Arkansas head coach John Calipari has been in contact with Kentucky transfer guard Travis Perry, according to multiple reports. Perry, a former four-star guard in the class of 2024 according to Rivals, entered the transfer portal shortly before it closed on Tuesday. Reports said in addition to Arkansas, Perry has heard from schools like Ole Miss, Tennessee, Louisville, Missouri, LSU and others.
Tatum doubtful for Game 3 vs. Magic; Holiday added to injury report
Tatum doubtful for Game 3 vs. Magic; Holiday added to injury report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic in Game 2 without Jayson Tatum, and they’ll likely have to do the same Friday in Game 3.
Tatum was listed as doubtful on Thursday’s injury report due to the wrist injury he sustained on a hard foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in Game 1. He also had a doubtful designation for Game 2 before being ruled out in the hour leading up to tip-off.
Jrue Holiday was a surprise addition to the Celtics’ injury report with a right hamstring strain. The veteran guard is listed as questionable to play in Game 3.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla provided an update on Tatum’s injury during his Thursday appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand.”
“Yeah, there will definitely be a chance,” Mazzulla said when asked about the possibility of Tatum playing in Game 3. “Again, he’s dealing with a severe bone bruise. He’s day-to-day, and he’s progressively gotten a little bit better each day.”
As for Holiday, it’s unclear when he suffered his hamstring injury. He played 36 minutes in Boston’s Game 2 win, recording 11 points with six assists, four rebounds, and one block.
Game 3 between the Celtics and Magic is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off in Orlando. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.
Knicks' Jalen Brunson cognizant of needing to pass ball more
Fresh off being named NBA Clutch Player of the Year, there's nobody more equipped to take a shot in the final minutes of a close game than Jalen Brunson.
While that's great to have, the Knicks point guard also understands his role goes beyond just scoring, and that in certain situations he needs to pass the ball more.
Speaking to reporters after practice on Thursday, Brunson said after watching film of New York's Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons that "there were a couple of possessions where I had some bad shots."
"That’s on me to just understand the situation where I need to get off of it," he continued, clarifying that he meant he needs to pass the ball more.
Despite having "some bad shots," Brunson still finished with 37 points on 12-of-27 shooting from the field (4-for-12 from three) and almost willed the Knicks to a win. However, the 27 shots he took were almost nine shots more than the 18.5 field goal attempts he averaged in the regular season.
In fact, in Game 1 -- a 123-111 Knicks win -- Brunson also went 12-for-27 from the field and scored a game-high 34 points.
None of this should diminish Brunson's role as a facilitator, though, as the point guard still managed to have eight assists in Game 1 and seven assists in Game 2 (almost half of New York's season-low 15 total assists), right on par with his season average of 7.3
Regardless, for the Knicks to have success in the postseason, other players besides Brunson will need to step up in big moments, so getting his teammates involved more often can only help in doing that. Karl-Anthony Towns, for example, had just 10 points in Game 2 and didn't attempt a shot in the fourth quarter.
"That’s the toughest part is trying to find that balance," said Josh Hart about Brunson. "I think him coming in, maybe at the start of the game, try to get some of these guys involved and get them free flowing and feeling great… It’s a feeling out process, but the good thing is it’s all fixable things."
Brunson will have a chance to showcase that balance on Thursday night in Game 3 against Detroit.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia reportedly 'pushing hard' to hire former Warriors GM Bob Myers
After more than a decade as the decision maker in Golden State — and winning four rings — Bob Myers stepped out of an NBA front office and into the media with ESPN/ABC, where he has served as a studio and game analyst.
Now, Suns owner Mat Ishbia is "pushing hard" to bring him back into the front office and to take over as the head of basketball operations in Phoenix. That was first reported by Marc Stein and Jake Fischer at The Stein Line, and added to by Duane Rankin at the Arizona Republic. From Rankin:
Sources informed The Arizona Republic earlier this week the Suns will likely look to add someone to the front office. They currently have James Jones working a general manager and team president and CEO Josh Bartelstein. The two have collaborated with team owner Mat Ishbia on basketball personnel decisions, but sources also informed The Republic that Ishbia has been "pushing hard" to get Myers.
Stein has said landing Myers is a long shot, and for good reason. For one thing, Myers prefers to work in a collaborative setting, but with Jones, Bartelstein and a hands-on owner in Ishbia, there are already a lot of cooks in the kitchen. Myers would demand the hammer — final say on all personnel decisions — before he walked in the door, but how does that really work when Ishbia is in the decision-making mix and owns the team?
This past season, the Suns had the most expensive roster in the NBA, yet could not even qualify for the Play-In Tournament in the West.
Myers — or whoever gets the job — will oversee a massive roster overhaul, remaking it with Devin Booker as the centerpiece. Kevin Durant and the Suns will work together to find the future first-ballot Hall of Famer a new home, although the market for the 37-year-old (by next season) is not going to be as deep or bring back the haul that Phoenix expects. The Suns will attempt to trade the anchor of a contract (and still some solid production when healthy) belonging to Bradley Beal. Additionally, they must hire a new coach after firing Mike Budenholzer, the team's third coach in three seasons. Through all of that, the Suns need to find an on-court and organizational identity, while owner Ishbia has admitted to not being patient or wanting a rebuilding situation — he wants to win big and win now.
