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Knicks ride huge second quarter in dominant 121-105 win over Hawks

The Knicks used a 40-point second quarter to rout the Hawks in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, 121-105.

All five Knicks starters scored in double figures and head coach Tom Thibodeau passed Pat Riley on the team's all-time wins list (224).

Here are the takeaways...

-The Knicks took an early punch from the Hawks, who got out to a 5-0 start. But the Knicks' defense clamped down and the combination of OG Anunoby and Josh Hart set the tone on offense. The duo drove to the hoop consistently, making easy layups and getting to the free-throw line.

New York got out to a sizeable double-digit lead for most of the first quarter, but turnovers and lackluster defense allowed the Hawks to cut the Knicks' lead to 38-31 after the first quarter. The Knicks had a balanced attack on offense, with Anunoby (11), Hart (8), Karl-Anthony Towns (7), Mikal Bridges (7) and Delon Wright (5) providing the scoring for the starters as the team shot 61 percent from the field. Unfortunately, the Hawks shot 57 percent in the frame.

-Towns would be the aggressor to start the second with Hart and Anunoby on the bench. The Knicks' big man scored the team's first five points and was consistently handling the ball at the top of the key. With eight minutes remaining in the second, Towns hurt his finger going for an offensive rebound and was in visible pain. Towns would head to the locker room to get it checked.

Towns would return after a few minutes, and just in time for the Knicks to go on an extended run. The Knicks' defense and the Hawks' inability to make shots led to a 30-plus point cushion for New York. Some lackadaisical defense by the Knicks allowed the Hawks to get some points back, but New York went into halftime up, 78-53. It's the most points the Knicks have scored in the first half this season and the most first-half points allowed by the Hawks this year.

The Knicks shot an insane 75 percent to Atlanta's 33 percent in the second quarter. Four of the Knicks' five starters were in double digits.

-The lax Knicks defense/offense continued early in the third, but a double-digit run pushed their lead back up to 33 points with eight minutes left. Everything went right for the Knicks in this quarter -- even a blocking foul called on Anunoby was overturned after review. New York entered the fourth quarter up 28 points and in full control.

New York maintained that lead for the duration of the game, with the Hawks only bringing it below a 20-point deficit with a few minutes to go.

Towns led the Knicks' scoring with 30 points, while Anunoby (24), Hart (16), Bridges (20) and Wright (10) rounded out the starter's scoring. Hart was one rebound shy of his 10th triple-double this season.

-Cam Payne made his return off the bench after missing four games with an ankle injury. In 21 minutes on the floor, the guard scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting.

Landry Shamet led the bench scoring with 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, all made shots coming from three.

Game MVP: Entire team

No individual stood out as the entire team took it to Atlanta. The team shot 54 percent overall from the field and 52 percent from three. The defense also held the Hawks to 47 percent shooting and 31 percent from three.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks head back home to host the Phoenix Suns at The Garden on Sunday, in what is expected to be Jalen Brunson's return. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Knicks' Jalen Brunson expected to return from ankle injury Sunday vs. Suns

With the NBA playoffs quickly approaching, Knicks fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Jalen Brunson is expected to make his long-awaited return to the court Sunday when New York takes on the Phoenix Suns at The Garden barring any setbacks, SNY's Ian Begley confirms.

The news of Brunson's return was first reported by Chris Haynes.

The Knicks guard was going through his usual pregame on-court workout on the floor before Saturday's tip against the Hawks in Atlanta but was ruled out for the game.

Brunson has been out with a right ankle sprain since he sustained the injury on March 6 against the Lakers.

When Brunson returns Sunday, he'll have five games left before the end of the regular season. He needs to play in four for postseason awards and with one more back-to-back on the schedule, the All-Star point guard is likely to miss one more game before the start of the playoffs.

SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley noted on April 1 that Brunson returning to action this weekend was a realistic option. KnicksFanTV later reported that Brunson was targeting Sunday’s game as a potential return.

Over 35.4 minutes of action across 61 games this season, Brunson is averaging 26.3 points, 7.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game.

New York was 40-22 when the star guard went down and have gone 8-6 without him, as they remain the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Knicks (48-28) are up three games on the Indiana Pacers (45-31) with five games remaining in the regular season. The Milwaukee Bucks (42-34) and the Detroit Pistons (42-34) are currently slotted as the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds, as the Knicks would take on Cade Cunningham and Detroit in the first round.

