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Cavaliers vs. Knicks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 11

It’s Friday, April 11, and the Cleveland Cavaliers (63-17) and New York Knicks (50-30) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Cavaliers are currently 29-11 on the road with a point differential of 10, while the Knicks have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. Cleveland is 3-0 against New York this season. New York is 5-3 over the last eight games compared to Cleveland who is 4-2 in the past six.

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 Cavaliers vs. Knicks live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • 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 NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Cavaliers vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Cavaliers (+121), Knicks (-143)
  • Spread:  Knicks -2.5
  • Over/Under: 225 points

That gives the Cavaliers an implied team point total of 111.93, and the Knicks 113.24.

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 Friday’s Cavaliers vs. Knicks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans toward the Knicks ML:

"Cleveland is solid in its playoff position, so this is a Knicks or pass spot for me. I don't know what the motivation would be for the Cavaliers to play meaningful minutes."

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 Cavaliers & Knicks game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Knicks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Knicks at -2.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 225.

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 Cavaliers vs. Knicks on Friday

  • The Knicks have won 4 of their last 5 home games against Eastern Conference teams
  • The Over is 22-18 in the Knicks' home games this season
  • The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog
  • The Cavaliers have won 4 of their last 5 at Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams

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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Wizards vs. Bulls Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 11

It’s Friday, April 11, and the Washington Wizards (17-63) and Chicago Bulls (37-43) are all set to square off from United Center in Chicago.

The Wizards are currently 9-30 on the road with a point differential of -12, while the Bulls have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. Chicago is 2-1 versus Washington this season with a 33-point win in the previous meeting.

Chicago has won four of the past five games with two coming by double-digits. Washington has lost four straight games and seven of the past eight.

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 Wizards vs. Bulls live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: United Center
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • 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 NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Wizards vs. Bulls

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Wizards (+802), Bulls (-1333)
  • Spread:  Bulls -15.5
  • Over/Under: 235 points

That gives the Wizards an implied team point total of 116.64, and the Bulls 124.71.

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 Friday’s Wizards vs. Bulls game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Wizards on the ML:

"While the chances of Washington winning this game are very slim, double-digit underdogs are profitable in the final week of the season, so I have to lean toward Washington."

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 Wizards & Bulls 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 Chicago Bulls at -15.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 235.

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 Wizards vs. Bulls on Friday

  • The Wizards have lost 4 of their last 5 games
  • Each of the last 3 matchups between the Wizards and the Bulls have stayed under the Total
  • The Bulls have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against Eastern Conference Southeast Division teams

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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Embiid has successful surgery on left knee, Sixers announce

Embiid has successful surgery on left knee, Sixers announce  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Joel Embiid underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday, the Sixers announced.

The team said Embiid’s surgery was performed by Jonathan L. Glashow at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center. The seven-time All-Star will be re-evaluated in approximately six weeks. 

Embiid considered a variety of options before opting for surgery on his bothersome knee. He was officially ruled out for the season on Feb. 28 and last played on Feb. 22.

Though Embiid had surgery last February on his left lateral meniscus, the knee remained a major issue and he was frustrated by recurring swelling. Embiid will end up missing 63 of the Sixers’ 82 games this season. 

“There have been those times where sincerely — Joel himself, medical staff — he looks very much on the way toward playing,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said on Feb. 7. “And then primarily, his injury is one where you’re managing his symptoms, swelling and pain. When those things happen, it’s best for him to sit out. 

“I know that Joel is doing everything he can and fighting to be out there as much as possible. … On this injury that he had last February and had the procedure on, it’s one that you manage symptoms. We’re optimistic long term, talking to the doctors. … I think we’re at seven, eight, nine, 10 of the top people in the world at this point who all see this as (an injury) that over time will improve. But it’s happened slower than anyone’s anticipated. But we love how Joel’s fighting.” 

In general, the 24-56 Sixers never truly stemmed their flow of injuries throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

Their season-ending injuries include Embiid, Tyrese Maxey (right finger sprain), Paul George (adductor and left knee), Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus surgery) and Eric Gordon (right wrist surgery). 

