Category: Basketball

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A pair of tanking teams face off in the Lone Star State tonight, where the Dallas Mavericks host the Memphis Grizzlies.

Both teams are decimated by injuries, which is why my Grizzlies vs. Mavericks predictions expect Memphis forward Taylor Hendricks to continue shining in an increased role.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Friday, February 27.

Grizzlies vs Mavericks prediction

Grizzlies vs Mavericks best bet: Taylor Hendricks Over 9.5 points (-120)

The Memphis Grizzlies have been without leading scorer Ja Morant (19.5 ppg) since mid-January, and standout rookie Cedric Coward (13.3 ppg) is also sidelined.

That means plenty of shots for Taylor Hendricks, who was acquired in the Jaren Jackson trade, while Santi Aldama and Zach Edey are injured. Hendricks has stepped up, dropping 10+ points in four of his last six games.

The Dallas Mavericks' defense has collapsed with the departure of Anthony Davis and injuries to Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington. Dallas ranks 28th in the NBA in defensive rating while playing at the sixth-fastest pace over the last month.

Grizzlies vs Mavericks same-game parlay

Rookie guard Walter Clayton Jr. also came over in that Jaren Jackson trade, and he has also thrived in a bigger role. Clayton has dropped 6+ assists in three of four games with Memphis.

The Griz have lost seven of their last eight games, but the Mavs have dropped 11 of their previous 13. I'll take the points with the visitors against a Dallas squad on the tail end of a back-to-back.

Grizzlies vs Mavericks SGP

• Taylor Hendricks Over 9.5 points
• Walter Clayton Jr. Over 4.5 assists
• Grizzlies +4.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Grizz!

There's plenty of volatility in these late-season games between teams that aren't trying to win.

Since we're betting on a couple of hungry young players on the Grizzlies, let's also back them to lead at half and pull off the minor upset. 

Grizzlies vs Mavericks SGP

• Taylor Hendricks Over 9.5 points
• Walter Clayton Jr. Over 4.5 assists
• Grizzlies moneyline
• Grizzlies 1H moneyline

Grizzlies vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Grizzlies +4.5 (-110) | Mavericks -4.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Grizzlies +165 | Mavericks -200
• Over/Under: Over 239 (-110) | Under 239 (-110)

Grizzlies vs Mavericks betting trend to know

The Grizzlies have covered the first half spread in their last 10 games on the road (+10.00 Units / 88% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Mavericks

Grizzlies vs Mavericks latest injuries

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Steph Curry reportedly suffered a setback in his recovery from the knee issue that has sidelined the Warriors superstar since the end of January.

Curry, who has missed Golden State’s past nine games, pushed too hard in an attempt to race back and ended up doing more harm than good, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.

The setback occurred around the NBA All-Star break two weeks ago, Spears told Bay Area radio station 95.7 FM on Thursday.

“He was trying to work out, trying to get back and it pushed him back,” Spears said. “I’m not sure when he’ll be back, but I do know he wants to come back.”

Curry, 37, is set to be reevaluated by the Warriors training staff on Saturday. Golden State hosts the Lakers later that night, when Curry will miss his 10th game with patella-femoral pain syndrome, commonly known as runner’s knee, as well as a bone bruise in his right knee.

The diagnosis means that Curry is dealing with irritation around the front of the knee, according to UCSF orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nirav Pandya. The best method of treatment is rest, but the tricky part, Pandya said, is that there is no defined timetable.

“Sometimes it can be a couple days, sometimes a couple weeks, sometimes several months,” Pandya said on X. “Essentially it’s about getting that rest, getting that inflammation down, so that the player can be effective on the court without causing more aggravation.”

Curry expressed frustration about the nebulous nature of the injury in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last week. “It’s frustrating not being out there, especially with an injury that doesn’t necessarily have a specific timeline you can trust,” he said.

Curry’s desire to hurry back is fueled in part by the Warriors’ position in the standings. Golden State’s veteran-laden roster would benefit from all the rest it can get by avoiding the play-in tournament.

With 23 games to go, however, the Warriors are fairly comfortably locked in to the No. 7-8 matchup in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers and Clippers aren’t giving them much chase from the ninth and 10th spots, while the Warriors remain 3.5 games back of the Lakers and the No. 6 seed.

