Category: Basketball

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The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs are set to begin their Round 2 matchup tonight at Frost Bank Center.

Our NBA player prop projections have crunched the numbers and found six players to wager on in tonight's affair.

If you want more NBA picks, check out our Timberwolves vs. Spurs predictions for May 4.

Timberwolves vs Spurs computer picks for Game 1

Timberwolves	Spurs
Gobert o8.5 points +100	Harper o9.5 points -120
Reid o11.5 points -110	Fox o17.5 points -112
Randle o18.5 points -120	Champagnie o8.5 points -112

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Timberwolves Game 1 computer picks

Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points (+100)

Projection: 10.81 points

This number is plus money because of Victor Wembanyama, and he's also the reason this is a five-star play with a 26.57% EV edge. Rudy Gobert will see plenty of minutes in this series to try to contain Wemby, and that time on the floor will naturally result in more shots.

Nine points is not asking a lot, as Gobert cleared this line three times vs. Denver.

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Naz Reid Over 12.5 points (-110)

Projection: 12.58 points

Naz Reid is one of the best bench players in the NBA, and he'll be able to go to work against the San Antonio Spurs' bench unit. Reid is fresh off a 15-point performance in Game 7, and he'll carry that shooting stroke into Game 1.

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Julius Randle Over 18.5 points (-120)

Projection: 19.50 points

Julius Randle's Game 1 points total is right around what he averaged against the Nuggets in Round 1. Anthony Edwards' status remains questionable, meaning several shots are still up for grabs.

Randle will get more than enough shots to reach 19 points.

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Spurs Game 1 computer picks

Dylan Harper Over 9.5 points (-120)

Projection: 11.70 points

Dylan Harper balled out against Portland, averaging 12.6 points per game on 56% shooting. It's no surprise this prop is showing a 23.76% EV edge. Harper is trusted to lead the Spurs' bench unit, and our model suggests he'll do that to perfection again tonight.

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De'Aaron Fox Over 17.5 points (-112)

Projection: 20.26 points

De'Aaron Fox has awakened. The point guard cleared this line in three of the five outings against the Blazers, finishing with 17 in the other two.

Fox should put up plenty more points tonight, which is why this is the third five-star play according to our model.

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Julian Champagnie Over 8.5 points (-112)

Projection: 10.34 points

Julian Champagnie's job gets a whole lot easier when Wemby is on the floor. The wing just needs to knock down his catch-and-shoot threes, and he'll clear this line with little resistance.

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How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs Game 1

Location	Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date	Monday, May 4, 2026
Tip-off	9:30 p.m. ET
TV	NBC/Peacock

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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The Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled in their own ways to advance, but here we are, with Game 1 set for May 5.

My Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks expect Jarrett Allen to struggle to grab rebounds in the series opener.

Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1 prediction

Who will win Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1?

Pistons: You cannot cite the wear-and-tear of a seven-game series for any edge when both teams played a Game 7 on Sunday. But one does wonder if Detroit’s three straight wins to prevail in the first round were a reflection of something greater, of a better understanding of the postseason.

Trust the momentum when combined with home court on short notice.

Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds (+100)

Jarrett Allen’s Round 1 numbers were inflated by two astounding performances. In the other five games, he failed to clear this very modest rebounding prop.

The Cleveland Cavaliers ranked only No. 11 in the NBA following the All-Star Break in defensive rebounding percentage, very notable against the Detroit Pistons, the No. 3 offensive rebounding team in that time. Detroit is led by Jalen Duren’s relentlessness on the offensive glass.

A few extra Duren offensive boards should cut directly into Allen’s total, particularly since Allen managed only five total offensive rebounds in the five games last round, he fell short of this conservative number.

COVERS INTEL: Allen fell short of this prop in two of his three games against the Pistons this season, grabbing as few as three rebounds in their most recent matchup.

Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1 same-game parlay

Allen’s and Cleveland’s overall struggle on the defensive glass should come specifically to Duren’s benefit. He lived on the offensive glass against the Magic, grabbing at least four offensive boards in five of those seven games and at least five in the last three games, all Pistons wins.

