Mitch Marner delivered when Vegas needed him most, scoring twice and adding an assist as the Golden Knights rolled past the Utah Mammoth 5-1 on Friday night in Game 6 to close out their first-round playoff series in emphatic fashion.
With the victory, Vegas advances to the Western Conference semifinals, where a showdown with Anaheim now awaits. The Ducks punched their ticket Thursday after a convincing 5-2 win over Edmonton in their own Game 6 clincher.
What once looked like a team searching for direction has quickly transformed into one gathering real momentum. Since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy behind the bench, the Golden Knights have rediscovered their edge. Vegas finished the regular season 7-0-1 after the coaching change, then responded to a 2-1 series deficit against Utah by rattling off three consecutive wins.
“This is what I hoped for,” Marner said. “There’s a lot more work to keep going.”
Marner Takes Over Under The Bright Lights
Marner was electric throughout the series, totaling two goals and five assists, but Friday marked his most dominant outing yet. It was also his first multi-goal playoff performance since April 20, 2023, when he accomplished the feat against Tampa Bay.
“It was his best game of the series. He just looked comfortable,” Tortorella said.
Vegas opened the scoring late in the first period when Brett Howden continued his scorching run. Marner fired a shot wide of the net, but the rebound kicked directly into the slot, where Howden buried it with 4:58 remaining. It was Howden’s fourth goal of the series, all of them coming over the final three games.
Howden had already been a difference-maker earlier in the week, scoring the winner in Vegas’ dramatic 5-4 double-overtime triumph in Game 5. He also netted twice in regulation during the club’s Game 4 overtime win.
Marner doubled the lead with just 45 seconds left in the second period after Vegas controlled possession in Utah’s zone for more than two straight minutes. Stationed high in the right circle, he hammered a slap shot that deflected off Ian Cole’s knee and found the back of the net.
“I’ve had a couple opportunities in that same area that I had just missed on,” Marner said. “That’s why I just decided to quickly wind one up and see if I could get a clapper though.”
Vegas Calmly Slams The Door
Utah finally answered in the third period when Kailer Yamamoto trimmed the deficit to 2-1, briefly giving the home crowd hope. But Vegas responded immediately, refusing to let the game tighten.
Colton Sissons restored the two-goal cushion moments later, Marner buried a power-play goal for his second of the night, and Cole Smith sealed the result with an empty-net finish.
“We’ve been here before,” Vegas captain Mark Stone said. “We don’t have the panic. Maybe some teams do. We can calm ourselves pretty quickly.”
Carter Hart turned aside 21 shots in a steady performance, while Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka also made 21 saves in defeat.
For the Mammoth, the ending was especially jarring. Utah had led in the third period of each of the first five games in the series, only to spend all of Game 6 chasing from behind.
“I didn’t have that in my bingo card,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “I was really confident we would go to Vegas tomorrow.”
Instead, the Mammoth are going home early. But it was not a failed season by any sense of the word.
The Mammoth are a young squad and if they can acquire some new players in the offseason that can help them on special teams and between the pipes, that would be a healthy start.
SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 01: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres looks on during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Friday, May 1, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. Ty France was standing in the batter’s box after Xander Bogaerts battled through an at-bat to draw a walk. France has been one of the hottest hitters on the Padres roster in recent weeks, but he was unable to help his team and grounded out to second base to end the inning, stranding three runners, two of which were in scoring position. As hard as that was to watch for San Diego fans, the top of the second inning was worse. German Marquez allowed six runs in the inning and the Padres were playing catchup for the rest of the game. San Diego was unable to overcome the deficit, despite the efforts of Fernando Tatis Jr. who had three hits in the game, and took an 8-2 loss at Petco Park to open the three-game series with Chicago. The Padres will look to have better performances all around when they host the White Sox at 5:40 p.m.
Padres News:
It is not wrong to say the Padres are holding their starting rotation together with gum and paperclips. Walker Buehler, German Marquez and Matt Waldron have each had moments of success but have lacked consistency. That type of play has fans clamoring for Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito, two pitchers who have yet to take the mound for the Padres, but either one could immediately step in as the No. 3 starter behind Michael King and Randy Vasquez.
Xander Bogaerts took a lot of criticism during his first seasons in San Diego and rightfully so. After signing a massive free-agent contract he failed to live up to the expectations of the fanbase. To his credit, Bogaerts took the criticism in stride, kept his head down and kept working. He is seeing that work payoff with his most impactful and consistent start as a Padre.
Jeremiah Estrada made his return to the Padres after a short IL stint and David Morgan who has been struggling with his command was sent down to Triple-A.
Pete Alonso did exactly what you would expect from the Polar Bear’s return to Queens to face the New York Mets, he homered on the first pitch of his at-bat.
BOSTON - 1975: World B. Free #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers moves the ball up court against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1975 at the Boston 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 1975 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In another year and another Sixers-Celtics Game 7, the Artist Formerly Known as Lloyd Free was determined to make a name for himself.
One of ‘em, anyway.
He is known now as World B. Free. Has been since December 1981, when he legally changed his name midway through a 13-year run as a freewheeling, shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later NBA guard.
For the last 27 years Free, now 72, has served as the Sixers’ Ambassador of Basketball, making appearances throughout the Delaware Valley and on game nights glad-handing fans in every corner of Xfinity Mobile Arena.
