Category: Basketball

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The Cleveland Cavaliers rolled to a 1-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday and will look to keep that momentum going in Game 2.

Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions and NBA picks expect more of the same at Rocket Arena tonight.

Who will win Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 2?

Raptors win probability:23% (+335)
Cavaliers win probability:79% (-376)

The Cavaliers enter Game 2 as heavy 79¢ favorites after cruising to victory over the Raptors (23¢ in Game 2) in Game 1 (126-113).

Our prediction:Cavaliers to win

The Cavaliers have too many options, including a much stronger bench. Cleveland’s reserves made a massive impact in Game 1, contributing 40 points. Tonight’s tilt will be more competitive than the series opener, but the Cavs will take a 2-0 series lead north of the border.

Read more in Jason Logan's full Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions.

More Raptors vs Cavaliers prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Raptors vs. Cavaliers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Cavaliers -9.5 spread means the Cavaliers will cover, while "No" means the Raptors will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Raptors vs Cavaliers spread and total at prediction markets

Our predictions:Cavaliers -9.5 — Yes and Over 221.5 points — Yes

Toronto doesn't have a defensive answer for these Cleveland guards, and that will manifest itself again in Game 2.

Other Raptors vs Cavaliers prediction markets available

• Donovan Mitchell 30+ points (Yes: 43¢)
• Scottie Barnes 20+ points (Yes: 42¢)
• Jarrett Allen 10+ rebounds (Yes: 42¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Cavaliers win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Raptors vs Cavaliers at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.
   
   
2. Transparency: You trade against other users, which can allow you to find better value.
   
   
3. Federal regulation: As a CFTC-regulated exchange, your funds are held in a secure, transparent environment.
   
   
4. Availability: Kalshi is available in 49 states (excluding Nevada) and D.C., including many regions where traditional sportsbooks aren't yet legal.

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The New York Knicks will try to take a 2-0 series lead when they battle the Atlanta Hawks tonight.

Before you lock in your Hawks vs. Knicks predictions, check out our NBA player prop projections. These data-driven NBA picks are led by Jonathan Kuminga.

Hawks vs Knicks computer picks for Game 2

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

The standard.

For anyone looking for a career in basketball – and wanting to excel with fierce determination, navigate the toughest challenges with impeccable style and grace, while still accomplishing the task at hand – they need to look no further than Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Val Ackerman.

After four decades of service to professional and college basketball in many roles, including her current position as the commissioner of the Big East Conference, Ackerman is retiring after 13 years at the helm, bringing the league back to its historic place in college athletics after nearly coming close to extinction.

Ackerman will leave the position, effective Aug. 31, and a national search for her successor will start immediately and be led by the conference's Board of Directors.

"When we re-founded the Big East in 2013 as a basketball-centric conference, our first task was to find a commissioner who could provide the strategic vision needed to position us as a basketball peer with our football counterparts and compete with the country’s best. We found that visionary leader in Val Ackerman," said St. John’s President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., Chair of the Big East Board of Directors. "She leaves big shoes to fill."

Ackerman said her first contract at the Big East was for five years. After that contract had nearly expired, it was clear the conference's powers-that-be didn't want her going anywhere.

"Then they came back and said they wanted to sign me to a second contract. They said, how about five years?" Ackerman told USA TODAY Sports, hilariously explaining how she ended up staying for 13 years.

"I said, 'okay. How about three?' So I did that, then that contract ran out, and they came back to me and said, 'Can we sign you up for another five years?' And I said, 'how about three?' And then I went through that, and then they came again and said 'how about another five?' And I say, 'how about one?' "

The league is thriving with competitive teams and armed with a new media rights agreement with FOX, NBC Sports and TNT Sports through the 2030-31 season. The obvious question is, why leave now?

"It just felt like the time was right for me. I'd come back to what retirement means. I did what I was hired to do, which was to put the pieces back together again when this storied league broke up," she said, adding she is leaving on her own volition.

Reflections on a 'pinch me' career

From a little girl shooting hoops outside of her Pennington, New Jersey home to playing at the University of Virginia, Ackerman knew she wanted to work in sports after earning a law degree from UCLA in 1985.

After being hired as a corporate associate at Simpson Thacher in New York, she tried in vain to secure her dream job. She still kept the numerous rejection letters, including one from the NBA. Undeterred, the opportunity came three years later, and the call came from Gary Bettman, the future NHL Commissioner, who at the time was the NBA's general counsel and senior vice president, and who hired Ackerman as a junior lawyer at the league office.

Once David Stern called her into his office 18 months later, asking her to help out on various projects, her career took off, including the timing of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowing nations to determine their own rules for professional athletes to compete at the Olympics.

