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What we learned as Butler leads Steph-less Warriors to win vs. Bucks

What we learned as Butler leads Steph-less Warriors to win vs. Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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SAN FRANCISCO – Recovering from the letdown of losing a trap game to the undermanned Denver Nuggets, the Warriors had to dig deep 24 hours later. 

Laser focus led them to a strong start and a comfortable halftime lead, only to see it fade away in the third quarter. But the Warriors found an extra gear to close the third quarter and stop turning the ball over in the fourth, grinding out a 104-93 win against the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center without Steph Curry on Tuesday night.

Jimmy Butler carried a Curry-less Warriors team. Butler nearly had his second triple-double with the Warriors, finishing with 24 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes. Butler was a perfect 11 of 11 on free throws and scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half.

Scoring only three points, Draymond Green was brilliant guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks superstar scored 20 points, but was 5 of 16 overall from the field. Green had four blocks and two steals, giving him nine blocks and five steals the last two games.

Though the Warriors didn’t have Curry, they did get Brandin Podziemski back after he missed the past five games with a lower back injury. In his return, Podziemski tallied 17 points and seven rebounds, splashing two big-time threes in the final two minutes.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors improving to 5-1 on their current seven-game homestand.

Steph Out, Podz In

Curry missed his first game in nearly two months, but in return Podziemski was back on the floor for the Warriors. His first shot attempt in two weeks earned a Curry stamp of approval. Podziemski lined up from the left wing, let it fly and gave Golden State three points as part of a strong first stint. 

And Podziemski’s second shot attempt also was a successful three, again connecting from the left wing.

Podziemski was a perfect 4 of 4 in the first half, making both 3-point attempts to go with a mid-range jumper and a right-handed runner with his off-hand.

After missing his first three shots of the second half, Podziemski lined up a clutch 3-pointer with a little more than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. One minute later, he did so again to give the Warriors an 11-point lead.

Draymond’s Defensive Masterclass

With Curry on the bench, the game very well could come down to how the Warriors would contain Antetokounmpo. That, of course, was Green’s main responsibility. The defensive star understood the assignment. Green’s defensive activity from the jump made it evident how locked in he was.

After missing five games to injury, Antetokounmpo had scored at least 20 points in 12 of his last 14 games, and reached 30 points in four of those games. The two-time NBA MVP tried to challenge Green right away and learned the hard way. Green blocked his driving layup attempt on the Bucks’ opening possession, and then did so again two minutes later. 

Green in the first four-and-a-half minutes of the game already blocked three shots – twice on Antetokounmpo, and once rotating to swat Taurean Price’s 5-foot jump shot.

In the second quarter, he recognized Antetokounmpo rolling the rim freely and knocked away an alley-oop attempt. Green didn’t commit a single foul in the first half while contesting multiple shots. 

Antetokounmpo and Green both subbed into the game for the final 4:24 of the fourth quarter with the Warriors ahead by five points. In that stretch, Antetokounmpo took one shot, missing as he was hounded by Green.

Crisis Averted 

Everything the Warriors accomplished in the first half was thrown out the window in the third quarter. They turned the ball over five times through the first two quarters to hold a 14-point halftime lead. They then gave the ball up 10 times in the third quarter alone, resulting in 14 points for the Bucks.

The Warriors allowed four threes in the first half, only to see the Bucks drain six in the third quarter – twice as many as Golden State made. It looked like all the good habits the Warriors created going into halftime were left in the locker room. Then the final 41 seconds of the third quarter happened. 

Starting with a pull-up 3-pointer from Hield, the Warriors went on an 8-0 run to close the quarter, which also included Jonathan Kuminga making two free throws and Butler making all three after forcing contact with one second left. 

Beginning with a three-point play by Butler, the Warriors kept their momentum to start the fourth quarter, going on a 16-0 run between the end of the third quarter and the first three minutes of the final frame. In the fourth, the Warriors outscored the Bucks 26-17.

This was the kind of gutsy win the Warriors can pridefully look back on going forward.

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Kings star Sabonis out at least 10 days with ankle sprain

Kings star Sabonis out at least 10 days with ankle sprain originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Once again, the Kings will be without Domantas Sabonis for an extended period.

Sacramento’s star big man is listed as out for the team’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, per the latest NBA injury report, with a moderate right ankle sprain — and will be out at least 10 days total, the Kings announced Tuesday night. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report Sabonis will be out that long.

