Deadspin | MLB roundup: Braves pound out 19 hits in 13-1 thrashing of Guardians Apr 12, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) and third baseman Austin Riley (27) react after defeating the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night. Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six as the Braves won two of three games from the Guardians. Atlanta is the only team in Major League Baseball that hasn’t lost a series this year. The Braves pounded out 19 hits as second baseman Ozzie Albies was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Mauricio Dubon was 3-or-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr had two hits and an RBI and third baseman Austin Riley also cranked out two hits, with a run and two RBIs. Left-hander Dylan Dodd went three scoreless innings in earning his first save of the season. Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs, 11 hits and one walk while fanning four. Orioles 6, Giants 2 Baltimore Orioles starter Cade Povich, pitching on his 26th birthday, allowed just five hits and one run while fanning five in his 6 2/3-inning outing. For Baltimore, Pete Alonso, Leody Taveras, and Taylor Ward had two hits apiece, while Samuel Basallo blasted a two-run homer. Casey Schmitt hit a home run and two singles for the San Francisco Giants. Starter Adrian Houser (0-2) lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3 Corbin Carroll, James McCann, and rookie Jose Fernandez had two hits apiece for Arizona in a win over host Philadelphia. Pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo singled in the go-ahead run in a two-run eighth inning. Taylor Clarke (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, and Paul Sewald pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save. Andrew Painter, the second Phillies pitcher, gave up three hits and one run in five innings. The scheduled starter, Painter did not open because of a migraine headache, the Phillies announced, before entering in the third. Trea Turner had two hits, including his first homer of the season. Twins 8, Blue Jays 2 Tristan Gray hit a three-run home run and visiting Minnesota defeated Toronto. Kody Clemens added a solo home run and Taj Bradley (3-0) went five innings to pick the win for the Twins, who have won six of their last seven. Minnesota scored three times in the second inning and added five more in the third. Daulton Varsho and Ernie Clement each had three hits for the Blue Jays, who finished a 2-4 homestand. The Blue Jays had a 12-8 advantage in hits, but were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Max Scherzer (1-2) allowed eight runs, five hits and two walks and hit a batter while striking out three in 2 1/3 innings. Angels 9, Reds 6 Jose Soriano continued his hot start with 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings and Oswald Peraza homered to lead Los Angeles over host Cincinnati. Soriano (4-0) allowed two singles and walked three, while lowering his ERA to 0.33, tops in the majors. Mike Trout went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and an RBI and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, two walks and three RBIs for the Angels. Logan O’Hoppe and Jo Adell each added two hits and an RBI. Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer and had two hits for Cincinnati, which lost for the fourth time in the last five games. Andrew Abbott (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. Marlins 8, Tigers 2 Dillon Dingler hit a three-run home run, Kevin McGonigle blasted his first career homer and host Detroit completed a three-game sweep of Miami. McGonigle reached base four times, including three hits, and scored two runs while Kerry Carpenter supplied a two-run shot for the Tigers. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal didn’t allow a hit until Austin Slater’s bloop single to center in the sixth. Skubal (2-2) allowed one run and two hits while walking two and striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (2-1) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. Alcantara had allowed just two earned runs in his first three starts. Otto Lopez had both Miami RBIs with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly. Rays 5, Yankees 4 Chandler Simpson collected three hits and two runs, and Tampa Bay hung on to beat New York and complete a three-game sweep in St. Petersburg, Fla. Simpson singled and scored in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the second and tripled in the seventh inning before coming home on a sacrifice fly. Cedric Mullins also tripled and scored for the Rays, while starter Drew Rasmussen (1-0) allowed one hit, struck out seven and walked none in six scoreless innings. Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to one run before the Rays’ Mason Englert completed his first career save. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (2-1) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out eight. Athletics 1, Mets 0 Aaron Civale tossed 5 2/3 solid innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter for the red-hot Athletics, who completed a three-game sweep of host New York. Civale (2-0) gave up four hits and walked none while striking out three. Nick Kurtz homered in the third for the Athletics, who won the final five games of a six-game road trip to New York against the Yankees and Mets. Francisco Lindor recorded a pair of singles for the Mets, who lost the last five games of their six-game homestand. Freddy Peralta (1-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Mets after allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings. White Sox 6, Royals 5 Dustin Harris roped a pinch-hit double and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning, then made a late potential home run-robbing catch, as Chicago edged host Kansas City. Tanner Murray and Colson Montgomery each hit two-run homers and the White Sox used nine pitchers to win a contest that started after a three-hour rain delay and salvaged their split of this four-game set. With the score 5-5, the little-used Harris opened the seventh with a double, and eventually scored from third via a wild pitch by John Schreiber (0-2). Then in the eighth, Kansas City’s Michael Massey sent a Lucas Sims pitch deep to right field, but Harris reached up and snagged the ball at the top of the wall. Nationals 8, Brewers 6 Keibert Ruiz singled in the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning and Washington completed a sweep with victory over host Milwaukee, which has lost five consecutive games. James Wood hit his fifth home run of the season for the Nationals. PJ Poulin (2-0) got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Gus Varland finished with a perfect ninth for his first save. Gary Sanchez brought the Brewers even at 6-all with a three-run homer in the seventh. Brice Turang homered twice with solo shots in third and fifth innings. Jake Bauers hit his fourth homer. Milwaukee designated hitter Christian Yelich left in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, the team announced. Red Sox 9, Cardinals 3 Willson Contreras had four hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in three runs to lead Boston past host St. Louis. Jarren Duran also collected three RBIs for the Red Sox, who received four hits and two RBIs from Trevor Story. Brayan Bello (1-1) limited the Cardinals to two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson each hit a solo home run and a single for the Cardinals, who trailed 7-1 after four innings. Walker’s home run was his MLB-leading seventh of the season. He homered six times in 363 at-bats during the 2025 season. St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (1-1) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings and took the loss. Cubs 7, Pirates 6 Carson Kelly drove in pinch runner Scott Kingery with one out in the ninth inning to give host Chicago a walk-off win over Pittsburgh. Kelly’s RBI single delivered the Cubs’ first lead of the day as they rallied from deficits of 5-0 and 6-2 to avoid being swept. Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth. The Pirates wasted two home runs by Brandon Lowe. The second baseman drove in five runs with a grand slam in the second and a solo shot in the fifth. Jose Urquidy (0-1) was responsible for the ninth-inning rally. Rangers 5, Dodgers 2 Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping Texas defeat host Los Angeles, which lost for just the second time in its last nine games. Right-hander deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings. Evan Carter homered to lead off the third and Josh Smith had an RBI single later in the inning for the Rangers, who notched their fourth win in six games. Brandon Nimmo drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single in the eighth and Josh Jung had two hits and reached base four times. For the second straight day, Ohtani homered to lead off the Dodgers’ half of the first inning. The homer was his fifth of the season. Kyle Tucker had an RBI single in the seventh inning to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2. Padres 7, Rockies 2 Ty France, Ramon Laureano and Jackson Merrill each homered San Diego finished off a four-game sweep of visiting Colorado in a game where both starting pitchers went down with injuries. France went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Laureano and Manny Machado drove in two runs apiece, as San Diego extended its winning streak to five games, outscoring the Rockies 28-12 in the series. David Morgan (2-0) was awarded his second win of the series after throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings. The Padres got some bad news in the fourth inning when Nick Pivetta, who retired the first nine men he faced, exited in the top of the fourth due to right elbow stiffness. Colorado’s scheduled starter, Kyle Freeland, didn’t even make it to the post. He was scratched during warmups with what the Rockies termed left posterior shoulder soreness. Mariners 6, Astros 1 Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season as Seattle defeated visiting Houston. Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley, the Nos. 5-6 batters in Seattle’s lineup, both had three hits. Raley had two doubles and two RBIs. Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer for the Astros’ lone run. The Mariners have won the first three games in the four-game series between the American League West rivals. Gilbert (1-2), the Mariners’ opening day starter, allowed one run on four hits. With two starters going on the injured list last week and another sent back to Houston for further evaluation, the Astros were forced to go with a bullpen day. Right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1) served as the opener and allowed two runs on one hit in one-plus innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Braves #pound #hits #thrashing #Guardians

