The final week of the NBA season usually sees some unexpected results. As the Minnesota Timberwolves back into the playoffs, they are ripe candidates to provide one of those results, especially as the Indiana Pacers play what may be their best basketball of the season.
My Timberwolves vs. Pacers predictions and these NBA picks refuse to put any faith in Minnesota on Tuesday, April 7.
Timberwolves vs Pacers prediction
Timberwolves vs Pacers best bet: Pacers +12.5 (-105)
The Minnesota Timberwolves have effectively boxed themselves into the No. 6 seed in the West. They would need to go 4-0 this week while the Rockets go 1-3 to catch Houston for the No. 5 seed. But there is a worrying scenario for Minnesota. It could fall into the Play-In Tournament yet.
Every day that remains a possibility, anxiety will set in further for the Timberwolves. The organization already had to include two Play-In games amid the postseason ticket presale access for season-ticket holders. They are genuinely a loss or two away from having to answer questions about slipping into the Play-In Tournament.
Recognizing that stressor is the only reason this is not a bet on the Indiana Pacers to win outright. The Pacers have sprung three upsets as multi-bucket underdogs in the last two weeks, part of going 8-1 against the spread in their last nine.
Indiana has secured its needed draft lottery positioning. The Pacers can play as competitively as able. And with the Timberwolves without both Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, they are quite vulnerable to upsets. Edwards and McDaniels are no less than two of Minnesota’s three-best bucket getters, and many nights feel like they are the top two.
Without them, fading the Timberwolves becomes nearly an automatic bet; only the worry of falling to seventh in the standings should prevent Minnesota from losing outright.
Timberwolves vs Pacers same-game parlay
The mere option to bet a Mike Conley points prop is a surprise. He hit no more than one field goal in 12 of his last 16 games. Bench players like that do not usually warrant spots on the props board. But Conley is not a bench player right now. He has started his last five games, though only four of those were genuine. But in his last two games, Conely has hit 7-of-12 shots from deep, scoring 14 and 11 points. He may be finding a form that could actually contribute in the postseason.
Minnesota hopes Naz Reid finds that form soon. A nagging shoulder injury has clearly cut into his efficiency. Reid has cleared this prop just once in his last 10 games.
Timberwolves vs Pacers SGP
Pacers +12.5
Mike Conley Over 5.5 points
Naz Reid Under 14.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Perhaps Pacers
One of the best ways for Minnesota to avoid an upset is to have Reid hit multiple 3-pointers. Given he is 1-of-10 from beyond the arc in his last two games and has hit multiple 3-pointers in just three of his last 17 games, it is valid to wonder if Indiana might spring this surprise.
Timberwolves vs Pacers SGP
Pacers Moneyline
Naz Reid Under 14.5 Points
Timberwolves vs Pacers odds
Spread: Timberwolves -12.5 | Pacers +12.5
Moneyline: Timberwolves -800 | Pacers +550
Over/Under: Over 232.5 | Under 232.5
Timberwolves vs Pacers betting trend to know
While going 8-1 against the spread in their last nine games, the Pacers have exceeded bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 8.9 points, even when including the sole ATS loss; that number jumps to 10.4 points in the eight ATS wins. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Pacers.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Pacers
Location
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-North, FDSN-Indiana
Timberwolves vs Pacers latest injuries
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As we near another NBA postseason, the Sixers are likely going to be one of the teams participating in the Eastern Conference half of the bracket, either being the sixth seed or via the play-in. But it feels like the noise around the franchise entering the playoffs is sounding much quieter than previous postseasons. Of course, that’s probably a good thing for Philadelphia as the franchise has been known to let its fans down in the early rounds of the playoffs for the majority of the previous 10 years.
But we want to look forward not backwards here. With Jayson Tatum back in the fold, the Boston Celtics are certainly going to be the popular choice to get out of the Eastern Conference and make a run at their second NBA title in three years. But after that, who does anyone really feel confident in atop the East? The Detroit Pistons have not won a playoff series in nearly two decades. New York and Cleveland seem to regularly have second-round ceilings. Is anyone really afraid of the Atlanta Hawks?
That leaves your Philadelphia 76ers in an interesting position heading into the playoffs. Philly hasn’t really garnered a lot of national attention this season as most of the talking heads believe the Sixers have missed their window in the Joel Embiid era. The fanbase has certainly felt a bit apathetic this season. That’s not to say any of those assertions are incorrect, but it does lessen the pressure on the Sixers during the next month — and potentially longer.
The landscape of the Eastern Conference really hasn’t changed much in recent years too. Boston won the conference in 2022 and 2024, got to the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023 and was upset largely due to Tatum’s injury last year in the second round against New York. In that time, we’ve seen Miami make it to the Finals out of the play-in tournament, and an Indiana team that was not seeded in the top three of the conference in either of the past two seasons make the conference finals both years.
Maybe Paul George’s resurgence is real and a player who most Sixers fans wrote off and most NBA media members probably thought was one of the worst contracts in the NBA has a revenge tour planned in these playoffs. Could Embiid find a way to stay healthy for most of the postseason for once? How hungry will VJ Edgecombe be for his first dose of playoff action? Tyrese Maxey could certainly be the best player on the floor in almost any playoff game.
None of this is to argue that the Sixers are destined to play until Memorial Day. Monday night’s game in San Antonio was just the latest reminder that this team isn’t a serious contender. However, segments of the NBA playoffs are starting to feel a bit less predictable as evidenced by some of the other deep runs aforementioned Eastern Conference teams have made in recent years.
