Jamion Christian will move to the Rhode Island school after spending the last two seasons as coach of Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian Professional Basketball League.
Heat, Knicks, Rockets among teams expected to be interested in Kevin Durant trade
"I want my career to end on my terms, that's the only thing."
That's how 37-year-old Kevin Durant described his future recently on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis. That future likely will be with another team as Durant and the Suns are expected to part ways this summer, something league sources have confirmed to NBC Sports and has been widely reported. With one year left on his contract and seeking an extension, Durant has some control over where he might get traded.
What teams are interested? Keep an eye on the Timberwolves, Heat, Knicks, Spurs and Rockets, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on the network’s NBA Today show.
"Back at the NBA trade deadline in February, Minnesota, Miami, New York, San Antonio and Houston were among the team, I'm told, there was mutual interest between Durant and those teams. I expect those teams and potentially other to be back in the fray this summer."
You can be sure plenty more teams will at least kick the tires on a Durant trade.
Among those the teams ESPN mentioned, it would be a real challenge for Miami and New York to match salaries and provide the three first-round picks and a young player that the Suns are hoping to get back in a trade (whatever team makes this trade, it likely ends up involving three or more teams). The Suns also want to dump salary in this and get below the second apron. Houston and San Antonio are better positioned to make that work if those up-and-coming squads decide that chasing Durant is the path they want to choose. Rockets GM Rafael Stone has said he wants to see what his team looks like in the playoffs this year before making any moves.
Golden State was also in the mix back in February, and talks got pretty far down the road between the teams before someone bothered to ask Durant, who said he didn't want to return to the Bay Area. With the Warriors pivoting to trade for Jimmy Butler, they are out of the running this time. It should be noted that Durant is "open" to signing a $122 million extension and staying in Phoenix, reports Logan Murdock at The Ringer. The odds on that outcome are long, but it's on the table.
Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia has been clear that he doesn't want a total teardown and rebuild after a wildly disappointing season, but instead seeks quick retooling around Devin Booker (he has shot down the idea that the Suns might trade Booker). Trading Durant can bring back the kinds of players to help with that, plus some picks to replenish the Suns' depleted stock (they don't control their own pick until 2032). A Durant trade is expected to happen, but the "where" is still very much in the air.
Stephen Curry passes Lakers' Jerry West on NBA scoring list: 'That's The Logo, so very special'
The focus rightly was on the immediate.
Stephen Curry scored 52 points Tuesday in a 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies that vaulted the surging Golden State Warriors into fifth place in the Western Conference standings. He made 12 three-point shots, two shy of former teammate Klay Thompson’s single-game NBA record.
Curry's performance was so otherworldly that Gilbert Arenas stopped watching his son, USC commit Alijah, play in the McDonald's All-American Game to follow the scoring barrage from the 37-year-old 10-time All-Star guard.
Yet given a moment to reflect, Curry became emotional because along the way he passed the late Jerry West for 25th on the NBA career scoring list. West, of course, played his entire 14-year career with the Lakers and is best known globally for being the inspiration behind the NBA logo.
Read more:How Jerry West became the NBA logo — and why David Stern never admitted to it
But he also served as a Warriors' special consultant from 2011-2017, during which time Curry led the team to two NBA championships. West's son, Jonnie, is the Warriors senior director of pro personnel.
“That’s special, obviously in our memory and what he meant to the league, to the world of basketball, to our organization when he worked here,” Curry said of West, who died in June. “And my relationship with Jonnie. I got to talk to him after the game, just to share a moment of what it meant for me, my family, the entire West family.
"So that is special. Just understanding what his career was, that’s The Logo, so very special. I’ll keep that ball and put it in a good place.”
Cracking the top 25 in career scoring — Curry has 25,205 points — is a feat Curry cherished because he eclipsed West. Otherwise, it's just another rung in a ladder he'll continue climbing at warp speed.
In his 16th season, Curry's play has diminished only a tick. After the 52-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist and six-steal performance, he's averaging 24.4 points, 6.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds a game this season.
