Category: Basketball

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns Preview 

The Oklahoma City Thunder (65-14) and Phoenix Suns (35-44) are all set to square off from Footprint Center in Phoenix.

The Suns do not control their own destiny for the No. 10 seed. They need some help from the teams around them and must win a few games to end the season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched the No.1 seed.

The Thunder are currently 29-8 on the road with a point differential of 13, while the Suns have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the 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 Thunder vs. Suns live today

• Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
• Time: 10:00PM EST
• Site: Footprint Center
• City: Phoenix, AZ

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 Thunder vs. Suns
The latest odds as of Wednesday:

• Odds: Thunder (-725), Suns (+513)
• Spread:  Thunder -12.5
• Over/Under: 233 points

That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 121.99, and the Suns 115.48.
 
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 Wednesday's Thunder vs. Suns game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is passing...

Thomas: “Thunder are sitting their starters, not worth an angle here."

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 Thunder & Suns game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oklahoma City Thunder at -12.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 233.

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 Thunder vs. Suns on Wednesday

• The Thunder have won 4 of their last 5 at Western Conference teams
• The Suns' last 3 home games have gone over the Total
• The Thunder have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Western Conference Pacific Division teams

 
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)

San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors Preview 

The San Antonio Spurs (32-47) and Golden State Warriors (47-32) are all set to square off from Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Spurs have lost three straight and only won two of their last 10 games.

The Warriors continue to play great basketball. They have won seven of their last 10.

The Spurs are currently 12-26 on the road with a point differential of -3, while the Warriors have a 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the 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 Spurs vs. Warriors live today

• Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
• Time: 10:00PM EST
• Site: Chase Center
• City: San Francisco, CA

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 Spurs vs. Warriors
The latest odds as of Wednesday:

• Odds: Spurs (+800), Warriors (-1389)
• Spread:  Warriors -15.5
• Over/Under: 234 points

That gives the Spurs an implied team point total of 116.14, and the Warriors 124.23.
 
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 Wednesday's Spurs vs. Warriors game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is leaning towards taking Jimmy Butler under 16.5 points…

Thomas: “There’s the sense that Jimmy Butler doesn’t overexert himself in meaningless games. Not that this game doesn’t matter, but they are 17-point favorites and should cover with ease.

Butler’s shot volume has been low recently as well. He took 11 shots in his last two games combined. This should be a game where the role players feat.”

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 Spurs & Warriors 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 San Antonio Spurs at +15.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 234.

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 Spurs vs. Warriors on Wednesday

• The Spurs have lost 3 straight games as an underdog
• The Over is 22-17 in the Spurs' road games this season
• The Spurs have covered the Spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against the Warriors
• The Spurs have covered the Spread in 6 of their last 8 road games against the Warriors

 
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)

Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings Preview 

The Denver Nuggets (47-32) and Sacramento Kings (39-40) are all set to square off from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Since firing Mike Malone a few days ago, the Nuggets are still trying to find the winning column. They are dangerously close to falling into a play-in position.

The Kings have secured a spot in the Play-in. They will finish the season as the No. 9 or No. 10 seed.
The Nuggets are currently 22-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Kings have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the 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 Nuggets vs. Kings live today

• Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
• Time: 10:00PM EST
• Site: Golden 1 Center
• City: Sacramento, CA
• 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 Nuggets vs. Kings

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

• Odds: Nuggets (-123), Kings (+103)
• Spread:  Nuggets -1.5
• Over/Under: 234 points

That gives the Nuggets an implied team point total of 117.41, and the Kings 116.63.
 
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 Wednesday's Nuggets vs. Kings game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is leaning toward Denver Nuggets -4…

Thomas: “Denver nearly has a full squad tonight in a must-win game. The Kings are in the Play-in regardless of how their season finishes. The Nuggets are on a four game losing streak and have only won three of their last 10 games.

The sense of urgency has to come from the Nuggets tonight. They are too talented to to fall into the Play-in spot”

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 Nuggets & Kings 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 Sacramento Kings at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 234.

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 Nuggets vs. Kings on Wednesday

• The Nuggets have won four straight games against the Kings
• The Nuggets' last four games at the Kings have gone over the total
• The Kings have covered the spread in their last three games against teams with winning records
• The Kings have lost 7 of their last 10 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!
 
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)

Jase Richardson is entering the NBA draft, a year or two sooner than his father expected.

The Michigan State freshman announced his decision on social media Tuesday.

“I’m forever grateful to the Spartan community for all their support throughout the season and honored to be a Spartan Dawg,” Richardson wrote in a post.

His father, Jason Richardson, a former Spartans star and NBA standout, helped his son gather feedback from the league to assist in the decision-making process.

“I have a lot of ties in the NBA — know a lot of GMs and scouts — and heard he would probably be a late, lottery pick,” Jason Richardson told The Associated Press. “He’s pursuing the dream he’s had since he was a kid.

“I’m surprised it happened this fast. I knew he was a really good basketball player, but I didn’t think he would be one and done. I thought he would take two years, maybe three, but he did some amazing things and helped his team accomplish some great things.”

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 12.5 points, making 48.5% of his shots overall and 41.1% of 3-pointers. He helped Michigan State win the Big Ten title by three games and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

For Michigan State’s national championship team in 2000, Jason Richardson averaged five points in 15 minutes as a freshman for coach Tom Izzo. He stayed for his sophomore season and nearly tripled his scoring production.

“Coach Izzo was the first to say Jase should test the waters, and it was the same thing he told me when I had an opportunity to go to the NBA,” Richardson told the AP. “He was supportive and positive about Jase’s decision.”

During the season, Izzo told reporters that Richardson should enter the draft and praised the process that led to his decision.

“Not only did I say it publicly, I encouraged him and his family,” Izzo told the AP. “I have no issues the way this was handed by Jase, his family or the agent. We’re all on the same page. This is absolutely the right decision.

“I’m pulling for him and I hope Michigan State fans are, too.”

Izzo is working on filling some big sneakers this offseason.

Richardson is the fourth player to leave the program early, joining Tre Holloman, Xavier Booker and Gehrig Normand after they entered the transfer portal last week. Booker is transferring to UCLA.

The Spartans also will lose a trio of key players who have no more eligibility: Jaden Akins, Szymon Zapala and Frankie Fidler.

Izzo will hope to retain two starters, point guard Jeremy Fears and center Jaxon Kohler, along with high-flying wing Coen Carr and 6-11 center Carson Cooper for next season’s team, which also will have four-star recruits Cam Ward and Jordan Scott.

“I like my team coming back next year,” Izzo said.

The 6-3, 185-pound Richardson was perhaps the most consistent player for the surprising Spartans, who were unranked for the first month of the season in the AP Top 25 and surged as Richardson took on a larger role.

Richardson started for the first time midway through the season when Fears was out with an illness, and after scoring a career-high 29 points in a win over Oregon, he didn’t come off the bench again.

“There can’t be many guys that I’ve coached that are as efficient and as confident — not cocky, not arrogant,” Izzo said.

Richardson averaged nearly two assists and fewer than one turnover per game.

“He impacts the game in so many ways,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “His poise is extremely impressive, especially factored in that he’s a freshman.”

Entering the Big Ten Tournament, Richardson was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the third straight week and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten third team.

“He’s efficient in every facet and his demeanor is really like an upperclassman,” TV analyst Robbie Hummel said. “I just love his calmness.”

Two years ago, the Denver Nuggets won the NBA championship. Yesterday, they cleaned house — as the postseason approaches.

Out are coach Michael Malone and G.M. Calvin Booth. The two apparently didn't get along. It prompted Josh Kroenke, son of Rams owner Stan Kroenke, to get rid of both of them.

"There were certain trends that were very worrisome to me at different points in time," Kroenke told Altitude TV, via ESPN.com. "But they would get masked by a few wins here and there and in the world of professional sports, when winning and losing is your currency, winning can mask a lot of things."

The situation unmasks a certain degree of dysfunction in a Kroenke-owned organization. Which raises a fair question as to whether there's a chance similar issues could pop up with the Rams, at some point.

The message for the Rams is that winning alone might not be enough. Still, the overriding question for any sports team, in any league, is whether it's better to win with internal chaos — or to not win with harmony?

It’s Wednesday, April 9, and the Miami Heat (36-43) and Chicago Bulls (36-43) are all set to square off from United Center in Chicago.

The Heat are currently 16-22 on the road with a point differential of 0, while the Bulls have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. Chicago won both meetings versus Miami this season by five and nine points.

Chicago is 3-1 over the last four games but coming off a 22-point loss to Cleveland last night. Miami beat Philadelphia by 12 points in its last outing to break a two-game losing streak.

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 Heat vs. Bulls live today

• Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
• Time: 8:00PM EST
• Site: United Center
• City: Chicago, IL
• 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 Heat vs. Bulls

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

• Odds: Heat (-129), Bulls (+108)
• Spread:  Heat -2
• Over/Under: 223 points

That gives the Heat an implied team point total of 112.06, and the Bulls 111.02.

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 Wednesday’s Heat vs. Bulls game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Heat to beat the Bulls:

"This is the final meeting of the season between these two and with the Bulls winning both matchups, I automatically lean toward the Heat here. Miami is playing much better basketball over the last 10-12 games than they were with the Jimmy Butler drama surrounding the team than the aftermath of his departure. Chicago has been streaky as well, so this should be a good game. I lean Miami to get a road win over Chicago tonight."

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 Heat & Bulls 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 Chicago Bulls at +2.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 223.

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 Heat vs. Bulls on Wednesday

• The Bulls have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against Eastern Conference teams
• In the Heat's road games this season the Under is 22-17
• The Bulls have covered the Spread in 4 of their last 5 games as a home underdog
• The Heat are on a streak of 3 straight road wins

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)

It’s Wednesday, April 9, and the Charlotte Hornets (19-60) and Toronto Raptors (29-50) are all set to square off from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

The Hornets are currently 7-31 on the road with a point differential of -9, while the Raptors have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. The season series is tied up 1-1 between Toronto and Charlotte.

Toronto is 5-3 over the last eight games and coming off an 11-point win over Brooklyn. Charlotte lost four straight games and nine of the past 10 contests.

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 Hornets vs. Raptors live today

• Date: Wednesday, April 9, 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 Hornets vs. Raptors

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

• Odds: Hornets (+250), Raptors (-312)
• Spread:  Raptors -7.5
• Over/Under: 214 points

That gives the Hornets an implied team point total of 105.93, and the Raptors 109.84.

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 Wednesday’s Hornets vs. Raptors game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Under:

"The Hornets are on the second night of a back-to-back and after the early showing against Memphis, I'd pass on anything but under related to Charlotte for the remaining few games. Toronto is out of the playoff mix, so I expect a lot of bench players in this matchup. It's Under or pass for me."

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 Hornets & Raptors game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Raptors on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Raptors at -7.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 214.

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 Hornets vs. Raptors on Wednesday

• The Hornets have lost 16 of their last 19 games on the road
• The Raptors' last 4 home games have stayed under the Total
• The Raptors have won 8 straight home games against the Hornets

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)