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Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5 Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon. Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series. Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles. There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona. Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief. Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season. Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed. The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season. Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning. Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth. The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth. The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5
Deadspin | Diamondbacks plate three in 10th, down Orioles 8-5 Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon. Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series. Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles. There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona. Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief. Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season. Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed. The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season. Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning. Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth. The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth. The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #OriolesApr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.

Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.

There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.

Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.

Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.


Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.

Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.

The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.

Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.

Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

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Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Adrian Del Castillo drilled a two-run home run in the 10th inning as part of his five-RBI outing as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the host Baltimore Orioles 8-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

Del Castillo’s one-out shot to center field was a rocket traveling an estimated 420 feet on the offering from Tyler Wells, a 94 mph fastball, and sparked the Diamondbacks to their second victory in a row as they claimed the rubber game of the three-game series.

Jeremiah Jackson homered and knocked in three runs for the Orioles.

There was never more than a one-run margin for either team until Del Castillo’s homer. Nolan Arenado singled in another run later in the 10th and Juan Morillo recorded his first save for Arizona.

Ryan Thompson (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one shutout inning in relief.

Del Castillo, who also had a two-run triple, matched his RBI total from his first six games of the season combined. Through nine innings, all nine players in Arizona’s batting order collected at least one hit, with Corbin Carroll singling twice.

Orioles starter Kyle Bradish lasted six innings. He was charged with four runs on eight hits in the longest of his four starts this season. Wells (0-1) had his first decision in eight outings this season.

Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez gave up four runs in five innings in his roughest outing this year. He allowed six hits and issued four walks as his pitch count climbed.

The Orioles opened the scoring with a second-inning run on Sam Huff’s double on his first big-league at-bat of the season.

Del Castillo’s two-out triple put the Diamondbacks ahead in the third inning. The Orioles pulled even on Jackson’s two-out single in the bottom of the inning.

Jorge Barrosa doubled in a run in the fourth. Jackson’s two-out blast provided the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the fifth.

The Diamondbacks were even again on Alek Thomas’ groundout in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks broke a 4-4 tie on Del Castillo’s groundout in the seventh inning. Pinch hitter Leondy Taveras singled to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Diamondbacks #plate #10th #Orioles

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Live Updates: Trump says Israel, Lebanon agree to ceasefire as Iran keeps Strait of Hormuz gridlocked<div> <p>Europe has “maybe 6 weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.</p><p>IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.</p><p>“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.</p><p>The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told AP.</p><p>Economic pain will be felt unevenly, with some countries “hit worse than the others,” he said, naming Japan, Korea, India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh as being on the front line of the energy crisis.</p><p>“The countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa, and in Latin America,” he said.</p><p>“Then it will come to Europe and the Americas,” he added, speaking from his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.</p><p>If the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened, he said that for Europe, “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”</p> </div>#Live #Updates #Trump #Israel #Lebanon #agree #ceasefire #Iran #Strait #Hormuz #gridlockedWar, Iran, Israel, Ceasefire, Donald Trump, Lebanon, Middle East, Oil and Gas, Benjamin Neta​nyahu, Strait of Hormuz

