn from and you believe in it, you try to stick with it as best you can, and that’s what we try to do here. Our guys, they’re doing a nice job getting rest, taking care of their bodies and their minds and trying to play as hard as they can. Every second they’re out on the floor, we have to keep doing that.”
On a challenging first season in New York:
“There were a lot of things that were challenging. You just kind of take them in stride and you go through it as best you can, and you know, you embrace it. I know that you have to have difficulties along the way to see if you can get through them. And not just with the players, but you got to have difficulties whether it’s with players or this or that, and you don’t want to just see how the players respond, but you want to see how Mr. Dolan responds, how Leon Rose responds, how your coaches respond to the situation, and if everybody truly respects the process, then they’ll all give it time to work itself through.”
On changing his methods as the season progressed:
“You come with an idea in mind. This is a players’ league and you have to be able to adapt, adjust – whatever you want to call it – to whatever your group’s strengths are on both sides of the basketball. It may take you a month to figure it out. It may take you half a year to figure it out. And I ain’t that smart, so it took me a little longer.”
On Tom Thibodeau kickstarting the current Knicks run:
“Thibs did an amazing job and gave us the experience and the education and the opportunity to show the world what we could do as a team. When Mike came in, making the Eastern Conference Finals this year was going to be the bare minimum. We stepped into this season with a lot of expectations.”
On the help his assistants have provided him with:
“I thank our guys because their patience has been unbelievable, and they’ve just gone with every single adjustment that I’ve thrown at them starting with Josh off the bench, experimenting with things to try to [improve] the group. Hopefully, you get it sooner or later. That’s why it usually takes a couple of years to get it in sync with the coach and players, especially when one of them is new.”
On when he felt the Knicks turned their season around for the absolute best:
“It was always a little bit of a question — whether or not we’d be able to get over the hump — but down the stretch of the regular season with 6 or 7 games to go, we started to play good basketball and do more things that involved more sacrificing from the group.”
On his situation before and after signing with the Knicks:
“Our business is funny. In my previous job [with the Sacramento Kings before getting fired], I supposedly took them to a point that was higher and it didn’t work out. I truly felt these Knicks were an NBA Finals team. I felt we had a true opportunity. Some jobs you take, you say, ‘OK, we’ll get better and we have to make the playoffs right now.’ But this one, I felt we legitimately had a chance if we could help them figure it out and the players can stay together during the process. Especially when we hit adversity. Because we hit adversity at different parts in this season. Not just us as a whole group, but even guys individually and myself as well. I did have that belief from Day 1. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. But we’re here.”
“Resilience. I think we’ve been able to stay focused, stay composed.”
On how his teammates helped him win the ECF MVP award:
“They give me the confidence. They let me be me.”
On whether or not the Knicks have already peaked entering the Finals:
“I don’t want to consider us peaking at this moment. I still think we have a lot of work to do. Us as a team, I’ve said this all year, we just want to get better every single day. That includes the times that we’re in the playoffs because there’s still time to learn, still time to get better. That’s how I’ve always thought about it. I haven’t really had the time to really kind of wonder where we are as a team. All I focus on is how can we get better from the day before.”
On the Knicks’ trust in him from day one:
“The belief that the organization has in me has been amazing, and something I don’t take for granted, and something not a lot of people get the opportunity to do. So I’m very thankful. It’s an honor to be here in this city for this organization with my teammates.”
“He’s done an amazing job. He’s done an amazing job every single night showing up and doing. He deserves the credit, deserves the recognition. I’m glad he’s getting it. And it’s an honor to be part of that.”
On what helped these Knicks in reaching the Finals:
“Experience — experience teaches you a lot. This is my third conference finals in a row, and I finally got over the hump, finally got to the Finals. For me, I’m going to enjoy this moment, I’m going to enjoy tonight.”
On finally reaching the Finals and doing so with the Knicks:
“It means the world. I grew up a Knicks fan, as was documented. What’s more of an honor is growing up in the area, I feel like the word ‘hope’ has been gone from the New York Knicks name for a long time. To be a part of this team that revives the word hope in the city, it’s something special, and it’s an honor.”
On his trust on the Knicks’ winning capabilities:
“We knew our team was capable of doing this. That’s why we are here right now.”
On dealing with the title-or-bust expectations:
“I mean, we all had that aspiration regardless. So we didn’t really need to hear that because we all wanted that moment. We all wanted to see that especially after last year being in the Eastern Conference Finals and coming up short. We understand that we’ve got to take that next step. So what he’s talking about is also how we all felt. We wanted to go out there and we wanted to take that next step. Get past the Eastern Conference Finals. It was historical last year. The city went crazy and it was awesome to see the city so alive, but there’s new standards now. There’s new expectations and we’ve raised the expectations so we knew what we came into this season to do and what we want to accomplish and we’ve just go to keep our head down and continue to focus on the goal at hand.”
On Brown adapting to his players and the other way around:
“With Mike, he had to learn us and adjust to us. On the flip side, we had to do the same, as well. Now, we are at a point where we are both working seamlessly. We understand each other’s language. He is getting the best from us and we are getting the best from him. I think that speaks to a season, especially a first season with a new coach and a new system and a new philosophy. It’s a testament to the players to do an amazing job coming together and showing that unity that made us special last year. But the coaching staff being receptive to the players and adjusting with us and finding the way to get the most out of us.”
On his All-NBA snub:
“I think it talks more about our team, you know? That we’re selfless, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes for the development of our team and organization, and winning. Like you said, you brought up a lot of, I guess, stats and things like that, but it just shows that it’s a collective effort getting the job done every single night in New York, and it speaks volumes to this team.”