When finding five offensive rebounds, double-digit boards becomes exceedingly likely.

And combining a rebounding edge with homecourt advantage should assure Detroit of a Game 1 win.

Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP

• Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
• Jalen Duren Over 9.5 rebounds
• Pistons moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Duren's dichotomy

Perhaps it should be considered impressive. Despite grabbing at least four offensive rebounds in five of the seven games in the first round, Duren scored more than 12 points just once, when he topped out at 15 points in Game 7. He is not turning those boards into points, thus creating value in a rather counterintuitive same-game parlay.

Cavaliers vs Pistons SGP

• Jarrett Allen Under 7.5 rebounds
• Jalen Duren Over 9.5 rebounds
• Jalen Duren Under 15.5 points
• Pistons -3

Cavaliers vs Pistons odds for Game 1

• Spread: Cavaliers +3 | Pistons -3
• Moneyline: Cavaliers +130 | Pistons -155
• Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5

Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know

Five of Cleveland’s seven first-round games went Over their totals, including the last three. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 1

Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries

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As normal, it’s been a while since we’ve had a mailbag. And I won’t make any promises of it returning with any regularity, particularly with the chaotic schedule coming up for the Lakers this series, but let’s have some fun and ask some questions!

We’re going to have a quick turnaround on this one with the answers coming on Tuesday afternoon prior to Game 1. So, if you have any questions about the upcoming Lakers-Thunder series, fire away.

Similarly, if you have any thoughts or questions about the rest of the NBA playoffs so far — of which the Nuggets and Celtics are no longer part of, notably — then send those, too. And lastly, the WNBA season is set to kick off this weekend, so fire those in as well if you have them.

Lastly, keep things friendly along the way!

Is the tanking man a sucker? We’ll know in about a week. The NBA lottery is just a few days away, and we’re nervous as ever in Brooklyn. At the same time, a few ex-Nets are making noise in the NBA playoffs while the Liberty are gearing up for a title run of their own. Lucas Kaplan rejoins the show to talk us through it all!

In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:

• How a handful of ex-Nets are looking in the playoffs
• The importance of landing a top pick (duh, right?)
• What to expect from the New York Liberty this year

You can also check out this episode on Apple Music or Spotify. Follow us on X, Instagram, and Tik Tok.

We also recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. Thank you to everyone who has supported us thus far!

The Minnesota Timberwolves are about to embark on their climb over Mount Wembanyama. Before things tip off, let’s take a look at the 56 voters and their predictions on the series in…

Canis Pulsus Vol. 49 – Playoff Round 2 Predictions Results

(Note: Canis Pulsus Vol. 49 data was collected through 5/4)

What will be the result of round two vs San Antonio Spurs matchup?

Wolves in 6 (28.6%)

About 20% of voters went with Wolves in seven so I think it’s safe to say that you all know ball. No one picked Wolves in a sweep against the Spurs, but over 63% of you were Raised by Wolves. Anthony Edwards’ return will have a huge impact on how this series goes, but it’ll be intriguing either way.

Full voting results:

The key for the Timberwolves to defeat the Spurs is…

Physical defense and Julius Randle

The main two themes from the various answers to this question were playing hardnosed, physical defense, as the play of Julius Randle. If there’s one word to describe Randle as a basketball player, it’s physical. Now is Julius going to be the head of the snake on the defensive end? Certainly not. But many Wolves talking heads have zeroed in on his opportunity on both ends of the court.

Other answers here include perimeter shooting, Ant’s return to form, and “stopping guard penetration.” (SMUT)

My hot take from the Wolves-Spurs series is…

Julius is going to steal Wemby’s underpants

You might have missed it, but “someone” allegedly jacked the ol’ undergarments of Nikola Jokić after their dramatic game four loss. It must’ve worked because the Wolves won the series. Can they pull off the same miracle for a very different size and shaped underwear?

