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Hornets duo LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel join Warriors' Splash Bros in NBA history

Hornets duo LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel join Warriors' Splash Bros in NBA history originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Charlotte Hornets were one of the NBA’s biggest turnaround stories this season, going from a 26-26 record before the All-Star break to finishing the campaign on an 18-9 run.

Much of the team’s success can be attributed to its young duo of LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel, who have unequivocally emerged as one of the league’s best shooting backcourts. While that might seem like an extremely lofty endorsement, they shot the three-ball at a historic pace this season.

As shared to X by ESPN Insights, Ball and Knueppel became just the second duo in NBA history to hit at least 270 threes in a season, joining the former iconic Warriors duo of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

Tabbed as the “Splash Brothers,” Curry and Thompson will forever be remembered for being one of the best duos in NBA history. The duo won four NBA championships together and have combined to make 13 All-NBA teams and 17 All-Star selections.

Thompson ultimately joined the Dallas Mavericks after the 2023-24 season, but still is considered a legend in the Bay.

If Ball and Knueppel can even be half as good, the trajectory of the Hornets’ franchise could finally change for the better. Similar to the Warriors, who play the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in the NBA play-in tournament, the Hornets also will need to make it out of the play-in to make the playoffs.

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Jets Top Prospect Expected To Make NHL Debut Monday vs Golden Knights

The Winnipeg Jets are expected to introduce one of their top prospects to the NHL stage on Monday after the club announced that former first-round pick Brayden Yager will make his league debut against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 21-year-old Saskatoon native has put together a steady first professional season with the Manitoba Moose, recording 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 68 games. Yager was originally selected 14th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins before being acquired by Winnipeg in a one-for-one trade that sent fellow top prospect Rutger McGroarty the other way.

With the Jets sitting five points out of a wild card spot and just three games remaining, the club appears set to focus on evaluating young players rather than pursuing an unlikely postseason push. That approach has already included extended NHL minutes for forward Brad Lambert, who has appeared in 22 games this season and recorded six points in his longest look at the NHL level to date.

Yager is expected to slot into a depth role on the fourth line and could remain in the lineup for all three of Winnipeg’s remaining games. On Monday, Yager appears to be centering a line with another youngster in Nikita Chibrikov on his right wing with veteran winter Nino Niederreiter on the left side.

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Daws and Vilen Get Their Shot as Devils Close Out Season

The New Jersey Devils announced on Friday that the team had recalled goaltender Nico Daws and defenseman Topias Vilen from the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets.

The Devils are heading into the final game of their season. The team currently sits in seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 42-36-3.

Ahead of the team's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, they announced that goaltender Jacob Markstrom would be done for the season.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that Markstrom will rest and rehab nagging injuries for the remainder of the season.

In his absence, Daws will have an opportunity to play for the team. Daws has appeared in 53 NHL games, all with the Devils. He has an all-time record of 23-23-1 with a .899 save percentage. He was selected as the 84th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Ahead of his call-up, Daws had appeared in one game, saving 31 shots on net and allowing one goal.

Daws made his second appearance on Sunday, stopping 30 of the 33 shots he faced, in the team's 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

On the other hand, Vilen has played the past three seasons with the Utica Comets. The 23-year-old has appeared in 49 games with the Comets this season and has recorded 24 points.

Vilen was selected 129th in the 2021 NHL draft by the Devils.

He made his NHL debut on Sunday, skating for just over 12 minutes.

The Devils will close out their season on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Arne Slot backs Liverpool to produce ‘great performance’ to beat PSG

  • Slot: ‘There is a belief we can do special things’

  • Luis Enrique tells his players to beware ‘pitfalls’

Arne Slot has said Liverpool do not face an impossible task against Paris Saint-Germain but must produce the perfect performance to overcome the European champions in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Liverpool require another stirring Anfield comeback in Tuesday’s second leg to salvage their hopes of silverware having lost 2-0 at Parc des Princes last week. PSG were vastly superior in the first leg and should have won more comfortably, although their head coach, Luis Enrique, described such talk as “a trap” and claimed there will be “pitfalls” for his team at Anfield.

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The Yankees don’t do themselves any favors

Apr 11, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) throws to first against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

This is not solely a piece to bash Jazz Chisholm Jr. I think he’s a very good player, and I am currently watching him relay signs while standing on second base, both to help his own hitters and mess with Rays’ starter Drew Rassmussen. I think he brings an energy to the club that they’ve needed for a little while.

