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Heat vs. Cavaliers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 23

On Wednesday, April 23, the Miami Heat (37-45) and Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) are all set to square off from Rocket Arena in Cleveland for Game 2 of the First Round in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Cleveland won Game 1, 121-100, behind Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland combining for 57 points. The second and third-quarter margins were a combined +1 for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers used a massive +7 first-quarter and +13 fourth-quarter to pull away.

The Heat are currently 17-23 on the road with a point differential of 1, while the Cavaliers have a 7-3 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 Heat vs. Cavaliers live today

  • Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Rocket Arena
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: NBA TV

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 Heat vs. Cavaliers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Odds: Heat (+496), Cavaliers (-694)
  • Spread:  Cavaliers -12
  • Over/Under: 212 points

That gives the Heat an implied team point total of 104.99, and the Cavaliers 111.24.

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 Wednesday’s Heat vs. Cavaliers game

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes De’Andre Hunter to go Over 8.5 Points and Haywood Highsmith to go Under 5.5 Points:

'De'Andre Hunter was an afterthought in Game 1 going 0-for-4 from the field for 0 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 16 minutes. Albeit the game was a blowout for most of his minutes, you'd still like to see more from the 27-year-old. I think we do see more minutes and shots in Game 2 after his performance in Game 1 is a bit of a wake-up call.

Haywood Highsmith was a spark for a few minutes in Game 1, but his efficient 3-for-4 shooting performance is not sustainable. In fact, I'd argue he more than likely doesn't take four-plus shots in Game 2 as his calling card is defense and rebounding. His points prop has gone down from 6.5 to 5.5 despite his seven-point performance hitting the Over in Game 1. I think Haywood is a good zig-zag bet tonight, so I am going Under."

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 Heat & Cavaliers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cleveland Cavaliers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Heat at +12.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 212.

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 Heat vs. Cavaliers on Wednesday

  • The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast Division teams
  • 8 of the Heat's last 10 games (80%) have gone over the Total
  • The Cavaliers covered the spread in 60% of their regular season games (49-33-0)
  • The Over is 31-24 in the Heat's matchups against Eastern Conference teams 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 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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Bryce Harper doesn't want to hear that it's still early

Bryce Harper doesn't want to hear that it's still early originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — Don’t tell Bryce Harper it’s still early.

Not after a stretch or series like this.

The Phillies were swept out of Queens on Wednesday afternoon, losing 4-3 in extra innings to end a brutal three-game set. They did nothing offensively until the ninth inning Monday, couldn’t buy a big knock Tuesday and didn’t produce an extra-base hit Sunday, leaving 12 more on base.

They’ve lost four in a row, nine of 14 and already trail the Mets by five games in the NL East.

They’ve been held scoreless in 26 of the last 30 innings and only one of their last 20 hits has gone for extra bases.

“I’d rather you guys say it’s a little early,” Harper said at his locker, frustrated by the events of the last few days. “I don’t like that just because you should be wanting to play good baseball all year long, from April to November. Obviously, that’s not gonna happen, you’re gonna go through ups and downs and try to stay as even-keeled as you can. But we’re a good team in here and we expect to win. Winning takes care of it all.”

It does. It overshadows individual slumps, narratives and storylines like The 2025 Phillies aren’t having enough fun and need to bring back water celebrations and Dancing On My Own.

“We’ve just got to win,” Harper said. “It takes care of everything, it takes care of mindset, it takes care of what you’re feeling. It doesn’t matter if one guy’s struggling or not, you come to win and winning takes care of it all. As a team, we just have to be better. It’s a really good Mets team over there, they played really good baseball this series, obviously. But it doesn’t matter. We’ve gotta really understand what we want to do and how we want to do it, where we want to go.”

The Phillies are 2-9 against the Mets their last three series. They’ve lost close games and lopsided ones. The most consistent theme of those 11 games has been the Phillies putting men on base, not capitalizing and the Mets breaking things open late.

“You can see that right now,” Harper said. “They’ve played us really well and they’ve beaten us. As a team we’ve got to try to flip that, do what it takes to win games, no matter if it’s the Mets or anybody else. We’ve got to understand that we’re a really good team too and you’re gonna go through ups and downs in a season, but we’ve got to figure it out now.”