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Being Viktor: How Axelsen fashioned himself into a serial winner <div id="content-body-70870591" itemprop="articleBody"><p>The conqueror. Serial winner. Absolute champion.</p><p>Viktor Axelsen lived up to his name. In his career, starting from 2009, the Dane pretty much won it all.</p><p>And so, his retirement from professional badminton should have been an occasion to celebrate one of the legends of the game. In reality, it was a bittersweet moment.</p><p>Such is the cruel nature of the sporting world that even the best do not get to finish on their own terms. Just three weeks ago, Only last month, Carolina Marin officially bid farewell through a social media post, having never returned to the court since a knee injury during the Paris Olympics semifinals, which left the Spaniard in tears.</p><p>On Wednesday, it was Axelsen’s turn. At 32, perhaps, he had a few good years left in him. But due to recurrent back issues, the Dane had to make the unfortunate decision to say goodbye. “Today is not an easy day for me. Due to my recurrent back issues, I am no longer able to compete and train at the highest level,” he wrote.</p><p>“Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue.”</p><p>Axelsen had been out of action since the French Open in October last year after the loss to compatriot Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals when hardly anyone could have predicted to never see him competing again.</p><p>But those who know him completely understand the decision. For Axelsen, it was always about being the best in the world ever since his dad introduced him to the sport when he was six.</p><p><b>Being Viktor</b></p><p>“Since the day I picked up a racket, I knew my dream was to become the best in the world. I have given everything to this sport. It has never been just a career to me. It has been my life and I have left no stone unturned,” he said.</p><p>A young Axelsen would reach the hall at the Odense Badminton Klub in his hometown earlier than the coaches and other players and would repeatedly hit the shuttle vertically in the air.</p><p>There was something about him that made him stand out from the rest of his peers and Peter Gade, his first hero, could see that. “He had a fire in his eyes that I haven’t seen in the same way in other Danish players. I recognised Viktor’s fire from myself,” Gade told Danish outlet <i>Ud&Se</i> in an interview in August 2018.</p><p>Axelsen got the chance to train with Gade and the rest of the national team when he moved alone to Copenhagen at the age of 17, a year after becoming the first non-Asian boy to win the World Junior Championship in 2010.</p><p>The transition to the senior circuit wasn’t easy. At 6’4” with a broad body structure, he didn’t necessarily have what was considered to be the ideal shape and size to be a solid shuttler. But Axelsen did his research and found out about Bao Chunlai, a former World No. 1 from China who was 6’3”.</p><p>He studied how a player as tall as Bao moved on the court, made use of his massive wingspan and bent to retrieve the shots closer to the ground before returning to a neutral position. The duo met once, at the Singapore Open in 2011, where the apprentice won the battle in straight games.</p><p>Such was his dedication that Axelsen even took the daunting task of learning Mandarin to understand the mentality of the Chinese school of badminton, the ultimate powerhouse in the sport. When this fact came to the limelight, the Chinese players became cautious about discussing any tactics around Axelsen but at the same time, he endeared himself to the Chinese fans. So much so that they named him An Sai Long – ‘calm, competitive dragon.’ No wonder then that he also had a Mandarin version of his retirement post on social media.</p><p>Axelsen’s progression coincided with the latter stages of the career of Lin Dan, another idol of the Dane. He also had to face Lee Chong Wei, the Malaysian arch-rival of five-time World Champion from China. From his own generation, he had fierce competitors in Chen Long, Anthony Ginting, Kento Momota, Son Wan-ho, Chou Tien-chen and Shi Yuqi.</p><p>Amidst such competition, Axelsen continued on his own path in the pursuit of perfection, trying every possible method to gain an advantage. Sometimes, it worked. On a few occasions, it backfired too. But he never stopped hustling.</p><p>While he had won a bronze at the World Championships in 2014, he truly arrived on the big stage in 2016.</p><p>After winning the first of his three European Championships, he and his compatriots created history as Denmark lifted its maiden Thomas Cup title with a 3-2 victory over Indonesia in the final. Axelsen registered crucial wins over Chinese Taipei’s Chou (group stage), Japan’s Sho Sasaki (quarterfinals) and Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto (final). At the Rio Olympics, he came from behind to beat Lin Dan in a generational battle in the bronze medal play-off. And he finished the season with the first of his five titles at the BWF World Tour Finals.</p><p>A year later, Axelsen defeated Lin Dan in another major event – the World Championship final – to become only the third Danish man to win the gold after Flemming Delfs (1977) and Peter Rasmussen (1997).</p><p>On September 28, 2017, Axelsen was the only European player in the top 10 of the men’s BWF World Rankings – as the new No. 1, ending a 20-year-wait for Denmark.</p><p>Another major milestone for Axelsen came in 2020 when he added the prestigious All England Open title to his collection.</p><p>The pinnacle arrived in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. Postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Summer Games in the Japanese capital took place with virtually no spectators in the arena. In the edition where top seed and home favourite Momota stunningly failed to make it past the group stage, and the No. 2 and 3 seeds fell in the quarterfinals, Axelsen avoided any such mishaps.</p><p>In the final, he avenged his loss from the Rio Olympics last-four battle as he took down Chen Long 21-15, 21-12, becoming the first non-Asian male Olympic champion since compatriot Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (1996). Axelsen, who did not drop a single game in the entire tournament, burst into tears as Larsen, the then BWF President, watched from the stands. In a heartwarming gesture, Axelsen also exchanged jerseys with his Chinese opponent.</p><p>Soon after the Olympics, Axelsen left the national set up in Copenhagen and moved to Dubai. He had temporarily trained in Dubai earlier to alleviate his asthma and now, the plan was to set the base there permanently. He invited some of the world’s best upcoming shuttlers to train with him in camps at the NAS Sports Complex. Over the years, Indians such as Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty have got the opportunity to spar with the Dane.</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/ViktorAxelsen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ViktorAxelsen</a> Badminton is blessed to have you and it will remember you as one of the greatest to ever play the game, but what truly sets you apart isn’t just the champion you are, it’s the person you are, that stays far beyond matches and medals.</p><p>To go from training with you… <a href="https://t.co/btT42AIHi0">pic.twitter.com/btT42AIHi0</a></p>— Lakshya Sen (@lakshya_sen) <a href="https://twitter.com/lakshya_sen/status/2044318206975000624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p>In 2022, Axelsen made winning a habit. During that season – in which he lost just three matches – the World No. 1, who already had the Olympic gold, also won the World Championship, the All England Open, the European Championship and the BWF World Tour Finals.</p><p>Despite minor injury setbacks, Axelsen had another successful season in 2023. Even though he lost to India’s H.S. Prannoy in the World Championship quarterfinals, he finished the year with another BWF World Tour Finals trophy, his third in a row.</p><p>The root cause of what feels like an early retirement for him began in 2024. At the Singapore Open, a few weeks before the Paris Olympics, he experienced back pain so severe that he needed an injection for treatment. The pain subsided and he didn’t require another injection as he had originally planned before the Summer Games. He survived a scare in the semifinals against Lakshya, saved three game points in the opener and came back from a 0-7 start in the second game, to reach the summit clash where he dominated Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn to bag his second straight gold medal, emulating Lin Dan.</p><p>But the back pain didn’t leave him for good. Axelsen won the India Open in 2025 while being on heavy painkillers and injections. A few weeks after a shock round-of-32 loss at the All England Open, he took the call to deal with the issue through endoscopic surgery.</p><p>The return to the circuit in September wasn’t smooth as he could not meet his own lofty standards. He also had a severely heated Denmark Open semifinal against Yuqi in front of home fans in Odense where the Chinese, not the first shuttler to do so, complained about the delay caused by Axelsen’s swaying serve. The Dane, who lost the match, also drew heavy backlash from Chinese fans for his on-court behaviour. A week later, the French Open marked the end of his journey as a player.</p><p>In his extraordinary journey to become a towering figure on the court – both literally and metaphorically – Axelsen was duly supported by his parents, Henrik and Gitte, despite their divorce when he was a child. His father was also his manager while Gitte helped him loosen up before big fixtures. His sister, Johanne, was responsible for his cooler bag and always ensured he had enough snacks between matches. He has two daughters – Vega and Aya – with his ex-wife Natalia, who looked after them while he was away at tournaments.</p><p>Axelsen, the player, is done. But the Dane is not leaving badminton anytime soon. “While this is a goodbye to Viktor Axelsen the badminton player, I am not saying goodbye to the sport infinitely. I will always be around one way or the other,” he wrote.</p><p>Chen Long is mentoring the next generation of Chinese male shuttlers. Liu Yang Ming Yu, his ward, won the Junior World Championship last year in Guwahati. A similar role for Axelsen in Denmark cannot be ruled out. And as per the Chinese star’s comment under Axelsen’s post – “Life is better after retirement.”</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 16, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Viktor #Axelsen #fashioned #serial #winner

