This is the first May edition of The Lineup, a newsletter recapping many of the most important developments in the world of sports. This edition features the NBA and NHL Playoffs, the NFL Draft and a former Marist Baseball Pitcher in the minor leagues.
Leading Off: NBA Awards and Playoffs
NBA Awards, by Nate Babcock
Rookie of the Year – Stephon Castle
Spurs guard Stephon Castle was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2024-25 season, beating out finalists Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Through 81 games, Castle averaged 17.8 PPG, five RPG and five APG while showcasing an impressive transition into the pros after playing under Dan Hurley at UConn. This is the Spurs’ second Rookie of the Year in a row following Victor Wembanyama in the 2023-24 season, suggesting the future is bright in San Antonio.
Defensive Player of the Year – Evan Mobley
Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley was named Defensive Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season at just 23 years old. He averaged 1.6 blocks per game while being a crucial piece of the top-seeded Cavs and their eighth-ranked defensive unit. He won the award over former DPOY Draymond Green and Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks. He largely won this award due to his mobility for a near-seven-footer and versatility of defending on the perimeter with smaller guards while remaining one of the league’s best rim protectors.
Sixth Man of the Year – Payton Pritchard
After requesting a trade in the 2022-23 season, Payton Pritchard has seen his role grow slowly each year with the Boston Celtics. This year, Pritchard appeared off the bench in 77 of 80 games, averaging 14.3 PPG, four RPG and 3.5 APG through 28.4 minutes a night. The 6-1 guard beat Malik Beasley of the Pistons and Ty Jerome of the Cavaliers. Pritchard had a league-high 23 games scoring 20 or more points off the bench on his way to immortalize himself in Celtics history.
Most Improved Player – Dyson Daniels
Hawks guard Dyson Daniels won the 2024-25 Most Improved Player Award. Daniels beat out Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons. “The Great Barrier Thief” improved his numbers in every major statistical category averaging a career-best 14.1 PPG, 4.4 APG, 5.9 RPG, 0.7 BLK, and a league-high 3 steals per game through 76 games. Before being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans, he averaged 5.8 PPG, 2.7 APG, 3.9 RPG, 0.4 BLK, and 1.4 STL through 16 starts and just 61 games in the 2023-24 campaign. The 6 ‘7 guard finds ways to effectively use his length and athleticism to cause problems on both ends of the court, creating extra offensive possessions off of live ball turnovers leading the league with 5.8 deflections a game.
Eastern Conference First Round Recap, by Nate Babcock
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat
The Cleveland Cavaliers, with the top seed in the East, faced Eric Spoelstra and the Miami Heat. Although Cavs starting point guard Darius Garland missed two games with a toe injury, the Heat fell in just four games. Cleveland proved too talented for a new-look Miami team to keep up with the Cavs’ depth, with players such as Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ty Jerome stepping up, averaging 16.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.8 APG in the series. While the Cavs’ offense was impressive, their defensive performance provided dominant wins. They held the Heat to 44.5 FG% / 34.6 3P% / 69.8 FT%, causing 15.5 turnovers a game.
Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks
The fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers gentleman swept the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in a rematch of last year’s 3 vs 6 seed matchup. All-star point guard Damian Lillard missed Game 1 due to a blood clot and only played in games 2 and 3 before tearing his Achilles tendon just six minutes into Game 4. The Bucks struggled to have a true defensive identity, and the Pacers took advantage, averaging 117.8 PPG on 49.9 FG% / 39.8 3P% / 81.8 FT%, getting up 87.4 FGA and an eye-popping 36.6 three-point attempts per game. The Pacers’ high-powered offense and interchangeability amongst lineups had seven players average double figures through the five games, spreading the wealth, averaging 30 assists per game.
