Los Angeles, CA - March 31: Lakers guard Luka Doncic, #77 celebrates his dunkl on a fast break against the Cavaliers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Doncic became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 15,000 career points. The Lakers clinched a playoff berth before their win over Cleveland. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Regardless of how high you are on Luka Dončić’s recent level of play, it’s probably not high enough.
He has been on a historic, generational run. In March, he had a 60-point performance against the Heat and scored 40 or more points on six different occasions, including the final game of the month, where he had 42 in a win over the Cavs.
When you add up the bevy of baskets Luka had in March, he ended up with 600 points in the month. Only 10 players in NBA history have accomplished this feat.
List of NBA players to score at least 600 points in a single month
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Rick Barry • Walt Bellamy • Elgin Baylor • Wilt Chamberlain • Luka Dončić • James Harden • Michael Jordan • Oscar Robertson • Jerry West
And specifically in March, Luka is looking up only at Michael Jordan for the most points in the month. Dončić scored 600 exactly while MJ had 676 back in the 1986-87 season. Luka also surpassed the late Kobe Bryant for most points by a Laker in March, topping his 2005-06 efforts by just 22 points.
These aren’t just stat-stuffing performances by Luka. The Lakers faced some stiff competition in March, like the Nuggets, Wolves, Rockets, Knicks, Pistons and Cavs. Thanks to his play, the Lakers went 15-2 in March, their best month as a team since the 1999-00 season, when they went 15-1.
LUKA, LAKERS LIGHT UP MARCH: The Los Angeles Lakers last night clinched a spot in the NBA Playoffs presented by Google, completed their winningest month (15-2) since 2000 and secured their second 50-win season in a row. Luka Dončić scored 42 points in the win over the Cleveland… pic.twitter.com/Re1MOl0tDo
On the final day of March, Luka not only scored 42 points, had 12 assists and went a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line, but also, according to Lakers PR, he became the first player in Lakers history to record 40-plus points and 10 assists with zero turnovers.
That level of production, efficiency and error-free basketball is unheard of, and it’s why, regardless of whether he wins MVP or not this season, his efforts should be appreciated by Lakers fans and the NBA at large.
While a month like Luka just had is rare, he’s been a generational talent from the jump. He concluded March with one more milestone: reaching 15,000 career points. Luka is the sixth-fastest player to join the 15k club.
Lakers fans have been blessed to witness plenty of all-time greats, but what Luka did this March was unprecedented.
Even when taking into account that Dončić is just 27, and entering his prime, it’ll be hard for him to ever top the month he just had as a Laker. He deserves all the adulation one can muster to help explain just how good he’s been.
One of the many reasons the final six weeks of the NBA season are often disregarded is that teams with differing interests meet in messy schedule spots.
Both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets played last night. This may be a throwaway game for them, and it certainly is for Milwaukee.
My Bucks vs. Rockets predictions and NBA picks focus on the first-half result for Wednesday, April 1.
Bucks vs Rockets prediction
Bucks vs Rockets best bet: Rockets 1H -10 (-110)
With both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back, let’s ignore what could become a second half of absurd lineups and basketball in name only.
Let’s instead trust Houston to take care of business early. The difference between these two trajectories cannot be overstated at the moment.
That is not meant as disrespect to either Sims or Rollins; they would be worthwhile rotation players, but they are not starting-quality.
Meanwhile, the Rockets are tied with the Timberwolves, fighting over the No. 5 and 6 seeds in the Western Conference.
The Rockets have the edge at every position against the Bucks. Is Kyle Kuzma really going to slow down Kevin Durant?
Houston will take advantage of Milwaukee’s ambivalence early, and the second half should become an unpredictable exhibition.
Bucks vs Rockets same-game parlay
Durant is going to dominate tonight. While Myles Turner is a quality defender, he will have his hands full with Alperen Sengun.
That leaves too many possessions with Kyle Kuzma guarding one of the greatest scorers of all time. Durant has cleared this scoring prop in six of his last seven games, snagging at least six rebounds in three of those contests.
Bucks vs Rockets SGP
Rockets 1H -10
Kevin Durant Over 24.5 points
Kevin Durant Over 5.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Garbage-Time Value
As their legs tire heading into the second half, neither the Bucks nor the Rockets should emphasize defense, and a blowout yields opportunity for garbage-time points from the losing team.