Sure, “Why not us?” might not be the most encouraging slogan for Sixers fans this spring. But for a franchise that has been understandably ripped time and time again around this time of year, expect the Sixers to be a looser bunch when the second season commences. Does that mean they’ll be a better bunch? Well, you’re guess is as good as mine on that one.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks to drive during the first half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum on March 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns, at least in theory, have learned their lesson when it comes to chasing names and contracts in the pursuit of building a contender. Or at the very least, it feels that way after one full cycle removed from the Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal era. Two players that arrived with all the noise, all the expectation,and all the belief. Ultimately, they left behind more questions than answers and a franchise in financial purgatory. And that memory is not going anywhere.
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal will always be tied to what could have been, and Beal will remain part of the conversation for years to come, seeing as his dead cap implications continue to sit on the books. The organization has limited draft capital, limited flexibility, and a roster that has had to navigate the consequences of those decisions.
So when you start to hear rumblings out of Milwaukee, when the name Giannis Antetokounmpo starts to float into the conversation, the instinct is immediate. Look the other way. Do not engage. Do not get pulled back into the same cycle. Run, Forrest, runnnnn!
Why? Because it feels familiar. A superstar. A massive contract. A situation that is not entirely stable. A player who seems to be balancing multiple narratives at once. It is the kind of setup that draws attention, but also carries risk.
And yet, despite trying to look away, it is still a conversation worth having.
That is part of what makes this space fun. The hypotheticals, the what-if scenarios, the chance to explore ideas, even if you ultimately land on the same answer. That is exactly what popped up on The Feed over at Bright Side, in a community-driven discussion that asked the question out loud.
Even if your answer is no, and for many it is, there is value in walking through it. And community member zenzino asked the question.
What would you give up for Giannis? The Suns don’t have draft picks so the Bucks would want youth. Green & Rasheer? Green, Rasheer, and Man Man? I don’t know what I think about it. However, imagine the starting lineup of CG, Book, Brooks, Giannis, and Williams.
I provided my thoughts in the response on this Feed thread, but I thought I’d rewrite it here for posterity’s sake.
I’m out on this, and it’s not even a hesitant no. It’s a firm one.
The first thing that comes to mind is roster math. We’ve already lived this. The Phoenix Suns chased star power, pushed chips in, and watched depth and flexibility disappear. You move for Giannis, you are doing it again. Youth goes out, rotation pieces go out, and suddenly you are top-heavy and thin in all the wrong places. That equation does not change.
Then there is the wear and tear. He is an aging star who plays with constant force, and that comes with a cost. We have seen it since 2021. Bodies break down when you play that style for that long, and tying your future to that risk is not something I am interested in.
There is also the noise. Fair or not, it follows him. He wants to be embraced, wants to be seen a certain way, but there is always something lingering underneath. Comments, situations, and questions about what is really going on behind the scenes. I would rather not import that into a locker room that has stayed relatively clean in that regard.
Then it comes back to cost. You are not getting him without giving up something real, and for me, Rasheer Fleming is as close to untouchable as it gets on this roster. The value, the upside, the contract…that is the kind of piece you hold onto and develop. That is how you build something sustainable.
And even beyond that, what are you realistically offering that Milwaukee Bucks would even want? They are navigating their own version of this problem. Limited flexibility, trying to stay competitive, trying to manage their own future.
So for me, it is simple. Too much cost, too much risk, too many questions.
Hard no.
I do want to acknowledge the thought process that Bright Side community member FanSince93 brought up: in the past, the Suns have gone star-chasing, and it has worked out successfully. My response?
I hear you, and this is where the math matters more than the name on the jersey.
When Charles Barkley, Steve Nash, and Chris Paul arrived in Phoenix, the financial landscape allowed it. The Phoenix Suns could absorb those contracts and still build out a real roster around them. There was flexibility. There was room to breathe.
That is not the reality now.
You are already carrying $23.2 million in dead cap. That alone limits your ability to maneuver. Then you look at Devin Booker, who is set to take up 34.6% of the cap next season. Add Giannis Antetokounmpo at 35.4%, and you are sitting at 70% of your cap tied up in two players. Layer the dead cap on top of that, and now you are at $138.8 million committed. With a projected cap of $165 million, that is 84.1% of your total space gone before you even start filling out the rest of the roster.
That is not team building, that is irresponsible roster construction.
At that point, you are scraping for minimum contracts, hoping to hit on undervalued pieces, and asking a thin roster to hold up over an 82-game season and into the postseason. Depth disappears. Flexibility disappears. Margin for error disappears.
So yeah, the comparison to past eras does not hold. The structure is different. The constraints are tighter. And in this version of the NBA, you cannot stack two max-level players like that, carry dead money, and still expect to field a balanced, competitive team.
It looks good on paper. The reality underneath it is a roster that is too thin to sustain anything meaningful.
It is a good exercise, because it forces you to walk through everything. The history of the Phoenix Suns, how those teams were built, what worked, what didn’t, and whether something like this is even realistic. Because at the end of the day, Giannis Antetokounmpo is elite. And if you are talking about chasing a championship, elite talent matters. But so does fit. So does structure. So does balance.
I have lived on this island for a while now: Devin Booker is a star, but not a superstar. He is one of the best players in the league. He can carry you, he can elevate you, but he cannot do it alone. He needs help. He needs someone next to him who raises the ceiling of the entire operation. That part is real.
We have seen Phoenix try it. Kevin Durant was that swing. An elite player, a historically great scorer, someone who can get a bucket whenever you need it. And it did not work. Not because Durant is not great, but because what he brought was not what this team needed. They needed flow. They needed edge. They needed connectivity. They needed depth. KD didn’t give them that. He was elite, but he wasn’t the right fit for Devin.
