Category: Basketball

Oklahoma City Thunder (56-15)  at  Boston Celtics (47-24)
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
7:30 PM ET
Game #72, Home Game #36
TV: NBCSB, FDSN,, NBA-LP
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WWLS/WKY,  Sirius XM

The Celtics continue their 3 game home stand as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in what may be a Finals preview. This is the second, and final, regular season game between these two teams. The Celtics lost 104-102 in Oklahoma City on March 12. They lost the series 0-2 last season, with each team winning at home. The Celtics are 79-69 overall all time against the Thunder and they are 40-29 in games played in Boston.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are percentage points ahead of 3rd place New York, 3 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 7 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 7.5 games ahead of 6th place Atlanta, and 8.5 games ahead of 7th place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 18-10 against Western Conference opponents. They are 24-11 at home and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a loss in their last game.

The Thunder are 1st in the West, 3 games ahead of 2nd place San Antonio, 11 games ahead of the 3rd place Lakers, 13 games ahead of 4th place Denver and 5th place Minnesota, 13.5 games ahead of 6th place Houston and 17 games ahead of 7th place Phoenix. They are 20-6 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 28-8 on the road and 10-0 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 12 games.

After this game at home against Oklahoma City, the Celtics will host Atlanta to complete a 3 game home stand. Then it’s back on the road for a 4 game trip through Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.

The Thunder are playing in the final game of a 6 game road trip. They will return home for a 5 game home stand hosting Chicagok New York, Detroit, Los Angeles Lakers, and Utah. Then it’s on the road for a 3 game road trip to play the Lakers and Clippers in Los Angeles and finish the trip in Denver. They will finish the season with a game at home against Phoenix.

Both teams are relatively healthy. Nikola Vucevic remains out for the Celtics after surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. John Tonje is out on G-League assignment. Amare Williams and Max Shulga are questionable due to G-League assignment. For the Thunder, Thomas Sorber (knee) and Nikola Topic (G-League) are both out. In the first matchup, the Celtics were without both White and Tatum while the Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

SG: Jaylen Brown vs Luguentz Dort

SF: Sam Hauser vs Jalen Williams

PF: Jayson Tatum vs Chet Holmgren

C: Neemias Queta vs Isaiah Hartenstein

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
Max Shulga
Charles Bassey (10-Day)

2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr

Injuries/Out
Nikola Vucevic (finger) out
John Tonje (G-League) out
Amare Williams (G-League) questionable
Max Shulga (G-League) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Thunder Reserves
Alex Caruso
Ajay Mitchell
Isaiah Joe
Jared McCain
Aaron Wiggins
Cason Wallace
Jaylin Williams
Kenrich Williams

2-Way Players
Brooks Barnhizer
Branden Carlson
Payton Sandfort

Injuries/Out
Thomas Sorber (knee) out
Nikola Topic (G-League) out

Head Coach
Mark Daigneault

Key Matchups
Derrick White vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 55.5% from the field and 38.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, SGA finished with 35 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals while shooting 72.2% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and is one of the leaders to win it once again this season. He is the key to the Thunder’s winning ways. In order to slow the Thunder, the Celtics must slow down SGA.

Jayson Tatum vs Chet Holmgren
Holmgren is averaging 17.2 points, 9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game.  He is shooting 55.4% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. The Celtics must stay with him on defense whether he is in the paint or on the perimeter.  Jayson Tatum has been struggling somewhat in recent games and hopefully he will be able to play well in this game. 

Honorable Mention
Sam Hauser vs Jalen Williams
Williams is averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, , 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.  He is shooting 48.3% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc.   He missed the first game against the Celtics and this is just his 3rd game back from injury.   He has played in just 27 games this season. 

Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always the biggest key to winning.   This is going to be a tough matchup for the Celtics as the Thunder are first in the league with a defensive rating of 106.0 while the Celtics are 4th with a defensive rating of 111.5.   The Celtics need to tighten up their defense and make playing defense a priority especially against this Thunder team that plays lock down defense.

Rebound – Rebounding  is also a key to winning.  The Celtics need to rebound on the defensive end to keep the Thunder from getting second chance points and they need to rebound on the offensive end to give themselves extra possessions.  The Thunder are 13th with 44.1 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 4th with 46.5 rebounds per game.  Much of rebounding is desire and effort and the Celtics as a team have to put in the extra effort to grab rebounds.

Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics need to keep their focus and not turn the ball over.  The Thunder are 1st in the league with 22.3 points off turnovers per game. They are also 4th with 9.7 steals per game.  The Celtics have to move the ball because they are a much better team when they move the ball and don’t over dribble.   But they must focus and make careful passes and not get sloppy.  They also have to be aware when dribbling the ball so as not to allow the Thunder to get steals.  The Thunder will make them pay if they get sloppy and turn the ball over.

Be Focused and Ready for a Tough Game –  The Thunder are a very good team and they play exceptional defense. They are also a very physical team.  The Celtics have to be ready to go to the basket if they struggle from three.  They also have to be ready to shoot from midrange if both the paint and the perimeter are defended tightly.  The Celtics must stay focused on playing hard for 48 minutes and on playing tough defense and on matching the Thunder’s physicality.  They can’t afford to let the Thunder play harder than them. 

X-Factors
At Home vs Road Fatigue  – The Celtics are at home and they should get motivation from playing in front of their fans.  The Celtics at home for their 2nd straight game and should be refreshed  being at home. The Thunder are on the road with distractions of travel, staying in hotels and playing in front of a hostile crowd. They are playing in the final game of a 5 game road trip and so fatigue may be a factor for them down the stretch.

Officiating –  Officiating is always an x-factor. How the refs call the game has a big influence on how the teams play. Will they let them play or call every little bit of contact? Will they call it evenly or will they favor one team or the other. It all effects the outcome of the game and the Celtics need to play the right way and not allow the officiating to take them out of their game.  They can’t let bad calls and no calls take away their focus. 

With recent injuries, Jordan Ott has had to dig deep into his rotation and find guys to step up in big moments. We have seen this transpire, with young wings in Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming showing bright flashes of their game. Not only that, but veteran wings that have been late-season additions have also risen to the occasion. Players like Amir Coffey and Haywood Highsmith have made winning plays on both ends and filled holes this team lacked in the first half of the year.

Yet even though all this positive stuff has been said about this dynamic wing room, there are plenty of people who will say that it is too crowded. To those people, I have this to use against them; that is a ridiculous thing to say.

In this league, the wing position is the most coveted, and the Suns have the perfect blend in their rotation. This is a good problem for the team, and one they should not squander. When you look at each of them, too, it makes sense why this is not an issue.

First, let’s look at Dillon Brooks, who was a key piece for this team and came at the right moment. When this team needed an identity and culture shift, he was the perfect person to bring in to help build that structure. He does everything he can on the court to fire himself and his teammates up to make sure they are always ready for war. Some of these antics can cause him some unnecessary trouble with the referees, but his teammates always have his back.

Brooks has consistently been a leader for this team and arguably their second-best player. We have noticed it especially with him being out with the broken hand, missing his impact on both ends of the court. Brooks, though, is not the only one who brings this fire to the team.

The young wing duo is now flourishing, and due to those injuries, has seen increased developmental minutes together. Both Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming have made those eye-popping plays, whether it’s a crazy dunk or a block you could not imagine, they are taking the Valley by storm. Not to mention the great shooting that Fleming has displayed in this short stint in March, it really convinces fans to buy into the direction the Suns are heading.

Even with Dunn getting some DNP’s over a stretch, it did not faze him as he came back and has gotten better with each performance. To see the sophomore not get frustrated and use that as motivation to make sure he sticks in the lineup should only fuel the fire of the other wings who want playing time too.

Guys like Haywood Highsmith and Amir Coffey, two wings who came in the middle of the season, were acquired: Coffey from the Milwaukee Bucks and Highsmith from the buyout market. Both saw limited or no playing time due to injury, but have now integrated themselves as guys who have earned Ott’s trust.

Coffey was in and out of Doc Rivers’ rotation, but when he came to Phoenix, he seemed to fit like a glove. His ability to be a solid three-point shooter and a guy who hunted offensive rebounds was a perfect match for Ott’s playing style. His hustle has earned him a lot more credit than the box score shows every night, allowing him to get minutes when he’s healthy.

Highsmith was signed and brought in after being injured all season, but he seems not to skip a beat. His best game was just recently, when he went off for 16 points and 4 three-pointers in Boston. His ability to be a viable offensive option when the Suns were struggling from three was necessary to keep them afloat in the game. His defense is also fantastic with his 6’11” wingspan at 6’5”, allowing him to be disruptive on the ball and force plenty of turnovers, something the Suns love to create into their own opportunities.

Last but not least is Royce O’Neale, the three-point sniper. Even though he can be very hit-or-miss this year, he has been very good, shooting 40% from beyond the arc. This ability to be such a valuable shooter in an offense that runs heavily through the three-ball is key. In the game the other week against the Bucks, he was huge, making six threes in the third quarter alone to help the Suns secure the victory. His peskiness on defense also allows him to force plenty of turnovers that aid the team.