All thoughts point to a backdoor cover and an Over providing value later tonight.
Bucks vs Rockets SGP
Rockets 1H -10
Bucks +17.5
Over 217
Bucks vs Rockets odds
Spread: Bucks +17.5 (-110) | Rockets -17.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Bucks +1000 | Rockets -2000
Over/Under: Over 217 (-110) | Under 217 (-110)
Bucks vs Rockets betting trend to know
Houston has only covered the spread in 17 of its last 50 games (-19.30 Units / -35% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Rockets.
How to watch Bucks vs Rockets
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-WI, SCHN
Bucks vs Rockets latest injuries
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (4-2) look to sweep the Boston Red Sox (1-4) in an afternoon series finale at Daikin Park.
RHP Mike Burrows, who grew up a Red Sox fan from Waterford, CT, will get the start for the Astros today opposite LHP Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox.
APRIL FOOLS!: The Astros and Red Sox will play an April Fools Day matchup today with the Astros going for a sweep in what is the finale of their seven-game homestand.
ABOUT BURROWS: RHP Mike Burrows was acquired from the Pirates this offseason as part of a three-team, six-player trade in which the Astros sent OF Jacob Melton and minor leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Rays, while the Rays sent IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pirates.
Burrows impressed this Spring, making five starts and posting a 1.50 ERA (3ER/18IP) while allowing a .200 opponent batting average with 17 strikeouts.
ASTROS VS. CROCHET: The Astros are seeing LHP Garrett Crochet today for the first time since they worked him for five runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings on 86 pitches in an Astros 7-6 win on Aug. 11, 2025 at Daikin Park. That start was Crochet’s shortest start, in terms of innings, of the 2025 season.
GOIN’ STREAKING: The Astros have won four straight games and are going for a five-game winning streak today, which would match their season high from 2025 (reached twice last June). Only the Astros and Rangers have four-game winning streaks this season, with both streaks active going into play today.
OUT OF THE BLOCKS: The Astros are off to a 4-2 start, their best start since also going 4-2 in their first six games of 2022. Should the Astros win today, it would be their best seven-game start since they went 6-1 to open the 2021 season.
CRAZY EIGHTS: The Astros have scored eight-plus runs in four straight games for the first time since July 26-30, 2021. The offense has scored 37 runs in their last four games, while hitting .319 (44×138) with 14 doubles and six homers in that span. The Astros franchise record is five straight games with eight-plus runs, accomplished just once, from Aug. 29-Sept. 3, 2004.
LEAGUE LEADERS: The Astros lead the Majors in runs (39), doubles (17) and total bases (93), while ranking tied for first in hits (55) and second in walks (20), OBP (.371), SLG (.458) and OPS (.829).
Individually, 2B Jose Altuve leads the Majors in runs scored (7), LF Yordan Alvarez leads the Majors in total bases (19) and 1B Christian Walker leads the Majors in doubles (5).
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, April 1, 1:10 p.m. CST
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
After losing the first three games on their road trip, the New York Knicks have declared Wednesday’s game in Memphis a must-win.
While New York has lost to teams that are a combined .643 on the season, coach Mike Brown and Josh Hart have both criticized the team’s effort.
They get a break against a Memphis team that is ravaged by injury and 1-6 in their last seven. That’s why my Knicks vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks call for a Knicks cover on the road on Wednesday, April 1.
Knicks vs Grizzlies prediction
Knicks vs Grizzlies best bet: Knicks -14.5 (-110)
The New York Knicks have won their last six as double-digit favoritesand their last eight have been against teams currently .400 or worse. They’ve only covered in about half of those games, however.
There’s a chance the Knicks will get reinforcements in the lineup though. Landry Shamet, who averages 9.6 points and shoots .388 from three, hasn’t played since suffering a knee contusion March 20. The Knicks are just 1-5 ATS since then. He’s practicing with the team, and there’s a good chance he makes his return in Memphis.
The Memphis Grizzlies have struggled. They’ve lost their last six as double-digit dogs and covered just two of those. Memphis is already without seven players with a combined 133 starts this season who are now out for the year. The Grizzlies are depleted.