Ackerman got to travel to the Barcelona Olympics with the original Dream Team and laid the groundwork for the women to follow suit, eventually leading to the formation of the women's team in Atlanta in 1996 and her being asked to be the WNBA's first top executive.

"That was a kind of a pinch-me moment working on the first Dream Team. I was there with some bandwidth and was asked to help out. So it wasn't a surprise that they asked me to do it," Ackerman said about the WNBA. "It was an honor, not quite a surprise, because I was sort of the person in-house at that time who was the women's basketball person."

Ackerman served as WNBA president for eight years, and the league thrived in its first few years before the novelty of women's professional basketball began to erode.

"Things cooled off, and there were some hard years there as it related to numbers dropping and teams folding," she said. "And we couldn't always relocate them. And that was eight years, and then my kids were getting older, and I don't know, I would say there were moments I missed as a parent because of my focus on work. Yeah, wish I could get some of those moments back."

Rebirth of the Big East

When Ackerman was tapped to lead the Big East after seven schools (DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, and Villanova) separated from the original conference and from the football-playing schools to team up with Butler, Creighton, and Xavier, she knew that she was taking on a Herculean task. UConn completed the Big East reclamation project when it rejoined the league in 2020.

Armed with a cell phone and pretty much nothing else, the mandate from the league's presidents was clear: restore the glory and prestige of a once proud league, with the confidence to do it how you see fit.

When asked how difficult the job at hand would be on a scale of 1-10, Ackerman was not shy in her assessment of what she faced.

"25," she says, almost matter-of-factly. "It was really challenging, the most challenging thing I've ever done in my career. Even when the WNBA launched, we had David Stern make it a company priority, and I was sort of the tip of the spear, but the whole company was told this is a priority project. Here it was, at the beginning, really just me, for the most part, I tried to be resourceful in terms of getting other people involved, trying to hop quickly. But it was a true startup."

The conference has thrived on the biggest stages with Villanova winning national championships in 2016 and 2018 and UConn in 2023 and 2024. The UConn women were the last team standing five times during her tenure (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025).

Thinking about legacy

As the clock ticks for when Ackerman departs the conference's headquarters at the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan, she reflects on her career, and those "pinch me" moments start to flood her mind, especially the impact that she has had on women.

"I hope I showed what women can do, and I hope I've been at least, in a modest way, an example to women who are either in the business and want to move up, or women who want to get in the business," Ackerman said. "It can be done, ladies."

So how will a person who seems to be everywhere, including traveling to 25 different cities in the past three months, slow down to enjoy retirement?

"I think retirement for me means, you know, it's like what some people will do to get a vacation," she said.

Ackerman, who is also a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the State of New Jersey Hall of Fame, will also enjoy the spoils of life, but just being a regular person, including being entertained by things that don't resemble sports.

"I'm an animal lover. We've had a string of cats, including right now, we're taking care of my older daughter's cat. I've tried to maintain and stay true to my athlete roots. I do try to work out, and I love to swim. I've glommed onto the Peloton in recent years to try to stave off the effects of aging. I like to read.

"My husband (Charlie Rappaport, a retired tax partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett) and I watch our shows every night. I mean, I need to watch a French cop show to sort of recharge my battery."

The admitted "chocaholic" plans to spend her time cleaning out her closets, traveling more, focusing on donating to charities, especially environmental causes, and finding anything on Brit Box to watch.

So the next person who inherits the Big East knows what they need to do to continue the success Ackerman built.

"I think when you're in these jobs, you're not in them forever. That's just the nature of the beast. Everyone is working a shift at the end of the day. And I think your hope is that when it was your turn, when the baton got passed to you, you ran a good race," she said.

"I've climbed the mountains. Every mountain that I ever wanted to climb, I've climbed it. If there's a legacy piece, I hope it's at least about what I've done for women and the game of basketball."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Val Ackerman retiring as Big East commissioner after 13 years

There are few more precious NBA jewels than a quality young core.

Everyone wants a young core. Winning an NBA championship is the best possible outcome. If you’re not in the running, the next-most exciting position is to have a young core that could be able to climb that mountain in time.

Evaluating the Rockets’ young core has been…frustrating. At times, it’s been invigorating. There have been junctures where it was easy to tell yourself that after the Thunder, this was the best young core in the NBA.

This is not one of those junctures.

Eventually, a young core’s potential has to be partly measured by production. It would be an overreaction to dismiss the entire young core based on a loss to a heavily compromised Lakers team in game one of the playoffs:

But it would be an underreaction to dismiss those results entirely.

Rockets’ young core struggles in Game 1

Let’s get a caveat out of the way: This wasn’t exclusively on the players.

