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What we learned as Kings' second-half collapse brings loss vs. Bucks

What we learned as Kings' second-half collapse brings loss vs. Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO – Keon Ellis scored 20 points in place of injured starting point guard Malik Monk, but the Kings unraveled at the end and came up short against the Milwaukee Bucks, losing 114-108 on Saturday at Golden 1 Center.

DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 22 points. Zach LaVine added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Keegan Murray had 13 points and nine rebounds.

The Kings fell back to .500 at 35-35 following their second consecutive loss and sixth in eight games.

Sacramento once again played without center Domantas Sabonis, who is nursing a sprained right ankle he suffered earlier in the week. Monk was a late scratch due to illness.

The Kings seemed to handle playing without the two fairly well in the first half but couldn’t sustain the momentum. Milwaukee outscored Sacramento 28-19 over the final 12 minutes.

Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s game:

JV Has Varsity Night

Jonas Valančiūnas has given the Kings quality minutes off the bench since his arrival about a month ago, and he maintained that level while starting in place of Sabonis against the Bucks.

The 6-foot-11 center wasn’t flashy or spectacular, but he was effective. Despite the Bucks consistently attacking the paint, Valančiūnas kept Milwaukee from totally dominating in the middle.

He finished the night with 18 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes.

Keon Making Things Happen

Whether he’s in his usual role coming off the bench or making an occasional start like he did in place of Monk, Ellis brings an infectious energy to the court every time he’s out there.

Making his second start in the last three games, Ellis displayed the type of skills that have made him a fan favorite in Sacramento. If he wasn’t helping effectively on defense against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ellis was racing down the court to keep the Kings’ offense flowing.

He got a breakaway dunk after a DeRozan steal in the second quarter, then later snagged a defensive board and fed it to LaVine, resulting in a four-point play.

It’s the ninth time in 16 starts this season that Ellis has scored in double figures.

Shut Giannis Down

Although Antetokounmpo is enjoying another spectacular season, the Kings showed no fear in trying to stop him.

Antetokounmpo, who dropped 33 on Sacramento when the two teams squared off in January, didn’t break double figures until the second half in the rematch. He shot just 12 of 20 and was minus-six.

Murray had the bulk of work defending Antetokounmpo and did a solid job despite a three-inch, 45-pound difference between the two. Not surprising since Murray has been one of the Kings’ most reliable defenders all season.

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Frustrated Draymond chides Warriors for ‘terrible' loss to Hawks

Frustrated Draymond chides Warriors for ‘terrible' loss to Hawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Every remaining game on the Warriors’ schedule should be considered an NBA playoff game.

The stakes are that high right now.

That’s why Golden State’s 124-115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night at State Farm Arena feels so consequential.

No one knows that better than star forward Draymond Green.

“Bad loss,” Green told reporters after the game. “It’s a terrible loss. When you’re in a position we’re in, we’ve got a chance to compete for something. Eleven games left with everything to play for, you shouldn’t have a loss like this. Too much on the line. Got to win the games you’re supposed to win. Obviously Steph’s out. Still a game we should win. So, it’s a terrible loss.”

The loss to open a six-game road trip drops the Warriors to 41-30 and cuts their lead over the Los Angeles Clippers (40-30) and Minnesota Timberwolves (41-31) for the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed to half a game.

A win in Atlanta would have moved Golden State within one game of the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 5 seed. Instead, the Warriors fell two games behind Ja Morant and Co.

“We just didn’t come out ready to play,” Green said. “We came out like we were just going to win the game. And we got diced up defensively in the first quarter and from that point on, you’re fighting an uphill battle. So everybody’s comfortable and they took it to us. We’ve got to be better. That starts with me. We were terrible defensively. It’s the NBA. Once guys get into a rhythm, it’s hard and they got into a rhythm and had it rolling. It’s tough to stop that, so we got to come out ready to play.”

The Warriors began the road trip without Steph Curry, who is back in the Bay Area receiving treatment for a pelvic contusion sustained in their win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at Chase Center.

