The New York Knicks are NBA champions once again. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win their third championship in franchise history and their first since 1973.

Winning the championship was no easy task for the Knicks, who overcame double-digit deficits in each of their four victories. Game 5 followed a familiar script as New York rallied once again to clinch the series.

Jalen Brunson scored 45 points to spearhead the Knicks’ victory. He went 13-for-15 from the free-throw line and recorded three assists. The Spurs started strong by protecting the rim and forcing the Knicks into contested three-point attempts. San Antonio led 23-13 at the end of the first quarter due to New York’s shooting struggles, as the Knicks missed 16 of their first 18 field-goal attempts and their first 11 shots from beyond the arc.

The momentum quickly shifted after a 22-9 scoring run got the Knicks within three points. Devin Vassell scored before the halftime buzzer to put the Spurs up 42-37. Both teams combined for 79 points in the first half, making this the lowest total in a Finals game since Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals.

De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle combined for 13 points on 4-for-25 shooting, contributing to San Antonio’s offensive struggles. Victor Wembanyama finished Game 5 with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

After Vassell made a pull-up jumper to give the Spurs an 85-83 lead with 4:14 remaining, the game entered its most dramatic stretch. The Knicks regained the lead when Brunson made three free throws after being fouled by Vassell. With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out after picking up his sixth foul while defending Wembanyama. Wembanyama made one of two free throws to cut New York’s lead to 88-86. The Knicks held on for a 94-90 victory.

Brunson was named Finals MVP after averaging 32.6 points, 4.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds across the five-game series. His 45-point performance in Game 5 matched Michael Jordan’s 45-point outing in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan scored 45 points and hit a go-ahead jumper over Bryon Russell to give the Bulls an 87-86 lead.

The Knicks’ victory marked New York’s first championship in one of the four major sports since the 2011–12 New York Giants. Following the Knicks’ win, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on X that the championship parade will be held Thursday.

Lionel Messi marked his return to Argentina’s national team with a goal, providing another reminder of the veteran forward’s continued importance as the reigning world champions prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Messi’s performance against the Icelandic national team offered encouragement for Argentina after recent concerns surrounding his fitness and workload. The Inter Miami star had recently dealt with muscle fatigue, raising questions about his availability and condition heading into the tournament. His ability to return and immediately contribute on the scoresheet will likely be viewed as a positive sign for both the player and the national team.

Despite being in the latter stages of his career, Messi continues to demonstrate the qualities that have defined him throughout his time at the highest level of football. While he may no longer maintain the pace that characterized his younger years, his vision, passing ability and decision-making remain among the best in the sport. Those attributes could prove especially valuable during a World Cup tournament where experience often plays a significant role.

Argentina will enter the competition as one of the favorites to contend for the title after winning the 2022 World Cup and continuing to perform at a high level under coach Lionel Scaloni. Much of the team’s success has been built around a balanced squad that does not rely solely on Messi, but the captain remains the player most capable of changing a match with a single moment of brilliance.

Messi’s current form may also influence expectations regarding his role during the tournament. Rather than carrying the same physical burden he once did, Argentina can now manage his minutes more carefully while still benefiting from his leadership and creativity. A healthy Messi operating within a talented and experienced squad could allow Argentina to maximize his impact during the most important matches of the competition.

At 39 years old, the 2026 World Cup is widely expected to be the final World Cup appearance of Messi’s historic career. His recent performance suggests he remains capable of competing at the international level despite the physical challenges that come with age. Maintaining his fitness throughout the tournament will likely be one of the most important factors in Argentina’s efforts to defend its title.

As preparations continue, Messi’s return goal will only increase optimism among Argentine supporters. While questions surrounding his fitness may continue to be monitored throughout the season, his latest performance demonstrated that he remains a central figure in Argentina’s plans and could still play a decisive role on football’s biggest stage.

The San Antonio Spurs survived Game 3 at Madison Square Garden to breathe new life into the NBA Finals on Sunday night, defeating the New York Knicks 115-111 and cutting the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1.

