The Los Angeles Clippers may have known what they were doing all along.
Are they better now after trading James Harden and Ivica Zubac? The thought must be at least considered, even tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
My Clippers vs. Spurs predictions and NBA picks do not expect Los Angeles to spring an outright upset, but it should not be entirely ruled out on Friday, March 6.
Clippers vs Spurs prediction
Clippers vs Spurs best bet: Clippers +7 (-110)
“Buy on bad news, sell on good” has long been one of the most trusted axioms in sports gambling, but it rarely has a runway as long as it does right now with the Los Angeles Clippers.
When they traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac, it seemed the Clippers were packing it in.
Instead, they have gone 8-1 against the spread since Bennedict Mathurin entered the lineup. The market overestimated the roster’s drop off, and LA has been paying off its backers ever since.
With the San Antonio Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back, bet on more Clippers’ profit.
Clippers vs Spurs same-game parlay
The second night of a back-to-back should slow down the Spurs enough to add value to this Under, particularly as they have cashed three straight Unders already.
The only player who may not want that slower pace is Bennedict Mathurin. He has not scored in bunches in all of his games with the Clippers — falling short of 15 points in three of them — but he has grabbed at least six rebounds in six of those nine games, part of how he has posted a positive plus/minus in eight of his nine games with Los Angeles.
Clippers vs Spurs SGP
Clippers +7
Under 223
Bennedict Mathurin Over 5.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Multi-Faceted Mathurin
In fact, doubting Mathurin to pour in the points makes too much sense not to act on. He has fallen short of this prop in five of his nine games with Los Angeles, including three of his last four.
Mathurin finds other ways to impact the game, so he should not force that issue against San Antonio’s long defense tonight.
Clippers vs Spurs SGP
Clippers +7
Under 223
Bennedict Mathurin Over 5.5 rebounds
Bennedict Mathurin Under 17.5 points
Clippers vs Spurs odds
Spread: Clippers +7 (-110) | Spurs -7 (-110)
Moneyline: Clippers +230 | Spurs -280
Over/Under: Over 223 (-110) | Under 223 (-110)
Clippers vs Spurs betting trend to know
Los Angeles has not just gone 8-1 ATS since Mathurin entered the lineup; the Clippers have exceeded bookmakers’ expectations by an average of six points in those nine games, even including the sole ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Spurs.
How to watch Clippers vs Spurs
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Clippers vs Spurs latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
And now he is looking at a suspension. The NHL Player Safety department said that the center would have a hearing on March 6 for slashing.
Malkin has a history of being suspended for stick infractions. He received a four-game suspension in 2022 for cross-checking and a one-game suspension in 2019 for slashing.
He was responding on March 5 to a cross-check from Dahlin near the Sabres net in the second period. Malkin swung his stick and hit Dahlin in the side of the face and neck. He received two minutes for cross-checking and five minutes and a game misconduct for slashing.
Yes, he's facing a disciplinary hearing and his history will work against him.
What would be the impact of an Evgeni Malkin suspension?
The timing wouldn't be good because Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is out with an injury suffered at the Olympics. His initial timeline was he would miss four weeks after the Olympics, but a reporter at the Penguins practice on Friday said Crosby was there.
The Penguins currently sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets in action against the Miami Marlins during the game at Citi Field on August 31, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Mets signed Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million contract, it signaled the team’s first swing move in the international market in years and generated a lot of excitement, even resulting in an A+ grade from Amazin’ Avenue’s Lukas Vlahos. It’s hard to argue with the hype: His ghost fork was already regarded as one of the most dangerous and unique pitches in the world, and a $15 million AAV for a player with ace potential is something you can’t find in modern baseball. It’s hard to find anything to complain about with the move.
Senga made waves with a stellar rookie campaign, coming in second in NL Rookie of the Year voting while striking out 200+ batters—he remains the most recent Met to punch out 200 hitters. His ghost fork was as advertised and, in a year where there was little to cheer for, fans reveled in sporting ghost fork merch as the Citi Field scoreboard flashed the “Senga” graphic with the Sega Genesis sound effect accompanying it. Senga Fever quickly overtook the Flushing Faithful, and it seemed the Mets had found the ace to take up the mantle from Jacob deGrom, who departed the previous offseason.
Unfortunately, his journey since then has been nothing sort of rocky following his eye-opening first season. He pitched just 5 1/3 innings in the 2024 regular season due to a right shoulder posterior capsule strain suffered in February, and a high-grade calf strain suffered during his one (1) regular season start, which came in late July. He returned for the postseason and made three appearances (two starts), allowing seven earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts over five innings. He was mostly an afterthought in the team’s World Series push, which concluded with a loss to the Dodgers in six games in the NLCS.
