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Knicks vs. Celtics – Game 2 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 7

It’s Wednesday, May 7, and the New York Knicks (51-31) and Boston Celtics (61-21) are all set to square off from TD Garden in Boston for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Knicks stole Game 1 in Boston, 108-105 in OT behind Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby's 29 points each. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both scored 23 points to lead Boston, but they could not survive the Knicks 33-21 run from the start of the fourth quarter. Kristaps Porzingis exited Game 1 with an illness after 13 minutes, so his status (questionable) is important entering Game 2 for Boston, while Jrue Holiday returned after missing three games (16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists).

The Knicks are currently 24-17 on the road with a point differential of 4, while the Celtics have an 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 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.

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

  • Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:00 PM EST
  • Site: TD Garden
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: TNT / TruTV / Max

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. Celtics

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Odds: Knicks (+409), Celtics (-552)
  • Spread:  Celtics -10.5
  • Over/Under: 211 points

That gives the Knicks an implied team point total of 104.47, and the Celtics 109.94.

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 Knicks vs. Celtics game

Rotoworld Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Celtics 1Q Team Total Over 28.5 and Josh Hart Under 11.5 Points:

"In Game 1, I was on Josh Hart's Over 11.5 Points and that cashed with 14, thanks to an early four-point start during the first few minutes and an efficient 5-for-9 shooting. However, Hart's numbers in Game 2 dip slightly compared to Game 1's when it comes to points and field goal attempts, which I expect to happen here. Hart has scored at least 10 points in all six Game 1's of his career, but that's not the case in Game 2's.

For the spread, I like Boston at -10 and -10.5m, but I like a quick start at home even more. The Celtics first quarter team total is set at 28.5 and I believe that's a number they can hit. New York has averaged 31.0 points per game in the first quarter of their four road games this postseason, so Boston will have to match that. While Orlando stifled them in the first round, Boston put up 32 first-quarter points in the following game off a loss — something I can see happening again."

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 & Celtics game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Knicks at +10.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 211.

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. Celtics on Wednesday

  • The Knicks have won their last 3 games as a road underdog
  • The Over is 10-7 in the Celtics' matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams this season
  • The Celtics have failed to cover in 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams

Expect a high-scoring Game Two clash. The Boston Celtics had the second-most efficient offense in the NBA during the regular season, averaging 116.3 points per game, while the Knicks weren’t far behind, averaging 115.8 per game. The over landed in Game One and can do so again.

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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No Full-Time NHLers, 2 KHLers On Slovak World Championship Roster

Patrik Rybár makes a save for Slovakia during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. © George Walker IV-Imagn Images

Hockey Slovakia released a list of 26 players that will be headed to Stockholm, Sweden for this year’s IIHF World Championship. It includes no full-time NHL players, most notably Juraj Slafkovský, whose decision not to play is covered in depth by Karine Hains on THN’s Montreal Canadiens site.

Players under NHL contracts that have played either most or all of the season in the AHL include goaltender Samuel Hlavaj of the Minnesota Wild, defenseman Samuel Kňažko of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and forwards Dalibor Dvorský of the St. Louis Blues, Samuel Honzek of the Calgary Flames, Martin Chromiak of the Los Angeles Kings and Adam Sýkora of the New York Rangers. Kňažko, whose Cleveland Monsters were just eliminated from the Calder Cup playoffs, will meet the team in Stockholm.

Pavol Regenda, a San Jose Sharks prospect, is two games away from elimination with the San Jose Barracuda and, reportedly, will likely join the Slovaks if his AHL team is eliminated this round.

This will be the first World Championship since 2021 that the Slovaks have included KHL players on their roster. For three years, Hockey Slovakia refused to select any player from the Russian-based league for its national teams.

However, in a controversial reversal of policy, Slovakia chose three KHL players to its Olympic qualifying roster in August. One of those, defenseman Mário Grman, is on this team as well. One other has been selected to this team: Patrik Rybár, who was the starting goaltender on the 2022 Olympic bronze-medal team.

