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Our NBA player prop projections are locked in for tonight’s Game 2 showdown between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, with the model highlighting several high-value spots across the board.

By breaking down the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve pinpointed where the strongest edges appear.

These Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions aren’t based on narrative or intuition; they’re driven by the numbers.

If you’re building out your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, April 21.

Trail Blazers vs Spurs computer picks for Game 2

Trail Blazers	Spurs
Avdija u23.5 points  -105	Wembanyama u28.5 points  -105
Holiday o5.5 assists  -140	Wembanyama o11.5 rebounds -115
Henderson o1.5 3-pointers +115	Fox o5.5 assists -120

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Trail Blazers Game 2 computer picks

Deni Avdija Under 23.5 points (-105)

Projection: 22.4 points

The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled offensively on the road, ranking as the fourth-lowest scoring team in the league over their last 25 away games.

Over their last five road contests, opposing starting power forwards have managed just 13.0 points per game against the San Antonio Spurs—the fourth-lowest mark in the NBA. That sets up as a difficult spot for Deni Avdija to replicate the offensive output he delivered in Game 1.

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Jrue Holiday Over 5.5 assists (-140)

Projection: 6.4 assists

Jrue Holiday has cleared the 5.5 assist line in five of his last ten games, and the path to doing it again in Game 2 against the Spurs is firmly in place.

A key factor is lineup synergy. Playing alongside high-efficiency scorers and floor spacers means Holiday doesn’t need high volume to rack up assists, just clean looks created within the flow of the offense. If those shots are falling at a reasonable rate, 6+ assists becomes a very reachable threshold.

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Scoot Henderson Over 1.5 3-pointers (+115)

Projection: 1.64 3-pointers

This season, opposing starting point guards have knocked down 40.4% of their 3-point attempts against the Spurs, the fifth-highest mark allowed in the league, setting up a favorable matchup for Scoot Henderson, who has cashed the Over in seven of his last 10 games on a 1.5 made threes line.

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Spurs Game 2 computer picks

Victor Wembanyama Under 28.5 points (-120)

Projection: 28.4 points

The Spurs are likely to see fewer scoring opportunities tonight, as they match up with the Trail Blazers, who have played at the sixth-slowest pace in the league over their last five games. That slower tempo could make it tougher for Victor Wembanyama to clear his points prop in Game 2.

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Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 12.01 rebounds

The Spurs have been one of the stronger offensive rebounding teams in the league, ranking sixth over their last 15 games, and Wemby has been a major contributor on the glass, clearing the Over in seven of his last 10 games on an 11.5 rebound line.

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De'Aaron Fox Over 5.5 assists (-120)

Projection: 6.4 assists

De'Aaron Fox has gone over the 5.5 assist mark in five of his last 10 games, and there’s a strong case for that trend continuing against the Trail Blazers.

Fox’s playmaking often scales with defensive attention, and Portland tends to collapse on dribble penetration, especially against high-speed guards. That’s where Fox thrives.

His ability to get downhill forces help defenders to rotate, creating clean passing lanes to shooters and bigs in favorable positions. Even if he’s aggressive as a scorer early, that pressure typically opens up assist opportunities as the game progresses.

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How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 2

Location	Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date	Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	NBC/Peacock

Not intended for use in MA.
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Following the first matchup of any playoff series, both teams, win or lose, return to the drawing board and strategize what they can take forward in future contests.

For the Lakers, missing their star shot creators in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves means the offense will be a journey every night. The regular season numbers and what created success are completely thrown out the window in their absence.  

What the team can lean on is its defense and it showed why its improvement in the second half of the season was no fluke in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets, even it came against a Rockets side missing a superstar of its own in Kevin Durant.

LA jumped from 23rd to 14th in defensive rating post All-Star break. They headed into the playoffs with real synergy and cohesion on that end while following specific game plans specifically tethered to different superstars.

​The purple and gold held their opponent under 100 points for just the eighth time this season on Saturday. Without Durant, LA’s defensive focus shifted and keyed in on first-time All-Star Alperen Şengün.

​As with other star bigs across the league, LA switched and fronted the post while maintaining a high level of physicality throughout the game.

