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DENVER — Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams turned in his best postseason performance before finishing the fourth quarter and overtime period with zero attempts in Game 3’s 113-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets. After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the floor smiling, a reporter asked Williams if the ball should have been in his hands instead of Gilgeous-Alexander, whose shooting struggles continued down the stretch of an overtime loss.
During his media availability, Williams addressed his lack of touches in a nail-biting finish that ended with an 11-2 Nuggets run in the extra period.
“When you have the best closer in the NBA, you get him spots where you want him to get to and you shoot the ball,” Williams said. “If I want to go force a shot, obviously, I can. But we have other talented guys on the team. I don’t even think I shot one shot in that. I turned the ball over twice. So, I mean, those are opportunities to score. Great for others, too. I had my opportunities. I’m never gonna sit up here and complain about touches or something like that. I have the ball a lot.”
For Williams, the end of Game 3 came down to the team’s inability to execute game-defining plays, while the Nuggets cruised to a nine-point win to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
“We have guys out there that can score and make big plays,” Williams added. “I actually thought we got pretty decent shots down the stretch. Just didn’t make them in.”
Jalen Williams when asked about fewer touches in the 4Q/OT:
“When you have the best closer in the NBA, you get him spots where you want him to get to… I had my opportunities. I’m never gonna sit up here and complain about touches or something like that. I have the ball a lot” pic.twitter.com/Ezd2Nd2QoB
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) May 10, 2025
Jalen Williams’ 32 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 3-of-7 from deep, led the Thunder. He also had five assists and three rebounds, while Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 18 points on 7-of-22 attempts, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was all smiles after Thunder loss
After losing Game 3, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wouldn’t let a group of Nuggets fans get a reaction out of him. After Gilgeous-Alexander took the blame for late-game execution, he explained why he was smiling.
Gilgeous-Alexander addressed the Nuggets fans during his media availability.
“It’s easy to taunt when you’re up, and I don’t ever want to show them that I’m defeated or mad, or anything like that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Nothing’s written. The series is not over, and we have a lot to be optimistic about. I didn’t perform the way I did down the stretch, but I have an opportunity in the next game and the game after that to make up for it, and I’m optimistic about it.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says Nuggets fans taunting him painted a smile on his face moments after losing Game 3:
“It easy to taunt when you’re up… nothing’s written. The series is not over and we have a lot to be optimistic about” pic.twitter.com/R38OL27YmP
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) May 10, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to even the series 2-2 in Game 4.
More must-reads:
- Grizzlies may struggle to trade disgruntled star
- Dylan Harper injures calf, leaves arena in walking boot
- The 'NFL Passing YPG leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Three potential trade destinations for Grizzlies' Ja Morant
The Memphis Grizzlies' (3-3) 2025-26 season is just six games old, yet issues have already begun to arise with star point guard Ja Morant. Friday night’s loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers (4-2) saw the 2019 second overall pick struggle to the tune of just eight points, seven assists and one rebound on 3-of-14 shooting, which included going 0/6 from beyond the arc. While that performance was concerning enough for the Grizzlies, the way Morant handled himself during and after the game was even worse. Morant was seen avoiding the huddle during an in-game timeout, and in his postgame press conference, he quickly directed the blame for his off night onto the coaching staff. Those actions have since led to Morant being suspended one game by the Grizzlies for conduct detrimental to the team. It’s yet another ugly situation for Morant in Memphis, adding to a long list of issues that have emerged on and off the court. It couldn’t be more obvious that both the player and team need a breakup, so let’s take a look at the three best fits for Morant to get said change of scenery. Minnesota Timberwolves No team is in more desperate need of a point guard than the Timberwolves. Mike Conley, 38, has been starting at the position in recent games, and, as solid a career as he’s had, that is not a good thing at this point. Anthony Edwards feels like the only true offensive creator in Minnesota, so bringing in Morant would give both guys the freedom to feed off one another as a 1-2 punch. The T-Wolves will always be Edwards’ team, which could greatly benefit Morant by allowing him to focus on his game rather than deal with all that comes with being the face of a franchise. Toronto Raptors Something's got to give in Toronto. The time for patience has passed, and the excuses have to stop. This roster has more than enough talent to compete for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference, yet it’s still just not working. Immanuel Quickley has often been injured and, quite frankly, has not been cutting it even when on the court. The Raptors have lots of nice pieces, but they lack that true closer when the game gets into crunch time; enter Morant. At 26 years old, he fits right into the timeline to win with Scottie Barnes (24), Brandon Ingram (28) and RJ Barrett (25) as the core in Toronto. Time for another Kawhi Leonard-esque splash from Bobby Webster and company. Washington Wizards The third and final team that could be a sneaky good landing spot is the Wizards. Washington finally appears to have a direction and will eventually be able to start adding higher-end talent around the young nucleus they’re building. They may not be a contender anytime soon, but Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly have it feeling like the culture is shifting positively. Given that expectations are low, Morant could come in alongside all of this young talent, play his game and put the distractions aside. Not to mention the Wizards could probably make things work with Memphis thanks to their cap space and draft capital.
Dream (but realistic) trade targets for every MLB team this offseason
Every MLB offseason brings its share of blockbuster rumors and bold predictions, but some trade ideas actually make sense — for both sides. With free agency about to heat up and front offices reshaping rosters for 2026, Yardbarker MLB writers looked at one dream (but still realistic) trade target for every MLB team. From contenders looking for that final piece to rebuilders seeking a spark, these hypothetical moves blend star power with plausibility. Here’s how all 30 teams could swing a deal that transforms their outlook heading into next season (2025 records in parentheses). AL East Baltimore Orioles (75-87) | LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers: The Orioles traded for ace right-hander Corbin Burnes before the 2024 season, and that worked well. Why not try to employ the same strategy with Skubal, an ace in his own right, as Baltimore looks to bounce back from a last-place finish? Skubal’s elite 2.21 ERA in 2025 would be a perfect fit atop the rotation. Boston Red Sox (89-73) | 2B/OF Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals: It’s unclear whether prospect infielders Kristian Campbell or Marcelo Mayer are the answer up the middle, but there’s no doubt that Donovan would be an established upgrade over both. The 2025 All-Star would bring positional versatility and solid offensive production (.772 career OPS) to a lineup that had trouble scoring at times. New York Yankees (94-68) | 1B/OF Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies: New York could lose outfielders Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in free agency, so the Yankees theoretically have both of Harper's positions to fill this winter. The veteran’s left-handed swing is made for the Yankee Stadium right-field short porch, which could help him improve upon a 2025 season in which he produced an .844 OPS, the lowest since his rookie season in 2012. Tampa Bay Rays (77-85) | LHP Mackenzie Gore, Washington Nationals: Typically, the Rays trade pitchers who are young but increasingly expensive (LHP Blake Snell, RHP Tyler Glasnow and RHP Chris Archer). This time, though, it could make sense for Tampa to swing for the fences with Gore, who boasts immense strikeout upside (10.4 K/9 in 2025) and is controllable through the 2028 season. The All-Star southpaw could also thrive in the team's analytics-driven pitching lab. Toronto Blue Jays (94-68) | RHP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins: The Blue Jays nearly won the World Series, so they have a lot to look forward to. However, it wouldn’t hurt Toronto to replace members of its oldish rotation with someone like right-hander Ryan, whose 3.42 ERA in 30 starts with the Twins in 2025 should make him one of the top trade candidates of this offseason. — Seth Carlson AL West Athletics (76-86) | Infielder Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals: The A’s received virtually nothing from second and third in 2025. Former top prospect Zack Gelof should get another chance to prove himself, but the A’s do not have many options at third. Gorman, who hit 27 homers in 2023, may not cost much and could provide a respectable stopgap at the hot corner. Houston Astros (87-75) | IF/OF Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals: The Astros missed the postseason for the first time since 2016; the outfield was a key factor in that. Astros outfielders posted a .665 OPS, 25th in the majors. Donovan, who has predominantly played at second and left, would solve a black hole in the middle of the lineup and provide a needed left-handed hitter. Los Angeles Angels (72-90) | RHP Brady Singer, Cincinnati Reds: The Angels and Reds line up perfectly as trade partners. The Angels have a logjam in the outfield with either Jo Adell or Taylor Ward expected to be traded during the offseason. Meanwhile, the Reds have plenty of pitching and need help in the outfield. Singer, who has one more year of team control left, would be the most likely Reds pitcher to be dealt. He would solidify the middle of L.A.'s rotation. Seattle Mariners (90-72) | 3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies: Because Eugenio Suarez is expected to sign elsewhere in free agency, the Mariners will once again be looking for help at third. Bohm had been on the trading block during the 2024-25 offseason but remained in Philadelphia because no one would meet its price. Bohm hit just 11 homers and 18 doubles in 2025, crushing his trade value. Texas Rangers (81-81) | RHP Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates: The Rangers should have a solid top of the rotation with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. However, neither pitcher is a paragon of health. Keller has thrown at least 159 innings in each of the past four seasons and is under team control through 2028. He would be a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm. — David Hill AL Central Chicago White Sox (60-102) | 1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox: The rebuilding White Sox made progress in 2025 but have many holes remaining. Acquiring a player such as Casas could be a perfect buy-low option while improving the power for a team that ranked 23rd in the majors with 165 homers. Cleveland Guardians (88-74) | RHP Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins: The Guardians need help in the lineup, but several top prospects are expected to make an impact in 2026. The same cannot be said for the rotation that is lacking a top-of-the-rotation arm. Cabrera finally put everything together for the Marlins in 2025 and is under team control through 2028. Miami has pitching depth, so Cabrera could be available. Detroit Tigers (87-75) | 3B Josh Jung, Texas Rangers: The Tigers need a third baseman and Jung could be the answer. The 2023 All-Star has seen his star dim over the past two seasons as he battled injuries and contact woes. Jung may need a change of scenery and could be what the Tigers need to get his brother, Jace, to tap into his potential. Kansas City Royals (82-80) | OF Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox: The outfield was one of the worst in the majors in 2025, ranking 29th with a .633 OPS. Duran may not be the player he was in 2024, but his ability to drive the ball into the gaps, excellent speed and stellar defense would be a perfect fit in Kauffman Stadium. Minnesota Twins (70-92) | RHP Jonah Tong, New York Mets: The rotation disappointed in 2025 and sorely needs an ace. The Twins began to dismantle the roster at the 2025 trade deadline, so it's unlikely that pitchers Pablo Lopez or Joe Ryan will be with Minnesota in 2026. Both will be expensive. — David Hill NL West Arizona Diamondbacks (80-82) | RHP Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays: The Diamondbacks had issues with the bullpen throughout 2025 (27th in the league with a 4.82 ERA) and it will likely be a point of emphasis for the team this offseason. Fairbanks totaled 27 saves last season and pitched a career-high 60.1 innings. There is a club option for $11 million that the Rays will likely pick up only if they can trade him. At 32, Fairbanks might be worth it for one season in the desert. Colorado Rockies (43-119) | RHP Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers: It’s a new day in Denver with a new GM coming soon. Colorado desperately needs starting pitching, especially an ace. The Rockies have a crowded outfield in terms of proven players and prospects, so they could work a deal with Milwaukee, a team that they have traded with, and secure a big arm. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-69) | OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians: After a year in which the Dodgers had to overlook some deficiencies in the outfield with Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernandez, landing someone like Kwan makes sense for the two-time defending champions. Kwan doesn’t strike out much (only 8.7 percent of the time in 2025), something the Dodgers needed when their offense sputtered in the postseason. San Diego Padres (90-72) | RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins: Depending on what happens with pitchers Michael King and Dylan Cease, the Padres are going to need someone who can step in as a face of the rotation. Alcantara, 30, has a $19 million deal for 2026 and a $21 million team option for 2027, so he won’t come to San Diego cheap. However, the NL West will be another arms race in 2026, and Alcantara could be a fascinating addition for the Padres. San Francisco Giants (81-81) | LHP JoJo Romero, St. Louis Cardinals: Adding a solid southpaw to the bullpen is rarely a bad move, and the 29-year-old Romero has been quietly building a reputation as one of the best lefties in the late innings. He’s controlled through arbitration through the 2026 campaign and has logged 57 holds over the past three seasons. Pitching is expected to be a priority for the Giants this offseason. — Kevin Henry NL East Atlanta Braves (76-86) | SS Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros: The former World Series MVP was drafted by the Braves out of high school in 2015 but chose not to sign. Perhaps a reunion is in order in Atlanta, which has desperately needed a true shortstop since the departure of Dansby Swanson during the 2022 offseason. The 28-year-old Pena was named an All-Star in 2025, batting .304 with 17 home runs and 62 RBI in 125 games. Miami Marlins (79-83) | 1B/OF Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals: Miami exceeded expectations in 2025 and, if they have a strong offseason, could be a sleeper contender for an NL wild-card spot in 2026. Before that happens, though, they must solve their first base conundrum by trading for Burleson, who can play there and in the outfield. Burleson, who will turn 27 on Nov. 25, posted a career-high .801 OPS with 18 homers and 69 RBI in 2025. New York Mets (83-79) | LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers: Skubal, in line for his second straight AL Cy Young Award, would be a dream trade candidate for any team but especially owner Steve Cohen and the Mets. New York desperately needs a frontline starter after its pitching largely failed it in 2025. Philadelphia Phillies (96-66) | C Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles: Longtime catcher J.T. Realmuto is a free agent and, despite entering his age-35 season in 2026, is expected to be a hot commodity on the open market. It’s clear the Phillies must get younger at the position, and acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick from Baltimore would be a solid way to secure their future at backstop and keep their competitive window open. Rutschman, who will turn 28 on Feb. 6, hasn't lived up to his draft pedigree but still has decent upside. Washington Nationals (66-96) | RHP Jonah Tong, New York Mets: The Nationals are more than one piece from being competitive, so Washington’s focus should be who they can acquire in potential trades for left-hander MacKenzie Gore, 2B Luis Garcia Jr. and OF Robert Hassell III. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller proposed a wild divisional trade that would send Tong to the Nationals for Gore. — Lauren Amour NL Central Chicago Cubs (92-70) | RHP Shane Bieber, Toronto Blue Jays: Chicago leaned heavily on veteran arms in its rotation, with 34-year-old Matthew Boyd anchoring the staff. Bieber, 30, joined the Blue Jays this season, posting a 4-2 record with a 3.57 ERA and 1.017 WHIP. With Chicago expected to be a playoff-level team in 2026, Bieber could be another experienced arm to help with a deep postseason run. Cincinnati Reds (83-79) | LHP JoJo Romero, St. Louis Cardinals: The Reds need reliable back-end bullpen arms, and Romero offers late-inning experience. He became the Cardinals’ closer after the team dealt Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets. In 2025, Romero posted a 2.07 ERA, a career best in the big leagues, in 61 innings. Milwaukee Brewers (97-65) | 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets: Milwaukee's lineup struggled to produce consistent power in 2025, finishing 22nd in MLB with 166 home runs. Alonso, who launched 38 home runs — leading all first basemen — would be an immediate upgrade. He also hit .272 and drove in 126 runs, the second most in the majors. Andrew Vaughn filled the role well after being traded to Milwaukee midseason, but Alonso would be the definitive No. 1 option. Pittsburgh Pirates (71-91) | 2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays: The Pirates haven’t made much of a trade splash in recent offseasons, so dealing for a proven bat like Lowe would be smart. He hit .256 with 31 home runs in 2025, bringing power and veteran experience to a younger lineup. St. Louis Cardinals (78-84) | RHP Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres: The pitching staff lacked swing-and-miss stuff in 2025, finishing 29th in MLB in strikeouts. Cease delivered 215 strikeouts over 168 innings — sixth most in MLB — and led the majors with 11.52 strikeouts per nine innings. — Taylor Bretl
Dolphins' Mike McDaniel Reveals Tua Tagovailoa Decision Before Bills Game
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Miami Dolphins have been one of the worst teams in the league. Following the team's 28-6 Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, the Dolphins have fallen to 2-7 on the year, and have seemingly already laid the groundwork for a total rebuild. One day after the loss, the Dolphins announced that they had fired general manager Chris Grier. A change in power at the GM role indicates that no one on the roster is safe moving forward, as whoever is brought in will have ties or allegiances with the current regime. One person who many believed could be at risk of losing his job is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowl quarterback has been a shell of his former self this season, throwing for 1,779 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 picks through nine games. For reference, Tagovailoa's previous career high in interceptions came in 2023, when he threw 14 in 17 games. Head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa in the team's Oct. 19 loss to the Cleveland Browns after he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. While calls have been growing again for Tagovailoa to be sent to the bench once and for all, McDaniel confirmed that he's not entertaining that idea at this time. When speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the team's Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills (6-2), McDaniels confirmed he is not anywhere close to making that decision at this time. "I am far from even going down that direction of would've, could've possible things," McDaniel said. "We have a football game against the Buffalo Bills that we are certain that Tua gives us the best chance to win and we have to approach our jobs with diligence. We have to execute and Tua knows that heavy is crown that of being a franchise quarterback." According to ESPN BET, the Bills have opened as 8.5-point favorites. While Miami looks to stay afloat on the season, the Bills are coming off of a monster win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as they look to make a Super Bowl run this season. As for the Dolphins, they haven't beaten the Bills since 2022, and are 1-9 against them in their last 10. Tagovailoa has been far from spectacular this season, but is clearly being given some grace by McDaniel. With that being said, the Dolphins have a bye in a couple of weeks, and it does cause one to wonder if that is when the Dolphins would end up benching the former Alabama star if things don't turn around.