But in the spring of 1977 he was still Lloyd, a second-year backup seeking minutes and shots on an ill-fated Sixers team headlined by Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Doug Collins. And Free was accorded both in the deciding game of an Eastern Conference semifinal set against Boston.
The game, which was played in the Spectrum, proved to be a rock fight. The Sixers shot 33 percent from the floor, the C’s 30 percent. The second half, in which Philadelphia outscored Boston 33-32, was particularly brutal, and the boxscore reflects the individual futility.
Erving shot 6-for-19, McGinnis 4-for-13 and Collins 3-for-11. Boston’s Jo Jo White was 7-for-24, while John Havlicek went 4-for-19 and Dave Cowens 5-for-16.
Free? He scored 27 points off the bench. And the Sixers won, 83-77.
“Lit ‘em up, yeah,” Free recalled as he breezed through a court-level corridor before Game 6 of the current Sixers-Celtics series. As always he was wearing a snazzy suit and a stylish hat. As always he was greeting the paying customers who bustled past, some of them by name.
“It was,” he added, “an unbelievable night — like, you know, I couldn’t miss. I couldn’t miss a shot. I went crazy on them.”
Here his memory betrayed him. He put up 27 shots, and made just 10. But the game went a long way toward earning him a nickname — “The Boston Strangler” — that was passed on to another Sixers guard, Andrew Toney, a few years later.
Free is OK with that.
“I’m not really talked about the way a lot of people are talked about,” he said, “even though I had the same kind of game. It’s good the way it is.”
He came to the Sixers as a second-round pick in 1975, from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn via Guilford College, an NAIA school in Greensboro, NC. On the NYC playgrounds the 6-foot-3 Free had been known as the “Prince of Mid-Air” because of his leaping ability. Also “All-World,” which in time would lead to his name change.
He believes his background prepared him well for the rigors of the NBA.
“Oh yeah, because I’m a street basketball player,” he said. “I’m from the streets. We played physical like that. Always played with older people that beat me all the time back there. So this was nothing when I came into the league.”
During that 1976-77 season he averaged nearly 22 points a game against Boston in four regular-season meetings, including a 36-point game. In the first six games of their playoff series, he scored at a 13.3 point-per-game clip.
The Sixers would go on to beat Houston in the Eastern finals, but fell to a Bill Walton-led Portland club in the Finals. And after the next season — a season in which Free again averaged over 20 a game against Boston, and 15.7 overall — he was traded to the Clippers for a 1984 first-round pick.
The Sixers used that pick, which was fifth overall, on Charles Barkley. And Free in the meantime got all the shots he wanted, not only with the Clippers (who were then in San Diego) but later the Warriors and Cavaliers as well. He even drifted back to the Sixers for 20 unproductive games late in his career, but overall he averaged over 20 a game for his 13 seasons, and at the time he retired his 17,955 points were 40th all time.
These days he appreciates the talent and tenacity of the Sixers young guards, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and can only hope they have a full understanding of the challenges that arise this time of year.
“Playoffs, it’s such a different game, because everything slows down,” Free said. “More physical. You can get away with murder, but you have to adapt yourself every game.”
Especially Game 7. The one in 1977 is one of just two the Sixers have won against Boston, in eight tries. The other came in ‘82, when Toney scored 34 and Erving 29 to save the Sixers in a series they once led 3-1. That is also the last time Philadelphia beat Boston in a series of any length, having dropped the last six, three since 2018.
Now the question is, who makes a name for themselves Saturday night? And from which side? Because World B. Free knows all about such things — how reputations can be established and memories made. And how those things remain indelible, no matter how many years pass.
The Hockey Show returned this week with plenty to discuss as the Stanley Cup Playoffs are off and running.
Several of the opening round series’ have already been decided, and while some are threatening to go seven games, others ended much sooner than many anticipated.
Joining THS hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork this week is NHL Network’s Adnan Virk.
Among the topics discussed were Adnan’s Philadelphia Flyers advancing to face the Carolina Hurricanes after knocking out the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, the Edmonton Oilers' quest for a third straight Stanley Cup Final trip coming to an abrupt ending after being knocked out of the first round by the Anaheim Ducks, and the future of the Dallas Stars, who were knocked out in round one by the Minnesota Wild after three straight appearances in the Western Conference Finals.
Carolina reached round two after sweeping the Ottawa Senators, and the quick exit by Ottawa led to speculation about the future of team captain Brady Tkacuk in Ottawa.
Roy and Dave had some insight into the story, including some intel they had yet to report before the show.
This week’s wins and fails included Sabres fans stepping up when the microphone cut out during O Canada, a stick-throwing celebration in Philly, an early exit in Edmonton, a baseball team getting booed and a not-so-controversial sucker punch.
You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:
The Nottinghamshire bowler took five Leicestershire wickets at Grace Road while Dom Sibley dug in against Sussex
A wicket at Grace Road, where Notts are pounding Leicestershire round the ground. Jack Haynes a fourth wicket for Ben Green. Joe Clarke is approaching his hundred. Notts 426-5.
A pretty good looking crowd at Taunton, some huddling against a brick wall for warmth. Joe Root at first slip polishes the ball, Will Smeed, slow starting again, still on nought. Jack White on the money.
