On the last day the transfer portal is open for players to enter, Duke found a creative way to confirm the return of one player for his sophomore season. Isaiah Evans will return to Duke. Evans’ return means the Blue Devils return a prolific scorer who’s in line for a larger role in the upcoming season.
Kawhi Leonard's big night was months in the making during grueling rehab
Kawhi Leonard's teammates marvel at how much the Clippers' star forward has dedicated himself to get his body back to peak level.
They have watched how Leonard has stayed the course despite the frequent times his body betrayed him. They have supported Leonard during the trying times with his health issues because they have seen how he refuses to wallow in self-pity.
They know what Leonard has done behind the scenes during rehabilitation when the media is not around and on those days and nights when a lot of teammates are not around.
The culmination of all those days in the lab this season working to get his right knee healthy was Leonard’s dominance in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs against the Nuggets on Monday night in Denver.
He missed only four of 19 shots while pouring in 39 points over 39 minutes to help the Clippers even the series at 1-1 before they returned home for Game 3 on Thursday night and Game 4 on Saturday afternoon at the Intuit Dome.
James Harden was succinct in his praise for Leonard’s willingness to continually work on his body.
Read more:Kawhi Leonard's 39-point effort powers Clippers to thrilling Game 2 win over Nuggets
“Every. Single. Day. Like, it’s the preparation,” Harden said late Monday night after Game 2 in Denver. “It’s the treatment. It’s the strengthening of his body. It’s the correctives. And then it’s like going on court and putting it all together and it’s consistent. Every. Single. Day…
“Luck hasn’t been on his side or whatever the case you might call it. But he loves to hoop. And as you see, when he’s on the court, he’s a killer. Kawhi is just special.”
Leonard missed the first 34 games because of his ailing right knee. Then he played in only 37 games and just one set of back-to-back games.
He missed the last eight regular-season games last season because of right knee inflammation and played in only two of the Clippers’ six playoff games against the Dallas Mavericks because of the knee injury. When Leonard was invited to USA Basketball workouts in Las Vegas last summer, he was sent home to rest the knee and was unable to participate in the Paris Olympics.
None of that stopped Leonard from continuing his work.
Harden was asked if fans and NBA people have an appreciation for what Leonard has endured to get back here.
“Naw,” Harden answered immediately. “Naw, not even a little bit. It’s always negative. It’s always what he’s been through, what he’s not able to do because of something he can’t control. Like, we don’t appreciate how great he is when he’s actually out there and putting on performances like this tonight.
“I feel like that about everybody that’s in the league that goes through something that’s out of their hands and they can’t control. It’s like it’s always the negative, it’s always the hate that people talk about, which is something that we got to live with, I guess, in this world. But as for me being close with him, every single day and seeing the work he puts in, you appreciate him.”
In interviews this season, Leonard has talked about how his “love” for the game keeps bringing him back and how he just grinds and keeps his head down.
Before his difficult end to last season, he played in just two playoff games during the Clippers’ series against the Phoenix Suns in 2023 because of a meniscus tear. He missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Now he is healthy and wants to be there for his teammates in the playoffs.
“I”m just happy that I’m able to move and I’m coming out the game feeling well and that’s what I’m taking my pride in is just being healthy,” he said. “I sat and watched these playoff games and series the past few years. So, being able to be frontline out there, it just feels good to me no matter which way the game goes. That’s what I’m taking pride in. I just want to be out there and play and be frontline with my team.”
Over six seasons with the Clippers, he has played in 266 out of a possible 492 regular-season games. Injuries have robbed him of so many games yet he keeps coming back.
“Every time someone gives up on him, he comes back,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s dedicated to keeping his body right and sometimes some unfortunate things happen. But you can’t control that. But it’s not a lack of work. It’s not from a lack of wanting to be here and just sometimes some bad luck hits. But he’s going to keep coming back and he’s going to get to this point where he is right now and that’s why I’m so happy for him.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Warriors voted best NBA organization in anonymous player survey
Warriors voted best NBA organization in anonymous player survey originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors have earned a reputation as the NBA’s gold standard — beyond just Golden State’s accomplishments on the court.
In a survey of anoynmous NBA players conducted by The Athletic, the Warriors were voted the league’s best organization, receiving 21.9 percent of the votes.