Ime Udoka was outfoxed by JJ Reddick. Several coaching errors hurt the Rockets. Why was Amen Thompson guarding Luke Kennard if he wasn’t going to aggressively close him out? It felt like Thompson was assigned to Kennard so he could play as a free safety. That makes little sense when Kennard is among the best shooters in the NBA.

There was also little effort to get the ball to Alperen Sengun close to the rim. Frankly, I’d have played it the same at first – my feeling was that Sengun would have an easier time beating Deandre Ayon face-up vs trying to outmuscle him on the low block – but once it wasn’t working, Udoka should have pivoted.

That feels like a segway:

Why couldn’t Sengun beat Ayton face-up?

The closest thing the Rockets have to a star in their young core had 19 points on 6/19 shooting from the field. Ayton is not a good defender, but he is very strong. If Sengun doesn’t have a means of beating defenders whom he can’t outmuscle, that will be a major issue for a player who’s probably only in the 75th percentile of strength at his position.

Sengun’s struggles weren’t exclusively on him. The Lakers didn’t guard Thompson. The paint was predictably packed, and both Sengun and Thompson (7/18) struggled with the coverage.

Reed Sheppard? 17 points on 6/20 shooting from the field. A glaring defensive liability. Bad game.

Tari Eason was sensational. Is this a franchise player? No. My love for Eason remains unyielding despite an inconsistent 2025-26, but he’s a high-end role player.

Here’s the central point: nobody emerged as “a guy” against the Lakers in game one. Durant is expected back for game two. The Rockets will be heavily favored, and they’ll probably win. That doesn’t assuage any doubts expressed here. If the Rockets can’t beat the Lakers without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves without Durant, what does it say about their young core?

This is only a permutation of what’s become a recurring theme in these pieces. The Rockets’ young core does not have a franchise player. Sengun and Thompson’s combined lack of shooting is problematic. Sengun and Sheppard’s combined lack of defense is problematic. Thompson and Sheppard’s combined lack of shot creation is…

Yup. Problematic.

There’s talent here. These are players who could elevate a franchise-level talent. It’s still sadly true that the Rockets’ young core decidedly does not have that player:

The loss to the Lakers only reinforced that fact.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to an easy win in the series opener with the Toronto Raptors, and I’ve seen livelier dinosaurs in a museum exhibit. 

Will Game 2 be more competitive?

I have a same-game parlay for tonight's matchup between Cleveland and Toronto, taking legs from both teams but ultimately siding with the Cavs to continue their winning ways.

Here are my best NBA SGP picks and Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions on Monday, April 20.

Our best Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP for Game 2

The Cleveland Cavaliers' 13-point win in Game 1 looked closer than it really was.

The Toronto Raptors need to pick their poison when it comes to slowing down the Cavaliers’ offensive options. Cleveland’s perimeter play and production off the pine are a big edge as this series swings to Game 2 tonight.

Evan Mobley needed just three quarters to top his scoring prop in Game 1 before taking it easy in the fourth. His points prop remains the same, but his involvement in the offense will spike tonight, with him logging more minutes but also making the most of his matchups in the pick-and-roll attack. His projections sit at 18+ points.

The Raptors need to produce more from beyond the arc if they’re going to trade blows with Cleveland. Brandon Ingram missed his only 3-point attempt in Game 1 but is one of the Raptors’ more consistent outside threats. Projections have him hitting two triples in Game 2.

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

Game ones of a playoff series often show us how teams want to defend, attack, and use their strengths and weaknesses. They are also just the first step in a complex and sometimes long process that is followed up with adjustments and tweaks. Regardless, the opening game tends to give us a good idea of at least the foundation on which the teams want to build. So what did we learn about these two teams after Saturday night’s game? And what might it mean going forward?

The Hawks want to attack Jalen Brunson, and the Knicks let them.

Over the last decade and change, the league has leaned more and more into attacking the opposing team’s weakest defender and finding ways to make them defend your team’s best player. Unlike the early 2000’s and the decades leading up to that, the strength of a team’s defense is now more dictated not by the level of your best defender, but by the level of your worst defender.

And last night, the Hawks, as every other team should, and often does, decided to attack Jalen Brunson as much as possible to make him expend more energy on that end of the floor, and, even more importantly, see if the Knicks’ team defense would dip to the level of their worst individual defender.

Spoiler alert, it did not. On multiple occasions, Atlanta looked to pick on the point guard, with Jalen Johnson, Nickel Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, and Jonathan Kuminga all taking turns at going at him. And while McCollum had a great game, New York saw some success with Brunson holding his own and forcing some tough contested shots.