May 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) celebrates after hitting the game-winning home run during the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
The Rockies definitely had the Braves for the first seven innings. Ah but in the last three games, the leading team didn’t finish the job. Michael Harris II was headed for the Injured List as well, don’t you know. Then, he came on to pinch hit.
Yup, pretty standard Braves heroics at the end. Here Michael Harris is again with a go-ahead pinch-hit double in the sixth inning on April 24th.
Here are the Braves scoring four in the seventh of a tie game.
Here’s Michael Harris hitting two home runs after being down 4-1 after one inning. The Braves went single, single, walk, single, double to grab three runs and a 4-2 win in April 19th and on and on.
This team is scoring runs, y’all. They’re third in homers, fourth in xwOBA, fourth in wRC+, and for the most part aren’t making dumb mistakes. We probably shouldn’t turn our back on them after they give up six runs in Denver. You could talk me into closing the door on Grant Holmes as a starting pitcher, but not this offense.
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly walks back to the dugout after a pitching change against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
There have only been a handful of games in which to judge anything done by Don Mattingly so far. There really isn’t any discernable difference between him and Rob Thomson on much of anything that either does, but one thing does sort of stick out – he’s not a fan of letting starters go too long.
On Thursday, Cristopher Sanchez was yanked after 85 pitches even though they were having a bullpen game in the second part of the doubleheader. The night before, Jesus Luzardo only threw 88 pitches. It should be said that both of at least pitched in the seventh inning, Luzardo allowed to finish it, Sanchez yanked before he could do the same. Sanchez was at least a little annoyed by the decision, but Mattingly stood by it.
Which brings us to our question of the day: what are your feelings on the few instances we’ve had to judge Don Mattingly on how he’s going to handle this pitching staff? Again, not much to go off of, but the initial decisions at least may give some idea of what’s to come.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 29: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets walks to the dugout after the seventh inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 29, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the season’s final month upon us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
Like the Yankees, the Mets will consume an outsized amount of attention because of the market they play in, the payroll they put up, and the habits of their owner. It was a disastrous month for the boys in Queens, and yet they’ve been just a hair worse than the Phillies, and what was expected to be a two-horse race atop the NL East has devolved into the two squads trying to avoid baseball’s worst record.
First Place: Atlanta Braves (22-10)
Despite the battering of their pitching staff in the spring, Atlanta’s managed to get off to a hot start. The pitchers that remain have all been solid and Bryce Elder has led the way with a sterling 1.88 ERA, with Robert Suarez being the dominant force out of the bullpen. Offensively, Matt Olson, catcher Drake Baldwin, and Ozzie Albies have led the way, while the club still waits for Ronald Acuña Jr. to be his usual gamebreaking self.
There are still some headwinds on the horizon — Austin Riley is barely a league average hitter while still having seven years remaining on his contract — but a 6.5 game lead in your division is nothing to sneeze at. The club’s gone from a 36 to 83.4 percent chance of winning the division per FanGraphs, taking advantage of the despondence in Philly and Queens.
Second Place: Miami Marlins (15-16)
My dark horse playoff pick this year, the Marlins haven’t exactly been bad but haven’t done enough to put themselves over what’s a pretty poor division. The team features a trio of Canadians — Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez and Owen Cassie — and two of them have paced the offense, while Cassie has looked a little overmatched in his age-23 season. As perhaps fitting for a team that stumbles along around .500, they currently sit 14th in baseball in wRC+ and 16th in pitching fWAR.
The pitching is the real opportunity for the franchise, with Max Meyer and Jansen Junk poised to join Sandy Alcantara in what could be a devastating rotation. So far the staff has been gutted by a bad bullpen and a lack of length from starters, but improving one of those marks might just be enough to produce a reliable winner in South Beach.
Third Place: Washington Nationals (15-17)
My pick for 2026’s worst team in baseball, the Nats have scrabbled together something almost resembling respectability. They do feature the worst — the WORST — pitching in MLB today, but CJ Abrams and James Wood both seem to finally be living up to their prospect potential. Wood in particular is striking out in a third of his PAs, but he’s walking in a fifth of them, a better K-BB% than he managed last year. Avoiding the second-half falloff will be the key to James’ season, and Abrams might end up being the best available player at the trade deadline. In the meantime, thank you James Wood for one of my favorite moments of the year:
Everything in this division is going to come down to how much of a bounceback the Mets and Phillies can make, but the Nationals shouldn’t let their current third-place slotting confuse them. This is a very badly managed franchise that needs some direction, and their current spot in the division doesn’t change that. The long-term forecast for the club is more important than the bottom falling out of two division rivals, and whether that forecast includes trading the everyday shortstop or not, those kind of strategic decisions should be driving the next three months.
Fourth Place: Philadelphia Phillies (12-19)
Boy, the vibes are different. Two years ago the Phillies had a Himbo Culture, a bunch of big dumb guys who were nevertheless endearing and critically, good at baseball. Now, that Himbo Culture is still at least a little present, worshipping Zack Wheeler’s rib bone and all, but the team on the whole is pretty terrible. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are as reliable a pair of hitters as you’ll find, but the rest of the lineup has struggled to stay above league average. The Phillies are running out six regulars that are below-league average hitters, with third baseman Alec Bohm being just about the worst player in the game period.