New York Knicks vs Pistons
The Knicks beat Detroit in six games in an exciting series. Jalen Brunson was the Pistons’ primary issue defensively, averaging 31.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 8.2 APG. Brunson came up huge late in the fourth, effectively stealing games 3 and 4 away from Detroit as they lost the two games by a combined three points. Pistons’ role-players such as Dennis Schroeder, Malik Beasley and Ausar Thompson stepped up when it mattered, combining for 46 points in Game 5 to bring Detroit back within one game down 3-2. The Pistons played in their first Game 6 since 2008, where Jalen Brunson showed why he was named the 2024-25 Clutch Player of the Year. Brunson scored eight points in the final two minutes on his way to 40 points and a series-ending game-winner, crushing any hopes of a Game 7.
Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic
The Celtics outpaced Orlando, taking down the seventh seed in five games. The Magic won on their home floor in Game 3 in an exciting two-point victory after a failed White-Porzingis alley-oop attempt to tie the game. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics responded, taking the next two games by a combined 40 points, where Tatum averaged 36 PPG, 6.5 APG, 11 RPG through the last two to advance to the second round. The Celtics need to prioritize health moving forward, as Jaylen Brown came into the series dealing with a bone bruise and posterior impingement in his right knee despite playing five games. Tatum missed a game due to a wrist injury and Jrue Holiday played in just two games, managing a hamstring injury.
Western Conference First Round Recap, Nate Shoemaker
Oklahoma City vs Memphis
The Oklahoma City Thunder cruised by the Memphis Grizzlies in a sweep, winning by an average margin of 19 points. In game three, the Thunder came back from a 29-point deficit to take a 3-0 lead. The Thunder relied on their defense most of the series and held the Grizzlies’ stars, Desmond Bane, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr to 44 points per game. OKC has a more challenging second round, facing either the LA Clippers or Denver Nuggets.
Los Angeles Clippers Vs Denver Nuggets
In a very competitive series, the Clippers tied the series at three apiece, going into a game 7 in the Mile High City. In Game 6, Harden had 28 and Leonard had 27 to force a game 7. For the Clippers to win this series, they will need another big outing from Leonard, who had 39 points in the Clippers’ game 2 win. The Nuggets need players outside of Jokic to have a big game, like Murray or Gordon. In game 5, Murray had 43 to give the Nuggets the advantage, and in game 4, Aaron Gordon slammed a putback game-winning dunk after a chaotic sequence. The two teams will square off Saturday night and the winner will play the Oklahoma City Thunder in round 2.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers in a gentleman’s sweep led by their star Anthony Edwards, who averaged 26.8 ppg and six assists per game. The Lakers had their chances in the series but could never close games. In the fourth quarter of games 3, 4 and 5, the Wolves outscored the Lakers by 29 points to put the Lakers away. Role players like Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert stepped up in a big way during the series. In Game 3 McDaniels had 30 points in a playoff career in the Wolves’ wire-to-wire win. In Minnesota’s close-out game, Gobert had 27 points and 24 rebounds to help the Wolves advance to round 2. The Wolves will face the winner of Houston and Golden State and the Lakers have a lot of questions looming going into the offseason.
Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors
Despite a scary Jimmy Butler injury in game 2, the Warriors returned to San Francisco and won two straight to take a commanding 3-1 lead. Steph Curry had 33 points in game three, even with the Rockets’ harassing defense. In Game 4, the Warriors survived a Rockets comeback to win by three, and Jimmy Butler had 27 in his return. The Rockets dominated in game 5 at home, shooting the lights out in Houston to make the series score 3-2. The Warriors will look to close out the series in the Bay Area in Game 6 on Friday night.
Cleanup Spot: NHL Playoffs
NHL Playoffs Update, by Jonny Martirano
Eastern Conference
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs versus (7) Ottawa Senators
After the Toronto Maple Leafs took a demanding 3-0 series lead, the Ottawa Senators battled back and won two straight games to avoid elimination in the Battle of Ontario. But in Game 6, it was the Leafs who got the job done and beat the Sens 4-2 to advance to the second round in six games. After defenseman Jake Sanderson scored the OT winner for the Sens in Game 4, the Sens responded with a 4-0 victory with three goals in the third period. Captain Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and led the team with four goals in the playoffs. The Leafs, who have the longest active postseason streak of nine seasons, were 1-13 in elimination games during that span, and have only made it to the second round once, in 2023.