“This team is kind of in a no man’s land. They’re probably too bad for a playoff lock, a top-six spot. But they’re too good to not be in the play-in,” Spears said. “So Steph expects to be in the play-in. He wants to be in the play-in. He wants the chance to be in the playoffs.”

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker and our SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked you about Pete Nance’s two-way contract and the Bucks’ projected playoff seeding. Here are the highlights:

• 77% of respondents want the Bucks to convert Pete Nance to a standard deal, and if that’s the route the team chooses, 57% feel that Andre Jackson Jr. should be cut from the 15-man roster to make room.
• 84% of voters believe Milwaukee will rise into the play-in, though 66% of them think they’ll be no higher than the 9th spot, meaning they’d have to win two games to make the actual playoffs.
• If they miss the playoffs, they’ll have a lottery pick in June’s draft, and 60% of fans polled think the Bucks should keep that pick, no matter where it ends up.
• Of those who disagree, 65% of them would trade the pick if it falls outside the top ten, which is the most likely scenario: factoring in the pick swap with the Pelicans, the two teams’ current positions give the Bucks only a 15.9% chance of drafting better than ten.
• Fans also recognize that Milwaukee’s improved play, plus clear tanking by Chicago, Memphis, and Dallas, means that they won’t sink lower than their current spot in the lottery standings (10th).

Thanks again for voting! Check back on Tuesday for another slate of questions.

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There’s no better way to kick off the weekend than with some winning bets.

I’ve combed through the latest NBA odds and singled out my three favorites for today, including points props for two role players capitalizing on extra opportunities.

Check out all of my NBA picks for Friday, February 27.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Kyle Kuzma	Over 1.5 threes	+150
GG Jackson Jr.	Over 16.5 points	-112
Julian Strawther	Over 9.5 points	-115

Prop #1: Kyle Kuzma Over 1.5 threes

+150 at bet365

It’s been an unusual season for the Milwaukee Bucks. With Giannis Antetokounmpo missing significant time, they’ve still managed to win eight of their last 10 games heading into tonight's matchup with the New York Knicks.

Kyle Kuzma has stepped up for Milwaukee, averaging 14.6 points over his last 12 contests and shooting 40% from 3-point range over his last five.

The Knicks' perimeter defense has been shaky this season, ranking 20th in opponent made threes per game. Kuzma has made 2+ threes in four of his last five starts, and he’s likely to do it again tonight.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MSG, FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin

Prop #2: GG Jackson Jr. Over 16.5 points

-112 at bet365

The Memphis Grizzlies’ injury list reads like a horror story, and they desperately need scoring.

G.G. Jackson Jr. is averaging 17.4 points with a .667 eFG% over his last nine games, and tonight he faces a Dallas Mavericks team that’s nearly as depleted as the Grizzlies.

With the Mavs playing their second match in as many nights, I like Jackson to eclipse 16.5 points for the fifth time in six games.

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis, KFAA

Prop #3: Julian Strawther Over 9.5 points

-115 at bet365

The game of the night features the Denver Nuggets visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is back after missing nine games, but in a matchup loaded with NBA stars, I'm focusing on a prop for a lesser-known role player.

Julian Strawther has capitalized on his increased opportunities. The Nuggets guard is averaging 15.6 points and shooting 37% from three over his eight starts, and he’s expected back in the starting lineup tonight.

OKC allows the fourth-most made threes per game, and Strawther has reached double digits in scoring in seven of his eight games while in an elevated role.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The party rolls on. The Brooklyn Nets hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night at Barclays Center. The Nets put up a fight, but the Spurs were too much to handle and gave the Nets their sixth consecutive loss.

The opponent tonight has a solid hold on the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Against all odds, the Boston Celtics have exceeded all sorts of expectations this season and will have homecourt advantage in the first round, at the very least. They didn’t help the cause after losing on the road to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 p.m. ET.

Injuries

Night two of a back-to-back you’d expect some players would sit but nope. For the fourth time in nine games, everyone is healthy. Drake Powell is on assignment with Long Island as are the three two-ways. Expect Ben Saraf (called up from Long Island) and Grant Nelson (on a two-way) to be available, but both are coming off a G League back-to-back.

