A few teams capped off historic regular season finishes and are looking to finish with a championship win before heading into the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament. Miami (Ohio), ranked No. 20 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, became the third team to ever enter its conference tournament with a 31-0 record, joining Wichita State and Kentucky.
The RedHawks' undefeated season should be enough for them to reach March Madness, even if they fail to win the MAC tournament. They'll certainly be on or close to the bubble in that scenario, though.
Duke, Arizona and Michigan, ranked Nos. 1-3 in the latest poll, respectively, all finished with two losses on the regular season and take winning streaks into their respective conference tournaments. The national championship favorites are looking to add a conference title before potentially winning it all in March Madness.
Here's a look at the updated USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for men's college basketball:
Others receiving votes: Villanova 27; Tennessee 22; Saint Louis 9; UCLA 6; Georgia 6; Utah State 3; Ohio State 2; BYU 2;
AP Top 25 poll
Duke (56)
Arizona (4)
Michigan (1)
Florida
Houston
UConn
Iowa State
Michigan State
Illinois
Virginia
Nebraska
Gonzaga
St. John's
Kansas
Alabama
Texas Tech
Arkansas
Purdue
North Carolina
Miami (Ohio)
Saint Mary's
Vanderbilt
Wisconsin
Louisville
Tennessee
Others receiving votes: Miami (Florida) 60; TCU 19; BYU 18; Saint Louis 12; High Point 11; Georgia 10; Villanova 10; UCLA 3; VCU 3; Stephen F. Austin 2; Utah State 2; Ohio State 2; Missouri 2; Akron 1;
Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 - Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shares a laugh with referee Tre Maddox (23) during a break in the action against the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
If the Lakers were going to convince anyone they were serious, then wins against actually good teams were going to have to come. Prior to Sunday, the Lakers faltered time after time when given the opportunity to beat a contender, including very recently in Denver.
In beating the Knicks, then, they not only put together a strong performance in a wire-to-wire win, but they did so against one of the Eastern Conference’s best sides which was playing at a high level. Coming into the game, they had won 16 of the last 21 contests.
No matter how you slice it, it was a big win.
“I feel like we’re doing some really good things and we still have room for improvement, but tonight was a good step in the right direction,” Austin Reaves said. “They’re a really good team. I think they told me out there that they average 117 [points]. To hold a team to 97 points of that caliber just shows our grittiness that we’ve come to enjoy to do on the defensive end.”
As Reaves notes, not only was it a big win, but the way they did it was important, too. Not often this year have they won a game on the back of their defense.
On top of that, this was a Knicks team fresh off a dominant win in Denver on Friday, a team the Lakers came up just short against.
“It’s a pretty awesome win,” Luka Dončić said. “They just beat the Nuggets by 40, so I think it’s a pretty big win for us. It’ll give us a lot of confidence moving forward.”
This is also to say nothing of the fact that the Knicks handed the Lakers a pretty frustrating loss in New York earlier this season, which was also something very much on the minds of the team as well.
“A very big win,” Jaxson Hayes said. “I mean, obviously, any wins a big win in this league. It’s a very hard league to play in. I just feel like we owed them that one, at least, for New York. We lost bad in New York, got punked by them in New York, so we just needed to get that one back.”
No matter how you slice it, the Lakers picked up a big win on Sunday. The challenge now will be to build on Sunday’s win and not make it an aberration.
LA will immediately have a chance to do it again on Tuesday. We’ll quickly find out how serious they will be moving forward.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (50-15) and Denver Nuggets (39-25) meet for the third time this season. The Thunder are 2-0 against the Nuggets, and this matchup is set at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City is on a five-game winning streak and took eight of the past nine contests. During this winning streak, the Thunder beat the Nuggets in OT, 127-121. It was one of the more dramatic games of February. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back in the mix, the Thunder are 4-0 with wins of 6, 13, 3, and 7 points.