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Denver nearly fired Michael Malone, Calvin Booth at All-Star break but winning streak postponed move

What stunned people around the NBA most about the firing of coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth in Denver was not the act itself: Malone was thought to be in trouble if the Nuggets didn't make a deep playoff run, and Booth had tried to negotiate a new contract all season long and not gotten one, a bad sign.

It was the timing that confused everyone — who fires a coach with three games and less than a week left in the regular season?

It turns out that team president Josh Kroenke wanted to make this move around the All-Star break, but the team won eight in a row, leading into it, reports Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne at ESPN.

Kroenke made the decision to fire Malone and Booth late Sunday night, sources told ESPN. It wasn't the first time this season that Kroenke seriously pondered parting ways with the winningest coach in franchise history and the executive who had put together the final pieces of the Nuggets' championship puzzle. Kroenke wanted to clean house at the All-Star break, sources said, but an eight-game winning streak spared Malone and Booth.

Tension between a GM and coach is natural — every coach wants players who can help win now, and every GM has to think about the future, not just the present. In Denver, that tension had spiraled, grown toxic, and divided the entire organization into two camps. Kroenke felt he had to make a move — and he probably did at some point — and he couldn't let one side "win." Everyone had to go.

Still, with less than a week to go in the season, the timing seems likely to undercut a hoped-for playoff run.

A couple of other notes from ESPN:

• The players were caught in the middle of the Malone vs. Booth tug of war and were not happy, and that showed on the court with inconsistent play. One source put it this way:

"The players were freakin' miserable, man. You could see it. The effort would come and go. I just wish it happened sooner. We wouldn't be in this mess."

• Maybe the least surprising news: Malone did not take the news well, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on his The Hoop Collective podcast:

"It got out pretty quickly in the NBA that Michael Malone's reaction to being fired was not calm, which is not a surprise. I don't blame him."

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Twins place pitcher Pablo Lopez on the 15-day injured list with a strained hamstring

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed pitcher Pablo López on the 15-day injured list Friday with a strained right hamstring.

The move is retroactive to Wednesday, a day after López was removed from his start against Kansas City following 4 2/3 innings because of the injury. López is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts this season.

The Twins replaced him on the roster by recalling right-hander David Festa from Triple-A St. Paul. Festa, who will start for Minnesota on Friday night against Detroit, is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two minor league starts this season.

Festa appeared in 14 games for the Twins last season, 13 of them starts, going 2-6 with a 4.90 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings.

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McLaren look to shake off Bahrain hoodoo and send ominous signal

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have a chance to dominate in the desert as Max Verstappen scrambles to stay in touch

Three races into the new Formula One season and this weekend’s ­Bahrain Grand Prix represents something of a litmus test as to what may ­follow for the title protagonists. Everything points to a chance for McLaren to dominate at the Sakhir circuit but there may also be some indication if Red Bull are making real steps ­forward with their car.

For McLaren, Bahrain is a chance to throw off their hoodoo at the track where they have never won and at which, in recent years, they have struggled for form. This season in testing at the circuit they gave their first evidence that they had a much improved package; one swiftly ­reinforced with dominant victories for Lando Norris in Australia and then his teammate, Oscar Piastri, in China.

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The Hockey News Big Show: What Is Canucks’ Brock Boeser’s Future?

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We’re nearly one week away from the NHL playoffs, and The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss some of the biggest topics.

What Is Canucks' Brock Boeser's Future? by The Big ShowWhat Is Canucks' Brock Boeser's Future? by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and guest co-host Steve Warne discussed in this episode:

1:03: We have our first Stanley Cup playoff series officially locked in. The Carolina Hurricanes will host the New Jersey Devils. What will we see in this series?

3:31: Will the Hurricanes and Devils have high-scoring battles? 

4:56: Predicting the winner of the Hurricanes-Devils series

6:30: The Minnesota Wild got Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek back from injury. How do their returns change Minnesota’s playoff outlook?

10:13: The Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers are once again almost a lock to battle it out in the first round. This would be the fourth-straight year they meet in Round 1. How could this time be different?

13:00: Steve updates his top eight Stanley Cup contenders list.

14:40: Micheal explains his changes to his Cup contenders list and why. 

16:59: How does a team balance resting players and making sure they are ready to go for Game 1 of the playoffs? 

19:26: What should we know about Ivan Demidov and his game as he joins the Montreal Canadiens? What kind of boost could this give Montreal? 

23:34: Brock Boeser said it’s unlikely he’ll re-sign with the Vancouver Canucks. Where could he end up?

26:20: Should Boeser be worried about looking for a higher salary or getting more trem?  

28:10: Which team likely to miss the playoffs this year will take an even bigger step backward next season?

31:00: In their rookie seasons, Connor Bedard had 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games, while Macklin Celebrini has 24 goals and 62 points in 66 games and counting. Who would you take?

33:46: The Philadelphia Flyers have won four of five games since firing John Tortorella. Michkov has eight points in five games, and Foerster has seven points, with both getting more ice time. In hindsight, did the Flyers make the right decision to fire their coach with less than a month left?

36:49: Patrick Roy put in 21-year-old AHL goalie Tristan Lennox with the team down 6-1, then pulled him after allowing a goal on two shots in the 9-2 loss. Did this bother you? Is Roy on thin ice after this move?

40:25: The NCAA national championship game is Saturday. Who is your pick to win between Western Michigan and Boston University?

Watch the full episode here. 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Justin Verlander, Pavin Smith & Zebby Matthews

Let’s open up this week’s Waiver Wire with the oldest guy in the league.

MLB: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres
2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge lead Top 300 rest of season ranks
Hunter Greene is on the rise and Rockies call-up Zac Veen enters the Top 300.

Justin Verlander (SP Giants) - Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues

Stay the course. Verlander wasn’t very good in his second start of the season against the Mariners, but he was far better last time out versus the Reds, even if he gave up five earned runs along the way. All five of those came in one inning in which the Reds had two hard-hit balls, one a grounder and one a popup. Verlander didn’t even allow a hit over the rest of the outing, and he struck out nine batters while averaging 95.2 mph with his fastball.

Verlander’s velocity is one big reason to be optimistic about his performance in his age-42 campaign. He’s averaging 94.8 mph on the heater right now, putting him right in between the 95.1 mph he was at in 2022, when he won AL Cy Young honors, and 2023, when he was still strong in posting a 3.22 ERA. Last year, he was down to 93.5 mph and largely ineffective in the 17 starts he was able to make while dealing with injuries.

Maybe Verlander’s body will betray him again at some point, but everything besides his ERA is looking good right now. His strikeout rate stands at 26%. His groundball rate is up, too, since he’s throwing about three times as many sliders as curves. He’ll give up homers from time to time, but it helps that his home park suppresses them. That his next two starts are in Philadelphia and Anaheim isn’t ideal -- and benching him should be in play for at least the first of those outings -- but there ought to be some value for the long haul here.

Pavin Smith (1B D-backs) - Rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues

After starting off in the minors for a second straight season, Smith, who received his most extensive playing time as a 25-year-old rookie in 2021, clawed his way back into Arizona’s plans last summer, particularly in hitting .290/..384/.677 in 73 plate appearances in September. The Diamondbacks penciled him in as Joe Pederson’s replacement in the DH role against right-handers this season, and he’s kept right on hitting, coming in at .400/.486/.667 in 35 plate appearances. He has five barrels, though just one homer, and 11 of his 18 balls in play have been hit hard.

Smith’s fantasy ceiling remains capped by his platoon role, one that will be difficult for him to escape after the D-backs re-signed Randal Grichuk in the offseason. The team could weaken the outfield defense by moving Corbin Carroll to center and playing Grichuk in right against lefties, but it’d probably take quite a sustained run from Smith to get them to consider it. Perhaps an injury will eventually open things up a bit.

For now, though, Smith will sit on average once or twice per week. He’s probably good enough to eke out some mixed-league value anyway, especially since he’s mostly hitting third in a quality lineup. His strikeout rate is up, but that’s a worthy trade for as much hard contact as he’s making.

Zebby Matthews (SP Twins) - Rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues

Some were left shaking their heads when the Twins opted to promote David Festa with Pablo López hurt, but it might have just been a stopgap measure. Based on spring performance and the events of the first two weeks of the Triple-A season, Zebby Matthews had earned the opportunity to be the first addition to the Twins rotation. There’s a good chance that’s still going to happen next week.

Matthews, an eighth-round pick of Western Carolina in 2022, struggled some last year in his first taste of the majors, mostly because of the home run ball. He gave up 11 of those in amassing a 6.69 ERA in 37 2/3 innings over nine starts. He did have a fine 43/11 K/BB along the way, though. He wound up pitching 9 1/3 scoreless innings with a 12/1 K/BB this spring, and he’s opened up with a 1.80 ERA and a 13/1 K/BB in 10 innings for the Saints. In his minor league career, he’s struck out 29 percent and walked just three percent of the batters he’s faced.

While they’re not overly similar pitchers, Matthews could wind up very much like Bailey Ober for fantasy purposes. He’ll always give up homers, leaving him with unexceptional ERAs, but his slider will lead to a fine strikeout rate and the lack of walks will make him a big asset in terms of WHIP. He should offer some mixed-league value this season.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

- I wasn’t going to do a full writeup of Nick Kurtz after James Schiano highlighted him Tuesday, but it would be nice to have him stashed. The 2024 first-round pick is already running out of things to prove after just 23 games in the minors, and the A’s aren’t getting much production out of left field. If they’re willing to put Brent Rooker out there most of the time, Kurtz could give the lineup a big lift while alternating with Tyler Soderstom between first base and DH.

- It’s hard to bet on Lance McCullers Jr. staying healthy at this point, but he’s two starts deep into a rehab assignment in his latest attempt to return from elbow problems and he could join the Astros rotation around the end of the month. He’s almost always been effective when he’s been able to pitch (3.48 ERA, 27% strikeout rate in 719 career innings). Maybe that will no longer be the case at age 31, but he’s rostered in only two percent of leagues and he’s (hopefully) quite a bit closer to returning than most of the IL starting pitchers.

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Hawks vs. 76ers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 11

It’s Friday, April 11, and the Atlanta Hawks (38-42) and Philadelphia 76ers (24-56) are all set to square off from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

The Hawks are currently 18-22 on the road with a point differential of -1, while the 76ers have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. Atlanta is 2-0 against Philadelphia this season with 9 and 13 points.

The 76ers' win over the Wizards snapped a 12-game losing streak for Philly, while. the Hawks are 2-4 in the previous six games.

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 Hawks vs. 76ers live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: Wells Fargo Center
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • 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 NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Hawks vs. 76ers

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Hawks (-602), 76ers (+441)
  • Spread:  Hawks -11.5
  • Over/Under: 238 points

That gives the Hawks an implied team point total of 123.93, and the 76ers 117.94.

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 Friday’s Hawks vs. 76ers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the 76ers ML against the Hawks:

"While nobody will be with me, one of the best strategies over the last week of the season is backing double-digit underdogs as teams lose interest in winning because of not being in the playoffs or are content with their seeding. The Hawks need to win both of their last two games to lock in the 8 seed, but one of those is against Orlando, while Chicago plays Washington and Philadelphia, so it's unclear whether the Hawks will go all out here or on Sunday or not at all. I lean the 76ers ML for the value in their final home game."

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 Hawks & 76ers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Hawks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia 76ers at +11.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 238.

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 Hawks vs. 76ers on Friday

  • The 76ers have lost 14 of their last 17 home games
  • 8 of the Hawks' last 9 matchups with the 76ers have gone over the Total
  • The 76ers have covered the Spread in their last 3 games
  • The Hawks have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with losing records

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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Knicks' Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby must step up defensively in playoffs

The Knicks finished the regular season an abysmal 1-11 in games against the Celtics, Cavs and Pistons.

Maybe you don’t think Friday’s loss should count toward that record because both teams rested key players -- reasonable people can disagree on that.

But there’s not much room to debate one aspect of the Knicks’ play against Boston, Cleveland, and Detroit: their wings have been underwhelming.

Young Pistons star Cade Cunningham averaged 30.8 points, 8.3 assists and five rebounds in four games against the Knicks this year. He hit 49-of-87 shots (56 percent) and went 13-for-25 from three in those games, amassing 33 assists against 10 turnovers.

Who will guard Cunningham in the series?

If you asked Tom Thibodeau, he’d probably (correctly) say the Knicks will guard Cunningham as a team -- but they will need OG Anunoby and/or Mikal Bridges to play stellar individual defense against Detroit’s lead guard.

If the Knicks get past the Pistons (no easy task), they’ll probably have to deal with Jayson Tatum and the Celtics in the second round. It’s worth noting that Tatum averaged 33.5 points on 53 percent shooting (48 percent on threes) against New York this season.

The numbers from Cunningham and Tatum are jarring.

To be fair, both Bridges and Anunoby have strong offensive numbers against Detroit, and any evaluation of the two wings shouldn’t ignore their strong play during Jalen Brunson’s recent four-week absence (Anunoby, in particular, was playing at a very high level on both sides of the ball).

But the Knicks didn’t spend immense capital on Bridges and Anunoby for their offense.

They acquired both players to defend at a high level and supplement the offense around Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

The defense hasn’t been there often enough against the Pistons and Celtics -- the same is true of the Cavs, but New York would have to get through Detroit and Boston to face off again against the Cavs. 

Right now, that seems highly unlikely.

The Knicks are disjointed on both ends of the floor -- they left the Garden on Friday demoralized after blowing a 23-point lead to the Cavs’ B-team. After Sunday’s regular season finale, New York will have a week or so to figure things out before Game 1 against Detroit. 

If the Knicks can get on the same page next week and somehow get past the Pistons and Celtics in the postseason, no one will remember these regular-season struggles. 

But if the opposite happens -- if the Knicks get embarrassed against Detroit and/or Boston in the postseason -- you can be sure there will be some hard offseason conversations about the future of the franchise. 

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Magic vs. Pacers Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 11

It’s Friday, April 11, and the Orlando Magic (40-40) and Indiana Pacers (49-31) are all set to square off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Magic are currently 18-21 on the road with a point differential of 0, while the Pacers have a 9-1 record in their last ten games at home. Orlando is 2-1 versus Indiana this season but they haven't met since November.

Orlando has won four consecutive games and five of the past six in order to climb to 40-40 on the year. Indiana has won their last six games and seven of the last eight.

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 Magic vs. Pacers live today

  • Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • City: Indianapolis, IN
  • 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 NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Magic vs. Pacers

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Magic (+203), Pacers (-248)
  • Spread:  Pacers -6.5
  • Over/Under: 219 points

That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 108.43, and the Pacers 111.82.

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 Friday’s Magic vs. Pacers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Magic to cover and the Under:

"Indiana ruled out a few starters for this matchup, which was surprising, but teams are playing chess with their potential playoff matchups this time of year. This spot screams Orlando to me as underdogs with a lower-scoring matchup."

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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 Magic & Pacers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Indiana Pacers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at -6.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 219.

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 Magic vs. Pacers on Friday

  • The Magic have won 7 straight matchups against Eastern Conference teams
  • The Under is 27-23 in the Magic's matchups against Eastern Conference teams this season
  • The Magic have covered the Spread in 6 of their last 7 matchups against Eastern Conference teams
  • The Magic have covered in 4 of their last 5 road 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 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)