Three fans found to have made gesture in Frankfurt
Club impose indefinite bans on individuals involved
Tottenham have had a one-match ban imposed on their away supporters in Europe, suspended for a year, after three of them were found to have directed Nazi salutes at their Eintracht Frankfurt counterparts during the Champions League game between the clubs in January. Spurs have given the trio indefinite bans and described their behaviour as “utterly abhorrent”.
Uefa announced the punishment on Monday, saying it had also fined Spurs €30,000. If there is any repeat offence within a year, the club’s fans will serve a one-game away ban.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: A general view of the stadium during the sixth inning of the Spring Training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 10, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
San Francisco Giants Spring Training baseball is in full swing, so let’s take a look at what’s on deck this week.
First up, the Giants will hit the road to take on the Chicago White Sox at 12:05 p.m. PST this afternoon. This will be the only road game until the weekend.
Get ready for a real treat on Tuesday as the Giants welcome the World Baseball Classic Team USA to Scottsdale Stadium for an exhibition game at 12:05 p.m. PST. This game will be a nationally televised broadcast, so you can watch it on ESPN or listen on KNBR.
Wednesday will feature a match-up against the Seattle Mariners at 6:05 p.m. PST. This game will also be televised, this time on NBC Sports Bay Area.
No game on Thursday.
Friday will feature a match-up against the Cincinnati Reds, starting at 12:05 p.m. PT.
Saturday will be a split squad day, with the travel squad taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks starting at 12:10 p.m.. The home squad will take on the Texas Rangers at 12:05 p.m., and this game will have multiple options to tune in. It will be on KNBR for those who want to listen on the radio, NBC Sports Bay Area for our local fans and it will also be on MLB Network (out-of-market only).
The Giants will wrap up the week on the road as they take on the Chicago Cubs on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PST. This will have a MLB Network broadcast, but only for out-of-market fans. Local fans can tune in on KNBR.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 2: Didier Fuentes #75 of the Atlanta Braves throws a warm up pitch during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Truist Park on July 2, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Taking a look at the list and a lot has changed. Didier Fuentes rises from 7th all the way to 3rd on the list. Owen Murphy came back from Tommy John surgery and rose from 8th to 6th. Luke Sinnard, after his breakout season, went from 16th overall to 11th. Interestingly, despite the increased velocity from Garrett Baumann, he dropped from 6th overall to 12th to start the year. There was no bigger fall than Jose Perdomo who went from the 15th overall prospect down to 25th after his first full season of baseball where he struggled at complex ball. David McCabe, the former top positional prospect in the organization according to many, has fallen of the top 30 entirely.
There were some new additions to the list as well. Isaiah Drake came in at 30th overall after his successful season last year, while Raudy Reyes debuted at 29th. Dixon Williams comes in at 28th overall after a strong 2025 season where he had a 150 wRC+, though did still have a near 30% strikeout rate. Also debuting on the list is newly signed international free agent Jose Manon, who comes in at 27th, while Patrick Clohisy and his 100 steals last year help him make the list at 26th. Owen Carey was not ranked to start the year in 2025, but found himself at 19th overall after he hit .258/.330/.345 across 117 games played. Right behind him is 20th round pick Eric Hartman, coming in at 20th overall.
While some of the rankings are interesting to say the least, what we do have is a clear addition of several position prospects within the Braves top 30 – something that has lacked for the past few years. As this core of young Braves continue to develop, along with the addition of the 9th and 26th pick in the upcoming MLB draft, as well as the potential signing of the talented Alfredo Sena next year it’s time to start getting excited about the future of the Braves once again.
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 2: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Long Island Nets stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Cleveland Charge on January 2, 2026 at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Long Island Nets came into Sunday with a whole new brand look. With Grant Nelson earning a 10-day contract, Ben Saraf getting recalled, and Drake Powell getting assigned to Long Island, this was a completely new look squad. They even just signed a 6’7’ wing, Jahlil White, who grew in Whitesboro, a Jersey suburb of Philadelphia and is a LaSalle product..
Regardless, Long Island still got it done as they powered past the Westchester Knicks in the Battle of the ‘Burbs, 117-111.
The starters on Sunday changed quite a bit from the last game on Thursday night. Sunday’s game saw Malachi Smith get the start at point guard, followed by Tyson Etienne, Drake Powell, EJ Liddell, and Tre Scott. This wound up being a very good starting five for Long Island, despite the head-scratching move of starting the 28-year-old Scott instead of two-way player Chaney Johnson, the team’s youngest player at 23.
For Brooklyn fans looking to the future, the game was a view of the future with both Powell, on assignment, and Johnson, the Nets youngest two-way providing some highlights and some promise. Both spoke exclusively with NetsDaily post-game about their development.
Starting things off with the latest Brooklyn assignee. Drake Powell had a characteristically aggressive game. Powell’s aggressiveness on defense and his athleticism have gotten him to the NBA, taken at No. 22 in the Draft. He’s not afraid to get after the ball, and that was on full display Sunday. On the stat sheet, Powell’s game reads 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal. After the game, Powell spoke with NetsDaily about his performance.
“Just to go out there and have fun,” Powell told ND. “I spent some time down here in the past, two games, it’s just a great group of guys to be around. Ultimately, I’m just happy we came out with the win.”
This marked Powell’s third game on Long Island this season. He has spent the majority of his time up in Brooklyn. When asked where he feels like he’s developed the most, Powell said, “I think, just trusting myself with limited dribbles, and to eat up space. I think my first step is pretty quick; that’s just something I want to continue to get better at.”
Now with Powell assigned to Long Island, for who knows how long, he gets to develop under head coach Mfon Udofia. Udofia has a proven track record of developing some of the Nets bright young stars like Drew Timme, Killian Hayes, Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson and now Nolan Traore. Powell was asked what it’s like to learn under Udofia.
“It’s a great relationship with him,” Powell explains. “He’s always telling me to just be confident in myself, and that’s really all a player wants, is for a coach to have confidence in them.”
For this season, all eyes have been on the Flatbush 5, the five rookies drafted by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 NBA Draft: Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, and, of course, Powell. When asked about his connections with the other rookies, Powell told ND, “No special connections, but Danny Wolf and I did pre-draft together, so we’re in the same ages.”
Powell keeps his goals and development targets short and sweet. “Just to compete. That’s the main thing,” Powell says, “And to ultimately become a two-way player.”
Brooklyn’s youngest and newest two-way, Chaney Johnson, continued his big-time performances. There was certainly a case for him to be the fifth starter with Nelson called up to Brooklyn but that didn’t stop Johnson from going off from the bench. Indeed, his skillset and mentality spells sixth man.
Johnson had another double-double, his second in four games tallying 15 points and hauling in 10 rebounds and handing out three assists. Over the last three games, the 6’8” hyperathletic forward is averaging 21.3 points a game on 74/62/70 shooting splits while averaging 8.3 boards. He spoke with ND after the game about his performance…
“Credit to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he woke me up today,” Johnson said. “Just praying to him before the game. Keeping me grateful. Allowing me to always have fun and not to be too hard on myself because there are people that are wishing they could have these opportunities. Everybody in the G League has to play the game, the sport they love, and get paid for it. So, it’s just a testament to my faith in him and continuing to fall in love with what I do.”
“I feel like my three-ball is getting there,” Johnson told ND. “I feel like I’m having to think a little bit more on defense, so I’m learning and getting more acclimated to the NBA-style of defense. From team-to-team, it’s different, but it’s similar at the same time. Even though it’s different, the principles and where I was with the Cleveland Charge, it’s kind of the same thing, just learning. I’d say just playing a lot more freely.
“Obviously, at the Charge, I was playing a lot more short roles. Here, he’s allowing me to do everything. Coming off ball screens now, long close-out drives, short roll, pick-and-pop, he’s just allowing me to get better in a lot of things.”
One of the most fun parts of watching Johnson play is the physicality of his game. He’s a legitimate 6’8” with a 6’11” wingspan and max vertical approaching 40 inches, according to his former Auburn teammates.
He isn’t afraid to get up there for strong dunks and lay-ups in traffic, as well for blocks. When asked about this part of his game, Johnson said, “It’s very important,” Johnson tells ND. “God’s blessed me with a strong frame. It’s also a testament to the work I put in in the weight room with just everyone on the staff. Someone who has the frame I have, sometimes, I’m not really used to using it, so I’m still learning ways to use my frame and play as physically as I can without getting charges or blocking fouls. It’s a part of the learning curve. So, just getting used to playing, physical, because it is a physical game.”
When speaking off the camera, Johnson told ND that he’s sure he has at least a 40-inch vertical, but when he’s sprinting, he’s positive he gets well over 40 inches in the air. Watching him play, it’s very easy to see why he thinks that. He can get up there with the best of them to contest shots, and oftentimes sending opposing offensive players packing.
“I still want to be a lot more confident from the three-point line,” Johnson explains. “If I’m caught catching the ball, ready to shoot every time, teams are going to have to respect it. It opens up drives, and it will open up teammates. So, to be able to shoot a lot more confidently. A little bit better on defense. Sometimes I get beat on close outs, and just making sure to continue to get in shape. I’m not used to playing 30 minutes a game. It’s fun though, so just all of those things.”
Malachi Smith led the team in scoring, tallying 22 points. He connected on seven of his 15 shots, including hitting both of his tries from deep. Smith also had three rebounds, four assists, and a steal to go with it. Smith has been continuously putting other teams on notice that he may at least be worth a 10-day contract to have a tryout with a team. Kind of like Grant Nelson is doing now with Brooklyn.
Tyson Etienne and EJ Liddell, the other two Brooklyn two-way players in this one, had a total of 14 points each. This was a great turnaround for Liddell, who only notched four points on Thursday night. He once again flirted with a double-double, hauling in nine rebounds. Trevon Scott, the fifth and final starter, picked up 13 points and had five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block to go with it.
The Nets began the game on a 21-7 run over the first 7:09 in the first quarter. Long Island ended the first quarter with a 34-18 lead after shooting 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from long range and holding the Knicks to 26.3 percent (5-for-19) shooting from the field in the first. Long Island extended the advantage to 20 points with a 21-9 run from 2:58 in the first to 8:47 in the second, but Westchester went on a 14-6 run from 6:50 to 3:52 in the second to close the gap. The Nets finished the second quarter without committing any turnovers and took a 63-52 lead into the halftime break.
The Knicks cut the deficit to a single point with a 15-2 run from 9:23 to 5:34 in the third, but Roberts responded by scoring or assisting on 13 of the team’s final 15 points in the third. Long Island’s defense limited the Knicks to 30 percent (3-for-10) shooting from deep in the third to enter the final quarter with an 83-76 lead. The Knicks started the fourth on a 15-6 run and took a five-point lead before the Nets responded with a 10-0 run to regain the advantage. Long Island pulled away down the stretch with a 19-7 run from 5:04 to 1:35 in the fourth to secure a 117-111 victory. The Nets shot 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from deep and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in the win.
Next Up
The Long Island Nets (16-11) now hit the road for their next four games before they finally come home again on March 19th for Brooklyn affiliation night. Now, Long Island gears up for its next game as they travel to North Carolina to take on their old friend, Tosan Evbuomwan, and the Greensboro Swarm. The game tips off at 11:00 a.m. ET and can be watched on the G League website, as well as on the NBA app.
That turns out to be at least 10 days — meaning at least five more games — before he is re-evaluated, the team announced.
The Warriors are 4-6 so far in this stretch without Curry and have a bottom-10 offense over that stretch, not surprising given Curry and Jimmy Butler (ACL) are out, leading to issues around shot creation.
Golden State remains the No. 8 seed in the West and has a 2.5-game lead over the LA Clippers (9th) and Portland (10th) to hold on to that easier path through the play-in to the playoffs. That makes the Warriors’ showdown with the Clippers on Monday night on Peacock an especially important game.
When he has played this season, Curry has looked elite averaging 27.2 points and 4.8 assists a game, shooting 39.1% from 3-point range. For the season, the Warriors are 8-13 in games Curry has missed.
Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel is the new favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year, taking the lead from his former Duke roommate, Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel is as low as -200 at theScore Bet, which translates to a 66.7% implied chance to win the award.
Key Takeaways
Knueppel was behind five other players in opening Rookie of the Year odds.
The rookie is third in made threes per game and ninth in three-point percentage.
The Hornets are sixth in odds to win the East after missing the playoffs every year since the 2015-16 season.
Player
FanDuel
DraftKings
Caesars
theScore Bet
Kon Knueppel
-130
-175
-185
-200
Cooper Flagg
+135
+140
+155
+150
VJ Edgecombe
+10000
+10000
+12500
+10000
Knueppel was only a +3000 underdog in NBA Rookie of the Year odds on opening night, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Five players were ahead of him in the odds ladder, including Flagg, who was a -225 favorite before he’d even played one second in a professional game.
The shift in odds first took place last Friday, when theScore Bet installed both Knueppel and Flagg -115 odds to win the award. The former had a slightly higher percentage of bets (17.9% to 14.5%) but a significantly lower percentage of the handle backing him (17.1% to 56.3%).
That same day, DraftKings revealed that it had bumped Knueppel to a -125 favorite, taking over the lead from Flagg (-105).
Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg are officially “DUKE-ing” it out in the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
Today, Knueppel has leapfrogged his former roommate and teammate in the ROY race 👀 pic.twitter.com/Y99vmYF6Ym
As Knueppel continues to grow his lead, Flagg remains sidelined by a left foot injury that has held him out of action since Feb. 10. He is considered doubtful for the Dallas Mavericks’ Tuesday matchup with none other than Knueppel's Hornets.
Although the NBA Rookie of the Year award does not have the same 65-game minimum requirement like other major awards, such as MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Flagg only seems to be losing ground with every passing day.
Knueppel takes Rookie of the Year lead
Knueppel was the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, behind Flagg, San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, and Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe.