Denver is 4-5 since the All-Star break and dropping in odds to win the Championship and Western Conference. The Nuggets are 7-9 since Nikola Jokic returned from injury. Jokic has triple-doubled in seven out of the 16 games this season and remains second in terms of MVP odds behind Gilgeous-Alexander.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Nuggets at Thunder
Date: Monday, March 9, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Site: Paycom Center
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds: Nuggets at Thunder
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-270), Denver Nuggets (+220)
Spread: Oklahoma City -6.5
Total: 232.5 points
This game opened Thunder -7.5 with the Total set at 234.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Nuggets at Thunder
Denver Nuggets
G Jamal Murray (questionable)
SG Christian Braun
SF Cam Johnson
PF Aaron Gordon
C Nikola Jokic
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Isaiah Joe
SF Cason Wallace
PF Lu Dort
C Chet Holmgren (questionable)
Injury Report: Nuggets at Thunder
Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray (ankle) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for tonight’s game
Peyton Watson (hamstring) has been ruled OUT of tonight’s game
Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as OUT for tonight’s game
Chet Holmgren (illness) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for tonight's game
Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) is OUT for tonight's game
Alex Caruso (hip) is QUESTIONABLE for tonight's game
Important stats, trends and insights: Nuggets at Thunder
Denver is 35-29 ATS and 21-13 ATS as the road team, ranking fifth-best
Denver is 9-2 ATS as a road underdog, ranking third-best
Denver is 40-29 to the Over, ranking first
Denver is 24-10 to the Over as the road team, ranking first
Denver is 6-5 to the Over as a road underdog
Oklahoma City is 31-34 ATS
Oklahoman City is 15-17 ATS at home and 14-17 ATS as a home favorite
Oklahoma City is 33-32 to the Over
Oklahoma City is 17-15 to the Under at home
Oklahoma City is 17-14 to the Under as a home favorite
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Nuggets and Thunder’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Thunder's Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Thunder -6.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 232.5
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Feb 28, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade claps against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Scanning the comments sections on multiple sites after the Stanford loss it is easy to see that the Wolfpack basketball faithful haven’t really changed. Coach Wade has been telling us that it’s a new day, and while the results are more positive than negative, the switch hasn’t flipped in the fanbase because bad results keep happening. The team has been disappointing often, and there has not been a win that that gave us any reason to expect greatness this season. And while I don’t think this season is going anywhere, I am still very high on Coach Wade and believe this season was close to being really good. But next season will be better.
Coach Wade Knows We Need Better Talent
In one of his first interviews after being hired, Coach Wade was asked about his roster philosophy and he said generally he would like to retain a third, and get the rest from either portal/international or high school.
In a question and answer portion of his radio show in late January, he was again asked about roster retention. He said, “I suspect we’ll keep a couple off [this year’s team]. It won’t be a third. We have a very clear vision of what we want to do.” “…We have much more time this time around. Our hit rate will go way up.”
Player
Done
Not Retained
Keeper
Darrion Williams
*
Ven-Allen Lubin
*
Tre Holloman
*
Jordan Snell
*
Quadir Copeland
*
Scottie Ebube
*
Musa Sagnia
*
Terrance Arceneaux
*
Alyn Breed
*
Jerry Deng
*
Jayme Kontuniemi
*
Zymicah Wilkins
*
Colt Langdon
*
Matthew Able
*
Paul McNeil
*
Cole Cloer
Freshman
Trevon Carter-Givens
Freshman
2. The Current Team is Not Meeting His Standards
“In his radio show January 29, he said, ”I don’t care about [just] the win, it’s how we win. That’s the problem,” “You get intoxicated with the final result. It’s not just the winning, it’s how we do it. If we go on the road at Wake and only get two of our five game standards, we’re probably going to lose. You have to play to a standard every game.”
Five Games
There were five losses that were a couple of possessions away from being wins. If the Wolfpack wins those games, this is a special season. In each case, the Wolfpack had opportunities to score and put the game away, but did not execute. In the GT and Notre Dame games the Pack was definitely the better team, but just gave them away. In the other three, the Pack just didn’t execute at the end.
Date
Opponent
Difference
End of Game
1/17
Georgia Tech
4
Missed 3 3PT shots (2 PM, 1 Copeland)
2/14
Miami
1
Williams fouled a 3PT shooter
2/28
Notre Dame
6
Williams missed 3 3PT shots
3/7
Stanford
1
Copeland turnover
12/13
Kansas
1
Williams missed shot
3. Coach Wade Knew Early That This Team Was Limited
In his radio show January 22 [19 games into the season, after the Clemson win], he was asked if there is something about he and his staff that Wolfpack nation hasn’t see yet. “We haven’t won as much as we’re gonna win yet. I don’t think they’re ready for how rowdy we’re gonna be when we win. We’ve got to be a little bit quiet right now because we’re not quite where we want to be. But in the next year or two, we’re gonna be, I think people are going to be like, “Where did all of these people come from? Who are they?”
With the regular season in the books and the top men’s basketball teams heading into conference tournament week, the top portion of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll more or less mirrors bracket projections as Selection Sunday looms.
Duke enters the ACC tournament as the top-ranked team in the nation with a chance to secure the first overall seed. The Blue Devils once again received 28 of 31 first-place votes. The remaining three firsts again go to No. 2 Arizona, the Big 12 tourney top seed also well positioned to head a regional in the Big Dance. Big Ten regular season champ Michigan holds at No. 3 in the poll, with Surging Florida continuing its upward trajectory climbing to fourth. Houston is back in the top five as Connecticut slips two positions to No. 6 after a loss to Marquette.
