Category: Basketball

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Texas's Dailyn Swain  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects his draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Dailyn Swain 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 29 overall, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

After transferring from Xavier to Texas during the offseason and then leading his team to the Sweet 16, Dailyn Swain became one of the more intriguing breakout players in college basketball. The All-SEC forward is versatile and contributed a little bit of everything for the Longhorns on both sides of the ball, scoring well both in the paint and on fastbreaks. Another element that is notably compelling is that Swain is efficient one-on-one in isolation against his defenders.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Dailyn Swain player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard-Forward
• Current Team: Texas
• 17.7 points per game
• 7.6 rebounds per game
• 3.4 assists per game
• 54.3 field goal percentage
• 34.5 three-point field goal percentage

Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 29 (via SA)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dailyn Swain NBA mock draft projection: Where Texas star is expected to land after March Madness

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Texas Tech's Christian Anderson is expected to go in the first round after his agent announced the guard's intention to declare. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Christian Anderson 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 21 overall, Detroit Pistons

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

While they are one of the best teams in the league this season, the Pistons are still struggling from the perimeter and could use more talented 3-point shooters on their roster. A simple fix would be drafting Texas Tech sophomore Christian Anderson, who had the most unassisted 3-pointers (61) among high-major players, per CBB Analytics. After moving from the two-guard to point guard, the All-Big 12 Most Improved Player recorded more than twice as many assists per 100 possessions as a sophomore compared to when he was a freshman.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Christian Anderson player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard
• Current Team: Texas Tech
• 18.9 points per game
• 3.6 rebounds per game
• 7.6 assists per game
• 47.9 field goal percentage
• 42.5 three-point field goal percentage

Detroit Pistons 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 21 (via MIN)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian Anderson NBA mock draft projection: Where Texas Tech star is expected to land after March Madness

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Our NBA player prop projections are set for tonight’s Western Conference showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers, with the model pinpointing several standout opportunities.

By analyzing the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve uncovered the bets with the highest value.

These Thunder vs. Lakers predictions aren’t guesswork — they’re driven by the numbers.

For those building their cards, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, April 7.

Thunder vs Lakers computer picks for April 7

Thunder	Lakers
Holmgren o7.5 rebounds  -105	James o6.5 rebounds  -130
Gilgeous-Alexander u30.5 points  -120	Kennard u5.5 assists -125
Hartenstein u3.5 assists -140	James o22.5 points -110

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Thunder computer picks

Chet Holmgren Over 7.5 rebounds (-105)

Projection: 7.8 rebounds

Chet Holmgren has cleared the 7.5-rebound line in six of his last 10 games, and the matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers gives him a strong path to do it again.

Against the Lakers, there should be plenty of opportunities as their offense often funnels shots into the paint and mid-range, creating rebound chances around the rim.

Holmgren’s versatility also keeps him on the floor for extended minutes, which only boosts his chances of hitting the Over once again.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 30.5 points (-120)

Projection: 29.5 points

The Oklahoma City Thunder could see fewer scoring opportunities in this matchup against the Lakers, who’ve played at the 10th-slowest pace in the league over the last 15 games.

That slower tempo may continue to impact Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has hit the Under on 30.5 points in six of his last 10 outings.

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Isaiah Hartenstein Under 3.5 assists (-140)

Projection: 3.1 assists

Isaiah Hartenstein hitting the Under on 3.5 assists in seven of his last 10 games points to a reduced playmaking role within the Thunder offense.

This trend is likely to continue tonight. The Lakers’ defensive scheme often prioritizes protecting the paint and staying attached to shooters, which limits easy passing lanes for big men.

Combine that with Hartenstein’s usage profile, and the Under on 3.5 assists remains a strong play.

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---

Lakers computer picks

LeBron James Over 6.5 rebounds (-130)

Projection: 7.0 rebounds

LeBron James has hit the Over on 6.5 rebounds in five of his last 10 games, and tonight’s matchup against the Thunder gives him a prime opportunity to do it again.

James is tasked with shouldering a larger share of both the scoring and rebounding responsibilities for the Lakers. 

The Thunder’s frontcourt has struggled to control the paint consistently, giving James additional opportunities for offensive boards and second-chance points.

Add that to his extended minutes and high usage, and the Over on 6.5 rebounds looks well within reach tonight.

