Category: NBA

The streak continues. The Brooklyn Nets completed their two game mini series against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. The Nets put forth good effort, but it wasn’t nearly enough to get the win as Miami handed Brooklyn their tenth consecutive defeat.

The opponent tonight is sitting on top of the Eastern Conference for the first time in a long time. The Detroit Pistons have been one of the biggest stories of the NBA season as JB Bickerstaff’s club has exceeded every expectation possible. They have a beeline on the number one seed in the East come postseason time and have an outside chance of capturing best overall record. They didn’t help their cause after losing to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 6 PM.

🤕 Injuries

Egor Dëmin is out. The three two-ways and Drake Powell remain with Long Island. This is the last game for Grant Nelson under his initial 10-day contract. The Nets can renew him for another 10 days.

Ausar Thompson is out. Cade Cunningham is questionable while Jalen Duren is probable.

🏀 The game

Detroit won the first meeting in November and second in February. These teams wrap the season series up next week.

Cade Cunningham is in a bit of a slump. The star guard has shot under 50 percent from the field in each of the past three games. It happens to everyone over the course of 82 games, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Cade can make his life a bit easier by getting back to the free throw line. He’s getting to the free throw line at the highest rate of his career and remains one of the league leaders in drives to the rim. When games slow down and get choppy late, being able to get points any way possible takes on even more importance. Having a guard who can get their own shot and make something happen every time they have the ball is so valuable, and Pistons fans are lucky to have a franchise guard as good as Cunningham.

Although Michael Porter Jr isn’t competing for a championship for the first time in a good while, his habits and effort stand out. He’s got a fan in Jordi Fernandez, and the way MPJ is conducting himself is part of what makes a winning franchise once they return to contention:

“… when I see Mike so engaged, and then when he thinks about rebounding, about cutting, and playing as far as he can defensively, then shots go in. I thought he was aggressive. I was very happy with the game he played. That’s the Michael that the group needs, because he brings so much good energy and the level of play of a very, very, very good player, a top player in the NBA.”

Effort is all you can ask for, and as long as you’ve got that, you’re off to a good start.

The Pistons have a roster of bruisers, which has helped them to the best offensive rebound rate in the Eastern Conference. When your guys can consistently get second and third chance opportunities, you wear the opponent down and get easy opportunities to score. Possessions become even more valuable in a close game, and being able to create a bunch more by outworking your opponent on the boards can demoralize them.

Most concerningly for the Nets, the Pistons have a propensity to force a bunch of turnovers. Detroit is first in opponent’s turnover rate and Brooklyn has the second worst turnover rate this year. One bad stretch can turn a close game into a blowout in a hurry.

👀 Player to watch: Jalen Duren

When you enter title contention, the questions you face are different. It’s no longer a question of if you’re good, but now you have to ask how far your team can go. And that is answered in part by how good your secondary star is. We know Cunningham is going to get his shots and make plenty of noise in the playoffs. For the Pistons, Jalen Duren’s play will determine how far they can go. He made the All-Star game for the first time in his career, and it was an incredibly well deserved honor. What’s different about his game this year is he’s more involved in the offense and is stretching his game out to around 10 feet. He’s evolved to being more than an elite rim running big, and that desire to get better combined with his success makes him someone to keep an eye on.

We mentioned the new questions the Pistons face now that they’re contenders, and Duren’s ability to be a good secondary option is something on our mind. From Austen Flores of Detroit Bad Boys:

“We saw how defenses sold out to stop Cunningham in last year’s playoffs, and he’ll be an even bigger focal point this time around. If Duren can consistently punish that attention — not just as a finisher, but as someone who can initiate offense — it changes Detroit’s ceiling.

The challenge? There aren’t many bigs who can truly function as a No. 2 without any perimeter game. Whether Duren can bend that rule may end up being one of the defining questions of Detroit’s postseason run.“

It’ll be fun to see how he and the team does.

Nic Claxton will have to do his best to keep Duren off the glass. Duren is fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding this season, and will consistently create trouble on the inside. For Claxton, a game like this will provide a great test and work as a measuring stick of sorts. As Brooklyn works to find its place in the future, knowing that you have a good center that can match up against some of the league’s best will make roster building a lot easier for Brooklyn.

📺 From the Vault

Shouts to an underrated WrestleMania classic

And I turn 36 tomorrow, so let’s vibe out a lil bit

More reading: Detroit Bad Boys, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Detroit Pistons Game Notes – Detroit Pistons
• Brooklyn plays Detroit on 8-game road skid – AP

Bristol, Connecticut native Donovan Clingan was a centerpiece of two national championship teams as a UConn Husky. He was the nation’s best backup big man in 2023 and a two-way destroyer on the 2024 title team. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game in his last college season before being picked 7th overall in the NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.

After a solid rookie year (6.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG), Clingan is taking the next step in his second pro season. The 22-year-old is averaging 11.8 points and 11.5 rebounds on 52.6 percent shooting, earning himself a spot in the Blazers’ starting lineup.