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Deadspin | Mets, Mariners each surging entering series in Seattle May 31, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images With 13 games over the next 14 days, the Seattle Mariners plan to shelve their Bryce Miller/Luis Castillo piggyback experiment for a six-man rotation. However unpopular the piggyback might have been for those involved, there’s no denying it worked. Miller and Castillo each threw 71 pitches over five innings Sunday as the Mariners defeated the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 10 innings. The American League West-leading Mariners, winners of six in a row, will play host to the New York Mets in a three-game interleague series beginning Monday at T-Mobile Park. The duo combined for a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings across three games. “Both these guys deserve a huge pat on the back for the way they’ve approached it and just been selfless in a lot of ways,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. Miller, who allowed one hit and no runs Sunday, tried to take a big-picture approach. “The piggyback thing hasn’t been ideal for all of us so far, but it’s also like it could be a blessing in disguise, saving us a few pitches here and there, a few innings here and there,” Miller said. “Hopefully it works out (where) at the end of the year, we’re feeling fresh and ready to go into the postseason.” Added Castillo, through an interpreter: “There were a couple obstacles, but the good thing for me is that we were able to overcome them. The important thing for me is that I’m healthy and we’re throwing the ball right.” Cole Young and Dominic Canzone hit solo homers for Seattle and Victor Robles drove in the winning run in extra innings with an infield single. The Mets are coming off a three-game sweep of Miami and have won four straight overall. New York won 10-1 Sunday as Juan Soto hit a grand slam. “The whole lineup came ready to attack,” Soto said. Carson Benge hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first and Marcus Semien added a two-run shot. Every Mets starter reached safely and eight of nine scored. The Mets scored 25 runs in the series. “We had a tough series against the same team last weekend, when basically we didn’t do anything offensively,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “For us to make that adjustment quickly and put up that type of performance the whole weekend, it was just good to see.” The Mets plan to give right-hander Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA) his first career start Monday, likely as an opener before using Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.56) as a bulk reliever. Warren is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three career appearances against Seattle; Manaea is 8-8 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) versus the M’s. The Mariners will counter with right-hander Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78). He anchored a 4-1 victory against the Athletics last Tuesday, allowing one hit over six scoreless innings. Hancock will meet the Mets for the first time. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Mets #Mariners #surging #entering #series #SeattleMay 31, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images