Josh Hart said the Knicks were “not trending upwards” on the current road trip. The makeshift Memphis roster should help point New York back in the right direction.
Knicks vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
This game will be a clash of styles. New York plays at the sixth-slowest pace in the league, Memphis at the sixth-fastest. The Grizzlies have gone Over in their last three and four of their last five.
The Knicks have been Under on their road trip, but, again, that’s against strong opponents. They’ve gone Over in three of their last four against teams at the bottom of the standings.
If you’re going to call out your teammates, you’d better lead from the front in the next game. Hart has averaged 17.1 in his last six games, scoring double figures in all of them and 13 or more in five of the six.
Knicks vs Grizzlies SGP
Knicks -14.5
Over 228 points
Josh Hart Over 13.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: An ounce of hope for Grizzlies
Memphis is massively shorthanded but still is going to score several dozen points tonight—maybe even 100. They have to come from somewhere. And shopping among the little-known names that the Grizzlies will be playing can yield some real bargains.
Cedric Coward and Cam Spencer’s season assists averages are higher than their prop cutoffs. Coward has 13 in his last four games, Spencer 22 in his last three.
GG Jackson has emerged as one of the team’s top scoring options with everyone else out. He’s shooting .370 from three as a starter and has multiple threes in three of his last five games.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper has 32 rebounds in his last six games and is averaging 4.7 since the start of February. He’s seen his minutes and production increase as injuries on the roster mounted.
Knicks vs Grizzlies SGP
Cedric Coward Over 2.5 assists
GG Jackson Over 1.5 made threes
Olivier-Maxence Prosper Over 4.5 rebounds
Cam Spencer Over 5.5 assists
Knicks vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: New York -14.5 (-110) | Memphis +14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: New York -1100 | Memphis +700
Over/Under: Over 228 (-110) | Under 228 (-110)
Knicks vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The Memphis Grizzlies have hit the Team Total Over in 24 of their last 35 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Knicks vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSG, FDSN, SE-MEM
Knicks vs Grizzlies 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 Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels close out their series after splitting the first two games. Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for the Angels against Matthew Boyd. The Cubs are favored with a moneyline of -165.
How to Watch Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs
Date: Wednesday, April 1
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET / 11:20 a.m. PT
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago
TV Channels: Marquee Sports Network, FanDuel Sports Network West
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 26: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates as he walks back to the dugout during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Pitching for the Rays is former Brewer and 2025 All-Star Drew Rasmussen, who has been consistently effective for Tampa Bay since they acquired him as part of the return for Willy Adames. The hard-throwing righty has had an ERA under 3 in each of the last five seasons, although he missed large chunks of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injury. Misiorowski and Rasmussen both went five innings and allowed a single earned run in their respective first starts of the season.
As usual, Brice Turang will lead off today, followed by William Contreras and Christian Yelich. Hitting cleanup and playing first base is Jake Bauers, who went 2-for-4 with a homer last night. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell, right fielder Sal Frelick, and left fielder Blake Perkins will hit fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively. David Hamilton, back in the lineup at third base, and Joey Ortiz round out the bottom of the order.
First pitch for today’s game is slated for 12:40 p.m. You can watch the game on Brewers.TV or catch the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network.
CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 26: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout after pitching during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeffrey Dean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox play their sixth game of the season this afternoon. They have just one win and 11 total runs to show for it. By the way, the Red Sox are now just 4-11 in March over the last four years and 2-8 over the last two years.
But March is over! Now, Garrett Crochet, who struck out eight in his Opening Day victory, takes the mound to save Boston from a sweep in Houston. The Astros made him human last August when they chased the Cy Young runner-up after four innings and five earned runs.
It’s not exactly a juggernaut to support him in Alex Cora’s lineup, especially with Roman Anthony out of the lineup. Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate in the series finale. Connor Wong also gets the start after a late mystery scratch for Carlos Narvaez.