Last year was a tale of two halves for Senga, who looked like an early Cy Young hopeful until he exited his June 12 start with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, and then was largely unplayable upon his return in July. In his first 13 starts, he posted a sparkling 1.47 ERA and a 3.24 FIP, with a 23.9% K% and a 10.6% BB% in 73 2/3 innings. His season was derailed by an errant throw to first from Pete Alonso, which forced Senga to stretch awkwardly and resulted in the aforementioned hamstring injury. The rest, as they say, is history. He returned on July 11 and made just nine starts the rest of the way, posting a 5.90 ERA and a 4.69 FIP, with a 20.6% K% and a 12.6% BB% in 39 2/3 innings. He lost the confidence of his skipper and the club, so much so that he was asked to accept a Triple-A assignment, which he agreed to. His last regular season start was on August 31, and he spent all of September unsuccessfully trying to find himself in Syracuse. He allowed five earned runs on nine hits over 9 2/3 innings in two starts in the minors to close out the year.
From that point forward, it was fair to wonder whether Senga would ever return to his 2023 form over the final two years of his contract. Senga remained with the club beyond his 2025 opt out, which would have kicked in had he recorded 400 innings over his first three seasons. Despite his 166 1/3 innings in 2023, his lost 2024 season made that opt out a non-factor, and he finished 2025 with 285 major league innings under his belt. Heading into the offseason, the club made it known that Senga as someone they would listen to in trades, with Jeff Passan even adding in an offseason piece that, “multiple executives expect him to be traded this winter as the Mets look to overhaul their rotation.”.
However, the offseason came and went without anything materializing. It’s unclear whether the club seriously discussed the right-hander with any teams, though Senga made it clear to the Mets that he wanted to stay. In any event, it’s hard to imagine there weren’t teams out there willing to take a chance on $30 million over two years on a pitcher with a lethal ghost fork and an ace-like ceiling. More likely, the Mets either decided his value was greater on their team than the return they would have received, or the offers were so non-competitive that trade discussions never progressed.
That brings us to today, with Senga still on the roster and in came with the Mets to start spring training. His presence has been a constant source of questions for manager Carlos Mendoza, who has affirmed that the team has six starters. This seems to suggest that Senga is still a part of the team’s plans, and they will move forward with the six starters they have, including Senga. That makes Senga something of a wild card for the team. Unlikely to slot at the front of a rotation that features newly-acquired ace Freddy Peralta and young up-and-comer Nolan McLean, Senga offers enticing potential at a still relatively-affordable price point.
When asked about his goals for 2026, Senga candidly (and perhaps comedically) answered “to not get injured”. It’s a simple goal, but an important one. Given his first half last season, there is still proof that if he’s healthy and on a regular routine and schedule, he can be one of the best pitchers in the sport, a fantastic tool in Mendoza’s belt to use once a week and help push the Mets towards a playoff spot. If he succumbs to injuries yet again, however, he can quickly become another forgotten pitcher whose impact will long be forgotten, with someone like Jonah Tong ready to take his spot.
Mendoza has been extremely positive on Senga, saying that what he’s seen from the right-hander is “probably the best I’ve seen him since I’ve been here around this time”. This follows his positive review of his first bullpen session back in February, where Senga was seen throwing around 96-97 miles-per-hour, which resulted in Mendoza calling it a good sign before adding, “it was good to see him go out there with intensity and throwing the ball the way he did.”
Part of this is probably the third-year manager playing the role of hype man and lending support to his player in his time of need, but it should at least lend some excitement that Senga could finally put together a season similar to his rookie campaign. If he can be anything remotely close to that, it could (and should) give the Mets one of the most lethal rotations in the sport. Here’s to hoping that Senga, who figures to slot somewhere in the middle to back-end of the team’s six-man rotation, can realize his 2026 goal of remaining on the field.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum visited the western state of Jalisco on Friday to address growing security concerns ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup following a wave of violence in the region.
The violence was triggered by the killing of the most powerful drug lord in Mexico — Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or “El Mencho" — by Mexico's army last month. Clashes between cartel gunmen and the burning of cars erupted across Mexico, but the violence has been most intense in Jalisco and its capital, Guadalajara, one of Mexico's three host cities for the World Cup.
The wave of violence left more than 70 people dead, including 25 National Guard members, and sowed doubts in Mexico and beyond over the viability of the city hosting thousands of visitors.
Accompanied by her Security Cabinet and senior military commanders on Friday, Sheinbaum hosted her morning news briefing from military headquarters in the municipality where “El Mencho” was buried earlier this week under heavy guard and where the stadium that will host World Cup games is located.
“We are here ... to tell everyone in Jalisco, all the people of Jalisco, that we are together, that we are working for peace, security and the well-being of the inhabitants of this beautiful state," Sheinbaum said.
With fewer than 100 days until the World Cup, Sheinbaum and security officials detailed a security plan to be deployed during the summer sporting event involving more than 20 federal government agencies, including the Army and Navy, as well as local authorities.