When all this is added together, it is clear they have the depth to step in and fill gaps when the Suns are in dire need of it, as they have recently. Compare this to last year, when the Suns were begging for Cody Martin to play so they could have some help on defense, praying that Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn would see the light and be released from the bench. Those are the painful days we all dread remembering, even if it was just a year ago. So why ruin all the fun and rush out of this, especially in a season when expectations were so low?

You continue to invest in the youth, as they are the future, yes, but you do not just cast others away because of bad performances or because someone is better than them in a short stint. Depending on how the remaining 10 games and, hopefully, the playoffs go, we will all have a better understanding. One thing is for sure, though: the Suns fans should be happy they have this “too many wings” issue, instead of trying to force a hypothetical trade for no reason.

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The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers are both jockeying for playoff positions in their respective conferences, and with just a few weeks left in the regular season, neither can afford to give games away.

My Raptors vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks expect Toronto to cover at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Wednesday, March 25.

Raptors vs Clippers prediction

Raptors vs Clippers best bet: Raptors +4 (-110)

The Toronto Raptors close out a five-game road trip, four of which were on the West Coast, with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.

Despite a couple of tough losses, the Raptors remain competitive — at least in the eyes of sportsbooks. Toronto has gone 5-1 against the spread in its last six games, thanks in large part to an offense that has started to click.

The Raptors rank 14th in offensive rating since the All-Star break and fourth over this six-game stretch. That has a lot to do with the return of center Jakob Poeltl, allowing them to space the floor better and run more pick-and-rolls.

Meanwhile, the Clippers continue to be inconsistent, despite getting great efforts out of former Raptor Kawhi Leonard recently.

Offense hasn’t been the issue. L.A. ranks just 19th in defensive rating since the All-Star break and is a big reason why it's just 10-8 during that period. The Clippers also rank 24th in 3-point shooting percentage in those games.

On top of that, the Clips have underperformed as favorites in recent weeks, going 2-4-1 ATS in their last seven games when laying points.

The Raptors will rely on their revamped offense to keep this game close throughout, so I’ll happily back them to cover this spread.

Raptors vs Clippers same-game parlay

The Clippers' defensive issues aren’t just on the perimeter; they also rank 20th in opponent points in the paint per game post-ASB.

Meaning Poeltl will be a problem for them. The Raps’ big man has topped 17 points in three straight games.

The Raptors won’t be the only ones cooking on offense in Inglewood tonight. Toronto's perimeter defense has slipped lately, ranking 27th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage, and Kawhi is on fire. 

Leonard is averaging 30 points over his last 11 games while shooting 42.5% from three. Add Kawhi Over 2.5 threes.

Raptors vs Clippers SGP

• Over 227
• Jakob Poeltl Over 10.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Over 2.5 threes made

Our "from downtown" SGP: Three's company

Both teams have struggled with switches on the perimeter lately, so it may be on the nose for our "from downtown" SGP, but let's let it fly.

Brook Lopez is fresh off a 5-for-6 shooting night from deep, and he'll be good for two made threes against this putrid Toronto perimeter D.

Meanwhile, Quickley and Barrett's 3-point volume is more than high enough to reach these totals in Inglewood, thanks to L.A.'s shaky D.

Raptors vs Clippers SGP

• Kawhi Leonard Over 2.5 threes made
• Brook Lopez Over 1.5 threes made
• Immanuel Quickley Over 2.5 threes made
• RJ Barrett Over 1.5 threes made

Raptors vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Raptors +4 | Clippers -4
• Moneyline: Raptors +150 | Clippers -180
• Over/Under: Over 227 | Under 227

Raptors vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Clippers have only covered the first-half spread in 12 of their last 35 games for -14.60 Units and a -36% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Clippers.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the midst of a three-game stretch against teams from the Sunshine State. On Wednesday, they’ll take on the Miami Heat for the first of two games in a row against an opponent they could face in the first round of the playoffs.

The Cavs’ position at fourth in the conference is seemingly set. Spots five through 10 in the standings aren’t. Right now, two-and-a-half games separate the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors and the 10th-seeded Heat.