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Timberwolves vs. 76ers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 5

It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (45-32) and Philadelphia 76ers (23-54) are all set to square off from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Timberwolves are currently 22-16 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the 76ers have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. Minnesota won by 14 points at home versus Philadelphia in the only meeting this season.

Minnesota has won four straight games with three of those coming by double-digits and the other in 2 OT. Philadelphia has lost 10 straight games after a 13-point loss to Milwaukee.

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 Timberwolves vs. 76ers live today

  • Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
  • Time: 3:00PM EST
  • Site: Wells Fargo Center
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • 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 Timberwolves vs. 76ers

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Timberwolves (-1124), 76ers (+706)
  • Spread:  Timberwolves -14.5
  • Over/Under: 225 points

That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 119.16, and the 76ers 111.6.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Saturday’s Timberwolves vs. 76ers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the 76ers Team Total Under:

"Brooklyn barely covered against Minnesota in the last game, depending on what number you got, but they did go Under their team total. I could see the same for the 76ers, here so I lean toward the 76ers Team Total Under and Minnesota on the spread. This 76ers team is toast."

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 Timberwolves & 76ers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia 76ers at +14.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.

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 Timberwolves vs. 76ers on Saturday

  • The Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 7 on the road, while the 76ers have lost 5 straight home games
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Timberwolves' last 5 road games
  • The 76ers have failed to cover in their last 9 games
  • The 76ers have lost 9 games in a row

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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Bucks vs. Heat Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 5

It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Milwaukee Bucks (42-34) and Miami Heat (35-42) are all set to square off from Kaseya Center in Miami.

The Bucks are currently 17-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Heat have a 3-7 record in their last ten games at home. Milwaukee is 3-0 against Miami this season and can sweep them with a road win here.

Miami is coming off a buzzer-beating loss to Memphis, which snapped a six-game winning streak for the Heat. Milwaukee has won two straight by double-digits and this is the first game of back-to-back as they travel to New Orleans tomorrow.

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 Bucks vs. Heat live today

  • Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: Kaseya Center
  • City: Miami, FL
  • 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 Bucks vs. Heat

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Bucks (-129), Heat (+108)
  • Spread:  Bucks -2
  • Over/Under: 215 points

That gives the Bucks an implied team point total of 108.06, and the Heat 107.02.

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 Saturday’s Bucks vs. Heat game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Bucks to beat the Heat:

"While Miami is a tempting side to bounce back at home following their buzzer-beating loss via Memphis, this is where a losing streak could start in my opinion. After winning seven consecutive games, losing like that could carry over into the next game and these are two teams that know each other well. I lean Milwaukee and since they opened as the favorite, I think that is telling."

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 Bucks & Heat game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Bucks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Bucks at -2.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 215.

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 Bucks vs. Heat on Saturday

  • In 3 wins against the Heat this season the Bucks' average winning margin is +13
  • The Bucks' last 5 games have gone over the Total
  • The Heat have covered the Spread in 5 of their last 5 games as an underdog
  • The Heat have covered the Spread in 5 of their last 5 games as an underdog

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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Grizzlies vs. Pistons Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 5

It’s Saturday, April 5, and the Memphis Grizzlies (45-32) and Detroit Pistons (43-34) are all set to square off from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

The Grizzlies are currently 20-18 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Pistons have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. Memphis won the only meeting of the season versus Detroit at home, 131-111.

Ja Morant hit a game-winner against Miami to snap a four-game losing streak for Memphis, while Detroit is 1-2 coming off a three-game road trip. This is the first of a five-game homestand for the Pistons.

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 Grizzlies vs. Pistons live today

  • Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: Little Caesars Arena
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • 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 Grizzlies vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Grizzlies (-116), Pistons (-104)
  • Spread:  Grizzlies -1
  • Over/Under: 239 points

That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 119.77, and the Pistons 119.25.

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 Saturday’s Grizzlies vs. Pistons game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Pistons to cover and win:

"I happened to catch the Ja Morant buzzer-beater watching live and while it was a great individual second-half and thrilling win for the Grizzlies, I like this spot for Detroit. These Pistons begin a five-game home stand with a chance to climb to the No. 4 spot in the East. This is a big game, although they are on the second night of a back-to-back, it comes after a double-digit win versus Toronto. It's Pistons or pass."

