Pacers coach Rick Carlisle calls out league on $100,000 tanking fine, league pushes back
Earlier this month, the NBA fined the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for "violating the Player Participation Policy in connection with the team's game against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3." On the second night of a back-to-back, Indiana sat All-Star Pascal Siakam as well as Bennedict Mathurin (who was traded within days), T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith for the game (a loss to the Jazz). The league said that, in consultation with an independent physician, it determined that Siakam and two others could have played, although possibly in reduced roles.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle didn't hold back when addressing the fine during a radio appearance on 107.5 The Fan on Tuesday (hat tip The Athletic).
"I didn't agree with it. There was a league lawyer that was doing the interview that kind of unilaterally decided that Aaron Nesmith, who had been injured the night before and couldn't hold the ball, should have played in the game, which just seems ridiculous.
"During the interview process – I was not on it, but I heard details – we asked them if they wanted to talk to the doctors, our doctors, about it because it was something that was documented by our doctors and trainers. They said no, they didn't need to. They talked to their doctors, who did not examine Aaron Nesmith. And we asked them if they wanted to talk to (Nesmith), and they said, no, they didn't need to.
"This was shocking to me. And during the interview, they also asked if we considered medicating him to play in a game when we were 30 games under .500. So I was very surprised. Obviously didn't agree with it."
As you might expect, a league spokesman had a different spin on this when Sam Amick of The Athletic reached out.
"Coach Carlisle's description of the process that went into the decision to fine the Indiana Pacers is inaccurate. An independent physician led the medical review. In addition, the Pacers' general manager and the team's senior vice president (of) sports medicine and performance were interviewed as part of the process. The Pacers confirmed that it had provided all of the information requested by the league and the team reported that an interview with Coach Carlisle or a team physician wasn't necessary."
Two thoughts on this.
First, what Carlise accurately sums up is the vibe around the NBA — the league's approach to limiting tanking is random. Scattershot. Utah and Indiana (and likely a couple of teams in the future) will be hit with fines, while other teams sit out stars — with what seems, from the outside, to be very slow-healing injuries (to be generous) — and go unpunished. I have no doubt that the league feels there is an internal logic and they are following the CBA, but outside the New York NBA HQ, the feeling is Utah in particular (because they played stars but sat them in the fourth quarter), but Indiana as well, were singled out for things a whole bunch of other teams are doing. Utah basically said, "Okay, we'll play your game," and came up with surgeries for Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic that will sit two key rotation players for the remainder of the year.
Second, if the price for Indiana of a top-four pick is a $100,000 fine, they will pay it with a smile. That is the price of doing business. Utah will feel the same way about a $500,000 fine.
Trail Blazers guard Sharpe diagnosed with stress reaction in left fibula
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe was diagnosed with a stress reaction of the left fibula and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks, the team said Tuesday.
Sharpe had already missed the past six games because of a left calf strain. Follow-up imaging revealed the stress reaction.
The four-to-six week time frame for Sharpe will allow for healing “before beginning a progressive return to full basketball activity," the team said in a statement.
The 22-year-old Sharpe ranks second on the team with an average of 21.4 points this season. He also averages 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
He injured his calf earlier this month in the first half of the Trail Blazers' 135-115 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies that snapped a six-game losing streak.
Sharpe, in his fourth season, was the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle says NBA investigator did not speak with team doctors before issuing fine
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday that the NBA's investigators did not speak with team doctors or players before issuing a recent $100,000 fine for violating the league’s player participation policy.
Carlisle made the comments during his weekly appearance on local radio station 107.5 The Fan.
“The league lawyer that was doing the interview kind of unilaterally decided Aaron Nesmith, who had been injured the night before and couldn't hold the ball, should have played in the game, which just seems ridiculous,” Carlisle said in his most extensive comments about the situation since the Feb. 3 game. "And during the interview process — I was not in on it but I heard the details — we asked them if they wanted to talk to the doctors, our doctors about it because it was something documented by our doctors and trainers. They said no, they didn't need to. They talked to their doctors, who did not examine Aaron Nesmith.
“And we asked them if they wanted to talk to the kids and they said they didn't need to, which was shocking to me, and during the interview they also asked if we considered medicating him to play in a game when were 30 games under .500, so I was very surprised.”
