The new Mets hitting coach spent much of his childhood watching his father, Brian, manage and coach in the Braves organization before he became the manager in Atlanta in 2016.
“He influenced me a ton,” the younger Snitker said of Brian, who signed as a player with the Braves in 1977 and continued working in the organization once he stopped playing in 1980.
“I got to sit in the dugout and watch him my whole life,” Troy Snitker said of his father Sunday at Clover Park. “I was the batboy and saw how he managed a game, communicated with players and staff and how he worked and treated people.”
Troy Snitker is pictured before the Mets’ Feb. 28 game at spring training. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Through those years, Snitker grew up in Snellville, just east of Atlanta, but spent his school breaks traveling to see his father in minor league cities around the area.
“I have so many memories of being in motels and jumping to different apartment complexes in a small town with the family,” Snitker said. “We never moved, but every summer, spring break or last day of school, my mom would pack the minivan and we’d go.”
Snitker played two years in the Braves system after being drafted in the 19th round and he eventually joined his father in the majors as a coach.
Brian Snitker is pictured before a Braves game in May 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The duo’s journey culminated in 2021, when Brian Snitker managed the Braves to a World Series title, beating Troy’s Astros.
“I got to see the sacrifices he and my mom made,” Troy Snitker said. “He’s never done any of it for attention, but to see him do it at the biggest stage was extremely gratifying for my family. It was unbelievable.”
Troy Snitker won a title with the Astros a year later and now he’ll try to help the Mets get their offense going, as the 37-year-old joined the team’s director of major league hitting, Jeff Albert, in the offseason, replacing Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.
“I just want the guys to work together like some of our offenses did [in Houston] to do great things,” Snitker said. “I think we have a chance to have a great lineup like I’ve had experience having. We want the same type of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it to the next guy. We want to work together, build off each at-bat and not have guys feel they have to do it themselves. I think we can do that.”
Snitker said he had interest from other teams after he and fellow hitting coach Alex Cintron were let go by the Astros before opting to join the Mets staff.
“It was an easy decision for me,” Snitker said of coming to Queens. “I think there’s so much depth here and I’m excited to get to work.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with teammates after dunking against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Celtics hosted the 76ers Sunday night in their final clash of the regular season. Boston’s first game of March resulted in their 40th win of the season, 114-98. Neemias Queta had a monster outing for the home team, with a 27-point, 17-rebound double-double performance. Jaylen Brown had 27 points, Derrick White chipped in 21 points, 8 assists as the C’s weathered the 76ers numerous runs all night.
The Celtics came into the game off the back of a big 37-point win over the Nets on Friday night. Baylor Scheierman started the game with a heavily bandaged fractured thumb alongside White, Queta, Brown, and Sam Hauser. Philly started the game with VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Dominick Barlow.
The Sixers hit their first 3 shots of the game as they shot out to a quick 8-2 lead. Hauser nailed a triple in rhythm to cut it back to three points. Boston squared the score at 10 apiece, led by Queta, who was active early in the contest with 5 early points.
Brown threw down a big two-handed dunk, which woke the crowd up at the six-and-a-half-minute mark. Hugo Gonzalez, Payton Pritchard, and Nikola Vucevic were the first three Celts off the bench for Boston after the first TV timeout. Vucevic drilled his first corner three of the game, but Philly had the early eight-point lead, 23-15, as they shot 60% from downtown to start the game. Maxey paced the visitors with 8 points in the first 8 minutes.
Jordan Walsh came into the game in the stopper role and was immediately given the defensive assignment on Maxey. Boston was just 5-21 from the field to start the first quarter as the 76ers got the lead out into double figures. Walsh rattled home a triple after Queta grabbed his fifth offensive board against the smaller Philly frontcourt.
White scored in the paint to cut Philly’s lead to just 2 points. Adem Bona fouled Brown on a layup attempt with a chance to tie the game with 27 seconds to go in the quarter. Boston went on a late 7-0 run to make it a 2-point game heading into the 2nd quarter, 26-28.
Hauser hit his second three of the game to start the second quarter; White hit a pair of free throws as Boston took their first lead of the game after playing from behind throughout the first quarter, 32-30. Queta continued to pound the offensive glass, the big fella going on his own 8-0 run as he had 16 points and 10 boards with seven minutes to go in the second quarter.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics and Adem Bona #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers battle for a loose ball during the first quarter at TD Garden on March 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Derrick White drained his first three of the night, he deftly re positioned his feet on the perimeter to rise for the shot over Oubre Jr., who was caught flat-footed. Brown threw an insanely quick one-handed pass to Hugo, who caught the ball and scored off the backboard in one motion with no dribble. Boston’s second-quarter surge saw them take a 10-point lead as they outscored Philly 25-13 with 2 minutes and change in the first half.
skipped a cross-court pass to White, who drained a wide-open three as Boston went up 54-45. Drummond got whistled for a technical after throwing up a gun-shooting motion. Queta led the Cs in scoring at the halftime break with 16 points; Brown had 15 points and White 12 points. Scheierman laced the corner triple at the buzzer and threw up his fractured thumb 👍 to end the half, 62-50.
“Let’s go, Celtics” chants rained down at the Garden to start the 3rd quarter. Edgecombe converted a three-pointer and was fouled by White, hitting the extra point. Philly went on an 8-0 run to cut Boston’s lead back to 10 points.
