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Kings clinch NBA play-in tournament berth after Warriors' win vs. Suns

Kings clinch NBA play-in tournament berth after Warriors' win vs. Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings are headed back to the NBA play-in tournament.

For the second consecutive season, Sacramento clinched a play-in berth Tuesday night thanks to the Golden State Warriors’ 133-95 win over the Phoenix Suns at PHX Arena.

The Kings are 39-40 after their 127-117 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, and currently hold the Western Conference’s No. 9 seed. That likely sets up an NBA play-in game between Sacramento and the current No. 10-seeded Mavericks (38-41), unless Phoenix (35-44) can catch up to Dallas in the final three regular-season games.

The Western Conference play-in game between the No. 9 seed and No. 10 seed is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, with the higher seed hosting the elimination contest.

The winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game will play the loser of next Tuesday’s contest between the No. 7 seed and No. 8 seed.

Last season, the Kings also made the play-in tournament as the No. 9 seed and defeated the No. 10-seeded Warriors in their first game, 118-94, at Golden 1 Center. They then fell to the No. 7-seeded New Orleans Pelicans, 105-98, to end their hopes of reaching the NBA playoffs for the second time since 2006.

Sacramento certainly hopes this play-in tournament will be different, now led by a Big Three of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine after acquiring the latter at the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline and dealing former franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Kings have a different coach now, too, following the December dismissal of Mike Brown, who was replaced by Doug Christie on an interim basis.

It has been a roller-coaster campaign for Sacramento, preparing the new-look Kings for whatever — and whoever — awaits them in the play-in.

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Where does Michael Malone firing rank among most shocking 2025 NBA moments?

Where does Michael Malone firing rank among most shocking 2025 NBA moments? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

What could possibly happen next?

The 2024-2025 NBA season has had its fair share of shocking moments on and off the court. There have been stunning superstar trades, disappointing All-Star laden teams, oddly timed coach firings, and much more.

The latest bombshell came Tuesday when the Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone with three games remaining in the regular season. The Nuggets, who in 2023 under Malone won their first championship in franchise history, currently hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 47-32 record.

Malone’s success, and the timing of his dismissal with the playoffs set to begin, was a shocker. But it wasn’t the most shocking moment of the season, trailing only a stunning midseason trade.

Here’s a look back at some other shocking moments from the season.

The Luka Doncic trade

Everyone assumed Shams Charania was hacked. ESPN’s NBA Insider made a social media post saying the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The deal was executed without any rumors of either Doncic and Davis even being available on the market, creating what was arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history.     

Grizzlies fire Taylor Jenkins

Before Michael Malone was fired, the most stunning termination of the season had been when Taylor Jenkins was let go by the Memphis Grizzlies on March 29 with nine games left in the regular season. The Grizzlies at the time held the No. 5 seed in the West at 44-29 under Jenkins, the franchise’s all-time leader in coaching victories. 

Suns disappoint

Playoff teams are firing coaches, while Mike Budenholzer is still roaming the sidelines in the desert. Budenholzer’s Phoenix Suns — with its All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — are unlikely to make the play-in tournament. The team entered Tuesday at 35-43 under Budenholzer, a two-time Coach of the Year who is in the first year of a five-year deal with the Suns. 

Cavs surprise

The NBA season was more than a month old before the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first game. The Cavs won their first 15 games, matching the second-best start in league history behind the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors who started 24-0. The Cavs’ first loss came on Nov. 19 against the Boston Celtics.

Celtics sell for $6 billion

Buying the defending champions isn’t cheap. The Celtics, just months after winning their 18th title, were sold to a group led by William Chisholm, a private equity executive, for $6.1 billion in March. It was the largest total paid for a sports team in the United States.

All-Star Game debacle

The NBA All-Star Game needs fixing, but this was not the solution. The new format included a four-team, single-elimination tournament with a target score of 40 points for each round. It did not go over well with many players and fans. The league quickly announced it will not be keeping the tournament format.

Tracy Morgan gets sick at Knicks game

A courtside cleanup was needed after comedian and New York Knicks superfan Tracy Morgan got ill during the third quarter of the team’s game against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. The game was delayed for more than 10 minutes. Morgan made a social media post the following day saying it was due to food poisoning.

The Jimmy Butler saga

It was a messy ending to the Jimmy Butler era in Miami. Seeking a contract extension, Butler was suspended by the Heat three times during the season, twice for conduct detrimental to the team and one for missing a team flight. The six-time All-Star, who led the Heat to the Finals twice, was traded to the Warriors in February for Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a protected 2025 first-round pick.

Games postponed due to California wildfires

The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers each postponed games in January following the devastation caused by the Southern California wildfires. The Lakers, whose head coach J.J. Redick lost his house in the fires, rescheduled home games against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs. The Clippers’ home game against the Hornets was also postponed.

Atlanta Hawks game postponed due to winter storm

A winter storm postponement might be expected in certain parts of the country, but Atlanta? The Hawks’ game against the Houston Rockets that was scheduled for Jan. 11 was postponed after snow and ice in the area led to dangerous conditions and power outages.

LeBron James vs. Stephen A. Smith

LeBron James confronted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith courtside during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ win over the New York Knicks in March. Smith had been critical of James’ son and teammate Bronny James earlier this season, saying in late January that he belonged in the developmental G-League and not the NBA. James, appearing on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” after the confrontation, criticized Smith for making personal attacks as opposed to discussing on-court play when talking about the NBA.

The rise of the Pistons

The most shocking team of the season? The Detroit Pistons. After finishing the 2023-2024 season with the league’s worst record at 14-68, the Pistons became the first NBA team to triple their win total from their previous 82-game season when they captured their 42nd victory.

Half-court game winner

In what was one of the most shocking finishes to an NBA game, the Chicago Bulls won on a…

Just watch…

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Where does Michael Malone firing rank among most shocking 2025 NBA moments?

Where does Michael Malone firing rank among most shocking 2025 NBA moments? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

What could possibly happen next?

The 2024-2025 NBA season has had its fair share of shocking moments on and off the court. There have been stunning superstar trades, disappointing All-Star laden teams, oddly timed coach firings, and much more.

The latest bombshell came Tuesday when the Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone with three games remaining in the regular season. The Nuggets, who in 2023 under Malone won their first championship in franchise history, currently hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 47-32 record.

Malone’s success, and the timing of his dismissal with the playoffs set to begin, was a shocker. But it wasn’t the most shocking moment of the season, trailing only a stunning midseason trade.

Here’s a look back at some other shocking moments from the season.

The Luka Doncic trade

Everyone assumed Shams Charania was hacked. ESPN’s NBA Insider made a social media post saying the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The deal was executed without any rumors of either Doncic and Davis even being available on the market, creating what was arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history.     

Grizzlies fire Taylor Jenkins

Before Michael Malone was fired, the most stunning termination of the season had been when Taylor Jenkins was let go by the Memphis Grizzlies on March 29 with nine games left in the regular season. The Grizzlies at the time held the No. 5 seed in the West at 44-29 under Jenkins, the franchise’s all-time leader in coaching victories. 

Suns disappoint

Playoff teams are firing coaches, while Mike Budenholzer is still roaming the sidelines in the desert. Budenholzer’s Phoenix Suns — with its All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — are unlikely to make the play-in tournament. The team entered Tuesday at 35-43 under Budenholzer, a two-time Coach of the Year who is in the first year of a five-year deal with the Suns. 

Cavs surprise

The NBA season was more than a month old before the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first game. The Cavs won their first 15 games, matching the second-best start in league history behind the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors who started 24-0. The Cavs’ first loss came on Nov. 19 against the Boston Celtics.

Celtics sell for $6 billion

Buying the defending champions isn’t cheap. The Celtics, just months after winning their 18th title, were sold to a group led by William Chisholm, a private equity executive, for $6.1 billion in March. It was the largest total paid for a sports team in the United States.

All-Star Game debacle

The NBA All-Star Game needs fixing, but this was not the solution. The new format included a four-team, single-elimination tournament with a target score of 40 points for each round. It did not go over well with many players and fans. The league quickly announced it will not be keeping the tournament format.

Tracy Morgan gets sick at Knicks game

A courtside cleanup was needed after comedian and New York Knicks superfan Tracy Morgan got ill during the third quarter of the team’s game against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. The game was delayed for more than 10 minutes. Morgan made a social media post the following day saying it was due to food poisoning.

The Jimmy Butler saga

It was a messy ending to the Jimmy Butler era in Miami. Seeking a contract extension, Butler was suspended by the Heat three times during the season, twice for conduct detrimental to the team and one for missing a team flight. The six-time All-Star, who led the Heat to the Finals twice, was traded to the Warriors in February for Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a protected 2025 first-round pick.