Deadspin | MLB roundup: Braves pound out 19 hits in 13-1 thrashing of Guardians
Deadspin | MLB roundup: Braves pound out 19 hits in 13-1 thrashing of Guardians Apr 12, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) and third baseman Austin Riley (27) react after defeating the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night. Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six as the Braves won two of three games from the Guardians. Atlanta is the only team in Major League Baseball that hasn’t lost a series this year. The Braves pounded out 19 hits as second baseman Ozzie Albies was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Mauricio Dubon was 3-or-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr had two hits and an RBI and third baseman Austin Riley also cranked out two hits, with a run and two RBIs. Left-hander Dylan Dodd went three scoreless innings in earning his first save of the season. Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs, 11 hits and one walk while fanning four. Orioles 6, Giants 2 Baltimore Orioles starter Cade Povich, pitching on his 26th birthday, allowed just five hits and one run while fanning five in his 6 2/3-inning outing. For Baltimore, Pete Alonso, Leody Taveras, and Taylor Ward had two hits apiece, while Samuel Basallo blasted a two-run homer. Casey Schmitt hit a home run and two singles for the San Francisco Giants. Starter Adrian Houser (0-2) lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3 Corbin Carroll, James McCann, and rookie Jose Fernandez had two hits apiece for Arizona in a win over host Philadelphia. Pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo singled in the go-ahead run in a two-run eighth inning. Taylor Clarke (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, and Paul Sewald pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save. Andrew Painter, the second Phillies pitcher, gave up three hits and one run in five innings. The scheduled starter, Painter did not open because of a migraine headache, the Phillies announced, before entering in the third. Trea Turner had two hits, including his first homer of the season. Twins 8, Blue Jays 2 Tristan Gray hit a three-run home run and visiting Minnesota defeated Toronto. Kody Clemens added a solo home run and Taj Bradley (3-0) went five innings to pick the win for the Twins, who have won six of their last seven. Minnesota scored three times in the second inning and added five more in the third. Daulton Varsho and Ernie Clement each had three hits for the Blue Jays, who finished a 2-4 homestand. The Blue Jays had a 12-8 advantage in hits, but were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Max Scherzer (1-2) allowed eight runs, five hits and two walks and hit a batter while striking out three in 2 1/3 innings. Angels 9, Reds 6 Jose Soriano continued his hot start with 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings and Oswald Peraza homered to lead Los Angeles over host Cincinnati. Soriano (4-0) allowed two singles and walked three, while lowering his ERA to 0.33, tops in the majors. Mike Trout went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and an RBI and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, two walks and three RBIs for the Angels. Logan O’Hoppe and Jo Adell each added two hits and an RBI. Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer and had two hits for Cincinnati, which lost for the fourth time in the last five games. Andrew Abbott (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. Marlins 8, Tigers 2 Dillon Dingler hit a three-run home run, Kevin McGonigle blasted his first career homer and host Detroit completed a three-game sweep of Miami. McGonigle reached base four times, including three hits, and scored two runs while Kerry Carpenter supplied a two-run shot for the Tigers. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal didn’t allow a hit until Austin Slater’s bloop single to center in the sixth. Skubal (2-2) allowed one run and two hits while walking two and striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (2-1) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. Alcantara had allowed just two earned runs in his first three starts. Otto Lopez had both Miami RBIs with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly. Rays 5, Yankees 4 Chandler Simpson collected three hits and two runs, and Tampa Bay hung on to beat New York and complete a three-game sweep in St. Petersburg, Fla. Simpson singled and scored in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the second and tripled in the seventh inning before coming home on a sacrifice fly. Cedric Mullins also tripled and scored for the Rays, while starter Drew Rasmussen (1-0) allowed one hit, struck out seven and walked none in six scoreless innings. Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to one run before the Rays’ Mason Englert completed his first career save. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (2-1) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out eight. Athletics 1, Mets 0 Aaron Civale tossed 5 2/3 solid innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter for the red-hot Athletics, who completed a three-game sweep of host New York. Civale (2-0) gave up four hits and walked none while striking out three. Nick Kurtz homered in the third for the Athletics, who won the final five games of a six-game road trip to New York against the Yankees and Mets. Francisco Lindor recorded a pair of singles for the Mets, who lost the last five games of their six-game homestand. Freddy Peralta (1-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Mets after allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings. White Sox 6, Royals 5 Dustin Harris roped a pinch-hit double and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning, then made a late potential home run-robbing catch, as Chicago edged host Kansas City. Tanner Murray and Colson Montgomery each hit two-run homers and the White Sox used nine pitchers to win a contest that started after a three-hour rain delay and salvaged their split of this four-game set. With the score 5-5, the little-used Harris opened the seventh with a double, and eventually scored from third via a wild pitch by John Schreiber (0-2). Then in the eighth, Kansas City’s Michael Massey sent a Lucas Sims pitch deep to right field, but Harris reached up and snagged the ball at the top of the wall. Nationals 8, Brewers 6 Keibert Ruiz singled in the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning and Washington completed a sweep with victory over host Milwaukee, which has lost five consecutive games. James Wood hit his fifth home run of the season for the Nationals. PJ Poulin (2-0) got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Gus Varland finished with a perfect ninth for his first save. Gary Sanchez brought the Brewers even at 6-all with a three-run homer in the seventh. Brice Turang homered twice with solo shots in third and fifth innings. Jake Bauers hit his fourth homer. Milwaukee designated hitter Christian Yelich left in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, the team announced. Red Sox 9, Cardinals 3 Willson Contreras had four hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in three runs to lead Boston past host St. Louis. Jarren Duran also collected three RBIs for the Red Sox, who received four hits and two RBIs from Trevor Story. Brayan Bello (1-1) limited the Cardinals to two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson each hit a solo home run and a single for the Cardinals, who trailed 7-1 after four innings. Walker’s home run was his MLB-leading seventh of the season. He homered six times in 363 at-bats during the 2025 season. St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (1-1) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings and took the loss. Cubs 7, Pirates 6 Carson Kelly drove in pinch runner Scott Kingery with one out in the ninth inning to give host Chicago a walk-off win over Pittsburgh. Kelly’s RBI single delivered the Cubs’ first lead of the day as they rallied from deficits of 5-0 and 6-2 to avoid being swept. Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth. The Pirates wasted two home runs by Brandon Lowe. The second baseman drove in five runs with a grand slam in the second and a solo shot in the fifth. Jose Urquidy (0-1) was responsible for the ninth-inning rally. Rangers 5, Dodgers 2 Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping Texas defeat host Los Angeles, which lost for just the second time in its last nine games. Right-hander deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings. Evan Carter homered to lead off the third and Josh Smith had an RBI single later in the inning for the Rangers, who notched their fourth win in six games. Brandon Nimmo drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single in the eighth and Josh Jung had two hits and reached base four times. For the second straight day, Ohtani homered to lead off the Dodgers’ half of the first inning. The homer was his fifth of the season. Kyle Tucker had an RBI single in the seventh inning to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2. Padres 7, Rockies 2 Ty France, Ramon Laureano and Jackson Merrill each homered San Diego finished off a four-game sweep of visiting Colorado in a game where both starting pitchers went down with injuries. France went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Laureano and Manny Machado drove in two runs apiece, as San Diego extended its winning streak to five games, outscoring the Rockies 28-12 in the series. David Morgan (2-0) was awarded his second win of the series after throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings. The Padres got some bad news in the fourth inning when Nick Pivetta, who retired the first nine men he faced, exited in the top of the fourth due to right elbow stiffness. Colorado’s scheduled starter, Kyle Freeland, didn’t even make it to the post. He was scratched during warmups with what the Rockies termed left posterior shoulder soreness. Mariners 6, Astros 1 Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season as Seattle defeated visiting Houston. Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley, the Nos. 5-6 batters in Seattle’s lineup, both had three hits. Raley had two doubles and two RBIs. Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer for the Astros’ lone run. The Mariners have won the first three games in the four-game series between the American League West rivals. Gilbert (1-2), the Mariners’ opening day starter, allowed one run on four hits. With two starters going on the injured list last week and another sent back to Houston for further evaluation, the Astros were forced to go with a bullpen day. Right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1) served as the opener and allowed two runs on one hit in one-plus innings. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Braves #pound #hits #thrashing #GuardiansApr 12, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) and third baseman Austin Riley (27) react after defeating the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night.

Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six as the Braves won two of three games from the Guardians. Atlanta is the only team in Major League Baseball that hasn’t lost a series this year.

The Braves pounded out 19 hits as second baseman Ozzie Albies was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Mauricio Dubon was 3-or-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr had two hits and an RBI and third baseman Austin Riley also cranked out two hits, with a run and two RBIs. Left-hander Dylan Dodd went three scoreless innings in earning his first save of the season.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs, 11 hits and one walk while fanning four.

Orioles 6, Giants 2

Baltimore Orioles starter Cade Povich, pitching on his 26th birthday, allowed just five hits and one run while fanning five in his 6 2/3-inning outing.

For Baltimore, Pete Alonso, Leody Taveras, and Taylor Ward had two hits apiece, while Samuel Basallo blasted a two-run homer.

Casey Schmitt hit a home run and two singles for the San Francisco Giants. Starter Adrian Houser (0-2) lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3

Corbin Carroll, James McCann, and rookie Jose Fernandez had two hits apiece for Arizona in a win over host Philadelphia.

Pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo singled in the go-ahead run in a two-run eighth inning. Taylor Clarke (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, and Paul Sewald pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

Andrew Painter, the second Phillies pitcher, gave up three hits and one run in five innings. The scheduled starter, Painter did not open because of a migraine headache, the Phillies announced, before entering in the third. Trea Turner had two hits, including his first homer of the season.

Twins 8, Blue Jays 2

Tristan Gray hit a three-run home run and visiting Minnesota defeated Toronto.

Kody Clemens added a solo home run and Taj Bradley (3-0) went five innings to pick the win for the Twins, who have won six of their last seven. Minnesota scored three times in the second inning and added five more in the third.

Daulton Varsho and Ernie Clement each had three hits for the Blue Jays, who finished a 2-4 homestand. The Blue Jays had a 12-8 advantage in hits, but were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Max Scherzer (1-2) allowed eight runs, five hits and two walks and hit a batter while striking out three in 2 1/3 innings.

Angels 9, Reds 6

Jose Soriano continued his hot start with 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings and Oswald Peraza homered to lead Los Angeles over host Cincinnati.

Soriano (4-0) allowed two singles and walked three, while lowering his ERA to 0.33, tops in the majors. Mike Trout went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and an RBI and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, two walks and three RBIs for the Angels. Logan O’Hoppe and Jo Adell each added two hits and an RBI.

Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer and had two hits for Cincinnati, which lost for the fourth time in the last five games. Andrew Abbott (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings.

Marlins 8, Tigers 2

Dillon Dingler hit a three-run home run, Kevin McGonigle blasted his first career homer and host Detroit completed a three-game sweep of Miami.

McGonigle reached base four times, including three hits, and scored two runs while Kerry Carpenter supplied a two-run shot for the Tigers. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal didn’t allow a hit until Austin Slater’s bloop single to center in the sixth. Skubal (2-2) allowed one run and two hits while walking two and striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings.

Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (2-1) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. Alcantara had allowed just two earned runs in his first three starts. Otto Lopez had both Miami RBIs with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly.

Rays 5, Yankees 4

Chandler Simpson collected three hits and two runs, and Tampa Bay hung on to beat New York and complete a three-game sweep in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Simpson singled and scored in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the second and tripled in the seventh inning before coming home on a sacrifice fly. Cedric Mullins also tripled and scored for the Rays, while starter Drew Rasmussen (1-0) allowed one hit, struck out seven and walked none in six scoreless innings.

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to one run before the Rays’ Mason Englert completed his first career save. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (2-1) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out eight.

Athletics 1, Mets 0

Aaron Civale tossed 5 2/3 solid innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter for the red-hot Athletics, who completed a three-game sweep of host New York.


Civale (2-0) gave up four hits and walked none while striking out three. Nick Kurtz homered in the third for the Athletics, who won the final five games of a six-game road trip to New York against the Yankees and Mets.

Francisco Lindor recorded a pair of singles for the Mets, who lost the last five games of their six-game homestand. Freddy Peralta (1-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Mets after allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings.

White Sox 6, Royals 5

Dustin Harris roped a pinch-hit double and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning, then made a late potential home run-robbing catch, as Chicago edged host Kansas City.

Tanner Murray and Colson Montgomery each hit two-run homers and the White Sox used nine pitchers to win a contest that started after a three-hour rain delay and salvaged their split of this four-game set.

With the score 5-5, the little-used Harris opened the seventh with a double, and eventually scored from third via a wild pitch by John Schreiber (0-2). Then in the eighth, Kansas City’s Michael Massey sent a Lucas Sims pitch deep to right field, but Harris reached up and snagged the ball at the top of the wall.

Nationals 8, Brewers 6

Keibert Ruiz singled in the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning and Washington completed a sweep with victory over host Milwaukee, which has lost five consecutive games.

James Wood hit his fifth home run of the season for the Nationals. PJ Poulin (2-0) got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Gus Varland finished with a perfect ninth for his first save.

Gary Sanchez brought the Brewers even at 6-all with a three-run homer in the seventh. Brice Turang homered twice with solo shots in third and fifth innings. Jake Bauers hit his fourth homer. Milwaukee designated hitter Christian Yelich left in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, the team announced.

Red Sox 9, Cardinals 3

Willson Contreras had four hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in three runs to lead Boston past host St. Louis.

Jarren Duran also collected three RBIs for the Red Sox, who received four hits and two RBIs from Trevor Story. Brayan Bello (1-1) limited the Cardinals to two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson each hit a solo home run and a single for the Cardinals, who trailed 7-1 after four innings. Walker’s home run was his MLB-leading seventh of the season. He homered six times in 363 at-bats during the 2025 season. St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (1-1) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings and took the loss.

Cubs 7, Pirates 6

Carson Kelly drove in pinch runner Scott Kingery with one out in the ninth inning to give host Chicago a walk-off win over Pittsburgh.

Kelly’s RBI single delivered the Cubs’ first lead of the day as they rallied from deficits of 5-0 and 6-2 to avoid being swept. Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Pirates wasted two home runs by Brandon Lowe. The second baseman drove in five runs with a grand slam in the second and a solo shot in the fifth. Jose Urquidy (0-1) was responsible for the ninth-inning rally.

Rangers 5, Dodgers 2

Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping Texas defeat host Los Angeles, which lost for just the second time in its last nine games.

Right-hander deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings. Evan Carter homered to lead off the third and Josh Smith had an RBI single later in the inning for the Rangers, who notched their fourth win in six games. Brandon Nimmo drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single in the eighth and Josh Jung had two hits and reached base four times.

For the second straight day, Ohtani homered to lead off the Dodgers’ half of the first inning. The homer was his fifth of the season. Kyle Tucker had an RBI single in the seventh inning to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2.

Padres 7, Rockies 2

Ty France, Ramon Laureano and Jackson Merrill each homered San Diego finished off a four-game sweep of visiting Colorado in a game where both starting pitchers went down with injuries.

France went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Laureano and Manny Machado drove in two runs apiece, as San Diego extended its winning streak to five games, outscoring the Rockies 28-12 in the series. David Morgan (2-0) was awarded his second win of the series after throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings.

The Padres got some bad news in the fourth inning when Nick Pivetta, who retired the first nine men he faced, exited in the top of the fourth due to right elbow stiffness. Colorado’s scheduled starter, Kyle Freeland, didn’t even make it to the post. He was scratched during warmups with what the Rockies termed left posterior shoulder soreness.

Mariners 6, Astros 1

Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season as Seattle defeated visiting Houston.

Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley, the Nos. 5-6 batters in Seattle’s lineup, both had three hits. Raley had two doubles and two RBIs. Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer for the Astros’ lone run. The Mariners have won the first three games in the four-game series between the American League West rivals. Gilbert (1-2), the Mariners’ opening day starter, allowed one run on four hits.

With two starters going on the injured list last week and another sent back to Houston for further evaluation, the Astros were forced to go with a bullpen day. Right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1) served as the opener and allowed two runs on one hit in one-plus innings.

–Field Level Media

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Apr 12, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) and third baseman Austin Riley (27) react after defeating the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night.

Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six as the Braves won two of three games from the Guardians. Atlanta is the only team in Major League Baseball that hasn’t lost a series this year.

The Braves pounded out 19 hits as second baseman Ozzie Albies was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Center fielder Mauricio Dubon was 3-or-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr had two hits and an RBI and third baseman Austin Riley also cranked out two hits, with a run and two RBIs. Left-hander Dylan Dodd went three scoreless innings in earning his first save of the season.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-2) was saddled with the loss. He lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs, 11 hits and one walk while fanning four.

Orioles 6, Giants 2

Baltimore Orioles starter Cade Povich, pitching on his 26th birthday, allowed just five hits and one run while fanning five in his 6 2/3-inning outing.

For Baltimore, Pete Alonso, Leody Taveras, and Taylor Ward had two hits apiece, while Samuel Basallo blasted a two-run homer.

Casey Schmitt hit a home run and two singles for the San Francisco Giants. Starter Adrian Houser (0-2) lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3

Corbin Carroll, James McCann, and rookie Jose Fernandez had two hits apiece for Arizona in a win over host Philadelphia.

Pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo singled in the go-ahead run in a two-run eighth inning. Taylor Clarke (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh, and Paul Sewald pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

Andrew Painter, the second Phillies pitcher, gave up three hits and one run in five innings. The scheduled starter, Painter did not open because of a migraine headache, the Phillies announced, before entering in the third. Trea Turner had two hits, including his first homer of the season.

Twins 8, Blue Jays 2

Tristan Gray hit a three-run home run and visiting Minnesota defeated Toronto.

Kody Clemens added a solo home run and Taj Bradley (3-0) went five innings to pick the win for the Twins, who have won six of their last seven. Minnesota scored three times in the second inning and added five more in the third.

Daulton Varsho and Ernie Clement each had three hits for the Blue Jays, who finished a 2-4 homestand. The Blue Jays had a 12-8 advantage in hits, but were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Max Scherzer (1-2) allowed eight runs, five hits and two walks and hit a batter while striking out three in 2 1/3 innings.

Angels 9, Reds 6

Jose Soriano continued his hot start with 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings and Oswald Peraza homered to lead Los Angeles over host Cincinnati.

Soriano (4-0) allowed two singles and walked three, while lowering his ERA to 0.33, tops in the majors. Mike Trout went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and an RBI and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, two walks and three RBIs for the Angels. Logan O’Hoppe and Jo Adell each added two hits and an RBI.

Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer and had two hits for Cincinnati, which lost for the fourth time in the last five games. Andrew Abbott (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings.

Marlins 8, Tigers 2

Dillon Dingler hit a three-run home run, Kevin McGonigle blasted his first career homer and host Detroit completed a three-game sweep of Miami.

McGonigle reached base four times, including three hits, and scored two runs while Kerry Carpenter supplied a two-run shot for the Tigers. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal didn’t allow a hit until Austin Slater’s bloop single to center in the sixth. Skubal (2-2) allowed one run and two hits while walking two and striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings.

Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (2-1) gave up seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. Alcantara had allowed just two earned runs in his first three starts. Otto Lopez had both Miami RBIs with a solo homer and a sacrifice fly.

Rays 5, Yankees 4

Chandler Simpson collected three hits and two runs, and Tampa Bay hung on to beat New York and complete a three-game sweep in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Simpson singled and scored in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the second and tripled in the seventh inning before coming home on a sacrifice fly. Cedric Mullins also tripled and scored for the Rays, while starter Drew Rasmussen (1-0) allowed one hit, struck out seven and walked none in six scoreless innings.

Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to one run before the Rays’ Mason Englert completed his first career save. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (2-1) allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out eight.

Athletics 1, Mets 0

Aaron Civale tossed 5 2/3 solid innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter for the red-hot Athletics, who completed a three-game sweep of host New York.

Civale (2-0) gave up four hits and walked none while striking out three. Nick Kurtz homered in the third for the Athletics, who won the final five games of a six-game road trip to New York against the Yankees and Mets.

Francisco Lindor recorded a pair of singles for the Mets, who lost the last five games of their six-game homestand. Freddy Peralta (1-1) took the hard-luck loss for the Mets after allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings.

White Sox 6, Royals 5

Dustin Harris roped a pinch-hit double and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning, then made a late potential home run-robbing catch, as Chicago edged host Kansas City.

Tanner Murray and Colson Montgomery each hit two-run homers and the White Sox used nine pitchers to win a contest that started after a three-hour rain delay and salvaged their split of this four-game set.

With the score 5-5, the little-used Harris opened the seventh with a double, and eventually scored from third via a wild pitch by John Schreiber (0-2). Then in the eighth, Kansas City’s Michael Massey sent a Lucas Sims pitch deep to right field, but Harris reached up and snagged the ball at the top of the wall.

Nationals 8, Brewers 6

Keibert Ruiz singled in the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning and Washington completed a sweep with victory over host Milwaukee, which has lost five consecutive games.

James Wood hit his fifth home run of the season for the Nationals. PJ Poulin (2-0) got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Gus Varland finished with a perfect ninth for his first save.

Gary Sanchez brought the Brewers even at 6-all with a three-run homer in the seventh. Brice Turang homered twice with solo shots in third and fifth innings. Jake Bauers hit his fourth homer. Milwaukee designated hitter Christian Yelich left in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness, the team announced.

Red Sox 9, Cardinals 3

Willson Contreras had four hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in three runs to lead Boston past host St. Louis.

Jarren Duran also collected three RBIs for the Red Sox, who received four hits and two RBIs from Trevor Story. Brayan Bello (1-1) limited the Cardinals to two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson each hit a solo home run and a single for the Cardinals, who trailed 7-1 after four innings. Walker’s home run was his MLB-leading seventh of the season. He homered six times in 363 at-bats during the 2025 season. St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (1-1) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in five innings and took the loss.

Cubs 7, Pirates 6

Carson Kelly drove in pinch runner Scott Kingery with one out in the ninth inning to give host Chicago a walk-off win over Pittsburgh.

Kelly’s RBI single delivered the Cubs’ first lead of the day as they rallied from deficits of 5-0 and 6-2 to avoid being swept. Cubs closer Daniel Palencia (1-0) tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Pirates wasted two home runs by Brandon Lowe. The second baseman drove in five runs with a grand slam in the second and a solo shot in the fifth. Jose Urquidy (0-1) was responsible for the ninth-inning rally.

Rangers 5, Dodgers 2

Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping Texas defeat host Los Angeles, which lost for just the second time in its last nine games.

Right-hander deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings. Evan Carter homered to lead off the third and Josh Smith had an RBI single later in the inning for the Rangers, who notched their fourth win in six games. Brandon Nimmo drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single in the eighth and Josh Jung had two hits and reached base four times.

For the second straight day, Ohtani homered to lead off the Dodgers’ half of the first inning. The homer was his fifth of the season. Kyle Tucker had an RBI single in the seventh inning to cut Texas’ lead to 3-2.

Padres 7, Rockies 2

Ty France, Ramon Laureano and Jackson Merrill each homered San Diego finished off a four-game sweep of visiting Colorado in a game where both starting pitchers went down with injuries.

France went 3-for-3, scoring three runs and finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Laureano and Manny Machado drove in two runs apiece, as San Diego extended its winning streak to five games, outscoring the Rockies 28-12 in the series. David Morgan (2-0) was awarded his second win of the series after throwing 1 2/3 hitless innings.

The Padres got some bad news in the fourth inning when Nick Pivetta, who retired the first nine men he faced, exited in the top of the fourth due to right elbow stiffness. Colorado’s scheduled starter, Kyle Freeland, didn’t even make it to the post. He was scratched during warmups with what the Rockies termed left posterior shoulder soreness.

Mariners 6, Astros 1

Logan Gilbert pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season as Seattle defeated visiting Houston.

Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley, the Nos. 5-6 batters in Seattle’s lineup, both had three hits. Raley had two doubles and two RBIs. Yainer Diaz hit a solo homer for the Astros’ lone run. The Mariners have won the first three games in the four-game series between the American League West rivals. Gilbert (1-2), the Mariners’ opening day starter, allowed one run on four hits.

With two starters going on the injured list last week and another sent back to Houston for further evaluation, the Astros were forced to go with a bullpen day. Right-hander Cody Bolton (0-1) served as the opener and allowed two runs on one hit in one-plus innings.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Suns rout Thunder as reserves take center stage in finale <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28717928.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28717928.jpg" alt="NBA: Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) drives down the court beside Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Jamaree Bouyea scored a career-high 27 points to help the Phoenix Suns close the regular season with a 135-103 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>With their playoff positions secure going into the game, both teams sat the majority of their starters and major rotational players.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The Thunder’s Luguentz Dort was the only player in the starting lineup from either side who had started more than 23 games this season. He didn’t make much of an impact, with just six points and two steals in just more than 20 minutes of action.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Dort needed to play at least 20 minutes in the finale to qualify for any post-season awards.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Oklahoma City has led plenty of teams from wire to wire this season but Sunday, it was the Suns who took control from the jump and never let the lead get away with an early 21-0 run.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The Thunder missed 13 consecutive shots during the stretch, going more than six minutes without a score as Phoenix grabbed a 26-5 lead.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Ryan Dunn scored 10 of his season-high 20 points during the stretch. He finished 8 for 11 with a career-high tying 11 rebounds and a career-high five assists.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>Koby Brea added 20 points off the bench for Phoenix. Brea had scored just 25 points total in his first 11 NBA games. Khaman Maluach had a career-high 18 points and tied his career high with 14 rebounds off the bench as well.</p> </section> <section id="section-9"> <p>After that early outburst, the game was never closer than 13 points the rest of the way.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Oklahoma City cut the deficit to 14 early in the third quarter before an 11-2 run by Phoenix put the game out of reach for good.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>The Suns’ 135 points was the most scored against the Thunder in a regulation game this season and the most scored by Phoenix this season.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Branden Carlson tied his career high with 26 points to lead the Thunder (64-18). He also had 10 rebounds. Payton Sandfort added 23 points off the bench.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>Oklahoma City is the top overall seed in the NBA playoffs.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>Phoenix (45-37) is the No. 7 seed and will open the Play-In Tournament at home Tuesday against eighth-seeded Portland.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>The winner will advance as the No. 7 seed to take on San Antonio while the loser will take on the winner of the other West play-in matchup — the Clippers hosting the Warriors on Friday — for a chance to play the Thunder in the first round.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-16"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Suns #rout #Thunder #reserves #center #stage #finale

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The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for the ground staff after successfully hosting three IPL matches this season despite challenging weather conditions.

The curator and groundsmen ensured that the pitches were prepared and maintained to the highest standards.

“Their efforts were central to the smooth conduct of the matches and helped uphold the venue’s growing reputation on the national stage.

“In recognition of their contribution, the association has announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the curator and groundsmen, ACA secretary Sanatan Das said in a press release.

ACA president Taranga Gogoi and secretary Das praised the team’s professionalism and commitment, stating that their dedication was instrumental in the seamless execution of the matches.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms severely impacted IPL 2026 matches at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, with the April 7 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match shortened to 11 overs per side.

A later match between RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 10 also suffered significant rain delays, forcing the ground crew to cover the pitch.

Despite the issues, the groundsmen at the ACA stadium managed to hold the matches.

Published on Apr 13, 2026

#IPL #ACA #announces #lakh #cash #reward #ground #staff">IPL 2026: ACA announces Rs 25 lakh cash reward for ground staff The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for the ground staff after successfully hosting three IPL matches this season despite challenging weather conditions.The curator and groundsmen ensured that the pitches were prepared and maintained to the highest standards.“Their efforts were central to the smooth conduct of the matches and helped uphold the venue’s growing reputation on the national stage.“In recognition of their contribution, the association has announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for the curator and groundsmen, ACA secretary Sanatan Das said in a press release.ACA president Taranga Gogoi and secretary Das praised the team’s professionalism and commitment, stating that their dedication was instrumental in the seamless execution of the matches.Heavy rain and thunderstorms severely impacted IPL 2026 matches at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, with the April 7 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians match shortened to 11 overs per side.A later match between RR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 10 also suffered significant rain delays, forcing the ground crew to cover the pitch.Despite the issues, the groundsmen at the ACA stadium managed to hold the matches.Published on Apr 13, 2026 #IPL #ACA #announces #lakh #cash #reward #ground #staff

Deadspin | Hornets knock off Knicks to secure East’s ninth seed Apr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti. Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance. Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact. McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12. New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday. The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range. Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc. Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half. Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period. The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining. Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seedApr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.

New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti.

Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance.

Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact.

McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12.


New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday.

The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range.

Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc.

Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half.

Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period.

The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining.

Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seed">Deadspin | Hornets knock off Knicks to secure East’s ninth seed Apr 12, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) dribbles up court against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a 110-96 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Ball made five 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and six assists for Charlotte (44-38), which will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Wednesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. New York (53-29) had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti. Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 with his brief appearance. Bridges is the NBA’s active leader in consecutive regular-season games played and was replaced by Jordan Clarkson just 23 seconds into the contest as part of a plan by coach Mike Brown to keep the streak intact. McBride made four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for New York, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. Alvarado had 16 points, Kevin McCullar Jr. added a career-high 14, Pacome Dadiet scored a career-high 12, and Jeremy Sochan also tallied 12. New York will face the East’s No. 6 seed in a first-round series beginning either Saturday or Sunday. The Hornets shot 45.9% from the field and 36.5% (19 of 52) from 3-point range. Ten different players played at least 12 minutes for New York, which connected on 43.3% of its shots from the field and 32.5% (13 of 40) from beyond the arc. Charlotte led 30-20 at the end of the opening quarter and extended its lead to 50-35 on Miller’s two foul shots with 3:34 left in the second. The Hornets took a 57-44 lead into the half. Knueppel drilled one of his three 3-pointers to give the Hornets a 69-54 lead with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte held an 87-73 advantage at the end of the period. The Hornets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter and led 108-91 on Sion James’s trey with 3:02 remaining. Both teams garnered a dozen offensive rebounds, but Charlotte outscored New York, 26-12 on second chance points. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hornets #knock #Knicks #secure #Easts #ninth #seed

The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA">NBA awards picks for every honor, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, and more The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.MVP: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderNikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.Defensive Player of the Year: Victor WembanyamaThere’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.Rookie of the Year: Kon KnueppelI went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon JohnsonI agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.Coach of the Year: JB BickerstaffI considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderGilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.Most Improved Player: Jalen DurenThere are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.NBA All-Defensive Team picksFirst team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy GobertSecond team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason WallaceFirst team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan MitchellSecond team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo BallThird team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes #NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA

NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA">NBA awards picks for every honor, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, and more

The NBA’s 65-game rule is wreaking havoc on the awards landscape to end the 2025-26 season. Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, Cade Cunningham doesn’t qualify for the First-Team All-NBA honors he deserves, and Anthony Edwards didn’t play enough games for an All-NBA nod, either.

This year will be remembered for another close MVP race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic — only this time, Victor Wembanyama made it a three man choice. Wembanyama’s ascension is the biggest story of the season, even if it isn’t surprising for a player getting compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year before he was drafted. Wembanyama will be the favorite to win MVP next season, and he’ll almost certainly win the league’s top individual honor at least a few times in his career, but he’s not quite there yet.

With the regular season now over, here’s our picks for every NBA award this season.

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the world for the last five years, but this is the season Gilgeous-Alexander stole that title away from him. It’s excruciating not to give Jokic his fourth MVP after a season where he led the league in both rebounds and assists while scoring just about as well as ever, but it’s a testament to SGA’s level that he’s still ultimately most deserving of the honor. Don’t believe the narrative that Gilgeous-Alexander is simply a free throw merchant (Austin Reaves had a higher free throw rate this year) or that OKC’s success is only about its defense. Switch SGA with even another offensive star like Jalen Brunson, and there would be so many more holes to pick in the Thunder. He was already the best guard alive even before he unleashed a deadly step-back three-pointer this year, which he used to win several games at the buzzer. Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 45.3 points per 100 possession on 66.5 percent true shooting is simply absurd stuff for a 6’6 guy. He’s legitimately one of the best guards the league has seen post-Michael Jordan, and Steph Curry is really the only guard I feel comfortable saying had an objectively higher peak in the time since. SGA crushed Jokic in EPM (+9.3 to Jokic’s +8.0) and estimated wins (+19.1 to +17.1) this year. Some of the other advanced stats slightly favor Jokic or even Wembanyama, but Shai grades out as an elite player in all of them, and the Thunder would have been nowhere close to 64 wins without him, especially in a year where Jalen Williams barely played. Wemby is coming for the Best in the World title next season, but SGA has it for now, along with what should be his second MVP.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no need to spend much time on this one. Apologies to Bill Russell, but Wembanyama is already maybe the best defensive player in league history at age-22. With an 8-foot wingspan, incredible speed, and a high motor, he’s going to win this award every year for the foreseeable future as long as he plays enough games. If Wembanyama weren’t eligible this season, I’d go with Chet Holmgren as a distant second choice.

Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel

I went longer on this year’s Rookie of the Year race last week, but Knueppel deserves the award over his college teammate Cooper Flagg because he was simply a better and more impactful player this season. Knueppel’s shooting and screening have been elite traits from day one. I’d say he’s been a top-50 player in the entire league as a rookie. Flagg would still go No. 1 in a redraft, but Knueppel has been the NBA’s best rookie this season, and I honestly don’t think it’s all that close.

Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson

I agree with Mat Issa’s analysis of the Sixth Man of the Year race: this is Keldon Johnson vs. Jaime Jaquez, and Johnson has a slight edge for being a little bit more impactful.

Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff

I considered Joe Mazzula, Jordan Ott, and Charles Lee for this honor, but ultimately Bickerstaff deserves the nod for getting this Pistons team from 14 wins to 44 wins to 60 wins. I felt like Detroit downgraded over the offseason by losing Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley among others, but Bickerstaff got the most out of the defense, developed two-way guard Daniss Jenkins into a key contributor, and found ways to prioritize Jalen Duren offensively as he made a huge leap. Bickerstaff deserves a lot of credit for Detroit going 13-5 without Cade Cunningham this season, and he’s the brains behind the league’s No. 2 overall defense. The Pistons’ preseason over/under was only 46.5 wins. No one thought this would be the best team in the East this season, and Bickerstaff’s fingerprints are all over their success. The Monty Williams era seems so long ago at this point, and that might be Bickerstaff’s biggest accomplishment yet.

Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexnader led the league with 175 points in the clutch this season. Jamal Murray (166) and Nikola Jokic (155) were second and third in that category, but unlike Denver’s star duo, SGA didn’t really have anyone else to take the pressure off him in late-game situations. Chet Holmgren was the only other Thunder player to finish top-100 in clutch points this year by checking in at No. 49. The development of his step-back, like the game-winner against Denver above, is going to make him so much harder to guard in the playoffs.

Most Improved Player: Jalen Duren

There are plenty of worthy candidates for this award, but it still feels like it’s going to come down to Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. Duren. I’m going with the Pistons center because I feel like the leap he made this season — going from a pretty good starter to a potential All-NBA nod — is more difficult than the one NAW made. I had Duren at No. 5 on my 2022 draft board, so I always believed he had this type of development in him coming out of Memphis. Duren was the NBA’s youngest player as a rookie, and he was the first guy to enter the league who was born after LeBron’s debut. It’s wild to think he’s still only 22 years old, and he’s younger than several projected first-round picks in the 2026 draft, including Bennett Stirtz, Thomas Haugh, and of course Yaxel Lendeborg. His ability to attack off the dribble just exploded this year, and he also became more efficient from short mid-range, while continuing to crush the glass at both ends. Detroit’s offense scored 122 points per 100 possessions with Duren on the floor this year for more than 1,800 minutes — which would have led the league. When he was off, the team only scored 114.7 points per 100. His free throw improvement from 66.9 percent last year to 74.7 percent this year is also part of the story. Duren’s defense can still get better, and he’s got plenty of time for that. He’s one of the best centers in the league right now, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming before this season started.

NBA All-Defensive Team picks

First team: Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert

Second team: Scottie Barnes, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, OG Anunoby, Cason Wallace

First team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell

Second team: Jaylen Brown, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Jalen Duren, LaMelo Ball

Third team: Tyrese Maxey, Kevin Durant, Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, Scottie Barnes

#NBA #awards #picks #honor #including #MVP #Rookie #Year #AllNBA

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