​It started early in the first quarter. Watch below as Deandre Ayton begins on Şengün. A screen comes from Amen Thompson with the Lakers switching the action. LeBron fronts the post while Marcus Smart gives textbook backside help.

The ball swings out to the perimeter while the Lakers close out and run them off the 3-point line. The play ends with a Houston turnover due to an offensive three-second violation.

As with most offensive bigs, the only player the Lakers allowed Şengün to get single coverage against was Ayton. Finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds and one block does not do justice to the defensive night LA’s starting big man had, clearly winning his head-to-head matchup.

He collected the Şengün body bumps, moving his feet without going for fakes and contesting high, as shown in the clip below

Sengun missed eight straight shots at one point, finishing just 6-19 from the floor with three turnovers.

“We did a good job of contesting those six-to-eight-foot shots without fouling using our length,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “I thought [Ayton], Jaxson, Bron, Rui, Vando, all those guys, Jake, just getting a contest is super important.”

The other player LA knew they needed to slow down was Thompson. A supreme athlete that can get to the paint at will, the First Team All-Defense guard shot up the scouting report without Durant.

LA made sure to create a wall anytime he drove, contesting his shots at the basket on his straight-line drives, picking him up early in transition and attempting to bait him into jump shots.

Watch below as Thompson runs a screen with Tari Eason, this time switching LeBron on to him. He drives to the basket and is met by 41-year-old LeBron recovering to pin it off the backboard with Hachimura right there to offer extra help at the rim.

Thompson missed all three of his shots outside the paint and finished just 3-8 in the restricted area over LA’s rim protection. LA ended up holding Houston to just 37.6% overall, 33% from the 3-point line and just 43% in the restricted area, per NBA stats.

“I felt like the second efforts on the defensive end, it really got us moving a little bit,” Ayton said. “We are taking pride with this new team having our superstars out creating on the defensive end to start our offense and get us moving and just get us an offensive rhythm and get the crowd in it a little bit.”

While everything hinges on Durant’s availability on Tuesday, the Rockets and head coach Ime Udoka will make adjustments to what the Lakers offered on defense. They will look to continue on their massive offensive rebound advantage and leverage Sengun as more of a ball handler in different spots on the floor.

Game 1’s are feel-outs, but Game 2 is where the tension of a series begins. The Lakers look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead and will have to do so by leading the way with their defense.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

There’s been a lot of emotion pouring out of the Knicks-verse after the startling fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2 that turned the series from a Knicks stranglehold to anyone’s series. While not quite as jaw-dropping as the collapse against Indiana last year, this one was more methodical. In a way, though, it’s worse because it gave the Knicks countless opportunities to lock in, and it never happened, while there was this drowning sensation in that infamous Game 1 last May.

There are loads of reasons the game went the way it did. The timeout fiasco (Mike Brown did NOT have a timeout at the end of the game, but puzzling usage put them in that spot), the 10 missed free throws, Jalen Brunson’s off-kilter performance disrupting the offense, and a puzzling disappearance by Karl-Anthony Towns.

A reason that a lot of people are blaming is the rotations, which I don’t necessarily agree with for two reasons. For one, the Jose Alvarado-led lineup played effectively even in a 4-5 minute stretch in the second half, and two, the starters had a nine-point lead and the ball multiple times, and the offense shut off. For a lineup that’s been exceptional in fourth quarters and a team that’s historically good in these situations, that’s more to blame for me.

But you can argue that the lack of an optimized rotation allowed the Hawks to hang around in two stretches when they were struggling and to come back. As this series shifts to Atlanta in a suddenly even series, you might not have the margin for error that you had last night.

According to PBP Stats, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson are a slight negative when on the court together, but I believe that’s skewed by the late-game charge in Game 1 and whatever the hell that was in Game 2. For six of the eight quarters, they’ve played well together. That’s because the Hawks are mostly using Onyeka Okongwu to guard Towns, but are switching to using Jonathan Kuminga on him in clutch time.