​Clingan’s rebounds per game put him third in the league behind stars like Karl-Anthony Towns (11.8) and Nikola Jokic (12.6). He’s doing it in just 27.4 minutes per game, while Jokic and Towns each play over 30 minutes per contest. Clingan also averages 1.5 blocks per game, putting him inside the top-10, and a solid 2.5 assists per game. He was always a solid passer with the Huskies.

​Several performances this season highlight Clingan’s progress. On Jan. 3, he put up a career high 24 points along with 12 rebounds, helping the Blazers take down a Finals-contending San Antonio Spurs team. Clingan shot an efficient 3-for-5 from downtown in the win, something we never would have seen from him in a UConn jersey.

Though he showed that he can hit it, Clingan only hit two in college. He has developed a respectable three-point threat for a center since entering the league. He made 14 from beyond the arc on 28.6%. This year, he’s up to 63 threes in 187 attempts, good for 34%.

​The big man had a dominant month of February, averaging 14.3 points and 13 boards per contest.

Feb. 12 saw Clingan put up 23 points and 18 rebounds against the Jazz. He followed up the stellar night with another 23 points and 13 rebounds against Phoenix. Other notable performances in February include one rebound shy of a 20-20 game against Memphis, a 16 rebound game against Minnesota, and a 13 point, 17 rebound performance against the Grizzlies.

During the All-Star break, Clingan was selected for the Rising Stars challenge. The format was tournament style, featuring rookies, sophomores, and G-League players as well, with teams coached by former NBA stars. Clingan was picked by Team Melo. He scored a team-high nine points in the first game and went to the championship game, scoring six points in a finals loss to Team Vince.

February was a momentous month off the court for Clingan as well, as he proposed to his high school sweetheart, Madeline Ross. Dan Hurley provided some simple advice for Clingan when he heard the news of the engagement.

“Just learn how to apologize,” said Hurley.

This season has included learning moments. Just two games ago, Clingan was ejected for the first time in his career. Late in the second quarter against Memphis, the big man had the ball at the top of the key. He used his elbow to gain space and caught defender Olivier Maxence-Prosper, a former Marquette star, in the face. Officials reviewed the play and called it a flagrant 2, an automatic ejection.

The Blazers’ most recent game was a close 106-99 loss to Houston. Clingan finished the night with 18 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 7-for-11. He picked up his 25th double-double Friday night, tying him for 10th in the league in the category.

Clingan and his team are now pushing for a postseason appearance. The Trail Blazers are 30-34, holding the 10th spot in the Western Conference, 5.5 games ahead of 11th place and just 8 games out of a top-6 seed. For Clingan, meaningful basketball brings familiar territory. The former Husky built his reputation in March and is looking to do so in the NBA.

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The shorthanded Golden State Warriors travel to Paycom Center to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

Oklahoma City’s elite defensive unit will stifle the Dubs, and my Warriors vs. Thunder predictions expect Chet Holmgren to lead the charge as the home team earns a comfortable win.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this primetime Western Conference showdown on Saturday, March 7.

Warriors vs Thunder prediction

Warriors vs Thunder best bet: Chet Holmgren Over 27.5 points + rebounds (-112)

Chet Holmgren has been on a tear, and with Isaiah Hartenstein sidelined, I expect him to continue his strong play against a depleted Warriors frontcourt at home.

Holmgren has averaged 27.9 points + rebounds in 24 games without Hartenstein, hitting the Over on this line 13 times.

Over his last six games, Holmgren has averaged 16.3 points and 12.2 rebounds, averaging 16 points and 18 boards in his last two home games. He’s reached the Over in four of his last five home games and delivered 28+ points + rebounds in all three matchups with the Golden State Warriors.

Warriors vs Thunder same-game parlay

The Oklahoma City Thunder are just 15-16 ATS at home, but Golden State are 13-17 ATS on the road. Golden State is missing a number of key players, while Oklahoma City still has the reigning MVP and a deep cast of talented defenders.

The Warriors have scored 103 points or fewer in 15 games this season, and five of those have come across their last 12 games. Oklahoma City held Golden State to under 103 points in two of three head-to-head matchups this season, and the NBA's top defensive rating should be able to do it again at home.

Warriors vs Thunder SGP

• Chet Holmgren Over 27.5 points + rebounds
• Oklahoma City Thunder -14.5
• Golden State Warriors Under 103.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wallace keeps Thunder roaring

Cason Wallace is averaging 2.3 steals + blocks this season, including 2.6 at home. Across his last six at home, Wallace has averaged 3.4 steals + blocks and hit the Over on this line five times.

Warriors vs Thunder SGP

• Chet Holmgren Over 27.5 points + rebounds
• Oklahoma City Thunder -14.5
• Golden State Warriors Under 103.5 points
• Cason Wallace Over 2.5 steals + blocks

Warriors vs Thunder odds

• Spread: Golden State +14.5 (-110) | Oklahoma City -14.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Golden State +550 | Oklahoma City -800
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 (-110) | Under 220.5 (-110)

Warriors vs Thunder betting trend to know

The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit the Team Total Under in 11 of their last 14 games at home (+7.60 Units / 48% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Thunder.