Curry will be re-evaluated Monday, but it’s unclear when he will play. Coach Steve Kerr stated pregame that he believes the two-time NBA MVP will rejoin the team during the road trip.

The Warriors’ next game looks easy on paper, but emotions will be running high for both sides.

Jimmy Butler makes his highly anticipated return to Miami, while Heat forward Andrew Wiggins faces the team he helped guide to the 2022 NBA championship.

Green is aware of those storylines, and he knows what the Warriors must do against a Heat team that has lost 10 consecutive games.

“Got to come to play,” Green said. “Come out and play defensively, come out and play hard. We got Jimmy over here. I know this is a big game for him. They got Wiggs over there. I know it’s a huge game for him. Just like we want to win for Jimmy, they’re going to want to win for Wiggs. We got to come out ready to play.

“They’ve lost, what, 10 games in a row? Six or seven of those games come down to four- or five-point games, last couple of possessions. So, it’s a little fool’s gold that they’ve lost 10 in a row. We know who the Miami Heat are. They play hard and are disciplined. So we’ve got to come out and play our brand of basketball.”

The good news for the Warriors is that the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and the Timberwolves face the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

But Green and Golden State can’t afford “terrible” performances over their final 11 regular-season games.

Each loss could be the difference between being the No. 6 seed and earning a week off before the playoffs begin, and having to participate in the NBA play-in tournament.

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Anthony Davis reportedly to return to Mavericks during upcoming East Coast road trip

Anthony Davis is "very eager" to get back on the court for the Dallas Mavericks, which could happen next week.

Davis has been sidelined since straining his adductor on Feb. 8 — his one game as a Maverick since the shocking trade that sent him to Dallas for Luka Doncic — and has been working to get back on the court. However, with Davis out and Kyrie Irving since tearing his ACL, the Mavericks have slid down the Western Conference standings. Davis is still pushing to return, he has had two 5-on-5 practices with the Texas Legends of the G-League, the most recent one with fellow injured centers Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford.

Davis hopes to return to the Mavericks' lineup during Dallas' upcoming Eastern road trip starting Monday, reports NBA insider Marc Stein. No timetable for Davis to play has been set, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said (the same is true of the other centers). This road trip starts Monday in Brooklyn and then heads to New York (Tuesday), Orlando (Thursday), and Chicago (Saturday).

There is disagreement within the Mavericks organization about whether Davis should return, Stein has reported. The Mavericks are tied with the suddenly surging Phoenix Suns for the No. 10 seed and final play-in spot in the West. The question the Mavericks should be asking: "Is the risk of another injury Davis worth the reward of maybe making the No. 10 seed, then having to win two play-in games on the road to make the playoffs, where No. 1 seed Oklahoma City will be waiting? Many people would look at that scenario and suggest Dallas is better off focusing on improving this year's draft position and bringing everyone back healthy next season.

Davis, however, wants to return, and all the noise about how Dallas blew the Doncic trade likely plays into that. (To be fair, those complaints were less about Davis and more about trading a fan favorite about to enter his prime for a player six years older, and for not a large enough return. The anger wasn't aimed at Davis but at management.) It appears Davis will get his way this week, but whether that is enough to get Dallas into the postseason remains to be seen.

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What we learned as Steph-less Warriors struggle in bad loss to Hawks

What we learned as Steph-less Warriors struggle in bad loss to Hawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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The last time the Warriors beat the Hawks in Atlanta, Steph Curry (30 points), Kevin Durant (28 points) and Klay Thompson (27 points) combined to score 85 points in a 128-111 win at State Farm Arena. 

It was Dec. 3, 2018, six seasons ago. The Warriors now have lost their last six games in Atlanta after falling to the Hawks 124-115 on Saturday without Steph Curry to start a six-game road trip.

In the final three quarters, the Warriors outscored the Hawks by eight points. But they fell behind by as many as 20 points in the first quarter, and swimming upstream the rest of the way was too hard to overcome. 

