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Dodgers vs Giants Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 21

The San Francisco Giants (9-13) host the Los Angeles Dodgers (16-6) at Oracle Park for a three-game series.

Los Angeles split the series with Colorado, but is coming off a 12-3 win. The Dodgers outscored the Rockies, 28-17 despite going 2-2. The Dodgers lead the MLB in batting average (.293), home runs (42), RBI (128), and hits (222).

San Francisco had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 3-0 loss to Washington on Sunday. The Giants will need more offense against the Dodgers. San Francisco is hitting the fewest amount of home runs (13) despite having the 10th-best batting average (.251).

Let's 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 first pitch, 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 Dodgers at Giants

  • Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
  • Time: 9:45 PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park  
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

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 Dodgers at the Giants

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-86), San Francisco Giants Rockies (+153)
  • Spread: Giants +1.5 (+115), Dodgers -1.5 (-105)
  • Total: 7.0

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Giants

  • Monday’s pitching matchup (April 20): Landen Roupp vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
  • Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

2026 stats: 25.2 IP, 2-1, 2.10 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 21 Ks, 3 BB

  • Giants: Landen Roupp

2026 Stats: 22.2 IP, 3-1, 2.38 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 24 Ks, 7 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not!

  • The Giants’ Luis Arraez is hitting .305 with 25 hits and 30 total bases over 82 at-bats
  • The Giants’ Harrison Bader is hitting .115 with 6 hits and 17 strikeouts over 52 at-bats
  • The Dodgers’ Andy Pages is hitting .370 with 30 hits and 49 total bases over 81 at-bats
  • The Dodgers’ Alex Freeland is hitting .218 with 12 hits and 19 strikeouts over 55 at-bats

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 Dodgers at Giants

  • The Giants are 10-9-3 ATS this season
  • The Dodgers are 12-10 ATS this season
  • The Giants are 7-15 to the Under this season
  • The Dodgers are 11-11 to the Under this season

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 Dodgers and the Giants

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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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 Monday’s game between the Dodgers and the Giants.

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 7.0

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Islanders Prospect Quinn Finley Not Joining Bridgeport For Calder Cup Playoffs

BRIDGEPORT, CT -- During his end-of-the-season press conference, New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche announced that the team had signed forward prospect Quinn Finley (2022, Rd. 3) to his two-year entry-level contract. 

"We signed Quinn Finley to a contract starting next year," Darche said on Apr. 15. "We'll try to send him to Bridgeport. We just have some medical things to go over, but we agreed on a contract this morning with Quinn Finley."

The Hockey News has learned that Finley will ultimately not be joining the Bridgeport Islanders, the club's AHL affiliate for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

A specific reason was not confirmed. 

The 21-year-old, now-former Wisconsin forward, elected to turn pro following his junior season, during which he recorded 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. Because his contract kicks in for the 2026-27 season, he would have had to sign an ATO with Bridgeport to join them.

Finley will play for Hamilton, the Islanders' soon-to-be AHL affiliate, beginning in 2026-27 and is likley to attend development camp after the 2026 NHL Draft in late June, before returning to Long Island for rookie camp in mid-September.

While Finley won't be joining Bridgeport for their playoff run, the AHL affiliate did get some additional help. 

Forwards Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund, along with defenseman Isaiah George, who ended the season on the Islanders' roster, were optioned to Bridgeport, and all three will play in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Hershey Bears.

Puck drop is at 7 PM ET. You can watch the game on FloHockey. 

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Texas Rangers lineup for April 21, 2026

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 17: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers takes batting practice prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Friday, April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Connor Jalbert/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Texas Rangers lineup for April 21, 2026 against the Pittsburgh Pirates: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Carmen Mlodzinski for the Pirates.

Texas is back home after that long ass 10 game road trip. They are playing Pittsburgh today.

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Langford — LF

Seager — SS

Burger — 1B

Pederson — DH

Jung — 3B

Carter — CF

Jansen — C

Smith — 2B

7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -115 favorites.

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Astros Announce Ashby, Garner Elected to Hall of Fame

Baseball: Houston Astros Nolan Ryan (34) victorious with (L-R) Alan Ashby (14) and Phil Garner (3) after breaking record of Walter Johnson during game vs Montreal Expos. Ryan set all-time strikeout record during game. Montreal, Canada 4/27/1983 CREDIT: Jerry Wachter (Photo by Jerry Wachter/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X28391 TK1 R1 F4 )

ASTROS ANNOUNCE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026

Alan Ashby, Phil Garner are the new HOF members

The Houston Astros announced today that former catcher and broadcaster Alan Ashby and former player and manager Phil Garner have been elected into the Astros Hall of Fame presented by Houston Methodist. Ashby and Garner were elected by the Astros Hall of Fame committee, which consists of former Astros players, current front office staff, current media members and Houston-area baseball historians. Notably, Garner was aware of his election prior to his recent passing.

An official ceremony for the two new inductees will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, prior to the Astros 6:10 p.m. game vs. the Seattle Mariners.  Each inductee receives an Astros Hall of Fame sports coat and customized Hall of Fame plaque. 

The Astros Hall of Fame presented by Houston Methodist was established in 2019, and resides in Hall of Fame Alley on the main concourse of Daikin Park in left-center field. The Class of 2026 will join the 28 members previously inducted. 

