SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors looks on while standing for the national anthem prior to the start of the game against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kristaps Porzingis won’t be playing in Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets, but his presence on the team plane opens the door to the big man taking the court during the team’s three-game road trip.
Kristaps Porzingis is on the Warriors’ flight for their upcoming three-game road trip pic.twitter.com/X7uhSFeTce
Just look at that guy! He’s got a drink, a fun checkered cap, a sassy Adidas jacket, and a winning smile! Forget POTS — this guy is H-O-T-Stuff!
He’s not playing against the Rockets, however, joining Steph Curry (knee), Moses Moody (wrist), Will Richard (ankle), Seth Curry (back), Jimmy Butler (ACL), and Paul Arizin (deceased in 2006) as Warriors not playing Thursday. Gary Payton II remains questionable with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day, while Sean Keane is probable for the recap (hangnail, Xfinity internet connection).
For the Rockets, the injury news is essentially reversed. They’re getting two starters back, as All-Defensive guard Amen Thompson and forward/Kevin Durant burner target Jabari Smith, Jr. are both returning from ankle ailments Thursday. They’ve won four of their last five games and are playing on two days rest after surviving a Sharife Cooper scoring explosion to defeat the Washington Wizards, who signed Angel Reese’s brother Saturday and made him their starting center. They were clearly spooked by accidentally winning twice against the Indiana Pacers.
How does Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy feel about the health struggles of Porzingis, who was acquired at the trade deadline for Jonthan Kuminga and Buddy Hield in a deal that was 100% not a salary dump? He clarified that the team was confident about their medical information on Porzingis in an appearance on Tim Kawakami’s podcast, “The TK Show.”
That’s a great question, it’s a fair question. I think it’s really, really complicated. This is a unique situation. I’d say from our end, I feel good about, from the information we had, I feel good about our evaluation of what that was on the medical side. And for that reason, that’s why we made the trade.
Thanks for clearing that up, MDJ! Glad he feels good about his “mysterious” illness (as per Steve Kerr).
On a totally unrelated note, Jonathan Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals for the Atlanta Hawks. However, he is questionable for Wednesday’s Hawks game with knee inflammation, so he’s still a Warrior at heart.
You can lead a player out of a Warriors uniform in 2026, but you can’t make him healthy. But at least you can get him a delicious drink for the plane.
Does defense really win championships?
A good defense is important, but in the modern NBA, where spacing, pace, and shot-making dominate — elite offense has increasingly become a prerequisite to be a true title contender.
Consider the last three champions. The 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder ranked third in offensive rating, the 2024 Boston Celtics finished first, the 2023 Denver Nuggets ranked fifth. In fact, only one of the six teams to reach the NBA Finals during that span finished outside the league’s top 10 in offensive efficiency.
As the regular season enters its final month, the Eastern Conference has largely consolidated into four legitimate contenders – the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks and Cavaliers.
Using FTN’s NBA StatsHub, we can take a deeper look at those teams through the lens of shot-making efficiency — identifying which of the East’s top seeds is best positioned to reach the NBA Finals.
Detroit Pistons
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, deservedly well-respected for his ability to develop young talent, has engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in the league in the Motor City, guiding the Pistons toward the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after the team won just 14 games two years ago. He had a similar impact in his time with the Cavaliers, taking them from a lottery team and transforming them into a playoff contender in short order.
The question surrounding Bickerstaff’s teams, however, has never been about regular-season success. The larger critiques have always been about whether the offensive formula that drives those regular season wins can hold up in the postseason – something that hasn’t happened to date.
Using NBA StatsHub, it’s not difficult to see those same concerns rising to the forefront of Bickerstaff’s team once again – particularly after losing to the short-handed Cavaliers Tuesday.
The Pistons have only three players posting a Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation above +3% this season, and that list doesn’t include their No. 1 or No. 3 scoring options:
Jalen Duren: +4.9% FGOE
Duncan Robinson: +4.7% FGOE
Isaiah Stewart: +3.0% FGOE
As a team, the Pistons rank just 25th in three-point percentage and rely heavily on converting shots inside the arc to generate offense.
