“We’re looking more like we’re playing a playoff game, like things matter,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch after the Edmonton Oilers picked up an overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night. It's the team's second straight win, and unlike some of the past two-game streaks, these most recent victories have the Oilers looking like a team that's found something.
“We’re paying attention to detail, we’re simplifying our game. It’s nice to see. The games are so important right now that everyone seems like they’re dialled in and know the urgency to play right.”
Then again, the Oilers have tried to win three in a row several times this season, and the same thing almost always inevitably happens -- the team puts up a stinker.
Coming back home on Saturday afternoon to face the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers can't afford to keep that tradition alive. That matinee game is as important as any game the Oilers have had on their calendar this season. The Ducks lead the Pacific Division and are five points up on the Oilers. If Edmonton wants any shot at catching them, this four-point swing (should Edmonton win in regulation) is critical.
The good news is that the Oilers can feel good about their recent efforts. In past instances where three in a row was on the table, the Oilers had pulled out some wins they arguably didn't deserve. This time, both victories against Utah and Vegas were well earned.
Even when the Oilers bent on Thursday -- allowing Vegas to tie the game three separate times -- they didn't break. Edmonton didn't allow the Golden Knights an opportunity to ever hold the lead. There are valuable lessons to be taken from that experience.
There were solid lessons learned on this short road trip overall.
“It’s a great road trip, two massive wins against two potential playoff opponents,” said Zach Hyman. He scored his 30th of the year on a great play, stripping the puck from a Vegas player in their zone and finishing it for a beautiful third goal. “I thought we played well defensively. Everybody contributed, which is so important at this time of year; everybody feels a part of it. We were rolling the lines, and everything went well. It was a huge road trip.”
Goaltender Connor Ingram said after the win: “We’ve found a way to play that’s given us success. Now it’s not being stubborn and sticking with it. Playing simple. We’re a good enough hockey club we’re going to get our chances. As long as we don’t give them that many, we’re going to be just fine.”
The Most Impressive Part About Thursday's Win?
The Oilers’ penalty kill was spot on Thursday night. Perhaps the most impressive part of the game was their 4-on-3 kill in overtime. Edmonton fought it off, then Evan Bouchard got the game-winner.
It was a solid defensive effort, the team's second in a row. During Tuesday’s win over Utah, the Oilers kept the Mammoth to a limited number of shots, blocking almost double the amount of even-strength shots as usual.
This team has found a playoff gear that they've shown no signs of having all season. The trick now is continuing to put forth that effort and not get stuck in their bad habits. The more they can win without Leon Draisaitl, the more they'll be ready to roll when he gets back.
In its effort to curb tanking, Adam Silver and the NBA presented NBA owners with three different conceptual ideas that would radically change and expand the NBA's Draft Lottery. All three would grow the lottery to between 18 and 22 teams and flatten the lottery odds. Plus, the plans open the door to harsher penalties for teams that manipulate their lineups or otherwise take steps to tank in the league's eyes, up to and including moving the team's draft pick back to the end of the first round.
• The lottery is expanded to 18 teams, the 10 teams that miss the postseason entirely, plus all eight teams in the play-in. • The 10 teams that miss the play-in all have an 8% chance of winning the lottery, with the other eight teams getting either 5%, 3% or 2% chances depending upon where they finish. • While 18 teams are in the lottery, the lottery would draw just the top four draft spots, and after that it would be by descending order of teams' records (the same as now).
Lottery Concept 2
• The lottery is expanded to 22 teams: The 10 that miss the postseason, the eight in the play-in, and the four teams eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. • Those 22 teams will be ranked in order of their record across the last two seasons (the WNBA's system). For example, if a team won 20 games this season and 30 the previous season, for the lottery purposes they would have 25 wins. • Teams will be given a win total minimum, and if they finish below that line their record will improve for lottery purposes. For example, let's say that number is 22 wins, then this season's Pacers/Nets/Wizards — all on pace to have fewer than 22 wins — would see their records increased to 22-60 for lottery purposes. The goal is to take away the incentive to lose too many games. • The top four spots in the lottery would be drawn as they are now, after that it would go in record order.
Lottery Concept 3
• The lottery is expanded to 18 teams, the 10 teams that miss the postseason entirely, plus all eight teams in the play-in. • The teams with the five worst records would all have the same odds — 11% to get the top pick — with the lottery odds for the rest of the teams descending from there. • There would be two lottery drawings. The first would be for the top five picks. Then, there would be a second lottery drawing for the 13 remaining teams, and if any of the teams with the five worst records did not make the top five picks, then they could not fall further than 10th.
None of these is a formal proposal in the sense that the owners will have to vote on one of these three plans, a league source told NBC Sports. Rather, the owners may push to combine different parts of the concepts. For example, the third concept could be modified so that it's essentially the same system as currently is in place, but with the five worst teams having the same odds instead of the worst three, with 18 teams in the mix, but after those top five are drawn, it could simply go in record order.
In addition to those proposals, the league wants to increase the commissioner's power to punish a team seen as manipulating its roster to tank. Those punishments could include moving a team's pick to the end of the draft (30th in the first round) and fines in the millions of dollars, according to Joe Varden at The Athletic, who has a quote from a league source.
"Without stricter penalties, you could still have crazy behavior. You have to have something in place that is so drastic, a team would actually think twice about tanking. And if a team tries it and gets caught, then the other teams need to see the penalties and realize it isn't worth it to try."
The NBA's Board of Governors is set to vote on these proposals before this year's NBA Draft.