THE 2026 ASTROS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

ALAN ASHBY (1979-89 as Player; 1998-2006 & 2013-16 as Broadcaster)

During his 11 seasons in an Astros uniform (1979-89), Alan Ashby was a mainstay behind the plate for the Houston Astros. The switch-hitting Ashby still currently ranks first or second in franchise history in several key categories for catchers, including games, home runs, RBI, hits and runs scored. Ashby was also solid defensively while guiding one of the best pitching staffs in the Majors during the 1980s.

After no postseason appearances in the first 18 years of the franchise (1962-79), the Astros made the playoffs three times (1980-81, 1986) in a seven-year span, with Ashby being a key figure in that time frame. One of his most memorable highlights came in the postseason of 1981 when he hit a walkoff home run vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. It was the first postseason home run by an Astros player. Ashby also hit a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the 1986 National League Championship Series vs. Mets southpaw Sid Fernandez, making him the first player in NL history to hit game-winning home runs in the postseason from both sides of the plate.

Ashby also holds the distinction of being the first player in Astros history to homer from each side of the plate in the same game, which he did on Sept. 27, 1982 at San Diego.

Ashby also had some great moments in his career while behind the plate, including tying an NL record by catching three no-hitters. In 1981, Ashby caught Nolan Ryan’s record-setting, fifth career no-hitter, which is a record that still stands. In 1986, he was behind the plate for Mike Scott’s no-hitter vs. the Giants, which clinched the NL West title for the Astros.

Ashby was acquired by the Astros as part of a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays on November 27, 1978. Prior to joining the Astros, he spent four seasons with Cleveland (1973-76) and two seasons with Toronto (1977-78).

Following his playing career, Ashby spent 13 seasons as an Astros broadcaster, calling games on both radio and television. From 1998-2006, he was the Astros color commentator on radio, working alongside Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton. From 2013-16, he called Astros games on television, handling both color and play-by-play duties alongside Astros Hall of Famer Bill Brown and former player Geoff Blum. Ashby also spent five seasons broadcasting Toronto Blue Jays games on TV and radio (2007-12).

Ashby was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, and was named starting catcher on the Astros 50th Anniversary All-Time team in 2012.

PHIL GARNER (1981-87 as Player; 2004-07 as Manager)

Phil Garner, who was affectionately known as “Scrap Iron”, had a significant impact on the Astros franchise as both a player and manager. 

As a player, Garner spent seven seasons in an Astros uniform (1981-87), appearing in 753 games, mostly at third base and second base.  When he was acquired by the Astros from the Pirates during the 1981 season, he brought postseason experience and veteran leadership to the team. In 1979, Garner shined for the World Champion Pirates team, hitting a combined .472 in 10 postseason games to play a key role in Pittsburgh’s title run.

During his tenure in Houston, the Astros enjoyed success, appearing in the postseason twice (1981, 1986) while contending in other seasons. In 1986, the Astros won a club-record 96 games en route to the NL West Division crown.

As a manager for the Astros, Garner displayed a great ability to rally his team through adversity, which led to historic postseason runs. When he was named Astros manager at the All-Star Break in 2004, the Astros were just 44-44. However, the Astros would post a 48-26 record in their final 74 games to earn a Wild Card berth. The Astros would next earn the first postseason series victory in franchise history when they defeated the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. The Astros would end up one win shy of reaching the World Series, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in what was a thrilling NLCS.

In 2005, the Astros struggled out of the gate, going just 15-30 in their first 45 games. However, Garner was able to rally his club once again, this time leading them to a 74-43 finish to earn another Wild Card Berth, marking the largest turnaround in NL history. In the postseason, the Astros defeated the Braves in the NLDS and the Cardinals in the NLCS to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

During his tenure as Astros manager (2004-07), Garner led the Astros to a 277-224 (.524) record in the regular season, while winning three postseason series and 13 postseason games overall.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Kodai Senga, Jake Bauers and Anthony Volpe

FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS

Kodai Senga (SP Mets): Rostered in 31 percent of Yahoo leagues

While the velocity is back, the results have obviously yet to follow for Senga. Because of his 8.33 ERA through four starts, there have already been calls to pull him from the rotation, and it sounds like the Mets are at least weighing whether to have him skip a start. As a result, Senga is hardly a safe pickup at this point, but he is one with outstanding upside.

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For starters, the velocity is back! Senga averaged 95.7 mph with his fastball during his outstanding rookie season in 2023. After missing almost all of 2024, he hovered around 95 mph during his fast start in 2025, but he fell off in June before missing time with a hamstring strain. In his four starts so far this year, he's at 96.3 mph. That's probably a little inflated since he hasn't been able to work deep into games, when velocity tends to wane. But it's still really encouraging. He's struck out 27 percent of the batters he's faced, which is right at his career average. His 8.83 ERA is mostly the product of him having allowed four homers and then a .413 BABIP besides.

It'd be wrong to write off those batted ball numbers as a complete fluke. Senga's fastball still isn't great even with the added velocity, and when he's behind in the count, as he too often has been this year, and can't rely as much on his forkball, he gets punished. Still, his exit velocity numbers are only a little worse than his career averages. He currently has a 4.03 SIERA and a 3.91 xERA, and he's always beaten those ERA estimators previously; he entered 2026 with a career 3.00 ERA, 4.15 SIERA and 3.94 xERA because his forkball and cutter are so good at getting him out of jams. The rough spell might last a little longer, and Senga isn't a great bet to remain healthy. Still, he's an instant pickup in leagues in which he's getting dropped.