How to watch Warriors vs Thunder

Warriors vs Thunder 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.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: Some fans are adamant in their belief that the Suns will not be able to significantly improve the team in the near future without trading away some of their better players to obtain more draft picks and/or younger players with higher potential for growth. Do you agree or disagree with this?

GuarGuar: We are very limited with our assets, so if we are gonna improve this team, it’s either through internal development or trading our current players. I’d like to see if this group can make the playoffs and do some damage first before leaning either way on what to do, but the only real moves we can make are player trades this offseason.

Diamondhacks: It’s difficult to ‘significantly improve’ and more difficult to pull it off two years in a row, irrespective of rebuilds or resets conjured from the confines of adamant fans’ basements. Many theoretical strands inform that difficulty, under an umbrella perhaps too broadly labeled “regression”.

Yes, the Suns are the ninth oldest roster (basketball reference) but also feature physically promising novices and, as this above .500 season illustrates, there are unexpected paths toward ‘significant improvement’. It’s just that once you get there, fueled largely by moxie, there are typically more paths toward everything else, regardless of anyone’s best laid plans.

Ashton: I assume that is a question on Jalen Green’s trade return value. I have already put myself on the record within previous Fantable discussions. I would support Green’s development around a solid starting five.

But, as a nod to some commentators, I would not take him off the trade table until I am actually able to see Green’s value with a starting lineup and what role he is actually expected to play. Facilitator? Driver?

Or he recently just tried to put the Suns team on his shoulders and failed miserably at it. Let’s just see what he does with starter-caliber players.

Beyond that? What? Mark Williams is in a bit of a slump, but still respect that he shows up to basically every single game. I did not expect that. And no poster would trade Brooks and his technical fouls.

Suns just need to secure MW and CG contracts.

OldAz: Dunn was a late first, Fleming was an early 2nd. I have often said that the NBA draft is a total crap shoot and a team’s commitment to developing young players has always been more important. For years, the Suns have been terrible at this, while teams like the Miami Heat have often had multiple undrafted free agents contributing to winning.

With the success of players like Colin Gillespie and Jamaree Bouyea, along with the developmental focus applied to Oso, Dunn, Fleming, and Maluach give me a lot of hope that the Suns now get this. If so, then getting more or better draft picks is less important than hitting on those picks they do have and maximizing the minimum signing made to fill out the team.

Trading established players just for picks is just not a path I am a fan of. Maybe I will be more in favor of this path once they prove to be successful (on a sustained basis) in developing that drafted talent.

Rod: As John Voita pointed out a few days ago, Brian Gregory has already done a really good job rebuilding/retooling the Suns since his arrival and I don’t expect him to suddenly lose his knack or finding hidden/overlooked treasures. While there is no guarantee that he will continue to be as successful in the future, that in itself is no reason to suddenly shift coarse and head off in a different direction.

Their success this year has largely been due to how well they’ve functioned as a team rather than relying upon any one or two players to carry the majority of the load. They’re maybe one or two pieces away from becoming an even better team and I think it makes more sense to ride this strategy out for at least another year, especially since one of those missing pieces (PF) may already be on the team (Fleming).

Q2: Dillon Brooks is expected to be out until at least March 28 and possibly even two weeks more than that. If it’s left up to him to make the decision, what’s your best guess at when he’ll return?

GuarGuar: I think he will return right before the regular season ends. I’m expecting an early April start back from him as it’s his off hand, not his shooting hand. He’s a competitor, and when he heals enough that playing isn’t a risk of reinjury, he will immediately be back. He’s too competitive.

Diamondhacks: This question has several parts, none of which capitalize on my catalog of imagined insights. I’m not an orthopedist, nor do I understand what makes Dillon tick. Perhaps someone more sold on Brooks might speak to his “return policy”?

Ashton: Oh, this is an easy question.

Brooks will enter the regular season two games before the Play-In or playoff designation for the NBA teams.

He can grab two more technicals and have it all wiped out on post season. He will use them. Unless he breaks his hand again.

OldAz: Since this question was asked before Friday’s news, but published after, I would say it will be about 2 days later than Dillon Brooks “decides”. In answer to the question, if it is solely left up to him, he will be back as soon as possible and even declare himself ready a few games early just so he can serve whatever suspension the league hands down. I believe it will probably be close to the March 28th date to give him 9 games or so to get back into game shape and ready for any playoff run. Players always want to play, regardless of the health questions. This is especially true when it comes to playoff time.