The Spurs absolutely needed this win. Falling behind 3-0 would have spelled trouble and set up a potential sweep. But behind their young, talented roster—and in front of a raucous Knicks crowd—the Spurs got it done and showed why they’re the Western Conference champions and one of the league’s most dangerous teams now and for years to come.

Leading the way was Victor Wembanyama, who dominated on both sides of the floor. He was much more aggressive than in the first two games in San Antonio. Wembanyama played free of pressure, was efficient and created problems at the rim for the Knicks all night.

The Spurs also got key contributions from their supporting cast. Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, who played his best game of the NBA Finals, stepped up, while Sean Penny knocked down threes. The Spurs’ defense made key stops, preventing New York from cutting it to a one-possession game late.

New York did make it interesting late, but it took a lot of effort. The Knicks didn’t play their best, although OG Anunoby contributed 28 points and Jordan Clarkson added 10 off the bench. Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t aggressive in Game 3 after being a key factor in the first two games. The Knicks are at their best when Towns is assertive and has the ball in his hands.

Now all eyes turn to Game 4, where San Antonio will try to even the series or New York could go up 3-1—one win away from the championship. With the Spurs back in the fight, the NBA Finals are now far more competitive.

Paris Saint-Germain captured its second consecutive UEFA Champions League title, further establishing the French club as a dominant force in European football and reinforcing its position among the continent’s elite teams.

The victory marks another milestone for a club that has transformed itself into a consistent contender at the highest level of the sport. After years of pursuing sustained success in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain has now secured back-to-back Champions League trophies, a feat achieved by only a select group of clubs in the competition’s history. Under manager Luis Enrique, the club has shifted away from relying primarily on superstar talent and instead built a squad centered around structure, tactical discipline and collective play.

Luis Enrique’s tactical system has become one of the defining factors behind PSG’s recent success. The team’s high pressing, positional flexibility and emphasis on versatile players have allowed the club to maintain control of matches while remaining effective both defensively and in attack. Several analysts have pointed to PSG’s fluid style of play as one of the strongest tactical identities currently seen in European football.

The latest Champions League triumph could also have significant implications in the transfer market. PSG is expected to remain active as it looks to strengthen a squad already considered among the strongest in Europe. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has indicated that the organization still intends to enter the transfer market despite its recent success, with depth and long-term planning expected to remain priorities.

Winning consecutive Champions League titles may also help the club retain key members of its current squad. Players often seek stability and the opportunity to compete for major trophies, and PSG’s recent success provides further evidence that the club remains capable of contending for football’s biggest honors. Maintaining continuity could be a priority as the organization attempts to build on its current period of dominance.

The achievement also raises expectations moving forward. Rather than focusing on winning a Champions League title, PSG now faces the challenge of sustaining its position at the top of European football. Opposing clubs will increasingly view the French champions as the standard to match, while PSG will face growing pressure to continue competing for major trophies both domestically and internationally.

As attention turns toward next season, Paris Saint-Germain finds itself in a position few clubs have reached. With consecutive Champions League titles secured and Enrique’s project continuing to evolve, the club will now attempt to build a lasting dynasty while pursuing a third straight European crown.

Christopher Sanchez went the entire month of May without allowing a run, breaking a 115-year-old franchise record.

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Sanchez extended his scoreless innings streak to 44 last week, setting a franchise record by passing Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander in a 3-0 win against the San Diego Padres. The Phillies’ seventh shutout in May is their most in a month since July 1951, when they had eight.

Sanchez reached the milestone by pitching the four innings needed to pass Alexander, who had a 41-inning scoreless streak in 1911. The Phillies are second in the National League East with a 29-27 record.

Philadelphia is still looking for its first World Series appearance since 2022, when the Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in six games.

Sanchez is dealing with the start of the year. He said he didn’t believe he had his best stuff against the Padres, but he dominated the lineup, and striking out 32 batters is impressive.

Sanchez was an inning away from the team record. There was a heart-stopping moment when Edmundo Sosa caught a fly ball just in front of the wall leading off the fourth inning. Sanchez then struck out Xander Bogaerts, allowed a double to left, and got Jackson Merrill to ground out to second base to set the record.