Jake Bauers (1B/OF Brewers): Rostered in 20 percent of Yahoo leagues

If only Bauers could live up to his Statcast expected numbers. Through 20 games this year, he's sporting a career-best 52 percent hard-hit rate and a career-best 20 percent strikeout rate, but it's produced just a .224 average. Statcast thinks he should be hitting .267 and gives him a .356 xwOBA, compared to his actual mark of .326. But that's sort of par for the course for him. Since the beginning of 2023, he has a .330 xwOBA and only a .307 wOBA. Making up that ground would add about 60 points to his .711 OPS over that span.

I don't actually think it's going to all come together for Bauers, but I do think he's well worth rostering now with Andrew Vaughn and Christian Yelich on the shelf. He's currently hitting fourth and fifth against righties. He has five homers and three steals already. That Bauers loves to run is one of those things that's been obscured by his lack of consistent playing time. He actually wasn't any good at it when he a regular platoon guy at the beginning of his career; he went 6-for-12 in 96 games with the Rays in 2018 and 3-for-6 in 117 games for Cleveland the next year. However, since the beginning of 2024, he's 24-for-27 stealing bases in 638 plate appearances. He should be pretty useful to have around through at least the middle of May.

Anthony Volpe (SS Yankees): Rostered in eight percent of Yahoo leagues

He's still probably at least 10 days away from being activated as he completes his recovery from shoulder surgery, but it's a good time to pick up Volpe. José Caballero has come up with a couple of big hits, but he's not off to the kind of start that should scare anyone off from Volpe. He's batting just .233/.282/.329, and his shortstop defense is average at best. He's a nice fallback, but Volpe should be the better player.

As disappointing as he's been since his promising rookie year, Volpe still offers hope. He's just turning 25 next week. After trying to rework his approach to make more contact as a sophomore, he went back to striking out more and hitting for more power last year. It's what should work best for him. Despite dealing with a labrum tear for much of the year, he had 19 homers and 42 barrels last season. There seemed like some cause for concern that he might steal fewer bases after the shoulder surgery, but he's already 2-for-2 there four games into his rehab assignment.

Even though he'll be hitting low in the Yankees lineup, Volpe has more potential in four categories than most shortstops. He's not going to help in average, but that's the price to pay for a middle infielder who should maintain a 20 HR/20 SB pace once he returns.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

- It's hard to say if Christian Scott, who will start for the Mets on Thursday, is up for good, but I'm really high on the 26-year-old and would have had him as a top-75 starting pitcher coming into the season if I thought there was a chance he'd get a look this early. He's a really intriguing pickup.

- I assume Tanner Scott has already been grabbed in most competitive leagues, but if not, he's the Dodgers reliever I prefer with Edwin Díaz scheduled for elbow surgery.

- Lucas Erceg is leaving the door wide open for someone else to step up as the closer in Kansas City. Matt Strahm is probably the reliever there to pick up, but I can't help but think the Royals would be better off turning to Daniel Lynch IV instead. With his slider looking better than ever, he's struck out 35 percent of the batters he's faced. Of course, there's still the chance that Carlos Estévez reemerges, but as bad his stuff was this spring, I don't think it's a good one.

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Reds take on Rays, lefty Steven Matz on Tuesday in Tampa

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 5: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches against the Texas Rangers during the second inning at Globe Life Field on April 5, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds are rolling at 15-8 on the season so far, mixing in elite bullpen work with timely hitting and just enough starting pitching to make the dominos fall in the right direction so far. Fresh off a sweep of the Minnesota Twins on the road, the Reds rolled into Tampa and took the series opener from the Rays on Monday in impressive fashion behind Rhett Lowder and Sal Stewart.

That means another win on Tuesday – this time with Chase Burns on the bump – would give them yet another series victory. On the road, at that!

Burns will share the mound with veteran lefty Steven Matz in this one. Matz is off to a solid start to his 2026 campaign, boasting his revamped mix of sinker/slider/cutter/change to keep hitters off-balance.

The Reds will roll out a righty-heavy lineup to counter him, including an all-righty outfield of Spencer Steer in LF, Dane Myers in CF, and Rece Hinds in RF.

First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET. The full Cincinnati lineup is listed below!

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Dodgers & Giants, tied after 136 years together

(Original Caption) Brooklyn's Duke Snider, (L) and Willie Mays of the Giants, two friendly rivals, do some bat measuring before tonight's Brooklyn-Giant clash at the Polo Grounds. The hottest baseball argument in New York this season is: Who's the better centerfielder--the fabulous Duke or the sparkplug "Say Hey" Kid.

This is the 137th season the Dodgers and Giants have played against one another in the National League. The first 69 of those years came in New York when they played in Brooklyn and Manhattan, with Tuesday night starting their 68th season representing Los Angeles and San Francisco.

This three-game series is a tiebreaker of sorts, because in all of those regular season games against one another, the Dodgers have beaten the Giants 1,288 times and the Giants have beaten the Dodgers 1,288 times.

It took a while for the Dodgers to get back to even, as the Giants were a good team much earlier than the Dodgers, and owned the rivalry. In January 1934, Giants manager Bill Terry famously said of the sixth-place Dodgers, “Is Brooklyn still in the league?”

The Dodgers last season beat the Giants nine of out 13 times, and in their penultimate matchup finally overtook the all-time series lead between the two teams, before San Francisco won the final matchup to leave them tied heading into this season. Sarah Langs at MLBcom pointed out that the previous time the Dodgers led their all-time rivalry against the Giants came in the 19th century:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the ball for the Dodgers on Tuesday night in the attempt for win number 1,289, while right-hander Landen Roupp starts for San Francisco.