Sabonis sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Kings’ 132-122 win over the Memphis Grizzles on Monday, and it was evident as he hobbled to the locker room that the incident could be serious.

Before the ankle injury, Sabonis was playing in his second game back after missing six contests with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Disaster struck again Monday when Sabonis was driving to the rim and awkwardly rolled his right ankle as he went for the layup.

In 57 games during the 2024-25 NBA season so far, Sabonis is averaging a double-double with 19.1 points, 14.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Sabonis could return as soon as March 29 against the Magic in Orlando and would miss six games across the 10-day span.

The Kings went on to beat the Grizzlies without Sabonis and snap a four-game losing streak, and they’ll have to keep things rolling without him at home Wednesday night against the NBA-leading Cavaliers, as well as the foreseeable future.

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Stephen A calls Draymond out after Warriors' loss to Nuggets

Stephen A calls Draymond out after Warriors' loss to Nuggets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green can talk the talk, but Stephen A. Smith wants to see the Warriors forward walk the walk, too.

Green infamously proclaimed that Golden State would win the NBA Finals this season after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, but one bad loss to the shorthanded Denver Nuggets on Monday night put things into perspective for the ESPN analyst.

“My eyes are on Draymond Green. Who’s the person who went on national television during All-Star Weekend and guaranteed a championship? Who’s that? That wasn’t Steph. That wasn’t Jimmy. That’s Draymond,” Smith said Tuesday morning on “First Take.” “… We know what a point-forward he is, we know how great he is at setting Steph Curry up, getting him the basketball, pushing the ball up the court, running their offense. We know how valuable Dray is on that level. But if this brother hits his threes when he is open, that changes the dynamic of everything for the Golden State Warriors.

“That’s why the guarantee matters. Because when he’s making shots, that’s a profound positive impact for the Golden State Warriors. I’m not saying you change your strategy because he’s not a shooter. But if you don’t guard him, and you leave him open, and he hits those shots, it changes everything because then they can upset somebody in the Western Conference.

“So that man that opened his mouth and guaranteed a championship, it’s literally on him. Because I know what Jimmy Butler’s going to do. We know what Playoff Jimmy is all about. We know what Steph Curry is all about. But if Draymond hits shots, it’s a different ball game. But he’s got to do it. So it’s on him, a lot of it.”

In 54 games (52 starts) this season, Green is averaging 9.2 points on 43.6-percent shooting from the field and 33.5 percent from 3-point range, with 6.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in 29 minutes per game.

While Green isn’t known for his scoring much less his shot from beyond the arc, there have been games and even stretches where the do-it-all forward knocks down a couple treys.

In last week’s win over the Sacramento Kings, Green was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and finished with a season-high 23 points. But he was just 1 of 6 from downtown over Golden State’s next two games, including going 0-for-1 from long-range against the Nuggets.

Green’s daily to-do list consists of more than just shooting the ball, but if he would do it more for the Warriors, Smith believes Green’s prediction could come true.

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Sabonis ruled out for Kings-Cavaliers game with ankle sprain

Sabonis ruled out for Kings-Cavaliers game with ankle sprain originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Once again, the Kings will be without Domantas Sabonis on Wednesday night.

Sacramento’s star big man is listed as out for the team’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden 1 Center, per the latest NBA injury report, with a right ankle sprain.

Sabonis sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Kings’ 132-122 win over the Memphis Grizzles on Monday, and it was evident as he hobbled to the locker room that the incident could be serious.

Before the ankle injury, Sabonis was playing in his second game back after missing six contests with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Disaster struck again Monday when Sabonis was driving to the rim and awkwardly rolled his right ankle as he went for the layup.

In 57 games during the 2024-25 NBA season so far, Sabonis is averaging a double-double with 19.1 points, 14.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

The Kings went on to beat the Grizzlies without Sabonis and snap a four-game losing streak, and they’ll have to keep things rolling without him at home Wednesday night against the NBA-leading Cavaliers.

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Haslem believes Warriors would struggle vs. two teams in NBA playoffs

Haslem believes Warriors would struggle vs. two teams in NBA playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Udonis Haslem believes the Warriors need to avoid the NBA play-in tournament.

The former NBA player-turned-analyst made that much clear when asked what he thought about Golden State potentially falling out of a top-six seed in the Western Conference.

“That’s a tough one because you do not want to be in a play-in,” Haslem said Monday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “[Monday] night [against the Denver Nuggets] was going to be a tough game for Jimmy [Butler] regardless. When you talk about Aaron Gordon and Russell Westbrook, you’re talking about guys that have size, speed and athleticism. Those are the kinds of guys Jimmy struggles with. Smaller guards he can overpower, bigger guys he can usually get around. Those guys that have that balance of both, those teams are ones Jimmy struggles with. Guys with switchable matchups that can guard him on the post and the perimeter.”

While Golden State played an all-around sloppy game, Denver’s size advantage was evident in the Warriors’ 114-105 loss at Chase Center. Gordon and Westbrook had no trouble cutting to the basket and distributing the ball to wide-open shooters. Butler and Steph Curry were bottled up for large stretches of the game as the Warriors’ offense ground to a halt.

Haslem hopes Golden State can avoid playing the top two seeds in the Western Conference right now, as they present an even greater challenge than the Nuggets.

“Hopefully that’s not a matchup they’re going to have [in the playoffs],” Haslem explained. “But [Oklahoma City Thunder] has wing defenders. They have Alex Caruso; they have Luguentz Dort. They have these lengthy, long wing defender guys. And Houston [Rockets] have that as well. So, neither one of those teams in the first round is going to play out well for Golden State. So, in my opinion move up as high as you can and get out of there.”

While Butler has helped the team get back in the NBA playoff picture, the Warriors lack the size and length of the Thunder or Rockets. In what would be a punishing and physical playoff series, Golden State potentially would fare far better against other teams in the West.

With so many teams in contention, the playoff seeding beyond the No. 1 Thunder is anyone’s guess. Hopefully, the Warriors can continue their strong play and avoid the play-in.

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There reportedly would be 'significant interest' if Pelicans test Zion Williamson trade market

Zion Williamson has looked like the franchise anchor New Orleans thought he would be since his return from his latest injury. In his last 15 games, Zion is averaging 25.8 points on 60.6% shooting with 6.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists — and that's all on minutes limit keeping him under 30 a night.

Which fits the first part of what the Pelicans were hoping for from his return this season — he increased his value, something reported earlier by Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks at ESPN. MacMahon expanded upon that this week on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip Real GM).

"I remember Bobby [Marks] and I wrote a story just as he was about to come back and kind of like 'What's coming with Zion?'... Somebody told us then the goal is to ramp him up and restore his value whether that's for the Pelicans or another team. And he's handling the first part, to his credit, he is absolutely handling the first part."

Considering his injury history and contract, would there really be much trade demand for Zion? MacMahon said:

"There's some teams that would have significant interest."

Zion has three years and $126.5 million remaining on his contract. Because he has not met a games played clause, the Pelicans could void the final three years and walk away from him, but multiple league sources say that is not expected to happen. If the Pelicans decide to move on, they would rather trade him and get something in return.

Or, the Pelicans could welcome Zion back, pair him with a healthy Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones (both out with torn labrums the rest of the season) and eventually a healthy Dejonte Murray (torn Achilles) and try to make a "we're finally healthy" run more like Memphis this season. Whether to hang on to him or move on may depend partially on just how high Zion's value is and how much a team would be willing to give up to take a swing with him.

One way or another, it's going to be an interesting summer in the Big Easy.

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ESPN analyst states Warriors are second-best team in West behind OKC

ESPN analyst states Warriors are second-best team in West behind OKC originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

One ESPN analyst is picking the Warriors as the second-best team in the Western Conference.

Tim MacMahon explained why he believes Golden State has a shot at rising up the standings during the final month of the 2024-25 NBA season.

“I’m going to go with Golden State here,” MacMahon said Tuesday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “Obviously, playoff Jimmy [Butler] is a thing because we’ve seen him before. But, more than anything else, Steph Curry last night, Steve Kerr talked about how tired he was.

“They’ve got to get him some rest and get his battery recharged. But he’s still playing at the peak of his powers. Him and Draymond Green, four-time champions. I just think they have the talent and the pedigree to be the biggest threat to Oklahoma City [Thunder].”

While the Warriors have been rejuvenated since trading for Butler, the daunting depth of the Western Conference will be challenging to overcome. Even without three-time MVP Nikola Jokić in uniform, Golden State flopped against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, the current No. 2 in the West. While rookie center Quinten Post has been a solid performer recently, Golden State lacks the size of the other contending teams.

It will be critical for the team to reintegrate Jonathan Kuminga back into the fold, as his incredible speed and athleticism could give Golden State an edge against other teams. As it stands now, relying solely on Curry and Butler to generate consistent offensive production isn’t going to cut it.

The same old cliches about the postseason exploits of Butler, Curry and Green don’t hold up like they used to. This Warriors team will need marked improvements from its bench to make it to the Western Conference finals.

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Kings' Domantas Sabonis rolls ankle Monday, expected to miss more time

Sacramento just struggled to a 2-4 record in six games Domantas Sabonis missed with a hamstring strain. Now it is going to have to get by without him for what may be weeks again.

Sabonis rolled his ankle in the opening minute of the second half on a drive to the basket and had to leave the game. It looked nasty.

There was no update postgame from coach Doug Christie, but Malik Monk summed it up well speaking to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

“It looked pretty bad. But Domas (is) strong. He’ll probably be back sooner than we think.”

The Kings need him to. For the season they are 3-6 in games Sabonis misses with a -3.8 net rating when he is off the court. The Kings sit ninth in the West and are headed to the play-in, but had hoped to catch the Clippers for the No. 8 seed and make their path to the playoffs easier. That was going to be tough with Sabonis, the Kings are 3.5 games back of Los Angeles with 15 games to play, but without him it's an Everest-like mountain. The Kings are not likely to fall out of the play-in, they have a two-game lead over the injury riddled Mavericks for the No. 10 seed, with Phoenix 11th and three games back, and the Trail Blazers five games behind the Kings.

Sabonis also may want to return for personal reasons — he has played in just 58 games this season, he needs to play at least seven more (and 20 minutes a night in those games) to reach the 65-game threshold set by the NBA to be eligible for post-season awards. Sabonis is certainly in the mix for an All-NBA spot if he qualifies.

The ankle wasn't even Sabonis' first injury in the game. Sabonis had to get stitches for a cut over his left eye after he was hit in the face by the back of Grizzlies' guard Luke Kennard’s head. Sabonis returned to the game, only to roll his ankle.

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Bucks vs. Warriors Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets for March 18

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors Preview 

The Milwaukee Bucks (38-29) and Golden State Warriors (39-29) are all set to square off from Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Warriors are coming off of a tough loss last night. They played the Denver Nuggets, who decided to rest their stars.

With the season in the back-half, we could possibly see a few Warriors players out tonight.
The Bucks are currently 14-17 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Warriors have a 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Bucks vs. Warriors live today

  • Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
  • Time: 10:00PM EST
  • Site: Chase Center
  • City: San Francisco, CA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Bucks vs. Warriors
The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Bucks (+125), Warriors (-149)
  • Spread:  Warriors -2.5
  • Over/Under: 233 points

That gives the Bucks an implied team point total of 115.94, and the Warriors 117.25.
 
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday's Bucks vs. Warriors game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Jimmy Butler over 19.5 points…

Thomas: “With Curry possibly out, Butler instantly becomes the primary option. There will be role players who go off, but Butler to score 20 at this price is playable and has some value.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Bucks & Warriors game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Golden State Warriors on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Bucks at +2.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 233.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Bucks vs. Warriors on Tuesday

  • The Warriors have won 4 straight home games against the Bucks
  • The Under is 7-3 in the Bucks' last 10 road games
  • The Bucks have covered the Spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a favorite
  • The Warriors have won 4 straight home games against the Bucks

 
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
 
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. 
 
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) 
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) 
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Why Giannis vs. Draymond is key matchup in Warriors-Bucks game

Why Giannis vs. Draymond is key matchup in Warriors-Bucks game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

For the second consecutive Warriors night at Chase Center, a marquee player will be sidelined. On Monday, it was Denver’s three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. On Tuesday, it’s Golden State’s two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

The Nuggets surprisingly withstood the absence of Jokić, and the Milwaukee Bucks will test the Warriors without Curry. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6 p.m. PT with Warriors Pregame Live, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Bucks (38-29, third in the East) have their own two-time MVP in forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who means as much to them as Jokić does to the Nuggets and Curry to the Warriors. The “Greek Freak” is averaging 30.4 points per game, second in the NBA behind only Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 33.0.

How will the Warriors (39-29, sixth in the West) try to contain Giannis? The first step is crowding his space with more than one defender. The second is keeping him out of transition, where the 6-foot-11 veteran is the league’s most devastating force.

That task falls into the lap of Draymond Green because, well, despite being only 6-foot-6 he always gets the most threatening big man. He will be assisted by double-teams and occasional blitzes, which could include anyone from Jimmy Butler III and Jonathan Kuminga to Gary Payton II and Gui Santos.

The goal with Antetokounmpo is to force him into shots outside the restricted area, where he takes 59 percent of his shots and is making 73.8 percent. Ideally, the Warriors would like to push him out beyond the arc, where he is shooting 18.2 percent, the lowest since his second season in the league.

Antetokounmpo’s other exploitable weakness on offense is his propensity for turnovers. He’s fifth in that category, ahead of such turnover-prone guards as Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Washington’s Jordan Poole. Giannis has committed at least six turnovers in eight games, with a season-high eight.

Though Antetokounmpo is Golden State’s biggest challenge, the Bucks have six-time All-Star Damian Lillard (averaging 25.1 ppg) to keep defenses honest. Their combined scoring average of 55.5 points per game is the highest of any duo in the NBA.

With their season-high seven-game win streak snapped against the Nuggets, the Warriors are trying to avoid losing a back-to-back set at home for the first time since Nov. 12, 2023. There is a change they could be rejoined by guard Brandin Podziemski, who has missed the last five games with a low back strain and is listed as questionable.

Getting back to their winning ways against Milwaukee is hard enough for the Warriors, and trying to do without Curry is exponentially more difficult.

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Steph ruled out of Warriors-Bucks game due to rest; Giannis probable

Steph ruled out of Warriors-Bucks game due to rest; Giannis probable originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors will try to bounce back against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, and they will have to do so without their best player.

Steph Curry will miss the second night of Golden State’s back-to-back after playing close to 36 minutes in the Warriors’ 114-105 loss to the shorthanded Denver Nuggets on Monday, per the NBA’s latest injury report.

After Monday’s loss, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was honest with reporters about Curry’s fatigue.

“He’s tired,” Kerr said. “Steph has been carrying us for a month; he’s been amazing. He’s tired, so we got to get him some rest. You can see it — he doesn’t have his energy right now.”

Curry, who has been playing lights out in recent weeks, finished Monday’s loss with 20 points on 28.6-percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range, with four rebounds, seven assists, three steals and seven turnovers.

“We got to absolutely consider giving him a night and getting him rejuvenated for the sake of him and the remainder of our games,” Kerr admitted, adding that he would discuss with Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini.

The Warriors are 6-3 without Curry this season.

Brandin Podziemski is questionable after missing the last five games with a back strain, but NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson reports he is expected to return Tuesday night. Quinten Post also is questionable with a right ankle issue.

For Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo (right patella tendinopathy) and Damian Lillard (right groin soreness) are probable.

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How Butler, Warriors can ‘protect' tired Steph moving forward

How Butler, Warriors can ‘protect' tired Steph moving forward originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler has made Steph Curry’s life much easier on the court, but the NBA star believes he and his Warriors teammate still can do a better job.

Butler spoke to reporters in the Warriors’ locker room after Golden State’s 114-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday at Chase Center, and in response to Steve Kerr saying postgame that Curry is “exhausted,” agreed with his coach’s sentiment and challenged himself and his teammates to do a better job at “protecting” the 37-year-old Curry.

“It’s OK to be tired,” Butler said. “And that’s on myself and that’s on us as a unit to pick up the slack for him. As everyone wants to think he is superhuman, he is not. He is our leader and we must protect him at all times, I will tell you that. That’s on myself, for sure, but everybody else to make sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing and give my man a break.”

What can Butler and his Warriors teammates do to help Curry? Well, they can start by not turning the ball over 20 times, like they did in Monday’s loss to Denver.

“Make sure we don’t turn the ball over, one,” Butler stated. “Make sure we get a good shot on goal and execute. I think whenever you execute and get the ball where it needs to go, that’s [mine and Draymond Green’s] job more than anybody’s, his job is a lot easier.”

The Warriors are an eye-popping 14-2 in games Butler has played in since the blockbuster trade on Feb. 5, but despite Golden State and Curry’s overwhelming success since, the Warriors still can do a better job of keeping Curry fresh and energized throughout the stretch run of the 2024-25 NBA regular season and potentially into the playoffs.

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Nets vs. Celtics Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 18

It’s Tuesday, March 18, and the Brooklyn Nets (23-45) and Boston Celtics (49-19) are all set to square off from TD Garden in Boston.

The Nets are currently 12-23 on the road with a point differential of -6, while the Celtics have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. Boston is 3-0 against Brooklyn this season with wins of 4, 24, and 2 points.

The Celtics are 7-1 in the last eight games and won the past two, while the Nets are coming off a win that makes them 1-3 over the previous four games.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Nets vs. Celtics live today

  • Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: TD Garden
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: NBA TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Nets vs. Celtics

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Nets (+559), Celtics (-826)
  • Spread:  Celtics -13.5
  • Over/Under: 215.5 points

That gives the Nets an implied team point total of 101.98, and the Celtics 115.02.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Nets vs. Celtics game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Celtics to cover against the Nets:

"As someone who needed Boston -10.5 on Saturday to cash a six-leg parlay, I am running it back on the Celtics here. The line has grown out in their favor after Brooklyn covered the previous meeting and lost 115-113. The Nets played the following night then had Monday off, while Boston's been off the entire time. This is a Celtics or pass spot."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Nets & Celtics game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at +13.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 218.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Nets vs. Celtics on Tuesday

  • The Celtics have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against divisional opponents
  • 5 of the Nets' last 6 road matchups against the Celtics have stayed under the Total
  • The Nets have covered in 5 of their last 7 matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Celtics have won 7 straight matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Kings sign Taylor to 10-day contract from G League Stockton

Kings sign Taylor to 10-day contract from G League Stockton originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings added some homegrown depth to their frontcourt, and they looked no further than their own backyard.

Sacramento is signing 25-year-old Stockton Kings forward Terry Taylor to a 10-day contract, his agent confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday morning. The team later made the signing official.

In 28 games (18 starts) with Stockton, Taylor is averaging 17.6 points on 46.2-percent shooting from the field and 39.9 percent from 3-point range on 5.3 attempts per game, with 8.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 34.3 minutes.

Just last week, he had a season-high 33 points with 11 rebounds in Stockton’s 126-113 loss to the San Diego Clippers, and he has had a recent hot stretch in the month of March.

After going undrafted in 2021, Taylor signed with the Indiana Pacers but was waived on Oct. 15. He later signed with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as an affiliate player, where he averaged 19.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 11 games.

On Dec. 15, 2021, Taylor signed a two-way contract with Indiana, splitting his time between the Pacers and the Mad Ants, and on April 7, the Pacers converted his two-way contract into a standard one.

In 2023, Taylor was waived by the Pacers and signed a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls that was later converted to a standard contract. However, he was waived by Chicago on April 4, 2024.

Sacramento signed Taylor last September but waived him shortly after. He then joined its G League affiliate in Stockton. He now will get a chance to help a playoff-hungry team stay afloat in the Western Conference for a difficult stretch of basketball.

And with Domantas Sabonis’ status unknown, he should provide some much-needed frontcourt help until there is more clarity.

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Hawks vs. Hornets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 18

It’s Tuesday, March 18, and the Atlanta Hawks (32-36) and Charlotte Hornets (17-50) are all set to square off from Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

The Hawks are currently 15-18 on the road with a point differential of -3, while the Hornets have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. Atlanta is 3-0 this season against Charlotte with wins of 3, 5, and 13 points.

Charlotte is 3-11 since the All-Star break, but 3-2 in the last five games. Atlanta has lost the past two games after four straight wins and is 6-7 since the break.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game details & how to watch Hawks vs. Hornets live today

  • Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
  • Time: 3:00PM EST
  • Site: Spectrum Center
  • City: Charlotte, NC
  • Network/Streaming:

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Hawks vs. Hornets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Hawks (-253), Hornets (+206)
  • Spread:  Hawks -6.5
  • Over/Under: 236 points

That gives the Hawks an implied team point total of 120.33, and the Hornets 116.94.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Hawks vs. Hornets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Hornets to cover against the Hawks:

"This is the fourth and final meeting between the two teams and with the Hawks winning all three meetings, this is the only time I'd be willing to back the Hornets. Charlotte has won three of the past five games, so they are more competitive recently than the last two meetings at least. These teams just met on Wednesday and Atlanta won by 13 and covered with the Under hitting. I lean Charlotte ATS and the Over this time around."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Hawks & Hornets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Hawks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Charlotte Hornets at +6.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 236.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Hawks vs. Hornets on Tuesday

  • The Hornets have lost 7 of their last 10 games
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Hornets' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Hornets have failed to cover in 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast Division teams
  • Betting the Hawks on the Money Line in all games this season would have shown a 113% return on investment

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)