The Padres stranded runners in scoring position in the first and second innings, but Sanchez still had a great game. He now has the longest single-season scoreless inning streak by a left-hander in the expansion era, passing Clayton Kershaw’s 41-inning streak in 2014.

Sanchez is pitching at an elite level and will look to maintain his momentum.

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The New England Patriots finally made one of their biggest moves of the NFL offseason, acquiring star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade that could reshape the AFC playoff picture. The deal sends Brown to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

This is the move the Patriots have needed to make all offseason, as it gives third-year quarterback Drake Maye the No. 1 wide receiver the team has been searching for. Brown is a proven top receiver. The Patriots did not have a true No. 1 wideout in their Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks in February.

They had solid guys like Pop Douglas, Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. But they never had a guy like Brown, who won a Super Bowl just two years ago with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he recorded 5,000 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns, helping the Eagles during his time there since 2022.
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For New England, it’s good that they are helping out Maye. Building around the base is so important, and they have spent much of the off-season upgrading their offense, but getting Brown now under contract for the 2029 season is expected to be a very high point for the Pats offense.

Philadelphia’s reason to move off of AJ Brown made sense. While the team still has Devonta Smith, who is either a wide receiver one or a wide receiver two, depending on the game. They drafted Makai Lemon, a wide receiver out of USC, in the first round.

Lemon will be Brown’s replacement, and it will be interesting to see if he rises to the challenge of a first-round pick. All in all, it’s a good trade for both teams. The football season is just around the corner, and we will see who is right.

Shohei Ohtani continues to impress, delivering back-to-back strong pitching starts last week. He hit another leadoff home run, limited damage on the mound and claimed the victory against the Colorado Rockies.

In Wednesday’s series finale against the Rockies, Ohtani blasted a 424-foot home run to dead center field in the bottom of the first. He allowed just one run and no hits over six innings, lowering his ERA to 0.82. Ohtani was hit by a pitch but continued to dominate in the Dodgers’ 4-1 victory.

The Dodgers were just four outs away from a combined no-hitter when Rockies outfielder Freeman Hill lined a single off Tanner Scott in the eighth inning. It was Colorado’s only hit of the night, which came after a walk and a hit batter.

Ohtani has dominated since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers after spending most of his career with the Los Angeles Angels, who simply couldn’t win. Ohtani said he wanted to win, so he joined the Dodgers and is now looking to win a three-peat in a Dodgers uniform and earn World Series rings.

The Dodgers also feature stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy. Their loaded lineup continues to dominate baseball. The lack of an MLB salary cap will be a hot topic if the Dodgers win another championship.

Ohtani believes he can be even better, which is remarkable for a player who can pitch a shutout and hit home runs in the same game. He is widely considered the best player in baseball—and may soon be regarded as the greatest to ever play the game.

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The San Antonio Spurs are headed back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 after an incredible Game 7 win, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.​

The Spurs were down 3-2 and won back-to-back elimination games, including a dominant Game 6 victory at home, before finishing the job on the defending champs’ floor.

Again, for the Spurs, the Western Conference MVP is Victor Wembanyama; his impact is unexplainable- the way he takes everybody out of the paint, takes players out of the game, and especially when he’s hitting the long ball. The Spurs superstar had 22 points, going seven for 15 and shutting out OKC’s Chet Holmgren to 4 points.

It wasn’t just Wembanyama that played a major role throughout this postseason run. The Spurs’ young players include rookie guard Dylan Harper and second-year player Stephon Castle, out of UConn. Doing their job and hitting big-time shots. Role players can also win new games by playing their roles at their best.

And this is a transition to one of the more impressive playoff runs in the franchise’s recent history. After years of rebuilding following the retirements of Hall of Famers such as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs reached their first finals since 2014, where they beat the Miami Heat in five games.

The Spurs will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, with the Knicks holding the home-court advantage. This should be a really good series for basketball fans, and the Spurs should win because they have better athletes and defenders. But I’m not going to count out Jalen Brunson and his ability to hit clutch shots and close games.

The Spurs also faced the Knicks in 1999, which was the Knicks’ first finals appearance since. Tim Duncan and company got their first ring and beat the Knicks in five games.