Read more:Jerry West, Lakers legend and architect of 'Showtime' era, dies at 86
Career averages? 24.7 points, 6.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
Projecting that he'll produce close to those numbers for three more seasons — when he turns 40 — Curry would approach 30,000 points, a number attained by only eight players: From the top, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Durant.
The Clippers' James Harden, currently 11th with 27,527 points, likely will beat Curry to 30,000, and DeMar DeRozan is on Curry's heels at 25,159.
Curry, though, was reminded in the fourth quarter Tuesday not to chase records when he missed consecutive three-point attempts with Thompson's mark on his mind. He tapped his chest and apologized to teammates after the second errant shot.
"The first two shots I took in the fourth quarter were a reflection of that,” Curry said. “First touch, shot it in transition. Then went iso left wing. Missed both of those and then I kinda came to reality. Those were the ultimate heat checks even though I just got back in the game.”
Read more:LeBron James is first NBA player to score 50,000 points. What's next? Luka Doncic says '70K'
Warriors coach Steve Kerr excused his star guard for the momentary lapse.
“The guy is 37 years old,” he said. “Incredible. Fifty-two points with people draped all over him all game long. The conditioning. The skill. The audacity. The belief. It’s just incredible to watch Steph at work.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
As expected, Philadelphia reportedly will shut Tyrese Maxey down for rest of season
This seems a fitting final note on the 76ers' massively disappointing season.
Philadelphia will formally shut down Tyrese Maxey for the season due to a finger tendon injury, which has been expected but is a story formally broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. While the team has yet to make that official, Charania said Maxey's agent, Rich Paul, confirmed the news. That injury has sidelined Maxey since March 3, and while he has worked toward a return, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of a recent workout, "It went just 'medium.' It didn't like 'Oh, that was great,' you know? So it's just medium, but he's still working."
With the 76ers sitting 13th in the East, 11 games back of even the last play-in spot and more focused on keeping their top-six protected pick, what was the point of bringing back Maxey?
Forced to take on more of a scoring load this season with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing time due to injuries, Maxey broke out and averaged a career-high 26.3 points a game, but injuries limited him to 52 games this season.
Embiid, George and Maxey played just 15 games together this season, with the Sixers going 7-8 in those contests, and the team had a -0.9 net rating when all three were on the court together. While that is underwhelming (to say the least), expect the 76ers to run it back because the contracts of Embiid and George are virtually untradable (especially with Embiid having his knee scoped, again), and the 76ers would not consider trading Maxey. Philly is going to give this another run.
Magic vs. Wizards Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 3
It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Orlando Magic (37-40) and Washington Wizards (17-59) are all set to square off from Capital One Arena in Washington.
The Magic are currently 17-21 on the road with a point differential of -1, while the Wizards have a 3-7 record in their last ten games at home. Orlando has won all three meetings by at least 15 points versus Washington this season.
Washington is coming off a win against Sacramento last night to snap a three-game losing streak. Orlando is 5-2 over the last seven games and 2-2 in the previous four.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Magic vs. Wizards live today
- Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
- Time: 7:00PM EST
- Site: Capital One Arena
- City: Washington, DC
- Network/Streaming:
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Magic vs. Wizards
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Magic (-971), Wizards (+633)
- Spread: Magic -13.5
- Over/Under: 217 points
That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 114.62, and the Wizards 107.58.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Magic vs. Wizards game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Magic to cover:
"Since Washington is coming off an upset win over the Kings last night, this is a fade spot to me. It's Orlando or pass, as the Magic needed a comeback versus the Spurs in their last game, but should not need that here."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Magic & Wizards game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orlando Magic on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Wizards at +13.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 217.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Magic vs. Wizards on Thursday
- The Wizards are 1-4 in their last 5 home games
- 16 of the Magic's last 19 road trips to the Wizards have gone over the Total
- The Wizards have failed to cover the Spread in 4 of their last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
- The Magic have won 7 of their last 9 on the road, while the Wizards have lost 5 straight home games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Timberwolves sale from Glen Taylor to Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez agreed to, moving forward
It was a multi-year process that the current controlling Timberwolves owner, Glen Taylor, tried to stop — and could have dragged out with an appeal of an arbitrator's ruling — but Taylor has decided against the appeal, and the sale of the Minnesota franchise is finally going through.