The rest of the top 10 is shuffled slightly, though No. 7 Iowa State and NO. 8 Michigan State hold steady. Illinois moves back up to No. 9, edging ahead of Nebraska, as Texas Tech slides four spots to No. 14.
No. 23 Wisconsin and No. 24 Louisville return to the poll as Saint Louis and Tennessee drop out.
We’re down to the final month of the NBA season, and fantasy managers looking for help on the waiver wire have come to the right place. The recommended pickups in this week’s article are widely available, and they can offer strong numbers in nearly every category.
Two of our top adds have five games on deck, and both should see bumps in playing time due to Philadelphia’s depleted roster.
As a reminder, this article will only feature players rostered in 25% or less of Yahoo! leagues for the rest of the season. The waiver wire in competitive leagues is cut-throat, and managers looking for an end-of-season edge will need to dive deep.
Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 20.
→ Watch an NBA doubleheader on Peacock on Monday night, as the Nuggets and Thunder square off at 7:30 p.m. ET before the Knicks and Clippers play at 10 p.m. ET.
Priority Adds
1. Jabari Walker 2. Tristan da Silva 3. Isaiah Jackson 4. Adem Bona 5. Jaylin Williams 6. Julian Reese 7. Isaiah Stewart 8. Walter Clayton Jr. 9. Robert Williams III 10. Pelle Larsson
Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons (16 percent rostered)
Ausar Thompson is set to miss time, and Stewart is the next man up in Detroit’s rotation. He posted a 14/6/1 line with a block and a triple in his last game out, and he should see increased run over the next week. Stewart can offer points, rebounds, blocked shots and triples to needy fantasy managers.
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic (14 percent rostered)
The continued absence of Franz Wagner and the recent loss of Anthony Black give da Silva ample runway moving forward. Across his last nine games (seven starts), da Silva has averaged 11.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocked shots and 2.2 triples across 31.3 minutes.
Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers (11 percent rostered)
The big man struggles to stay on the court, but he’s appeared in three straight games with solid averages of 13.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocked shots. In that span, Time Lord shot 76% from the floor and committed just four total turnovers. So long as he remains available, Williams III offers solid numbers as a key reserve.
Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat (9 percent rostered)
Numerous injuries have opened the door for Larsson to take on an expanded role in Miami’s rotation. He’s started nine straight games and averaged 11.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a “stock” across 31.2 minutes. Larsson doesn’t offer tremendous upside, but he’s got a solid floor, and he’s seeing big minutes as a starter. That should be the case until Norman Powell returns to action.
Julian Reese, Washington Wizards (8 percent rostered)
Reese got off to a tremendous start to open his NBA career, averaging 9.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals in three straight starts. With the return of Alex Sarr, Reese came off the bench in his last game out, but he still managed a 5/9/3/1/2 line in 26 minutes. Reese offers big upside as a rebounder, and his 20-rebound performance is the most by a rookie this season. Washington has no incentive to play its starters down the stretch, so Reese should see some more spot starts before the end of the season.
Julian Reese joins Shaq & Tim Duncan as the only NBA players in the last 40 years with a 20 rebound game in their first 5 games
Jaylin Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder (7 percent rostered)
With J-Dub still on the shelf and absences from Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren over the last two weeks, Jaylin Williams has taken full advantage of the additional opportunities thrown his way. Across his last six outings, Williams has turned 27 minutes per game into 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, one “stock” and 2.5 triples. Most impressively, Williams’ shooting splits are 51/46/100 in that span.
Walter Clayton Jr., Memphis Grizzlies (6 percent rostered)
With March Madness on the horizon, last year’s hero of the NCAA tourney has kicked things into high gear at the NBA level. Over his last eight games, the Florida product has averaged 7.9 points, 7.1 assists and 1.1 steals and 0.8 triples. He’s not making big shots, but Clayton Jr. is getting teammates involved at a high level. Assists are always tough to find on the waiver wire, but Clayton Jr. is available in 94% of Yahoo! leagues.
Isaiah Jackson, Los Angeles Clippers (6 percent rostered)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser is out for the season with a Lisfranc injury, and Jackson should see a bump in playing time behind Brook Lopez to finish the season. I-Jax started the second half of Saturday’s win over Memphis in place of BroLo, so there’s a chance Los Angeles mixes up its big man rotation at some point. Over his last three outings, Jackson has averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 66.7% from the field. He’s done that in just 19 minutes per game.
Jabari Walker, Philadelphia 76ers (6 percent rostered)
Over his last three games, Walker has averaged 17 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 triples across 21.3 minutes. With Joel Embiid and Paul George out and multiple 76ers’ players battling injuries, rotation minutes should be plentiful for Walker. Philadelphia is the only team with five games on the schedule this week, which sets Walker up in an even more favorable position to help fantasy managers.