It’s a joke but one with some ring of truth: when Alex Cora was offered the Phillies’ managerial job, he looked at one of the few teams in MLB with a worse third baseman than the Red Sox, and picked sitting on the beach instead. The pitching has been slightly better, with Cristopher Sánchez still among the best in the sport and both Jesús Luzardo and Andrew Painter probably due for some positive regression. That’s the thing with the whole team really, they should probably be better, but the collective age of the roster and the deficit they find themselves in gives you a pretty deep hole you need to climb out of.
Fifth Place: New York Mets (10-21)
I’m breaking from our standard writing style to type it out in full, because I believe the weight of it merits: Three hundred and sixty-nine million dollars. I don’t care about Steve Cohen or his bank account, but that is the cheque he is writing for this baseball team, currently with the worst record in MLB. Just as I’m writing this the Mets have publicly backed manager Carlos Mendoza, and while he may be happy to have that support, it does beg the question of just who is responsible for this gong show.
The Mets are 93-100 after signing Juan Soto, what should have been the ultimate crowning achievement for a franchise that purports to have World Series aspirations. Francisco Lindor and Luis Robert Jr. are both IL bound, while Kodai Senga was moved to the list earlier this week. I don’t feel a lot of schadenfreude for the club, maybe because I don’t live in New York, but you have to wonder what exactly is the point of spending all this money just to set yourself on fire. I have my criticisms for Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman, but the money poured into the 2026 Yankees has so far yielded a first-place team. It looks like a catastrophic year for the Mets, and more proof you don’t always get what you pay for.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 17: Manager Terry Collins of the Houston Astros watches batting practice before a Major League Baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium on July 17, 1994 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Astros defeated the Pirates 9-0. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 10th installment of our Legends Series features longtime manager Terry Collins, who began his career as skipper of the Astros, never enduring a losing season.
Q: I want to start in August of 94′ when you guys are 17 over the .500 mark and then the stoppage occurs. You were neck and neck with the Reds. Do you think you could’ve reached the series if play had continued?
A: You know, the game before the strike, Bagwell broke his hand, so I’m not sure what would’ve happened down the road, but we really had a good team. Biggio, Finley and Caminiti were all playing great, we had a really good club and our pitching was really starting to come around.
I had placed Shane Reynolds in the rotation with Drabek, Swindell and Harnisch and we had turned the corner.
The Expos had a good team as well, but even our bench was strong. Bob Watson assembled a really strong roster for us.
Q: When things resume the following year, you are named as one of the All-Star Game coaches. What did that recognition mean to you back then?
A: It really meant a lot. I had known Felipe Alou for a long time, and I think because of the season we were discussing a moment ago, he phoned in recognition of that. He asked me to be one of the coaches and that was very special to me. Being named to that staff was huge as it was still really my first year.
Q: Did you know at the time that Biggio and Bagwell were laying the foundation for their permanent place in Cooperstown?
A: Oh God without question! Those are the kind of guys that don’t need managers. They knew how to get ready with the same exact routines every day.
I used to watch Biggio everyday go out and do this ground ball routine, and he never missed doing that.
When we went to St. Louis, you’d see Ozzie Smith doing the same thing with the Cardinals. That’s why guys like that were so great. They never vary their routine.
Q: Did Biggio really embrace being the tone setter?
A: He really didn’t want to lead off but he knew that’s what the team needed, so he went out there and just did it. I actually thought he was the best leadoff hitter in all of baseball.
I cannot tell you how many days in a row Craig Biggio would be standing in scoring position and then Bagwell would be coming up to hit. Those guys were so special.
Q: What do you think about the managers being fired so early in the season?
A: There’s always been pressure. Although these days with the larger payrolls, it might be more intense but it’s comical to me because anyone who thinks that Rob Thomson can’t manage after leading the Phillies to the playoffs the last four years is flat out wrong. It just comes with the territory, and ias my friend Jim Leyland once told me, you’re hired to ultimately one day be fired.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: St. Louis Cardinals first base Alec Burleson (41) scoops up a ball during the MLB professional baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants on September 24, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Alright, the Cardinals are back on top of the world following a road sweep of the Pirates and a game one win against the Dodgers on Friday. Today my main objective is to keep the good vibes rolling and focus on what has gone well across the organization so far in 2026! I will sprinkle in a few analytical points, but this is mostly just a fun list of the things going well thus far from top to bottom in the Cardinals organization. Let me know what I missed!
The Cardinals’ strong start has not been driven by one fluky breakout. Across the major league roster and multiple minor league levels, there are real signs of progress. Here are eight of the most encouraging developments so far.
8. Triple-A Power Bats
Jimmy Crooks, Blaze Jordan, Cesar Prieto, and Joshua Baez have all hit 6+ home runs and are running isolated slugging percentages of .247 or greater through Memphis’ first 30 games.
They all have warts as prospects, but I do not remember a time when the Cardinals had this much power percolating in the upper minors. The big birds have had a surprising amount of home run pop with the 7th most in baseball entering play on Friday, but after years of talking about needing to find power, there are finally options emerging at every turn.
7. Minor League Pitchers Missing Bats
While most of the focus on minor league development is on individual performance, I thought it would be interesting to see how the minor league pitching staffs are doing in the aggregate. With the renewed focus on missing bats over the last few years on the player acquisition side, are the results starting to flow through? The below table shows the aggregate strikeout rates for each of the Cardinals’ full season farm teams, year-over-year.
Sure enough, every level in the system has seen an increase in strikeout rate year over year. The 25.9% aggregate K rate ranks fifth in baseball, tied with Seattle. This ranking is up from 11th in 2025 and 18th in 2024.
It is interesting that this trend is most pronounced at the A and High-A levels, where a greater proportion of the players were acquired during the Bloom era.
6. Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera Solidifying Status as Impact Bats
After excellent 2025 seasons, both Herrera and Burleson are essentially matching last year’s production, with 2026 wRC+ marks of 141 and 123, respectively. There is nothing fluky about either of their stat lines as both have xwOBAs in the top 30 in baseball. I am a big fan and believer of both players, but neither has a particularly long track record of major league success, so the good offensive starts have been encouraging. Despite bad luck on batted balls, Herrera is 10th in the majors in OBP thanks to a 17.5% walk rate and an MLB-leading total of HBPs. While some of the players further up the list have grabbed more headlines this year, Burly and Herrera have been a tough combo in the middle of the lineup.
5. Riley O’Brien Being Awesome
O’Brien emerging as a dominant closer was not completely out of nowhere, but certainly has been a welcome surprise. He ranks third in relief pitcher fWAR at .7. With a leaky bullpen and underwhelming pitching staff overall, O’Brien has been critical in helping the Cardinals in their early run at relevance. He ranks fourth among relief pitchers in ERA going back to the beginning of last season at 1.85. The advanced metrics are positive for O’Brien as well. His Stuff+ has ticked up from 106 to 110, but thanks to his improved command, his Pitching+ is up to an elite 115. The ZiPS projection system likes what it sees, as O’Brien has improved his pre-season projected FIP from 3.99 to 3.55.
O’Brien is slowly establishing himself as a part of the team’s future core, or as one of their most attractive trade assets.
4. Rainiel Rodriguez Doing His Thing
It has been a relatively quiet start for some of the Cardinals higher-upside hitting prospects. Ryan Mitchell is striking out like crazy in low-A and Daniel Ortiz was injured in his first Double-A game. The system’s offensive star, Rainiel Rodriguez, is living up to his impossibly high expectations as he is running a 141 wRC+ in High-A as a 19-year-old. Even after a rough week, he maintains a 17/19 BB/K ratio and an isolated slugging percentage of .208. As a point of reference, Jordan Walker ran a 124 wRC+ with a 27% strikeout rate in his age 19 season in High-A. Nothing is guaranteed, but Rodriguez remains on a beeline for top 10 prospect in baseball status, if he keeps up his current trajectory.
3. Tanner Franklin Emerges
Tanner Franklin has exploded onto the scene in Peoria. Through his first five starts with the High-A club, he is striking out 34.6% of the hitters he faces while walking only 7.7%. Coming into the year, the biggest questions for the converted reliever were whether he could maintain his stamina and control as he moved into the rotation. Despite being on a limited pitch count (seemingly around 60 or 70), he has completed four innings twice and walked 2 or fewer batters in every start. Baseball America has already referenced Franklin as a pitcher trending toward top 100 status.
2. JJ Wetherholt Power
In his first 30 games, Wetherholt has lived up to the lofty expectations he had coming into the year. His defense has been surprisingly good, but his power has unexpectedly stolen the show. Coming into the season, many people, myself included, would have been happy if Wetherholt could contribute a slightly above average offensive line based on his excellent plate discipline and hit tool. It seemed reasonable to expect the power to come more slowly as he adapted to MLB pitching. Wetherholt has not only popped 7 home runs, he has posted a new career high exit velocity (108.7 MPH) and improved his 90th percentile EV from 103.7 MPH in Triple-A to 103.9 MPH in the bigs. Wetherholt with power is ridiculously fun to watch and also has the ceiling of a bona fide superstar.
1. Air Jordan
No surprises here as Jordan Walker, even after a cold stretch, remains the story of the first month of the 2026 season. Walker has improved his Barrel % from the 66th to the 97th percentile year over year. His Launch Angle Sweet Spot has improved from the 5th percentile to the 84th percentile. Overall, he is getting the ball in the air 60.5% of the time after living in the low 50s his first three seasons. Walker has drastically improved his launch angles without sacrificing his otherworldly exit velocity metrics. He ranks fourth in baseball in average EV (95.5 MPH), third in EV90, and 8th in HardHit% (59.2%).
None of this guarantees anything over a full season, of course. But for an organization that has spent the last few years searching for impact talent, swing-and-miss arms, and a clearer path back to relevance, the first month of 2026 has offered plenty of reasons to buy in… Or at least to enjoy the ride for a while.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics will meet Saturday night in a series-deciding game at TD Garden on NBC and Peacock.
Phildelphia has won consecutive elimination games after falling behind 3-1. The 76ers won 106-93 on Thursday at home to force Game 7.
This will be the record ninth time that the 76ers and Celtics meet in a Game 7, and the first since May 14, 2023 when Boston advanced in a 112-88 victory behind a Game 7-record 51 points by Jayson Tatum. The Celtics are 6-2 against the 76ers in their eight previous Game 7 matchups.
Boston also holds the NBA record for most Game 7 wins (27), and the Philadelphia has the most losses (12) in the finale of a seven-game series (including four consecutive dating to 2012). The 76ers are trying to become only the 14th team to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1 and the first since 2020 when Denver eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers.