Amazingly, Jayson Tatum is expected back soon. You should remember, dear reader, that Tatum tore his Achilles about nine months in the playoffs against the Knicks. He’s not playing tonight, but don’t be surprised if he’s back within the next month or so. Holy heck.

The game

Boston won games one and three while Brooklyn took game two. This is the last meeting between the two teams this year.

Can I admit something? I’m all in on the Jaylen Brown MVP candidacy! Yes yes I see the efficiency numbers aren’t the greatest especially considering how high his usage rate. And yeah, Nikola Jokic still walks this Earth. But ya know what? I don’t care! Brown’s got the Celtics contending and is the focal point of their attack. From Gio Rivera at Celtics Blog:

“Brown is proving himself as both an elite scorer and an elite playmaker. He’s opened the floor for teammates, veterans and newcomers alike, to excel in their roles while everyone embraces the next-man-up approach Mazzulla and the coaching staff have crafted. Without Tatum and offseason departures Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, the Celtics have competed at a remarkable level, keeping them in the hunt for the No. 1 seed.“

Sounds like someone who should get a vote or two!

Boston is back home after a four game road trip that ended in Denver and the Nets are on the second leg of a back-to-back. Don’t be surprised if this one starts off slowly.

Three point variance is the name of this game. Both teams are top ten in attempts per game, but the Nets are 28th in percentage while the Celtics are 13th. A quick 12-2 run by Boston would get the crowd on tilt and have Brooklyn reeling in a hurry. Ball possession will be essential tonight as the Nets can’t afford to let possessions go to waste against a team this good.

Player to watch: Nikola Vucevic

An old face in a new place. Vucevic came over from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simons at the trade deadline. So far, his presence has been a welcome addition to the club.

“It’s been huge,” Neemias Queta recently said. “I’m trying to pick his brain every day, trying to figure out how I can get better with my game as well. Credit to him — I think he’s been a great addition in terms of spacing the floor, being able to be a threat down low. He’s going to rebound for sure, too. He’s going to be key for us late in the season, and we’re still trying to figure out a couple of things with him — how to get him in his best spots, and he’s trying to get loose too.”

Vucci Mane is back to doing his usual stuff on offense. He’s been in a bit of a rut in the past two games as he’s shot 5-18 from the field and 0-7 from three point range, but his ability to hit elbow jumpers, find open cutters, etc. will prove handy this spring. Having a post player like Vucevic should make life easy for everyone on the team.

For the first time in a while, the Nets won the rebound battle last night. They’re going to need a total team effort again as the C’s are fourth in the NBA in rebound rate. Assuming Nic Claxton plays, he’ll be responsible for battling with old foe Vucevic on the inside while also controlling the boards. He, Day’ron Sharpe, and Noah Clowney will look to help the Nets on the interior and prevent Boston from getting second and third opportunities on offense.

From the Vault

The Elimination Chamber is tomorrow night, and we are officially on the Road to WrestleMania!

More reading: Celtics Blog, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Boston Celtics Game Notes – Boston Celtics
• San Antonio plays Brooklyn on 10-game win streak – AP
• Michael Porter Jr. finally showing signs of vintage self after ugly Nets funk – Brian Lewis – New York Post

Coming off a comeback win against the Toronto Raptors, the Spurs traveled to the Barclays Center to take on the Brooklyn Nets. From the start of the game, the Spurs started hot and did not slow down. They outscored the Nets 36-22 in the first quarter, and led by as much as 22 in the first half. The Nets would cut the deficit to single digits, but the Spurs’ defense, ball movement, and hot shooting overwhelmed this young Brooklyn team. After taking a 15-point lead into halftime, the Spurs kept their foot on the gas pedal in the third and took a 20-point lead into the fourth. The Spurs led by as much as 26, and ultimately defeated the Brooklyn Nets 126-110.