Myers will have his choice of front office jobs should he return to the NBA, is this the situation he wants to walk into.
Bucks GM Jon Horst — a Michigan native, like Ishbia — was mentioned as another name for the job, but no so coincidentally, it was reported Thursday Milwaukee has worked out an extension with Horst to remain head of their basketball operations.
Cousins says Warriors-Rockets refs are ‘letting too much go'
Cousins says Warriors-Rockets refs are ‘letting too much go' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins believes the referees are letting too many calls go in the Warriors’ playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
The first-round Western Conference matchup has been bruising so far, but Cousins is not a fan of how the refs are calling things on the court.
“It is getting a point where I think the refs are letting too much go,” Cousins told Michelle Beadle and Chandler Parsons on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” “As a fan and as a physical player myself, I enjoy this type of basketball. I think this is the foundation of basketball. It has always been a [part of the game]. I think in the past 10-15 years, we’ve kind of shied away from the physicality in basketball.
“That being said, there were some plays within the game that I thought the refs let go a little too much. There was one specific play where [Gary Payton II] tried to drive down the lane and went up for a dunk and completely got clipped. I think Steve [Kerr] called a timeout immediately after that. It was plays like that that stood out to me. You have to make those calls. Certain things you just can’t let go.”
"The refs are letting too much go." 😱
Boogie Cousins was never afraid of contact in the NBA, but (like Warriors fans) he thinks the Rockets' physicality should be put in check 👀
Agree?@boogiecousins | @MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsonspic.twitter.com/yElcWmw5rB
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 24, 2025
Houston’s physical and swarming defense has been causing issues for Steph Curry and the rest of Golden State’s offense in two games of the best-of-seven series. For the most part, the refs have not been calling many fouls despite the Rockets contesting every shot around the rim.
With Jimmy Butler sidelined with a pelvic contusion, Golden State struggled to get in an offensive rhythm in Game 2 as Houston brutalized them. The NBA officiating crew appears content to let the two teams trade blows, harkening back to previous generations of professional basketball, when teams could hand-check with impunity.
Even a more favorably officiated game would do little for the Warriors if they cannot devise a successful offensive strategy against the Rockets.
With Butler’s status uncertain for Game 3, the Warriors must get more offensive production out of their bench players. If not, no amount of favorable officiating will stop Houston from pulling out another win.
Knicks Playoffs Mailbag: Tom Thibodeau's adjustments pivotal; how can Karl-Anthony Towns step up?
As the Knicks face the Detroit Pistons in their first-round playoff series, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley answers some of your most pressing questions surrounding the team.
So, here's an all-new, playoff edition Knicks Mailbag.
Think you’re glossing over an important thing; HOW did he answer the questions about adjustments and schemes? One of his biggest (legitimate) critiques is that the offense lacks creativity especially given the talent. Is there anything in his answers to note? - @ThirtySeventy12
This was in response to a tweet about one of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s answers in a post-practice news conference on Wednesday. I promise, @ThirtySeventy12, that I wouldn’t gloss over anything noteworthy that comes out of a press conference. Thibodeau, like almost all NBA coaches that I’ve been around, isn’t going to talk to the media about specific adjustments he plans to make ahead of a game. He doesn’t do it during the regular season and he certainly isn’t going to do it during the playoffs.
If Thibodeau said something significant/concrete about adjustments, I certainly would have included it. I’ve been listening to Thibodeau’s answers in press conferences for almost five years -- he rarely gets into details when he’s asked about adjustments.
Based on the general reaction to that post on X, formerly known as Twitter, it seems like people read it as Thibodeau was not going to make adjustments ahead of Game 3 on Thursday. I can guarantee that there will be some between-game adjustments. Will they work? We’ll find out.
As we’ve noted over the past couple weeks, the stakes for Thibodeau are high in this series. So his between-game adjustments ahead of Game 3 are pivotal.
Did they ask him about Karl-Anthony Towns’ second half involvement? Or about the pick and roll defense? What other questions did he answer Ian? - @AtlasPharaoh
Yup, he was asked about Towns’ shots, rebounding, and adjustments on Cade Cunningham. I don’t think he was asked specifically about pick and roll defense. The whole interview is on SNY’s YouTube page.
Here’s Thibodeau on Towns’ shots: “Well I think part of it is, if they’re going to commit to two and three people on him, I don’t want him forcing shots. But there’s things that he can do also, and we can do, to get him a second and third look. So that’s what we have to try to do. And then I think there’s ways in transition that we can search him out as well.”
Here’s Thibodeau on Tobias Harris defending Towns while Jalen Duren defends Josh Hart:
“We’ve seen that all year so it’s not anything new. Game 1 it was 123 points. So we have to take each game, each game is different; what do you learn from the game and then move it forward.”
