Category: Basketball

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The threat of the Play-In Tournament is fueling the Orlando Magic in their final games of the NBA season.
 
Orlando is a half-game back of the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference — the cutoff to avoid the Play-In — and gets a gift from the schedule gods by facing the lowly Chicago Bulls tonight.

With all hands on deck, my Magic vs. Bulls predictions expect plenty of points from the visiting team.

Our NBA picks like Jalen Suggs to shred a patchwork Chicago backcourt and top his scoring prop on Friday, April 10.

Magic vs Bulls prediction

Magic vs Bulls best bet: Jalen Suggs Over 13.5 points (-112)

Orlando Magic point guard Jalen Suggs hasn’t been as aggressive a scorer recently, and that’s trimmed his points prop for Friday. 

He’s attempted just six and nine field goals in the past two outings, making four shots in each contest, and finishing with 11 and 12 points. That’s a notable decline in usage considering he was averaging almost 12 attempts over the past month.
 
Suggs' scoring total for tonight takes a tick down to 13.5 O/U after being set at 14.5 for the past couple of weeks. He can snap out of that slumber in the Windy City tonight. 

The Chicago Bulls rank 23rd in defensive rating over the last 10 contests, allowing more than 127 points per game in that span. More than 70 of those points are coming from opposing guards.

Chicago is down to eight healthy bodies, and many of those guys are D-League callups. On top of that lack of talent, the Bulls are playing the second of back-to-back games after prevailing in Washington on Thursday.

Before this lull in offensive activity, Suggs was averaging around 14 points per outing. His player projections for Friday expect at least one better from the Gonzaga product, with his scoring forecast ranging from 15.2 to 16.1 points.

My number comes out to 15.6 points, which should have the Over 13.5 prop priced around -155 instead of this modest -112 juice. 

Magic vs Bulls same-game parlay

The Bulls picked up a rare win in D.C. last night, setting up a letdown spot back home. Chicago is tired and down to eight healthy bodies while the Magic are going all out to avoid the Play-In Tournament, as they chase the No. 6 seed.

Paolo Banchero will also have a big night against this thin Chicago interior. The Bulls are getting completely bullied in the paint, and Banchero is projected for 24+ points in this must-win matchup. He’s averaged 27.5 ppg against Chicago this season.

Magic vs Bulls SGP

• Magic -15
• Jalen Suggs Over 13.5 points
• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Sleight of Hand

Suggs and Banchero will pile up the points and round up rebounds against a shorthanded Bulls squad that's sucking wind.

Both Orlando stars are projected to top their points and rebounding totals tonight.

Magic vs Bulls SGP

• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points
• Paolo Banchero Over 8.5 rebounds
• Jalen Suggs Over 13.5 points
• Jalen Suggs Over 3.5 rebounds

Magic vs Bulls odds

• Spread: Magic -15 (-110) | Bulls +15 (-110)
• Moneyline: Magic -1000 | Bulls +650
• Over/Under: Over 243 (-110) | Under 243 (-110)

Magic vs Bulls betting trend to know

Orlando has gone Over the total in 23 of its last 35 games (+9.80 Units / 25% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Bulls.

How to watch Magic vs Bulls

Magic vs Bulls latest injuries

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The Atlanta Hawks can lock down a playoff berth with a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs will be locked into the East’s No. 4 seed if they lose to the Hawks or the New York Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors.

How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks

• Date: Friday, April 10

• Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

• TV Channels: Amaz

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 51-29 (No. 2 in Central Division)

• Atlanta Hawks: 45-35 (No. 1 in Southeast Division)

Odds

• Spread: Atlanta Hawks -8.5

• Moneyline: Atlanta Hawks -325 (73.4%) / Cleveland Cavaliers +260 (26.6%)

• Over/Under: 233.5

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The NBA rings in the final weekend of the regular season in a big way. Tonight’s slate features all 30 teams in action – in one form or another.

Basketball bettors are going to miss days like this when the playoffs limit us to a handful of matchups and a barren odds board. For now, let’s make the most of a monster night in the Association. 

With motivations mixed across the NBA, I’m going to stick to teams with something to play for Friday. Here are my best NBA prop picks and predictions for April 10.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Onyeka Okongwu	Over 7.5 rebounds	+105
Mikal Bridges	Over 12.5 points	-110
Paolo Banchero	Over 22.5 points	-110

Prop #1: Onyeka Okongwu Over 7.5 rebounds

+105 at bet365

The Atlanta Hawks are still trying to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, with the No. 5 seed within reach. A loss at Cleveland Wednesday was a set back but Atlanta gets another crack at the Cavs Friday.