(2) Florida Panthers versus (3) Tampa Bay Lightning
For the fourth time in five seasons, the Battle of Florida has not disappointed. The defending Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 games for the second straight year.. The Cats have had two convincing victories in Games 1 and 2, winning 6-2 and shutting out the Bolts 2-0. Arguably the most physical series yet, it features two suspensions and a fine. Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel was suspended one game for an illegal hit in Game 2, and Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended for a high hit in Game 4. Florida Defenseman Niko Mikkola was also fined $5,000 in Game 4 and was ejected for a boarding penalty.
(1) Washington Capitals versus (8) Montreal Canadiens
The Washington Capitals, who finished first in the Eastern Conference, eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in 5 games. This series has been nothing short of an intense battle, as in Game 3, a heated brawl broke out between teams that went into the bench. Forward Alex Ovechkin, who recently broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record, leads the team with four goals for the Caps and scored the OT winner in Game 1. It was also Ovechkin’s first career playoff overtime goal.
(2) Carolina Hurricanes versus (3) New Jersey Devils
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-4 in double overtime in Game 5 to become the first team to advance to the second round. Forward Sebastian Aho scored the OT winner with 54 seconds left on the powerplay, roughly five minutes into 2OT. After the Devils went up 3-0 after the first period, the Canes stormed back to win. The Devils faced multiple injuries, as four key players, notably Jack Hughes, have missed games. The Hurricanes will face the Washington Capitals.
Western Conference
(1) Winnipeg Jets versus (8) St. Louis Blues
The Winnipeg Jets, who won the Presidents’ Trophy finishing first in the league, have blown a 2-0 series lead as the St. Louis Blues won back-to-back games to tie the series at two games apiece. However, the Jets won Game 5, 5-3 to take a 3-2 series lead. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has struggled in the series, posting a 4.24 GAA and .817 SV%, and was pulled in the 7-2 and 5-1 losses. Hellebuyck, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner for the league’s top goalie and the favorite this season, has had trouble translating his success to the playoffs in recent years. During the season, he had a 2.00 GAA and .925 SV%, including 8 shutouts and 47 wins.
(2) Dallas Stars versus (3) Colorado Avalanche
There has been no shortage of action in this series. The Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche are headed to a Game 7. Two of the Stars’ three wins have come in extra time. Forwards Colin Blackwell and Tyler Seguin netted the OT winners. Stars Forward Mikko Rantanen, who was traded from Colorado mid-season and then traded again to the Stars, has two goals and six assists against his old club. Avalanche Captain Gabriel Landeskog returned from a knee injury in Game 3, which had him sidelined since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Avalanche won the Cup. Landeskog would score in Game 4.
(1) Vegas Golden Knights versus (7) Minnesota Wild
The Vegas Golden Knights won back-to-back overtime games against the Minnesota Wild, and Game 6 to beat the Wild in six games. Forwards Ivan Barbashev and Brett Howden scored the OT winners for Vegas. Despite facing elimination, forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy both registered five goals each for Minnesota, which are tied for the second most in the playoffs. Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury also made history, becoming the first goalie in NHL history to appear in 18 postseasons. Fleury, who was drafted 1st Overall in 2003, is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, will retire after this season. The Wild have now been eliminated eight times in the first round in the last 10 years.
(2) Los Angeles Kings versus (3) Edmonton Oilers
For the fourth straight season, the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, this time in six games. The Oilers, who lost in the Stanley Cup Finals last season and won each series vs LA, are up 3-2. Game 1 was an instant classic. The Kings blew a 4-0 lead and surrendered two goals in the final three minutes to make it tied at 5. However, forward Phillip Danault would score with 42 seconds remaining for the 6-5 win. After a 2-0 series lead by LA, the Oilers have won three straight, including an OT winner in Game 4 by forward Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl, along with forward Connor McDavid, each have 10+ points, which leads the playoffs.