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Luke Kennard Under 5.5 assists (-125)

Projection: 4.3 assists

The Lakers have played at the 10th-slowest pace in the league over their last 15 games, which could limit opportunities for Luke Kennard as a facilitator while he looks to step up in the absence of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

Kennard is projected to fall over a full assist shy of this line, good for a 22.2% EV edge.

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LeBron James Over 22.5 points (-110)

Projection: 24.6 points

The Lakers have been rolling offensively at home, averaging 122.8 points per game — the fourth-highest mark in the league over their last 10 games.

With Dončić sidelined for the rest of the regular season, King James will need to elevate his scoring and carry an even heavier offensive load.

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How to watch Thunder vs Lakers tonight

Location	Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date	Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off	10:30 p.m. ET
TV	FDSN OK, SPECSN

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The NBA invented the 65-game limit rule to address what it perceived to be a major problem (that, fairly or not, will always get tied back to Gregg Popovich and the Spurs): load management. The idea was simple: star players were being rested in situations such as the second night of back-to-backs or late in the regular season to protect them from injury and save them for the playoffs. (Think back to 2011, when Manu Ginobili broke his elbow in the opening minute of the Spurs’ regular season finale: a game whose only meaning to the Spurs was securing home court advantage in the Finals if the Bulls made it. News flash, MVP Derrick Rose got hurt, and they didn’t. Neither did the Spurs, who couldn’t get past the Grizzlies in round one with a hobbled Manu. No one wants a repeat of that.)

The NBA didn’t like the load management, especially when those games were on national television, so they created an incentive to keep stars on the court: if a player doesn’t appear in at least 65 games, he is not eligible for regular season awards and All-NBA/Defensive Teams, which can directly impact a player’s contract extension or built in bonuses. Thus the rule was born, but here’s the problem: it addresses the wrong issue.

The NBA can point to load management as the leading problem towards stars missing games since that releases them from blame, but it’s not; it’s more injuries. As we stand, several MVP candidates are at risk of or will miss the 65-game minimum due to injury in the last couple of weeks. Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung, Luka Doncic a strained hamstring, and Victor Wembanyama a bruised rib just last night. Nikola Jokic is also toing the line after a knee injury earlier in the season sidelined him for 16 straight games.

But here’s the thing: these players aren’t on the brink of missing out because they were “load managing” for 18 or more games, it was injury. For example, of Wemby’s 16 missed games so far, only two of them could be identified as “load management”. The other 14 were 12 for the dreaded calf strain and two from a strained oblique, and the same can be said for the other players mentioned above. As a result, instead of punishing load management, the league is punishing injury, possibly even forcing players back sooner than needed so they can earn the right to be recognized. In a way, they are also putting more emphasis on the regular season than playoffs, which seems counter intuitive.

Not coincidently, YouTube channel Thinking Basketballjust published a video today about why the NBA has this rule wrong. They look at the leading cause of increased injury in the modern NBA — namely the quicker pace, more movement and hard planting, and players pushing off (which was how Jokic got hurt) — and what the NBA can do to address the REAL problem (including, the two things they don’t want to acknowledge: the long schedule and back-to-backs, especially on the road). It’s a good 15-minute watch, so be sure to check it out below or with the link above.

The NBA’s heart may in the right place in trying to put the best possible product on the floor for the fans each and every night, but as they are wont to do, they created a solution for the wrong problem, thus creating an entirely new one.

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The Los Angeles Clippers’ turnaround is not yet complete. If they want a spot in the playoffs proper, holding onto their current standing will be crucial. That focus should come at the Dallas Mavericks’ expense on Tuesday, April 7.

But my Mavericks vs. Clippers predictions and these NBA picks also look ahead at what Los Angeles should already prioritize.

Mavericks vs Clippers prediction

Mavericks vs Clippers best bet: Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points (-112)

The Los Angeles Clippers cannot let off the gas. They are only half a game ahead of the Blazers for the No. 8 spot in the West, a vital difference in the Play-In Tournament, and those two match up once more this week. But that is also exactly why the Clippers should ease up tonight if given the opportunity against the Dallas Mavericks.

Los Angeles plays again tomorrow, and then Friday’s trip to Portland looms as a third game in four days.