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) May 26, 2026
Josh Hart
On Brunson’s biggest trait helping him win the ECF MVP:
“Obviously he’s very humble, and he’s not gonna make too much of it until he retires. But it’s cool for him to get that recognition.”
On reaching the NBA Finals alongside college teammates Brunson and Bridges:
“It’s something that is surreal. Whenever you’re in college and in that locker room, you know the goal is the NBA. You know the percent chance of you all being on the same team is slim, if not none. It’s something you talk about and dream about, but you know the reality is almost impossible. The fact that it actually came to fruition is super cool because I know the time that these guys put in and I know where their hearts are. We already share a bond and brotherhood for life, and this is just another step. Obviously, this isn’t the ultimate goal, but you just keep adding memories. These are memories we’ll have for a lifetime.”
On having another long break ahead before the Finals:
“It’s huge. Obviously a team like Cleveland played two seven-game series, so you’re playing four more games than we played and a couple of our games were blowouts and we didn’t play too many minutes. Obviously that works in your benefit and you want to get as much rest as you can. I think it’s a sweet spot of getting enough rest but you don’t get rusty. We want to get that as much as we possibly can.”
On the rest advantage over Cleveland:
“[Playing fewer] minutes helps. I think at one point, they played 50% more minutes — or we played half the minutes or something — than the Cavs did. When you do that, obviously you’re at an advantage and you’re able to play faster and do those kinds of things. Obviously, it’s helped.”
On Brown’s head coaching job in New York:
“He was put in a tough situation with a lot of expectations but he’s handled that unbelievably. He’s coaching us in his way, his style. He’s taking input from everybody. His ability to lead us to adapt to things has been great. That’s just the kind of person he is. He’s a high-character, and a great person first and foremost.”
On dealing with Dolan’s mandate:
“We better get to the Finals or we’re going toget traded. It wasn’t pressure because that’s the goal we have. It, obviously, hits a little bit different when (Dolan) says it, but that’s the goal each and every one of us have, and we’re our own biggest critics. It just adds more fuel to that internal, inner fire to get there.”
"Listen
The Knicks are so desparate to be relevant…
Jalen Brunson's nice…
But they're gonna move heaven & earth
Give him $110 million…
To make him poster boy of the franchise?…
Do we think Brunson's gonna bring them to the 2nd round?
“I think he’s really, really good at not letting any of us — he talks about human nature a lot. He’s very upfront about it. When you win games in a row, respectfully, getting questions like this from you guys, he talks about it, and it’s human nature to kind of get comfortable sometimes. So he’s always checking us, curbing us on that, reminding us of kind of fighting that off. It’s a lot of the intangible stuff like that that I think he’s spectacular at, keeping us in our right headspace. Obviously, Xs and Os and game plan and how it communicates with everyone. This is a great coach. We trust him. You follow his lead.”
On Brown keeping the team focused even amid back-to-back sweeps and large leads:
“It’s human nature to kind of get comfortable sometimes. So he’s always checking us on that. Reminding us of fighting that off. It’s a lot of intangible stuff like that that I think he’s spectacular at. Keeping us in the right headspace. Obviously Xs and Os, the gameplan. He communicates with everyone. Just a great coach.”
"For Clyde to say this team reminds him of [his]––he doesn't say that very often
For him to say Jalen Brunson reminds him of the leadership of Willis
On Jalen Brunson’s ECF MVP award and his role as the new leader of the Knicks:
“It’s been a long time. Carrying on a tradition. Passing it down to Jalen so he’s the guy now who has to carry it. But you got to capitalize when you get there. So we’re going to stay on him. As Red Holzman would tell us at this point, ‘Hey, Clyde, we haven’t won nothing yet.’”
On expecting the Knicks to win the title:
“The way we’re playing now, I don’t think it matters who we play. Their suffocating defense, the ball movement. [Coach Mike] Brown came in wanting to run pace and space. But that was one thing they didn’t do. Now the last 11 games, the way they’re getting up and down the court, Bridges, Hart, they’re just moving and grooving.”
On the current Knicks team:
“These guys, they have 10 guys that are thriving. It doesn’t seem to matter who he puts in the game, they come up with what they need.”
“I’m sorry for the city of Cleveland. For it to be like this and the sweep. That’s ass. But I told y’all last year, and I’ll say again, we’ll be back. We’ll be ready. We’ll be hungry. And we’ll be locked in.”
On how Kenny Atkinson will deal with criticism:
“I know for a fact he’s from Long Island, he don’t give a damn”
On the Cavs’ future after an embarrassing sweep:
“I have no doubt that this group can get there. I’ve said that all year. The biggest thing is you just use it as a learning lesson. It’s a tough learning lesson, but now we know. This team that we just faced had to go through this. Maybe not this way, but they’ve been together, they’ve been a core group and had to go through this tough experience. So, this is our turn.”
On not having even enough to start putting on a fight against the Knicks:
“We did this to ourselves. That’s not an excuse. [The Knicks] are a hungry team. They beat us, swept us. So, I don’t want to diminish that, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t handle business … you can’t play with your food. We had an opportunity to close both series and give ourselves some rest, and we didn’t.”
On how much better the Knicks were through the ECF:
“I can’t even answer that question, honestly. Yeah, I don’t think we had a chance as far as our best shot from a standpoint of the circumstances. Obviously, they dominated us 4-0, but I don’t know if I can necessarily answer that question because, genuinely, I do feel we are the better team. But series-wise didn’t show it, so tough question to answer. They made shots, some open and some just tough shots. I don’t think we made really any.”
On the Cavs’ season ending:
“I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”
On his upcoming free agency, if he declines the player option in his deal:
“Definitely want to be here. I think we found something. It’s tough. It’s not ending how we wanted to, but I think we found something.”
