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Watch Zach LaVine put up 43, 17 in fourth quarter, as Kings pull away from Pistons for key win

NBA: Sacramento Kings at Detroit Pistons

Apr 7, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The postseason got closer to coming to Sacramento on Monday night.

Behind a clutch game from Zach LaVine — who scored 17 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter — the gritty Kings picked a road win on the second night of a back-to-back, pulling away from the Pistons in the fourth quarter to win 127-117.

"All this stuff with us starts with defense and we have to lock in defensively..." said a frustrated J.B. Bickerstaff (via Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press), who watched his Pistons get outscored 65-45 in the second half. "And 18 offensive rebounds is too many offensive rebounds. It's hard to get your transition game going when you're giving them second and third opportunities."

With the win, the Kings have a one-game lead over the Mavericks for the No. 9 seed in the West, meaning Sacramento would host Dallas in the first play-in game.

Detroit remains the No. 6 seed in the East with the loss, but now is 1.5 games behind Milwaukee (two in the loss column), making it far less likely the Pistons will climb up to the standings. Finishing sixth would mean facing the Knicks in the first round.

DeMar DeRozan had a big night and scored 37 points for the Kings, who trailed by as many as 18 in the first half (when DeRozan was really carrying them). Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double: 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Cade Cunningham had 35 to lead the Pistons.

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Columbus Blue Jackets (77 pts) vs. Ottawa Senators (90 pts) Game Preview

Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators play the third and final game of the season series tonight at Nationwide Arena.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are one loss and a Montréal Canadiens win away from being eliminated from playoff contention. It's April 8th with six games to go, and the CBJ and just now being knocked out. It's been a long time since it came down to the final days for Columbus. 

But the games must be played, and you never know, the Blue Jackets could rattle off six straight wins, and Montréal could falter down the stretch as well. Nothing is over until it's over. 

Until then, it's game on against the Ottawa Senators, and the CBJ owe the Sens a loss this season. The Jackets will be trying to avoid a season series sweep at the hands of the Senators. 

Senators Stats

  • Power Play – 23.1% - 12th in NHL
  • Penalty Kill – 77.9% - 17th in NHL
  • Goals For - 221 – 20th – 2.93 GPG – 20th
  • Goals Against – 213 – 10th – 2.87 GPG – 13th

Series History vs. The Senators

  • Columbus is 7-12-2 on the road and 18-19-5 in 42 all-time meetings vs. Ottawa.
  • The Jackets are 9-5-3 in the last 17 against the Sens and 2-2-1 in the last five. 

Who To Watch For The Senators

  • Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 51 assists and 72 points. 
  • Linus Ullmark is 23-14-3 with a SV% of .911.
  • Anton Forsberg is 10-11-2 with a SV% of .907.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Senators

  • Boone Jenner has 13 points in 25 career games against Ottawa.  
  • Zach Werenski has 18 points in 18 games.  
  • Sean Monahan has 18 points in 30 games against the Senators. 

Injuries

  • Kevin Labanc (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve as of Feb. 21 and is out for the season (20 Games) 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 309

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Cardinals at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 8

Its a Paul Skenes' Tuesday! The Pirates (3-7) to to get things back on track as their ace takes the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals (4-5).

Sonny Gray is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Paul Skenes for Pittsburgh

Monday saw the Pirates double up the Cardinals, 8-4. Andrew McCutchen, Joey Bart, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in a pair of runs for Pittsburgh and Carmen Mlodzinski gave up just a single run over five innings to earn his first win of the season.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch 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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Pirates

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: FDS, SNP360

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

Odds for the Cardinals at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (+119), Pirates (-139)
  • Spread:  Pirates -1.5
  • Total: 6.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for April 8, 2025: Sonny Gray vs. Paul Skenes
    • Cardinals: Sonny Gray (1-0, 5.73 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 vs. Angels - 6IP, 5ER, 5H, 0BB, 9Ks
    • Pirates: Paul Skenes (1-0, 1.46 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 at Tampa - 7IP, 0ER, 3H, 0BB, 6Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Pirates

  • Cardinals' pitching ranks as the worst in the National League and it shows in Game Totals which are 8-1-1 to the OVER through 10 games
  • Pittsburgh's last 4 games have gone OVER the Game Total
  • Pittsburgh is 4-7 on the Run Line this season

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

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s game between the Cardinals and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

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 MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Cardinals and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on the Pirates -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 6.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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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Yankees at Tigers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 8

Its Tuesday, April 8 and the Yankees (6-3) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (5 4) in Game 2 of their series.

Carlos Carrasco is slated to take the mound for New York against Tarik Skubal for Detroit

Game 1 of the series went to the Tigers yesterday as Casey Mize (2-0) pitched six innings of one run ball. Andy Ibanez cracked his first home run of the season to drive in three runs and pace the Detroit attack. Carlos Rodon (1-2) gave up five earned runs in six innings to take the loss for the Yankees. Aaron Judge did drive in his eighteenth run of the season.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch 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.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Yankees at Tigers

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
  • Time: 1:10PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: YES, FDS

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

Odds for the Yankees at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-140), Tigers (+118)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for April 8, 2025: Carlos Carrasco vs. Tarik Skubal
    • Yankees: Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 7.36 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/3 vs. Arizona - 5.1IP, 3ER, 5H, 2BB, 5Ks
    • Tigers: Tarik Skubal (0-2, 5.91 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 at Seattle - 5.2IP, 3ER, 6H, 3BB, 8Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Tigers

  • The Tigers have won 4 in a row (all at home) and 6 of their last 7 overall
  • 11 of the Yankees' last 13 road games against the Tigers have stayed under the Total - including Monday's games
  • The Yankees have lost two in a row
  • The Game Total UNDER cashed Monday in the Yankees' game for only the third time in 10 games

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

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s game between the Yankees and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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 MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Yankees and the Tigers:

  • 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 Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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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Nuggets fire head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth in stunning move

Nuggets fire head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth in stunning move originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Another Western Conference playoff contender is making a coaching change.

Just weeks after the Memphis Grizzlies moved on from Taylor Jenkins, the Denver Nuggets are firing Michael Malone.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news on Tuesday, and later added that general manager Calvin Booth has also been fired. Assistant coach David Adelman, who has worked for Malone since 2017, will serve as the interim head coach. The team later confirmed Charnaia’s reports in a press release.

Malone led the Nuggets to their only championship less than two years ago in 2025. He had been Denver’s head coach since 2015, compiling a 471-327 record with 44 playoff wins over that span.

Booth took over as Nuggets general manager in 2022 when Tim Connelly left for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite winning the title in his first season at the helm, many of the roster moves that set up the victory were made by Connelly.

This season has started to unravel for the Nuggets in recent weeks, with the team going 3-7 in their last 10 games. Denver has lost four straight games to fall to 47-32, good for fourth in the West — but tied with the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth seeds in the loss column.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has never played for another coach since being drafted, his rookie season was Malone’s first in Denver.

The Nuggets have three games left in the regular season — Wednesday at the Sacramento Kings, Friday against the Grizzlies and Sunday at the Houston Rockets.

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Nuggets fire coach Malone, GM Booth in shocking move

Nuggets fire coach Malone, GM Booth in shocking move originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Another Western Conference playoff contender is making a coaching change.

Just weeks after the Memphis Grizzlies moved on from Taylor Jenkins, the Denver Nuggets are firing Michael Malone.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news on Tuesday, and later added that general manager Calvin Booth has also been fired. Assistant coach David Adelman, who has worked for Malone since 2017, will serve as the interim head coach. The team later confirmed Charnaia’s reports in a press release.

Malone led the Nuggets to their only championship less than two years ago in 2025. He had been Denver’s head coach since 2015, compiling a 471-327 record with 44 playoff wins over that span.

Booth took over as Nuggets general manager in 2022 when Tim Connelly left for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite winning the title in his first season at the helm, many of the roster moves that set up the victory were made by Connelly.

This season has started to unravel for the Nuggets in recent weeks, with the team going 3-7 in their last 10 games. Denver has lost four straight games to fall to 47-32, good for fourth in the West — but tied with the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth seeds in the loss column.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has never played for another coach since being drafted, his rookie season was Malone’s first in Denver.

The Nuggets have three games left in the regular season — Wednesday at the Sacramento Kings, Friday against the Grizzlies and Sunday at the Houston Rockets.

Posted on

Canadiens: Taking On A Chaser

Brendan Gallagher tries to beat Cam Talbot - Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

After Sunday night’s game, the Montreal Canadiens found themselves with a six-point lead over two teams in the wild card race: the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings. The latter will be in town on Tuesday night for a crucial duel with the Habs. It will be the fourth and final game of the season between the two sides, and the stakes have never been higher.

Patrik Laine’s Lack of Shots on Net is Weird
Canadiens: What’s Next For Demidov?
Three Takeaways As Dobes Stole The Game

The Red Wings won the last meeting 4-2 in January, but the Canadiens won both of the December back-to-back games by scores of 4-3 and 5-1. Montreal has won its last five games, while Detroit is running a two-game winning streak. The Habs have a 5-3-2 record in the previous 10 games, while the Wings are 5-4-1.

Montreal had a day off yesterday, so there’s been no update yet on the availability of either Emil Heinman or David Savard. As for the starter, Jakub Dobes was great on Sunday night, but Samuel Montembeault remains the number one goaltender and should be back in the net. He has a 3-1-2 record against the Wings with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. As for Dobes, he has never faced them.

Detroit has already confirmed that Cam Talbot will be in the net on Tuesday night. He has a 9-3-1 record, a 1.61 GAA, and an excellent .940 SP. It looks like the Canadiens will have their work cut out for them.

Up front, Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ most prolific scorer against Detroit with 30 points in 36 games, followed by Patrik Laine, who has 21 points in 23 games, and Nick Suzuki with 14 points in 18 games. The Wings would do well to keep a close eye on Lane Hutson, who is now tied with Chris Chelios for the most points by a Canadiens’ rookie defenseman with 64. Expect the roof to come off the arena if the rookie does break the record; he has become a fan favourite in no time.

On the other side, Patrick Kane has 22 points in 27 games, followed by Dylan Larkin with 21 points in 33 tilts and Alex DeBrincat with 19 points in 18 games.

The Red Wings have won six of the last ten games against the Canadiens, with Montreal grabbing the other four. The Habs have five games left, while the Wings have six. A regulation loss on Tuesday night would be disastrous for the Wings; it would put the Canadiens eight points ahead of them, with only 10 points up for grabs on the season. It wouldn’t mean a mathematical elimination but would make the prospect even more likely. As for the Canadiens, they'll try to win a sixth game in a row for the first time this season. 

According to Moneypuck, the Canadiens currently have an 87.2% chance of making the playoffs, whereas the Wings’ odds are only 5.6%. That’s an uphill battle if there ever was one.

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