The result is an offense that has been effective, but not elite in terms of efficiency. Detroit currently ranks 11th in offensive rating, making them the only top contender in the Eastern Conference sitting outside the league’s top five in that category — a potential warning sign with the playoffs approaching.
Boston Celtics
When it was announced that Jayson Tatum would miss significant time to begin the 2025-26 season, expectations for the Celtics were understandably tempered. After playing alongside Kyrie Irving in his first two years in the NBA, Jayson Tatum had since led the Celtics in scoring in each of his six subsequent seasons. Naturally, when it was announced that Tatum would miss significant time to begin the 2025-2026 campaign, expectations for Boston were tempered – they entered the new campaign with a preseason win total of just 43.5 wins.
Fast forward to March, and head coach Joe Mazzulla has Boston sitting at 41-20 and firmly in control of the No. 2 seed. A major reason for that success has been the Celtics’ depth of elite shot-makers.
According to StatsHub, Boston has six players posting a 3%-plus Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation this season.
Luka Garza: +6.6%
Payton Pritchard: +4.3%
Jaylen Brown: +3.7%
Sam Hauser: +3.6%
Jordan Walsh: +3.5%
Nikola Vučević: +3.0%
Unlike Detroit, Boston’s primary scorers are all on this list, absent Derrick White, who has been more valuable as the team’s top facilitator this year. Jaylen Brown has taken a step forward as a lead option, while players like Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have provided efficient perimeter scoring in complementary roles.
The Celtics could have more help on the way, too. Reports indicate that Tatum is nearing a return from his Achillies injury, which would further strengthen the Celtics’ spacing and add another high-level shooter to an already efficient offense.
The Celtics rank second in the NBA in three-point attempts per game, leaning heavily into their perimeter shooting and trusting that their collective shot-making will consistently put them in a position to win. This is a group that is more than capable of making a deep playoff run.
New York Knicks
After winning the NBA Cup, the Knicks spent the next month looking like one of the worst teams in the league. They went 7-11 across their subsequent 18 contests, ranking 25th in net rating in that span.
New York has since found their groove, however, winning 15 of their last 19 games. They lead the NBA in net rating since Jan. 20 (+13.9). They rank seventh in offensive rating and have allowed the fewest points per 100 possessions during their recent hot streak.
Much of their success can be attributed to having an efficient superstar running the show in The Big Apple. Jalen Brunson owns a +4.2% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation this season. He’s been even better of late, at 8.4% FGOE across the last month. New York’s other top offensive contributors, Mikal Bridges (+9.4% FGOE) and Karl-Anthony Towns (+6.4% FGOE) have also been playing excellent basketball as we approach the homestretch of the schedule.
The Knicks are peaking at the right time of year and look as capable as any team in the Eastern Conference right now.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers are the biggest wild card in the Eastern Conference this season. They entered the new campaign as the odds-on favorite to win the East, but injuries and a lack of consistent availability from their core four led to a tumultuous first half of their schedule.
In early February, they abandoned their traditional core-four, trading Darius Garland to the Clippers in exchange for James Harden – a gamble that has worked brilliantly to date.
Cleveland is 8-3 since the trade, ranking seventh in the NBA in net rating during that span, despite Donovan Mitchell and other key players continuing to miss time due to various ailments.
Tuesday, the Cavaliers defeated the No. 1 seed Pistons without Mitchell and Dean Wade, the latter of whom is their best perimeter defender.
Harden has fully unlocked Jarrett Allen on the offensive end of the floor, evident from the fact that he leads the entire NBA in Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation during the last 30 days (min. 5 games played, 10 FGA/game).
This roster doesn’t have the chemistry or cohesion of other contenders in the East, but they have re-emerged as the odds-on favorites to win the conference for valid reasons. The ceiling for the Cavaliers is arguably higher than any of Detroit, Boston, or New York.
The Takeaway
Among Eastern Conference contenders, Boston’s offensive profile appears most sustainable to make a deep postseason run. They have a clear No. 1 scorer in Jaylen Brown, who is surrounded by a number of high-quality shot-makers.
If Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation is any indication, we could be seeing the Celtics back in the NBA Finals this June.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Olivia Hamlin scored 16 points, Delaney Gibb and Lara Rohkohl each had 15, and Sydney Benally added 14 as BYU beat Houston 76-66 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.
After winning its first Big 12 Tournament game in its third season as a conference member, ninth-seeded BYU (21-10) will play eighth-seeded Utah in the second round Thursday.
BYU outshot 16th-seeded Houston 47% to 31% but had to overcome 22 turnovers and didn't have the game in hand until the final minutes.
Shun’teria Anumele scored 17 points and TK Pitts 14 for Houston (7-23). The two combined for eight straight points as Houston cut a 12-point deficit to three to open the fourth quarter. BYU held on, leading by five with 3:20 to go before scoring the next eight points with Hamlin making it 74-61 on a bucket in the paint.
Brinley Cannon hit a 3-pointer — her first shot of the game — to open the third and give BYU the lead for good. Rohkohl scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting and BYU led 56-44 heading into the final period.
BYU never trailed but found itself tied at 29 at halftime after committing 15 turnovers, 10 in the first quarter when it led 11-10.
Jade Jones added 11 points for Houston.
BYU had won the lone regular-season matchup 79-64 on Jan. 10 against a Houston team that was missing four players, three of whom had been suspended for the game following their ejections after a scuffle against Kansas State on Jan. 7.
Up next
BYU: The Cougars, on a four-game win streak, swept Utah in two regular-season games, each time by 12 points.
Houston: Season is over after going 1-17 in Big 12 play before losing Wednesday.
The Lakers announced Wednesday afternoon the hiring of Michael Spetner as chief strategy and growth officer, a newly created position in which "he will be responsible for leading the organization's long-term business strategy, driving value and identifying opportunities for international growth."
"As we look to redefine what's possible across the sports landscape for fans and partners, we will build on the Lakers legacy and orient toward the future to consider what's next," Rosen said in the statement. "Michael's leadership will help us optimize our business to ensure long-term value."
Spetner has been the Dodgers vice president of business strategy and analytics since 2015, where he reportedly focused heavily on engaging with international audiences. The Dodgers' footprint in Japan has skyrocketed in the last two years after the signings of superstars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, and Spetner reportedly helped the team capitalize on that by overseeing efforts to launch a fan club based in Japan and the creation of an immersive exhibit in Tokyo highlighting the team's history.
According to his bio on the Dodgers' staff directory, Spetner "developed analytical tools and frameworks to help business leaders across the organization leverage data and insights to make key decisions."
When Rosen first spoke with reporters in the days after his hiring, he mentioned that he "only dreamed of having the reach that the Lakers have" in his role with the Dodgers. Spetner was a major part of building towards that dream, and now he gets the chance to push the Lakers' growth even further as one of the earliest hires in new owner Mark Walter's ongoing front office overhaul.
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A brawl between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina in the women's Sun Belt Tournament on Wednesday left eight players ejected and knocked a referee to the ground where she required medical attention.
There were under six minutes left in the fourth quarter when South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston began fighting under the basket. Harris appeared to bump Hueston slightly from behind before Hueston turned around and began pushing and swinging at Harris, who pushed back.
Two referees, multiple teammates and staff members quickly worked to separate the women and a referee was knocked to the ground in the melee. She appeared to be hit in the head or neck area by Hueston as the referee was attempting to push her away from Harris.
She remained on the ground on her back while order was restored and multiple staff members and a medical professional ran onto the court to attend to her. A sheriff’s deputy also came onto the court after the fight ended.
There was no immediate update on the referee's condition.
Hueston and Harris were both given technical fouls and ejected, along with six other players who participated in the fight.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: A detail view of the Nike basketball shoes of Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks before a game against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — Wrexham will play Liverpool in a friendly match at Yankee Stadium as part of its East Coast tour this summer, and by that time the fast-rising Welsh club will know if it has reached the Premier League.
Wrexham has earned an unprecedented three straight promotions and is playing in the second-tier Championship for the first time since the 1980s.
Its surge up the English soccer pyramid, documented in the Emmy-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” TV series, began in 2022 with promotion from the non-league fifth division.
Wrexham is currently in sixth place in the Championship with 11 games remaining in the season. The top-two finishers secure automatic promotion to the Premier League and the teams that finish third to sixth will qualify for the end-of-season playoffs for the one extra promotion spot.
Wrexham's three-match tour, announced on Wednesday, begins July 25 against Leeds at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Liverpool game is July 29. The team then faces Sunderland on Aug. 2 at Subaru Park near Philadelphia.
The Spurs knew the 76ers would be shorthanded coming into last night’s game in Philadelphia, with Joel Embiid out with an oblique strain and Paul George serving 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. What they didn’t know was just how quickly and badly they would overwhelm a squad that still had All-Star Tyrese Maxey and rookie star VJ Edgecombe. (If NBC had known this would be the case two weeks in advance, they probably would have picked Pistons vs. Cavs over this game for their Throwback broadcast.)
It was just one of those nights where everything was clicking on all cylinders for the Spurs while nothing was for their opponent, and the result was them getting out to as much as a 49-point lead. For a while there, it looked like they might break their record for largest margin of victory on the road (as well as the 76ers’ worst loss at home) before the third string got outscored by nine in a garbage time fourth quarter, making it “only” a 40-point victory.
Perhaps not so coincidently, the margin-of-victory record they could have beaten came in Philadelphia just over 10 years ago, when Tim Duncan was in his final season and the Spurs were just beginning a new (but what would turn out to be too brief) era led by Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. Even though Duncan, Leonard and Manu Ginobili didn’t play in that game, it was the beatdown of all beatdowns, with the Spurs obliterating the “Trust the Process” 76ers 119-68: a 51-point victory that remains intact in their record books after they couldn’t beat it last night.
While that may just seem like a distant memory at this point and irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, it’s one that will live on forever in our hearts because of one person. That’s right, this was “The Boban Marjanovic Game”, when the Serbian giant got extended playing time for the first time in his NBA career. He had already gotten some attention a month prior, when “tough guy” Tyler Hansbrough’s terrified reaction to him when viral, but now people really got to see him in action, and it was a joy to watch.
Dunks, jumpers, floaters, fadeaways — no one had seen such a huge human make shots like this, and they wouldn’t again until, well, Wemby. By the time the game was over, boban had 18 points on 8-10 shooting, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. It was such a spectacle that 76ers fans stayed in their seats until the end — rare for home fans on the wrong end of a blowout — and were even cheering every Boban basket like he was their own player.
Last night’s game was fun, but there was no breakout performance or anything memorable about it, and it will soon be forgotten as a small part of the Spurs’ resurgent season (although it is an interesting connector between the relative end of one era and the start of new a one). The same can’t be said for what happened in Philly on December 7, 2015, so sit back, relax, and relive one of the most fun Spurs memories in modern history.
Teams could be penalized for failing to cooperate with the initiative, with up to a $10,000 institution penalty for the first offense, up to a $20,000 fine for the second, and up to a $30,000 fine and up to a $10,000 penalty for the head coach for the third.
The move comes as player availability reports have become common in the sport’s five major conferences over the past few seasons. The ACC, Big 12 and SEC post their initial injury reports for intra-conference games the night before a matchup, while the SEC and Big East post them the morning of league games.
In theory, the updates put athletes and coaches at less of a risk of getting hounded by gamblers looking for injury updates.
“Player availability reports are intended in part to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations and harassment student-athletes and other team personnel receive from bettors connected to playing status,” the NCAA said in a release. “The NCAA runs the largest integrity monitoring service program in the world and provides college athletes with online threat detection services as part of its comprehensive strategy to respond to the rise of sports betting.”
