Category: Basketball

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The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs face off for the fourth and final time, and the home team will look to complete the season sweep in the “Battle of Texas” at Frost Bank Center.

Both teams are playing at less than 100%, and my Mavericks vs. Spurs predictions expect points to come at a premium tonight.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this Southwest Division showdown on Friday, April 10. 

Mavericks vs Spurs prediction

Mavericks vs Spurs best bet: Under 237 (-110)

With just two games remaining, the San Antonio Spurs have locked up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. With no chance of its status changing, San Antonio will have no motivation to play its starters for big minutes. Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama are banged up and questionable.

For the Dallas Mavericks, it’s Cooper Flagg or bust - more so than it has been for most of the season. The Mavs will be without most of their frontcourt rotation and several key starters and reserves. Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, so the team’s energy may be low.

Dallas’ offensive rating of 109.9 ranks 28th on the season, and San Antonio sports a top-5 defense. The potential absence of Wemby could make it easier for the Mavs to score, but with so few available players, Dallas is going to struggle.

The Spurs are 16-22 to the Under at home, while the Mavericks are 13-26 to the Under on the road. San Antonio has hit the Under in three straight home games, and Dallas has done so in four straight road games.

With both teams dealing with injuries and neither playing for much of anything tonight, I expect the offenses to stall out, leading to a low-scoring contest.
Mavericks vs Spurs same-game parlay

Mavericks vs Spurs same-game parlay

With nothing to play for, it’s going to be tough to keep the Spurs engaged as they look ahead to the playoffs. The Mavericks are a healthy 11-5 ATS as 10-point dogs, and I like them to keep this one competitive as they try to avoid a season sweep by their in-state rivals.

The Mavericks might struggle to score, but Cooper Flagg will have to be the one to do it. He’s reached the 25-point threshold in three of his last four and five of his last nine games while averaging 27.2 points. The Spurs’ defense will be solid tonight, but Flagg has been on a tear and should be taking a lot of shots.

Mavericks vs Spurs SGP

• Under 237
• Mavericks +18.5
• Cooper Flagg Over 24.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Flagg Day!

Dallas is running on empty to close out the season, but the Rookie of the Year favorite is still going strong. Over his last 10 games, Flagg has averaged 7.3 rebounds and five assists.

He’s grabbed 7+ rebounds six times and handed out 5+ assists five times in that span. I expect another strong showing tonight against a Spurs team with nothing to gain.

Mavericks vs Spurs SGP

• Mavericks +18.5
• Cooper Flagg Over 24.5 points
• Cooper Flagg Over 6.5 rebounds
• Cooper Flagg Over 4.5 assists

Mavericks vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Mavericks +18.5 | Spurs -18.5
• Moneyline: Mavericks +1100 | Spurs -2200
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 | Under 237.5

Mavericks vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Dallas Mavericks have hit the Game Total Under in 18 of their last 24 away games (+11.40 Units / 43% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Spurs.

How to watch Mavericks vs Spurs

Mavericks vs Spurs latest injuries

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The Atlanta Hawks will look to solidify their playoff position as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Cleveland is resting a couple of its key players to prepare for the postseason, and I’m expecting Atlanta to take full advantage at home in my Cavaliers vs. Hawks predictions.

Read on to see why I like the Hawks to cover in my free NBA picks for Friday, April 10.

Cavaliers vs Hawks prediction

Cavaliers vs Hawks best bet: Hawks -7.5 (-110)

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered an impressive statement win against the Atlanta Hawks at home on Wednesday. But with the action now shifting to Atlanta, the Cleveland lineup has changed significantly, and the rematch will be a very different game.

With the Cavs having little to play for over their last two games, they’re planning to sit some of their stars to ensure they’re healthy for the postseason. Most significantly, both Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen are out of the lineup tonight, with Thomas Bryant and Sam Merrill also ruled out for this game.

Normally, I might still worry about Cleveland putting out a competitive lineup. James Harden is still in the game and is capable of taking over on any given night, while Evan Mobley presents a difficult matchup for Atlanta, given that Jock Landale is out with an ankle sprain, leaving the Hawks thin at center.

But there’s no guarantee that Cleveland will even play Mobley or Harden as normal. Both may well be limited in the number of minutes they’re on the court to give head coach Kenny Atkinson a better look at his other rotational options heading into the postseason.