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 Grizzlies & Pistons game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Memphis Grizzlies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at -1.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 239.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Grizzlies vs. Pistons on Saturday

  • The Grizzlies have won 5 of their last 6 games at the Pistons
  • The Over is 44-33 in Grizzlies' games this season
  • The Grizzlies have covered the Spread in 11 of their last 13 road games against the Pistons
  • The Grizzlies have won 4 straight games at the Pistons

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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UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg is going to Michigan if he doesn’t stay in NBA draft, multiple outlets report

Yaxel Lendeborg has announced he'll transfer from UAB to Michigan and also go through the NBA draft evaluation process. Lendeborg's decision, reported by multiple media outlets Saturday, including ESPN, takes one of the top big men out of the transfer portal. Lendeborg will attend the NBA combine in Chicago in mid-May and have until May 28 to decide whether he'll stay in the draft or return to college.

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Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Sue Bird, Maya Moore headline 2025 Hall of Fame inductees

Carmelo Anthony is one of the greatest bucket-getters the game has ever seen, but "Olympic' Melo" was on another level and helped lead the USA to three gold medals. Sue Bird is one of the few people on the planet who can best that—she has five Olympic golds, not to mention four WNBA titles and a reputation as one of the game's great point guards.

Those two, along with Maya Moore and Dwight Howard, officially headline the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class, which was announced Saturday.

The full list of inductees announced Saturday is:

• Carmelo Anthony. One of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen, he won a national championship at Syracuse before an NBA career that saw him average 22.5 points and make 10 All-Star and six All-NBA teams. He also has three Olympic gold medals.

• Dwight Howard. Howard was a dominant force on the court for much of a decade, he was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (2009-11), eight-time All-NBA, he led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals and won a ring in the bubble with the Lakers.

• Sue Bird. One of the greats ever to play the game, her resume is unimpeachable: four-time WNBA champion, 13-time All-Star, WNBA all-time leaser in wins (333), games played (580), assists (3,234), and minutes (18,079), five Olympic gold medals and she was a two-time NCAA champion at UConn.

• Sylvia Fowles. Four-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time WNBA champion and Finals MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and in college she led LSU to four consecutive final fours.

• Maya Moore. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, she won two NCAA titles at UConn, then went on to win four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx during her seven-season career before stepping away from basketball to focus on criminal justice reform.

• 2008 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team. The "Redeem Team" featured Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, 'Melo, Howard, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade and more, coached by Hall of Fame Mike Krzyzewski.

• Billy Donovan. Two-time NCAA national champion at Florida who has gone on to rack up more than 400 wins in the NBA between Oklahoma City and Chicago.

• Danny Crawford. He is a legendary long-time NBA referee, who officiated 2,000+ NBA regular-season games and 30 NBA Finals games.

• Micky Arison. Owner of the Mimi Heat since 1995, the franchise has won three NBA titles while under his control and has developed a culture that is its own.

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Draymond drops perfect Klay joke after Warriors' fifth straight win

Draymond drops perfect Klay joke after Warriors' fifth straight win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Klay Thompson plays for the Dallas Mavericks now, but his spirit lives on within the Warriors organization — through Draymond Green, that is.

The usually fiery Golden State veteran channeled his former teammate’s chill demeanor after the Warriors’ huge 118-104 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday, with Green’s third game in four days clearly leaving the 35-year-old exhausted.

“I’m sorry I’m giving y’all the lowest energy ever. I’m exhausted,” Green told reporters at Chase Center after the victory. “But, it’s good. I feel like I sound like Klay Thompson up here. Exhausted, dog … I don’t even know how to make [paper airplanes]. I would make them and fly it across, but I don’t know how to do it.”

Green was pivotal in the Warriors’ fifth consecutive win, delivering another clutch defensive performance that has his name atop the NBA Defensive Player of the Year conversation.

The Golden State star helped slow down NBA MVP candidate Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets’ high-powered offense, just one night after locking up Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić and three days after posting a triple-double in the Warriors’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

So, it’s certainly safe to say Green was feeling tired. Thompson was and still is known for his laid-back postgame pressers, often folding his stat sheet into a paper airplane to whisk into the crowd of reporters as he answered a question. And Green always has been the opposite, whether it’s engaging in back-and-forths with the press or providing insightful — albeit long-winded — responses.

But not on Friday night.

“I’m exhausted,” Green said. “I just want to go home, relax, go to sleep. I’m tired.”

Green is giving it his all as the Warriors enter their final five regular-season games holding onto the Western Conference’s No. 5 playoff seed. And with the Mavericks sitting in the No. 9 spot, perhaps Green and Thompson will meet again on the court before all is said and done.

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