Knicks defense has to remain active, Hawks have to continue to work to find openings. Okongwu screens for CJ, OG does not automatically switch. CJ screens for NAW and Brunson *does* switch. NAW looks to attack, KAT helps off Daniels in the paint. pic.twitter.com/5WmsvrBkVq

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) April 18, 2026

The biggest surprise, though, came not from how Brunson defended those players, or from how those players attacked him. It came from a much-welcomed change under head coach Mike Brown. During large portions of the regular season, Brown opted to send help when teams decided to isolate Brunson despite talking up the captain’s individual defense. This often leads to overreacting to switches, which in turn results in open layups and open threes.

Much to my surprise, Brown chose to trust Brunson and live with the results. The Hawks likely won’t, and shouldn’t, stop attacking Brunson. But they’ll likely need to do so more effectively and more creatively to keep this series close. If and when they do, the hope is Brown doesn’t overreact and fall back into the habit of over-helping.

Josh Hart’s rebounding may be needed more than ever.

As many expected, the Knicks had Karl-Anthony Towns cross-matched onto Dyson Daniels for much of the game. In theory, this allows Towns to play off Daniels, roam, and act as a free safety. Daniels and the Hawks were able to have some success, though, in keeping Towns out of the paint defensively and having him engage in more perimeter actions. And to be fair to Towns, he had one of his best defensive games as a Knick.

But with Towns, one of their two best rebounders on the team, spending more time outside of the paint, the Knicks needed every single one of Josh Hart’s 14 defensive rebounds. Hart may have struggled to leave a positive mark on the game in his first quarter stint, but his work on the boards cannot go understated. While how and where Towns defends may change as the series goes on, chances are the Knicks will continue leaning on Hart to be the fearless rebounder he was Saturday night.

Can the Hawks help make up for Jalen Johnson’s deficiencies?

Johnson still ended the night with 23 points, but it took him 19 shots to get there. He had some big three-pointers, and had some ferocious dunks off of some nice cuts, and actions the offense ran for him. But when the game slowed down, he struggled to consistently get good shots against the Knicks, and in particular, Hart. While Johnson has the athleticism and size advantage over Hart, his lack of a mid-range game and his good, but not great, handle clearly held him back from being an even bigger and stronger force offensively.

Defensive Film: Jalen Johnson🎥

– Going under on screens, making him a pull up shooter (29% on pull-ups threes)

– Funneling the ball towards Dyson Daniels

– Under + hedging vs hunting match ups

Josh Hart is awesome https://t.co/aOYjcl94bcpic.twitter.com/JiTRfomaab

— Shax (@ShaxNBA) April 19, 2026

It’s not unforeseeable that this ends up being his worst game of the series, but it’s clear that either he needs to find different ways to score, or the Hawks need to find more ways to get him downhill and into open spaces where he can really excel. If they can do that, they’ll not only unlock his scoring, but also his passing, which is arguably his most important skill set as it pertains to how it impacts the Hawks’ offense.

Towns needs to be great, and he was

We’ve seen multiple iterations of Towns and his role on the offensive end this season. In the early part of the season, we saw Brown try to turn him into a Domantas Sabonis-esque player with little success. We then saw Towns play a lesser role in the offense through the middle of the regular season. Then we saw Towns really find a solid balance between attacking, not forcing things, being decisive, and utilizing his passing abilities. And last night, we saw a lot of that.

We're back to the well: KAT as a hub, 30+ feet from the basket.

OG screens for Brunson, no switch from ATL. Another cut, another bucket. pic.twitter.com/RuADmia1n7

— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) April 18, 2026

While he did have a few turnovers where he got a bit overzealous or just overthrew passes after making the correct read, he was instrumental in the Knicks winning this game. Besides playing amazing defense, Towns started the game off being the focal point of an  offense that saw Mikal Bridges and Brunson get easy looks off his gravity and decision-making. It was justifiably Brunson’s 19-point first-quarter outburst that got a lot of the attention, while Towns and his slow, inefficient start from the field frustrated some. But if you actually watched the game and didn’t rely simply on box scores to judge impact, Towns’ process, patience, and decision-making were every bit as important as Brunson’s.

Karl-Anthony Towns 25 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 3 BLK, 6/13 FG, 3/4 3FG, 71.8% TS vs Hawks pic.twitter.com/7O262wxVUchttps://t.co/dG5EpCHXQW

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 19, 2026

Given how tightly the Hawks are playing Brunson and how nobody on the Hawks can defend Towns, he’ll likely continue to have a large role both as a passer and scorer this series. The more Towns can serve as an outlet and initiator for Brunson, the easier his job becomes.

Brunson may decide the floor of this team, but the ceiling of how good this team can be, and how far they can go, ultimately will be decided by Towns. And if he can continue to play even remotely close to the level he did yesterday, the Knicks should feel very good about their postseason run.

Depth difference

While most NBA fans look at the matchups between the starters and what they did, it can often be the bench players and the plays on the margins that really separate the great from the good. And last night, we saw some interesting takeaways from both benches.

One, while I am not someone who often reads too much into the plus-minuses of a single game, it was clear that the Knicks’ bench outplayed the Hawks’ bench. Atlanta’s bench struggled mightily with only one player, Mouhamed Gueye, having a positive plus-minus, and the other three bench players having a plus-minus no better than -5. Shoot, former number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher, may not play another second this series after the awful 120-second stint he had last night.

Meanwhile, the Knicks’ bench was all in the positive. Mitchell Robinson, as he often is, was a force to be reckoned with and was great on both ends of the floor. Deuce McBride, despite struggling with his shot in the first half, came alive in the second half and played his usual great defense. Landry Shamet couldn’t get much to go offensively, but he took the shots they needed him to continue taking, and he fought defensively. And last, but certainly not least, is Jordan Clarkson, whose game was eerily similar to the trajectory of his rollercoaster season. He started off the game shaky, but in the second half, he looked more and more like the re-invented version of him that we saw in the final weeks of the season. One who bought into ball pressure, offensive rebounding, and ball-handling.

The Knicks’ bench was actually so solid that they even put up a very commendable effort over a several-minute span to start the fourth quarter. If the Knicks’ bench can outplay the Hawks’ bench by this much and find a way to stay even close in their minutes without Brunson and Towns, this could be a very short series.

Hack a Mitch back in play?

Robinson’s free-throw shooting has been one of the only real weaknesses in his game throughout his career. And last night, as coaches have done in the past, Quinn Snyder decided to hack Robinson. This has multiple benefits besides just sending the poor free-throw shooter to the line. It also takes the Knicks and the rest of their players out of rhythm offensively, and it also can shake up the Knicks’ rotations a bit as they have to take Robinson out before they usually like to.

In a potential seven-game series, each game, every quarter, evolves into a series of chess moves between the coaches and players. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how Snyder and Brown counterplay each other when it comes to Robinson. Brown may respond to Snyder’s strategy by playing Robinson more in the early portions of quarters to get the Hawks into the penalty earlier. Regardless of how it plays out, with Robinsons being such an impactful force, it will be an interesting strategic back-and-forth to keep an eye on.

Same old story

It’s no secret that putting a big man on Hart and putting a wing on Towns is one of the most effective ways to slow down the Knicks offense. We saw throughout most of the game just how effective Brunson, Towns, and the rest of the Knicks were when the Hawks defended them in a more traditional way. When Atlanta did eventually decide to put Daniels on Towns and Okongwu on Hart, the Knicks’ offense looked significantly worse, with most possessions leading to Hart screening for Brunson.

Atlanta made a big change to close the game out and it stalled the Knick offense. Notice Dyson on KAT and OO now on Hart. Knicks start running PnR's with Hart as a result and the offense struggled. Something to watch for next game pic.twitter.com/iKnQIAvJox

— Ariel (@APachecoNBA) April 19, 2026

I still don’t think Snyder goes to this to start games off. Nor do I think it becomes his most-used defensive scheme. I do think, though, that he goes to it more often and earlier. And when he does, it will be interesting to see what Brown and the Knicks have planned. Over the course of the season, while the Knicks never truly found a solution to beating this strategy, they seemed to be able to do just enough. That being said, it’s been almost two full seasons of teams doing this, and they’ve yet to have a consistent enough counter. If the Hawks end up winning the series, or even push it to six or seven games, it will likely be due to this strategy continuing to haunt the Knicks.

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The last time I saw a bunch of dinosaurs taking that much of a pounding, Morgan Freeman was narrating an asteroid hitting Earth in the late Cretaceous.

The Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Toronto Raptors by 13 points in their series opener this weekend, but that margin doesn’t reflect just how strong the Cavaliers look. 

They took a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter, allowing Cleveland to rest some of its key contributors, like Evan Mobley.

Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions are optimistic about Cleveland’s forward, and my NBA picks are taking him to clear his points prop again in Game 2.

Raptors vs Cavaliers prediction

Who will win Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 2?

Cavaliers: The Cavaliers have too many options. The guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden was especially tricky in Game 1. If the Raptors overcommit to slowing them down, bigs like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will feast inside. Game 2 could be closer, but there’s no easy solution for the Raps' defense in this series.

Raptors vs Cavaliers best bet: Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-115)

Cleveland Cavaliers big Evan Mobley just topped his 16.5-point scoring prop in Game 1, doing so through only three quarters. 

With the Cavs holding a comfy 21-point cushion entering the fourth quarter, Mobley logged less than six minutes and missed his only shot attempt in that final frame. He finished with 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting through 33 minutes.

The versatile 6-foot-11 forward is a matchup nightmare for the Toronto Raptors. Toronto can put big bodies on Mobley or counter with quicker defenders, but the Raps lack Mobley's combo of size and speed.

After getting shredded by the guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in Game 1 (shooting a collective 8-for-14 from 3-point range), expect Toronto to hedge harder on the Cavs’ screen-heavy schemes and not drop as much in an effort to limit those 3-point looks.

That will generate a ton of space for screeners like Mobley, who will also force bad switches and enjoy exploiting size mismatches when the Raptors’ guards swap off pick-and-roll action.

Game 2 has the same spread as the opener, so oddsmakers expect a more competitive effort from Toronto. That will keep Mobley on the floor for more minutes — or at least more involved in the offense.

Player projections range from 17.5 to as high as 18.3 points from Mobley in Game 2, with my number at 17.9.

Raptors vs Cavaliers same-game parlay

The Cavaliers have too many options, including a much stronger bench. Cleveland’s reserves made a massive impact in Game 1, contributing 40 points. Tonight’s tilt will be more competitive than the series opener, but the Cavs will take a 2-0 series lead north of the border.

Toronto can’t just trade threes for twos against the Cavs. The Raptors need production from the perimeter, and Brandon Ingram was very quiet in the opener. He missed his lone 3-point attempt, but closed the regular season with at least two triples in four of his final six games. Game models lean toward two 3-point makes from B.I. tonight.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

• Cavaliers moneyline
• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Brandon Ingram Over 1.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Tall Order

The Cavaliers' guards gashed the Raptors in Game 1. With Toronto overcommitting, Cleveland's big men have their time to shine. Both Jarrett Allen and Mobley are projected to top their scoring prop tonight after taking their foot off the gas in the final frame of Game 1.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

• Cavaliers -8.5
• Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
• Evan Mobley Over 0.5 threes
• Jarrett Allen Over 13.5 points
• Jarrett Allen Over 8.5 rebounds

Raptors vs Cavaliers odds for Game 2

• Spread: Raptors +8.5 (-110) | Cavaliers -8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Raptors +300 | Cavaliers -380
• Over/Under: Over 223 (-110) | Under 223 (-110)

Raptors vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

The Raptors have gone Under the total in 27 of their last 40 away games for +12.70 units and a 29% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 2

Raptors vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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

In our first pop quiz, you were tested on the most iconic player in franchise history, Giannis Antetokounmpo. And while his season might have been his most disappointing yet, Ryan Rollins just had his best. By far. 

Season in a snippet

74 GP, 32.1 MPG, 17.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG, .472/.406/.796

Kyle’s end-of-season grade: B+

Prior to the season, the forecast on Rollins’ free agency seemed clear: as a restricted free agent, all signs pointed to his return to Cream City. Then the Bucks rescinded his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent, and his time in Milwaukee seemed to be over. But unlike his first pitch with the Brewers, which followed a linear path—even if it did bounce to the plate—the offseason threw another curveball, with Rollins returning to the Bucks on a three-year, $12m deal. And shortly after, he rocketed to eighth in our preseason rankings, where we envisioned him battling for the starting point guard role but more likely being part of the rotation, playing steady minutes as one half of the “Mosquito Fleet” next to his “T-shirt Twin,” Cole Anthony. Remember him?

Of course, when the season got underway—and Kevin Porter Jr. went down with an ankle injury after playing just nine minutes against the Washington Wizards on opening night—Rollins assumed starting point guard responsibilities. And he did not disappoint. Solid outings against the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers turned into statement games against the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors, and it soon became apparent that Rollins was cut from a different cloth. Yet, despite his brilliance, as the Bucks continued to disappoint, even Rollins found himself subject to fans’ scrutiny, with 43% feeling he isn’t untouchable in trade talks this offseason. Regardless, 2025–26 was a major breakout season for the 23-year-old and, as the onlyplayer in the entire league to finish with averages of over 17 points, five assists, and 1.5 steals, while shooting over 40% from three, Rollins is sure to feature in end-of-season Most Improved Player voting (even if somehow he isn’t a finalist).

Tantalising totals

(1) Rollins had a career-high 36 points in a blowout loss against which Western Conference team?

Click to reveal answer The Portland Trail Blazers.

(2) Rollins had more than 10 assists just four times for the season. What was his highest assist total: 10, 12, 14, or 16?

Click to reveal answer 14, vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.

(3) Rollins led the Bucks with 298 deflections on the season. Where did this rank him in the entire league?

Click to reveal answer Fourth, behind Cason Wallace (339), Ausar Thompson (317), and Dyson Daniels (314).

Atypically advanced

(1) Rollins’ season-high game score of 33.0—after posting 29 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals, and a block, while shooting 11/13 from the field and 6/7 from three—came in a one-point win against which team?

Click to reveal answer The Charlotte Hornets.

(2) True or false: Rollins finished with a higher clutch time* true shooting percentage than notable clutch performers Anthony Edwards (68.7%), Jamal Murray (68.6%), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (66.8%)?

Click to reveal answer True, 69.5%.

_{*Clutch time is defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.}

Obscure optics   

(1) True or false: More than 70% of Rollins’ career minutes were played this year?

Click to reveal answer True, 2377 of his 3336 career minutes (71%) were played this year.

---

How did you fare? Share your score in the comments and don’t forget to drop your thoughts along with it—which stat stands out?

Ramp-up Tatum, Vucevic's impact and more numbers from Celtics' Game 1 rout originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — Asked to assess his first playoff game, just 11 months removed from the Achilles rupture that left his future so uncertain, Jayson Tatum basically shrugged off a dominant two-way effort in Game 1 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

“I’m still rehabbing,” said Tatum, then later added, “Still trying to ramp up.”

If this is “Still Rehabbing” Tatum then … sheesh.

Here are three numbers that stand out from Boston’s dominant Game 1, beginning with Tatum’s all-around prowess:

Two-way superstar

Tatum totaled 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and two steals over just 32:25 of game action. He did most of his offensive damage in the first half while helping Boston build a big cushion, then let Jaylen Brown take the offensive baton as the Jays sent a very loud reminder of Boston’s 1-2 championship punch while KOing the Sixers at TD Garden.

Perhaps more encouraging than Tatum’s offensive output was his play on the defensive end. He got switched onto speedy Tyrese Maxey multiple times in the first half but utilized his length to disrupt Philadelphia’s twitchy guard.

The Sixers were a mere 6-of-19 shooting (31.6 percent) when Tatum was the primary defender, per NBA tracking. Maxey finished 1-of-5 shooting with two points when defended by Tatum, with the lone make being a tough finish in traffic around the basket.

Jayson Tatum's defense vs 76ers

Incredible iso and help defense pic.twitter.com/XXpGJZqnyd

— NikNBA🏀 (@NIKNBAYT) April 20, 2026

Tatum also grabbed 27.5 percent of all defensive rebounds during his floor time as he continues to be the top rebounding forward in the NBA since his return. Boston had a +31.7 net rating during Tatum’s floor time, including a 91.0 defensive rating. 

About the only thing that went wrong for Tatum was his 3-point efficiency, as he went 1 for 7 beyond the arc. Connecting on 8 of 10 shots inside the arc helped jolt his overall shooting numbers (9 for 17). Tatum also created 15 assist points in Sunday’s game while committing just one turnover. 

Given the way players up and down Boston’s roster answered all the questions about their ability to grow into larger roles during Tatum’s absence, nothing has been more important since Tatum’s return than him working his way back closer to the All-NBA player we saw prior his injury in Round 2 against the Knicks last postseason.

Maybe what Tatum has done over the past 45 days will eventually stop feeling so improbable. You can see the explosion is still working its way back — though it didn’t hinder him from exploding through the 76ers defense multiple times on Sunday.

Tatum is still maybe a slight bit hesitant to dive onto the floor, and understandably so coming back from his injury. But his impact is undeniable, and to think that there’s another level that he might ascend to during these playoffs has to be daunting news for East rivals.

That the Celtics were able to limit Tatum’s workload to start this postseason is a positive as well, even though they’ll need him to maintain his two-way output as Boston gets deeper into this postseason trek. 

We’ll just keep saying it: What Tatum is doing at this early juncture simply feels light years ahead of what could have been reasonably expected to this point. And it’s wild to think that, as good as he’s been, there’s another level he might eventually get to.

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Live wire

Not all NBA turnovers are equally. A decade ago, after a turnover-plagued playoff loss, then-Celtics coach Brad Stevens told his players he would rather they punt the ball into the stands than give up a live-ball turnover to an opportunistic opponent. 

That notion remains a pillar of Boston’s offensive approach. The Celtics didn’t just commit the fewest turnovers in the NBA during the 2025-26 season (1,014 total); they committed 90 fewer live-ball turnovers than the next-closest rival.

Boston led the league while committing just 506 live-ball turnovers, which, for context, was 382 fewer than 30th-ranked Portland.

The Celtics entered Sunday’s Game 1 knowing that the easiest way to activate Philadelphia’s middling offense was to give up easy transition opportunities. The Celtics committed just three live-ball turnovers all game — including one where Nikola Vucevic simply lost the ball going up for a layup — which led to just three points off live-ball turnovers (all by Tyrese Maxey).

All it takes is a couple lazy passes and Maxey can kickstart a lopsided run. Instead, the Celtics made him work against set defenses and rarely let him see ways to get to the basket in a straight line. The Celtics survived 10 live-ball turnovers in the last regular-season meeting against the Sixers but absolutely have to value the ball given the competition they might see along their playoff path.

Boston’s 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio Sunday was second-best among all Game 1 teams, trailing only Oklahoma City (3.5). 

The Sixers’ already anemic offense (96.4 points per 100 possessions) generated just 83.9 points per 100 possessions against a half-court defense. Philadelphia saw 88.8 percent of its plays against a half-court defense, the highest percentage in Game 1s per Cleaning the Glass data.

Vooch’s debut

Nikola Vucevic got the early call in Game 1 when Neemias Queta got in foul trouble in the first quarter. The big question is how Vucevic will hold up defensively, particularly given the various bigs the Celtics might encounter on their playoff path.

In Game 1, NBA tracking had the Sixers shooting 1 for 7 when Vucevic was the primary defender. He had a few instances where his presence around the basket impacted the Sixers, most notably when Dominick Barlow steamrolled at the rim late in the first quarter and Vucevic spilled beyond the baseline taking a hit to contest the layup. Vucevic disrupted a Maxey baseline drive in the second quarter.

One thing the Celtics need to adjust to with Vucevic on the floor: his penchant for wanting to tip rebounds in the direction of teammates rather than always trying to secure them on his own. Boston’s defensive rebound rate was a team-worst 62.5 percent during Vucevic’s floor time.

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FanDuel is giving its customers the option to protect against injury-induced losses throughout NBA playoff games.

Bet Protect+ is a new optional feature that will either give customers refunds for straight bets or remove parlay legs if a player leaves the game at any point due to injury.

Key Takeaways

• Users must apply Bet Protect+ to wagers before they are submitted.
  
  
• Bet Protect+ costs 3% of a user’s stake per wager.
  
  
• Affected bets will be refunded or have an affected leg removed from a parlay.

Bet Protect was first introduced to FanDuel Sportsbook users in September, ahead of the new NFL season. The NBA playoffs began this past weekend and customers can now enjoy full-game injury protection on the hardwood.

All customers have the option to trigger Bet Protect+ before placing their favorite wagers. Anyone who wants to add it will pay an additional flat 3% fee to the total stake of the selected wager. 

Full-game player prop bets placed before a playoff game begins will be eligible for Bet Protect+, as indicated by a toggle box in users’ bet slips. Bonus bets cannot be used to cover the 3% fee, which will be charged when wagers are submitted. However, bonus bets can be used for the stake itself.

In the event that a player leaves a game with an injury and a user protected a bet involving that player, they will trigger one of two possibilities:

• Refunds for straight bets (stake only)
• Removing the affected leg from a parlay, which is then recalculated as if the affected leg was never there

Live betting odds cannot be protected, although FanDuel is working on adding that feature.

"The challenge is that even with the most well-planned bet, the most comprehensive research, the best hunch – it can all get squashed by an unexpected injury. We want to allow our customers to regain that loss of control," said Jon Sadow, FanDuel's sportsbook product vice president, in a release. 

Rules and requirements

Players are accustomed to playing heavy minutes during the playoffs as they battle to climb NBA Finals odds and eventually compete for the championship. 

The heavy strain can lead to an unfortunate increase in injuries, as seen with several star players going down during last year’s postseason. With Bet Protect+, bettors won’t have to couple the feelings of losing the best player on their favorite team with losing their favorite bet. 

Bet Protect+ only applies to injuries that knock a player out for the rest of the game. Situations in which players are ejected, foul out, get themselves into foul troubles, or are benched will not be covered. A bet on a player who plays, leaves with an injury, and then returns also will not be protected. 

Customers also cannot protect bets in other sports, or parlays that include legs from the NBA and other sports or leagues. Only NBA straight bets and parlay legs will be eligible.

Rewards tokens, such as profit boosts, can be applied in combination with Bet Protect+ to eligible wagers.

FanDuel’s NBA playoff odds

Heading into the first round of the NBA Playoffs, FanDuel had the Oklahoma City Thunder as a +100 favorite to repeat as league champions.

The San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics led the chase pack at +550 each, before  a sizable drop-off to the next competitors. The Denver Nuggets (+1,200), Cleveland Cavaliers (+1,300), and Detroit Pistons (+1,800) were the only other teams with odds shorter than +2,000.

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