Category: Basketball

NEW YORK (AP) — NBA owners vote to explore expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle.

Even with Monday’s loss to the Pistons, the Lakers are rolling as the season races down the home stretch.

In congruence with the postseason nearing, the rotation for the purple and gold is shrinking. Head coach JJ Redick has picked the nine players he can rely upon the most and only injury has altered things in recent weeks.

While those nine players, and specifically the four off the bench, have gained Redick’s trust, where do they stand with Lakers fans? Let’s dive in.

Starters: Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton

Rui Hachimura

While Rui’s raw numbers have dropped over the last two weeks, his efficiency certainly has not. Over the last six games, he’s averaging 7.3 points, but doing it on 55.9% shooting from the field and 42.9% shooting from range.

Luke Kennard

The star of the week off the bench, Kennard had one of the biggest shots of the win streak with his game-winner in Orlando.

As great as that shot and moment was, it cast a shadow over his recent struggles. In his last seven games, Kennard is shooting 37% from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point line.

Hopefully, that shot kickstarts him once again before the playoffs arrive.

Jaxson Hayes

On the flip side, Hayes is heading toward the postseason playing well, not too dissimilar from last season.

Defensively, he’s stepped up and is averaging 1.7 blocks per game over his last six outings. The rebounds are still lower than you’d want at 3.7 per contest, but the high energy level has been noticeable.

Jake LaRavia

LaRavia has the loosest grip on his spot in the rotation of any of the four players. He has offered little offensively, hitting just 33.3% of his threes in the last seven games.

The reason he’s staying in the rotation has been his overall effort level, which shows up in his rebounding and activity on the defensive side of the ball.

But if that dips, then minutes for Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber or even someone like Adou Thiero could come in the final weeks.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Pro basketball is seemingly on its way back to Seattle.

The NBA's ownership group has approved the vote to explore adding two new franchises, with expansion team applicants exclusively for the Seattle and Las Vegas markets, the league announced Wednesday, March 25.

"Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday, March 25, in a statement. "We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties."

The NBA Board of Governors are holding their regularly-scheduled meeting at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where the vote took place. The league has been targeting the 2028-29 season as the inaugural season for the new expansion franchises. Silver will hold a press conference later in the day.

The NBA has also contracted PJT Partners, an investment bank, to consult on prospective ownership groups, infrastructure and the overall health of the prospective markets.

Over the years, rumors had suggested that Las Vegas, Nevada and Seattle, Washington, have been considered frontrunners to acquire a new franchise.

Now that two cities have been identified, the next steps would be a bidding process for potential owners, and the price tag for ownership is expected to be steep, estimated to be between $7 billion and $ 10 billion.

The league's 30 governors would then vote on the franchises' approval, which requires 23 to vote in the affirmative; thus, it would be the league's first expansion since the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004, which paid a $300 million expansion fee.

The Bobcats rebranded as the Hornets in 2014, and the original Hornets left and relocated to New Orleans. That team has since been renamed the Pelicans.

If Las Vegas is approved, the city would be home to all four major North American sports, with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights starting play in 2017 in the NHL, the NFL's Raiders moving from Oakland in 2020, and the Athletics also moving from Oakland to start its first MLB season in Nevada in 2028. For decades, the league has avoided putting teams in Las Vegas, worried that the state's legal gambling would negatively influence play.

That went away in 2018, after the United States Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, allowing states to legalize betting on sports, and the leagues followed suit, embracing gambling and earning billions more in revenue through sponsorship deals and advertising.

Seattle has been without a professional basketball team since 2008, when the owners failed to secure funds for a new arena, were ultimately sold for $350 million, and relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they were renamed the Thunder.

The SuperSonics began play in the NBA in 1967, winning six division titles, three conference championships, and the NBA title in 1979 before moving to Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA approves vote to explore expansion teams in Seattle, Las Vegas

Stephon Castle is having himself a season. He has followed up his Rookie of the Year with improvements to every aspect of this game. Averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists sounds great, but for a player like Castle, it just doesn’t tell the whole story.

Currently, he doesn’t shoot particularly well, averaging a below-average 51.1 percent effective field goal percentage. That isn’t great, but he’s still one of the most effective players on the court. He brings a number of intangible qualities that don’t quite make it in the box score but do make their effect felt in the win column.

Diving a little deeper, is there a way to quantify more of what Castle brings night after night? Yes. The advanced stats start to shed more light on the Spurs and Castle’s success in a more tangible way.

Plus/minus stats are the first place to look. How does the team do with him on the court versus off? Overall, it’s not a great metric because the data carries so much noise and outliers (such as who he shares the court with) and can be misleading in any particular game, but it’s not a bad place to start when looking at a large sample size. Castle’s raw plus/minus is +5.5. Not bad at all.