He added that the Mexican plan will include specialized training for officials, planning and operational exercises, early warning systems, security deployments around stadiums, airports, roadways and lodging centers, and protection schemes for delegations and attendees.
Sheinbaum has sought to project confidence in the face of doubts, including holding a phone call shortly after the burst of violence in late February with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who expressed his “full confidence” that Mexico will be able to host part of the World Cup. Earlier in the week, she wrapped a FIFA scarf around her neck and posed next to the World Cup trophy.
On Friday, Gen. Román Villalvazo, who leads security coordination for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said they had created three joint task forces in World Cup host cities Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup organized by Mexico, the United States and Canada represents an unprecedented event," he said.
“For Mexico, it entails two challenges: to present a reliable and secure country before the international community, and to have the capacity to confront any threats that undermine national security.”
The Sacramento Kings have played some of the worst defense in the NBA this season. But guard Russell Westbrook offered up some confrontational cover for his younger teammates by blasting reporters following the Kings' latest setback.
The organization is enduring another brutal NBA campaign, with their one-year revival as a playoff team in 2023 disintegrating into yet another rebuild and the worst record in the league less than three years later. But Westbrook insisted during a tense exchange at a March 5 news conference that local media members are contributing to the problems with "false comments" regarding him and other Kings' players.
"You guys have a lot of opinions about how we do what we're doing. What you got," Westbrook asked in the aftermath of Sacramento's 133-123 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. "You make a lot of statements and broad statements that you have no context, so where do you get your context from? Are you in practice? Are you at our film session? Are you anywhere around the building?"
Westbrook declined to elaborate when asked for specifics about what sparked his comments, but continued to answer questions with criticism of the team's media coverage.
When one reporter noted criticism of the team was fair considering its record and status in the bottom-three of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating this season, the 37-year-old guard said backlash against the Kings (14-50) has too often not been about basketball.
"You guys' job is to talk about the game, what's happening in the game, not stir up a bunch of – I don't want to cuss here because I don't want to get fined – but stir up a bunch of stuff that, it's not accurate and that's my problem," Westbrook said. "Being in the league awhile, I've been able to experience a lot of these times where people outside of our building, outside of the film session, outside of what we do daily, how much work we put in, that is not an easy job to do.
"Y'all come in, y'all make your comments, and nobody say nothing. But I don't have to sit back and say nothing," Westbrook continued. "... As a leader of this team, it's my job to speak up for the guys in the locker room. We talk about it. They see it. I hear it. Because of the comments you guys make, you got guys thinking about a bunch of random things that has nothing to do with the game. You guys are making false comments about our team and what we're doing here, and I don't appreciate that. So my ask is that you respect what we do and we'll respect what you do."
Westbrook, now finishing up his 18th NBA season, signed a one-year deal with the Kings in October. They are his seventh team in eight seasons after starting his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 2017 NBA MVP winner is averaging 15.3 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds in nearly 29 minutes per game in Sacramento this season.
The Indiana Pacers aren’t playing for much in the final months of the NBA schedule. But tell that to Pascal Siakam.
Indiana’s athletic forward has one gear: Go.
He returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sprained wrist, putting up 29 points and five rebounds in 30 minutes versus the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday.
Tonight, he takes on the other L.A. team — the Los Angeles Lakers — who will be running short in the front court and playing the second of back-to-back outings.
My Pacers vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks like Siakam to stack up the rebounds on Friday, March 6.
Pacers vs Lakers prediction
Pacers vs Lakers best bet: Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 rebounds (-112)
Pascal Siakam grabbed five boards versus the Clippers, coming up just short of his 5.5 O/U rebounding prop. Tonight, he runs into a Los Angeles Lakers lineup missing key bodies on the boards.
LeBron James and Deandre Ayton exited last night’s loss at Denver, and their status is in doubt. That’s almost 14 rebounds off the box score for L.A.
Siakam has snatched six or more rebounds in 15 of his last 20 games while positioned for an average of 10.9 rebounding chances in that span.
Projections range from 5.8 to 6.6 boards for the Indiana Pacers’ forward.
Pacers vs Lakers same-game parlay
The Lakers are worse for wear after an in-and-out trip up the mountain, losing at Denver last night, then traveling back for this non-conference clash. LeBron and Ayton left that game with injuries and could leave L.A. short on size tonight.
Siakam averages almost 11 rebounding chances, and Los Angeles is instantly shorter with those injuries. His forecasts flirt with seven rebounds, and he should get 30+ minutes.
Austin Reaves’ projections barely top 20 points tonight. With James possibly sidelined, he has to step up his ball-handling and become more of a passer than a scorer.