Golden State edged out the Oklahoma City Thunder (17.5 percent) and Boston Celtics (15.3 percent) to claim the top spot.
“They were first-class,” an anonymous player told the Athletic. “(Warriors coach) Steve (Kerr) came from San Antonio. He knew a lot of the principles. They do a really good job of taking care of the players and the families.”
It all starts at the top, with majority owner Joe Lacob valiantly following through on his promise to deliver Golden State to prominence after taking over a franchise with a three-decade plus championship drought.
Having the embodiment of a perfect superstar in Steph Curry certainly helped, as at all levels of the organization, Golden State carved out an identity that turned the Bay Area into the center of the NBA world for the better part of the last decade.
The Warriors have won four NBA championships since the start of the 2014-15 season, reaching six NBA Finals over that span while stamping their mark on the history books.
Pairing those presitgious accolades with the Warriors’ top-notch facilities and state-of-the-art arena has turned Golden State into a coveted landing spot for players league wide, a reputation that is sure to help the franchise for years to come.
Warriors voted best NBA organization in anonymous player survey
Warriors voted best NBA organization in anonymous player survey originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors have earned a reputation as the NBA’s gold standard — beyond just Golden State’s accomplishments on the court.
In a survey of anoynmous NBA players conducted by The Athletic, the Warriors were voted the league’s best organization, receiving 21.9 percent of the votes.
Golden State edged out the Oklahoma City Thunder (17.5 percent) and Boston Celtics (15.3 percent) to claim the top spot.
“They were first-class,” an anonymous player told the Athletic. “(Warriors coach) Steve (Kerr) came from San Antonio. He knew a lot of the principles. They do a really good job of taking care of the players and the families.”
It all starts at the top, with majority owner Joe Lacob valiantly following through on his promise to deliver Golden State to prominence after taking over a franchise with a three-decade plus championship drought.
Having the embodiment of a perfect superstar in Steph Curry certainly helped, as at all levels of the organization, Golden State carved out an identity that turned the Bay Area into the center of the NBA world for the better part of the last decade.
The Warriors have won four NBA championships since the start of the 2014-15 season, reaching six NBA Finals over that span while stamping their mark on the history books.
Pairing those presitgious accolades with the Warriors’ top-notch facilities and state-of-the-art arena has turned Golden State into a coveted landing spot for players league wide, a reputation that is sure to help the franchise for years to come.
Kawhi Leonard’s masterclass has Nuggets scrambling for answers | The Kevin O'Connor Show
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Kawhi Leonard’s near-flawless Game 2 performance against the Denver Nuggets has the NBA world buzzing. Kevin O’Connor and guest Nate Duncan broke down the wild Nuggets-Clippers playoff matchup on the most recent episode of "The Kevin O’Connor Show."
Leonard finished with 39 points on a devastating 15-of-19 shooting line in L.A.'s Game 2 win Monday night. According to O’Connor, it was the seventh-highest true shooting percentage ever for a 35-plus-point postseason outing.
“He feels like a fictional legend,” O’Connor said. “Most of these guys that have injuries, they fall off. And yet here he is right now, in 2025, looking like he's in peak condition.”
Both O'Connor and Duncan were baffled by Denver’s refusal to blitz and double Leonard late. “I can't believe the Nuggets weren't sending two, blitzing, doubling Kawhi Leonard down the stretch,” O’Connor said.
O'Connor also wondered if Nikola Jokić was fatigued after grinding through Ivica Zubac’s physical defense, calling out “mental lapses, mental mistakes” in the MVP’s game.
To hear the full discussion, tune into "The Kevin O'Connor Show" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Mavericks GM Harrison admits he didn’t expect this strong a reaction to Doncic trade
In some college sports management and public relations classes, there will be seminars dedicated to the Mavericks' handling of the Luka Doncic trade — a "what not to do" lesson.
The latest fallout from that trade came this week after the Mavericks’ season came to an early end in the play-in. General Manager Nico Harrison met with the media and uttered this sentence, via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
"I did know that Luka was important to the fan base. I didn't quite know it to that level."
Three thoughts here, all a bad look for Harrison:
1) How are you in Dallas and around the Mavericks for four years and not able to grasp the depth of the fan/Doncic relationship?