The Cs had three straight trips down the court which resulted in three-pointers. Firstly, Scheierman drained a triple in front of Nick Nurse and the Sixers bench, Vooch hit a straight on triple and White rattled one home as Boston went up by 15 points, 80-65.
Philly immediately cut the lead back to 8 points as Edgecombe hit a fourth three of the night followed by a Maxey transition layup. Walsh drained a three-pointer with time expiring in the third, Maxey matched him with a three of his own, his 26th point, the road team back in the game down 6 points, Boston up 89-83.
Just as Philly mounted another comeback to start the fourth quarter, the Celtics steadied, Vucevic hitting a trailing three as Boston kept the lead at 10 points with 8 minutes to go. Philly’s backcourt pairing of Edgecombe and Maxey provided a decent one-two scoring punch as they hung around.
JB laced a second triple for his 27th point of the night, Boston holding the 76ers at arms length with 5 minutes remaining. Oubre Jr. hit Queta from behind and got whistled for flagrant foul, as the 76ers were running out of time for a comeback win. Pritchard was having an absolute shocker in this one — he was scoreless through 4 quarters and dribbled the ball of his leg.
Edgecombe and Maxey led the Sixers back into the game late, Boston’s lead whittled down to 6 points with just 3 minutes of play to go, the momentum swinging back to the road team. Queta hustled in the paint to retrieve a loss ball and scored over a pair of Philly players. Queta finished the game strong having a career night in scoring 27 points, 17 rebounds as the Celtics prevailed at home and move to 40-20 on the season.
Boston next face the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night on the road at 7:30 pm EST.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The best offensive season of Trent Grisham’s career was also his worst defensively.
The end result was Grisham accepting the qualifying offer and coming back to the Yankees with a chance to prove that not only was his offensive breakout not a fluke, but also that there is more in the tank defensively that he did not show consistently enough last season because of a lingering hamstring issue.
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While Grisham’s biggest impact last season came with the bat, when he slugged 34 home runs and took over everyday duties in center field, he did not play up to his track record as a two-time Gold Glover, the most recent one coming in 2022.
The 29-year-old is typically not big on looking at defensive metrics — in part because he did not usually have to worry about them when they were strong — but he acknowledged on Sunday that he likes to know where he stands among center fielders when there is enough data by the middle of the season.
“And I knew I was down towards the bottom of that list last year, so I kind of took that personally this offseason,” said Grisham, whose minus-11 defensive runs saved were fourth lowest among qualified center fielders. “I definitely wanted to get better and get back to how I was when I was younger.”
Trent Grisham looks on during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. Getty Images
A big part of that, the Yankees believe, is getting healthier.
Grisham came into camp last season with a hamstring strain but was able to start the season on time. Then, after he came back from the paternity list in late April, he said he had “a little ankle thing that I was dealing with.” Then on June 30 in Toronto, Grisham left a game early after getting his cleat stuck on the turf while making a running attempt on a sinking liner — “probably another [hamstring] strain,” he said, but he returned to the lineup a few days later and played through it.
“Maybe not quite 100 percent, but it wasn’t really about that,” Grisham said after making a diving catch and going 0-for-2 in a 5-3 win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. “It was about wanting to be out there playing. I felt like I could do a pretty good job out there.”
The offense did not take much of a hit, as Grisham continued to deliver some big hits, but his defense took a step back — in part because he had trouble stepping back.
“For me, that was the main factor last year, the [physical] limitations,” outfield coach Luis Rojas said. “I think a lot of balls, specifically straight back really hurt him, because he had to drop step and then push really hard on those hamstrings. Those were the ones where he was a tad slower than in the past and he couldn’t get to some baseballs and it crushed his metrics.”
Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees makes a catch on a fly ball from Dylan Moore #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of the spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on March 1, 2026 Getty Images
Grisham came into camp this year feeling healthy and, according to Rojas, said, “I’m going to show everyone that I’m fast,” perhaps only somewhat jokingly.
The Yankees do not necessarily need Grisham to be as fast as he was earlier in his career — which helped him record 10 DRS in 2022 — but just enough to be able to play the level of defense he is capable of, matching his strong offensive production.
Trent Grisham runs to first during the first inning of a spring training game against the New York Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. Getty Images
“I didn’t go into this offseason and overstress on the defensive side of the ball,” Grisham said. “It was more mentally and putting a chip back on my shoulder to get that edge again. It’s more of a personal thing than anything.”
Of course, if Grisham is looking for chips, he can also find one in the questions about whether he can actually repeat his breakout offensive season from 2025. The Yankees clearly believe he can — pointing to the strong underlying metrics that suggest it was not a fluke — which is why they made him the $22.025 million qualifying offer.
Grisham said Sunday he took the full 12 days he was allotted to decide to accept the offer, a decision he called “weighty.” He might have been able to make more money overall in a multiyear deal had he declined it, especially since he would have been the second-best center fielder on the free agent market behind teammate Cody Bellinger, but ultimately opted to return.
“At the end of the day, I want to win baseball games,” Grisham said. “I think that’s how you get the best out of yourself. I want to win. … That was just my priority.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Credit to the rook for even keeping them in this game.