Pacers vs Lakers SGP
Pacers +9.5
Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 rebounds
Austin Reaves Under 24.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Pace Maker
The Pacers are a tough team to cap, with mixed motivations, but Siakam isn’t one to go easy.
Some models call for 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in La-La Land.
Pacers vs Lakers SGP
Pacers +9.5
Pascal Siakam Over 21.5 points
Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 rebounds
Pascal Siakam Over 2.5 assists
Pacers vs Lakers odds
Spread: Pacers +9.5 (-110) | Lakers -9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Pacers +375 | Lakers -500
Over/Under: Over 235.5 (-110) | Under 235.5 (-110)
Pacers vs Lakers betting trend to know
The Los Angeles Lakers are 13-22 Over/Under (63% Unders) in the second of back-to-back games this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Lakers.
How to watch Pacers vs Lakers
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Indiana, Spectrum SportsNet
Pacers vs Lakers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Lace up your hiking boots! Tonight the Knicks (40*-23) scale the mountains of Denver to face the Nuggets (39-24) at Ball Arena. New York plans to leave with a season sweep in this cross-conference matchup. Our heroes have won six of their last ten games on the schedule, while Denver have split their last ten.
The teams last met on February 4, 2026, when the Knicks won 134-127 in double overtime slog at MSG. Jalen Brunson topped New York with 42 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, while Jamal Murray scored 39 points and six assists for the visitors.
Denver has built one of the league’s top offenses this season, ranking first in offensive rating (121.7) and points per game (120.4). Shoot well? Why yes, they lead the NBA in three-point percentage (39%) and effective field goal percentage. Their downfall is their defense: they rank 22nd in defensive rating and last in steals and opponent turnovers.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić anchors the Nuggets with 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, leading the league in PER and box plus-minus. He’s also the Nugget most likely to smell like a barn. Murray averages 25.7 points and 7.3 assists, and is capable of posting a lot of points (137 over his last four games), while Christian Braun (10.9 PPG) provides wing defense and energy.
Depending on who’s available, the home team will likely start Murray, Braun, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, and Jokić. On their injury report, Peyton Watson (hamstring) is OUT, while Aaron Gordon (hammy), Cameron Johnson (ankle), and Spencer Jones (shoulder) are all listed as game-time decisions. For the Knicks, Josh Hart is questionable (back), and Miles McBride is still healing from hernia surgery.
Prediction
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Knicks a 52% chance to win. Excellent. The Nuggets an elite offense, but the Knicks have muscled up their defensive pressure lately, making this a great test for our heroes. Injuries have depleted Denver, and three of their top six scoring options could be scratches tonight. Look for New York to take a while getting used to the altitude but to buckle down in the second half for a 10-point win.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (40*-23) at Denver Nuggets (39-24) Date: Friday, March 6, 2026 Time: 9 PM ET Place: Ball Arena, Denver, CO TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins are gaseous, not solids.
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Esmerlyn Valdez #85 of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches his grand slam home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, March 6, 2026, 1:05 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are splitting the team up, with half staying home to face the Phillies and the other traveling to visit the Blue Jays.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s games. Enjoy!
Sep 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3), designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) and catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) celebrate winning National League East Division with a win against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Despite a dramatic midseason battle for first, the NL East was fairly clear cut for most of last season.
At the end of May, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets were tied in a dead-heat, and the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Nationals had all started a downward trend out of contention. By the end of July, the Phillies’ and Mets’ fortunes began to split. The teams were within a half game of each other on August 1st, but the Phillies pulled away and never looked back, finishing in first place, 12 games ahead of the Mets.
Ultimately, the NL East yielded only one playoff team in 2025. The Braves hobbled out of the gate, plagued by injuries. The Mets imploded down the stretch, despite a stacked roster. But betting odds predict a brighter future for those two teams and the reigning division champs. Following the two-team race to the division crown for most of last season, things in the NL East could look a lot closer in 2026, with the potential for three teams to push for the postseason.
Key Additions: Walt Weiss (Manager), Robert Suarez, Mike Yastrzemski, Ha-Seong Kim
Key Departures: Marcell Ozuna, Alek Manoah
The Braves were as consistent as it gets in divisional dominance and playoff berths, so last year was a rough break from the norm.
Coming into 2025, Atlanta was riding a seven-year postseason streak, winning the NL East in six of those seasons. Unfortunately, they were doomed by a challenging start that they couldn’t quite shake. They lost their first seven games to begin the year and were plagued by injuries and absences throughout: Ronald Acuña Jr. started his year on the IL; Jurickson Profar was suspended for the first 80 games; and a bulk of the rotation (Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenback, and Spencer Strider) was limited throughout the season.