Atlanta has been outstanding in the second half of the season, with the Hawks winning 18 of their last 22 games. Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been outstanding, and this is a talented team that has blown out plenty of less talented teams.

They should have no trouble covering tonight against a depleted Cavaliers lineup.

Cavaliers vs Hawks same-game parlay

Jalen Johnson has been the difference-maker for the Hawks all season long. To go along with taking Atlanta to cover, I like Johnson to pick out a double-double for the seventh straight game.

Let’s also place a bet on Nickeil Alexander-Walker to score Over 21.5 points, as he’s been scoring in bunches lately, averaging 28.5 ppg over four games in the month on April.

Cavaliers vs Hawks SGP

• Hawks -7.5
• Jalen Johnson double-double
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 21.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: TRIPLE-DOUBLE

It’s been a while since Jalen Johnson has added to his triple-double total – he has 13 on the season – but this is as good a night as any to bet on him to get there again against a weakened Cleveland lineup.

I’m also taking Dyson Daniels to make at least one three-pointer, something he’s done in five straight games. I also like Alexander-Walker to hit the Over on his threes prop at 3.5 makes from beyond the arc, as he’s exceeded that total in each of his last four games.

Cavaliers vs Hawks SGP

• Jalen Johnson triple-double
• Dyson Daniels Over 0.5 made threes
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 made threes

Cavaliers vs Hawks odds

• Spread: Cavaliers +7.5 (-105) | Hawks -7.5 (-115)
• Moneyline: Cavaliers +275 | Hawks -350
• Over/Under: Over 233.5 | Under 233.5

Cavaliers vs Hawks betting trend to know

The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings between Cleveland and Atlanta. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Hawks.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Hawks

Cavaliers vs Hawks latest injuries

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With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.

The Western Conference playoff race is beginning to look clear. The Thunder have secured the top seed, the Spurs are second and the Wolves will be sixth. After that, it’s a log-jam featuring the Lakers, Nuggets and Rockets all battling for the third, fourth and fifth seed.

Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Nuggets — 52-28, 12 GB
4. Lakers — 51-29, 13 GB
5. Rockets — 51-29, 13 GB

The Nuggets have been far and away the best team from this trio. They have won 10 straight games and remain ahead of their competition.

Still, if the Lakers win the rest of their games and Denver loses just once, then LA can finish as the third seed.

This is possible because the Lakers own the tiebreaker over the Rockets and Nuggets, so if they take care of business and the right teams lose, they will be, at worst, a top-four seed in the West.

That would be remarkable and is something even head coach JJ Redick had stopped believing was an option.

Before LA lost OKC, Redick said that “seeding is out the window” after Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves had been ruled out for the season.

Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.

Friday

Thunder at Nuggets — Typically, this would be a good scenario for the Lakers. They need Denver to lose, and OKC is the best team in the NBA.

But the Thunder are locked in as the No. 1 seed, so they have nothing to play for. OKC is a deep team, so maybe the players who suit up can shock everyone and pull off an upset, but that’s unlikely.

Wolves at Rockets — This is a similar situation to the Nuggets-Thunder game. The Lakers need a Wolves win, but they have nothing to play for. If Houston comes out on top, that’ll put pressure on the Lakers to keep winning so they don’t drop to the fifth seed.

Sunday

Nuggets at Spurs — This is a game that the Nuggets could lose. Victor Wembanyama is an MVP candidate and needs to play 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season awards. He must play in both remaining Spurs contests to qualify.

Assuming Wemby plays, even at a limited capacity, San Antonio will have a good chance of beating Denver and helping Los Angeles.

Grizzlies at Rockets — Memphis is tanking and has lost six straight games. They have zero incentive to compete, so if Houston wants the win, it’s theirs.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

With Joel Embiid’s appendicitis has sidelined the star center for the foreseeable future, effectively killing off any optimism surrounding how this season could end for the Philadelphia 76ers. Yet, there are still at least a handful of games to be played, and moves to be made, one of which the Sixers’ front office conducted today, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.

With the Sixers on the second leg of a back-to-back tonight against Indiana, they’ll need plenty of fresh bodies. Per Adam Aaronson’s tracking, Terry only had one game of two-way availability remaining.