The Sixers’ three-game win streak was snapped with a 114-98 loss to the Boston Celtics Sunday night. They are now 33-27, still one game up in the loss column for the East’s sixth seed thanks to a loss earlier in the day from the Orlando Magic.
Tyrese Maxey, who got going as the second half progressed, led all scorers with 33 shooting 12-of-34 from the floor along with six assists. VJ Edgecombe, with a stellar 5-of-11 night from deep, dropped 23 points along with five rebounds.
Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta led the Celtics with 27 apiece.
It was quite a flashy start, with Maxey and Edgecombe each nailing their first pull-up threes of the game. Maxey shook his defender with a good crossover on two possessions in a row — he nailed the midrange J but missed that three-point attempt.
Offensive rebounding was a problem from the jump, with Boston grabbing four within the first five minutes of the game. There were plenty of Celtics bricks to grab early, and the Sixers’ quick pace covered that up for the time being.
Adem Bona gave the Sixers a shot in the arm down low, but similar to Andre Drummond his contributions were more on the offensive end. He was the only Sixer to score for a four-minute stretch as they conceded a 10-1 run. Dominick Barlow nailed and a catch-and-shoot jumper to end that, but he was inside the arc so the Sixers held just a two-point lead after one.
Second Quarter
For the non-Maxey minutes, Nick Nurse went with all the bench ball-handlers alongside Edgecombe. Quentin Grimes missed his first two pull-ups while Trendon Watford made his first pair of push shots that kept the offense afloat. Cam Payne just picked up one assist in his first four minutes of action.
Trendon Watford gets on the board to start off the second quarter for the Sixers pic.twitter.com/nuSKp1vEZ3
Drummond made his first three of the night, but he really struggled on the other end, chasing around Queta who was suddenly flirting with a 20-point half. This game again exposed how thin they are at center when Embiid is out of the lineup, with Bona picking up his third foul to boot.
The Sixers went nearly four minutes without a field goal after that Drummond three. Maxey already began to teeter before he left the game and then missed several tough shots when he checked back in. He finally got a tough and-1 floater towards the end of the half. Drummond knocked down another three, but got T’d up for his celebration. Another overaggressive double team led to Brown kicking out to an open three at the buzzer, one that put the Celtics up by 12.
Third Quarter
Two quick threes to start the second half gave Boston their largest lead of the night. A four-point play from Edgecombe was a good response, and Maxey followed with a trip to the line, but both followed with missed shots in the paint, ending their brief momentum.
Edgecombe has been shooting really well on pull-ups in the midrange as of late but it was behind the arc in this one. To say it was all they had was an understatement — through three quarters, only three of his teammates had also made a three-pointer.
His only help for much of the quatrer was Barlow. His three steals helped the 14 points he had, but he was aggressive enough to get to the line eight times as well. Maxey finally got some baskets to go with fast break layups and runners. He threw a really nice skip pass on one break to Grimes, and hit a tough stepback three to get the Sixers within six points.
Fourth Quarter
Both starters in the backcourt stayed out there to start the quarter and each knocked down another three, but their flurries showed just what it took to keep the lead where it was, much less eat into it. The aggressive double teams didn’t stop against the Celtics, the most three-point hunting team in the league, and the Sixers paid for it again and again.
They were in no position to risk it, but the Sixers picked up an extremely weak flagrant midway through the fourth. Queta hit Edgecombe hard with a screen but drew no foul, so Kelly Oubre Jr. gave Queta a hard push in retaliation. In ref wars though the Sixers at least got one back a few possessions later. After trying all game Edgecombe finally drew an offensive foul on a Brown push off. No one got the worst of it though than the fan Edgecombe inadvertently kicked leaping into the crowd to save a loose ball.
Nikola Vucevic killed Bona earlier in the quarter stepping out, and Queta continued to kill Drummond with the starters in down the stretch. On top of his 10 offensive rebounds, he continued to beat the Sixers defense and force them to put him on the line. Finally in the last minutes of this game the Celtics put the game away in a way it felt like they should have way earlier in the half.
The road has not been kind to the St. Louis Blues this season. In fact, it's been so unkind, that they haven't been able to celebrate a win in 2026 as of yet.
Until now.
The Blues ended their 10-game road losing streak with a finely-crafted 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. on Sunday.
Pavel Buchnevich scored the eventual game-winning goal with 3:39 remaining and had an assist, Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist in his first game since Jan. 10 and Logan Mailloux scored for the Blues (22-29-9), who last won a road game on Dec. 20, 2025, 6-2 against the Florida Panthers. Joel Hofer had himself another sharp performance with 22 saves for the Blues, who had lost four of five, including 3-1 at home against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday but have won two of three out of the Olympic break.
Let's look at Sunday's game observations:
* Robert Thomas -- Sunday's game was a prime example of why if you're the Blues' management, you don't even listen to all the trade noise surrounding your No. 1 center.
Thomas, who missed 13 games after having a right leg procedure and was away from the team since Wednesday for personal reasons, had his hands all over this game in a positive way for the Blues.