Sometimes, not letting off the gas shows up by looking ahead. An endurance athlete might call that pacing.

Once the Clippers find a healthy lead tonight, expect them to limit Kawhi Leonard’s minutes. It will be the savvy choice to make when considering what is at stake the rest of the week. Beyond that, it should be noted, Leonard has not cleared this prop in any of his last seven games.

Mavericks vs Clippers same-game parlay

Every thought here aligns: An early Clippers lead should prompt fewer minutes from Leonard, who has already fallen short of this modest rebounding prop in his last two games and in five of his last eight.

Mavericks vs Clippers SGP

• Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Under 6.5 rebounds
• Clippers -7 — 1H

Our "from downtown" SGP: Less Leonard Is More

While this is a counterintuitive same-game parlay, it has actually cashed in the last two games. Leonard’s lessened scoring of late has not included lessened shooting.

Mavericks vs Clippers SGP

• Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Over 2.5 threes
• Kawhi Leonard Under 6.5 rebounds

Mavericks vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Mavericks +11.5 | Clippers -11.5
• Moneyline: Mavericks +450 | Clippers -600
• Over/Under: Over 238.5 | Under 238.5

Mavericks vs Clippers betting trend to know

All the season-ending praise of Cooper Flagg and his likely Rookie of the Year award hides the fact that Dallas has gone 1-3 against the spread in its last four games despite facing four teams all a bit distressed as the season’s end nears. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Clippers.

How to watch Mavericks vs Clippers

Mavericks vs Clippers latest injuries

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As the Detroit Pistons prepare not just for what they hope is a deep playoff run, but also for next season, the team is shuffling its roster with a new signing and releasing a little-used member. Center Tolu Smith is signing a two-year contract that will make him available for the playoffs and potentially ensure he’s on board next season as well. To make room for Smith on the roster, the Pistons waived second-year forward Bobi Klintman.

The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and later confirmed by Omari Sankofa with the added detail that the second year of the deal is non-guaranteed.

Smith has been a two-way player for the Pistons over the past two seasons and adds depth with the anticipated return of backup center Isaiah Stewart. Smith has played in 13 games for the Pistons this season. He’ll be behind starter Jalen Duren, Stewart, and Paul Reed. But Smith is a big body at 254 pounds that the Pistons can turn to if they feel like Reed, who weighs just 210 pounds, can’t bang down low against a specific opponent, and either Duren or Stewart is unavailable. The added depth at center might also allow JB Bickerstaff to play a two-big lineup with Duren and Stewart on the floor without worrying about how to allocate the minutes.

Smith is averaging 10 minutes per game, hitting 51% of his shots, and 3.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks a night.

Klintman, meanwhile, didn’t seem to be in the plans for the Pistons. He represents Trajan Langdon’s first draft miss as a relatively high second-round pick (37th overall). Of course, very few second-round picks do much of anything in the NBA, but there are nine players selected after Klintman who have logged more than 2,000 minutes, while Bobi has played just 113. That includes Ajay Mitchell and Jaylen Wells, selected with the two picks immediately after Klintman, as well as Oso Ighodaro (40th overall), Pelle Larsson (44th), Jamal Shead (45th), and Cam Spencer (53rd).

There is a chance Klintman stays in the fold by signing a new two-way contract with the Pistons, using the slot vacated by Smith, but Detroit never seemed to prioritize or reward Klintman with playing time. Getting 113 minutes in two seasons is a drop in the bucket. Detroit has had its fair share of blowout wins, and Klintman has played less than 18 minutes since November.

If this is the end of his tenure, he walks away averaging 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in just under six minutes per game while shooting 33% from the floor.

Already without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers ruled out LeBron James out for Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James was questionable as he manages a chronic left foot injury. The Lakers are fighting for playoff seeding with four games left before the postseason, but with two consecutive losses and major injuries mounting, they have slipped to fourth in the West, a half-game behind Denver. The lowest they can fall is into fifth place, ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Doncic is out with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves is sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. The Lakers (50-28) are also without starting guard Marcus Smart, who will miss his eighth consecutive game with because of a right ankle contusion. Now with James out, the Lakers will be down four of their five regular starters.

The 41-year-old James had played in 13 consecutive games with the Lakers going 10-3 during that span. Adjusting to a reduced ball-handling role to let Doncic and Reaves control the offense, James was shooting 54.4% from the field, averaging 17.6 points per game on only 12.3 shot attempts in the first 12 games before Doncic and Reaves were injured.