Converting him to a standard deal will allow head coach Nick Nurse to have Terry available both tonight and in the regular season finale against Milwaukee, should he so choose. The 23-year-old, 6-foot-6 Terry has already appeared in 13 games for the Sixers this season while under a two-way contract, averaging 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across 13.0 minutes. He appeared in 34 games for Chicago this season before joining the Sixers.

Meanwhile, Cam Payne recently suffered a hamstring injury that had him sidelined for the rest of the season, unless the Sixers made a significant playoff run (something that appears increasingly unlikely given recent events). Payne made for a fun story in his return to Philadelphia, particularly his 32-point performance against Memphis when he went 8-of-8 from three. Sadly, given the injury and the state of the team at the moment, using his roster spot to get an extended look at Terry these last couple games makes sense.

The Sixers will be back on the court in Indianapolis tonight at 7:30pm ET.

Shams Charania isn’t filling the boots left behind by Adrian Wojnarowski, according to Doc Rivers.

The Bucks’ coach wasn’t too keen on ESPN’s NBA insider’s latest reporting about his struggling Milwaukee squad, which is embroiled in controversy over the status of star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and how his coach has handled things.

Charania reported that Rivers gave a lengthy speech to the team after a March 1 blowout loss to the Bulls, where the coach was quoted as saying he knows “everything that goes on in this building.”

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“Either you’re with us or against us,” ESPN reported Rivers saying. “If you’re not playing hard, we’re not playing you anymore.”

Rivers called Charania’s “so inaccurate that I don’t even have enough time to go into it” in a recent television appearance on “Run it Back.”

“The first thing I thought of was, ‘Where’s Woj?’ I miss Woj so much,” Rivers continued while laughing. “Yeah, we had a tough locker room day. We lost to the Chicago Bulls with a 20-point lead. I showed clips the next day of guys who were screwing up. That’s what happens in a locker room.”

Rivers did say that he and Antetokounmpo have a great relationship and there’s no strife between them.

The same cannot be said for Antetokounmpo and the front office, who are at odds over why he is not playing in the team’s final games when the team is not in contention to make the playoffs.

Charania and Rivers have feuded throughout the year, with Rivers joking that Charania was going to be traded by Antetokounmpo from the NBA Celebrity All-Star team.

Antetokounmpo served as the team’s coach, and Rivers also pointed out that his comments upset Charania to the extent that he complained to multiple individuals.

Rivers also said he’s heard that Charania has him in his crosshairs.

“Shams took that so personal that he actually called the Bucks and yelled at them to take that down,” Rivers said. “Then the NBA called the Bucks, it was a mess, ‘Shams wants us to tell you this, but we really don’t care.’ And then NBA posted it. I’ve heard from 10 different people that said, ‘Oh, Shams is going to do a revenge article on you guys and you. And I was like, ‘OK, I don’t care.’ “

Charania joined ESPN after Wojnarowski retired as a lead reporter for ESPN to take the general manager job at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.

Milwaukee sits at 31-49 as the regular season comes to a close, where Rivers, at least in the eyes of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, could be coaching his final games with the team.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jeremy Fears, who led Michigan State in scoring and the nation in assists per game, will declare for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he announced on Instagram on Friday.

Fears was an Associated Press All-Big Ten first-team selection and an AP All-America second-team pick after averaging 15 points and 9.4 assists per game in his third season with the Spartans.

“This is an important step in my journey and I'm looking forward to learning, growing and competing against the best as I continue to develop my game,” he wrote. “I'm grateful for Coach (Tom) Izzo, the Michigan State staff, my teammates and my family for their continued support and belief in me.”

Underclassmen can maintain their eligibility by applying to the NBA's undergraduate advisory committee by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. The committee provides feedback on players' draft prospects to help them decide whether to remain in the draft. Players who choose to return to school must withdraw from the draft by May 27 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

A player would lose his eligibility if he hires an NCAA-certified agent before applying to the advisory committee or at any point if he hires an uncertified agent.

___

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The Houston Rockets have seemingly become an afterthought in the Western Conference race, but they bring an eight-game win streak into tonight’s matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

While Minnesota is locked into the No. 6 seed, Houston still has a path to climb the standings, and my Timberwolves vs. Rockets predictions expect Amen Thompson and Co. to roll past the shorthanded visitors.