With 13 games over the next 14 days, the Seattle Mariners plan to shelve their Bryce Miller/Luis Castillo piggyback experiment for a six-man rotation.

However unpopular the piggyback might have been for those involved, there’s no denying it worked.

Miller and Castillo each threw 71 pitches over five innings Sunday as the Mariners defeated the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 10 innings.

The American League West-leading Mariners, winners of six in a row, will play host to the New York Mets in a three-game interleague series beginning Monday at T-Mobile Park.

The duo combined for a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings across three games.

“Both these guys deserve a huge pat on the back for the way they’ve approached it and just been selfless in a lot of ways,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

Miller, who allowed one hit and no runs Sunday, tried to take a big-picture approach.

“The piggyback thing hasn’t been ideal for all of us so far, but it’s also like it could be a blessing in disguise, saving us a few pitches here and there, a few innings here and there,” Miller said. “Hopefully it works out (where) at the end of the year, we’re feeling fresh and ready to go into the postseason.”


Added Castillo, through an interpreter: “There were a couple obstacles, but the good thing for me is that we were able to overcome them. The important thing for me is that I’m healthy and we’re throwing the ball right.”

Cole Young and Dominic Canzone hit solo homers for Seattle and Victor Robles drove in the winning run in extra innings with an infield single.

The Mets are coming off a three-game sweep of Miami and have won four straight overall. New York won 10-1 Sunday as Juan Soto hit a grand slam.

“The whole lineup came ready to attack,” Soto said.

Carson Benge hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first and Marcus Semien added a two-run shot. Every Mets starter reached safely and eight of nine scored.

The Mets scored 25 runs in the series.

“We had a tough series against the same team last weekend, when basically we didn’t do anything offensively,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “For us to make that adjustment quickly and put up that type of performance the whole weekend, it was just good to see.”

The Mets plan to give right-hander Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA) his first career start Monday, likely as an opener before using Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.56) as a bulk reliever. Warren is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three career appearances against Seattle; Manaea is 8-8 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) versus the M’s.