Julian Champagnie returned to his hometown of Brooklyn and scorched the Nets with 26 points (10-14 FG, 6-9 3PT), three steals, two blocks, two assists, and two rebounds. 19 of his 26 came in the first half, as he drained threes from the corners, wings, and even slashed his way to the cup. This performance is reminiscent of his career-high 36 points and 11 threes against the New York Knicks on New Year’s Eve; it just seemed like Julian could hardly miss. Guess who he plays next?

Rise up! Julian cuts to the basket and rises for a two-handed jam!

¡MUY CALIENTE! Julian catches the ball at the top of the key and lasers home his fourth trey of the game!

Don’t leave your feet! Julian fakes out Egor Demin and drives his way to the basket for the easy layup!

Stephon Castle dropped 18 points (10-12 FT), five assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Steph drew fouls and got himself to the line no matter who was in front of him. In the past, Steph usually has not gotten the benefit of the doubt when it comes to drawing contact, but the Nets could not guard him without fouling. Also, when they did not foul him, he drove right past and posterized multiple defenders!

On the board! Steph and Victor Wembanyama run the give-and-go as Steph cuts to the basket for the easy slam and the first points of the game!

POSTER #1: On the fastbreak, Steph leaks out and finishes through Nolan Traore’s contact for the and-one slam!

POSTER #2: Steph gets a full head of steam and posterizes Noah Clowney for the and-one!

De’Aaron Fox dropped 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3PT), six assists, two steals, and a rebound. D-Fox played unselfishly and efficiently. He dished out six dimes and only missed two of his eight shots. For someone who is playing on a max contract, Fox has taken over the offense, usually if it is in the flow of the game. Playing with young star guards, efficient shooters, and lob threats (especially Wemby), it makes his job a bit easier.

CRAFTY! D-Fox spins off of Traore in transition and finishes off the backboard with a scoop layup!

Devin Vassell dropped 14 points (4-7 3PT), seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. In his last three games, Dev is averaging 21 points per game, shooting 62% from the field and about 67% from three. In other words, Dev is on a hot streak. A consistent Dev for a team with many mouths to feed only raises this team’s ceiling.

DEV POSTER! Dev beats Demin on the backdoor cut and posterizes Drake Powell with one hand!

Keldon Johnson dropped 13 points (6-7 FG), four rebounds, and a steal. After having a couple of rough games and a shoulder injury, KJ bounced back in just 18 minutes. The instant spark plug took a bit to charge up, but he was fully charged on offense, missing only one of his seven shots. Look for him to continue to rehab his shoulder and get back to his 6MOTY form.

GET BIG! KJ posts up and spins off of Powell for a tough and-one finish over Day’Ron Sharpe!

SMOOTH CRIMINAL! KJ takes Ochai Agbaji to school by crossing him over and spinning off of him for the hook shot finish!

Victor Wembanyama dropped 12 points (6-6 FT), eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks. Offensively, Vic has looked sluggish these last two games, struggling from the field and forcing up tough shots. However, on the defensive side, he had himself a pair of blocks and got into the passing lanes for steals. Hopefully, this two-day rest will come in handy for the rematch against the Knicks.

Just throw it up there! Wemby cuts to the paint for an easy runway to catch the pass from Dev for the alley-oop jam!

Dylan Harper dropped 12 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal. Dyl had himself a Fox-like game. He took shots when he needed to and dished out dimes. Despite a few turnovers, Dyl was able to make the most of his extended playing time (29 minutes). He even got to show off his athleticism by recovering the loose ball and slamming it home with one hand!

All in all, this was a fantastic bow to seal the month of February undefeated. From where this team was a year ago, this season has been beyond most fans’ wildest dreams. Also important to point out: this is the first team in NBA history to go undefeated in a month while scoring at least 110 points a game (min. 10 games). Some tough tests approach this young team in March, starting with the NBA Cup Champs at MSG.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs take on the New York Knicks this Sunday at 12:00 P.M. (CST) on ABC.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have run into some bad injury luck after their impressive win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday. In that game, star guard James Harden broke the top of his thumb. The following night, Dennis Schroder and Dean Wade seemed to have injured their ankles. And now it’s been revealed that Keon Ellis has also broken his finger.

The team announced on Friday morning that X-rays have revealed that Ellis has a non-displaced solar plate avulsion in his left index PIP joint. The injury happened during Wednesday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Despite the injury, Ellis could play in Friday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. Both he and Harden are listed as questionable.