UPDATED: Duran LF Story SS Yoshida DH Contreras 1B Abreu RF Durbin 3B Rafaela CF Kiner-Falefa 2B Wong C Crochet P
On the other side, the Astros hung up 17 runs in the first two games. Here’s Houston’s lineup for the finale with Mike Burrows on the mound at Daikin Park.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Buddy Kennedy #41 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the eighth inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants still have just one Minor League Baseball team in action, but that’s changing oh-so soon. Low-A San Jose begins their season on Thursday, while High-A Eugene and AA Richmond kick off the 2026 campaign on Friday. Until then, it’s just AAA Sacramento, so not a ton to talk about. But let’s get to it nonetheless!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
The Giants made some transactions on Monday that impacted the Minor Leagues. They sent cash to old friend Scott Harris in exchange for right-handed reliever Dylan Smith, whom the Detroit Tigers had designated for assignment a few days prior. Smith, who was a 3rd-round pick in the 2021 draft and has a pair of option years remaining, was immediately optioned to AAA Sacramento. He had a 3.65 ERA and a 2.69 FIP with Detroit’s AAA affiliate last year, with 22 strikeouts in just 12.1 innings, but also 7 walks.
San Francisco had to clear space on the 40-man roster to make room for Smith, and so they designated for assignment utility player Tyler Fitzgerald. It’s sad to see Fitzgerald go, but there was really no path to him getting Major League playing time anytime soon — the Giants have everyday players at every position, and Fitzgerald was well behind Christian Koss and Casey Schmitt on the infield depth chart, and behind Grant McCray, Will Brennan, and Drew Gilbert on the outfield depth chart. He still has an option year remaining, so he’ll almost certainly get claimed off waivers.
AAA Sacramento (2-2)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 13-5 Box score
Despite the lopsided score, the River Cats were in this game for most of it. In fact, they held a 5-3 lead at stretch time, but then gave up 10 runs between the 7th and 8th innings.
It was a trio of rough performances that doomed the bullpen, starting with RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL). Harris was tasked with opening the 7th inning, and it started off well. He retired the first batter and third batters that he faced, with a single sandwiched between them. But then the wheels fell off, against an Angels’ affiliate that admittedly has a fair amount of ex-MLB talent on it.
The results were bad, but the talent doing it was good. That first single came off the bat of Christian Moore, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft (after a very nice career with Tony Vitello at Tennessee). A 2-out single by Trey Mancini, a 7-year MLB veteran, scored a run. But the big hit came from Denzer Guzman, one of LA’s top prospects, who made his MLB debut last year. In a 2-2 count, Harris tried a slider, but Guzman fouled it off. Harris tried it again, and Guzman fouled it off again. Unrelenting, Harris tried it a 3rd time, and this time Guzman put it over the fence for a 2-run home run.
Then Matthew Lugo, who also debuted in the Majors last year, singled. And Niko Kavadas, who spent time in the Majors in each of the last 2 years, walked. And Jose Siri, who has more than 1,000 MLB plate appearances to his name, singled home a 4th run, ending Harris’ night.
Harris remains one of the top relief prospects in the organization, but the question of “can you get advanced hitters out” stymies a lot of pitchers, and he is very much one of them. The undrafted curveball artist, who recently turned 27, dominated the lower and mid-Minors, which was emphasized by a showing with AA Richmond last year in which he posted a 1.69 ERA, a 1.73 FIP, and 14.1 strikeouts per 9 innings. But advanced hitters have gotten the best of him: Harris made 30 appearances for Sacramento last year, but the ERA rose to 5.44, the FIP leaped to 4.69, and the strikeouts per 9 plummeted to 8.7. Still, he very deservedly was given an invite to Major League camp this year, and while he showed some impressive things, the same concerns persisted: in 4 Cactus League games, he had a 9.64 ERA and an 8.80 FIP, with 7.7 strikeouts per 9 innings.
So far, that’s carrying into the 2026 season. Harris only gave up 1 baserunner in his season debut, though it was a home run, and now this outing has left him with an ERA (16.88) that will require many outings to get back into respectable territory.
Siri’s RBI single ended Harris’ night, and brought in a slightly less-heralded, but still very intriguing arm: LHP Nick Zwack. The southpaw was part of the J.D. Davis/Darin Ruf swap of … /gestures vaguely at some year in the past … as was Carson Seymour. Injuries have slowed him down — he lost the entirety of the 2024 season — but he’s back, healthy, and certainly has some serious life in his arm. He also appears to be a reliever at long last, after working as a starter to this point in his career.
Zwack had a strong return from injury a year ago, posting a 2.53 ERA and a 2.92 FIP in 7 AA starts, while having 9.0 strikeouts against just 2.5 walks per 9 innings. Like Harris, though, he struggled in his (admittedly brief) introduction to AAA late last year. And unfortunately, those struggles have carried over into the 2026 season. Zwack got off to a very rough start to the year on Sunday, in which he gave up 4 baserunners and 2 runs, while recording just 1 out. Sadly, Tuesday’s outing was fairly similar.
He did get out of the pickle that Harris created, ending the inning as soon as he entered the game. But things went very poorly in the 8th, as Zwack just couldn’t find the zone. He walked 3 batters in the frame, while also allowing 2 hits. That, combined with a catcher’s interference, 1 of 2 errors on the day by Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL), tagged Zwack for 6 runs in the inning, 5 of which were earned. If Harris thinks he has work to salvage his ERA, it’s nothing compared to Zwack’s unsightly 47.25 mark.
Like Harris, Zwack left the game with just 2 outs in the inning, and his ERA would have looked a lot better were it not for a 3rd miserable bullpen outing, this time from LHP Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL). Sánchez is still trying to find his command after losing the 2025 season to Tommy John surgery and, well … he didn’t find it in this game, that’s for sure.
The southpaw, who should figure into the MLB bullpen plans this year if he can find his command, entered with 2 outs and the bases loaded. He walked a run home, then walked a 2nd run home, and then walked a 3rd run home. Finally, after 3 straight walks (the 1st of which was on 5 pitches, and the 2nd on 4), and after falling behind a 4th batter 3-0, Sánchez found the strike zone and recovered to strike out Nelson Rada. Technically it was a performance that held Sánchez’s ERA at 0.00, since the 3 runs scored while he was on the mound were charged to Zwack. But needless to say, the ERA very much does not tell the story here.
All of that ruined a really nice start from LHP Seth Lonsway, who, it turns out, is in Sacramento’s rotation. Lonsway only pitched 3 innings as he gets stretched out to start the year, but he gave up just a single and a walk in those 3 frames, with no runs (though he also didn’t have any strikeouts). For now, at least, it appears that Lonsway — who made 19 starts for Richmond last year, and another 9 for Sacramento — will join a rotation headlined by Seymour, Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL), Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL), and Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL). Quite a nice opportunity for him.
Unfortunately, the bullpen foibles didn’t begin with Harris, as RHP Spencer Bivens — perhaps the most surprising omission from San Francisco’s Opening Day roster — had a rough go of it in the 4th inning, ceding back-to-back 2-out solo home runs to Kavadas and Siri. He’ll surely be back on the big league roster at some point this year, but he’ll have to show some stuff in Sacramento first.
On offense, it was a quiet day for most of the players, as the River Cats are still looking for their 1st home run of the season. Third baseman Buddy Kennedy continued his torrid start to the year, hitting a perfect 4-4 with a double and a walk. The bats have yet to wake up for Sacramento, but Kennedy hasn’t gotten that message.
It seems that Kennedy, who was an offseason Minor League signing with an invite to camp, is more emergency depth than anything else. The Giants have everyday players across the infield in San Francisco, with a pair of backups that they feel strongly about. But Kennedy is certainly a quality emergency depth piece to have: he has MLB experience, and is hitting 6-12 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, and just 1 strikeout to start the AAA season.
The other nice hitting day belonged to second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who singled in his only official at-bat, while also drawing 2 walks and hitting a sacrifice fly. The on-base percentage and the contact skills to succeed in a situational appearance are why the Giants are so high on Furman, who was an NRI this spring, and who came over in the Alex Cobb trade. But there are questions remaining, including on defense, where Furman committed his 1st error of the season on Tuesday.
First baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) hasn’t been forcing the issue since getting optioned, and that was again the case on Tuesday, as he went 0-4 with a strikeout, though he reached base by getting hit by a pitch. His contact wasn’t especially hard in this game, either.
Center fielder Grant McCray came back to earth a little bit after a nice start to the year, as he went 1-5 with 3 strikeouts. The other 40-man hitters didn’t do too well, either, as Rodríguez and left fielder Will Brennan also went 1-5, with the latter striking out twice.
With Fitzgerald DFA’d, the River Cats have a hole at shortstop. For now, AAA repairman Thomas Gavello is tasked with that duty. Gavello, a 2022 13th-round pick who filled in in Sacramento last year and impressed the coaching staff enough that he stuck around, was drafted as a catcher, but didn’t play the position in 2025, instead primarily focusing on second base, third base, and left field, with a few starts at shortstop. It will be interesting to see if the Giants let Gavello, who hit 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, stay at shortstop until Osleivis Basabe is healthy, or if they bring up someone like Aeverson Arteaga to fill in for a while.
Upcoming schedule
The River Cats continue their series against the Bees tonight at 5:35 p.m. PT, while the Low-A San Jose Giants join them tomorrow. High-A Eugene and AA Richmond kick off the season on Friday.
The Houston Astros (4-2) will play host to the Boston Red Sox (1-4) in the final game of their series. Garrett Crochet starts for Boston, while Mike Burrows takes the mound for Houston.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 30: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz in action during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Delta Center on March 30, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are hosting the Denver Nuggets for their second-to-last home game of the season.
The Jazz made a pit-stop in Denver last week, pushing the Nuggets to the wire despite playing with a depleted roster. These last few games of the season offer opportunities for Ace Bailey and Cody Williams to continue their late-season growth. Both have played the best basketball of their young careers as of late. These performances bode well for their ability to contribute to a postseason run for Utah next season.
The Nuggets are effectively playing playoff basketball now. Denver is only a couple of games ahead of dropping to the sixth seed, which would cost them home-court advantage in the first-round. Forward Aaron Gordon has been upgraded to probable after missing a number of games because of a calf injury.
Utah’s injury report looks fairly standard for this point of the season:
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)
In an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Wednesday, April 1, the Hall of Fame coach said he had discussed taking an NBA job last year to coach the Phoenix Suns, who are owned by his former Michigan State walk-on, Mat Ishbia. No, this is not an April Fool's joke.
"I've had more than a couple of job offers in the NBA, and looked at one last year with Phoenix. You know my former player, Mat Ishbia, and that was hard," Izzo said. "That was a hard thing to turn down because No. 1, I kind of wanted to go with him ..."
Michigan State HC Tom Izzo reveals he was in talks with the Phoenix #Suns:
"I've had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, looked at one last year with Phoenix – my former player Mat Ishbia. That was hard, that was a hard thing to turn down... we talked seriously about it." pic.twitter.com/kjSIJreIWz
Interrupted by Dan Patrick mid-thought and asked whether the Suns offered him the job, Izzo said, "We talked seriously" about the position.
"... And then No. 2, I have been pretty vocal about it, I don't like what's going on in college athletics," Izzo continued with his original thought. "But by the way, neither do 99.98% of the football and basketball coaches in America. And I think the kids are going to still find out before it is done that it isn't best for them either."
The Suns haven't been the only NBA team to express interest in Izzo, who ranks 20th in career wins among Division I men's college basketball coaches (764) and has eight Final Fours and a national championship on his resume. As alluded to in the clip, the Cleveland Cavaliers, owned by another Michigan State alum, Dan Gilbert, expressed interest in Izzo in the past. That interest from the Cavaliers came in 2010.
As noted by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, The Athletic reported in February that Ishbia had asked Izzo if he was interested in leaving Michigan State for a job in the NBA, but the understanding was that Izzo didn't take it all that seriously.
Whether it be entertaining another NBA job or continuing to coach at Michigan State, the 71-year-old isn't retiring anytime soon, either. He addressed that topic after the Spartans' loss, which extended the program's Final Four drought to seven years.
"... It's sure as hell not going to be now," Izzo said on Friday, March 27. "I've got some things to accomplish."
He added: "I said a couple years ago that I'll find a way to get back there. We've knocked on the door twice. We haven't gotten back. We'll get back."