The 20-year-old has already established himself as a historically-efficient shooter and played a major role in the Hornets’ transformation from a moribund franchise to one that is quickly climbing the standings in the Eastern Conference. He also drew high praise from individuals around the league, including two-time MVP and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“You’re probably one of the smartest rookies I’ve ever seen.” 💯
Anyone with the foresight to bet on Knueppel—assuming he holds onto his lead in Rookie of the Year odds—would’ve won $300 from a $10 bet, or 30 times their investment.
Here’s a look back at the opening odds for NBA Rookie of the Year:
Player
Odds (BetMGM)
Cooper Flagg
-225
Ace Bailey
+850
Tre Johnson
+1000
Dylan Harper
+1000
VJ Edgecombe
+2500
Kon Knueppel
+3000
Derik Queen
+3000
Jeremiah Fears
+3500
Cedric Coward
+3500
Egor Demin
+4000
Knueppel and the Hornets futures odds
Knueppel is on pace to become the second Hornets player ever to win the Rookie of the Year trophy. The first was his teammate, LaMelo Ball, who claimed the award for his efforts during the 2020-21 season.
The Hornets currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, three games above the Milwaukee Bucks and the cut-off for the Play-In Tournament. They’re still 3.5 games behind the 76ers, who are sixth in the East and the last team in a guaranteed playoff position.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Hornets at -700 (87.5% chance) to make the Play-In Tournament. They’re also tied for sixth in odds to win the Eastern Conference at +3500 (2.8% chance).
Valeri Nichushkin is having a strong season for the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche, on pace to clear 50 points for the third time in his career.
He has done his best work on the road, and my Avalanche vs. Kings predictions expect that to continue in Los Angeles.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Monday, March 2.
Avalanche vs Kings prediction
Avalanche vs Kings best bet: Valeri Nichushkin Over 0.5 points (-105)
Valeri Nichushkin has hit the scoresheet in 16 of 25 away games, good for a 64% clip.
The caliber of opponent hasn’t affected his production. He has recorded a point in the same percentage of road games against Top-16 defenses as Bottom-16 defenses.
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar recently moved Artturi Lehkonen to the second line, alongside Nichushkin and Brock Nelson. That’s a positive, as he’s seen an uptick in points per game and shots per game (2.1 to 2.9) with Lehkonen by his side.
The Kings have allowed 22 goals over the last five games, making this a favorable spot for Nichushkin to produce.
Avalanche vs Kings same-game parlay
Cale Makar has generated just six shots on goal over his last four games against Los Angeles. The Kings are excellent at closing on the points and taking away shooting lanes, forcing Makar to rely on his playmaking. He has five assists spanning the past four meetings with the Kings.
Nathan MacKinnon leads the league in goals and has exited the Olympic break firing at will, generating 14 shots on 19 attempts. He should find the net sooner rather than later with that kind of volume.
Valeri Nichushkin has points in five consecutive road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Kings.
How to watch Avalanche vs Kings
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, March 2, 2026
Puck drop
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
ALT2, FDSN West
Avalanche vs Kings latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. 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.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 04: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros points toward the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the third inning in a game against the New York Yankees at Daikin Park on September 04, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yordan Alvarez makes his 2026 Grapefruit League debut today for the Astros.
Houston Astros (1-6-2) host the Washington Nationals (5-3-2) today in Grapefruit League action.
RHP Hunter Brown will make his second start of the Spring today. He hurled 2.0 scoreless innings in his first start on Feb. 25 at MIA. Brown, who will be the Astros 2026 Opening Day starter, established himself as one of the top starters in the Majors in 2025. For the season, he was 12-9 in 31 starts with a 2.43 ERA with 206 strikeouts in 185.1 innings of work.
Among AL starters, Brown ranked second in ERA and Quality Starts (21), third in strikeouts (206), fourth in WHIP (1.03) and fourth in pitching WAR (4.8). For his efforts, he was named to his first All-Star team and finished third in the voting for the AL Cy Young Award. Brown also earned AL Pitcher of the Month honors for June (1.19 ERA, .130 opp. avg.). He also had a 28.0-inning scoreless inning streak in 2025.
ASTROS-NATS: Today is the third of six scheduled meetings between the Astros and Nationals this Spring. HOU is 0-1-1 thus far vs. WAS. The two clubs will meet in the regular season for a three-game series, July 6-8 in Washington.
ROSTER MOVES: This morning, the Astros reassigned IF Edwin Diaz and C Will Bush to minor league camp. The Astros now have 64 players in camp, including a full 40-man roster and 24 non-roster invites – 36 pitchers, seven catchers, 12 infielders and nine outfielders.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, March 2, 12:05 p.m. CST
Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL.