2) Harrison rose to prominence with Nike as Kobe Bryant's rep with the company. How do you come out of that situation, see that connection between the home-grown MVP candidate player and the fan base, and then not recognize it in Dallas?
3) The NBA is an entertainment business where the fans are the customers. The media reaction helps shape fan reactions and feelings. To misunderstand — or just not be concerned with their feelings — to this degree is just bad for business.
Here is some of the other fallout this week in Dallas.
• Harrison said that not valuing Anthony Davis and his skill set is why some people don't appreciate the trade.
Davis has caught way too much shrapnel in this fight. Harrison is right that, when healthy, Davis is an All-NBA two-way player who can help a team at the highest levels — he has a ring and a gold medal to prove it.
That does not mean this was a good trade for the Mavericks. First, as good as he can be, Davis is not the defense-bending force, MVP-level candidate Doncic is (as he enters his prime). Davis is six years older than Doncic and is prone to injuries. Also, Harrison not getting both Lakers' first-round picks and Austin Reaves back in this trade his hard to fathom.
• Harrison said his relationship with team owner/governor Patrick Dumont is still strong. It should be.
Harrison wanted this trade, but he is also the guy taking the arrows for ownership, which didn't want to pay Doncic the largest contract in NBA history and helped push for the trade, league sources have told NBC Sports.
• With that, Harrison's job is safe (for now, he ultimately could be scapegoated). And no, the Adelson/Dumont ownership group is not going to sell the team after this experience. The team — and with it a new arena in the coming decade — is part of a much larger real estate deal that is the ultimate motivation here. Those long-term plans are not changing because of this trade.
• ESPN’s Tim MacMahon did a deep dive on how the relationship between Doncic and the Mavericks fell apart, with details going back 18 months and looking at the fissures within the organization. It is a brilliant bit of reporting well worth the read.
My primary takeaway: Harrison prizes control over everything else, and is not a fan of dissent. That came across in how unprepared he was for the backlash to this trade, as if it never really dawned on him how this could be received differently than he saw it. He didn't prepare the rest of the franchise or the fans for what was to come.
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison 'didn't quite know' how important Luka Doncic was to Dallas fans
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison made an interesting admission Monday when talking to reporters about his decision to trade fan favorite Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February.
No, Harrison did not admit that the move was a mistake. On the contrary, he clung tightly to his "defense wins championships" explanation for making the deal that sent Doncic to Los Angeles and brought elite defender Anthony Davis to Dallas.
But after more than two months of Mavericks fans calling for his firing — in a very loud and visible fashion — Harrison did admit that he had underestimated the level of outrage the surprise trade would cause.
“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base," said Harrison, a former longtime Nike executive whose fourth season with the Mavericks ended Friday with a play-in loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. "I didn't quite know it to what level."
Read more:Lakers star Luka Doncic scores 45 in emotional, winning return to Dallas
Doncic, 26, endeared himself to the Dallas fan base during his six-plus seasons with the organization, making the All-Star Game five times and leading the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals. If Harrison didn't realize the level of fans' adoration for the Slovenian superstar before the trade, he certainly does now.
“When you have 20,000 people in the stadium chanting 'Fire Nico,' you really feel it," Harrison said. "I mean it's — I use the word 'awesome,' but not in a positive way. Like, you can really feel how they feel.
"But my job is to make decisions I feel are in the best interest of this organization, and I gotta stand by the decisions, and some of them are going to be unpopular. This was clearly one that's unpopular."
Harrison said he thought — and still thinks — fans would have taken more kindly to trading away such a beloved player if they had been able to see his and the organization's "vision" of a starting five of Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II.
Instead, an onslaught of injuries prevented those five from taking the floor together at all.
"Really the way we looked at it was, if you’re putting a team on the floor that’s Kyrie, Klay, P.J., Anthony Davis and Lively, we feel that’s a championship-caliber team and we would’ve been winning at a high level and that would have quieted some of the outrage. And so unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so [the outrage] just continued to go on and on.”
Harrison added that he expects the core team to be back next season and will "be competing for a championship."
“I believe winning will help repair the relationship with the fans and that’s what we plan to do,” he said.
Harrison was speaking at a news conference that took place six days after he and team CEO Rick Welts held a closed-door roundtable discussion with a small, select group of media members. Those reporters were not allowed to bring cameras and initially were told they could not bring audio recording devices either, although they ended up being allowed to record the meeting for transcription purposes only.
