It was clear where this was headed on opening night, when the Boston Celtics hung a banner and then launched 61 3-pointers, making 29, on their way to routing the Knicks.
Friday night, Boston set the record for most 3-pointers made in a season — 1,364 — when Payton Pritchard knocked one down from beyond the arc early in the second quarter. By the end of the game, the Celtics had made 1,370 3-pointers, and they have five games remaining.
The previous record belonged to Stephen Curry and the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors.
The Celtics aren't done setting records from beyond the arc, even if everything isn't official yet. Utah holds the record for the most average 3-point shots made per game (16.7, during the 2020-21 season), but Boston will pass that at 17.9 per game. The most 3-pointers attempted by a team per game were the James Harden Rockets in 2018-19 at 45.4, but the Celtics are at 48.5 per game this season.
While the Celtics have shooting everywhere on the court — Jayson Tatum is taking 10 3-pointers a game but there is also Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and on down the line — the real credit goes to Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics have led the league in 3-point attempts in each of Mazzulla's three seasons as the shot is central to his attack. It has worked, the Celtics have a ring and are the betting favorites to win another this year.
The Sixers kept it tight all night Saturday against the Timberwolves.
However, their losing streak now sits at 11 games with four to go this season.
Minnesota pulled out a 114-109 win at Wells Fargo Center and improved to 46-32.
Four Sixers scored at least 16 points in Lonnie Walker IV, Quentin Grimes, Jared Butler and Guerschon Yabusele. Grimes was the team’s top scorer with 28 points.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards posted 37 points. Rudy Gobert had 23 points, 19 rebounds and three blocks.
The 23-55 Sixers were down eight players to start the night, including Joel Embiid (season-ending left knee surgery), Paul George (season-ending adductor and left knee injuries) and Tyrese Maxey (right finger sprain). Justin Edwards was ruled out after logging 11 minutes because of a rib contusion.
The Sixers will travel to Miami and face the Heat on Monday night. Here are observations on their loss to the T-Wolves:
Big-time Edwards poster on Bona
The first few minutes went decently for the Sixers. They took an 11-7 lead on a Justin Edwards three-pointer.
A few seconds prior, Minnesota’s Edwards had the highlight of the night.
He exploded for a fierce slam on Bona that created plenty of stunned faces in the stands. Ultimately, sometimes being on the wrong end of such plays is part of life as an aggressive NBA shot blocker.
Coming off of a fantastic 28-point night Thursday in the Sixers’ loss to the Bucks, Bona dealt with first-half foul trouble. He finished with four points, 10 rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 25 minutes Playing his second game on a 10-day contract, Colin Castleton served as Bona’s backup and had six points, six rebounds and two assists.
Minnesota’s size advantages posed predictable issues for the Sixers. At halftime, the Timberwolves had major edges in second-chance points (12-2) and free throw attempts (18-4).
Good work by Walker off the bench
The Sixers began 3 for 15 from three-point range and struggled at times to create any open look until the dying seconds of the shot clock.
The T-Wolves also had a subpar shooting start, missing 13 of their first 17 long-distance jumpers. That helped the Sixers eat into their deficit after falling behind by 13 points.
Lonnie Walker IV played a strong second quarter, too. The first man off the Sixers’ bench attacked effectively off the dribble, spotted open teammates and generally made sound decisions.
Walker’s trending well in that department since returning from a concussion. Over his last four games, he’s recorded 20 assists and five turnovers.
Grimes makes T-Wolves sweat late
A put-back, buzzer-beating Gobert layup sent Minnesota into halftime with a 55-51 lead.
The Sixers trimmed their deficit by three points in the third quarter. They played active defense, forced regular turnovers and profited in the open floor. Grimes and Yabusele threw down crowd-pleasing fast-break dunks in the third and Grimes nailed a go-ahead three early in the fourth.
Minnesota then made a 12-0 run that featured back-to-back Edwards threes. With the T-Wolves’ superior star power, the game appeared just about over.
The Sixers weren’t quite done because they have Grimes, who’s often played like a star the past month.