Take a closer look at this April 10 clash with my free NBA picks.

Timberwolves vs Rockets prediction

Timberwolves vs Rockets best bet: Amen Thompson Over 18.5 points (+100)

The Houston Rockets look a tier below the true title contenders, but if there’s one wildcard who could close the gap, it’s Amen Thompson.

With a 19.6 ppg average so far in April, after a 19.8 ppg mark in March, he’s taken some of the scoring burden off Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, and I see Thompson sparking a ninth straight win for Houston tonight.

Despite largely giving up on three-pointers, Thompson has gone past this points prop O/U in three of his last four outings, and he’s shot 50% or better from the field in 13 of his last 14 contests.

Plus, the Minnesota Timberwolves have already turned its attention to protecting postseason health. The visitors will be without Rudy Gobert as a paint deterrent, while Anthony Edwards is listed as questionable.

If Chris Finch largely leans on his backups here, it should just fuel Thompson and a Rockets offense that’s posted 117+ points four times already this month.

Sitting second in the NBA in minutes per game (37.3), Thompson won’t be short of opportunities, even on the second night of a back-to-back set. He finished with 19 points in 42 minutes last night, and I don’t expect Ime Udoka to cut back on the third-year guard’s workload here.

Thompson is averaging 19.3 ppg against Western Conference opponents this season, and the arrow is pointing up for his evolving offensive skill set.

Timberwolves vs Rockets same-game parlay

I’ll double down on a big night for Thompson by pairing the Overs for his points and rebounds. He’s grabbed 8+ boards in six of his past nine games – and a rough shooting night for the undermanned T-Wolves should provide ample work on the glass.

The Rockets moneyline rounds out my SGP, with the hosts boasting a 29-10 record at home this season. Minnesota is just 2-5 SU in its last seven contests, and the visitors are thin in the frontcourt without Gobert and possibly Julius Randle and Naz Reid, too.

Timberwolves vs Rockets SGP

• Amen Thompson Over 18.5 points
• Amen Thompson Over 8.5 rebounds
• Rockets moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Cleaning the glass

Minnesota is vulnerable on the glass whenever Gobert sits, so the Rockets are poised to feast tonight.

I’m taking the rebounding Overs for Thompson, Sengun and Josh Okogie, with the T-Wolves likely to struggle against a Houston defense that allows 109.8 ppg, fourth-fewest in the NBA.

Timberwolves vs Rockets SGP

• Amen Thompson Over 8.5 rebounds
• Alperen Sengun Over 9.5 rebounds
• Josh Okogie Over 3.5 rebounds
• Rockets -10.5

Timberwolves vs Rockets odds

• Spread: Minnesota +10.5 (-110) | Houston -10.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Minnesota +390 | Houston -525
• Over/Under: Over 223 (-110) | Under 223 (-110)

Timberwolves vs Rockets betting trend to know

The T-Wolves are 17-23 ATS on the road this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Rockets.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Rockets

Timberwolves vs Rockets 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.

A x-factor in sports is a player who’s able to unpredictably change the outcome of a game or series, positively or negatively, in a large fashion. While injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić impacted the ceiling of this team this season, that x-factor for the Lakers has continued to be Deandre Ayton since the day he was signed.

In the team’s final road game of the regular season, LA dominated the severely shorthanded Golden State Warriors on Thursday, playing without superstar Steph Curry. The purple and gold notched their 51st win, the most since the 2019-2020 championship season.

Leading by as many as 27 points, they cruised to the finish line with multiple players contributing with productive nights. Ayton got the team’s offense started, going right at the smaller but stocky Draymond Green for the Lakers’ first two points. He initially lost the handle on the catch but stabilized and hit one of his patented fading jumpers.

He continued that aggressive play to begin the second half. He gave the purple and gold a massive size advantage in the paint against the small-ball Warriors. Watch below as he dribbles up the court while attempting to quickly hand the ball over to Luke Kennard. Draymond Green falls, Kennard hits Ayton in stride, and he finishes a straight-line drive to the basket.

His chemistry with LeBron James has improved tremendously throughout the season. It’s become immensely more crucial now with the injuries sustained to the backcourt.