TV: No Local Broadcast
Streaming: MLB.tv (audio only)
Radio: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2
Some big boys in the lineup for Nationals at Astros, including Yordan Alvarez for the first time this spring pic.twitter.com/QiX15dCDMf
The Clippers (28-31) and Warriors (31-29) meet at Chase Center for the third meeting of the season and this time on Peacock at 10 PM Eastern.
Darius Garland makes his Clippers' debut tonight after being traded to Los Angeles from Cleveland. The Clippers are 2-3 since the All-Star break and have the fourth-easiest remaining strength of schedule, so Garland's return is welcomed as Los Angeles attempts to move up from the play-in to the playoffs. The Clippers finished February with the 23rd-ranked offense and 15th-rated defense.
Golden State remains without Steph Curry and a few other pieces as they welcome the Clippers. Golden State split the season series thus far with Los Angeles, and like the Clippers, enter with a 2-3 record since the All-Star break. In February, Golden State sported the 21st-ranked offense and 20th-rated defense.
The Warriors are in the seventh-place of the play-in tournament at 3.0 games behind the Suns and 2.5 games ahead of the eighth-place Clippers.
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Clippers at Warriors
Date: Monday, March 2, 2026
Time: 10 PM EST
Site: Chase Center
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: Peacock
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Clippers at Warriors
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Clippers (-118), Golden State Warriors (-102)
Spread: Clippers -1.5 (-105)
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Clippers -1.5 with the Total set at 219.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Clippers at Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
PG Darius Garland
SG Kawhi Leonard
SF Derrick Jones
PF John Collins (questionable)
C Brook Lopez
Golden State Warriors
PG Brandin Podziemski
SG De'Anthony Melton
SF Moses Moody
PF Gui Santos
C Draymond Green
Injury Report: Clippers at Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
John Collins (arm)is questionable for tonight’s game
Kris Dunn (head) is questionable for tonight's game
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry (knee) is listed as OUT for tonight's game
Will Richard (ankle) is listed as OUT for tonight’s game
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) is listed as OUT for tonight’s game
Gary Payton II (ankle) is questionable for tonight's game
Important stats, trends and insights: Clippers at Warriors
Golden State is 27-33 ATS this season, tied for 7th-worst
Golden State is 15-16 ATS at home
Golden State is 2-5 ATS as a home underdog
Golden State is 36-24 to the Over, ranking 2nd-best
Golden State is 20-11 to the Over at home, ranking 2nd-best and 5-2 as a home underdog (4th-best)
Los Angeles is 31-28 ATS
Los Angeles is 4-6 ATS as a road favorite
Los Angeles is 17-14 ATS as the road team
Los Angeles is 30-29 to the Under and 16-15 as the road team
Los Angeles is 5-5 to the Under as a road favorite
Rotoworld Best Bet
Drew Dinsick (@Whale_Capper) likes the Clippers on the spread and leans the Under:
"Without Steph Curry and Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup, the Warriors' offense will struggle at times and we may see some players that NBA casuals may not have heard of. I rate the Clippers a +3 and the Warriors a -2 as of right now, giving me a 5-point differential between the two teams, which makes me like the Clippers. The total opened at 219.5 and is down to 215.5, which I agree with. This looks like a defensive battle as the Clippers are without John Collins and welcome a potentially rusty Darius Garland back.
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Timberwolves and Trail Blazers’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Clippers’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Clippers -1.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the first quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mmm. Yep. That’ll do it.
Consider me humbled, basketball gods. You built me up and struck me down just like the old stories promised you would. Beautiful work. No notes.
It’s an awfully nasty beat to get pantsed on national television like that, especially on the heels of a week filled with noise from every corner of the basketball universe declaring that the Spurs had “officially arrived” as title contenders.
Be honest with me for a second. How many podcasts, articles, and TV hits did you devour after that Pistons win? A thousand? A million?
I inhaled every single one. I soaked it up like a sponge. When I ran through the ESPNs and the other usual suspects, I started trolling around in corners of the internet I normally wouldn’t even visit with a hazmat suit. Opposing team message boards. Unsanctioned gambling websites. Barstool podcasts. You name it.
I was out there like a junkie, hunting down any “respected voice” willing to say some version of the same thing:
The Spurs are good. They’re ahead of schedule. Wouldn’t be surprised if they made the Finals. Heck, maybe even won it. Victor is in the MVP conversation. This might already be Victor’s league. Stephon Castle should be All-NBA. Nobody in the West wants to see them in a series. Best supporting cast in the league. They don’t really have a weakness. The lack of postseason experience might actually HELP them in the playoffs.
I even saw someone say this Spurs team had swagger.
Swagger! The Spurs!
Can you even believe it?
Surely letting all of that go directly to my head wouldn’t come with consequences.
Lo and behold, after a week of pushing the pedal to the metal on the hype train, the wall of consequence arrived on Sunday afternoon to stop me in my tracks.
It was a brutal, punishing affair. You could see that MSG crowd feeding off what was unfolding in front of them. They were giddy. They were ecstatic. They were a mirror image of what I imagine my own face looked like watching Cade Cunningham and friends toss wayward shot after wayward shot at the rim in Detroit the other night.
They were reveling in the experience of watching a paper tiger go up in flames in front of their eyes, shouting “Is this your king?!”
And honestly, they should revel. It’s really fun to do.
I’ll just be over here staring into the abyss if you need me.
Look, this isn’t a hard one to diagnose. None of our stuff worked. The shots weren’t falling. We couldn’t hold onto the ball. Rebounds felt like a foreign concept. It just wasn’t our night. Not overly complicated.
If San Antonio was going to lose, this is how it’s going to happen. And I think we’ve seen enough from them at this point in the season to feel confident that they aren’t going to spiral and play like this every night. The Knicks didn’t expose some secret blueprint for how to put the Spurs away. The Spurs haven’t been infected with the “Bad at Basketball” virus or anything.
A game like this could have happened anonymously on a Wednesday night in Toronto. Instead, it happened on a Sunday Showcase in one of the most famous arenas in the world.
So now, instead of brushing it aside and moving on with our lives, we get to spend a week listening to the same voices we so eagerly slurped up last week teasing out twisted, horrifying refractions of what we heard before:
The Spurs are still fun, but they’ve clearly shown they aren’t ready yet. Shame they didn’t make a move at the deadline. Probably still a year or two away. Victor still has a lot to learn. This is still very much a veteran’s league. Castle is going to be great… someday. The supporting cast still has questions. Their lack of experience showed. Turns out they do have weaknesses. Anyone who supports this team as a fan has a series of moral failings that simply cannot be cured.
You know. The usual stuff.
This is the cycle of the league and the media ecosystem and the regular season in general. You get hot, you get cold. You get praised, you get torn down. We shouldn’t, as a fan base, live and die by the highs and the lows. This is not some revelatory new advice and yet it’s something we probably all need a reminder of from time to time.
The noise doesn’t matter. It’s a sugar high. Empty calories.
We know what we have with this team, and I’m sure they’re going to continue to thrill and delight us in the same way they have all year.
It’s important to appreciate that on our own terms.
Takeaways
It’s been a weird journey this year navigating what this Spurs team looks like with Wembanyama on the bench. We had that fun stretch where they not only survived but thrived while Victor was sidelined, and for most of the season they’ve been able to keep the ship afloat when our tall captain is indisposed. Lately though, the non-Wemby minutes feel more exposed. Part of that is just how good everything looks when he’s out there, but Sunday was a reminder that against real, physical teams, those short stretches can snowball quickly once the safety blanket disappears. If the goal is a long, sustained playoff run, the Spurs are going to have to find a way to rest him without everything feeling mortal all of a sudden, otherwise you risk arriving deep in May with a beat-up, exhausted superstar who simply had to carry too much for too long. Something to monitor!
I think the Spurs have mostly done a good job this year matching other teams when they try to run the old “beat the crap out of them” play. But it makes sense that it wears on you after a while, and this one felt like a game where they just didn’t have it in them. The Knicks kept leaning on them and the Spurs looked tired, like they didn’t feel like doing the whole wrestling match thing for 48 minutes. Honestly, fair enough, I wouldn’t either. The playoffs should be a different animal from a motivation standpoint, but the question of whether or not they can handle the relentlessness of that kind of physicality over and over again is basically the only thing I’m worried about for them.
I absolutely hate that the Knicks now have two signature wins over the Spurs this season. I know it doesn’t really matter and that one of them doesn’t even count, but it still grinds my gears in a way that does not contribute to the easy-breezy, happy-go-lucky persona I try to project out into the world. You guys mostly pick up on that right? How casual, light hearted and fun I am? It’s not weird, it’s cool. I’m cool.
WWL Post Game Press Conference
– You’re cool?
– I’m cool!
– All the coolest people usually make a declaration that they are cool.
– Right, yea. Like you have to announce your coolness to the world, otherwise, how would anyone know?
– What are they supposed to do? Just pick up on it based on how you present yourself to the world? That seems crazy.
– You’re right, it does seem crazy. When I think about cool people in the world, think about Steve McQueen stopping mid-car chase to turn to the camera and say, “Just a heads up, I’m extremely cool.” I think about Miles Davis putting the finishing touches on Kind of Blue, adjusting his sunglasses, and filing a notarized statement confirming his coolness. I think about David Bowie breaking character on stage just to clarify, “This Ziggy Stardust thing? It’s cool. I’m cool.” I think about Michael Jordan doing that commercial with Spike Lee, turning to the camera at the end and saying, “By the way, I’m a cool guy, just so you know.”