He went on a late-game shotmaking spree, hitting three triples in a span of 74 seconds. Even when many of his jumpers are tightly contested, Grimes has shown he can catch fire. Two Yabusele free throws cut the Timberwolves’ lead to 104-103.
Edwards responded with a giant three, but Grimes and the Sixers maintained heavy pressure. Yet another Grimes jumper put the Sixers’ deficit at 111-109 with a little over 30 seconds left.
There was more drama to come.
Grimes was whistled for his sixth foul with 14.5 seconds left. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse challenged the call on Julius Randle and the officials changed the ruling on the floor to a no-call, with Minnesota retaining possession.
Edwards ended up having to shoot a deep, highly difficult turnaround three with the shot clock about to expire. He drilled it, finally sealing the Timberwolves’ win despite Grimes’ best efforts.
The Knicks used a 40-point second quarter to rout the Hawks in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, 121-105.
All five Knicks starters scored in double figures and head coach Tom Thibodeau passed Pat Riley on the team's all-time wins list (224).
Here are the takeaways...
-The Knicks took an early punch from the Hawks, who got out to a 5-0 start. But the Knicks' defense clamped down and the combination of OG Anunoby and Josh Hart set the tone on offense. The duo drove to the hoop consistently, making easy layups and getting to the free-throw line.
New York got out to a sizeable double-digit lead for most of the first quarter, but turnovers and lackluster defense allowed the Hawks to cut the Knicks' lead to 38-31 after the first quarter. The Knicks had a balanced attack on offense, with Anunoby (11), Hart (8), Karl-Anthony Towns (7), Mikal Bridges (7) and Delon Wright (5) providing the scoring for the starters as the team shot 61 percent from the field. Unfortunately, the Hawks shot 57 percent in the frame.
-Towns would be the aggressor to start the second with Hart and Anunoby on the bench. The Knicks' big man scored the team's first five points and was consistently handling the ball at the top of the key. With eight minutes remaining in the second, Towns hurt his finger going for an offensive rebound and was in visible pain. Towns would head to the locker room to get it checked.
Towns would return after a few minutes, and just in time for the Knicks to go on an extended run. The Knicks' defense and the Hawks' inability to make shots led to a 30-plus point cushion for New York. Some lackadaisical defense by the Knicks allowed the Hawks to get some points back, but New York went into halftime up, 78-53. It's the most points the Knicks have scored in the first half this season and the most first-half points allowed by the Hawks this year.
The Knicks shot an insane 75 percent to Atlanta's 33 percent in the second quarter. Four of the Knicks' five starters were in double digits.
-The lax Knicks defense/offense continued early in the third, but a double-digit run pushed their lead back up to 33 points with eight minutes left. Everything went right for the Knicks in this quarter -- even a blocking foul called on Anunoby was overturned after review. New York entered the fourth quarter up 28 points and in full control.
New York maintained that lead for the duration of the game, with the Hawks only bringing it below a 20-point deficit with a few minutes to go.
Towns led the Knicks' scoring with 30 points, while Anunoby (24), Hart (16), Bridges (20) and Wright (10) rounded out the starter's scoring. Hart was one rebound shy of his 10th triple-double this season.
-Cam Payne made his return off the bench after missing four games with an ankle injury. In 21 minutes on the floor, the guard scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting.
Landry Shamet led the bench scoring with 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, all made shots coming from three.
Game MVP: Entire team
No individual stood out as the entire team took it to Atlanta. The team shot 54 percent overall from the field and 52 percent from three. The defense also held the Hawks to 47 percent shooting and 31 percent from three.
Highlights
Defense ➡️ offense
OG with the block and Delon Wright with the bucket!
The Knicks head back home to host the Phoenix Suns at The Garden on Sunday, in what is expected to be Jalen Brunson's return. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Blue Devils will need to be tough to reach national championship game Sion James dunks against Alabama in the Elite Eight last weekend. Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports Images Not every game in the season has been one of these.
With the NBA playoffs quickly approaching, Knicks fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Jalen Brunson is expected to make his long-awaited return to the court Sunday when New York takes on the Phoenix Suns at The Garden barring any setbacks, SNY's Ian Begley confirms.
The news of Brunson's return was first reported by Chris Haynes.
The Knicks guard was going through his usual pregame on-court workout on the floor before Saturday's tip against the Hawks in Atlanta but was ruled out for the game.
Brunson has been out with a right ankle sprain since he sustained the injury on March 6 against the Lakers.
When Brunson returns Sunday, he'll have five games left before the end of the regular season. He needs to play in four for postseason awards and with one more back-to-back on the schedule, the All-Star point guard is likely to miss one more game before the start of the playoffs.
SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley noted on April 1 that Brunson returning to action this weekend was a realistic option. KnicksFanTV later reported that Brunson was targeting Sunday’s game as a potential return.
Over 35.4 minutes of action across 61 games this season, Brunson is averaging 26.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game.
New York was 40-22 when the star guard went down and have gone 8-6 without him, as they remain the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Knicks (48-28) are up three games on the Indiana Pacers (45-31) with five games remaining in the regular season. The Milwaukee Bucks (42-34) and the Detroit Pistons (42-34) are currently slotted as the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds, as the Knicks would take on Cade Cunningham and Detroit in the first round.
It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (45-32) and Philadelphia 76ers (23-54) are all set to square off from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Timberwolves are currently 22-16 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the 76ers have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. Minnesota won by 14 points at home versus Philadelphia in the only meeting this season.
Minnesota has won four straight games with three of those coming by double-digits and the other in 2 OT. Philadelphia has lost 10 straight games after a 13-point loss to Milwaukee.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. 76ers live today
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 3:00PM 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 Timberwolves vs. 76ers
The latest odds as of Saturday:
Odds: Timberwolves (-1124), 76ers (+706)
Spread: Timberwolves -14.5
Over/Under: 225 points
That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 119.16, and the 76ers 111.6.
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 Saturday’s Timberwolves vs. 76ers game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the 76ers Team Total Under:
"Brooklyn barely covered against Minnesota in the last game, depending on what number you got, but they did go Under their team total. I could see the same for the 76ers, here so I lean toward the 76ers Team Total Under and Minnesota on the spread. This 76ers team is toast."
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 & 76ers 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 Philadelphia 76ers at +14.5.
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 Timberwolves vs. 76ers on Saturday
The Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 7 on the road, while the 76ers have lost 5 straight home games
The Under is 4-1 in the Timberwolves' last 5 road games
The 76ers have failed to cover in their last 9 games
The 76ers have lost 9 games in a row
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!
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It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Milwaukee Bucks (42-34) and Miami Heat (35-42) are all set to square off from Kaseya Center in Miami.
The Bucks are currently 17-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Heat have a 3-7 record in their last ten games at home. Milwaukee is 3-0 against Miami this season and can sweep them with a road win here.
Miami is coming off a buzzer-beating loss to Memphis, which snapped a six-game winning streak for the Heat. Milwaukee has won two straight by double-digits and this is the first game of back-to-back as they travel to New Orleans tomorrow.
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. Heat live today
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 8:00PM EST
Site: Kaseya Center
City: Miami, FL
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. Heat
The latest odds as of Saturday:
Odds: Bucks (-129), Heat (+108)
Spread: Bucks -2
Over/Under: 215 points
That gives the Bucks an implied team point total of 108.06, and the Heat 107.02.
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 Saturday’s Bucks vs. Heat game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Bucks to beat the Heat:
"While Miami is a tempting side to bounce back at home following their buzzer-beating loss via Memphis, this is where a losing streak could start in my opinion. After winning seven consecutive games, losing like that could carry over into the next game and these are two teams that know each other well. I lean Milwaukee and since they opened as the favorite, I think that is telling."
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 Bucks & Heat game:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Bucks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Bucks at -2.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 215.
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. Heat on Saturday
In 3 wins against the Heat this season the Bucks' average winning margin is +13
The Bucks' last 5 games have gone over the Total
The Heat have covered the Spread in 5 of their last 5 games as an underdog
The Heat have covered the Spread in 5 of their last 5 games as an underdog
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!
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It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Memphis Grizzlies (45-32) and Detroit Pistons (43-34) are all set to square off from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The Grizzlies are currently 20-18 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Pistons have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. Memphis won the only meeting of the season versus Detroit at home, 131-111.
Ja Morant hit a game-winner against Miami to snap a four-game losing streak for Memphis, while Detroit is 1-2 coming off a three-game road trip. This is the first of a five-game homestand for the Pistons.
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 Grizzlies vs. Pistons live today
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 7:00PM EST
Site: Little Caesars Arena
City: Detroit, MI
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 Grizzlies vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Saturday:
Odds: Grizzlies (-116), Pistons (-104)
Spread: Grizzlies -1
Over/Under: 239 points
That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 119.77, and the Pistons 119.25.
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 Saturday’s Grizzlies vs. Pistons game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Pistons to cover and win:
"I happened to catch the Ja Morant buzzer-beater watching live and while it was a great individual second-half and thrilling win for the Grizzlies, I like this spot for Detroit. These Pistons begin a five-game home stand with a chance to climb to the No. 4 spot in the East. This is a big game, although they are on the second night of a back-to-back, it comes after a double-digit win versus Toronto. It's Pistons 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 Grizzlies & Pistons game:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Memphis Grizzlies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at -1.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 239.
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 Grizzlies vs. Pistons on Saturday
The Grizzlies have won 5 of their last 6 games at the Pistons
The Over is 44-33 in Grizzlies' games this season
The Grizzlies have covered the Spread in 11 of their last 13 road games against the Pistons
The Grizzlies have won 4 straight games at the Pistons
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:
Yaxel Lendeborg has announced he'll transfer from UAB to Michigan and also go through the NBA draft evaluation process. Lendeborg's decision, reported by multiple media outlets Saturday, including ESPN, takes one of the top big men out of the transfer portal. Lendeborg will attend the NBA combine in Chicago in mid-May and have until May 28 to decide whether he'll stay in the draft or return to college.
Carmelo Anthony is one of the greatest bucket-getters the game has ever seen, but "Olympic' Melo" was on another level and helped lead the USA to three gold medals. Sue Bird is one of the few people on the planet who can best that—she has five Olympic golds, not to mention four WNBA titles and a reputation as one of the game's great point guards.
Those two, along with Maya Moore and Dwight Howard, officially headline the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class, which was announced Saturday.
• Carmelo Anthony. One of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen, he won a national championship at Syracuse before an NBA career that saw him average 22.5 points and make 10 All-Star and six All-NBA teams. He also has three Olympic gold medals.
• Dwight Howard. Howard was a dominant force on the court for much of a decade, he was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2009-11), eight-time All-NBA, he led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals and won a ring in the bubble with the Lakers.
• Sue Bird. One of the greats ever to play the game, her resume is unimpeachable: four-time WNBA champion, 13-time All-Star, WNBA all-time leaser in wins (333), games played (580), assists (3,234), and minutes (18,079), five Olympic gold medals and she was a two-time NCAA champion at UConn.
• Sylvia Fowles. Four-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time WNBA champion and Finals MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and in college she led LSU to four consecutive final fours.
• Maya Moore. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, she won two NCAA titles at UConn, then went on to win four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx during her seven-season career before stepping away from basketball to focus on criminal justice reform.
• 2008 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team. The "Redeem Team" featured Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, 'Melo, Howard, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade and more, coached by Hall of Fame Mike Krzyzewski.
• Billy Donovan. Two-time NCAA national champion at Florida who has gone on to rack up more than 400 wins in the NBA between Oklahoma City and Chicago.
• Danny Crawford. He is a legendary long-time NBA referee, who officiated 2,000+ NBA regular-season games and 30 NBA Finals games.
• Micky Arison. Owner of the Mimi Heat since 1995, the franchise has won three NBA titles while under his control and has developed a culture that is its own.