Rod: My impression of Brooks leads me to believe that he’ll be back sooner rather than later, and he’ll probably be pushing the medical staff to clear him even before March 28. There was a scene in Black Hawk Down in which the soldiers were preparing to head back into Mogadishu and one guy with a broken arm ripped off his cast before returning to the fight with his buddies. I just get that kind of vibe from Brooks and feel as though it’s going to be hard to keep off the court any longer than is absolutely necessary.

Q3: Who do you consider to be the most undervalued Suns player by the fans?

GuarGuar: This is a tough question. I’m not quite sure who we underrate in this fanbase exactly, but I’ll go with Royce O’Neale. Yes, his defense is really bad at times, and he can be a liability when the shot isn’t falling. But it’s super valuable to have a stretch forward with deep catch and shoot range, and isn’t lacking confidence. Not to mention he’s shooting a great percentage, too. He’s experienced and brings some stability to this team night in and night out, and fits really well offensively next to Booker.

Diamondhacks: Despite an alarming performance drop-off, I’d say fans’ most undervalued Sun over the entire season is still Mark Williams, whose most verifiable sin to date is miserably failing to be Hakeem Olajuwon. Instead, all this lethargic disappointment’s managed to cobble together is to lead the entire team in Win Shares, Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating, and get to the line more per FG attempt than anyone not named Booker. Oh, and he’s our best offensive rebounder and best defensive rebounder, by sheer volume and rate (TRB%), and gets more steals per minute than Brooks, Booker, or Fleming.

But to hear some, Mark needs to make way more angry faces, bark like a dog, and take three times as many bad shots – like their intrepid hero, Dillon Brooks – to be considered anywhere quite so central to our success.

Ashton: Probably the one person I have not commented on a lot is Rasheer TyLee Fleming. The fans like him, but he was in a seven-team trade involving the Wolves. That is seven teams that took a pass, except the Suns.

A second round pick out of A-10s conference, and raise your hand if you watched Saint Joseph’s, he also gained conference accolades…

You know let me just wiki it.

“He was named First Team All-Atlantic 10 after averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.”

And this is why NBA hoop heads (Word tried to auto-correct me to hop-heads. Not wrong based on game chat conversations) should pay attention to the college game and the draft picks. Even if the Suns do not have a pick in the first round, it is worth monitoring on future player trades.

OldAz: Currently, it is Mark Williams, but then again, the starting center always seems to be undervalued by this fanbase. We also tend to fall in love with the backup, and build them up in our minds to be the second coming of Kareem or Bill Russell. Everyone wants to see counting stats from the center, but that is not how modern basketball works. Because of this Fans clamor for 5 players who can put up the most individual stats, when in reality the most important thing is how the team performs.

As long as the Suns are going to play so small, they need a center like Williams to anchor the middle and allow Oso to be a main hub with the bench unit. Neither of their counting stats are going to get them in the All-NBA conversation, but their contributions to winning are vital. That’s all that matters to me.

Rod: I’m going with Royce O’Neale on this one. He’s been asked to play out of position all season long and, while it hasn’t been a roaring success, it hasn’t been a dismal failure either. Royce has had his good moments and his bad, but he’s soldiered on without a complaint. I think he’s been a good teammate and mentor to some of the younger guys too. Just the fact that Jordan Ott trusts him in the role he plays also says a lot to me. Say whatever you want about him but he’s led the Suns in total minutes played this season (1808) which isn’t bad for the team’s “old guy”.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Quotes of the Week

“The biggest thing for me when I’m out there is just to remind myself to have fun. It’s basketball at the end of the day. That kind of relieves any thoughts I’m thinking about, if I’m worried about making any mistakes.” – Rasheer Fleming

“He (Rasheer Fleming) works hard every day and I think you’re going to see more and more each time that he steps on the floor.” – Jalen Green

I feel like it’s coming back slowly but surely. That’s all part of it. People been talking about missing shots and that’s all just part of it. Just got to keep shooting.” – Jalen Green

“We’ve focused on winning in the margins this year. Doing all the little things over the course of a whole season led to getting some good wins. Happy with where we’re at, but I think we’ve shown that we kind of belong. So we need to win some more games.” – Grayson Allen

“Nothing better than playing basketball, man. It’s tough watching.” – Devin Booker

“He’s (Khaman Maluach) been thrown into the fire at a young age. He can do nothing but grow from here.” – Devin Booker

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Suns Trivia/History

On March 8, 2020, Ricky Rubio had his second triple-double of the season (25 pts, 13 rebs & 13 asts) in possibly his best game as a Sun as Phoenix beat the Milwaukee Bucks 140-131. The Suns had four players who scored 20+ points in the game (Rubio 25, Booker 36, Mikal Bridges 21 & Aron Baynes 24) plus two more in double figures (Dario Saric 11 & Jevon Carter 12).

On March 9, 2003, three-time All-Star “Thunder Dan” Majerle was placed in the Phoenix Suns’ Ring of Honor. Majerle played 8 seasons for the Suns, 7 at the beginning of his NBA career, and the 8th was his last in the league following stints in Cleveland (1 season) and Miami (5 seasons). He averaged 13.5 pts, 4.7 rebs, 3.1 asts, and 1.4 steals per game for the Suns and hit 36.4% from three for the Suns and is 11th on the Suns’ All-Time leaders in points scored (8,034), 5th in steals (811), and 3rd in three-pointers made (800).