Stopping tanking has been on top of Adam Silver's to-do list for years, and he's going to use his political capital to push owners to approve some version of one of these proposals. Whether they will work is another question.
The Cleveland Guardians, with a 1-0 record, face the Seattle Mariners, who are 0-1, in this regular-season matchup. Cleveland's Gavin Williams (ERA 3.06 in 2025) will start against Seattle's George Kirby (ERA 4.21 in 2025). The Mariners are favored with a -1.5 spread and a moneyline of -175, with the over/under set at 7 runs.
How to Watch Cleveland Guardians vs Seattle Mariners
Let’s tip the weekend off with some slam dunks in the NBA player prop markets. With 10 games on the schedule, there’s no shortage of options.
My favorites for today include Ace Bailey doing his best to sabotage the Utah Jazz’s tank job, while Chet Holmgren takes the Chicago Bulls by the horns and stuffs the stat sheet.
Those and more NBA picks for Friday, March 27, below.
The Thunder can pull off these streaks because they can hurt you in so many ways. Just look at Chet Holmgren.
The Thunder big man is averaging 16 points and 9.9 rebounds in his 15 games played since the All-Star break.
His rebounding prop is sitting at 8.5 for this matchup, but our Covers Prop Projections have him at 9.4 rebounds against a Bulls defense that surrenders the third-most opponent rebounds per game.
That has me looking at Holmgren’s double-double prop, which is priced at 2/1.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN+, FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma
Prop #2: Ace Bailey Over 20.5 Points
-105 at bet365
The Utah Jazz might have to start sitting down Ace Bailey if they want to fully embrace tank mode, because the Bailey breakout is for real.
Bailey is proving why he was worth a Top 5 pick. He’s averaging 21.9 points while shooting an impressive 42.9% from 3-point range over his last nine games. That includes putting up 32 or more points three times.
He gets a good matchup tonight against the Denver Nuggets. While Nikola Jokic and Co. are a machine on offense they are struggling at the other end of the floor. Denver ranks 21st in defensive rating and 18th in opponent made threes per game.
Expect another strong game from Ace tonight as he goes Over 20.5 points for the fourth time in five games.
The second-year center is arguably playing his best basketball of the season. He’s averaging 16.8 points with a .598 effective field goal percentage over his last eight games, and I like Clingan to keep putting in work in tonight’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs are a young team as well, with plenty of areas to work on, with the inside maybe being the most glaring. Dallas ranks dead last in the NBA in opponent points in the paint per game.
So, let’s back Clingan to go Over his point total of 14.5, a number that he’s topped in four of his last eight games.
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GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 19: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils battles Riley Mulvey #55 of the Siena Saints for the ball during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
March Madness is in high gear, and so there’s more interest to the upcoming NBA Draft, likely to take place on June 23 and 24 at its home since 2013, Barclays Center, Brooklyn. No, the dates are not yet official but the enthusiasm is.
For the Nets, with a high lottery pick, this year’s draft is seen as critical to their rebuild. More than one pundit has suggested that Sean Marks & co. hope to use their pick as part of a big upgrade, moving from two and a half dreary years of rebuild to perhaps what could be called a build. No longer will they be trying to lose.
Could it be analogous to what the franchise did in 2018-19 when a young team led by D’Angelo Russell wound up with the sixth seed … and enough NBA street cred to attract first Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as free agents, then James Harden in a trade. Don’t expect this build to follow that same scenario but the pick will be critical nonetheless.
This year will also be very different from last June’s draft. After failing to move up — not willing to pay a hefty price that could have included their 2026 pick — they chose quantity over quality, taking a historic if risky five first rounders, even adding one the night before the Draft! (Interestingly, the Nets went into last year’s draft with a No. 2 ranking in Tanathon’s draft power rankings. Same so far this year. They may not have five firsts like last year but a higher lottery pick plus two picks in top half of the second round could be a better haul in a generational draft.)
Now though, hopes are higher. For one thing, the 2025-26 tank — excuse us, “playing the probabilities” — is deeper than last seasons meaning higher odds on May 10, lottery night in Chicago. At the moment, the Nets floor looks like No. 4, maybe even No. 3. They’re in second and only a game out of the top spot, currently held by the Indiana Pacers. Of course, things could change.
And since the Nets sent out future draft assets to get their 2025 and 2026 picks back from the Rockets, it would be ideal for them to get payback. But mostly it’s because this draft is seen as a great draft with comparison to the generational drafts of 1996 and 2003.
With the NCAAs now in the Sweet Sixteen, draft speculation is a little subdued with Darryn Peterson and A.J. Dybansta already done for the season. That leaves Cam Boozer of Duke fighting for the Final Four and beyond.
All that said, here’s the latest mocks. Is there a consensus? Not really. Boozer, Dybantsa and Peterson all have their advocates. Of the eight we surveyed, six had the Nets taking one of the three, with the outliers being forward Caleb Wilson of North Carolina and guard Kingston Flemings of Houston. Interestingly, none had Nets choosing guard Darius Acuff of Arkansas.
Dealing with a busted bracket?
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
Some mocks go with the lottery standings the day they post, others where they think Nets will land after the lottery. Some mocks only project the first round, others the full two. The Nets currently have two picks at Nos. 32 and 43.
