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What we learned as Giants walk off Rangers on Bailey's clutch single

What we learned as Giants walk off Rangers on Bailey's clutch single originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — A sellout crowd showed up Saturday to honor Brandon Crawford. Patrick Bailey made sure they went home happy. 

The catcher pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth and dropped Jacob Latz’s first pitch onto the right field grass, giving the Giants a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park. With the victory, the Giants are guaranteed of having a winning record during this stretch of 17 games in 17 days.

The lineup got shut out Friday, and for most of their next game things weren’t looking much better. They gave off some 2024 vibes until Willy Adames broke through in the fifth with a two-run single up the middle that tied the game.

It stayed tied into the ninth, when manager Bob Melvin turned to struggling closer Ryan Walker. He gave up a pair of singles, but Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka did him a favor by popping up a bunt. After striking out Josh Smith, Walker stayed in to face pinch-hitter Joc Pederson, despite the fact that lefty Erik Miller was warmed up in the pen. Pederson hit a long foul ball and then swung through 97 mph to end the inning as Walker pumped his fist and screamed.

Heliot Ramos ignited the winning rally with a leadoff single in the ninth. After a walk by LaMonte Wade Jr., Christian Koss advanced both runners with a bunt. Bailey hit for Sam Huff and ended it quickly. 

Ray Day

Robbie Ray said after his last start that it was the closest he has felt to his 2021 Cy Young form in years, and he certainly looked like a top-of-the-rotation arm on Saturday. The lefty went a season-high seven innings and struck out eight. It was his first time recording at least 21 outs since Aug. 28, 2022, which was before his Tommy John surgery. 

The Rangers had plenty of traffic early, but Ray limited the damage to a pair of sacrifice flies. With the two earned runs, he lowered his ERA from 4.07 to 3.73. 

Ray was extremely fastball-heavy in his last start, but he showed a four-pitch mix Saturday. He threw each of his pitches at least a dozen times and tossed his new changeup a career-high 20 times. Ray got 23 swinging strikes (a season-high for the Giants) including five on his changeup. 

Revenge Game

Bruce Bochy isn’t the only familiar face in the other dugout in this series. The Rangers’ hitting coaches are Donnie Ecker and Justin Viele, and their roster includes Joc Pederson, Nick Ahmed, Kevin Pillar and Luke Jackson. 

The biggest blow against former teammates came from Huff, though. The former Rangers catcher ignited the game-tying rally with a long double to Triples Alley. It would have brought Koss home, but the infielder slipped going around third. Both players scored on Adames’ single a few minutes later. 

Huff’s double went 375 feet and would have been a homer in six ballparks. Throw in a homer in Anaheim last weekend, and the Giants finally are starting to see the power they expected when they acquired Huff on a waiver claim this offseason. 

The Usual

It’s been a wild week at the back end of Melvin’s bullpen, but he has absolutely no question marks in the eighth. Tyler Rogers is off to a dominant start, and he kept it going Saturday by throwing a scoreless inning. 

Rogers lowered his ERA to 0.63, which is sixth in the NL among relievers with double-digit appearances. Last year’s appearances leader is tied for first in the league in that category, too, and he has thrown up a zero in 14 of his 15 outings. Rogers has allowed just eight hits in 14 1/3 innings. He’s making Melvin’s life very easy when games reach the eighth inning. 

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The Canadiens Should Employ This Drafting Strategy

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If I were the Montreal Canadiens I would not go with the best player available. It’s a generic term that sounds good in the NFL but has no real practical application in hockey. You have a draft board for a reason. You have team needs for a reason. Not today’s needs, organizational needs and that’s for 3-5 years down the road. 

According to Puck Pedia, the Canadiens have two picks at 16 and 17. I’ll go with that but we know that can change. The #17 picks are from Calgary and that has conditions. They are explained here. 

I think the odds of getting a potential second line player is better than a second-pairing defenseman. This isn’t a very deep draft. There will be a fair amount of players that play in the NHL for a period of time. But sticking for 200 games or more is a smaller field than usual in my estimation. That could change after the U18s but right now, that’s how I feel.

I think they should target a forward with some size. If nothing else, just don’t take a smaller forward here. Size and speed is something they need to get. There will be time to get defenseman in this draft and certainly another goalie is always something to think about in every draft. 