The team’s focus for 2026 will be to get healthy and back on track. They’ll also have a new skipper at the helm looking to right the ship as Brian Snitker, the team’s manager for the last 10 seasons, was replaced by long-time bench coach (and Rockies’ legend) Walt Weiss. Weiss is hoping for fireworks from a “gauntlet” of a lineup, banking on Acuña Jr. and a slew of others to return to form offensively.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, breaking news this week forecasts another lineup hurdle. Profar will yet again be suspended for violating the league’s PED policy, this time for a full 162 games plus bans from the World Baseball Classic and the postseason.
The Braves will hope to avoid another avalanche of bad news. If they can weather the loss of Profar and ongoing injuries to the pitching core, they may have enough talent to make a run at the division.
Key Additions: Christopher Morel, Esteury Ruiz, Chris Paddack
Key Departures: Edward Cabrera, Eric Wagaman
Although Miami posted a losing season in 2025, it in many ways was a win. Last year was about carving out a path to the future holistically. The team lost GM Kim Ng at the end of the 2023 season and parted ways with manager Skip Schumaker after 2024. In all of the chaos, they went 62-100 in the 2024 campaign, so 2025’s 79 wins were a marked improvement.
That being said, there is little optimism that the Marlins will make a similar jump or seriously compete this season.
The Fish didn’t make a big splash in the offseason, sticking with a handful of lateral moves. With that, they retain a roster very similar to last year’s and are one of just four teams with zero players on ESPN’s Top 100 list. They were right around or under the league average in a number of key batting and pitching stats, so the lack of an influx of talent doesn’t inspire confidence in a win increase. Rather, they will rely on youth and upside, building towards long-term stability.
There’s a new look in Queens as the Mets have retooled while still maintaining high expectations.
The Mets pushed all of their chips in (figuratively and financially) when signing Juan Soto for $765 million over 15 years heading into 2025. Soto is a top-5, MVP-caliber player, so pairing him with a core of Alonso, Nimmo, and Lindor should have been a recipe for success.
Things were going well in the Big Apple… until they weren’t.
Despite rocketing out to 45 wins and a 5.5 game lead on the division, things fell apart as the season went on. New York would finish 13 games behind Philadelphia in the division, while losing out to the Cincinnati Reds for a Wild Card spot.
The Mets will look to find a path into the postseason with a brand new core. In addition to retooling their roster, they’ve revamped their coaching staff with a slew of changes in key positions. Fortunately, it’s a talent-out, talent-in situation, and the team shouldn’t lose much steam despite a sporting different look. The addition of a number of big names should allow the team to pick up where they left off and try their hand at competing for the NL pennant.
Key Departures: Nick Castellanos, Harrison Bader, Walker Buehler
As the reigning division champs, the Phillies’ offseason was less defined by sweeping change and more by consistency. They feel they have what it takes to strike while their window of contention is firmly open.
Despite losing a good bat (and questionable clubhouse presence) in Castellanos, they re-signed both Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto to run things back with the same cast of characters that locked up the 2-seed in the last playoff field
Schwarber will lead the way in batting after leading the NL in homers and RBI. The Fighting Phils finished second in the league in hits, third in batting average, fourth in OPS. They weren’t too shabby on the mound either, finishing top-10 in ERA, top-3 in saves, and first overall in FIP.
A well-balanced attack on both sides of the ball with little roster turnover should position Philadelphia at the top of both the East and the league.
Key Departures: MacKenzie Gore, Paul DeJong, Josh Bell
The Nats flirted with a 100-loss season in a year full of growing pains. But growing pains are to be expected with a youth movement and the Nats are fully leaning further into that this year, starting at the top. In the offseason, Washington hired 31-year-old Anirudh Kilambi as the new GM and 33-year-old Blake Butera as manager.
One of their primary roster acquisitions was 23-year-old catcher Harry Ford, adding a highly-touted prospect to the pipeline.
Continuing the trend throughout the roster, the team sent 2025 Opening Day starter MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers for prospects with the idea that young guns will get the bulk of starts in the year ahead, learning on the job. The pitching rotation is in desperate need of development, posting the league’s second highest ERA last year. They have a handful of pitchers climbing the ranks, but many of these prospects aren’t expected to join the big leagues until 2027, at the earliest.
For now, Washington will embrace “wait and see” mode.
Who do you think will win the NL East this year? Do you think the NL East will send multiple teams to the postseason? Let us know!
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 16: Kansas City Royals fans rise to their feet for the final out of a MLB game between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals on Jul 16, 2021 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Royals have had unheralded players come up with big hits in key situations, guys like Buddy Biancalana, Dane Iorg, and Christian Colon. They have had really good players that just played on a lot of bad teams, like Kevin Appier, Jeff Montgomery, and Mike Sweeney. Or maybe it is someone forgotten over time, great players from the early days of the franchise like Amos Otis, John Mayberry, Paul Splittorff, Dennis Leonard, or Steve Busby.
Who is the most underrated player in Royals history?