Jeremy Woo was out last week with his picks. He has Brooklyn in fourth and out of the running for the Draft’s Big Three of Cam Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Instead, he has them taking one of the next three, Caleb Wilson, the 6’10 ” forward out of North Carolina. He, along with Darius Acuff, Arkansas’ 6’3” point guard, and Kingston Flemings, Houston’s 6’5” combo guard, seem to the draftniks’ favorites just behind the Big Three although some are starting to suggest Acuff could move up and Peterson move down. Here’s his two-round takedown:
#4 – Caleb Wilson, PF, 6’10”, North Carolina, Freshman
Wilson opted to have surgery after breaking his thumb last week in practice, ending his season and depriving him of an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
A first-team All-ACC selection, he has done enough to sit safely among the top picks even without taking the court again, showcasing his ability to play above the rim and two-way upside at power forward. Evaluators are curious how much more he can develop his 3-point shooting (25.9%) and ball skills, but Wilson plays exceptionally hard, having compiled 11 double-doubles and setting himself apart as an elite prospect. NBA teams have penciled him in as a top-four selection.
Brooklyn has built patiently, holding onto Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton at the trade deadline and will be hoping to add star power to the youngest roster in the NBA, no matter where this pick falls.
Jonathan Wasserman actually came closest to nailing the Nets preferences in 2025, projecting that Brooklyn would take Nolan Traore (at No. 19); Danny Wolf (at No. 26) and Drake Powell (at No. 27) in his final mock. So, we should pay attention to him!
This time around, with the third pick of the NBA, he has the Nets selecting Darryn Peterson, a 6’6’ shooting guard who drew comparisons to Kobe Bryant at the start of the season but lately, he’s dropped, inconsistency and injury with a wee touch of weirdness hurting his cause.
A productive yet confusing freshman season came to an end for Darryn Peterson after St. John’s buzzer-beater in the Round of 32.
Despite all the controversy around his injuries and in-game tap-outs earlier in the season, he still averaged 20.2 points on 43.8 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three) while playing 29.0 minutes a game. Peterson’s shotmaking skill remains as exciting it seemed at Prolific Prep.
Plus, concerns over the cramping have seemingly faded with Peterson playing over 30 minutes a game over the last month.
Falling from No. 1 to No. 2 or 3 may be caused more by issues with his decision-making and shot selection. Since his 18 points in 20 minutes against Dybantsa on February 2, Peterson shot 39.2 percent from the floor, often relying on difficult, contested jumpers. He also dropped to 51.9 percent finishing on layups, a number that could be caused by a variety of things, including poor spacing, overconfidence in his shooting and legs that aren’t likely at full strength.
At this point with the predraft process approaching, whether he goes No. 1, No. 2 or even No. 3 will come down to the eye of the pick’s beholder, as there doesn’t seem to be any consensus right now when ranking Peterson versus Dybantsa and Boozer.
Going deeper, he likes a wing and a big. Both are from west Africa, Yessoufou from Benin and Chinyelu, Nigeria.
If you claim to be a Nets fan, don’t deny you refresh Tankathon.com at least 20 times a day. Admit it! That is the fist step toward overcoming an addiction. Unlike other addictions, however, it is not debilitating. That could change and lead to sprained index fingers by the end of June.
Not only does Matt Hoover’s site offer up-to-the-minute mocks, they also meticulously maintain the draft order, aka tank guide, for fans of lottery teams. Tankathon even offers a draft power rankings, based on the combined value of each team’s picks. (Nets are currently ranked No. 2 with their three picks in the top 45, just behind the Grizzlies with the nos. 7, 16 and 32.)
Tankathon believes the Nets will go the traditional route and take the country’s top player, 6’10” Cam Boozer of Duke. While their format is light on analysis unlike their rivals, they are long on video:
(Is this kid really only 19?)
In the second, Hoover thinks the Nets would be good with Boozer teammate, 6’6” guard Isaiah Evans and Australian Dash Daniels who like his brother Dyson, a defensive terror (and someone who Sean Marks travelled to Perth, Australia, 11,600 miles away, to scout — along with Karim Lopez — back in January.)
Aran Smith, founder of NBADraft.net is often the outlier in mock draft projections, but the analysis is often top-notch with regular updates on some of the big names. That said, Smith is yes, unconventional again, projecting the Nets will take Kingston Flemings, the 6’4” Houston PG, at No. 4. Four mocks so far, four different projections.
Yes, in terms of rumored interest, Flemings is the only one of the consensus outside the top four who anyone in the media has suggested has the Nets attention, as Corey Tulaba of No Ceilings told Erik Slater of Clutch Points last month…
“Kingston Flemings is a name that I’ve heard the Nets are interested in.”@CoreyTulaba on the top draft prospect outside the top four that Nets fans should be watching. pic.twitter.com/ZqhJgGbRi9
“A name that I think is really important for Nets fans to monitor from what I’ve heard around the league is Kingston Flemings of Houston. That is a name I’ve heard the Nets are kind of interested in and he’s been incredible this year.”
Projects as a high-level lead guard whose speed, poise, and efficiency translate well to the NBA game … Has the tools to impact winning early due to decision-making, defensive engagement, and ability to control tempo … Continued refinement of shooting mechanics and expansion of his scoring package could elevate him from a strong starter profile to an All-Star caliber guard … Defensive tools and mindset point to long-term two-way value … Winning habits, maturity, and coachability strengthen his overall projection and reduce long-term risk …
Flemings indeed hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. Powerfully built with a blazing quick step, the 6’5” sophomore is unlikely to fall out of the top 10 and is the type of player who often sneaks up the mock draft consensus in the last few weeks … and he is in the Sweet Sixteen.