The Canadiens have a lot of picks. 12 in total. I normally say get two every draft. In this draft, I still think you might be able to get three. That would be my goal. Anything more than that is gravy.

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Toronto Maple Leafs And Los Angeles Kings Showing Just How Effective A Five-Forward Power-Play Unit Can Be

The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate a goal scored by Auston Matthews in Game 3 of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings are two of the best power-play teams in the playoffs, so far. 

The Kings are sitting atop the league in power-play percentage (58.3 percent), and they are also first in the NHL in power-play goals with seven.

Toronto sits just behind the Kings in power-play percentage at 55.6 percent over three games. They are also third in total power-play goals with five, narrowly behind the St. Louis Blues, who scored three in their 7-2 win in Game 3, bringing their total to six.

Other than having similar success and statistics with the extra man, Toronto and L.A. have one more thing in common with their top power-play units – they are made up of five forwards and no defenseman.

The majority of teams in the NHL use four forwards, with their most offensive defenseman quarterbacking the power play. That’s not the case for the Leafs and Kings.

For the most part, Los Angeles uses Adrian Kempe at the point with Anze Kopitar occasionally coming short to receive the puck. The Kings do have the choice to put a D-man on the top unit with Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke on the roster, but coach Jim Hiller has decided to put them on the second unit.

Toronto has Mitch Marner at the blueline dictating the play with his elite playmaking and ability to walk the line. In seasons past, Morgan Rielly would be the quarterback, but coach Craig Berube has found success with the five-man unit.

Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau spoke about the Maple Leafs’ five-forward power-play unit in the latest episode of The Hockey News’ Big Show.

“The Leaf five, I find amazing. All five of them are so good,” Boudreau said. He further complimented Toronto’s top unit and highlighted how important Marner is to the formation.

“Marner, I think, is the best distributor this side of Connor McDavid of the puck, and he can defend when needed.”

While the five-man forward unit is a relatively new concept and not many teams use it, the NHL is a copycat league. Maybe next season, teams that don’t have an offensive defenseman will put this idea into consideration.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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After Crawford day, what's next for Giants jersey numbers, ceremonies?

After Crawford day, what's next for Giants jersey numbers, ceremonies? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Crawford was in a checkered suit Saturday, but No. 35 was still represented at Oracle Park, and not just with the thousands who came to watch the best shortstop in franchise history get honored. Justin Verlander, Friday night’s starter, is wearing the number this season after an offseason conversation with Crawford. 

It wasn’t hard for Crawford to sign off on giving the number to a future Hall of Famer, but Saturday’s ceremony was a reminder that the organization has some difficult decisions to make down the line. 

The front row of guests for the ceremony included president of baseball operations Buster Posey, former manager Bruce Bochy and longtime Giants ace Matt Cain. The Giants have no intention of ever letting anyone wear No. 28 or No. 15 again, but Cain’s No. 18 has been worn by eight players since he retired, including Curt Casali and Donovan Walton last year. So, what are the Giants going to do with No. 35 when Verlander is done in orange and black?

“We haven’t gotten there. Today is a thank you for Brandon, the soonest we could thank him and show gratitude for his career as a Giant,” team president and CEO Larry Baer said. “That [number decision] can be considered later.”

The best shortstop in franchise history is part of a group of teammates who are franchise legends, but also unlikely to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which traditionally has been the standard for the Giants to retire a number. The Giants changed their thinking to honor Barry Bonds, who was left out of Cooperstown by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and that opened the door to also retire Will Clark’s No. 22. 

Brad Grems, who is in charge of the clubhouse, has followed Mike Murphy’s lead in not giving out No. 55 (Tim Lincecum) or No. 40 (Madison Bumgarner). But at some point the Giants will have to decide where they draw the lines for longtime Giants who will go on their Wall of Fame but also could be in consideration to have their numbers retired. 

“We’ll try to honor that group. We haven’t only [retired numbers for] Hall of Famers, but it has primarily been Hall of Famers,” Baer said. “We’ll have to come up with a philosophy. There are other guys in his era whose jerseys have not been retired, too. We have to think it through.”

The Giants already have retired 11 numbers, plus No. 42, which is retired across the game for Jackie Robinson. Bochy and Posey will be inducted into Cooperstown in the next few years and join that list.