A few other notes on potential adjustments:
As OG Anunoby noted, the Pistons screened him off the ball more often in Game 2 in an effort to get Cunningham going. "They’re playing different actions," Anunoby said. Cunningham obviously had a big impact in Game 2. How will the Knicks counter this?
The Knicks had a season-low 15 assists in Game 2. As Newsday’s Steve Popper noted, the 15 assists matched the lowest they had in any game since January 2023.
Here’s Anunoby’s answer when asked if the offense was too stagnant in Game 2:
"It was a little stagnant but even in some of our best games, the ball gets stagnant sometimes. It’s just how the game goes sometimes, how it flows. We just try to correct that and figure out how to prevent it as much as possible."
Jalen Brunson and Hart both referenced some potential adjustments during their interviews with media after Thursday morning’s shootaround.
BALL MOVEMENT:
Brunson said he saw on film several individual and team-wide missed opportunities in Game 2: "There were a couple possessions where I had some bad shots and that’s on me just to understand the situation where I need to get off of it. But that’s on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively we need to be communicating a little better — me individually — and I’ve just gotta hold myself to a higher standard when it comes to that. I just need to be better."
Hart was asked about Brunson’s comment on moving the ball.
"That’s the toughest part is trying to find that balance. I think him coming in, maybe starting the game to try to get some of these guys involved, get them free flowing. You see it with LeBron (James) all the time,” Hart said. “One thing with LeBron, he comes in the first quarter, the second quarter, makes sure he gets his guys involved and gets them into rhythm and then he takes over when you need him to take over. So you can take bits and pieces from guys like that. It’s part of the reason sometimes when the 5 is on me, I can’t be that other ball handler that brings it up and gets him off the ball so maybe we’ll put Mikal (Bridges) in that role or something like that. So it’s a feeling out process but the good thing it’s all fixable things.
REACTING TO REFS:
Both Brunson and Hart said they needed to complain less often to referees during game-play. “We’ve had a lack of focus when it comes to that. We’ve gotta let them do their job and we’ve gotta do ours,” Brunson said.
Added Hart: “(Complaining to refs during game-play) definitely takes you off your game. I think controlling that just comes from within, kind of focusing on controlling what you can control. We can’t control what they’re calling. We can’t control getting our first free throws with what, 17 seconds on the clock? We can’t control those kind of things. We can just control how we respond to it. Last game I responded terribly. I have to make sure I fix that, (Karl-Anthony Towns) fixes that, and move on from it.”
DETROIT'S DEFENSE ON HART/KAT:
Hart talked about the Knicks’ offensive approach when he is guarded by Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris is defended by Towns.
“I feel like I’ve been solid with it. I think at times we gotta make sure I remember, even with the flow of the offense, the role of the offense, I make sure at times I remember I’m also a guard, and I can play in those kinds of ways and not act like I’m a 6-8, 6-9 power forward. So just getting guys good shots, getting guys the ball, attacking, playing with pace and doing those kind of things.
“….So obviously you gotta try to figure that out, how they’re playing, attacking that, but also knowing that obviously I have the big on me. But also let’s not get away from KAT setting screens and getting himself open or getting other guys open. So, it’s just a balance, and I think that’s what you try to figure out the first couple games.”
What is the temperature of the team as we head into the playoffs? Feels like the vibes are erratic and the inconsistencies make it hard to gauge what to expect in the weeks ahead. Thanks! - @nilegirl (on March 24)
This question was from before the end of the regular season but it remains relevant, I think. I have thought for most of the season that this team doesn’t have the same tight connection that the 2023-24 team established. Even with that, it’s logical to assume that the Knicks will get through this Pistons series. The talent gap between the teams heavily favors New York. But playoff pressure is always a good stress test for a team’s cohesion. These next two games in Detroit will tell us something significant about the Knicks’ chemistry/connection.
As the regular season draws to a close, do you have any insight into how the org views each of their 4 rookies? Who do they feel is most ready to be a rotation piece next year? Who will likely still be on a 2 way deal, or buried on the bench? - @jayb8418 (on March 24)
This is another one from the end of the regular season but it’s still relevant today. I can say that many in the organization are high on Ariel Hukporti. This is based on conversations with people in touch with the team over the course of the season. I think New York is optimistic about Hukporti’s future. Just to clarify: this doesn’t mean that they aren’t also high on Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek. I would assume that they are. But I’m just relaying what I gathered from conversations over the course of the season on Hukporti.
Draymond Green finishes third in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting
Draymond Green finishes third in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green‘s bid for a second NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award came up short.
The Warriors forward finished third in DPOY voting, losing out to Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley, the NBA announced Thursday.
Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels finished in second place behind Mobley and Green.
Green, 35, received 15 first-place votes, 20 second-place votes and finished with 154 total points, coming up short to Mobley’s 285 points and Daniels’ 197 points.
Green made a strong push to reclaim the top defensive honor, capturing the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month Award in March.
In 68 regular-season games, Green averaged 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in 29.2 minutes.
Green openly campaigned for himself over the season’s final few months, and it almost paid off.
Green spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Kerith Burke in late March about what a second DPOY award would mean to him.
“It would mean the world to me; you know I pride myself on the defensive end,” Green told Poole and Burke. “I think to be acknowledged as the best defender in this league is no small feat. It’s something that, I never pride myself on winning awards, but they never hurt the ego and they don’t hurt the pockets. But most importantly, even more so than that, I think all the hard work you put in to try and stay at an elite level, and to be recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year at 35, eight years after first doing it, it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort to have that type of longevity.”
As unlikely as Green’s first DPOY was in 2016-17, he understood how much more profound winning it eight years later would have been.
“To even be mentioned in that conversation, to me, is special,” Green said. “Obviously, I want to win it, but it’s not something that’s totally in my control … When I started to see my name pop up in the conversation, I was like, ‘Wow, I really have a chance to do this.’
“And I came into this season, for the last couple years I’ve been kind of priding myself on that. Like, ‘I want to win another one. I want to win another one.’ But obviously you have to have success as a team and just to find that success, put myself in the conversation. At worst, I want to make [All-Defensive First Team] and if I can put myself in the conversation to be DPOY, I think that would be crazier than winning the first one.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, on numerous occasions, has called Green the best defensive player he has ever been around, but the four-time NBA champion still has just one Defensive Player of the Year Award on his resume.
Cavaliers vs. Heat Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 26
It’s Saturday, April 26, and the Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) and Miami Heat (37-45) are all set to square off from Kaseya Center in Miami.
Cleveland won Game 2 at home, 121-113, after a 21-point blowout win over Miami in Game 1. The series goes back to Miami for Game 3 in an attempt to slow down Donovan Mitchell who scored 30 points in both games. Tyler Herro led Game 2 with 33 points and will be relied on heavily to avoid a sweep.
The Cavaliers are currently 30-11 on the road with a point differential of 10, while the Heat 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 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. Heat live today
- Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Time: 1:00PM EST
- Site: Kaseya Center
- City: Miami, FL
- 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 Cavaliers vs. Heat
The latest odds as of Saturday:
- Odds: Cavaliers (-246), Heat (+200)
- Spread: Cavaliers -6.5
- Over/Under: 214 points
That gives the Cavaliers an implied team point total of 109.31, and the Heat 105.92.
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 Cavaliers vs. Heat game
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Cavaliers 1Q Team Total Under 27.5:
"Last season, Cleveland went 1-5 on the road in the playoffs and cracked 100 points once in those contests (the only win). While they have been a tank in the regular season this year, there is still no telling if they will look like the same Cavaliers in the first road playoff game this time around.
The Cavaliers scored 21, 23, and 25 points in the first round at Orlando last year and 28 or more in three at Boston. With Miami's tempo and style of play, I like this to be a low-scoring first quarter, so I'll fade the Cavaliers First Quarter Team Total and take the Under 27.5."
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 Cavaliers & Heat 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 Miami Heat at +6.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 214.
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 Cavaliers vs. Heat on Saturday
- The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast Division teams
- The Cavaliers' last 3 matchups against Eastern Conference teams have gone over the Total
- The Heat are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home underdog
- The Heat have covered in their last 4 games as a home 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)
Celtics vs. Magic Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 25
On Friday, April 25, the Boston Celtics (61-21) and Orlando Magic (41-41) are all set to square off from Kia Center in Orlando for Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Jayson Tatum missed Game 2 (questionable for Game 3), but that was no issue for the Celtics who came away with the 109-100 win. Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 36 points and double-doubled with 10 rebounds, while Paolo Banchero (32) and Franz Wagner (25) combined for 57 of Orlando's 100 points. The series goes back to Orlando as the Magic look to climb out of a 0-2 hole.
The Celtics are currently 33-8 on the road with a point differential of 9, while the Magic 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 how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Game details & how to watch Celtics vs. Magic live
- Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM EST
- Site: Kia Center
- City: Orlando, FL
- Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.
Game odds for Celtics vs. Magic
The latest odds as of Friday:
- Odds: Celtics (-219), Magic (+182)
- Spread: Celtics -5.5
- Over/Under: 198 points
That gives the Celtics an implied team point total of 102.89, and the Magic 96.02.
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 Friday’s Celtics vs. Magic game
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Paolo Banchero to go Over 26.5 Points:
"I think the Banchero train is worth riding one more game. Banchero has the free reign to shoot whenever and after 52 field goal attempts, 13 three-pointers, and 17 free-throw attempts through two games. He's scored 32 and 36 points over both matchups in Boston and been active on the boards with 11 and 9 rebounds. He's the only Orlando player shooting with confidence from three and he's arguably the best on the floor at creating contact, so give me Banchero Over 26.5 Points up to 27.5."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Magic game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Orlando Magic at +5.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 198.
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 Celtics vs. Magic on Friday
- The Magic have won 3 straight home games
- Each of the Celtics' last 4 road games with the Magic have stayed under the Total
- The Magic are 23-19 ATS at home this season
- The Magic have covered the Spread in their last 5 home matchups with the Celtics
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)
Charlotte Hornets 2024-25 fantasy basketball season recap: Injuries plague Hornets once again
While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.
In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.
Previous Team Recaps: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
The Charlotte Hornets are coming off yet another injury-riddled season that resulted in another trip to the lottery and a lot of questions about where to go from here.
A look at the fantasy basketball landscape after the 2024-2025 NBA regular season.
Raphielle JohnsonCharlotte Hornets 2024-25 Season Recap
Record: 19-63 (14th, East)
Offensive Rating: 106.7 (29th)
Defensive Rating: 115.7 (24th)
Net Rating: -19.1 (27th)
Pace: 98.22 (23rd)
2024 Draft Picks: 14 percent chance of winning lottery, 33, 34
For the third straight season, the Hornets ended up back in the lottery. Injuries derailed their year once again, with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams all playing less than 50 games. In fact, only Moussa Diabate, Josh Green and Seth Curry met the league’s 65-game threshold for postseason awards. Of course, none of them were up for any, but the entire team was decimated by various injuries. That resulted in just 19 wins, which was their worst season since 2011-12, the infamous 7-59 Bobcats.
This was the first season for head coach Charles Lee, and he wasn’t dealt a fair hand with all the injuries. Still, the makings of a competitive team are there. Ball, Miller, Williams and Miles Bridges are a strong core four, and they’ll add another top pick from a loaded class. They have other solid pieces throughout the roster, but they simply need to be more available from top to bottom if they want to return to the postseason. They last made the play-in tournament during the 2021-22 season, but the last time they made the playoffs was during the 2015-16 season.
Fantasy Standout: SF/PF Miles Bridges
There weren’t many positives in Charlotte this season, but Bridges was both consistently productive and available. Across his 64 appearances, Bridges averaged 20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.2 threes per game while shooting a subpar 43.1 percent from the floor. The rebounds and assists were career-highs despite his minutes dropping from 37.4 per game during the 2023-24 season to 31.7 per game this past season.
Bridges was the only rosterable player on this team that was available to play in 50 games. The bar wasn’t high for him to be the most impactful fantasy player on this team, and he could’ve been even better if he played as much as he did during the previous season. This was the first season of a three-year, $75 million contract for Bridges, so he’ll continue to be a consistent producer for the Hornets for at least two more seasons. He’s past the point of his career where he’s making drastic improvements, and if they have better injury luck next season, Bridges could see a dip in production.
Season MVP goes to MB @MilesBridges is the first player in franchise history to average 20+ PTS, 7+ REB and 3+ AST in three different seasons. He also finished this season ranked top-5 in franchise history in all-time PTS (6,642), REB (2,627), FGM (2,493) and 3FGM (732).… pic.twitter.com/Fx5Hyi5S6A
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) April 16, 2025
Fantasy Revelation: C Mark Williams
After missing a full calendar year of games, Williams returned to the lineup in December. He suited up 44 times, which was a new career high for him, and he averaged 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, which were also career-highs, despite not seeing an increase in minutes.
Charlotte agreed to a trade that sent Williams to the Lakers shortly after they acquired Luka Doncic, but the deal was rescinded after Williams failed his physical. It was a strange situation, but Williams returned to the lineup after that and was able to play at a high level. He has battled through so many injuries through his first three seasons in the league and has been limited to 106 career games. He missed a handful of games sporadically, but the only time he missed more than two in a row (after he missed the first month of the season) was following the failed trade. Williams will entire the offseason healthy, and if he can have a relatively healthy 2025-26 campaign, he should be in for another big season.
Fantasy Disappointment: SG/SF/PF Brandon Miller
With the amount of games everyone the team missed, it’s hard to single out the most disappointing. However, since other players on the team have the “injury-prone” title already, and Miller’s 27 were fewer than the other standard-league players on the team. His field goal percentage also dropped from 44 percent as a rookie to 40.3 percent this past season. He averaged 21 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.9 threes in 34.2 minutes per game.
The insane three-point rate was a fun improvement and a partial explanation for the drop in field goal percentage.The other explanation is that his mid-range shot regressed. After shooting 47.9 percent from the mid-range as a rookie, he made just 30.2 percent of his mid-range shots this past season. The volume was lower, but it was a disappointing development. Miller should bounce back in year three, but a few minor regressions and an early injury derailed his second season after a strong rookie year.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
PG/SG LaMelo Ball:
The good news: Ball set a new career high for points per game and played more games than he did each of the last two seasons. The bad news: he only played 47 games and posted the worst field goal percentage of his career. Ball averaged 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 triples in 32 minutes per game.
Aside from points and threes, Ball’s numbers all took a slight hit this past season. Nothing dropped alarmingly, and he played more than twice as many games this season. LaMelo will continue to go early in drafts because of how talented he is but playing 105 games in three seasons is a poor mark. All will be forgiven if he can have a healthy 2025-26 campaign, but it’s difficult to bank on that happening. Still, he is productive enough when he is on the floor to be worth the risk.
PF/C Grant Williams:
Williams’ 2024-25 campaign was cut short after he tore his ACL in November. Prior to that, Williams averaged 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.7 threes per game. He made seven starts, but when this team is fully healthy next season, Williams will likely play a reserve role. He is an excellent rotation piece and will provide them with depth down low. However, his fantasy contributions will be limited to when there are injuries in front of him.
C Jusuf Nurkic:
Nurkic opened the season as the Suns starting center, but a few weeks in, it became apparent that wouldn’t last. After some drama with head coach Mike Budenholzer and being dropped from the rotation, Nurkic was dealt to Charlotte at the trade deadline. In 26 games with the Hornets, Nurkic averaged 9.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in just 18.1 minutes per game.
He should enter next season as a decent backup center behind Mark Williams in the final year of his contract. He's still capable of contributing decent fantasy value when he gets the minutes, but last season didn't do his reputation any favors, and it is difficult to imagine any team giving him a starting center job. Still, if he is able to step into a larger role, he can provide well-rounded counting stats for a center.
PG/SG Tre Mann:
It was an excellent start to the year for Mann, and after the first few games, it seemed like he was going to have a case for either Most Improved or Sixth Man of the Year. However, a back issue kept him sidelined after mid-November. Of course, Charlotte didn’t provide much clarity to the severity of his injury, so it was never clear that Mann would be sidelined for the remainder of the year.
During his 13 appearances, Mann averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, three assists and 1.8 triples in 24.5 minutes per game. He should have some suitors in restricted free agency this summer, but if he is back with Charlotte, he should play a significant reserve role and supply plenty of offense. He didn’t get many steals this season, but he averaged 1.2 the year before. Steals tend to be a volatile stat, and it could certainly leap back up next season.
SG/SF Josh Green:
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Mavericks, Green got a fresh start with the Hornets this season. In his first year with his new team, Green averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 threes in 27.8 minutes per game. He has never been a great player for fantasy hoops, but Green is a young, impactful defender on the wing. That means he’ll play significant minutes, even if he isn’t doing much for fantasy managers. He hasn’t finished inside the top 200 in nine-cat formats through the first five seasons of his career.
C Moussa Diabate:
Diabate signed a two-way deal with Charlotte last summer after playing on two-way contracts with the Clippers over the two previous seasons. Due to injuries to Mark Williams and Nick Richards early on, Diabate took on a larger role than expected and took advantage, which resulted in him earning a full contract that will keep him with the Hornets until 2027.
Diabate averaged 5.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game, but he was much better when he played a larger role. In eight starts last season, he averaged 7.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and one steal per game. He also led the team with 71 games played. Diabate has the potential to be a dominant rebounder, but his outlook for next season is murky with Williams and Jusuf Nurkic ahead of him.
PG/SG Nick Smith Jr.:
Smith Jr. started off his second season playing a small role, but he saw that expand as the season went on, largely due to the Brandon Miller wrist injury. He played 22.8 minutes per game this season and averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 threes per game. The former five-star prospect has shown some fun flashes through his first two seasons in the league, but he likely won’t be more than a depth scorer for Charlotte once again next season. The clearest path for fantasy production for him is more injuries to plays ahead of him on the depth chart.
PF Tidjane Salaun:
The No. 6 overall pick last summer didn’t turn 19 until after Summer League and was drafted for his upside. He was considered to be a raw prospect, and that was exactly how he looked. He appeared in 60 games and averaged 5.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and one triple in 20.7 minutes per game.
More notably, he shot an abysmal 33 percent from the floor. Per Stathead, there have been nine players drafted in the top ten that have played at least 20 minutes per game as a rookie and averaged fewer than six points per game. The only one that shot worse from the floor than Salaun was fellow rookie Cody Williams
Restricted Free Agents: Tre Mann, Wendell Moore Jr.
Unrestricted Free Agents: Seth Curry, Taj Gibson
Bucks vs. Pacers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 25
On Friday, April 25, the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and Milwaukee Bucks (48-34) are all set to square off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round matchup.
Indiana is up 2-0 in the series after taking Game 2 at home 123-115. The series turns back to Milwaukee, who is in desperation mode and a hole. Tyrese Haliburton has recorded 12 assists in both games, while Pascal Siakam combined for 49 points. Damian Lillard made his return in Game 2 and scored 14 points on 4-of-13 from the field (2-of-8 from three) over 37 minutes.
The Pacers are currently 20-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Bucks 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 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 Pacers vs. Bucks live
- Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
- Time: 8:00PM EST
- Site: Fiserv Forum
- City: Milwaukee, WI
- Network/Streaming: ESPN, NBA TV
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 Pacers vs. Bucks
The latest odds as of Friday:
- Odds: Pacers (+170), Bucks (-204)
- Spread: Bucks -5
- Over/Under: 230.5 points
That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 113.07, and the Bucks 117.68.
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 Pacers vs. Bucks game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Tyrese Haliburton to go Under 19.5 Points:
"Tyrese Haliburton went Under 19.5 points in six out of nine playoff road games in his career and played three contests in Milwaukee, scoring 9, 12, and 16 points in the 2023-24 season. This year, Haliburton scored 10 and 21 points in two playoff home games but averaged 16.7 points per game on the road in the regular season compared to 20.4 at home.
Haliburton only averaged 0.9 fewer field goal attempts on the road and 0.6 less free-throw attempts per game but shot 43.8/34.9/83.8 percentage shooting splits on the road versus 50/41.5/86.2 percent splits at home. I will back that trend to continue and go less than 20 points for Haliburton in a pivotal Game 3."
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 Pacers & Bucks 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 Indiana Pacers at +5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 230.
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 Pacers vs. Bucks on Friday
- The Pacers have a winning record in their last 10 games (9-1)
- The Pacers' last 3 away postseason games have gone over the total
- The Pacers have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games
- The Pacers have covered the spread in their last 3 games against teams with winning records
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)
Butler's agent sends cryptic message about Warriors star's health
Butler's agent sends cryptic message about Warriors star's health originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors’ season could be at risk with Jimmy Butler’s status up in the air after suffering a pelvis contusion on a hard fall Wednesday night in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference playoff matchup with the Houston Rockets.
But a recent text from the star forward’s agent could be a sign of optimism.
“There is some hope, though,” NBA insider Marc Spears shared Thursday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “Bernie Lee, Jimmy Butler’s agent, texted me saying, ‘Pray for the bear.’ That tells me that’s some optimism for Jimmy.”
"Bernie Lee, Jimmy Butler's agent texts me saying, 'Pray for the bear.'"@MarcJSpears says Jonathan Kuminga needs to be ready for Warriors-Rockets Game 3, but has "optimism" for Butler's injury status 👀 pic.twitter.com/YvZbLL4gQS
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 24, 2025
The coded message could be interpreted in several ways, but Spears views it positively.
Butler is expected to undergo an MRI at some point Thursday, as Dub Nation patiently waits for the Warriors to share those results.
The 35-year-old hit the ground hard after going up for a rebound and being undercut by Amen Thompson late in the first quarter of Wednesday’s 109-94 loss. He remained on the floor for a while before getting up and walking to the other end of the floor to shoot free throws.
Jimmy Butler hit the ground hard after being undercut by Amen Thompson 😳 pic.twitter.com/Icd2wBF50U
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 24, 2025
Butler remained in the game for a few possessions before heading to the locker room and ultimately being ruled out for the rest of the contest.
He sustained a similar injury during the 2023 Eastern Conference playoffs when he was a member of the Miami Heat. And as one fan pointed out on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, Butler finished that series against the Milwaukee Bucks with 56 points in Game 4 and 42 in Game 5 to win the series. Oh, the Heat also went to the NBA Finals that year.
The Warriors have two days off before Game 3 on Saturday. Game 4 is set for Monday.
Golden State became a new team when Butler was traded to the Warriors in early February. It’s evident they’ll need their six-time NBA All-Star in the mix of things to keep their championship aspirations alive. And Lee’s text message could signal some hope.
VanVleet had eerie five-word message for Draymond in heated exchange
VanVleet had eerie five-word message for Draymond in heated exchange originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Fred VanVleet touched on a concern a lot of Warriors fans might have right about now.
The Rockets guard got into a feisty exchange with Warriors forward Draymond Green at the end of Houston’s 109-94 win over Golden State on Wednesday at Toyota Center before both teams had to be separated on the court.
Fred VanVleet and Draymond Green exchange words during the timeout, and both teams had to be separated pic.twitter.com/srnV45YFqI
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 24, 2025
The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami shared on the latest episode of the “Warriors Plus/Minus” podcast what he heard VanVleet told Green in the viral exchange.
“I did hear that the VanVleet-Draymond thing was VanVleet telling Draymond, ‘You better pray Jimmy [Butler’s] back.’ There were a lot of other words in there,” Kawakami said.
VanVleet, of course, is referencing the pelvic injury Butler sustained late in the first quarter that sidelined him for the remainder of the game and will put his status for the remainder of the series in question as the Warriors await the results of his MRI on Thursday in San Francisco.
Butler, almost single-handedly, has transformed the Warriors into a potential title contender since he arrived in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 5 and is a crucial piece to any deep playoff run Golden State hopes to make.
It’s unclear if Butler will miss any time, but if he does miss Game 3 on Saturday, or perhaps longer, the Warriors certainly could be in trouble.
Malik Beasley Agency Lawsuit Features Limits on Arbitration
Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley owes more than $1 million in damages, his former agency alleges in a lawsuit brought this week in the Southern District of New York. Beasley fired the agency earlier this year with more than two years remaining on their agency agreement.
Hazan Sports Management (HSM), which is led by president Daniel Hazan and vice president Andrew Hoenig, is suing Beasley for breach of contract and related claims. HSM says it “single-handedly” resuscitated Beasley’s NBA career when he signed with the agency in November 2023, and describes Beasley as having “known issues” at the time that included “financial” ones. He has experienced legal problems since joining the NBA, spending 78 days in jail in 2021 for making threats of violence.
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HSM says it “provided” Beasley “with a substantial marketing advance” to address his “issues.” In an exhibit to HSM’s complaint, the marketing advance is detailed. HSM agreed to pay Beasley a one-time advance of $650,000.
Drafted by attorney Daniel Marcus, HSM’s complaint asserts Beasley signed two contracts with HSM. The first was the standard player agent contract (SPAC), which concerns a player’s employment contracts with NBA teams.
The second was a marketing deal for endorsements, NIL and similar promotional activities, which had a four-year term and made HSM Beasley’s exclusive marketing agent. The deal contained a $1 million liquidated damages clause, which specifies a dollar amount penalty in the event of breach. The clause is worded as saying the parties agreed this dollar amount was “fair and acceptable in light of the amount of the marketing advance and the risk assumed” by HSM as Beasley’s marketing agent.
HSM claims it “revived” Beasley’s career “both on and off the court” and is responsible for him signing a one-year deal with the Pistons for $6 million for the 2024-25 season. That reflected a major raise from the prior season, when Beasley earned $2.7 million from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Beasley, 28, is in his ninth NBA season and the Pistons are his sixth NBA team. A first-round pick of out Florida State in 2016, Beasley has also played for the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers. Beasley has enjoyed a solid season for the Pistons in 2024-25, averaging 16 points per game.
HSM says Beasley fired the agency in February, 15 months into their contractual relationship and thus far earlier than when the four-year marketing term will expire. HSM contends it has tried to collect the marketing advance but has “only received little more than drips and drabs” along with “vague promises to repay the balance over time.”
HSM’s lawsuit notably does not claim Beasley breached his SPAC, which governs agents who represent NBA players. Agents are licensed by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which is the exclusive bargaining representative of NBA players. The NBPA has regulations for agents, who must follow those regulations as a condition of their license.
Key to the HSM-Beasley dispute is that the SPAC contains a mandatory arbitration clause. The clause expresses disputes between a player and his agent regarding their contractual relationship are ordinarily governed by an NBPA arbitration procedure. Arbitration is a logical method of dispute resolution for a players association. It keeps the dispute out of court, where documents are accessible to fans and journalists.
The NBPA’s method of arbitration also relies on experts in contractual disputes in the NBA agent context, whereas litigation is heard by a judge and possibly a jury who probably lack that knowledge and industry sensibilities. As Sportico has detailed, that line of defense has been used in legal disputes concerning Nerlens Noel and agent Rich Paul, and agent Mark Termini and Paul.
HSM’s complaint appears designed to insulate against the possibility of Beasley securing the complaint’s dismissal by claiming the dispute must first be heard by an arbitrator. The complaint does so by keeping the breach claim limited to the marketing contract, which does not contain an arbitration clause—just the opposite, in fact. The marketing contract states that “any and all disputes” arising out of it “shall be adjudicated” by a New York court.
Beasley could offer other types of defenses. He might contend that HSM breached the contract by failing to adequately perform its duties. Perhaps Beasley was unhappy with the representation and felt it fell short of what he was contractually owed. However, if Beasley has already made some repayments—even “drips and drabs”—of what he allegedly owes HSM, it would make it more difficult for him to claim he doesn’t owe money. The court would question why he would pay any amount if he doesn’t owe money.
The case is before U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, who is also presiding over Drake’s high-profile defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. Beasley’s Pistons, meanwhile, are currently tied with the New York Knicks, 1-1, in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Game 3 is on Thursday.
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Pistons vs. Knicks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 24
It’s Thursday, April 24, and the New York Knicks (51-31) and Detroit Pistons (44-38) are all set to square off from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit for Game 3 of the First Round of the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons won Game 2, 100-94, behind a massive 33 points and 12 rebounds from Cade Cunningham. Detroit was able to overcome Jalen Brunson's 37 points, plus all five Knicks' starters putting up 10 or more points. The Knicks are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Pistons 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 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 Knicks vs. Pistons live today
- Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Site: Little Caesars Arena
- City: Detroit, MI
- 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 Knicks vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Knicks (-120), Pistons (+100)
- Spread: Knicks -1.5
- Over/Under: 214 points
That gives the Knicks an implied team point total of 107.41, and the Pistons 106.62.
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 Thursday’s Knicks vs. Pistons game
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Knicks ML and Karl-Anthony Towns Over 21.5 Points:
"Karl-Anthony Towns only put up four field goal attempts from the 6:26 mark on in Game 2 and that type of nonexistence will not work for the Knicks in Game 3. One of my favorite angles is backing starters or role players in the postseason off a bad performance. For example, I've won bets on De'Andre Hunter Over 8.5 Points and Michael Porter Jr. Over 12.5 Points in Game 2 after their duds in Game 1.
KAT fits that trend 10 points on 5-for-11 and zero free-throw attempts are inexcusable. I expect a much more aggressive KAT this game, so I like the Over on his points prop and the Knicks to win Game 3. In a 1-1 series, Game 3 is the pivotal contest and the winner of the series usually takes Game 3, so I will ride with New York as Detroit is still a secondary-scorer away from winning a playoff series."
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 Knicks & Pistons game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Knicks on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Pistons at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 214.
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 Knicks vs. Pistons on Thursday
- Eastern Conference Central Division teams have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division sides
- The Under is 7-3 in the Knicks' last 10 games
- The Pistons are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home underdog
- The Under is 7-3 in the Knicks' last 10 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!
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)