It was reported on Friday that North Carolina center Henri Veesaar is departing the program and intends to stay in the NBA Draft. CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander had the report.

Shortly after, Norlander reported a bombshell. Prior to Veesaar’s decision to enter the NBA Draft, multiple schools tried to lure the Second Team All-ACC selection into the Transfer Portal. He was offered at least $6 million, although Carolina’s NIL negotiations never came close to that number. North Carolina‘s brass could have offered Veesaar in the ballpark of $4 million to stay, but he instead wishes to begin his professional basketball journey.

This news comes after Norlander reported that Florida star forward Thomas Haugh, who spurned the NBA Draft lottery to return to college, could make more than $10 million in NIL for the 2026-27 season. College basketball is bigger than ever, and programs are dishing out more money than ever.

More on Henri Veesaar’s decision to enter, stay in 2026 NBA Draft

Following the firing of Hubert Davis and shocking hire of former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, it remained unclear in the immediate aftermath what Veesaar planned on doing. If he returned to Carolina, there’s no doubt he’d be the Preseason ACC Player of the Year. If he entered the Portal, he likely would have been the No. 1 player available.

However, he is heading to the NBA, and will surpass a massive NIL payday from a potential National Championship contender. Veesaar is projected to be the No. 29 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft (Cleveland), in Yahoo Sports‘ Kevin O’Connor‘s latest Mock Draft.

In his lone season at North Carolina, Veesaar emerged as one of the most dominant players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tallin, Estonia native averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 31 games for the Tar Heels.

His career began at Arizona, where he averaged 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 66 games. Veesaar’s best game at North Carolina came in an 80-79 loss to Clemson on March 12, in which he scored a career-high 28 points. He also grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in the game.

The prized center heads to the NBA as North Carolina basketball heads into a new era. After five seasons at the helm, head coach Hubert Davis and the program parted ways after the Tar Heels fell in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. Carolina hired former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone to fill the opening, although that was not enough to entice the 7’0″ center to return to Chapel Hill.

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The scouting report on the Orlando Magic is no secret. They can’t shoot the 3-ball.

Orlando has done little to disprove that in the opening two games of its Round 1 series with the Detroit Pistons. The Magic, who shoot just 34% from deep on the season, are a collective 18 for 66 from beyond the arc (27%) as the series swings home for Game 3. 

With Orlando unable to throw a grape in the ocean, life is easy for Detroit’s defense, which is packing the paint and practically begging Orlando to hit a shot from deep.

Our Pistons vs. Magic predictions don’t discard all of Orlando’s outside threats with my NBA picks seeing solid value in Jalen Suggs to find his form at home Saturday.

Pistons vs Magic prediction

Pistons vs Magic best bet: Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 made threes (+102)

The Detroit Pistons know the Orlando Magic can’t make them pay from the perimeter and have given their first-round foes nothing but clean air on the outside. 

Of the 66 3-point attempts taken by the Magic through two games, 62 have come with no Detroit defender within at least four feet, including 29 long-range looks qualifying as “wide open” with no Pistons player within six feet of the shooter. Orlando has made only 16 of those open 3PAs.

Jalen Suggs is the Magic’s most consistent 3-point threat and has gone 3 for 10 from distance in each of the first two playoff contests.Nineteen of his total 20 shots from downtown have been either “open” or “wide open” with Suggs making good on just five of those attempts.

However, with the series swinging to the Kia Center this weekend, Suggs will make the Pistons pay for their passive perimeter patrol.
 
Alliteration aside, Suggs’ shooting sees a surge at home, with his 3-point success jumping from less than 30% on the road to 37.4% in Orlando. He attempts the same number of 3-pointers at home vs. away (6.3) but makes 2.4 triples inside the Kia Center compared to 1.9 in enemy gyms.

Game 3 projections aren’t bullish on Suggs’ shooting, pegging him for two 3-point makes. But with Detroit keeping its heels below the arc and Suggs shooting almost double his usual 3PAs, the opportunity is there to hit at least three treys – especially when you consider his shooting splits at home and a game script that has Orlando playing from behind.

Pistons vs Magic same-game parlay

The Pistons finally got dialed in on defense in the second half of Game 2, and that travels to Orlando on Saturday. Detroit is one of the best road teams in the NBA, with a 28-13 SU record as a visitor.

Tobias Harris has put up scores of 16 and 17 points in the first two games while shooting a collective 12 for 32, including 1 for 10 from beyond the arc. That catches up with him on the road, with projections short of 16 points in Game 3.

Pistons vs Magic SGP

• Pistons Moneyline
• Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 made threes
• Tobias Harris Under 15.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Raiders of the Lost (3-Point) Arc

In a series featuring physical defense, these 3-point threats get hot and help push the final score past this low total. Duncan Robinson and Suggs have each made three triples in the first two games of this Round 1 series.

Pistons vs Magic SGP

• Pistons moneyline
• Over 214
• Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 made threes
• Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 made threes

Pistons vs Magic odds for Game 3

• Spread: Pistons -2.5 | Magic +2.5
• Moneyline: Pistons -150 | Magic +125
• Over/Under: Over 214 | Under 214

Pistons vs Magic betting trend to know

The Detroit Pistons cashed in on the moneyline in 28 of their last 40 away games (+11.50 Units/9% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Magic.

How to watch Pistons vs Magic Game 3

Pistons vs Magic 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.

Today it was announced that Henri Veesaar is officially going into the NBA Draft. Per Matt Norlander, Veesaar intends to stay in the draft, with no intent to return to UNC.

When Veesaar transferred to UNC last spring, observers saw the potential for a break-out season. Coming off the bench for Tommy Lloyd in Tucson, Veesaar played 21 minutes a game, logging nine points and five boards a game on 60% shooting, 33% from three. Paired with Caleb Wilson in the UNC frontcourt, Veesaar’s performance exploded, recording 17 points a game with 9 boards and shooting an absurd 43% from behind the line. The season put Veesaar firmly into the discussion for the NBA draft and lower third of the first round. Concerns about Henri’s stamina and physicality widened the range of draft projections into the second round.

UNC fans have been hoping Veesaar would return to UNC for a lot of money and the opportunity to play his way into a much better draft selection. The opportunity to learn from Coach Malone, who developed the NBA’s best center in Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, seemed a huge appeal for the big Estonian as well. At 22, Veesaar faced a huge decision: roll the dice on the dream of being a 1st round NBA pick now or defer that dream for another season.

The crazy state of college NIL complicated matters. NBA picks through 40 last year received two years of guaranteed money, with team options for years three and four. Just in terms of compensation for next season, however, a college player like Veesaar can earn twice as much as a first round pick in the range 20-30. Veesaar could in college earn four times as much Micah Peavy, 40th pick in 2025, earned in his first NBA season. Two guaranteed seasons, however, provides real opportunity to put down roots in the league and start the clock towards a potentially lucrative second NBA deal.

Finally, recent decisions by other college big men altered the calculus on what has been the conventional wisdom that the 2027 draft would be much weaker and a better option for Veesaar. Braylon Mullins, Alex Condon, and Patrick Ngonba, three centers ranked higher than Veesaar, opted to return to college. That simultaneously weakens the 2026 draft relative to centers but likely strengthens 2027.

Money and development pointed towards UNC. The dream pointed to the NBA.

With Veesaar opting to declare for the NBA, UNC likely moves on to find another starting center. The reporting around staff thinking on this has been that UNC can’t afford to wait another month to see whether Veesaar stays in the draft or opts out at the last minute.

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The Houston Rockets return home looking to steady the series as they enter Game 3 trailing 2-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

We break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver some Lakers vs. Rockets predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Friday, April 24.

Who will win Lakers vs Rockets Game 3?

Lakers win probability:27% (+270)
Rockets win probability:74% (-285)

Although Houston finds itself with its back against the wall, the Rockets are trading at 74¢ to knock off L.A. at the Toyota Center tonight.

Our prediction: Rockets to win

Houston has enjoyed extra time to rest and reset, ironing out the offensive kinks in time for a win in Game 3.

The Rockets are laying close to double figures on Friday, and while that may be a tad too much, Houston will get right.

Read more in Jason Logan's full Lakers vs. Rockets predictions.

More Lakers vs Rockets prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Lakers vs. Rockets at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Rockets -8.5 spread means the Rockets will cover, while "No" means the Lakers will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Lakers vs Rockets spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions: Over 206.5 points — Yes

The Rockets’ offense will finally find its way and top this ultra-low total.

NBA playoff totals of 206 points or lower have also produced a 21-14 Over/Under record the past three postseasons.

Other Lakers vs Rockets prediction markets available

• Kevin Durant 25+ points (Yes: 49¢)
• Alperen Sengun 6+ assists (Yes: 56¢)
• LeBron James 8+ rebounds (Yes: 43¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts," which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Rockets win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Lakers vs Rockets at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

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.

Shout-out Mike Brown for losing Game 3 by one point, going four-against-five for the whole first half.

Shout-out Mikal Bridges, for helping folks forget about him and teaching the world that basketball was meant to be a four-player sport.

Here’s the latest from the ATL.

Mike Brown

On the Game 3 loss and the series outlook:
“The reality of it is, it’s a seven-game series for a reason. Stuff’s going to happen. Plenty of teams have been down 1-2, even OKC was down 1-2 last year and they ended up winning it. I’m not saying we’re going to win. … This should sting. We gave ourselves a chance knowing we didn’t play our best basketball, so it should sting. We need to feel it and be locked in for the next games.”

On his late-game play around Brunson:
“We cleared the side of the floor for him. That’s what we wanted to do. We wanted to zipper on the top of the floor and clear that right side of the floor for him ‘cause that’s what he’s comfortable doing and told him, ‘go win it.’”

On the free-throw discrepancy in Game 3:
“They’re closing out hard. And when they close out hard, we gotta drive the basketball. I do think it’s a tough game for the officials to officiate. But I know we got fouled on a few of the drives that didn’t get called. It’s tough to see 20-26 in a one-possession game when you know for sure there were a couple of fouls that should’ve been called.”

On his lineup decisions going forward and the possibility of benching Bridges:
“I mean, I’m not even thinking about that right now. But in the same breath, I’ve said it before, like you said, we have to look at everything, but I’m thinking still about the game and what we could’ve done better and all that other stuff before we get into that.”

On Bridges’ performance and the need for a bounceback:
“I’m not concerned. Mikal is a pro. He’s been there. He’s played hundreds of basketball games, so he’ll be fine.”

On choosing a small lineup for the final defensive play:
“The way the game was being played, the different runs we made and the different combinations I threw out there, I just went with what I felt the game called for at that time.This is what the game called for, and that’s what I went with.”

On what hurt the Knicks:
“They did a good job of taking care of the basketball. They were pretty aggressive. Atlanta, they’re trying to get up in us, they’re trying to speed us up, they’re playing physical, and when you face that type of defense, you can’t play on your heels. You can’t be passive at all. You got to be able to rip that ball through and get to the rim. Or if they close out hard, you gotta be able to snap drive and get to the rim. That group did a pretty good job of it. They did a pretty good job of trying to get out in transition, too. And then they did a pretty good job of trying to get stops defensively. That’s something that we all have to recognize and embrace.”

On why Robinson is barely playing:
“We need something from everybody, and the reality of what happened was — we ended up going with KAT. KAT played a significant amount of minutes for us because he was rolling in that second half.”

Jalen Brunson

On failing to execute the game plan:
“I think he’s been great in making sure we’re in the right positions to be successful. It’s just on us to execute them.”

On what went wrong at the end of Game 3:
“I wish I had a better answer for you. I don’t know right now. There are a lot of things I need to be better at. That’s a missed opportunity for sure.”

On Knicks fans on the road:
“Whenever we play and we see Knicks fans here, Knicks fans make it known. So it’s always a pleasure. It’s always a very cool thing to hear. When you’re in the opposing arenas.”

Mitchell Robinson

On the Knicks’ coaching staff getting them ready for everything:
“[Our coaching staff] gets to every detail of the game, literally everything. They break it down, see what needs to be changed, what doesn’t, what we need, you know: bring more intensity out of us and stuff like that. I mean it’s been great learning from him. It’s been amazing.”

On the lack of physicality in Game 2:
“Hell no, we weren’t physical at all. So physicality, make everything get physical. You know, just play ball and stay locked in and just fight.”

On embracing the playoffs:
“Hell yeah, I love this (expletive). This (expletive) is fun. This is what it’s about. Getting in, getting active. I’m ready to go.”

On the Hack-a-Mitch strategy:
“I mean, yeah, I feel like they want to get me off the court, so I know I’m threatening they ass and it be like that.”

On his free-throw confidence:
“I’ve been shooting a lot of free throws. I’ve been getting the ball in the air. Routine is straight. So I’ve been shooting it good. Sometimes, it go in; sometimes, it don’t. Confidence still high, so still ready to go.”

On playing posteason games on the road:
“I like playing away. I think I play better away than I ever do at home. I don’t know, the energy. It’s like me versus the world.”

Mikal Bridges

On his turnovers in Game 3:
“Had more turnovers than I had the two games combined. Just sloppy overall. But I’ve just got to be better so I can be out there.”

On taking accountability for his no-show job:
“There’s no other way…it’s a tough one, I’ve got to take it on the chin and handle it how I’m supposed to. It’s going to suck, it is what it is. I’ve got to be better and help my team out there.”

On his overall struggles in Game 3:
“Just a bad turnover day for me. Got to clean that up, it’s on me. We’ve got to put it all together. Starts with me, I’ve got to be better. We’ve got to play as a team and fight for all 48.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the Game 3 loss:
“It hurts when you give yourself a chance to win – last game, this game, it hurts that we put ourselves in a position to win and we just didn’t close – it’s tough, but we have to keep our heads up.”

On what his stats mean in a loss:
“It don’t mean anything if you don’t win, honestly. That’s the answer.”

Josh Hart

On the urgency in the first-round series:
“We’re down, 2-1. Right now, there’s no room to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got another one on Saturday at 6 o’clock. So it’s a quick turnaround. We’ve got to make sure we regroup and go out focused for Game 4.”

On defending McCollum:
“I just tried to make it tough for him. That was the biggest thing, just try to make it tough for him, force him into tough shots.”

On his Game 3 shooting:
“I just…they just didn’t go. I thought the corner one was good. I gotta make ’em.”

On the 3-point shooting failing to work:
“I feel like we had good shots. We didn’t knock them down.”

Call this a make-up for the fact that we didn’t run a full story on this news item yesterday (no disrespect due to Derrick, who is perfect in every way – it just got lost in the shuffle).

I mean, what else is there to say. Derrick is a wonderful human being.

I guess it is also worth noting that this award has gone to a few players with ties to the Celtics in the past.

Caleb Wilson hasn’t gotten to go through the NBA Draft combine yet, but there’s already a lot of buzz that he could be drafted top three overall. What wasn’t expected, however, is Yahoo Sports projecting that he could go higher than that. In their latest mock draft, they have Wilson being picked second overall by the Atlanta Hawks.

For the better part of what we will call the NCAA/NBA basketball season, it was largely projected that Wilson would be drafted as the fourth overall pick. But there were moments throughout the 2025-26 UNC season when fans had to start wondering if he could climb even higher. He is one of the better athletes in the draft, has a really high ceiling, and most importantly, he could become one of the better players on a NBA team right now. It is hard to say that about Darryn Peterson, for instance, but it’s understandable to see AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson as interchangeable. But this is the first time Wilson has been projected as a top-two pick to our knowledge, which means this draft could get really interesting for the Georgia native.

Here’s what Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor had to say about the All-American:

“Front office executives around the NBA increasingly believe Wilson could be the second player taken in June’s draft. While his exact spot won’t be clear until after the Draft Lottery, once each pick is determined, some teams value the high-flying North Carolina freshman above the more ground-bound Cam Boozer from Duke. Others view Wilson as having similarly high upside as Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with dramatically lower downsides due to Peterson’s availability concerns.“

It is interesting that O’Connor stated that some teams would value Wilson’s aerial abilities over Boozer’s gravity-shackled game, but it is also not surprising. Objectively speaking, it would make more sense for some teams to take Boozer over Wilson, but there are some NBA teams that do not have a guy that is wired quite like Wilson. Where he is actually drafted will likely depend on what team has one of the top 2-3 picks, but hearing that front office executives are increasingly confident that Wilson can be the second player off the board is huge.

What do you think of Yahoo’s projection? Do you think Wilson could go #2 overall? Do you think there’s a possibility he can go #1 overall? Let us know in the comments below.

The NBA may or may not have an officiating crisis. But it definitely has a crisis of confidence, which is the only kind that matters.

Even in the age of big data and AI-generated LeBron songs, we still do not have a reliable way to track if an NBA game was officiated well. This isn’t automatic balls and strikes; we’re talking about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo’s elbow intentionally struck Al Horford in the head during that poster dunk, if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander initiated contact when his defender stupidly jumped at a pump fake for the 19th time, whether Jaden McDaniels gave Jamal Murray adequate landing space on his shot despite every player jumping different distances when they shoot and McDaniels understandably is not staring at Murray’s feet when he’s shooting a three. That kind of stuff.

So people clamor for accountability. Players freak out, including Devin Booker saying in a press conference that Alex Caruso asked the ref to call a technical on Booker and he just did for some reason? Fans of teams that feel they got jobbed lose it, demanding changes (what changes?), oversight (how?) and to please please please stop allowing Gilgeous-Alexander to magnet-pull himself to a defender and get two free throws!

But refereeing is such a stupid concept that there is no possibility to improve, only to complicate. Sure, we have Last Two Minutes reports, but those are simply compiled by other referees offering a different interpretation with the assistance of slow-motion replay — or as I like to call them, completely useless since no referee could ever review every single call of the last two minutes in slow-mo in real time lest they want to make the game completely unwatchable. 

Refereeing basketball games is not an exact science; in fact, it’s probably not a science at all. When you consider all the contact, all the dust-ups, all the arm-flailing, all the pump-fake magnetism and all the floppity flops, officiating this environment is far closer to oil painting than it is mathematical proofs. Fouls are interpretations of a fluid game in which contact is legal, and referees must use words like “wind-up,” “follow-through,” “incidental,” and “reckless” (what does any of that mean?) to determine if something is a foul, a flagrant, a technical or nothing at all. 

In short, there is really no way to officiate a sport where contact is kind of legal. It’s not like football and hockey (which have plenty of officiating problems), where contact is mostly legal and something has to be fairly heinous to result in a foul for being too physical; basketball allows contact to a certain extent. What that extent is has evolved over time, such as throwing elbows, hand checking, the block-charge and more fun stuff we all complain about. All NBA refs are really doing is trying to keep the game safe and reasonably fair; an impossible task, but one they are heroically trusted with anyway.

The NBA has thus complicated officiating to no end, only watering the roots of an issue that have continued to grow. A blatantly incorrect reading of this situation is that the Oklahoma City Thunder foul-bait more than any other team — they were 17th in free throw attempts per game this season. Nor is it statistically provable to say that teams foul-bait more than ever, as team fouls-per-game has gone down sharply in recent NBA history. 

But teams have exploited the infinite complication of officiating to great effect, notably how pace, size and explosive super-athletes can create impossibly subjective interactions. Gilgeous-Alexander bears the brunt of this criticism, given that he’s likely about to be the league’s back-to-back MVP winner, but he wasn’t even first in free-throw attempts this season. Everyone does it, and I think we really peaked with 2022 Giannis Antetokounmpo, who, for two playoff rounds, barreled into Nikola Vucevic and Grant Williams and whoever else dared to oppose him with impossible speed, power and extreme arm-angles that were always some kind of foul. On who? On Giannis? Who knew.

The root problem is that a shooting foul is the most valuable offensive action in basketball. With league-average shooting percentages, two free throws have an expected point-value of 1.57, while a three-pointer is worth 1.08 points and an at-rim look worth 1.20 points (shoutout to Ian Levy for pointing this out to me; it changed my life). If you can get your free-throw percentage up above average (>78 percent), now we’re really cooking something spicy. Gilgeous-Alexander shoots 88 percent from the line, so by far his best option on every possession is to get to the line. 

Like with tanking and the draft lottery, if the NBA’s rules provide a clear best option to succeed, smart players and teams will always figure out how to maximize their return. It’s like when the MLB figured out walks were actually good — whatever macho man mentality (and steroids) sustained the “always swing and swing for power” world died in the darkness wrought by sabermetrics and taking a 3-1 fastball that’s a little high.

The NBA public freaking out about officiating these playoffs doesn’t actually want fewer fouls, they just want fouls to feel like fouls — you know, things that aren’t allowed,rather than the calculated, orchestrated manipulations of a subjective rule set and mathematical reality that they have become. A fix would be a point of emphasis from officials that radically expands the scope of “who initiated contact” and categorically refuse to call fouls when the offensive player visually initiates the interaction. 

But we all know how that would end: teams and players would reset, take some time to analyze the situation and then find whatever the new best way to get to the free-throw line is. Short of a literal free-throw quota, an insane idea that would turn the game into gladiatorial combat, teams will figure out how to foul-bait even if foul-baiting is outlawed. But an emphasis against offensive player-initiated defensive fouls would be a good start, given that this is all a visual question anyway — as said before, the total number of fouls has decreased in recent years. We’re solving a crisis of confidence, not an actual crisis.

Sports have their own built-in honor codes that are unique and deeply personal, but not flopping is generally agreed upon as lame by the people of the world. And those same people will shed blood, sweat and tearful Tweets when they believe the sanctity of the game they love is under assault. Maybe it isn’t, but it looks like it is. And keeping up appearances is key.

After suffering another loss that came down to a final possession, the Knicks trail the Atlanta Hawks, 2-1, in the first round. 

In New York’s 109-108 loss to the Hawks, there were several moments to note. OG Anunoby emerged with 29 points. The Knicks outscored Atlanta, 56-40, in the paint. But the Hawks shot better from the three-point line (39 percent).

As New York tries to even the series on Saturday night, here are three keys to Game 4...

Absent starters need to come through

New York's starters scored 78 points on Thursday night, but 76 of those points came from the trio of Anunoby,Jalen Brunson (26 points), and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points). The other two starters -- Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart --combined for just two points in 61 minutes. 

Bridges was scoreless in 21 minutes, attempting just three shots. He was also a -26 and had four turnovers, leading to him being benched for much of the second half in favor of Deuce McBride. That turned out to be the right decision as McBride was instrumental in New York’s comeback attempt.

The absent offensive performance was another notable moment in an uneven two-year stretch for Bridges. The external noise around the Knicks trading five first-round picks for Bridges only grows louder after performances like this. Hart had two points on 1-for-9 from the field and he missed all four of his attempts from the three-point line. 

Hart and Bridges have made significant contributions defensively in this series, and Hart did have nine rebounds and six assists on Thursday. But both players have played a part in New York’s substandard offensive play. New York will need more from both Bridges and Hart on the offensive end in Game 4.

The next logical step is head coach Mike Brown possibly making a change to the starting lineup. As SNY’s Ian Begley noted, one of the burning questions for Game 4 is if McBride will replace Bridges.

Limiting miscues

Creating turnovers on defense is crucial to the Hawks’ strategy. Not a great halfcourt offense, the Hawks have been able to thrive off playing fast and creating transition scoring opportunities.

As this series has worn on, miscues have become a concern for the Knicks. New York had 11 giveaways in the series opener, followed by 14 in the second game. In Game 3, the Hawks forced a series-high 18 Knicks turnovers and scored 21 points off those errors.

Atlanta has athletic finishers like Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga, who benefited from easy baskets that came from either turnovers or long rebounds. Johnson broke out for his best performance in the series on Thursday with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Kuminga had 21 points off the bench.

Keeping those two players in the halfcourt will be crucial for Game 4. Taking care of the rock is of significant importance, especially when thinking of how each of the last two games have gone.

The plan for Mitchell Robinson

The series was supposed to be made for Robinson. With Atlanta’s diminutive roster, Robinson was expected to dominate off the bench. But so far we’ve seen scant minutes for the seven-footer. Over three games, Robinson is averaging 14.7 minutes.

Two factors seem to be weighing on Robinson’s limited minutes. One is the potential for the Hawks to intentionally foul the notoriously poor free-throw shooter. Brown has also noted that lineups with both Towns and Robinson on the court haven’t been as effective.

When Robinson has played, he hasn’t dominated the offensive glass. Despite Robinson not seeing increased minutes, the Knicks have actually rebounded well on both ends of the floor. New York is sixth among the 16 playoff teams in offensive rebound rate, recovering 33.1 percent of misses, per NBA Stats.

Before Game 1, I chatted with Dave, my friend who runs PtR’s sister site that covers the Portland Trail Blazers, Blazers Edge. After Game 2, we agreed to pick it back up as the series shifts to the Pacific Northwest.

Dave

Well, the series is 1-1 and nothing is decided firmly, but the most important thing is Wemby and the concussion. Are you worried? Does it seem like Wembanyama is just a wee bit injury-prone at this point?

J.R.

I’ve decided that I won’t be worried until Game 7 and Wemby isn’t playing. I know it’s assuming a lot, jumping ahead five games but I don’t want to consider the team not being able to hang with Portland without the Alien. Still, since it’s best not to take too much for granted, I’ll amend my official stance to the following: I will not worry until it’s an elimination game and Wemby isn’t playing

As to him being injury prone, I’m not feeling it. He played 71 games his rookie year. He’s had his share of minor injuries, but sprained ankles happen to everyone and none of his have recurred. The big game-stealer was last year’s DVT which can come in a repeating version or a plain vanilla freak medical event style. And everything we know points to his being the latter. This season, the big challenge to him playing 65 games was a calf strain that happened when Podz went full Cobra Kai and swept Victor’s leg. The recovery took its own sweet time, but that was because after all of the Achilles tears last season, perhaps the most important medical term for franchises to pay attention to is “calf strain.” 

To summarize: I see a string of both normal and unusual situations that only have a single thing in common – that they all happened to the same guy. That’s not my definition of being injury prone.

So, as to Game 2, I saw a lot of awesome things happen for your team and a serious percentage of them had a double zero attached to them! Do you think coming through in the crucible of the playoffs is exciting for Henderson’s long-term outlook, or have the last three seasons already given you enough of a read on what he’s going to become?

Dave

Game 2 was good for Scoot’s personal brand and hopefully his confidence. He’s played 160 NBA games in his career now. That was his best all-around one. It showed the progress he’s made defensively. His three-point shot opened up drives. Scoot can be deadly with a head of steam and a little space off the dribble. It was all the best of Mr. Henderson, wrapped up in 38 minutes of fun.

Anyone who tries to get a read on Scoot’s future based on that game is either a totally optimistic Blazers fan or hasn’t watched him or the team much this year. Portland’s performances are repeatable, but never for long. They’ll sustain for 3-4 games, then flip to the polar opposite of what they were. It doesn’t even depend on the opponent that much. Sure, they did better towards the end of the season in a weaker schedule than they did in the middle months when it was brutal, but they’ve beaten some great teams and lost to some lousy ones inexplicably. Trying to analyze the Blazers is just like going to church. First comes the reading, then comes the prayer. And who knows whether it’ll be answered this week or not?

We shouldn’t minimize the progress Scoot has made. This version of him is impactful. Even the down parts are NBA-worthy (mostly). That’s way better than his rookie season. But you can flip a coin whether this is the start of something new or just an anomaly that shows his ceiling without being able to sustain it.

Well, we have an update on Wemby now. He traveled to Portland and has been listed as questionable. Are they really thinking about playing him? What are the chances that this is a little bit of gamesmanship on the Spurs’ part? If it were my franchise cornerstone against an opponent as beatable as Portland, I think I’d give it another game at least.

J.R.

First, I think it’s wise, whenever you’re dealing with a franchise that has an ex-spy like Gregg Popovich who’s had a hand in creating a culture that prioritizes winning above all things, including dealing with the media and filing injury reports (anybody remember Duncan’s DNP-Old?), to expect at least a modicum of gamesmanship and often quite a bit more.  

Second, I think there’s practically zero chance that Wemby is on the court for Game 3. San Antonio‘s process for returning a player from a serious injury does not include playing someone that they list as questionable. It goes from being unavailable, to being questionable for several games, to being probable for a night or two, and then playing. There are a lot of stages to it and it’s very predictable. The only question is whether they consider this to be a serious injury. And, I mean, it’s the franchise player’s freaking brain. That’s serious. Even Vic traveling with the team, I’d say I give it less than 50% chance of playing in Game 4. 

Now, what do you think about the way the Blazers turned the tables and overcame that double digit lead in the fourth? I liked the intensity of the defense, and the Spurs were certainly not prepared to attack in a way that surprised Portland. How regularly do you think they’ll be able to match that effort?

Dave

Honestly, I read the Spurs as overconfident after building up that double-digit lead. Yes, Portland’s defense was good. They can do that. But does anybody recall the Blazers basically letting you guys score on the break in the third period and/or early fourth because they couldn’t be bothered to take care of the ball or get back on defense? Both sides of that coin are very Portland in 2025-26. I think San Antonio smelled the win, thought they had it, then got disabused of that notion as the Blazers made one of their famous, death-defying runs. By the time y’all got your act together, the game was there for the taking.

There’s a huge difference between that scenario and playing 48 minutes of high-focus, pristinely-executed basketball. I’m not sure the Blazers can pull that off. And if they don’t, the Spurs will be right there, either even or building another 12-14 point lead.

You still have the deeper talent pool–I hear the Spurs were kicked out of community game night for getting a BINGO after three balls were drawn–and you have the advantage of having played together the whole season. The Blazers team you’re seeing right now is basically five weeks old, at best. I think this is the first time all year the injury list reads, “Damian Lillard” and nothing else. I’m not joking about that. Portland’s starting lineup is still in the talking stage. Their bench players are basically trying to speed date the first unit. More overall talent and more continuity for San Antonio will probably be the bane of any attempt by the Blazers to put together a superior complete game.

The Blazers could win two games if Wemby doesn’t play significant minutes. The Blazers could win one under any circumstances. I think the most likely outcome, factoring in injuries, is a 1-1 split over the weekend. The next most likely outcome is probably Spurs 2-0. Blazers 2-0 registers but it’s in third place on the odds table.

What’s your prediction for the outcome of the next two games?

J.R.

I predict Wemby plays neither game, but takes up space and churns all kinds of rumors with his presence alone. Whether that steals cycles from Portland’s coaching staff you’ll know better than I, but I’m preparing for the worst – coming home potentially down 3-1. Now that might not be the most probable outcome, but the Wemby-less Spurs haven’t proven that they can beat this version of the Blazers that’s reinventing themselves on the fly. Until they do, the series is up in the air. 

You say you expect 1-1 over the weekend and for me that’s a win, because it contains at least one win! This year, the Spurs have had their struggles in late-game situations against a defense that’s dug in and prepared for them. Early in the season, the team had a ton of success in clutch situations, but since February when they started blowing teams out and went 23-2 with Wemby playing, they rarely played close down the stretch but didn’t look great when they did. I’m concerned about how they generate offense in the last two minutes of a tight game on the road. 

Bottom line, these two teams playing without Victor seems pretty evenly matched, but I’d feel much better if you told me that it’d be 1-1 after two blowouts than I would be expecting that result if we get two close games. Hate to say it, but it’s true. 

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We have three games on the NBA Playoffs schedule this evening, and I’ve found value in my NBA player props. I’ll highlight Devin Vassell, LeBron James, and Tyrese Maxey. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Friday, April 24. 

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Tyrese Maxey	Over 6.5 assists	+105
LeBron James	Over 8.5 assists	-115
Devin Vassell	Over 14.5 points	-115

Prop #1: Tyrese Maxey Over 6.5 assists

+105 at bet365

Tyrese Maxey certainly did his part in Game 2, scoring 29 points and dishing out nine assists as the Philadelphia 76ers tied the series, 1-1.

Maxey’s hit the Over in dimes in back-to-back games in this first-round matchup, and the guard averaged 6.6 assists per contest during the regular season. 

The Boston Celtics are allowing 8.6 dimes per game to point guards, and Maxey is averaging exactly 6.5 assists this season at home.

He’s thriving as a passer at the moment, and his playmaking will help the Sixers keep Game 3 competitive on home court. 

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

Prop #2: LeBron James Over 8.5 assists

-115 at bet365

It’s pretty remarkable that the Los Angeles Lakers are up 2-0 on the Houston Rockets without their two best players, but that’s the case right now.

LeBron James is definitely a big reason for the series lead. He’s cooking in every way. The King dished out 13 dimes in Game 1, and while he had just seven in Game 2, Bron has hit the Over in four of his last six. 

In fact, in his last two road games, James has compiled a whopping 26 dimes.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain out, which means the playmaking duties continue to fall heavily on LeBron’s shoulders. He’s making everyone around him better at the moment, and he’ll continue to pick apart an inconsistent Rockets defense. 

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

Prop #3: Devin Vassell Over 14.5 points

-115 at bet365

Devin Vassell is one of the players on this San Antonio Spurs roster who will need to step up heavily with Victor Wembanyama either out or playing hurt, and I believe he will.

The guard scored 16 points last time out, and he’s cashed the Over in both games of this series so far. He’s also played heavy minutes through Games 1 and 2, averaging 33 per contest.

There’s a big workload to make up for if Wembanyama is not on the floor, and Vassell will have the rock in his hands a lot more tonight. He’ll be one of the key guys in helping the Spurs stay afloat in the series. 

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

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

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The New York Knicks have dropped two straight games, and they’ll look to get back on track when they visit the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 on Saturday.

Jalen Brunson came up just short at the end of Game 3, but my Knicks vs. Hawks predictions expect him to lead the charge for New York with a classic scoring performance as the visiting team evens up the series.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Saturday’s Game 4 from State Farm Arena.

Knicks vs Hawks prediction

Knicks vs Hawks best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points (-110)

When the NBA playoffs roll around, Jalen Brunson elevates his scoring to a new level. Since 2023-24, Brunson is one of just four players to average 30+ points per game, and he’s the only one to play in more than six games.

With an average of 30.4 points across his last 34 playoff games, Brunson has a proven track record in critical games.

Brunson has found success in Game 4’s in recent seasons. He’s averaged 32.6 points per game across his last seven Game 4’s, scoring 27+ six times. He’s reached that mark in four of his last five road games in that situation.

Over his last 21 playoff games overall, Brunson has averaged a healthy 29.2 points, and he’s scored 27+ 14 times, including two of three in this year’s postseason. He came up just shy of that mark in Game 3, finishing with 26 points.

Brunson averaged 28.5 points in six matchups against the Atlanta Hawks this season, including 30 points per game at State Farm Arena. Brunson reached 27+ points in four of six games against the Hawks.

In the regular season, Brunson recorded 27+ points in 38 of 74 games overall and in 21 of 38 games on the road. He hit a clutch “And-1” in the final minute of Game 3 only to watch as CJ McCollum hit a go-ahead bucket in the final seconds.

Brunson uncharacteristically turned the ball over on the final possession of the game, and he’ll be driven to atone for that mistake and lead his team to victory. This could be the blowup scoring game for which New York Knicks fans have been waiting.

Knicks vs Hawks same-game parlay

Each of the last two games of the series has been decided by one point, and four of six head-to-head matchups in 2025-26 have been decided by three points or fewer. Game 4 will be a dog fight, but I expect Brunson to lead the Knicks to a crucial victory.

A win for New York makes this a best-of-three series with home court advantage, but a loss means the Knicks will need to win three straight. After coming up just shy in Games 2 and 3, I expect the Knicks to play with urgency and get the job done on the road before coming back to the Garden.

This hasn’t been a high-scoring series, but the point totals keep creeping down, and we can find value in the Over. Three of six games between these teams have gone for at least 215 points, and two more went for 213.

Game 3 totaled 217 points despite two of New York’s starters combining for just two points. I’ll bet the Over as New York gets back on track offensively.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
• Knicks -1.5
• Over 214.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Villanova Three!

Josh Hart finished with just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in Game 3, and he’s got to be more productive. Improved scoring from New York’s starters is crucial, as the Knicks have lost two straight games by just one point.

Hart scored 12+ in 18 of 33 road games in the regular season, and he’s due for a bounce-back performance in a critical Game 4.

Mikal Bridges has scored 21 total points on 8-of-22 shooting through the first three games of this series. That’s dreadful for a guy who was brought in to be the missing piece on a contending team.

Bridges logged only 21 minutes in Game 3 in favor of Miles McBride (15 points), and I expect the benching and poor performance to motivate him in Saturday’s high-stakes matchup.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
• Knicks -1.5
• Josh Hart Over 11.5 points
• Mikal Bridges Over 10.5 points

Knicks vs Hawks odds for Game 4

• Spread: Knicks -1.5 (-115) | Hawks +1.5 (+105)
• Moneyline: Knicks -130 | Hawks +110
• Over/Under: Over 214.5 | Under 214.5

Knicks vs Hawks betting trend to know

The New York Knicks have hit the 4Q Moneyline in 35 of their last 50 games (+19.90 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Hawks.

How to watch Knicks vs Hawks Game 4

Knicks vs Hawks latest injuries

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