Some of it has been poor at-bats. Some of it has been bad luck. Alec Bohm was snakebit for a few weeks, at one point making an out in nine of 10 line drives, and lately it’s been J.T. Realmuto and Trea Turner with tough-luck outs.

It’s exacerbated by a lack of power. Mixing in a two-run homer here or there can make up for situational failures. But the Phillies have one longball in their last five games, Bryson Stott’s off Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning Monday. Two weekends ago in St. Louis, they had a homerless series.

“It’s the randomness of the game,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’re not gonna start telling guys to swing uphill. If you hit a ball hard, you hit a ball hard. The runners in scoring position number, it’s skewed at some point because you take the (second) inning where we had a runner at second base and (Weston) Wilson hits a bullet to the third baseman. That’s all he can do. Trea comes up later and hits a bullet to the shortstop. That’s all he can do. And so you’re 0-for-2 in that situation. But they hit the ball hard, that’s what I’m looking for.”

Hitters tend to try to do too much when they’re going through a down period. It’s happened to basically the entire Phillies lineup two Octobers in a row after the Diamondbacks seized momentum in the 2023 NLCS and the Mets outplayed them last fall.

With all the noise, all the outside panic, how do guys still let the game come to them?

“Trying to keep it as light as possible so they don’t get too frustrated and get in their own head,” Thomson said. “But I think we’re in a pretty good spot with that.”

On to Wrigley Field to take on the first-place Cubs, who at 6.24 runs per game are the only team in MLB above 5.50.

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Bryce Harper doesn't want to hear that it's still early

Bryce Harper doesn't want to hear that it's still early originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — Don’t tell Bryce Harper it’s still early.

Not after a stretch or series like this.

The Phillies were swept out of Queens on Wednesday afternoon, losing 4-3 in extra innings to end a brutal three-game set. They did nothing offensively until the ninth inning Monday, couldn’t buy a big knock Tuesday and didn’t produce an extra-base hit Sunday, leaving 12 more on base.

They’ve lost four in a row, nine of 14 and already trail the Mets by five games in the NL East.

They’ve been held scoreless in 26 of the last 30 innings and only one of their last 20 hits has gone for extra bases.

“I’d rather you guys say it’s a little early,” Harper said at his locker, frustrated by the events of the last few days. “I don’t like that just because you should be wanting to play good baseball all year long, from April to November. Obviously, that’s not gonna happen, you’re gonna go through ups and downs and try to stay as even-keeled as you can. But we’re a good team in here and we expect to win. Winning takes care of it all.”

It does. It overshadows individual slumps, narratives and storylines like The 2025 Phillies aren’t having enough fun and need to bring back water celebrations and Dancing On My Own.

“We’ve just got to win,” Harper said. “It takes care of everything, it takes care of mindset, it takes care of what you’re feeling. It doesn’t matter if one guy’s struggling or not, you come to win and winning takes care of it all. As a team, we just have to be better. It’s a really good Mets team over there, they played really good baseball this series, obviously. But it doesn’t matter. We’ve gotta really understand what we want to do and how we want to do it, where we want to go.”

The Phillies are 2-9 against the Mets their last three series. They’ve lost close games and lopsided ones. The most consistent theme of those 11 games has been the Phillies putting men on base, not capitalizing and the Mets breaking things open late.

“You can see that right now,” Harper said. “They’ve played us really well and they’ve beaten us. As a team we’ve got to try to flip that, do what it takes to win games, no matter if it’s the Mets or anybody else. We’ve got to understand that we’re a really good team too and you’re gonna go through ups and downs in a season, but we’ve got to figure it out now.”

Some of it has been poor at-bats. Some of it has been bad luck. Alec Bohm was snakebit for a few weeks, at one point making an out in nine of 10 line drives, and lately it’s been J.T. Realmuto and Trea Turner with tough-luck outs.

It’s exacerbated by a lack of power. Mixing in a two-run homer here or there can make up for situational failures. But the Phillies have one longball in their last five games, Bryson Stott’s off Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning Monday. Two weekends ago in St. Louis, they had a homerless series.

“It’s the randomness of the game,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’re not gonna start telling guys to swing uphill. If you hit a ball hard, you hit a ball hard. The runners in scoring position number, it’s skewed at some point because you take the (second) inning where we had a runner at second base and (Weston) Wilson hits a bullet to the third baseman. That’s all he can do. Trea comes up later and hits a bullet to the shortstop. That’s all he can do. And so you’re 0-for-2 in that situation. But they hit the ball hard, that’s what I’m looking for.”