Last week, after Tottenham had lost 4-1 at home to Arsenal, Igor Tudor was bullish. It was possible leaving his post-match press conference to think he was a man with the energy and personality to drag Spurs away from the relegation zone. This week, after Tottenham had lost 2-1 at Fulham, Tudor was deflated. The previous week he had spoken of defeat in the North London derby as being part of the process, a game that would startle his players into understanding what was required of them. This week, he just mumbled about having to forget the game and move on. A week in the Tottenham job seemed to have broken him.
Tudor is a specialist firefighter. He has saved teams from worse positions than being four points clear of the relegation zone with 10 games to go, which is where Spurs stand now. But that is what makes his defeatist tone so shocking. He spoke of “big problems”, dismissing a question about his 4-4-2 formation with the snort of a man asked about the shade of the carpet in his hallway as his roof burns down. He talked of an attack that lacks quality, of a midfield that cannot run and a defence that is not prepared to “suffer” to keep goals out. He made fairly explicit that he thinks his players lack the requisite character and pointed out how Fulham were better at reading the game, accusing his players of lacking “brain”.
Today we look at one of the Cubs’ veteran relievers.
Phil Maton has been around for a minute. He was drafted in the 20th round by the Padres in 2015, and debuted with the same club two years later. He’s piched for six teams over nine years, having amassed 23 wins, 20 losses, boasting a 3.98 ERA, 10 saves, 539 strikeouts, and 183 bases on balls during that period, over 471.2 innings spanning 487 games. He has gathered 2.2 bWAR (3.6 fWAR) and has been used as a middle/short/setup man, so he has a little versatility.
Most of his WAR come from his 2025 season, which is good news for the Cubs, and perhaps the soon-to-be 34-year-old can keep Father Time away for another season.
Maton does not throw a fastball. Instead he has a curveball, cutter, sweeper, and sinker. The curve and cutter are his main pitches, with the cutter and sinker coming in around 90 mph and the curve and sweeper at 75.9 and 83.6 mph.
He’s likely to be a bullpen stalwart. Of course that will depend on his degree of success but his track record speaks for itself.
Fun fact: When he makes his Cubs debut he will be the first player in franchise history to wear No. 88.
The Pittsburgh Penguins currently have a 31-15-13 record and are second in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. With this, it would not be surprising if they continued to look to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.
Yet, with the Penguins retooling, the possibility of them trading more of their players should not be ruled out. Because of this, one of their goaltenders is continuing to create chatter as a trade candidate.
"Skinner is a positionally sound goaltender who excels at remaining square to the shooter. He’s also got plenty of big-game experience from consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final with the Oilers," Johnston wrote.
With Skinner being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), it would not be surprising if the Penguins at least listened to offers on the 27-year-old goalie. They also already showed that they are not afraid to move pending UFAs, as they recently dealt defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche.
With the Penguins having two young goalies in Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs, it is fair to wonder if Skinner could be made available. This is especially so if the Penguins do not have plans to re-sign him.
Teams looking for more depth between the pipes could take a chance on Skinner. In 37 games this season split between the Edmonton Oilers and Penguins, he has a 19-12-6 record, a 2.76 goals-against average. a .891 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Vanderbilt recently hosted 22-year-old pro point guard Bryce Griggs for an official visit, a source told Rivals. Griggs visited the Commodores for their matchup against Tennessee on Saturday, February 21st.
The 6-foot-3 Griggs initially bypassed college, signing a professional deal with Overtime Elite (OTE) in 2021 and spent two seasons there. In his second season with OTE, he averaged 16.4 points, 7.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In 2023, the Houston native declared for the NBA Draft but went undrafted. He joined the Philadelphia 76ers for NBA Summer League. In October 2024, he was selected 24th overall in the NBA G League Draft by the Texas Legends, but was waived before the season started.
Griggs then went on to play overseas, signing with KK Kotor in Montenegro. He later joined Rayos de Hermosillo in Mexico, averaging 11.2 points and 4.6 assists per game for the club.
Following his pro career, Griggs is now looking to make the move to college basketball. According to an X post from his agency, Prestige Management Group, Griggs has officially received NCAA clearance to enroll in college and is expected to have at least two years of eligibility.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: Alex Clemmey #30 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This morning, MLB Pipeline released their updated top 30 prospect list for the Washington Nationals. There were some interesting risers and fallers, as well as some useful tidbits in their write-ups. The new rankings give us a better understanding of how the system is viewed at the current moment. Unsurprisingly, Eli Willits ranks number one, but there are some unique rankings down the board.