You want to talk about a 200-foot goal, this is it when a puck is in the D-zone corner, Thomas gets in there, eventually wedges out a Wild skater and wins a puck, outlets to Brayden Schenn, who transitions out of the zone, but Thomas follows the play, gets it in stride through the neutral zone and into the O-zone, drops a pass to Mailloux and takes defenseman Quinn Hughes with him to give Mailloux enough of a lane to wire a shot past Filip Gustavsson with 1:55 left in the second period to tie the game 1-1:
It came not long after Kirill Kaprizov gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 16:09with a power-play goal that never should have been a power play when Jack Finley was wrongfully called for a high stick when it was Daemon Hunt's stick that caught Kaprizov with friendly fire. But it was a response goal that was really needed for a team playing the second of a back-to-back with travel against a rock solid side.
And when the Blues needed to put the game on ice, Thomas not only wins the face-off with the goalie pulled but deposits the puck into the empty net with 25 seconds remaining for the 3-1 win.
Thomas, who was on the ice for all three Blues goals and was a plus-3, had six shot attempts (three on goal) and won eight of 14 face-offs (57 percent) in 17:08 of ice time.
Listen, I understand anything can happen between now and Friday. Maybe Thomas and his camp go to Blues GM Doug Armstrong and ask out, maybe he doesn't. But in talking to him recently, this didn't sound like a player who was looking to move on when he was talking about going on a run to end the season.
Twenty-six-year-old No. 1 centers don't just pop in your lap.
It's obvious that Thomas wasn't 100 percent all season. Maybe he won't be completely himself again until after a full off-season of working the kinks out of surgery and playing in rhythm again, but it's obvious that if you surround a player like this with the right pieces, whether it's a veteran or nurturing your young core (Jimmy Snuggrud, Dalibor Dvorsky, Justin Carbonneau(?), and so forth), you have a player here that impacts the game in so many different ways.
Now if you're Armstrong and someone comes to you with a ransom offer, of course you listen, and even consider it, but it would take that -- for me -- to even consider it.
Again, if you watched today's game, you know why this is a player you don't part away from, not unless you want to separate yourself from being relevant again for, say, 4-5 years down the road. A player under contract with five more years of term left? Hard pass on shedding that from my roster. But we'll see.
* Logan Mailloux is coming into his own -- Remember the famous words of Hockey and Blues Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, who had quite the candid conversation with me regarding Mailloux earlier in the season when he said (among other things), "I don’t have a message to the people, it’s patience."
That was in mid-October when Blues fans were ready to crucify the 22-year-old and call the trade with the Montreal Canadiens that sent fan-favorite Zack Bolduc to his home province.
In three games coming out of the Olympic break, Mailloux is a plus-4 and after playing a season-high 20:35 in the loss to the Devils, he followed it up with 20:32 on Sunday and was a plus-2 in the game. But it's the small details in his game that seem to really be coming along playing with Cam Fowler.
On Sunday, he was defending the front of the net again, breaking up plays, plays meant for the crease area and/or front of the net, and he seems to be shooting more pucks (I still think he can shoot it more) with three more shots on goal Sunday (nine the past three games) and by my count, six passes defended.
Colton Parayko (back spasms) missed his second straight game, and it's no coincidence that Mailloux had to be more of someone to grab a bigger role, including getting some shifts here of late on the penalty kill and he was used Saturday with an extra attacker role.
"Playing more minutes and stuff, I think me and Cam have started to play better together, whether it's the last 15-20 games like that. I feel like we've been progressing in the right direction. I just try to take it as it comes."
And when Blues coach Jim Montgomery said that Mailloux's last two practices before last Thursday's 5-1 win against the Seattle Kraken "were his best two practices of the year," and that players earn their ice time. We're seeing why Mailloux is earning more ice time of late.
* Buchnevich's offense finally breaking through -- Some of you may be saying, "Where has this best all year?" I get it. I'm one of them, and who would have thought that a move to the center ice position would finally unleash some of the veteran's offensive potential?
With a goal and an assist, it's a five-game point streak (five goals, three assists), goals in four of the past five games and 13 points (six goals, seven assists) the past 10 games.
It was the second game-winner of the season and 23rd of his career, but the goal that put the Blues ahead late in the third was a beauty that started with Snuggerud winning a puck off a wall battle, makes a nifty little backhand for Buchnevich to saunter into a shot that was pegged for the top left corner:
And of course late, Buchnevich is on the ice with Thomas and feeds him for the empty-netter.
Buchnevich, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou have been a constant line as of late for the Blues, with Buchnevich running the middle.
* Hofer save on former Blue -- The game was hanging in the balance, and Hofer, who already made one good save on Kaprizov breaking in on a play in the first period, made one of those 10-bell stops that was the difference between winning and losing when he gloved Vladimir Tarasenko from the slot with 31.7 seconds left in a 2-1 game:
That's now back-to-back games for Hofer allowing just one goal in a game, including the 5-1 win against the Kraken on Thursday; he has stopped 45 of 47 shots with a .957 save percentage.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 1: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 1, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
March came in like a lamb for the Bucks at the United Center today: a 16-point first-half lead turned into a 120-97 laugher, thanks to a catastrophic 27-0 Bulls run and a 33-8 fourth quarter in the home team’s favor. Still, the Bucks finished the season series 3-1 over the Bulls. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
Scoreless after the first quarter, and only five further shot attempts. In his defense, Doc wasn’t playing him much for whatever reason. Probably could have used his rim protection for more than nine second-half minutes, given that Chicago outscored Milwaukee 34-10 in the paint after half.
A lot of really tough shots and few fell, especially inside. What I liked the least, though, was the open threes he passed up over and over again in the second half. Couldn’t stop Josh Giddey, who had a triple-double (and a surprising 14 rebounds).
Again, all his points in the first half. 0/3 in the second. Made some important ones early, but then disappeared. Offered next to nothing on the other end.
The counting stats are decent until you get to the turnovers, which are a real problem of late with Rylo. His passing in the second quarter was outstanding, but his second half was a brickfest. Starting 4/4 and then going 1/7… hardly alone among the starters today.
I’ll give him credit for being the only Buck to make any hay inside, but otherwise, nothing positive from Kuz today. Seemed too cavalier when he entered in the fourth quarter, and the Bucks continued getting wrecked.
Too many middies (more on that later) and settling for jumpers, but at least they were falling. A key part of the Bucks’ second-quarter success, but also part of the unit that started to let the game slip away early in the fourth before checking out.
The type of scoring line that looks really efficient if you only look at the free throws. Dribbled the air out of the ball, gets to the line, took ill-advised jumpers… the Cam Thomas experience.
Grade: C–
Jericho Sims
24 minutes, 2 points, 11 rebounds, 1/1 FG, +1
Excellent on the glass in the first half and five offensive boards for the game, but—stop me if you’ve heard this before—didn’t do anything after half. Also part of the unit I mentioned with Portis above, and was hardly near the rim when the Bulls started yamming on them.
Dieng’s three-point shooting has cratered the last three games (2/14), but a chunk of his misses came in garbage time after the Bucks went down 19. Wasn’t on the floor for too much of the early fourth quarter cataclysm.
Grade: C
Doc Rivers
Oh boy, where do I start? I’ll just give one of his postgame comments, but I have a lot more to say about today, which I’ll do in a separate place. Anyway, the Bucks missed 18 consecutive field goals from the third into the fourth quarter, and a lot were clean looks. Here’s what Doc had to say:
“I don’t care if it’s not in the paint. We’re getting wide-open threes. We’re one of the best shooting threes in the NBA. So if we take 30 of those, I can live with it. What I didn’t like is (that) we didn’t get the right shots. Half of them were twos, contested. That’s what bothered me in the game. Honestly, if we’d have got all those plays and they were wide-open threes and we had two points in the paint, but they were wide-open threes, I could go to sleep tonight. Because I know our guys got the right shots. I thought by the time we got the right shots, it was too late.”
Doc had earlier mentioned that “the good looks came after crappy basketball for the first 11 minutes of the third quarter.” Not addressing crappy basketball is bad enough. Moreover, shooters shoot, but to completely abandon anything inside?
Not that it was even a priority: the Bucks were 6/6 in the restricted area in the first half and 2/7 in the second half. Chicago had three injured in their frontcourt (Zach Collins, Jalen Smith, and Patrick Williams), so Nick Richards and Leonard Miller were their only guys above 6’8”. Matas Buzelis and Guerschon Yabusele rounded out an already-thin Bulls frontcourt post-deadline. Even without Giannis, Doc has five players 6’9” and up at his disposal, enough size and talent to deal with Chicago’s four. Not caring if their shots aren’t in the paint? To quote my colleague Jack Trehearne: diabolical.
Grade: F
Garbage Time: Gary Harris, Andre Jackson Jr., Pete Nance, Gary Trent Jr.
Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince, Cormac Ryan
Bonus Bucks Bits
Eight points is the lowest any NBA team has scored in a regulation quarter this season. Milwaukee was 2/21 from the floor in the period.
The Bulls’ 27-0 run was a franchise record. And that was the second-largest run the Bucks have ever given up: the worst was a 29-0 Cavs run at the Bradley Center in December 2009, as we found out postgame. For what it’s worth, the NBA record is 30-0.
Portis asked us assembled reporters in the locker room post-game if we’d ever seen anything like that run. He hadn’t, and none of us had either—at least not in person.
A few more stats on the Bucks’ epic drought: the 18 straight misses came between Cam Thomas’ lay-in at 1:23 in the third and Dieng’s dunk with 3:12 left in the game. That’s 10 minutes, 11 seconds.
They also missed 15 consecutive threes across a slightly longer span. At half, they were 10/23 from deep, a nice 43.5%. In the second half: 3/23, 13%. 13/46 overall is 28.3%. Barf.
There were seven minutes and 32 seconds between Bucks points, and it took them just over six minutes to register a point in the fourth.
But the most damning thing: of those 18 straight misses I mentioned? They took only one shot within 10 feet: a Portis driving hook.
For the game, they took 30 attempts in the paint, and the Bulls outscored them there 50-26. The disparity was particularly bad in the second half: Chicago was 17/20 in the paint, and Milwaukee shot just 5/17.
It was a sloppy game overall with 37 combined turnovers (19 for Milwaukee, 18 for Chicago), and Chicago scored six more points off them than Milwaukee’s 14.
Strangely enough, the Bucks had a sizeable shot advantage with 11 more field goal attempts than the Bulls. Part of that can be chalked up to the Bucks’ 11-7 edge on the offensive glass. Free throws were 23-17 in favor of the home team.
Milwaukee racked up 19 first-half assists—their highest total in a half since opening night—on 25 made baskets. Then seven on 10 makes in the second half. I’m no Red Auerbach, but I’d say that means you should probably pass the ball more.