The NBA had a different view about what happened.
“Coach Carlisle’s description of the process that went into the decision to fine the Indiana Pacers is inaccurate,” a statement from the league read. “An independent physician led the medical review. In addition, the Pacers’ general manager and the team’s senior vice president, sports medicine and performance were interviewed as part of the process. The Pacers confirmed that it had provided all of the information requested by the league and the team reported that an interview with coach Carlisle or a team physician wasn’t necessary.”
The 66-year-old Carlisle is in his 24th season as a head coach in the league and ranks 11th in victories while compiling a record of 1,008-903. He won an NBA title as a player with the Boston Celtics in 1985-86, as coach of the Dallas Mavericks in 2010-11 and was selected as the league's 2001-02 Coach of the Year. He recently announced he would be stepping down from his long tenure as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Mavericks vs Nets Preview and Injury Update: Who wants it less?!
The Dallas Mavericks (20-36) visit the Brooklyn Nets (15-41) to participate in a Tuesday evening basketball contest for the ages. Or not. We’ll see. Dallas finally won a game after losing 10 straight, beating the shameless Indiana Pacers. Brooklyn is no better though; they’ve lost four straight and are really not good at basketball. In these games between teams without incentive, the team with the least talent usually loses. That is the Nets
Here’s the main things you need to know:
- WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Brooklyn Nets
- WHAT: Road trippin’, still
- WHERE: Barclay’s Center, Brooklyn, New York
- WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
- HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
The injury report for our Dallas Mavericks is not surprising. Cooper Flagg is out, the foot sprain lingers and they should take their time here. Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively are of course still out. Mousa Cisse and Ryan Nembhard are doubtful, but this means out. They don’t have a lot of eligibility left and Dallas should’ve done a much better job managing that. Daniel Gafford is questionable but that’s been his whole season, so expect him to play.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
The Brooklyn Nets have five guys on the injury report, but they are all on G-League assignments.
This all goes to explain how the Nets are organically awful as much as any team in the NBA, so while they’re capable of winning, I do not expect them to offer much resistance. The Mavericks have the “problem” of having functional NBA-level veteran talent. Even without Flagg, they fight each game. So expect more of that and one more win in the column for the Mavericks.
Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
Cavs vs. Knicks open gamethread
The Cleveland Cavaliers face the New York Knicks for the final time this season. We’ll see how they stack up in what could be a playoff preview.
I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Come talk with me and the rest of your fellow Cavs fans there.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
Go Cavs!
Wizards at Hawks: start time, TV, streaming, radio, game thread
The Atlanta Hawks (28-31) both welcome the return of Trae Young and unveil new acquisition Jonathan Kuminga in a game against the Washington Wizards (16-40) tonight.
Starting lineup:
- G CJ McCollum
- G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- F Dyson Daniels
- F Jalen Johnson
- C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Start Time: 7:30 PM EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
Suns' Dillon Brooks out 4-6 weeks after surgery to repair fractured hand.
Dillon Brooks, whose energy and unexpected shot creation have been at the heart of the Phoenix Suns this season, will miss 4-6 weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured left hand, Phoenix announced Tuesday.
This was not a surprise, the fracture was reported a few days ago, but without details on the surgery or a timeline for a return.
Brooks has been a culture setter for the organization and, on the court, a needed secondary shot creator, averaging 21.2 points per game. Not that there was a good time for an injury, but this hits the Suns particularly hard this week with Devin Booker missing time with a hip injury and Grayson Allen out with knee and ankle issues. The Suns lost to the Trail Blazers over the weekend without either of their two leading scorers.
Phoenix, 33-25, sits as the No. 7 seed in the West, just two games out of getting into the top six and avoiding the play-in, but it's going to be tough to make up that gap without the team being healthy.
The Suns also announced that guard Jordan Goodwin is out for at least a week or two due to a left calf strain. Goodwin is averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Wizards at Hawks discussion
The Washington Wizards play the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. tonight at State Farm Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
Trae Young remains out in his return to Atlanta. Former Wizards Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum will be available for the Hawks.