Watch below as they work off each other while LeBron operates in the post. LeBron receives a post entry with help coming over from Green. Ayton timely flashes to the middle of the paint to throw in a hook shot over the smaller defender.

“The third quarter, he was just dominant,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “A lot of that was very targeted because we were playing through the post and Draymond was going to overhelp and [Ayton] had had his proper spacing. That touch shot for him at eight to ten feet is, it’s just a high efficiency shot for him.”

These “touch shots” mainly consist of shots in the paint outside the restricted area. He finished 3-4 on these shots in the game and shoots 55% for the season.

The Lakers are a completely different team when they get an aggressive Ayton, or “Dominayton.” He finished 9-11 from the field with 21 points, five rebounds, and a block. LA now moves to 12-1 in games when Ayton has 20 or more points.

“Running the floor, rolling hard, setting good screens and punishing mismatches,” Ayton said postgame. “Just trying my best to stay around the rim eight to ten feet where it’s comfortable for me at. That’s high efficiency for the team.”

Even with the sporadic play, Ayton is having the most efficient field goal percentage season of his career. LA is counting on that efficiency to be an x-factor this year to keep them alive, and, depending on what happens this summer, possibly take into next season.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

With the playoffs around the corner, questions and hypotheticals surrounding potential matchups have been a hot topic.

While there are still a few potential outcomes, tonight’s matchup between the Knicks and Raptors could end up playing a large role in deciding who New York plays in the first round. So let’s break it down.

If the Knicks win tonight, it would ensure that they are no lower than the third seed, with a potential move up to the second seed being unlikely, but still mathematically possible. A win against the Raptors wouldn’t automatically decide who they play in the opening round, but it would make a Knicks vs. Raptors first-round series more likely.

If the Knicks lose tonight, the Raptors’ road to the fifth seed becomes much clearer, and there’s a very good chance that leads to the Knicks likely facing the Hawks in the first round.

If the Hawks beat the Cavaliers tonight, their hold on the fifth seed will become stronger. That may seem like a tough task, but the Cavaliers are sitting Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, making their quest a bit easier. If that happens, though, we might have to wait another day to know where all the dominoes fall, depending on the Knicks-Raptors outcome.

If the Hawks lose, though, that would yield a clearer scenario where Atlanta becomes the likely Knicks’ first-round opponent.

So to sum it up:

• If you want a Knicks-Raptors first-round matchup, root for the Knicks to win and the Hawks to win.
• If you want a Knicks-Hawks first-rounder, root for the Raptors to win and the Hawks to lose.

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There are a ton of games on the NBA slate for Friday, but tonight's high-stakes clash between the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers carries the most meaning.

The Trail Blazers are trying to catch the Clippers for the 8-seed to avoid having to win two games in the play-in tournament. Los Angeles only holds a one-game lead, and this is a critical head-to-head matchup. That means we should see elevated minutes for Portland’s starters, which is why I’m building a same-game parlay around Deni Avdija's and Jrue Holiday's points prop.

Best of all, my SGP has been BOOSTED by our friends at bet365 from +290 to +325. Find out why I'm high on the Blazers below.

NBA same game parlay for April 10

Los Angeles Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Location: Moda Center
• TV: NBA League Pass, FDSN SC, KUNP.

The Clippers have several talented defenders, but they don’t match up particularly well with Deni Avdija’s style of play, which is why he's at the center of my NBA picks. Kris Dunn is too small, and while Derrick Jones Jr. has the length, he’s too lean to handle Avdija’s physical, downhill approach. 

The decision to back Jrue Holiday’s points prop is tied not only to the elevated minutes in an important game, but also to the matchup with Brook Lopez at center for the Clippers. Lopez prioritizes a deep drop coverage because it’s what allows him to be effective defensively. At this stage of his career, he doesn’t have the mobility to consistently step up and defend on the perimeter—it’s simply not his style. That defensive approach opens up a ton of above-the-break three-point opportunities and mid-range jumpers in pick-and-roll situations for the ball handler.

This is a perfect fit for how Holiday prefers to score. Holiday also knocked down seven three-pointers in their previous meeting a couple of weeks ago, which further highlights the upside in this matchup.

