Sports News – Page 1067 – Worldwide Sports News

April 15, 2025

Marc McLaughlin Set To Make Devils Debut Against Former Team

It is a storyline that writes itself.

Dec 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Marc McLaughlin (26) smiles after the whistle during the second period of a game against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images

After being acquired by the New Jersey Devils from the Boston Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline, Marc McLaughlin will make his Devils debut at TD Garden, where he made his NHL debut in 2022.

Per the team's morning skate, he will start the game with Nolan Foote and Nathan Bastian.

The former Bruins forward debuted at TD Garden against New Jersey on March 31, 2022, and scored his team's seventh goal in their 8-1 victory over the Devils.

McLaughlin is a native of North Billerica, Massachusetts, 35 minutes north of Boston. He played hockey for four seasons at Boston College before turning pro.

It is no surprise that when MSG Networks play-by-play announcer Bill Spaulding asked if McLaughlin would have family in attendance, the center smiled and said, "A lot of family and friends. Super excited to get out there."

The puck will drop between the Devils and Bruins at 7:00 pm. Fans can watch on MSGSN or listen on the Devils Hockey Network.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

April 15, 2025

NHLPA Player Poll Surprises: Leafs' Matthews And Oilers' Draisaitl Aren't Top Five NHL Forwards

Auston Matthews and Sidney Crosby (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The NHL Players Association's annual player poll is back to show everyone what the athletes think.

The poll shines a light on players’ opinions on a bunch of topics, whether it’s about the top players by positions, the most stylish person, the best ice and more.

After this year’s player poll was released Tuesday, three observations in particular were surprising. Let’s look at those surprises more closely.

1. Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl Not Top Five Forwards

Toronto Maple Leafs center Matthews is having a down year – at least, for him – with 31 goals and 75 points in 65 games.

That relative slump was reflected in player voting for the “best overall forward” category.

Five other players – overwhelming first-place finisher Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Minnesota Wild left winger Kirill Kaprizov – comprised the top vote-getters in this category.

Interestingly enough, Matthews did appear in the “most complete player” category, finishing fifth behind category-winner Crosby, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, MacKinnon and McDavid. So there is a respect NHL players still have for Matthews. But clearly, Matthews’ inability to stay healthy and his drop-off in goals from a career-high 69 goals last season contributed to missing out on the top five forwards category.

Hart Trophy front-runner Leon Draisaitl also finished out of the top five in the “best overall forward” category, even though he leads the NHL in goals with 52 and ranks third in points with 106. He also has a 54.4 faceoff win percentage but didn’t make it on the “best face-off taker” list. He earned 6.83 percent of the vote for the NHL’s best playmaker question, but that was it.

Is Oilers' Leon Draisaitl A Better Goal-Scorer Than Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews? Not QuiteAt the moment, there are only two active NHL players with three or more 50-plus-goal seasons: Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin and…wait, you were expecting us to say Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, weren’t you?

2. Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby Finishes First In Three Categories

Crosby is now 37 years old, but he’s got 30 goals – the fourth-straight season he’s scored at least 32 – and 89 points in 79 games. The respect Crosby’s fellow NHLers have for him can be seen in his handful of top-five finishes in the player poll.

Crosby finished first as the most complete player, first as the smartest overall player, first as the best faceoff-taker, fifth as the best playmaker and tied for fourth as the best overall forward.

Crosby’s overall dominance continues to resonate, and given that he’s showing no signs of slowing down, you should bank on him getting more love in next year’s NHL player poll. He’s still as incredible as they come.

3. Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck Ranks Third For Best Overall Goalie

Hellebuyck is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and all he’s done since then is put up career-best numbers in wins (46) and goals-against average (2.02) while matching his career high in save percentage (.924).

It’s hard to think of what more the 31-year-old goalie could’ve done for the Jets, but somehow, NHL players picked him only third overall in the best overall goalie category. Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy finished first with 31.13 percent of the 636 votes, while New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin received 23.58 percent of the votes. Hellebuyck received 15.57 percent of the love.