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The controversial Enhanced Games, which allow athletes to use steroids, kicked off in Las Vegas this weekend.

Backed by several high-profile investors, including Donald Trump Jr., the Enhanced Games seeks to break records in ways never seen before. Organizers aim to push human performance to new levels by removing substance bans enforced by organizations such as the International Olympic Committee.

The event has drawn criticism across social media, with athletes, medical experts and sports officials around the world warning how dangerous it is for athletes’ health and for prioritizing winning over long-term safety.

The Enhanced Games featured swimming, track and field, weightlifting and other Olympic-style sports. Organizers offer large prize pools and financial incentives for athletes willing to participate.

The controversy intensified after a world record was broken at the Las Vegas event. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the sole competitor for the seven-figure jackpot, producing a record-breaking swim in the men’s 50-meter freestyle.

Gkolomeev, reportedly using performance enhancers, clocked 20.81 seconds to break the previous world record of 20.88 set by Cameron McEvoy.

The result sparked renewed debate about fairness and the future of professional sports, as questions continue over whether fans will embrace an open competition with performance-enhancing drugs.


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LeBron James, 41, remains the biggest topic of any NBA offseason storyline.

Questions are swirling around his future contract situation with the Los Angeles Lakers. What he decides in the coming months continues to dominate conversation on shows like First Take and across the basketball world.

​After completing another strong season—his 23rd NBA campaign—James now faces a major decision in the next stage of his career.

Of course, everyone knows James: a four-time NBA champion, the league’s highest-paid player, and the face of basketball for a generation.

​Some continue to speculate whether James could pursue a shorter contract or accept a pay cut with the Lakers, allowing them to improve the roster on a one-year deal before he retires.

James has several options: He could retire, return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to help their young squad—the Cavs are currently in the Eastern Conference finals—or return to the Lakers on a pay cut to help build around young star Luka Dončić.

​The salary discussion comes at a crucial time, following the Lakers’ second-round sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles is expected to be aggressive and pursue roster upgrades around Dončić. The Lakers need to make a significant move to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs for years to come—whether that means trading Austin Reaves for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, or making another bold move. The Lakers need a spark to return to championship contention.

We are witnessing a historic NBA playoff series. Basketball needed this—potential new rivals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. Game 1 went into double overtime, and the Spurs outlasted Oklahoma City, 122-115.

But one moment broke through the drama. It got so intense that at the end of regulation, Chet Holmgren blocked Victor Wembanyama, and the camera panned to the Thunder bench, where Alex Caruso shoved the camera away from the huddle.
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To be fair, Caruso, who scored a team-high 31 points in the game one loss. He shot eight for 14 from three-point range and 11 for 19 all around.

Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds, three blocks and even pulled up from the logo to tie the game in the first overtime. It takes a lot of guts to shoot that shot, and he did that and made it.

The scary part about this is that Wembanyama‘s only 22 years old. It’s basically six on five when he’s out there on the court. Another scary thing for many Thunder fans is that the Spurs were without their starting point guard, De’Aaron Fox, on the floor because he was out with a sprained ankle.

But they drafted a heck of a point guard at pick number two of this year‘s NBA draft, Dylan Harper out of Rutgers. He had a game, and he’s just so smooth. He went 8-for-20, with all those shooting 1-for-7 from three. He was seven from seven from the free-throw line.

This series is the Gen Z version of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. These will be matchups for years to come, given the amount of talent both teams have.

Mark Cuban opened up in an interview about why he sold the Dallas Mavericks and to whom.

In December of 2023, Cuban decided to sell a majority of his investment in the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families. Miriam Adelson is one of the biggest donors to President Donald Trump, and Cuban is famously a Democrat.

Cuban has been quietly displeased with the direction of the Mavericks and finally opened up about it in a recent interview on the Intersections podcast.

“I don’t regret selling,” Cuban said. “I regret who I sold to. I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Cuban originally bought the Mavericks for about $285 million back in 2000, and he turned that investment into $3.5 billion when he decided to sell the Mavericks.

The former owner made it clear that he still wanted to have control over the basketball team despite Patrick Dumont being the team’s new governor. Cuban currently holds 27% stake in the organization.