Starting Pitcher: NFL Draft
NFL Draft Review, by Pat Sypher
After months of prospect evaluations and mock drafts, the long-awaited day has arrived. The next wave of talent entered the league last weekend as the NFL draft concluded in Green Bay last weekend.
During the pre-draft process, one specific quarterback received a lot of hype from the media: Shedeur Sanders. Shedeur was widely considered the second-best quarterback in the class and a projected first-round pick, with some mock drafts even having him going in the top 10. Despite this hype, Sanders fell rapidly, getting drafted 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders’ former teammate, Travis Hunter, had a much more positive draft experience, getting drafted second overall, but not by the Browns. Instead, the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him after trading up and giving Cleveland a future first-round pick to get the generational two-way athlete.
While Hunter can be an unbelievable complementary option to second-year wideout Brian Thomas Jr due to his playmaking ability both after the catch and with the ball in his hands, it is important not to undermine the impact Hunter can have on the defensive side of the ball as a cornerback. Last year, the Jaguars were unbelievably weak in the secondary, allowing a league-leading 257.4 passing yards per game.
Hunter was a game-changing pick, but a few teams had equally dynamic classes. The 49ers severely bolstered their defensive line, bringing in stout defenders like Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West. Having this young, talented core can allow this team to be similar to Shanahan’s 2019 49ers, who made the Super Bowl off the coattails of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner.
Another big winner from the draft was the New England Patriots. They started the draft strong, drafting Will Campbell, who should be a foundational player for their offensive line, which desperately needed a blindside protector for their young quarterback.
The Patriots also added an offensive playmaker in Ohio State running back TreVeon Henderson. Henderson’s explosiveness should be a monumental addition, but the Patriots continued to add firepower to their offense with Kyle Williams out of Washington State. It wasn’t just about offense for the Patriots, though, as they added two phenomenal defensive linemen in Bradyn Swinson and Joshua Farmer in the fourth round.
All of this being said, the NFL draft is so interesting because of how different some of these careers go in comparison to expectations. It’ll be interesting to look back on this class in a few years.
The Closer: Ryan Cardona
Former Marist Pitcher Continues Journey to Majors With Triple-A Debut, by Andrew Caruso
A former Marist Red Fox continued his journey to the major leagues as pitcher Ryan Cardona debuted for the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, on April 20. The right-hander started the game in a spot start for the Bats, pitching three innings, allowing a run on two hits, and walking two in the Bats’ 7-4 win against the Columbus Clippers, the affiliate of the Reds in state rival, the Cleveland Guardians.
This milestone marks another accomplishment for the 24-year-old Livingston, NJ native, who was drafted with the 570th overall pick in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, becoming the 20th Marist player to be selected. He has been steadily climbing the ranks since joining the Reds organization and across the minors in five professional seasons from 2021-2025, Cardona has posted a 16-13 record with a 3.51 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, nine saves and 338 strikeouts in 81 career games (48 starts).
Cardona’s collegiate career laid the groundwork for his journey. In three seasons at Marist from 2019-2021, he appeared in 31 games and pitched to a 5-8 record with a 4.08 earned run average, totaling 105 strikeouts and earning five saves. His best season came as a sophomore in 2020, when he started four games, posted a 3.00 ERA, and led the team with 26 strikeouts in a year cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team as a freshman in 2019, striking out 51 over 21 appearances.
Although Cardona was sent back down to Double-A on April 22, his journey to the big leagues continues as he develops his craft and builds upon his collegiate and professional success. With his solid performance and steady presence down on the farm, he remains a name to watch as the season continues, with the hope that he’ll one day receive the call to the majors.
Edited by Marley Pope
Graphic by Cara Lacey
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