Category: Basketball

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Why Draymond believes Butler makes Warriors ‘real ball club'

Why Draymond believes Butler makes Warriors ‘real ball club' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s hard to adequately quantify momentum, but it’s something that can’t be ignored when a team is rolling like the Warriors are right now.

Golden State is 14-2 since acquiring All-NBA wing Jimmy Butler via trade, with confidence levels through the roof as the Warriors continue to rack up wins.

Following Saturday’s 97-94 victory over the New York Knicks, Draymond Green offered a very blunt assessment of Butler’s impact on the Warriors.

“It’s a real ball club now,” Green told ABC’s Lisa Salters. “With [Butler] on this team, whether he has 11 points or 30, it makes us a real ball club. And when we’re a real ball club, we usually win championships.”

Golden State’s gritty triumph over New York is the 12th consecutive game the Warriors have won with Butler in the lineup, improving the Dubs’ record to 14-1 overall when the six-time NBA All-Star takes the court for them.

The Warriors long have been synonymous with NBA greatness, and Butler’s presence now allows Green to enter games with a similar confidence Golden State exuded when it spent the better part of a decade at the pinnacle of the sport.

“Feels great. After getting beat up on a little bit the last few years, it feels amazing to just walk in and know that you have a chance to win,” Green told Salters. “That’s what we play for, you put a lot of work in, you want to play on the biggest stage. To put these wins together, it feels amazing.”

The Warriors (39-28) valiantly are hanging on to the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed, with Butler’s presence sparking a crucial newfound energy that has allowed Golden State to keep pace in a frenetic postseason race.

While the days of Golden State’s dynastic dominance might be gone, the belief that they are capable of reaching basketball’s most prestigious mountaintop remain strong as ever.

Whether or not that comes to fruition remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the journey to get there will be must-see television.

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3 observations after Grimes leads Sixers to win over his former team

3 observations after Grimes leads Sixers to win over his former team  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers kicked off a six-game road trip by securing a Sunday afternoon win in Dallas.

They earned a 130-125 victory over the Mavs at American Airlines Center.

Quentin Grimes tallied 28 points and six assists for the Sixers, who improved to 23-44.

Jalen Hood-Schifino scored a career-high 19 points.

P.J. Washington had a 29-point, 12-rebound day for the 33-36 Mavs. Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall recorded 21 points apiece.

Both teams were injury-ravaged. The Sixers were down 10 players: 

  • Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain and right finger sprain)  
  • Paul George (left groin soreness) 
  • Andre Drummond (left toe sprain) 
  • Adem Bona (left ankle sprain) 
  • Kelly Oubre Jr. (right knee sprain) 
  • Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) 
  • Kyle Lowry (right hip injury) 
  • Joel Embiid (season-ending left knee injury) 
  • Jared McCain (season-ending left lateral meniscus surgery) 
  • Eric Gordon (season-ending right wrist surgery) 

The Sixers will face the Rockets on Monday night. Here are observations on their victory over the Mavs:

Dallas dominates 1st half in transition 

Facing his former team, Grimes predictably scored the Sixers’ first bucket with a driving layup. He also drained a mid-range jumper a couple of minutes later. For Dallas, Washington was the early go-to-guy. He scored the Mavs’ first six points and posted 14 in his opening stint. 

Dallas started 0 for 7 from three-point range, but the Mavs crushed the Sixers in transition. After Washington cruised in for a layup, Dallas held a 12-1 edge in fast-break points. The Mavs’ first-half advantage in that category was 23-4.

While the Mavs did sharp work running off of both turnovers and misses, the Sixers’ resistance was minimal in transition. Ball handlers often steamed forward and got all the way to the rim. That’s been the case in many games this season. 

According to Cleaning the Glass, the Sixers entered the day ranked 28th in transition defense (opponents adding 3.6 points per 100 possessions through transition play).

Sixers make do without centers 

Hood-Schifino was a bright spot in his second game as a Sixer. He swished a three-pointer on his first shot, made two more triples in the first quarter, and reached his NBA career high before halftime. 

Oshae Brissett and Chuma Okeke also played for the second time with the Sixers. 

Okeke, who signed a 10-day contract Sunday, first inked a 10-day Sixers deal last month. He ended up playing just two garbage-time minutes in the team’s Feb. 7 blowout loss to the Pistons. Okeke logged 16 minutes Sunday, threw down a put-back dunk in the first quarter, and finished with five points and four rebounds.

Brissett had 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. He played some as a small-ball center. Though Brissett has previously filled that role in the NBA, neither he nor Guerschon Yabusele are sterling rim protectors or great deterrents to opposing drivers. Alex Reese, who Sixers head coach Nick Nurse described Friday as a “stretch four,” played at center late in the second quarter. The Sixers shifted to zone defense for the final few minutes of the first half.

The team’s defensive effort was not stellar in a half where Dallas poured in 68 points, but it’s very challenging to hold up without any truly natural centers. 

Grimes stars in 2nd half

The Sixers made a surge late in the second quarter and kept rolling in the third.

Grimes was in the middle of the action. He stole the ball from Brandon Williams, pushed ahead on a fast break and dished to Ricky Council IV for a lay-in that put the Sixers up 70-68. 

Grimes did it all the third quarter — run the offense; drive hard; make tough shots through contact; defend well on the ball. His and-one layup late in the third extended the Sixers’ lead to 10 points.

As a team, the Sixers followed Grimes’ lead on both ends. They pressured the rim ruthlessly, played much better defense, and capitalized on the Mavs’ extreme lack of healthy players. The Sixers’ five-man bench scored 57 points and Dallas’ three-man second unit recorded 38.

With Grimes resting early in the fourth quarter, Hood-Schifino knocked down a key three. Okeke and Jeff Dowtin Jr. drilled timely jumpers, too.

The last minute was tense, but the Sixers never squandered their lead. Grimes, Jared Butler and Hood-Schifino all sunk clutch free throws to ensure the Sixers exited Dallas with a victory.

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Jalen Brunson reportedly still weeks away from return from sprained right ankle

The Knicks have kept their heads above water without Jalen Brunson so far, going 2-2 in the games he's missed since spraining his ankle against the Lakers earlier this month.

They are going to have to keep their heads up for a couple more weeks because it will be that long before Brunson returns to the court, Shams Charania of ESPN reported Saturday. From his comments on NBA Countdown:

"The key for the Knicks and Jalen Brunson is keeping that swelling down in that ankle, getting it lower, and then increasing the mobility in the ankle. They know they need to get him right for the playoffs. That's of the utmost importance."

The Knicks remain locked into the No. 3 seed in the East — they are six games back of No. 2 seed Boston (and not catching them), but also four games ahead of No. 4 seed Milwaukee with 16 games to play. As long as the Knicks can continue to tread water, they will be set to host a team in the first round of the playoffs.

That takes the pressure off having to race Brunson back — the Knicks are not making a hoped playoff run without Brunson at as close to 100% as anyone is at this point in the season. He is averaging 26.3 points a game, shooting 38.4% from 3 and 7.4 assists a night, and he is their best clutch player (although Mikal Bridges showed he could fill the role last week).

Brunson wants to return before the end of the season to play at least four more games, otherwise, he is ineligible for All-NBA (which he would make) and other postseason honors because he didn't make the 65-game threshold. Even an early April return easily clears that bar for Brunson.

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Hawks vs. Nets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends, and best bets for March 16

It’s Sunday, March 16, and the Atlanta Hawks (32-35) and Brooklyn Nets (22-45) are all set to square off from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Hawks are currently 15-17 on the road with a point differential of -2, while the Nets have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home. These teams met in the season opener and Atlanta won 120-116.

Brooklyn is 1-10 over the last 11 games and has dropped three straight games. Atlanta is 4-1 over the past five games and five of the last seven 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 Hawks vs. Nets live today

  • Date: Sunday, March 16, 2025
  • Time: 2:00PM 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 Hawks vs. Nets

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Hawks (-229), Nets (+189)
  • Spread:  Hawks -6
  • Over/Under: 229 points

That gives the Hawks an implied team point total of 116.59, and the Nets 113.46.

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 Sunday’s Hawks vs. Nets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Hawks to cover against the Nets:

"Atlanta has been the much-better team as of late and with the Nets barely losing to the Celtics last night making a second-half push, this is a Hawks or pass spot 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 Hawks & Nets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Hawks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at +6.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 229.

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 Hawks vs. Nets on Sunday

  • The Nets have lost 3 straight games as an underdog
  • The Under is 18-14 in the Nets' home games this season
  • The Nets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog
  • The Hawks have won 5 of their last 7 matchups against Eastern Conference 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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Dray knew he would have ‘field day' vs. Valančiūnas in Warriors-Kings

Dray knew he would have ‘field day' vs. Valančiūnas in Warriors-Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green had quite the game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night at Chase Center, and the Warriors forward had a feeling that would be the case.

After leading Golden State in scoring during its 130-104 win with 23 points, including 4-of-7 shooting from deep, Green shared why his matchup with Sacramento big man Jonas Valančiūnas was instrumental to his scoring outburst.

“Definitely [feeling] more confident; the ball is moving and you’ve got several playmakers on the floor,” Green said on Saturday’s episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “So whereas you may not be ready to shoot, I’m ready to shoot because I know the ball’s probably getting swung my way, and last night when I hit that first corner three, you know when you see that first one go in, you just feel better.

“And, A, they have Valančiūnas on me, which I knew — I told DeMar [DeRozan], I said, ‘Y’all got him on me very early in the game.’ I told DeMar, ‘If y’all got him on me, I’m [going to] have a field day’ because [Valančiūnas] can’t move well enough. I’m in pretty good shape right now. He can’t move well enough to keep up or guard the screen-and-roll or help in the paint, because they’re top locking Steph [Curry], right? …

“Let me just go find this corner and knock that first one down. See it go through. Feeling real good about yourself. But also, I know that [Valančiūnas] don’t have a chance once the ball’s swinging to me. He don’t have a chance to close it out. I don’t have to rush. I could just sit here and lock it in, and to see those first few go in, I found that rhythm.”

The Kings’ game plan certainly was to faceguard Curry, but that didn’t stop him from making the 4,000th 3-pointer of his illustrious NBA career — the first to ever do it — despite scoring just 11 points. And Sacramento didn’t account for Green, whose marksmanship from deep helped him lead Golden State in scoring for the first time in a game since 2016.

Green certainly did have a field day against Valančiūnas and Co., shooting 8 of 14 overall with four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block.

While the Warriors and Kings won’t face off again during the 2024-25 NBA regular season, it’s possible the No. 6-seeded Golden State and the No. 9-seeded Sacramento could see each other in the playoffs — and perhaps Green will face a different matchup.

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Magic vs. Cavaliers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends, and best bets for March 16

It’s Sunday, March 16, and the Orlando Magic (31-37) and Cleveland Cavaliers (56-10) are all set to square off from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

The Magic are currently 13-21 on the road with a point differential of -2, while the Cavaliers have a 9-1 record in their last ten games at home. Cleveland is 2-0 against Orlando this season with 11 and 40-point wins.

Cleveland is on an NBA-best 16-game winning streak and won nine of those 16 games by double-digits. Since the All-Star break, Orlando is 4-8 in that span and 2-2 in the final four 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 Magic vs. Cavaliers live today

  • Date: Sunday, March 16, 2025
  • Time: 1:00PM EST
  • Site: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • 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 Magic vs. Cavaliers

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Magic (+388), Cavaliers (-515)
  • Spread:  Cavaliers -10.5
  • Over/Under: 219 points

That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 108.42, and the Cavaliers 113.9.

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 Sunday’s Magic vs. Cavaliers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Cavaliers Team Total Under 116.5 points versus the Magic:

"Cleveland scored 120 and 122 points in two meetings against Orlando this season in blowout wins. This is the third and final meeting, so I tend to lean the Under here and towards Orlando. However, I think the best bet is the Cavs' Team Total Under 116.5. That's a number that stayed under in three out of the past five games and almost four of five."

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 Magic & Cavaliers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Cavaliers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Orlando Magic at +10.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 219.

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 Magic vs. Cavaliers on Sunday

  • The Cavaliers have won their last 10 home games against teams with losing records
  • 5 of the Cavaliers' last 7 matchups against Eastern Conference teams have gone under the Total
  • The Magic have covered in 5 of their last 7 road games
  • The Cavaliers have won 10 of their last 11 home games against the Magic

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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Thunder vs. Bucks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 16

It’s Sunday, March 16, and the Oklahoma City Thunder (55-12) and Milwaukee Bucks (38-28) are all set to square off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

The Thunder are currently 26-7 on the road with a point differential of 12, while the Bucks have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. These squads have met twice this season and each won by double-digits with both matchups coming in Oklahoma City.

Both teams are on back-to-backs entering this matchup. Milwaukee beat Indiana 126-119 last night at home, while Oklahoma City won 113-107 in Detroit.

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 Thunder vs. Bucks live today

  • Date: Sunday, March 16, 2025
  • Time: 9:00PM EST
  • Site: Fiserv Forum
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

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. Bucks

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Thunder (-170), Bucks (+143)
  • Spread:  Thunder -5
  • Over/Under: 231.5 points

That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 118.26, and the Bucks 113.18.

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 Sunday’s Thunder vs. Bucks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Thunder to cover against the Bucks:

"Although Oklahoma City was a 4.5-point favorite against the Pistons last night and they get basically the same spread the following night against another playoff opponent speaks volumes to the Thunder on the road. It's Thunder or pass because, at the Bucks' tempo or the Thunder's, this time is talented enough to win by three-plus possessions."

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 Thunder & Bucks 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 Milwaukee Bucks at +4.
  • 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 Thunder vs. Bucks on Sunday

  • The Thunder have won 9 of their last 11 games on the road
  • 10 of the Thunder's last 11 road matchups against the Bucks have stayed under the Total
  • The Bucks have covered the Spread in 4 of their last 5 home games against the Thunder
  • The Thunder have won 9 of their last 11 games on the road and can go again in Milwaukee. The Bucks beat Indiana on Saturday but Oklahoma has been excellent away from home and can extend their run.

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)