Jimmy Butler led the Warriors with 25 points on 7-of-15 shooting and was 10 of 14 on free throws. Butler, plus-11, was the only Warriors starter with a positive plus/minus. Gary Payton II (plus-6) joined Butler as the only two Warriors to have a positive plus/minus. 

Trae Young had a 25-point, 10-assist double-double, but he wasn’t the only Hawk to star offensively. They had three players score at least 20 points, including 23 off the bench from Georges Niang.

The Hawks ended up shooting 57 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from deep. They dished 37 assists and outscored the Warriors 60-44 in the paint.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors losing once again in Atlanta.

DPOY Battle

As the Cleveland Cavaliers have lost four consecutive games, Draymond Green has risen to a neck-and-neck race with Evan Mobley as the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Hawks defensive ace Dyson Daniels is right there, too.

Daniels came into the day leading the NBA in total steals (194) and steals per game (3.0). Halfway through the first quarter, Daniels snuck from behind to steal the ball away from Green, drove down the court and finished with a tough layup over him. 

Green roamed as he always does in Golden State’s defense. Daniels began the game guarding Butler, and also spent time on Brandin Podziemski and others. Both were effective in their own ways.

Each player had three steals, and Green added one blocked shot. Awards season is creeping closer, and both stated their case to hoist the DPOY trophy.

Hawks Slice Dubs’ Defense 

Offense isn’t an issue for Atlanta. The Hawks since the start of February are top five in points per game, field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. There was no slowing them down Saturday on their home court. 

The Warriors in the first quarter fell into a 17-point deficit they couldn’t fully climb back out of. Simply put, the Hawks got whatever they wanted. Atlanta tallied 40 points on 64-percent shooting, going 16 of 25 overall and 4 of 9 on 3-pointers. Everybody put up points. 

Quin Snyder used nine players in the first quarter, and all nine scored. At halftime, the Hawks held a 12-point lead from shooting 60 percent (30 of 50) while handing out 23 assists and turning the ball over only three times. Onyeka Okongwu scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half.

Through three quarters, six Hawks had scored in double figures, giving them a 17-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

This was supposed to be all about containing Young. It wound up being about so much more. 

Podz’s Up-And-Down Performance

Without Curry, the ball was going to be in Podziemski’s hands, and his 3-point shot was going to be needed. Well, Podziemski did bring the long ball to Atlanta. 

He made two 3-pointers in the first quarter and another two in the third quarter. Podziemski made a fifth three in the fourth quarter, giving him a season high. He struggled scoring elsewhere.

Podziemski missed numerous chances right around the rim. Whether it was a layup, tip shot, floater or getting stuck in the paint, Podziemski found himself in more trouble the closer he was to the hoop. Podziemski was 5 of 8 on threes, but 1 of 6 on 2-pointers. 

Ending with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists is a strong stat line. Podziemski also was a minus-8 in 36 minus, and every opportunity for points becomes amplified when the Warriors don’t have Curry.

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Young gets away with blatantly obvious travel in Warriors-Hawks

Young gets away with blatantly obvious travel in Warriors-Hawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Hawks star Trae Young, looking like Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. evading the pass rush, got away with a blatant travel at the end of the first quarter against the Warriors on Saturday night at State Farm Arena.

With the Hawks holding a commanding 38-23 lead, Young was double-teamed by forward Jimmy Butler and center Kevon Looney.

Young picked up his dribble at the edge of the Hawks’ center-court logo and shuffled both feet until he was at the mid-court line.

By the time Young passed the ball to teammate Georges Niang, he was holding the ball at least a foot over the mid-court line.

The missed call came back to bite the Warriors as Niang found guard Caris LeVert, who hit a jumper at the first-quarter buzzer to give the Hawks a 40-23 lead.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been demanding the NBA train referees to call traveling more, and he might need to make another plea to the league after Young’s shuffle across the court.

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Kings convert Isaac Jones to reported standard two-year contract

Kings convert Isaac Jones to reported standard two-year contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Isaac Jones has continued to grind and stay patient, and on Saturday, he was rewarded.