Miami is struggling and has fallen to the bottom of the Play-In as a result. They’ve lost five in a row. We’ll see if the Cavs can extend that losing streak a couple of games further this week.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (45-27) vs. Miami Heat (38-34)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Wed., March 25 at 7:30 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -2.5

Cavs injury report: Max Strus – OUT (injury management), Dean Wade – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Larry Nance Jr. – QUESTIONABLE (illness), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League)

Heat injury report: Terry Rozier – OUT (not with team), Vladislav Goldin – OUT (G League), Trevor Keels – OUT (G League), Jahmir Young – OUT (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley

Heat expected starting lineup: Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Pelle Larsson, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo

Previous matchup: The shorthanded (and later fined) Cavs defeated the Heat 130-116 on Nov. 12.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

NEW YORK — After years of rumor and speculation, the NBA is moving — suddenly rather quickly — toward expansion.

The league announced Wednesday, March 25 that its Board of Governors voted to formally explore bids for potential expansion franchises to be added to the Seattle and Las Vegas markets. The vote took place at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where owners and their proxies gathered to discuss the prospect of adding a pair of teams in those markets.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters at the conclusion of the meetings that financial terms or figures were not discussed, and that the conversation focused on the competitive impact expansion would have on the NBA. Although Silver would not comment or speculate on franchise fees and eventual valuations of expansion teams, some reports have indicated potential valuations hovering between $7 billion and $10 billion.

“The market will determine the value of these teams and then we will decide whether it makes sense to move forward,” Silver said. “But I anticipate that there will be robust interest.”

Here’s everything you need to know about NBA expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas:

Billy Donovan is used to the rumors connecting him to high-profile college basketball jobs. It feels like it happens every time there’s a marquee opening in the coaching cycle. To this point, Donovan has been comfortable sticking in the NBA as the leader of the Chicago Bulls for the last six seasons. While the team has only made one playoff appearance since hiring Donovan, that has more to do with the Bulls’ slumlord-style ownership under Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf and a delusional and incompetent front office led by Arturas Karnisovas.

Would you believe the Bulls currently have the best shot profile in the NBA? It’s true: Chicago is No. 1 in shooting location effective field goal percentage according to Cleaning the Glass, a stat that captures what the team’s eFG% would be if they shot a league-average field goal percentage from each location. Throw in Donovan’s defensive success with the Bulls — the 2022-23 team finished No. 5 in defensive rating despite playing with a lousy defensive core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic — and there’s a case to be made that Donovan is still an excellent head coach who maximizes the talent on the flawed rosters Karnisovas gives him.

The Bulls finally punted on trying to compete for the play-in tournament at the trade deadline by tearing down the roster. It feels like Chicago is going to be in for a long, long rebuild, and that doesn’t feel like the right fit for the 60-year-old Donovan. On Tuesday morning, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that there’s “growing speculation that Donovan might step away” from the Bulls after the season. On Tuesday night, North Carolina fired Hubert Davis as head coach, and Donovan’s name was immediately near the top of the list of potential replacements.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reported that Donovan is “expected to be at or near the top of the list” for North Carolina. There’s also speculation that the Kansas Jayhawks job could open up in this cycle if Bill Self steps down to focus on his health. Donovan is still under contract with the Bulls for next season, but “there are a ton of people in (his) circle right now that have told him to get the hell out of there,” according to long-time college hoops insider Jeff Goodman.

Does Billy Donovan want to go back to college? His name was also surfaced for the Kentucky job two years ago before Mark Pope was hired, and he never interviewed or became a serious candidate. Donovan might have a few different options before him with the end of Chicago’s season coming on April 12.

Billy Donovan could take a year off

Donovan has had a tough year, and it has nothing to do with another lost season for the Bulls. Chicago Tribune writer Julia Poe chronicled Donovan dealing with multiple family tragedies this season while continuing to lead the wayward Bulls.

Donovan’s father died in February. His mother-in-law died weeks later. Shortly after that, Donovan’s mother had her leg amputated after circulation issues.

Donovan is already in the Hall of Fame for his back-to-back national championships at Florida. He has nothing to prove. Taking a year off to assess his future options and tend to his family would make plenty of sense.

Could the Bulls elevate Donovan to the front office?

Donovan has been tied to GM Arturas Karnisovas as the man who hired him. If Karnisovas keeps his job beyond this season, it’s only because the Reinsdorfs don’t actually care if their team is successful.

Any reasonable organization would fire Karnisovas for turning what should be a marquee franchise into a punchline. Of course, the Bulls were already a disaster in the ‘GarPax’ era with John Paxson and Gar Foreman in the front office, and somehow the Reinsdorfs hired someone even worse at the job.