And when you commit that much of your resources to the top of the roster, everything underneath it gets thinner. That is the part that does not get talked about enough. You become top-heavy, and when things tighten, when injuries hit, when the margins shrink, you feel it everywhere.
That is why the Giannis conversation stops for me before it really starts. Yes, he would work next to Booker. I believe that. But what is left after you make that move? What does the rest of the roster look like? How do you build around that financially? How do you sustain it?
Because balance is what wins.
Look around the league. The Oklahoma City Thunder have it. Youth, depth, and flexibility are all working together. But none of their guys have hit the max money threshold and the decisions they create…yet. The San Antonio Spurs are building toward it with Victor Wembanyama as the centerpiece, and again, youth is at the center, as it allows financial flexibility. In the East, teams like the Boston Celtics have managed their money in a way that supports their two max stars instead of suffocating the roster around them. That is the blueprint.
So yeah, it is fun to think about. It is fun to run through the scenarios. But I always land in the same place. I do not want to chase stars at the expense of everything else.
And that does leave a lingering question. How far can this team go with Booker as the centerpiece? Is there a ceiling there? Is there a moment when you have to make a different kind of decision? I do not have that answer yet. That is the part that will linger, that will carry into the summer, that will sit in the back of every conversation.
But I know this much. Giannis is not the answer to the questions I am asking.
The 2025-26 men's college basketball season came to an end on Monday, April 6, with maize-and-blue confetti falling from the rafters of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis after Michigan held on to beat UConn 69-63 in the championship game of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament.
One day after the Wolverines hoisted the NCAA championship trophy, cut down the nets and savored their one shining moment, they added a few other bullet points to a lengthy and impressive resume from the best season in program history.
To the no one's surprise, Coach Dusty May's team finished the season atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 on Tuesday, April 7. They were followed by, in order, UConn, Arizona, Duke and Illinois to round out the top five.
Though it finished with a relatively close championship game win, Michigan had one of the more dominant runs through the NCAA tournament in recent memory, winning their first five games by an average of 21.6 points, capped off by a 91-73 drubbing of fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four.
With the season now complete, here's a look at the final Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 from the 2025-26 season:
Others receiving votes: Utah State 37; Saint Louis 30; UCLA 28; North Carolina 28; Saint Mary's 16; Miami (OH) 9; BYU 8; High Point 7; Villanova 4; UCF 3; Kentucky 3; VCU 2
AP Top 25
This section will be updated when the poll is released.
SAN FRANCISCO — Dissecting the final play of the Warriors’ loss to the Rockets in Steph Curry’s return, many fans’ eyes darted to Brandin Podziemski.
The third-year guard appeared to miss Draymond Green signaling for him to come to the top of the key and act as a second screener for Curry, who was forced to take a contested look that clanked off the rim as time expired in the 117-116 defeat Sunday night.
After practice a day later, Podziemski explained why he didn’t leave his spot on the left side of the floor, where De’Anthony Melton had also initially set up.
Brandin Podziemski stayed on the left wing late, saying he didn’t want to “bring a third guy into the equation” as the Warriors tried to free Steph Curry for the final shot. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
“In those low-clock moments, you want to give your best players as much space as you can to … just make a play,” Podziemski said. “You don’t want to crowd them with bodies.”
Curry had scored eight points in the final five minutes to pull the Warriors from down double digits to within one with 11 seconds left. He brought the ball up the middle of the court, trailing Green, who attempted to free Curry from Amen Thompson.
It instead resulted in both Thompson and Green’s defender, Jabari Smith Jr., with their arms in Curry’s face as he heaved the game-winner that wasn’t to be.
Podziemski remained stationary on the left wing, even though Green appeared to motion at him as he curled to set the screen for Curry. The Warriors hoped to target Alperen Sengun, who ended up on Podziemski, but the young guard was concerned about involving a third defender.
“I think it was a little jumbled up because you had Steph coming down the middle of the floor and we had me and Melton and Draymond on the left side and I think Gary on the right side,” Podziemski said. “We all know we wanted Sengun in it. But as soon as I saw Dray go screen, I was like, ‘I’m not gonna bring a third guy into the equation.’ …
Steph Curry had the ball with a chance to win after scoring eight points in the final five minutes, but his contested look at the buzzer fell short in his return. AP
“I don’t want to run up there with Sengun just because I have Sengun on me, to bring another guy into his airspace, so I kind of just left it be where it was.”
Curry said the plan was to get Sengun in a pick-and-roll situation. Instead, “everything kind of got a little stagnant at the top of the key,” he said. “It seemed like there was a wall at the 3-point line and I couldn’t figure out exactly where to go.”
Draymond Green tried to free Steph Curry with a late screen at the top of the key as the Warriors attempted to create a final look against the Rockets. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The shot fell off iron and Curry’s return to the court received a rotten ending. With Green as their largest player on the court, they weren’t able to stop Sengun from converting in the paint to reclaim the lead after Golden State pulled ahead ever so briefly 115-114 with 20 seconds left.
“We probably could have done a couple things better on the last two possessions, one on defense and one on offense,” Kerr said. “But all in all, really, really impressive display from our guys getting back into the game, making big shots, big plays and giving ourselves a chance.”
The outcome didn’t matter much in terms of the standings, but it’s worth noting that there were other factors that altered the end of the game. In the NBA’s two-minute report released Monday, the league said that two calls should have gone in the Warriors’ direction that didn’t.
Curry should have been sent to the line for an and-one after converting a layup in traffic with 1:27 left. And Sengun’s three-point play with 1:01 to go should have been wiped out by a three-second violation, according to the after-action report.