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 8: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics pregame against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 8, 2023 at the 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard the news about Jayson Tatum was, I suspect, the first thing that popped into the minds of many of you.
“Anticipation” by Carly Simon.
No? Well, bear with me anyway.
Anticipation for Tatum’s return has reached a fever pitch over the last month or so, and I’m here to break down Tatum’s return lyrically…
We can never know about the days to come But we think about them anyway
Half of what we do as sports fans in general is speculate about what’s coming. We can revel in the past and enjoy the present moment, but part of the fun of being a fan is looking to the future. The next game, the next week, the next season. Right now, the next game is potentially Tatum’s first of the season, and it looks like he’s going to get a nice run-up to get back into game shape before the games start to really matter in May.
If he comes back tonight, he’s going to get a 20-game preseason before things get real.
But I, I rehearsed those words just late last night When I was thinking about how right tonight might be
Yesterday, when I was cooking up the theme for this column, I couldn’t help but imagine what it will be like in Boston Garden tonight, if Tatum’s name is read out as the Celtics’ starting power forward. Again, these are moments you live for as a fan. Moments that are foundational, “I-was-there,” “I-remember-when…” moments. All of you, I’m sure, remember seeing Tatum hoist Deuce up to the rafters after the C’s clinched the title in 2024. The return will be a moment like that.
These are the good old days
This is the main thing that I want to talk about today…
Why are we so excited for Tatum to return?
Sure, a little bit of it is about Tatum, but most of it is because of everyone else.
Try to imagine what it would be like to welcome Tatum back to a 21-41 team instead of a 41-21 team.
I mean, there would be a vocal segment of the fanbase that would want Tatum to just shut it down for the whole year because, hey, lottery picks.
Instead, we’re excited because everyone else on the team refused to take a “gap year.” The C’s young guns refused to take the year off, and have all continued to work on their games. Joe Mazzulla didn’t change what his goals were for the season because of some little thing like the loss of a First Team All-NBA player, along with four other key contributors to past successes.
The story of this season has been one of ongoing improvement, especially on defense. Hugo Gonzalez was a cipher coming into the season, and he’s now a key contributor on the defensive side of the ball. Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman have continued to improve as well.
On offense, Jaylen Brown’s points per game scoring average has jumped from 22.2 to 28.9, and everyone in the C’s rotation has stepped up a little bit. No one’s seen a drop in points per game, from last season to this. Collectively, the C’s have filled in the gaps, and that’s down to each individual player accepting the challenge and refusing to back down.
On the brink of Tatum’s return, it’s good to reflect on how different this team is than the Celtics team assembled to win Banner 17.
When Boston traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, we were getting two superstars who were, respectively, dang near 33 years old and 32 years old at the time the C’s won their title in 2008. Pierce was the youngster, being only 30 at the time. They had a limited window to work with, and due to a variety of factors, they didn’t have a lot of support by the end of their time with Boston.
We’re not living in those times. While Tatum and Brown are getting older (as we all are), they’ve got a young core surrounding them. They’re not being asked to carry as much of a load as the C’s Big Three had to carry. This year’s team has the reigning 6th Man of the Year. The Big Three Celtics had good bench support in 2008, but it just got thinner and thinner as the years went by. In the final real game of the Big Three era, Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics lost by 13 points and got a grand total of two points off their bench.
You have to go to the early 80s to find a Celtics team that was as solid from top to bottom as this one is.
In a league where ‘per 36’ stats have become de rigueur, reflecting the average minute load for starters, Joe Mazzulla and Brad Stevens have focused on winning all 48 minutes of the game, and that’s shown up this season as the Celtics have barely dropped off their 2025 pace, despite losing Holiday, Horford, Kornet, Porzingis and Tatum.
As we look to welcome back Jayson, let’s revel in the fact that he’s coming back to a complete team; a team that is perfectly capable of thriving without him, and a team that could be something truly special with him.
Savor these moments, because these are the good old days.
Mar 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (12) in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
For most of the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have desperately searched for quality play from their bench. Aside from Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Naz Reid, the Wolves had gotten incredibly little production from their reserves as they ranked 23rd in bench scoring per game from the start of the season through the trade deadline.
Coming into the year, the Wolves seemd well set up to deal with the offseason departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, and Jaylen Clark all appeared to be ready to join the rotation, and Mike Conley, despite his age, still appeared to have enough left in the tank to still be a solid backup point guard.
None of that came to fruition. Just a few weeks into the season, it was clear the Wolves’ bench was going to be shorthanded for a while with all three of the Wolves’ young trio struggling to find consistency on the court, and as father time finally caught up to Conley. The Wolves had a massive gap in their rotation, making it clear that if they wanted to make another deep playoff run this spring, they were going to need to add bench production from outside of the organization.
“We got options and depth and versatility,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said about the team’s new-look bench. “Super blessed right now. Again, you know, our front office did a great job of rounding out this roster with exactly what it needed.”
Thursday night’s 155-107 win over the Toronto Raptors showcased what the pair of Dosunmu and Anderson can bring to the Wolves the rest of the season. Ayo finished with 13 points including multiple baskets in transition as he has added a new level of pace to the Wolves’ offense.
Last night Ayo Dosunmu showcased what he can bring to the Wolves offense with 13 points including a pair of transition buckets, a 3 after a double of Ant, and a pretty back cut for a layup
Here's all of his makes from last night plus a miss that directly led to a Rudy putback pic.twitter.com/0u0I4vUehg
“Speed, I think that’s the main thing,” Anthony Edwards said about Dosumnu after the game. “The speed that he brings when he checks into the game is the main thing.”
Ayo has also shown flashes on the defensive end of the floor. He finished Thursday’s game with three steals and provided physical defense while chasing around opposing players on the perimeter.
“I have a lot of trust,” Rudy Gobert stated about Dosumnu’s denfensive game. “I keep telling him and I keep telling everyone, when you guys are physical on the ball and disruptive, even if you get beat, I’m there. It’s much easier for them to get beat while being physical than letting guys get comfortable. I think tonight was a great example of that.”
Anderson put up four points, four rebounds, and three assists while filling in perfectly on the defensive end for Jaden McDaniels who had to go to the bench in the first half with foul trouble.
“He makes the game easy,” Finch said of Anderson’s performance against the Raptors. “You put the ball in his hands late in the shot clock you know you’re gonna find something. He kinda sees the floor and anticipates where the defense is going to be. It’s all the same things that we love about him when he was here before. You can put the ball in his hands and the game slows down so you know you’re going to get something good.”
The pairing of Dosumnu and Anderson have also found a quick chemistry together on the court. Late in the third quarter Anderson found Dosunumu on a back cut for an easy layup, a play the two had drawn up over text a few days prior.
I asked Ayo Dosunmu about playing with Kyle Anderson and the back door cut he had in the 3rd Q. Here's what he said along with the play referenced in my question.
"The second day he got here he shot me a text at like 7 in the morning and told me hey that cut be there I swear." pic.twitter.com/4QzTMspZl9
Just two games into his now second Timberwolves tenure, Slo-Mo is doing again all the same things that made him such a valuable signing for the Wolves back in the summer of 2022. His combination of defense, playmaking, and on-court leadership and accountability have already begun to show dividends just two games back with the organization.
Dosunmu has also quickly taken to a leadership on the floor for the Wolves. Edwards pointed to Dosunmu along with Slo-Mo, Conley, and himself as to who have been the connectors for the team during games.
Anthony Edwards on the hardest part of gelling as a team, and making it feel like a family
“I mean you just need connectors on the team, we got Slomo back, getting rid of Mike would have been hard because like he’s one of the connectors, so getting him back was big for us,… pic.twitter.com/BVi5AsS9IG
With Dosunmu and Anderson quickly hitting their stride with the team, the Timberwolves have completely transformed their bench in the blink of an eye and they did so at little to no cost.
Anderson was signed last week as a free agent, costing about half a million dollars the rest of the season and Dosumnu was acquired for second round draft capital, Leonard Miller, and Dillingham who, despite the large cost to acuire in the 2023 Draft, had largely fallen out of favor with the organization making a trade the best path forward for both parties.
While the starting lineup plus Naz Reid have been the workhorses so far this season for Minnesota, the bench is finally catching up as the Wolves look to close the regular season strong before the playoffs. With just 19 games remaining on the schedule and the Wolves now sitting as a top three seed for the first time in two seasons, the finish line is now finally in sight.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: The Houston Astros 2025 first round draft pick, Xavier Neyens, takes batting practice before a game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on September 19, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday, the Astros released their roster for the Spring Breakout game, which will be played on March 19. The Spring Breakout event showcases some of the top young talent from each organization’s farm system.
This year’s roster is highlighted by several of the Astros’ top prospects, along with a few players fans may be seeing in game action for the first time.
The Astros’ new top prospect, Kevin Alvarez, is listed on the roster, along with fellow top-five prospects Ethan Frey and Xavier Neyens. Fans will also get a look at right-hander Ryan Forcucci, who has yet to appear in a game since being drafted.
Former first-round picks Walker Janek and Brice Matthews are also included. The Astros will show off their outfield depth as well, with Zach Cole, Lucas Spence, Joseph Sullivan, and Anthony Huezo joining Frey and Alvarez.
Below is the full roster:
Which prospects are you looking forward to seeing?
The Edmonton Oilers have brought in reinforcements ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, and they won’t have to wait long to see the impact with a tape-measure matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.
My top Hurricanes vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks are calling for Edmonton to pull off the win, with winger Jack Roslovic also picking up two or more shots on Friday, March 6.