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 this week’s Tuesday Tracker and SB Nation Reacts poll, we asked you about Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. the Bucks, in the wake of their disagreement about his health and whether or not he should play. Whose side are you on? Are you done with him and want him traded? Here are the highlights:

• 44% of fans polled have soured on Giannis recently after his comments to the media, which spurred a league investigation.
• 75% of our respondents think Giannis owes it to the Bucks to sit out if the team believes he isn’t healthy. Similarly, a minority (just 23%) take Giannis’ side in this whole squabble, but the majority (47%) aren’t necessarily on the Bucks’ side.
• 41% of voters think Giannis is healthy right now, while 46% think he isn’t. 43% believe the Bucks are right not to play him.
• A slight majority (53%) have turned enough on Giannis that they’d trade him this offseason, regardless of what he wants.
• 93% believe that Doc Rivers’ tenure as Milwaukee’s head coach will end after Sunday’s game.

Thanks again for voting! Check back on Tuesday for another slate of questions.

Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook of SB Nation.

Mark Jones has been an on-air staple on ESPN since the first Bush administration — as in George H.W. Bush, who served from 1989 to 1992.

So, yeah, it's been a long time.

And now, Jones says, "it's time to move on."

Jones' final ESPN broadcast will be Sunday, when he will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics game on the final day of the NBA's regular season. It could very well be the last time the phrase "hotter than fish grease" is uttered on the network.

Read more:Stephen A. Smith explains his 'NBA Countdown' exit: 'I didn't want to be on the show'

"It's been a memorable journey these decades with the ABC/ESPN family, but I have decided that it's time to move on," Jones wrote in a statement posted Friday on Instagram. "From the day Dennis Swanson hired me in 1990 and working with the best producer in the business, Kim Belton, until today I will forever be grateful for the many friends and colleagues along the way."

Jones, 64, started at ESPN in 1990. As a play-by-play announcer, he is best known for calling NBA games but he has also covered college football, men’s and women’s college basketball, the WNBA and UFL. On June 2, 2022, Jones, Mark Jackson and Lisa Salters were the first all-Black crew to call an NBA Finals game on TV.

In addition, Jones has hosted the "NBA Today" studio show and been an anchor and reporter on "SportsCenter."

Read more:Tim Legler replaces Doris Burke on ESPN's lead NBA team; Burke inks contract extension

"Mark has made an enduring impact at ESPN since 1990, serving as a signature voice primarily within our NBA and college football coverage and across nearly all of our platforms," ESPN said in a statement. "We’re grateful for Mark's countless contributions and we wish him continued success."

Separate from his work at ESPN, Jones has also been the primary TV play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings since 2020.

Jones hasn't indicated what he'll be doing next, but he ended his announcement with a big prediction for the future — and threw in his signature phrase for good measure.

"As I move on to my next chapter I believe my best work is yet to come," he wrote. "I'll be out there cookin' hotter than fish grease!"

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Come for a shooting guard, stay to fill up 400 starting lineups – more than the 350-plus Division I college basketball programs.

The single-session, NCAA spring transfer window for men’s basketball opened its two-week calendar Tuesday, April 7, in the hours after Michigan topped Connecticut to win the national championship.

By midday Friday, April 10, per USA TODAY Sports research, more than 2,000 Division I players had entered their names into the transfer portal this week.

A year ago, per data viewed by USA TODAY Sports, 2,754 men’s Division I basketball players entered the portal for the 2024-25 year.

On Jan. 14, 2026, the NCAA’s Division I Cabinet adopted the following protocols for both the men’s and women’s basketball transfer portal:

“At the recommendation of the Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees, the transfer windows in men's and women's basketball will open for a 15-day period the day after the championship game for the respective NCAA tournament. The changes are effective immediately.

When a head coaching change occurs, a 15-day period will open five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced. If a new head coach is not announced within 30 days of the previous head coach's departure — and the 31st day after the head coach's departure is after the championship game — a 15-day window will open. The additional head coach departure window is available only after the basketball transfer window opens through Jan. 2. 

In basketball, midyear transfers are not eligible to compete at a second school if they enrolled at an NCAA school during the first academic term, regardless of whether they competed there.”

While mid-major basketball conferences are particularly being ravaged in this portal cycle – the Southern Conference, for instance, has 69 current portal entries from its 10-team membership, including seven of the 10 first- and second-team all-conference selections – the power conferences are not immune from departures.