On Atkinson’s job through the postseason:
“He understands his team. Of course, somebody’s going to have to take criticism, whether it’s myself or Kenny or whoever, the entire team. They’re going to put it on somebody. But I think for Kenny, he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible to understanding what I’m supposed to be doing out there. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Any team coming off of a tough, two series against two defensive monsters, it would have been challenging.”
Mamdani: "People whisper to me in every kind of event you can imagine — 'Knicks in four.' We're going to have watch parties across the city." pic.twitter.com/4W3ZRfj37l
“I don’t care about San Antonio. OKC. We’re going to win. May 8, 1970 [the first Knicks championship]. I was at the Willis Reed game. Thirteen years old. So going to keep it going. This is a team of destiny, heart, drive. … It reminds me of Willis, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, Cazzie Russell. I’m going back. I’m old, though.”
“Finally, 27 years, 27 years, we here and we ain’t finished. We ain’t finished. I said we were going to the Finals. We’re going to win the Finals! We’re going to win the Finals! Go New York, Go New York, Go. Contain myself, I’m cool. Four more, four more, four more.”
"Everywhere we go, it's like the Garden."
Josh Hart on the New York fans travelling with them throughout the postseason 👏
On the Cavs preventing celebrities from buying courtside seats:
“We had bought some courtside tickets to the game, and once they found out it was superfan Fat Joe, they were like, I can’t sit courtside. New York Knicks fans can’t sit courtside. They took the tickets away courtside after we purchased it, so shame on you all.”
MONTREAL (AP) — After receiving their first wake-up call of the playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes have responded like the beasts of the East they have been all season.
Following a loss to open the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes have won back-to-back games in overtime to take a 2-1 lead against Montreal in the best-of-seven series. They look like their old selves again, and it has them two games from reaching to the Stanley Cup Final.
“We’re feeling good about playing hockey again,” said winger Taylor Hall, who scored his fourth goal this postseason in Game 3 on Monday night. “Now the game is starting to slow down, and you’re making reads without even having to think about it.”
That spells trouble for the Canadiens, who registered just two shots on goal combined over the third period and OT. Carolina has outshot Montreal 64-26 over the past two games.
“They throw a lot to the net, so they’re going to outshoot you,” said Montreal's Cole Caufield, who scored 51 goals during the regular season. “I think everybody that plays them knows that, and you can’t look at it that way — that they kind of tilt the ice that much.”
Shot volume is something the Hurricanes have done consistently in the eight years since coach Rod Brind'Amour took over. What has changed in this series is preventing the young, skilled Canadiens from generating offense.
“You need everything working against a team like that,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I don’t think you can just rely on the power play.”
Caufield chalked up his team's struggles to Carolina's pace and aggressive play. That the brand of hockey Brind'Amour wants to play.
“It’s putting the stress on them,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “It’s a hard system for us to play sometimes because you’ve got to be on your toes. You’re always skating. But you can see it’s pretty effective, and it’s probably not the best to play against.”
It did not look at all right in Game 1 last week, which the Canadiens won 6-2 after getting off to a hot start, finding long breakout passes and staying patient in solving Carolina's relentless forecheck to hand the Hurricanes their first loss of the playoffs.
“It’s definitely a turning point for us: a little adversity,” Gostisbehere said. “Having two sweeps the first two rounds — not a lot of adversity in that sense. For us, it was a good kick in the teeth.”
The Hurricanes are now as close to the final as they've been during this run of success under Brind'Amour, which included getting swept twice and losing in five games in their three previous trips to the East final. This spring, they are 5-0 on the road and 5-0 in overtime thanks to a consistent approach.
“We try to play our game home and away,” first-line center Sebastian Aho said. “The game’s the same, I feel like. Obviously the environment is a little bit different, whether you’re home or away. But I feel like the game stays the same.”
Game 4 at Bell Centre in Montreal on Wednesday night is Carolina's first chance to move to the verge of making the final. The Canadiens feel like they have another level to get to, and they need to find it quickly.
"We didn’t expect this to be easy, and we’re OK with that," St. Louis said. “There’s not one thing. We have to put it all together. You’re at this stage right now, you have to put it all together. Execution’s part of that. Jam is part of that. There’s not one thing. We’ve just got to put it all together, and I know we can.”
For the first time in 26 long years, the Knicks have advanced to the NBA Finals, and are now just four wins from heights unseen in half a century.
Their eventual foe has yet to be determined, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder battle for the Western Conference in a 2-2 draw entering Game 5 on Tuesday night.
The way the Knicks have played since Game 3 of the first round, no fan would be out of line for outsized confidence in either potential matchup. However, the reality is the Spurs and Thunder are leagues ahead of any competition New York has faced thus far in the postseason, and each present unique challenges in a league where styles make fights.
With that in mind, which team would be the better matchup for the Knicks?
Spurs
The Spurs offer some nice narrative arcs for the Knicks, with Mike Brown getting revenge for the 2007 Finals and the franchise for 1999. Fans also like this idea because the Knicks went 2-1 against them during the regular season and in their NBA Cup Championship game.
You normally can't bank on regular season results, but they can be indicative of certain advantages, much like San Antonio’s dominance over OKC this season. This won’t be some walk in the park, but the Knicks have real leverage in this matchup.
First, they have the best one-man answers to Victor Wembanyama in the league -- with OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. Both already showed how they can stymie him without pulling too much of the remaining defense's attention.
Second, they have the perimeter defenders to bother Spurs guards in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. Mikal Bridges has locked up every All-Star caliber guard thrown at him this postseason, and Josh Hart and Miles McBride are coming up huge as well.
