Category: Sports News

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

With March Madness in full swing, we’ve got a light NBA slate tonight, but there’s still a spotlight on the race for Eastern Conference playoff seeding.

Look no further than the New York Knicks’ visit to the Charlotte Hornets, with LaMelo Ball and Co. still eyeing the Top 6, while the Orlando Magic catch a break against the tank-tastic Sacramento Kings.

My top NBA picks for March 26 target all three matchups, including a wager on an in-form Karl-Anthony Towns.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 19.5 points	-120
Dejounte Murray	Over 6.5 assists	+102
Paolo Banchero	Over 25.5 points	-110

Prop #1: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 19.5 points

-120 at bet365

The New York Knicks will need the best version of Karl-Anthony Towns to win the East, and his March numbers suggest he’s in rhythm as the postseason approaches. KAT is averaging 21.7 ppg this month on 57% shooting, and he’s nailed this Over in four straight outings.

Towns scored 35 points against the Charlotte Hornets in December, and he’s getting good looks in a New York offense that’s passed the 120-point mark in three of the past four contests.

His three-point numbers are still down this year, but he drilled a pair of triples against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday as part of a 21-point effort. Look for KAT to give the Charlotte frontcourt a long night.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBA TV

Prop #2: Dejounte Murray Over 6.5 assists

+102 at bet365

The New Orleans Pelicans are an interesting team to watch down the stretch – the rare sub .500 squad that’s still chasing wins. Dejounte Murray’s return has given New Orleans some extra spice, and I see him setting the table for his teammates again here.

Murray has racked up 32 assists across his last three outings, and there’s no reason for him to slow down with Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III (questionable) flanking him.

Facing a fiery Detroit Pistons defense is no joke, but Jalen Duren and Co. gave up 130 points in last night’s OT loss to the Atlanta Hawks. That should leave some tired legs for Murray to exploit in this one.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: GCSEN, FanDuel Sports Network-Detroit

Prop #3: Paolo Banchero Over 25.5 points

-110 at bet365

The Orlando Magic have somehow followed up a seven-game win streak with six straight losses, so good luck figuring out this Orlando team. But I can’t pass up a chance to wager against the Sacramento Kings.

That leads me to Paolo Banchero, who’s done his best to put the Magic on his back in the last two contests, with 36 points in Cleveland on the heels of 39 points against the Indiana Pacers – all on efficient shooting.

It should be more of the same here against the Kings, with Orlando missing Franz Wagner and Anthony Black. Count on Banchero to deliver, just as he did while dropping 30 points in the February meeting in Sacramento.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, FanDuel Sports Network-Florida

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Detroit Pistons should stay atop the Eastern Conference despite Cade Cunningham’s absence, giving them the best chance of navigating his hopeful and eventual return. Winning the obvious games is paramount to that task, like tonight against the tanking New Orleans Pelicans.

My Pelicans vs. Pistons predictions and these NBA picks focus on Cunningham’s unexpected replacement on Thursday, March 26.

Pelicans vs Pistons prediction

Pelicans vs Pistons best bet: Daniss Jenkins Over 17.5 points (-115)

You may be forgiven for not knowing who Daniss Jenkins is. In the month following the All-Star Break, the second-year point guard out of St. John’s — who began his collegiate career at Pacific — averaged just 18.8 minutes and 5.8 points per game.

He was a reserve, at best.

But when Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung, the Detroit Pistons needed someone to take on a greater workload, and that someone has been Jenkins. In the four games since Cunningham’s injury, Jenkins has averaged 38.9 minutes and 20 points.

Perhaps most notable, Jenkins is playing 8.5 morem minutes per game than anyone else in the Detroit rotation. The Pistons never planned for a life without Cunningham running the offense; they are desperate for ball-handling.

Oddsmakers have largely adjusted, but not enough to reflect Jenkins’s increased responsibilities. In his four starts, he has cleared this prop in the last three games. Expect more of that scoring from Jenkins tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans, simply because Detroit has no choice but to keep the ball in his hands these days.

Pelicans vs Pistons same-game parlay

While Jenkins has cleared this assists prop in three straight games, two of those were by the hook, and the third featured 10 assists in a game that went into overtime. Given the Pelicans’ happiness to lose games, a comfortable Detroit win would likely feature fewer assists from Jenkins.

Pelicans vs Pistons SGP

• Daniss Jenkins Over 17.5 points
• Daniss Jenkins Under 7.5 assists
• Pistons -4

Our "from downtown" SGP: Jenkins but not from deep

Counterintuitive same-game parlays are such a joy. The math refuses to recognize that Jenkins could score 20 points while hitting only one 3-pointer. He is not a great shooter, just 36.7% from deep this season.

In fact, Jenkins has cleared this point prop while hitting only one 3-pointer in two of his last three games.

Pelicans vs Pistons SGP

• Daniss Jenkins Over 17.5 points
• Daniss Jenkins Under 7.5 assists
• Daniss Jenkins Under 1.5 threes

Pelicans vs Pistons odds

• Spread: Pelicans +4 | Pistons -4
• Moneyline: Pelicans +155 | Pistons -185
• Over/Under: Over 226.5 | Under 226.5

Pelicans vs Pistons betting trend to know

Detroit has gone 3-1 against the spread since Cunningham’s injury, and the sole ATS loss came in overtime as a two-point favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Pistons.