Cuban said that owning the Mavs was too much of a financial burden for a “middle-class billionaire” like himself.

He referenced the emotional commitment it took for him to be the owner, which was a major factor in his decision to sell the team.

“You hear the passion and everything,” Cuban added. “Now imagine going up and down like that every single game. That’s hard.”

“My kids, they were coming of age where they would have the mindset that they want to work at the Mavs. I didn’t want them to. If fans don’t like what you’re doing or the team’s not doing well, you’re the worst human being on the planet.”

Cuban was soon completely erased from any decision-making despite his claim that he would still be running the basketball operations.

Everything seemed good after a 2024 Finals run led by superstar Luka Dončić, which made Cuban bite his tongue.

Following the shocking trade of Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025, Cuban was irate that the franchise would make such a dumb move following an NBA Finals appearance. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison called Cuban to inform him of the move.

Much to Cuban’s disappointment, the Mavericks have had a dreadful season, holding a 24-51 record. Luckily for the Mavs, they were able to draft rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, who will help during their rebuilding process.

After missing out on an international game last season, the Cincinnati Bengals were granted one. They will face the Atlanta Falcons at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, in Week 9.

It has been rumored that quarterback Joe Burrow was the main factor in the NFL’s decision to give them a game overseas. The NFL announced that the Miami Dolphins would be playing the NFL’s first game in Madrid in February 2025, and by March, speculation arose that the Bengals would be their opponent.

“Please be true,” Burrow wrote on his Instagram story in March 2025. Instead, the Washington Commanders got the opportunity to play the Spain game over the Bengals.

After the 2025-2026 season’s schedule was released, Burrow remarked during an interview that he would like to see the Bengals play an international game next season. Burrow then revealed that his main motive for volunteering to be on Netflix’s Quarterback show was to spread the game to more international fans.

“Part of the reason I wanted to do the Quarterback show was to help grow the game internationally, and so to not have a stage like that is a little disappointing,” Burrow said. “Because I feel like I’ve consciously worked hard to try to grow the game internationally over the last 18 months or so. So hopefully at some point in my career, we can go over there.”

The Bengals will be playing their first international game of the decade and their first since 2019, when they lost 24-10 to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium in London, England. They also tied the then-Washington Redskins 27-27 in 2016, making the Spain game Cincinnati’s third appearance abroad.

The team celebrated the announcement by photoshopping Burrow’s Instagram story from last year. Burrow also believes that the Bengals are a good team to spread the game abroad.

“The game has a lot of room to grow,” Burrow said Tuesday on the team’s website. “Just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s. The Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global, and hopefully the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL.”

After losing their first two international contests at Wembley Stadium, the Bengals are one of seven teams to have never won an international contest.

This postseason is shaping up to be a “make-or-break” for the Cavaliers based on their future trajectory.

Guard Donovan Mitchell could depart Cleveland if the Cavaliers fall short in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is wide-open because Jayson Tatum is a month into his return and the Knicks have their inconsistencies. Detroit is the top seed at 60-22 and poses the biggest threat out of the East. The Cavaliers have a good chance to appear in the finals, an expectation that’s a factor in Michell’s decision to stay.

Fred Katz of The Athletic remarked that Cleveland will “discuss the possibility of trading Mitchell” over the summer if he opts not to sign an extension. The guard expressed his desire to remain in Cleveland on numerous occasions; this caused some to remain skeptical about this rumor because an early playoff exit may not be enough for a star player to pass up on a huge pay day.

Another factor that could affect Mitchell’s decision is whether or not the front office can afford to keep the current team intact for next season. James Harden is projected to decline his player option, while Evan Mobley, Max Strus and Dennis Schroder have high-paying contracts. Cleveland would surpass the second salary apron if all these players resign.

Time would tell if this rumor comes into fruition based on Cleveland’s postseason result, but things could turn in a heartbeat.

Former Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley added his perspective on the alleged cookie incident between former Heat star LeBron James and Heat owner Pat Riley. 

It’s been rumored that in the 2013-14 season, Riley took away James’ privilege of eating cookies and ice cream on the team plane. This was done without warning.

