Category: Basketball

Toronto Raptors vs. Utah Jazz Preview 

The Toronto Raptors (23-43) and Utah Jazz (15-51) are all set to square off from Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

The Raptors are playing good basketball right now. They have won back-to-back games and six of their last four.

The Raptors are currently 7-23 on the road with a point differential of -5, while the Jazz have a 4-6 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 Raptors vs. Jazz live today

• Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
• Time: 9:30PM EST
• Site: Delta Center
• City: Salt Lake City, UT
• 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 Raptors vs. Jazz

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Odds: Raptors (+117), Jazz (-139)
• Spread:  Jazz -2.5
• Over/Under: 234 points

That gives the Raptors an implied team point total of 116.42, and the Jazz 117.73.
 
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 Friday's Raptors vs. Jazz game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

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 Raptors & Jazz 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 Toronto Raptors at +2.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 234.

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

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Raptors vs. Jazz on Friday

• The Raptors have a losing record this season (23-43) but they have won 5 of their last 6 games
• Each of the Raptors' last 3 games at the Jazz have gone over the Total
• The Jazz are 36-30 against the spread this season
• The Jazz have lost their last 5 games

 
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. 
 
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)

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview 

The Los Angeles Lakers (40-24) and Denver Nuggets (42-24) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver.

The Lakers had a challenging game last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. They were down big for much of the game and couldn’t generate offense outside of Luca Doncic.

They are 13-point underdogs on the second half of a back-to-back in Mile High.

The Lakers are currently 15-17 on the road with a point differential of 1, while the Nuggets 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 Lakers vs. Nuggets live today

• Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
• Time: 9:30PM EST
• Site: Ball Arena
• City: Denver, CO
• 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 Lakers vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Odds: Lakers (+562), Nuggets (-813)
• Spread:  Nuggets -13
• Over/Under: 233 points

That gives the Lakers an implied team point total of 115.52, and the Nuggets 122.29.
 
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 Friday's Lakers vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

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 Lakers & Nuggets game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Denver Nuggets on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Lakers at +13.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 233.

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 Lakers vs. Nuggets on Friday

• The Nuggets have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Western Conference Pacific Division teams
• 9 of the Nuggets' last 11 matchups with the Lakers have stayed under the Total
• The Nuggets have failed to cover the Spread in 4 of their last 5 matchups against Western Conference teams
• The Nuggets have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Western Conference Pacific Division teams

 
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
 
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. 
 
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)

What's the first rule of climbing out of a deep hole? Stop digging.

Dallas Mavericks ownership and front office are in a hole with their fan base after trading away Luka Doncic and assembling a team that went from the NBA Finals a season ago to likely missing the playoffs entirely this year (to be fair, injuries are a part of that). The Mavericks need to stop digging, yet here is what team governor Patrick Dumont said during a speaking engagement put on by a Dallas-area real estate organization this week:

"This was a decision about the future. If you look at our roster today and who we have, we feel like we've positioned ourselves to be incredibly competitive against the best teams in the NBA. And if you're a fan of basketball -- I'll just throw that out there -- you have Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis and either Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively as your starting five. That's going to put fear into a lot of teams in the league, if we can get going...

"The objective was, 'How do we create a roster for the future that allows us to be the most competitive team?'...

"It's really just about improving the team for the future."

You can feel the collective eye rolls from Mavericks fans. Tell us again how trading away a 25-year-old top-five player in the world (when healthy) for a 32-year-old great player but with an injury history is a good decision about the future. Stop digging.

Klay Thompson, for his part, is buying into the message.

Former Mavs owner Mark Cuban this week echoed what sources from every corner of the league have been saying since the trade: Even if somehow you talk yourself into the need to trade Doncic, "Just get a better deal." As great as Anthony Davis can be, as much as Max Christie is thriving, getting just one first-round pick in this trade is mind-boggling, let alone there should have been more win-now talent. The Knicks gave up five first-round picks to get Mikal Bridges last offseason. Cuban rightfully said that if Dallas had gotten four first-round picks with Davis and Christie, the conversation would be different (fans would have still questioned the wisdom of making the trade, but at least that's close to a fair return). It should be noted the Lakers only had two firsts to trade, so a third and maybe fourth team would have had to come in with much bigger roles than Utah had in the existing deal.

The fastest way out of the hole for the Mavericks is to start winning games (and not jack up ticket prices). However, with the unfortunate ACL injury to Kyrie Irving that will sideline him until at least the middle of next season, it will be a while before the level of winning fans saw with Doncic returns. Until then, stop digging.

Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview 

The Orlando Magic (31-36) and Minnesota Timberwolves (38-29) are all set to square off from Target Center in Minneapolis.

The Orlando Magic are a game and a half behind the Atlanta Hawks for the Southeast Division. They have been in a bit of a slide losing seven of their last 10.

The Timberwolves are third in the Northwest, but are on a six game winning streak.

The Magic are currently 13-20 on the road with a point differential of -1, while the Timberwolves have a 6-4 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 Magic vs. Timberwolves live today

• Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
• Time: 8:00PM EST
• Site: Target Center
• City: Minneapolis, MN
• Network/Streaming:

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Magic vs. Timberwolves

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Odds: Magic (+366), Timberwolves (-481)
• Spread:  Timberwolves -10.5
• Over/Under: 208 points

That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 102.87, and the Timberwolves 108.35.
 
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 Friday's Magic vs. Timberwolves game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is leaning towards the Timberwolves -10.5…

Thomas: “The Magic are coming off a big win last night against the Pelicans. However, back-to-back road games feel a bit tough for a struggling team. They played in Orlando in January, and the Timberwolves won and covered. The Timberwolves have also covered in five of their last six.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Magic & Timberwolves game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Orlando Magic at +10.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 208.

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!
 
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. 
 
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)

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview 

The Cleveland Cavaliers (55-10) and Memphis Grizzlies (42-24) are all set to square off from FedExForum in Memphis.

It’s a big matchup in the NBA. The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference and have won four straight games.

The Cavaliers are first in the Western Conference and are on a 15 game winning streak.

The Cavaliers are currently 25-6 on the road with a point differential of 11, while the Grizzlies have a 5-5 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 Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies live today

• Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
• Time: 8:00PM EST
• Site: FedExForum
• City: Memphis, TN
• 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 Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies
The latest odds as of Friday:

• Odds: Cavaliers (-142), Grizzlies (+120)
• Spread:  Cavaliers -2.5
• Over/Under: 245 points

That gives the Cavaliers an implied team point total of 123.23, and the Grizzlies 121.93.
 
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 Friday's Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas is taking the Grizzlies on the moneyline…

Thomas: “The Cavs are on the road without their best player. If there were to be a time when the 15-game winning streak were to end, tonight is the best chance.”

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 Cavaliers & Grizzlies game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Cavaliers on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at +2.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 245.

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 Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies on Friday

• The Grizzlies are showing a 108% return on investment at home on the Money Line
• The Over is 38-28 in Grizzlies' games this season
• The Cavaliers have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games
• The Cavaliers have covered in 42 of their 65 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. 
 
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)

This summer, Kevin Durant will be the big domino to fall — all signs point to Durant and the Suns parting ways in a trade. Don't take my or any other reporter's word for it, listen to what Suns owner Mat Ishbia — whose "all-in" aggressive style led to the trades to acquire Durant and Bradley Beal — told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon:

According to Ishbia, a "pivot and reload" around Booker could be the direction the franchise chooses this summer.

Plenty of front office people around the league think the Suns should go one more step: Trade Devin Booker. The Rockets are interested and control many of the future picks that Phoenix traded away (the Suns don't fully control their own first-round pick until 2032). This situation could be similar to Brooklyn, where the team trades to regain control of its own picks, allowing for a true bottom-up rebuild.

That is not happening. Ishbia made that crystal clear.

"Never happen," Ishbia said, interrupting the question. "It's silly. So here's what I'll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player."

What's more, Booker doesn't want it. Booker has long idolized Kobe Bryant, one of the few players in recent decades to spend his entire career with one team, and Booker wants to follow in those footsteps.

"I take pride in the community in Phoenix, the people that have supported me since I was 18 when things were ugly. And the people that are with us, we just fell short of accomplishing what we want. So I want to do it, and I want to do it here. That's the responsibility of being a franchise player, and I wear that with honor. So it might not look the most pretty right now, but we got to get it done and I'm going to do it."

There should be no doubt Booker means every word of this. However, the list of superstar players who have said they never wanted to leave a city and then asked for a trade a few years later is longer than we have room for on the Internet. The real question is how Booker feels in a couple of years (as his next contract starts to come up) if the team isn't contending and he sees no path forward.

Ishbia doesn't plan to find out because he wants a quick pivot to move this team back into contention. Fast. How the Suns do that while also reaching the goal of getting under the second tax apron next season will be a Herculean task for GM James Jones.

It's going to be a wild summer in Phoenix. Just don't expect a "trade Booker" wild summer. He's staying.