One of Karnisovas’ best moves was hiring Donovan to succeed the ruinous Jim Boylen era. If the organization likes Donovan with him under contract, could it elevate him to the front office, fire Karnisovas, and let him hire another head coach? Hey, it worked for the Boston Celtics with Brad Stevens.

When asked about moving to the front office last season, Donovan said he wasn’t interested:

The Bulls need to clean house, but trying to make Donovan the new GM would make some sense. It’s also possible both Donovan and Karnisovas return to their current roles next year, but the Bulls would be primed for another bad season where they’re likely competing for a top pick in a weaker 2027 draft. It just feels like it makes no sense for Donovan to be the Bulls’ coach next season barring a huge infusion of talent that isn’t coming. Only a broken franchise would retain Karnisovas for another year, but we already know the Bulls are exactly that.

Could Donovan take another NBA job?

The Orlando Magic agreed to a contract with Donovan to become their head coach in 2007. He backed out of it days later, and continued his college coaching career at Florida.

The Magic feel like the best NBA job that could open this offseason. Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Suggs is a great young core if they can actually stay healthy, Desmond Bane has been a nice fit after a pricey offseason trade to land him, and Anthony Black is one of the rising rookie scale stars in the league. I wonder if Donovan would be more likely to take the Magic job and continue to enjoy the comforts of the NBA instead of stepping into a pressure cooker at North Carolina.

The Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Portland Trail Blazers could have other appealing head coach openings this offseason, though it’s too early to say that definitively for now.

The North Carolina job might be worth it

The Bulls don’t really try to win — they’re only willing to do it on Reinsdorf’s terms, which is why the team is always settling for mediocrity. Donovan is a fierce competitor by all accounts, and to me that means he should crave the opportunity to compete for championships and continue to build his legacy.

The best way to do it is by winning another national championship at North Carolina.

Donovan would need to have a strong front office to help him identify players he wanted to recruit both in the portal and out of high school. It would be a huge adjustment to jump into that world after being in the NBA for so long, so he would be right to demand the best staff possible. Donovan would also surely ask an annual NIL budget that rivals the country’s biggest spenders. Even good coaches can’t win without good talent, which Donovan has learned in Chicago.

College basketball has changed so much since Donovan left the sport. The NIL and transfer portal have rendered the landscape of college hoops completely unrecognizable from the one Donovan conquered with back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. It feels more stressful coaching college than in the NBA, and the pressure would be through the roof if he accepted the UNC job.

Maybe Donovan wants a more chill job in his 60s. If he really wants to go for glory, though, the North Carolina opportunity should have plenty of appeal.

Sixteen teams remain in the pursuit of a 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament title, with only two "Cinderella" teams reaching the second weekend.

No. 11 Texas and No. 9 Iowa are the only teams seeded higher than sixth to reach the Sweet 16, with the Longhorns already having three NCAA Tournament wins after beating North Carolina State in the First Four. Iowa, meanwhile, upset defending national champion and 1-seed Florida in the second round to set up a matchup against Big Ten foe Nebraska.

REQUIRED READING: 5 best moments of March Madness Round 2, from upsets to buzzer-beaters

While it was a quite chalky first weekend, Microsoft Copilot's AI predictions were quite impressive. It picked No. 12 High Point to upset Wisconsin — which it did — and also picked a Final Four of Houston, Duke, Arizona and Michigan, all of which are still alive.

The chatbot also correctly picked 12 of 16 Sweet 16 teams correctly, missing only on 1-seed Florida, 3-seeds Gonzaga and Virginia and 4-seed Kansas, which lost on a buzzer-beater.

Can it predict the Sweet 16 with a similar level of success? Here's a look at how AI predicts each regional semifinal game to go in 2026:

REQUIRED READING: At Sweet 16, the coaches supply the star power. We rank them 1-16

Sweet 16 predictions: AI simulation for March Madness

Microsoft Copilot predicted only one upset in the Sweet 16. Here's how it predicted each game to go, and what it said about each game:

East Region

• No. 1 Duke 79, No. 5 St. John's 70

"St. John’s is dangerous — Dylan Darling’s buzzer‑beater to beat Kansas shows they can hang with elite teams — but Duke’s depth and defensive efficiency give them the edge," Copilot says.

• No. 2 UConn 74, No. 3 Michigan State 68

"Michigan State is playing well (77-69 win over Louisville), but UConn’s ceiling is higher and their defense is more consistent," Copilot wrote.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness upset predictions: Ranking 5 most likely Sweet 16 surprises

South Region

• No. 4 Nebraska 76, No. 9 Iowa 72

"Nebraska has been involved in high‑level, tight games (e.g., the Nebraska‑Vanderbilt thriller), and their steadier defense gives them the edge," Copilot predicted.