NHL Playoffs: Five Veterans With A Lot To ProveEvery NHL player has a lot to prove in the playoffs, but a handful of experienced post-season players have even more at stake this time around.

In some regards, you can see why NHL players voted for Vasilevskiy, who has a 2.20 GAA and .921 SP this year on top of winning two Stanley Cups and a Vezina in his career. Shesterkin finishing second, however, was more surprising. He has had a subpar season by his standards on an underperforming Rangers squad, with a 2.91 GAA and .903 SP. It feels like Shesterkin got votes from players based more on his reputation than his performance this season.

In any case, the 31-year-old Hellebuyck has been so outstanding, he’s a front-runner for the Hart Trophy – and with due respect to Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck should’ve been the players’ pick as best overall netminder.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

April 15, 2025

Atlantic Sun champion Lipscomb hires Carroll as men’s head basketball coach to replace Acuff

Atlantic Sun Conference champion Lipscomb has hired Kevin Carroll as its men’s basketball head coach.

April 15, 2025

Kraken's Ville Ottavainen To Make NHL Debut Against Kings

Seattle Kraken defenseman Ville Ottavainen (46) plays the puck during the game at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle Kraken defenseman Ville Ottavainen will make his NHL debut tonight as the Kraken host the Los Angeles Kings in their final game of the season, HC Dan Bylsma confirms.

The Kraken recalled the 22-year-old from the Coachella Valley Firebirds yesterday on an emergency basis. All six Kraken defensemen were with the team at their optional practice so it's unclear who will be out of the lineup tonight in place of Ottavainen.

In 66 AHL games this season, Ottavainen has scored three goals and 14 points. His 6'5, 216 lbs frame should allow him to feel comfortable with the physicality in the NHL.

The Kraken will become the first team with five picks from the 2021 draft to play in the NHL, those being Matty Beniers, Ryker Evans, Ryan Winterton, Ottavainen and Jacob Melanson.

The Kings are locked into second place in the Pacific Division, securing home-ice advantage against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. The Kings also played last night against the Oilers, and it wouldn't be too surprising to see them rest multiple players tonight.

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Kraken Recall Defenseman On Emergency BasisThe Seattle Kraken have recalled defenseman Ville Ottavainen from the Coachella Valley Firebirds on an emergency basis.

Kraken Place Cale Fleury and John Hayden On WaiversThe Seattle Kraken have placed Cale Fleury and John Hayden on waivers.

April 15, 2025

Grizzlies vs. Warriors Predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and, best bets for April 15

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors Preview

It’s Tuesday, April 15, and the Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) and Golden State Warriors (48-34) are all set to square off from Chase Center in San Francisco.

This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the two. The Warriors have won three of the four.

The Warriors have been playing great basketball. They have won seven of their last 10 and have covered in six of those games (6-3-1).

The Grizzlies are currently 22-19 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Warriors have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home.

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Game details & how to watch Grizzlies vs. Warriors live today

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Time: 10:00PM EST
Site: Chase Center
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: TNT

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Grizzlies vs. Warriors

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Odds: Grizzlies (+252), Warriors (-314)
Spread: Warriors -7
Over/Under: 228 points

That gives the Grizzlies an implied team point total of 113.01, and the Warriors 116.65.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday's Grizzlies vs. Warriors game
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Golden State -6.5 and Ja Morant vs Jimmy Butler +0.5 assists…

Thomas: “The Golden State Warriors have dominated the Grizzlies this season. Adding Jimmy Butler helps strengthen their defense, and allows for a strong secondary scorer to Steph Curry.”

Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) is betting on Golden State -6.5…
Dinsick: “The Grizzlies defense is a mirage of late and the Warriors pull away cleanly in the 2nd half to cover.”