Happy April Fools' Day, though our MLB best bets are certainly no joke with today's loaded slate.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Reds moneyline
Price: 40¢ (+140) at Polymarket
This isn’t about fading Paul Skenes — it’s about backing the value on Andrew Abbott, who has the ability to trade zeroes in this matchup. THE BAT projects a fair price closer to 48%, compared to the current market around 40%, creating a solid edge. It’s also worth noting that over Skenes’ last 33 starts, the Pittsburgh Pirates are just 17–16 straight up — a reminder that elite pitching doesn’t always translate to wins. With this being a getaway day for Pittsburgh, the lineup could be in a tougher spot generating runs.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Twins moneyline
Price: 52¢ (-108) at Polymarket
Twins starter Joe Ryan is 8-1 with a 2.02 ERA and 0.87 WHIP across 11 career starts against Kansas City, and the Royals have only scored nine times through their first four games. Additionally, Kansas City starter Noah Cameron outpitched his underlying numbers last season, with his 2.99 ERA well below his 4.10 xFIP and alongside an unsustainably good .241 BABIP and 84% strand rate.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Twins/Royals Under 8.5
Price: 53¢ (-113) at Polymarket
This is too high a number for two light-hitting teams, which rank 23rd and 28th in OPS and are a combined 7-1 to the Under so far. Ryan has owned Royals’ hitters, holding them to a .582 OPS across 110 at-bats, while Cameron draws a Twins lineup that's posted a pathetic .458 OPS vs. lefties so far (and he had a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings of work vs. Minnesota last year).
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.
NHL games on Tuesday, March 31 brought about a shift in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.
The Tampa Bay Lightning lost in regulation and dropped out of the top seed in the conference and out of first place in the Atlantic Division. The Buffalo Sabres' victory gave them the division lead and the Carolina Hurricanes' win gave them the top seed in the East.
The Wednesday, April 1 games could affect the Western Conference standings.
The Los Angeles Kings could pass the idle Nashville Predators and move into the second wild card spot if they win. A San Jose Sharks victory would let them pass the Predators based on percentage points because they'll have played one less game.
Also Wednesday, the Minnesota Wild can become the third NHL team to clinch a 2026 postseason berth.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: None
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas
Who can clinch today?
The idle Minnesota Wild will clinch a playoff berth if the Kings lose to the Blues or if the Sharks lose to the Ducks in regulation.
NHL games today (Wednesday, April 1)
All times p.m.Eastern
Vancouver at Colorado, 8:30
St. Louis at Los Angeles, 9
Anaheim at San Jose, 9, TNT
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 31. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes (100)
Pittsburgh Penguins (92)
New York Islanders (89)
Atlantic Division
Buffalo Sabres (100)
Tampa Bay Lightning (98)
Montreal Canadiens (96)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (94)
Columbus Blue Jackets (88)
Sitting out of playoff position: Ottawa Senators (86), Detroit Red Wings (86), Philadelphia Flyers (86), Washington Capitals (85), New Jersey Devils (78), Toronto Maple Leafs (77), Florida Panthers (75), z-New York Rangers (71)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 31. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Central Division
x-Colorado Avalanche (108)
x-Dallas Stars (100)
Minnesota Wild (94)
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks (87)
Edmonton Oilers (85)
Vegas Golden Knights (82)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (82)
Nashville Predators (77)
Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (76), Winnipeg Jets (76), San Jose Sharks (75), Seattle Kraken (75), St. Louis Blues (73), Calgary Flames (70), Chicago Blackhawks (68), z-Vancouver Canucks (50)
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 31.
Carolina (M1) vs. Columbus (WC1)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC2)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 31.
Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18.
The NBA MVP race is heating up, and for 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, the time is now. My favorite NBA picks for today include backing Wemby against the Golden State Warriors' pitiful frontcourt.
Read on to find out what other NBA player props I'm betting on for Wednesday, April 1.
Both the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers are terrible defensively and play at a fast pace. They're also eliminated from the playoffs and will likely give even less effort on D, which is why the total is set at a whopping 249.
That has me taking the Over 24.5 points for Indiana's leading scorer Pascal Siakam. The All-Star has been dealing with lingering knee pain, but is probable today.
He's fresh off a 30-point performance against Miami and has dropped 25+ points in five of his last nine games.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN | FanDuel SN IN
Prop #2: Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
-110 at bet365
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is always filling up the stat sheet, but his work on the glass lately has been especially impressive. The Denver Nuggets center has pulled down at least 14 boards in five straight games and is averaging 16.4 rpg over that span.