• No. 2 Houston 80, No. 3 Illinois 73

"Illinois is strong, but Houston’s athleticism and physicality are overwhelming when they’re locked in," Copilot said.

SWEET 16 BOLD PREDICTIONS: Which No. 1 seed is most at risk? Who makes Final Four?

West Region

• No. 1 Arizona 82, No. 4 Arkansas 74

"Arkansas is talented but inconsistent; Arizona’s pace and shot creation should control the matchup," Copilot said.

• No. 2 Purdue 78, No. 11 Texas 70

"Purdue, however, is one of the most complete teams remaining, with superior interior scoring and efficiency. Texas can keep it close, but Purdue’s size advantage is decisive," Copilot said.

Copilot also added: "Texas is a double‑digit seed but not a Cinderella." Take that, Longhorns fans.

REQUIRED READING: Re-seeding Sweet 16 teams: Separating the contenders from pretenders

Midwest Region

• No. 1 Michigan 84, No. 4 Alabama 77

Copilot predicts: "Alabama can score, but Michigan’s balance and momentum make them the safer pick."

• No. 6 Tennessee 71, No. 2 Iowa State 67

"Iowa State is tough defensively, but Tennessee’s physicality and late‑game execution give them a slight edge in a grinder," Copilot says.

Touché, artificial intelligence.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sweet 16 predictions: AI predicts a March Madness upset

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A potential NBA Finals preview is set to hit our screens tonight when the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Boston Celtics. 

Our NBA player prop projections are here to help you make your NBA picks for this epic showdown on March 25.

Don't forget to also check out Ed Scimia's full Thunder vs. Celtics predictions.

Thunder vs Celtics computer picks for March 24

Thunder	Celtics
Hartenstein o7.5 points +115	Brown o6.5 rebounds  +100
Gilgeous-Alexander u29.5 points +100	Queta o7.5 points -135
Williams u3.5 assists  +100	Hauser o6.5 points -112

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Thunder computer picks

Isaiah Hartenstein Over 7.5 (+115)

Projection: 8.5 points

Isaiah Hartenstein has cleared this line in back-to-back games, and the Oklahoma City Thunder have the fourth-best offense away from home. It's important to note this is OKC's fifth road game, so Hart has found recent success away from Paycom Center. 

This is a five-star play according to our projections!

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 29.5 points (+100)

Projection: 27.3 points

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP, but even the best in the world will have a tough time scoring against the league's stingiest defense.

The Boston Celtics also play at a snail's pace, leading to fewer possessions. SGA will get his, but even if Boston holds him to "just" 29 points, this cashes.

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Jalen Williams Under 3.5 assists (+100)

Projection: 3.2 assists

As mentioned, offense won't be easy to come by for the Thunder. Without Shai scoring as much as he's used to, that — along with fewer possessions — will cut into J-Dub's assists.

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Celtics computer picks

Jaylen Brown Over 6.5 rebounds (+100)

Projection: 7.7 rebounds

Jaylen Brown can score with the best of them, but he's also an underrated rebounder. JB is pulling down 7.0 boards per game and has eclipsed this number in six of 11 March outings.

The C's rank as the second-best offensive rebound team as well, opening the door for more board opportunities for the Boston superstar.

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Neemias Queta Over 7.5 points (-135)

Projection: 9.4 points

Neemias Queta has become a reliable part of this Boston attack, eclipsing tonight's points total three times in his last five games. As mentioned, the Celtics are elite offensive rebounders, which will help lead to easy second-chance buckets for their big man.

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Sam Hauser Over 6.5 points (-112)

Projection: 7.7 points

Sam Hauser has found himself in a bit of a slump, but he cashed the Over on his points line in four straight before. OKC's offense is elite, but Tatum and Jaylen Brown will cause enough disturbance where the Thunder will dare a guy like Hauser to beat them.

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How to watch Thunder vs Celtics tonight

Location	TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date	Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Tip-off	7:30 p.m. ET
TV	FDSN-Oklahoma, NBCS-Boston

Not intended for use in MA.
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Dallas is back on the road in Denver, where they will play the Nuggets for the fourth and final time this season. The first three iterations have been in Dallas’ favor, as they own a 2-1 series lead. Tonight, the Mavericks get the Nuggets with no rest and are coming off two heartbreaking overtime losses. It’s hard to see how Dallas does not stay in this contest and potentially make a statement in the Mile High City.