Raphielle Johnson (@raphiellej) is taking Golden State -6.5…

Johnson: “It's not like the Grizzlies have experienced the new head coach bump" since firing Taylor Jenkins. And the Warriors are a different animal since acquiring Jimmy Butler.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Grizzlies & Warriors game:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Memphis Grizzlies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Memphis Grizzlies at +7.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 228.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Grizzlies vs. Warriors on Tuesday

The Warriors have failed to hit their team total in 22 of their 34 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 15, 2025

Sidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player Poll

Apr 13, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks on before a face-off against the Boston Bruins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

For the sixth consecutive season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has earned a prestigious honor from his NHL peers.

The NHL Players Association's (NHLPA) Annual Players Poll was released on Tuesday, and Crosby was, once again, named the league's most complete player. He also got top marks as the league's smartest overall player and the one guy players would want taking a must-win faceoff.

Crosby also finished top-five in "Best Overall Forward" and "Best Playmaker."

These honors are nothing new to Crosby, who is well-known for having earned a high degree of respect among his peers. But, nonetheless, the captain is grateful for the distinguishment, which he wasn't even aware of when told by the Pittsburgh media this morning.

"It means a lot," Crosby said. "Those are the guys you compete against every night, and I think that's one of the best compliments you could have is from the people that you compete against every night. So that means a lot."

'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of TeammatesFollowing the team's regular practice on Dec. 16, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis.

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan is certainly accustomed to seeing Crosby succeed, but he said that it's the captain's work ethic and dedication to details that give him the all-around skillset he possesses.

"He's the standard for what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin," Sullivan said. "When [younger guys] get an opportunity to be around him and see how he carries himself every day, there's no better mentor, there's no better example on how to be a pro than him. Everything from how he lives his life, to the choices he makes with his diet, to how hard he trains off the ice, to the detail and the work habits that he displays on the ice. He controls everything within his power to set himself up for success.

"That's a lot easier said than done. There aren't a lot of guys who are willing to go to that level of detail and that commitment to do that. And that's one of the things that separates him from any other athlete that I've been around."

Penguins' Crosby On Pace To Become Sixth Player To Score 90 Points At 37 Or OlderPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on the cusp of NHL history (again). With 87 points in 77 games, he's just three points shy of 90 for the season, possibly three consecutive seasons of reaching the plateau.

That work ethic was reflected in Crosby's words, too. Even though he happy to be recognized by his peers, he understands that along with that hard work is the motivation to do whatever it takes to help his team win.

And if that means becoming a little bit better at everything, he's ready and willing to do that.

"You're always trying to learn, and you're always trying to get better," Crosby said. "If that allows you to be in the conversation for [that distinguishment], then obviously, you're doing something right.

"But I don't think about that a whole lot. I'm like, minus-20-something. So, I look at that as I don't like being on for goals-against. So, you're always trying to get better and find different areas of your game that you can improve no matter how long you've played. Ultimately, those things, hopefully, translate to wins. So that's the motivation behind it, not necessarily individual things."

Apr 11, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass (12) faces off against Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the first period at Prudential Center. (John Jones-Imagn Images)

At the end of the day, the 20-year veteran seems to still be playing at the same level he was a decade ago, which is remarkable for a player at the age of 37. The fact that he's still in these conversations is remarkable in and of itself.

But that's just who Crosby is. And Sullivan knows his captain has earned every ounce of recognition and respect he has gotten.

"He controls what he can, and that's his own approach every day... his determination to be the best," Sullivan said. "You guys see that on display every night as well as I do. I think the fact that he's been recognized by his peers might be the highest compliment that any player could ever receive.

"When your peers think that highly of you, I think that just speaks volumes because these guys play with and mostly against him night-in and night-out. And he earns that respect that he's gotten from his peers year-in and year-out. That's not something that's handed to anyone. He earns that through his performance and how hard he competes out there."

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

April 15, 2025

Heat vs. Bulls Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 16

It’s Wednesday, April 16, and the Miami Heat (37-45) and Chicago Bulls (39-43) are all set to square off from United Center in Chicago.

The Heat are currently 17-23 on the road with a point differential of 1, while the Bulls have an 8-2 record in their last ten games at home. Chicago has won all three meetings versus Miami this season and are slight favorites of one point.