Interestingly, neither Martin nor Kristián Pospišil is on this team. Martin plays for Calgary, which missed the Stanley Cup playoffs, and Kristián won the Czech Extraliga championship as a member of Kometa Brno. Both brothers were vocal last year about their objection to allowing KHL players on the team, but both ultimately played in the Olympic qualifiers.

Other than AHL and KHL players, the roster includes 10 players from the Czech Extraliga, five from the domestic Slovak Extraliga and two from Switzerland’s National League.

Martin Pospíšil after Olympic qualifiers: “It was never anything against the players” from the KHLMartin Pospíšil after Olympic qualifiers: “It was never anything against the players” from the KHL Martin Pospíšil was calm and reflective after Slovakia’s 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday in Bratislava, which qualified the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
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Mets top prospect Brandon Sproat produces best start yet in Triple-A

Mets top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat hasn't found much consistency at the Triple-A level this spring, but the highly touted right-hander's latest performance on the mound reaffirmed his big league potential.

Sproat sparked optimism in his seventh start for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday afternoon, striking out five batters across 5.0 innings of one-run ball against Triple-A Jacksonville (Marlins' affiliate).

The 24-year-old induced eight ground outs, threw 52 of his 82 pitches for strikes, and lowered his ERA to 4.82 (28.0 total innings). His fastball touched 98 mph.

There's no telling when the Mets will promote Sproat or how they'd utilize him, but Wednesday's outing is a clear step in the right direction.

Sproat entered the game with a 5.48 ERA and 1.43 WHIP, still looking to harness a pitch mix that can inflict damage in the majors.

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Toronto Marlies Sign Landon Sim To One-Year AHL Deal

© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Toronto Marlies announced they have signed forward Landon Sim to a one-year AHL deal for the 2025-26 season. 

Sim recorded 30 goals, 53 points, and 105 penalty minutes in 54 games for the OHL's London Knights this season and has nine goals and 11 points in 12 playoff games so far. 

The 20-year-old was a sixth round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2022 and became a free agent after going unsigned. 

The New Glasgow, NS., native has racked up 66 goals and 124 points in 213 career OHL games, all with London. 

Sim helped the Knights win the OHL title last season and looks to do the same this season as they face the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL Finals beginning tomorrow. 

Check out The Hockey News Toronto Maple Leafs site for more information. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.  Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. 

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NHL Nugget: Mike Bossy Bullies The Bruins To Book Islanders' Ticket To The Final This Day In 1983

Mike Bossy (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Wild Wednesday Rewind goes back to May 7, 1983, when the New York Islanders' franchise legend carried them to the Stanley Cup final.

In Game 6 of the Wales Conference final against the Boston Bruins, Mike Bossy didn't just stop at a hat trick in a series-clinching game for the Islanders.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.

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Celtics injury updates: Porzingis in, Hauser out for Game 2 vs. Knicks

Celtics injury updates: Porzingis in, Hauser out for Game 2 vs. Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics got mixed results on the injury front Tuesday entering Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks.

Big man Kristaps Porzingis (non-Covid illness) has been upgraded from probable to available for Wednesday night’s Game 2 at TD Garden, while forward Sam Hauser (right ankle sprain) has been downgraded from doubtful to out.

Porzingis’ availability is great news for the Celtics after he exited Game 1 early in the second quarter due to an illness. The 29-year-old went scoreless in 13 minutes of action and didn’t look like himself before heading to the locker room for the rest of the first half.

While the nature of Porzingis’ illness is unclear, head coach Joe Mazzulla suggested Tuesday it could be related to the viral illness that caused Porzingis to miss eight consecutive games in late February and early March.

“Since he came back, I think he’s been kind of dealing with it on and off, fighting through it, working through it, doing the best he can,” Mazzulla said of Porzingis.