On March 11, 2008, Shaq cleared the Suns’ bench while going after a loose ball.

On March 12, 2020, the NBA suspended the season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The season would not resume until July in the Orlando “bubble” where the Suns would go 8-0 and just barely miss making the playoffs/play-in tournament.

On March 14, 2007, the 49-14 Suns met the 52-10 Dallas Mavericks in a match-up where both teams were fighting for the top seed in the Western conference and Steve Nash was going for his third consecutive MVP award against Dirk Nowitzki. Though the Suns won the game in double overtime, the Mavericks would finish with the West’s top seed at 67-15, and Nowitzki would narrowly win the MVP award over of Nash.

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This Week’s Game Schedule

Sunday, March 8 – Suns vs Charlotte Hornets (8:00 pm) Peacock
Tuesday, March 10 – Suns @ Milwaukee Bucks (6:00 pm)
Thursday, March 12 – Suns @ Indiana Pacers (5:00 pm)
Friday, March 13 – Suns @ Toronto Raptors (5:30 pm)

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This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule

Saturday, March 7 – Valley Suns @ Rip City Remix (4:00 pm)
Monday, March 9 – Valley Suns @ Wisconsin Herd (5:30 pm) Prime Video
Thursday, March 12 – Valley Suns @ Windy City Bulls (6:00 pm)

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Important Future Dates

March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends
March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin
April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET)
April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin

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Both the Orlando Magic and the Minnesota Timberwolves are playing their fourth game this week, so there may be some fatigue at the early 3:00 p.m. ET tip.

But my Magic vs. Timberwolves predictions and these NBA picks see value in Minnesota’s depth on Saturday, March 7.

Magic vs Timberwolves prediction

Magic vs Timberwolves best bet: Ayo Dosunmu Over 11.5 points (+100)

The Minnesota Timberwolves stumbled their way into bench depth, now turning to Naz Reid, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kyle Anderson as their first three reserves, with Mike Conley and Joan Beringer adding variable pieces.

But Anderson is listed as questionable against the Orlando Magic, and the Timberwolves’ rotation may be knocked off kilter again.

If Anderson’s minutes are at all reduced, that should lean to more for Dosunmu, who has already cleared this prop in his last two games, three of his last four, and six of his 10 games with Minnesota.

Magic vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Dosunmu has hit multiple threes in just one of his last eight games, yet he has cleared this points prop in five of those eight games.

His best impact for Minnesota is in driving to the hoop, particularly in transition. Those drives helped this exact same-game parlay cash twice in the last eight games.

Magic vs Timberwolves SGP

• Ayo Dosunmu Over 11.5 points
• Ayo Dosunmu Under 1.5 threes
• Timberwolves -6.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Timberwolves Set The Terms

The Timberwolves have cashed the Under in each of their last four games, their defense aided by identifying offensive wrinkles and thus slowing opponents’ transition opportunities.

Magic vs Timberwolves SGP

• Ayo Dosunmu Over 11.5 points
• Ayo Dosunmu Under 1.5 threes
• Timberwolves -6.5
• Under 224.5

Magic vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: Magic +6.5 | Timberwolves -6.5
• Moneyline: Magic +220 | Timberwolves -270
• Over/Under: Over 224.5 | Under 224.5

Magic vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

Minnesota’s last four games have all gone Under their totals and by an average of 17 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Magic vs Timberwolves

Magic vs Timberwolves latest injuries

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It’s a mismatch in Motor City tonight, and the Detroit Pistons likely won’t need to get out of first gear against a Brooklyn Nets team that’s lost 10 in a row.

Despite back-to-back losses, Detroit is a huge favorite here, and my Nets vs. Pistons predictions point to Michael Porter Jr. as the only reason that Brooklyn may hang around at Little Caesars Arena.

Check out my free NBA picks for this March 7 matchup.

Nets vs Pistons prediction

Nets vs Pistons best bet: Michael Porter Jr. Over 21.5 points (-112)

As the Brooklyn Nets jockey for lottery balls, Michael Porter Jr. is seizing the chance to showcase his offensive arsenal. He’s averaging a career-best 24.2 PPG, and he’ll have the green light again as the Nets’ best source of buckets.

MPJ has gone past this O/U points number in five of his last eight outings, and he nailed seven triples on the way to 27 points in Miami on Thursday.

The Detroit Pistons are without Ausar Thompson, so there should be just enough cracks in the hosts’ defense — and more than enough volume — for Porter Jr. to nail this Over. 

Nets vs Pistons same-game parlay

The Under is a combined 69-54 for these teams this season, and this has been a winning ticket in the Pistons’ last three contests. With the Nets averaging just 106.9 PPG, last in the NBA, and Cade Cunningham on the injury report for Detroit, brace yourself for a rock fight.