Boston Celtics (37-19) at Phoenix Suns (33-25) Game #57 2/24/26
Boston Celtics (37-19) at Phoenix Suns (33-25)
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
9:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #57, Road Game #30
TV: ESPN, NBCSB, 3TV
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 98.7 AZ Sports Radio, Sirius XM
Mortgage Matchup Center
The Celtics continue their western road trip with a stop in Phoenix to take on the Suns. They won the first 2 games of the trip by beating the Warriors and the Lakers. They will face the Nuggets on Wednesday to close out the trip. This is the first of 2 games between these two teams this season. They will meet for the 2nd, and final, time on March 16.
The Celtics won the series 2-0 last season and have won 4 straight against the Suns. They are 79-60 overall all time against the Suns and they are 33-36 in games played in Phoenix. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games and will travel to Denver to complete the back to back set on Wednesday. The Celtics are 6-3 in the first of back to back games this season.
Like the Celtics, the Suns have changed quite a bit since last season. In the offseason, they traded Kevin Durant to Houston for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. They traded Vasilije Micic to Charlotte for Mark Williams. They claimed Jordan Goodwin off waivers from the Lakers. They bought out Bradley Beal. and they drafted Khaman Maluach (10th), Rasheer Fleming (31st) and Koby Brea (41st. Tyus Jones and Mason Plumlee both left in free agency. At the trade deadline, they traded Nigel Hayes-Davis and Nick Richards for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1 game ahead of 3rd place New York, 2 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 3.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 6.5 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 7 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 13-6 against Western Conference opponents. They are 19-10 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 3 games.
The Suns are 7th in the West, 11 games behind 1st place OKC, 3 games behind 3rd place Denver, 2.5 games behind 4th place Houston, and 2 games behind the 5th place Lakers and 6th place Minnesota. They are 2.5 games ahead of 8th place Golden Stat and 5 games ahead of 9th place Portland. The Suns are 11-7 against Eastern Conference opponents and 19-11 at home. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and are coming off a loss in their last game.
The Celtics are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game Western road trip. They beat Golden State 121-110 on Thursday and beat the Lakers 111-89 on Sunday. They will play Denver on Wednesday to close out the trip. They will then return home for games against Brooklyn and Philadelphia before a game at Milwaukee. Then they are back home for games against Charlotte and Dallas before a tough 3 game road trip through Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City. Then they host Washington, Phoenix and Golden State.
The Suns are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game home stand. They beat Orlando and lost to Portland in the first two games and will face the Lakers to close out the home stand. They will then play at Sacramento before three more games at home against Chicago, New Orleans and Charlotte. They will then head out on a 6 game road trip through Milwaukee, Indiana, Toronto, Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio.
Jayson Tatum remains out for the Celtics as he rehabs from the Achilles injury, although rumblings of his return seem to be getting louder. Jaylen Brown has been added to the injury report with a knee contusion. They may be cautious with him due to the back to back games with Denver being the tougher team. He was originally questionable but has been downgraded to out. I’m going to take a wild guess that Hugo Gonzalez starts but I’m usually wrong.
The Suns have 5 players out and one player questionable on their injury report. Grayson Allen is questionable due to right knee and ankle injury management. He will be a game time decision. Cole Anthony has not reported to the team as yet after his trade from Orlando. Devin Booker (hip), Dillon Brooks (hand), Jordan Goodwin (calf) and Haywood Highsmith (knee) are all listed as out. I’ve listed their starting lineup from their last game.
Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Collin Gillespie
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Jalen Green
SF: Hugo Gonzalez vs Ryan Dunn
Sam Hauser vs Royce O’Neale
C: Neemias Queta vs Mark Williams
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Nikola Vucevic
Jordan Walsh
Delano Banton (10-day)
John Tonje (10-day)
2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr
Max Shulga
Injuries/Out
Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out
Jaylen Brown (knee) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Suns Reserves
Amir Coffey
Rasheer Fleming
Oso Ighodaro
Khaman Maluach
2-Way Players
Jamaree Bouyea
Koby Brea
Isaiah Livers
Injuries/Out
Grayson Allen (ankle) questionable
Cole Anthony (not with team) out
Devin Booker (hip) out
Dillon Brooks (hand) out
Jordan Goodwin (calf) out
Haywood Highsmith (knee) out
Head Coach
Jordan Ott
Key Matchups
Derrick White vs Collin Gillespie
Gillespie is averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists,and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 42.9% from the field and 42.8% from beyond the arc. He is one of their best 3 point shooters and so the Celtics need to especially defend him on the perimeter.
Baylor Scheierman vs Jalen Green
Green is averaging 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 38.2% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. In his last game, he finished with 13 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 3 steals. He hit a game winning 3 to beat the Magic on Saturday and so can be dangerous if not defended well.
Honorable Mention
Neemias Queta vs Mark Williams
Williams is averaging 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. He is shooting 64.2% from the field but is not a threat from beyond the arc. Williams ranks 4th in the NBA in FG% (64.2%) and is 1-of-5 players in the NBA this season averaging 11+ points on 67+ TS% and 11+ rebounds per game. The Celtics need to keep him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always a key to winning. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 112.2 (7th) and the Suns have a defensive rating of 112.5 (8th). The Suns take 40.4 threes per game (6th) and make 14.5 threes per game (8th). The Celtics take 42.3 threes per game and make 15.4 (3rd). The Suns are a good shooting team and the Celtics will need to up their defense, especially on the perimeter, if they want to beat the Suns at home.
Rebound – The Celtics need to rebound on the offensive end to give themselves extra possessions and to prevent the Suns from racking up fast break points. They also have to crash the boards on the defensive end to prevent the Suns from getting tip ins and second chance points. The Celtics are 8th with 45.7 rebounds per game while the Suns are 18th with 43.4 rebounds per game. Rebounding is all about effort and the Celtics are going to have to put out extra effort to win the battle of the boards.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball in order to find the best shot on each possession. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle. They are at their best when they pass the ball and keep it moving. ISO ball is not usually winning ball. The Celtics are 29-4 when they have at least 25 assists. They need to keep the ball moving and find the open man. However, they need to be careful with their passes and ball handling since the Suns are 3rd with 20.8 points per game off turnovers.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to come out and be aggressive right from the opening tip. They have to be aggressive on defense, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for loose balls and just playing harder in general. They need to get off to a strong start and play hard right up until the final buzzer. They can’t let the Suns outwork them for any period of time because even the best team in the league can lose to the worst if they don’t play with effort. The Celtics tend to take it easy when a team is bad or missing key players. The Suns are missing several key players but are still capable of beating the Celtics if they don’t play aggressively throughout the game.
X-Factors
Road Fatigue – The Celtics are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game road trip. They have had a lot of travel and had to sleep in hotels and play in hostile arenas. They may be gettng somewhat road weary. They have also changed time zones and may have a bit of jet lag. They may be short handed if Jaylen Brown is out and so they all need to pick up the slack and that could also add to fatigue in the game.
Officiating – I know that I say this every game, but the officiating always has the possibility to be an x-factor in every game. Every crew calls the game differently, whether they call every little ticky tack foul or they let a lot of contact go and let the teams play. Some refs favor the home team and some call for both teams evenly. The Celtics have got to adjust to the way the game is being called and not allow the officiating to take away from their focus.
2026 NBA Finals MVP Odds: SGA Leading the Pack
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
The NBA Finals MVP odds are shaping up to look very familiar.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Finals MVP odds since the 2025–26 season tipped off, and with the Oklahoma City Thunder owning the league’s best record — even while he’s sidelined with an abdominal strain — OKC is proving it has the pieces to repeat.
When their star guard returns, he should be able to slide right back into a NBA Championship caliber lineup with ease.
Here's a look at the latest NBA odds to win 2026 Finals MVP.
🏆 2026 NBA Finals MVP odds
These are the latest NBA odds for the NBA Finals MVP race with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the pack to go for it once again.
Odds from bet365, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.
| Player |  |
|---|---|
 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | +145 |
 Nikola Jokic | +500 |
 Victor Wembanyama | +1200 |
 Cade Cunningham | +1400 |
 Jalen Brunson | +1600 |
 Donovan Mitchell | +2000 |
 Jaylen Brown | +2200 |
 Anthony Edwards | +3500 |
Odds as of 2-24.
👑 NBA Finals MVP favorites
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the favorites in the NBA Finals odds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been their most reliable source of production, and that's why he's the leader in this market.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been weathering the storm without their top scorers, with Jalen Williams also dealing with an injury — but they’ve kept rolling through the league by showing resilience despite a short-handed roster.
📈 NBA Finals MVP opening odds
Here are what NBA Finals MVP opening odds looked like, just before the postseason.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+190)
- Jayson Tatum (+250)
- Donovan Mitchell (+650)
- Luka Doncic (+2200)
- Jaylen Brown (+2400)
- Steph Curry (+2700)
- Kristaps Porzingis (+3100)
- Nikola Jokic (+3300)
- Darius Garland (+3600)
- Evan Mobley (+3600)
- Kawhi Leonard (+4600)
- Jalen Brunson (+4900)
- LeBron James (+4900)
- Anthony Edwards (+5000)
- Karl-Anthony Towns (+6500)
- Jalen Williams (+6500)
- Chet Holmgren (+10000)
- Jimmy Butler (+11000)
- Derrick White (+12000)
- James Harden (+12000)
- Alperen Sengun (+13000)
- Tyrese Haliburton (+13000)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (+17000)
⚙️ Covers NBA betting tools
NBA Finals MVP betting splits
Line movement (Game 6 to Game 7)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -650 to -235
• Jalen Williams +650 to +1050
• Pascal Siakam +1500 to +325
Highest ticket percentage
• Tyrese Haliburton 22.7%
• Pascal Siakam 15.2%
• TJ McConnell 8.4%
Highest handle percentage
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 41.2%
• Tyrese Haliburton 17.5%
• Pascal Siakam 11.6%
Data courtesy of BetMGM.
NBA Finals MVP trends
Here are some trends you'll want to keep in mind when placing a bet on NBA Finals MVP:
- Only one player (Jerry West, 1969) has ever won Finals MVP on the losing team.
- Nikola Jokic's 2023 Finals MVP win was the first by a center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2002.
- Forwards have won 10 of the past 12 NBA Finals MVPs.
Popular NBA futures odds
- NBA championship odds
- NBA MVP odds
- NBA Rookie of the Year odds
- NBA Most Improved Player odds
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds
🏀 Previous NBA Finals MVP award winners
The adage of needing versatile forwards in today's NBA rings especially true when looking at the recent Finals MVP winners. Despite Giannis being one of the most position-amorphous players in NBA history, eight of the past 10 Finals MVPs have been, at least by most definitions, forwards.
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jaylen Brown |  Boston Celtics |
| 2023 | Nikola Jokic |  Denver Nuggets |
| 2022 | Stephen Curry |  Golden State Warriors |
| 2021 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |  Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2020 | LeBron James |  Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019 | Kawhi Leonard |  Toronto Raptors |
| 2018 | Kevin Durant | Golden State Warriors |
| 2017 | Kevin Durant | Golden State Warriors |
| 2016 | LeBron James |  Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2015 | Andre Iguodala | Golden State Warriors |
✅ Best NBA Finals MVP betting sites
Scouting basketball betting websites should be a breeze, but new bettors often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. Here are the must-have basketball betting site features you should target before placing your wagers.
Best odds: Not all sportsbooks are created equally, especially when it comes to odds. Finding the best price for your basketball bets is key to a successful betting strategy.
Live betting: Watching betting lines move in real-time and comparing statistics allows you to jump into the action at just the right moment.
Fast payouts: Accessing your hard-earned funds shouldn't feel like breaking a full-court press. It's important to choose a sportsbook that offers fast and reliable money withdrawals post-game.
Safe money transactions: The days of placing bets with bookies in shadowy back rooms are long over. Major online sportsbooks boast state-of-the-art security measures like SSL data encryption, and each holds a legal operating license from registered authorities.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
Spurs Climb to 3rd in NBA Title Odds as Top Teams Maintain Dominance
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
The San Antonio Spurs are once again surging in odds to win the NBA Finals, this time after they beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons by double digits Monday night.
Key Takeaways
- The Spurs are 9-3 against teams in the top three in both conferences.
- San Antonio was given +6,600 odds the day before their season began.
- A Spurs championship would mark the largest Finals upset on record.
The Spurs are 41-16, good for the second-best record in the Western Conference and the third best in the NBA. The only teams ahead of them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14) and Pistons (42-14).
San Antonio passed the “40-20” test, which refers to more than 90% of champions winning 40 games before losing 20 during the regular season.