With Cleveland pretty much parked in the No. 4 spot, the Cavaliers are sitting some starters, including center Jarrett Allen. That opens up the interior and has me looking to Onyeka Okongwu’s rebounding total.

Okongwu finished with only five boards Wednesday as both teams shot better than 47% from the field. The second of two straight matchups will see that shooting success dip, especially with key players out for Cleveland. That will prompt more rebounding chances.

What’s more, the Cavaliers opted to guard Okongwu with James Harden at times Wednesday and without Allen patrolling the paint, the Hawks 6-foot-10 forward can hit the offensive glass against smaller checks. 

He’s averaged 7.5 rebounds on 12.8 rebounding chances over the past 23 games and grabbed eight or more rebounds in three of his last five games (two games with seven). Player projections range from 8.0 to 10+ boards tonight.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Prop #2: Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points

-110 at bet365

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, I’m never betting on Mikal Bridges again.

The New York Knicks small forward looked like he was going to make good on my Over 12.5 points prop bet for him against Boston last night. He started the game with a quick seven points and sat with 10 points early into the second half.

That’s where he would finish. Ouch.

New York is back in action tonight against Toronto with the Knicks trying to hold on to the No. 3 spot in the East. And I’m back on Bridges to top this same point total.

Bridges shot well before opting not to (he dished out six assists), finishing 4 for 4 with two triples last night. He’s hitting at a 53% clip over his last eight outings, putting up 13 or more points in six of those contests. Bridges has played well versus Toronto, scoring 11, 14, 15, and 30 points in four meetings this season.

Tonight’s projections paint the same picture they did yesterday, with Bridges forecasted for at least 14 points. I’ll bite. Again.

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC, MSG, TSN, Peacock

Prop #3: Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points

-110 at bet365

Just a couple weeks ago, Paolo Banchero was the hottest scorer in the land. The Orlando Magic small forward has cooled considerably since the start of April, putting up more than 20 points only twice in his last five games.

Luckily for him and the Magic, the Bulls are on deck Friday night. Orlando is fighting to get out of the Play-In Tournament, sitting half a game out of the No. 6 seed cutoff with two contests to go.

Chicago is one of the worst defenses and rolls out a patchwork rotation that is missing a ton of size inside. The 6-foot-10 Banchero can get to the rim for easy buckets against a Bulls interior allowing more than 58 points in the paint over the last 10 outings.

Scoring forecasts all sit north of this 22.5 O/U with most models at 24+ points Friday. Banchero has scored 24 and 31 points in his past two meetings with Chicago.

FYI: I also don’t hate his Over 8.5 rebounds (+100) with projections flirting with nine rebounds. Chicago is playing the second night of back-to-back games and lost center Guerschon Yabusele to an injury last night.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Chicago Sports Network, FanDuel Sports Florida, WESH

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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This biggest moment in the NBA on Thursday night didn’t happen on the court, but rather in the stands of the Pacers vs. Nets game. A couple in Pacers gear were filmed in the stands having what looked to be a deep, philosophical conversation before the woman snapped.

The man appeared to be saying something about what it takes to get a full-time job, to which she clapped back: “That’s you! That’s you … what the f*** are you talking about?” Immediately, the clip went viral, with the widespread assumption being that he was mansplaining to her, and she was fed up — but it’s now been clarified by the woman herself that everyone is wrong.

There are numerous photos of the couple together on her Instagram, confirming that she is the woman seen in the video — and we even got a clarification about exactly what set off this discussion from the boyfriend.

To be fair: It was an April game between the Pacers (19-61) and the Nets (20-60) — given the circumstance I’d probably be talking about the practical application of a Liberal Arts degree was well, rather than be locked on Obi Toppin scoring 26 points.

I love this couple so much.

The New York Knicks (52-28) can lock down no worse than the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed with a win over the Toronto Raptors (43-35). The Raptors can secure the No. 5 seed if they beat the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Atlanta Hawks.