Second is his defense. Castle is one of the best point-of-attack defenders out there and a genuine pest to any ball handler in the NBA. Looking at opponent points per 100 possessions, it drops 4.7 points with Castle on the floor, per cleaningtheglass.com. That isn’t all attributable to Castle, but it is notable. It would be surprising if Castle isn’t on an All-Defense team.

Next up is offense, beginning with transition, where the Spurs have been very efficient this season. Per Cleaning the Glass, they are first in points per 100 possessions off live rebounds (+1.9) and 6th in overall points per 100 (+3.4). Where Castle comes in is how often the team is able to get into transition play when on the floor. That transition frequency goes up 2.3 percent (93rd percentile) overall, and 6.3 percent off of live rebounds (97th percentile) with Castle in the game. In short, the team gets rebounds and goes with Castle on the floor.

What about getting to the rim? His shooting may not be there yet, but he gets to the basket. 43 percent of his shots are at the rim (93rd percentile among combo guards). Not only this, Castle is getting fouled on a whopping 20.5 percent of his shots. He isn’t shooting particularly well, but if one out of every five of those shots gets him to the free-throw line, where he shoots 74 percent, he’s making up for it.

Looking at a more sophisticated all-in-one metric, one that tries to pare down the noise to a player’s actual contributions, there is Estimated Plus-Minus from Dunksandthrees.com. He’s at +2.8. For context, that’s 93rd percentile league-wide. Overall, a pretty remarkable figure for a player who is only 21 years old and only going to get better.

All of this is to say that Castle is a winning player. He isn’t out for his own stats and finds ways to impact the game, no matter what that looks like. Now, as this young team enters its first postseason, we’ll see if Castle can keep it up, if not find another gear.

The recent injury to Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham could be remembered as the event that ultimately led to the end of the NBA's 65-game eligibility rule for individual awards. That, at least, is the resolution the players' union hopes will come from the awkward situation

The National Basketball Players Association called Cunningham's potential ineligibility for postseason awards "a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries," in a statement released to multipleoutlets on March 24.

Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung last week after falling to the court in a March 17 game against the Washington Wizards. The Pistons' No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft has been the driving force behind the team's rise to the top of the Eastern Conference standings and would be a top candidate for all-NBA honors with an outside shot at MVP if he meets the league's requirement for games played.

AROUND THE NBA: Why is Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting? Players Association questions Bucks

Cunningham has appeared in 61 games this season, but played fewer than 20 minutes on March 17 due to his injury occurring in the first quarter. Under current NBA rules, he must play in five of Detroit's remaining 11 games to be eligible.

"Since its implementation," the NBPA said about the league's rule requiring players to appear in at least 65 of their team's 82 regular-season games in order to receive individual postseason awards, "far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota.”

The Pistons announced on March 19 that Cunningham would be re-evaluated in two weeks. He's averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists per game this season.

The NBPA agreed to the 65-game eligibility clause through collective bargaining and it was introduced ahead of the 2023-24 season as a way to combat load management. The rule has become especially controversial this season, with stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry and LeBron James already ineligible for postseason awards and all-NBA candidates Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama right on the edge of being unable to play the required 65 games despite strong seasons.

The NBA does have an exemption giving awards eligibility to a player who appeared in at least 62 regular-season games and suffered a season-ending injury after playing in at least 85% of the regular-season games played by his team prior to the injury. But that does not currently apply to Cunningham since his injury is not considered season-ending.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBPA demands NBA end, change to 65-game rule for Cade Cunningham injury

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Paul George was set to return to the Philadelphia 76ers' lineup following a 25-game suspension for a failed drug test and play Wednesday night against Chicago.

The Sixers went 13-12 in his absence and began the day at 39-33 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.

George was suspended in late January for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program.

In his first public remarks since the suspension, George apologized Tuesday to the team, its fans and his family for the poor judgement that led to his flunked test.

“To let people down hurt more than kind of anything,” George said.

He said his choice to take a banned substance was connected to a mental health issue that developed because of an offseason knee injury that limited his production this season.

“The most difficult thing is when your body isn’t where you know it needs to be or where it once was,” George said. “That leads and bleeds into the mental side of things, knowing that you’re limited. But for me, I feel good, my body is feeling great. Mentally, I know I’m capable of doing what I can do and what I’ve been able to on the court for years.”

George has averaged 16 points in 27 games this season for the Sixers. He had one of his best games of the season in the week he was suspended, a 32-point outburst fueled by nine 3-pointers in a win over Milwaukee.

The 35-year-old George signed a $212 million, four-year contract in free agency ahead of the 2024 season. But his first year in Philly was marred by knee and adductor injuries that resulted in the forward having one of the worst years of his NBA career.