The winner of this No. 9 seed versus No. 10 seed matchup will face the loser of the No. 7 versus No. 8 seed matchup between Atlanta and Orlando for a chance at the No. 8 seed. The No. 8 seed will have a first-round date with the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Game details & how to watch Heat vs. Bulls live today

Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Time: 7:30PM EST
Site: United Center
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: ESPN

Game odds for Heat vs. Bulls

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

Odds: Heat (-103), Bulls (-117)
Spread: Bulls -1
Over/Under: 219 points

That gives the Heat an implied team point total of 109.25, and the Bulls 109.77.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s Heat vs. Bulls game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) thinks the wrong team is favored in Chicago versus Miami and Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) agrees:

Dinsick likes Miami +1: "I make the Heat small favs in this contest and would expect a close game decided by superlative coaching and clutch play from Miami."

Dalzell likes Miami and the 1Q Under: "The lowest total between these teams was 225 and this total dropped from 222.5 to 219.0, so that leaves me with a first quarter Under 56.5 to 55.5 and Miami +1 play. The fact the total is dropping is an indication of a play on Miami rather than Chicago and Josh Giddey is questionable, which is a significant impact on the Bulls' offense."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Heat & Bulls game:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Heat at +1.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 219.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Heat vs. Bulls on Wednesday

The Bulls have won their last three meetings with the Heat
Four of the last five meetings between these teams have produced 230 or more points
The Bulls have won each of their last three encounters with the Heat by five points or more
It's win-or-go-home time in the NBA playoffs and the Chicago Bulls should be happy with their play-in game match-up against the Heat. Chicago won all three of the teams' regular-season meetings, two of them at home, and finished the season with six wins in their last seven games. They can advance.

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 15, 2025

Hawks vs. Magic Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 15

It’s Tuesday, April 15, and the Atlanta Hawks (40-42) and Orlando Magic (41-41) are all set to square off from Kia Center in Orlando.

The Hawks are currently 19-22 on the road with a point differential of -1, while the Magic have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home. Orlando and Atlanta split the season series 2-2 with two meetings over the last seven days, resulting in a 1-1 split.

The winner of this game will be the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and play the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics in the first round. The loser of this game will have to play the winner of Chicago versus Miami, which is the No. 9 and No. 10 seeded matchup for a chance to be the No. 8 seed and play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.

Game details & how to watch Hawks vs. Magic live today

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Time: 7:30PM EST
Site: Kia Center
City: Orlando, FL
Network/Streaming: TNT / truTV / Max

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-dayNBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Hawks vs. Magic

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Odds: Hawks (+179), Magic (-216)
Spread: Magic -5.5
Over/Under: 219 points

That gives the Hawks an implied team point total of 108.51, and the Magic 111.38.

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Hawks vs. Magic game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Drew Dinsick (whale_capper) and Raphielle Johnson (@raphiellej) have different picks against the spread:

Dinsick likes Orlando: "The Magic have the keys to truly expose the defensive weaknesses of the Hawks small lineup."
Johnson likes Atlanta: "Orlando's injuries on the perimeter could prove problematic in this matchup and I think Trae Young goes off."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Hawks & Magic game:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Hawks at +5.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 219.

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Hawks vs. Magic on Tuesday

The Magic have won their last 6 games against teams with records worse than their own
The Under is 9-6 in the Magic's divisional matchups this season
The Magic have covered in their last 3 games as a home favorite
The Hawks beat the Magic on the final day but plenty of players were rested on that occasion. With both sides back to naming their starters, the Magic are fancied to cover the spread against the Hawks, who lost by seven points on their last visit to Orlando.

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 15, 2025

2025 NBA playoffs predictions: Can anyone beat the Boston Celtics and OKC Thunder?

Nothing brings the drama like the NBA Playoffs — and this year promises to have some epic showdowns and moments.