Beasley was a guest on the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe. He revealed details of the story, like how James’ personal chef made those cookies, not the team chefs. He noted what it was like when James was confronted about having the cookies.

“Bruh, that boy stood up. LeBron stood up like Thanos,” Beasley said.  “Where I play cards at, I can see where they bring the cookies from. I can see them scrambling. And LeBron stood up and yelled as far as the back. Everybody heard him. ‘Yo, if anybody do….’ That’s the first time I seen an organization get scared. From that point on, they tiptoed around.”

This story is rumored to be a big reason why James left the Heat after the 2013-14 season. Despite making the NBA finals, he left to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dwyane Wade was asked about this incident on the Underground Lounge podcast hosted by Lou Williams. He believed that the cookie incident was a big reason for James’s leaving.

“And I know this seems small, but when we get on that plane, all the little things matter. You got the s— that gets you through. When I get on this plane, I expect what I want because this is what gets me through,” Wade said. “I got to have my comforts along the way or I ain’t going to be me. Riley took all them comforts away.”

The Houston Astros suffered a massive blow on Wednesday after Carlos Correa announced that he will undergo ankle surgery. The surgery will sideline Correa for the remainder of the season.

The Astros shortstop was taking swings in the batting cage prior to Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, remarking that he “just felt it pop.” “It just completely snapped on me, and then I fell to the ground,” Correa told reporters. “I couldn’t put weight on it. Right away, I knew something was wrong.”

Correa’s absence adds to the long list of players out for the Astros – catcher Yainer Diaz suffered an oblique injury Tuesday, while Hunter Brown is out due to a shoulder strain. Jeremy Peña is also absent due to a hamstring strain. As expected, these injuries impacted Houston’s plans.

Nick Allen and Braden Shewmake are at shortstop to fill the void in Correa and Peña’s absences. Issac Paredes will play third base for the rest of 2026.

Early-season projections had Houston being a contender for a playoff spot if key players stayed healthy – SB Nation writers had them finishing with roughly 86 wins. Now, Houston is on pace to finish 77-85 per FanGraphs based on their current play.

The starting rotation is ranked 29th in the majors with a 5.13 ERA, while the bullpen has a 6.20 ERA across all relievers. Houston’s offense is third in batting average (.264) despite losing notable bats. Even though Houston still has Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker and Jose Altuve, it’ll be tough for them to climb out of their hole. The Astros will be pondering their future heavily as the trade deadline nears because their core is getting older, further narrowing their championship window.

The Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley. 

This comes after the Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Magic were up in the series 3-1 before losing the next three games.

Mosley was hired in the 2021 offseason following Steve Clifford’s firing. The Magic went 22-60 in his first season. Cole Anthony was their leading scorer with 16 points per game.

The Magic’s poor record in 2021-22 got them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. They selected Paolo Banchero with this pick. Banchero won Rookie of the Year in 2023 while averaging 20 points per game. The Magic improved to 34 wins. 

By 2023-24, Mosley had established the Magic as a defensive-minded team. The Magic ranked No. 4 in defense that season. Banchero’s scoring average went up to 22.6, leading to him making the All-Star Game. The Magic won 47 games and finished with the No. 5 seed. 

The 2024-25 season was filled with injuries for the Magic. Banchero played just 46 games, and Franz Wagner just 60. The Magic won 41 games and finished with the No. 7 seed. 

In the 2025 offseason, the Magic traded for Desmond Bane. Although the Magic had played good defense under Mosley, they had lacked offense. Bane averaged just 16 points from October 2025 through January 2026. However, his point-per-game average increased to 21 from February to April. The Magic won 45 games and finished with the No. 8 seed. 

The Magic didn’t finish in the top 10 defensively. Although their offense was better than in the past two seasons, they were still in the bottom half of the league.

USA TODAY reported that Billy Donovan is a candidate to be the next head coach of the Magic. Donovan was nearly hired by the Magic in 2007 before returning to coach Florida.

Number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg, was named the 2026 Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly beating out his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in one of the tightest races of all time.