Two other streaks on the line Saturday: The Celtics are 32-0 in previous series when leading 3-1, and the 76ers are 0-18 when trailing 3-1. This is the third Game 7 for each team in those scenarios. Philadelphia lost Game 7s to the Baltimore Bullets in 1971 and the San Antonio Spurs in 1979. Boston won Game 7 in the 1966 NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers and in the 1987 Eastern semifinals over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Saturday's winner of the series will face the New York Knicks, who advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday with a 140-89 victory over the Orlando Magic.
See below for additional information on the Celtics-76ers game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics game preview:
In the 76ers' Game 6 victory, Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 30 points, and Joel Embiid nearly posted a triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists).Nine-time All-Star Paul George added 23 points, and rookie VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Philadelphia's "Big 3" of Maxey, Embiid and George played only 21 games together during the regular season because of injuries and suspensions. The 76ers were 11-10 in those games but are 2-1 in the playoffs with the trio on the floor.
Maxey notched his fourth careeer playoff game with at least 30 points and zero turnovers, the most of any player in their first six seasons. He is averaging 26.3 points per game during the playoffs, which is tied for third with Jalen Brunson (behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33.8 ppg and Cade Cunningham's 32.6 ppg).
Embiid is averaging 26.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 7.3 apg over his three games since returning from emergency appendectomy surgery.
"I’ve been playing these guys for so long, I’m tired of losing to them," Embiid said about the Celtics in Game 7. "We have a chance to accomplish something special."
In his 16th season, George has elevated his performance in the playoffs, shooting a team-high 54.3% on 3-pointers after 39.2% 3-point shooting in the regular season. He will be playing in his sixth Game 7 and his first since 2021.
“Paul has been really, really good," Maxey said. "He's been consistent. He's been a great voice, a great leader for all of us, and we appreciate him."
The Celtics have been plagued by poor shooting in thier past two losses, shooting 12 of 41 (29.3%) on 3-pointers in the Game 6 loss. They've been below 30% from distance in all three losses.
Boston was among the best 3-point shooting teams during the regular season, ranking third in makes (15.5 per game) and eighth in percentage (36.7%). The Celtics are leading in the playoffs with 16 3-pointers per game (averaging more 20 per game in their three wins and 12 in their losses).
Jayson Tatum is expected to play in the eighth Game 7 of his career (Boston is 5-2 in the previous seven) after a calf injury limited his playing time in Game 6.
"I’ve played 130-some-odd playoff games," said Tatum,w ho is averaging 26.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in Game 7s. "To say it’s going to Game 7, no, I’m not bummed. I was out for 50 weeks. I wasn’t able to play basketball. So I get another opportunity to play the game that I love."
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said adjusting to Embiid will be a key.
"Obviously, this series has changed once Embiid came back," Mazzulla said. "I think anytime a player comes back in one game, it’s different. They’ve found an identity and we have to be able to adjust to that identity that they found and get our identity for Game 7.”
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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BRADENTON, FL - MARCH 20: Seth Hernandez #25 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ESPN’s updated list of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top prospects shows a lot of movement within the organization’s top ten.
The very top of the list remains unchanged, as Konnor Griffin maintains his status as the top Pirates’ prospect and the top prospect in baseball. Griffin is on pace to graduate from prospect status as he continues to grow in his Major League career, but for the time being he’s the top dog for Pittsburgh.
First-year pitcher Seth Hernandez was previously ranked third for the Pirates but his dominant start to his career has him ranked as the second best prospect on ESPN’s updated list. So far this year the 19-year-old righty has a 2-0 record with a 1.23 ERA across five starts. Hernandez is coming off a week where he was named the FSL Pitcher of the Week and his most recent outing saw him strike out nine batters.
Moving up the list from four to three is Edward Florentino who is off to a hot start with High-A Greensboro this season. At just 19-years-old, the Dominican product is already in his third season of Minor League baseball and is excelling at a fast pace. Wyatt Sanford (4), Hunter Barco (5) and Esmerlyn Valdez (6) also found themselves moving up the most recent rankings. Barco is on the verge of working his way off this list as he’s made it to the majors and is looking better in recent outings. Valdez figures to be at the top of the list for the next prospect to be promoted as he’s already in Triple-A Indianapolis and is off to a hot start at the plate. It’s possible that he ends up in Pittsburgh as another depth piece for the team’s outfield.
Konnor Griffin in his last 7 games after this single:
Second baseman Termarr Johnson (7) and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia (8) are the only two young Bucs that find themselves moving down the list. Johnson is in his first season with Indianapolis and has been struggling at the plate. Through 27 games, he has a .161 batting average, has struck out 25 times and has zero homers. Garcia looked to be a promising prospect when he was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the offseason, but he too has struggled at the plate with Indy. He’s currently on rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton.
Catcher Rafael Flores (9) and Antwone Kelly (10) round out the franchise’s top 10 list. Flores has been in conversation a lot recently as fans and critics have been discussing the poor play from Pittsburgh’s catchers. Flores has been performing better at the plate in Indy than Joey Bart and Henry Davis have been with the Pirates. Davis had his first two homers of the season against the Cincinnati Reds so he likely won’t be on the move, but there is an argument to be made that Flores should be promoted. Kelly was previously not in the top 10, but following some strong outings in Indy, he creeps in to the number ten spot.