The purpose of the roundtable was to provide closure to the Doncic situation, but Harrison acknowledged Monday that didn't happen.
“The goal was that I answered all the [Doncic] questions, [so] today I could talk about the team as it currently is and then what we do going forward," Harrison said. "But because it fell flat, today I’m basically answering the same questions I answered last week because we didn’t do a good enough job."
During the roundtable event, Harrison repeatedly fell back on the "defense wins championships" mantra as an explanation for trading Doncic. During an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews that aired Friday, Doncic was asked about Harrison's comments.
"It's just sad the way he's talking right now," Doncic said. "I never say anything bad about him, and I just want to move on. The fans, my ex-teammates, I'll always keep at heart. It's time for me to move on from there."
Told of Doncic's comment, Harrison said: “I feel the same way he does. I've actually never spoken ill of Luka at all, and I'm just ready to move on with this team that we have.”
For Harrison and the Mavericks, the opportunity to move on won't come until next season. Doncic, on the other hand, has the chance to take another step in the process as the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night with the chance to tie their first-round playoff series at one win apiece.
L.A. fans seem to know how important Doncic is to possibly making that happen.
Read more:Luka Doncic had an epic playoff moment last year. Here's why it could happen again
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Jayson Tatum reportedly has bone bruise in wrist, can play depending on pain tolerance
It looked bad when it happened. Jayson Tatum went up for a dunk and was fouled in the air by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who was given a flagrant foul on the play). Tatum stayed on the ground for a few minutes, grabbing his wrist, but continued to play in the Celtics’ win.
A closer look at the play where Jayson Tatum injured his wrist. KCP was given a flagrant 1.
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) April 21, 2025
-
Tatum said he got an X-Ray on the wrist after the game and that it came back clean.#celtics#jaysontatum
⚡️ by Gametime pic.twitter.com/vcg2zULkLX
Now comes word that Tatum suffered a bone bruise on the play, as reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. This is reportedly a pain tolerance issue that the Celtics will monitor.
After the game, Tatum played down the injury saying he had an X-ray and it came back clean. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Tuesday that Tatum was "day to day."
Tatum played through a fractured wrist for part of the 2022 playoffs and likely will miss little, if any, time in this series. That said, the Celtics' medical staff may want to save Tatum from himself a little, they are going to need him at his peak in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals if they are going to repeat as champions.
Boston is up 1-0 in what will be a physical series with the Orlando Magic, one that the Celtics should win but will not be a pushover. Boston now has more motivation to get this series over quickly — and hope the Knicks/Pistons series drags out — so that Tatum can get more rest.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers Best bets: Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends for April 22
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview
It’s Tuesday, April 22, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) and Los Angeles Lakers (50-32) are all set to square off from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The Lakers hosted the Timberwolves in game one, which was not pretty for the hosts.
Despite 37 from Luka Concic, the Lakers failed to reach 100 points and were defeated 117-95.
The Lakers' offense was stagnant and lacked ball movement. Regardless of their offensive performance, it was always going to be difficult to stop the Timberwolves if they shot 51% from the field and 50% from three.
The Timberwolves are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Lakers have a 7-3 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 Timberwolves vs. Lakers live today
- Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
- Time: 10:00PM EST
- Site: Crypto.com Arena
- City: Los Angeles, CA
- Network/Streaming: TNT
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. Lakers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Odds: Timberwolves (+200), Lakers (-245)
- Spread: Lakers -5.5
- Over/Under: 210 points
That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 104.08, and the Lakers 106.95.
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 Timberwolves vs. Lakers game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
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Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Lakers -5.5...
Thomas: "Doncic points is interesting, but with the Lakers being down 1-0 at home, they need a massive response. I think they hunker down and put together a great performance."
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 & Lakers game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Timberwolves at +5.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 210.
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 Timberwolves vs. Lakers on Tuesday
- The Timberwolves have won on 4 of the last 5 occasions that they have been a road underdog
- The Total went over in 54% of the Timberwolves' regular season games (44-38-0)
- The Timberwolves have covered the spread in 6 of their last 8 games (75%) as an underdog
The Over is 44-39 in Timberwolves' games this season
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.
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Celtics' Payton Pritchard named 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Celtics' Payton Pritchard named 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Payton Pritchard took his game to another level during the 2024-25 NBA season. On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics guard was recognized for his efforts.
Pritchard beat out Detroit Pistons sharpshooter Malik Beasley and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
Based on the voting results, Pritchard won the award rather easily.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/h9lOygxZ4j
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 22, 2025
It was a historic campaign for Pritchard, who surpassed Wayne Ellington for the most 3-pointers off the bench in a single NBA season. He made at least five 3-pointers in 22 games, setting a Celtics record previously held by Jayson Tatum (18).
Pritchard is the fourth player in Celtics franchise history to win the Sixth Man of the Year trophy — which is named after C’s legend John Havlicek — joining Kevin McHale (1984-85), Bill Walton (1985-86) and Malcolm Brogdon (2022-23).
Pritchard notched career-bests in every major category with 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor (40.7 percent from 3). The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 28.2 minutes per game.
The Celtics held on to Pritchard despite his asking for a trade during the 2022-23 season due to a lack of playing time. They committed to him with a four-year, $30 million contract extension before the 2023-24 campaign, and he has since proven to be worth every penny.
Pritchard had multiple big moments during the C’s 2024 championship run, including a wild buzzer-beater from beyond halfcourt in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He picked up where he left off with a 19-point performance in Boston’s Game 1 win Sunday against the Orlando Magic.
Pritchard will look to carry that momentum into Wednesday’s Game 2 at TD Garden, which tips off at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
Payton Pritchard named 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Payton Pritchard named 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Payton Pritchard took his game to another level during the 2024-25 NBA season. On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics guard was recognized for his efforts.
Pritchard beat out Detroit Pistons sharpshooter Malik Beasley and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
Based on the voting results, Pritchard won the award rather easily.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/h9lOygxZ4j
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 22, 2025
It was a historic campaign for Pritchard, who surpassed Wayne Ellington for the most 3-pointers off the bench in a single NBA season. He made at least five 3-pointers in 22 games, setting a Celtics record previously held by Jayson Tatum (18).
Pritchard is the fourth player in Celtics franchise history to win the Sixth Man of the Year trophy — which is named after C’s legend John Havlicek — joining Kevin McHale (1984-85), Bill Walton (1985-86) and Malcolm Brogdon (2022-23).
Pritchard notched career-bests in every major category with 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor (40.7 percent from 3). The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 28.2 minutes per game.
The Celtics held on to Pritchard despite his asking for a trade during the 2022-23 season due to a lack of playing time. They committed to him with a four-year, $30 million contract extension before the 2023-24 campaign, and he has since proven to be worth every penny.
Pritchard had multiple big moments during the C’s 2024 championship run, including a wild buzzer-beater from beyond halfcourt in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He picked up where he left off with a 19-point performance in Boston’s Game 1 win Sunday against the Orlando Magic.
Pritchard will look to carry that momentum into Wednesday’s Game 2 at TD Garden, which tips off at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
Anthony Edwards fined $50,000 for 'inappropriate language' while trash talking Lakers fans
A Lakers fan looking to go viral has cost Minnesota's Anthony Edwards $50,000 in a fine from the league.
In the third quarter of the Timberwolves pushing around the Lakers in Game 1 of their playoff series, Edwards — along with Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo — were about to check back in when a Lakers fan nearby hit record on his phone and tried to trash talk Edwards. The Timberwolves player shut him down, pointing out how he has a $200 million contract, Gobert has a $300 million contract, and added "my d*** is bigger than yours" while grabbing his crotch.
The NBA is fining Anthony Edwards $50,000 for telling a Lakers fan “my d*ck is bigger than yours”
— Wolves Lead (@TWolvesLead) April 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Z3oVDOC0yS
The rest of the story is obvious: The fan did post the interaction, it did go viral, and now the league has come down with a $50,000 fine for Edwards "for directing inappropriate language and making an obscene gesture toward a fan."
That's BS by the league.
A fan near the players pulls some crap trying to go viral, then let it go. Edwards didn't say anything wildly inappropriate. It's just trash talk, the fact a fan filmed it should not matter.
That said, based on the online response, this all worked out for Ant as he gained a lot of new fans and followers — and probably sold a few shoes — with his comments.
This marks the eighth time Edwards has been fined this season for a total of more than $300,000.
Grizzlies vs. Thunder Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 22
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
It’s Tuesday, April 22, and the Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) and Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) are all set to square off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
The No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder embarrassed
the Grizzlies in game one of the series.
The Thunder won 131-80. Not a single Grizzlies player scored more than 17 points in that matchup.
Now the Grizzlies must rely on a banged up Ja Morant to try and level the series before they head to Memphis.
The Grizzlies are currently 22-19 on the road with a point differential of 5, 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: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
- Time: 7:30PM EST
- Site: Paycom Center
- City: Oklahoma City, OK
- Network/Streaming: TNT
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 Tuesday:
- Odds: Grizzlies (+737), Thunder (-1190)
- Spread: Thunder -14.5
- Over/Under: 229 points
That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 113.63, and the Thunder 121.19.
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. Thunder game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
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Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on the Thunder -14.5...
Thomas: "It feels lazy to bet on the Thunder to cover again in game two. However, it's for good reason. This is not a good Grizzlies team. They are banged up, and they are playing against the best team in basketball, on the road, in front of a sellout crowd."
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 staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at +14.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under 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 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 Tuesday
- The Thunder have won four of their last five games at home against Western Conference Southwest Division teams
- Six of the Thunder's last seven home matchups against the Grizzlies have stayed under the Total
- Oklahoma City have won four of the last five meetings by at least 17 points
The Thunder have won 7 of their last 9 home matchups 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!
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USC lands highly coveted transfer guard Rodney Rice, bolstering strong transfer haul
Rodney Rice chose USC over other national college basketball powers, helping Trojans coach Eric Musselman build on his strong transfers class.
Myers states Butler-to-Warriors one of NBA's ‘best in-season trades'
Myers states Butler-to-Warriors one of NBA's ‘best in-season trades' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
In just his second season as Warriors general manager, Mike Dunleavy took a massive gamble at the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline by acquiring six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler.
The early return has been positive, to say the least, as Butler single-handedly saved Golden State’s season as the team resurrected and rose to the playoffs. It was a move that will go down in the history books, at least according to Bob Myers, a man who knows a thing or two about championship basketball.
“I think it’s one of the best in-season trades in the history of the league,” Myers told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Ann Killion. “Credit Mike for seeing that because it’s his risk that he takes. Not just his, but when you make these decisions, it’s your name — your reputation — on the line.”
Myers was the general manager of Golden State for more than a decade and the orchestrator of the Warriors’ dynasty that brought four NBA championships to the Bay.
After he stepped down from his duties, Dunleavy took over, and the Warriors missed the playoffs in the first season of his tenure. Things weren’t looking good for the Warriors to start the 2024-25 season, either — until Butler arrived.
The Warriors skyrocketed the standings in a loaded Western Conference, finishing as the No. 7 playoff seed and currently in a first-round playoff series with the No. 3-seeded Houston Rockets.
“The Jimmy thing is a pivot point,” Myers told Killion. “That’s a signature deal that will go on Mike’s resume.”
Finding Steph Curry a reliable second option has been the main priority since Klay Thompson’s departure. Andrew Wiggins was a two-way beast in spurts, but his availability began to teeter for a team working on a win-now timeline.
In 30 regular-season games with Golden State, Butler averaged 17.9 points on 47.6 percent shooting, with 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.7 minutes. More than anything, though, his presence helped relieve Curry while also making everyone around him better.
“With Jimmy, just — bam, right away it happened,” Myers told Killion. “If you hook up the people who made the decision to a lie detector. I think everybody would feel surprised at how well it’s worked.
“When you do these moves, you always think: What’s the best case? What’s the worst case? It’s usually somewhere in between. But this is the best-case scenario.”
Myers joked with Killion that Dunleavy likely will last longer as general manager than he did, attributing his early success to not only being a former player but also the son of an NBA coach.
“I think there’s a healthy disconnect you need to have, while balancing that with passion and intention,” Myers said. “He was reared in the NBA. He’s seen the highs and the lows, so he’s not going to get overly emotional. He knows too much.
“He puts the NBA in its proper place, and it makes him effective at what he does.”
No matter how this season ends, whenever that might be, it’s safe to say the Warriors’ trade for Butler will go down in the record books.