How to watch Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

• Date: Friday, April 10

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

• TV Channels: MSG, TSN

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Toronto Raptors: 45-35 (#3 in Eastern Atlantic)

• New York Knicks: 52-28 (#2 in Eastern Atlantic)

Odds

• Spread: New York Knicks -6.5

• Moneyline: New York Knicks -275 (70.4%) / Toronto Raptors +225 (29.6%)

• Over/Under: 220.5

The Phoenix Suns (44-36) are locked into the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed and the play-in tournament. The Los Angeles Lakers (51-29) can finish anywhere from Nos. 3-5. A win against the Suns and a loss by the Houston Rockets to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday would secure home-court advantage for the Lakers in the first round.

How to watch Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Date: Friday, April 10

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT

• Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

• TV Channels: SN-LA, AZFa, Suns

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Phoenix Suns: 44-36 (No. 2 in Pacific Division)

• Los Angeles Lakers: 51-29 (No. 1 in Pacific Division)

Odds

• Spread: Los Angeles Lakers 2.5

• Moneyline: Los Angeles Lakers +115 (44.4%) / Phoenix Suns -140 (55.6%)

• Over/Under: 219.5

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With just a single win in their last six games, the Golden State Warriors try to get right ahead of the play-in when they visit the Sacramento Kings.

SacTown has gone full tank mode and should be sporting a bunch of unknowns Friday night.

Despite that, my Warriors vs Kings predictions and free NBA picks don't think Golden State is in any state to run through any team, even one as awful as the Kings.

Warriors vs Kings prediction

Warriors vs Kings best bet: Kings +10.5 (-110)

Stephen Curry sat out the front end of the Golden State Warriors' back-to-back, missing the Lakers' game, which ended in a 119-103 LA romp.

He is expected to be back in the lineup and will take on the Sacramento Kings, the last team he played on Wednesday (April 7), scoring 17 points on 5-for-12 shooting in a Warriors 110-105 victory. 

The Warriors are also expected to get some players off the injured list and into the lineup, including big men Al Horford (calf) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) back in the lineup.

Curry has only played in 41 games this season, and the Warriors' offense is in shambles because of it.

They were a bottom-5 scoring team in the NBA when he went down with a knee injury on January 30, and missed the next 27 straight games, plummeting to 10th in the West.

As for the Kings, the season end couldn't come sooner. Sacramento looks nothing like the young, fun, and up-and-coming "Light the Beam" squad from two years ago, and almost every key player is in street clothes.

That includes DeMar DeRozan (hamstring), Russell Westbrook (foot), and Keegan Murray (ankle).

The Warriors have taken four of five in this head-to-head, and aside from the last meeting, have won by at least 26 points in the other three wins.

But these aren't the same Warriors. And while they should win, they're really just trying to get Steph Curry up to full speed before the play-in. That's no stress, and definitely not a blowout.

Warriors vs Kings same-game parlay

Let's focus on the Golden State star working to get back into game shape.

Steph has been held to 26 minutes or less in the two games since returning from a knee injury, but scoring 20 is nothing, especially against the Kings. In his last 25 vs SacTown, Curry has touched 20 points 21 times.

His assist numbers fluctuate more, but he's had at least five assists in four of the last five games against these Kings.

Warriors vs Kings SGP

• Kings +10.5
• Steph Curry Over 19.5 points
• Steph Curry Over 4.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Curry Cooking Soup!

Knocking down the moneyball is what Curry does best, and he's consistently lighting up the Kings from deep. He's hit at least four 3-pointers in eight of his last 10 against Sacramento.  

As for his rebounding, grabbing three boards shouldn't be a problem: he had five last game against the Kings, and has had at least three boards in 11 of the last 14 against them.  

Warriors vs Kings SGP

• Kings +10.5
• Steph Curry Over 19.5 points
• Steph Curry Over 4.5 assists
• Steph Curry Over 3.5 made threes 
• Steph Curry Over 2.5 rebounds

Warriors vs Kings odds

• Spread: Warriors -10.5 | Kings +10.5
• Moneyline: Warriors -500 | Kings +375
• Over/Under: Over 228.5 | Under 228.5 

Warriors vs Kings betting trend to know

The Over has cashed in eight of the last 10 head-to-head matchups between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Kings.

How to watch Warriors vs Kings

Warriors vs Kings latest injuries

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The show must go on.

It’s a cliché this Philadelphia 76ers organization must know all too well at this point after the last few seasons, and it’s relevant yet again. With the news that Joel Embiid had appendicitis and an urgent, successful appendectomy yesterday in Houston, any modicum of hope that the Sixers might pull back into a playoff spot seemed to vanish instantaneously.