And then, there’s stuff like this:

This is not solely a piece to bash Jazz, but I think he’s illustrative of a problem the Yankees have had for a number of years now. For all the very real talent they boast, they’re constantly getting into their own way. Chisholm Jr. is a genuine perennial All Star type of talent. but if you’re going to brag about a 50/50 season, you can’t have a 42 wRC+ in the season’s first two weeks, and you definitely can’t be admitting you don’t know the rules.

In the same vein, the team that went so viral for being “savages in the box”, and pushes to the public how much their hitters own the strike zone, you can’t be the fourth-worst in the game in hitter ABS challenges — giving away strikes and the limited number of reviews you can ask for. Funny enough Jazz is one of nine players tied for just a 25 percent challenge success rate, the worst mark in the game. Ben Rice, one of the few Yankees that have really shown up this year, has just now joined Jazz at 1-4. Of course there was reporting just this weekend that José Caballero had to be pulled aside by Aaron Boone and have the importance of getting challenges right re-asserted in a one on one meeting.

Pair that weakness with the fact that a team built around working counts and wearing down opposing pitching has possibly taken all that too far, to the point where they’re downright passive. Swinging at strikes just 62.7 percent of the time, the Yankees are only more…judicious (to put it charitably) than the Red Sox and Diamondbacks, and last year while they were the best offense in baseball they were offering at pitches in the zone five points higher, still selective while not allowing themselves to give up even more free strikes.

Part of this is just being reactive to the first rough patch of the season. The team managed a series win against the Marlins by the skin of their teeth, before dropping a trap series to the Athletics and not playing well at the Trop, none of those things in isolation would mean all that much. All of baseball is sequencing, putting together 14 hits in a game doesn’t mean much if they’re spread evenly across all nine innings — you need an inning or two with four or five hits to do real damage. If the Yankees went to Tropicana Field in July while in first place in the division and didn’t play well, that’d be annoying, and if Jazz was hitting to his level while making a moronic play defensively we’d all have a “Jazz being Jazz” kind of attitude — the kind of attitude that has built more than one Hall of Very Good career.

Instead it comes when it comes, at this confluence of events where it looks like the Yankees have tied their own shoelaces together. We don’t know yet if this is some bump on the road we’ll forget about when the club’s in the division hunt in September or an early harbinger of the risk of “running it back because we’re good enough”. In the meantime though, let’s learn how double plays work.

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Ranking the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament teams and who should qualify

Ranking the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament teams and who should qualify originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, LaMelo Ball, Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero and several more.

The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament is not short of talented names and reputable teams, but not everyone will earn a ticket to the upcoming playoffs.

In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are duking it out for the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds. Out West, the four teams are the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.

So, which teams should qualify to create the most quality-filled bracket as possible? Let’s rank the participants in each conference:

Eastern Conference

For both conferences, the rankings will primarily factor the talent at each team’s disposal and the likelihood of an enticing first-round matchup (at the minimum).

The No. 7 seed here will face off against the No. 2 Boston Celtics in the first round, while the 8-seed gets the No. 1 Detroit Pistons. Beating Boston four times is a tough ask for these sides, but the Pistons can be there for the taking with Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren not having the most elite cast around them.

1. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

A good chunk of this placement for Philly boils down to Joel Embiid’s health. After undergoing appendicitis surgery, it’s not clear how fit he’d be for the tournament and, possibly, more grueling playoff series where he’ll be absorbing bumps and bruises down low. Otherwise, Tyrese Maxey is the best player among the four teams and he’ll have a supporting cast of Paul George, rookie VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. Philly has to be careful, though, because a disappointing exit should mean a deep retooling of the team (hint: Embiid).

2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS

The Hornets have been here a couple of times before with LaMelo Ball. Those times didn’t end well. But Charlotte is back with fresh head coach Charles Lee, with Ball being surrounded by Brandon Miller, star rookie Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges and Coby White. Charlotte is lacking a standout big man, but this is a crucial point in the franchise’s trajectory. As one of the more entertaining teams in 2026, a playoff berth could lead into becoming a sleeper destination for top players in the summer. But losing, preferably avoiding another blowout, keeps the team stuck in this tier.

3. ORLANDO MAGIC

Orlando was hoping to take another step forward this season following the big addition of guard Desmond Bane. But, despite having a relatively deep roster, it has gone backwards even though the gap between current 8-seed Orlando and 5-seed Toronto is just one win. That shouldn’t have been the case with Bane, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr. and Jalen Suggs all posting solid numbers. The Magic can’t afford to be this low (they arguably should be above Philly in this ranking), but some convincing performances are needed. If they stay as an 8-seed, they might have the team to upset Detroit early.

