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There’s a “2-for-1” deal inside Intuit Dome when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. These Western Conference rivals are Nos. 8 and 9, respectively, in the Western Conference standings, which means a victory is twice as nice. 

Los Angeles is on a five-game run, but kicking the tires on that tear sees L.A. taking advantage of some NBA bottom-feeders.

My Trail Blazers vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks believe L.A. reserve Bennedict Mathurin has gotten fat off that cupcake competition, and aren’t convinced he’ll keep the points coming.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers prediction

Trail Blazers vs Clippers best bet: Bennedict Mathurin Under 17.5 points (-125)

Bennedict Mathurin has been massive for the Los Angeles Clippers' turnaround the past two months. 

The 6-foot-5 guard gives L.A. a shot of energy off the bench, upping his scoring to 20+ points per game since the beginning of February. Mathurin has been especially hot in his last nine outings, averaging almost 23 points since March 7.

Helping heap on the points has been a schedule littered with lousy defenses. Four of those last nine games came against teams ranked Bottom 4 in defensive rating since the All-Star break (Indiana, Milwaukee, Sacramento, Memphis), along with a 26-point showing versus Chicago (21st).

Tuesday’s tilt brings a sneaky-good Portland Trail Blazers team to Los Angeles. Portland has also roughed up some weaker foes in recent games but sits No. 4 in defensive rating since the break and will approach this vital matchup with a playoff-like intensity.

The Blazers blitz opposing ball-handlers with smothering pressure and force them to get rid of the rock. That tactic has Portland giving up the third-fewest points to guards across the Association (47.2 per game).

Mathurin relies on getting to the foul line to pick up points, going to the stripe at least nine times in seven of his last nine outings. He won’t be able to get into attack mode versus that Portland press.

Projections all sit below his scoring prop, with my number just north of 15 points. That should have this Under 17.5 priced around -200 rather than the modest ask of -125.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers same-game parlay

The Clippers have boosted their stock against some bad teams recently. Portland is a stiff defensive challenge for L.A,. and our game models see the Clippers escaping but not covering as home chalk.

The forecasted final also comes up short of the current Over/Under total. The Trail Blazers can’t match the firepower of the Clippers and will try to turn this into a grinder of a game.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers SGP

• Trail Blazers +5.5
• Under 227.5
• Bennedict Mathurin Under 17.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Chairmen of the boards

The Trail Blazers need this win to keep pace in the playoff race, but won’t win a shootout against the Clippers. Defense is the name of the game for Portland, which keeps the score low and Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija busy on the glass. Both Blazers are projected to top their rebound markets tonight.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers SGP

• Trail Blazers moneyline
• Under 227.5
• Jrue Holiday Over 3.5 rebounds
• Deni Avdija Over 6.5 rebounds

Trail Blazers vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers +5.5 | Clippers -5.5
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers +180 | Clippers -220
• Over/Under: Over 227.5 | Under 227.5

Trail Blazers vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Trail Blazers are 7-14 Over/Under (63% Unders) as road underdogs this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Clippers.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Clippers

Trail Blazers vs Clippers latest injuries

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Allow Charlotte Hornets fans to feel optimism for once. They have earned it. They can even look at an opponent like the Brooklyn Nets and have complete confidence in a win tonight.

My Hornets vs. Nets predictions and these NBA picks even go so far as to expect Charlotte to give some players a lighter workload on Tuesday, March 31.

Hornets vs Nets prediction

Hornets vs Nets best bet: LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points (-120)

This is what life is like on the other side, Charlotte Hornets fans. You are no longer tanking; you get to take advantage of the teams that are tanking, like the Brooklyn Nets.

Sometimes that joy can be a bit excruciating itself. Your stars may not take the game as seriously, like scoring 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting against the Kings a week ago. Or they may not see as many minutes, like not even playing 22 minutes against the Pacers in late February.