Our rollout of the 2026 Top 30 Prospects lists begins!
MLB Pipeline does a good job keeping their rankings relatively up to date, so there were not any insane changes. However, there were some new rankings that intrigued me. We will dive into a few of them here. Everyone knows about the top five of Willits, Travis Sykora, Harry Ford, Jarlin Susana and Gavin Fien. The stuff down the board honestly interests me more.
One ranking that stood out to me was Yoel Tejada at 13. That is higher than most outlets have him and is much higher than Pipeline had him before. We wrote about Tejada the other day and mentioned that he was 29th on Pipeline’s old list. The folks over at Pipeline must have come away very impressed by the right-hander’s first pro season.
They mentioned that Tejada has been sitting in the mid-90’s this spring according to club sources. This both intrigues me, but also is not surprising. That is where he sat in college, but in his first pro season, Tejada was in the 91-94 range because he was emphasizing his control. If Tejada can get his old velocity with his new found control, he could truly break out this year.
He gets a crazy amount of extension down the mound and was throwing a lot of strikes last year. Fangraphs gave him a shoutout as a pitcher who could be a sneaky top 100 candidate in a year. If his stuff and command are both there this year, that is possible. His height makes him very unique and he has a good slider to go with that. Look out for Yoel Tejada this year.
Interestingly, Alex Clemmey fell out of the Nats top 10 and sits at 11 now. Some of that is due to new players coming in, but he also slipped a bit. We know the deal with Clemmey, he has nasty stuff, but the strikethrowing is a work in progress. Despite walking a lot of hitters, he still managed to be productive last year.
However, Pipeline mentioned that his slider was not quite as sharp in 2025 and his velocity settled more in the 92-96 MPH range. His weird release traits help his stuff play up and his changeup was much better in 2025. Clemmey is still only 20 years old and is already in Double-A. He is an interesting prospect because he is productive, but it seems like he needs to make pretty big changes to fully convince scouts.
The highest ranked prospect I will dive into here is Gavin Fien. He was the headliner in the MacKenzie Gore trade and ranks fifth in the system. Fien is a bat first infielder, but some scouts have questions about his swing. Despite an unorthodox swing, he hit at a very high level against the best high school opponents he saw.
"To have that level of talent that you can train with, I think it only enhances you and makes you better."
One thing that stood out in his writeup was the Nats plans for him defensively. It seems like they are going to have him split time between shortstop, third base and second base. Most scouts viewed him as a third baseman despite the fact he played shortstop in high school. It is no surprise he is getting action there, but the second base part is interesting.
The bat will always be the best part of Fien’s game, but the Nats seem like they want to make him a versatile player. Over the last few years, we have seen more big guys play second base. Max Muncy playing second for the Dodgers a few years ago is the best example of that.
The Nats have a ton of young infield prospects, so giving Fien exposure to multiple positions gives him more paths to playing time. I like that plan by the Nats. Fien will always be a bat first prospect, but versatility would give him more defensive value.
One player who moved up the list despite not throwing a pitch is Miguel Sime. That must mean Pipeline is getting good reports about him from their sources. He is ranked 16th in the system and moved past Coy James. While Sime was drafted higher, James got a bigger bonus.
Sime is known for his fastball which can reach triple digits. However, he has some control questions and his secondary pitches could use some development. Based on the write-up, it seems like the Nats are developing those secondary pitches already. Sime already has a curveball, but is reportedly toying with a harder slider.
Sime’s pure velocity makes him a very interesting prospect. It gives him a bigger margin for error. He does not need pinpoint command, it just has to be decent. If starting fails, Sime also has the arm to be an electric reliever. I am interested to follow his progress this year.
These are some of the most notable notes, but there are other rankings that interest me. Pipeline still seems to be bearish on Sam Petersen, only moving him up to 22nd on their list despite his production. It seems like they are worried about his bat to ball skills as he climbs up the minors.
Their rankings of the Nats 2024 draft picks were interesting too. Seaver King and Luke Dickerson were not very productive, but still rank 7th and 8th in the system. Caleb Lomavita had better production, but slipped to 28th on the list. They did not sound overly excited in the writeup.
Marconi German rose to 21st on the list, but they are not all in on him yet. He was very productive in the DSL, but Pipeline wants to see what he can do when he comes stateside. German is a smaller player, at just 5’10 and does not have much physical projection. However, he has a good approach, solid power and nice speed and defense. He could be a riser if he continues to produce. If you want to look at the whole top 30 list and the writeups, the link is here. Pipeline is a great resource for fans and it is free. The folks over there do a great job and I really enjoyed their writeups this year.