Taylor has agreed to sell 100% of the Minnesota Timberwolves to Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez for the $1.5 billion franchise valuation agreed to in 2021, a story broken by Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reporters since. The NBA has formally started transferring ownership, including a vote from the Board of Governors (the other owners).
The dragged-out, convoluted process of Lore and Rodriguez buying the team started four years ago. This unique sale process involved Lore/Rodriguez essentially buying the team in installments at a $1.5 billion price tag, with all sides agreeing to this process in 2021.
The dispute arose around the final payment of that sale, which Taylor voided, saying it came after the prescribed deadline. However, Lore and Rodriguez argued that they did turn in the paperwork on time, and the sale agreement allowed for an extension of 90 days to finalize the deal if their financing was in place before the deadline — and it was despite changing financing partners. Rodriguez and Lore argued that Taylor simply had seller's remorse (maybe in part because the value of the franchise skyrocketed in the years after the sale).
The disagreement went to arbitration, and the panel agreed with Lore and Rodriguez. Taylor could have appealed but chose not to. The sides have now agreed to finalize the deal.
Taylor, 83, still turns a healthy profit: He bought the Timberwolves in 1994 for $88 million (keeping the team from a potential relocation to New Orleans).
Among the things the Lore/Rodriguez ownership is expected to do is extend team head of basketball operations Tim Connelly, as well as try to repair the franchise's relationship with its best player ever, Kevin Garnett (who had a feud with Taylor).
Timberwolves vs. Nets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 3
It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32) and Brooklyn Nets (25-51) are all set to square off from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Timberwolves are currently 21-16 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Nets have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. This is the first of two remaining matchups between the Nets and Timberwolves.
Minnesota has won three straight games and four of the past five contests, while Brooklyn has won the past two games by seven combined points versus Washington and Dallas.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. Nets live today
- Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
- Time: 7:30PM EST
- Site: Barclays Center
- City: Brooklyn, NY
- Network/Streaming:
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Timberwolves vs. Nets
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Timberwolves (-935), Nets (+618)
- Spread: Timberwolves -13
- Over/Under: 216 points
That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 113.87, and the Nets 107.09.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Timberwolves vs. Nets game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Nets to cover:
"Minnesota is coming off that emotional and wild win in 2OT versus the Nuggets, but they travel across the country from Denver to Brooklyn for this contest. This is a large double-digit spread to cover if you are Minnesota as they just want the win and to continue the road trip. I lean the points with the Nets as a backdoor cover is very likely."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Timberwolves & Nets game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at +13.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 216.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Timberwolves vs. Nets on Thursday
- The Timberwolves have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
- 7 of the Timberwolves' last 9 games (78%) have gone over the Total
- This season the Nets have covered the spread in 28 games against teams with better records
- The Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 7 away games against teams with losing records
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Who win win NCAA championship? Men’s Final Four predictions, national title picks
The Final Four for the men's NCAA Tournament bracket is set, featuring all No. 1 seeds. Here are expert predictions to make the national championship.
Trail Blazers vs. Raptors Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 3
It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Portland Trail Blazers (33-43) and Toronto Raptors (28-48) are all set to square off from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
The Trail Blazers are currently 13-25 on the road with a point differential of -3, while the Raptors have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. The Blazers won 105-102 on March 16 in Portland versus Toronto. This is the final meeting of the season.