There were certainly some fun ones in the answer pool here too:

• Sorry, I don’t really know ball
• Beringer will get meaningful minutes in 1 game
• Alien crashes
• Conley, TJ, Julius and Jaden will each win the Wolves a game
• This is the last time we see Julius in a Wolves uniform
• Wolves will avoid meltdowns

The Timberwolves season will be a success if…

It’s already a success (40%)

Almost half of our voters felt that this season was already a success, and it’s hard to disagree with that considering the barrel they were staring down in the first round. Underdogs, homecourt disadvantage, injuries out the ying yang, the list goes on. The best part of this mindset is that no matter what the Wolves do now, they can only go up! Right?

Full voting results:

With the regular season over, my feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves are…

Slightly optimistic (45.5%)

Preseason: Very optimistic (63.3%)
Quarter 1: Slightly optimistic (61.8%)
Semester 1: Very optimistic (70.8%)
Quarter 3: Slightly optimistic (54%)
Quarter 3: Slightly optimistic (61.9%)

I was surprised to see optimism wan just a little bit after Minnesota eliminated Denver. That said, overly 80% of voters were optimistic which is much higher than the nice 69% of voters heading into the post season. To the moon!

Full voting results:

We’ll see if Wolves fans overestimated their playoff opponent against this round. Regardless, the receipts are in and the check will come due soon enough. I think I’m doing that analogy wrong, but whatever. Wolves in 4.

It’s the first round of the NBA Playoffs without the Phoenix Suns, yet one of the most important players in the franchise’s history helped transform some of the best teams in the association into what they are today, including the team that defeated the Suns in the first round, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In his three years in Phoenix, Chris Paul helped the Suns reach new heights, leading them to the Finals for the first time in 28 years, getting them to at least the Western Conference Semifinals in three straight seasons, along with running the show for the most successful regular season team in franchise history. Paul was a main reason the team became an attractive spot for Kevin Durant when he requested a trade from the Nets. Before his arrival, the Suns missed the playoffs 11 straight seasons.

His perfect shooting playoff game, 32-point Finals game, 41-point closeout game to get the team back to the Finals, and many other performances in his three years as a Sun will not be forgotten.

However, Paul didn’t just leave his mark in Phoenix in his final seasons of his career.

Before joining the Suns, the Point God helped in developing reigning Finals MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander into the lead wrecker he is today. Playing a season with Gilgeous-Alexander back in the 2019-2020 campaign, the scoring champion developed playing next to Paul, something he remains grateful for, even years later.

After he retired in February, Gilgeous-Alexander said that Paul was “special” for his career, setting the standard for how point guards should play. Alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder All-Defensive Forward Lu Dort gives heavy praise to Paul for how he’s learned to guard NBA Superstars like James Harden.

In Paul’s last full season in the league, he joined the San Antonio Spurs to pair up with Victor Wembanyama. Amid a tumultuous and unfortunate year for the team, where NBA Legend Greg Popovich was able to coach just a handful of games before his coaching career was cut short due to a stroke, and Wembanyama’s season was ended early because of a blood clot, Paul was a stable force for the organization, playing in all 82 games for the team and leading them on and off the court.

During his time in San Antonio, Paul mentored Wembanyama, setting him up for lobs and open threes and paving the way for young guard Stephon Castle to become a two-way player for the Spurs. A year later, San Antonio is back in the playoffs, winning 60 games for the first time in nearly a decade, and is a heavy favorite to make the Western Conference Finals.

It’s very likely that either the Spurs or Thunder are hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the 2025-2026 season comes to a close. According to FanDuel, they’re the two favorites, and if the Thunder become the first back-to-back champs since the 2017-2018 Warriors, or the Spurs win their first ring in 12 years, a Suns legend will have helped them get there along the way.

The injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves seemed like they’d end the Lakers’ season prematurely.

Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard had other ideas.

While LeBron James has temporarily returned as the head of the Lakers snake, he needed a few members of his supporting cast to step up in a big way. Smart and Kennard have answered the bell.