Game intangibles

Dallas Mavericks (23-49) at Denver Nuggets (45-28)

Tipoff: 9:10p CT at Ball Arena in Denver, CO.

How to watch: The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29, or streaming on Mavs TV for anyone in the Mavericks media market. For those outside of the viewing area, the game will be on NBA League Pass.

Odds via the Fanduel Sportsbook as of 1:30PM CST

Spread: Dallas +12 (-110)

Over/Under: 244.5 (-112/-108)

Moneyline: Dallas +490

Player props

Tim Hardaway Jr. over 11.5 points (-104)

Cooper Flagg over 21.5 points (-120)

Hardaway has hit this line in all three previous matchups with Dallas this year, and averages over 13 points per game with zero days of rest. Flagg easily hit this line in the games against Denver that he played 30-plus minutes in, and has fresh legs against a Nuggets defense that played late last night.

Game sides

Dallas +12 (-110)

Over 244.5 points (-112)

The Mavericks have not lost by 13 or more to the Nuggets since January of last year, and Denver has only covered this line against Dallas three times since 2019-20. They play a lot of competitive and high-scoring games, and I expect tonight to be just that.

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TD Garden will play host to a potential NBA Finals showdown tonight as the Boston Celtics face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oklahoma City has won 12 straight games, and my Thunder vs. Celtics predictions back them to continue that streak tonight.

Read on for more analysis of tonight’s matchup in my free NBA picks for Wednesday, March 25.

Thunder vs Celtics prediction

Thunder vs Celtics best bet: Thunder moneyline (-135)

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t just riding a lengthy winning streak, but they’re as healthy as ever with the return of Jalen Williams to the lineup.

The best team in the NBA and the clear title favorites are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.5 points per game), but Williams is one of several outstanding players around SGA that have contributed to the team’s 57-15 record. Depth is Oklahoma City’s biggest strength, with 11 players averaging 7.5+ PPG on the year.

The Boston Celtics are happy to have Jayson Tatum back and will need him to make a championship run. But Tatum is shooting just 38.8% from the field since his return from injury. The Celtics are 6-2 in the eight games with Tatum active, but are averaging 113.1 points in those contests – surprisingly down a full point from their season average. 

Even when these teams have both been fully healthy over the last few years, the Thunder have had Boston’s number, winning five of the last six matchups, and going 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 meetings. 

Oklahoma City won the first game between these teams this season, albeit in a very close battle. I’m expecting another tight matchup tonight, but until I see Tatum playing like his old self again, I don’t think Boston has the weapons to match up with the Thunder for 48 minutes, even at home. I’m betting on the Thunder to pick up the win on the road tonight.

Thunder vs Celtics same-game parlay

The Thunder have a wealth of capable scorers, and I’m counting on two to hit their targets tonight.

I like center Chet Holmgren to get Over 14.5 points tonight, something he’s done in four of his last five games. I’m also taking Jalen Williams to go Over 13.5 points after scoring 18 in his return to action on Monday.

Thunder vs Celtics SGP

• Thunder moneyline
• Chet Holmgren Over 14.5 points
• Jalen Williams Over 13.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Treys cool

Boston plays outstanding defense but can be hit at the three-point line, where they allow opponents to shoot 35.7%.

Jared McCain has hit 3+ threes in four of his last five games, Holmgren hit three shots from deep in his last game, and Jaylin Williams has hit at least one shot from beyond the arc in nine of his last 10. I’m taking all three to hit the Over on their threes made totals tonight.

Thunder vs Celtics SGP

• Thunder -2
• Jared McCain Over 1.5 made threes
• Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 made threes
• Jaylin Williams Over 0.5 made threes

Thunder vs Celtics odds

• Spread: Thunder -2 (-110) | Celtics +2 (-110)
• Moneyline: Thunder -135 | Celtics +115
• Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)

Thunder vs Celtics betting trend to know

The Thunder have won 12 straight games. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Celtics.

How to watch Thunder vs Celtics

Thunder vs Celtics latest injuries

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Cash rules everything around the NBA when it comes to expansion.

At a time when there are concerns about tanking and league depth, the Board of Governors has green-lit “formally” exploring expansions to Las Vegas and Seattle, the NBA announced Wednesday.

Each franchise could have bidding wars in the $7 billion-$10 billion range, per ESPN, and the 2028-29 season has been floated as the potential inaugural season for the respective franchises.

“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle — two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in the release. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”

There have long been rumors of NBA expansion over the last two-plus decades since the league last added a franchise in 2004, and it now seems there are finally some tangible legs.