Toronto was on a four-game winning streak before their 19-point loss to Chicago whereas Portland was on a four-game losing streak before their four-point win over Atlanta.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Trail Blazers vs. Raptors live today
- Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
- Time: 7:30PM EST
- Site: Scotiabank Arena
- City: Toronto, ON
- Network/Streaming:
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Trail Blazers vs. Raptors
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Trail Blazers (-123), Raptors (+103)
- Spread: Trail Blazers -1.5
- Over/Under: 225 points
That gives the Trail Blazers an implied team point total of 112.91, and the Raptors 112.13.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Trail Blazers vs. Raptors game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Blazers to cover and win:
"Portland and Toronto are both on the outside looking in of the play-in tournament, but I think the Blazers at least have a real chance. The Raptors would need to win out with some help to make the play-in whereas Portland is 2.0 games back of the final spot. This is a winnable game for the Blazers and a good spot to grab two straight wins. It's Portland or pass."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Trail Blazers & Raptors game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Raptors at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Trail Blazers vs. Raptors on Thursday
- The Trail Blazers have won 9 of their last 10 games as favorite
- The Over is 12-8 in the Raptors' last 10 home games and the Trail Blazers' last 10 on the road combined
- The Raptors have covered in 4 of their last 5 games
- The Raptors have covered in 8 of their 9 matchups against Western Conference Northwest Division teams this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Jamion Christian returns from overseas to replace Phil Martelli Jr. as Bryant’s basketball coach
Bryant has hired Jamion Christian to replace Phil Martelli Jr. as its men's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday. Christian will move to the Rhode Island school after spending the last two seasons as coach of Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian Professional Basketball League. Christian also has had prior head coaching jobs at George Washington, Siena and Mount St. Mary’s.
Moody, Podziemski pride themselves on not being Warriors' weak links
Moody, Podziemski pride themselves on not being Warriors' weak links originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LOS ANGELES – On the far end of the UCLA men’s basketball practice court at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center, Steph Curry still is working following Warriors shootaround, more than seven hours prior to their game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Draymond Green is getting shots up on the same hoop. So is Jimmy Butler, with the rest of the team shooting on the opposite end or at a side hoop. Curry, Green and Butler are the center of the Warriors’ solar system. They aren’t surrounded by fellow stars in the starting lineup, but key components who can keep everything in sync or throw the Warriors out of whack.
Since Butler’s arrival from the Miami Heat, the former has been the story of a resurgent Golden State squad. Curry has been rejuvenated. Green has stated his Defensive Player of the Year case, with an equally competitive comrade to lean on.
The rest of the Warriors’ usual starting five when at full strength is made up of Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, two 22-year-olds shining in their own regard.
“We make sure when teams look at us, they don’t look at us as the weak links out there,” Podziemski said.
They haven’t been. The Warriors are 18-5 since Butler made his team debut on Feb. 8 in Chicago, and one of those losses came in a game he missed as an injury precaution. None of the five losses have been with Curry, Podziemski, Butler, Moody and Green all in the starting lineup.
After beating the Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday night, the Warriors jumped to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and improved to 12-0 using that starting five, giving them perhaps the best group in the NBA. Their 12-game win streak together is the longest by any team in the league this season, passing the Oklahoma City Thunder’s five-man unit of Cason Wallace, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein that had an 11-game win streak together from Dec. 3, 2024 through Jan. 5, 2025.
“It’s been pretty simple since Jimmy’s gotten here,” Podziemski said. “We got really high-IQ guys in the starting lineup and guys kind of just know how the floor is supposed to look, what shots you’re going to get it and it all meshes good.”
Adding Butler next to Curry has simplified everything for the Warriors, particularly for Moody and Podziemski.
“It’s a good flow out there on the floor,” Moody said. “Playing through Jimmy, playing through Steph opens a lot of things up.”
Podziemski has played 19 games in the Butler era, missing five to a lower back problem. In that span, Podziemski has averaged 13.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Moody hasn’t missed any action, averaging 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game with Butler on the Warriors. Both have seen their defensive responsibilities increase, too.
With Andrew Wiggins gone as part of the Butler trade, Moody has individually taken on the challenge of defending the opposition’s top scorer. Though he’s only shooting 33.9 percent on 3-pointers in the past eight weeks with Butler in the fold, Moody’s defensive intensity has shined, as has Podziemski’s on plenty of occasions.