Hitters tend to try to do too much when they’re going through a down period. It’s happened to basically the entire Phillies lineup two Octobers in a row after the Diamondbacks seized momentum in the 2023 NLCS and the Mets outplayed them last fall.

With all the noise, all the outside panic, how do guys still let the game come to them?

“Trying to keep it as light as possible so they don’t get too frustrated and get in their own head,” Thomson said. “But I think we’re in a pretty good spot with that.”

On to Wrigley Field to take on the first-place Cubs, who at 6.24 runs per game are the only team in MLB above 5.50.

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Warriors vs. Rockets Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 23

Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Preview

It’s Wednesday, April 23, and the Golden State Warriors (48-34) and Houston Rockets (52-30) are all set to square off from Toyota Center in Houston.

The Warriors won the first game of the series 95-85. Steph Curry dropped 31 points, and Jimmy Butler added another 25 for the Warriors.

The defense for the Warriors was top-notch. They held the Rockets to 39.1 % field goal percentage and just 20.7% from deep.

The Warriors are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 3, while the Rockets have a 8-2 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 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.

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 Warriors vs. Rockets live today

  • Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
  • Time: 9:30PM EST
  • Site: Toyota Center
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: TNT

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 Warriors vs. Rockets

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Odds: Warriors (+137), Rockets (-162)
  • Spread:  Rockets -3
  • Over/Under: 203 points

That gives the Warriors an implied team point total of 100.87, and the Rockets 102.43.

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 Wednesday’s Warriors vs. Rockets game

NBC Sports Bet 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.

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Jimmy Butler over 28.5 points and assists...

Thomas: "Playoff Jimmy is here. In his game against the Grizzlies, he finished with 38 and 6. Against the Rockets in game one, he finished with 25 and 6. With his increased usage in the last four games, I can expect Butler to have another great game."

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 Warriors & Rockets 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 Golden State Warriors at +3.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 203.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from 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 Warriors vs. Rockets on Wednesday

  • The Warriors have won 13 of their last 16 road games, while the Rockets have lost 4 straight
  • Each of the last 5 matchups between the Warriors and the Rockets have stayed under the Total
  • The Warriors have covered in 3 straight games as a road underdog

The Warriors have won 13 of their last 16 games on the road

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!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

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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2025 NFL Draft: The Dallas Cowboys should look for their next workhorse — and it should be Damien Martinez

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Every NFL Draft season, fantasy managers hope to spot the perfect rookie/team matchup — the landing spot that unlocks not only a prospect’s talent but also explosive fantasy potential. On the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast's special wishcasting episode, Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens brought up one match that should make the fantasy world perk up: Miami's Damien Martinez to the Dallas Cowboys.

Let’s break down why this partnership is such a compelling fit, drawing directly from the sharp analysis of their conversation.

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Harmon was the first to call it, sending Martinez to the Cowboys and emphasizing that he’s exactly the type of back Dallas needs: “He is a really interesting running back prospect … big dude, can bang it between the tackles, but also I think has some big-play ability.” 

Now more than ever, Dallas is desperate for competence — if not excellence — at running back. Their current depth chart, as Matt remarked, is clouded with uncertainty and uninspiring committee bets. Martinez’s ability to step in as a bell-cow right away could fill a void left since Tony Pollard’s departure.

Behrens echoed the sentiment, lauding Martinez’s profile: “He has been successful and efficient in multiple systems in college. He can just detonate tacklers at the end of a run … has so many plays on tape where he just disappears from view for a little while … because he’s dragging a cloud of defenders for the final like seven or eight yards of a play.”

The beauty of the fit, both Andy and Matt argue, goes beyond just landing on a team with running back touches available. Dallas is built to pound the rock: its offensive line remains one of the NFL’s better units, especially if young pieces like Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe develop, and Tyler Smith is already a force inside.

Martinez offers the ability to not only run effectively behind this line but also flex between power and splash plays. Put simply: Martinez wouldn’t just be a Band-Aid. He could emerge as the engine for Dallas’ ground game — an immediate volume play with double-digit touchdown upside.