Porzingis has struggled offensively in the 2025 playoffs, shooting 32.8 percent from the floor and just 11.8 percent from 3-point range (2 for 17) through six games. He’s had plenty of success against the Knicks, however, averaging 22.4 points per game versus his former team since coming to Boston while making 50 percent of his 3-pointers (26 for 52).

If Porzingis can play significant minutes in Wednesday’s Game 2 while returning to his shooting form, that would be a massive boost for the Celtics’ offense.

Hauser, meanwhile, sprained his ankle late in the third quarter of Game 1 while closing out an OG Anunoby 3-pointer. He played just four minutes prior to his injury while missing both of his 3-point attempts and has averaged just 2.7 points per game this postseason.

Game 2 of Celtics-Knicks is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden, with NBC Sports Boston’s coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.

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Draymond Green joins elite NBA playoff club with 1,000th assist vs. Timberwolves

Draymond Green joins elite NBA playoff club with 1,000th assist vs. Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Draymond Green is an elite NBA playoff performer, despite what his critics believe.

The four-time NBA champion’s latest feature shows just how dominant he has been during the Warriors’ dynastic run, which began when they made the playoffs in Green’s rookie 2012-13 season.

With six assists in the Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal Game 1 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, Green now has 1,003 career playoff dimes.

Combined with his 1,438 career playoff rebounds, Green became the eighth player in NBA history to have at least 1,000 postseason boards and assists.

Green joins LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen and Jason Kidd as the only players to accomplish the feat.

The 35-year-old enters Tuesday’s Game 2 No. 25 on the NBA’s postseason rebound list, with a good chance to move into the top 20 all-time by the end of the series against the Timberwolves.

As for assists, Green is No. 15 on the all-time postseason list, and he sits just 19 helpers away from matching Jordan’s 1,022. If the Warriors advance to the Western Conference finals, the four-time NBA All-Star has a chance to catch Bryant at 1,040 and Pippen at 1,048.

Green has put his stamp on the NBA postseason record books and has no intention of stopping now.

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Blues Must Fix One Glaring Area Moving Towards 2025-26

The St. Louis Blues season came to an end on Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets in large part to allowing two 5-on-6 goals in a 4-3 double-overtime loss. (James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS -- When the puck deflected off the stick of Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti into the upper half of the net with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation to stun the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round to tie the score 3-3, a game in which the Jets would win in double overtime, 4-3, it signified a painful reminder of an ail that haunted the Blues all season long.

Only this time, it ultimately cost them their terrific run at upending the Presidents' Trophy winners and their season.

Unfortunately for the Blues, they were no strangers to the goals against when the opposition pulled the goalie. They allowed a league-high 13 in the regular season and two on Sunday. It marked the third time this season in which the Blues allowed multiple goals in a game when the opposition pulled the goalie, the others being Jan. 20 in a 5-4 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights and April 5 in a 5-4 win against the Colorado Avalanche.

They were the only team in the NHL to allow more goals-against with the goalie pulled than they scored empty-net goals (13-11).

And that's why they were sitting at a podium discussing the end of their season rather than prepping for a second-round series against the Dallas Stars.

"Yeah, yeah, it's a tough feeling around the room right now," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. "That's just the reality of it. When you're that close to advancing and playing another day, the reality of where we are today, it's not a good feeling. That's sports and sometimes you're on the wrong side of it and that night we were."

Despite the surge the Blues took from the 4 Nations Face-Off post-schedule to their run to the Stanley Cup playoffs and qualifying on the final day of the regular season for them, the stinging feeling in blowing a 3-1 lead with less than two minutes remaining was the leftover residue that was hard to shake on Tuesday and will take time to shed moving forward.

All they needed was one extra play in that last two minutes and it's a different story, but now that the bear in the room regarding 5-on-6 grew even larger, it has to be a point of emphasis for the coaching staff to make a marked improvement in this area, even though they were 10-0-3 in those games, meaning they only lost three points, which isn't as bad as it sounds.