Tuesday game info

  • Teams: Dodgers at Giants
  • Ballpark: Oracle Park, San Francisco
  • Time: 6:45 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
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Matthew Tkachuk Spotted With Family Cheering On Brother Brady's Senators

Over the past several postseasons, it has become commonplace to see the Florida Panthers playing hockey deep into May and June.

It’s also been normal to see family members of Panthers players cheering on their loved ones from the stands.

Naturally, that could include current and former NHL players.

You probably know where I’m going with this.

During each of the past three Panthers run to the Stanley Cup Final, TV cameras would often scan the crowd and locate Florida star Matthew Tkachuk’s family, generally featuring dad Keith, mom Chantal, sister Taryn and brother Brady, who also plays for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.

This year, however, things are a little different in Pantherland.

For the first time in seven seasons, Florida did not qualify for the playoffs.

But Ottawa did.

That means Matthew now has the opportunity to support his brother the same way Brady has done for Matthew, and he did just that.

Monday night, when the Senators played Game 2 of their opening round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Matthew Tkachuk was in the crowd, right next to his dad Big Walt, cheering on the Senators.

Unfortunately for Brady and his teammates, the good vibes from his family didn’t translate to a victory, as Ottawa lost the game 3-2 in double overtime.

Now the Senators are heading back to Ottawa down two games to zero in the series.

Hopefully, for the Sens and the Tkachuks, Ottawa is able to turn things around on home ice so that Matthew and Co. can continue to follow Brady’s quest for his own Stanley Cup ring.

Game 3 between the Senators and Hurricanes is set for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Photo caption: Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk of the United States celebrate after winning the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (James Lang-Imagn Images)

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Penguins vs Flyers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's NHL Playoffs Game 3

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Rickard Rakell has already had success against the defensively disciplined Philadelphia Flyers this season, recording at least a point in three of their four matchups, including the playoffs.

Heading into Game 3, our Penguins vs. Flyers predictions expect the top-line winger to stay involved offensively as the Pittsburgh Penguins look to swing momentum and get back into the series.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Wednesday, April 22.

Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 prediction

Who will win Penguins vs Flyers Game 3?

Pittsburgh: This series has not been as one-sided as the 6-2 scoreline suggests. The Penguins are winning the high-danger chance battle 19-15 but are shooting only 4.55% after ranking fourth in finishing rate (12.38%) during the regular season.

Penguins vs Flyers best bet: Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points (-110)

The Pittsburgh Penguins have tilted the ice during Rickard Rakell’s 5-on-5 minutes.

They've controlled 66% of expected goals, 71% of scoring chances, and generated 33 shot attempts through two games with Rakell on the ice, the most of any Penguins forward.

He's also a focal point on the man advantage, where only Evgeni Malkin's had more ice time.

Rakell’s being used in prime offensive situations, and the Penguins are generating chances. Dan Vladar is unlikely to sustain a .954 SV%, and Rakell is a prime candidate to help break through.

Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 same-game parlay

Bryan Rust skates on the same line and power play unit as Rakell, so there is strong correlation there. There are also encouraging signs production could be coming.

Rust is tied for first in the series in high-danger chances, so I’m buying stock.

We’ll round out the parlay with Travis Sanheim blocks. The minute-munching defenseman blocked multiple shots in 73% of his home games following one day of rest, and his usage is predictably higher in the playoffs.

The Penguins will make a big push in Game 3, which should lead to plenty of block opportunities for the Philadelphia Flyers stalwart.

Penguins vs Flyers SGP

  • Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points
  • Bryan Rust Over 0.5 points
  • Travis Sanheim Over 1.5 blocked shots

Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 goal scorer pick

Rickard Rakell (+210)

Rakell finished the regular season with seven goals over his final eight games. While he hasn’t found the net in this series, he leads the Penguins in expected goals at 5-on-5.

The vast majority of his shot volume comes from the slot and in, which is key. An in-form Vladar is unlikely to be beaten from range.

Penguins vs Flyers odds for Game 3

  • Moneyline: Pittsburgh +100 | Philadelphia -120
  • Puck line: Pittsburgh +1.5 (-270) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+210)
  • Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+120) | Under 5.5 (+100)

Penguins vs Flyers trend

Rickard Rakell has points in three of four games against Philadelphia this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Flyers.

How to watch Penguins vs Flyers Game 3

LocationXfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
DateWednesday, April 22, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVTNT

Penguins vs Flyers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Magic vs Pistons Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Tonight's NBA Playoffs Game 2

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The Orlando Magic caught the Detroit Pistons lacking in Game 1, using that strong start to propel them to a big road victory.

My Magic vs. Pistons predictions and NBA picks expect Detroit to be ready to go on April 22.

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  • UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
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Magic vs Pistons prediction

Who will win Magic vs Pistons Game 2?

Pistons: The Detroit Pistons weren't in “playoff” mode in Game 1, while the Orlando Magic were still sweating from the Play-In Tournament. Oddsmakers aren't shying away from the top-seed squad, with Detroit laying almost double digits in Game 2. The Pistons even this series at 1-1 on Wednesday.

Magic vs Pistons best bet: Pistons first half -5.5 (-115)

The Detroit Pistons weren’t just rusty after a week off from action; they weren’t ready. 

The Orlando Magic, on the other hand, were in full-throttle survival mode after two Play-In Tournament tilts, including a squash of the Charlotte Hornets to earn the No. 8 seed. 