Adem Bona, Philadelphia 76ers (2 percent rostered)
Until Joel Embiid returns, Bona may be Philadelphia’s starter after leapfrogging Andre Drummond in that position. Bona has started two straight games, averaging an 8/6/2 line with 1.5 “stocks” across 29 minutes. Five games on the schedule for Philadelphia mean Bona could be a reliable source of rebounds and blocked shots this week.
Other options:Noah Clowney (20%), Daniel Gafford (20%), De’Anthony Melton (15%), Royce O’Neale (14%), Ousmane Dieng (9%), Ziaire Williams (8%), Cody Williams (4%), Cameron Payne (2%)
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 3: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers boxes out during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 3, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers went 1-1 last week, looking strong against the Detroit Pistons and floundering for the first half against the Boston Celtics. Not the most consistent week from the team; however, Evan Mobley was the most consistent presence in both those games. Seeing him reassimilate into the team after an extended absence was a pleasant surprise, as historically his ramp-ups have been on the slower end.
Standout performance: 24points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks in loss to the Celtics on 3/8/2026.
Mobley’s performance against the Celtics really secured his award this week. Playing only two games plays a major part in this decision. He had back-to-back games where his aggression looked to be trending upwards.
One of the biggest issues Mobley and the Cavaliers have struggled with is putting and keeping their proverbial foot on the pedal. Mobley has a reputation for getting the first few touches to start a game, then fading for sometimes whole quarters at a time.
Based on his games against the Pistons and Celtics, that version of Mobley appears to have been put to rest. He is playing a lot freer both on and off the ball. Understandably, the mental hurdle of not wanting to reaggravate these soft tissue injuries can linger in the back of one’s mind. However, it is both a hindrance to the Cavaliers’ offense and Mobley’s continued ascension when he is skittish and apprehensive. Mobley’s greatest trait is his basketball IQ and ability to see the floor better than most bigs in the league.
When Mobley is able to fly from end to end and show his mobility at his size as he did against Boston, he is frankly unfair for most to defend. When Mobley can fly off the roll, or even as we saw against Detroit, he is at his best.
If Evan Mobley can consistently make teams pay in the post for switching in P&R situations — like Detroit did yesterday — it unlocks an entire new wrinkle for the #Cavs offense. pic.twitter.com/yi0AimbrG6
With the inclusion of James Harden in the offense, someone who sets up bigs arguably better than anyone else in the league, it will be fascinating if this version of Mobley we saw last week is more of who we will see going forward.
Mobley has touched on what Harden brings not only to the team but also to his own game. Hopefully, the playstyle that Harden brings means that this version of Mobley is more permanent. As time goes on in the dwindling regular season, the minutes shared between this pairing are critical. Not only to their chemistry as a duo, but to the postseason success of the Cavaliers.
If there is a common thread in every off-season’s “solution” for the Cavaliers, it is for Evan Mobley to take another step and mature as a play finisher. His development as a player is always dictating the Cavaliers’ true ceiling. If this week was any indication for Mobley, then it appears we are looking to head in the right direction.
The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder will take the floor at Paycom Center tonight following a chippy matchup two weeks ago that saw Nikola Jokic make some crazy faces and Lu Dort get ejected.
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Nuggets computer picks
Cam Johnson Over 9.5 points (-125)
Projection: 11.8 points
Cam Johnson is coming off a 10-point showing against the Knicks and went Over this number in five of eight games in February, including an 18-point night against the Clippers.
The Thunder defense is stout, but Johnson is one of the best shooters in the NBA, currently hitting 40.5% of his threes on the season.
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Christian Braun Under 11.5 points (+100)
Projection: 10.6 points
Christian Braun is logging big minutes, but that hasn't always meant scoring production. He's coming off a game against the Knicks where he scored just seven points and shot 2-for-7 from the field.
He did score 23 points against OKC last time out, but that was an outlier for two reasons: he played 45 minutes (the game went to overtime) and took a season-high 10 threes (made three).
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Christian Braun Under 1.5 threes (-170)
Projection: 1.1 threes
Along the same line of thinking, Braun has gone Over this number just once in four games since going 3-for-10 against OKC on Feb. 27, and it's not for a lack of trying. He's 4-for-15 in those four games.
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Thunder computer picks
Jaylin Williams Under 7.5 rebounds (-110)
Projection: 6.5 rebounds
This number is inflated because Jaylin Williams has had some huge rebounding games lately (14, 16, and 11 in three of last six games), and Isaiah Hartenstein is sidelined once again.
Still, if you take those three big games out, Williams has gone Under this number in every game but one since Feb. 4. Not to mention, he's up against Nikola Jokic tonight.
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Jaylin Williams Under 10.5 points (-125)
Projection: 8.9 points
Injuries to OKC's big men have helped his scoring totals, but so has shooting nearly 44% from three since the start of February. Even if the minutes stay up, that mark is unsustainable.