The Dallas Mavericks rookie beat the Charlotte Hornets rookie by a total of 26 points amongst 100 media members who voted. Flagg received 56 first-place votes, and Knueppel receiving 44 first-place votes.

Flagg became the second youngest player ever to win the award at 19 years of age, only behind LeBron James.

“I see the games every night. I can check the box scores,” Flagg said when he was asked about his Duke roommate Knueppel. “I think also I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers,” he added.

“We had such a good connection, and we’re gonna be there for each other for the rest of our lives. I was watching him as a fan, as well, but there was obviously that competition at the same time.”

The 26-point gap is the second closest margin ever in this award’s current voting history, with only the 2021-22 race being tighter between Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley, which was a 15-point gap.

Flagg averaged an impressive 21.0/6.7/4.5 in his rookie campaign, numbers only Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic put up during their rookie seasons.

Knueppel, on the other hand, averaged 18.5/5.3/3.5 while leading the NBA in three-pointers made and breaking the rookie three-point record with 273 threes made.

The argument for Knueppel was that he was playing more meaningful minutes with the Hornets, finishing 44-38 and narrowly missing the playoffs.

Flagg set the scoring record for a teenager with 49 points on January 29 against the Knueppel and the Hornets despite losing the game.

The New York Mets continue to struggle after getting swept by the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets had won two straight games heading into the series with the Rockies, after losing 12 straight games. This means the Mets are 2-15 in their last 17 games, with an overall record of 9-19. 

The Mets played a doubleheader on April 26 after the game scheduled for the day before got rained out. The Mets lost the first game of the series on April 24, 4-3. 

Nolan McLean started the first game of the doubleheader. He only gave up one earned run in five innings. Despite this, he took the loss because Rockies starter Jose Quintana also allowed only one run. The Mets’ bullpen gave up one run, while the Rockies’ bullpen gave up no runs. 

Jake McCarthy had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies. Tyrone Taylor had a hit and drove in the Mets’ only run. 

Kodei Senga started the second game of the doubleheader. The Rockies scored three runs off him in 2 2/3 innings. Although the Mets bullpen didn’t give up any runs, the Rockies got a seven-inning shutout from starter Chase Dollander to get the win. 

The Rockies only had four hits, with three of them coming off Senga. However, Hunter Goodman’s two-run home run extended the Rockies’ lead to 3-0. The Mets outhit the Rockies six to four, but they couldn’t score any runs. Carson Benge had two of the Mets’ six hits. 

Very little has gone right for the Mets this season. Their one bright spot has been starter Clay Holmes. The two-time All-Star has a 2.10 ERA in five starts. The Mets moved him to the starting rotation in 2025. 

The Mets will play the Washington Nationals in their next series starting April 28.

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers faced off in Los Angeles, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell was talking about the upcoming series against the defending champions.

Counsell told reporters that he has “never understood” the two-way rule for global sensation Shohei Ohtani, claiming that it is an “offensive rule” made to benefit the Dodgers.

“It’s an offensive rule, essentially. It’s a rule to help offense, more than anything, if you ask me. And then there’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and he gets special consideration, which is probably the most bizarre rule. For one team.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts fired back at Counsell, saying, “The thing is, it certainly benefits us because we have the player. We’re more than willing for other teams to go out and find a player who can do both. He’s an exception because he’s an exceptional player. It is what it is.”

The rules to qualify as a two-way player require a player to pitch at least 20 innings as a starter or reliever and to start 20 games as a position player or DH, with at least 3 plate appearances in those games.

Ohtani did just that last season, earning him the label of a “two-way” player on the roster.

This seems to be a bizarre gripe from Counsell, as the rule was introduced in 2020, when Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels.

However, the one actual problem that would make sense for Counsell to have is that the MLB quietly changed the rule in 2024, making it so the player would only have to meet the criteria in the two previous seasons rather than one, which allowed Ohtani to be labeled as a “two-way” player despite his elbow surgery. This allowed the Dodgers way more roster flexibility than other teams.

The Dodgers hold the best record in baseball at 16-6, while the Cubs stand at 13-9. The managers of these two teams are already providing fireworks in what will be a fiery series at Dodger Stadium this weekend.