The reason behind that is pretty obvious: the Knicks go into an iso-centric offense around Brunson in these situations, and Towns is a non-factor, so you’re effectively able to take him out of the play and blitz Brunson while having his co-star two passes away. In fact, the only possession in the final five minutes where Okongwu guarded Towns last night was executed quite well, but resulted in a miss:

If Brunson makes this elbow jumper (or kicks to an open Anunoby in the corner), they probably win. Alas, that’s not what we’re here for.

The more startling number is that Mike Brown has now played lineups without Towns or Brunson for 20 minutes through two games, and those lineups are being crushed to the tune of a -13.5 net rating. Most of that is in the truly terrible stretch to start the second quarter, but it’s notable nonetheless.

The three lineups with both on the bench that we mostly saw last night were:

McBride-Shamet-Clarkson-Anunoby-Robinson
Alvarado-McBride-Shamet-Anunoby-Robinson
Alvarado-Clarkson-Bridges-Anunoby-Robinson

All of these lineups are a negative, albeit in a small sample. The first lineup, in particular, is the team’s second-most common lineup (11 minutes) in the series and is the worst-performing. That’s flat-out bad, especially when you’re playing a team that is as scrappy as the Hawks.

There are real issues with these lineups on offense. While the third lineup is theoretically playable with multiple shooters and ballhandlers, it lacks the alpha that is needed on the court in the playoffs.

There’s also a stylistic problem with how players are being used. Deuce McBride has been a non-factor so far and, for a guy with a reputation of being a plus-minus machine, is involved in all of these negative lineups.

Of the 35 minutes that McBride has played this series, 18 of them are coming without Brunson or Towns. In fact, 15 of them have come without a true point guard (which includes Alvarado). This forces the young guard to take on more on-ball responsibilities, which has never been his forte, especially against an aggressive defense.

In these possessions, you’re seeing either McBride sharing ball-handling duties with Landry Shamet or running in circles to try and create something to no avail. The 18 minutes that McBride has played without Brunson or Towns have a -18.4 net rating, while the brief stints he’s played with either Brunson or Towns have been much stronger.

You go back to the regular season, and these numbers are equally apparent.

McBride with Towns: +7.9 (323 min)
McBride with Brunson: +12.7 (273 min)
McBride with both: +11.8 (263 min)
McBride with neither: +3.5 (121 min)

Deuce thrives on his teammates’ gravity. When Brunson sucks in the defense on a drive, he has open shooters to spray to. When the defense collapses on Towns in the post, he has open shooters to kick it out to. The same can be said for Anunoby and even Mitchell Robinson off an offensive rebound, but these two are the keys. McBride has to play with one of them. He’s inarguably a top-seven player on your roster and needs to make an impact.

In the regular season, lineups without Brunson and Towns didn’t even play well, so choosing to go to them often in this postseason is baffling. It’s one thing when both have four fouls in the third; that’s understandable, but it isn’t in the second quarter. Mike Brown needs to stagger his stars better because complacency in the midst of trying things out is going to make this series a lot longer and more nerve-wracking than it should be.

Game two’s loss on Monday night was a messy amalgamation of inexplicable coaching decisions, selfish play, bad and bad shot-making from both the three-point line and the free-throw line, and it led to one of the most frustrating losses of the season. So what are the biggest takeaways from a loss that I’m sure everybody will want to forget about? Hint, you’re going to see that a lot of guys just need to be better.

Jalen Brunson has to be better.

Jalen Brunson has meant more to this franchise than almost anyone who has ever been a Knick. He is the best player on the team, the steady captain of a team, and an organization that has longed for said steadiness. And without him, New York does not experience its first taste of sustained success in two decades. That being said, Brunson, like any other player to ever don a jersey, has his flaws. Among those flaws is his tendency to take matchups personally.

It can, at times, work in his and the Knicks’ favor. But when it doesn’t, it leads to a self-serving, heliocentric, stagnant offense, leaving teammates and fans watching and wondering what’s going on. Last night, and you can argue the last 7 quarters, have been a prime example of that. For a very large portion of this series, Brunson’s offensive process has been subpar, bordering on awful. There’s been a lot of isolation, forced shots, and open-court turnovers, and many of them have come at critical junctures of the game.