The Pirates have the fifth overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft and will be looking to add more promising talented to their already stacked Minor League system.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 01: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers looks on during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, May 1, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Rangers 5, Tigers 4
Back to .500, guys.
Not a great start from MacKenzie Gore.
Gore had some issues throwing strikes and struggled to put batters away. Gore generated just six swinging strikes in his outing out of 94 pitches. And despite throwing 94 pitches, he only faced 18 batters and registered 11 outs.
Gore needed a whopping 49 pitches to get through the first two innings, despite facing just eight batters. After a quick 1-2-3 third inning, he couldn’t get out of the fourth. With two on and two out in the inning, he walked Spencer Torkelson, then gave up singles to Wenceel Perez and Hao-Yu Lee, getting chased from the game with three runs in and two runners on base.
Go ahead, Mr. Wenceel.
Cole Winn got out of the inning with a strikeout, but was pulled with one out in the fourth after a walk, a wild pitch and a single. Jalen Beeks got a grounder from Riley Greene, but the Rangers weren’t able to turn two, such that Texas, which had been up 4-0 just an inning and a half ago, was suddenly faced with a 4-4 tie.
Beeks, by the way, got dinged with a blown save for allowing an inherited run to score in the fifth inning on a ground out. That doesn’t seem fair.
In any case, it seemed like doom awaited.
DOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Doom didn’t await, though. At least not for the Rangers.
The collection of no-names in the Rangers pen once again banded together to keep their opponents off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Well, they do have names. Along with Beeks, there was Tyler Alexander, Jakob Junis, and Jacob Latz.
Beeks, Alexander, Junis and Latz are all sporting sub-2 ERAs on the year. Gavin Collyer and Peyton Gray have yet to allow a run. The only active members of the Rangers bullpen with an ERA over 2 are Winn (5.27) and Cal Quantrill (6.43).
The Rangers’ offense, once again able to do some damage now that they are away from the Shed, got up early with a Brandon Nimmo leadoff single and a Josh Jung two out RBI single. They seemed poised to chase Tigers starter Jack Flaherty in the third, when a Danny Jansen homer was followed by three straight walks and another Josh Jung RBI single.
They scored a third run in the inning on a Joc Pederson sac fly, but Jake Burger popped up for the second out. Alejandro Osuna then battled Flaherty for ten pitches, but ended up fanning to end the inning.
Still, Osuna ended up coming through with the winning hit later in the game, doubling to left field with Jake Burger on second in the eighth, giving the Rangers the ultimate winning margin in the game.
Brandon Nimmo left the game with hamstring soreness for the second game in a row, which is not ideal. It did, however, result in Ezequiel Duran moving from second base to right field, which set up this great play in the seventh:
MacKenzie Gore hit 96.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.6 mph. Cole Winn hit 95.9 mph with his fastball. Jalen Beeks’ fastball touched 93.6 mph. Tyler Alexander’s sinker topped out at 91.3 mph. Jakob Junis reached 92.2 mph with his sinker. Jacob Latz maxed out at 96.0 mph with his fastball.
Jake Burger had a 108.4 mph double. Josh Jung had a 106.9 mph ground out. Ezequiel Duran had a 105.9 mph ground out. Corey Seager had a 105.5 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 103.2 mph single and a 101.6 mph single. Danny Jansen had a 102.7 mph home run and a 101.6 mph fly out.
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) reacts after a call against the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Well, the magic ran out last night for the Houston Rockets. After spending two games filling our hearts with the hope, the Rockets essentially laid an egg in Game 6, falling behind in the late first quarter after a somewhat decent start to the game, and they simply never got back into it.
The Lakers used a huge and demoralizing 27-3 run in the first half to essentially put the game away, and things just never got much better from there and ended Houston’s season early.
There’s not a ton to say about this one, as the Rockets’ offense was simply outmtached early and had no answers for a suffocating Lakers defense. Houston shot just 35 percent overall and made only 5 threes on the night. They also lost the rebounding battle, illustrating how bad Houston was whipped in this one.
They were led by Amen Thompson with 18 points, 8 boards and 3 blocks, while Alperen Sengun added 17 points, 11 boards and 2 blocks. Tari Eason had 14, Reed Sheppard had 10 but shot a horrendous 4-for-19 from the field. Jabari Smith rounded out the starters with 9 points and 12 boards, but he shot just 3-for-11 after being one of Houston’s best players earlier in the series.
The Lakers were led by LeBron James with 28 and Rui Hachimura with 21.
The Rockets season is now over, and the team faces a myriad of questions about their future. There are major questions about Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant, Tari Eason, Sengun, Sheppard, and just about anything could potentially be on the table trade wise.
Of course, the Rockets were more decimated by injuries than just about anyone, with Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, Durant all finishing the year in street clothes. They could also choose to just run it back, though I don’t think that’s the best move with the Rockets losing in round one for the second straight year.
We’ll be talking all things offseason in a couple days after taking a few days to regroup ourselves. Thanks for sticking with us for another Rockets season!
LeBron James had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the Lakers’ series-clinching win over the Rockets on Friday.Photograph: Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images
The date is 12 March, and the Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a run that’s garnering a lot of well-deserved attention, in a month that sees them lose just two contests and win 15. The spirit of the locker room is at an all-time high, and it’s clear in talking to LeBron James, the 41-year-old storied veteran and greatest-of-all-time candidate who recently put his ego aside to accept a role as the team’s third option, that he believes what many around the NBA are starting to as well: his Lakers have a real shot at contention.