"It does sting. It hurts more today than it did two days ago, to be honest," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said on Tuesday. "But we will use it to grow. I'll make sure that we're better in pulled-goalie situations. That's my job. I'm going to make sure the plan is better, I'll study the teams that were the best at it (Winnipeg was No. 1 with one goal allowed, followed by the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers at two) and see what they do that is similar to our D-zone coverage so we can do it easily."

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong wasn't going to offer a knee-jerk reaction to one painful segment of what amounted to a season-ending game, but does realize it's something that needs to be alleviated if the Blues are going to ascend even higher.

"My job is to look at things from 30,000 feet, not one game, one shift, one two-minute segment," Armstrong said. "That's all I can think about right now is one two-minute segment, but I do have to look at the year in its totality.

"... We ended up extremely disappointed in how that ended. The way this ended bothered me a little bit because it was a pattern of how games ended for us. It's not a pattern that we want to continue and if we're here next December and we're talking about the same issue, I'll have to go back to the old quote machine and bring back the killer instinct quote that my wife hates. But we have to find that back in us again. We have to be able to close out games. We've done the research on where we fit in the league 5-on-6, last in the league, only team in the league 5-on-6 that had a negative goal-for differential. Those are small things that make a huge difference."

And on the flip side, the Blues scored just seven goals when they pulled the goalie and made it 6-on-5 (two while on a power play at 6-on-4) and allowed 12 into an empty net. So just a small percentage of each of these stats and we could be talking about a third-place or possibly a second-place finish in the Central Division instead of being a wild card and another opponent.

But such is life and now they have an idea of one of the parts to the game that needs to change in a big way for 2025-26.

> Blues goals-against 5-on-6 (13):

* Nov. 21 vs. San Jose Sharks -- Alexander Wennberg, 19:51; led 2-1, won 3-2 in a shootout

* Dec. 3 at Winnipeg Jets -- Mark Scheifele, 15:45; led 3-0, won 4-1

* Dec. 10 at Vancouver Canucks -- Jake DeBrusk, 18:08; led 3-2, won 4-3 in overtime

* Jan. 20 at Vegas Golden Knights -- Jack Eichel, 16:50; led 4-2, won 5-4 in a shootout

* Jan. 20 at Golden Knights -- Pavel Dorofeyev, 19:30; led 4-3, won 5-4 in a shootout

* Dec. 4 vs. Edmonton Oilers -- Leon Draisaitl, 17:46; led 2-1, lost 3-2 in overtime

* Feb. 22 vs. Jets -- Gabriel Vilardi, 19:32; led 3-2, lost 4-3 in a shootout

* March 7 at Anaheim Ducks -- Alex Killorn, 19:17; led 4-2, won 4-3

* March 20 vs. Canucks -- Brock Boeser, 19:56; led 3-2, won 4-3 in overtime

* April 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins -- Rutger McGroarty, 19:35; led 4-3, won 5-4 in overtime

* April 5 vs. Colorado Avalanche -- Nathan MacKinnon, 17:42; led 4-2, won 5-4

* April 5 vs. Avalanche -- Sam Malinski, 19:51; led 5-3, won 5-4

* April 9 at Oilers -- Viktor Arvidsson, 1:41 of third period (came on delayed penalty); tied 2-2, lost 4-3

> Blues empty-net goals-for 5-on-6 (11):