With both guards out in the Lakers' last game against Dallas, James shot 12 for 22 from the field, scoring 30 points with 15 assists. It was the most shot attempts for James in a game since Dec. 20, 2025, when Reaves was out because of a calf strain and Doncic suffered a a leg contusion that limited him to just the first half.

The Thunder (62-16) have won five consecutive games. The defending NBA champions are 3-0 against the Lakers this season, including a 43-point drubbing last week. The Lakers finish the regular season at Golden State on Thursday, at home against Phoenix on Friday and against Utah on Sunday. The playoffs begin April 18.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Who: Phoenix Suns (43-35) vs. Houston Rockets (49-29)

When: 8:00pm Arizona Time

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona

Watch: Peacock/NBC

Listen: SiriusXM Channel 214

78 down, 4 to go. The Rockets have clinched a playoff spot, and the Suns have clinched a Play-In spot. While not technically impossible for the Suns to take the Timberwolves’ standings spot number 6, it is increasingly improbable, given the 3-game deficit. The Suns, and basically everyone else, are playing warm-up for the postseason at this point.

That said, the Suns have won 3 of their last 5. Though the victories haven’t always been pretty at times, they are still victories. Most importantly, the Suns have finally started to get healthy. Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks are both back and playing big minutes.

With that health has come a shortened rotation. Sunday against the Bulls, none of Rasheer Fleming, Ryan Dunn, or Khaman Maluach saw minutes.

Will the trend continue? We will see tonight against the Rockets.

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Haywood Highsmith – OUT (Right Knee)

Rockets

• Steven Adams – OUT (Ankle)
• Fred VanVleet – OUT (ACL)

What to Watch For

The Rockets are healthy, and when they are, they are BIG. They are second in the league in blocks per game and first in rebounds despite being eleventh in defensive rebounds. That means they crash the offensive glass hard. They are first in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 15.0. Now, that said, your Phoenix Suns are fourth in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 13.0. 

Overall, by the numbers, the Rockets have a better offense, better defense, are better at crashing the glass, and are much taller. I have thought all season that this is a top-two worst matchup in the NBA for the Suns.

That thought is sustained by history. The Suns have lost the last seven matchups against the Rockets. Their last win against Houston came on February 29th, 2024, in a game that saw Kevin Durant score 24 points for Phoenix and Jalen Green score 34 for Houston.

Tonight, we are watching to see if the Suns can get a big win against a bad matchup going into the play-in.

Key to a Suns Win

If the Suns want to win, they are going to have to play bigger than they are. Against the Bulls, Jordan Ott started Jordan Goodwin. Goodie may be the best in the league at playing bigger than he is, so I hope to see him starting again. He had a good night, after all, putting up 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Tonight, it is all about crashing the glass. Phoenix can’t do anything about the hands they are going to have in their faces; all they can do is work hard to secure the rebound after misses.

Prediction

My confidence isn’t high after recent performances, and the Rockets have had the Suns’ number for over two calendar years now. What’s important is that the Suns fight hard and feel warmed up going into their first play-in game.

Rockets 114, Suns 110

Michael Malone has accepted an offer to be UNC’s next basketball coach, the first one outside “the family” in most of our lifetimes. Malone became familiar with UNC thanks to his daughter Bridget, a rising sophomore, who plays volleyball for the Tar Heels. While reportedly in the mix to return to the NBA as a head coach, Malone opted instead to step into the vacancy left open for almost two weeks after the dismissal of Hubert Davis.

Inside Carolina reports that Malone will be the second-highest paid coach in college basketball behind Bill Self. Malone agreed to a six-year deal that will average just over $8 million per year. The contract was approved by the Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

Malone won a NBA title with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The star of that team, Nikola Jokic, “the Joker,” entered the NBA as the 41st pick in the 2015 draft. His rookie season and Malone’s first as the Nuggets’ head coach coincided, and Malone helped craft Jokic into one of the NBA’s foremost talents.

Malone brings 12 years of NBA head coaching experience, 10 with the Nuggets and two with the Sacramento Kings. Prior to that, he spent 10 seasons as an assistant with the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Along the way, he developed much respect with UNC’s NBA alumni, such as Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Tyler Hansbrough, who have been praising the hire. Before his professional experience, Malone worked in the college game at Manhattan, Providence, and Oakland.