In the second, Smith et al like Keyshawn Hall, a 6’7”, 250-pound 3-and-D candidate who is among this draft’s older players at 22. (Their mock like a couple of others don’t have the Nets picking in the forties. Perhaps the permutations of the draft order caused them to wait a bit.)
One thing about this round-up of mock drafts is how diverse the choices are at Nos. 3 and 4. There is no consensus on who the Nets should select … other than a high lottery pick. Last year, Khaman Maluach was for a long time the draftniks’ favorite to stroll across the stage wearing a Nets cap to a waiting commissioner. There was also a contingent who believed the Nets could wind up with Kon Knueppell!
The closest thing to a consensus – among fans at least – is A.J. Dybantsa and that’s not scientific. Reading though social media, the BYU forward is all smooth games reminiscent of, take your choice, Kevin Durant or Tracy McGrady. Heady comparisons. As Elliot Pohnl of TSN wrote recently in his latest mock:
Dybantsa plays with an incredible amount of force and assertiveness, which allows his athleticism to shine. Despite being surrounded by a mediocre BYU roster that got worse after the Richie Saunders injury, the Cougars were competitive in the Big 12. Dybantsa can take over games, and more importantly, he wants to take over games. He can handle the ball at a high level, and his length and athleticism helps him be a plus defender. His shot could use polish and he isn’t perfect offensively, but he has what it takes to be a franchise-changing selection.
Add to that Egor Demin’s endorsement of fellow Brigham Young product and you can see that if Dybantsa was still in March Madness, there’d be viewing parties among Nets fans. Alas, he is not. Also alas, Sporting News only does first round selections so no guesses on No. 32 or 43.
Ricky O’Donnell thinks that Darryn Peterson will be the name called by Adam Silver, assuming Nets get that top three pick in the lottery. Peterson is the big question mark among the top 3 and O’Donnell thinks the 6’6” Kansas guard (also around) may not answer that question with an exclamation point.
Darryn Peterson looked like Gen-Z Kobe Bryant coming out of high school. He hasn’t lived up to that billing at Kansas due to a bizarre set of injury circumstances that included “traumatic” cramping and multiple soft tissue strains in his lower body. Peterson just doesn’t look as explosive athletically as he did in high school, but he still put up awesome per-possession scoring numbers in an off-ball role by showing off his elite shotmaking. His freshman tape looks more like Richard Hamilton or Tre Johnson than anything else, bending defenses by darting around screens and splashing shots all over the floor. The fact that his shooting touch and outside volume both look better than expected is an encouraging sign for his star upside if he can regain his physical gifts. I had Peterson at No. 2 for most of the year, but at this point I’m tempted to slide him down to No. 4. Part of that is because North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson looked awesome before his season-ending thumb injury. Part of it is because Peterson just didn’t meet our expectations this season.
O’Donnell has Cam Boozer at No. 1 and A.J. Dybantsa and No. 2. He, too, only goes one round deep in his projections.
Adam Finkelstein is another vote for Cam Boozer who more than one draftnik thinks will carry the day (if available) because in addition to his skillset is that high character type Sean Marks & co. crave in the post Big 3 era. We’ve heard one draftnik describe Boozer in the simplest of terms: “the Perfect Net.”
This may be the easiest pick of the draft. Executives are terrified of missing on Dybantsa or Peterson if they end up reaching their full potential, but there’s little doubt that Boozer will be a long-term impact player. His resume of winning is unmatched, he’s physically ready for the next level and one of the smartest players in the draft. He’s a big-time rebounder, passer, has terrific hands and can operate at different spots on the floor offensively. Boozer has a war of a matchup Friday night against St. John’s and defensive menace Zuby Ejiofor.
The choice of a power forward would make for some interesting speculation come Draft Night. Boozer would not replace Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe in thinking about Nets big men. They all have different skillsets and fits. But of the Draft’s top three picks (if they get so lucky), he’s the one that would best round out the Nets team building exercise. Also, there’s no indication that the Nets are going to divert from their long-held belief in BPA — best player available. The reasoning is simple: you get a high lottery pick in a generational draft, you’re not drafting for next season. You’re drafting looking way down the road.
That said, Bryan Kalbrosky thinks that A.J. Dybantsa makes the most sense because he is the prospect most likely to raise the Nets level of offense which, as he notes, is currently horrific.
The Nets have the worst offense in the NBA and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, who would likely go No. 1 overall depending on which team gets the pick. He emphasized that point during his one game for BYU in March Madness, putting up 35 points and 10 rebounds. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star also had 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10 and averaged 28.8 points per game over his final 17 appearances.
There may be other aspects of Dybantsa’s potential that could use some upgrades, including maturity, but the name of the game is buckets and he knows how to do that, as Kalbrosky notes. No second round projections from USA TODAY. You’ll see more draftniks delve into the second day of the draft the closer we get.
The Boston Celtics will look to build on their impressive win over the Oklahoma City Thunder as they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Jayson Tatum came up big on Wednesday, and I’m counting on him to lead Boston to cover again in my Hawks vs. Celtics predictions.
Read on for more analysis of this matchup in my free NBA picks for Friday, March 27.
Hawks vs Celtics prediction
Hawks vs Celtics best bet: Celtics -4.5 (-110)
The Boston Celtics have been working Jayson Tatum back into the lineup, and that fully paid off on Wednesday, when he put up 19 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists while playing more than 35 minutes against the Thunder.
Boston is now 7-2 with Tatum in the lineup this season. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.1 ppg and 9.2 rebounds per game, and while his shooting touch isn’t quite there yet, he showed improvement against the Thunder there as well, going 3-for-6 from three-point range.
The one thing that might make bettors question the Celtics tonight is the injury report. Jaylen Brown is out for tonight, which is a significant blow for Boston, but Derrick White and Neemias Queta will both be available after initial worries that the Celtics would be short-handed.
With Tatum healthy and improving in every game, Boston shouldn’t miss a beat.
The Atlanta Hawks continue to rack up wins since the All-Star break, but these wins have largely come against weaker competition. In their last two road games against quality opponents, the Hawks lost by 22 points to the Houston Rockets, then beat the Detroit Pistons by a single point in overtime on Wednesday.
As hot as the Hawks are right now, the Celtics are a different team with Tatum on the court, and they showed how tough they’ll be to beat at TD Garden down the stretch on Wednesday.
Hawks vs Celtics same-game parlay
The shaky injury report for Boston has sent the total down several points in this game, and that’s enough for me to target the Over.
The Hawks have hit the Over in five of their last six games, and there’s more than enough offensive talent on both sides to hit this number.
I’m also taking Tatum to grab Over 8.5 rebounds, a total he’s hit in each of his last four games.
Hawks vs Celtics SGP
Celtics -4.5
Over 225.5
Jayson Tatum Over 9.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Tatum Does it All!
With Tatum coming off his best game since his return from injury, I’m backing the Celtics star to shine again tonight, especially with a potentially limited roster around him.
I’ll add Tatum to pick up another double-double after recording three in his last four games. I also like him to get Over 5.5 assists after dishing out seven on Wednesday against the Thunder, and pick up Over 1.5 steals, which he’s done in two straight contests.
Hawks vs Celtics SGP
Celtics -4.5
Jayson Tatum double-double
Jayson Tatum Over 4.5 assists
Jayson Tatum Over 1.5 steals
Hawks vs Celtics odds
Spread: Hawks +7.5 | Celtics -7.5
Moneyline: Hawks +183 | Celtics -215
Over/Under: Over 224.5 | Under 224.5
Hawks vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Celtics have won five of their last six games by 5+ points. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Celtics.
How to watch Hawks vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Friday, March 27, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Southeast, NBC Sports Boston
Hawks vs Celtics latest injuries
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The New York Yankees (1-0) face the San Francisco Giants, who are 0-1 after losing their first game of the series on Opening Night. Starting pitchers are second-year pitcher Cam Schlittler for the Yankees, who posted a 2.96 ERA as a rookie, and Robbie Ray for the Giants, with a 3.65 ERA in 2025. The Yankees are favored with a moneyline of -130 at BetMGM.
How to watch New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants
Date: Friday, March 27
Time: 4:35 p.m. ET / 1:35 p.m. PT
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
TV channel: ESPN Unlimited, MLB.TV (Local broadcasts: NBC Sports Bay Area, Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network)
Sep 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (77) reacts after retiring the side against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
“If you can’t beat them, join them.“ Or, in this case, have them join you.
In a move that is not quite as dramatic as someone like Roger Clemens eventually making his way from Boston stardom to the Bronx, the Yankees recently signed right-handed pitcher Luis Garcia to a minor-league deal. And if you were wondering? Yes, it’s that Luis Garcia, the former Houston Astro — the man whose windup kind of makes me seasick even while sitting on the couch, but that’s a conversation for another time.
A pretty successful starter for the Astros in 2021 and 2022, Garcia ascended alongside other young arms who rose to prominence in the post-sign-stealing-scheme environment, like Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier. He had a 3.60 ERA with 324 strikeouts in 312.2 innings for the back-to-back American League champions, winning a ring in ’22.
It’s been a tough road for Garcia since then, as he’s dealt with one scarily large injury bug over the past few years, limiting the righty to just 34.2 innings since the start of 2023. It’ll be a while before Garcia can suit up in the Yankees minor-league system, reserving the entirety of this 2026 campaign for his recovery from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent at the end of last season. Alarmingly, it was Garcia’s second TJS in a rather short period, as his first came in May 2023.
If you remove the health aspect, there were never a ton of performance-related concerns around the now-29-year-old Garcia, as he delivered some productive seasons for the Astros. At the same time, two major surgeries in the span of three years put his career in jeopardy. If the Yankees can rehabilitate him, there might be a solid pitcher in here.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 14: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.
The Lakers had a great road trip, winning five of their six games. However, the teams beneath them also performed well, with the Wolves beating the Rockets and the Nuggets currently on a four-game winning streak.
So, while LA has the tiebreaker over the teams they are competing with for playoff position, the race remains tight.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference: 3. Lakers — 47-26, 10 GB 4. Nuggets — 46-28, 11.5 GB 5. Wolves — 45-28, 12 GB 6. Rockets — 43-29, 13.5 GB 7. Suns — 40-33, 17 GB
If Denver keeps on winning, it’ll apply pressure on LA to do the same. With only a game and a half separating the two teams, anything can still happen.
Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.
Friday
Jazz at Nuggets — It’ll probably be five wins in a row for Denver after they play Utah. While the NBA aims to discourage tanking, under the current rules, the Jazz have no incentive to win.
Rockets at Grizzlies — Memphis has lost 12 of their last 13 games. The Rockets are struggling, but it’s hard to imagine them losing to the Grizzlies.
Dealing with a busted bracket?