In checking the shot chart, I was struck by this: the Bulls took only two shots between nine feet and the three-point line. The Bucks took… a whole lot more.
Matas Buzelis put Portis on a poster early in the fourth, but it’s all love: the two exchanged jerseys after the game. Bobby says he may need another room at home in Arkansas for the collection he’s amassed from opponents.
There was a baby race at halftime in the United Center. Only two of seven even made it off the starting line (the charity stripe), and one only made it a few feet. Everyone else just sat there. 11-month-old Will—the only one who truly crawled—annihilated the competition and was scooped up at midcourt by Benny the Bull after his victory. He was interviewed by the Bulls’ in-game emcee, and after showing brief tactile interest in the foamy microphone screen, he pushed it away.
Up Next
This was the front end of a back-to-back, with a quick trip back to Milwaukee tonight to face the Boston Celtics tomorrow evening. Tip is 6:30 p.m. Central on Peacock and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
DALLAS (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, Chet Holmgren had 19 points and nine rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 100-87 on Sunday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 59 consecutive road games, the longest streak in NBA history. The reigning NBA MVP played his second game after missing nine because of an abdominal strain.
The defending champion Thunder are 47-15, a half-game behind Detroit for the NBA lead. They have a three-game lead in West over second-place San Antonio.
The Mavericks, with star rookie Cooper Flagg among three regular starters sidelined, were held to a season low in points and saw the NBA’s longest active streak of triple-digit games end at 41. They are 21-39.
Caleb Martin scored a season-high 18 points to lead the Mavericks, who lost their eighth consecutive home game and 13th overall in the last 15. It’s their longest such home drought since dropping 12 straight in 1993-94.
It was the first time that Martin, acquired from Philadelphia on Feb. 5, 2025, led Dallas in scoring in 65 games. It was the Thunder's fewest points in a win this season, the previous low being their 101-94 win on Oct. 27.
Flagg missed his seventh consecutive game with a sprained left foot. Dallas was also missing Naji Marshall (right-finger contusion) and P.J. Washington Jr. (left ankle sprain). Reserve Klay Thompson didn't play in the second half because of right adductor soreness.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has said Flagg probably won’t play when last season’s collegiate player of the year for Duke makes his first NBA trip back to North Carolina for a game against Charlotte on Tuesday night.
Up next
Thunder: At Chicago on Tuesday night.
Mavericks: Begin a six-game trip at Charlotte on Tuesday night.
The Athletics ensured a good start to March, putting together their best team-wide spring training performance to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 12-4.
J.T Ginn started on the mound, picking up where he left off in his last outing. The A’s right-hander pitched three scoreless innings, continuing his impressive start to spring training. In the third inning, Ginn found himself in a bit of trouble as the Reds got runners on third and first with only one out. Ginn wiggled out of the jam by striking out Will Benson and then he got some help from his catcher Austin Wynns, who threw out a Reds player trying to steal second base to end the inning.
J.T. Ginn vs CIN today
3.0 IP 1 H 2 BB 2 K
He looked sharp, especially during a busy 3rd inning. Ginn is making his case for a rotation spot this spring. 📈 pic.twitter.com/zijQXzU9V1
Meanwhile, the A’s catching tandem gave the team an early lead that they never relinquished. Starting catcher Shea Langeliers, who served as the designated hitter today, bashed a two-run home run to right field off of the Reds left-handed starting pitcher Andrew Abbot in the first inning. He added an RBI double in the third inning before coming around to score on Wynns’s three-run home run later that inning.
Up 6-0 after three frames, the A’s got their second glimpse at top pitching prospect Gage Jump. The highly-regarded left-hander sailed through the fourth and fifth innings, only allowing one hit while recording three strikeouts. If Jump continues pitching as well as he did today for the rest of spring training and first month or two of the minor league season, the pitching-needy A’s may not wait long to promote him to the Major Leagues.
Following Jump’s encouraging outing, four non-roster pitchers combined to pitch the rest of the game for the A’s. Cincinnati scored four unanswered runs via two home runs off relievers unlikely to make the A’s bullpen, making what was shaping up to be a blowout A’s win less certain.
With their seven-run lead cut to three, the A’s held on and then got important insurance runs in the eighth inning. Non-roster invite first baseman Joey Meneses came through with the bases loaded, blasting a grand slam over the right field wall. The A’s were not done that inning. A couple batters later, third base prospect Tommy White, aka Tommy Tanks, joined in on the fun as he hit a home run to cap the A’s scoring this afternoon.
This type of game is what A’s fans were expecting to see from the team this year. Four home runs, 11 hits and 12 runs scored signifies that the team’s offense is finally waking up from their offseason slumber, while Ginn and Jump’s performances serve as reason for optimism that the A’s pitching will be improved this season.
The A’s will look to make it two in a row tomorrow against the San Diego Padres. Right-hander Mason Barnett is scheduled to make his second spring training appearance. He is looking to improve after allowing two runs in two innings in his last outing. The Padres will counter with veteran right-hander Michael King, who will also be making his second preseason start.