You can stream the introductory press conference today at 6:00 pm on GoHeels.com or on YouTube. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Just when it looked like the Lakers’ injury report couldn’t get worse, it has.

The Lakers will have to play against the Thunder without LeBron James, who has been ruled out due to left foot injury management.

The team is already playing without Marcus Smart, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, so now the only starter who will be suiting up for the purple and gold is Deandre Ayton.

The only good news here for Los Angeles is that this injury is being labeled as left foot injury management. So, it’s just about LeBron getting some rest and not another massive injury to a key player.

After Tuesday, the Lakers have three games left, including a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday. If LeBron resting here means he can play the rest of the way, then that’s probably a smart move.

Still, LeBron’s absence from this game doesn’t make winning any easier. With Dončić and Reaves out, the Lakers have been relying on James even more.

He ran the entire offense for LA in their game against the Mavericks and played well. It’s going to be extremely difficult for Lakers head coach JJ Redick to find LeBron’s level of production with the players he has left available.

Perhaps Luke Kennard can have another triple-double, or Rui Hachimura goes berserk from deep to keep the Lakers in this one.

Considering that OKC just blew out LA when they were fully healthy a week ago, this doesn’t look like a game the Lakers can win.

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

It had to feel like it was all slipping away. Cooper Flagg missed games with a foot injury, and while he was sidelined, his former Duke roommate was busy doing the one thing more impactful than posting impressive stat lines — Kon Knueppel was reshaping the narrative. More games played, cleaner shooting metrics, a winning context in Charlotte. On the surface, the case was building. The straw poll of NBA media members had Knueppel firmly in the lead.

Then Flagg dropped 51 on a Friday and 45 on a Sunday, and the conversation was over.

Jason Timpf breaks down exactly why Flagg should be — and now almost certainly will be — the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. The analytical case is airtight: of Flagg’s 96 points across those two games, 52 came directly out of pick-and-roll creation or isolation. Knueppel is at his best as a chaos agent alongside LaMelo Ball — and Timpf’s numbers make that dependency impossible to ignore. In the 2,172 possessions Knueppel has played without LaMelo on the floor, Charlotte posts a zero net rating and scores 112.8 points per 100. Flagg is the offensive engine, on the third-worst spot-up efficiency team in the league, drawing the best defender every single night. These are not comparable situations.

Commissioner Dynamo made me laugh, more than once. Worth your time.

Which brings us to the Rorschach test hiding inside Flagg’s season stats. Look at his October numbers — 13.4 points per game on 41% shooting, including a 2-point disaster against Oklahoma City. Jason Kidd, operating in a context where Anthony Davis was still on the roster and Kyrie Irving’s return felt possible, ran an experiment: Flagg at point guard. If you are a Kidd supporter, that experiment unlocked something in Flagg — accelerated his development, expanded his creation toolkit, made him the player currently dismantling NBA defenses in April. If you are not a Kidd supporter, those early games represent ROY votes that now risk favoring the Hornet sharpshooter. Kidd himself has suggested the experiment was formative. It is, conveniently, impossible to disprove.

What we can say with certainty is this: however those first weeks shaped him, what’s on the other end of it is a 19-year-old who just dropped 51 and 45 in back-to-back games while the basketball internet scrambles to keep up. The Mavericks have a future because of Flagg, potentially a bright one. At the very least, his incredible season beckons the scariest thought experiment this side of “what if Harrison was still in control?” and that is…where would the Mavs be without getting so lottery lucky?

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steph, Seth Curry call playing together as NBA teammates “a dream come true.”
• Steph Curry to auction off Sneaker Free Agency Collection to benefit his Eat. Learn. Play Foundation.
• Bucks have “come to terms with the inevitability” of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade coming this offseason, according to ESPN.

Ever since the Golden State Warriors signed Stephen Curry’s younger brother, Seth Curry, on Dec. 1, many awaited the moment the two would finally share the floor as NBA teammates. Just as it seemed within reach, injuries to both delayed that opportunity for most of the season.

However, that changed Sunday night.