Broncos' Updated Playoff Outlook Revealed After Sixth Straight Win
With a sixth straight win under their belt, the Denver Broncos' playoff chances are sitting pretty. On Sunday, the Broncos orchestrated another fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Houston Texans on the road 18-15. With the Kansas City Chiefs dropping their fourth game in Week 9, and the Los Angeles Chargers losing left tackle Joe Alt for the season, the Broncos are in a position to get a stranglehold on the AFC West. According to NFL.com's updated playoff picture, the Broncos sit with 90% playoff chances at 7-2. Denver currently holds the No. 3 seed in the AFC behind the 7-2 Indianapolis Colts and 7-2 New England Patriots, respectively. Sports Illustrated's John Pluym gives the Broncos an 85% chance of making the playoffs. No matter which way you cut it, though, the Broncos are in great position. The 5-3 Pittsburgh Steelers hold the No. 4 seed, the 6-2 Buffalo Bills have the No. 5, the 6-3 Chargers hold the No. 6 seed, and the 5-3 Jacksonville Jaguars have the No. 7 seed. A Look Ahead The next few weeks will be crucial, as the Broncos' next two games are against AFC West rivals, starting with the 2-6 Las Vegas Raiders in Denver on a short week. The Broncos will host the Raiders on Thursday Night Football, which will be followed by a mini-bye of sorts. Denver then gets 10 days between the Raiders and hosting the Chiefs. Obviously, the Broncos have to take care of business against the wounded animal that is Pete Carroll's Raiders squad, and ensure that like the past two seasons, they at least win their home game vs. the Chiefs. After the Chiefs, the Broncos officially hit their Week 12 bye. Coming out, Denver will go on the road to face Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. The Broncos stay on the road in Week 14 for their second bout with the Raiders. Then it's home to host the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, followed by a big Conference game in Denver vs. the Jaguars in Week 16. Week 17's Christmas tilt vs. the Chiefs or the season finale at home vs. the Chargers could be for all the AFC West marbles. The Broncos' outlook is good, thanks to the team taking care of its own business and the likes of the Chiefs uncharacteristically having lost four games already. It will interesting to see how the Chargers respond to the loss of Alt and whether Jim Harbaugh will be able to successfully devise a plan to keep Justin Herbert upright. The Chargers have dealt with some bad injury luck, losing Rashawn Slater before the season and now Alt. That's not Denver's concern, fortunately. Right now, the focus is on handling the Raiders on a short-week turnaround. The Broncos must beware of looking past the Raiders, as they've struggled traditionally vs. Geno Smith-led teams. That 10-day break afterward will be nice, but the Broncos have to keep their focus on Thursday night. Credit to Sean Payton, though; the Broncos enter Week 10 with a near-certain playoff outlook. "It's impossible to have the halfway point because we're on odd number of games," Payton said with a smile on Sunday after beating the Texans. "We passed the halfway point. I'm kidding you. It is what it is. What's our record? I lost track.” More Must-Read Denver Broncos Coverage
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