Even though this isn’t an injury that is expected to keep Ellis out of the lineup for a long period of time — if at all — it isn’t exactly coming at the most opportune time.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson has the difficult job of trying to figure out lineup combinations that work before the playoffs. He’s running out of time to do so, considering there are just 22 games left, and they could be without several key players for a portion of those games, including Donovan Mitchell who will miss Friday’s contest with a groin strain.

Ellis has fit in nicely with the Cavs in the nine games he played. He scored 14 points on 4-8 shooting from deep in the loss to the Bucks. The defensive specialist has averaged 6.4 points, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1 block per game since coming to Cleveland.

Depending on your investment in the NBA Draft Lottery — which, you’re here on this page, so — we’ve entered a very tense time in the Dallas Mavericks’ season. Every season there is hand-wringing about the state of tanking in the league. So much so that we’re getting mixed rumors of NBA officials attending player MRIs just to verify that the player is, in fact, injured.

If you’re catching up, Friday’s were reserved for scanning the media landscape in our NBA Power Rankings Watch. Now, the Mavericks are more focused on moving down than up, so last week we shifted our sights to the lottery. Ten or more teams are currently in a fight for their life, jockeying for position to have greater odds in the lottery pull for one of the deepest draft classes in recent years. Draft order will be determined May 10. And until the end of the Mavericks’ season on April 12, we’ll be keeping a close eye on this board for the final 24 games. Cooper Flagg’s future running mate is on the way.

Lottery standings

Last week we identified that Mavericks fans should watch closely on results from the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies, the two teams clustered with Dallas in the tank standings. We’re now keeping casual watch on the New Orleans Pelicans (three game win streak) and the Chicago Bulls (11 [ELEVEN] game losing streak) as well. Don’t be surprised if the last six weeks of the season groups these teams closer together.

For now, no real shuffling to the standings themselves. The Mavericks went 2-2 last week, with the team facing several other lottery bound opponents there will be plenty of roster mischief in the days ahead. The Jazz went 0-3, creating some space between themselves and Dallas. The Grizzlies went 1-3, at one point tying the Mavericks by record. For all these teams, it might be worth taking into account remaining schedule strength: Mavericks (3rd toughest remaining schedule), Grizzlies (7th), Jazz (12th), Bulls (14th), Pelicans (19th).

Weekly schedule

Until New Orleans falls further back or Chicago “jumps” forward, we’re focus in on the three teams from last week. You’ll notice some very key head-to-head matchups, mixed with some games against teams in the top four of the lottery standings. A pretty key week:

• Dallas Mavericks: vs. Memphis Grizzlies, vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, @ Charlotte Hornets, @ Orlando Magic
• Utah Jazz: vs. New Orleans Pelicans, vs. Denver Nuggets, @ Philadelphia 76ers, @ Washington Wizards
• Memphis Grizzlies: @ Dallas Mavericks, @ Indiana Pacers, @ Minnesota Timberwolves, vs. Portland Trail Blazers

One magic spin

Each week we’ll take one spin around the block at tankathon.com and see where the chips fall. As last week brought one large swing of chaos, this week’s chaos was of a different sort. Three teams, including the Mavericks, jumped into the top four of the draft.

You can’t ask for much more from the lottery in this moment.

When Deandre Ayton joined the Lakers, he said all the right things. He talked about proving his critics wrong and not taking this opportunity for granted.

For a while, it worked. In November, Ayton was the best version of himself, averaging 16.6 points and nine rebounds per game. Recently, though, his scoring has dropped, his defensive aggression has evaporated and he’s been benched during clutch games.

It seems Ayton isn’t thrilled with his role on the Lakers and was recently overheard in the locker room saying, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela. I’m not no Clint Capela!” as reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

What’s wild about Ayton’s quote, besides the fact that he’s dissing one of his peers, is that Capela is exactly the kind of big man the Lakers desire. He’s an important part of the Rockets’ rotation and does all the little things that impact winning.

Ayton’s words caused quite a buzz on social media, so much so that Capela went on Instagram and encouraged Ayton to lock in with his floor generals.