Each player has averaged at least a steal per game for the new-look Warriors.
“We know Jimmy and Steph do so much for us offensively,” Podziemski said. “Me and Moses have taken on the challenge of guarding the best guys every night and making it easier on the other guys.”
The quintet technically has played 14 games together, producing a 120.3 offensive rating and 102.4 defensive rating in 133 minutes, giving the group a 17.9 net rating. There have been 20 five-man lineups in the NBA that have played at least 100 minutes together since Butler’s first game in a Warriors jersey. The Curry-Podziemski-Butler-Moody-Green lineup has the sixth-best offensive rating during that duration, plus the third-best defensive rating and third-best net rating.
“We’re just trying to win games,” Moody said. “When it comes down to the stretch, whatever it takes. Young guys, old guys, everybody’s really just all-in, putting everything they got on the floor and trying to come out with wins.”
Golden State’s Big Three – Curry, Green and Butler – combined to score 92 of the Warriors’ 134 points against the Grizzlies. Moody (10 points) and Podziemski (eight points) accounted for 18 points. Yet they came through in the clutch for the Warriors when it mattered most.
Podziemski flew in for a wild tip-in, using his off-hand to save a missed three from Curry, putting the Warriors ahead by five points with a little over a minute left. Moody sealed the game, hitting a wide-open three of his own from the left corner, increasing the Warriors’ lead to eight points at the 40-second mark of the fourth quarter.
“We understood what was at stake going into that game,” Podziemski said. “We both didn’t play particularly well offensively throughout the course of the game, but when it mattered most, we stepped up and made plays. His corner three, my tip-in at the end. It’s a good feeling as a young guy to have Steve trust you out there when it matters most.”
No weak links.
More weight is placed upon the shoulders of Curry, Green and Butler than anybody else. The play of Podziemski and Moody has provided a sense of relief, as well as added trust for what should be a brawling sprint to the regular-season’s finish line, before the pressure really turns on.
Maryland’s Buzz Williams confident in school’s commitment as he takes over basketball program
Whatever misgivings Kevin Willard may have had about coaching basketball at Maryland, Buzz Williams’ arrival shows the job is still pretty enticing.
Kevin Willard downplays criticism by unhappy Maryland as he takes Villanova job
Kevin Willard understands why he caught some heat.
Bucks vs. 76ers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 3
It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Milwaukee Bucks (41-34) and Philadelphia 76ers (23-53) are all set to square off from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Bucks are currently 16-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the 76ers have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. Milwaukee won all three meetings versus Philly this season by at least eight points.
Philadelphia has lost nine consecutive games, while Milwaukee snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-point win over Phoenix.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Bucks vs. 76ers live today
- Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
- Time: 7:00PM EST
- Site: Wells Fargo Center
- City: Philadelphia, PA
- Network/Streaming:
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Bucks vs. 76ers
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Bucks (-606), 76ers (+445)
- Spread: Bucks -11.5
- Over/Under: 225 points
That gives the Bucks an implied team point total of 117.44, and the 76ers 111.44.
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!
Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Bucks vs. 76ers game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Bucks to cover:
"The Bucks got a much-needed 10-point win over the Suns to break a four-game losing streak. Of the remaining schedule, this is the most winnable game outside of a road game at New Orleans. The 76ers have dropped nine straight games and I don't see that changing here after three straight double-digit losses. It's Bucks or pass."
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Bucks & 76ers game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia 76ers on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia 76ers at +11.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Bucks vs. 76ers on Thursday
- The Bucks have lost 20 of their 36 road games this season
- The Under is 7-3 in the Bucks' last 10 road games
- The Bucks have covered in 7 of their last 8 road games
- The Bucks are 1-4 in their last 5 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Final Four picks: Expert predictions, odds, betting lines, schedule for NCAA tournament Saturday games
This looks like the strongest Final Four since the tournament expanded.