Regardless of the future standard, Crawford has at least one more big day coming at Oracle Park. He’ll soon be back to go on the organization’s Wall of Fame, which honors former Giants who played at least nine seasons, five seasons with at least one MLB All-Star selection, or won three rings. Brandon Belt would clear the bar, along with Lincecum, Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval and Joe Panik, who flew in from New York to attend the Crawford ceremony.

Panik soon will visit Double-A Richmond as an instructor and plans to work with players at one affiliate every month. With Posey now in charge, others from the championship era are expected to return to the organization in some capacity, but Crawford reiterated on Saturday that he plans to take this full year off. That was always the plan in retirement, and it’s not like he has much free time anyway.

The Crawfords have five children, four of whom are very active in school and youth sports and a fifth who is only a year and a half old. After giving his speech, Crawford said he’ll potentially join the Giants down the road in an official capacity, but for now he has his hands full. 

“It’s been busy,” he said, smiling. “Even busier than baseball seasons, to be honest. But it’s been a lot of fun.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Well-liked Kody Clemens traded to Twins: ‘It was just the fit'

Well-liked Kody Clemens traded to Twins: ‘It was just the fit' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CHICAGO — Rob Thomson texted Kody Clemens early Saturday morning to wish him the best. After three years in the Phillies organization, Clemens is moving on to Minnesota. The Phils traded him to the Twins late Friday night for cash.

Clemens had been designated for assignment on Wednesday when the Phillies activated right-handed-hitting Weston Wilson. Clemens saw very little playing time through three weeks, going 0-for-6 with a walk and just six innings on defense — four in left field, two at second base. His left-handed bat wasn’t an ideal fit on the Phils’ bench because the primary positions he’d back up are also occupied by left-handed hitters.

“It’s too bad we couldn’t have given him more of an opportunity here,” Thomson said before the Phillies’ middle game at Wrigley Field. “It was just the fit because he’s a good player, he’s a big-league player and I’ve said that all along. He’s a great teammate, he’s a great human being. I texted him this morning and wished him all the best because I really like him a lot. They like him a lot.”

Clemens was acquired by the Phillies with reliever Gregory Soto in January 2023 from the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Matt Vierling and utilityman Nick Maton. Clemens appeared in 97 games as a Phillie, hitting .220/.265/.394 with 16 doubles and nine home runs in 275 plate appearances. He was 2-for-5 with a double in last year’s NLDS.

The Phillies’ bench currently consists of Edmundo Sosa, Wilson, Cal Stevenson and Rafael Marchan. Brandon Marsh (hamstring strain) is two games into a rehab assignment with Triple A Lehigh Valley and will likely take Stevenson’s place on the roster once he’s ready to return.

Marsh played seven innings in center field on Friday and is scheduled to DH Saturday. He is eligible to be activated on Sunday but the Phillies might keep him at Triple A for another few days.

“I want him to make sure that his swing’s back and that he’s ready to go,” Thomson said Saturday.

It’s not the worst thing in the world for Marsh to be able to find his timing in the minors right now, away from all the attention. Negativity is justifiably swirling in the Delaware Valley over the Phillies’ 13-13 start.

“I think it’s good for him, sure, because you could see the sawdust coming out of his hands as he was up at the plate,” Thomson said. “He was just trying to do too much. It’s a process and it takes time.”

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3 Standouts in the Blackhawks' Pipeline Have Already Debuted This Season

Sam Rinzel (Talia Sprague-Imagn Images)

Near the end of January of this year, general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned six prospects playing outside of the NHL/AHL that caught his eye and stood out. This list of talented young players in the Chicago Blackhawks' organization included Nick Lardis, Sacha Boisvert, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Roman Kantserov, and Ryan Greene.

Three of these players made the jump right to the NHL at the end of the season in order for the Blackhawks to see what they can do. Davidson had said, That's where we are building this thing and they are showing up. Their play and development are showing us we're on the right track."

Moore and Rinzel played nine games to end the season with the Blackhawks while Greene joined later and played two. Lardis is in his fourth and final year in the OHL, Kantserov is still in the KHL, and Boisvert is switching schools and is remaining in the NCAA for at least another season.

I think Rinzel has the best shot at not playing an AHL game in his career as he fits right in on the top pairing in the NHL. Moore might spend a little time at the start of the season in the minors like Frank Nazar did and then force the hand of the Blackhawks, but Greene will benefit from a full season in the AHL. Lardis can score as he put up 71 goals in 65 games, but the room might not be available on Chicago just yet.