Notes
Following the game, the A’s made several roster cuts. They optioned right-handed pitcher Eduarniel Nuñez to Triple-A Las Vegas and right-handed pitcher Henry Baez to Double-A Midland. Additionally, they sent left-handed pitchers Wei-En Lin and Domingo Robles, right-handed pitchers A.J Causey, JJ Goss, Kenya Huggins and Yunior Tur, catcher Shane McGuire and infielder Joey Meneses to their minor league camp. None of these moves are surprising, although it sucks for Meneses coming after he hit the grand slam. It would not be a shock to see him in Sacramento this year if he is doing well in Triple-A and the A’s need someone to fill in for Nick Kurtz and/or Brent Rooker if they get injured. Likewise, relievers Nuñez, Causey and Tur could be options to help the A’s bullpen this season.
In addition to the prospects mentioned above, Henry Bolte had a good day. He singled twice in three at-bats.
Kurtz is off to a slow start this spring with one hit in 15 at-bats. It is still early, so he has a long time remaining to get in a groove before the regular season starts.
Colby Thomas got two at-bats today off the bench. He has been dealing with inflammation in his right elbow, which is why he has not started a game during the first week of the Cactus League.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Boston Celtics in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kristaps Porziņģis will remain out for a fifth straight game due to general illness. He will miss the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers tomorrow night.
Regardless of the question of whether Porziņģis still suffers from the effects of post-orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) or not — a recent controversy sparked by head coach Steve Kerr’s comments during a radio hosting — it is quite clear that Porziņģis isn’t quite 100 percent ready to see the floor for a prolonged period of time.
Additionally, Will Richard, who suffered an ankle sprain against the Los Angeles Lakers last night, will miss the game against the Clippers. Gary Payton II is listed as questionable due to what is being called as “left ankle impingement,” per the official injury report released by the NBA.
Kristaps Porzingis remains out tomorrow night for a fifth straight game with a general illness. Will Richard also out for the Warriors vs Clippers after spraining his ankle last night. Gary Payton II questionable.
There he goes again. | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The Islanders pulled off a third consecutive two-goal comeback win and this time they didn’t even need overtime, though Anders Lee’s winner was practically that, coming with 32 seconds left in regulation on a stunning individual play by the captain.
Oh, also: Matthew Schaefer had another two-goal game, ho-hum, to bring his rookie season goal total to 20 goals at age 18.
It was a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw the teams enter the third period tied 3-3 after the Isles erased a 0-2 deficit and then Bo Horvat erased a 3-2 lead with a terrible-angle shot on Sergei Bobrovsky late in the second period.
Schaefer scored to give the Isles a 4-3 lead midway through the first period, shooting through legs again but this time benefiting from a couple helpful deflections. To leave him this wide open with time to pick a spot at the top of the slot is both criminal and very welcome:
The Islanders weren’t too bad trying to see out the game with a one-goal lead, but they allowed far too much traffic to develop through the slot once the Panthers pulled Bobrovsky for a sixth attacker. Sam Reinhart tied it with 1:58 to go, and there were some close calls around David Rittich’s net after that to hint this game might not make it to overtime.
But the script flip came on the Islanders’ side, again, after they escaped some bad turnovers and consecutive icings. It started with a bouncing pass to the neutral zone from Tony DeAngelo. Lee not only handled the pass but batted the puck once out of the air as he cut across the neutral zone from left to right. Simon Holmstrom crossed with him, staying on side but mixing up the Panthers’ top D pair just enough to give Lee some daylight down the right wing.
His sweeping power move took Bobrovsky by surprise — or at least, the Panthers goalie sold out completely to face the backhand — and Lee was able to slam it home after carrying around the Panthers goalie and Aaron Ekblad. Gustav Forsling was just a foot short with his emergency reach.
Love Lee’s reaction, acting like it was nothing special, though he and the whole gang it was damned special indeed.
Up Next
That’s three consecutive wins and six points to kick off the post-Olympic period.
Those are kind of a big deal because now the Islanders head west for a pretty tough string that starts with back-to-back in southern California Wednesday and Thursday night before the trade deadline.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 28, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Per a source that told ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Steph Curry — after waiting 10 days to be re-evaluated — is now set for another re-evaluation for another 10 days.
That means Curry will miss the Golden State Warriors’ upcoming five games, at the very least.
Steph Curry will be re-evaluated again in 10 days, per source. Making progress on that "unpredictable" right knee issue, as Curry called it, but that'll rule him out of at least the next five Warriors games. He's missed the last 10 games.
Suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome — more commonly known as runner’s knee — Curry’s ailment has proven to be quite unpredictable and much tougher to manage than expected. Already out of the running for end-of-season awards, Curry will also be unable to contribute to a last push toward the Warriors gaining respectable position in the play-in tournament.
A mid-game interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews during the Warriors’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers revealed that Curry hasn’t had on-court work at all.
J.T. Realmuto followed, returning to the bench after taking a 96 mph pitch looking.
Then came Alec Bohm, ending the first inning after whiffing on heat.
After striking out a two-time batting champion, three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and former All-Star, Will Warren walked off the mound, having given a glimpse of his ceiling, and a showcase of his growth, entering his second full season in the majors.
“If I see, like in that first inning, I thought that they were off the heater, I’m just gonna keep [throwing the] heater until they prove that they can hit it,” Warren said after the 5-3 win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. “Last year, I may have been trying to overdo stuff or trying to make this super nasty pitch. And it’s like, you don’t really need to do that. Your stuff’s good enough as it is. Just execute and stay in control, stay smooth and be aggressive.
Will Warren throws a pitch during the Yankees’ March 1 Grapefruit League game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“A lot of times in spring training, it’s hard to get that amped-up feeling going, but when we roll out there in the first inning and it’s Turner, Realmuto and Bohm, that’s going to give you a little juice.”
Warren, 26, was nearly flawless in his second spring training outing, throwing 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings, while allowing one hit and no walks.
The right-hander — who allowed one run in 2 ²/₃ innings with four strikeouts in his previous start — threw 50 pitches (33 strikes) and struck out four, facing off against Phillies starter Andrew Painter, one of Philadelphia’s top prospects.
“I thought he was excellent,” manager Aaron Boone said of Warren. “Four-seam was crispy. I thought his command was really good. I thought he was really sharp. I thought Painter was kind of crispy early, got my attention, and then Will answered.
“I think he’s really talented. I think he’s got all the weapons … He’s confident, so I know there’s more and I know he expects that. I don’t know what the ceiling is.”
Warren’s new shift to the third base side of the rubber may reveal it.
“I think the attack angle is really weird to righties,” said Warren, who went 9-8 with a 4.44 ERA in 33 starts last season. “I think you saw that today. I get really late swings over there. The lefties, I think the backdoor sweeper is going to be a huge pitch for me. It’s been a big pitch in the past, but moving over there, it looks like it’s never going to come back. The lines are getting sharper as we go throughout the spring, so I really like the adjustment we made.
“I think everything’s in a good spot … I think everything’s going in the right direction.”
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 1: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks smiles before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 1, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks took on the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night with a piece-meal roster. P.J Washington, Marvin Bagley III and Naji Marshall were three key rotation players out for the game, and after 15 minutes of action, Klay Thompson unfortunately joined them. Shortly after Thompson checked out, the announce team said he would be out for the game with an adductor contusion.
Klay Thompson has been ruled out for the rest of tonight’s matchup against the Thunder due to a right adductor contusion, per the Mavericks. pic.twitter.com/WNPBTFwjo4
The adductor muscles are located in the inner thigh and the injury is akin to a “groin strain” or “groin contusion.” There are various grades to this type of injury and we do not yet know how severe Thompson’s is. On the low end (grade 1), a two-to-three-week recovery timeline is common. More serious injuries (grade 2 or 3) could take up to two-to-three months!
Again, we do not yet know the severity of the injury and can only speculate as to what it means for Thompson. Given that we’re in the home stretch of the season with only about six weeks remaining, it’s not impossible to envision a scenario where Thompson played his last game for 2025-2026. Hopefully we’ll get further clarity soon, and hopefully it will be good news that Thompson can return to action quickly.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Carlos Mendoza said he's not considering a five-man rotation for the Mets.
PORT ST. LUCIE — A day after SNY analyst Ron Darling said the Mets should go to a five-man rotation instead of having to “work around” Kodai Senga’s preference to pitch in a six-man rotation, Senga threw live batting practice on a back field and looked good again.
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Carlos Mendoza, when asked about the possibility of going to a five-man rotation, told The Post it was not currently a consideration.
“We have six starters,” Mendoza said.
If everyone remains healthy, Senga will be joined in the rotation by Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Nolan McLean.
Of those starters, Mendoza said Peralta is likely the only one who won’t be asked to pitch on an extra day’s rest, but he will talk with the rest of the rotation about their usage.
Senga’s next outing will come in a Grapefruit League game and the Mets have been encouraged by the intensity with which he has attacked this spring.
And before they make any decisions about how to best utilize their rotation, they want to make sure everyone remains in good form throughout the spring.
Carlos Mendoza is pictured before the Mets’ Feb. 21 game. Imagn Images
Last spring training, the Mets lost Manaea to a strained oblique and Frankie Montas to a strained lat.
So far, the rotation is in solid shape — and they hope it remains that way, as Holmes and McLean head to the WBC to pitch for Team USA.
Holmes was impressive again in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Houston at Clover Park, integrating his cutter into his arsenal more.
He allowed one run in four innings.
He threw the cutter 21 percent of the time Sunday after using it just 8.3 percent of the time a year ago.
Holmes said the pitch “felt good” and could help augment his sinker.
Ron Darling is pictured Jan. 24. Getty Images
Mendoza added if Holmes can use it effectively and add it to his sinker/sweeper mix, it will make the right-hander even better.
“There’s so much movement, life, sink and cut on his pitches,” the manager said.
The Mets announced after Sunday’s game that right-hander Alex Carrillo was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse and lefties Anderson Severino and Matt Turner were reassigned to minor league camp.
The moves left the Mets with 70 players in major league camp.
Cristian Pache, known primarily for his defense in the outfield throughout his career, has hit well so far this spring.
He added a double Sunday.
“He’s an elite defender,” Mendoza said. “Offensively, his at-bat quality, he’s hit the ball hard up the middle and run the bases [well]. There are a lot of tools there. It’s good to see the results.”
St. John’s announced the athletic department would honor the life of longtime Mets media relations official and St. John’s alumna Shannon Forde on Tuesday during the men’s basketball game versus Georgetown at Madison Square Garden.
Forde passed away 10 years ago from breast cancer.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami rallied to beat Orlando City 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City (0-2-0) a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti's first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance. Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City's next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to Los Angeles FC.
Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