The NBA last added the Charlotte Bobcats — now the Hornets — to bump from 29 teams to 30 and create six divisions of five teams, and 32 is a natural number for an increase.

Details leaked earlier this month that the Board of Governors would vote during their meetings from March 24-25, and they need 75 percent (23 votes) to move forward.

The cash boon from the moves surely factored into the decision, since the owners would directly profit from adding two more teams.

The NBA said that PJT Partners is being enlisted as a “strategic partner to evaluate prospective markets, ownership groups, arena infrastructure and the broader economic implications of expansion.”

Seattle already has a long history with the NBA, with the SuperSonics franchise from 1967 to 2008, before the team relocated to Oklahoma City.

There has long been fervor from fans to return to the Emerald City, and now it seems the green and yellow could be on its way back.

Las Vegas has never had an NBA team, but Sin City plays host to the Summer League and the NBA Cup semifinals and championship game.

With MLB (A’s) and the NFL (Raiders) adding Las Vegas teams in recent years, to go along with the Golden Knights of the NHL, it seems a matter of time before the NBA is in Nevada.

The one concern with adding two teams is that it comes as tanking consumes the sport, and the NBA has yet to figure out how to prevent teams from being uncompetitive in the second half.

The league is attempting to implement anti-tanking procedures, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough of a deterrent.

The NBA is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

After plenty of foreshadowing that this would be coming, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the league’s owners had voted for the next step toward expansion in fielding bids and applicants.

This would add two more teams to the Western Conference, and could mean the iconic SuperSonics will be back in the NBA before this decade ends, as Charania further detailed in an article.

The NBA’s board of governors has approved a vote for the league to explore bids and applicants for expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle.

All 30 owners voted in favor of exploring Las Vegas and Seattle expansion, sources told ESPN. A bidding process is expected to generate offers in the $7-10 billion range for each team, according to sources.

Sources told ESPN last week that the league is targeting the 2028-29 season for the two expansion franchises to start playing.

For the Lakers, this means two new teams will be joining the West, and someone will have to go East. Will it be the Wolves or the Grizzlies, or will some other team head East?

Adding two expansion teams also will likely necessitate a changing of divisions. Will the Lakers be grouped with the Las Vegas franchise? Will all the California teams remain in the same division? There is plenty of ripple effects of the league adding new franchises.

With teams like the Lakers selling for $10 billion, it’s no surprise the NBA would like to add two teams to the league and rack up record expansion fees.

Seattle has a huge fanbase and has proven there is demand for NBA action there, as evidenced by the success they had with the Sonics. The NBA already has a strong relationship with Las Vegas, hosting its Summer League games there every year since 2004.

With the NFL, MLB, and WNBA already proving that Vegas is a hotbed for professional sports, it was only a matter of time before the NBA added a team.

However, don’t expect LeBron James to be the owner of that new franchise.

James has stated before that he wanted to own a team once he retired, specifically in Las Vegas, but he has since changed his tune and now has no interest in doing so.

The path towards this conversation about adding these two, going from conceptual to reality, will take time. A bidding process still needs to take place, get approved, and then don’t forget to figure out all the details, like where the stadiums will be.

Still, it seems inevitable at this point, and unanimous approval is a clear sign that everyone is on board.

A lot still needs to be figured out, but it seems like a sure bet that Vegas and Seattle will play basketball sooner rather than later.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The biggest opening on the men's college basketball coaching carousel thus far is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The Tar Heels announced on Tuesday, March 24, that Hubert Davis would not return to his alma mater for a sixth season after UNC was upset in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament by 11-seed VCU. In a statement posted on his social media, Davis said he was "let go by" North Carolina and that he wanted to "still coach" the Tar Heels.

REQUIRED READING: Why was Hubert Davis fired? North Carolina says it 'must move forward'

Davis' tenure is highlighted by leading the Tar Heels to the Final Four as a No. 8 seed in his first season. The Tar Heels went 125-54 overall in five seasons under Davis, but a near-70% winning percentage was not good enough for another year, as the program saw a second straight first-weekend exit in March Madness.

It's an important hiring cycle for the Tar Heels, who have athletic director Bubba Cummingham retiring and Steve Newmark soon taking over. It could also be a historic one, as UNC said it is looking to hire someone with no ties to the Tar Heels — something that hasn't happened in 74 seasons.

If North Carolina wants to hire its replacement for Davis from among the top coaches and rising stars in the sport, it will need to be ready to make a significant financial investment simply to lure them away from their current programs.

Here's a look at the buyouts for some of the Tar Heels' top potential candidates: