Category: Basketball

Basketball News

Posted on

Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 27

Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz Preview 

The Houston Rockets (47-26) and Utah Jazz (16-57) are all set to square off from Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

The Utah Jazz are currently in a tankathon for Duke Superstar Cooper Flagg. Tonight, they are 12.5-point underdogs against the Rockets.

The Rockets are currently 20-14 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Jazz have a 2-8 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 Rockets vs. Jazz live today

  • Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
  • Time: 9:00PM EST
  • Site: Delta Center
  • City: Salt Lake City, UT

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 Rockets vs. Jazz

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Rockets (-699), Jazz (+498)
  • Spread:  Rockets -12.5
  • Over/Under: 227 points

That gives the Rockets an implied team point total of 118.97, and the Jazz 112.45.
 
Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday's Rockets vs. Jazz 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 Jalen Green over 23.5 points…

Thomas: ”Green has been phenomenal. He’s been particularly great against bottom-half defending teams. He should cook, if this one does not get out of hand early.”

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 Rockets & Jazz game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Rockets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Utah Jazz at +12.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 227.

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 Rockets vs. Jazz on Thursday

  • The Jazz have lost 17 of their last 20 games as an underdog
  • The Jazz have failed to cover the Spread in 5 games in a row as a home underdog
  • The Rockets have a winning record in their last 10 games (9-1)

 
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)

Posted on

Grizzlies vs. Thunder Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets for March 27

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview 

The Memphis Grizzlies (44-28) and Oklahoma City Thunder (60-12) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

The Grizzlies ended their skid with a win over the Utah Jazz. Now they play against a smoking hot Thunder team. The Thunder lead the Western Conference, and are on a seven game winning streak. The joint longest streak in the NBA.

The Grizzlies are currently 19-17 on the road with a point differential of 6, while the Thunder 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 Grizzlies vs. Thunder live today

  • Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: Paycom Center
  • City: Oklahoma City, OK

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. Thunder
The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Grizzlies (+353), Thunder (-457)
  • Spread:  Thunder -10
  • Over/Under: 239 points

That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 118.4, and the Thunder 123.6.
 
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 Thursday's Grizzlies vs. Thunder 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 the Thunder -10…

Thomas: “There will come a moment when the bottom falls out for the Memphis Grizzlies. This is a team keeps finding themselves in early holes. Against a talented team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, you cannot come out slow. They will bury you.”

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 & Thunder game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at +10.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under 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. Thunder on Thursday

  • The Thunder have won 17 of their last 20 games
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Thunder's last 5 matchups against Western Conference teams
  • The Grizzlies are 38-34 against the spread this season
  • The Thunder have won 6 of their last 8 home games against the Grizzlies

 
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)

Posted on

Who will Celtics face in first round? Bulls making late charge

Who will Celtics face in first round? Bulls making late charge originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics are pretty much a lock to finish as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but their first-round opponent in the 2025 NBA playoffs is still up in the air.

Boston has a 98.5 percent chance of finishing second in the conference, per Basketball Reference’s playoff probabilities. Despite a seven-game win streak and nine victories in their last 10 games, the C’s still trail the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers by 4.5 games.

The race for the No. 7 seed, which will be determined by the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in tournament game, is still mostly a two-horse race between the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.

Here’s an updated look at the probabilities:

!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();

The Hawks remain in the driver’s seat to host the first play-in tournament game, but their margin for error is slim. However, one factor in Atlanta’s favor is it has the fourth-easiest remaining schedule in the league, per Tankathon.

The Magic have won three games in a row for the first time since December, including a 118-106 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. The Magic have two more games against the Hawks over the final four matchups of the season, including the regular season finale April 13. Those games will be pivotal.

The red-hot Chicago Bulls, who have won eight of their last 10 games, remain in the mix. Bulls point guard Coby White is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 29.8 points in March (12 games).

The Miami Heat were in the race at one point, but a 2-8 record over their last 10 games has made it quite difficult for them to get the No. 7 seed.

The Celtics know where they’ll land in the playoff seeding, but the race for the No. 7 seed is worth paying close attention to over the final couple weeks of the regular season, especially with the Bulls making a late charge to challenge the Hawks and Magic.

Posted on

How Celtics can make history as one of NBA's best road teams ever

How Celtics can make history as one of NBA's best road teams ever originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics have already lost twice as many home games this season (12) as they did in the regular season and playoffs combined (six) in 2023-24.

So, how do they still own the NBA’s third-best record at 54-19? To steal a line from the C’s locker room, they’ve been road dogs in 2024-25.

Boston’s 132-102 rout of the Suns in Phoenix on Wednesday improved the team’s road record to 30-7 on the season. Not only is that the highest road winning percentage (.811) in the NBA this season, it’s also one of the best in league history.

Only two NBA teams have won more than 81.1 percent of their road games in one season: The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (31-7 road record) and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (34-7 road record).

The Celtics have four road games left on their schedule: Saturday’s game in San Antonio, Monday’s game in Memphis, and a back-to-back in New York and Orlando on April 8 and 9. If they win all four games, they’ll tie the 2015-16 Warriors for the most road wins in a single season.

!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();

This year’s Oklahoma City Thunder are right on the Celtics’ heels with a 29-7 road record and four road games remaining on their schedule. But only Boston can tie the Golden State juggernaut, which won an NBA-record 73 games in 2015-16.

Even if the C’s don’t sweep the rest of their road games, they have the inside track on the best road record in franchise history, ahead of the 1972-73 Celtics and the NBA champion 2007-08 Celtics, who went 31-10 on the road.

!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();

It’s not just that the C’s are winning on the road, either; they’re dismantling teams. After Wednesday’s 30-point rout in Phoenix, Boston is closing in on the 1971-72 Lakers for the best road scoring margin and road point differential in NBA history, per NBC Sports Boston stats guru Dick Lipe.

“We have a very experienced team,” Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said Wednesday when asked about the Celtics’ road prowess. “We’ve got guys who have won championships, gold medals, deep playoff runs, all of the above. So, knowing how to win on the road is an experience thing that we’ve been able to be really good at this year.

“Last year I feel like we were really good at home, and then just year-to-year, everything’s different. Going into the playoffs, we’re going to need to win some road games, so it’s great that we’ve been able to find some rhythm in the regular season.”

The Celtics’ relative struggles at home this season are cause for some concern, especially since they’ll have home court advantage until at least the Eastern Conference Finals. But a strong road record is a sign of mental toughness, and this team appears to have it in spades.

Posted on

Report: Warriors' GP2 tore left thumb ligament, will miss time

Report: Warriors' GP2 tore left thumb ligament, will miss time originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors were dealt an unfortunate blow for the stretch run of the 2024-25 NBA regular season.

Veteran guard/forward Gary Payton II suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb and will miss time, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources, after The Athletic’s Anthony Slater first reported the news of the thumb injury.

Payton is an integral player in coach Steve Kerr’s rotations, and in 58 games this season, is averaging 6.6 points, 3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 58.5-percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range in 14.9 minutes off the bench.

The 32-year-old recently suffered a non-displaced nose fracture in the Warriors’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on March 3 and has played with a mask for the previous nine games he was active before his thumb injury.

While Payton was able to play through the nose injury, the Warriors will be without him for most, if not all, of their final 10 games of the regular season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

Warriors' GP2 suffered partial tear of left thumb ligament

Warriors' GP2 suffered partial tear of left thumb ligament originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors were dealt an unfortunate blow for the stretch run of the 2024-25 NBA regular season.

Veteran guard/forward Gary Payton II suffered a partial tear of a ligament in his left thumb in Tuesday’s loss to the Miami Heat, the team announced on Thursday after ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.

The Warriors also announced Payton will not play in Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans and will be re-evaluated in one week.

Payton is an integral player in coach Steve Kerr’s rotations, and in 58 games this season, is averaging 6.6 points, 3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 58.5-percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range in 14.9 minutes off the bench.

The 32-year-old recently suffered a non-displaced nose fracture in the Warriors’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on March 3 and has played with a mask for the previous nine games he was active before his thumb injury.

While Payton was able to play through the nose injury, the Warriors will be without him for most, if not all, of their final 10 games of the regular season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

Tennessee Volunteers play the Kentucky Wildcats in Sweet 16

The Wildcats' record in SEC games is 11-9. Kentucky is sixth in college basketball scoring 85.0 points per game while shooting 48.2%. Tennessee makes 45.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.0 percentage points higher than Kentucky has allowed to its opponents (43.5%).

Posted on

Troy, North Texas meet in NIT

North Texas Eagles (25-8, 16-4 AAC) at Troy Trojans (21-13, 14-6 Sun Belt) Troy, Alabama; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Troy faces North Texas in the National Invitation Tournament. The Trojans have gone 14-6 against Sun Belt teams, with a 7-7 record in non-conference play.