* Oct. 24 at Toronto Maple Leafs -- Dylan Holloway, 16:42; led 3-1, won 4-1

* Nov. 2 vs. Maple Leafs -- Pavel Buchnevich, 19:21; led 3-2, won 4-2

* Nov. 25 at New York Rangers -- Buchnevich, 17:15; led 4-2, won 5-2

* Dec. 3 at Jets -- Robert Thomas, 16:21; led 3-1, won 4-1

* Dec. 23 at Detroit Red Wings -- Holloway, 15:54; led 3-0, won 4-0

* Dec. 27 vs. Nashville Predators -- Colton Parayko, 18:45; led 6-4, won 7-4

* Jan. 16 vs. Calgary Flames -- Brayden Schenn, 17:39; led 3-1, won 4-1

* Dec. 27 at Washington Capitals -- Jake Neighbours, 18:05; led 4-2, won 5-2

* March 15 at Minnesota Wild -- Jordan Kyrou, 17:40; led 4-1, won 5-1

* March 23 vs. Predators -- Schenn, 19:22; led 3-1, won 4-1

* April 5 vs. Avalanche -- Thomas, 19:29; led 4-3, won 5-4

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Palisades High baseball field is gone after bulldozers clear land for bungalows

Palisades High baseball coach Mike Voelkel, who is in his 18th season, said he's been promised a new field after bulldozers did what they do best — removed anything remaining of the Palisades baseball field two weeks ago.

It just won't be him coaching, because he'll be long retired when a new field is built. The Los Angeles Unified School District is estimating 2029 when a new field will be completed, but everyone knows LAUSD estimates to finish building something are rarely accurate.

LAUSD will be putting temporary bungalow classrooms on the space to help the school rebuild from the Palisades fire. The rapid leveling of the field happened despite some wanting an alternative plan. The school had bungalows before the fire but they were destroyed. Suddenly the field became the lead option.

Here's the statement from an LAUSD spokesperson: "There were 21 classrooms destroyed in the fire that were housed in both permanent and portable buildings. Temporary portable classrooms have been placed on the baseball field and will be utilized until permanent structures are erected — which is expected to be complete in Q4-2028. At that time the portable classrooms on the baseball field will be removed and the baseball field will be reconstructed, which is anticipated to be completed in 2029."

This season the baseball team has been traveling to various sites for games and practices because the campus is closed. No plan has been announced for what they will do next year. Not having a field will not encourage baseball players to stick around at a school holding classes at the old Sears building in Santa Monica.

For alumni, the destruction of the field is disturbing. Millions of dollars were invested for improvements, including netting, fencing, pitching machines and batting cages. Rick Poulos, who had two sons play baseball at Palisades, said he helped put in "very expensive protective poles and netting."

All gone.

"It is an integral part of the community," he said.

Darryl Strawberry once hit a ball onto Sunset Boulevard during his playing days at Crenshaw High.

The whole Western League is facing a challenge with four of the seven schools having no baseball fields. Only Venice, Fairfax and Westchester have playable fields on campus at the moment.

Voelkel got one last look at his field when he was escorted to check out things in his office before the bulldozers cleared everything.

"I think I can go to heaven with my head held high with the blood, sweat and tears put into that field," he said.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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White Sox at Royals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 7

Its Wednesday, May 7 and the White Sox (10-26) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (21-16). Jonathan Cannon is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Michael Wacha for Kansas City.

The White Sox have lost the first two games and need a win tonight to avoid losing the series.

The Royals walked it off in the last game with a single from Bobby Witt Jr. That makes it four straight wins for the Royals.

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 White Sox at Royals

  • Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Kauffman Stadium
  • City: Kansas City, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City, CHSN

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 White Sox at the Royals

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: White Sox (+185), Royals (-224)
  • Spread:  Royals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for White Sox at Royals

  • Pitching matchup for May 7, 2025: Jonathan Cannon vs. Michael Wacha
    • White Sox: Jonathan Cannon, (2-3, 4.26 ERA)
      Last outing (Houston Astros, 5/2) : 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Royals: Michael Wacha, (1-4, 3.52 ERA)
      Last outing (Baltimore Orioles, 5/2): 6.1 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 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 White Sox at Royals

  • The Royals have a winning record (4-1) in their last 5 games
  • Each of the White Sox's last 6 road games with the Royals have stayed under the Total
  • The Royals have covered the Run Line in 5 straight home games against the White Sox

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 White Sox and the Royals

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 White Sox and the Royals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Kansas City Royals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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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Count On Panthers Tying Series Despite Marner Goal

Toronto Maple Leafs aim for 2-0 series lead with a win over Florida Panthers on Wednesday

Image

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in game one of their second round series, giving Toronto their first second round lead in 23 years. The game was a battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible with Toronto receiving the worst of things as they lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz. 