The Mariners will counter with right-hander Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78). He anchored a 4-1 victory against the Athletics last Tuesday, allowing one hit over six scoreless innings. Hancock will meet the Mets for the first time.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Mets #Mariners #surging #entering #series #Seattle">Deadspin | Mets, Mariners each surging entering series in Seattle May 31, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images With 13 games over the next 14 days, the Seattle Mariners plan to shelve their Bryce Miller/Luis Castillo piggyback experiment for a six-man rotation. However unpopular the piggyback might have been for those involved, there’s no denying it worked. Miller and Castillo each threw 71 pitches over five innings Sunday as the Mariners defeated the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 10 innings. The American League West-leading Mariners, winners of six in a row, will play host to the New York Mets in a three-game interleague series beginning Monday at T-Mobile Park. The duo combined for a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings across three games. “Both these guys deserve a huge pat on the back for the way they’ve approached it and just been selfless in a lot of ways,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. Miller, who allowed one hit and no runs Sunday, tried to take a big-picture approach. “The piggyback thing hasn’t been ideal for all of us so far, but it’s also like it could be a blessing in disguise, saving us a few pitches here and there, a few innings here and there,” Miller said. “Hopefully it works out (where) at the end of the year, we’re feeling fresh and ready to go into the postseason.” Added Castillo, through an interpreter: “There were a couple obstacles, but the good thing for me is that we were able to overcome them. The important thing for me is that I’m healthy and we’re throwing the ball right.” Cole Young and Dominic Canzone hit solo homers for Seattle and Victor Robles drove in the winning run in extra innings with an infield single. The Mets are coming off a three-game sweep of Miami and have won four straight overall. New York won 10-1 Sunday as Juan Soto hit a grand slam. “The whole lineup came ready to attack,” Soto said. Carson Benge hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first and Marcus Semien added a two-run shot. Every Mets starter reached safely and eight of nine scored. The Mets scored 25 runs in the series. “We had a tough series against the same team last weekend, when basically we didn’t do anything offensively,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “For us to make that adjustment quickly and put up that type of performance the whole weekend, it was just good to see.” The Mets plan to give right-hander Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA) his first career start Monday, likely as an opener before using Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.56) as a bulk reliever. Warren is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three career appearances against Seattle; Manaea is 8-8 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) versus the M’s. The Mariners will counter with right-hander Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78). He anchored a 4-1 victory against the Athletics last Tuesday, allowing one hit over six scoreless innings. Hancock will meet the Mets for the first time. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Mets #Mariners #surging #entering #series #Seattle

The NBA will have a unique champion for the eighth straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are squaring off in a 2026 NBA Finals matchup no one could have seen coming. Before this stretch, the league had never had more than six consecutive unique champions, which happened from 1975-1980. No team has won multiple titles over the last eight years, and no team has even repeated as a conference champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors.

Why is there so much parity in the NBA right now? It’s mostly a combination of salary cap changes and injuries. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed primed for a dynasty when they won the championship a year ago, but the Spurs beat them in a fantastic Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals with their second and third best creators out in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

The NBA is left with a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which the Spurs won in five games over New York. It’s going to be incredible watching Victor Wembanyama chase his first championship in Madison Square Garden against a Knicks fanbase desperate for their first championship since 1973. Let’s preview the series from both sides and make a championship pick.

The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.

The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.

It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.

I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.

The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.

It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.

Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.

It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.

How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.

Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.

The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.

San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.

In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.

This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.

The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.

I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.

If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals">Knicks vs. Spurs instant prediction for 2026 NBA Finals The NBA will have a unique champion for the eighth straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are squaring off in a 2026 NBA Finals matchup no one could have seen coming. Before this stretch, the league had never had more than six consecutive unique champions, which happened from 1975-1980. No team has won multiple titles over the last eight years, and no team has even repeated as a conference champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors.Why is there so much parity in the NBA right now? It’s mostly a combination of salary cap changes and injuries. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed primed for a dynasty when they won the championship a year ago, but the Spurs beat them in a fantastic Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals with their second and third best creators out in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.The NBA is left with a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which the Spurs won in five games over New York. It’s going to be incredible watching Victor Wembanyama chase his first championship in Madison Square Garden against a Knicks fanbase desperate for their first championship since 1973. Let’s preview the series from both sides and make a championship pick.The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship. #Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals

The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.

The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.

It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.

I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.

The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.

It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.

Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.

It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.

How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.

Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.

The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.

San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.

In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.

This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.

The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.

I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.

If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals">Knicks vs. Spurs instant prediction for 2026 NBA Finals

The NBA will have a unique champion for the eighth straight year. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are squaring off in a 2026 NBA Finals matchup no one could have seen coming. Before this stretch, the league had never had more than six consecutive unique champions, which happened from 1975-1980. No team has won multiple titles over the last eight years, and no team has even repeated as a conference champion since the 2019 Golden State Warriors.

Why is there so much parity in the NBA right now? It’s mostly a combination of salary cap changes and injuries. The Oklahoma City Thunder seemed primed for a dynasty when they won the championship a year ago, but the Spurs beat them in a fantastic Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals with their second and third best creators out in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell.

The NBA is left with a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which the Spurs won in five games over New York. It’s going to be incredible watching Victor Wembanyama chase his first championship in Madison Square Garden against a Knicks fanbase desperate for their first championship since 1973. Let’s preview the series from both sides and make a championship pick.