When his second option was a hobbled Julius Randle or Donte DiVincenzo, it was understandable for Brunson to play hero ball. But with an All-NBA player in Karl-Anthony Towns right beside him, it’s inexplicable. Towns has been feasting on the Hawks’ defense for much of the series, but only when he is given the ability to do so. Despite the big man toeing the line between patience and decisiveness incredibly well over the first two games, Brunson insisted on doing it by himself.

What Brunson has yet to understand is that not only does playing with Towns work very well, it also makes everyone’s life, including his very own, much easier. When Brunson either involves Towns in a pick-and-roll or plays off of Towns being the offensive hub, he can then conserve energy, while also often getting much better looks.

I expect Brunson to improve moving forward. During his almost two full seasons playing with Towns, he’s often backed up games like last night’s with very good playmaking games. But that doesn’t make up for last night’s loss, and it doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The two have been playing way too long for Brunson to still have games like this. And if he and the Knicks want to get as far as they’d like, Brunson will want to think real hard about whether personal matchups or winning matters more.

Deuce McBride and/or Landry Shamet have to be better.

I spoke very openly after game one about how much better the Knicks’ bench was compared to the Hawks’. Last night, the results were a bit different. New York’s bench has gotten a lot of flak in the last 12 hours, but I think it’s overstated a bit. Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Clarkson were still both effective and provided some great minutes. As did Jose Alvarado, who, despite only logging nine minutes, was tied for the second-highest plus-minus in the game.

What hasn’t been overstated is the ineffectiveness of Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, two players who have been pivotal to the Knicks’ regular-season success, in Game 2. McBride made two key threes in Saturday night’s win, but went 0-3 from the field, just 0-1 from three, had two turnovers, and overall looked outmatched when met with perimeter pressure. Shamet attempted just one shot in 10 minutes, and missed it, making him just 1-7 from the field, and 1-6 from three this series.

Meanwhile, the Hawks’ bench was a big reason they won. Corey Kispert, thanks in large part to the Knicks ’ bench ineptitude, was a +10 in nine minutes, while Tony Bradley repeated some of his successes as a Pacer, giving them a very solid 12 minutes. And Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 crucial points off the bench as well.

With Robinson and Clarkson playing the way they have been, the Knicks don’t need a lot from McBride and Shamet. But with the Hawks now having homecourt advantage and the momentum, they can ill afford both of these players being as quiet as they have been.

Mike Brown has to be better.

While both players can and should be playing better, it is on the coach to put their best players in the best position to succeed, something Mike Brown failed to do last night. Brown, rightfully so, has caught a lot of flak for his lineup decisions last night. And while many have pointed out that the starters came back in with a nine-point lead, it’s still hard to justify Brown’s choices.

It is true that the starters had a chance to close out the game. It is true that Brunson can, should, and needs to be better. It is true that OG Anunoby cannot miss two free throws like he did last night. And it is true that if Mikal Bridges makes the final shot, the Knicks still escape with a victory.

But even the greatest players of all-time have missed shots and made bad decisions. One thing you can control is rotations and lineup choices. If Brown doesn’t go to a Brunson, and Towns-less lineup in the second and fourth quarters, chances are, the starters have more than a nine-point cushion. Instead of using lineups that he has gone to for the vast majority of the season, he went with lineups that either had very little success or no experience playing together, and that is just flat out not okay.

And it’s not just about having one of your two best players on the court at all times. It’s the fact that they make the jobs of the bench players easier. And, quite frankly, those bench players also make the stars’ jobs easier. For as long as McBride has been a rotational player, he has played extremely well with Brunson, and or Towns. It’s because McBride amplifies both of them with his shooting and perimeter defense, while they both make McBride’s job easier. The same, albeit to a lesser extent, can be said about Shamet.

Again, yes, those two can play better. But instead of putting his bench players in a position to succeed, he made their jobs more difficult, and that, regardless of how well the starters closed out the game, is a problem Brown needs to address going forward.

Offense against the bigs on Hart has to be better.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As I touched on after game one, the Hawks went back to the Knicks’ biggest kryptonite-putting a big on Josh Hart-and it worked to perfection. As it so often has, the Knicks’ offense, which had already gotten stagnant, ran into even more problems when the Hawks went to this defensive alignment. And you can bet the Hawks are only going to rely on it more and more as the series goes on.