Still, Curry had the ball in his hands with the chance to win the game.
“People probably say it’s a tough shot,” Podziemski said. “But I don’t think it’s a tough shot for Steph.”
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Two teams coming off rare wins will look to make it two in a row as the Brooklyn Nets host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
Milwaukee is sitting much of what little talent they still have for this game, so my Bucks vs. Nets predictions are taking Brooklyn to cover.
Read on for my free NBA picks for Tuesday, April 7.
Bucks vs Nets prediction
Bucks vs Nets best bet: Nets +2 (-110)
Both of these teams are coming off wins despite playing with rosters that hardly resemble what they looked like earlier this season. The Milwaukee Bucks are counting on players like Ryan Rollins and Cormac Ryan, while the Brooklyn Nets have been led by options such as Jalen Wilson and Nolan Traore.
The list of injuries is astounding, with Giannis Antetokunmpo, Bobby Portis, Nic Claxton, and Michael Porter Jr. among the recognizable names that won’t be playing tonight.
So how are these teams winning? By playing other teams out of the playoff race, of course.
The Bucks have recent wins over the Grizzlies and Mavericks. On the other hand, Brooklyn has gotten its recent victories over the Wizards and Kings, possibly the two teams most committed to tanking in the entire league.
Fundamentally, the Bucks have been the better team this season, but today’s injury report has changed the calculus significantly.
Milwaukee will be without Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, and Ryan Rollins, all players who started in the victory over Memphis. The Bucks' one advantage was in their depth of reasonably capable role players, and now we know they’re all siting out tonight.
The Nets at least bring back the lineup that has seen some limited success in recent games, with Traore in particular showing some growth late in his rookie season.
With what passes for more talent on the court and the healthier roster, I’m taking Brooklyn to cover.
Bucks vs Nets same-game parlay
Traore has been one of the few bright spots for the Nets late in the season. He’s averaged 15.8 ppg over his last four outings, and is getting lots of shooting volume, making him a good pick to hit his scoring total tonight.
However, with the overall lack of talent on the court — especially with all the players being held out by Milwaukee — I’m taking the Under, which has hit in four of Brooklyn’s last six games.
Bucks vs Nets SGP
Nets +2
Under 220
Nolan Traore Over 14.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Youth is served
Let’s go all in on two of Brooklyn’s young players who have been getting significant playing time lately to hit their props.
I’m sticking with Traore to hit his scoring Over, and combining that with a bet on the 19-year-old to hit Over 1.5 threes, something he’s done in three of his last four games.
I’ll also take Wilson to dish out at least three assists after picking up four dimes against the Wizards on Sunday.
Bucks vs Nets SGP
Nets +2
Nolan Traore Over 14.5 points
Nolan Traore Over 1.5 threes made
Jalen Wilson Over 2.5 assists
Bucks vs Nets odds
Spread: Bucks -2 | Nets +2
Moneyline: Bucks -140 | Nets +115
Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220
Bucks vs Nets betting trend to know
The Nets are 6-3 ATS in their last nine overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Nets.
How to watch Bucks vs Nets
Location
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-Wisconsin, WLNY
Bucks vs Nets latest injuries
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It’s a jam-packed day of NBA action with 10 games on the schedule, but as is the case with late-season NBA, we’ve got a lot of massive spreads. Tonight's slate features five games with spreads at -10 or higher.
Sometimes, games with big spreads are best to attack with NBA player props. My NBA picks for today have plays in three of those games, including Ace Bailey continuing his strong play for the Jazz.
The Indiana Pacers are just winding down the clock on the season. They obviously have issues everywhere, but one of the best places to exploit them is on the glass.
Indiana enters this matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves ranked 24th in opponent rebounds per game and 27th in rebounding rate since the All-Star break.
The T-wolves have an obvious rebounding props candidate in Rudy Gobert, but the big man isn’t my favorite value on the board tonight. The honor belongs to guard Donte DiVincenzo.
While DiVincenzo hasn’t had much impact on the glass lately, he still averages 4.2 rebounds per game, and we’re getting the Over at 3.5 at plus money.
The other thing to like about this play is that the Pacers take the 12th most threes per game since coming out of the break. That means long boards to grab for DiVincenzo.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN-North, FDSN-Indiana
Prop #2: Ace Bailey Over 17.5 points
-115 at bet365
The Utah Jazz have clearly gone full tank mode down the stretch, but one guy is still getting minutes and making the most of them: Ace Bailey.
Bailey is showing why he was worth a high lottery pick. He’s averaging 19.5 points per game over his last 15 games, which includes him shooting a solid 37.7% from 3-point range.
He gets an interesting matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans has been playing better basketball once the team got healthy, but it was too little too late, and they're out of the playoffs.
On that note, though, Trey Murphy III is out for this game, and Dejounte Murray is questionable, two of their best defenders. That’s not great for a team that still ranks 19th in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: KJZZ, GCSEN
Prop #3: John Collins Over 11.5 points
-115 at bet365
The Los Angeles Clippers are locked into a Play-In spot in the Western Conference, but playing those games at home is still on the table with a strong finish.
The Mavericks need that offensive outburst because they aren’t stopping anyone from scoring, particularly on the inside. Dallas enters tonight’s matchup ranked 24th in defensive rating and 27th in opponent points in the paint since coming out of the All-Star break.
That has me targeting John Collins. The power forward is in a groove, averaging 19.8 points over his last four games with a .704 effective field goal percentage, putting up at least 15 points in all four.
He keeps that going by dominating the Mavs down low.