Harmon and Behrens both agreed Martinez would be a hot commodity in fantasy football drafts if this pairing comes true. And for three good reasons:

  • Volume: Dallas loves a true lead running back. With limited backfield competition and a good O-line, Martinez could easily see 15-20 touches a week.

  • Goal-line upside: His finishing ability at the end of runs and Dallas’ willingness to feed one back at the stripe means TDs are on the table.

  • Role security: Neither expert is impressed with the current Cowboys RBs — Martinez could take the ball and run from Week 1.

If Jerry Jones and co. decide Martinez is “their guy,” he’d fly up rookie fantasy draft boards. The Cowboys have a national spotlight, a history of feeding their RB1 and an offense that reliably produces RB1 finishes for fantasy.

Martinez in Big D would be an immediate **RB2 with RB1 upside** in redraft, and a top 5-7 rookie in dynasty formats.

Andy and Matt see Martinez as the hammer Dallas needs to keep its offense moving. It's a high-floor, high-ceiling union. If the Cowboys call his name, get ready to bump him way up your fantasy football cheat sheets — he’d be poised to deliver from Day 1.

Dallas fans, fantasy managers, be on the lookout during the draft. This is the sleeper landing spot that could change your championship plans.

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Pelicans new executive VP Joe Dumars says 'no edict' to trade Zion Williamson but sounds noncommittal

In the wake of the firing of David Griffin as the head of basketball operations in New Orleans and the rapid hiring of Joe Dumars to replace him, a report surfaced (and became a hot rumor around the league): Dumars was given orders from ownership to trade Zion Williamson and keep coach Willie Green.

Dumars denied that those orders exist, speaking to the media on Tuesday, but he also sounded like he was not opposed to the ideas. He was noncommittal. From Mike Vorkunov at The Athletic:

"No edicts," he said. "None whatsoever. I read that last week, that I had a mandate. I was just like, if I had, no one has called me and told me that. No, really. Absolutely zero. When me and Mrs. Benson talked, she really just said what she said here. She said to me, 'Joe I would love to know what it's like to win an NBA title.' That was it. That's as close to an edict as you'll get. I intend to do that, to get to know people first … I'm slowly starting to do that now and talk to everyone. But no mandate. Zero. Nothing like that."

When asked about potential changes in direction, Dumars said he wanted to meet with a lot of people — including players and team personnel — and do a lot of listening, then make his decisions.

The way his comments played: I'll talk Zion trade, but I'm not giving him away to some lowball offer.

Dumars said he knows coach Willie Green (who was in attendance at the press conference) but again, did not commit to keeping him.

"I've been knowing Willie forever — great man," Dumars said, via the Associated Press.

Dumars said he has spoken to Zion a few times through his previous role as the NBA League Office's executive vice president and head of basketball operations — the person in charge of player discipline. Zion has had some very public off-court episodes with significant others in his life, stuff that exploded on social media. He's also been unreliable on the court, playing just 30 games due to injuries. Dumars said he wants a set of standards the Pelicans follow.

"You have to set standards — and you can't waver from those standards," Dumars said.

The Pelicans also are bringing in former Thunder and Pistons executive Troy Weaver to work under Dumars, reports Marc Spears of ESPN.

It's a lot of change and vague talk. Read into that what you will about the future of Zion in New Orleans, just don't expect those trade rumors to quiet down.

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Expect Oilers Bounce Back For Game 2 versus LA Kings

The LA Kings host the Edmonton Oilers face-off for game two of their first round series following thriller in series-opener

Image

The Oilers and Kings came together for a thrilling game one that Edmonton almost came back from a four goal deficit but were staved off by a late game winner from LA centre Philip Danault.

Edmonton will look to come back and respond with a road win to even up the series while LA looks to take a commanding 2-0 lead. 

More NHL: Edmonton Oilers vs LA Kings Round 4 Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 18-5 record on our last 23 picks, including a 5-0 record on Sunday for the Maple Leafs-Senators game one picks. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings Best Bets:

  • Oilers Over 2.5 goals (-146)
  • Oilers ML (+106)
  • Trevor Moore Over 0.5 points (+138) 

It's been a while since the Oilers have had a full unit with Leon Draisaitl, Trent Frederic, Zach Hyman and Jake Walman all returning from injuries for game one.

It was evident through the first period, where the Kings took advantage of a discombobulated Oilers team that had lines playing together for the first time in game action since early April. 

More NHL: Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators

LA scored two quick goals that kept Edmonton behind early and then continued to add with two more in the second period but once everything start to click things looked scary for the Kings. 

Edmonton started to receive production from all four forward lines with Connor McDavid and top line winger, Zach Hyman, both getting on the board. Second-line centre Leon Draisaitl also added a goal as well as third- and fourth-line forwards Mattias Janmark, Trent Frederic and Jeff Skinner all contributing for the Oilers' second goal. 

Things started to click and the Kings weren't ready for it and I expect a similar result on Wednesday. LA has not had much tape to watch on these units and likely can't gameplan accordingly. The Oilers pierced hot goaltender Darcy Kuemper for five goals and I expect them to do it again. 

More NHL:Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

LA will likely respond to the Oilers offence and I expect it to come from a surprising source in Trevor Moore. The third-line winger helped Danault get on the board and the favor should be returned especially with Moore's goal drought reaching seven games. 

Danault is hot with five points over his last five games and should stay that way thanks to Stuart Skinner allowing four or more goals in three of his last five starts. 

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Georgiev & Sharks Will Be Parting Ways This Summer

© Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

By now, most Sharks fans have likely heard the news on Alexander Georgiev. But if you haven’t, here’s the deal — he won’t be back in San Jose.

Georgiev confirmed at locker cleanout that he and GM Mike Grier had talked, and the team won’t be offering him an extension. That makes him a UFA this summer.

The plan moving forward is to give more starts to Yaroslav Askarov. At this point in his development, he needs consistent NHL action. The Sharks believe he has the potential to be a high-end starter and a big part of their future.

Of course, Grier will still need to find a backup. Expect it to be a veteran — someone who can support Askarov on and off the ice while helping him adjust to a heavier workload.

Two-Time NCAA Champion Goalie Joins Sharks' AHL AffiliateTwo-Time NCAA Champion Goalie Joins Sharks' AHL AffiliateThe San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, have signed two-time national champion goalie Matt Davis to an AHL contract through the 2025–26 season.

There haven’t been any names linked to San Jose just yet, but that’ll change as we get closer to the draft and free agency.

As for Georgiev, he’ll hit the open market looking for a starting or tandem role somewhere else. If nothing comes together in the NHL, there’s always the option of heading back to the KHL.

San Jose Sharks 2025 Off-Season PreviewSan Jose Sharks 2025 Off-Season PreviewWith the 2025 NHL playoffs underway, teams that missed out have already turned their focus to the offseason. For the San Jose Sharks, it’s all about continuing the rebuild and making the most of this summer’s draft. Former Sharks Players To Cheer For In The 2025 PlayoffsFormer Sharks Players To Cheer For In The 2025 PlayoffsWith the 2024-25 NHL playoffs underway and the San Jose Sharks preparing for their summer, there are a few former Sharks you may want to cheer for.
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Mariners at Red Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 23

It's Wednesday, April 23 and the Mariners (12-11) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (14-11). Emerson Hancock is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Sean Newcomb for Boston.

Boston won the series-opener behind five strong innings from Brayan Bello (four hits, one earned run allowed), plus two hits and three RBIs from Alex Bregman. Seattle is 4-3 on this 10-game road trip and has yet to lose back-to-back games on the trip.

Let's 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 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 Mariners at Red Sox

  • Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Fenway Park
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: RSNW, NESN

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 Mariners at the Red Sox

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Mariners (+115), Red Sox (-136)
  • Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Mariners at Red Sox

  • Pitching matchup for April 23, 2025: Emerson Hancock vs. Sean Newcomb
    • Mariners: Emerson Hancock, (0-1, 12.71 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
    • Red Sox: Sean Newcomb, (0-2, 3.64 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

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 Mariners at Red Sox

  • AL West teams have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against AL East sides
  • 5 of the Mariners' last 7 games (71%) have gone over the Total
  • The Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 8 of their last 10 matchups against the Mariners

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 tonight’s game between the Mariners and the Red Sox

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Red Sox on the ML and the Over:

"The Mariners haven't lost back-to-back games on this current 10-game road trip, and this is the last spot it could happen. Seattle didn't find much offense against Bello yesterday and while they could against Newcomb, I like Boston's matchup with Hancock and the bullpen more. The two games Hancock has started were 9-6 and 11-7 finishes, so maybe I'm overcomplicating things and should be taking Over 4.5 runs on the Red Sox or the Game Over 9.0."

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 Wednesday’s game between the Mariners and the Red Sox:

  • 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 Seattle Mariners at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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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A disastrous return to Citi Field for Phillies' scuffling offense

A disastrous return to Citi Field for Phillies' scuffling offense originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The last possible result the Phillies would have wanted from their first series back at Citi Field since the 2024 NLDS was exactly what took place this week in Queens.

Loss. Loss. Walk-off loss.

Monday night, the Phillies were held scoreless until the top of the ninth inning and fell, 5-4.

Tuesday night, they were again unable to pick up the big hit needed to knot up a close game and the Mets broke it open late, just as they did the night before and three times last October. The Phillies lost, 5-1.

Wednesday afternoon, with ace Zack Wheeler on the mound and needing a win to salvage the three-game set, the Phillies fell behind in the second inning, tied it in the fourth and lost, 4-3, in the bottom of the 10th after taking a brief lead.

The Phillies are 13-12 and already trail the Mets by five games in the NL East without a chance to make up direct ground until hosting them the third week of June.

The offense isn’t hitting for power or coming through much situationally. The Phillies have one home run in their last five games, Bryson Stott’s three-run shot off Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning Monday night. The Phils had just three extra-base hits in the three losses to the Mets and 17 of their last 18 hits have been singles.

It’s not as if they’ve been without chances. The Phillies have had plenty of baserunners but haven’t been able to advance them. They’re 7-for-their-last-34 (.206) with men on base and one of those hits didn’t produce a run late Wednesday afternoon when Max Kepler singled with two outs in the eighth and Nick Castellanos was thrown out at home by Juan Soto. The Phillies ran out of time to challenge whether Castellanos’ fingers touched the plate just before the tag but he appeared to be out anyway.

Castellanos put the Phils ahead in the top of the 10th with an RBI single past a drawn-in infield but the Phillies stranded the bases loaded with a pair of flyouts.

The Phils have been held scoreless in 26 of the last 30 innings. Bryce Harper went 1-for-11 against the Mets. Trea Turner was 1-for-12. Kyle Schwarber’s home runs can mask other issues but he’s gone deep just once in his last 60 plate appearances.

“They’ve been through this before,” manager Rob Thomson said prior to the game. “I feel like everybody around us is panicking. … We’re fine.

“Guys’ numbers historically, there’s a lot of slug in that lineup. And we’re gonna go through another time during the course of the year when we don’t slug. And maybe one more time where we don’t slug. It’s just the way the game is.”

They’ll board a plane to Chicago on Wednesday evening and the next task is no easier against a Cubs offense that has slugged a ton, entering the day with 24 more runs than any team in baseball.

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Orioles at Nationals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for April 23

It's Wednesday, April 23 and the Orioles (9-13) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (10-13). Tomoyuki Sugano is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Trevor Williams for Washington.

Washington won the series opener, 7-0, yesterday behind a masterclass from Mitchell Parker and four RBIs from Keibert Ruiz and Nathaniel Lowe. Parker went 8.0 innings with one hit allowed, two walks, and four strikeouts. Cedric Mullins had the lone hit for Baltimore yesterday.

Let's 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 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 Orioles at Nationals

  • Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Nationals Park
  • City: Washington, DC
  • Network/Streaming:

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 Orioles at the Nationals

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (-138), Nationals (+117)
  • Spread:  Orioles -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Nationals

  • Pitching matchup for April 23, 2025: Tomoyuki Sugano vs. Trevor Williams
    • Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano, (2-1, 3.43 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
    • Nationals: Trevor Williams, (1-2, 5.95 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Nationals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Orioles ML:

"The Orioles won three straight with Sugano on the mound, while the Nationals have lost three of the four starts for Williams. I have to side with the Orioles, especially after yesterday's disaster for Baltimore (7-0 loss). Sugano is coming off his best start of the season and the O's offense has rallied for five, six, and eight runs in his past three starts."

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 Wednesday's game between the Orioles and the Nationals:

  • 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 Washington Nationals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Nationals

  • The Nationals have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
  • In the Orioles' last 5 road games the Under is 4-0-1
  • The Orioles have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 road games against the Nationals

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!

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)

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!

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Rangers at Athletics prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 23

Its Wednesday, April 23 and the Rangers (14-9) take on the Athletics (10-13). Kumar Rocker is slated to take the mound for Texas against JP Sears for Oakland.

The Rangers beat the Athletics 8-5 yesterday. Patrick Corbin started on the mound for the Rangers. He went 5.0 innings, allowed seven hits, and two earned runs, with four strikeouts.

The Athletics' Osvaldo Bido had a tough outing. He went 5.1 innings, giving up eight earned runs, on eight hits, and three walks.

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 Rangers at Athletics

  • Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
  • Time: 10:05PM EST
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, Rangers Sports Network, Victory+

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 Rangers at the Athletics

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Rangers (-109), Athletics (-110)
  • Spread:  Athletics 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Athletics

  • Pitching matchup for April 23, 2025: Kumar Rocker vs. JP Sears
    • Rangers: Kumar Rocker, (1-2, 6.38 ERA)
      Last outing (vs LA. Angeles, 4/17): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 3.0 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
    • Athletics: JP Sears, (2-2, 3.13 ERA)
      Last outing (vs Chicago White Sox, 4/17): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts

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 Rangers at Athletics

  • The Rangers have won 7 of their last 10 away games against teams with losing records
  • This season the Athletics pitcher JP Sears has an ERA of 3.13 and a WHIP of 1.01 when opening
  • With JP Sears on the mound the Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games to return 2.24 units

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 tonight’s game between the Rangers and the Athletics

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 Wednesday's game between the Rangers and the Athletics:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Texas Rangers at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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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Edwards’ NBA Fines Less Than Portis, Embiid Surrendered This Season

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards received another fine from the NBA on Tuesday, this time for his “inappropriate” and “obscene” taunts of Los Angeles Lakers fans in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. The incident will cost him $50,000.

Edwards leads the NBA in fine amount: $514,000, per Spotrac, a number that includes automatic fines for technicals and ejections. Because many of his offenses have involved foul language and gone viral on social media, he is widely portrayed as the face of NBA-issued punishment this season.

But other players, including Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, have actually surrendered more salary to the league than Edwards. That is because suspensions without pay divert cash to the same place as fine money under the collective bargaining agreement.

Officials at the NBA and the NBA Players Association confirmed that under the current CBA, lost wages from suspensions without pay convert to charitable donations rather than remaining with the teams. Half of the funds go to a nonprofit selected by the NBPA and half go to a nonprofit selected by the NBA.

Portis’ 25-game unpaid suspension related to a positive test for the banned substance Tramadol forced him to give up more than $4 million in expected salary out of his $12.5 million annual salary.

Embiid served a three-game unpaid suspension for a locker room incident with a local reporter, which cost him about $1 million out of his $51.4 million annual salary. He also coughed up another $75,000 for making “obscene” gestures in a December win in Boston.

Edwards lost one game check this year when he received a one-game suspension for technical foul accumulation during the regular season. His annual salary is $42.2 million.

Embiid and the 76ers failed to reach the postseason, while Portis has rejoined Milwaukee’s rotation in a first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. Edwards’ Timberwolves already have flipped home court advantage in their set with the Lakers by winning Game 1 before sustaining a Game 2 defeat in LA.

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Aliaksei Protas is Drawing Near

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This is a big development for the Washington Capitals. The big forward has a lot of scoring in his stick. The reported injury is a skate cut on his foot and he looks like he is moving without much issue. 

The thirty goal scorer isn’t wearing a non-contact jersey any longer so technically he could play tonight but since they won the first game, I suspect that he will sit this one out as an abundance of caution. If they are expecting to have a long playoff run, it would be smart to play it safe. Plus, why make a change when you’re winning? 

Game 2 is a must-win for the Canadiens. The Capitals offense will only get better with Protas in there and presumably they would have him for the road game. If the Capitals get up 2-0 in the series, it will be nearly impossible for Montreal to overcome. Nothing is impossible but the word improbable comes to mind.

I think the way that Protas gets in there is with a Canadiens’ win. Until then, why not give him maximum time to heal and feel even better. I believe that is what will happen. This is the fun part about playoff hockey. There’s always a lot of different storylines.