Games postponed due to California wildfires

The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers each postponed games in January following the devastation caused by the Southern California wildfires. The Lakers, whose head coach J.J. Redick lost his house in the fires, rescheduled home games against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs. The Clippers’ home game against the Hornets was also postponed.

Atlanta Hawks game postponed due to winter storm

A winter storm postponement might be expected in certain parts of the country, but Atlanta? The Hawks’ game against the Houston Rockets that was scheduled for Jan. 11 was postponed after snow and ice in the area led to dangerous conditions and power outages.

LeBron James vs. Stephen A. Smith

LeBron James confronted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith courtside during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ win over the New York Knicks in March. Smith had been critical of James’ son and teammate Bronny James earlier this season, saying in late January that he belonged in the developmental G-League and not the NBA. James, appearing on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” after the confrontation, criticized Smith for making personal attacks as opposed to discussing on-court play when talking about the NBA.

The rise of the Pistons

The most shocking team of the season? The Detroit Pistons. After finishing the 2023-2024 season with the league’s worst record at 14-68, the Pistons became the first NBA team to triple their win total from their previous 82-game season when they captured their 42nd victory.

Half-court game winner

In what was one of the most shocking finishes to an NBA game, the Chicago Bulls won on a…

Just watch…

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Denver cleans house, shockingly fires coach Michael Malone, GM Calvin Booth just before playoffs

Michael Malone — the man who coached the Denver Nuggets to their only NBA title in 2023, and the only coach Nikola Jokic has ever known in the NBA — has been shockingly fired by the team with less than a week remaining in the regular season and Denver about to enter the playoffs.

Calvin Booth, the Nuggets general manager, will also be let go — technically, his contract will not be renewed — announced Josh Kroenke, the vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Nuggets. Kroenke added that he took "no pleasure" in firing Malone.

"This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere," Kroenke said in a statement. "While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship-level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now. Championship-level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver."

There had been speculation that, barring a deep playoff run, Malone would be let go at the end of the season. In that light, the firing itself is not a total shock, but the timing certainly is.

Assistant coach David Adelman takes over a team that is 47-32 but has lost four in a row and finds itself sliding down a logjam of teams fighting for seeds 4-8 in a deep Western Conference. Those four losses were signs of a team struggling since February, particularly on the defensive end — Denver is bottom 10 in the NBA in defensive rating since the All-Star break (they were 16th in the league, right in the middle, before the All-Star Game). There had been rumblings of frustration in the locker room with the team's play, and even the normally calm Jokic has shown signs of frustration on the bench. Jamal Murray being out injured is not helping things. It was also an open secret that Booth and Malone did not like each other and did not see eye-to-eye on roster decisions, adding to the tensions around the club.

Firing the coach with a week to go in the season is an extreme answer to those challenges.

The goal was to give the team a "jolt," reports Ohm Youngmisuk at ESPN, but that doesn't always work as intended. Denver is following in the footsteps of Memphis, which unexpectedly fired coach Taylor Jenkins a couple of weeks ago. That jolt has seen the Grizzlies go 2-3 since, sliding down to eighth in the West.

If Kronke wants to see what has taken this team from the mountain top to the second-tier title contenders — at best — he needs to look in a mirror. The Nuggets won that 2023 title because Jokic and Jamal Murray were surrounded with quality role players such as Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jeff Green and others. While players such as Christian Braun have stepped up, the erosion of depth on this roster came from the marching orders Booth was given. (Booth took over in 2022 when Tim Connelly, the guy who built a championship roster, went to an ownership group willing to pay more for him in Minnesota. Connelly then built a Timberwolves roster that knocked the Nuggets out of the playoffs last season.)

Denver has now cleaned house. How much, if at all, it helps the Nuggets in these playoffs is now the question on the table. Soon enough, the questions will be about the next coach and GM, and if there is a path to getting this team back to top-tier title contention.

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Joe Mazzulla reacts to Nuggets' shocking Michael Malone firing

Joe Mazzulla reacts to Nuggets' shocking Michael Malone firing originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Another shocking firing of a successful head coach rocked the NBA world on Tuesday.

Just over a week after the Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins, the Denver Nuggets parted ways with their longtime head coach Michael Malone. The timing of both firings was bizarre, with Memphis as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and Denver holding the No. 4 seed.

The cruel nature of coaching in professional sports isn’t lost on Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who once stated, ‘We all get hired to get fired.” Reacting to Malone’s surprise departure, he shared a similar sentiment before Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks.

“Coaching. It’s just coaching,” Mazzulla said. “You sign up knowing that. And again, I mean he was 10 years there? Yeah, that’s a lot. You hope for stuff like that. You hope for a situation of stability to be somewhere for as long as you have, and when it’s your time, it’s your time.

“But I think you focus more on the fact that he was able to be there for 10 years. Not many coaches get to do that. I think there’s only two left, three left now that have done it beyond that? Pop (Gregg Popovich), Spo (Erik Spoelstra), and (Steve) Kerr. So you hope for that, but you know that not everybody gets that opportunity.”

Malone is the winningest head coach in Nuggets history with a 471-327 record over 10 seasons. He led Denver to an NBA title in 2023.

That success still wasn’t enough to earn Malone job security. For Mazzulla, that harsh reality serves as an important reminder.

“It’s part of what motivates me, but I wake up every day saying, ‘This could be my last day.’ You have to have that type of perspective because it gives you gratitude and it also keeps you hungry,” Mazzulla said. “You have to have a healthy balance so if you want this for as long as you can, at the same time, you’re very much replaceable because that’s just how it works.

“So every day, I remind myself of my own mortality, and I think that’s what kind of keeps me in a perspective and a gratitude of the opportunity that you have.”

The Nuggets also fired their general manager Calvin Booth. Asked how he would react to being fired with his team primed for a playoff run, Mazzulla stayed diplomatic.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t there,” Mazzulla answered. “I just know that you do the best you can for as long as you can, and then there’s always a bunch of circumstances that you’re not aware of. You know?”

Mazzulla, the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr, and longtime Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra are the only NBA coaches still with the teams they led to NBA titles. Malone joins Tyronn Lue, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, and Mike Budenholzer as NBA champions to lose their jobs in recent years.

While the NBA remains chaotic, the reigning champion Celtics are cruising toward the end of another successful campaign. They have a 58-20 record with four regular-season games remaining, setting themselves up to be the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

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Nuggets firing coach Michael Malone ‘doesn't seem right' to Warriors' Steve Kerr

Nuggets firing coach Michael Malone ‘doesn't seem right' to Warriors' Steve Kerr originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr reacted like every NBA fan regarding the Denver Nuggets’ firing of coach Michael Malone on Tuesday.

“Shocked, like everyone,” Kerr told reporters 90 minutes before the Warriors tipped off with the Phoenix Suns at PHX Arena. “Mike has obviously been a great, great coach, championship coach, and fantastic record, and again, like with [former Memphis Grizzlies coach] Taylor [Jenkins], you don’t expect anything like this, this late in the season.

“And then as I said with Taylor, organizations have to do their own business and we aren’t privy to any of that, so I have no idea what was happening. So I can’t really comment on anything other than wishing Mike well because he’s done an amazing job. Doesn’t seem right but this is the business we’re in and … we’re all gonna suffer a similar fate at some point. That’s kind of the way it is.”

Malone, the winningest coach in Nuggets franchise history, stunningly was fired Tuesday, along with general manager Calvin Booth, with three regular-season games remaining.

Denver entered Tuesday in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 47-32 record. But they have struggled recently, losing four consecutive contests, including one to Kerr and the Warriors.

Malone’s dismissal comes 10 days after the Grizzlies fired Jenkins. Both Denver and Memphis will qualify for the postseason in some fashion, making the timing of the moves surprising.

“I think one thing that’s happened is, most teams are now owned by billionaires, big corporations,” Kerr told reporters. “So we’re all more expendable. There’s so much money in the business now, and there’s pluses and minuses to that. We’re all making bigger salaries than we were five years ago, but we’re all much more vulnerable because, I don’t think a lot of the owners are that concerned with firing a guy and paying them off to go away. Again, this is a business we chose and we all love it. But it’s not the most stable profession, that’s for sure.”

Kerr signed a two-year contract extension with the Warriors in February 2024, keeping him on Golden State’s sideline through the 2025-26 NBA season.

In light of the Malone news, Kerr was asked how much longer he wants to coach.

“I don’t know,” Kerr said. “I love what I do. I’m in an amazing position with great support from my ownership and management and obviously have talented players and the idea of continuing on with this group is very appealing because I love every single day.

“But who knows how long that lasts and I don’t spend a whole lot of time worrying about it. I just enjoy it and we’ll see where it all goes.”

It’s safe to assume that as long as Steph Curry and Draymond Green are on the Warriors’ roster, Kerr will be their coach.

But if we’ve learned anything from the firings of Jenkins and Malone, it’s that things can change quickly.

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Grizzlies vs. Hornets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 8

It’s Tuesday, April 8, and the Memphis Grizzlies (46-32) and Charlotte Hornets (19-59) are all set to square off from Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

The Grizzlies are currently 21-18 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Hornets have a 3-7 record in their last ten games at home. Memphis won the only meeting this season 132-120 against Charlotte.

Memphis is 2-4 over the last six games but on a two-game winning streak with victories over Miami and Detroit. Charlotte is 0-3 over the past three outings and 1-9 in the previous 10 games.

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. Hornets live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: Spectrum Center
  • City: Charlotte, NC
  • 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-dayNBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Grizzlies vs. Hornets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Grizzlies (-971), Hornets (+637)
  • Spread:  Grizzlies -13.5
  • Over/Under: 230 points

That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 121.12, and the Hornets 114.08.

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 Tuesday’s Grizzlies vs. Hornets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Grizzlies to cover:

"Charlotte isn't playing their starters full minutes and testing out players for next season, so this is a Memphis or pass spot with the Western Conference racing for seeding."

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 & Hornets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Memphis Grizzlies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at -13.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 230.

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. Hornets on Tuesday

  • The Grizzlies have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • The Grizzlies' last 6 games versus the Hornets have gone over the Total
  • The Grizzlies are 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 games
  • The Grizzlies have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast 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!

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)

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Pelicans vs. Nets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 8

It’s Tuesday, April 8, and the New Orleans Pelicans (21-57) and Brooklyn Nets (25-53) are all set to square off from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Pelicans are currently 7-32 on the road with a point differential of -9, while the Nets have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. The Nets won 107-105 in the only meeting this season.

Brooklyn is 2-8 in the last 10 games entering this contest, 2-2 over the past four contests, and 0-2 in the previous two. New Orleans has lost three straight and four of the last five.

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 Pelicans vs. Nets live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 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 Pelicans vs. Nets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Pelicans (+110), Nets (-131)
  • Spread:  Nets -2
  • Over/Under: 214 points

That gives the Pelicans an implied team point total of 106.52, and the Nets 107.57.

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 Tuesday’s Pelicans vs. Nets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Under between the Pelicans and Nets:

"This is one of the toughest games to bet. How do you bet on either team when they are both tanking? I'd rather play the Under and call it a day between these two."

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 Pelicans & Nets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Brooklyn Nets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at -2.
  • 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 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 Pelicans vs. Nets on Tuesday

  • The Nets have lost their last 3 games as favorite
  • The Over is 8-2 in the Pelicans' last 10 road games
  • The Pelicans are 3-7 against the spread on their last 10 road trips
  • The Nets 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!

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)

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Nuggets fire head coach Michael Malone, GM Calvin Booth in stunning move as postseason looms

Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title in 2023 and has led the team to eight consecutive winning seasons, was fired Tuesday in a stunning move that comes with less than a week in the regular season.

Also out: general manager Calvin Booth, whose contract will not be renewed. The Nuggets said David Adelman will become the coach for the remainder of the season.

Josh Kroenke, the vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, said “it is with no pleasure” that the Nuggets made the change at coach.

“This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere,” Kroenke said.

The Nuggets are 47-32 this season with three games left but have dropped four consecutive games and are in a logjam of teams fighting for home-court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs. Denver won the title in 2023 and lost a Game 7 at home in the Western Conference semifinals a year ago to Minnesota.

Malone had the fourth-longest tenure of any active NBA coach, behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Golden State’s Steve Kerr.

Malone won 471 regular-season games in Denver, 39 more than Doug Moe for the franchise’s all-time coaching lead.

“While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now. Championship level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver,” Kroenke said.

Malone had consistent success in Denver. The Nuggets finished with losing records in his first two seasons and posted winning records in his next eight years with the club.

This season’s postseason appearance will be the team’s seventh in a row; it has not clinched a playoff berth yet this season but is assured of finishing no worse than in the play-in tournament.

Starting with the first playoff appearance under Malone in 2019, the Nuggets got out of the first round six times in seven chances. They made the Western Conference finals in the Walt Disney World bubble in 2020 and then rolled to the championship by winning 16 of 20 playoff games in 2023.