The Spurs were +6,600 to win the Finals on Oct. 21, the day before they made their season debut, according to Sports Odds History’s archive of BetMGM’s odds.
BetMGM is now one of several sportsbooks to list the Spurs at +1,000 odds, meaning they’ve gone from a 1.5% to a 9.1% implied chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. OKC is at +135 (42.6% chance) and Denver is at +550 (15.4% chance).
Prediction platform Kalshi views the race much differently. The Thunder are still at the top of the board, though users have only given them a 39% chance to win the Finals. The Spurs are second at 14%, ahead of the Nuggets at 12%.
Those probabilities translated to betting odds would look like this:
- Thunder: +156
- Spurs: +614
- Nuggets: +733
Spurs, Wembanyama surging
The Spurs’ continued ascent in NBA Finals winner odds is well earned. They are 9-3 against the top three teams in each conference (Thunder, Pistons, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks) and beat the defending champions in four of their five matchups.
They also won the NBA Cup and are two wins (against the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets) away from going 11-0 in February.
The team’s surge has given life to Victor Wembanyama’s NBA MVP case. Kalshi’s odds list the young Frenchman fourth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Cade Cunniingham with a 9% chance to win.
While he is an obvious underdog, both Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are in danger of losing their eligibility for the award due to the NBA’s 65-game requirement for players. Cunningham isn’t close to missing more than the allotted amount of games, but he’s only at a 16% chance at the time of writing.
Here’s how the top four candidates stack up against one another as they continue to battle in NBA MVP odds:
- Gilgeous-Alexander (56% chance): 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 55.4% FG
- Jokic (23% chance): 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 58.4% FG, 42.1% 3PT
- Cunningham (16% chance): 25.3 points, 9.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals
- Wembanyama (9% chance): 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.8 blocks
A potentially historic achievement
A Spurs NBA championship would mark the largest Finals upset on record, according to Sports Odds History data.
The longest preseason underdogs to win since 1984-85, when odds were first tracked, were the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors. Even they were only +2,800.
The closest team since then was the 2018-19 Raptors, who were +1,850.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
Jaxson Hayes out vs. Magic with right ankle sprain
Just when the Lakers reached full health, another injury occurred to one of their rotation players.
Jaxson Hayes had to exit early during LA’s loss against Boston and was deemed doubtful to play in the team’s upcoming game against Orlando.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Lakers downgraded him to out for the contest.
After Monday’s practice, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Hayes was considered day-to-day due to this ankle injury. So, while he’ll be unavailable for LA’s upcoming matchup, he isn’t automatically ruled out for the team’s other games.
Overall, Hayes has been relatively healthy this season. He’s only missed nine games so far this year.
His most recent injury was left hamstring tendinopathy, which caused him to miss three games in January. Since then, he’s played in 15 of the last 16 games for the purple and gold.
On the season, Hayes is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Hayes has always been effective on his shot attempts, but this season, his 77% shooting from the field is a career-best.
He’s been an integral part of the rotation, providing LA with a lob threat and a good pick-and-roll partner for Luka Dončić to work with.
With Hayes out, the Lakers’ frontcourt depth shrinks dramatically. Redick will either have to rely on Maxi Kleber to slot into that backup role or use two-way big Drew Timme to take up those minutes.
Timme has had a handful of good games for Los Angeles, including a road win over the Raptors back in January.
Redick can also opt to play some more small-ball lineups and use Jarred Vanderbilt as his center.
Regardless, losing Hayes is a negative for the Lakers and something they’ll have to navigate while he’s out. There is no other player on LA’s roster that can give the Lakers the vertical spacing he provides.
LA has played only a handful of games with its full rotation, and while Hayes has a smaller role on this team, he will be needed for the Lakers to optimize their roster and maximize their chances to go on a run this season.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Darryn Peterson on handling attention after Houston win: 'Anti-social loner'
Kansas basketball earned a statement win over Houston on Feb. 23, taking down the fourth-ranked Cougars 69-56 at home. They also received another win in terms of star guard Darryn Peterson's availability, as he has now played in 30 or more minutes in back-to-back games, which has only happened two other times this season.
The projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft scored 14 points in the win on 5-of-14 shooting. He was also made available in the postgame press conference, which hasn't happened much this season.
Peterson was asked after the game for his view of the situation regarding his playing time, given he has missed 11 of Kansas' 28 games this season, including when he subbed himself out early against Oklahoma State on Feb. 18. The former five-star recruit has dealt with cramps from a lingering hamstring injury, and said he's been blocking out the noise as of late.
“It’s kind of normal this year,” Peterson said of the national attention. “Somebody’s had something to say, probably, after every game this year. So, I don’t really pay attention to it anymore.”
Peterson later added: "I’ve kind of been an anti-social loner my whole life, kind of, so I kind of just deal with it on my own.”
Fellow Kansas guard Tre White, who scored a game-high 23 points in the win over Houston, said after the game he tries to help lift up Peterson, especially amid the heightened interest in the future lottery pick.
“I definitely just try to, whenever I see him, just try to keep him right,” White said. “But he’s been in the spotlight all his life, so he definitely knows how to handle it and we tell him all the time, ‘We’re with you. We’re your brothers. We understand what the outside world thinks, but we don’t care about none of that. What’s inside the locker room.’ That’s pretty much how we do it.”
Peterson has been one of the best players in college basketball this season when healthy, as he's averaging 19.9 points with 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game on 47.2% shooting. He's also shooting 40.2% from 3-point range on the year.
Kansas has shown it can be competitive without Peterson this season, even beating Arizona at home without its star guard. Still, the Jayhawks' ceiling is a national championship contender with the true freshman firing on all cylinders.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Darryn Peterson on handling attention after Houston win: 'Anti-social loner'
Warriors vs. Pelicans injury report: Steph Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis out, Draymond Green probable, Dejounte Murray returns
The Golden State Warriors, fresh off their shocking win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon, are looking for their first back-to-back wins since wrapping up a four-game winning streak on January 19 … the same day that Jimmy Butler III tore his ACL, effectively ending whatever slim chance the Warriors had this season.
There’s good news and bad news for the Warriors, as they seek a road win tonight. The good news is that they’re facing the New Orleans Pelicans; in addition to employing old friends Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole, the Pelicans are dreadful, with a 16-42 record. The bad news is that the Pelicans are mostly healthy, while the Warriors … well, they very much are not. Here’s the full injury report.
Warriors
Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
No new news here. Curry will miss his eighth consecutive game … and ninth, if you include the All-Star Game. Hopefully a return is soon.
Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(illness)
Porziņģis was a late scratch on Sunday, after waking up extremely sick. So sick, in fact, that he didn’t join the Warriors on their two-city road trip. Whether this is a generic flu, or something related to his POTS diagnosis is unknown, but hopefully he feels better soon.
Out — Al Horford (left toe injury management)
As we all know by now, Horford doesn’t play back-to-backs. So he’s getting today’s game off, and will play on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)
Sadly I’m going to write “Out — Jimmy Butler III” for a very long time before he’s back on the court.
Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)
More of the same for the younger Curry, who will be re-evaluated — again — before long. He’s still only played in two games this year, and has yet to share the court with his brother.
Probable — Draymond Green (left low back injury management)
Green was scratched a few minutes before the start of Sunday’s game, when his back flared up. Thankfully it seems like he’s OK, and we’ll get to a see a fun matchup against Zion Williamson.
Available — De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management)
Melton was considered a question mark on the off day, but is good to go now. He should start.
Pelicans
Out — Trey Murphy III (right shoulder contusion)
There was some talk before the trade deadline that the Warriors were targeting Murphy, but that obviously never happened. The fifth-year wing is averaging a career-high 22.1 points per game, but will miss his third consecutive game.
Out — Yves Missi (left calf strain)
The Warriors won’t see NOLA’s second-year center, who is scheduled to miss his fourth straight game with a calf injury.
Out — Micah Peavy (right great toe sprain)
Peavy is the Pelicans’ version of Will Richard. He was a second-round pick in 2025, but has played a sizable role for New Orleans. But he’s been out for about two weeks with a toe injury.
Available — Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture)
He’s back! Murray, who was an All-Star in 2021-22, is making his return to the court tonight. It’s his first game since injuring his Achilles nearly 13 months ago. It will be great seeing him on the court again.
Enjoy the game, Dub Nation! It tips off at 5:00 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Bay Area.