There will be no cakewalk to the title for Boston this time — they can't be without Kristaps Porzingis for half a series and still host a parade. Cleveland is a legitimate contender in the East and Oklahoma City is a tough matchup for Boston out of the West — if OKC can get past the Warriors or Lakers to get to the Finals.

Here are my predictions for the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Play-In Tournament

Eastern Conference
• Orlando beats Atlanta
• Chicago beats Miami
• Chicago beats Atlanta

Chicago vs. Atlanta is a toss-up. Who has the better night, Trae Young or Coby White? Or maybe the answer is Josh Giddey is unstoppable.

Western Conference
• Golden State beats Memphis
• Sacramento beats Dallas
• Memphis beats Sacramento

First Round

Eastern Conference
• Cleveland beats Chicago 4-1
• Boston beats Orlando 4-1
• New York beats Detroit 4-2
• Indiana beats Milwaukee 4-3

Not having Damian Lillard to start the playoffs is a setback for Milwaukee, but if you told me Giannis Antetokounmpo just won the Bucks that first-round series on his own, I'd buy it. That pick is also a bet on the solid defense Indiana played after the All-Star break was real. In another series, it may end quickly but New York is going to have to work and be physical to beat Detroit.

Western Conference
• Oklahoma City beats Memphis 4-1
• Golden State beats Houston 4-2
• Los Angeles Lakers beat Minnesota 4-3
• Los Angeles Clippers beat Denver 4-2

I may be selling the Rockets short, but I trust the Warriors' playoff experience over the Rockets' young legs and defense. The Lakers should best the Timberwolves because Luka Doncic is in the Timberwolves' nightmares. Clippers vs. Denver is the best series of the first round in either conference, a real war that could go either way, but I am going to trust the Clips have a healthy Kawhi Leonard and James Harden for one round.

Conference Sem-Finals

Eastern Conference
• Cleveland beats Indiana 4-1
• Boston beats New York 4-1

Just a bad matchup for the Knicks and Pacers.

Western Conference
• Oklahoma City beats Los Angeles Clippers 4-2
• Golden State beats Los Angeles Lakers 4-3

The Warriors vs. Lakers series is a toss-up, but I trust the Golden State defense with Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green more than I do the Lakers' defense. The OKC defense will just be too much for the other Los Angeles squad.

Eastern Conference Finals

• Boston beats Cleveland 4-3

This will be a legitimate test for the Celtics and they will have to bring their "A" game, but assuming they do they just have too much versatility and too many weapons for the Cavaliers.

Western Conference Finals

• Oklahoma City beats Golden State 4-2

Oklahoma City has the depth to play a lot of different styles, but this is the series where Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have to prove themselves. The Warriors will make life tough on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, those other stars will have to win this for the Thunder. I believe they can.

2025 NBA Finals

• Oklahoma City beats Boston 4-3

This may end faster than seven games — OKC is just not a good matchup for Boston. This is the one team with the depth and versatility to match the Celtics, and I will trust the regular-season results and trust the Thunder's role players to step up.

April 15, 2025

Braves at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 15

It's Tuesday, April 15 and the Braves (5-11) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (9-8).

Spencer Schwellenbach is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Kevin Gausman for Toronto.

Atlanta won Game 1 of the season yesterday, 8-4. Grant Holmes went 7.2 innings and allowed three earned runs, which allowed the Braves to use Aaron Bummer for 1.1 innings to clean up. The Braves scored all eight runs in the first five innings and Toronto scored all four of theirs from the sixth on.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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Game details & how to watch Braves vs. Blue Jays live today

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, Sportsnet

Game odds for Braves vs. Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Odds: Braves (-130), Blue Jays (+109)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Over/Under: 8.0 points

That gives the Braves an implied team point total of 4.42, and the Blue Jays 3.64.

Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Blue Jays

Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Spencer Schwellenbach vs. Kevin Gausman
- Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, (1-0, 0.45 ERA)
  Last outing: 6.0 innings pitched, one earned run, seven hits allowed, two walks and five strikeouts.
- Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman, (1-1, 2.33 ERA)
  Last outing: 8.0 innings pitched, zero earned runs, four hits allowed, zero walks and 10 strikeouts.