LaMelo Ball cleared this prop in both those instances, but scoring 20 points against tanking teams is hardly an argument that he 'll ruin this prop by the hook tonight.

The Hornets have a back-to-back coming up on Thursday and Friday; they likely need to win both games — vs. Phoenix and then vs. Indiana — to keep their chances of slipping into the preferred Play-In game as the No. 8 seed in mid-April alive.

Limiting Ball’s minutes tonight will only help that cause later in the week, and Charlotte certainly should not need much of a performance from him against Brooklyn. The Nets have one outright win in their last 11 games, against the Kings.

Hornets vs Nets same-game parlay

Limiting Ball’s minutes while increasing Coby White’s will serve Charlotte not only to rest Ball for later in the week but also to further White’s understanding of this Hornets offense. Since joining the rotation in late February, White has taken at least 11 shots in 10 of 15 games, including each of the last eight.

More and more White usage should create Charlotte permutations that frustrate postseason opponents. An early lead will create a clear opportunity for less Ball and more White tonight.

Hornets vs Nets SGP

• Hornets first half -10
• LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points
• Coby White Over 14.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Nets Hang Around

The Nets may be the complete inverse of the Jazz. While Utah stays competitive into the fourth quarter and then benches its contributing pieces to assure a loss, Brooklyn tends to hang around the whole game, then score garbage-time points to cover the full-game spread. The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six.

Hornets vs Nets SGP

• Nets +17.5
• Hornets first half -10
• LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points

Hornets vs Nets odds

• Spread: Hornets -17.5 | Nets +17.5
• Moneyline: Hornets -1700 | Nets +950
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 | Under 219.5

Hornets vs Nets betting trend to know

The last five Hornets games have all cashed their Unders, and by an average of 5.7 points. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Nets.

How to watch Hornets vs Nets

Hornets vs Nets latest injuries

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

The NBA Rookie of the Year award can be a good indicator of future success, but it doesn’t always mean the player who won it will go on to have the best career of his class, nor does it mean the ones who didn’t win it can’t be just as successful. This year, the NBA’s top candidates are Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg, and both of them are special players with high ceilings. Still, the San Antonio Spurs made the made the right pick by selecting Dylan Harper at 2nd overall (sorry, Kevin O’Connor), and here’s why.

There are 19 NBA rookies playing at least 20 minutes per game in the 2025-26 season, and only three are logging at least 30 mpg (minimum 55 games played): Flagg, Knueppel, and VJ Edgecomb. All three have been mostly starers for their teams, while Harper is 12th among rookies in minutes at 22.3 per game with just two starts, meaning he doesn’t have as strong of a case for ROY as his fellow top four picks. Still, any rookie who has made himself a rotation player has done a good job, especially when they earn that spot on a quality team like the Spurs. 

Keep in mind that only three Spurs rookies have averaged 30 minutes since 1988-89: Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Willie Anderson. A lot of that has to do with how stacked many Spurs teams have been over the years, but it’s also not their motto to put too much on rookies’ plates, especially the younger ones. While the three Spurs above all entered the league aged 21 or older and started from day 1, Harper plays mostly with the second unit. Yet notably, the five-man unit with Harper, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama is one of their best.

That rotation is their 12th most-used this season, but part of the reason for its success is having added versatility with multiple ball handlers. The other is the sharp perimeter defense that buys Wemby the extra second to get where he wants. 

Harper is a smart shot creator, averaging a 2.76 assist-to-turnover ratio: the best among rookies.  Most of his passes and assists have gone to Johnson, who also passes him the ball the most.  To boot, Harper is one of three rookies to score in double figures with a minimum 54.0 effective field goal percentage, and on the Spurs, he generates the third most 3-pointers (5.4) for his teammates after Castle and De’Aaron Fox.