4. MIAMI HEAT

The Heat have become accustomed to hovering around Play-In territory ever since its magical run to the NBA Finals as an 8-seed. But they don’t have Jimmy Butler anymore. Miami is led by Norman Powell, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo — a former 83-point scorer — Andrew Wiggins and Jaime Jaquez Jr, while Pelle Larsson and Kel’el Ware have added some freshness to the team. But Miami doesn’t have as much power as the others and an overhaul has been needed for some time. A market like southern Florida should be more attractive to the biggest names.

Western Conference

The two winners of the tournament here don’t exactly receive coveted prizes. The 7-seed will have to face Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, while the 8-seed will get the reigning champs in the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder.

1. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

It’s a whole different ball game when Curry is healthy. It’s a longshot for the 37-45 Warriors to go on a meaningful run, but seeing Curry, Butler Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, among others, take a shot at the Thunder would make for elite viewing. The likely scenario is Golden State losing during the tournament to potentially secure a better draft pick (more youth quality is needed). But the Warriors’ impact when in the playoff conversation is undeniable.

2. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

As aforementioned, the two winners here likely get bounced in the first round. But as far as unproven youthful teams go, Portland can offer something new. Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe are the team’s top scorers, though veterans Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday are still doing their parts to a solid and trusted level. Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan and Caleb Love are also part of the young core. Teams like this can always benefit from the postseason exposure and experience and come back stronger the following season. Portland getting in could do wonders for its trajectory, with Damian Lillard’s return also coming.

3. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

A poor start to the regular season seriously hurt Los Angeles’ chances of a playoff berth, but Ty Lue’s side has rallied to be back in this position, even after trading James Harden. Leonard is the heartbeat of the team and remains playing at an elite level, with Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin, John Collins and Brook Lopez some of the key teammates. But, other than Leonard being back in the playoff frame, this current Clippers team doesn’t exactly move the needle.

4. PHOENIX SUNS

Booker is still doing his thing in the desert and Phoenix has the best record of the four teams here, but player quality and statistics and its translation to the playoffs are a different level. The Suns are in good hands with Booker, but this isn’t the same Phoenix side as year’s past. Dillon Brooks is the team’s second-highest scorer, followed by Jalen Green, Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie and Mark Williams. The balance isn’t great with multiple small guards, plus there’s a sincere lack in frontcourt quality and depth, so the Suns get cooled down here at the bottom.

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Captain Willy Adames

Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (2) celebrates in the dugout after scoring during the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

The concept of a team captain isn’t all that important and fans will typically project their favorite player as the face of the franchise, but with Brandon Belt Celebration Day just 12 days out, it got me thinking, “Who is the captain of the Giants?“ Like, if we had to pick and Tony Vitello wasn’t an option (sorry, Tony!), who would it be?

When Netflix and Major League Baseball promoted Opening Night, it was Aaron Judge and the Yankees take on Rafael Devers and the San Francisco Giants. Frequently, national broadcasts will default to Matt Chapman as the team’s leader when discussing the state of the organization. But neither of those players performs or carries themselves in such a way that you would automatically think, “He’s the face of the team.” That distinction goes to Willy Adames.

Maybe all of this goes without saying as he’s the recipient of the richest contract offered in team history, but other factors make a compelling and straight forward case for the Giants’ shortstop.

The camera loves him

We’ll start with superficial because this is a good factor. He’s smiling at least half the time the camera catches him and his face always lights up when he does, which means he’s an electric screen presence. Not only someone you want to watch, but someone you seek out. That’s a great quality in a marquee player and a leader.

Should this discussion even matter when the team is trying to claw back to relevancy? Sure, why not? It’s early enough in the season to still make predictions and over the summer the team will need leadership to get through the rough patches. Cutting to Adames smiling as the team runs off the field during a half inning is a simple pleasure we don’t have to overthink and needn’t overlook.

His teammates love him

When the Giants signed him, Susan Slusser gathered quotes from former coaches and teammates as well as Matt Chapman’s intel gathering about him and the consensus is that he makes everyone around him better when he’s not being a model player himself.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” [Chapman] said. “No one has a bad word to say about him, and I love the way he goes about his business. He plays the right way, he plays for the team — he has a lot of the qualities I’d like to think I have. He wants to set the tone every day, too.”

They selected him to be the 2025 Willie Mac Award recipient. In the offseason, he traveled with Tony Vitello — who he nicknamed Rookie — to South Korea to partner up with Jung Hoo Lee for some cultural immersion and Giants propaganda.

The trip was also a pretty big signal that the team loves him, too. He’s a great Giants ambassador.

He broke the 30 home run season drought

Adames has been as much of a help to his teammates by simply being a positive guy as he has a leader by example. The Giants hadn’t had a 30 home run hitter since 2004. He did it by playing in 160 games and overcoming a horrendous start to the season (.680 OPS in the 1st half, .828 OPS in the 2nd half).

He’s going to be here through 2031

Longevity is a factor in this, I think, and even though Rafael Devers is signed through 2033, we have to take the work already done to this point. Matt Chapman has been the quiet performer. Devers is the aloof talent guy. Adames is a merging of the two personalities.

After slaying the 30 home run drought monster, he’s still got some things left to do in his career. Despite receiving MVP votes in 2021 and 2024, he has never been named to an All-Star team. As Steven Kennedy noted in his player review, “Disappointing might be an apt way to ultimately describe Adames’s first year as a Giant, but it wasn’t a disappointment.“ He’s already off to a great start in year two, playing in all 16 games and hitting a league-leading 9 doubles to go with a pair of homers. A triple slash of .258/.313/.500 — fantastic if he can sustain it over a full season (he probably won’t as he’s never slugged .500 in a full season), but mainly, it’s heartening to see after a career where he’s been notorious for slow starts.

He’s been a fantastic addition to the Giants roster as well as its culture. The exact shot in the arm the team has been looking for in its post-championship wandering through a desert of mediocrity. Willy Adames might just lead them back to the land of success.

But if Buster Posey cornered you in an elevator at Oracle Park or if a beat writer solicited your feedback for a piece they were working on and demanded you name the team’s captain, who would you select?

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Jays Trade for Lenyn Sosa, Bieber to 60-day IL

Apr 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox designated hitter Lenyn Sosa (50) scores against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Well, we know why Shane Bieber picked up his player option. This morning, the Jays moved him to the 60-day IL. There’s no indication of a specific setback, and this morning Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that he’s been throwing off a mound in his round-up of Jays injury timelines. So it may be more that they’re just belatedly admitting what the timeline has always been rather than moving the timeline back, but from the outside we can’t really say. What’s certain, now, is that the Biebs won’t be a factor in the Jays’ rotation until the last week of May at the absolute earliest.

They turned around and used the 40-man roster spot created by the move to exchange Jordan Rich and a player to be named later or cash for the White Sox’ Lenyn Sosa. Rich, last year’s 17th round pick, signed for $150,000 out of American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida (alma mater of Jays prospect Brandon Barriera, plus Eric Hosmer and a host of other big leaguers). Rich hasn’t made a professional appearance yet, so we don’t have much to go on, but given that he lasted until the 17th round and didn’t require dipping into the top 10 round bonus pool to sign the indication is that the trade cost was not major.

Comrade Lenyn is off to a rough start, but he was a league average hitter last year and his underlying data is modestly promising. He swings at everything, but makes an above average amount of contact and has above average power. It’s the offensive profile of a poor man’s Lourdes Gurriel jr. He’s right handed, and while he isn’t bad against same handed pitchers he’s probably the short side of a platoon in a decent lineup. Defensively, he’s a poor but playable defender at either second or third. His speed is fringe average, so he could probably also make it work in left field. He’s a useful MLB player but not a starter on a competitive team.

How he fits on the Blue Jays is kind of unclear to me. His ideal roster role is kind of Davis Schneider shaped, but the Jays have a player whose role is exactly Davis Schneider shaped. It’s Davis Schneider, and he’s better basically across the board. A 26-man roster move hasn’t been announced, but as he’s out of options one will presumably follow soon. My guess is that he’ll take Tyler Fitzgerald’s active roster spot, offering an offensive upgrade to offset a defensive downgrade. Once Addison Barger is back, which doesn’t seem like it’ll be that long, it might be Nathan Lukes who ultimately loses. He’s been awful to start the season, and Myles Straw continues to hit enough to hold down the utility outfielder role with his better speed and glove. Carrying a right handed infielder would allow them to play him at second and Clement at short with Schneider in left to maximize the platoon advantage against good left handed starters, while Lukes doesn’t offer as much platoon value because the starting outfield are all left handed. I’ve been a Lukes booster, but he’s never been a good roster fit this season and his first 29 PA have not helped the cause.

Finally, one more small note, the Jays have re-signed Josh Fleming to a minor league deal. Fleming was claimed on waivers amid the rotation chaos last week and made one appearance as a Jay, giving up four runs over three innings on the sixth. He started for Buffalo yesterday and will presumably stay in that rotation until Kevin Gausman is hypnotized into believing he’s a chicken or something next week.

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NBA play-in tournament picks and predictions to complete 2026 playoff picture

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 12: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2026 in New York City. 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 Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The 2026 NBA Playoff bracket is almost set, and the chase for the championship begins with the play-in tournament.

The NBA play-in tournament rules and format are simple. The No. 7 seed plays the No. 8 seed in each conference, and the winner gets the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The No. 9 seed plays the No. 10 seed in each conference, the winner of that game plays the loser of the 7/8 game for the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

Got it?

The play-in tournament begins Tuesday evening with the 9/10 game in the East featuring the red hot Charlotte Hornets facing the Miami Heat. The 7/8 game in the West follows with the Phoenix Suns hosting the Portland Trail Blazers. On Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers host the Orlando Magic for the No. 7 seed, and the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers play an elimination game in the West.

Let’s make picks for every game of the play-in tournament to complete the playoff picture.

East 9/10 game: Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets

Would you believe the Hornets have been the best team in the NBA since the calendar flipped to 2026? It’s true. After a terrible start, Charlotte went 33-16 with the league’s best net-rating at +10.5 since Jan. 1. It’s one of the most remarkable mid-season turnarounds in NBA history, and it’s possible it could end on Tuesday night. Facing Erik Spoelstra in an elimination game is a terrifying proposition, and we’ve seen him win so many play-in tournament games before. The Heat have an elite defensive big man in Bam Adebayo, they have two excellent scorers in Tyler Herro and Norm Powell ready to rock, and they have been getting a good year out of Andrew Wiggins all season. I really think the Hornets will push the Detroit Pistons in round one if they can get into the playoffs, but it’s going to be really hard just to win this game. I’m going with Charlotte, but I don’t feel good about it.

Pick: Charlotte Hornets

West 7/8 game: Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns

The Blazers have developed into an elite defensive team, and it’s produced their first winning record in five years. Portland is No. 3 in defensive efficiency since the All-Star break with sophomore center Donovan Clingan emerging into arguably the team’s best long-term piece for his elite rim protection. Deni Avdija had a fantastic season, but he’s been slowed lately by a lingering back injury, and Portland will need him at his best to actually make it into the playoffs. No one expected Phoenix to be in this position entering the season. The Suns are one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises, riding a top-10 defense and getting major contributions from Collin Gillespie, Dillon Brooks, and Grayson Allen that few saw coming. The Suns have also been beat up with injuries lately, but it seems like they should have their key pieces for this game. The battle between Portland’s Jrue Holiday and Phoenix’s Devin Booker will be must see. I’d expect an ugly, physical game where both teams have to grind out scoring possessions. Both teams should feel urgency to win this game, because they could be in for an even more difficult matchup in the next round if they lose.

Pick: Portland Trail Blazers get the No. 7 seed

East 7/8 game: Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers

Orlando was my preseason NBA Finals pick, which was obviously a terrible call. The Magic just never found their groove in another injury-ravaged season, and it feels like head coach Jamahl Mosley should be on the hot seat even if they win this game. Orlando actually does have its key pieces available for this game, and I still think this team can be pretty good when Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Anthony Black are all in the lineup. Philadelphia has become Tyrese Maxey’s team this season as he’s ascended into an All-NBA talent. Joel Embiid’s health still hangs over the Sixers, but he should be ready to go for this game. Same goes for Paul George. I feel like Orlando is the bigger, more physical team in this matchup … unless Embiid roars back to form. The Magic have the perimeter defenders to make life hard on Philly’s guards, and I think Wagner should be able to score as a pick-and-roll ball handler if he gets the reps. Orlando has the upper hand barring a vintage Embiid performance.

Pick: Orlando Magic get the No. 7 seed

West 9/10 game: Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers

The Warriors are just so beat up right now, to the point that Steph Curry, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis all have a minutes restriction in an elimination game. Did we mention Jimmy Butler is out for the year with a torn ACL, too? I just don’t see how the Warriors can win this game on the road given how well the Clippers are playing lately. Los Angeles has won eight of its last 12 entering the play-in tournament. Kawhi Leonard is playing at a First-Team All-NBA level, Darius Garland has looked good since coming over from Cleveland, and Brook Lopez still has a little bit left in the tank. The Clippers are going to roll, and the Warriors will be hoping for lottery luck.

Pick: Los Angeles Clippers

Predicted matchups in NBA play-in tournament

Hornets over Sixers: The Hornets are going to be one of the best teams in the East next season. Getting into the playoffs this year is the perfect way to start their ascension as the conference’s team of the future. Whenever there’s an opportunity for Philly sports fans to have a meltdown, I’m always willing to take it. Hornets get the No. 8 seed.

Clippers over Suns: Maybe I should know better than to doubt the Suns at this point. They are a really scrappy team that plays hard every night. I just think the Clippers have more top-end talent with Kawhi leading the charge. I would take the Clippers over whoever wins the West’s 7/8 game. Clippers get the No. 8 seed.

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Rockets Pick Tracker: Coin flip to determine where Sixers pick

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 27: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks to pass the ball as De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays defense during the game on December 27, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The regular season may be over, but there’s still time needed for the dust to settle.

Now that teams are locked into their positions, it’s time to look at where the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick owed to the Sixers ended up. The Rockets ended the season winning nine of out of their last 10 games, finishing with a 52-30 record and fifth in the Western Conference.

That’s the exact same record as the Cleveland Cavaliers, who owe their first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks. Some time in the coming weeks or months the NBA will hold a random drawing between the Sixers and Hawks to determine who picks at 22 and who picks at 23.

A random drawing is the only tiebreaker used in these scenarios, there aren’t any other records factored in. The Rockets beat the Cavs in both of their matchups this regular season, but the Cavs finished with both a better conference record and division record.

As Adam Aaronson of Philly Voice has pointed out, these random drawings have been kind to the Sixers in previous years. They won the last two they were in involved in back in the 2020 and 2024 draft, respectively. Ironically, the player they drafted after winning the ‘24 tiebreaker was used to acquire this 2026 first-rounder from Houston via the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This ended up being a kind second half of the season pick-wise for the Sixers despite Houston ending the season on a surge. They dropped down a seed and potentially two spots down in draft order since this tracker was launched. Now it’s up to the Sixers’ front office to use that pick well enough to make the fanbase stop complaining about the Jared McCain trade.

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What do the cheapest Lakers vs. Rockets NBA playoffs tickets cost?

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

LeBron James (L) and Kevin Durant are meeting in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Over the course of his 23-season NBA career, LeBron James has pulled off innumerable heroic feats.

However, at 41, he may be up for his tallest task yet when his Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves-less Los Angeles Lakers take on Kevin Durant’s No. 5 Houston Rockets in the Divisional Round of the NBA Playoffs.

If you’d like to see if James — along with a starting five made up of DeAndre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard — have the guts and gusto scrap out a victory, tickets are available for all four hypothetical home games at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena as of today.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one contest was $142 including fees on StubHub.

Should you opt to road-trip to Houston, prices start at $179 including fees for games at the Rockets’ Toyota Center.

When the two clubs met in the regular season, Los Angeles swiped two of three contests from Houston but that was largely thanks to 36 and 40-point scoring efforts from Dončić on March 16 and 18.

Still, head coach J.J. Redick is optimistic that his Lakers can compete.

“Houston’s obviously a really good basketball team and we’re gonna prepare and we’re gonna fight and we’re gonna go try to win the series,” Redick, 41, said in a postgame press conference.

“We’re gonna do everything we can to get our guys in a great frame of mind, great physical shape over the next four or five days and be ready to play.”

On a promising note, the LAL closed the regular season on an impressive three-game win-streak where they blew out the Warriors, Suns and Jazz.

Will this be LeBron’s most heroic series to date over an already storied career?

Although we can’t say for certain, we do know you’ll want to be in the building to see King James take on KD for the fourth time in the playoffs and first since 2018.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Lakers vs. Rockets 2026 NBA Playoffs series below.

Lakers playoff home game tickets

A complete calendar including all announced Lakers home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:

Lakers home game datesTicket prices
start at
Game One
Saturday, April 18		$166(fees included)
Game Two
TBD		$142(fees included)
Game Five
TBD		$174(fees included)
Game Seven
TBD		$219(fees included)

Houston Rockets playoff home game tickets

All Rockets playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.

Rockets home game datesTicket prices
start at
Game Three
TBD		$179(fees included)
Game Four
TBD		$191(fees included)
Game Six
TBD		$205(fees included)

How to watch the Lakers and Rockets on TV

Fans hoping to catch LeBron and co. on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN, TNT, Prime Video, NBC and NBA TV.

Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.

About Lakers-Rockets

As noted above, the Lakers and Rockets met three times over the course of the 2025-26 campaign. Los Angeles won two; Houston came out on top on Christmas Day.

However, losing Luka Dončić and Reaves in early April changes everything.

Now, the Rockets’ young nucleus of Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun loom larger than ever.

Thankfully, the Rockets turned the ball over the fourth most in the NBA this season. If the Lakers capitalize, anything can happen.

Especially if Luka dons the purple and gold yet again this year; he’s been in Spain undergoing treatment on his injured leg over the past few days and may return.

2026 NBA playoff schedule

Been meaning to see who’s on the playoff bubble?

Check out the NBA’s 2026 playoff hopefuls here.

Huge 2026 concerts

Looking for entertainment outside of the NBA playoffs?

We’ve got you covered.

Here are just five huge artists you won’t want to miss live these next few months.

• J. Cole

• Gorillaz

• Wu-Tang Clan

• BTS

• RUSH

Want to see who else is on the road? Check out our list of all the biggest concert tours in 2026 to find the show for you.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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Grant Holmes takes on Miami Marlins as Atlanta Braves look to stay hot

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 8: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 8, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves take on the Miami Marlins this evening after riding the high of having yet another offensive explosive game. The Braves are now the only team in MLB left to have not lost a series yet. The Guardians were the other, and thanks to the Braves, that is no longer the case.

It is crazy to think that the Braves and Marlins are the two teams fighting for first place after what happened last season.

Grant Holmes will hope to continue his hot start to the season tonight when he faces a Marlins’ offense that is surprisingly in the top half of MLB in runs scored per game with 4.38.

Holmes has limited his opponents to a pristine 2.55 ERA so far this season while maintaining a 1.08 WHIP over 17.2 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is fourteen to eight so it is not elite, but he has limited hard contact well. His 28.6 percent hard-hit rate is good for the top 17.0 percent of all MLB pitchers. He also has an expected ERA (xERA) of 3.20 which shows that although he has been a bit lucky, he has still been very good.

His biggest weakness is when he has to face a hitter for the third time in a game. The first time he faces a hitter, they hit .091/.259/.227, the second time they hit .192/.222/.346, but the third time through they hit .214/.313/.286. An OPS .598 against him the third time through is not bad at all, but it is clear that he walks hitters more in that scenario. Holmes has been a shining light in a rotation that has been through the ringer with injuries.

Only five Marlins have faced Holmes before, but in small samples. Xaiver Edwards leads the team with seven at-bats, but has struggled to a .393 OPS. Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks each have a hit off of Holmes in two at-bats each.

Fireballer Eury Pérez has been the opposite side of the coin for the Marlins so far. He has not been able to keep runs off the board despite his fastball averaging 98.3 MPH. He had high hopes from Marlins fans after his 3.23 xERA last season, but he currently sits at a 5.056 ERA and 4.98 xERA. Despite his fastball having an elite velocity he has struggled with command and only has a chase rate of 26.4 percent overall. Hitters are also hitting the ball hard 42.9 percent of the time, which is good for bottom 35.0 percent of MLB pitchers.

Even though Pérez plays for the Marlins, no Braves hitter has more than six at-bats against him. Dominic Smith and Matt Olson lead the team in at-bats and have been successful with an OPS of .833 and .762 respectively. Drake Baldwin has four at-bats and two of those resulted in a HR, while Albies and Acuña both have a HR against him as well.

Michael Harris will also be back from paternity leave, and likely will get the start tonight.

First pitch is at 7:15 EDT at Truist Park.

Game Info

Game Time: Monday, April 13th, 7:15 pm EDT

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Ga.

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

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Injuries to Ken Waldichuk and Cole Henry force Washington Nationals to make a pair of bullpen moves

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 12: Ken Waldichuk #52 of the Washington Nationals walks off the field after an apparent injury during the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As if the Nats did not already have enough problems in their bullpen, they have now been hit with the injury bug. Two Nats relievers are now on the shelf, with Cole Henry and Ken Waldichuk hitting the IL. Waldichuk going on the IL was not much of a surprise to anyone who watched him leave the other day, but Henry hitting the shelf is a bit more surprising.

Things looked really bad for Ken Waldichuk when he left the game yesterday. Leaving the game while grimacing in pain and pointing at your elbow is never a good sign. For now at least, the injury is just listed as forearm tightness. Hopefully Waldichuk avoided anything serious and can come back sooner rather than later.

Waldichuk had a Tommy John in 2024, and the recovery was bumpy to say the least. He did not look like himself when he returned in 2025. That led to the southpaw bouncing around the waiver wire until he found a home in DC. Before he got hurt, Waldichuk was having his best outing of the season, which made the injury sting even more.

For Henry, you have to hope this injury is not too serious and is just a case of the Nats wanting to give him a re-set. After Waldichuk went down, Henry came in and blew the Nats lead. Now, he is on the shelf with a rotator cuff injury. 

For a guy with a lengthy injury history that includes surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a rotator cuff injury sounds ominous. We will have to hear about what the severity of that injury is before we jump to conclusions. Henry got off to a great start in the big leagues last year, but faded down the stretch and did not have a good start to this season.

To replace these two, the Nats have turned to a couple familiar faces. Of the pair, I am the most excited about Orlando Ribalta. The results have not been there for Ribalta in his 26 career big league outings, but I like his stuff. Ribalta has a mid-90’s heater with real life, as well as a slider and a changeup that can both look very good at times.

The big thing for Ribalta is control and keeping the ball in the yard. He has struggled with both as a big leaguer, walking over 6 batters per nine and allowing nearly two homers per nine. However, he does have swing and miss stuff, as well as a track record of success in the minors. In his six outings for Rochester, Ribalta has been very solid this season with a 3.38 ERA and a WHIP of 0.75.

Jackson Rutledge was the other pitcher the Nats called up. Rutledge was a first round pick for the Nats back in 2019, but has not yet solidified himself as a big leaguer. He made 63 appearances last year, and looked good at times, but his 5.77 ERA for the season left a lot to be desired. 

Rutledge has not looked great in AAA to start this year either. He has a 5.40 ERA in five innings, with five walks to just one strikeout. Rutledge’s fastball, slider and splitter combo can look good at times, but it is inconsistent. Despite solid velocity, the fastball does not play well. When he has a feel for his secondary pitches, he can have success, but when he does not, things can get ugly.

Overall, this is just more musical chairs for a bullpen that is light on difference makers. I like Ribalta’s upside and Rutledge can look good in flashes, but both need to find consistency. For the bullpen, the Nats need to keep giving guys chances and see who can stick around.

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White Sox deal Lenyn Sosa to Toronto

KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 12: Lenyn Sosa #50 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring a run in the fourth inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday, April 12, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tanner Gatlin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Lenyn Sosa’s time on the South Side ends after flashes of power but no clear role. | (Tanner Gatlin/Getty Images)

The White Sox pulled the trigger on another early-season shuffle, packing off Lenyn Sosa to Toronto for outfielder Jordan Rich and the usual bag of mystery cash or future guy.

Sosa, 26, leaves the South Side after five seasons of fits and starts. Signed as a kid out of Venezuela in 2016, up for air in 2022, and never quite sticking. He flashed some pop but never found a glove that fit and got lost in the White Sox infield traffic jam.

He finally broke out in 2025: .264 average, 22 bombs, 75 driven in over 140 games. Not bad. But 2026? Back to the bench, just 12 games, squeezed out as the Sox tried every other infield flavor.

Now he heads north, a Band-Aid for the Blue Jays with Addison Barger shelved. Toronto hopes Sosa’s pop plays, even if he’s just a plug-and-play bat off the bench.

Coming back to the White Sox is Jordan Rich, 18, a 2025 17th-rounder who hasn’t played a pro inning. He’s fast, he walked a lot in high school, and that’s about all we know.

With the swap, the Sox clear the infield logjam, and Sosa gets a shot at relevance, and everyone moves on.

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Lakers open as massive betting underdogs in playoff matchup with Rockets

Oddsmakers don’t seem to believe the Lakers have much of a chance to beat the Rockets in their upcoming postseason matchup.

Los Angeles has opened up as a massive underdog against Houston, according to oddsmakers at BetMGM.

The gambling outlet has given the Rockets -800 odds to beat the Lakers, meaning bettors would have to throw down a whopping $800 just to win $100.

Kevin Durant and the Rockets opened as big betting favorites against the LA Lakers. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Conversely, the Lakers have received +550 odds to win the series, giving gamblers an opportunity to make $550 on a $100 bet.

LA learned on Sunday it’d be playing Kevin Durant and the Rockets after it beat the Jazz, 131–107, at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers officially earned the No. 4 seed with the victory, pitting them against No. 5-seeded Houston.

LA’s Luka Dončić has been out since early April while dealing with a hamstring injury. NBAE via Getty Images

Part of the reason the Lakers aren’t expected to beat the Rockets, of course, is their health.

Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) have both been sidelined since April 2 after they suffered injuries in a road loss to the Thunder, and neither appears likely to play in the first round of the playoffs.

LeBron James is expected to be the Lakers’ No. 1 option during their postseason matchup with the Rockets. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NBA insider Shams Charania, however, reported during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday that there is a chance Dončić could suit up at some point after he spent the last few days in Spain undergoing treatment on his injured leg.

“My understanding is he’ll be back in the States on Tuesday,” Charania said. “And then they’re going to reevaluate him.”

Game 1 of the Lakers vs. Rockets series will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday in Los Angeles.

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