That should pump up the rebounding numbers, and Jalen Duren is averaging 12.7 RPG in his past seven outings. Brooklyn’s Nolan Traore has cashed this Over in four of his last five games.

Nets vs Pistons SGP

• Under 215.5
• Jalen Duren Over 10.5 rebounds
• Nolan Traore Over 1.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: "Beef Stew" brings it

The Nets have some young players in their rotation, and they’re about to be introduced to the Isaiah Stewart experience. "Beef Stew" continues to be a key cog off the bench for Detroit, and he’s coming off an 18-point effort in San Antonio on Thursday.

Stewart could see extended minutes here if the scoreline gets out of hand and the Pistons take a cautious approach with Cade and Duren.

Nets vs Pistons SGP

• Isaiah Stewart Over 9.5 points
• Isaiah Stewart Over 5.5 rebounds
• Isaiah Stewart Over 1.5 blocks
• Pistons -14.5

Nets vs Pistons odds

• Spread: Nets +14.5 | Pistons -14.5
• Moneyline: Nets +730 | Pistons -1150
• Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5

Nets vs Pistons betting trend to know

The Nets are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Pistons.

How to watch Nets vs Pistons

Nets vs Pistons 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.

The Cleveland Cavaliers drastically shook up their roster at the trade deadline by swapping out former two-time All-Star Darius Garland for James Harden. That move wasn’t exactly popular among long-term fans at the time of the deal. After a month and a string of impressive play, opinions have shifted.

Earlier this week, we asked how Cavs fans would grade the Harden experience so far. And based on that survey, most fans couldn’t be happier. Almost three-quarters of Cavs’ fans surveyed said they would grade the experience an “A” so far, with nearly the rest grading it a “B.”

It’s easy to see why that’s been the result. He’s fit in nearly perfectly with his new teammates, and the Cavs are 8-1 in games he’s played. You can’t ask for much more at this point.

The addition of Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis, in addition to getting healthier, has the Cavs vaulting up the standings. Currently, Cleveland is fourth in the conference, a game behind the New York Knicks for third. But, they aren’t far off the Boston Celtics for second.

According to Cavs fans, they believe the group is going to jump at least one of the teams in front of them.

The Cavaliers could also benefit from the schedule lightening up. They have the second-easiest remaining schedule in the league, with their hardest game coming up against the Celtics on Sunday. A significantly lighter schedule down the stretch could help the Cavs leapfrog one of the teams ahead of them.

FanDuel currently lists the Cavs as having the fifth-best odds to win the NBA Finals at +950. They have the second-best odds to win the Eastern Conference, narrowly behind the Celtics.

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — Scotland blew open the Six Nations title race after an astonishing 50-40 win against France at Murrayfield on Saturday.

An estimated 15,000 French supporters came to see their team retain the title with a game to spare but France was beaten up at the gainline and cut to pieces out wide by a fearless Scotland side whose every gamble appeared to pay off.

Instead of France marching to a Grand Slam, Scotland was in position to win the title for the first time since 1999, when it was the Five Nations.

France and Scotland were tied at the top of the table on points, two ahead of Ireland, which has also come back into contention.

France still has the advantage in the final round next Saturday. Scotland plays Ireland in Dublin and France follows knowing what it has to do against England in Paris in the last match of the championship.

“Considering how this tournament started for us ( lost to Italy 18-15 ), we believe now, the tournament is not over for us,” Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu told the BBC. “I could not be prouder to be captain of this team. We've got ourselves an opportunity next week.”

An extraordinary day for Scotland started with a sunny afternoon in Edinburgh. Scotland dazzled in its highest ever score against a flattered France with seven of the game's 13 tries.

It should have been even better. Scotland led 47-14 but allowed France to score four tries in the last 14 minutes to secure a try bonus point and boost its points difference in the table, both important in the context of the title race.

“That game was crazy,” Scotland two-try-scorer Darcy Graham told the BBC. “You know what (France) are like, such a big unit, such a quality team, and we knew what they'd bring today and we did well to stop it. It's a special win for us.”

France had been untested and unflappable but came to Murrayfield duly worried. Gregor Townsend's Scotland had won five of 13 games against France. Both teams like to roll the dice and France was behind inside five minutes.

The French buried Ireland, Wales and Italy early with dominant starts but, for the first time in the championship, they trailed when a break by Huw Jones was finished by Graham, his 36th try making him Scotland's sole record try-scorer.

“It was all about making sure we fired the first shot,” Scotland player of the match Kyle Steyn said. “I was more worried about how much we were celebrating. We needed to get our feet on the ground and keep going.”

France was sloppy until captain Antoine Dupont stripped counterpart Tuipulotu in the Scottish 22 and the ball flashed wide for left winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey to touch down in a record-extending ninth consecutive Six Nations match.