Harper was never going to make as much noise as many 2nd overall picks do because of his role, but take out that bit of context, and what he’s done matters a lot to a team that has turned into a championship contender at least a year earlier than expected. Despite being a rookie, he’s someone coach Mitch Johnson can count on in big games and is a big part of why the team has a top-eight scoring bench. His rookie campaign may not be as glamourous as Flagg or Knueppel’s, but it’s still rare for a rookie to garner that much trust so early in their careers.

It’s always difficult to get a read on how award voters will lean, but while it’s probably safe to assume Harper won’t win Rookie of the Year, he at least deserves to be on one of the All-Rookie teams. He’s quick, strong and shifty with the ball, and while he has only started twice this year against two low-level opponents, the Spurs offense didn’t miss a beat in his minutes. He is in the top five among rookies in points in the paint and fastbreak points, but most importantly, he’s doing all this for a team that’s on the hunt for the league’s best record. Other rookies can put up similar numbers with no pressure since their team is going nowhere or their role is not in jeopardy, but Harper is under pressure to produce, because if he doesn’t, the Spurs can simply turn to Fox or Castle for more minutes.

If Harper has one weakness, it’s his 3-point shooting. Almost all of his attempts are open to wide-open, making league average efficiency with 4-6 feet of space, but only 31.2 percent with six feet or more space. Spurs fans should not worry about this being a long term problem because he works hard, and Chip Engelland’s secret sauce has been closely replicated by the team.  For now, he can focus on becoming a screener after a handoff if opponents scheme him out by daring him to shoot, which will help him rack up assists and is a good counter by attacking the space.

There’s only seven games left in the regular season, so it is doubtful anyone will learn anything new from the crop of youngsters at this point. But we so know who Rookie Harper, and he’s earned himself an A- on my scale. The scary thing for the rest of the league is he has much more room to grow.

CHANDIGARH, India (AP) — Cooper Connolly marked his Indian Premier League debut with an unbeaten half-century in Punjab Kings' three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on Tuesday.

Batting at No. 3, the 22-year-old Australian smashed 72 not out off 44 balls with five sixes and five fours as last year’s finalist survived a middle-order collapse to reach 165-7 with five balls to spare.

Fast bowler Vijayakumar Vyshak (3-34) and experienced spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-28) had earlier bowled well in the middle overs to restrict Gujarat to 162-6 after Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field.

“I was looking forward to the experience of playing with some world-class players, but to put that performance in tonight, very happy," Connolly said. "I’m just more of a tempo player, feel the flow of my hands, don’t hit too many big sixes.”

Punjab had the chase under control at 110-2 in 12 overs before impact substitute Prasidh Krishna rattled the middle order with three wickets in 10 balls and the home team slumped to 118-6 in the 15th over.

But Connolly didn’t lose patience with wickets falling around him provided Punjab a winning start to the tournament.

Krishna ignited the collapse when Iyer clipped a straightforward catch to mid-wicket of the first ball he faced after he was struck hard on his hand at the non-striker by a hard drive from Connolly and needed on-field treatment.

Shashank Singh was undone by a sharp short ball and got a faint edge behind the wicket while Marcus Stoinis sliced a catch to Rashid Khan at third of another short delivery.

Marco Jansen smashed a six but got deceived by a slower delivery from Gujarat debutant Ashok Sharma and offered a tame catch at covers with Punjab still needing 19 runs for victory.

Xavier Bartlett (11 not out) eased the nerves when he pulled Krishna for a six over mid-wicket before Connolly guided Punjab to victory.

Earlier, skipper Shubman Gill top-scored with 39 off 27 balls, but none of the top-order Gujarat batters could convert starts into meaningful knocks. Gill started off well with his fluent boundaries in the power play, but Gujarat got tied down after scoring 54-1 in the first six overs.

Gill dominated Chahal early on with his trademark sweep shots before he got caught at mid-wicket while trying another sweep against the spinner as Gujarat couldn’t find momentum after power play.

Jos Buttler scored 38 off 33 balls, that included 14 dot balls before he holed out to long-on at the start of death overs.

Punjab did well in the last five overs and allowed Gujarat score only 34 runs with Jansen (1-20) intelligently varying his pace. Arshdeep Singh’s (0-42) long 11-ball last over went for 12 runs that included a no-ball and four wide balls.

___

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

On March 23rd, Moses Moody suffered a season-ending patellar tendon tear during the Warriors’ game versus the Dallas Mavericks. Moody was taken off the court on a stretcher with only 58 seconds remaining in overtime. Before his injury, Moody was having a great game, with 23 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Luckily, the Warriors pulled out a win. Moody underwent knee surgery on March 27th.

Two days later, on March 29th, Moody broke his silence via Twitter.

I appreciate all of the love. Every challenge I’ve been through in life I’m glad I went through. I’m sure I’ll feel the same about this. 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/47cW9RbAYp

— Moses (@mosesmoody) March 29, 2026

“I appreciate all of the love. Every challenge I’ve been through in life I’m glad I went through. I’m sure I’ll feel the same about this. 💪🏾” Moody said in a tweet Sunday.

Moody, turning 24 next month, was averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game — his best season yet. Moody is young and exceptionally talented, so he has a bright future ahead of him after his recovery process. Hopefully, he comes back stronger. Either way, Dub Nation is behind him every step of the way.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

As the Western Conference playoff race nears its end, it’s once again going to come down to the wire.

With just seven games remaining, the Lakers can finish as high as the No. 3 seed or as low as sixth. The good news is the Lakers have their destiny in their own hands as they currently sit in the three spot and have the tiebreakers over the opponents they’re competing with for a playoff spot.

While their seeding and whether they will have homecourt or not are unknown, the teams they could face are known. LA will play either Denver, Minnesota, or Houston in the postseason.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask which team you would most like them to play in the first round of the playoffs between the Wolves, Rockets and Nuggets.

The Lakers have beaten this trio in head-to-head matchups, so a case can be made for each being a desired opponent. The team with the current worst record among the three is Houston.

The Rockets haven’t been able to dominate this year, even with the acquisition of Kevin Durant. The Lakers recently beat the Rockets in back-to-back games in Houston, making a matchup against them in the postseason an enticing proposition.

Last season, the Wolves eliminated the Lakers in five games in the opening round. But this year, LA controlled all three contests against Minnesota and swept the season series.

Sure, they still have Anthony Edwards and a defensive titan in Rudy Gobert, but this iteration of the Lakers has proven they can handle them.

Perhaps facing them in the playoffs again can make advancing to the second round by beating them that much sweeter.

And last but certainly not least is the Nuggets. The Lakers won the season series 2-1, but all the games were close. In fact, Denver is the only team to have pushed Los Angeles into overtime this year.

The Lakers came out on top, but it certainly looked like things could have easily gone a different way.

Similar to Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić is also an MVP candidate, and with a player that good on a team that’s beaten the Lakers a couple of times in the playoffs during this decade, maybe that’s not the first opponent you want to have as one begins a playoff run.

But what do you think? Who do you want the Lakers to face in the playoffs? Share your opinion by voting and letting us know down below!

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

All season — and especially the last month — the Utah Jazz have been playing G-league and overseas-level players in an effort to lose games. Some of them made their NBA debuts for the Jazz and some are trying to make their NBA comebacks. Without being too critical, there’s a reason that most of these players have not made a real impact on the world’s best basketball league.

Let’s take a look at every two-way or 10-day contract player to suit up for Utah this season, and see if I would like them to dawn the purple mountains in the future.

Mo Bamba

Games played: Two

Contract: Signed to multiple 10-days, but released before the last contract was up.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

I was always elated every time the Jazz signed Mo Bamba this past year, simply for how much of a pop culture icon he is. However, in the two games he played for Utah this season — and the seven years of previous NBA play — he did not inspire confidence that he could be a legitimate player for the Utah Jazz. But thanks for the song! I imagine I’ll show it to my future kids in 20 years, and explain why a former Jazz player is the title of one of the most popular hits of my generation.

Andersson Garcia

Games played: Five

Contract: One 10-day. Was not re-signed after.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Andersson Garcia’s brief time in a Jazz uniform was very reminiscent of Jarred Vanderbilt’s. Both had tremendous hustle and grit, diving for loose balls, snagging boards and playing great defense. Vanderbilt’s play during the first part of the 2022-23 season was a stark contrast to the lackadaisical effort of the 2021-22 team, and Garcia’s drive felt the same exact way. Offensively, Garcia wasn’t great, only shooting 31.0% from the field, but the 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals were nothing to scoff at. As excited as I am about JJJ, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George and Walker Kessler next season, none of those players are known for their tenacity and hustle, so I’ll take as many players with those attributes as I can get.

The Jazz didn’t re-sign him after his 10-day was up, so the odds that he’ll play for the organization again are slim, but I would love it if somehow he wound up on the training camp roster next season. Plus, being one of the few Dominican NBA players ever was a wholesome story.

Kennedy Chandler

Games played: Six (and counting)

Contract: One 10-day

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

Looking at Chandler’s counting stats, they aren’t terrible (14.2 ppg and 6.8 apg), but considering that the only two point guards on the roster are Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, and there’s an abundance of intriguing guards in the lottery, if the Jazz were to add a non-draft point guard to the roster this summer, I would much rather it be a solid, proven player with a few years under his belt — just look at how great of an addition Ayo Dosunmu has been for Minnesota. Chandler also had nine turnovers in the last two games and stands at only 6-feet tall. The Jazz don’t need another one of those.

Bez Mbeng

Games played: 10 (and counting)

Contract: Multiple 10-days

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

The former 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year has seemed to have a tough time scoring in his opening stint against NBA competition. He’s failed to score five points in five of the 10 games that he’s played and has only shot 16.7% from deep. Not to compare him to another Yale Bulldog who played for the Jazz, but like Miye Oni, he can disappear at times on the court. Unfortunately for Mbeng, he’s not made a lasting impression for the Jazz front office.

Blake Hinson

Games played: 11 (and counting)

Contract: two-year, two-way contract signed on Feb. 9

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Long story short, Hinson shoots 50.1% from three on over 5.2 attempts per game. If you can shoot that well from long distance consistently, you’ll have an NBA job for years to come. He doesn’t do much besides shooting, only averaging 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and totaling three stocks in 11 games, but man… that 50% 3-point shooting. I’m happy he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot next season with the contract he signed.

Elijah Harkless

Games played: 26 (and counting)

Contract: Second year of a two-year, two-way contract

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Elijah Harkless didn’t play for all of December and January, but I immediately noticed his impact when he rejoined the Jazz from the Stars in February. He is a defense-first player, and while his steals numbers aren’t other-worldly (1.2 spg), his on-ball pressure is elite. On March 2, 6-foot-3 Harkless guarded one of the greatest players ever in Nikola Jokic for over six minutes, and he actually bothered the 3-time MVP. Harkless is never going to be a scorer, but he is a good playmaker (2.9 apg) and I think is good enough for another two-way contract.

Oscar Tshiebwe

Games played: 21 (and counting)

Contract: One-year, two-way

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

This is less about Tshiebwe’s performance, and more of a reality check about Utah’s roster construction. The Jazz’s front court rotation — when healthy — is not an easy one to crack. Tshiebwe would have to compete with Markkanen, JJJ, Kessler, Kyle Filipowski and maybe Nurkic if the Jazz and the Bosnian big man come to an agreement for next season. That’s not to mention the possibility of the Jazz ending up with Cam Boozer, or players who can play power forward like AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in the draft. Sorry to Tshiebwe, but if he does sign with Utah again, he’ll be lucky to see the floor even in garbage time.