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Cason Wallace Under 3.5 rebounds (-120)
Projection: 3.1 rebounds
Cason Wallace is coming off a zero-rebound effort against the Warriors and needed nearly 36 minutes of action to snag four rebounds against the Nuggets on Feb. 27. He won't see that many minutes tonight.
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How to watch Nuggets vs Thunder tonight
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Monday, March 9, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
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In theory, Nikola Jokic could become a free agent in the summer of 2027. In practice, nobody in league circles has been talking about that because nobody thinks it's going to happen. Nobody thinks he's unhappy and leaving Denver.
Jokic himself slammed the door on that in an appearance on the Serbian Podcast X’s and O’s, where the three-time MVP seemed more comfortable and opened up more than we often see from him. In that podcast, Jokic was asked if he could see himself playing anywhere other than Denver during his career.
"I wouldn't like to imagine that. Even if we never win anything else after this, an organic title, it means more to me than anything... I really found peace here. My two kids were born here. Everyone's here. Peace, home, I found my life here. And I like life here. I don't feel the need, I don't have the urge to. We built something here, together as a team."
Jokic is extension-eligible this summer, but whether he signs a new contract this offseason or next, it is expected to happen, and Denver will remain a title contender as long as he continues to play at an MVP level. This season, Jokic is averaging a triple-double of 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 10.3 assists a game, and he is seen as the only real threat to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeating as MVP.
The other Jokic comment during this podcast that has raised eyebrows in some quarters was his saying basketball is better today, being played at a higher level today than it was 30 years ago.
"But it would be stupid if basketball weren't better now than 30 years ago. It's like saying phones were better 30 years ago, and they weren't, because of technology, modernization. As everything modernizes, basketball modernizes too. And the same way, in 20 years basketball will be much better than it is now...
"And in other sports, it seems to me it's only in basketball that people show up and for some reason say: 'Man, that's nothing compared to my time, my...' That's... Why? Why only in basketball? I don't like it, why are they belittling today. I'm not saying it was bad back then. I'm just saying modernization... Just like everything improves, I think… I'm not saying it was bad, I'm just saying this is better."
Basketball is played at a higher level with better athletes across the board today than it was 30 years ago. Sure, the greats could have played in any era, but the average player in the NBA today is better than the average player 30 years ago. Some fans may appreciate the aesthetic of the game more from 20 or 30 years ago (although those fans should sit through a 1990s Knicks/Cavaliers slog with both teams scoring in the 80s, then get back to me), but the fact that the athletes and shooting are better now than they were then is not up for debate. Jokic is right about that.
The Memphis Grizzlies are in the midst of a three-game losing skid, but two of those losses came at home. The Grizzlies have won two of their last three away from FedExForum, easily covering the spread against the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers.
The Grizz have an 11-19 record on the road, and the Brooklyn Nets are just 8-22 at home. They’ve lost by a minimum of four points in each of their last four games at the Barclays Center.
Memphis has also won two in a row against the Nets, covering tonight’s spread in both matchups.
Grizzlies vs Nets same-game parlay
Jaylen Wells has been a clear bright spot in a rather disappointing campaign for the Grizzlies.
The youngster has cashed the Over in three of his last four appearances, and Wells dropped 24 points against the Portland Trail Blazers last week. He’s also hit the Over in two of his previous three road outings.
Oliver-Maxence Prosper isn’t exactly a sniper from downtown, but for the amount he shoots the three, the clip is impressive. He’s draining 0.9 triples on 2.1 attempts per game for a 40% clip.
Grizzlies vs Nets SGP
Grizzlies -1.5
Jaylen Wells Over 16.5 points
Oliver-Maxence Prosper Over 1.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Memphis made
Memphis has cashed this Over in two straight, and Brooklyn is 27th in defensive rating.
Grizzlies vs Nets SGP
Grizzlies -1.5
Jaylen Wells Over 16.5 points
Oliver-Maxence Prosper Over 1.5 threes
Grizzlies team total Over 111.5
Grizzlies vs Nets odds
Spread: Grizzlies -1.5 (-105) | Nets +1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: Grizzlies -120 | Nets +100
Over/Under: Over 222.5 | Under 222.5
Grizzlies vs Nets betting trend to know
The Memphis Grizzlies have hit the team total Over in 30 of their last 45 games (+12.60 Units / 24% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Nets.
How to watch Grizzlies vs Nets
Location
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Date
Monday, March 9, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN SE-MEM, YES
Grizzlies vs Nets latest injuries
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A lot of the draft experts were split heading into the college basketball season and they still aren't quite certain with the NCAA Tournament right around the corner. The same apparently goes for AI.
The decision between Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer is likely to define this year's class, and could depend on which team is picking No. 1. That, of course, remains somewhat nebulous due to the varying odds offered by the NBA draft lottery system and the number of teams tanking this season in order to best position themselves in what's considered a deep draft class. For the purposes of this mock draft, team selections are based on NBA regular-season records as of March 9, 2026 and account for relevant trades, pick swaps and stipulations.
Here's Microsoft Copilot's 2026 NBA mock draft, version 2.0, as curated by USA TODAY Sports:
USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players who could be eligible this year.
Microsoft Copilot assigned the draft order based on current NBA records (as of games played before Monday, March 9), with the worst record getting the No. 1 pick and the best record getting the No. 30 pick. It used current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as team needs, prospect analysis and potential pick swaps/protections, to determine the first-round selections for each team in this exercise.
The sunny California weather offers a stark contrast to the current state of the New York Knicks.
New York exits a bad loss to the Lakers on Sunday, and now faces the Los Angeles Clippers in the latter half of back-to-back road outings tonight, with tip-off set for 10:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.
My Knicks vs. Clippers predictions believe New York needs a gritty effort from power forward Josh Hart to escape La-La Land with at least one win.
Knicks vs Clippers best bet: Josh Hart Over 10.5 points (-105)
Josh Hart was limited to 22 minutes in Sunday's one-sided loss to the Lakers, finishing with just eight points on 4-for-8 shooting.
Hart is an engine for this New York Knicks offense, especially in tight turnarounds. His energy on the boards and dribble-drive attack lead to high-percentage looks.
Hart also bounces back from poor performances, averaging 13.5 points over his last 11 games following a sub-10-point effort.
Projections all sit north of 11 points with a ceiling closer to 12 vs. the Los Angeles Clippers, with Hart logging his normal workload and perhaps more minutes, with Mitchell Robinson doubtful.
Knicks vs Clippers same-game parlay
The Knicks are 15-8 SU coming off a loss and have held their own against Western Conference competition, with a 15-9 straight-up mark in non-conference games.
Hart is forecasted for 11+ points and should see more minutes than he did in Sunday's loss with Robinson sitting out. Over the past 11 games in which Hart failed to score double digits, he’s bounced back with 11 or more points in eight of those following contests.
Brook Lopez presents a problem inside for a Knicks frontcourt running a little thin. Some models have Lopez going for 11 points tonight.
Knicks vs Clippers SGP
Knicks moneyline
Josh Hart Over 10.5 points
Brook Lopez Over 8.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Hart Attack
The Knicks bounce back from yesterday's bad offensive effort, and Hart beats strong, not only topping his points total, but picking up the slack on the glass with projections as high as 7.6 rebounds.
Knicks vs Clippers SGP
Knicks -2.5
Over 220.5
Josh Hart Over 10.5 points
Josh Hart Over 6.5 rebounds
Knicks vs Clippers odds
Spread: Knicks -2.5 (-105) | Clippers +2.5 (-115)
Moneyline: Knicks -135 | Clippers +115
Over/Under: Over 220.5 (-110) | Under 220.5 (-110)
Knicks vs Clippers betting trend to know
The L.A. Clippers are 15-9 Over/Under vs. Eastern Conference foes, including 7-4 O/U in non-conference home games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Clippers.
How to watch Knicks vs Clippers
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, March 9, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Knicks vs Clippers latest injuries
John Collins has been ruled out for a fifth consecutive contest for the Clippers with a neck strain. Mitchell Robinson is out for the Knicks due to load management as he continues to nurse a sore ankle.
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 6: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on before the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND – Neither Cleveland nor Boston fans want to hear that their seasons just started, that 2025-26 only recently began, that the games didn’t really count until March. That nothing in the first four months of the campaign mattered, that basketball only begins when Jayson Tatum is healthy, or when Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are on the court at the same time.
Fans battled through too much winter – and 2025-26 was an award-winning winter – to buy that. Celtic corps committed to Anfernee Simons and his slashing slice of impermanence. Cavalier faithful recognized and acknowledged Darius Garland’s on/off splits before moving on, maybe keeping the jersey, there were plenty of Darius’ No. 10 floating around the Cavs’ arena on Sunday.
Even more freshly-spun James Harden jerseys, but not nearly enough of James in the box score: 6-16 shooting, 19 points in Cleveland’s 109-98 home defeat. Ten assists for Harden in his first game with Mitchell in a dozen days. Also, far too many murmurs online over what the postseason Cavaliers will look like in matinee performances, James rolling right out of the hotel he moved into last month.
Cavs fans don’t want to read about Cleveland coalescing down the stretch, that was what 2025-26 was supposed to be for, with Garland and Mitchell, Max Strus and DeAndre Hunter and Lonzo Ball. Instead, Cleveland boasts a completely different bench, with trade deadline acquisitions Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroeder buttressing potent holdovers Craig Porter Jr. and Most Improved Player candidate Jaylon Tyson. Center Thomas Bryant is out there to remind fans from his five other NBA teams why Thomas Bryant is out there with the Cavaliers, and not out there with any of those five previous teams.