The ACC, with 97 current entries among its 18 schools, tops among the Power Four with the quartet collectively has 322 players in the portal. The men’s total across NCAA Divisions I, II and III was 4,115.

Multiple ACC programs were ransacked. Boston College and Georgia Tech, both of which had head coaching changes, have seen 11 and nine portal entries, respectively; Notre Dame, a 13-18 season its third losing campaign in as many years under Micah Shrewsberry, also has seen seven players declare their intent to leave.

Oregon, after a 12-20 season, has nine players entered into the portal -- most in the Big Ten.

On the women’s side of things, 1,416 Division I players had entered their names by midday Friday; across all NCAA divisions, 2,352 players gained entry this week into the women’s transfer portal.

Just as in the men’s game, the women’s Power Four leagues also are absorbing massive turnover with 309 entrants from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences.

Mississippi State (six) and Tennessee (eight) are among the hardest-hit women’s programs in power conferences.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball transfer portal has more than 2,000 men's players

In today’s Dub Hub:

• LeBron James reacts to missing Steph Curry matchups this season: “We don’t know if we’ll get the opportunity to play against each other [again].”
• Brandin Podziemski explains what it means to have played in every game this season.
• Grizzlies play Jazz on Friday night in what ESPN’s Brian Windhorst calls the “Tanking Super Bowl.”

For over a decade, the Golden State Warriors vs. LeBron James has been an NBA staple. Which is why, for a rivalry that has helped define an era of basketball, Steph Curry’s absence during Thursday night’s 119–103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers was impossible to ignore.

The game marked the final regular-season meeting between the two teams, but with Curry sidelined as a precaution while ramping up from a knee injury, the latest chapter of his head-to-head history with James never came.

From James’ perspective, the realization didn’t hit until the day of the game — and even then, it caught him off guard.

With both teams shorthanded — the Lakers without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and the Warriors missing Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, and several other key contributors — it was James who took center stage. The 22-time All-Star delivered a vintage performance, finishing with a near triple-double of 26 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds to secure Los Angeles’ 51st win of the season.

Still, the bigger takeaway went beyond the box score.

For most of their careers, Curry and James have been intertwined from four consecutive NBA Finals matchups to countless regular-season battles. Now, deep into their careers, that connection remains built on respect as much as competition.

And as James alluded to, with both superstars in the later stages of their careers, nothing is guaranteed — which is what made this missed opportunity feel a little more significant, but cherished by both stars, nonetheless.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, April 10th:

Warriors News:

Why no Steph Curry vs. LeBron James in 2025-26 season is a loss for everybody | NBC Sports Bay Area

Respect has been earned and admired by Curry and James. An all-time rivalry comes with the territory of greatness. 

“I think rivalries in general are defined by playoff matchups,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s kind of the history of the way we look at Wilt [Chamberlain] vs. Bill Russell, Bird-Magic. I think they had three Finals confrontations. What would some of the other ones be? I don’t know. Steph and LeBron has to be up there.” 

NBA intel: What execs, coaches, scouts are watching this postseason | ESPN

Can Stephen Curry power Golden State to two road wins?

Bontemps: The immediate answer from league insiders I spoke to was “no.” Obviously, it’s been a brutal season for Golden State from an injury perspective, including losing both Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody for the season, plus the Jonathan Kuminga drama over the first half of the season and Kristaps Porzingis and Curry missing large chunks of the second half.

“I’m not sure they even win the 9-10 game, let alone both,” a West scout said. “It’s one thing when Steph gets it going at home and he’s got that crowd roaring behind him. That’s a real thing.

“It’s different when they’re on the road and he’s doing it somewhere else. That same factor just isn’t there.”

Brandin Podziemski explains why it ‘means a lot’ to play in every game this season

NBA News:

NBA’s most valuable players in 15 categories: Scoring, shooting, more | ESPN

Rainmaker: Best 3-point shooter

Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Net points: plus-2.3 per game, plus-163 total

Why he ranks No. 1: Murray has been good at shooting 3s for years, but this year he is great. Per Genius IQ, he’s shooting 46% on 3s off the catch, 2% better than his previous high. He’s shooting 42% off the dribble, equaling his career high, but on an extra 1.5 attempts per game. Defending players who can create 3s off the dribble is hard, especially with guys such as Murray, who can also get by you with a dribble. That’s why his shooting has led to his best overall offensive season.