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Now that the confetti has been swept up and the nets have been cut down, there is one final piece of business to close the book on the men’s college basketball season.
Michigan takes its rightful place as No. 1 in the season-ending USA TODAY Sports coaches poll after claiming the program's second title with a defeat of Connecticut. The Wolverines, who held the top spot for a stretch during the regular season, finishes atop the rankings for the first time since USA TODAY began administration of the coaches poll. Their previous title in 1989. The runner-up Huskies finish at No. 2 overall, though the Huskies did not receive every second-place vote among the 31 panelists.
Arizona lands at No. 3 overall. Duke, which entered the tournament at No. 1 , finishes ahead of semifinalist Illinois for the No. 4 spot despite falling short of the Final Four thanks to UConn’s buzzer-beater.
Houston lands at No. 6 in the final rankings, followed by Purdue and Iowa State. Florida, the first top regional seed eliminated, topples to No. 9. St. John’s rounds out the top 10.
It’s an impressive final poll for the Big Ten. In addition to ending its championship drought while sending two representatives to the Final Four, the league ends up with seven ranked teams in all as Wisconsin narrowly edges Utah State for the No. 25 spot.
The SEC lands six thanks to No. 24 Texas’s surprising run from First Four to Sweet 16. The Big 12 is next with five teams in the top 25, and the ACC lands four.
Two teams whose seasons feel like they’ve been in extended garbage time clash on Tuesday, when the Chicago Bulls visit the Washington Wizards.
The Bulls come in riding a seven-game losing streak, while Washington has just a single win in its last 23 games, part of the reason they’re five-point home ‘dogs in the NBA odds.
Even though these are two of the worst scoring defenses in the NBA, my Bulls vs. Wizards predictions and free NBA picks has this coming in Under an exceptionally high total.
Bulls vs Wizards prediction
Bulls vs Wizards best bet: Under 251.5 points (-110)
Except for a one-point loss to Memphis, every other game in the Chicago Bulls’ seven-game slide has been a demolition, losing by double digits in each.
During this skid, they are allowing an NBA-worst 134.7 points per game, with teams shooting 51.4% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.
They are also limping into the US Capital, with Josh Giddey, the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and assist man down with a hamstring injury.
Barring an unforeseen four-game win streak (and help), the Washington Wizards will finish the year with the worst record in the NBA, and a legit shot at the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
They’ve locked that in with a futile 1-22 run, where they’ve allowed a league-worst 129.3 points per game. That includes three games allowing 150+ points, and 10 at 130+.
But a little closer into the numbers, and these teams aren’t locks to combine for 249 points.
The Wiz have hit the Over seven of the last 10, but Overs that cashed at 249+ points (4) came against teams that were in the playoff picture.
The Bulls have actually gone Under the total in three of their last four, and the last 10 head-to-heads between these teams have produced just one Over at this hefty number – and they’ve cashed the Under in each of the last five.
Bulls vs Wizards same-game parlay
Washington has been allowing teams to shoot 37% from three during this skid, and Leonard Miller has had the range of late, hitting at least two triples in three of his last four games.
I’m not sure how a 7-footer has just one game with 5+ rebounds in nine games, but that’s where we are with Tristan Vukcevic. However, he did pull down eight boards against the Bulls in their lone meeting this season.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Under 251.5 points
Leonard Miller Over 1.5 3-pointers made
Tristan Vukcevic Over 4.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Silver liners for Wizards
It's been a banner stretch for Washington rookie Will Riley, who's coming off back-to-back 30+ point games, and has actually cracked the 20-point plateau in four of his last six.
He's a far different player than the one that logged just three minutes and recorded one assist in his first game against Chicago on Nov 22.
Bub Carrington has just one game with at least three boards in his last eight, but he’s pulled down at least three rebounds in four of his last five games against the Bulls.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Under 251.5 points
Leonard Miller Over 1.5 3-pointers made
Tristan Vukcevic Over 4.5 rebounds
Will Riley Over 19.5 points
Bub Carrington Over 2.5 rebounds
Bulls vs Wizards odds
Spread: Chicago -6 (-110) | Washington +6 (-110)
Moneyline: Chicago -225 | Washington +185
Over/Under: Over 251.5 (-110) | Under 251.5 (-110)
Bulls vs Wizards betting trend to know
Chicago has covered the spread in 10 of their last 13 games following a loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Wizards.
How to watch Bulls vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, MNMT
Bulls vs Wizards latest injuries
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Mar 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Isaiah J. Downing/Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
North Carolina is working toward finalizing a deal with NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone to lead the Tar Heels’ basketball program, according to a report.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school hasn’t publicly discussed its search. Malone would replace Hubert Davis, who was fired March 24 after five seasons as the successor to retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams.
The 54-year-old Malone spent 12 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, including a 10-year run in Denver. He led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets fired Malone last spring with less than a week left in that regular season. Almost a year to the day, in another surprise move, Malone is on the verge of taking over a blue-blood program with six national titles, a record 21 appearances in the Final Four and alums including Michael Jordan, James Worthy Vince Carter and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.
UNC now has big-name former pro coaches leading its two highest-profile programs. The Tar Heels hired six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as their football coach in December 2024. Belichick struggled to a 4-8 record in his debut season.
Davis’ firing opened one of the top jobs in college basketball for only the fourth time since the late Hall of Famer Dean Smith’s retirement after 36 seasons in October 1997.
The job had stayed in the “Carolina Family” ever since. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge replaced Smith, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, former Smith assistant Williams and then Davis, who played under Smith and worked on Williams’ staff.
Names like Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Michigan’s Dusty May and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan — who led Florida to the 2006 and 2007 NCAA titles — had been linked to the job since Davis’ firing. Lloyd announced at the Final Four that he would return to the Wildcats while praising UNC for “the way they’ve handled this.”
Three days later, the search had turned in an unexpected direction with Malone, who never has been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His primary connection to UNC athletics is the presence of daughter Bridget on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team.
During an October appearance on the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast, Malone recalled hearing his late father, NBA coach Brendan Malone, talk often about Smith and UNC basketball. He also mentioned attending multiple recent practices and Davis asking him to speak to the team at least once.
“I’ve always been a Carolina fan,” Malone said. “And when (Bridget) decided to come here that made it even that much more special, because now I’m ‘Go Heels’ for everything. I root for all the teams, have fallen in love with Chapel Hill.”
Malone’s time in the NBA included a brief stint in Sacramento, where he was fired in December 2014, just 24 games into his second season. He also worked as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and Golden State Warriors.
Malone had stints in college as an assistant at Oakland, Providence and Manhattan. He spent only one season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, working as director of men’s basketball administration at Virginia under Pete Gillen in 1998-99.
David Adelman, Malone’s successor in Denver, said he was happy for his friend, adding that Malone would be comfortable with players earning big money through name, image and likeness deals.
“It’s more of a professional environment now, especially at schools like that, where you have to look at it like these guys are under contract now,” Adelman said. “And I think a lot of NBA coaches understand what it means to coach somebody that’s making money.”
Perhaps the most intriguing storyline heading into the final week of the NBA regular season, aside from who is eligible for postseason awards, is the race to avoid the play-in tournament.
The race in the Eastern Conference is really intriguing, as the battle for the No. 5 and 6 seeds is heating up, with six teams separated by just 3 1/2 games going into play on Tuesday, April 7.
Here is a look at the current playoff picture: Each of these teams is a lock for at least the play-in tournament. Records through April 7.
5. Atlanta Hawks (45-34)
Remaining schedule: at Cleveland (Wednesday, April 8), vs. Cleveland (Friday, April 10), at Miami (Sunday, April 12)
Magic number to clinch at least No. 5 seed: 3
Magic number to clinch at least No. 6 seed: 2
6. Toronto Raptors (43-35)
Remaining schedule: vs. Miami (Tuesday, April 7), vs. Miami (Thursday, April 9), at New York (Friday, April 10), vs. Brooklyn (Sunday, April 12)
Magic number to clinch at least No. 6 seed: 4; doesn't control destiny for No. 5 seed.
7. Philadelphia 76ers (43-36)
Remaining schedule: at Houston (Thursday, April 9), at Indiana (Friday, April 10), vs. Milwaukee (Sunday, April 12)
Magic number to clinch at least No. 8 seed: 3; doesn't control destiny for No. 5, 6 or 7 seed.
8. Charlotte Hornets (43-36)
Remaining schedule: at Boston (Tuesday, April 7), vs. Detroit (Friday, April 10), at New York (Sunday, April 12)
Magic number to clinch at No. 8 seed: 3; doesn't control destiny for No. 5, 6 or 7 seed.
9. Orlando Magic (43-36)
Remaining schedule: vs. Minnesota (Wednesday, April 8), at Chicago (Friday, April 10), at Boston (Sunday, April 12)
Magic number to clinch at least No. 9 seed: 2; doesn't control destiny for No. 5, 6, 7 or 8 seed.
10. Miami Heat (41-37)
Remaining schedule: at Toronto (Tuesday, April 7), at Toronto (Thursday, April 9), at Washington (Friday, April 10), vs. Atlanta (Sunday, April 12)
Doesn't control destiny for No. 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 seed
Already eliminated
Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 6: Keldon Johnson #3, Devin Vassell #24, and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs huddle up after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 6, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I guess it’s a useful exercise, as we tiptoe ever closer to the promised land, to take one more quick glance at the abyss.
A Victor Wembanyama injury, short term, long term, chronic, you name it, is the proverbial other shoe waiting to drop. It’s not an anchor that weighs the franchise down, and it’s not an albatross slung around its neck. It’s just something that’s there. Existing in the space. A situation that every single person associated with this franchise is keenly aware of, and knows we might eventually have to reckon with.
The availability of our tall Frenchman isn’t just a variable, it’s the variable. It changes everything about everything. When he is at full strength, the world of possibilities is completely open to us. Every game is winnable. Every season could end in a title. I watched Victor Wembanyama for the first time in person last year and immediately came here and wrote a column about how the Spurs franchise might someday rival Real Madrid as a global brand. Like, right? That’s crazy. But look me in the eyes and tell me Victor isn’t going to try to get it there. The point is, when we have access to a generational beam of light like Victor, our kingdom simply becomes everything the light touches.
But that’s not really how best laid plans work, is it?
When Victor isn’t part of the equation, everything shifts a little. The possibilities on the map start to shrink. That confident “every game is winnable” feeling gets quietly replaced by something more like “okay, let’s see.” You stop thinking about winning titles and start thinking about making playoff runs. Putting up a good fight. Things become a bit less lofty. More grounded. More real. Maybe we aren’t the next Real Madrid, just the same plucky small-market underdogs we’ve always been. It’s fine. Good. Nice, even. Things don’t become dark, but there’s more shade than there used to be.
The broadcast kept replaying the collision over and over, and I couldn’t help but sit with that feeling for a moment. Really let it burrow into my brain and hang out there. It’s a jarring thing to be confronted with, you know? The fun. The party. The wins. The expectations. This freight train we’re all riding right now, this new era of Spurs basketball barreling toward something real, can get derailed so very quickly.