The Sixers also said two-time NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid was questionable against the Bulls after he missed the last 13 games with a right oblique strain. All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has missed nine straight games with a right finger tendon strain.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

MONACO (AP) — Three U.S. runners who were mistakenly led off the course by a guide vehicle in the women’s race at the U.S. half marathon championships will be allowed to compete at the world championships in September, the world track and field governing body said on Wednesday.

World Athletics said it made an “exceptional decision” to allow the U.S. to bring seven runners to the event instead of the usual four. However, only four of them will be entered as “scoring athletes," meaning the other three will not be able to compete for medals or prize money at the world road running championships in Denmark.

World Athletics said it made the decision because of the extraordinary nature of the incident during national qualifying for the event.

Jess McClain was ahead by a wide margin with about 1.5 miles to go on March 2 when she and three other runners followed the guide vehicle on a wrong turn. McClain, who is from Phoenix, ended up finishing ninth. The next two runners who followed her off the course — Emma Hurley of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Ednah Kurgat of Roswell, Georgia — were 12th and 13th, respectively.

“In working to find a solution, World Athletics has been sympathetic to the impacted athletes who would otherwise miss out on competing at the WRRC Copenhagen 2026, and understanding of the unprecedented situation USATF – one our leading Member Federations – has found itself in,” World Athletics said.

It will be up to the USATF to pick which four athletes are entered as scoring athletes, World Athletics said.

USATF said on X that "we are grateful for their collaboration in helping us honor all the athletes involved in this extraordinary situation.”

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

The Mavericks were 0-3 this past week and remain in 13th place in the West. Defense was optional during their losing streak, as the Mavericks lost three barn burners to Atlanta (135-120), the Clippers (138-131), and Golden State (137-131). Cooper Flagg led the team in scoring with 22.3 points per game. 

Grade: C+

The Mavericks hung tough with the Clippers and Warriors. In both games, they attempted a shot to win in regulation, and both were facilitated by Cooper Flagg (one was a shot he took, and one was a pass to the guy who shot). Neither play was successful, and Dallas lost both overtimes in a similar way: by running out of steam. The games are starting to run together as the season reaches the final stages.

Daniel Gafford continues his resurgence and now owns the fourth-most 20-point games ever without a miss. Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington maintained steady play, averaging 16.0 and 17.7 points over the last three games, respectively. Klay Thompson heard my criticism from last week and made 13 of the 23 threes he attempted. Max Christie’s play has leveled back out with a 12-of-25 shooting performance over his last 86 minutes.

The Mavericks have a quick road trip out west this week to Denver and Portland before they return home to face Minnesota next Monday.

Straight A’s: Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks have 10 games left before the 2025-26 campaign is a wrap. Flagg is currently averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. All of these rank in the top-five among rookies, and his points per game ranks 33rd among all 450-plus players in the NBA. He is outscoring guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and DeMar DeRozan, and yet, according to FanDuel, Flagg is not the favorite to win rookie of the year. That honor goes to Kon Knueppel, who is having a fantastic rookie season. But he is not Cooper Flagg.

Flagg is coming off of his eighth 30-point game of the season, which ties Luka Doncic for second-most in franchise history for a rookie, and seventh-most in the last 30 years of the NBA. His 56 blocks this season place him behind Dereck Lively as the only Mavericks rookies to record 50-plus blocks since 2004 (Josh Howard, 54). The 277 assists he has dished out are fourth behind Dennis Smith Jr., Luka Doncic, and current head coach Jason Kidd in the Mavericks rookie ranks. He has done a little of everything, and all at the ripe age of 19. 

In the one head-to-head matchup between the two, Flagg had 49 points and 10 rebounds. But, in what is likely the reason Knueppel is ahead of Flagg in the race, the Hornets won that game. I am not sure if there has ever been a rookie of the year race decided by team success. It is not usually a relevant statistic, given that a lot of these guys are drafted to bad teams. If that ends up being the reason Knueppel wins, so be it. Flagg will just beat him to more important awards. But it shouldn’t be the reason Flagg loses, because if you watch the two of them play consistently, it is clear who the better rookie is. And it is the guy who plays in Dallas.

Currently Failing: Khris Middleton

Last week, I mentioned that “The Unction” (Klay Thompson and Khris Middleton) was huffing and puffing to get to the finish line. Thompson found some life, but Middleton seemingly keeled over and gasped for air after I wrote that. This past week was one of the worst he has had in recent memory. He made just one of every three shots he took, and played under 20 minutes in each game (this includes two overtime contests). He turned it over five times while recording just three assists and has not reached 10 points in six consecutive games. That is especially hilarious because the seventh game was a 35-point explosion in Memphis. There is no one more eager to get to the offseason than Middleton.

Extra Credit: Marvin Bagley III

Bagley has been a gem after he was seemingly a throw-in to the Anthony Davis trade. He has given Dallas a great boost at center off the bench, so much so that he has made a case to be the team’s backup next season. What really separated him from Daniel Gafford or Dwight Powell, however, has been his willingness to take open threes. He took four this week and made three, and if he can build on that going into the offseason, he will find himself a home in Dallas.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was the beating heart of the team’s recent winning run, logging major minutes during L.A.’s nine-game streak. But with that red-hot stretch coming to an end at Detroit on Monday, and a matchup with the lowly Indiana Pacers on deck, the spunky shooting guard will see his floor time dip.

My Lakers vs. Pacers predictions read into tonight’s game script, and my NBA picks see Reaves coming up short on the scoresheet on Wednesday, March 25.

Lakers vs Pacers prediction

Lakers vs Pacers best bet: Austin Reaves Under 22.5 points (-110)

During the Los Angeles Lakers’ winning streak, head coach J.J. Redick tightened his rotation and really leaned into the starters. 

That had Austin Reaves averaging a team high 38.8 minutes per game over the past 10 showings — more than five minutes above his season average.

That additional floor time came with a boost in offensive activity. Reaves’ field goal attempts jumped from 14.8 to 16.5 per contest, and he scored 23.4 points during this span, including a few 30-point efforts.

Reaves’ spike in scoring had him topping his player points prop in six of the last nine outings, including dropping 24 points versus a prop total of 20.5 O/U against the Detroit Pistons.

Los Angeles has played in several tight games during this recent run, with eight of the 10 spreads closing below five points. Tonight’s point spread versus the Indiana Pacers, however, is set at -10.5. Game script says Los Angeles cruises to an easy win, limiting Reaves’ late-game usage.

We could see Redick gear down his starters in this final stop on a six-game road swing. Monday’s loss to Detroit burns any incentive to keep the streak going, and he has to be careful to protect his top talents for the final nine games, as the Lakers try to hang on to the No. 3 seed in the West.

Reaves’ player projections range from 22.1 to 20.1 points. My number comes out to 21.25, which should have the Under 22.5 priced around -140. We can get that same total at a flat -110 at bet365.

Lakers vs Pacers same-game parlay

The spread and game models say the Lakers pick up where they left off, bouncing back from Monday’s loss. Los Angeles is trying to keep Denver at bay in the Western Conference standings.

Jarace Walker has been solid from outside. The Pacers forward has made two or more 3-pointers in six straight games, and is a much better shooter from deep at home (40.9% vs. 33.5% road).

Lakers vs Pacers SGP

• Lakers moneyline
• Austin Reaves Under 22.5 points
• Jarace Walker Over 1.5 3-pointers

Our "from downtown" SGP: Going through the paces

The Pacers snuffed out a streak of their own last time out, snapping a 17-game losing skid with a win over Orlando. If Los Angeles is in a bit of a letdown after the loss Monday, all those points add quite a cushion for the home team.

Lakers vs Pacers SGP

• Pacers +10.5
• Jarace Walker Over 1.5 3-pointers
• Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 rebounds
• Jay Huff Over 10.5 points

Lakers vs Pacers odds

• Spread: Lakers -10.5 | Pacers +10.5
• Moneyline: Lakers -550 | Pacers +400
• Over/Under: Over 239.5 | Under 239.5

Lakers vs Pacers betting trend to know

For as bad as the Pacers are, they’re 12-7 ATS (63%) as double-digit underdogs this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Pacers.

How to watch Lakers vs Pacers

Lakers vs Pacers latest injuries

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Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visit the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at the FedExForum, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. 

Second-year guard Stephon Castle has been in his bag, and my Spurs vs Grizzlies predictions expect him to show out. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Wednesday, March 25.

Spurs vs Grizzlies prediction

Spurs vs Grizzlies best bet: Stephon Castle Over 17.5 points (+100)

While Victor Wembanyama gets a ton of credit for the San Antonio Spurs’ success, other pieces have also been key to their rise to the second-best team in the Western Conference.

Stephon Castle is a perfect example. 

The 21-year-old is averaging 16.5 points per game, cashing the Over in points in five of his last seven contests. 

Castle has hit the Over in two of his last three road outings, also scoring 23 last week against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Memphis Grizzlies are an easier matchup for shooting guards, allowing 22.8 ppg to the position. 

Also, Castle’s backcourt mate, De’Aaron Fox, won’t play in Memphis due to back soreness. That means the young guard will have a heavier workload for the Spurs.

In nine games without Fox, Castle has averaged 18.9 points.

Spurs vs Grizzlies same-game parlay

Wemby just dropped 26 against the Heat, and he’s cashed the Over in five of his last nine appearances. The big man is averaging 24.3 ppg overall and 26.6 per outing in March. 

Wembanyama already erupted for 30 earlier in the campaign vs. Memphis, and he’ll also benefit from Fox’s absence with more offensive workload. 

Dylan Harper is a sparkplug off the bench for the Spurs, and he’s one of their better playmakers. Harper is averaging 3.8 dimes per game, and he just dished out six assists on Monday evening. 

The Rutgers product had finished with five dimes in four of five games before Monday, and without Fox — an elite facilitator — he’ll be tasked with stepping up as a passer. 

Spurs vs Grizzlies SGP

• Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
• Dylan Harper Over 5.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Spur of the moment

The Spurs are averaging 119.2 ppg this season, which ranks third in the Association. They’ve cashed the Over in three of their last four, and San Antonio just scored 136 against the Heat. 

They’ve hit the Over in team points in two of the last four meetings with Memphis, who is 22nd in defensive rating. 

Keldon Johnson has cashed the Over in triples in back-to-back contests and in three of his last four appearances. He’s 5-for-9 from downtown across his last two games alone. 

Spurs vs Grizzlies SGP

• Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
• Dylan Harper Over 5.5 assists
• Spurs team total Over 124.5
• Keldon Johnson Over 1.5 threes

Spurs vs Grizzlies odds

• Spread: Spurs -16.5 (-115) | Grizzlies +16.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Spurs -1600 | Grizzlies +900
• Over/Under: Over 232.5 | Under 232.5

Spurs vs Grizzlies betting trend to know

The Spurs have hit the moneyline in 27 of their last 40 away games (+29.25 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Grizzlies.

How to watch Spurs vs Grizzlies

Spurs vs Grizzlies latest injuries

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Butler named Ronald Nored as its next men's basketball coach Wednesday, March 25.

Nored, 36, will be the 25th coach in program history, replacing Thad Matta after his retirement following the 2025-26 season. Nored is first coach hired by athletic director Grant Leiendecker, a former Butler basketball player who took over for outgoing AD Barry Collier in December of 2024.

Nored told the Atlanta Hawks, where he was an assistant coach, Wednesday morning, Leiendecker sharing a photo of the moment on Twitter.

"The term ‘dream job’ doesn’t do justice to how I feel about the opportunity to lead the Butler program," Nored said in a release. "Butler is an incredibly special place. As a player, I poured blood, sweat and tears into this program. No one appreciates both the responsibility and the potential that comes with this position more than me. Passionate fans, Hinkle Fieldhouse, the Big East, storied tradition, a world-class education, a thriving city … there is incredible momentum at Butler right now and I can’t wait to hit the ground running as we elevate Butler to new heights."

Nored emerged as a candidate to replace Matta due to his strong relationship with Leiendecker. Nored and Leiendecker played together at Butler for three seasons, including Butler's back-to-back national championship runner-up teams in 2010 and 2011. Of the potential coaching candidates, Nored was the only one without head-coaching experience at the college level, but his relationship with Leiendecker provides a level of familiarity and comfort for the AD.

“In a rapidly evolving college basketball landscape, our priority was identifying the absolute best leader to spearhead the future of Butler Basketball. Ronald Nored is that leader,” Leiendecker said.

“Ron is a relentless worker with an elite basketball IQ and a proven track record of developing talent at the highest level of basketball. He is the ultimate competitor, and he will cultivate that same quality within his team and staff. He is a gifted relationship builder who commands respect through his character and his craft. While he understands the soul of this university, we didn't hire him for his history here — we hired him for his vision of what we can become and how we will get there. His experience in the NBA provides us with a distinct competitive advantage as we navigate this new era of college basketball. He will attract an elite staff and student-athletes and build deep relationships within the Butler and Indianapolis communities. I have total confidence that Ron will put his own fingerprints on this program, set a new standard for our student-athletes, and elevate Butler Basketball to new heights.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Butler hires Ronald Nored as next men's basketball coach

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The Denver Nuggets hope to avoid a season series loss when they host the Dallas Mavericks tonight at Ball Arena.

Nikola Jokic is one of the best playmaking bigs the NBA has ever seen, and my Mavericks vs. Nuggets predictions expect a big night of dishing for the Denver legend. 
 
Read on for my NBA picks for Wednesday, March 25. 

Mavericks vs Nuggets prediction

Mavericks vs Nuggets best bet: Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists (-115)

Nikola Jokic does not chase assists. They come from how the Denver Nuggets run their offense, with the ball in his hands at the elbow or in the post on most possessions. 

Mavericks vs Nuggets same-game parlay

Without Aaron Gordon, there’s more pressure on Denver’s secondary scorers like Christian Braun and Cam Johnson to finish plays, and they have.

Braun should see 30+ minutes, and has scored 13 or more points in four of his previous five games.

Johnson should see more scoring opportunities with Gordon likely out. He’s scored at least 13 points in seven of his previous eight contests. 

Mavericks vs Nuggets SGP

• Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists
• Christian Braun Over 12.5 points
• Cam Johnson Over 12.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Mile high total

Cooper Flagg is the Mavericks' offense, and has scored 21+ points in four of his last six.

March has been kind to Tim Hardaway Jr. He’s averaging 13 ppg during March, while Peyton Watson missed Tuesday night’s clash with Phoenix but has scored 11 points or more in eight of his last nine.

All signs point to high scoring.

Denver is 12-4 to the Over on zero days' rest. Dallas has allowed 130 or more points in four of its last six games, while all three head-to-head meetings this season have eclipsed the total. 

Mavericks vs Nuggets SGP

• Over 245.5
• Cooper Flagg Over 20.5 points
• Tim Hardaway Jr. Over 12.5 points
• Peyton Watson Over 10.5 points

Mavericks vs Nuggets odds

• Spread: Mavericks +14.5 |  Nuggets -14.5
• Moneyline: Mavericks +523 | Nuggets -730
• Over/Under: Over 245.5 | Under 245.5

Mavericks vs Nuggets betting trend to know

The Over is 3-0 in their three previous meetings this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Mavericks vs Nuggets

Mavericks vs Nuggets 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.

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Jordan Walsh knew that his Celtics team was going to be just fine.

In the offseason, when many in the media and the public predicted the Celtics would end up a lottery team, Walsh could only laugh.

“As soon as I started hearing people talking about losing and tanking and all that stuff, I immediately knew that that was never gonna be us,” Walsh told CelticsBlog at a PIMCO-sponsored dinner at the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club.

The discourse around the Celtics tanking was particuarly wild for the 22-year-old to digest.

“What is that? What does that mean purposely lose? Like, try not to win? Walsh said. ”There’s never going to be a situation where I feel like the Boston Celtics are not going to try to win — especially with Joe as the head coach.”

“Nobody in our organization wants to lose. I don’t care what it’s for – from Brad [Stevens] all the way down to me, nobody ever wants to lose.”

But, what kind of season was he, individually, destined for?

That, he wasn’t sure.

In total, Walsh has appeared in a 58 games this season, averaging 17.2 minutes a night. He’s tallied 5.3 points per game on 52.5% shooting, including 40.8% from three. All of those numbers are career-bests.

Walsh wasn’t in the rotation to start the year, but quickly emerged as a key part of the Celtics’ early success. He began starting games in November, and in December, he became one of the Celtics’ most crucial two-way players. That month, he shot 54.2% from three-point range, and was regularly tasked with guarding opposing teams’ best players.

After one December match-up, Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves praised Walsh’s defense, per CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning.

“I can see him being one of the best defenders in the league for many years to come,” Reaves said,

But, the Celtics’ rotation continued to change, largely dependent on needs and recent play. Sam Hauser replaced Walsh in the starting lineup in January, and around that time, Baylor Scheierman also emerged as a key contributor and a secondary playmaker for the Celtics who demonstrated a proclivity for crashing the glass.

How Jordan Walsh has dealt with fluctuating minutes

Walsh’s minutes have steadily declined throughout the season; he averaged 24.1 minutes per game in November, 20.6 minutes in December, 15.8 minutes in January, 14 minutes in February, and 11.8 minutes in March.

Since Tatum’s return, he has mostly racked up DNPs as the odd man out from the Celtics’ pack of wing defenders. But, when he reflects on the year, he feels good about what he accomplished, even if it wasn’t always perfect.

“I’m still okay with where I’m at because Year 1, I had no chance of playing,” Walsh said. “This year, I started 20 games, and we went 15 and 5 — and I proved that I can play at a high level.”

It also helps that there are many other players on the Celtics roster who have also dealt with fluctuating minutes and benchings throughout their career.

“I’ve gotten a piece of everybody’s story — Payton [Pritchard], JB [Jaylen Brown], Xavier [Tillman], all these people kind of went through similar things,” Walsh said. “I’ve gotten their story, and they gave me their knowledge on it.”

Tillman, however, has been a notable absence in the locker room. Walsh said last month that Tillman was his closest friend on the roster, and someone he often turned to for motivation and support. But, Tillman was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in the hours ahead of the trade deadline, and Walsh said soon after that he’d have to find another teammate to lean on.

For now, that teammate is Jaylen Brown, who he sits next to on the team plane. But, Tillman is irreplaceable.

“I still talk to Xavier all the time — that’s my guy,” Walsh said. “He’s got a special place in my heart because of how he helped me get through certain things, and even just stuff that has nothing to do with basketball. But, JB is a good second, though.”

Walsh and his teammates are a few weeks away from postseason action, and he’s excited to kick off his third playoff run as a Celtic.

“As a competitor, as somebody who wants to be the best and wants to bring the best at other people around him, like there’s no better place to be, for sure,” he told the students at the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club.

The season has been made extra sweet because of the fact the team has defied expetations. Walsh didn’t take offense to the misconceptions on the outside, but he understood from the jump that outside discourse has severe limitations.

“The media, they report what they can,” he said. “They do it the best they can. And most of the time, or some of the time, it’s not like they’re wrong. They just — they’re not in the inside, so they don’t know the inside scoop. But I think that with that going around, and people saying it, podcast, TV and stuff saying it – completely wrong.”

“I never had a doubt that we were going to be a good team.”

As far as his own individual season?

He’s embracing a changing role and ensuring his mindset doesn’t change, even when opportunities do.

“It’s kind of just doing my best in the role that I am in now, and that’s just supporting the guys, showing up to practice, being the last one to leave,” Walsh said. “Like, all that stuff is so cool to me.”

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The Philadelphia 76ers welcome the Chicago Bulls to Xfinity Mobile Arena tonight as they look to bounce back from a tough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

My Bulls vs. 76ers predictions are eyeing Philly to get back in the win column on its home court. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Wednesday, March 25. 

Bulls vs 76ers prediction

Bulls vs 76ers best bet: 76ers -6 (-110)

The Philadelphia 76ers are staying afloat despite being bitten by the injury bug. They’re in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-33 record, and will likely be in the Play-In Tournament. 

Tyrese Maxey remains out, while Joel Embiid is a game-time decision due to an oblique injury. Paul George is also on track to return from a 25-game suspension. 

Nonetheless, Philadelphia has still found ways to win without its stars. It's won four of its last six games, and Nick Nurse’s squad covered tonight’s spread in three of those. While the Sixers have lost both meetings with the Chicago Bulls this season, they were on the road and came from a time when Chicago was competitive. 

The Sixers are 20-17 at home, and the Bulls are 11 games below .500 on the road. Philly has also covered the spread in two of its last three games at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Meanwhile, Chicago has lost three of their last four on the road, failing to cover the spread in each of those defeats. 

Philadelphia will finally end its losing skid against the Bulls and strengthen its case for the Play-In. The return of both Embiid and PG will be huge.

Bulls vs 76ers same-game parlay

VJ Edgecombe has been a brilliant piece for the Sixers in 2025-26, averaging 16 points per game. He’s had even more of a run lately due to the absences, and the youngster has cashed the Over in three straight. Edgecombe just dropped 35 points on the Thunder. 

He had 38 points last Thursday against the Kings, too, and he’s hit the Over in points in two of his last four at home. 

He’s also cashed the Over in triples in two of his last three, and Edgecombe just went 7-for-15 from deep in the loss to Oklahoma City. 

Bulls vs 76ers SGP

• 76ers -6
• VJ Edgecombe Over 20.5 points
• VJ Edgecombe Over 2.5 made threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: By George, he's still got it!

Nurse said George won’t require a ramp-up period, which means he should play decent minutes tonight. He’s averaging 2.3 makes from deep for a 38% clip this season at home, and in one meeting against the Bulls, PG was 4-for-9 from 3-point territory.

Dominick Barlow is averaging 8.0 PPG for the Sixers and 7.4 at home. He’s averaging 7.5 in March so far, and the big man has cashed the Over in points in five of his last eight appearances.

Bulls vs 76ers SGP

• VJ Edgecombe Over 20.5 points
• VJ Edgecombe Over 2.5 made threes
• Paul George Over 2.5 made threes
• Dominick Barlow Over 7.5 points

Bulls vs 76ers odds

• Spread: Bulls +6 (-110) | 76ers -6 (-110)
• Moneyline: Bulls +195 | 76ers -240
• Over/Under: Over 239.5 (-110) | Under 239.5 (-110)

Bulls vs 76ers betting trend to know

The 76ers have covered the 4Q Spread in 10 of their last 12 games (+7.65 Units / 55% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. 76ers.

How to watch Bulls vs 76ers

Bulls vs 76ers latest injuries

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Who would you consider the best at each individual skill in the NBA?

Is Luka Doncic the best pure scorer? Is Nikola Jokic or Tyrese Haliburton the best pure playmaker? Is Stephen Curry the best shooter? Is Victor Wembanyama the best defender? When healthy, does Kyrie Irving have the best handles?

But notice how all of those guys are superstars. All of them have millions of kids around the globe draped in their jerseys, have multiple endorsement deals, and are recognized as pillars of the game. But can you say the same for, say, the best rebounder?

In terms of overall rebounding, it’s hard to quantify who’s the best at the overall skill exactly, but in terms of offensive rebounding? It’s very clearly one man, a backup center for the New York Knicks who makes just $14 million a year and almost never plays more than 27 minutes in a game.

"FREAKIN' MITCH ROBINSON. OH MY GOD. 8 FREAKIN' OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS! WAY TO GO MITCH!"

Mike Brown was enthused about Mitchell Robinson's performance tonight 😂 pic.twitter.com/7pjrrlaZX1

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 15, 2025

Robinson is an artist at what he does. It’s not as simple as camping in the paint as the team’s lob threat; it’s all about positioning. He always seems to be in the right spot, reading the ball in the air to see the way it would bounce off the rim. You’ll naturally get enough offensive rebounds as a center just from standing there, but to do what Robinson does consistently? You have to be an artist.

Mitchell Robinson in 16 minutes tonight:

8 points
10 rebounds (9 offensive😭)
3 blocks
4-5 FG

23 SAVAGE
pic.twitter.com/ywNVLojtl0

— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) November 6, 2025

Over the last five seasons, Robinson has per-36 averages of 6.4 OREB per game. In 2025-26, he’s pushed that number to an impossible 8.1, which leads all players who’ve played at least 10 games (Steven Adams, 7.1). He also towers over the likes of Donovan Clingan and Andre Drummond, two elite rebounders, in total rebounds per 36 (16.4).

It’s even baffling on a team-by-team basis. By himself, he’d be tied for 18th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes. There are 10 entire teams he is outrebounding on a rate basis by himself. His offensive rebounding prowess is a big reason why the Knicks have had a supercharged net rating despite efficiency numbers on both sides of the ball not being inherently elite.

You want to know what impact looks like? I went and looked at each of his 235 offensive rebounds this season, through Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans, and sorted them by result:

Mitch layup/dunk attempt: 91 (52 made, 57.1%)
2-point attempt: 19 (8 made, 42.1%)
3-point attempt: 69 (29 made, 42%)
Foul: 29 (17-32 FT, not just Mitch)
Turnover: 16 (11 by Mitch himself)
Other: 11

Here are some other stats:

• 24 of Mitchell Robinson’s 50 assists on the season are off his OREB, 18 of them three-pointers.
• Only twice in 54 games has he been held without an offensive rebound. He has more games with eight (8) than he has fewer than two (5). That’s consistency.
• Here’s how other players are shooting off of Robinson’s OREB:
  Brunson: 11-18 (10-15 3pt)
  Bridges: 2-14 (2-13 3pt)
  Clarkson: 4-11 (2-6 3pt)
  Anunoby: 6-10 (5-8 3pt)
  Towns: 6-7 (2-2 3pt)
  Kolek: 3-7 (3-5 3pt)
  Hart: 2-6 (0-2 3pt)
  Shamet: 3-4 (3-4 3pt)
  McBride: 1-4 (1-4 3pt)

Let’s put something else in perspective. Robinson’s penchant for getting the team extra possessions has stolen multiple wins. These are all the games that, if the Knicks don’t score the points they do off his offensive rebounds, they lose the game:

• 11/19 @ DAL
• 12/25 vs CLE
• 12/27 @ ATL
• 1/24 @ PHI
• 2/4 vs DEN
• 3/15 vs GSW
• 3/24 vs NOLA

That Dallas game, if you remember, saw a controversial Brandon Williams offensive foul crush the shorthanded Mavericks’ dreams of an upset. Mitch’s three offensive rebounds led to five points in a two-point win.

On Christmas Day against Cleveland, Robinson grabbed eight offensive rebounds and it led directly to 13 points, including three triples in the fourth quarter of the miraculous comeback.

Tyler, the Kreator 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/maQu1U1iFB

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 25, 2025

Two nights later, against Atlanta, the Knicks would’ve blown a huge lead if not for Robinson’s four offensive rebounds leading to six points.

Three days after a beatdown of Brooklyn ended the 11-game skid from hell, the Knicks held off a mostly healthy Sixers squad in Philly, thanks to Mitch’s six OREB that led to seven points.

That double overtime game against Denver never gets to overtime without Robinson’s putback layup in the first quarter.

They would’ve taken that embarrassing loss to a heavily shorthanded Warriors team in MSG without Robinson’s three offensive rebounds leading to four points.

Last night, against a suddenly healthy Pelicans team, the Knicks scored seven points off his four offensive rebounds.

Mitchell Robinson (4th made FG in a row) pic.twitter.com/74dXq1afU5

— He's On Fire! (@nba_on_fire) March 25, 2026

Imagine the Knicks with six more losses. They’d be 41-32 and tied for sixth in the East. Imagine how toxic social media would be then, when it’s this toxic already with the Knicks tying the Celtics for the No. 2 seed.

Without Robinson’s offensive rebounding alone, the Knicks would be in danger of falling into the play-in tournament.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the offseason looks like with Robinson’s expiring contract and how the Knicks will be able to manage him, Mo Diawara, and Jose Alvarado’s impending free agencies while juggling the second apron, but we don’t have to worry about that for now.

Just enjoy greatness while you can. It’s not often you get a unicorn who’s this special at something like this.

Mitchell Robinson abusing teams on the offensive glass for 4 minutes and 14 seconds
pic.twitter.com/Rs35BICVEX

— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) December 18, 2025