In the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Smart averaged 14.7 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals while shooting 46.4% overall and 44.8% from deep. Kennard got off to a hot start in the series with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting in Game 1 and 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting in Game 2, although he came crashing back to earth after that.

The emergence of Smart and Kennard is great news for a short-handed Lakers team that capped off an impressive series with a Game 6 win. Although Reaves returned ahead of Game 5, Dončić still remains without a timetable to return. Smart, in particular, should continue to play a critical role for the Lakers.

The timing couldn’t be better for Kennard or Smart, both of whom could become free agents this offseason. Kennard is finishing up a one-year, $11 million contract, while Smart has a $5.4 million player option for the 2026-27 season that he may be increasingly likely to decline with each passing game.

The question is whether the Lakers can retain either or both.

The path to re-signing Smart and Kennard

The Lakers are still in line to be one of only a few teams with significant salary-cap space this offseason, so they could just use some of that money to re-sign Kennard and Smart, provided the latter opts out. On Thursday, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that “it is increasingly anticipated leaguewide” that the Lakers will want to re-sign Kennard.

Kennard will be a non-Bird free agent, but there are multiple pathways that the Lakers could explore to keep him in the fold in a nod to the role he has earned in purple and gold under fellow Duke alumnus JJ Redick.

Fischer didn’t expound upon what those multiple pathways might be. Allow us to hazard a guess.

The most straightforward way would be to just use some of their roughly $50 million of cap space to re-sign Kennard. The Lakers could offer him anything up to a max deal, although he isn’t likely to sniff anything close to that. Something around the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception seems like a reasonable starting point in negotiations.

The Lakers could also sign Kennard with their MLE, although if/when they go the cap-space route this offseason, they’re only going to have the $9.4 million room mid-level exception at their disposal. If Kennard were willing to take that, they could renounce their rights to him to wipe his $13.2 million cap hold off their books, then re-sign him after they spent the rest of their cap room.

The Lakers are likely to do some cap-hold chicanery with Austin Reaves this summer, but that’s not in play for Kennard or Smart since they’d both be non-Bird free agents. If the Lakers want to re-sign either of them via non-Bird rights, they can offer no more than 120 percent of what they were previously earning as the starting salary of their new contract. Their cap hold is also 120 percent of their previous salary.

If the Lakers want to re-sign Kennard or Smart via non-Bird rights, they’ll have to keep their cap holds on their books heading into the offseason. (It’s $13.2 million for Kennard and roughly $6.2 million for Smart.) They can’t offer a starting salary higher than those cap holds without dipping into their cap space or MLE, though.

So, while the Lakers could have more than $50 million in cap space this offseason, Kennard and Smart already may have some of that money set aside for them. That could hurt the Lakers’ chances of landing another marquee free agent unless they’re able to salary-dump the two years and $25.7 million left on Jarred Vanderbilt’s contract.

The good news is that the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls are the only other two teams guaranteed to have cap space this summer. They might not face much competition for Kennard or Smart, particularly north of $15 million per year.

The bad news is that the NBA’s new anti-tanking proposal reduces the incentive for rebuilding teams to throw away a season before it even begins. Even though the Bulls are heading directly into a rebuild and the Nets are firmly in one, both still figure to pursue veterans in free agency who can help keep them out of the bottom three of the standings.

If the Lakers are somehow able to lure Jalen Duren or Walker Kessler in restricted free agency, they might not be able to squeeze either of them in while keeping Kennard’s cap hold on their books. Otherwise, they have clear paths to re-sign both Kennard and Smart whether via cap space, non-Bird rights or their MLE.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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They say if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. Well, the Philadelphia 76ers have checked “beat the best” off the list after winning a first-round series in seven games over the Boston Celtics, who were the odds-on favorite to reach the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference. So are they now the best the East has to offer?

The New York Knicks will certainly have something to say about that idea, as the two teams get set to square off in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series tonight. Per FanDuel, the Knicks have the best odds to reach the Finals out of the East at plus-145, followed by the Pistons (plus-240), Cavaliers (plus-310), and then the Sixers (plus-600).

Objectively, it makes sense to pick the Knicks to advance over Philadelphia. They won eight more games during the regular season and have home-court advantage in the series. Plus, as usual, Joel Embiid’s health looms as a factor. He’s currently listed as probable for Game 1 with a right hip contusion, but is also known due to be dealing with a knee issue, an oblique strain and had his appendix removed just a few weeks ago. I love Joel for continuing to battle and do everything to show up for his team, but the reality is every game played is like removing another block from the jenga tower that is his body and hoping it all doesn’t come crashing down.

Yet, all of those points could have been made for the Boston series to an even higher degree, and it was still the Sixers who emerged victorious. They certainly have to be considered the vibes favorite with everything clicking into place for the roster at the right time. During the last couple Boston games, Embiid looked as poised as he ever has in the postseason. Tyrese Maxey became the lights-out closer the franchise has always needed and never had with the exception of a few months of Jimmy Butler. Paul George and VJ Edgecombe both hit big shots and defended like madmen, incredibly impressive for one guy who just turned 36 years old and another who is a 20-year-old rookie seeing his first playoff action. Every talking head segment from this season of, “The Sixers could be the potential dark horse no one wants to face” finally became a reality.

Looking at the Knicks series specifically, you can see the blueprint for a Sixers victory. VJ Edgecombe defended Jalen Brunson incredibly well during the regular season, and Philadelphia has a handful of other viable options to throw at him in Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George and Quentin Grimes. They’ve also been able to exploit Brunson as a defensive liability in the past, something that doesn’t really exist on the other side of the court, credit to Maxey for improving so much as a defender. Embiid has had success against Karl-Anthony Towns in past matchups. The biggest potential advantage for New York will be on the offensive glass; it’s only too easy conjure visions of Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart grabbing every possible second-chance opportunity. However, the Sixers did look to figure some things out in that department as the Boston series progressed. These two teams played a highly competitive playoff series two years ago, and that was a better Knicks squad, and the Sixers now have George and Edgecombe and Embiid not playing on one leg (hopefully). It’s not hard to project a Philadelphia win.

And if that should happen, who is scared of Detroit or Cleveland? Both teams also just had to win Game 7s to be here. Respect to Cade Cunningham, but the Pistons would be home if Orlando hadn’t missed 23 straight shots in the second half of Game 6. I mean, they’re treating Tobias Harris like some sort of folk hero there. He scored zero points (!) in his last playoff game as a Sixer. Cleveland would present its own set of challenges, but would anyone go into that series thinking, “Philadelphia couldn’t possibly overcome James Harden in the postseason?” I don’t think so.

This isn’t to say things will be easy for the Sixers. We can’t let the last two-and-a-half games completely erase all the general Sixers-ness we’ve witnessed over the years, as recently as Games 1 and 4 against Boston. But they have a real shot. Philadelphia hasn’t had this sort of opportunity since Ben Simmons declined to shoot an open layup against Atlanta. The path is there. Now the Sixers just have to march down it with all the competitive fire we witnessed last week and seize this moment.

The Orlando Magic front office made the move many in the NBA suspected they would to begin their offseason, and the franchise acted quickly.

Less than 24 hours after the Magic were eliminated from the playoffs when they blew a 3-1 series lead in Game 7 against the Detroit Pistons, the team announced it had fired coach Jamahl Mosley after five seasons. Mosley had been rumored to be on the hot seat heading into the postseason, as the Magic were relegated to the play-in tournament after being mentioned as Eastern Conference contenders heading into the 2025-26 NBA campaign.

Team president Jeff Weltman said in a statement that the Magic is seeking "a new voice and fresh perspective," and the job remains an intriguing one despite Orlando's collapse against the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Magic still have 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and former lottery picks Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter, Jr. under contract, and could potentially make the jump many anticipated this season a year later with the right hire.

Here's a breakdown of six potential candidates to replace Mosley as the Orlando Magic's next coach:

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The San Antonio Spurs see their first action in a week when they open their Round 2 series with the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.

While San Antonio is well rested and ready, Minnesota is licking multiple wounds — none deeper than missing superstar Anthony Edwards heading into Game 1 tonight.

My Timberwolves vs. Spurs props try to read the tea leaves for this Western Conference clash. Here are my best NBA picks and prop predictions for T-Wolves vs. Spurs on May 4.

Best Timberwolves vs Spurs props for Game 1

Player	Pick
Rudy Gobert	Over 8.5 points	+102
Jaden McDaniels	Over 2.5 assists	-105
Devin Vassell	Over 12.5 points	-112

Game 1 Prop #1: Rudy Gobert Over 8.5 points 

+102 at bet365

It’s May 4th. You didn’t think you could get out of here without reading at least one “Star Wars” reference, did you?

Veteran Rudy Gobert goes up against his padawan and fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, giving us “Obi-Wan vs. Anakin” vibes. And while I don’t think Gobert is going to leave Wemby sliced, diced and smoldering on the edge of a lava river, the Minnesota Timberwolves center can strike in the scoring column.

Gobert scored in double figures in three of the six matchups with Denver in Round 1, with his points prop bouncing between 9.5 and 10.5 O/U in that series. 

His Game 1 total is 8.5 O/U with the Over priced at plus-money, anchored in his regular season results versus the San Antonio Spurs. Gobert played the Spurs only twice, putting up two and eight points — the latter coming without Wembanyama in San Antonio’s lineup.

The T-Wolves are without Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, and potentially Ayo Dosunmu for the series opener, leaving touches up for grabs and a need for the frontcourt to pick up the scoring slack.

Projections are positive for Gobert, ranging from 10.7 to as high as 11.7. That's more than enough to get past this modest ask for Minnesota’s big man.

Game 1 Prop #2: Jaden McDaniels Over 2.5 assists 

-105 at bet365

T-Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels picked up the scoring slack with Edwards out versus Denver but won’t find the same success in the paint against Wembanyama and the Spurs.

Daniels becomes more of an inside-out passer versus San Antonio, drawing in the defense and finding open hands on the perimeter. Minnesota was able to attack the rim with the Nuggets missing Aaron Gordon, sending Daniels’ touches through the roof, but now he becomes more of a drive-and-kick facilitator.

He posted assist totals of five, three, and one in three regular season matchups with the Spurs and finished with three assists in all but one of the six games versus Denver in Round 1. He'll dominate the ball, considering the missing pieces for Minnesota, but will be forced to give it up more in Game 1.

His assists forecasts for tonight aren’t bullshit on Daniels' distributing, ranging from 1.7 to a couple projections at 2.9. However, with the adjustments the T-Wolves must make on offense and an empty backcourt, I’m on the high side of Daniels’ dimes tonight.

Game 1 Prop #3: Devin Vassell Over 12.5 points

-112 at bet365

The Spurs roll out a smaller lineup and with the injuries to the Minnesota backcourt, San Antonio will try to push pace and put the lumbering Timberwolves on their heels.
 
That means fastbreaks and transition off turnovers and long rebounds. Devin Vassell thrives in the open floor and is one of the Spurs’ best fastbreak attackers. 

He started Round 1 strong, scoring 15 and 16 points in the opening two games on a collective 11-for-29 shooting as well as picking up points at the foul line. His usage slimmed in the final three outings versus Portland, closing out the series with outputs of 11, 11, and 10 points.

Minnesota’s defensive scheme will see it send top perimeter defender Jaden McDaniels after De’Aaron Fox, which leaves Vassell guarded by Terrence Shannon Jr. or Mike Conley (or a hobbled Dosunmu) — neither are great defenders.

Player models for Vassell all sit north of his scoring total of 12.5 O/U, ranging from 13.0 to a ceiling of 15.0 points. My number boils down to 14.3 points tonight.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Patrick Dumont swung for the fences and hit a home run.

The Dallas Mavericks governor announced the hiring of Masai Ujiri as the franchise’s new team president and alternate governor. It ends a six-month search with a splash, as Ujiri is one of the most accomplished front office executives in NBA history.

Ujiri spent 13 seasons in Toronto building the Raptors from afterthought to champion. The centerpiece of his tenure was obviously the 2019 NBA title, which was engineered by his bold moves. He traded franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2018. Everyone thought he was crazy, but Toronto won the championship the following June.  

Before the Raptors, Ujiri ran the Denver Nuggets' front office from 2010-2013 and was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year after assembling a 57-win roster. He is the only non-American ever to win the award.  

Ujiri parted ways with Toronto in June 2025 after the Raptors missed the playoffs in four of five seasons. He joined the ownership group of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo in March and made no secret he had unfinished business in the NBA.  

If you’ve spent any time watching the NBA Playoffs, especially the very dramatic L.A. Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff series that sadly ended with a Lakers win in game six on Friday night, you may have seen some speculation going around about Texans star Will Anderson Jr. and his uncanny resemblance to current Lakers’ guard and LeBron James’ son, Bronny James:

Over the last several days, more and more Texans fans have noticed the visual similarities between Anderson and Bronny James, to the point that discussion surrounding the two stars nearly eclipsed Rockets fans’ frustration with their favorite team. This playful speculation entered the mainstream in a big way that Friday night, as the “brothers” were in the same building. After having a dunk attempt blocked by Rockets’ forward Jabari Smith Jr., LeBron James went spiraling down courtside, crashing into the feet of none other than his “fourth son,” Will Anderson:

James was overjoyed to see Anderson – who is not only his son but also a fellow Klutch Sports client – there to lift him up, almost as if he was brought home by seeing the smile on Anderson’s face. Although, all joking aside, James was deferential to Anderson and his real parents. Speaking to Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan M. Alexander after the game six win, James had this to say:

“…the moment was pretty cool…it was good to see him, y’know, that’s my fourth child, um…yeah, him and Bronny are twins and don’t nobody know it…me and [wife] Savannah have been trying to keep it under wraps for a long time. But nah, no disrespect to his parents, his real parents, let me not get that started. Unbelievable football player, deserving of everything that he’s got and…it was definitely dope to see him.” – LeBron James to Jonathan M. Alexander

Stop the presses! Hold everything! To quote the KING himself, “…me and Savannah have been trying to keep it under wraps for a long time?” I’m sorry, is there a “LeSecret” that has just been uncovered by this unlikely courtside linkup? A LeCoverup revealed? A LeRevelation? While public sources may tell you that Will Anderson was born in Hampton, Georgia in 2001 and Bronny James was born in Akron, Ohio in 2004, our insider – or, our LeSource – will beg to differ! And when you take a look at the highlight reels for both of these “LeTwins,” well, let’s just say the tape speaks for itself!

Houston…we may have a twin! LeBron/Bronny to the Houston Rockets CONFIRMED!

Okay, while there is certainly no secretive “connection” between Will Anderson and the James’ family, it certainly did provide a moment of light-hearted fun to a playoff series that has otherwise been a difficult watch for Rockets fans. Although, the jokes come as a double-edged sword for many. Watching Lebron James cheese it up with Will Anderson on the sideline while he simultaneously rips out the hearts of Rockets fans everywhere – at age 41, no less – is an awkward pill to swallow on a Friday night. But, hey, the Rockets’ playoff trips may be temporary, but likeness to LeBron James is forever.

It wasn’t just Anderson there repping the Texans, either. He was joined by Vice President of the Houston Texans Foundation Hannah McNair and 2026 second-round pick Kayden McDonald, with this meetup in Houston providing a warm welcome to the rookie after his arrival from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. McDonald is still in that press-conference headspace, though, as evidenced by this response to a question from reporter Chancellor Johnson:

“I’m just here to plug up the middle.” My kind of guy! Aren’t we all here to plug up the middle, Kayden? If only the Houston Rockets were able to plug up the hole left in the middle of their lineup when Kevin Durant went down. Sorry, I just couldn’t help it! McDonald even answered questions about potential business opportunities in Houston while at the NFL Draft, and even though “plugging up the middle” may not bring to mind the sort of barbeque or horse-related collaborations he was envisioning a week ago, it certainly does bring to mind the profitable avenue of plumbing solutions!