It goes. It lost on Sunday, but the Cavs (fourth in the East, seventh in point differential, 8-2 fielding Harden) rested Mitchell for a dog day February/March fortnight, girding his groin for spring. When every other NBA superstar was out playing the Nets for the third time this season, Mitchell sat in street clothes and spectacles and watched his Cavaliers. His Cavaliers out there with Thomas Bryant.
Mitchell owns a championship core if he could ever get it on the court at the same time: Jarrett Allen missed his second straight game on Sunday with knee soreness, his 13th sit of the season after working all 82 in 2024-25. Cleveland won’t budge from the No. 4 seed before the season ends, all that means is Spider requires stealing a second round Game 2 in Detroit. And no better time to beat Boston for the first time this season than Game 1 of the Eastern finals.
Boston fans will laugh at this, and that’s fine, I’ll pretend they’re laughing at an old ‘Cheers’ joke and not my arguments for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Like the time Carla talked Sam out of trying out for the Red Sox not because she was his friend but mostly so she could snare a couple of Sox hunks inside Sam’s spring training dorm. Or when the whole bar ate sorghum, happily. Or when Woody made that amazing drink but couldn’t remember what went in it.
Boston fans don’t want to recognize that they wasted winter watching an incomplete team because Boston wasn’t, not when the Celtics are second in the East, second-best point differential in the NBA even without Jayson Tatum. The Celtics weren’t even supposed to clock in this season, may clock out with a champagne shower, goggles materializing from storage.
Sunday was whiplash, dragging an early seven-point Cleveland advantage to a 26-point Boston lead. Jayson Tatum working the closest an NBA team can get to a back-to-back (Boston worked in Cleveland 42 hours after tipping victoriously over Dallas, in Boston) and looking every bit the unruffled top NBA pitchman, 20 points in 27 minutes against Cleveland, 15-12-7 assists in 27 minutes versus the Mavs.
The Cavaliers enjoyed the opposite itinerary, the longest stretch of days off allowed, last working March 3 and in Ohio. Plenty of time for practice, plenty of space for growth. Couldn’t blame the layoff for Sunday’s snore, either, it wasn’t the emergence of March bloomery or the urge to spring forward that got in the way of Cleveland playing defense on Sunday.
While the Cavs obsessed over what went wrong on the other end, the Boston offense hummed with all the 2025-26 hallmarks: Jaylen Brown probing, Payton Pritchard crossing goofballs over, Baylor Scheierman tossing Cliff Hagen-styled lefty looks into the goal, Sam Hauser leaking, always leaking, splashing 5-10 three-pointers in a contest where Cleveland missed 20 of its first 22 from deep. Where Cleveland feints, then considers, Boston rolls and counters.
It scans: Cleveland is all new faces. Even Celtic breakouts Neemias Queta and Scheierman worked in Boston’s system as deep reserves in previous seasons. It makes sense when Jayson Tatum blends with the teammates he hasn’t worked with since May, he’s blended so successfully with each of them before. Save for rookie Hugh Gonzalez (several Larry Bird jerseys in Sunday’s Cleveland but even more Hugh Gonzalez jerseys, which makes sense, Larry’s last game was in “Cleveland“) and (capable Nikola Vucevic replacement) Luka Garza.
Cleveland, like Richfield, isn’t Cleveland yet. Not without Jarrett Allen, James Harden’s new video game, the piece to make the paint mightier. Allen was a crucial worry in previous postseasons but not with this crew, not with Harden. The Cavaliers boast the postseason luxury of keeping either Mitchell or Harden on the floor at all times, a stagger to sock the opposition’s jaw. All of this, admittedly, relies on James Harden showing up in the playoffs.
Boston’s potential championship return is no gimmick or novelty. The NBA’s second-best point differential boasts an MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown turning over from Pippen into Jordan in a single possession, then it added whatever Jayson Tatum makes of this comeback crusade.
Detroit is injured, New York unwritten, Boston was in business even if Tatum remained sidelined through October. The only thing to trip the Celtics might be Jayson Tatum confusing NBA games with intense one-on-one workouts while refamiliarizing himself with NBA protocol. Not turning the ball over by stepping in-bounds while in-bounding it, calling for the ball back after a miss, walking off the court to find a water fountain after making a three, little things like that.
The NBA had all this time to take our licks at the Celtics, this is the best we could come up with. Couldn’t even keep them in third place during a season where the Patriots made the Super Bowl. Boston avoids luxury taxes, and everyone got an extra biscuit when Tatum’s 20 field goal attempts per game took 62 games off. Luka Garza took two biscuits but that’s OK, he’s hungry, his shot diet is buttery.