After missing 27 games, Steph Curry returned to the lineup, finally giving the brothers their long-awaited opportunity to take the floor together. At the 6:19 mark of the second quarter, the two stood side by side in the same backcourt, delivering a special moment for one of the NBA’s most iconic basketball families.

The Curry brothers shared the floor for just one minute before Seth was subbed out, but it was enough to make the moment real. Between them, they combined for 35 points off the bench, knocking down six three-pointers on 13 attempts. Steph led the way with 29 points in just 26 minutes, while Seth added six points in 13 minutes of action.

After years of competing against each other on separate teams, the opportunity to finally play as teammates became a reality — something both described as a “dream come true” for their family.

And while their time on the floor together was brief this time around, there should be more opportunities with four games remaining in the regular season. For the Warriors, it was a bright spot during a challenging stretch. For the Currys, it meant something more — a moment years in the making, and one they won’t forget.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, April 7th:

Warriors News:

Why Steph and Seth Curry’s ‘dream come true’ with Warriors is basketball bliss | NBC Sports Bay Area

They’re most happy that their mother Sonya was able to be there, fully in her element. 

“To have that moment coming out of a timeout talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian High School my senior year, his sophomore year,” Steph said. “That was the last time in an actual game, even though he was on our training camp roster in 2013, but that was the last time we actually played a game together. My mom was in the stands, she probably didn’t have any more memory on her phone with all the pictures and videos.”

Kawakami: Draymond Green on his vision for a fulfilling Warriors ending … in a few years | The San Francisco Standard

“Rich and I discussed it a couple months ago briefly,” Draymond said. “We haven’t talked much about it because we don’t deal with those things until the offseason. But I think in an ideal world, and again, this is me talking without me talking to my representation so Rich will probably kill me. But in an ideal world, I think the best path would be to decline and extend. If I had it my way, that would be the best path forward.”

If it happens, that would be one important piece of the puzzle plopped into place for Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy, added to trying to get Kristaps Porzingis signed, possibly also at a medium salary for a few years, and several other important items.

Steph Curry to auction off his Sneaker Free Agency Collection for charity

NBA News:

Inside the fractured relationship between Giannis and the Bucks | ESPN

The Bucks will be open to trade talks regarding Antetokounmpo, and the highest levels of the organization have come to terms with the inevitability of a likely deal coming to fruition this offseason, sources told ESPN.

“This is as toxic of a team situation as any in the league,” one source close to the team said. “They waited until the very end on Giannis, and now everyone knows.”

Bulls fire vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Last Two-Minute Report shows Warriors got hosed against Rockets

What can we conclude? Referees don’t respect Steph Curry, but they respect the sanctity of “three in the key” even less. This author will consider the Warriors a true 37-win team going forward.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

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The basketball gods seem angry with the Los Angeles Lakers. Losing two of their three best players for at least a few weeks just as the playoffs near certainly changes every thought Los Angeles has.

Few opponents will pester a new point guard as aggressively as the Oklahoma City Thunder will tonight, but my Thunder vs. Lakers predictions and these NBA picks still see value in new-look L.A. point guard Luke Kennard on Tuesday, April 7.

Thunder vs Lakers prediction

Thunder vs Lakers best bet: Luke Kennard Over 5.5 assists (+105)

Point guard Luke Kennard. That is a reality for the Los Angeles Lakers as the playoffs loom. This was certainly not their plan.

With both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined for the next few weeks, Kennard and LeBron James shared the offensive initiation duties in Sunday’s loss at Dallas, with James playing nearly 39 minutes and dishing out 15 assists while Kennard played more than 41 minutes and handed out 11 assists.

Expect Kennard to also cough up a bounty of turnovers against the Oklahoma City Thunder’s perimeter defenders. That should be obvious.

But the sheer amount of ball-handling now required of Kennard creates unquestionable value in this prop. As long as Los Angeles has hopes of the No. 3 seed in the West — currently effectively tied with the Nuggets, though the Lakers hold the tiebreaker — expect them to lean into this new-fangled look.

This was not the design, but it is now the reality.

Thunder vs Lakers same-game parlay

The value is in Kennard’s assists prop, not as much as in LeBron James’s. Kennard’s ball-handling role is the surprise induced by Los Angeles’s injuries; LeBron already initiated plenty.