While the Knicks should still have the upper hand and should still out-talent the Hawks, this should, and likely will, be a key thing to keep an eye on the rest of the playoffs.

Let’s Knick this bad magic in the bud.

New York Knicks fans warned Mayor Zohran Mamdani to steer clear of Madison Square Garden during the team’s playoff run – to block the Curse of the Mambino from spreading to the World’s Most Famous Arena.

The message from fans on Tuesday came one day after the Knicks choked away a Game 2, first round playoff matchup against the rival Atlanta Hawks and as baseball fans blamed Mamdani for an epically bad New York Mets losing streak.

“Mr. Mayor, you and your curse, bad luck, whatever you want to call it, stay away from my team,” said diehard supporter David Stento, who was visiting the city from Binghamton.

Follow live updates on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda and the latest in NYC politics

“I’ve been waiting for this win for a long time. Get out of the way.”

“The way [Jalen] Brunson and [Karl-Anthony] Towns and the other guys are playing, I believe they are going to win it all but to be on the safe side, he should not go to any of the games,” the 68-year-old retiree added outside the NBA Store in Midtown Manhattan.

The Mets 11-game losing streak through Tuesday including an 0-10 record since April 9, when Mamdani visited Citi Field and hugged mascots Mr. and Mrs. Mets.

The Post spoke to Knicks fans and posted a “Mambino Keep Out” sign outside MSG Tuesday with the hope no similar sorcery would affect the team as they try to rebound after Monday’s loss that allowed the Hawks to tie the series 1-1.

The Knicks are coming off a 53-29 regular season and an exciting 2025 postseason run that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

Queens resident Ely Frank, who was at the Knicks’ Game 1 win, believes the hometown squad can top the Hawks, but “we don’t want the mayor jinxing this.”

“Just stay away,” the 34-year-old retail worker pleaded with the mayor while sporting a Knicks hat. “There is still hope so just keep your distance.”

Tomasz Racinowski also said he didn’t want any Mamdani “curse” lingering over the Knicks.

“We have been cursed for too long,” 42-year-old Long Islander said in reference to the franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 1973.

 The democratic socialist was already facing flack for prematurely celebrating the team – and possibly jinxing their chances – by placing life-size cartoon cutouts of top Knicks players around City Hall just hours before New York’s stinging one-point loss to the Hawks in Game 2.

 The art display from Tom Sanford included former Knicks greats like Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony, Larry Johnson, John Starks and, as well as current superstar Jalen Brunson.

Did the curse of the Mambino hit the New York Knicks as well?

This went up yesterday, hours before the Knickerbockers lost by one point to the Atlanta Hawks. pic.twitter.com/1jT7C3q0u0

— Craig McCarthy (@createcraig) April 21, 2026

But some fans weren’t sure that the cloud over the Mets would extend to the Knicks.

“The curse can’t go from baseball to basketball,” avid fan Jonathan G., 28, said outside MSG. “It’s just unfortunate for the Mets.”

Manhattan resident Daniel Ross, 29, also didn’t think Mamdani could sway the playoff series.

“I mean, I wish I wish I could blame him, but, I mean, I’ve been a fan my whole life and nothing good has happened,” the finance worker said.

Mamdani hasn’t been shy about his Knicks’ fandom, and last week jokingly blamed former Hawks star and Knicks’ nemesis Trae Young for the sky-high ticket prices at MSG. 

“I am still confident and hopeful of a championship this year, I do wish, however, all of these tickets were far more affordably priced,” he said at a press event.

The next showdown between Knicks and Hawks is set for Thursday from State Farm Arena in the southern city.

Former Mayor Eric Adams also faced scorn from sports fans last year when he temporarily renamed more than a dozen Big Apple streets after team members as the Knickerbockers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals..

The team ultimately lost the series to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

Meanwhile Mets fans hoped the“Curse of the Mambino” didn’t linger as long as the “Curse of the Bambino,” which myths said blocked the Boston Red Sox from winning a championship after they sold Babe Ruth to the rival Yankees. The Red Sox went 86 years without a championship after the deal.