Under the new system, athletes will be designated as (more than a 75% chance to play), questionable (up to a 75% chance to play) or out (will not play). Teams must submit their initial reports by 9 p.m. local time the night before a game and provide an update by two hours prior to tipoff the following day.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Liv McGill had 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, Me’Arah O’Neal also scored 22, and No. 12 seed Florida beat Mississippi State 86-68 — the Gators' largest margin of victory in an SEC Tournament game — on Wednesday in the first round.
Florida (18-14), which never trailed despite starting 5-of-16 shooting, made 28 of 56 from the field and hit 22 of 28 (79%) from the free-throw line.
No. 13 seed Mississippi State (18-13) has lost five in a row.
Favour Nwaedozi led the Bulldogs with 12 points and 10 rebounds, the 6-foot-3 junior's 15th double-double this season. Destiney McPhaul also scored 12 points and had six assists. Madison Francis fouled out with nine points in 17 minutes. The freshman went into the game leading the team in minutes (29.8 per game), scoring (13.4) and blocks (1.53), and second in rebounds (7.5) and steals (1.53).
The Bulldogs committed nine first-quarter turnovers and trailed 21-11 at the end of the period.
After Francis made a layup that trimmed Mississippi State's deficit to eight points, O'Neal hit the first of her three second-quarter 3-pointers to make it 24-13 with 8:30 remaining in the first half and the Gators led by double figures the rest of the way.
The Gators, who won 71-56 at Mississippi State on Feb. 19, have won four in a four against Mississippi State and leads the series 30-28.
Up next
Mississippi State: Awaits a potential postseason invite.
Florida: Plays seventh-ranked and No. 5 seed Oklahoma in the second round on Thursday.
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Sakima Walker had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead California past Wake Forest 75-52 on Wednesday in a first-round game at the ACC Tournament.
Second-team All-ACC guard LuLu Twidale added 11 points and seven rebounds, and Gisella Maul and Aliyahna Morris each scored 10 points for the 10th-seeded Golden Bears (19-13).
Mary Carter scored 13 points and Grace Oliver had 10 for the No. 15 seed Demon Deacons (14-17).
There were five lead changes in the first 13 1/2 minutes of play before the Golden Bears went out front for good with a 10-0 run that left them ahead 25-17 in the second quarter.
It was 32-21 at halftime, then Cal blew the game open with a dominant third quarter in which the Golden Bears outscored the Demon Deacons 29-12. Cal shot 56% in the third and went 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.
Cal's slimmest lead in the fourth was 71-52 with two minutes left after the starters had all come out of the game.
Cal won the regular-season matchup with Wake Forest, 61-52 at Berkeley, California.
Up next
Cal will play No. 7 seed Syracuse in the second round on Thursday. The winner will face No. 2 seed Louisville in the quarterfinals.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ rotation defies the knowledge of most basketball fans. That is by design, and it will be to the Portland Trail Blazers’ benefit tonight.
My Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks recognize a tank when they see one. Tip comes at 8 ET on Wednesday, March 4.
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies prediction
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies best bet: Blazers -10.5 (-110)
This spread moved a full point toward the Portland Trail Blazers early Wednesday afternoon. The Memphis Grizzlies are not only tanking, but they are also on the second night of a back-to-back.
Memphis may be the home team tonight, but it had to fly home after a loss to the Timberwolves last night. And that effort made it clear how glad the Grizzlies are to lose these days.
Playing two five-man shifts has garnered plenty of attention, but that attention has largely distracted from the fact that Memphis is playing Cedric Coward, Taylor Hendricks, and Rayan Rupert for 20+ minutes apiece.
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
The sign of the Grizzlies’ woes is not that Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored just two points in nearly 24 minutes last night. It's that he took only four shots as their starting center. With no genuine facilitator in the rotation these days, Memphis’s offense is faltering, at best.
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies SGP
Trail Blazers -10.5
Under 235
Olivier-Maxence Prosper Under 11.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Clingan Cleans Up
Donovan Clingan has cleared this modest points prop in seven of his last 11 games stretching across the last month.