How to watch Pelicans vs Pistons

Pelicans vs Pistons latest injuries

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

It’s no secret that things got dark recently as a Philadelphia 76ers fan. The trade deadline deal shipping Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for draft picks cast a pall over everything. Not long after, nearly every Sixers regular got injured (or suspended) to the point where Nick Nurse was throwing out “Who’s that guy again?” lineups reminiscent of the Process days.

It started to look like the 10th seed was in the Sixers’ future, with only the fact that Milwaukee was so far back meaning Philadelphia couldn’t miss the Play-In Tournament entirely. Folks seriously discussed whether the team should punt the rest of the season to improve slim lottery odds, and conversations swirled as to whether Nurse and Daryl Morey would and should still be here in the fall.

Well, it looks like the Sixers have now crawled through the river of “stuff” and while they may not have emerged completely clean, they can at least go find Red on the beach. Joel Embiid and Paul George both returned to the lineup on Wednesday, and Philadelphia only went out and scored their most points in a game in over 50 years. George said the time off allowed his body to feel 100 percent. Embiid indicated the oblique is something he’s going to have to manage, but that he at least feels the knee issues are no longer a problem at the moment. Tyrese Maxey looks close to coming back from his pinky finger injury, using his right hand some during warmups prior to the Bulls game.

Credit to the MASH unit for holding things together while all of those guys were away. Now, with the roster rounding back into shape, the Sixers can really do some damage in the standings with nine games remaining. Entering play Thursday, Philadelphia is just one game back of Atlanta for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Washington, Indiana and Milwaukee are all left on the schedule. If the Sixers can split their other six games, would a 6-3 final push be enough to catch the Hawks (while also leapfrogging the currently sixth-place Raptors and holding off everyone else)? Maybe? A potential first-round series against James Harden and the Cavaliers would certainly make for some tasty drama, and test the validity of Morey’s “no needle movers changed hands at the deadline” statement. I wonder if Harden thought Daryl was being truthful there.

Regardless, we have a fun closing stretch ahead of us after many of us had resigned ourselves to checking out for the remainder of the regular season. Instead of “let’s see what happens in the Play-In,” we get a chance to watch a talented group play with something on the line against some interesting opponents like Minnesota and San Antonio. Maybe things don’t quite work out and the Sixers end up in the Play-In anyway, but they’ll at least enter with some sort of cohesion built over these final two weeks.

Just when I thought I was out on these Sixers, they found a way to pull me back in.

Coming off a dominant win against the Miami Heat, the Spurs traveled to the FedEx Forum to take on the Memphis Grizzlies for the final time this season. De’Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet did not play due to their respective injuries, and the Grizzlies had eight players ruled out. As a result, Dylan Harper started for the second time this season. Nonetheless, as soon as the ball was tipped, the Spurs were out and running. They forced turnovers and cashed in quickly with transition threes and dunks, including the first of several poster dunks. They dominated the Grizzlies in the first quarter, 38-19. The second quarter was an ice-cold shooting fest between both teams, as the Spurs led by only 13 at the half. However, the third quarter was a repeat performance of the first. More poster dunks followed as the Spurs outscored the Grizzlies 41-20, and they carried a 34-point lead into the fourth. The Spurs ultimately won 123-98.

Speaking of dunks, here are all 12 dunks from the Spurs! From alley-oops, breakaways, and THREE poster dunks, the silver and black threw themselves a dunk party in Memphis!

Victor Wembanyama led the way with 19 points (8-15 FG), 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, three steals, and three assists. Vic dropped eight of his 19 points in the first half, but also had five of his seven blocks in the first half. He dominated the paint on both ends and had an exciting back-and-forth with GG Jackson II early in the third. After Jackson posterized (sort of) Wemby, Wemby came right back on the other end and posterized Jackson! He then scored on multiple straight possessions. Jackson II had awoken the beast inside Wemby, and Wemby sent the Grizzlies packing. Spurs fans continue to lead his campaign for MVP and DPOY.

On the board with style! Devin Vassell finds a cutting Wemby on the alley-oop connection to put the Spurs on the board first!

PEAK SPURS BALL MOVEMENT! Look at the unselfishness of this team! Multiple passes around the perimeter result in a Wemby dime to Harper for three! Harper finished his second career start with 10 points, six assists, five rebounds, and a block.

TOO BIG AND TOO STRONG! Wemby posts up at the top of the key and bullies his way inside for an and-one slam through contact!

LOCKDOWN! As mentioned earlier, five of Wemby’s seven blocks came in the first half!

PAYBACK POSTER! After getting posterized by Jackson II, Wemby returned the favor on the other end with an exploding one-handed poster on Jackson II!

Icing on the cake! Wemby ends a dominant third quarter with a buzzer-beating three!

Stephon Castle dropped 15 points (5-7 FG), nine assists, and three rebounds. Steph started alongside Harper and just missed out on a double-double. He dished out nine dimes and slashed his way to the paint with ease. He also got to the foul line several times but went five of nine. Despite also committing five turnovers, Steph got the dunk party started by introducing Taylor Hendricks to his poster!

Here’s the reverse angle! Look at Steph’s reaction after the poster! He is simply confused why Hendricks decided to jump with him!

Devin Vassell led the scoring with Wemby by dropping 19 points (7-10 FG, 4-6 3PT) to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Devin was extremely efficient from the field, especially from the three-point line. He also mixed it up with unselfish playmaking and crashed the boards. Since the arrival of Wemby, Castle, Fox, and Harper, Dev has been a fantastic plug-and-play player for this team. He is an X-factor for this team and a solid wing on both ends. He and Keldon Johnson have been the longest tenured players on the roster, and they will be rewarded by finally making their postseason debuts this April.

MORE SPURS BALL MOVEMENT! In transition, the Spurs move the ball around to the corner, where Dev passes the ball back to Harper, who splashes another three!

DEV WANTS IN ON THE DUNK PARTY! Dev sprints ahead for a breakaway one-handed slam through two defenders!

Julian Champagnie dropped 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. Besides dropping threes, Julian got into the passing lanes and came up with two stocks. Ever since he became a permanent fixture in the starting lineup, he has been an underrated rebounder. After seeing Castle and Wemby posterize defenders, Julian felt left out. He took matters into his own hands and posterized Hendricks!

Keldon Johnson dropped 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. KJ added another solid scoring game off the bench to add to his 6MOTY candidacy. Besides bringing the energy before and after every game. KJ ALSO felt left out after seeing Castle, Wemby, Julian, and Dev bring the house down. KJ leaked out on a fastbreak and had himself a clear runway for a ferocious slam!

Another <.500 opponent, another take-care-of-business game. The Spurs led wire-to-wire and took care of an injury-riddled team early. As the playoffs appear closer by the game, the Spurs keep looking better. They’ve won games in many different ways this season, but games like these prove that they are also all unselfish and want to send a message every time they step on the court. They are now two games behind the OKC Thunder for the one seed, and clinched home-court advantage for the first two rounds.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks this Saturday at 2:00 P.M. (CST) on Prime Video/FDSN-SW.

Tonight's Sweet 16 game between Houston and Illinois will be a home game for the Cougars, but UH players don't expect that to matter much.

"Last year we played Purdue in Indiana. It doesn't really give you too much of an advantage, honestly," Cougars guard Milos Uzan said. "Every team here is good, and, yeah, it doesn't really give you too much advantage. I think we just continue with the same preparation and live with the results."

March Madness: Sweet 16 games ranked

This could be the best game of the night. Illinois averages 85 points a game, while Houston is known for its defense. It will also feature two of the top freshmen in the country, Kingston Flemings for Houston and Keaton Wagler for Illinois, who both figure to go early in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The winner of tonight's game advances to Saturday's Elite Eight to face the winner of Nebraska vs. Iowa in the South Region's other Sweet 16 game.

Here's what you need to know about tonight's game, including predictions:

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Illinois vs Houston basketball live score

What time is Illinois vs Houston Sweet 16 game today?

Tip-off is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET from Houston.

What channel is Illinois vs Houston game on? How to watch, streaming info

Houston vs. Illinois will air on TBS/truTV and stream via Fubo.

Houston vs Illinois prediction

Odds provided by BetMGM, as of noon, Thursday, March 26.

• Blake Toppmeyer: Houston
• Paul Myerberg: Houston
• Jordan Mendoza: Houston
• John Brice: Houston
• Matt Glenesk: Houston
• Craig Meyer: Houston
• John Leuzzi: Illinois
• Austin Curtright: Houston
• Ehsan Kassim: Illinois
• Moneyline: Houston (-165); Illinois (+135)
• Spread: Houston (-2.5)
• Over/under total: 139.5

Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?

Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.

Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.

How many Europeans are on Illinois' team?

• David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
• Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
• Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
• Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
• Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
• Toni Bilic is from Croatia

Kingston Flemings 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction

Utah Jazz at No. 5 overall.

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

The Jazz currently have the worst defensive rating in the league but could potentially improve that by selecting Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against Arizona State earlier this season. He scored 42 points against No. 11 Texas Tech on Jan. 24 and had a strong performance against Baylor, recording 21 points with seven assists and two steals on March 4. With highs as high as his thus far, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft here.

Kingston Flemings stats

(all stats as of March 15)

• 16.4 points per game
• 3.9 rebounds per game
• 5.3 assists per game
• 47.5% field goal percentage
• 39.2% three-point field goal percentage

Houston NCAA Tournament history (since 2014)

• Appearances: 7
• Most recent appearance: 2025
• Games played: 27 (20-6)
• Highest seed: 1
• Lowest seed: 6
• Best finish: National Championship

Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction

Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.

∎ Read more about Keaton Wagler's rise from unknown for freshman superstar.

Keaton Wagler stats

(all stats as of March 15)

• 17.9 points per game
• 4.8 rebounds per game
• 4.4 assists per game
• 44.6% field goal percentage
• 40.2% three-point field goal percentage

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston vs Illinois news, live updates, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16