The runners-up: Stephen Curry (+2.1), Kon Knueppel (plus-1.9), Anthony Edwards (plus-1.8)

Top rookie: Knueppel (plus-1.9)

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on tonight’s Jazz-Grizzlies matchup: ‘We have arrived at the tanking Super Bowl’

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

This season robbed us of Stephen Curry vs LeBron James

Look at what we missed. During their long rivalry they’ve traded highlights and crazy box scores. Per Basketball Reference, in the regular season head-to-head data LeBron is averaging 30.2 points on 20.9 field goal attempts across 27 games. Steph is answering with 24.9 points and 6.5 assists across those same 27 matchups. That’s two legends still going to work every single time they see each other. And this season, we didn’t get one chapter of it.

A post to end the week:

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

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On the penultimate night of the 2025-26 NBA season, every team is in action, and the Boston Celtics will look to secure the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans.

Boston’s elite defense should slow down a shorthanded New Orleans offense, and my Pelicans vs. Celtics predictions call for a low-scoring affair at TD Garden.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference tilt on Friday, April 10.

Pelicans vs Celtics prediction

Pelicans vs Celtics best bet: Under 224 (-110)

With just two games remaining in the season, the Boston Celtics’ magic number to clinch the No. 2 seed is 1.

The C’s can fall to the No. 3 seed if they lose out and the New York Knicks win out, making tonight’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans meaningful.

I expect Boston’s defense to be engaged and put the clamps on a shorthanded Pelicans squad.

The Pels’ offense hasn’t lit the world on fire this season. The team ranks 17th overall in points per game (115.4) and 23rd on the road (112.4).

New Orleans ranks 20th in offensive rating overall (113.2) and 111.9 on the road.

New Orleans has hit the Under in 41 of 80 games.

Conversely, Boston sports one of the best defenses in the Association. The Celtics allow the fewest points per game (107) and own the fourth-best defensive rating (111.8).

The C’s also sport the slowest pace, and with a 29-51 mark, they’ve hit the Under at a higher percentage than any other team (63.8%).

New Orleans will be without Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, and Yves Missi, while key scorer Saddiq Bey is listed as questionable.

Rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen will have to shoulder the load offensively, and my money’s on Boston’s world-class defense locking down a road team led by a pair of rookies.

Pelicans vs Celtics same-game parlay

The Celtics can clinch the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and guarantee home-court advantage through the semifinals.

The Pels are simply playing for pride, but all of their starters are out, and they won’t have enough left in the tank to hang with the Celtics on the road. 

The Celtics have covered the spread in two of three games as home favorites of 15+ points.

Neemias Queta recorded a double-double in his last game out, and he’s reached that statistical milestone in three of his last five games.

The big man should feast against a Pelicans frontcourt missing Yves Missi, Zion Williamson, and Karlo Matkovic.

Pelicans vs Celtics SGP

• Under 225.5
• Celtics -16
• Neemias Queta double-double

Our "from downtown" SGP: Baylor Makes Hay!

Derrick White has gone Under this combo line in 11 straight games, but he’s in a great position to buck that trend.

New Orleans’ defense has been poor all season, but the absence of multiple key defenders - especially at the guard position - will open up opportunities for White to score, rebound, and facilitate at a high level.

Baylor Scheierman tied his career high in scoring on Thursday, dropping 20 points in a loss to the New York Knicks.

I’m not chasing that production, but he should have more opportunities to build on this performance with Jayson Tatum out and Jaylen Brown banged up.

Pelicans vs Celtics SGP

• Neemias Queta double-double
• Derrick White Over 25.5 PRA
• Baylor Scheierman Over 18.5 PRA

Pelicans vs Celtics odds

• Spread: Pelicans +16 | Celtics -16
• Moneyline: Pelicans +850 | Celtics -1400
• Over/Under: Over 224 | Under 224

Pelicans vs Celtics betting trend to know

The Boston Celtics have hit the Game Total Under in 35 of their last 50 games (+18.50 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Celtics.

How to watch Pelicans vs Celtics

Pelicans vs Celtics latest injuries

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