Game two will make for an exciting showcase as the Buds will look to exact revenge and seperate themselves further with a 2-0 series lead. Florida on the other hand, will look to even up the series before heading home. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 30-19 record on our last 49 picks, including perfect records during Game one and four of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

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

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

  • Under 5.5 goals (-104)
  • Panthers ML (-142)
  • Mitch Marner anytime goal (+280)

The Leafs are being asked to do something they've never done before while the Panthers are being asked just to stay the course and do what they do best which is win during the postseason.

The loss in game one was a tight one as the Leafs got out to an early lead and made sure to keep their foot on the gas long enough to get the win but it wasn't without bumps in the road. 

Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky had a rare off night as he allowed several goals that could've been saved or prevented with better defence like Matthew Knies' breakaway goal.

With an early goal and several defensive breakdowns from the opponent, Toronto caught a break that many didn't expect and here's where some correction should come back. 

More NHL: Utah Hockey Club Announces New Team Name

The five goals allowed was rare considering Bobrovsky's track record of a 8-4-0 record and a 2.36 goals against average over his last 12 starts versus Toronto.

The Russian goaltender should bounce back in this spot and I also expect Joseph Woll to chip in enough to keep this game low-scoring. Woll has a 2.12 goals against average and .924 save percentage in six career playoff starts. 

There shouldn't be a ton of goals but one player I do expect to score is Mitch Marner. I've missed on the Toronto native a couple times as of late but he should be finally due in this spot. He's a new father and was looking for the back of the net in game one after finishing with four shots on net. 

The team will be in desperate need of goals in this one as it will be very tight and Marner rides a six-game goal drought, which should make him overdue for a goal here.

More NHL: Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

We get a tremendous value here for one of the Leafs top offensive players, who is playing on the team's top line with two other red hot forwards in Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. 

It's an easy slam dunk pick but if you wanna play it safe, taking Marner to get a point is a trustworthy pick at -245 odds and works as a decent parlay add.

More NHL: Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

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How Phillies will handle Rojas-Marsh dynamic in CF during long stretch vs. RHP

How Phillies will handle Rojas-Marsh dynamic in CF during long stretch vs. RHP originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

TAMPA, Fla. — Rob Thomson pulled Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh into his office Tuesday night to go over the plan for the next week-plus.

Tuesday’s series opener at Steinbrenner Field was the first of a nine-game stretch in which the Phillies were scheduled to face a right-handed starting pitcher but Rojas is still going to get his chances in center field. He was in the lineup Wednesday night against right-hander Shane Baz.

“I went over the next six to nine days because they’re both playing well, both swinging the bat well, I don’t want either one of them to get rusty,” Thomson said. “We sort of planned it out over the next nine days who’s playing.”

The Phillies will likely alternate between the lefty-hitting Marsh and right-handed Rojas this week and start Rojas against the next lefty opponent, St. Louis Matthew Liberatore at home on Monday. The next lefty on the calendar after that is Pittsburgh’s Andrew Heaney next Friday.

“It’s going to be back and forth a bit and then towards the end of this nine-day run, there’s a back-to-back for Rojas and then a back-to-back for Marsh,” Thomson said.

Rojas is hitting .302 with a .343 on-base percentage in 71 plate appearances. In his last five starts, he’s 6-for-14 with a triple, homer and three RBI.

Marsh is 3-for-7 with a double and a walk in three games since returning from a two-week stint on the injured list. He had been held hitless in 38 straight plate appearances before straining his hamstring in mid-April.