The Magic were a mere day removed from that effort and hit the ground running in Motown, jumping out to a 35-point first quarter behind a physical brand of ball that left the Pistons passive and on their heels.

“They’ve been off. We found a little bit of rhythm playing so many games, so that always plays a part in it,” Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley admitted after the Game 1 win.

Don’t expect a replay of those opening 24 minutes in Game 2. Detroit has been one of the top teams in first halves all season, boasting a +5.9 first-half margin of victory at home and an overall 1H net rating of +9.2 — fourth highest in the NBA.

Those derivative splits helped the Pistons pump out one of the better records against first-half spreads, going 45-35-3 ATS on the season.

Orlando has also been a strong team in the opening two frames this year, but the Magic run the risk of complacency in Game 2. Most road teams aim for a split in those first two tilts of a series, and the Magic have already achieved that. 

Mix in Orlando’s infuriating inconsistency, and I have a tough time trusting in a repeat performance. The Magic are 23-23 SU and 19-27 ATS when coming off a win this season. 

See what I mean?

Magic vs Pistons same-game parlay

Cade Cunningham finished Game 1 with only four dimes on 17 potential assists due to Detroit’s poor shooting. The Pistons won’t waste his dimes in Game 2. Before suffering a scary lung injury in March and a limited workload in his return, Cunningham had dished out 10 or more assists in 10 of 13 games from February 19 to March 15.

Duncan Robinson knocked down three triples in Game 1 and has made at least three shots from beyond the arc in nine of his last 12 games overall. His Game 2 forecasts lean toward another three makes from downtown.

Magic vs Pistons SGP

  • Pistons first half -5.5
  • Cade Cunningham Over 9.5 assists
  • Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Cade paid in the shade

Cade Cunningham gets Detroit on track after a belly flop in Game 1, pacing the Pistons with his passing, outside shooting, and rebounding.

Projections call for 10 assists, more than six boards, and as many as three triples in Game 2.

Magic vs Pistons SGP

  • Pistons -9.5
  • Cade Cunningham Over 9.5 assists
  • Cade Cunningham Over 1.5 threes
  • Cade Cunningham Over 5.5 rebounds

Magic vs Pistons odds for Game 2

  • Spread: Magic +9.5 | Pistons -9.5
  • Moneyline: Magic +350 | Pistons -450
  • Over/Under: Over 218.5 | Under 218.5

Magic vs Pistons betting trend to know

The Pistons are 17-5 SU and 13-9 ATS (59%) when coming off a loss this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Pistons.

How to watch Magic vs Pistons Game 2

LocationLittle Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
DateWednesday, April 22, 2026
Tip-off7:00 p.m. ET
TVESPN

Magic vs Pistons latest injuries

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Philadelphia 76ers (0-1) at Boston Celtics (1-0) Round1 Game 2 4/21/26

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Philadelphia 76ers (0-1) at Boston Celtics (1-0)
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
7:00 PM ET
First Round Game #2 Home Game #2
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 97.5 Fanatic, Sirius XM
TD Garden
Officials:Marc Davis, Sean Wright, Marat Kogut

The Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 2 of their best of 7 first round series. The Celtics have won all 3 series that have been played in the Brown/Tatum era, winning in 2018, 2020 and 2023. and they are off to a good start with a 123-91 win in the first game of the series. The Celtics have a 67-50 record against the 76ers overall in the playoffs. In the regular season, the Celtics are 212-199 overall, all time against the 76ers. They are 157-58 all time in games played in Boston.

These two teams tied the series 2-2 this season. The 76ers won 117-116 on opening night, October 22 in Boston and they won again 102-100 in Philadelphia on November 11. The Celtics won 109-108 in Philadelphia on October 31 and again 114-98 in Boston on March 1. These games don’t tell us much about this series as the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum in all 4 and the 76ers were without Paul George for all 4.

Three of the 4 matches between the Celtics and 76ers this season were decided by 2 points or less. The Celtics need to avoid close games down the stretch in these playoffs if they can help it. They did this quite well with a 32 point win in Game 1. The 76ers had the #1 clutch defense in the NBA in the regular season They had a 98.6 defensive rating during the last 5 minutes of games that were within 5 points. They were 23-18 in games that included clutch minutes. The Celtics were 16-17 in games that included clutch minutes and that includes going 1-2 against Philadelphia this season.

Game 1 was all Celtics. They started off quickly and other than an early tie, the Celtics held the lead throughout the game. They built the lead to as many as 35 points and finished with a 32 point lead, even after considerable garbage time. No Celtic played more than 33 minutes and most played under 30 minutes. The Celtics had 6 players in double figures and 12 different players played at least 1 minute. The Celtics got 37 points off their bench while the 76ers got 27 points from their bench.

Teams that win Game 1 of a best of 7 series at home go on to win the series 86.0% of the time. Teams that win the first 2 games at home go on to win the series 94% of the time. However, if a home team wins game 1 but loses game 2 in a best of 7 series, the odds of them going on to win the series drops down to 76.6%. Still a good percentage, but much lower than if they win both games at home.

The Celtics come into this game with one player on their injury report. Ron Harper, Jr has been listed as probable for this game with a right ankle sprain. For the 76ers, Joel Embiid is the only player on their injury report. Embiid underwent an appendectomy on April 9. Recovery for an appendectomy is anywhere from 20 days to 5 weeks. We know that he will miss at least the first part of the series and the Celtics need to take advantage and win while he is out. I’m guessing that Adem Bona will start at center once again.

Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey

Derrick White | NBAE via Getty Images
Tyrese Maxey | Getty Images

SG: Jaylen Brown vs VJ Edgecombe

Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown | Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe | Getty Images

SF: Sam Hauser vs Kelly Oubre, Jr

Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty Images
Kelly Oubre, Jr | Getty Images

PF: Jayson Tatum vs Paul George

Jayson Tatum | Getty Images
Paul George | NBAE via Getty Images

C: Neemias Queta vs Adem Bona

Neemias Queta
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Adem Bona | Getty Images

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Baylor Scheierman
Max Shulga
Nikola Vucevic
Ron Harper, Jr
Delano Banton
John Tonje

2-Way Players
None

Injuries/Out
Ron Harper, Jr (ankle) probable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

76ers Reserves
Andre Drummond
Quentin Grimes
Kyle Lowry
Justin Edwards
Trendon Watford
Dalen Terry
Dominick Barlow
Jabari Walker

2-Way Players
MarJon Beauchamp
Tyrese Martin

Injuries/Out
Joel Embiid (Appendix) out

Head Coach
Nick Nurse

Key Matchups
Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
In the regular season, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. In the 4 games against the Celtics in the regular season, he averaged 30 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 41.8% from the field and 51.4% from beyond the arc. In Game1, the Celtics were able to hold him to 21 points on 20 shots along with 1 rebound and 8 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Jordan Walsh were the primary defenders to slow Maxey down and they did a good job. Expect the Celtics to continue to throw different defenders at him with hopefully the same or better results.

Jayson Tatum vs Paul George 
In the regular season, George averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc.  Neither of these players were able to play in any of the 4 games between Boston and Philly this season.  In Game 1, George finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, but he only took 8 shots.  The Celtics need to keep him in check once again in this game.  Tatum finished Game 1 with 25 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals while shooting 52.9% from the field but was just 1-7 on threes. 

Honorable Mention
Jaylen Brown vs Vj Edgecomb
Edgecombe will likely come in 3rd for Rookie of the Year.  He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.  In the 4 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc.  In Game 1, he finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 37.5% from the field and going 0-5 from beyond the arc.  Brown finished Game 1 with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals while shooting 52.4% from the field and going 2-2 on threes. 

Keys to the Game
Defense – As always, defense is a key to winning this, and every, game.  It is very true that efense wins championships.  The Celtics finished the season with a defensive rating of 111.7, which was 4th in the league.  The 76ers finished the season 17th with a defensive rating of 114.4.  After 1 game in Round 1,  the Celtics are 2nd with a defensive rating of 93.8 while the 76ers are 14th with a defensive rating of 126.8.  The Celtics need to continue to make defense a priority and they need to play physical, lock down defense for all 48 minutes. 

Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game. As Pat Riley once said, “No rebounds, no rings.  The Celtics finished the season 3rd in the league with 46.4 rebounds per game.  The 76ers finished 17th with 43.6 rebounds per game. This season, the Celtics were 43-12  in games that they tied or out-rebounded opponents and just 11-13 in games in which they were out-rebounded. In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the 76ers 43-40. The Celtics were out-rebounded on the offensive end 11-5, but then, the 76ers missed a lot more shots than the Celtics did.  They simply have to fight harder to grab rebounds than the 76ers if they want to win this game.   Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.   

No Complacency – If the Celtics had one flaw this season, it was becoming complacent and allowing lesser teams to play harder than them.  They can’t afford to do that in the playoffs.  They got a very dominant win in Game 1 but the 76ers will regroup and make adjustments and will play harder in Game 2.  The Celtics have to play even harder in this game and they will need to be ready for the 76ers’ adjustments.  They can’t get complacent and  have to come out and fight even harder in this game. 

Be Aggressive and Stay Focused – The Celtics need to be the more aggressive team once again.  They have to play physical defense and they have to be more aggressive in going for rebounds and loose balls and getting to the basket, especially if their 3’s aren’t falling.  Usually the more aggressive team gets the benefit of the calls and being more aggressive will help to fluster the 76ers.  They also have to stay focused on on playing the right way.  Move the ball, look for the open man,  take good shots, play physical defense, and fight for rebounds. 

X-Factors
Home Game – Teams play all season to secure home court in the playoffs but they can lose it by losing one of the first 2 games.  The Celtics need to feed off the energy of the crowd and hopefully, the 76ers will be distracted by travel and the hostile crowd.   The Celtics should play harder to win on their home court. They need to protect home court and keep their home court advantage.  The Celtics crowd will be loud and the Celtics need to use that to their advantage and get the win.  The Pistons and Knicks have both already lost home court advantage and the Celtics have to stay focused and not allow the 76ers to steal theirs.

Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach.  He won a title in 2024 with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars.  Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and he did a great job in the regular season.   Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach.  He won a title with the Raptors in 2019.  Joe came out on top in Game 1 but Nurse will make adjustments and have his team ready to play in Game 2.  Joe has to be ready for those adjustments and counter with some of his own. 

Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor.  Every crew calls  the game differently.  Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play.  Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly.  Refs usually allow a little more go in the playoffs but not always. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game. 

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How to watch Sabres-Bruins NHL Playoffs Game 2 for free: Time, livestream

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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) waits for the face-off, Image 2 shows Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman in his white, black, and gold uniform guarding the net during a hockey game

After breaking the longest active playoff drought in the NHL by finishing the season in the Atlantic Division’s top spot, the No. 1 seed Buffalo Sabres opened their first playoff series since 2011 with a big win at home.

Though the Boston Bruins were up 2-0 going into the final eight minutes of Game 1, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson ended the Sabres’ 15-year playoff scoring drought with a goal, before scoring the game-tying goal minutes later. Mattias Samuelsson followed that up with the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 Buffalo, and Alex Tuch hit the empty net for Buffalo’s insurance goal.

Boston ended up scoring another in the final eight seconds of the game, but Buffalo took Game 1, 4-3.

Bruins vs. Sabres: what to know
  • When: April 20, 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: KeyBank Center (Buffalo, New York)
  • Channel: ESPN2
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

The Bruins and Sabres will face off in Game 2 tonight.

Following tonight’s game, the series will move to Boston for Games 3 and 4, beginning with Game 3 on Thursday, April 23.

Bruins vs. Sabres start time

Game 2 of the Bruins vs. Sabres playoff series is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, April 21.

How to watch Bruins vs. Sabres Game 2 for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Ducks-Oilers game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching hockey live for free — the five-day free trial of its MySports genre pack has ESPN, plus all of the other channels you’ll need for the NHL playoffs. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $44.99/month for your first two months and gain access to 20+ live sports channels.

TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.

Bruins vs. Sabres playoff schedule

  • Game 1: Buffalo 4, Boston 3
  • Game 2: Boston at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. ET April 21 (ESPN)
  • Game 3: Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m. ET April 23 (TNT)
  • Game 4: Buffalo at Boston, 2 p.m. ET April 26 (TNT)
  • *Game 5: Boston at Buffalo, April 28 TBD
  • *Game 6: Buffalo at Boston, May 1 TBD
  • *Game 7: Boston at Buffalo, May 3 TBD

*- If necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

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76ers vs Celtics NBA Playoff Game 2 Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 21

The Philadelphia 76ers (45-38) travel to TD Garden for Game 2 of the first round series against the Boston Celtics (57-26).

Boston took Game 1 in dominant fashion, winning 123-91. The Celtics went up by 15 points in the first quarter and never looked back. Jaylen Brown led the game in scoring with 26 points, while Jayson Tatum double-doubled with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Philadelphia was led by Tyrese Maxey's 21 points, while Paul George poured in 17, and VJ Edgecombe scored 13. The 76ers shot 39% from the field and 17% from the three-point line (4/23). Nobody made more than one three-pointer for the 76ers, something that cannot continue for Game 2 in Boston.

Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

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 courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers vs. Celtics

  • Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
  • Time: 7 PM EST
  • Site: TD Garden 
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: Peacock / NBC Sports

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA 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!

Game Odds: 76ers vs. Celtics

The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Boston Celtics (-850), Philadelphia 76ers (+575)
  • Spread: Celtics -14.5
  • Total: 217.5 points

This game opened Celtics -12.5 with the Total set at 218.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Celtics vs. 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

  • PG Tyrese Maxey
  • SG VJ Edgecombe
  • SF Kelly Oubre Jr
  • PF Paul George
  • SF Adem Bona

Boston Celtics

  • PG Derrick White
  • SG Jaylen Brown
  • SF Sam Hauser
  • PF Jayson Tatum
  • C Neemias Queta

Injury Report: Celtics vs. 76ers

Boston Celtics

  • None

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Joel Embiid (abdomen) is OUT for Game 2

Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers vs. Celtics

  • Boston is an NBA-best 50-33 ATS 
  • Boston is an NBA-best 50-33 to the Under
  • Boston is 26-16 to the Under at home
  • Boston is 24-18 ATS at home
  • Philadelphia is 44-40 ATS
  • Philadelphia is 24-18 ATS as the road team, ranking second-best
  • Philadelphia is 43-41 to the Under
  • Philadelphia is 21-21 to the Under as the road team

Rotoworld Best Bet

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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 Tuesday’s Celtics and 76ers’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Celtics’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Celtics -14.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 217.5

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!

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!

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Suns vs Thunder Same-Game Parlay for Wednesday's NBA Playoffs Game 2

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Someone will test the Oklahoma City Thunder eventually, but it will not be the Phoenix Suns in this first round. The Game 1 rout was too convincing to allow for any lingering Phoenix hope, not even in Game 2.

This same-game parlay for our Suns vs. Thunder predictions knows Dillon Brooks will not give up hope until it is too late, creating value on Wednesday, April 22.

Our best Suns vs Thunder SGP for Game 2

The Phoenix Suns have one hope and one hope only. Their backcourt must get scorching hot. At least one of Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Jalen Green needs to shoot lights out.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will emphasize taking the ball out of Booker’s hands. He is a pure enough scorer that he could, for one night, keep up with Oklahoma City on his own.

That puts the ball into Brooks’s or Green’s hands. Green may be the better player with the brighter future, but Brooks will never shy away from a moment, certainly not one when he is out-gunned. There is a reason he led Phoenix with 22 shots in Game 1, making six of them to notch 18 points.

Do not expect efficiency from Brooks. Do not expect hope for the Suns. But do expect Brooks to shoot enough to clear this prop, even if his many missed shots cost Phoenix’s offense too much to help chase this total.

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How the NBA’s most dangerous backcourt is learning each other on the fly

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 20: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers hugs after the game against the Toronto Raptors during round one Game two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

You can’t fake chemistry.

It’s an intangible thing that’s so vital to playing winning basketball, you almost wonder why it isn’t mentioned more often. You can’t win a championship without rapport and trust. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, fast-tracking the process of building that connection between Donovan Mitchell and James Harden was their biggest challenge entering the playoffs.

So far, so good. The Cavs’ backcourt has combined for a whopping 112 points through their first two games of the playoffs. Their seemingly innate chemistry has helped Cleveland jump out to a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors. But manifesting a genuine connection between two players that’s strong enough to withstand the intensity of playoff basketball is easier said than done.

That type of chemistry can take years to form — and this backcourt doesn’t have time to spare. Harden is in the final chapter of his career, while Mitchell is in his prime. They have to learn on the fly while their championship window is still open.

“I know we are behind,” said Harden. “So I think what speeds that process up is communication and helping each other out… I don’t even know how many games we’ve played together, so our communication during games, on practice days, is very important because that can get us over the hump.”

Harden joined the team in early February. Roughly two months before the postseason began. That left little time for integration. Maximizing every opportunity to learn something from each other is the only way they can pull this together.

“A lot of times in timeouts, we’ll spend two-thirds of the timeout us communicating amongst each other,” said Mitchell. “Just trying to make these adjustments and pick apart what we see.”

We saw a great example of this during Game 2 versus Toronto.

Mitchell had just put on a one-man show, dancing in isolation before drilling a difficult three-pointer. It was a beautiful shot, but not the highest quality attempt this offense can generate. As such, Harden went out of his way to tell Mitchell what he saw on that play — and where they can find something more sustainable.

“We always communicate what we see,” said Mitchell. “Even though I scored on that possession, to his point, there was an easier read that I didn’t see, but he saw.”

“That’s Donovan Mitchell… what he’s doing is spectacular,” said Harden about Spida’s shot-making. “But we can’t put ourselves in those positions; that’s the first step.”

It’s not easy to tell an All-Star player that the shot he just made wasn’t in the team’s best interest. You can only do that if you’ve built a sense of mutual respect and trust amongst each other. Cleveland’s backcourt has done the work to accomplish this in less than half a season.

“They’re in constant conversations about what’s going on out there,” said Kenny Atkinson. “In the huddle, they are de facto leaders.”

This communication extends to the defensive end, where being on the same page is significantly more important. While Harden isn’t known for his defense, he has nonetheless established himself as one of Cleveland’s most vocal defenders.

“The biggest thing with him is, he’s obviously an all-world offensive talent, but the one thing that jumps out at you is his communication about defense,” said Mitchell. “I’m over here in huddles talking about ‘hey, we need to do this offensively,’ and he’s like, ‘man, we just need three stops in a row.’”

Harden, who had 5 steals in Game 2, once again showed us an example of why being vocal is important. It was his adjustment mid-play that helped Mitchell come up with a steal in the fourth quarter. That type of leadership is why the Cavs wanted him on the roster.

“That’s part of the reason we traded for him,” said Atkinson. “Teams aren’t really picking on him because he’s smart, he’s big, and he’s savvy… the IQ, the hands, he’ll get beat, but then he’ll strip a guy from behind… he’s got a lot of nuance to his defensive game.”

Beating the Narratives

There’s a broader point to be made of this duo.

Both Mitchell and Harden have suffered similar shortcomings in the playoffs. They’ve fallen victim to the same narratives. Two dynamic shot creators who can’t get over the hump. High usage stars who will burn themselves out before going the distance. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the criticisms surrounding both players.

But they no longer have to do it all on their own. Working together as a duo might be what it takes to finally get that chip off their shoulders.

“I think Harden balances it,” said Atkinson. “I still get a little crazy with Don, like ‘Don pass the ball’ and then he goes and makes an incredible shot — it’s just finding that Michael Jordan maturity and balance. Just knowing when to [score], but I do think James being beside him helps a lot. It balances it out a little because Don realizes he doesn’t have to do it all himself.”

Cavs fans have seen Mitchell play the hero. It can be amazing to watch him leave it all on the floor — like when he scored 48 points to elevate an injury-riddled Cavalier team against the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of last year’s playoffs. But those points came at a high cost to his body. All of the bruises he earned while attacking the basket took a toll. And by the end of the game, his exhaustion contributed to Cleveland blowing their lead in the closing minutes.

Now, Mitchell has a sidekick. If a defense is making it too costly for Mitchell to score, he can lean on Harden to take the pressure off him.

“There are a couple of times where Don’s in isolation, and they start crashing, and so he just throws it to James,” said Atkinson.

The effect goes both ways. Mitchell can suck in multiple defenders and dish it to Harden. Or Harden can warp the floor with his own playmaking to open gaps for Mitchell to attack. The two guards work in tandem to pose an impossible challenge for even a top-ranked defense like Toronto.

“You have a guy who can create for himself and others, it just makes it tough,” said Mitchell. “You have to figure out how to guard it. If he runs the pick-and-roll with Ev, do you help off me? Do you stay? There’s a trust level between the two of us and among the group.”

Trust is key. Mitchell has scored 30+ points in each game to open his series versus the Raptors. Neither effort took more than 25 field goal attempts — a mark he reached in four of five games against the Pacers last season. Harden, meanwhile, has totalled 50 points on just 32 field goal attempts across his first two playoff games with the Cavaliers.

Maintaining that balance will be the difference between a deep playoff run and another early exit.

“They’re selfless with each other because they’re on the same page and they want to get to that next level, that next step,” said Atkinson.