It feels like Ayton has been told by everyone who has ever cheered for him to lock in, but it hasn’t ever consistently come to fruition. If things keep trending negatively in LA, you can add this stop as another in his career where the sizzle was far more enjoyable than the steak.

To make this entire situation even worse for Ayton, Capela outplayed him on Thursday night. Capela was hustling hard, helping the Rockets beat the Magic 113-108.

Ayton, on the other hand, was rather pedestrian during his performance in LA’s loss to Phoenix.

The box score comparison between the two bigs matched the eye test. Capela ended the night with four points, six rebounds and two blocks in his 17 minutes off the bench. Ayton had two points and four rebounds in his 23 minutes as a starter.

Capela took the petty route with his response to Ayton, and considering who he was reacting to, most won’t have a problem with it.

Also, Capela’s right. Ayton does have to lock in, and playing more like Capela would be better for everyone involved.

As has been true for a lot of his career, Ayton just doesn’t seem to get it.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The Knicks have been without one of the key pieces on their bench for just under a month now, and it appears they won’t be getting him back in the mix anytime soon. 

Speaking for the first time since undergoing core muscle surgery, Miles McBridetold reporters Friday in Milwaukee that he remains without a timeline for a return. 

McBride hopes he'll be able to get back before the end of the regular season, but is unsure. 

League sources told SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley earlier this month that a potential timetable for a return post-surgery would be six-to-eight weeks. 

The guard underwent the procedure on Feb. 6, penciling him in for an earliest return in the first week of April. 

The NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.

McBride said that it is a slow process back, but he has begun shooting without jumping. 

In his absence, head coach Mike Brown has been leaning on trade deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado, who was picked up from the Pelicans just before the news of the 25-year-old's injury broke. 

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Apparently, the only thing that can stop Karl-Anthony Towns is his own team.

After blazing out of the All-Star break with efforts of 21, 25, and 28 points, KAT was iced out in the New York Knicks’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Towns shot the ball only five times — making all five attempts — and finished with just 14 points over 28 minutes. What makes that stat even more baffling is that the rest of New York’s roster shot a collective 37% in defeat.

The Knicks can right that wrong by feeding Towns early and often when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks, who are without star Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

My Knicks vs. Bucks predictions and NBA picks are taking Towns to topple his scoring total on Friday, February 27.

Knicks vs Bucks prediction

Knicks vs Bucks best bet: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 18.5 points (-112)

The media is throwing gas on the fire after Karl-Anthony Towns’ lack of involvement on Tuesday. Before being limited to five FGAs, KAT averaged more than 15 shots in the first three outings back from the break.

The New York Knicks' big man has actually been hot all of February, upping his average points to 19.6 and shooting 55.4% from the field. 

He won’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo in pursuit against the Milwaukee Bucks after struggling in the first two matchups with Milwaukee (4 for 20 with Giannis). His projections sit between 19.2 and 20.2 points tonight, giving good value to Over 18.5.

Knicks vs Bucks same-game parlay

The Knicks need a win to get right after a dud in Cleveland and opening the post-break slate with a 2-2 record. No Antetokounmpo on either end of the floor helps that cause a lot.

Towns is projected for 20+ points and has the hot hand this month, including a 40.5% clip from beyond the arc.

With Giannis sidelined, Bobby Portis gets extra touches inside and will battle on the boards for second-chance looks. Game models are as high as 13 points.

Knicks vs Bucks SGP

• Knicks moneyline
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 18.5 points
• Bobby Portis Over 9.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Going to Town!

After getting the cold shoulder from his team earlier this week, the Knicks jumped on KAT’s back.

His scoring, rebounding, and block projections all sit above these prop totals, powering New York to a road win and cover.

Knicks vs Bucks SGP

• Knicks -8.5
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 18.5 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 10.5 rebounds
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 0.5 blocks

Knicks vs Bucks odds

• Spread: Knicks -8.5 (-110) | Bucks +8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Knicks -330 | Bucks +265
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 (-110) | Under 219.5 (-110)

Knicks vs Bucks betting trend to know

Karl-Anthony Towns has scored 19+ points in seven of his last 10 games, topping his O/U scoring prop in six of those outings. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Bucks.