The league officially decided several crucial tiebreakers between teams on Monday, April 20 before the NBA draft lottery is held on May 10 in Chicago.

While the process is often referred to as a coin flip between teams that finished with the exact same record to determine the draft order, it is actually random number drawings conducted by the league. The tiebreakers between picks 15 through 60 are the official draft order. There were six total tiebreakers in the 2026 NBA Draft.

However, tiebreakers between teams picking in the lottery will not become set in stone until the draft lottery is concluded next month. Here were the most interesting results.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are catching strays from the Toronto Raptors' media.

On Monday night, in Game 2 of the Raptors' first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Scottie Barnes was taken down by Jaylon Tyson. Toronto's RJ Barrett stepped in and gave Tyson a shove, which then created a commotion on the court.

Several players from both teams stepped in to help diffuse the situation.

Tempers are flaring in Cleveland 👀 pic.twitter.com/LBgQxRnYfA

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 21, 2026

While that was happening, TSN's NBA colour analyst, Jack Armstrong, said, "Auston Matthews wishes he had (Barrett) as a teammate. That's how you stand up for your guys."

Armstrong, of course, was referring to when Matthews got kneed by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas on Mar. 12, and none of the captain's Maple Leafs teammates immediately approached Gudas.

They followed it up in the third period with physical play and several goals, defeating the Ducks 6-4. But it wasn't a good look for a hockey club whose core has been together for quite some time.

"I mean, it was an unfortunate play, and I thought they responded in the third period," Matthews said during his end-of-season media availability on the hit and his teammates' immediate reaction.

The collision ended Matthews' season. He had surgery to repair a grade 3 MCL tear in his left leg seven days after the incident, but he will be ready for training camp next fall.

"Yeah, (rehab is) going good. Really good," Matthews added. "I'll be ready by next season and have a pretty normal summer, for the most part. I'm about a month down now, so a couple more months before I can kind of start to turn it up a little bit."

Maple Leafs' Reported Meeting With Mats Sundin 'More Exploratory Than Anything'Dreger adds that Sundin likely isn't willing to relocate to Toronto unless it's a prominent role within the organization.

Matthews finished the season with 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games. Despite missing 22 games, Toronto's captain still finished fourth in team scoring, only behind Matthew Knies, John Tavares, and William Nylander.

The Raptors are two games into their series against the Cavs and have lost both games. They return to Toronto to play Game 3 of the series on Thursday night inside Scotiabank Arena.

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The NBA playoffs got interesting on Monday night. Can that continue on Tuesday, April 21?

With only one game featuring a spread in single digits, that may seem unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

Rather than worry about those lofty spreads, let’s find some NBA player props and NBA picks to enjoy tonight.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
VJ Edgecombe	Over 14.5 points	-110
Victor Wembanyama	30+ points	+115
Luke Kennard	5+ assists	+150

Prop #1: VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points

-110 at bet365

What choices do the Philadelphia 76ers have? If Joel Embiid were available, perhaps this series would be interesting. 

But with "The Process" sidelined by an appendectomy, Philadelphia is simply out-gunned against the Boston Celtics. It needs to lean fully on its dynamic backcourt and wings, led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

The rookie has held off any proverbial wall, though his 0-for-5 showing from beyond the arc in Game 1 was a bit worrying. Yet, Edgecombe still scored 13 points in just 34 minutes.

Expect both increased minutes and at least one 3-pointer — Edgecombe shot 35.4% from deep on 5.6 attempts per game in the regular season. Either ingredient should be enough to push him past this points prop.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock/NBC

Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama 30+ points

+115 at bet365

Logic says the San Antonio Spurs superstar will not go 5-for-6 from beyond the arc in Game 2 after doing so on Sunday. 

But if Victor Wembanyama misses a few more 3-pointers, then this game is likely to be closer than Game 1, and suddenly the towering Frenchman may need to play more than 33 minutes.

In other words, either game state should set up Wembanyama to reach 30+ points for the sixth time in his last seven games, including the 35 he hung in his playoff debut.

The Portland Trail Blazers have no way to guard Wembanyama, and Donovan Clingan cannot keep up with him — the one clear weakness in the second-year center’s defense. 