The long run of right-handed opponents will also temporarily limit the playing time of Edmundo Sosa with Bryson Stott, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm all producing.

Bohm has hit safely in 16 of his last 20 games, batting .310 with a .359 OBP over that span. Turner has hit .391 with a .443 OBP in his last 15.

“I’d like to find a way (to play Sosa),” Thomson said. “Stott saw 24 pitches last night in the leadoff spot and hit two balls right on the nose, almost hit a home run to center field. Bohm hit a home run, he’s on a bit of a streak here, and Trea seems like he’s getting a base hit every night. It’s tough to fit him in but I’d really like to.”

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ACC cuts 20-game men’s basketball slate to make room for nonconference games in bid to boost sport

The Atlantic Coast Conference is hoping its men's basketball programs trade two fewer league games for marquee nonconference matchups in an effort to reverse a dwindling haul of NCAA Tournament bids. The league announced Wednesday it is reducing its 20-game men’s basketball schedule to 18. The change comes after Commissioner Jim Phillips has been vocal about spending the past two seasons examining the conundrum of the ACC getting fewer bids — down to four this year, its fewest since 2013 — despite having teams regularly playing deep into March.

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Phillies at Rays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 7

It's Wednesday, May 7, and the Phillies (20-15) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (16-19). Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Shane Baz for Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia took Game 1 of the series yesterday, 8-4 behind three homers and nine strikeouts over 7.0 innings of work from Zack Wheeler. The Phillies are 5-1 in Sánchez's six starts, while the Rays are 4-2 in Baz's six starts.

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 Phillies at Rays

  • Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:05 PM EST
  • Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
  • City: Tampa, FL
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSP, FDSNSUN

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 Phillies at the Rays

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Phillies (-131), Rays (+110)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Rays

  • Pitching matchup for May 7, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Shane Baz
    • Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez, (3-1, 3.45 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Rays: Shane Baz, (3-1, 3.86 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 1 Strikeout

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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Rays

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 Phillies and the Rays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Tampa Bay Rays 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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Rays

  • The Phillies are on a 3-game win streak at the Rays
  • The Rays pitcher Shane Baz has an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.05 when starting this season
  • With Shane Baz as the opener betting the Rays on the Run Line would have returned a 3.04-unit profit in 2025

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)
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Ex-Avalanche Goalie Sticking With His New Team

Jonas Johansson (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

Many things happen in the summertime.

GM’s get let go, coaches get fired, and players sign new contracts.

For the Colorado Avalanche, Jared Bednar’s job appears safe (the same goes for Chris Macfarland).

Bookmark The Hockey News Colorado Avalanche team site so you never miss the latest news, game day coverage, and information on the Avalanche players.

It also looks like a former Avalanche goaltender has found a new team that he wants to stick around with. That team agrees and has signed him to a new deal.

Jonas Johansson signed a contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday morning.

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The Swedish netminder just wrapped up his second season with the team. Johansson had a 9-6-3 record to go along with a 3.13 goals against average (GAA), a .895 save percentage (SV%), and one shutout.

He’s been the backup for Andrei Vasilevskiy since he arrived in Tampa. But he took a winding road to get to Florida.

Jonas Johansson's Journey To The Tampa Bay Lightning

Johansson was initially drafted in the third round of the 2014 Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He was traded to the Avalanche in March of 2021. 

He would play three years for the Avalanche until he was put on waivers. The Florida Panthers claimed Johansson off waivers. 

Jonas Johansson (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

Johansson only played two games for the Panthers before he signed a new contract with the Avalanche in the following summer. He then signed as a free agent with the Lightning on July 1st, 2023.

Johansson’s new deal is worth $1.25 million per year. For year one, it’s split into a $775,000 base salary and a $475,000 signing bonus. The full $1.25 million will be his base salary the following season. He’s coming off a two-year deal that paid him $775,000 each season.

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