How to watch Knicks vs Bucks

Knicks vs Bucks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Max Scherzer's 8-year-old daughter wanted her father back with the Blue Jays so much she wrote a letter to the team in December expressing her hope for his return to Toronto.

After the three-time All-Star agreed Wednesday to a $3 million, one-year contract, the pitcher's wife, Erica May-Scherzer, posted a copy of the handwritten note by Brooke. May-Scherzer said her daughter wrote the letter, dated Dec. 15, and asked her parents to mail it to the team.

“Dear Blue Jays,” the note began, "I am so sorry that you didn’t win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, the (CN) Tower and of course the stadium. I am looking forward to come back next season. Love, Max Scherzer daughter”

An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer is a 41-year-old right-hander with a 221-117 record and a 3.22 ERA for Arizona (2008-09), Detroit (2010-14), Washington (2015-21), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021), New York Mets (2022-23), Texas (2023-24) and Toronto (2025). He ranks 11th on the career list with 3,489 strikeouts — 20 behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson.

He was went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts and 85 innings for the Blue Jays last season, and he made three starts in the postseason, beating Seattle 8-2 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. He started Games 3 and 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week! 

Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game. 

Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from February 19th to February 26th are considered. The Celtics went 3-1 this week, with wins over the Warriors, Lakers and Suns, but a loss to the Nuggets. 

5. Simple but effective patience

This play seems simple, but I love Queta’s patience and greed when it comes to finding the best available pass. After bigs get offensive rebounds, so many of them have a tendency to kick it out to the first open shooter before thoroughly surveying their options. Here, though, Neemy forgoes pitches to both White and Pritchard before eventually finding Brown for the even-more-open three. It’s about going from an okay shot, to a good shot, to a great shot. The game is slowing down for him before our eyes.

4. Timely cut

I’m not sure whether Hauser is improvising here or this is a planned cut, but it’s a heady play nonetheless. When Pritchard’s ghost screen results in a brief moment of space, it’s Sam’s defender who’s responsible for a stunt at PP. But when Hauser 45 cuts (a cut from the wing), he forces even Porzingis to spend an extra split second worrying about his rim presence, which makes the Latvian’s closeout to Vucevic worse than it should be. Imagine what this play looks like if Hauser stays—or don’t, and I’ll spell it out for you. Sam probably gets swung the ball, but Porzingis is close enough to guard both him and Vucevic with their poor spacing, forcing him into either a contested shot or a poor extra pass with bad spacing. Beautiful cutting instincts  from Hauser here.

3. Rear view contest

The Celtics played a lot of drop coverage this week—which, more than any other pick-and-roll coverage, necessitates active and intense guard defense. It forces the player defending the ball-handler to usually trail the offensive player while still somehow affecting his pull-up jump shot. On this play, White effectively trails Cam Johnson and somehow gets a rear view block—something he’s better at than probably any other NBA player— even though he gets caught on the screen. Special recovery from White. 

2. Keeping everyone on their toes

As accurately presented by Bill Simmons on a recent podcast, Boston’s pathway to dominance this season has followed a clear formula: Brown+White+Pritchard+guys who work hard. But how do you find guys who will consistently play with above-average intensity and effort? You make nobody feel fully safe and comfortable in their role, and you randomly start Ron Harper Jr. over players who have regularly been in the rotation. Mazzulla’s willingness to shake things up and keep guys on their toes has been refreshing and fun, and I think it has forced players like Scheierman, Walsh, Gonzalez, and Hauser to do the little things if they want to stay on the floor, which has, in turn, made them better players. Baylor is all of a sudden an elite defender and rebounder? 

1. Hugo’s rising confidence

I like a couple of things that Gonzalez does on this highlight play. First, I appreciate the fact that he immediately extra-passes the ball to Harper Jr. without spending even a split second  considering a shot or drive—this gives Ron more time to operate and make a decision. Then, Hugo backpedals along the arc, giving Harper Jr. more space and forcing more difficult closeouts for both Podziemski and Porzingis, which then allows Gonzalez to attack space and show us some of what he has been working on with the developmental coaches.