If the Blackhawks can bring Kantserov over in a couple of years, that would be ideal. Allow him to play the minutes against top KHL talent to see him grow before entering right into the NHL. As for Boisvert, he is tracking well and will make a stop in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHLer.

There is great reason to be excited and next season will bring more talent to watch for in the Blackhawks' organization.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.

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Championship roundup: Cardiff relegated while Luton stun Coventry

  • Cardiff’s 0-0 draw with West Brom seals Welsh club’s fate
  • Baptiste’s late Luton winner hurts Sky Blues’ playoff hopes

Cardiff have been relegated on a dramatic day at the bottom of the Championship, with Plymouth left on the brink and Hull pulled into the bottom three. Cardiff were held 0-0 at home by West Brom and are now bottom after Plymouth won 2-1 at Preston. However, Argyle’s poor goal difference means they stand no real chance of survival.

Cardiff returned to the third tier after 22 years, six years after they had been playing in the Premier League. They had Aaron Ramsey in interim charge, while Albion had James Morrison in temporary control after Tony Mowbray was sacked on Monday. Both sides had chances with Albion’s Isaac Price making a goalline clearance from Calum Chambers and having a first-half effort that bounced back off a post. The result ended West Brom’s playoff hopes.

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Five Potential Destinations For Canucks' Brock Boeser

Brock Boeser (Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

Brock Boeser has been quoted saying "it's unlikely at this point" that he will be returning to the Vancouver Canucks next season, and the free-agent market for the 28-year-old will be large and competitive.

Boeser recorded 25 goals and 50 points this season in 75 games, following a 2023-24 season where he set a career-high of 40 goals and 73 points. The former 2015 first-round pick is one of the more efficient scorers in the NHL, owning a 17.2 shooting percentage this season – the 41st highest percentage in the league among players with 70 or more games played 

With his impending exit from Vancouver, here are five possible free-agency destinations for Boeser.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs could be entering an offseason where major change is needed if they fall short of their playoff goals. Mitch Marner and John Tavares are pending UFAs, and the team needs to re-sign pending RFA Matthew Knies. If they decide to let Marner walk in free agency or he elects to seek a new opportunity, rumours have already swirled about the possibility of the Maple Leafs using Boeser and the Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers as replacements. 

Boeser is quite different in terms of play style compared to Marner. Marner is a pure playmaker, looking to pass as his first option, while Boeser is known as a shooter. The styles might be different, but the skill the Maple Leafs currently have should allow everyone to gel quite quickly.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild are an obvious choice for the Burnsville, Minn. native. They’ll have over $20 million in cap space this off-season and will be looking to add another scoring winger to complement the likes of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi.

With prospects such as Liam Ohgren, Danila Yurov, Zeev Buium, David Jiricek and Jesper Wallstedt all expected to be key contributors sometime soon, Boeser would fit nicely in the Wild's lineup. 

When Boeser is at his best, he’s one of the league's most efficient scorers. Pairing him with a playmaker who generates chances at an extremely high rate, as Kaprizov does, it’s not far-fetched to envision Boeser possibly recording multiple 40-goal seasons. 

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings have been attempting to put the final touches on their rebuild for quite some time. In the Atlantic Division, they’ve been compared to the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres. Missing the playoffs this season and watching the Senators and Canadiens make it has upset some of the players.

"It was hard that we didn't do anything, and I felt the group kinda — we didn't gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kinda down about it," said captain Dylan Larkin during the team's exit interviews.  "So it'd be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and maybe a morale boost as well."

Although adding Boeser to the fold wouldn’t solve every problem they have or instantly make them into a playoff team, it would be a good start. They’ll also need to sure up their goaltending and continue to integrate more of their top-end prospects to compete with the other wild-card teams. 

Carolina Hurricanes

GM Eric Tulsky showed the NHL world that he’s not afraid to make a big move after he traded for and then traded away Mikko Rantanen. Moving Rantanen and Martin Necas has opened up a lot of cap space for the Hurricanes, and it’s expected that they’ll be pursuing many of the top free agents this summer. 

The Hurricanes will likely prioritize a second-line center before looking for additional help on the wing, but if they do, Boeser could be a great fit. 

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are in a different position than the other four teams mentioned. They are at the peak of their rebuild, beginning to incorporate many of the players they hope to be key contributors in the future.

Making the playoffs seems quite unlikely for Chicago, but they'll be hoping to be in the race by the time the post-season rolls around in 2026. Pairing Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and possibly a top-two pick with a proven scorer such as Boeser would help them accomplish that, similar to what Tyler Toffoli did for Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund and the San Jose Sharks.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Mets at Nationals: How to watch on SNY on April 26, 2025

The Mets continue their four-game series with the Nationals in Washington, D.C. on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • The Mets fell to 6-7 on the road with Friday's loss, but still own the best record in the majors at 18-8 (.692 win percentage)
  • Clay Holmes has allowed only two runs with 14 strikeouts over his last two starts (11.0 IP)
  • Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez both went 1-for-4 in their season debuts
  • McNeil gets the start in CF -- he's played the position three times in his big league career (all in 2023)
  • Mark Vientos has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, including just the second triple of his career on Friday night
METS
NATIONALS

Francisco Lindor, SS

CJ Abrams, SS

Juan Soto, RF

James Wood, LF

Pete Alonso, 1B

Nathaniel Lowe, 1B

Brandon Nimmo, LF

Josh Bell, DH

Mark Vientos, 3B

Luis Garcia Jr., 2B

Jesse Winker, DH

Keibert Ruiz, C

Francisco Alvarez, C

Dylan Crews, RF

Jeff McNeil, CF

Jose Tena, 3B

Luisangel Acuña, 2B

Jacob Young, CF

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

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Florida Panthers Assign Jesse Puljujarvi To Charlotte

David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers have assigned forward Jesse Puljujarvi to the Charlotte Checkers, it was announced Friday. 

Puljujarvi, who joined the Panthers organization midway through the season, has seen time in both the NHL and AHL this year. In 31 NHL games with the Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored four goals and added six assists for 10 points. Across 26 AHL games with Charlotte and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he put up six goals and 16 points. 

Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Puljujarvi has played in a total of 387 career NHL regular season games with the Panthers, Penguins, Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes. In that span, he has collected 58 goals and 70 assists for 128 points. 

With Puljujarvi being assigned to the AHL, he will have an opportunity to play a big role for the Checkers as they look to make a run to the Calder Cup. Still a capable depth player on an NHL roster, Puljujarvi has not been able to secure a full-time role over the last couple of seasons but could see another team take a swing at him during the offseason. 

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ICYMI in Mets Land: Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil return, plus Brooks Raley agrees to deal

Here's what happened in Mets land on Friday, in case you missed it...

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Knicks vs. Pistons Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 27

On Sunday, April 27, the New York Knicks (51-31) and Detroit Pistons (44-38) are all set to square off from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round.

New York stole Game 3 in Detroit, 118-116, behind a combined 61 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson and 20 or more points from four starters. Cade Cunningham double-doubled with 24 points and 11 assists for the Pistons, while Malik Beasley dropped 24 points and the bench combined for 40 points.

The Knicks are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Pistons have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. 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, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Knicks vs. Pistons live today

  • Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
  • Time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Site: Little Caesars Arena
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: ABC / ESPN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Knicks vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Sunday:

  • Odds: Knicks (+109), Pistons (-130)
  • Spread:  Pistons -2
  • Over/Under: 217 points

That gives the Knicks an implied team point total of 108.02, and the Pistons 109.07.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Sunday’s Knicks vs. Pistons game

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans Jalen Brunson’s point prop and the Knicks +2:

"The Knicks took the pivotal Game 3 that can really swing a series, so the momentum is certainly in their favor. Jalen Brunson, the Clutch Player of the Year, had another heroic effort as Batman (Brunson, 30 points) and Robin (KAT, 31 points) closed the game for New York. I can't expect KAT to have another massive performance, but there's no reason why Brunson can't after 34, 37, and 30 points in the series thus far — Over 29.5 points looks good for Brunson and if the Knicks win here, they can close it out at home in five games, so I lean the Knicks +2 and ML (+110).

If you have the series correct score market — I like the value on the series to end in 5 (+185) more than the Knicks ML here (+110) because they would be laying at least -7.5 at home in Game 5 up 3-1."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 today’s Knicks & Pistons game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Knicks at +2.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 217.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Knicks vs. Pistons on Sunday

  • In 3 wins against the Pistons this season the Knicks' average winning margin is +14.3
  • The Over is 29-26 in the Pistons' matchups against Eastern Conference teams this season
  • The Pistons have covered in 15 of their 21 matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams this season
  • In 3 wins against the Pistons this season the Knicks' average winning margin is +14.3

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Hernández: Can the Lakers overcome their biggest vulnerability exposed during their Game 3 loss?

Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards dunks over Lakers guard Luka Doncic during Game 3 Friday
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards dunks over Lakers guard Luka Doncic during Game 3 Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Somehow, the Lakers concealed the shortcoming in plain sight for months, enough to where the situation looked manageable.

That was then.

Now, in a postseason series against an athletic team with size, their lack of a big man has become a major problem. Now, as the Lakers find themselves with a two-games-to-one deficit in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the absence of a reliable center could be why their season comes to a premature end.

Luka Doncic was said to be feeling awful on Friday night, and his play reflected it. However, an equal, if not greater, factor in the Lakers’ 116-104 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 3 was the team’s complete inability to protect the rim.

Timberwolves forward Julius Randle shoots over Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, guard Gabe Vincent and guard Luka Doncic
Timberwolves forward Julius Randle shoots over Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, guard Gabe Vincent and guard Luka Doncic in Game 3 of their series Friday at the Target Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Considering how Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards practically skipped to their basket on Saturday night at Target Center, the Lakers might as well have replaced their free-throw lane with a red carpet.

The Timberwolves knew the Lakers couldn’t stop them, and the numbers reflected their lack of respect. They attempted 45 shots in the paint, compared to 28 for the Lakers. They scored 56 points in the paint, compared to 26 for the Lakers.

McDaniels scored 30 points, including 24 in the paint. Edwards finished with 29 points and a team-high eight assists.

“The fact is we don’t have rim protection,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “So if you give up blow-bys, we’re gonna give up something.”

Read more:With Luka Doncic ailing, LeBron James' historic night can't save Lakers in Game 3 loss

The Lakers technically have a center in seven-footer Jaxson Hayes, but Redick clearly doesn’t want to play him, evidenced by how Hayes has logged nine or fewer minutes in each of the three games of this series. The nine minutes Hayes played on Friday were particularly destructive, as he registered a plus/minus of minus-13.

Hayes was a backup before the Lakers sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the trade for Doncic, and Davis’ departure shouldn’t have changed that. Hayes is who he is.

The Lakers knew this could be a problem, which is why they had a deal in place to acquire center Mark Williams for the Charlotte Hornets before the trade deadline. But Williams underwent a physical examination, the Lakers were concerned with what they saw, and the trade was rescinded.

Perhaps general manager Rob Pelinka should have gambled on the 7-foot Williams, who was healthy for the remainder of the regular season. Or perhaps Pelinka should have lined up contingencies in case the trade for Williams didn’t work out. Or perhaps he should have gathered more accurate information on the injury-prone Williams beforehand, which could have saved the Lakers time and afforded them the luxury of redirecting their efforts elsewhere. Or perhaps there was nothing he could have done, given the shortage of available big men.

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels fight for a loose ball during Game 3
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels fight for a loose ball during Game 3 of their playoff series Friday at the Target Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

None of that matters now. What’s done is done, and the season autopsy can wait until the summer. The Lakers have a series to win.

Figuring out how to do that is the job of Redick, who said he believed his team could overcome its size deficit.

“We’ve done it all year,” he said. “When we’ve been at our best, we’ve been able to be physical on the ball and not allow blow-bys and also have sort of a cover mentality, multiple effort and it was there at times tonight.”

Forward Dorian Finney-Smith shared a similar view.

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“Just gotta do a better job of standing in front of the ball,” Finney-Smith said. “I feel like we were just giving up too many blow-bys, and it really ain’t had nothing to do with our size. It was just on-base defense and rotations outside of when we gotta scramble. I feel like we didn’t have the sense of urgency the whole game, and they did.”

Redick pointed to some of the other mistakes made by his team.

“I think we had two [plays] where we collected a rebound, we get backtapped, we give up a point,” he said. “Those things really, really accumulate, especially when you’re turning the ball over.”

Provided Doncic recovers from whatever made him vomit over and over in the hours leading up to the Game 3, the Lakers have two of the best players in the league in him and James. They have a dangerous No. 3 option in Austin Reaves. They have solid defenders in Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt. But they don’t have a big man, and at this moment, what they don’t have feels as important as what they do.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.