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Yankees

Bo Bichette had a season-high three strikeouts and zero hits yesterday in four at-bats.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recorded zero hits in four at-bats yesterday.
Austin Riley rocketed two homers yesterday and Sean Murphy hit one. Both are tied for a team-high four home runs.
Spencer Schwellenbach has allowed one earned run over 20.0 innings and three starts.
Kevin Gausman is coming off zero earned runs over 8.0 innings pitched (10 Ks to 0 BB).

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Under between Atlanta and Toronto:

"Atlanta jumped out to an early 8-0 lead yesterday and use its pitching to set themselves up for a day of bullpen availability. Toronto has Kevin Gausman on the mound after an 8.0 innings performance in his previous start. I don't think homers will be as frequent today and both pitchers can keep this low-scoring through five-to-six innings. It's Under or pass for me."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Braves and the Blue Jays:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 15, 2025

Power’s Injury Feared To Be Long-Term

Sabres defenseman Owen Power is feared to have a serious leg injury, according to head coach Lindy Ruff.

The Buffalo Sabres will begin their final homestand of the regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, with milestones on the line for both sides. The Leafs have an opportunity to win the Atlantic Division for the first time and for winger Mitch Marner to reach the 100-point mark, while on the Sabres side they will have another chance to notch head coach Lindy Ruff’s 900th career victory.

The Sabres held a brief morning skate on Tuesday without center Beck Malenstyn and defenseman Owen Power. Malenstyn took a shot up high against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, and his absence will require a call up from AHL Rochester to fill in on the fourth line. Power’s injury is feared to be more serious and could be long-term.

NHL Unveils One King Clancy Trophy Nominee Per Team

Zach Werenski's Z-Suite program has provided experiences to over 2,000 children and families, including those facing life-threatening illnesses, military members, first responders, underserved youth and more, the Blue Jackets said. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The NHL announced every team’s King Clancy Trophy nominee for the 2024-25 season.

This award goes “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” Each team nominated a player.

The King Clancy Trophy will be voted on by a committee made up of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman as well as previous King Clancy winners and those who received the historic NHL Foundation Player Award. The committee will consider how a nominee positively benefits his community with inspiration, involvement and impact.

The player with the most votes will earn $25,000 to donate to any charity or charities they wish. Also, the winner can choose to have their team get up to $20,000 from the NHL to support an event for their humanitarian cause.

Last year’s winner was left winger Anders Lee of the New York Islanders. Lee’s been a leader for the Islanders on the ice and has also been heavily involved with the Jam Kancer in the Kan foundation and other initiatives to help cancer patients and families affected by cancer.

Since the award was introduced in 1988, an Islanders player has won the King Clancy Trophy three times. The Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks have also taken the award home on three occasions. The Calgary Flames have won the King Clancy four times, the most of any team in the league. Their last winner was captain Mikael Backlund in 2022-23.

Here are the nominees for this season.

Anaheim Ducks: Radko Gudas

Boston Bruins: Charlie McAvoy

Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch

Calgary Flames: Jonathan Huberdeau

Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal

Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Murphy

Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews

Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski

Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene

Detroit Red Wings: Jeff Petry

Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse

Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov

Los Angeles Kings: Kevin Fiala

Minnesota Wild: Frederick Gaudreau

Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki

Nashville Predators: Ryan O'Reilly

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes

New York Islanders: Matt Martin

New York Rangers: Adam Fox

Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk

Philadelphia Flyers: Garnet Hathaway

Pittsburgh Penguins: Kevin Hayes

San Jose Sharks: Mario Ferraro

Seattle Kraken: Jaden Schwartz

St. Louis Blues: Colton Parayko

Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman

Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner

Utah Hockey Club: Alexander Kerfoot

Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes

Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel

Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson

Winnipeg Jets: Adam Lowry

April 15, 2025

Maple Leafs Give Max Domi Another Top-6 Opportunity With Atlantic Division Title in Sight

Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Max Domi (11) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

BUFFALO — The Toronto Maple Leafs will reward Max Domi with a second look alongside John Tavares and William Nylander as the club visits the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Domi picked up a pair of assists in the third period while skating on Toronto's second line in the Maple Leafs' 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday and head coach Craig Berube hopes the forward's spring brings the right dynamic as they look to solidify their playoff roster.