Finally, there’s the five-out option the Knicks can lean on to circumvent the Spurs’ suffocating defense. Wembanyama won’t be allowed to easily roam or protect the paint if he has to stretch out to Karl-Anthony Towns or Anunoby.
San Antonio is also a younger, less-tested team, although they’ve answered the call through two rounds and aren’t making it easy for the reigning champions. They definitely have their own edges in the series.
The Spurs will have many defensive guards and big wings to throw at Jalen Brunson, and have proven themselves much more versatile and flexible schematically than some of the other foes the Knicks have faced. They’re also comfortable playing at New York’s pace.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oklahoma City Thunder
New York dropped two competitive games to Oklahoma City during the regular season, and will definitely come armed with fewer strategic edges should they meet. Still, the way the Knicks have jelled, it’s anybody’s game.
The Knicks will need to tap into all of their offensive creation -- Towns in the pinch post, Brunson ball, transition -- to test the Thunder's defense. They boast enough scrappy defensive guards to wear Brunson down, so the more he can get off the ball and still find success is key.
Towns will have to be especially patient and choosy with his approach. Scoring on the tandem of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren won’t be easy if the offense isn’t flowing, and his creation will be tested against a lot of reaching arms.
They’ll likely start Bridges, who has the poise and ability, on MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and see how aggressively they’ll need to help. Beyond Bridges there aren’t a ton of clean one-on-one matchups to try, and over-extending the defense will lead to lots of open threes, so much of this series would ride on him.
One thing working heavily in New York’s favor would be the injury list. Jalen Williams has been battling a hamstring issue, while Ajay Mitchell is out.
Knicks fans might be on top of the world now, but in eight short days they’ll begin the team’s toughest series to date. Whoever they play, it’ll be a grueling, emotional, and unmissable final hurdle to the championship.
The seesaw battle in the Western Conference Finals shifts back to the Paycom Center tonight for a pivotal Game 5, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder enter tied at 2-2.
With tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, our Covers experts have you set with their best NBA picks for Tuesday, May 26.
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Spurs +4.5
Price: -110 at bet365
This is a classic NBA Playoff situation where regular-season power ratings haven’t fully caught up to what’s happening in the series. Matchups matter more in the postseason, and right now, the San Antonio Spurs look like the better team, especially with Jalen Williams dealing with a hamstring injury.
I make San Antonio closer to a 3-point underdog, and that number already assumes Williams plays on a minutes restriction. If he’s ruled out entirely, the value on the Spurs only increases. Defensively, San Antonio has the perfect combination to disrupt the Oklahoma City Thunder's offense.
Victor Wembanyama protects the rim at an elite level, while Stephon Castle can pressure Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the point of attack and force him into tougher shots. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City is relying a bit too heavily on role players offensively for my liking.
Jason Logan's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 14.5 points
Price: -112 at bet365
De’Aaron Fox is more than 10 days removed from an ankle injury that forced him to miss the first two games of the WCF. He’s played 31 minutes in each of the past two outings, scoring 12 and 15 points on a collective 12-for-27 shooting in those games, but seeing limited action in the fourth quarter of those blowouts (just nine total 4Q minutes).
A tighter finish will have a healthier Fox logging his normal workload, seeing closer to 40 minutes tonight. The Thunder have injury issues in their backcourt, leaving bigger guards Lu Dort and Alex Caruso to try to keep up with Fox.
Game 5 projections all sit north of his 14.5 O/U scoring prop, ranging from 15.1 to a ceiling of 18.7, with most projections at 17+ points tonight.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Thunder team total Over 110.5
Price: -115 at bet365
I’m expecting a strong offensive bounce-back from OKC after that ugly 82-point showing in Game 4. This is still a team that entered that game leading all playoff teams in both scoring and offensive rating, and championship-level offenses usually respond well at home.
Game 4 was also misleading in some ways — despite being the lowest-scoring game of the series, it was played at the fastest pace yet, and the tempo has increased in every matchup in this series so far.
The Thunder are averaging 118.3 points per game at home this postseason and have cleared 110.5 points in 10 of 12 playoff games.
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.
For all the noise surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this season, one of the loudest debates now involves a player who doesn’t even wear purple and gold.
Former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce stirred things up this week when he argued that Jaylen Brown deserved Luka Doncic’s spot on the All-NBA First Team, claiming Brown “did the most with the least” while Doncic benefited from playing alongside LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
“I know that’s saying a lot because Luka did lead the league in scoring, but he had more to work with, too. Think about it. He had LeBron all year. You got Reaves, you know, a lot of most of the year,” said Pierce, on the “No Fouls Given” show on X.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
“I thought [Brown] was in the MVP conversation,” Pierce said. “When you’re in the MVP conversation, you should be 1st Team… I would’ve probably removed Luka (Doncic) for Jaylen.”
That take immediately raised eyebrows in Los Angeles.
Doncic didn’t just make First Team All-NBA because of reputation. He earned it by leading the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game while also averaging 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds.
Even with injuries constantly disrupting the Lakers’ lineup, Doncic remained the engine behind a team that secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Pierce’s argument also ignored an important reality: Doncic, LeBron and Reaves were rarely healthy together. The trio appeared in just 29 games together all season, hardly the superteam setup Pierce described.
Paul Pierce questions Luka Doncic’s 1st Team All NBA selection. Getty Images
Paul Pierce says Jaylen Brown should have been first team All-NBA over Luka Doncic:
“I know that’s saying a lot because Luka did lead the league in scoring, but he had more to work with, too. Think about it. He had LeBron all year. You got Reaves, you know, a lot of most of the… pic.twitter.com/YB1s3vTPJ3
The Celtics forward was phenomenal while carrying Boston after Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear cost him most of the season. Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while helping keep the Celtics near the top of the Eastern Conference despite major roster turnover.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic drives down court as New York Knicks guard Josh Hart defends during the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers vs New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York JASON SZENES/ NY POST
But replacing Doncic specifically feels more rooted in Pierce’s devotion to the Celtics and their longstanding rivalry with the Lakers than actual production.
The Lakers star became the focal point of everything defenses tried to stop nightly, yet still delivered one of the league’s most complete offensive seasons.
Doncic missed the Lakers’ final five regular season games and the entire postseason with a significant hamstring strain.
Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is pictured during the final minutes of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis) AP
Without him, the Lakers squeezed past the Rockets in six games in the first round before being swept by the top-seeded Thunder in the conference semifinals.
Pierce may still bleed Celtics green, but this debate probably says more about the rivalry than the ballots themselves.
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jesus Sanchez is on fire at the plate, and I expect him to continue his hitting streak with Sandy Alcantara on the mound for the Miami Marlins.
Read on to see why with my Jays vs. Marlins predictions and MLB picks on Tuesday, May 26.
Marlins vs Blue Jays predictions
Marlins vs Blue Jays best bet: Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits (-170)
Jesus Sanchez has been the hottest hitter in the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and the books seem to be slowly catching on, but there’s still some juice left to be squeezed at a -170 price.
The Jays outfielder has eclipsed today’s 0.5 hits total in 12 of his last 15 contests, posting a .400 batting average and a 1.032 OPS in that stretch.
As for Sandy Alcantara, he’s been victimized more by left-handed batters, who are hitting .276 against him.
He has also struggled mightily in May, posting a 6.04 ERA this month, with an opponent batting average of .315 while allowing an average of 7.25 hits per outing.
COVERS INTEL: Sandy Alcantara ranks in the 92nd percentile with a .290 xBA.
Marlins vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. out of the lineup tonight, I’m banking on Daulton Varsho to step up. The Jays' lefty owns a 59% hard-hit rate against the four-seamer and a .375 average vs. the sinker, two pitches that Alcantara throws often against left-handed hitters.
Ernie Clement is on an eight-game hitting streak, averaging 2.65 bases per game. With a struggling Alcantara on the mound, who pitches to contact, I’ll bet on Clement to keep swinging a hot bat and go Over 1.5 total bases.
Marlins vs Blue Jays SGP
Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
Daulton Varsho 1.5 total bases
Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
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Marlins vs Blue Jays home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+475)
Alcantara has kept the ball in the yard, only allowing two homers over his last six starts, so we’ll make this a half-unit wager.
The Marlins starter gives up fairly hard contact to lefties like Varsho, who have 15 extra base hits off him for a .787 opponent OPS.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 25-27, +2.55 units
SGPs: 10-42, -1.60 units
HR picks: 8-44, +1.15 units
Marlins vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Miami +125 | Toronto -150
Run line: Miami +1.5 (-170) | Toronto -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-125) | Under 7.5 (-115)
Marlins vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have covered the run line in 10 of their last 12 games for +9.4 units and a 59% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Marlins vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Marlins vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
Marlins.TV, SN1
Marlins starting pitcher
Sandy Alcantara (3-3, 4.00 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Braydon Fisher (2-1, 2.73 ERA)
Marlins vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Marlins vs Blue Jays weather
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.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 29: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Alright, so here we are, folks. It’s the day after Memorial Day which is usually the moment in the season where I’d say that it’s safe to start taking whatever’s happening in the standings a bit more seriously. We’re over a quarter of the way deep into this campaign and basically the news is nothing but positive for the Braves as they enter into the Summer portion of the baseball season.
Heading into today’s action, the Braves are 36-18, they have the best record in the National League, they’re tied on percentage for the best record in all of baseball and they’re 8.5 games clear at the top of the NL East, with only the Washington Nationals joining them in the “Over .500” Club at this point in the season.
Whoa. I bet y’all didn’t see any of this coming, now did you? I’ll happily admit that I figured that this team wasn’t going to put on a performance that would have them looking like something closer to what we saw this team do for the second half of 2021 and throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons as well. “They don’t have enough starting pitching,” I cried. Well, Bryce Elder is looking like a more-improved version of his 2023 version and Martín Pérez has developed into a solid fifth starter while Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Grant Holmes have all performed as expected The starting rotation is putting up great numbers as a collective (3.02 ERA, 75 ERA-, 4.01 FIP, 102 FIP-) but the bullpen has been just as good as well (3.07 ERA, 76 ERA-, 3.52 FIP, 90 FIP-), combining to make Atlanta’s pitching staff the current ERA and ERA- leaders (3.04 and 91) while also making sure that their FIP is in a position where this doesn’t seem too unsustainable going forward. That’ll do it!
It also helps that the offense has returned to something that looks a whole lot similar to what it looked like back when this team was really clicking. Braves President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Alex Anthopoulos said on multiple occasions during the offseason that he figured that if the Braves were going to bounce back, it would be because of the offense rather than the pitching. It’s almost as if one of the best front office executives in baseball was onto something, huh? Heading into tonight’s game, the Braves are sitting on the third-best team wRC+ in all of baseball (113, only behind the Yankees and the Dodgers), they’re tied for first in batting average (.260) with the Rays, they have a top-10 On-Base Percentage as a team, they lead baseball in slugging (.431) and they only trail the Dodgers in OPS (.755) and wOBA (.334).
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley have both performed below their respectively lofty expectations and normally that’d be a recipe for disaster. Instead, they’ve just been serving as complimentary pieces to guys like Drake Baldwin (who was absolutely murdering the baseball before going down with an oblique strain), Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II. It also helps that some of the players outside of the core have been coming up big as well. Mauricio Dubón has been an invaluable piece for this team so far, Jorge Mateo and Dominic Smith have been reliable when called upon and we’re starting to get some good stuff from Mike Yastrzemski as well. If Ha-Seong Kim can get going and the Braves can finally play a game with a full-strength lineup at some point, the ceiling for this team figures to be about as tall as Victor Wembanyama.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to come to the conclusion that if you’re hitting well and pitching well, you’re going to win a whole bunch of ballgames. Fortunately for the Braves (and outside of their most recent woeful series at home against the Nationals), the bad luck that seemingly tripped them up at all times is starting to turn around for Atlanta. As such, the team has played its way into a very comfortable position as far as their outlook for the rest of the season goes.
FanGraphs currently has the Braves winning 94 games and winning the NL East (86 percent chance by their current calculations) by eight games over the Phillies. PECOTA has a similarly rosy outlook for the Braves at the moment (94 wins, 84 percent chance of winning the division) and both Atlanta’s Expected W/L record and Pythagorean Record (both 38-16) suggest that this is no fluke on Atlanta’s part. Pretty much all of the statistics and metrics indicate that the Braves are right where they need to be right now and it’s something that they’re definitely capable of keeping up or even improving upon going forward.
While it’s been a tiny bit concerning to see them benefit greatly from the New Manager Bounce of going from Rob Thomson to Don Mattingly, Philadelphia would have to keep up an astonishingly furious pace all season while the Braves would have to suffer a significant slow down in order to make this even a nervous race for the Braves going forward. I’m not going full Sal Licata and saying that “The NL East is over” because there’s still plenty of baseball left to be played between now and September but it’s totally fair to say that everybody else in this division is going to be spending a lot of time looking up at the Braves while this season is still going on.
So am I saying all of this to say that the Braves are going to be on easy street from now until October? I’d love to say that but I think we all know that baseball is about as unpredictable as a washer when you throw a brick inside of it (for some reason or another) so there’s always a possibility that a nasty surprise here or there could pop up and throw a wrench in things for Atlanta. Despite the good times that the Braves have had so far, they’ve still had some injuries to key players. I mentioned that Drake Baldwin is currently on the IL and it doesn’t help that his fellow catcher Sean Murphy is also on the IL so Atlanta has already had to go deep into their depth chart for catching help at the moment. Ronald Acuña Jr. has had an IL stint recently and we all know how things go for pitchers nowadays where you kind of just have to pray for health and hope for the best.
Still, it’s hard to see how this train gets derailed for the Braves going forward. Sure, they had a woeful series against a Nationals pitching staff that has been one of the absolute worst in all of baseball so far this season but again, that’s just baseball for you! Not everything is going to go as planned and there’s bound to be some slip-ups and drop-offs here and there. With all of that being said, it really does seem like the Braves are back to playing at the level that we’re used to seeing from them.
It’s also fun to think about where the Braves were at this time last year. At the end of the day on May 25, 2025, the Braves were 25-27 and 8.5 games back in the division. After Memorial Day in 2024, they were 30-21 but six games back. They were only up four games in the division after Memorial Day in 2023 but they were actually 9.5 back in 2022! It’s been a good long while since the Braves were in such a comfortable position after crossing the Memorial Day signpost and while the past has shown that the story of this season is far from being complete, it’s clear that the Braves have played themselves into a very good spot to be in now that it’s starting to get really hot outside. Hopefully we’ll see the Braves continue to keep rolling so we’ll have a very fun Summer around here. We’ll see what happens!
LAS VEGAS — When Mark Stone returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against Colorado, that also meant the return of Vegas’ five-forward power play.
With Stone down low, Mitch Marner shifted to the top in the quarterback role, sending defenseman Shea Theodore to the second unit.
No matter which player is at the top, the Golden Knights’ power play is humming.
Stone’s goal with the man advantage 19 seconds into the second period cut the Avalanche’s lead to 3-1 and sparked a two-period dominance for a 5-3 victory.
“I was lucky enough to find Stoney going backdoor,” Marner said. “From that point on, we just started rolling, the confidence started going a little bit, and everyone started feeling a little better about themselves. We’re a team that doesn’t have any quit in them. We want to make sure every game, regardless of the score, we’re fighting and we’re trying to come back and claw into it.”
And now the Golden Knights, who won the championship three years ago, are one victory from making their third Stanley Cup Final in their nine seasons.
The power play has been a big part of that success. Vegas has scored on it in seven of the past eight games and is converting on a 25% rate for the playoffs, highest among the four remaining teams.
This isn’t just a small sample size, either. The Golden Knights ranked sixth in the regular season at 24.6%.
“We feel confident no matter who is on the ice,” wing Pavel Dorofeyev said. “We’re just trying to do our best to help the team to take advantage of the power play.”
No one took advantage more than Dorofeyev, who smashed the team record with 20 power-play goals in the regular season, topping the 14 that Tomas Hertl had just a year ago. Dorofeyev has four such goals this postseason, tied with Stone and the Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovský.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella wouldn’t discuss the intricacies of going with the highly unusual five-forward look, but it’s a formation he largely inherited from previous coach Bruce Cassidy, who employed that look often this season.
Both coaches probably saw what they had in Marner, who also filled the quarterback role when he played in Toronto when the Maple Leafs tried five forwards.
Other teams have run the five-forward look as well. The New York Rangers tried it this season, Los Angeles and Minnesota used it last year, and Florida and Montreal experimented with it in 2022.
But it’s hardly the go-to formation. The vast majority of teams still prefer four forwards with a defenseman patrolling the top. That player is Theodore when the Golden Knights use that scheme.
But now Theodore appears as if he will be at that spot on the second unit as the Golden Knights look to advance to the sport’s championship series.
To get there, they likely will need their power play to come through again.
“I think the fourth win is always the hardest to get, whether it’s a first round, second round or conference final,” Theodore said. “We’re going to expect their best. For them, it’s win or go home. We have to match that intensity from the start.”
LAS VEGAS — Just when the Avalanche got back reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, Colorado might be without Hart Trophy finalist Nathan MacKinnon.
Or, at least, will have a highly limited MacKinnon, which was what he was after taking a puck to his right knee in 5-3 loss in Game 3 to the Vegas Golden Knights.
It’s been that kind of series for the Avalanche, the Presidents’ Trophy winners going down 3-0 in the Western Conference Final. With the possibility of being swept, coach Jared Bednar will take MacKinnon in any form he can get him.
“For him to be able to come back out, get some work done late in the second period and intermission and be able to come out and even help us on the power play and empty-net situations, if that’s all he can do, we’ll take it,” Bednar said. “It’s better than anything else, in my opinion, we can put on the ice.”
That comment could get plenty of attention in the Avalanche locker room, but as it is, the Golden Knights have Colorado’s full focus.
The odds might have been in the Avalanche’s favor before the series began — the team with the league’s best record going against one so desperate to make the playoffs that it fired its coach with eight games remaining — but not now.
The numbers, in fact, are daunting.
This is the 50th time in the conference finals or league semifinals that a series has gone to 3-0. All previous 49 teams with that advantage went on to make the Stanley Cup Final, with 47 ending the series in six games or fewer.
Only four teams have erased 3-0 deficits in any round. Los Angeles in 2014 was the most recent team to accomplish that in eliminating San Jose in their first-round series.
And then there’s the so-called Presidents’ Trophy curse. Chicago in 2013 was the last team to claim that and the Stanley Cup in the same season. Colorado already had firsthand knowledge of the difficulty of pulling off the double, winning the Presidents’ Trophy in the 2021 COVID-shortened season before going out in six games in the second round ... to the Golden Knights.
“There’s going to be a sense of urgency, but it’s got to be smart urgency,” defenseman Josh Manson said. “It’s got to be desperation. It’s got to be our best style of play the whole night. You’ve got to maintain that sense of do or die, while playing up to the edge. That’s what makes it so difficult.
“The margin of error is so thin now, and you’ve got to be able to balance that for at least 12 periods.”
It will take at least that many periods for the Avalanche to accomplish what no other team has done this deep into the playoffs. They will have to play like the team that looked like the NHL’s best for six months and then the first two rounds of the playoffs when they went 8-1.
“We know where we’re at,” wing Martin Necas said. “We know it doesn’t happen very often, but we still feel confident in this group. It’s not like we’ve been outplayed every game and their team is better than ours. We had a lot of stretches this season where we won four in a row. So we just focus on the next game and take it home and anything can happen.”
Getting it back to Denver for Game 5 would be a start.
“Our team’s played with more intensity and more desperation as the series (has) gone on,” Bednar said. “Hasn’t worked out for us yet. I think with the hill to climb, it’s definitely a tough one. It just doesn’t happen very often, and we’re certainly understanding of that, but I think we have a lot of pride and a lot of character in our room that displayed that time over time throughout the course of the year,
“This will be our most difficult challenge, but I believe that we will show up and we will be ready to play.”
The Boston Bruins had a successful 2025-26 NHL season during which they earned 100 points (45-27-10) and made it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Unfortunately for the B’s, that postseason run was short lived as the Original Six franchise lost to the Buffalo Sabres in a six-game first-round series.
Now it’s time for general manager Don Sweeney to make the necessary roster improvements over the offseason to ensure the team takes another step forward in its development in the 2026-27 campaign.
Sweeney has a pretty good war chest of assets to use in pursuit of roster upgrades. The Bruins have a decent amount of salary cap space, five first-round picks in the next three drafts and an improved prospect pool.
Here’s a quick recap of the key offseason dates that fans should circle on their calendars:
May 31: 2026 NHL Scouting Combine
Every team will get an up-close look at the top prospects in the 2026 draft class at the scouting combine in Buffalo. The event wraps up June 6.
June 26-27: 2026 NHL Draft
The first round of the 2026 NHL Draft will take place Friday, June 26 beginning at 7 p.m. ET at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Rounds two through seven are scheduled for Saturday, June 27 starting at 11 a.m. ET.
The Bruins have the No. 23 overall pick in the first round.
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June 29: Bruins Development Camp
The Bruins’ annual development camp showcases the team’s best prospects. It’s also a good opportunity to watch the team’s new draft picks compete against their peers throughout the organization.
July 1: NHL free agency begins
The free agent market opens at noon ET.
The Bruins have about $15.4 million in salary cap space right now, per PuckPedia. This year’s class of unrestricted free agents is pretty weak, but there are a couple good players who could be available, including top-six forward Alex Tuch and defenseman Darryn Raddysh.
Bruins Rookie Camp begins on Friday, Sept. 11. It’s an opportunity for these young players to begin building their case to be considered for an Opening Night roster spot.
September 16: Bruins training camp begins
Training camp kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Mass. It will be the Bruins’ second training camp under head coach Marco Sturm.
Debating whether the Western Conference Finals are the “real” NBA Finals doesn’t really matter— the New York Knicks are waiting either way.
For now, just soak in what’s become a must-watch series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
With things knotted at 2-2, Game 5 could swing everything. These Spurs vs. Thunder props and NBA picks expect the stars to set the tone, but both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama will need meaningful support to take control on Tuesday, May 26.
Best Spurs vs Thunder props for Game 5
Player
Pick
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Over 7.5 assists
-130
Victor Wembanyama
Over 3.5 assists
+100
Jared McCain
Over 11.5 points
-115
Game 5 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 7.5 assists
Changing defensive looks have left the Oklahoma City Thunder star unsure when to look for his own shot. Of course, Victor Wembanyama’s paint presence doesn't help SGA’s cause.
After taking 23 and 24 shots in the first two games of this series, respectively, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted only 17 and 15 in Games 3 and 4.
That wasn't a result of playing on the road. That was a result of San Antonio’s defense.
To his credit, Shai has kept the ball moving. He has fallen short of this prop in just one game this series, missing by only the hook in Game 4 while averaging 10 assists per game across the four contests.
A basketball intellect should enjoy watching SGA and the Thunder navigate a series where his ball-dominance can't be counted on. A basketball bettor should profit on that reality.
Game 5 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 assists
Full disclosure: This bet was not on the radar until finalizing that Gilgeous-Alexander assists prop. Seeing Victor Wembanyama’s assists prop not only still at 3.5 but also priced at even money made this an immediate bet.
Wembanyama is not known for his playmaking, yet he has dished out at least three assists in each game of this series while clearing this prop twice. That sentence alone reveals the value in this sitting at +100.
The Thunder should throw big bodies at Wembanyama as this series reaches its peak in an attempt to wear him down. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and even Jaylin Williams can have their cumulative effect.
But in that process, Oklahoma City risks Wembanyama’s underrated vision.
Game 5 Prop #3: Jared McCain Over 11.5 points
Role players shoot better at home. This is a known and tried axiom in the postseason, one that consistently provides betting value.
Consulting Jared McCain’s home/road splits from this season gets murky, given he was traded halfway through it, and one may wonder when he felt comfortable in Oklahoma City.
However, simply look at his postseason. McCain has shot 46.5% from the field at home this postseason compared to 39.2% from the field on the road. He has hit 13-of-25 (52.0%) from beyond the arc at home compared to 6-of-26 (23.1%) on the road.
McCain caught attention in Game 3 with his 24 points, but his four points in Game 4 seem to have quickly diminished expectations.
With Jalen Williams unlikely to play, McCain will both need to play and need to handle the ball. Given his better shooting in familiar confines, those necessities should work out for the Thunder.
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I'm hoping this hot weather breaks this cold snap I'm on.
I'm still targeting hot hitters this week for home runs and MLB player props, and even going back-to-back in some spots at better prices in better spots.
Baltimore is a strong place to look for home runs, and Yandy Diaz's prices may not stay north of +650 for long if he keeps slugging at this level. I'm also backing two bats, led by Julio Rodriguez, at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park.
These are my favorite home run props for Tuesday, May 26.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Yandy Diaz
+670
Randy Arozarena
+600
Julio Rodriguez
+448
💲Today's HR parlay
+20900
Home run pick: Yandy Diaz (+670)
I'm not getting next-day theoried today with Yandy Díaz, who I'm getting at a better number than yesterday and is still grading as +EV, per the projections at Covers.
Over the last two weeks, he has been one of the best bats in baseball, ranking seventh in slugging and third in BlastContact%. He’s ripping extra-base hits right now with six over his last five games and gets a great matchup in a favorable park today.
Oriole Park grades as the No. 4 home run environment on the slate, per Ballpark Pal, and Shane Baz is a strong target for dingers.
The Baltimore right-hander just saw this Tampa lineup in his last start, so the familiarity edge shifts to the hitters in today’s matchup. He has allowed a home run in seven of his last starts and ranks in the bottom 50 among starters in BlastContact% and HR/FB rate over the last 30 days.
This is a buy to +600.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Rays.TV
Home run pick: Randy Arozarena (+600)
Sutter Health Park is once again grading as the best home run environment on the slate today, per Ballpark Pal.
The wind is blowing out, and the pitching matchup is better than it may look at first glance, as Luis Severino has been hit hard there and the splits back it up. The Athletics starter owns a 2.2 HR/9 in Sacramento compared to just 0.94 HR/9 on the road.
Six of his eight home runs allowed have come in that minor-league park.
Seattle clubbed four home runs yesterday and could leave the yard multiple times again vs. Severino and the bullpen, as no team in baseball has allowed a higher HR/9 at home than the Athletics.
Randy Arozarena at +600 is my target with a fair price of +530, per the projections at Covers. The right-handed hitter ranks 10th in slugging and 15th in BlastContact% over the last 14 days and is one of just six hitters inside the Top 15 in both categories during that stretch.
He went deep yesterday and added a double, and now owns a .299/.390/.477 slash line on the season.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Mariners.TV
Home run pick: Julio Rodriguez (+448)
I'm running it back with Julio Rodriguez in what projects as the best home run-hitting environment on the board today. This is a spot that graded out as +EV at +360 in a similar setup yesterday.
This is easily the best HR park on the slate today, and Luis Severino has struggled, like most starters, in this minor-league park. His HR/FB rate ranks in the Bottom 25 among MLB starters, and that number is even worse at home.
J-Rod didn’t go deep yesterday, but he entered that game slugging .667 over his last seven days with two home runs. Luke Raley at +350 was a consideration as a left-handed alternative, but J-Rod at this price is the stronger look.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Mariners.TV
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 13-91, -23.94 units
Today’s HR parlay
Yandy Diaz
Bet Now +20900
Randy Arozarena
Julio Rodriguez
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.
Spurs +4.5
Thunder TT o110.5
COVERS INTEL: Sandy Alcantara ranks in the 92nd percentile with a .290 xBA.
Yandy Diaz
Randy Arozarena