And with the Sixers’ rough loss to the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors’ win last night, the statistical odds of them doing so all but vanished as well. Though it’s still technically possible, it’s almost guaranteed at this point that the Sixers will not be able to get back into the No. 6 seed over the Raptors and will instead finish the regular season in a Play-In Tournament seed (7-10).

The harsh reality of the situation though is that, without Embiid, it can start to feel inconsequential anyway. Even if the Sixers had managed to sneak into the postseason, their ability to put up any sort of fight against other playoff teams was relatively contingent on Embiid being available to lead the way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I personally would have bet on them going far in the playoffs even with the big fella… but not having him feels like it nullifies even that tiny chance they would have had at a run.

But, again, the show must go on.

There are still two games left to be played for the Sixers in this rollercoaster of a regular season. The first of the final pair will come on Friday night as Philadelphia close their 16th and final back-to-back with a visit to the Indiana Pacers, less than 24 hours after that brutal loss in Houston. This being the second leg of a back-to-back means no official injury report for the Sixers until this afternoon. Obviously Embiid will not be available for this one, but we will let you know who else may have popped up on the report when it is posted later today.

The Pacers, meanwhile, are a tanking, 19-win team this season just looking to cross the finish line and get to the NBA lottery and draft. They were being led this campaign by Pascal Siakam, who is averaging 24.0 points a game in 63 contests this season, but he has missed Indiana’s last three contests due to an ankle injury. With the Pacers not exactly competing for anything, his season might be over.

In his absence, Obi Toppin has taken on a bit of a larger role, even coming off the bench. On Thursday, Toppin raced to 26 points on 11-for-14 field goal shooting with nine rebounds and three assists in just 18:35 on the floor against the Brooklyn Nets.

Indiana is also coming into Friday on the second leg of a back-to-back after that commanding 123-94 win over the Brooklyn Nets in a true tank-off Thursday night. That means no official injury report from them either until this afternoon. But honestly, even without Embiid at their disposal, there’s no iteration of this current Pacers squad that the Sixers shouldn’t be able to handle. (Again, I said shouldn’t. We all know that once they’re on the floor, it could turn out very differently.)

The Sixers are 3-0 against the Pacers this season, but Embiid was available for all three contests. Again, I truly do not believe the big fella is needed for this Philadelphia team to beat Indiana, especially if they actually play to their potential. Tyrese Maxey was damn near a triple-double in each of the two times he featured against the Pacers this season, with 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in one meeting and 29 points, eight assists and eight steals in the other. Yes, eight steals. This would be the perfect time for Maxey to really get back into the groove after seeming to struggle the last few contests, especially one of his career-worsts against the San Antonio Spurs earlier this week.

The true reality of the situation Friday for Philadelphia is that, though they might be understandably disappointed and now headed for the Play-In, this game in Indiana is a golden opportunity to provide even the smallest morale boost to a squad of players that desperately needs it as the end of the regular season fast approaches.

You can’t go back and right the wrongs of all the extremely close losses throughout the season that got you here. You can’t undo the last few losses that took you out of a guaranteed playoff spot. You can’t magically make Embiid not have needed urgent surgery for appendicitis. The only thing you can do as the Sixers is use these last two games against easier opponents — first the Pacers on Friday, then the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday — to get your heads back on even a little bit straighter before the Play-In comes around. It might not be enough to change the ultimate outcome there even, but it’s the only thing that is within their control at this point.

The Sixers and Pacers tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets
Date: April 10th, 2026
Time: 8:30 PM CDT
Location: Toyota Center
Television Coverage: Prime Video, FanDuel Sports Network – North, KARE 11
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

There was time, not even that long ago, where Wolves fans had this Houston game circled in red ink, Sharpie, maybe even carved into stone. A Friday night primetime game featuring two teams who were neck-and-neck all season, facing off in a late-season showdown that could decide who gets the better path.

Instead, we are getting something a little more… pragmatic.

Because by the time the Wolves tipped off against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, the math had basically done its job. The six seed wasn’t just likely, it was essentially inevitable. Catching Houston would’ve required Minnesota to win out and the Rockets to lose all three of theirs.

So Chris Finch made the wise call.

Rudy Gobert — out.
Julius Randle — out.
Mike Conley — out.
Ayo — out.
Anthony Edwards — still resting that knee.

This wasn’t load management. This was a full-on declaration: We’re done chasing the standings. We’re chasing April.

The result followed the script. Orlando, a team that actually needed the game, played like it. Minnesota, a team treating this like a preseason dress rehearsal, looked like it. The Magic took care of business.

But the funny thing about these “meaningless” games is they’re never actually meaningless, not if you’re paying attention to the right things.

The Bright Spots

Let’s start with the most important development of the night:

Jaden McDaniels is back.

After missing time with that knee injury from the Houston overtime game (which, at this point, feels like it happened three seasons ago emotionally), just seeing him moving, defending, and looking somewhat like himself again? That’s a win.

If you’re talking about a potential series against Denver, you don’t just need McDaniels. You need that version of McDaniels, the one who can take a primary assignment, switch, recover, and occasionally chip in offensively without forcing things.

That’s a playoff swing piece.

Then there was Terrence Shannon Jr., who decided this was his moment and dropped a casual 33-point explosion. It was confident, aggressive, in-rhythm scoring that made you start doing the mental math: If something goes sideways in a playoff game… could this guy actually give you minutes?

Shannon’s sophomore season has been uneven, but lately, with injuries opening the door, he’s looked like someone who belongs. And if he can be even a situational weapon in a playoff series? That’s the kind of depth that can change outcomes.

Also quietly encouraging: Naz Reid putting together a solid 15-point night on 6-of-11 shooting, which felt less about the numbers and more about the rhythm. Because the version of Naz the Wolves need in the playoffs isn’t just a spacer. It’s the confident, decisive, second-unit scorer who can flip a quarter in five minutes.

The Reality Check

The bigger picture has shifted.

The Houston game? Still happening. Still technically meaningful for them. But for Minnesota, it’s no longer the defining moment it once looked like. The Rockets are chasing seeding, trying fend off the Lakers for the four spot and grab home court. They’re going to be motivated.

The Wolves? They’re already looking ahead. Because unless something truly bizarre happens over the final couple of days, this is lining up exactly how it feels like it’s been lining up for weeks: Minnesota as the six seed… heading into Denver… for a rematch with Nikola Jokić.

And if that’s the case, then everything between now and Game 1 becomes about one thing: Getting right.

Keys to the Game

1. Stay Healthy

We can dress this up if we want, but we shouldn’t. This is the key.

There is nothing more important than making sure this roster walks into the playoffs healthy and functional. We’ve seen what happens when this team is whole. We’ve also seen what happens when even one or two pieces are compromised. The margin shrinks immediately.

Houston plays physical. They always do. These games can get chippy, scrappy, borderline chaotic. And even if the stakes aren’t there for Minnesota, the style will be. So whoever is on the floor needs to play smart. No reckless drives. No unnecessary collisions. No “I’ll just power through it” moments.

Because the worst-case scenario isn’t losing to Houston. It’s losing something else that you can’t get back.

2. Build Rhythm Where You Can

If the starters are being managed, and they should be, then this becomes an opportunity.

For guys like DiVincenzo, who showed signs of life again shooting the ball in Orlando after a rough stretch, these are rhythm reps. For Naz, it’s about stacking good performances. For McDaniels, it’s about conditioning and timing.

Even if the lineups aren’t what you’ll see in Game 1, the habits still translate. Ball movement. Shot selection. Defensive communication. Those things don’t change just because the stakes do.

If the Wolves can come out of these final games with a handful of guys feeling confident and in sync? That’s not nothing.

3. Let the Young Guys Cook, Because You Might Need Them

Shannon just dropped 33. Jaylen Clark, Joan Beringer, and Julian Phillips are guys who, two weeks ago, felt like depth pieces.

Now? They’re insurance policies.

Because playoff basketball has a way of forcing unexpected contributors into the spotlight. Foul trouble. Injuries. Matchups. It happens every year. And the worst place to discover what a player can or can’t do… is in Game 3 of a playoff series.

So let them play. Let them make mistakes. Let them figure it out now. Because if one of them hits, if even one becomes a playable option, that’s a real advantage.

4. Maintain the Defensive Identity

This team doesn’t win with offense. The Wolves are at their best when they’re suffocating defensively, when Gobert is anchoring, when McDaniels is erasing, and when everyone else is rotating with purpose.

That identity can’t just turn on when the playoffs start. It has to be carried in.

Even if the rotations are different, even if the minutes are lighter, the mentality has to stay the same. Contest everything. Protect the paint. Communicate. Because if you lose that edge now, you don’t magically find it against Denver.

The Final Thought: The Calm Before the Real Storm

This isn’t the ending Wolves fans imagined a few weeks ago. There was a moment where the three seed felt real. Where home court felt possible. Where everything seemed to be trending up.

Instead, the injuries hit. The losses piled up. And the standings settled.

Six seed, here we go again.

But here’s the twist, and maybe the part that should make Wolves fans feel something closer to cautious optimism than dread: This team has been here before.

They’ve seen Denver. They’ve battled through this matchup. They know what it takes, and more importantly, they know what it costs.

So yeah, the Houston game isn’t what we thought it would be. But what happens next? That’s everything.

If the Wolves can use this break in the action to get healthy, get connected, and get back to being the team we saw in flashes all season? Then the six seed might not be a limitation.

It might be the setup for something a lot more interesting.

Remember when we thought this game was going to matter for the tiebreaker?

In sports, a few weeks can be a long time. Since these teams met and the Houston Rockets blew a double digit lead in overtime, Houston is 8-0 and looks (at times) to be a much different (read: better) team.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are obviously dealing with the Anthony Edwards injury, and since they are locked into the six seed, they can rest some of their other players in preparation for their first round matchup.

Houston, on the other hand, is in a place that seemed inconceivable two weeks ago. They have an actual shot at home court advantage in the first round. They need to finished these last two games one better than the Los Angeles Lakers, who got a big win last night in the Bay Area (notice that Steph Curry came back for Houston but not the Lakers).

Other games of interest tonight are Nuggets-Thunder and Suns-Lakers. If you are rooting for Houston to play the Lakers in round 1, you are rooting for the Nuggets and Suns. If you want the Nuggets, why?

The Rockets obviously should just keep playing good basketball as the postseason approaches. They do not control their own destiny but would feel a lot better going into the playoffs on a high note. Remember that last season, Houston clinched the two seed with three games remaining and sat their starters in the first two of those games. In the finale, they tried to use it as a dress rehearsal against Denver, but were soundly beaten by a Denver team needing a win. That was a harbinger for Houston’s Game 1 loss to Warriors. Rest is nice, but rust is bad.

Tip-off

8:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and Amazon Prime

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards: GTD

Rudy Gobert: OUT

Ayo Dosunmu: GTD

Bones Hyland: GTD

Joe Ingles: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -10.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Sunday night at home against the Memphis Grizzlies

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It's a potential first-round matchup in the NBA's Eastern Conference, so the Toronto Raptors would like to be able to say they know how to beat the New York Knicks if the matchup does materialize.

New York has won 12 straight against the Raps as the two teams collide for the final time in the regular season on Friday.

Until they can prove they can compete with New York, my Raptors vs Knicks predictions and free NBA picks have the home team inflicting more damage on the visitors.

Raptors vs Knicks prediction

Raptors vs Knicks best bet: New York -6 (-110)

The Toronto Raptors start the day tied with the Hawks with identical records of 45-35, but the Raptors slide above them into fifth by virtue of tiebreakers.

They could, however, plummet to the sixth seed with a loss to the New York Knicks, who just happen to be the third seed in the conference, setting up their ideal opening round NBA playoff matchup.

The Raps are playing well, though, hammering the Miami Heat to win both ends of a 2-game set in South Beach, and they enter winners of three of four.

New York is coming off a big 112-106 win over Boston, giving them four straight wins and an 11-3 mark in its last 14.

The Knicks will try for a fifth-straight beatdown of their Atlantic Division rivals, as the NBA Cup added another head-to-head matchup on the season. 

These haven't been close, either. Toronto has lost by at least 16 points in each.

The formula has been brutally simple: in every game, New York has outscored them from 3-point range and beaten Toronto up on the glass, winning the rebounding battle each time.

Both teams are coming off a game on Thursday, and both have losing cover records playing the second night of a back-to-back.

There might be some emotional letdown from New York after dumping Boston, but this series is more mental than X's and O's, and the Knicks have the Raptors' number.

Raptors vs Knicks same-game parlay

Jalen Brunson is in a scoring dip, scoring less than 26 points in three of his last four outings. He's also been inconsistent getting buckets against the Raps: he's topped 25.5 points just three times in his last eight against Toronto.

RJ Barrett has a generous scoring line of 18.5 points on Friday – that's a number he's topped in five of his last seven outings.

Raptors vs Knicks SGP

• New York -6
• RJ Barrett Over 18.5 points
• Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: KAT Pounces!

Scottie Barnes has struggled scoring the ball down the home stretch. He had 13 in his last game against Miami, marking the fifth time in six games he's scored less than 15 points.

And Karl-Anthony Towns has gone Over 11.5 rebounds in seven of his last 11 games, missing the Over by a single board in two other games. He's grabbed double-digit boards in 12 of his last 13 vs TO, so he'll definitely be around the number.

Raptors vs Knicks SGP

• New York -6
• Jalen Brunson Under 25.5 points
• RJ Barrett Under 15.5 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds

Raptors vs Knicks odds

• Spread: Raptors +6 | Knicks -6
• Moneyline: Raptors +200 | Knicks -245
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 | Under 219.5

Raptors vs Knicks betting trend to know

New York is 9-1-0 against the spread against the Raptors in the last 10 meetings. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Knicks.

How to watch Raptors vs Knicks

Raptors vs Knicks latest injuries

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With the season over, attention begins to turn to the NBA Draft and how the order will work out.

This is frequently of interest to Duke fans since Blue Devils typically go high, and this year looks like no exception as Cameron Boozer will be off the board early.

But how early?

That depends on a lot of things, not least of all how the draft lottery works out, but here are some hot takes from fairly knowledgeable people.

• Stephen Noh – to Brooklyn with the #2 pick.
• Adam Finkelstein – to Brooklyn with the #3 pick.
• Bryan Kalbrosky – to Indiana with the #2 pick.
• Jeremy Woo – to Indiana with the #3 pick.
• Ricky O’Donnell – to Washington with the #1 pick.
• Jonathan Wasserman – to Brooklyn with the #3 pick.

Here’s what O’Donnell had to say about Boozer’s prospects: “Boozer is my No. 1 prospect because he was obviously the best player in the country this year, he’s the youngest of the big three, he has the strongest feel for the game, and the best offensive versatility. I don’t understand the skepticism about his upside as he goes to the next level. All he does is impact winning to the highest degree. I really like his fit in Washington with a mobile defensive center in Alex Sarr.”

The season is not yet over, but the lottery teams, as of now, are Washington, Indiana, Brooklyn, Utah, Sacramento, Memphis, Dallas, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Chicago, Golden State, Miami, and Charlotte.

Of those, we’d love to see him with Dallas, Miami, or Charlotte. Dallas seems obvious: they could put out a complete Duke front line. Cooper Flagg, Dereck Lively, and Boozer would be fun for Blue Devil fans, but also really good.

He’d be a great fit with Miami’s culture as well. And with the Hornets, he’d fit right in with that team’s current mentality.

But none of those are where we’d really like to see him. The perfect spot for Boozer, in our opinion, would be San Antonio. They could really use a power forward like Boozer, and he and Victor Wembanyama would form a great partnership.

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The Philadelphia 76ers look to end a three-game losing skid when they visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana competes every night, and my 76ers vs. Pacers predictions expect the Pacers to cover again as massive underdogs. 

Read on for my NBA picks for Friday, April 10.

76ers vs Pacers prediction

76ers vs Pacers best bet: Pacers +15 (-110)

76ers vs Pacers same-game parlay

Three angles, one direction. Indiana covers because neither defense can stop anyone right now. 

76ers vs Pacers SGP

• Pacers +15
• V.J. Edgecombe Over 16.5 points
• Over 233.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Tons of triples

Jay Huff didn’t attempt a 3-point shot in the Pacers' victory over Brooklyn, but he’s made at least two triples in three of his past five games.

Kelly Oubre has been letting it fly, and he’s made at least two long-range bombs in three of his previous five games. 

Paul George is coming off a 0-for-5 3-point stinker but has made at least three triples in seven of his previous eight games.

Tyrese Maxey averages three made threes per night. He went 5-for-10 last night from downtown, snapping a five-game skid where he failed to make three triples or more.

76ers vs Pacers SGP

• Jay Huff Over 1.5 made threes
• Kelly Oubre Over 1.5 made threes
• Paul George Over 2.5 made threes
• Tyrese Maxey Over 2.5 made threes

76ers vs Pacers odds

• Spread: Philadelphia -15.5 | Indiana +15.5
• Moneyline: Philadelphia -1300 | Indiana +800
• Over/Under: Over 234.5  | Under 234.5 

76ers vs Pacers betting trend to know

The Pacers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Pacers.

How to watch 76ers vs Pacers

76ers vs Pacers latest injuries

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.