The reaction to Sunday’s stats should be amazement at how much Kennard was asked to do. LeBron’s 15 assists were impressive, but also less of an outlier than Kennard’s 11.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• Luke Kennard Over 5.5 assists
• LeBron James Under 9.5 assists
• Thunder moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Rest LeBron?

JJ Redick faces a difficult choice this week. As the No. 3 seed slips from Los Angeles’s grasp, how long will he ride LeBron James? Any deficit against the Thunder tonight should quickly feel insurmountable, and getting some rest for the 41-year-old James before the playoffs is certainly a concern on Redick’s mind.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• Thunder -17
• LeBron James Under 9.5 assists
• LeBron James Under 23.5 points
• LeBron James Under 6.5 rebounds

Thunder vs Lakers odds

• Spread: Thunder -17 | Lakers +17
• Moneyline: Thunder -2000 | Lakers +1000
• Over/Under: Over 222.5 | Under 222.5

Thunder vs Lakers betting trend to know

The looming threat of the Spurs in the standings has kept the Thunder engaged enough to go 3-1 against the spread in their last four games, all as favorites of at least eight points. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.

How to watch Thunder vs Lakers

Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries

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.

Some extremely rare Steph Curry-worn sneakers will be available for purchase in a matter of days.

Sotheby’s announced on Tuesday that more than 70 pairs of shoes that Curry donned this season following his shocking split with Under Armour will be hitting its auction block on April 13.

The kicks were worn by Curry during tunnel walks, pre-game warm ups and during games, and some were autographed by the Warriors superstar.

Curry said in a statement that he was pumped for the sale, as he noted that every dollar the footwear brings in will go toward his and his wife Ayesha’s Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation, which helps kids in need.

“I’m excited to share this unique catalog in a way that lets fans be part of the journey,” Curry said. “Partnering with Sotheby’s to bring this auction to life gives these sneakers a platform beyond the game, where they can live on and mean something to someone else.”

Curry became a shoe free agent back in November, and he went on to wear unique kicks daily as a way to pay homage to some of his friends and heroes.

For one of his games, he sported the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita,” which honored Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. The shoes will be part of the collection, and experts expect them to fetch between $3,000-$5,000.

Another notable pair in the collection is the Nike Sabrina 3 set that Curry wore and then signed. Sotheby’s estimates they’ll go for between $30,000-$50,000 at the auction.

“From the legendary NBA stars that I grew up admiring, to the current players that I’ve enjoyed competing against, along with some of the biggest names in the WNBA that are helping to drive the momentum across the women’s game, I had so much fun breaking out pairs all season long that each meant so much to me,” Curry said.

“When you look back at both sneaker culture and basketball history, each pair represents an iconic moment, groundbreaking athlete or key chapter over the years in the NBA and WNBA.”

The sale is slated to end on April 28.

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Oklahoma State guard Jaylen Curry plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Joe Tipton has learned. Curry is on the move for the second consecutive offseason, only spending one year in Stillwater. UMass is where his college basketball career got underway. But now, Curry is looking for school No. 3 for what should be his final year of eligibility.

The Cowboys used Curry as a nice rotational piece throughout his 33 games played. Only seven of them were starts, playing around 24 minutes every time out there. Curry averaged 10.1 points while shooting 41.8% from the field. Not too bad for somebody playing in a power conference for the first time in his career.

Curry did a little more than just score, though. He finished as Oklahoma State’s second-leading assist man, putting up 3.5 per game. Some activity on the glass did some — mainly on the defensive end — with 3.2 rebounds a night.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

There is one performance from this past season that stands out more than any. Oklahoma State hosted Nicholls back in November for a nonconference showdown. Curry had his lone double-double of the year, doing so in style. Thirty points were put up by Curry, going 8-11 from the field and making all 12 of his free throws. And then 10 assists also show up on the statsheet to help Oklahoma State get a 14-point win.

More on Jaylen Curry, early portion of college basketball career

Curry played high school basketball at Charlotte (NC) Calvary Christian, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 193 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

UMass earned Curry’s original commitment and let him get action as a true freshman. One season later, Curry was a starter for the Minutemen and putting up good numbers. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Unfortunately, not too much team success came, and Curry decided to enter the transfer portal.

Now, another school will have an opportunity to sign Curry. If the fit turns out to be the right one, some potential still appears to be in there.