The Kings converted the young center’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, the team announced two hours before tip-off against the Milwaukee Bucks.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported, citing sources, that Jones’ new contract is a two-year pact.

On Wednesday, Jones reached the NBA’s maximum 50-game active limit during Sacramento’s 123-119 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jones has appeared in 31 games this season for Sacramento, averaging 8.3 minutes and 3.7 points in such contests.

In 11 games with the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, Jones averaged 20.9 points on 55.5 percent shooting, with 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks in 32.2 minutes.

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NBA fines Pacers' Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard and Nets Trendon Watford for altercation

The Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers play again on Saturday night, but before that happens, the league handed down fines from when these teams played on Thursday night.

The Pacers' Andrew Nembhard was fined $20,000 for "initiating the altercation," while his teammate Myles Turner, as well as the Nets' Trendon Watford, were fined $35,000 for escalating the situation, the league announced.

The fourth-quarter altercation started away from the play as Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin drove for a layup.

Watford began to run back up court and bumped into Nembhard, and those two engaged in some relatively mild pushing and shoving. That's when Turner jumped in and escalated everything by shoving Watford, who pushed back, and things quickly escalated.

Nembhard and Watford were handed double technical fouls for their exchange, and the same is true for Turner and Watford for their escalation. That was two technicals for Watford, so he was ejected from the game.

Tonight's officials for the Pacers and Nets know what happened and may end up calling a tighter game to keep a lid on things.

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Celtics sale price of $6.1 billion could turn NBA attention back toward expansion

The NBA got the number it was hoping for in the sale of the Boston Celtics—a $6.1 billion valuation for the franchise, an NBA record by more than $2 billion (the Phoenix Suns sold at a valuation of $4 billion when Mat Ishbia purchased the team).

That sale was one of the things the NBA league office was waiting for before turning its attention to expansion. The league wanted a new, higher baseline for franchise values, allowing it to set a higher price for an expansion franchise. The league got the number it wanted.

Now, momentum toward expansion may pick up again.

While there has been plenty of talk about the NBA expanding — by two franchises, one in Seattle and the other very likely in Las Vegas — there has been no meaningful action on that front. In fact, expansion talk around the league has been very quiet. At the All-Star Game in February it was not a topic around the weekend, nor did it come up when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke to the media. The last time Silver said anything publicly about expansion was in November before the NBA's games in Mexico City.

"There’s no specific date set for expansion..." Silver said at the time. "The process has begun internally at the league office right now. It’s something that we’re continuing to model, to understand the economics of what it would mean to have additional teams."

Previously, the NBA had been waiting for both a new CBA and the new media deals to be in place before bringing up expansion to the Board of Governors (the body of NBA owners). With those locked in, there were some discussions in broad strokes, but the league wanted to see where the sale price of the Celtics fell.

Now the league might slowly turn its attention back to expansion, but this will not be a fast process. It's at least three years, and likely a couple more than that, by the time the league approves expansion, gets new owners in place, gets franchises and arenas built, and gets teams playing on the court.

Is the new asking price for an expansion team $6 billion? It's one thing to pay that figure for one of the largest sports brands in the NBA and the world, the Celtics, it's quite another to pay that just as an entry fee into the league, before adding in the expenses of building an arena and an organization. The NBA's ultimate fee for expansion may be lower than $6 billion, but the reality is the NBA will ask for as much money as someone is willing to pay to buy equity in the league (which is essentially what the new owners would be doing). That expansion fee money is split among the existing 30 owners (for example, two teams coming in at $5 billion each would lead to a $333 million payout to each franchise, money that does not get split with the players but goes straight into owners pockets).

That's a lot of money, which is why momentum toward expansion may pick up again.

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Source: Warriors to sign Knox for rest of 2024-25 NBA season

Source: Warriors to sign Knox for rest of 2024-25 NBA season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors will sign veteran forward Kevin Knox for the rest of the 2024-25 NBA season, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area. 

ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the news Saturday. However, the move will not take place Saturday. 