“As you get older, you appreciate the moment more than anything. When you’re younger, you think about what you’ve done in the past, or what’s to come in the future,” he tells me when I ask how he’s been able to be so present of late, in light of the ups and downs of a topsy-turvy Lakers season. “But the only thing that we know for sure is happening is the moment.”
The sentiment was more poignant than even James knew at the time. The wind would be swiftly and mercilessly knocked out of those buoyant sails just a few short weeks later, on 2 April, when in the throes of a biblical drubbing at the hands of MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his class-of-the-conference Thunder, the door to the Lakers’ postseason was seemingly slammed in their faces in downtown Oklahoma City. The Lakers were already emotionally wallopped, outmatched by orders of magnitude, down 31 at half-time. And then, in the span of a couple of minutes in the third quarter, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the team’s backcourt starters, were both sidelined indefinitely with injury. The blow was devastating. The season was over. That is, until it wasn’t.
As recently as a month ago, it appeared that James’s days as the No 1 option were behind him, and for good reason. He’s a quadragenarian, the oldest player in the NBA for two years running. He shares a team with Dončić, the 27-year-old perennial MVP candidate and heir apparent to the Lakers franchise. But when, just a few short weeks before the postseason was set to begin, the Lakers lost their two leading scorers, James was left with two choices: call it a season, or attempt to carry the team on his 6ft 9in frame, as he’d done so many times before.
Neither Vegas nor basketball experts gave the Lakers any chance against the Houston Rockets headed into their first-round series, in which they grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead before sealing the victory in six games in Houston on Friday night. The doubt was justifiable; the Lakers were at a clear talent disadvantage without Dončić and Reaves. (The Rockets’ Kevin Durant would end up missing five of the six games in the series.) And the upset was, to be sure, a true team effort, filled with storybook storylines galore: Luke Kennard, a trade-deadline castaway from Atlanta, essentially won Game 1. Marcus Smart, believed by many to be washed up when the Lakers acquired him last summer, proved wholly indispensable, as both a dirty work guy and an unlikely scoring resource. Deandre Ayton, the much-maligned center from the top of Dončić’s draft class whom Portland paid to go away last summer, was invaluable both defensively and on the glass. And JJ Redick, the “podcaster” second-year head coach who took immense flak after a disappointing debut postseason outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, proved his mettle in this series as both a tactician and leader.
But the story of the series was James, who, in a critical Game 3, not only got a gutsy steal on the Rockets’ Reed Sheppard and hit a miracle of a three-pointer at the end of regulation, forcing the game to overtime (and ultimately a win), but did so mere minutes after going on a 10-0 Lakers run with hisown son, including a senior-to-junior highlight alley-oop. Throughout the series, James turned back the clock on both ends, averaging 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds with nearly two steals per game. He was, by any measure, the best player on the floor. To say that no one has ever done what he’s doing at this age is an understatement. The truth is, no one has even come close.
“I’ve done it throughout my career, but they still have to accept it,” James said in the locker room after Game 6, on slotting back into a leadership role for the team on which he’d taken a step back. “For them to allow me to lead them, that means a lot to me.” Redick, clearly moved after witnessing, first-hand, yet another chapter in the LeBron James storybook, could only shake his head. “For him to do it again, to answer the bell again, it’s really … it’s baffling, in some ways,” Redick said Friday night, attempting to stifle a grin. “The leadership aspect, he just has this ability to set the tone for the entire group, and he did that again tonight, and our guys responded. And I’m really happy for him.”
Father Time is undefeated, so the saying goes. But, as it turns out, his record isn’t quite so simple. James, well into his third decade as the face of the league and anywhere between 10 to 20 years older than most of his competitors, has proved a formidable challenger. “I’m kicking his ass,” James deadpanned, chuckling, after the series clincher. Twenty-three rounds in, he has Time on the ropes.
Reaves, who was able to return from a severe oblique strain and provide reinforcements for the final two games of the series, said he doesn’t take what James is doing for granted. “I told him after the game, I’d like to think we have a pretty good relationship, [so] I went over to him and I was like, ‘You’re insane. The stuff that you’re doing … It’s not normal,’” he said. “With age, or whatever, he’s been in the league for 23 years … The way he can [still] control a game, it’s impressive. I don’t think you can say in words how special he was, not just tonight, but this series, this year. I’m just happy that I don’t have to play against him.”
The Lakers will go on to face the aforementioned thorn in their side, the Thunder, in the Western Conference semi-finals. Certainly, this would not have been part of the plan, had Los Angeles had their druthers about a round-two opponent, especially with Dončić still sidelined. But, then again, nothing for Los Angeles went according to plan this year. It was going to be a transitional year, until things started to click, and the chemistry was too potent to deny. Then it was destined to be a tale of woe, a “what if?” footnote in the briefly intersecting careers of two megastars at different points in their trajectories in James and Dončić. In any of a myriad possible timelines, this wasn’t LeBron James’s team to carry. In all but one of them, we had seen the last of a superhero run from him in the NBA postseason.
None of this was supposed to happen. But the basketball gods work in mysterious ways, and for the moment, the story isn’t over quite yet.
Kurt Helin