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
Saturday
Pistons at Wolves — The Lakers lost to the Pistons, so they witnessed firsthand how tough they can be to beat. Perhaps this weekend, they can help LA out by beating Minnesota.
Jazz at Suns — Rooting for Utah to win in March is an exercise in futility.
Sunday
Warriors at Nuggets — Golden State is still trying to win games and potentially surpass the Blazers for the No. 9 seed in the West. With Steph Curry still out, they don’t have much firepower to compete with the Nuggets, but at least they are incentivized to do so.
Rockets at Pelicans — New Orleans has been playing better than their 25-49 record suggests. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games with wins over the Clippers and Raptors. They won’t be favored against the Rockets, but they’ll be at home and an upset is a possibility.
Monday
Wolves at Mavs — The Mavericks aren’t trying to win games. Check the box score at halftime and see if this contest is worth watching after that.
Suns at Grizzlies — The bad news here is that the Grizzlies play the Suns, and Laker fans want Memphis to win. The good news is the Suns are seven games back of the Lakers, so it’s virtually impossible for them to catch LA at this point.
Mar 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) celebrates with second baseman Marcus Semien (10) and shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) and third baseman Bo Bichette (19) and first baseman Jorge Polanco (11) and catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The dominant storyline regarding the Mets all offseason was about the roster turnover. If you look up and down yesterday’s Opening Day lineup, about half of the players in it are new faces, most of whom weren’t even in the organization last season. Yesterday’s 11-7 victory over the Pirates in which the Mets got the best of one of the premiere aces in the game was a total team effort that included contributions from nearly all of these new Mets.
For starters, the pitcher that took the mound to ring in the season in front of the Citi Field faithful was one of those new players. Freddy Peralta’s performance wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to earn him his first win in a Mets uniform. After giving up the two-run homer to Brandon Lowe in the first, he bounced back to strike out the next three batters and ended up racking up seven strikeouts in total. Other than the mistakes Peralta made to Lowe, who either simply had Peralta’s number or is about to enter a new era of dominance as a Pittsburgh Pirate, he had a strong Mets debut.
The final line on Freddy Peralta's Mets debut:
5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 80 pitches.
Peralta allowed a pair of Brandon Lowe homers but is in line for the win thanks to some healthy run support. pic.twitter.com/4r1CjMqjd4
The Mets were able to erase the deficit created by the Lowe two-run homer yielded by Peralta and then some in the bottom of the first, which became a marathon rally that knocked Paul Skenes out of the game with just two outs in the first. The newcomers in the Mets’ lineup were huge contributors to this rally. Bo Bichette plated the Mets’ first run of 2026 with a sacrifice fly. Jorge Polanco then singled and Luis Robert Jr. worked an 11-pitch walk—one of the key at-bats in the inning because of the bases-clearing triple that followed.
Can't forget about Luis Robert Jr.'s incredible at-bat against Paul Skenes in the first inning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xFM6QN3KYe
Though of course the sun played a role, Marcus Semien gets credit for a double and an RBI in the inning all the same. Both Robert and Semien would go on to have a multi-hit game. Robert notched RBI knocks in both the fourth and fifth innings, the latter being a slow grounder that he beat out with his speed for an infield hit. In his very first game as a Met, Robert showed why the Mets traded for him (and why they have been trying to do so for years now). His skills on both side of the ball were on full display, as he made a diving catch in center to end the third inning as well. In fact, for all the hemming and hawing about players learning new positions, the Mets played a solid game defensively. The Mets’ new infield contingent made all of the plays—fundies that would have made Keith Hernandez proud if this game had been broadcast on SNY.
It is fitting that Freddy Peralta was followed in the game by Tobias Myers, who came with him in the trade from the Brewers. Myers gave up a solo homer to Ryan O’Hearn and nothing else over three strong innings of work, demonstrating right away the value he provides as a long man in the bullpen—a role the Mets have not had consistently filled for quite some time now.
The only new addition whose day did not quite go as well was Luis Garcia, who was tasked with protecting a six-run lead in the ninth inning. With how Myers was cruising it seemed like he might finish the game, but it seems like the Mets opted to save his bullets and turn to Garcia instead with the more comfortable lead. Garcia was shaky in the ninth, but ultimately got through it with the lead in tact. Overall, yesterday was still a very good day for the new look Mets.
Of course, not all 162 games of this long season are going to look like this—“a near perfectly executed offensive inning,” as Howie Rose described the first-inning rally in what turned out to be a near perfectly executed game all around. There are going to be bad moments where it feels like the team isn’t gelling. But you can see David Stearns’ vision for the Mets within yesterday’s win—a microcosm of what he wants this next Mets era to look like. Some of these new faces, like Bo Bichette, who has an opt-out after this season, may be fleeting pieces as this Mets puzzle comes together. Others, like Freddy Peralta, with whom the Mets are still negotiating on a potential extension, may end up staying awhile. We have a lot of season left to see if this new group has the secret sauce of a championship club. But yesterday was a good start.
KANSAS CITY, MO - AUG 16: Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr (7) celebrates as he leaves the field after winning a MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals on August 16, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kansas City has a favorable April schedule and needs to take advantage
The schedule to begin 2026 is a bit of a gift for a Royals team that has not gotten off to the strongest starts historically. Last year’s team made it to the end of April at 16-15 and even stayed above .500 through May before having one of the most atrocious months I have ever seen in June, which ended up being too much to overcome in the end. This year, the MLB schedule makers have deigned to give the Royals an early season scheduling gift. Here are the series that they will play through April:
3 games at Atlanta Braves
3 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games vs. Milwaukee Brewers
3 games at Cleveland Guardians
4 games vs. Chicago White Sox
3 games at Detroit Tigers
3 games at New York Yankees
3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels
3 games at Athletics
Outside of the nine-game stretch at Detroit, at New York, and home for Baltimore, the other opponents are all fine-to-bad. Milwaukee has a habit of being quite good, but they are projected for a win total in the low 80s. Atlanta is currently missing Sean Murphy, Ha-Seong Kim, Spencer Strider, and several other players right now and is quite vulnerable. Minnesota was gutted last year and only has starting pitching to lean on. There are a lot of opportunities to pick up early wins, and maybe more importantly for this team, early confidence.
The Yankees, Brewers, Braves, Orioles, and Tigers are projected to have winning records, but the Braves are not at full strength. That means half of the teams faced are projected below five hundred and they are projected to be further below .500 than the first five are projected to be above. The projected weighted average win percentage for these 31 games is just .493 helped out by that bonus fourth game against the White Sox. Of the 31 games, 16 are at home and 15 on the road, giving the Royals a slight advantage in their ballpark with new dimensions to fit them.
Getting off to a good start can be huge for this team. They have a chance to get the momentum early in a winnable division. There is only the one short stretch of nine games against Detroit, New York, and Baltimore where the goal would be to win four out of nine, and you would be happy not to have dropped more. The rest of those are all series you should feel like you can win, and it is a matter of banking as many of those as possible. Something like an 18-13 start looks very possible, which would be a nice step toward a successful season.
That would not be enough to guarantee anything over a long season, but for a team like this, it could make a huge difference.
1. ALLAN STANLEY: The big defenseman cost the Rangers the equivalent of four minor league players worth $40,000 right after World War II. Although fans wanted Allan to play a tougher game, that wasn't his style. The Rangers failed to give Stanley enough time to mature and foolishly traded him to Chicago on Thanksgiving Day eve, 1954. So good was Al that he's now in the Hall of Fame and winner of four Stanley Cup rings – as a Maple Leaf.
2. DAVE KERR: One of the NHL's best goalkeepers during the late 1930's, Davey was so good that he had the honor of being the first NHL player to have his picture on the cover of Time Magazine. After his Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1940, Kerr asked boss Lester Patrick for a $500 raise. When Lester refused –still in his prime – Kerr quit hockey and never returned.
3. MIKE BOSSY: A four-time Cup-winner with the Islanders, Mike could have been a Ranger. In the 1977 Draft, the Blueshirts had the eighth and thirteen picks. First they went for Lucien DeBlois and then Ron Duguay, The Isles happily snatched Bossy at Number 14.
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 24: Shohei Ohtani #17 and Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers joke on the field prior to Game One of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, October 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers won a World Series title in the abbreviated 2020 season, doing so with the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, and Corey Seager as key parts of their core.
Every last one of those players is now gone, with all but Kershaw having skipped town long before the 2024 season (when the Dodgers also won a World Series). Kershaw stuck around through the end of the 2025 season before hanging up his spikes for good, and he managed to get a ring as part of the 2025 World Series champion Dodgers, too.
The Dodgers franchise has become an absolute juggernaut, the latest iteration of an Evil Empire that Major League Baseball has so often featured during its glory days. With a trio of titles over the last six seasons, they have seized ownership of the league from the likes of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants, staking claim as the behemoth on every single team’s schedule. And if they continue to have their way with the league this season, it’ll be a three-peat for them come October.
So, it’s not at all surprising that a significant plurality of MLB fans in the latest MLB Reacts poll think it’s the Dodgers who will win the 2026 World Series, too, putting together a three-peat on the backs of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, & Co.
It only took two games for the Dodgers to dispatch the upstart Cincinnati Reds in the first round of last year’s playoffs, an amount of time that makes it hard to even remember the Reds participating on that grand stage. And while the Reds went out and acquired Eugenio Suárez to bolster their offense and can now lean into Sal Stewart for a full season, the Reds face a mountain to climb to even get the chance to take down the Dodgers again at the end of this season.
In fact, the Reds aren’t even on the shortlist of likeliest suitors to tackle the Dodger dynasty. That honor goes to the Toronto Blue Jays, who battled the Dodgers to a scintillating Game 7 just last fall before ultimately dropping the series on a dramatic Will Smith home run.
At least, that’s according to those who responded to the latest MLB Reacts survey.
The revamped New York Mets, a Philadelphia Phillies club reunited with Kyle Schwarber, and a Chicago Cubs club that splurged big to sign Alex Bregman stand as the top competition from the National League side, according to the survey.
The Cincinnati Reds were not among the top contenders to take down the Dodgers, per survey results.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros bats in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Opening Day at Daikin Park on March 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hunter Brown was strong in his Opening Day start, but only lasted 4.2 IP due to his high pitch count following 4 walks and 9 strikeouts. A.J. Blubaugh then pitched 2.1 IP in relief, likely giving us a look at how the Astros intend to use their bullpen.
Astros employ effective long relief plan after Brown (9 K's) on Opening Day https://t.co/3BoZ14kOZp
You can call the rule dumb. You can call the rule outdated. However, the rule was properly called on a play that cost Yordan Alvarez a first inning home run because his towering blast hit the roof scaffolding at Daikin Park.
Isaac Paredes is playing first base, Nick Allen is at shortstop and Carlos Correa shifts to third. Joe Espada pinch-ran Allen for Christian Walker after he led off the seventh with a ringing double
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores the game-winning, shoot-out goal against Linus Ullmark #35 of the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on March 26, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins have had their struggles this season with the shootout, though the worm has turned in the past week with two straight victories in the game deciding gimmick. The problem has been two-fold in that their goalies can’t keep the puck out of the net (opponents are scoring a dreadful 54.2% this season) and their shooters, as of a week ago were only scoring on 24.2% of their attempts. That’s a losing formula on both ends.
As we wrote before, it was as simple as expecting the shootout woes to continue until Pittsburgh found better shooters than they had. Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are a combined 5-for-19 on the year (26.3%) and that low rate of converting isn’t going to lead to results, regardless of the goaltending woes on the other side. The last week has been aces, the Pens have scored four times on six attempts and only allowed one goal on five opponent tries. Much of the success has been in shaking up the shooters, Ben Kindel took only his second shootout try of the season last night. Newcomer Egor Chinakhov is 3-for-7 on the year with the Pens (42.8%) about doubling up the rest of the team’s percentage. They’ve found better players to take the shots and are now starting to win shootouts (it’s only two in a row, but hey that’s a start compared to the 1-10 record in shootouts at the start).
Kindel is now 2-for-2 this season on shootouts. The TSN feed caught him smiling as he took his attempt last night. This is the type of loose confidence and swagger you need from a shootout player. Pittsburgh should be using Kindel as a shooter every game at this point. He won’t score on all his attempts forever but he’s a lot better of an option than the veterans who have been coming up empty recently.
I don’t often use the Game Score impact card due to how it can be misconceived or analyzed but the one from last night was telling due to how it matched what I saw and how it ties into some ongoing trends. Rickard Rakell has been awesome lately with 14 points in his last 11 games. Erik Karlsson is pulling the wagon to a huge degree. The “fourth” line (even though they’re not deployed or given typical fourth line ice time) is making positive impacts. Bryan Rust is a reliable performer. Stuart Skinner had a great game keeping the team afloat. Kris Letang is struggling, Sam Girard is too while trying to find his way coming back from injury and still relatively new to the team and system. Tommy Novak didn’t grade well last night but has been better recently. All of this was on display last night and has been going that way for a while, reflected nicely by
At this point the team has to seriously question Ville Koivunen’s place in the lineup for this important stretch of the season. Out of 441 forwards across the NHL who have played at least 250 minutes, Koivunen ranks 439th in points/60 with a dreadful 0.45 rate that is below Ryan Reaves and just about everyone else in the league. On the rink Koivunen looks tentative, slow, is muscled off pucks regularly and barely supports play, often hinders it. He does little good away from the puck and has not been able to generate virtually anything with it, which ought to be his strength. The Penguins are in a tough spot given the injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Blake Lizotte and now maybe Sidney Crosby but it’s probably time (or past time even) to consider other options than Koivunen, who just doesn’t look the part right now of an NHL caliber player for a team pushing to make the postseason.
Here are the fastest teams ranked in terms of 20-22 mph bursts. I also included 22+ mph bursts in the 2nd column.
Boston is slowest in East while Calgary is the slowest in the NHL by significant margin. pic.twitter.com/2q9l271M5m
This ties into the above, but dropping Koivunen might make the Pens faster too, which they could probably stand to gain some team speed. Koivunen only has 11 bursts of 20+ mph in his 35 games this season, per NHL Edge. He plays on a line with Justin Brazeau, who himself only has 33 bursts of 20+ in his 54 games. That makes for one of the less explosive lines a team could create. Being fast doesn’t always mean being good and lacking burst doesn’t necessarily tie into an ineffective player, just a matter of all the pieces coming together in the big picture that present opportunities for the team to improve, especially seeing the Pens on the same rink as speedy teams like Carolina, Colorado and Ottawa in recent games. (And Rutger McGroarty, if you were wondering, has 24 bursts in his 20 NHL games).
Now shifting gears to an even worse topic, the dreaded goalie interference drama.
Friedman attempts to explain about how the league thought Karlsson lost a battle with Morgan Barron, creating the goalie contact and why that goal stood. That’s one interpretation, though as always application of rulings is ever inconsistent — for the Penguins and across the NHL.
Personally, I think the bigger issue is Justin Brazeau’s recently disallowed goal against Colorado versus Claude Giroux’s non-interference in last night’s Ottawa game. Both were similar, and if anything Giroux had less of a case of obstructing the goalie than Brazeau (who was dealing with some contact from a defender). It’s difficult if not impossible to make sense of the NHL’s conclusions.
One area worth taking notice about is the frequency of coach Dan Muse’s challenges. The Penguins’ nine goalie interference challenges lead the league by a wide margin, no other team has challenged for GI more than five times.
no one has challenged for goalie interference more than the Penguins this year — Boston, Calgary, Chicago, and Ottawa are tied for second with five challenges this year.
Behind the Penguins -9 in these challenges, the Panthers are second-worst after going 0-4
Is Muse, as a rookie, over-eager to try and reverse a call? He obviously sees things he thinks is interference, yet the league hasn’t agreed a single time. Not sure if the correction is to limit challenges to the most ‘obvious’ of cases, with the caveat being that it’s a major issue to know what even is ‘obvious’ these days. Credit Muse for having the conviction to keep challenging when he disagrees even though at some point internal choices might have to be adjusted given how it’s been going. Just some food for thought, since basically no one can provide logical answers at this point.
Chet Holmgren
Ace Bailey
Donovan Clingan
