Category: Basketball

It’s Tuesday, April 8, and the Chicago Bulls (36-42) and Cleveland Cavaliers (62-16) are all set to square off from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

The Bulls are currently 20-19 on the road with a point differential of -2, while the Cavaliers have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. Cleveland is 3-0 against Chicago this season with wins of 6, 18, and 12 points.

Chicago is on a three-game winning streak and won seven of the past nine games. Cleveland is 6-2 over the previous eight games and looking to bounce back off a 120-113 loss to Sacramento.

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 Bulls vs. Cavaliers live today

• Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
• Time: 7:00PM 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 Bulls vs. Cavaliers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

• Odds: Bulls (+449), Cavaliers (-613)
• Spread:  Cavaliers -11.5
• Over/Under: 238 points

That gives the Bulls an implied team point total of 117.95, and the Cavaliers 123.94.

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 Bulls vs. Cavaliers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Bulls to cover the big spread:

"Cleveland is 3-0 against Chicago this season, but the Cavs are not in good form recently. Coming off a loss, Cleveland would be the easy bet, but Chicago has been playing quality basketball over the last three to four weeks. I'd take the Bulls at +14 or better."

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 Bulls & Cavaliers game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cleveland Cavaliers on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago Bulls at +11.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 238.

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 Bulls vs. Cavaliers on Tuesday

• The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against divisional opponents
• The Bulls' last 6 road games have gone over the Total
• The Bulls are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog
• The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 5 games at home 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)

Egor Demin — the 6'9" Russian guard whose path went from Real Madrid to BYU — is headed to the NBA.

Demin made the long-expected announcement official on social media Tuesday.

Demin is a polarizing figure among scouts that NBC Sports has spoken with — some see him as an end-of-the-lottery pick, others think he could end up falling down draft boards.

At BYU, he averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 assists a game, shooting 27.3% from 3, and he led the Cougars to the Sweet 16 for the first time in more than a decade. His path to the NBA Draft was winding. Demin was born in Moscow but moved to Spain to play for Real Madrid at age 15. New BYU coach Kevin Young (formerly of the Phoenix Suns) wanted him, and so they threw seven digits of NIL money at the problem to get him out of his Real Madrid contract to play in Utah. It worked out well for the Cougars.

Demin is a big guard at 6'9" and is the best passer in this draft class. He has a strong feel for the game and great vision. The question becomes, can he score at the NBA level? How he looks in team workouts could go a long way to where he ends up getting drafted, he just needs one team to fall in love with his potential.

He is absolutely a first-round lock and with that is making the right move entering the 2025 NBA Draft. The only question is where he lands.

It’s Tuesday, April 8, and the Boston Celtics (58-20) and New York Knicks (50-28) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Celtics are currently 32-7 on the road with a point differential of 9, while the Knicks have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. Boston is 3-0 against New York this season with a 27-point win at MSG.

New York has won two straight and five of the past six games, while Boston is 11-1 over the last 12 games and on a two-game winning streak as well.

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 Celtics vs. Knicks live today

• Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
• Time: 7:30PM EST
• Site: Madison Square Garden
• City: New York, NY
• Network/Streaming: TNT / TruTV / Max

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 Celtics vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

• Odds: Celtics (-131), Knicks (+110)
• Spread:  Celtics -2
• Over/Under: 221 points

That gives the Celtics an implied team point total of 111.07, and the Knicks 110.02.

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 Tuesday’s Celtics vs. Knicks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Knicks to win:

"I was surprised to see the Knicks as slight favorites, but Boston is dealing with injuries and inconsistencies in the lineup, so I shouldn't be as shocked. Jalen Brunson returned and the Knicks likely have a newfound confidence. A win at MSG over the Knicks would be monumental for this team entering the postseason, so it's Knicks ML or pass for me, especially since Boston is 3-0 versus New York this season."

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 Celtics & Knicks game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Celtics at -2.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 221.

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 Celtics vs. Knicks on Tuesday

• The Celtics are on a 3-game win streak at the Knicks
• The Knicks' last 3 home games have stayed under the Total
• The Celtics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games as a road favorite
• The Celtics have won 18 of their last 20 games on the road

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)

Paul George came to Philadelphia on a four-year, $212 million max contract, but due to injuries he played in just 41 games, averaging 16.2 points a night (his lowest output since 2012). Before the season tipped off, Joel Embiid signed a three-year, $192.9 million contract extension with Philadelphia that doesn't even kick in until the 2026-27 season. Embiid played in just 19 games due to knee issues this season.

The 76ers aren't trading either of them this summer, they couldn't if they wanted to (not getting a reasonable return). Nick Nurse stated the obvious, speaking to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer: If Philadelphia is going to bounce back next fall from the most disappointing season in franchise history, it starts with a healthy Embiid and George.

"There's, obviously, a good number of them that need to get taken care of, get back to health, but obviously, Joel and Paul will be the big concerns," Nurse said. "Can they get back and get ready to go? And I guess we won't find that out for a little while, and then you start unpacking and then you get back to thinking there's some really, really good players there and start piecing it together and then we get ready to build out the rest of the roster around them."

Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey played just 15 games together this season. If that number doesn't at least reach 50 next season, then hopes for a turnaround are slim — that's the financial reality of today's NBA and the 76ers' top-heavy construction.

With those three players plus rookie Jared McCain — who was running away with Rookie of the Year until he tore his meniscus in January — the Sixers are on the hook for $149.1 million in salary, which is about $5 million below the salary cap and having at least 10 roster spots to fill. The actual number to watch is the second tax apron ($207.8 million), but things add up quickly to get the 76ers near there. Philly has tanked, losing 12 in a row, hoping to retain its first-round draft pick (it is owed to Oklahoma City, top-six protected). If Philly lands in the top six, that rookie will cost at least $8 million (and could cost up to $13 million). Quentin Grimes has been a standout to end the season but is a free agent expected to command $20-$25 million a season with his new deal. Kelly Oubre is expected to opt out of his $8.4 million contract and become a free agent seeking a raise, and Guerschon Yabusele is also a free agent. Keep most of those players, round out the roster with minimum salary players, and the Sixers are pushing the tax aprons.

Philadelphia is committed to a top-heavy roster. That means the only way they can win next season is if Embiid, George, and Maxey can deliver at a much higher level than we saw this year. And that starts with getting the trio healthy.