And as I sat there in my funk, confronting my own mortality, plotting which British WWI poem would serve as a nice opener for this column, a funny thing continued to play out on the court.
The Spurs didn’t really skip a beat. They made the necessary adjustments to accommodate the 7’6″ hole in the lineup and then continued to do what they’ve done all season. They played hard and pushed the pace. They were physical. They moved the ball and found the open man. Stephon Castle went from tossing lobs to Wemby to tossing the same lobs to Luke Kornet with such nonchalance that I almost wondered if he even knew about the injury that was causing my entire worldview to come crashing down.
It was fun. I had fun watching them just keep the Sixers at bay. Keldon getting in the paint like a bull in a china shop, howling after a layup. Dylan Harper quietly morphing into an assassin from three, never mind the wrong-foot finishes at the rim like he’s been doing it for a decade. Fox filling every hole. Castle being a superstar. Devin providing runs exactly when we need them.
You can’t help but marvel. The performance we saw in the second half was from as complete a team as we’ve seen grace the court in San Antonio in a long, long time. Which is a funny thing to say about a team that was missing its best player.
We don’t say it out loud very often, because obviously. But there are going to be stretches without him. Maybe a playoff game. Maybe a season. Maybe more? That’s just a reality of how the league works. How life works. It’s not something you plan for, it’s an impact you brace for once the sirens go off.
And yet. He is everything to this franchise. He has to be. You can’t play scared when it comes to building around someone like Victor. When he’s out there, he blots out the sun. He bends the whole operation toward himself just by existing on the floor. Every defensive scheme in the league has to account for him. Every possession has an extra dimension. The ceiling becomes genuinely limitless in a way that it isn’t for almost any other team on the planet.
Maybe I’m high off the good vibes from a win. Maybe this season has rocked me out of my pessimism cave just enough to see the light. Maybe I’m just getting old. But last night was a crystal clear demonstration of something important.
Victor might be everything, but he can’t literally be everything.
The Spurs being this good without him on the floor isn’t some consolation prize. It’s a result of the work that’s been put in. It’s the foundation those best laid plans actually built. It’s what happens when you keep pounding on that rock. He’s only everything because everything else works. He needs all of it as much as it needs him. He’s not everything despite the team.
He’s everything because of it.
Takeaways
Hey, 60 wins! How about that?
Stephon Castle turning into a triple-double machine is such an interesting development this season. It makes sense, his game has always been about doing all the little things, but man, I didn’t dare to dream he’d be doing all of them at this level. I expect him to find the open man. I expect him to grab that board. I expect those soft little mid-range jumpers to fall. The only thing I don’t know is what I’m supposed to expect next.
I almost don’t want to talk about Dylan Harper too much because I don’t want to jinx it. That said, it was fun watching him go toe to toe with VJ Edgecombe last night. Edgecombe is a blast. Still pretty glad we’ve got Dylan.
I’ve read enough about Joel Embiid to have a deep well of sympathy for him as a person. There’s a version of his career that reads as one of the more tragic arcs in league history. I mean, we talk about existential stress around the health and availability of our superstar big man, and what we’re describing is basically the Joel Embiid experience. I feel for him. I feel for Sixers fans. Truly.
I absolutely abhor watching him play basketball.
If you caught the broadcast, you heard them mention it, but just in case you didn’t, Spurs play-by-play man Jacob Tobey performed the national anthem before the game on Native American Heritage Night. It was a pretty cool moment. We’re racking up cool moments down here in San Antonio this year! It’s our whole thing!
WWL Post Game Press Conference
What British WWI poems do you think you were circling before the Spurs brought you back into the light?
Oh, I don’t know. There’s so many to choose from when you’re trying to find something about the bleakness of existence within the walls we’ve constructed around us.
Of course. That totally normal feeling we all get watching basketball.
Right. I had a whole plan where I was going to try and recreate “Break of Day in the Trenches” by Isaac Rosenberg and see if maybe the bitter irony of our haunting reality might translate into the Modern NBA landscape.
Isn’t that the one where the soldier talks to a rat?
Yeah, and like, the rat doesn’t care if we’re British or German, Spurs fan or Sixer fan. He sees us for what we are. Meat. Bones. A future home for the poppies.
And this is what you felt, watching Victor walk off the court holding his ribs.
Pretty close, yeah. War is hell. The slog of the NBA season? Not far from it. We spend it down here in the trenches, alive, but just so. We’re showered with indignities and horrors constantly, the false hope of a new dawn only serving to remind us that to be alive only means we haven’t managed to escape.
Wow, uh, thank god the Spurs played well in the second half I guess.
Yeah, maybe I’ll save poetry corner for the off season.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - APRIL 06: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic dunks the ball against Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Kia Center on April 06, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers suffered a disappointing defeat on Monday night to a San Antonio Spurs club that lost star Victor Wembanyama to a rib injury midway through the game. The loss moved Philadelphia out of a tie with Toronto and down into the seventh seed, which would mean an entry in the Play-In Tournament rather than an automatic postseason berth.
Unfortunately, that result wasn’t the only one Monday not to go the Sixers’ way as we enter the home stretch of the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Behind 31 points from Paolo Banchero, Orlando defeated the top-seeded Pistons, 123-107. The Magic now share an identical 43-36 record with the Sixers, with Charlotte joining them in a three-way tie. A silver lining for Sixers fans is that the Sixers currently hold the tiebreaker within that grouping; the difference between seventh and ninth is vast given the Play-In Tournament structure.