45 for Will Ny The Scoring Guy 😎 pic.twitter.com/kgnHplhg6k
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 13, 2025

"I wanted a little more speed in that line. They ended up getting a couple goals that line for us, but just the speed and his playmaking ability," Berube said of the change. (He) made some nice plays. Made two good plays. We scored two goals off it. I thought he did a good job.

"He's obviously a versatile player for us. (He) plays center, plays wing. He provides speed and ability to make plays."

The Maple Leafs need one point in their next two games to clinch first place in the Atlantic Division. With home-ice advantage for Round 1 of the post-season now secure, the Leafs are still looking for optimal lines through lines 2-4.

In his first season with the Leafs, Domi primarily played center, but moved over to the wing regularly after an injury to Mitch Marner. Once Marner returned, Domi stayed on the wing alongside Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi for their 2024 first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Maple Leafs Reveal Lower-Body Injury For Mitch Marner, Star Misses First Game Of 2024-25 NHL SeasonMarner hasn't been on the ice since scoring the game-winning goal in Toronto's previous game.

With players like Max Pacioretty possibly set to come be activated from long-term injured reserve, the next two games gives Berube a chance to see where things shake out.

Pontus Holmberg moved from wing to center to the third line with Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson.

Toronto Maple Leafs Finally Find Their Upgrade On Max Domi With Scott LaughtonAs the market for centers slowly diminished throughout the week, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving finally found their middle-six center in Scott Laughton.

If the Leafs get a point tonight, they will have won a division in a full 82-game season for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. They'll also secure a date with the Ottawa Senators in the opening round.

"I understand it's been a while, we're looking forwardto the playoff push," Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz said. "We don't care who we see, we're just excited to get that going."

The Leafs wrap up their regular season at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

April 15, 2025

Red Sox at Rays Prediction: Odds, expertpicks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 15

Its Tuesday, April 15 and the Red Sox (8-10) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (8-8). Walker Buehler is slated to take the mound for Boston against Ryan Pepiot for Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox are coming off an embarrassing loss in the series' first meeting. The Rays won 16-1, and were dominant from the opening inning.

The Rays scored four runs in the second inning and another nine in the third inning. Tanner Houck was horrible in his four games of the season. He gave up 12 runs and only made it 2.1 innings.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Rays

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
City: Tampa, FL
Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Sun, NESN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Red Sox at the Rays

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Red Sox (+109), Rays (-129)
Spread: Rays -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Rays

Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Walker Buehler vs. Ryan Pepiot
- Red Sox: Walker Buehler, (1-1, 5.75 ERA)
  Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
- Rays: Ryan Pepiot, (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
  Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Rays

The Rays have won 4 of their last 5 home series against the the Red Sox
5 of the Rays' last 6 home games have gone over the Total

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Rays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Red Sox and the Rays:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Tampa Bay Rays on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

April 15, 2025

Guardians at Orioles prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 15

Its Tuesday, April 15 and the Guardians (8-7) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (6-9). Logan Allen is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Charlie Morton for Baltimore.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Guardians at Orioles

Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming:

Moneyline: Guardians (+120), Orioles (-142)
Spread: Orioles -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Orioles

Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Logan Allen vs. Charlie Morton
- Guardians: Logan Allen, (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
  Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
- Orioles: Charlie Morton, (0-3, 8.78 ERA)
  Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

The Guardians have won their last 8 away games against teams with losing records
Each of the last 4 matchups between the Guardians and the Orioles have gone over the Total
The Orioles have failed to cover the Run Line in 8 of their last 9 home games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Orioles

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Guardians and the Orioles:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)