Jokic and the Nuggets are fresh off two days of rest and travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz tonight. Since the start of January, Utah is 26th in the NBA in rebounding rate (48.3%) while playing at the second-fastest pace.
That should lead to plenty of rebounding opportunities for Joker.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ALT2/KTVD | KJZZ-TV
Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 36.5 points + rebounds
-112 at bet365
The MVP race is heating up, and it's become clear San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama wants it. The 7-foot-4 unicorn is coming off a game against Chicago, where he scored 41 points on a season-high 27 shots while adding 16 boards.
Wemby is averaging 28.2 ppg over the last three weeks and has grabbed at least 15 boards in four straight games.
He has a favorable matchup tonight against the Golden State Warriors, who are weak inside with Kristaps Porzingis, Quinton Post, and Al Horford all injured.
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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.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after scoring a run during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on March 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night was hard to watch.
Not only because the San Francisco Giants slugged their way to a, 9-3, win against the San Diego Padres.
Not only because Nick Castellanos was tough to watch in left field.
The Friars lost this game in a way they haven’t lost since Opening Day: their pitching.
In what felt like a must-win game for the Padres, starter Germán Márquez allowed four runs and reliever Kyle Hart allowed another four (despite looking sharp for a while). San Diego didn’t stand much of a chance.
It felt like they kept getting extremely unlucky. Whether by some incredible defensive play or a strangely batted ball, it was a tough night in Petco Park.
The Friars have still yet to score more than three runs in a game, and are now on the verge (yet again) of being swept.
Taking the mound
Adrian Houser (SF) v. Nick Pivetta (SD)
The Padres’ Opening Day starter had a rough go of it last week, allowing six runs in only three innings pitched against the Detroit Tigers.
Pivetta struggled to get out of the first inning, giving up four of those six runs after failing to locate his pitches in the strike zone.
He was a workhorse for San Diego last year (and a legitimate ace to boot), and the club needs him to be that again.
There’s a lot riding on this outing for the Friars’ ace. If Pivetta can stifle San Francisco’s lineup, it will go a long way toward forgetting the concerns of Opening Day.
Houser will be making his Giants debut after signing a two-year, $22 million deal with the club this offseason. He was signed by San Francisco to help round out the rotation behind Webb and Robbie Ray.
Houser put up a solid year in 2025 (3.31 ERA), but struggled down the stretch (4.79 ERA, 56.1 IP) after being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.
He’s a solid righty starter but should be easy enough for San Diego to rack up some hits against… hopefully.
Batter up!
San Diego rolled out a similar lineup to how they ended Monday night’s game. Freddy Fermin catching, Miguel Andujar at DH.
The only — slightly strange — difference was Castellanos in left field over the red-hot bat of Ramón Laureano, though that’s likely to not happen too often.
Against a right-hander like Houser, manager Craig Stammen will likely construct something similar to Monday’s outing against Roupp. But after Jake Cronenworth’s struggles at the plate he may be bumped down in the order:
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ramón Laureano, LF
Nick Castellanos, 1B
Gavin Sheets, DH
Luis Campusano, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Cronenworth batted ninth in the order on Opening Day, so he could return to that spot. Since his debut game in the leadoff spot he has yet to record a hit.
Sheets has seen a lot of time at the cold corner lately (and has been pretty good so far), but he deserves a day off and Castellanos could offer him that today.
Relief corps
Kyle Hart pitched two innings quite well in relief before blowing the game open for San Francisco in the sixth inning. Bradgley Rodriguez came in and gave up a hit but locked it down for an inning and two-thirds.
Jeremiah Estrada pitched a great inning, redeeming himself a bit after his rough outing against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
David Morgan allowed his first run of the season, but it was unearned and inconsequential with the Padres already down five runs when he came out for the ninth inning.
That leaves two of the high leverage guys in the ‘pen for San Diego. Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller have been used sparingly thus far, and will likely emerge tomorrow if the Friars can (finally) get a lead.
Behind them are the ever-serviceable Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio. They’ll be middle-innings choices for the Padres should Pivetta stumble early.
Pascal Siakam
Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama