SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Petco Park on April 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres needed a win like Wednesday afternoon’s.
As the Padres bludgeoned the San Francisco Giants, 7-1, to salvage the series finale, they finally put together an offense that matched what it looks like on paper.
The club (after only recording nine extra-base hits going into Wednesday’s contest) had five XBH, including four doubles and Ramón Laureano’s, club-leading, second home run of the year.
In addition, starter Nick Pivetta put his Opening Day jitters behind him, striking out eight Giants batters over five innings. The scoreless performance earned him his first win of the 2026 season.
The Friar Faithful hopes that it’s a sign of things to come and not a fluke. The test of that will come in this weekend’s road series against the Boston Red Sox.
Taking the mound
Sonny Gray (BOS) v. Michael King (SD)
After being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this offseason, Gray hopes to factor as an anchor for a dominant Boston rotation. Whether or not that’s the case remains to be seen.
He struggled in his first outing with the Sox, allowing three runs on six hits across only four innings pitched. It was a rough outing, needing 80 pitches to get through it.
If Gray can’t solve a Padres’ offense that seems to have finally unlocked some slug, Boston will have trouble in a hurry.
King, on the other hand, had a memorable first outing. He pitched five vintage innings that stifled a Detroit Tigers’ lineup that was decimating Nick Pivetta only a day earlier.
If he can do the same to a Sox group that has mostly underwhelmed offensively, the Friars will easily overtake Boston.
Batter up!
With San Diego facing a right-hander in Boston starter Gray, skipper Craig Stammen will likely use a similar lineup to Wednesday’s game against San Francisco.
That being said, putting Nick Castellanos in left field over Laureano on Tuesday night showed Stammen favors career matchups against a pitcher over who has a hot bat.
With that in mind, the lineup will probably look like this:
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Ramón Laureano, LF
Miguel Andujar, DH
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Nick Castellanos, 1B
Luis Campusano, C
Almost all of those Padres have a batting average above .300 against Gray, with the lone exception being Campusano (no at-bats).
Machado has had a rough go of it lately and is looking for some slug. He could find it today against Gray (career .343 average against, 35 ABs).
Tatis is 3-for-3 in his career versus Gray and looks to do the same as Machado after starting the season 5-for-21.
Andujar and Castellanos will look to rack up some hits with their bench bats starting the season cold. They have a 2.334 (3 ABs) and .941 OPS (20 ABs), respectively, when facing Gray.
Relief corps
For a guy who was a relief pitcher, Stammen’s bullpen strategy has been… odd.
On Wednesday, Jeremiah Estrada came out and pitched a clean sixth inning before high-leverage lefty Adrian Morejon came in for the seventh.
Morejon wasn’t bad by any means, but he wasn’t his dominant self.
After giving up a leadoff double to former teammate Luis Arraez, he got two outs before surrendering a single to Harrison Bader, giving the Giants their lone run of the game.
He stopped the bleeding there but surprisingly returned in the eighth after not looking particularly sharp.
Normally, that eighth inning would be set-up man Jason Adam’s. But with him still rehabbing his way back, Morejon got the call.
He got two outs before allowing a walk to Rafael Devers. Stammen went to closer Mason Miller for the final four outs.
Miller dazzled, immediately flying out Heliot Ramos. He returned in the ninth and got all three outs by way of the K.
With the travel day, all of the relievers are available. But if King falters early, it’s likely Stammen turns to Ron Marinaccio or Wandy Peralta to cover multiple innings.
The San Diego Padres (2-4) open a three-game series in Boston against the Red Sox (1-4). The Red Sox have struggled to start the season, losing five in a row after winning their opener. Sonny Gray is scheduled to start for Boston while San Diego is expected to have Michael King on the mound.
How to Watch San Diego Padres vs. Boston Red Sox
Date: Friday, April 3
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET / 11:10 a.m. PT
Where: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
TV Channels: NESN, Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health
San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres Craig Stammen began his managerial tenure, winning only twice during the opening six-game homestand. For all the Spring Training talk, Stammen and company had very little to celebrate in the first week of the 2026 season.
Offensive woes continue in 2026
No question, the offensive production is a bit slow out of the gate.
The Detroit Tigers staff was not going to be an easy opening series foe. But the back end of the Giants’ rotation should have been a feast for the Padres bats.
The Friar Faithful are confused whether the Spring Training lineup experimentation has come to an end. Stammen seems content to leave Fernando Tatis Jr. in the leadoff spot, but he did shuttle Jake Cronenworth into the top of the order in three games.
The first-year manager spent the entire time in Peoria, Ariz. promising changes to the lineup. It was baffling to see him throw out the same batting order that continued the hitting struggles from a season ago. We expected a contact-driven top of the order that would put themselves in scoring position for Manny Machado and Tatis Jr. to drive them home.
In the final game of the Giants series, the Friars’ bats may have awoken for a possible promising road trip. The hitters looked more relaxed at the plate. Collectively, the lineup had more free and easy at-bats that generated more run-scoring opportunities. Moving forward, better execution should put more runs on the scoreboard.
Unfortunately, we did not see much of that in the first homestand of the season; instead, there were too many lunging, off-balance swings for my taste.
Pitching is promising to almost dominate at times
Starting pitching was another lowlight of the homestand. Randy Vasquez outclassed the Tigers for the team’s first win. Nick Pivetta was good in his second start of the season. However, he only lasted five innings after throwing 82 pitches in the contest. Pivetta allowed only one hit and struck out eight batters.
Early results are encouraging in how Stammen deployed the bullpen to protect a lead. It made sense for him to aggressively use the pen (Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon, and Mason Miller) to secure the win before heading out on the season’s first road trip.
A baseball season is very much like a rollercoaster ride with plenty of ups and downs before settling into a steady level of play.
The Stammen era may have opened with a resounding dud, but the jury is still out on how he will run a major league club. From a strategic standpoint, we need more than six games to figure out if Stammen is a competent manager.
It will be interesting to see how he keeps the momentum going from Wednesday’s victory.
The New York Mets (3-4) enter Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants (3-4) on a three-game losing streak. San Francisco won Thursday’s opener of the teams’ series 7-2. Nolan McLean is scheduled to start for the Mets and Tyler Mahle is expected to take the mound for the Giants.
How to watch New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants
The Charlotte Hornets are the standout pick for “playoff sleeper”, and they can improve their chances of sneaking into the Top 6 against the Indiana Pacers tonight.
Charlotte has put together a 7-3 run in its last 10 games, just as other Eastern Conference foes are fading, and my Pacers vs. Hornets predictions expect LaMelo Ball to cook up another big stat line here.
Get the lowdown on this April 3 clash with my free NBA picks, including the impact of Indiana’s lengthy injury report.
Pacers vs Hornets prediction
Pacers vs Hornets best bet: LaMelo Ball Over 20.5 points (-102)
Ever the polarizing player, LaMelo Ball has found the right balance of scoring and playmaking in what has quickly turned into a breakthrough season for the Charlotte Hornets.
As a result, the Hornets have reeled off win after win, and I like the LaMelo points prop tonight against an Indiana Pacers squad missing Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith.
Ball made seven of his 12 shots in his previous meeting with the Pacers, and he’s reached the 20-point mark in six of his last nine contests, while being flanked by Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
Answering any remaining questions about whether he makes winning decisions, LaMelo has dialed back a few of his wilder field goal attempts – and he shot a steady 36% from downtown in March.
But this prop pick is still a volume play, with Ball jacking up 16+ shots in 11 of his last 16 games, and he’s always a candidate to pile up 20+.
There are some creaking gaps in the Indiana defense, too. The Pacers are giving up 120.7 PPG, fifth-most in the league, and Ball has the size to shoot over any potential backcourt defender.
With Charlotte cruising to a pair of blowouts in its past two outings, Ball shifted into playmaking mode. But I’m counting on more scoring here, particularly for a Hornets squad that’s on the second night of a back-to-back set.
Pacers vs Hornets same-game parlay
All the parts just seem to fit for the Hornets – including both Ball’s ability to get tough buckets and Moussa Diabate’s nonstop effort on the glass. I’m building this SGP around the Charlotte duo, with Diabate racking up 10+ rebounds in five of his past seven contests.
The Pacers are just 7-31 SU on the road this season, so there’s no obvious path to an upset. Given that the Hornets landed a 133-109 win in Indiana in late February, a home victory is on the cards here.
Pacers vs Hornets SGP
LaMelo Ball Over 20.5 points
Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 rebounds
Hornets moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: The Diabate Experience!
The Pacers are set to be the latest team to get the full Diabate experience. Rebounding is his calling card, but he’s refining his offense – to the tune of 10+ points in four of his last seven matchups – and he averaged a block per game in March.
With Diabate leading the charge defensively for Charlotte, the Under is 48-29 this year for the hosts.
Pacers vs Hornets SGP
Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 rebounds
Moussa Diabate Over 7.5 points
Moussa Diabate Over 0.5 blocks
Under 235.5
Pacers vs Hornets odds
Spread: Pacers +15.5 | Hornets -15.5
Moneyline: Pacers +795 | Hornets -1300
Over/Under: Over 232 | Under 232
Pacers vs Hornets betting trend to know
The Under is 7-3 in the Hornets’ last 10 contests. Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Hornets.
How to watch Pacers vs Hornets
Location
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Date
Friday, April 3, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-IN, FDSN SE-CHAR
Pacers vs Hornets latest injuries
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The Lakers' Luka Doncic reacts after a play during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on Thursday. (Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
In the aftermath of their worst loss of the season, few Lakers players or coaches had spoken to Luka Doncic after he limped off the court in the third quarter Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Austin Reaves didn’t know the extent of Doncic’s hamstring injury, but he knew how the Lakers superstar would approach the latest hurdle in this winding season.
“He's a competitor,” Reaves said of Doncic, “so he'll do all he can do to put himself in a position to come back when he can.”
Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday on the left hamstring injury he suffered in a 43-point loss to the Thunder. He already missed four games before the All-Star break with the same injury, but the Lakers withheld expectations on his status for the final five regular-season games.
After Sunday’s game in Dallas, the Lakers face the Thunder at home Tuesday, play consecutive games at Golden State on Thursday and against Phoenix at home Friday and finish the regular season Sunday against Utah.
Doncic’s injury left the Lakers backcourt extra shorthanded Thursday as Marcus Smart missed his sixth consecutive game Thursday. The veteran guard could return against Dallas, coach JJ Redick said. He has been day-to-day since injuring his right ankle against Orlando on March 21.
If Smart is unable to return in Doncic’s absence, the Lakers could shift even more ball-handling responsibility to Reaves and LeBron James while relying on Bronny James as an additional guard off the bench. The 21-year-old James has played in five consecutive games, tying his longest stretch of his second pro season.
The Lakers (50-27) are already guaranteed a top-six seed in the Western Conference, but are still jostling for seeding. They have a one-game lead for the No. 3 seed over No. 4 Denver, which is on a seven-game winning streak.
Approaching the end of the regular season, the Lakers looked at Thursday’s game against the defending NBA champions as a test, forward Jake LaRavia said. They were 15-2 in March with 13 wins in their last 14 games. The Lakers were playing like an evolved form of the team that lost by 29 to the Thunder in Oklahoma City in November.
But like that first rout, Thursday’s featured a flurry of Lakers turnovers, suffocating Oklahoma City ball pressure and an efficient masterclass from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“This close to the end of the season, we would've wanted it not to go that way,” said LaRavia, who had six points and a team-high eight rebounds Thursday. “It was pretty much the same story, I feel like, the first time we played here this year.”
The Lakers built much of their March success on successful revenge performances. They bounced back after previous losses to the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic. They lost by seven to the Nuggets on March 5 then responded with nine consecutive wins, their longest winning streak of the season, including an overtime thriller against Denver that clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker that could factor into the tight standings.
Redick praised his team’s “playoff mentality” during the run. It was also when the team was largely its healthiest.
Doncic had played all but one game since the All-Star break. Reaves, who missed six weeks with a calf injury this season, has started in 22 consecutive games. When James returned from an elbow injury, the star trio found a clear hierarchy that lifted the team to new heights.
Doncic, who became just the 10th player in NBA history to score 600 points in a single month, is the “head of the snake,” said James, who is averaging just 12.3 shots in the last 12 games but is shooting 54.4% from the field. Doncic’s brilliant March unified the team behind his most valuable player push, his thrilling shot-making and even his smiling dunk against Washington.
With the team exuding the type of joy that often characterizes Doncic’s game, James believes the Lakers can maintain their momentum despite Doncic’s uncertain status and a deflating loss.
“Nothing is rattled,” James said. “It's one game, it's part of the NBA season, it's the defending champions. We get it. We understand.”
This week's Sunday Night Basketball coverage features another exciting doubleheader on NBC and Peacock. The action starts at 7:30 PM ET when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks. Then, at 10:00 PM ET, the Houston Rockets go head-to-head with the Golden State Warriors. Live coverage begins with Basketball Night in America at 6:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game.
Follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors Game Preview:
Sunday's game will be the third and final contest between the Rockets and Warriors this season. Houston won the first matchup in San Francisco, 104-100, on November 26, while the Warriors won the most recent game, 115-113, in overtime on March 5, in Houston.
Kevin Durant has been Houston's most consistent player, leading the Rockets in scoring. Durant, now 37, looks to lead his fifth franchise to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Golden State is locked into the Play-In Tournament for the third consecutive season, with injuries playing a major role throughout the year.
The Warriors now look to strengthen their playoff chances as Stephen Curry continues to work his way back to the lineup. Curry has been out since January 30 with right knee pain and inflammation.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball coverage will also be available on NBC and Peacock. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
If you thought the rides at Disney World made you queasy, try getting on the Orlando Magic’s roller coaster.
Orlando’s up-and-down play in the home stretch of the NBA schedule has the team’s postseason plans in peril.
The Magic were riding high to begin March, climbing to a Top-6 seed, but suddenly dropped six straight outings to fall back in the Play-In. Orlando has split its last four outings and desperately needs direction as it visits the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
Our Magic vs. Mavericks predictions call for that consistency to come from do-it-all guard Desmond Bane. My NBA picks like Bane stuff the stat sheet on Friday, April 3.
Magic vs Mavericks prediction
Magic vs Mavericks best bet: Desmond Bane Over 8.5 rebounds + assists (+102)
Desmond Bane’s biggest strength is his versatility. The stocky 6-foot-6 shooting guard can be whatever the Orlando Magic need him to be.
Sometimes that’s a scorer. Other times, that’s a playmaker. And some games, Orlando needs Bane to battle on the boards. The Magic need a little bit of everything against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
I’m focusing on Bane’s passing and rebounding with his combo prop set at 8.5.
He’s coming off a quiet game against a very good Atlanta defense in which he finished with just two rebounds and two assists. That 29-point blowout loss left him to log just 30 minutes, and Orlando’s rotations were a work in progress with Franz Wagner playing his first game since February 11.
Heading into that game, Bane had topped his combo prop in five of the previous seven. He’ll face a softer challenge from the Mavericks, who are playing out the home stretch at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Dallas sits 24th in defensive rating since the All-Star break and was busted open like a piñata in March, giving up almost 123 points per game. The Mavericks watch opponents rack up the fourth-most assists (28.3) and wrangle the fifth-most rebounds (55) per game.
Bane and the Magic beat Dallas 115-114 at home on March 5, and he finished with eight rebounds and three assists (along with 14 points) in 38 minutes of action. Tonight’s projections have his assists between 4.4 and 5.0, while his rebounding forecast bounces between 4.5 and 5.4.