Boston remains a problem. The only Eastern team that can stop them would be a surprise. Cleveland is capable, could be that surprise, but the Celtics demand so much. To surprise Boston four playoff times in seven playoff tries is to shock.
Hartenstein is sidelined with a calf injury, and Holmgren is overcoming illness, leaving him questionable. Along with backup center Branden Carlson’s absence, 6-foot-9 Jaylin Williams is the lone big man left to fight Jokic on the glass.
Jokic has averaged 20.6 rebounding chances per game since the All-Star break (fifth most), and projections range from 11.9 to 13.3 boards.
Nuggets vs Thunder same-game parlay
The Denver Nuggets have had some trouble away from home recently. They’re 3-5 SU and 4-4 ATS as a visitor since the start of February. OKC is 26-6 as a host so far this season.
Game models call for less than 230 combined points in a heated Western war that will have a postseason-like intensity to it, especially after the fireworks of their last matchup.
Jokic’s rebounding chances are sitting north of 20 boards per game, and OKC is a bad rebounding team even at full strength. The Thunder are 25th in rebound rate and allow a lot of offensive rebounds.
Nuggets vs Thunder SGP
Thunder moneyline
Under 231.5
Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Why So Serious?
Lu Dort and Jokic decide to leave the fighting on the scoreboard, with OKC’s forward projected to reach double digits and Joker’s forecasts flirting with 27 points.
Nuggets vs Thunder SGP
Nuggets +7
Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points
Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
Lu Dort Over 9.5 points
Nuggets vs Thunder odds
Spread: Nuggets +6.5 (-115) | Thunder -6.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Nuggets +210 | Thunder -260
Over/Under: Over 232 (-110) | Under 232 (-110)
Nuggets vs Thunder betting trend to know
The Nuggets are 6-11 SU but 10-7 ATS against OKC over the last three years. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Thunder.
How to watch Nuggets vs Thunder
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Monday, March 9, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Nuggets vs Thunder latest injuries
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The Golden State Warriors have lost three of their last four games, but they’ll look to get back on track when they face the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center tonight.
Both teams have hit the Over often this season, and my Warriors vs. Jazz predictions and NBA picks expect another high-scoring affair in Salt Lake City.
Warriors vs Jazz prediction
Warriors vs Jazz best bet: Over 226.5 (-110)
Strong defense certainly hasn’t been a hallmark of the Utah Jazz this season, as the team ranks dead last in defensive rating. Utah is 37-27 to the Over, including an NBA-high 22-10 at home. Utah has hit the Over in three of its last five at the Delta Center.
This Golden State Warriors defense has been better than Utah’s, but the Warriors are 36-27 to the Over and 12-5 as the road favorite.
The Warriors have hit the Over in seven of their last 10 games, and the teams have gone Over in three of their last four head-to-head matchups.
Warriors vs Jazz same-game parlay
The Jazz are 34-30 ATS, and they've covered in 17 of 32 home games. Conversely, the Warriors are just 28-34-1 ATS. The visiting team is 14-17 ATS on the road and 6-11 as the road favorite. Both teams are shorthanded, but I'll give the edge to the home team.
With all of Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, and Jusuf Nurkic sidelined, Kyle Filipowski is the go-to guy in Utah's frontcourt. As a starter, the big man has averaged 13 points and 8.5 boards, and across his last nine games since rejoining the starting five, he's averaged 14.7 points and 8.4 rebounds.
Filipowski has scored 12+ in eight of his last nine, and he's grabbed 9+ rebounds four times in that span, including three straight appearances. He's got plenty of opportunity, and he'll face a Warriors frontcourt that will once again be missing Kristaps Porzingis.
Warriors vs Jazz SGP
Over 227
Jazz +6
Kyle Filipowski Over 11.5 points
Kyle Filipowski Over 8.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Can't stop Kyle and Keyonte!
Keyonte George is averaging a career-best 24 points per game this season, and he's been Utah's most consistent — and electric — scoring option. Across his last three, George has averaged 29.3 points and hit the Over on this line twice. Strong play from him and Kyle Filipowski will keep Utah competitive tonight.
Warriors vs Jazz SGP
Over 227
Jazz +6
Kyle Filipowski Over 11.5 points
Kyle Filipowski Over 8.5 rebounds
Keyonte George Over 23.5 points
Warriors vs Jazz odds
Spread: Warriors -6 | Jazz +6
Moneyline: Warriors -245 | Jazz +200
Over/Under: Over 226.5 | Under 226.5
Warriors vs Jazz betting trend to know
The Jazz have gone Over the total in 25 of their last 35 home games for +14.0 units and a 36% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Jazz.
How to watch Warriors vs Jazz
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Monday, March 9, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-Bay Area, KJZZ
Warriors vs Jazz latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Nuggets
Thunder