It is, unfortunately for Portland, a weakness Wembanyama gladly exploits.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock/NBC

Prop #3: Luke Kennard 5+ assists

+150 at bet365

Point guard Luke Kennard remains a comical concept. Playoff point guard Luke Kennard is almost mind-boggling.

And yet, this necessity has the Los Angeles Lakers up 1-0 in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

To quote a so-so commercial we have all already seen too many times this week, “Anything really is possible in the playoffs.”

Kennard has handed out at least five assists in three of his six games as the Lakers’ starting point guard since both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were sidelined. Those were the first three games he started, falling to just 2.3 per game in the three games since.

Then why bet on him now? Because Kennard’s 27 points in Game 1 should demand more defensive attention from Houston in Game 2, creating more assist opportunities.

The climb from three to five assists is also not a steep one, particularly when the ball is going to be regularly in your hands.

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock/NBC

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

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The Boston Celtics are in a prime position to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Our NBA player prop projections have found the six best player props for you to add to your betting slip.

For more NBA picks, check out our complete 76ers vs. Celtics predictions!

76ers vs Celtics computer picks for Game 2

76ers	Celtics
Drummond o6.5 points +100	Brown o6.5 rebounds +110
Maxey o3.5 rebounds  +105	Pritchard o13.5 points -112
Edgecombe o14.5 points -115	White o4.5 assists  -105

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76ers Game 2 computer picks

Andre Drummond Over 6.5 points (+100)

Projection: 7.2 points

Joel Embiid is set to miss another game in this series, which will open up more minutes for Andre Drummond. The Boston Celtics will have their hands full with Philly's perimeter scorers, and they'll gladly let Drummond try to beat them.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Drummond Now at bet365!/span

Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 rebounds (+105)

Projection: 3.99 rebounds

Tyrese Maxey puts his 6-foot-2 frame to use, averaging 4.1 rebounds per game. When Drummond is off the floor, that'll open up more board opportunities for Philly's starting PG.

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VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points (-115)

Projection: 15.79 points

VJ Edgecombe can do some damage from beyond the arc tonight, with the C's allowing the fourth-most 3-point attempts to SGs at home this season. In four games against Boston, VJ shot 41.2% from three. Those long balls will help the rookie eclipse his points total.

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Celtics Game 2 computer picks

Jaylen Brown Over 6.5 rebounds (+110)

Projection: 7.8 rebounds

At +110, this prop has the highest +EV for this game according to our prop projections. Jaylen Brown has eclipsed this line in four of his last 10 outings, and with Philly shallow down low, Brown can gobble up the boards.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Brown Now at bet365!/span

Payton Pritchard Over 13.5 points (-112)

Projection: 16.0 points

Payton Pritchard is playing like a man possessed, eclipsing this total in eight of his last 10 outings. Pritchard has full control over Boston's bench unit, which should see plenty of time in what's expected to be another blowout.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Pritchard Now at bet365!/span

Derrick White Over 4.5 assists (-105)

Projection: 5.38 assists

Playing as the starting point guard of the C's has its perks, especially when you're passing to the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Derrick White can focus more on playmaking with Boston at full strength, just like he did in Game 1 where he racked up six dimes.

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How to watch 76ers vs Celtics Game 2

Location	TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date	Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tip-off	7:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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The Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic are getting set to face-off in Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Given Orlando’s status as an eighth seed, their inconsistent regular season, and Detroit’s dominant campaign, most people (myself included) thought this would be a cakewalk for the Pistons.

However, the Magic shocked us all in a Game 1 victory that proved that they are finally clicking and that they can exploit the Pistons’ lack of true two-way players. Oddsmakers still believe that the Pistons are in the driver’s seat to win this series, as they are a nine-point favorite in Game 2 (right around the spread from Game 1), and have -220 odds (an implied probability of -68.8%) to win the series.

To make this come to fruition, the Pistons either need Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland to find ways to exist on offense, Daniss Jenkins and Duncan Robinson to stop getting hunted on defense, or Kevin Huerter and Caris LeVert to step into larger roles. But more than anything, they need their All-Star big man to live up to his reputation. 

Jalen Duren Needs A Big Game 2

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few days, you are likely aware of Jalen Duren’s unspectacular Game 1 performance. 

The Pistons can’t win this series without Duren. This season, they led the entire NBA in points in the paint per game (per NBA.com). A big reason why is Duren’s merciless pursuit of shots at the basket. Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, no one attempted rim field goal attempts at a higher clip than Duren (he and Zion Williamson were tied for second-place in this category, per Dunks & Threes).

In Game 1, Duren only attempted four field goals. A big reason for this was Detroit’s lack of spacing making it easy for Orlando to pack the paint on him. But the thing is, the Pistons’ spacing concerns are nothing new (29th in 3-point rate during the regular season). I hate to sound like a fake tough guy here, but Duren needs to be the human adonis that he is and fight through the extra physicality and be the biggest man in the room. 

On defense, Duren has always struggled with defending in space (particularly in the pick-and-roll) and lapses in threat detection around the rim. Those weaknesses were magnified in the first match (see the tweet above). Some of this is on head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to put him in better spots, but again, Duren needs to make the classic “play better” adjustment in Game 2 if the Pistons are going to avoid the dreaded 0-2 hole. 

How to watch Pistons vs. Magic Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs

Date: April 22, 2026

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV/Streaming: ABC/ESPN
Location: Detroit, Michigan

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After the Los Angeles Lakers shot the lights out in Game 1, the Houston Rockets will look to get revenge at Crypto.com Arena tonight.

We break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver some Rockets vs. Lakers predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Tuesday, April 21.

Who will win Rockets vs Lakers Game 2?

Rockets win probability:63% (-170)
Lakers win probability:37% (+170)

Houston is 22-8 SU off a loss this season, and that has the Rockets trading at 63¢ to even the series.

Our prediction:Rockets to win

Expect balance to be restored in Game 2 as Houston’s role players get on track and the Lakers’ support staff plummets back to earth.

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

More Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Rockets vs. Lakers 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 -4.5 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).

Rockets vs Lakers spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Rockets -4.5 — Yes

Los Angeles won’t connect at the same clip tonight, and Houston will tighten the bolts on offense, with or without Kevin Durant.

Head coach Ime Udoka is emphasizing spacing and more screen action — both on- and off-ball — after iso-heavy sets stagnated the Rockets in Game 1.

I’m holding out hope Durant returns for the sake of this bet, but I’m confident Houston will still perform better than Game 1 if he doesn’t.

Other Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets available

• LeBron James 25+ points (Yes: 49¢)
• Alperen Sengun 6+ rebounds (Yes: 54¢)
• Reed Sheppard 3+ threes (Yes: 56¢)

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 Lakers 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 Rockets vs Lakers 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.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Boston Celtics handled the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers with ease in Game 1, and they should have no problem doing so again tonight in Game 2.

Our 76ers vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks expect another dominant C's win on April 21.

Who will win 76ers vs Celtics Game 2?

76ers win probability:12% (+733)
Celtics win probability:88% (-735)

After Boston checked the 76ers' asses directly into the Smackdown hotel in Game 1, the Celtics are 88¢ favorites to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Our prediction:Celtics to win

Joel Embiid is officially ruled out for Game 2, and Adem Bona and Andre Drummond ain't gonna cut it.

With a bounty of respect for the veteran center, Philadelphia is relying too much on Drummond to be taken seriously in the playoffs in 2026. 

The 76ers have little choice but to play Drummond, but that reality dooms them to waiting for a blowout in which their offense eventually becomes a liability. 

Read more in Jason Logan's full 76ers vs. Celtics predictions.

More 76ers vs Celtics prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for 76ers vs. Celtics 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 Celtics -15.5 spread means the Celtics will cover, while "No" means the 76ers 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).

76ers vs Celtics spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Celtics -15.5 — Yes and Over 216.5 points — No

Without Embiid, the 76ers' offense lacks any real depth to help the Celtics push this Over the total.

Other 76ers vs Celtics prediction markets available

• VJ Edgecombe 15+ points (Yes: 51¢)
• Tyrese Maxey 30+ points (Yes: 60¢)
• Payton Pritchard 3+ threes (Yes: 41¢)

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 Celtics 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 76ers vs Celtics 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.