NBA Playoffs: Thunder roll past Suns, Pistons bounce back to level series with Magic Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-107 victory over Phoenix and a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series, as Detroit topped Orlando to knot their series at 1-1 on Wednesday.Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers as the defending champion Thunder took a commanding lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series with another comprehensive victory.“Shai made the right play all night,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “His floor game was outstanding. He seemed to spray it all over the place, had a great tempo and got us really good shots.”Chet Holmgren scored 11 of his 19 points in the third quarter, when he also produced three of his four blocked shots.Jalen Williams also scored 19, but the forward — limited to just 33 games in the regular season — exited in the third quarter, the team saying he apparently aggravated a hamstring injury.The Thunder, trying to become the first repeat NBA champions since Golden State in 2017 and 2018, didn’t miss a beat.They pushed their lead to as many as 26 points early in the fourth quarter and repelled a Suns surge that saw Phoenix cut the deficit to 10 with less than four minutes remaining.“All we can do is play next man up, and we built that muscle throughout the season pretty well,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the latest injury to Williams. “I’m super confident in this team to be able to go and get the job done no matter who’s out there.”Gilgeous-Alexander, a finalist for MVP again this season and the newly named Clutch Player of the Year for his performances late in close games, had an injury scare himself in the first quarter.He came up wincing and holding his left hand after a hard fall under the basket but said after the game there was no lasting damage.“I’m great,” he said. “Ready to go.”Dillon Brooks scored 30 points and Devin Booker added 22 for the Suns, who will try to turn things around when they host games three and four.In Detroit, the Pistons used dominant defense and a third-quarter scoring spree to beat the Orlando Magic 98-83.Cade Cunningham scored 27 points and handed out 11 assists and Tobias Harris added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Eastern Conference top seeds Detroit, who were stunned in game one of the best-of-seven series.Energy and effortClearly stung by that upset on their home floor, the Pistons set an early defensive tone with seven of their 11 blocks in the first quarter, but it was tied 46-46 at halftime.The Pistons opened the third quarter on an 11-0 scoring run to finally gain some separation and by the time they polished off a 38-16 third period they were in total control.“We knew that first half wasn’t to our standards of playing and we had to really figure out defensively how we were going to impact the game,” Harris said.“I thought we came out with just the type of energy and the type of effort that we needed on the defensive end. And I thought offensively we were able to find the gaps in the defense that we needed to make the right plays.”The Pistons, who had six players score in double figures, snapped an 11-game home losing streak in the playoffs that dated back to May 2008.Jalen Suggs scored 19 points and Paolo Banchero added 18 for Orlando, but the Magic were held to their lowest points total all season.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #NBA #Playoffs #Thunder #roll #Suns #Pistons #bounce #level #series #Magic

Deadspin | Blue Jays to use new bullpen approach vs. Guardians Apr 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Toronto Blue Jays will be going to a closer-by-committee if the situation arises Saturday afternoon against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. Jeff Hoffman has struggled as the closer this season and he was told Friday by manager John Schneider that the team will mix-and-match for now instead of putting the onus on one particular pitcher in the ninth inning. “It’s still finding spots for guys, so whoever that may be in the ninth inning, for now, it’ll be that guy,” Schneider said. The Blue Jays did not need a closer in their 8-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday in the opener of the three-game series. Toronto fell behind 5-0 and never had a lead. Hoffman understood the move, saying there are other relievers pitching better than him currently. The right-hander is 3-for-6 on save chances to go with a 1-2 record and a 7.59 ERA. “That gives them the nod to go out there and do it for the group,” he said. “I’m good for whatever is going to put us in the best position to win as many games as possible.” Schneider said, “I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that he’s striking out half the hitters he’s facing. There’s a component to it where you want to just stop some momentum, and we’re still going to use him in big spots.” The Blue Jays will look to bounce back when they send out right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-1, 2.54 ERA) on Saturday. Gausman is 5-5 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Cleveland. Last season, he was 1-0 with 0.00 ERA in two starts vs. the Guardians, allowing three hits, two walks and one hit batter while striking out 15 in 14 innings. Left-hander Joey Cantillo (1-0, 3.20 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Guardians. He has pitched one-third of an inning in his career against Toronto, retiring the only batter he faced last season. The Guardians expect to have struggling Steven Kwan back in the lineup on Saturday after he didn’t start on Friday. Kwan, who is batting .227 (22-for-97) with one homer and eight RBIs, did enter the game as a ninth-inning defensive replacement in the series opener. “We were looking to get him two days off and one of them on the (Rogers Centre) turf,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We just wanted to give him a chance to reset the legs. Playing center field is a new beast. We just wanted to give him two days to get his body back underneath him.” Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove left fielder, has been playing mostly in center this season. “I don’t think moving between left and center field has affected his offense,” Vogt said, “but it’s a new workload that he’s never had in the big leagues. I wouldn’t read any more into this day off other than we wanted to get him two days off by using the off day (Thursday).” It worked out well. Daniel Schneemann replaced Kwan in the leadoff spot on Friday and Angel Martinez started in center field. Schneemann, batting leadoff for the first time this season, led off the game with a home run against Max Scherzer. He also walked and doubled. Martinez hit two-run homers in the first and third innings. Toronto lost Nathan Lukes in the first inning Friday when he left the game with what the team announced was left hamstring discomfort. Schneider said the outfielder was to going have an MRI. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Blue #Jays #bullpen #approach #Guardians

#Deadspin #Blue #Jays #bullpen #approach #Guardians">

mwasimuddin125 0

Apr 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays will be going to a closer-by-committee if the situation arises Saturday afternoon against the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

Jeff Hoffman has struggled as the closer this season and he was told Friday by manager John Schneider that the team will mix-and-match for now instead of putting the onus on one particular pitcher in the ninth inning.

“It’s still finding spots for guys, so whoever that may be in the ninth inning, for now, it’ll be that guy,” Schneider said.

The Blue Jays did not need a closer in their 8-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday in the opener of the three-game series. Toronto fell behind 5-0 and never had a lead.

Hoffman understood the move, saying there are other relievers pitching better than him currently. The right-hander is 3-for-6 on save chances to go with a 1-2 record and a 7.59 ERA.

“That gives them the nod to go out there and do it for the group,” he said. “I’m good for whatever is going to put us in the best position to win as many games as possible.”

Schneider said, “I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that he’s striking out half the hitters he’s facing. There’s a component to it where you want to just stop some momentum, and we’re still going to use him in big spots.”

The Blue Jays will look to bounce back when they send out right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-1, 2.54 ERA) on Saturday. Gausman is 5-5 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Cleveland. Last season, he was 1-0 with 0.00 ERA in two starts vs. the Guardians, allowing three hits, two walks and one hit batter while striking out 15 in 14 innings.

Left-hander Joey Cantillo (1-0, 3.20 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Guardians. He has pitched one-third of an inning in his career against Toronto, retiring the only batter he faced last season.

The Guardians expect to have struggling Steven Kwan back in the lineup on Saturday after he didn’t start on Friday. Kwan, who is batting .227 (22-for-97) with one homer and eight RBIs, did enter the game as a ninth-inning defensive replacement in the series opener.

“We were looking to get him two days off and one of them on the (Rogers Centre) turf,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We just wanted to give him a chance to reset the legs. Playing center field is a new beast. We just wanted to give him two days to get his body back underneath him.”

Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove left fielder, has been playing mostly in center this season.

“I don’t think moving between left and center field has affected his offense,” Vogt said, “but it’s a new workload that he’s never had in the big leagues. I wouldn’t read any more into this day off other than we wanted to get him two days off by using the off day (Thursday).”

It worked out well. Daniel Schneemann replaced Kwan in the leadoff spot on Friday and Angel Martinez started in center field.

Schneemann, batting leadoff for the first time this season, led off the game with a home run against Max Scherzer. He also walked and doubled.

Martinez hit two-run homers in the first and third innings.

Toronto lost Nathan Lukes in the first inning Friday when he left the game with what the team announced was left hamstring discomfort. Schneider said the outfielder was to going have an MRI.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Blue #Jays #bullpen #approach #Guardians">Deadspin | Blue Jays to use new bullpen approach vs. Guardians

Apr 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays will be going to a closer-by-committee if the situation arises Saturday afternoon against the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

Jeff Hoffman has struggled as the closer this season and he was told Friday by manager John Schneider that the team will mix-and-match for now instead of putting the onus on one particular pitcher in the ninth inning.

“It’s still finding spots for guys, so whoever that may be in the ninth inning, for now, it’ll be that guy,” Schneider said.

The Blue Jays did not need a closer in their 8-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday in the opener of the three-game series. Toronto fell behind 5-0 and never had a lead.

Hoffman understood the move, saying there are other relievers pitching better than him currently. The right-hander is 3-for-6 on save chances to go with a 1-2 record and a 7.59 ERA.

“That gives them the nod to go out there and do it for the group,” he said. “I’m good for whatever is going to put us in the best position to win as many games as possible.”

Schneider said, “I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that he’s striking out half the hitters he’s facing. There’s a component to it where you want to just stop some momentum, and we’re still going to use him in big spots.”

The Blue Jays will look to bounce back when they send out right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-1, 2.54 ERA) on Saturday. Gausman is 5-5 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Cleveland. Last season, he was 1-0 with 0.00 ERA in two starts vs. the Guardians, allowing three hits, two walks and one hit batter while striking out 15 in 14 innings.

Left-hander Joey Cantillo (1-0, 3.20 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Guardians. He has pitched one-third of an inning in his career against Toronto, retiring the only batter he faced last season.

The Guardians expect to have struggling Steven Kwan back in the lineup on Saturday after he didn’t start on Friday. Kwan, who is batting .227 (22-for-97) with one homer and eight RBIs, did enter the game as a ninth-inning defensive replacement in the series opener.

“We were looking to get him two days off and one of them on the (Rogers Centre) turf,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We just wanted to give him a chance to reset the legs. Playing center field is a new beast. We just wanted to give him two days to get his body back underneath him.”

Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove left fielder, has been playing mostly in center this season.

“I don’t think moving between left and center field has affected his offense,” Vogt said, “but it’s a new workload that he’s never had in the big leagues. I wouldn’t read any more into this day off other than we wanted to get him two days off by using the off day (Thursday).”

It worked out well. Daniel Schneemann replaced Kwan in the leadoff spot on Friday and Angel Martinez started in center field.

Schneemann, batting leadoff for the first time this season, led off the game with a home run against Max Scherzer. He also walked and doubled.

Martinez hit two-run homers in the first and third innings.

Toronto lost Nathan Lukes in the first inning Friday when he left the game with what the team announced was left hamstring discomfort. Schneider said the outfielder was to going have an MRI.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Blue #Jays #bullpen #approach #Guardians

Related Posts

Post Comment Cancel reply