Magic vs Mavericks same-game parlay
Dallas has only one win in its last seven games and lacks the Magic's motivation, as they try to improve their spot in the Eastern Conference pecking order. Orlando always has troubles in Texas, but game models have them walking out with the “W”.
Paolo Banchero pulled the plug on a bad night versus Atlanta, leaving with only 26 minutes in floor time and a dismal 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting. Game projections call for a bounce-back performance at 24+ points.
Magic vs Mavericks SGP
Magic moneyline
Desmond Bane rebounds + assists Over 8.5
Paolo Banchero Over 23.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: The Bane of Dallas' existence
The Mavericks were rolled by margins of 24 and 30 points in their last two games. Dallas has put up 100, 99, and 94 points in the past three outings, staying below the total in each of those contests. Bane’s player forecasts call for as many as five assists and five rebounds.
Magic vs Mavericks SGP
Magic -6.5
Under 238.5
Desmond Bane Over 4.5 assists
Desmond Bane Over 4.5 rebounds
Magic vs Mavericks odds
Spread: Magic -6.5 (-110) | Mavericks +6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Magic -270 | Mavericks +220
Over/Under: Over 238.5 (-110) | Under 238.5 (-110)
Magic vs Mavericks betting trend to know
Dallas is just 7-12 ATS in its last 19 games, including 2-6 ATS at home in that stretch. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Mavericks.
How to watch Magic vs Mavericks
Location
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Date
Friday, April 3, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-FL, KFAA
Magic vs Mavericks latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
There’s always that one tricky team all the contenders want to avoid in the playoffs. And right now, the Atlanta Hawks are that team in the East.
Atlanta has bullied its way up the Eastern Conference standings with an 18-3 record since the All-Star break, scoring recent wins over heavyweights like Boston and Detroit.
The Hawks take a step back in competition tonight, traveling to the Big Apple as 16.5-point road favorites against the Brooklyn Nets. But while the oddsmakers expect an easy win for Atlanta, this team really has no chill.
Our Hawks vs. Nets predictions like how things shake out for Atlanta’s lineup, especially big man Onyeka Okongwu.
Landale has been in and out of the Hawks' lineup and will not be on the court against the Brooklyn Nets tonight after injuring his ankle in a blowout win over Orlando on Wednesday. That has Okongwu putting in work against a terrible Nets interior.
While Okongwu can do damage in the key, he’s not just a bruiser. The Southern Cal product has range from outside and is shooting the ball well from deep, knocking down 10 of 22 attempts from beyond the arc the past four games.
Brooklyn is getting roughed up from inside and out. The Nets have pretty much given up defending 3-pointers, sitting dead last in opponent success from distance.
Brooklyn also allows the sixth most points in the paint, and its frontcourt limps into Friday with starters Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney dealing with several issues, including illness.
Okongwu has scored 16 and 20 points in the past two games, and with his minutes peaking with Landale out, player projections call for between 14 and 16 points versus Brooklyn tonight.
My number comes out to 14.8 points with respect to a much higher ceiling.
Hawks vs Nets same-game parlay
The Hawks just roasted the Magic by 29 points and need to keep the wins coming as they chase Cleveland for the No. 4 seed in the East. Brooklyn, on the other hand, only has a few more games to drop to last in the league and a better shot at the No. 1 overall pick.
Around the Covers office, there are days known as “Jonathan Kuminga games”. This could be one of them. The Hawks are trying to get their sixth man on track ahead of the playoffs, and with a sizable spread, the bench will see extra floor time.
Kuminga can explode for big nights when he wants, and the Nets don’t offer much pushback.
Hawks vs Nets SGP
Atlanta Hawks -16.5
Onyeka Okongwu Over 13.5 points
Jonathan Kuminga Over 11.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Oh Wow, Onyeka!
Onyeka Okongwu makes the most of his extra minutes against a bad Brooklyn frontcourt. Not only is he projected to top his scoring prop, but models call for as many as 11 rebounds and three assists. He hung a similar stat line against Boston two games ago.
Hawks vs Nets SGP
Hawks -16.5
Onyeka Okongwu Over 13.5 points
Onyeka Okongwu Over 7.5 rebounds
Onyeka Okongwu Over 2.5 assists
Hawks vs Nets odds
Spread: Hawks -16.5 | Nets +16.5
Moneyline: Hawks -1700 | Nets +950
Over/Under: Over 225.5 | Under 225.5
Hawks vs Nets betting trend to know
The Nets do nothing with all those points being handed over by oddsmakers. Brooklyn is 12-22-1 ATS as a double-digit underdog, including going 4-10 ATS when catching +10 or more at home. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Nets.
How to watch Hawks vs Nets
Location
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Date
Friday, April 3, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN SE-ATL, YES
Hawks vs Nets latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The results from Tim Bontemps’ final 2025-26 NBA MVP straw poll over at ESPN are in, and though the race between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama appears to be as close as it ever has been, Gilgeous-Alexander actually won it in what looks like a walk. SGA took nearly 90% of respondents’ (who are likely MVP voters themselves) first-place votes and appears set to nab his second straight MVP award.
You may look at the 88-8 disparity in first-place votes between those two and think, “What a blowout — the voters think he’s that much better than Wemby? Surely, it’s more of a 60-40 or 55-45 kind of race this year.”
It’s important to read the context as well as the results, though, both in the two-man race at the top of the MVP balloting and in the two-man race that has become the Rookie of the Year vote among media members this year. Because we have a similar result in Bomtemps’ Rookie of the Year straw poll, and it’s not one that many Dallas Mavericks fans are going to be happy with.
Kon Knueppel won the Rookie of the Year ESPN straw poll among the 100 media members asked who they have at the top of their Rookie of the Year ballot, getting 80 of the 100 possible first-place votes to Cooper Flagg’s 20. But that does not mean that the disparity is that wide, so cool your jets if they’re firing loud.
In a two-man race, if all 100 voters think it’s a close race, but Gilgeous-Alexander is just slightly ahead of Wembanyama at this point, and Knueppel is just slightly ahead of Flagg at this point, both of those two are going to win the poll, 100-0.
“When this is a binary choice, it doesn’t matter if you think it’s 60-40 for one guy,” Bontemps said on Friday morning’s episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, where he and fellow ESPN analysts Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon discussed the straw poll results. “If you think it’s 60-40 for one guy, and the majority thinks it’s 60-40 for one guy, the voting is not going to be 60-40. It’s going to be like 80-20, which is about where this is. It’s not like a ranked-choice scale where you can get percentage points for being close. You’re either first, or you’re second. You either win or you lose, and all fans look at it this way.”
Kon Knueppel is leading the entire NBA in 3-pointers made this season with 261 entering play on Friday. He’s shooting better than 43% from distance this year, something we haven’t seen from a rookie since Stephen Curry. His Charlotte Hornets are suddenly relevant, which is an unexpected point in his favor this year. Team relevance usually doesn’t play a role in Rookie of the Year voting, but the Hornets’ case this year is unique. The fact that Knueppel was on an absolute heater during the stretch of games that Flagg missed in February with a sprained foot, and Flagg’s slow start out of the gate after coming back from that injury also works against Flagg in the poll results.
Flagg has been great, and in 95 out of 100 years, his rookie stat line of 20.3 points (better than Knueppel), 6.6 rebounds (more than Knueppel) and 4.5 assists (more than Knueppel) would be good enough to win Rookie of the Year. Since the NBA-ABA merger, he’s just the fourth rookie to average more than 20 points, more than six rebounds and more than four assists per game as a rookie, after Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Luka Dončic all did it in their first years. The one knock on Flagg’s game is that he hasn’t been a good jump-shooter across his rookie campaign. He’s shooting just 27.8% from 3-point range this year and
“For [Flagg] not to be Rookie of the Year was going to require something pretty historic was going to have to happen,” Bomtemps said on Hoop Collective. “And, not only has Knueppel set the 3-point record for a rookie in the NBA, he’s currently leading all players in the NBA in [3-pointers made], he’s shooting 43% from 3-point range on crazy high volume. And on top of that he’s been the driving force, if not one of the driving forces, on the remarkable turnaround job in Charlotte.”
He called the Rookie of the Year straw poll result “pretty expected” under those circumstances, though I don’t expect Mavs fans to agree with them. It should be noted, though, that Windhorst was one of Flagg’s 20 first-place votes in the straw poll.
“It’s a perfectly defensible vote if you want to vote for him,” Bontemps said on the podcast. “He’s having an awesome season.”
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 2: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on April 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I’m fascinated by limitations. I don’t think I’m alone in this, but in my case, the fascination borders on morbidity. Even when the ceiling on something is predictably low, I’m curious as to how precisely low that is.
NFTs seemed like such obvious snake oil (especially the whole ‘Bored Ape’ phenomenon), but I couldn’t stop tracking the ascent before the eventual downfall. Most of us knew it was coming, but I just had to know how astronomically overvalued they would become.
I had been a bit young to fully appreciate how farcical the value of beanie babies were in the mid-to-late 90s, but I couldn’t miss out on part deux, and I was riveted.
There was an almost fatal optimism around it that was spellbinding. It became a sort of litmus test for those you had previously considered reasonable and those who reeked of artifice. Immunity was unpredictable. Not because it exposed the unintelligent, but because it exposed what even the intelligent were not exempt from: the weaponization of hope.
I didn’t need the dulcet tones of Morgan Freeman’s voice to remind me that hope was a dangerous thing. I was living that reality as a Spurs fan.
Clinging to every peripheral acquisition. Holding my breath if the team strung two or more wins together in a row. Panning my way through game replays and box scores in search of the faintest glimmer.
I watched Keldon Johnson pile up rebounds and stumble his way into an unforeseeably hot streak from long distance. I fantasized that he could be a sharpshooting Charles Barkley-lite, never minding that those rebound numbers had been the result of an otherwise lone effort on the boards, or that his shooting form roughly resembled that of a medieval trebuchet.
I told myself that Dejounte Murray and DeMar DeRozan’s mid-range games could easily be extended beyond the arc, and that Chip Engelland would work his magic, ignoring that even under his tutelage, Tony Parker had never really managed to become an outside threat.
Lord help me, I even let myself think that maybe Luka Samanic was right, and that something dimly resembling Kevin Durant could be looming somewhere off in his future. I grasped at every straw, I crawled down every rabbit hole, I tuned into every fluctuation.
And you know what? I was wrong. I was categorically, unquestionably, embarrassingly wrong.
But that’s the thing. No one is immune to the necessity of hope in one part of their lives or another. I was experiencing marital troubles. I was strained by a regime change at work. I was diagnosed with a degenerative condition just two weeks before my daughter was born, in the midst of a country-wide lockdown.
I needed to believe that something unreasonable was possible, even when the rest of my brain knew better. If there’s one thing you can say for the truly mad, it’s that they’re rarely suffering from a crisis of faith.
I find it to be supremely interesting that what the rest of us designate as insanity is often merely a belief in that which the collective agrees is preposterous. It makes me wonder how flimsy that agreement really is.
Because, honestly, are there any of us who do not believe in at least one vaguely absurd thing?
Sure, there’s a difference between believing that more than half the population has been replaced by beings who have assumed their identities and believing that Lonnie Walker IV could blossom into some variation of Vince Carter if he could just find the right confidence-restoring mantra, but I’m starting to surmise that it’s not as large a gap as one might think.
I suspect it (largely) has more to do with how much a belief consumes the rest of your life rather than the belief itself. After all, I have a Jock Landale t-shirt and no one’s come to put me away, yet.
The problem is that once you reach a place where you’re capable of recognizing the delusion for what it is, it can make you a little gun-shy regarding anything that threatens to seduce you in a similar fashion.
You recognize the sensation, and then connect it to previous hallucinations in relation to the potential of one Malaki Branham, and it kind of takes you out of it to the point of wielding your crosses and your holy water whilst bidding the devil begone.
That’s been my prevailing instinct all year.
The Spurs are on a double-digit win-streak? Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
They keep beating the reigning NBA champions? I mean, it is just the regular season after all.
They go undefeated for the month of February? It was only 11 games.
They scored 110+ points in every game? Defense in the NBA isn’t what it used to be.
Hell, I even went as far as to declare the Spurs just shy of championship caliber two weeks into the very same month. And while the Spurs have certainly evolved into something different in the time that has passed, it’s not hard to see why I felt that way. The inconsistency was prevalent. The youth was without question.
But that’s the thing about rationality, it’s not a zero-sum game. Sometimes in our desire to be reasonable, we tilt too far in the wrong direction. We make a deity out of philosophy, and in our desire for the world to be coherent, we place our hope in something equally absurd.
According to the myth, the Pythagoreans, cultic in their belief in a rational universe, threw their compatriot Hippasus into the depths of the sea for bringing to light the irrationality of the square root of 2.
My takeaway from that story has always been that there’s no definitive mode of thought that can insulate you from the unpredictability of the cosmos.
I saw more people attribute the arrival of Victor Wembanyama to fate and/or the power of positive thinking than to mathematical chance. The numbers were just not as optimistic.
Sometimes you just have to place your hope in something, even within the framework of other faiths and creeds. Sometimes you just have to believe.
The difference is that this team isn’t fool’s gold. I had started thinking that long before they cut down the-nephew-that-must-not-be-name and the hungry Los Angeles Clippers without the aid of their gargantuan leader.
59 wins. The Spurs are going to win 60+ games. They’ve just tallied their 2nd 11 game win streak of the season, and looked supremely unbothered in the process of knocking down a team that’s played them close and hard all season.
De’Aaron Fox reminded fans that the jet-boosters attached to his legs are still in their prime, picking his spots with the selectivity and sleight-of-hand of a longtime carnival worker who knows all the tricks of the trade.
Stephon Castle continued to make teams pay for sagging off of him at the arc, upping his three-point percentage to 43% over the last 10 games, and navigating crowded space like the Millennium Falcon through an asteroid belt.
Luke Kornet did his best Wemby impression in protecting the paint, and Dylan Harper threaded passes with the delicacy of a jeweler crafting a Faberge egg and an audacity that opened up lanes so wide that it almost felt like the Clippers were begging him to start a layup line.
Everyone made their contribution. Nobody seemed to break a sweat. They’ve spent most of the season taking every team’s best shot, and in doing so have become a team for whom limitation exists at the boundary of what they can imagine.
The Spurs have arrived in a manner that is much more suggestive of the iPhone than a blockchain full of cartoon monkeys. And sure, there are gonna be people who sneer at them and cling to their Blackberry.
I have empathy for them, though. They have to hope their teams will remain relevant. That the tide is still high. That they’re not beating on against the current, being borne ceaselessly into the past. I’ve been on the other side of it, and I can’t begrudge them their fantasies.
Hope is the garment of every naked emperor, and we all take turns playing at the role.
They’re welcome to borrow my Jock Landale t-shirt, though. I hear it’s going up in value.
Takeaways:
I’ve been pretty vocal about this for most of the season, but if Stephon Castle can keep hitting threes the way he has been, Dylan Harper is the most natural fit for running the point. No player on the roster getting real minutes has been more turnover efficient than Harper, even as his touches increase. He converts passes that would make Manu blush. He finishes inside with an ease that would put rookie Tony Parker to shame. He can hit shots from the outside, and he sticks to guards and wings alike, forming a natural pairing with Castle in the back-court (who is himself capable of thwarting the forwards that Harper cannot handle). It’s really a shame that he’s not going to win ROY, because he definitely would have if he’d swapped draft years with Castle. He’s just that good. Whatever the case, San Antonio’s back-court is set up to be oppressive both now and in the future. I can barely contain myself thinking about what they’ll be capable of next season.
I did a bit of a deep dive data-wise yesterday afternoon, and discovered that Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie have the highest net ratings for low usage players in the league. They are the definition of efficiency on both ends, and they helped keep a healthy Kawhi Leonard in check last night, while adding their usual long-distance contributions. It’s no coincidence that the Spurs have led the league in offensive rating pretty much from the moment they both made their way into the starting lineup together. Wemby might be the engine that runs this train, but they’re the ones diligently throwing coal on the fire, and they’re keeping it hot!
Also, boy is this team different when they can lean on Luke Kornet. No offense to Mason Plumlee (who’s been a damn sight better in relief than Bismack Biyombo), but Kornet’s health is paramount to this team making it through the Western gauntlet in the postseason. He’s been a little banged up as of late, so I’d love to see the Spurs rest him a bit before the close of the season. Against most teams, as long as Wemby’s playing, they can get away with playing him less. Admittedly, the Clippers’ front-court squad is far from fearsome, but keeping them from getting any easy points was probably the difference in playing out a very stressful 4th quarter, and walking away with a double-digit margin of victory. He’s been one of the best signings in the NBA this offseason, I’d daresay.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 09: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz dunks the ball against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on February 09, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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. (Photo by Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight marks the Jazz’s preparation for their closing performance in the ceremony. They went through the depths of hell for the last four years, they made their bid for Ace Bailey, they got their win-now trade piece, and now we must bid adieu to what was the strangest Jazz season in the last decade.
Funnily enough, the Rockets clinched their second consecutive Playoff birth after Phoenix’s blowout loss against Charlotte. Unsurprisingly, they built this team on the backbone of the NBA Draft Lottery by throwing out the most putrid lineups imaginable from 2021-2023; the same precedent that Adam Silver wants to stop so that a first-round exit Playoff team can achieve a top-4 pick, for some reason.
Today’s Jazz injury report will feature all your favorite regulars, including Blake Hinson, who has been bestowed the highest honor one can receive for being capable of hitting three triples in a row. Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Elijah Harkless (hamstring triplets?!), JJJ, Markkanen, Kessler, and Nurkic continue their comfortable ride on the Jazz bench during the final stretch.
OUT – Elijah Harkless (hamstring) OUT – Isaiah Collier (hamstring) OUT – Keyonte George (hamstring) OUT – Blake Hinson (2-way) OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) OUT – Walker Kessler (shoulder) OUT – Lauri Markkanen (hip) OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (nose)
Rockets are still all business despite their latest Playoff birth, featuring only their true injured players of Fred VanVleet (torn ACL) and Steven Adams (ankle surgery). That’s because they’re only 1.5 games back of catching up to 4th-seeded Denver and taking home-court advantage into the first round.
Catching up to the Jazz’s standings, on the other hand, Sacramento’s interesting 123-115 win over the Raptors only puts the Jazz 1 game ahead of them in the standings. Yes, DeMar DeRozan just played 35 minutes in a meaningless April game. Utah can’t afford any chances; they intend to keep the ball rolling and to continue throwing out a combination of lineups that only sort of resemble the game of basketball. That could be the difference between draft lottery immunity and an 0.6% chance of giving up their pick to OKC.
I would bet my buck that Ace Bailey is determined to finish this season strong. The media had a chance to propel Ace Bailey to All-Rookie 1st Team honors, and may have completely sabotaged that by giving Western Conference Rookie of the Month to…Maxime Raynaud?
Ace Bailey's March:
✅ More PPG than Raynaud ✅ More APG than Raynaud ✅ More BPG than Raynaud ✅ Higher Offensive Rating ✅ Higher Defensive Rating ✅ Higher Net Rating
Western Conference Rookie of the Month: Maxime Raynaud.
Don’t get me wrong Kings fans, I, too, remember when Kessler was the only promising young piece on my team. But it feels a little mundane not to reward Ace Bailey after having statistically one of the greatest months one could have as a teenager.
But the Jazz do, in fact, have more young promising pieces that they can barely even keep up with.
Kyle Filipowski has been juggling between the 4 and the 5 spot, playing out of position 90% of the time while still managing to average 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game since the All-Star Break. Utah’s gravest mistake may be choosing to unleash Sensabaugh. Since returning to the starting lineup on March 9, Ice Brice has scored over 20 points in 8 of 10 games. During this period, he is averaging 25.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.6 three-pointers made, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting an efficient 53.7% from the field and 47.4% from three-point range.
Point in case, this is not a game for the Rockets to slack off, or the Jazz to…work hard, I guess. Utah can do the whole charade — maybe a 21-3 run sprinkled in there, a Svi Mykhailiuk sudden heat-check, perhaps even a Kennedy Chandler hustle montage. All that matters is that Utah comes in to collect that 57th loss, no matter how badly some Twitter loser tries to convince you that it’s ‘ruining’ the NBA product. Sometimes, as Neil Armstrong would say, you need to land the eagle.
This week's Sunday Night Basketball coverage features another thrilling lineup on NBC and Peacock. First at 7:30 PM ET it's the Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks. The excitement continues at 10:00 PM ET when the Houston Rockets go head-to-head with the Golden State Warriors. Live coverage begins with Basketball Night in America at 6:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game.
Follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks Game Preview:
Sunday's game marks the fourth meeting of the regular season between the two teams. The Lakers have won each of the first three contests.
The Lakers have officially clinched a playoff spot and earned their second straight Pacific Division title. They've been one of the best teams in the league over the last five weeks, going 16-3 in their last 19 games.
“There are a million different forms of leadership, and every guy has their own responsibility to lead in whatever way they can. Whether it’s [Marcus]Smart defensively, LeBron making hustle plays, or Jake [LaRavia] with his physicality. That’s leadership, said Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick.“Our team right now is the reason that we’re winning. Our team – because each guy has contributed to winning.”
For the third time in the last four seasons, the Mavericks have been eliminated from playoff contention. The team has surpassed 50 losses for the first time since the 2017-2018 season.
Despite the disappointing season, Cooper Flagg — the No. 1 pick in 2025 — remains among the favorites for Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old leads the Mavericks in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball coverage will also be available on NBC and Peacock. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
Will Shōta Imanaga recover his 2024 form? | | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, I asked you what your biggest concern is about the Cubs. It’s very early in the season, but a small majority of respondents in the SB Nation Reacts survey said it’s the starting rotation:
This is a place where I don’t agree with the majority. As has been the case the last couple of years, the Cubs bench doesn’t appear very strong. On paper, with Dylan Carlson (who still hasn’t played!), Michael Conforto and Scott Kingery (plus whoever isn’t the starting catcher) as the bench players would seem better than last year’s selection of Jon Berti and Vidal Bruján (among others), but Craig Counsell hasn’t given those guys much playing time. Of the three mentioned above, only Conforto has started a game, and he doesn’t have a hit. Kingery has pinch-run — once — and as noted, Carlson hasn’t played at all.
I continue to believe that Carlson would be better in right field right now than either Conforto or Matt Shaw. But they don’t let me make that decision, so we’ll see what Counsell comes up with.
The survey was posted before Edward Cabrera and Matthew Boyd put together really good outings on Tuesday and Wednesday, so perhaps some of you who voted “starting pitching” might have a different vote now. How do you feel about the rotation after six games? Personally, I feel pretty good about it. Four of the five starters threw pretty well, and Shōta Imanaga made one bad pitch that was smacked for a three-run homer.
I think they’ll be fine, particularly after Justin Steele returns.
Here are the results of the national questions asked in the survey this week.
I’d concur with this vote, though now that the Pirates have called up Konnor Griffin and signed him to a long-term deal, perhaps he’d be the guy. Griffin is MLB’s No. 1 prospect and immediately becomes a strong Rookie of the Year candidate. And he doesn’t turn 20 until later this month.
I concur with this vote as well. Netflix paid big bucks to have the Yankees and Giants play a season opener as the only game, but… many folks don’t have Netflix and didn’t want to sign up just for that.
Over the past few seasons (before this year), MLB made a big deal about having all 30 teams play on Opening Day. I’d like to see them go back to that.
Thanks to all who participated in this week’s survey.
The Washington Nationals (3-3) welcome the two-time defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2) to Nationals Park for their home opener this afternoon.
The pitching matchup features Dodgers’ right-hander Emmet Sheehan against right-hander Miles Mikolas. Each hurler will be looking to take a step forward following rocky starts to their 2026 campaigns. Sheehan surrendered four runs in just 3.1 innings. The veteran Mikolasallowed four runs in five innings in his first start.
The Dodgers are on the road following a season-opening six-game homestand that saw them take three from Arizona and lose two of three to the Guardians. The quartet of Shohei Ohtani (.167), Freddie Freeman (.208), Kyle Tucker (.174), and Mookie Betts (.238) are hoping the road helps turn their fortunes around.
The Nationals’ offense has not been an issue. As a team, Washington is hitting .281 and scored 38 runs in their first six games. Joey Wiemer has 10 hits including two home runs 17 ABs and Daylen Lile has 11 hits and scored six runs in 27 ABs for Washington.
Lets dive into this afternoon’s matchup and the opener of this three-game series 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.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Dodgers vs. Nationals
Date: Friday, April 3, 2026
Time: 1:05PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, D.C.
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Nationals.TV, Sportsnet LA
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.
Nationals: Miles Mikolas Season Totals: 5 IP, 0-1, 7.20 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 4K, 3 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Dodgers vs. Nationals
Kyle Tucker has struck out 9 times in 23 ABs and has just 1 extra base hit
Will Smith has 2 HRs and 5 RBIs
Shohei Ohtani has walked 7 times this season
James Wood has 3 hits in 27ABs
Daylen Lile leads the Nats with 3 doubles this season
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: Dodgers vs. Nationals
The Dodgers are 2-4 on the Run Line this season
Washington is 5-1 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 2 times in LA’s 6 games this season (2-4)
The OVER has cashed 4 times in the Nationals’ first 6 games (4-2)
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: Dodgers vs. Nationals
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 Friday’s game between the Dodgers and the Nationals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Run Line.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 9.5.
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Kurt Helin