Alright, while I won’t be expecting a star NFL defensive lineman to be sponsoring drainage plugs or rubber stoppers, I was still happy to see Kayden McDonald, Will Anderson, and Hannah McNair all spending time together and enjoying the fruits of what Houston has to offer to them. Will Anderson has certainly earned the respite as well as the opportunity to re-connect with his long lost father, and it’ll only be a matter of time till everyone will know just how well Kayden McDonald can  “…plug up the middle.” For all other musings about plugs and Bronny James lookalikes, be sure to keep it tuned to Battle Red Blog!

GO TEXANS!!!

Six months after the tumultuous tenure of Nico Harrison ended with a rare mid-season firing of an executive, it appears the Dallas Mavericks have found their replacement.

ESPN reported Monday that the Mavericks have hired former Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri to be Dallas’ new team president and alternate governor. The Dallas Morning News’ Mike Curtis confirmed that included as the team’s president of basketball operations as well. ESPN also reported that former majority governor Mark Cuban was not involved in the process of hiring Ujiri.

Ujiri was the mastermind behind the Raptors’ 2019 championship run and won NBA Executive of the Year in 2012-2013. A press conference with Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont and Ujiri is scheduled for Tuesday in Dallas.

The hire users in a new era of Dallas basketball that fans and players have badly needed since the Luka Dončić trade over a year ago. Ujiri will come in with significantly more power than other GM hires in the league, being given the team president and alternate governor role. We’ll know more about exactly how vast his role will be following Tuesday’s press conference.

Ujiri was a name that also popped up in 2021 for the Mavericks following the dismissal of former GM, Donnie Nelson, but Dallas never considered him, opting for Harrison instead. Now, five years later, they get Ujiri and hand him the proverbial keys to the kingdom.

Ujiri will take over a team with no control of their first-round picks for the next four seasons, but does have their pick this season with the draft lottery on Sunday. He’ll have financial flexibility to bring in guys he likes after Dallas traded Anthony Davis and other undesirable contracts at the deadline this season.

It’s not immediately clear what this means for co-interim general managers Matt Ricardi and Michael Finley, but one thing is clear: Ujiri is Dallas’ main priority moving forward.

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One of the fiercest rivalries in the NBA begins anew tonight when the New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In conjunction with our 76ers vs. Knicks predictions, we're going big on Joel Embiid. 

The big man headlines this 76ers vs. Knicks same-game parlay that is also bullish on Philly keeping it close in a high-scoring clash on Monday, May 4.

Our best 76ers vs Knicks SGP for Game 1

SGP leg #1: Joel Embiid Over 40.5 points + rebounds + assists

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will be a focal point of this series, and he will need to be at his absolute best against the New York Knicks to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

Embiid has averaged a healthy 44 PRA since returning in the playoffs, hitting the Over on this combo line in three of four games. In 11 career games at Madison Square Garden, Embiid has gone for 41+ PRA eight times.

SGP leg #2: 76ers +7.5

Simply put, the 76ers are better when Embiid is healthy and playing. With the big man available, Philly's offensive rating soared to 118.5 from 112.9 without him.

And while the Knicks may have the advantage of rest, the Sixers are in a groove and have played New York well over the last two seasons. Philly is 4-1 against the spread across its last five games at Madison Square Garden.

SGP leg #3: Over 212

The Sixers have hit the Over in two of their last four games, while the Knicks have done so in three of four. With Embiid playing, Philly's attack is a Top-5 offense, and New York averaged 133 points per game in the last two games against the Hawks.

Expect fireworks at MSG in Game 1.

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See our full 76ers vs Knicks Game 1 preview

Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Knicks predictions for Game 1.

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