Hurricanes vs Oilers prediction
Hurricanes vs Oilers best bet: Jack Roslovic Over 1.5 shots (-125)
Roslovic is penciled into a top-six role alongside Leon Draisaitl and Matthew Savoie, and the trio has driven five-on-five possession with a high-end 58.1 Corsi For percentage.
While the Carolina Hurricanes are an elite shot-suppressing team, it’s built into this price, and Edmonton also has the last-change advantage on home ice to find favorable matchups for its top players.
Hurricanes vs Oilers same-game parlay
I expect the Oilers to start a late-season surge, and Carolina is also in the middle of a four-game road trip, going a ho-hum 5-4-3 over its past 12 games on the highway.
Turning to the final leg of this SGP, goals have been coming in bunches for Edmonton, as the Over has cashed in nine of their last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI).
The Oilers pace the league with 4.45 goals per game during that stretch, and with the Hurricanes scoring 3.73 per game over the same span, I anticipate another high-scoring result at Rogers Place tonight.
Edmonton has hit the Over in nine of its last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Oilers.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Oilers
Location
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-South, Sportsnet West
Hurricanes vs Oilers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after making a basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns is an enigma, a polarizing figure, and also happens to hold the keys to just how good the Knicks can be this season.
KAT possesses a rare combination of talent and size that is matched by only a handful of basketball players in the world, and on many a night, we see plenty of flashes of it, leading to a Knicks win. But on other nights, especially earlier this season, those flashes seemed harder to come by, leading to disappointed, confused, and frustrated fans, as well as some ugly Knicks losses.
And while a non-insignificant portion of New York’s fanbase continues to dislike Towns and find every reason to pit every loss on the big man, the truth is, Towns has actually been playing well. Very well. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that he’s overall been the best Knicks player for some time now, and he’s gotten there right ahead of the playoffs, at the exact best possible time.
KAT has been playing really wonderful basketball lately. Playing super hard. Smart plays. Some of his best defense of the season, especially against San Antonio. Great, clutch shot making. Doing it all.
Over their last 20 games, in which they are 15-5, Towns leads the team in plus-minus at a +202, while plus-minus darling, OG Anunoby, ranks second at just +176. And over his last 10 games, he’s turned it around offensively, averaging 19.8PPG, and 11.9RPG while shooting 46.4% from the field, and 34.8% from three. Those numbers still pale in comparison to the usual 23+PPG on 50%+ shooting from the field, and 40%+ shooting from three, but it’s still a trend in the right direction as it includes a five-game stretch of 20+ points, which is the longest of the season. And whether he’s had 17 shots as he had in Chicago, or eight shots like he had last night, there’s no questioning just how much more efficient Towns has been.
But why is this? What has suddenly changed for Towns? Some of it comes down to a very mundane answer of, “he’s just playing better”. He’s been more decisive, more aggressive, and he’s just been more efficient with the shots he’s gotten. Yet a lot of it goes beyond that.
It seems like the team as a whole, both Mike Brown and the players, have made a more concerted effort to play through the big man. While Brown hasn’t changed much in how he uses Towns, he understands more than anyone just how important Towns is to this team’s success. And while there are still multiple times every game where players, most notably Jalen Brunson, miss an open Towns, guys have looked to get the ball to the big guy.
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Towns’ best stretch on the offensive end came just two games after Jose Alvarado joined the Knicks. It has been clear as day that the backup point guard has looked to feed Towns. And the numbers back it up. Evident by the graphic below, which shows Towns’ possessions with Alvarado entering last night’s game, Towns has a higher usage rate when playing with Alvarado, and his points per 76 possessions, as well as his overall efficiency, are significantly higher.
I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that his best stretch offensively coincides with maybe the best defense he’s played as a Knick. Now, Towns will never turn into a Mitchell Robinson or Rudy Gobert level of elite rim-protecting, shot-altering defender. But during this recent stretch, likely due to the increased offensive involvement, he’s been very solid, dare I say, even good. He looks more attentive, the energy and effort are there, and he’s had much fewer of the head-scratching mistakes we saw so much over the last season and a half. Brown, who has not been shy of calling Towns’ defensive efforts out this season, has been very complimentary of what Towns has done on that end of the floor, and for good reason.
Mike Brown on KAT D: "Everybody looks at KAT like 'Oh he can't do it blah blah blah'––well he can do it & he's showing he can do it…been fantastic…Also been really good communicating…I can hear him talking very loud & early & continuous…Lot of credit for stepping up his game" pic.twitter.com/DNRBHi3McN
Obviously, this isn’t the largest sample size. And there are still things he can do better. But given what this team is asking of him, his role in Brown’s system, and his early-season struggles, it’s been an awesome sight to see such a crucial part of this team finally finding his way.