Knox will be signed by the Warriors on Sunday, NBC Sports Bay Area has learned. He will not be with the team for Saturday’s game in Atlanta against the Hawks, and is expected to join the team for Tuesday’s game in Miami against the Heat. 

The Warriors had until Sunday to add a 14th player on a standard NBA contract, meeting the league’s requirement. Between their roster overhaul at the NBA trade deadline and going through 10-day contracts, the Warriors currently have 13 players on standard NBA contracts, plus all three two-way contracts filled. 

Knox’s second 10-day contract expired on March 10. The Warriors saved around $56,000 per day by not signing him once his two 10-day contracts ran up. But to keep him in the building, the Santa Cruz Warriors reacquired Knox’s rights on March 14. 

This has been the plan all along. Knox, the former No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has done everything the Warriors asked, joining them for summer league, impressing in training camp and starring in the G League for Santa Cruz. 

Knox, still only 25 years old, has appeared in seven games for Golden State this season. He scored a season-high 12 points in the Warriors’ win against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 25, and he has averaged 4.0 points in 7.3 minutes per game. 

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Why Podziemski, Warriors' defense vs. Young key to win over Hawks

Why Podziemski, Warriors' defense vs. Young key to win over Hawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors open a six-game road trip Saturday knowing they won’t have Stephen Curry, which is reason enough to ignore the sub-mediocre records of their next four opponents.

First up are the Atlanta Hawks, whose 33-36 record belies the fact that they have through a spate of injuries to win five of their last seven games. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins with Warriors Pregame Live at 3 p.m., with tipoff from State Farm Arena scheduled for 4.

The priority for Golden State (41-29) is containing Hawks point guard Trae Young, who is averaging a team-high 24.1 points per game and tops the NBA in assists at 11.4 per game. His 40 double-doubles lead all guards.

It’ll be up to Brandin Podziemski to keep Young from getting into the paint and generating offense with lobs, driving and kicking to shooters — and one of the league’s most dangerous floaters. He’s averaging 28.2 points over his last seven games.

Podziemski will get plenty of help from Moses Moody and perhaps Jonathan Kuminga, as their length could make things difficult for the 6-foot-1 Young. Gary Payton II could be a factor, but he missed Golden State’s win over Toronto on Thursday with left knee soreness and is listed as questionable.

The goal for the Warriors is to make Young a volume shooter and avoid fouling. He’s not an efficient scorer (shooting 40.6 percent from the field, including 32.8 percent from deep this season), but his 414 made free throws rank third in the league.

Young will be carrying a heavier load than usual, as Atlanta is without several key weapons. Dynamic power forward and No. 2 scorer Jalen Johnson and center Clint Capela, a certified lob threat, are out for the season.

Another area of concern for Golden State is the bench battle. Atlanta’s bench players, led by Caris LeVert and Terance Mann, have been among the NBA’s top five in scoring all season and are No. 3 in March.

Being without Curry is always a challenge for the Warriors, as he is the longtime hub of their offense. They will lean on the playmaking of Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green to manufacture offense.

After controlling their turnover rate through most of last month, the Warriors lately have resumed their old habit of giving the ball to their opponent. The Hawks, behind NBA steals leader Dyson Daniels, rank No. 2 in that category.

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Wizards vs. Knicks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 22

It’s Saturday, March 22, and the Washington Wizards (15-54) and New York Knicks (43-26) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Wizards are currently 8-27 on the road with a point differential of -12, while the Knicks have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. New York is 3-0 this season against Washington with four, 20, and 28-point wins.

New York is 1-3 over the past four games and 7-8 since the All-Star break. Washington is 0-3 in the last three contests and 5-13 over the previous 18 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.

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Game details & how to watch Wizards vs. Knicks live today

  • Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • 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 Wizards vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Wizards (+715), Knicks (-1136)
  • Spread:  Knicks -14.5
  • Over/Under: 221 points

That gives the Wizards an implied team point total of 109.61, and the Knicks 117.16.