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies SGP
Trail Blazers -10.5
Under 235
Olivier-Maxence Prosper Under 11.5 points
Donovan Clingan Over 13.5 points
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: Trail Blazers -10.5 | Grizzlies +10.5
Moneyline: Trail Blazers -450 | Grizzlies +350
Over/Under: Over 236 | Under 236
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The last three Grizzlies games have all gone Under their totals and by an average of 9.2 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KUNP, FDSN-Memphis
Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies latest injuries
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn could be one of the most underappreciated players in the NBA.
He's not only Los Angeles’ top perimeter defender, but the veteran guard has upped his offensive efforts over the past month, averaging almost 10 points per game in the Clippers' last 10 outings.
Los Angeles is a sizable home favorite against the Indiana Pacers tonight, and my Pacers vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks like Dunn to keep contributing on both ends of the floor.
Pacers vs Clippers prediction
Pacers vs Clippers best bet: Kris Dunn Over 7.5 points (-105)
As mentioned, Kris Dunn has been doing more on the offensive side since early February.
He’s scored 8+ points in seven of the L.A. Clippers' past 10 games, including 16 points in the recent win over Golden State.
Dunn, who went 7-for-10 in just 26 minutes Monday, faces an Indiana Pacers team riding out a lost season. Indiana has dropped six straight showings and sits 27th in defensive rating over its last 10 outings.
Wednesday’s game will have a quicker tempo, with Indiana involved, and Dunn’s player projections range from 7.9 to 8.8 points.
Pacers vs Clippers same-game parlay
The Clippers are fighting to stay in the conversation for the play-in tournament while the Pacers are in full “tank mode”, sliding into L.A. on a six-game losing skid. Indiana is 1-9 SU and 4-6 ATS in non-conference road games.
Dunn is averaging almost 10 points over the last 10 games. His projections flirt with nine points versus a Pacers team trying to tank for a Top 3 pick.
Andrew Nembhard is seeing his playing time tick down with Indiana giving up on the season, and the guard is nursing a sore back. His projections are as low as 12.4 points tonight.
Pacers vs Clippers SGP
Clippers -12.5
Kris Dunn Over 7.5 points
Andrew Nembhard Under 15.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Best Supporting Actors
In La La Land, you need a strong supporting cast. With the Clippers running away from the Pacers, I like L.A. to spread the love around to Dunn, Brook Lopez, and Kobe Sanders — all of whom are projected to top their scoring totals tonight.
Pacers vs Clippers SGP
Clippers -12.5
Kris Dunn Over 7.5 points
Brook Lopez Over 9.5 points
Kobe Sanders Over 6.5 points
Pacers vs Clippers odds
Spread: Pacers +12.5 | Clippers -12.5
Moneyline: Pacers +500 | Clippers -700
Over/Under: Over 227 | Under 227
Pacers vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Pacers have only covered twice in the past 11 games since February 3. Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Clippers.
How to watch Pacers vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-Indiana, FDSN-SoCal
Pacers vs Clippers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on December 25, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Once again, the Western Conference playoff race is looking to be a tight one, and the Lakers are right in the thick of it.
With 21 games left to play, they sit at the No. 6 seed, but just a game and a half from the third spot. However, they are also just two games in front of the Phoenix Suns, who are currently a play-in team.
With home-court advantage or a play-in position, both realistic possibilities for Los Angeles, the way playoff seeding could be decided might very well come down to a tiebreaker situation.
Here is how seeding is decided in the event that two teams have an identical record at the end of the regular season, via NBA.com
TIEBREAKER BASIS FOR TWO-WAY TIES:
(-) Tie breaker not needed (better overall winning percentage)
(1) Head-to-head won-lost percentage
(2) Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division
(3) Division won-lost percentage for teams in the same division
(4) Conference won-lost percentage
(5) W-L Percentage vs. Playoff eligible teams, own conference
(6) W-L Percentage vs. Playoff eligible teams, other conference
(7) Net Points, all games
With head-to-head being the first decider, let’s take a look at the tiebreaker situation between the Lakers and all teams they are currently competing with for a playoff spot.
Houston Rockets
The Lakers lost to the Rockets on Christmas Day, which is currently the only matchup the two teams have had. That’ll change later this month when LA heads to Houston for a pair of games. If the Lakers win both contests, they’ll own the tiebreaker.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Since the Lakers have beaten the Wolves twice and have just one game left against them, they have the season series secured. It’d be ideal to still beat Minnesota on Mar. 10, since it’ll help them in the standings race, but they have the advantage if they end up with the same record at the end of the year.
Denver Nuggets
Under Lakers head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers have had success against the Nuggets. Last year, they split the season series 2-2, and this season, they’ve beaten Denver the only time they’ve played.
The Lakers have two games left against the Nuggets, so they need one more victory to gain the advantage over their Western Conference foe.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns already own the tiebreaker over the Lakers since they’ve won three of the four games they’ve played against them, and only one matchup remains.
Luckily, the Lakers are a couple of games ahead of the Suns in the standings. So, they’d better make sure they stay in front of Phoenix because they have the edge in a tiebreaker scenario.
Golden State Warriors
Considering that the Lakers are six games ahead of the Warriors and that Golden State is currently playing without Steph Curry, it’s very unlikely these teams will have the same record when it’s all said and done.
Currently, LA is ahead 2-1 in the season series, but they need to win the final matchup they have against the Warriors on Apr. 9 or else they’ll be even in head-to-head matchups on the year.
Even if LA loses this upcoming game, the Warriors would have to have a better record in the Pacific Division, since that’s the next tiebreaker. Currently, Golden State is 6-6 in the division, and the Lakers are 8-7, so LA has that edge for now.
Overall, the Lakers are in a good position in most tiebreaking situations. They have the advantage over the Wolves and can still win the tiebreakers over the Warriors, Nuggets and Rockets.
The only team they have lost the season series to already is the Suns, and they are a couple of games ahead of them in the standings.
If the Lakers win their upcoming games against these opponents, then they’ll be in control of their destiny and can be a top seed in the West. This late into the season, that’s the exact situation teams want to be in.
Now, it’s up to the purple and gold to go out there and execute and prove that they are, in fact, better than these teams.
The Milwaukee Bucks brought back Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it is fair to wonder to what end. The Atlanta Hawks are four games ahead in the standings for the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference, and that should become five games tonight.
My Hawks vs. Bucks predictions and NBA picks will not put faith in Atlanta, but they will also not put faith in Giannis aside from crashing the glass on Wednesday, March 4.
Hawks vs Bucks prediction
Hawks vs Bucks best bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 10.5 rebounds (+110)
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court on Monday, his first action since late January. The Milwaukee Bucks’ cornerstone struggled from the field, going 7-of-18 for 19 points, but he was still an asset.
Antetokounmpo’s 11 rebounds showed he’s still impacting the game despite being out of rhythm. That rhythm might take time to return, but those misses create more chances for him to crash the boards against the Atlanta Hawks.
Hawks vs Bucks same-game parlay
Antetokounmpo’s rhythm will struggle as long as he is on a minutes restriction, playing just 25 in his return.
Milwaukee’s three-game losing streak will also plague some of his play, as the Bucks have little incentive to win or stress their superstar.
Hawks vs Bucks SGP
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 10.5 rebounds
Giannis Antetokounmpo Under 25.5 points
Hawks moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Broken Bucks
Milwaukee has not cracked 100 points in its last three games, a trend that underscores that this roster is more broken than Antetokounmpo deserves.
Hawks vs Bucks SGP
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 10.5 rebounds
Giannis Antetokounmpo Under 25.5 points
Hawks moneyline
Under 232.5
Hawks vs Bucks odds
Spread: Hawks +1 (-110) | Bucks -1 (-110)
Moneyline: Hawks -105 | Bucks -115
Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)
Hawks vs Bucks betting trend to know
Milwaukee is 0-3 against the spread in its last three games, falling short of bookmakers’ expectations by at least 20 points in each of those games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Bucks.
How to watch Hawks vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Hawks vs Bucks latest injuries
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