One game that did go Philadelphia’s way on Monday was Atlanta narrowly losing to the Knicks at home, 108-105. With the Sixers losing, though, they are still two games back of the Hawks with three to play. With Atlanta holding the tiebreaker, the Hawks are very likely out of reach.
Highlighted above are the games of note tonight. Toronto hosts Miami, and Sixers fans should be rooting for the Heat there, even though that would draw Miami slightly closer to Philadelphia. The reward for moving back up into sixth place is too great to entertain other alternatives. Charlotte is on the road in Boston in a nationally televised affair, so we find ourselves in the extremely dystopian position of rooting for the Celtics.
The Sixers aren’t back on the court until Thursday in Houston. Let’s hope tonight’s contests go their way.
Tonight's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday features two exciting matchups. First, at 8 PM ET, the Charlotte Hornets head to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics. Then, at 11:00 PM ET, it's the Houston Rockets vs Phoenix Suns. Live coverage begins with NBA Showtime at 7:00 PM ET on Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game. Follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
After starting the season 16-28, it didn't look like the Hornets would be any closer to ending their nine-season playoff drought—the longest in the NBA. But the Hornets have turned their season around, going 27-8 since January 22.
Charlotte currently sits eighth in the Eastern Conference, in Play-In Tournament position, with three games remaining.
Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick out of Duke in last year's draft, has had an impactful rookie season, leading the league with 265 shots made from three-point range. LaMelo Ball is second in the league with 255 3-point field goals.
Together with Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate, the Hornets boast the highest net rating (+28.5) of any five-man lineup since 2007-2008.
The Hornets look to make their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Boston, currently second in the Eastern Conference, has already clinched a playoff spot. With Jaylen Brown's dominant play and a healthy Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, the Celtics are chasing their 19th NBA title, which would extend their record for most championships in league history.
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Sportsbooks are struggling to handicap one of the best Rookie of the Year races in NBA history, thanks to the excellence of Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg.
Flagg is currently the odds-on favorite at major sportsbooks, despite Knueppel, his roommate at Duke, claiming a massive lead as recently as Sunday.
Key Takeaways
Odds flipped to Flagg after two huge games, despite a recent poll among voters favoring Knueppel.
Last year’s Rookie of the Year winner (Stephon Castle) was picked fourth, just like Knueppel.
The Charlotte Hornets face three top-five defenses to close their season.
Knueppel was a strong favorite to take home the NBA’s award for the most impressive first-timer in the league. That was compounded Friday when ESPN shared a straw poll of 100 league media members conducted Monday through Wednesday last week.
The results showed that Knueppel received 80 first-place, 19 second-place, and one third-place vote, resulting in 458 total points. Flagg received 20 first-place votes, 79 seconds, and one third, for 338 points, only 74% of his college teammate’s total. Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe was third with 98 points.
The results of the poll empowered DraftKings to shorten Knueppel’s odds from -250 on April 1 to -300 two days later when the results were released.
Knueppel became an even larger favorite (-330) on Sunday morning, despite Flagg becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 50 points (51) on a Friday night loss to the Orlando Magic. Those odds gave him an implied 76.7% chance to win the award, while Flagg’s +230 odds translated to a 30.3% probability.
Everything changed on Monday, one day after Flagg followed his 51-point explosion with 45 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in a nationally televised matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. He flipped to a -200 (66.7% chance) favorite at DraftKings overnight, and Knueppel ballooned to +140 (41.7% chance).
Rookie of the Year Odds movement for Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel over the past 2 weeks:
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) April 6, 2026
The total instability in the Rookie of the Year odds leaves everything to play for during the final week of the regular season. The Dallas Mavericks still have four games remaining, while the Charlotte Hornets will play three.
Flagg, Knueppel can’t shake each other
The back-and-forth between the former Duke Blue Devils isn’t anything new. The pair took turns jostling for position on the board, although Knueppel truly hit his stride during Flagg’s near-monthlong absence from Feb. 10 through March 5.
There are strong merits to both players’ cases. Flagg averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, putting him on pace to become the fourth rookie since the NBA-ABA merger to average 20/6/4, joining Luka Doncic, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird.
He’s also had several individual moments of history, such as only being 19 years and 103 days old when he dropped his first 50-piece.
Knueppel put up a stat line of 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, while already establishing himself as a historically efficient shooter. Even more impressively, he produced his 48/43/86 shooting splits while leading the NBA in made threes (265) at the time of writing, having already set the rookie record for made threes in a season.
He also started all but one game for the Hornets amid their remarkable franchise turnaround, helping to lead them to a 27-8 record since Jan. 22 that was the second-best mark in the league during that span.
Although the team record does not normally factor into the Rookie of the Year race, the Hornets only need to win one more game to have their best season as a franchise since 2015-16.
Kon Knueppel breaks the Charlotte Hornets franchise record for 3PM in a single season 🔥
▪️ KON KNUEPPEL: 261+ ▪️ Kemba Walker: 260 ▪️ Jason Richardson: 243
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) April 3, 2026
The final days ahead
Everything about the ongoing NBA Rookie of the Year race has made it clear that the race won’t be over until the winner is officially announced. Even the sportsbooks have had an uncharacteristically difficult time staying on top of the oscillating battle.
Flagg and the Mavericks finish their season by facing the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. Those teams rank 18th, 10th, third, and 23rd in defensive rating, respectively, giving Flagg a varying degree of difficulty to bolster his final numbers.
Knueppel and the Hornets have a tough finish to the year, with matchups against the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and New York Knicks, who rank third, fourth, and fifth in defensive rating.
Donte DiVincenzo
John Collins
Ace Bailey
Kurt Helin