Moments later, Bielle-Biarrey set up fellow winger Theo Attissogbe to score. With Thomas Ramos typically lethal off the tee, France was 14-7 ahead and seemingly back on track.

But four of Scotland’s tries came after waiving off kickable penalties, and the first was finished by winger Steyn from a classic scissors move. Then prop Pierre Schoeman crashed over to regain the lead in the 32nd at 19-14 and France trailed at halftime in the Six Nations for the first time since the Murrayfield game two years ago.

Scrumhalf Ben White started the second half with Scotland's bonus-point fourth try from an unguarded ruck and Townsend punched the air.

White then jolted Dupont's pass into the hands of Steyn, who ran 55 meters untouched for his second try.

Murrayfield was ecstatic and France was disintegrating and on a second yellow card warning. The first warning put playmaker Matthieu Jalibert in the sin-bin before halftime and the second caught Lenni Nouchi collapsing a maul.

By then Graham scored his second try of the match and 37th for Scotland from an offload by Blair Kinghorn. Then Tom Jordan flew over between the posts and Russell's sixth conversion made it 47-14.

Desperation and embarrassment drove France to finish strong. Tries by Dupont, Ramos (twice) and Oscar Jegou gave the visitors an undeserved gloss to the scoreline. Jegou faced a potential post-match citing for a hand in the eye of Scotland's Ewan Ashman.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

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Western Conference foes collide on Saturday as the Memphis Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Clippers at FedExForum.

Jaylen Wells has been a steady presence on offense for a team plagued by injuries, and my Clippers vs. Grizzlies predictions expect him to clear his scoring line in a favorable matchup.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this inner-conference matchup on Saturday, March 7.

Clippers vs Grizzlies prediction

Clippers vs Grizzlies best bet: Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points (-112)

Jaylen Wells is scoring a career-best 12.7 points per game on the season, though his scoring average is up over the last month. Across his last 14 games, Wells has averaged 15.9 points, and he’s dropped 20.3 across his last three.

In that span, Wells scored 14+ eight times overall and in three of six at home. In three matchups with the Los Angeles Clippers, Wells posted scoring totals of 16, 17 and 13. The Memphis Grizzlies are sharing the love on offense, but Wells has been the most consistent scoring option over the last five weeks.

Clippers vs Grizzlies same-game parlay

The Grizzlies are giving most of their players 25-26 minutes per game, and a number of young options have emerged as scoring threats. With the Los Angeles Clippers playing the second leg of a back-to-back set on the road, their defense could be less effective against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gregory Jackson II has scored 18.2 points per game across his last nine appearances, going for 14+ six times. He’s reached 14+ points in four straight home games and in five of his last six at FedExForum.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper is enjoying a revival in Memphis. He’s averaged 14.2 points across his last 11 contests, going for 10+ in eight of them. O-Max has started seven straight games, and he should see enough playing time to reach double digits tonight.

Clippers vs Grizzlies SGP

• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
• Gregory Jackson II Over 12.5 points
• Olivier-Maxence Prosper Over 9.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Points Prop Aplenty

Kawhi Leonard is averaging a career-best 27.9 points per game this season, and he’s found success against Memphis. In three tilts with the Grizzlies, Leonard finished with 21, 24 and 39 points.

After a challenging matchup with the San Antonio Spurs’ elite defense on Friday, Leonard gets a favorable matchup with a Grizzlies’ unit ranked 11th in defensive rating this season.

Clippers vs Grizzlies SGP

• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
• Gregory Jackson II Over 12.5 points
• Olivier-Maxence Prosper Over 9.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Over 26.5 points

Clippers vs Grizzlies odds

• Spread: Los Angeles -6 (-110) | Memphis +6 (-110)
• Moneyline: Los Angeles -270 | Memphis +220
• Over/Under: Over 227 (-110) | Under 227 (-110)

Clippers vs Grizzlies betting trend to know

The Memphis Grizzlies have hit the Team Total Over in 13 of their last 15 games (+10.70 Units / 62% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Grizzlies.

How to watch Clippers vs Grizzlies

Clippers vs Grizzlies latest injuries

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MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer suffered another injury setback that will rule him out of Tuesday’s Champions League game against Atalanta.

Bayern said Saturday that Neuer has a minor muscle tear in his left calf from the team’s 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday and that he will be out “for the time being.”

It’s the second time Neuer tore a left calf muscle in as many months as he had the same injury during Bayern’s 3-0 win over Werder Bremen last month. That kept him out for three weeks until his comeback on Friday.

Neuer will be 40 later this month and his contract with Bayern is up at the end of the season. The club reportedly wants to offer him a one-year extension.

Jonas Urbig will step in again in his absence.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

HONG KONG (AP) — Thomas Detry was among eight players from LIV Golf who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates at the start of the week during Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran. Now he's tied for the lead with Jon Rahm, the player responsible for getting them out.

“If it wasn't for him, I don't think I'd be there,” Detry said Saturday after a 66 in LIV Golf Hong Kong left him in a three-way tie for the lead with Rahm (65) and Harold Varner III (63). “It's in a way a little bit funny that way.”