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 Saturday’s Wizards vs. Knicks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Knicks to cover:

"It is tanking season in the NBA and the Wizards are fighting for the worst record in the NBA. The Knicks won two of three meetings with the Wizards by 20-plus points already this season. I can only consider ways to bet the Knicks in this game or look at ways of fading the Wizards down the stretch."

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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 Wizards & Knicks game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Wizards at +14.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 221.

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 Wizards vs. Knicks on Saturday

  • The Knicks have won 6 of their last 8 home games against the Wizards
  • The Knicks' last 3 games versus the Wizards have gone over the Total
  • The Knicks are 1-4 against the spread in their last 5 games at home
  • The Knicks have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast 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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Warriors vs. Hawks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 22

It’s Saturday, March 22, and the Golden State Warriors (41-29) and Atlanta Hawks (33-36) are all set to square off from State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The Warriors are currently 18-15 on the road with a point differential of 3, while the Hawks have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. Golden State won the only meeting 120-97 in Atlanta on November 20.

This is the start of a six-game road trip for the Warriors. Golden State is 9-1 over the last 10 games, while Atlanta is 5-2 over the past seven 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 Warriors vs. Hawks live today

  • Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: State Farm Arena
  • City: Atlanta, GA
  • 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 Warriors vs. Hawks

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Warriors (-139), Hawks (+117)
  • Spread:  Warriors -3
  • Over/Under: 229 points

That gives the Warriors an implied team point total of 115.37, and the Hawks 113.81.

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 Saturday’s Warriors vs. Hawks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VMoneySports) leans the Hawks to cover:

"Both the Hawks and Warriors are playing some of their best basketball of the season, so I am expecting a tight contest here. This is the start of a six-game road trip for the Warriors who are without Steph Curry. Despite being 9-1 over the last 10 games, I lean the Hawks to cover and win outright here. They can matchup defensively with Golden State and arguably have more offensive weapons right now."

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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 Warriors & Hawks 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 Atlanta Hawks at +3.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 229.

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 Warriors vs. Hawks on Saturday

  • The Warriors have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • The Over is 21-13 in the Hawks' home games this season
  • The Hawks have covered the Spread in their last 5 home matchups with the Warriors
  • The Warriors have won their last 4 games against teams with losing records

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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Nets vs. Pacers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 22

It’s Saturday, March 22, and the Brooklyn Nets (23-47) and Indiana Pacers (40-29) are all set to square off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Nets are currently 12-25 on the road with a point differential of -6, while the Pacers have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. Indiana is 2-1 versus Brooklyn this season with two straight wins.

The Pacers are coming off a 105-99 OT win over the Nets on Thursday in Indiana. This is the final meeting of the season and Indiana enters on a three-game winning streak and a 5-1 record over the last six games. Brooklyn is 1-5 in its past six games and dropped the past two as the tanking time of year continues for a team like the Nets.

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 Nets vs. Pacers live today

  • Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
  • Time: 5:00PM EST
  • Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • City: Indianapolis, IN
  • 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 Nets vs. Pacers

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Nets (+324), Pacers (-415)
  • Spread:  Pacers -9.5
  • Over/Under: 220 points

That gives the Nets an implied team point total of 108.88, and the Pacers 113.83.

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 Saturday’s Nets vs. Pacers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Pacers to cover:

"These teams just met two days ago and went to OT and the Pacers won by six as eight-point favorites. The spread has opened at -8.5 and -9 but continues to grow out in the Pacers' favor. With every win being important for the Eastern Conference standings, this would be an Indiana 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 & Pacers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Indiana Pacers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at +9.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 220.

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. Pacers on Saturday

  • The Pacers have won 4 of their last 5 home games against the Nets
  • 5 of the Nets' last 6 matchups with the Pacers have stayed under the Total
  • The Nets are 4-1 against the spread in their last 5 games
  • The Pacers have won 9 of their last 11 games at home

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)

Posted on

Watch Kevin Durant drop 42, Suns hand Cavaliers fourth straight loss

Cleveland Cavaliers v Phoenix Suns

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at PHX Arena on March 21, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Getty Images

At age 36, Kevin Durant is a bucket.

Even with Evan Mobley — the betting favorite for Defensive Player of the Year — as the primary defender, Durant dropped 42 on the Cavaliers giving the Suns a critical win and the Cavaliers their fourth straight loss.

Phoenix has won three in a row and, more importantly, is tied with Dallas for the final play-in spot in the West (the No. 10 seed). The Suns are defending better and finding their game with the playoffs a month away.

Durant poked holes in Evan Mobley's case for Defensive Player of the Year: In the 4:42, Mobley was KD's primary defender. He scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including a couple of 3-pointers, and the Mavericks as a team scored 23 points in those minutes. DeAndre Hunter also got time on Durant, but that went worse, with Durant shooting 6-of-10 in those nearly four minutes.

Cleveland has lost four in a row and looked out of sync as they swing through a West Coast road trip, nobody more than Donovan Mitchell, who started the game 0-of-7 and finished the night 2-of-18 from the floor. All of this is a troubling sign for a Cavaliers team that has serious playoff aspirations. It's possible teams are starting to figure out the Cavaliers, that said the streak likely ends on Sunday when Cleveland faces Utah.

Posted on

James Harden scores 30 as red-hot Clippers pick up their fifth straight win

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, center, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams Jr..
Clippers guard James Harden puts up a shot during the first half of a 128-108 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome on Friday night. Harden finished with 30 points and nine assists. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The high-level competition the Clippers faced this week allowed them to gauge themselves against some of the NBA's best teams.

The Clippers have proven they can go toe-to-toe with elite teams and they've done so without coach Tyronn Lue, who has missed five of the last seven games because of back pain.

And the Clippers displayed their grit again Friday in a 128-108 blowout win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome.

The seventh-seeded Clippers not only moved to 2½ games behind the fifth-place Grizzlies with their fifth consecutive win, but they also swept the season series 3-0. The Clippers (40-30) are just one game behind sixth-place Golden State.

Read more:Clippers continue playoff push against formidable opponents

“We want to focus on ourselves and win as many games as we can,” said Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who had another double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. “But at the same time, every night I’m watching the games, watching the teams in front of us, teams that are behind us in the standings, hoping they lose — I’m being a hater. ... But now, we’re trying to win as many games as we can, focus on us and see where that takes us.”

James Harden led the Clippers with 30 points and nine assists. He was five for 10 from three-point range, giving him 202 on the season. He joined JJ Redick and Paul George as the only players in franchise history to make at least 200 threes in a season.

Kawhi Leonard had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Norman Powell got back in the groove, scoring 14 points. Powell, who was one for two from three-point range, has made 448 three-pointers with the Clippers, pushing him past Lou Williams for seventh on the team's all-time list.

“Obviously we’re playing our butts off and finding the rotations, who is playing well and going with that,” Harden said. “We got a full roster. We’ve been waiting on this moment the entire year and now we’re here to where we actually see some good Clipper basketball. So, for us it’s just figuring out who is playing well, what works and what doesn’t work and in the midst of that trying to win games.”

With Lue at home, Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw was at the helm. The Clippers are 5-1 under his guidance.

Before the game, Shaw was asked how being in charge of a team is different from being an assistant.

“A lot less sleep,” Shaw said, laughing.

Shaw led the Clippers to an impressive win Tuesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had the best record in the NBA. On Sunday in Inglewood, the Clippers meet an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has the best record (58-12), and Shaw will be ready.

Read more:No coach, no problem as Clippers rise up to beat NBA-leading Cavaliers

"Every game is a must-win for us," Zubac said. "So, we’re feeling good, we’re playing good. I think we’re in a good rhythm right now and it’s obviously going to be a challenge. I think that’s the best team in the league throughout the whole year. ... I don’t know if it’s going to show where we’re at, but it’s going to be a good challenge for us.”

Assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy missed his second straight game dealing with a family medical issue. He won’t return to the Clippers for at least a couple of weeks, the team said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.