The Knicks just played the best 11-game stretch in league history — and somehow that’s not an exaggeration. This team is red hot right now, and they’re playing with full belief that they can deliver New York its first NBA championship since 1973.

The Spurs haven’t faced a true stretch five who can pull Wembanyama away from the basket on this playoff run. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns, the best three-point shooting center of all-time, who has suddenly been unlocked as the best version of himself over the last six weeks. Towns feels like the most important player in the series for New York. He’s a threat to score 25+ feet away from the basket, and that could potentially take Wemby away from defending the paint. The Spurs can try to stick Wembanyama on Josh Hart or another Knick, but that will create some problems for San Antonio, too.

It’s easy to discount Jalen Brunson, but he’s led his team to championships in high school and in college, and consistently rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. While the Spurs defended another mid-range shooter in Gilgeous-Alexander well in the West Finals, it’s worth noting that Brunson has a much higher three-point volume, taking 35.8 percent of his field goals from deep, compared to 22.6 for SGA. Brunson’s pull-up three ball will have to be a weapon in this series. The fact that he’s not much of a rim attacker means Wembanyama needs to come out higher on the floor when he’s not getting spaced out of the play by Towns. For as good as the Spurs’ defense is, Brunson has shown that he has so many counters to effectively get off his offense.

I’m fascinated to see how often and how effectively Anunoby defends Wembanyama. It feels like the best Wemby defenders are long and strong wings who are quick enough to neutralize him off the bounce, and Anunoby might be the best example of such a defender. Turning Wemby into a shooter is in the Knicks’ best interest, so if Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson can keep him out of deep post position, that’s a good start for a winning recipe.

The Knicks are also the much fresher team. While San Antonio just played a physically and emotionally draining 7-game series in the West, the Knicks have been chilling at home after consecutive sweeps. Sure the Knicks might be a little rusty at the start of Game 1, but that rest advantage will carry over through the remainder of the series.

It certainly feels like the Knicks have more offensive firepower than San Antonio. Brunson and Towns is an elite scoring duo, and Mikal Bridges and Anunoby can each carry the offense for a game or two themselves. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t been at his best for the Spurs basically the whole season, and asking Dylan Harper to immediately ascend to a true No. 2 option as a 20-year-old is a lot. The Knicks just have so much scoring punch in their eight-man rotation, and it’s conceivable that not even Wembanyama can slow them down.

Madison Square Garden is about to turn into one of the greatest environments in NBA Finals history. Knicks fans are craving a championship, and the team will be ready.

It feels like Victor Wembanyama ascended to best player in the world status during the Western Conference Finals, which is a terrifying thought considering he’s only 22 years old and still has plenty of room to grow as a player. When he’s really locked in, Wemby looks like a 7’5 Kevin Durant capable of self-creating step-back threes while also being a dominant a rim runner and arguably the most impactful defender in NBA history.

How will the Knicks guard Wembanyama? It’s a question that could define the series. New York only has two 7-footers on the roster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, but Robinson recently suffered a broken pinky that should linger into the Finals. New York can also use OG Anunoby to guard Wembanyama, and that might be their best matchup. For as long and strong as Anunoby is, Wemby is still going to be able to shoot over the top of him whenever he wants to. If the French superstar gets hot as a jump shooter or from floater range, the Spurs will immediately have an advantage New York can’t neuter. Even if Anunoby is effective for stretches, the Knicks will still need other defenders to soak up minutes against him, and their options are pretty limited.

Wemby’s impact is even bigger on defense, especially with so many good perimeter defenders in front of him. Stephon Castle did an outstanding job on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with Wemby lurking behind him, and that same duo will cause plenty of problems for Jalen Brunson. Like SGA, Brunson takes a lot of his shots from mid-range, which Wemby’s length can help evaporate. Brunson took 51% percent of his field goal attempts from mid-range this season, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs feel uniquely equipped to defend that kind of superstar shot profile.

The Spurs’ role players are also fully locked in right now. Julian Champagnie had a breakout conference finals series with multiple 20-point games and consistently good rebounding. Devin Vassell is playing the best ball of his career. Dylan Harper is already taking over playoff games at times at 20 years old. Luke Kornet is one of the league’s better backup centers, and could rebound from a tough matchup vs. the Thunder.

San Antonio’s defense will really be in the spotlight for this matchup. The Knicks’ offensive rating has jumped from 118.7 in the regular season to 123.3 in the playoffs, by far the best mark in the postseason. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s defensive rating has gone from 110.4 in the regular season (No. 3 overall) to 104.4 in the playoffs (second-best behind the Knicks). The Spurs’ defense feels built for the playoffs with more contact allowed on the perimeter and Wembanyama being almost adjustment-proof. If the Spurs can limit New York’s three-point attempts, Wemby can take care of the rest inside.

In what feels like a pretty even matchup, the tiebreaker should go to the team with the best player. That’s Wembanyama.

This truly feels like a toss up to me, but I’m going with San Antonio in seven for a few reasons.

The Knicks’ romp through the East has been incredibly impressive, but they haven’t seen anything like the Spurs. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers are all two steps below San Antonio at least. I’m not sure if the Knicks’ hot three-point shooting is sustainable. Landry Shamet just shot 91.7 percent from three in the Eastern Conference Finals (not a typo). Is that really going to happen again? The Knicks have plenty of shooters on the floor at all times, but the windows disappear a lot quicker when someone like Wembanyama is closing out on you.

I was tempted to go Knicks in six here. New York clearly has a path to victory, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if they routed the Spurs the same way they’ve routed everyone else in their way on this playoff run.

If the Spurs can extend the series to seven, they will get the final game on their home floor. Weird things can happen in a Game 7, and I typically prefer the team with the best overall player. Wembanyama already slayed the biggest challenger in the league in his first playoff run. I think he’s ready to win a championship.

#Knicks #Spurs #instant #prediction #NBA #Finals

Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured its second IPL title with victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday night.

The Bengaluru-based franchise was led by a Player of the Match performance from Virat Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 75, while Rasikh Salam, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar impressed with the ball, taking six wickets between them.

Krunal and Bhuvneshwar are two of the three players from the two-time champion to be named in Sportstar’s Team of the Tournament, alongside captain Rajat Patidar.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who swept the IPL 2026 awards including Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, and Emerging Player of the Season, is also included in the team.

Here is Sportstar’s Team of the Tournament for IPL 2026:

  • Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans) – 732 runs, SR 163.02
  • Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) – 776 runs, SR 237.30
  • Ishan Kishan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 602 runs, SR 182.42
  • Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 501 runs, SR 192.69
  • Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 624 runs, SR 160
  • Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 302 runs, SR 171.59; 8 wickets at 40.37
  • Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 265 runs, SR 145.80; 14 wickets at 30.35
  • Jason Holder (Gujarat Titans) – 17 wickets at 17.05
  • Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) – 15 wickets at 22.60
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 28 wickets at 17.89
  • Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans) – 29 wickets at 21.58
  • Mohammed Siraj (Gujarat Titans) – 19 wickets at 29.57

Published on Jun 01, 2026

#IPL #Sooryavanshi #Bhuvneshwar #lead #Sportstars #Team #Tournament">IPL 2026: Sooryavanshi, Bhuvneshwar lead Sportstar’s Team of the Tournament Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured its second IPL title with victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday night.The Bengaluru-based franchise was led by a Player of the Match performance from Virat Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 75, while Rasikh Salam, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar impressed with the ball, taking six wickets between them.Krunal and Bhuvneshwar are two of the three players from the two-time champion to be named in Sportstar’s Team of the Tournament, alongside captain Rajat Patidar.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who swept the IPL 2026 awards including Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, and Emerging Player of the Season, is also included in the team.Here is Sportstar’s Team of the Tournament for IPL 2026: Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans) – 732 runs, SR 163.02 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals) – 776 runs, SR 237.30 Ishan Kishan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 602 runs, SR 182.42 Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 501 runs, SR 192.69 Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 624 runs, SR 160 Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 302 runs, SR 171.59; 8 wickets at 40.37 Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 265 runs, SR 145.80; 14 wickets at 30.35 Jason Holder (Gujarat Titans) – 17 wickets at 17.05 Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) – 15 wickets at 22.60 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 28 wickets at 17.89 Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans) – 29 wickets at 21.58 Mohammed Siraj (Gujarat Titans) – 19 wickets at 29.57 Published on Jun 01, 2026 #IPL #Sooryavanshi #Bhuvneshwar #lead #Sportstars #Team #Tournament

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