The attacks entangled more than a dozen nearby countries in the Middle East, leading to flights being canceled. Some players live in Dubai, long the centerpiece of golf in the UAE, and others were there between LIV events in Australia and Hong Kong.

Golf.com reported Rahm and his Legion XIII team arranged a charter flight through the Spaniard's partnership with a private aviation company. That required a 280-mile drive from Dubai to Muscat, Oman, to catch the eight-hour flight, getting into Hong Kong at midday Wednesday.

The other players were Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Adrian Meronk, Tom McKibbin, Caleb Surratt and Anirban Lahiri. Golf.com said Laurie Canter arranged his own transportation with his family.

“That was incredible of Jon to put (us) on that plane,” Detry said.

Detry said he had originally been booked on an Emirates flight from Dubai — and it left Wednesday morning as scheduled and arrived in Hong Kong that night, but “that was very unknown on Tuesday.”

Rahm, whose week began with him refusing to accept a deal from the European tour that would eliminate fines for playing LIV Golf, said he saw the gesture as “simply my duty.”

“I was raised with certain values, that if you have the ability and capability of helping somebody ... especially in a scenario like that where my main focus essentially was getting them out of there, not necessarily playing a tournament,” Rahm said.

“With the ever-changing environment, it looked kind of dark for a second,” he said. “But yeah, here they are. Never thought they would be able to come. It’s amazing that so many of them are safe and that’s the most important thing.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

What a perfect time to start a road trip for the Philadelphia 76ers!

The Sixers kick off a quick but tough two-game roadie with a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday evening. There are a number of reasons this matchup that might not sound terribly scary on paper could pose a problem for the Sixers.

The biggest issue is that they will continue to be without Joel Embiid for at least another week after the team told reporters at practice on Friday he is progressing through individualized strength and conditioning work as he continues to recover from the oblique strain and will be re-evaluated in a week.

To make matters worse, rookie VJ Edgecombe is currently listed as doubtful for the Saturday contest as he continues to heal from a back contusion suffered from a hard fall in a game on Tuesday. Edgecombe missed the following game hosting the Utah Jazz on Wednesday and then missed practice on Friday. Paul George also remains unavailable as he continues his suspension.

The Hawks are much healthier right now, with only Jonathan Kuminga listed as questionable with knee inflammation on their injury report at the time of writing.

Atlanta might not seem like this hugely formidable opponent on paper with a 32-31 record so far this season, but don’t forget they are 3-0 against Philadelphia this season so far — and it’s worth noting that Philadelphia was much less shorthanded for some of those losses.

(The Sixers’ opponent on Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers, also are 3-0 against them this campaign. Again, a short but possibly deadly road trip.)

The Hawks are also enjoying the opposite momentum of the Sixers right now in that they’ve been stringing together more success in the later half of the season. Atlanta is on a five-game win streak, have won six of their last seven and are 12-6 in their last 18.

It’s interesting to look at the Hawks’ roster as an “outsider” also, because you might not see many names that you really recognize from years past, but Atlanta has a number of players performing at the best (in some cases, by far) that they ever have in their multi-season careers. Jalen Johnson is continuing his All-Star season averaging career-highs of 22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per night. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is putting up a career-best 19.8 points per night and shooting 37.5% from long range on a 8.1 attempt per night clip. Six-foot-ten center Onyeka Okongwu is scoring 16.2 points per night and hitting 38.6% of threes on a 5.5 attempt average, all career-highs.

That’s not mentioning the more than a handful of players down the depth of the roster that can put up double-digit points — some with the capability for much bigger scoring bursts — any given night, such as Dyson Daniels, Jock Landale, Zaccharie Risacher, Corey Kispert, Kuminga (if he’s available) and others.

All of this is to say do not let the Hawks’ record or even their roster fool you. Atlanta currently leads the entire NBA in assists per game with 30.5. They are eighth in the league in offensive rating at 117.6 and seventh in three-point efficiency at 36.8%. This is a team that traded Trae Young at the deadline and has only been getting better since. It’s a squad getting the absolute best of each of their players individually, and it’s resulting in more and more success as a unit.

So, a team playing their best, battling to climb up the East coming in on a five-game win streak against a Sixers’ squad that has 2024-25 season vibes at times right now… what could go wrong?

This is also, unfortunately, not the time for a major skid for the Sixers. As of Saturday morning, Philadelphia sit in sixth in the Eastern Conference at 34-28. The problem is that the gap between the Sixers and the next few teams, down to the Charlotte Hornets in 10th place, is just three games at the most. There is a lot of room to fall and it won’t take much for the Sixers to start tumbling fast. Philadelphia did win their last game, just barely beating the tanking Jazz on Wednesday night, but it didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in how the next few games might go.

But, as they say, the show must go on.

The Sixers and Hawks tip off at 6 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Saturday, March 7, 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers