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Lakers vs Warriors Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game
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The Los Angeles Lakers were baking one hell of a cake in the second half of the season, only to have injuries drop that sucker on the floor just before the party.
With no Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, Los Angeles is left scooping crumbs, frosting, and championship hopes off the hardwood in these final days of the regular season.
The Lakers are grasping for the No. 4 seed in the West and praying for the best when the postseason begins, leaning on veteran star LeBron James to keep them on track.
LeBron and L.A. are underdogs in the Bay Area tonight, and our Lakers vs. Warriors predictions see James jacking up his share of shots from beyond the arc.
My NBA picks take the King to top his 3-point prop on Thursday, April 9.
Lakers vs Warriors prediction
Lakers vs Warriors best bet: LeBron James Over 1.5 made threes (+110)
LeBron James is as adaptable as they come. When Luka Doncic is out of the lineup, he picks up his playmaking, and we see his assist tallies soar. And when Austin Reaves is sidelined, James’ activity from outside increases.
LeBron is learning to live without either of his Los Angeles Lakers co-stars in the home stretch. While we have a small sample of games without Doncic and Reaves, James did fire up six 3-point attempts in the loss to Dallas on Sunday.
Looking at his last 19 games without Reaves in action, James has averaged 4.6 shots from beyond the arc, connecting for two or more in nine of those. For comparison, when Luka and Reaves were both healthy during L.A.'s red-hot run in March, LeBron was taking only 2.4 triples and making less than one of those long-range looks an outing.
Tonight's game script has L.A. playing from behind versus the Golden State Warriors, and the rest of the Lakers lineup has provided spotty production, leaving head coach J.J. Redick to blast several players during this current stretch.
James was a one-man wrecking crew vs. Dallas and will have the green light against a Golden State defense that has slipped when it comes to protecting the perimeter. The Dubs have allowed foes to shoot 37% from distance since the All-Star break, and that’s blown up to 39% over the past 10.
LeBron has faced the Warriors twice this season, going 4-for-6 and 2-for-7 from downtown in those matchups. His projections for tonight range between 1.4 and 2.4 makes from 3-point land, with the bulk of those forecasts calling for two triples and his attempts as high as seven 3PAs.
Lakers vs Warriors same-game parlay
Los Angeles can at least keep it close against a Warriors roster that could protect players in this first game of back-to-back outings. The Lakers are desperate not to fall back in the West standings, as they’ll need all the help they can get in the postseason.
Deandre Ayton has been ripped by Redick for his recent efforts, but with the L.A. lineup hurting for offense, he’s capable of putting up points against a small Golden State frontcourt. His projections sit as high as 13 points.
Lakers vs Warriors SGP
- Lakers +4.5
- LeBron James Over 1.5 made threes
- Deandre Ayton Over 11.5 Points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Royal Flush
LeBron went nuclear on the Mavericks, scoring 30 points, dishing out 15 assists, and hauling in nine rebounds. He sat out Tuesday’s matchup with OKC, so the 41-year-old has fresh legs for this trip to Golden State.
Lakers vs Warriors SGP
- Lakers moneyline
- LeBron James Over 24.5 points
- LeBron James Over 9.5 assists
- LeBron James Over 7.5 rebounds
Lakers vs Warriors odds
- Spread: Lakers +4.5 (-110) | Warriors -4.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Lakers +160 | Warriors -190
- Over/Under: Over 225.5 (-110) | Under 225.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Warriors betting trend to know
The Over is 9-2 in the last 11 matchups between the Lakers and Warriors. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Warriors.
How to watch Lakers vs Warriors
| Location | Chase Center, San Francisco, CA |
| Date | Thursday, April 9, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Prime Video |
Lakers vs Warriors latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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Mike Sullivan Likes What He's Seen From Drew Fortescue Through Short Sample Size
Drew Fortescue signing his three-year, entry-level contract in March has allowed the New York Rangers to see what they have in the young defenseman.
After three seasons playing at Boston College, Fortescue decided to make the jump to professional hockey and immediately go from the NCAA to the NHL.
Through seven games, Fortescue has seemed to adapt well to the NHL, impressing Mike Sullivan in the process.
“I've been really impressed with his puck poise, his vision,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “He keeps the play simple, but he's not just an off-the-glass-and-out guy. He's looking to go tape-to-tape. He has the composure and the confidence to find the middle play, say, on a breakout. He doesn't just play safe hockey. He plays smart hockey. He doesn't play reckless hockey. There's a difference between those three, and I like the fact that he's trying to play smart hockey.”
Through most of his time with the Rangers thus far, Fortescue has been paired alongside Braden Schneider.
Sullivan believes that playing with a steady defenseman like Schneider benefits Fortescue, who is still finding his footing at the professional hockey level.
“Schneids is a bona fide, legit, solid NHL defenseman, who defends well,” Sullivan said. “He has good mobility. The lefty-righty combination is something that we liked. Schneids can help him as a stabilizing partner. Schneids is very predictable, you know where he is going to be, he’s in the right spots, those kinds of things, which I think is important for a young defenseman that is trying to find his way.”
The 20-year-old defenseman has recorded two assists, while averaging 14:58 minutes per game.
Adam Fox’s red-hot play only brings about more Rangers questions
During the stretch after Adam Fox first returned from long-term injured reserve following the Olympic break, head coach Mike Sullivan was controlled when asked about the Rangers’ star defenseman.
His production, Sullivan said March 18, was getting better. Fox, he added, was building his game again. The ceiling for a point-per-game, Norris Trophy-winning member of the blue line had already been established, but Sullivan acknowledged it would take time for Fox to return to that point due to his extended absences this season.
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tRY IT NOWBut Wednesday night, from the bowels of the Garden during his postgame press conference, Sullivan didn’t hesitate when asked about Fox, who’d just recorded a multipoint game for the third consecutive match. His goal and assist against the Sabres gave Fox 15 points in his past eight games, 24 in his past 22 and 52 in the 52 contests he has skated in this season.
“Well, I think he’s captured his game that he started the season with,” Sullivan said.
There’s no question the Rangers are a better team with Fox in the lineup, but with the offseason lingering after a three-game road trip to close the season, the future of the defenseman remains one of their most pressing questions. His cryptic comments from late February, when asked about whether he wants to remain with the Blueshirts through their retool, still loom. And that remains their dilemma: Fox, in the most injury-plagued season of his career, has once again shown his peak value, but what happens if he wants out?
“When you miss a stretch of time, it could take a little bit,” Fox said after Wednesday’s game when asked about his eight-game point streak, “but I think over the last month or so, I feel really good about my game.”
The uncertainty with Fox stemmed from an answer following the Rangers’ Feb. 26 game against the Flyers when, after another loss in his first game back from injury, Fox fielded a question about his thoughts on The Letter 2.0 — which president and general manager Chris Drury dropped during his time on long-term injured reserve.
Fox said he felt “a little helpless” after seeing the public commitment for a retool, but when asked if he wanted to remain with the Rangers through this next stage, Fox, in part, said, “I think that’s a conversation when we’re done playing games.”
In a normal Rangers season, there wouldn’t even be a doubt about Fox’s future with the team. He’s a Long Island native who never masked his desires — or dreams — to play on Broadway. He’s a defenseman regarded as one of the top power-play quarterbacks in the league. His contract lasts through the end of the 2028-29 season, and the Blueshirts’ top priority last offseason involved signing left-handed defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to pair with Fox.
And the benefits of having Fox in the lineup have once again become apparent. The Rangers have collected the most power-play goals in the NHL since Feb. 28 (20) — a stretch beginning the game after Fox returned — and are tied for the league lead in power-play percentage (33.3) since that juncture, according to the team. They have the No. 3 power play this year after watching their constant strength crater to the No. 28-ranked unit in 2024-25.
“He obviously is an elite player offensively,” Sullivan said of Fox. “He sees it so well. The poise he has with the puck. He drives offense in so many ways.”
The Rangers didn’t have that luxury for a chunk of their season. Fox skated in just three games between Nov. 29 and Feb. 26, with a pair of stints on long-term injured reserve surrounding the midseason break — the Olympics that Fox wasn’t selected to participate in for Team USA — to create the prolonged absence. He’d never played in fewer than 70 games across a full 82-game campaign. This year, if he appears in all of the Rangers’ remaining games, he’ll log just 55.
But after recording just 61 points in 74 games last season, Fox has again matched the production level that made him an annual part of the Norris conversation. If there were concerns about injuries contributing to a production drop-off, he eliminated those worries. The Rangers, though, still need to figure out if they can depend on it for next season.
Even a vintage production tear from Fox isn’t enough to change that reality.
Panthers Grant Maple Leafs, Devils Permission To Talk To Assistant GM Sunny Mehta
The Florida Panthers could very easily lose a pair of their assistant GMs this off-season, and that process is already beginning.
On Thursday, the Panthers granted the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils permission to speak to assistant GM Sunny Mehta, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
On Saturday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Mehta would be a major factor in the Maple Leafs’ GM search, given his background and current involvement in the Panthers’ analytics department.
MLSE CEO Keith Pelley felt the Maple Leafs were underutilizing their resources. With Mehta’s success with analytics, he could likely be considered a favorite to land the Maple Leafs job.
But in came the Devils, who fired their GM, Tom Fitzgerald, on Monday. Mehta received his first NHL gig with the Devils, where he worked as an analyst for four years, from 2014-18.
In addition to Mehta, Lebrun mentions Brett Peterson, who has been involved in interviews for the Nashville Predators vacancy. LeBrun wonders whether the Maple Leafs and Devils will approach Peterson as part of their process, but at the moment, they haven’t.
Panthers Assistant GMs Reportedly Garnering Plenty Of Interest Around The NHLThe Nashville Predators and the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as teams that could sweep away Florida Panthers assistant GMs Brett Peterson and Sunny Mehta. With the Panthers’ recent success, it’s no surprise that teams around the NHL want to pry the Panthers’ management group away.
If the Panthers lose both Mehta and Peterson, they’ll need to look for assistant GMs to join Bill Zito and Gregory Campbell’s staff.
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Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could miss start of playoffs with strained lower body muscle
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon could miss the start of the playoffs due to a strained lower-body muscle.
Coach Lindy Ruff provided the update on Thursday, a day after Lyon was hurt during the team's pre-game skate ahead of Buffalo's 5-3 win at the New York Rangers. Ruff said the initial prognosis is the goalie missing a week, while adding there is a chance he won't be available for the start of the playoffs, which are scheduled to open April 18-19.
The Sabres, who host Columbus on Thursday night, are contending for the Atlantic Division title after clinching their first playoff berth in 15 seasons.
The 33-year-old Lyon has gone 20-10-4 in his first season in Buffalo while sharing the starting duties with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Buffalo is carrying a third goalie, Colten Ellis, who was scheduled to face Columbus in his first start since a 31-save outing in a 4-3 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Feb. 3.
Ellis entered the day with a 7-4-1 record, and would serve as Luukkonen's backup while Lyon is sidelined.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Porto 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Europa League quarter-final, first leg – as it happened
A ludicrous Martim Fernandes own goal allowed Nottingham Forest to leave Porto level going into the second leg
Thiago Silva is at the back for Porto, at a very young 41. He must ruddy love football. I would have been a deck chair long ago. It is, however, nice to know there are still a few active footballers who are older than me.
This is relevant, in many ways, to this game.
Continue reading...Twins 3, Tigers 1: Brooks Lee saves the day
They say baseball is a marathon and no team has embodied that more in the first two weeks of the 2026 season than your Minnesota Twins. After a rough start, an April winning streak once again has the Twins right back in the mix for the third season in a row, sweeping the division-favorite Detroit Tigers and moving over .500 for the first time.
Starting pitcher Mick Abel was dancing through raindrops all afternoon. He ended up not allowing a run, but the Tigers were able to get the first two batters on base in each of the first two innings and had at least one batter in scoring position in five of the six innings Abel was on the mound. But you have to give him credit for battling through to keep the Tigers scoreless and deliver one of his best starts on a career-high 102 pitches. On a day where the bullpen was close to spent, Abel battled through and gave the Twins just enough length to squeak out a victory.
The Twins had plenty of base runners as well, despite just one run through the first seven innings. They took great at bats, hit balls hard that unluckily found gloves, were patient at the plate, and looked like a professional, complete lineup for the first time all season. Minnesota had at least one baserunner in every inning except the fifth, with the lone run coming on a Josh Bell moonshot to continue his hot start. 1-0 Twins.
After his three-hit afternoon, Bell is slashing .325/.440/.650 for a 1.090 and 173 wRC+. Will he keep it up for the entire season? Almost definitely not, but someone needed to step up while Buxton and Keaschall are finding their swings.
New Twin and someone you DEFINITELY knew about before this game Garrett Acton came in to pitch the 7th and hit Detroit’s no. 9 batter Jake Rogers and allowed a single to Colt Keith to put runners on the corners with one out. Gleyber Torres followed with a sac fly to knot the game at one apiece. Things could have spiraled from there, but a nifty catch in the left field corner by James Outman got the Twins out of the inning. Acton, thankfully, had a clean 8th, where the Twins were able to deliver the finishing blow in the bottom half of the inning.
With one out in the inning, Matt Wallner battled back from being down 1-2 to earn a walk, followed immediately by a Victor Caratini single to put two on for the bottom third of the lineup. Kody Clemens pulled a reverse Wally and went from up 3-0 to striking out, leaving things to Royce Lewis. After a brief mid-AB injury scare, Royce beat out an infield single and loaded the bases for Brooks Lee, who came in as a defensive sub after some pinch hitting switcharoos. Inarguably their worst hitter in the young season, Lee came up HUGE and delivered a single hit just hard enough to sneak past the glove of Detroit second baseman Zach McKinstry. That was all Garrett Acton and Eric Orze needed. 3-1 Twins win.
Before I wrap up my recap with a usual pithy comment of some sort, I want to give Royce Lewis his flowers. The overall numbers still aren’t looking great, but he is taking very good at bats, getting good hacks, and hitting the ball very hard even if it’s leading to outs. The season is incredibly young with the sample size incredibly small, but his 92.5 MPH average exit velocity is in the top 15% of the league. He’s DRASTICALLY reduced his chase rate and is top 15 in walk rate. That’s exactly how you make up your other physical tools taking a step back from his younger years. Plus, sprinting to to beat out an infield single immediately after tweaking your knee is something everyone in that locker room is going to love.
STUDS
- Josh Bell: 3-4, 1 HR
- Brooks: 1-1, 2 game winning RBIs
- Pitching B Squad (Abel, Acton, Orze): 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K
- Royce Lewis: see soliloquy above
DUDS
NO DUDS, TWWWWINS WWWWIN
We’ll see you all in virtual Toronto tomorrow night!
‘For the first time I’m the hunter’: Fury relishes return to face Makhmudov
Fury: ‘I’m going to make an example of him’
Russian lifts Fury in the air during final face-off
A cheerful Tyson Fury has promised his latest comeback to the ring will begin with a destructive knockout of Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday night. “It’s going to be different because, for the first time in forever, I’m the hunter,” Fury said at the fight’s final press conference. “I’m not the hunted, and we all know that when I’ve always been the hunter in the past, I’ve always fucked people up.
“I actually feel sorry for Makhmudov because I’m going to make an example of him. He’s a big six foot seven lump, 18 or 19 stone. But I’ll knock his head right off his shoulders. I’m going to lay him unconscious like the gamecock on top of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He will be knocked spark out on the canvas looking up, thinking: ‘What just happened there?’ But it’s no shame because he’s fighting the great Tyson Fury.”
Continue reading...Pirates enter Wrigley Field looking to set early-season tone
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Cubs dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025.
The division rivals played 13 times last season. Chicago won 10. The Cubs outscored the Pirates 54-26 and hit .256 against Pittsburgh’s pitching.
Chicago smacked an impressive 16 home runs, compared to the Pirates’ five, and earned a .740 OPS. The Pirates batted .182 as a team with a .523 OPS.
In all its charm, Wrigley Field has been a house of horrors for the Pirates in recent years.
The Pirates (7-5) look to set a new precedent in 2026, beginning a three-game series at Wrigley on Friday.
In his first full season as manager, Don Kelly has watched a dreadful offense come to life through the first 12 games.
After hitting a league-worst 117 home runs, the Pirates have already smashed 12, tied for 8th in baseball, and at one point held the National League lead.
A big reason why is offseason additions Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, who have both hit three apiece.
The offense ranks tied for 9th in hits per game (8.3), 9th in average (.247), 6th in on-base (.338), 8th in slugging (.383), and 7th in OPS (.721). The Bucs consistently ranked in the bottom third, if not last, in every category last year.
One early carryover is strong starting pitching. Pittsburgh owns the 6th best starters ERA at 2.87, third in the NL behind the Cubs (2.72) and Atlanta Braves (2.79).
Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller pitched in the Padres series at PNC Park, meaning the club will be without their top two arms against a vaunted Cubs (6-6) lineup.
Carmen Mlodzinski gets the ball on Friday, opposite Shota Imanaga, who has dominated the Pirates for what feels like more than a decade (despite it only being three years).
Mlodzinski has allowed two runs in each of his first two starts, but hasn’t been able to pitch out of the fifth inning. The third time through the order is where Mlodzinski, primarily a reliever in his career, has struggled to get through innings.
Saturday plates Braxton Ashcraft against Edward Cabrera, who hasn’t allowed a run in 11.2 innings for Chicago since being traded from the Marlins.
Ashcraft has been Pittsburgh’s surprise starter after an impressive rookie year. Ashcraft earned a 2.71 ERA over 69.2 innings spanning 26 appearances, eight starts.
He has pitched six frames in each of his first two outings and allowed two runs or fewer both times.
All three games have solid pitching probables, but Sunday’s might be the most fascinating.
Former Pirate Jameson Taillon takes the ball against Bubba Chandler. The No. 11 overall prospect and second-highest ranked pitcher at the start of the season, Chandler touches 101 MPH with his fastball.
The problem is, you don’t always know where it’s going. Chandler’s control remains a main concern, walking 10 batters in 8.2 innings. He didn’t allow a hit over 4.1 innings in his season debut at Cincinnati, but walked six and struck out six.
Chandler walked four against the Padres on Monday and allowed five hits and three runs.
Chandler has elite stuff, but has work to do to become a consistent pitcher that the rotation can depend on.
Chicago was the preseason favorite to win the NL Central, providing three important games in April for who may take the grand prize in late September.
If the Pirates are going to begin to prove that their start and chances to compete in the Central aren’t a fluke, it begins on the road against a very good team.
All three games of the series will begin at 2:20 p.m. Eastern, 1:20 p.m. Central.
Warriors’ Draymond Green admits the Play-In Tournament is ‘not that exciting’ for him
In today’s Dub Hub:
- Draymond Green admits he’s “not that excited” about the Play-In Tournament as Warriors are officially locked into the 10th seed.
- NBA reveals Play-In Tournament schedule, Warriors to play next Wednesday against the Clippers or Blazers.
- NBA determines Kings’ coach Doug Christie made ‘no intentional effort’ to lose the game vs. Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors are officially locked into the 10th seed in the Western Conference, meaning they’ll have to win two road games in the Play-In Tournament to secure a spot in the playoffs.
It’s not where the team expected to be entering the season, but injuries derailed those plans, and now, their playoff hopes come down to a win-or-go-home two-game stretch.
However, despite the stakes, Draymond Green isn’t exactly excited by the opportunity. While he embraces the challenge, Green made it clear after Tuesday’s win over the Sacramento Kings that the Play-In doesn’t carry the same intensity as a traditional playoff series.
Green expanded on this perspective, pointing to the original purpose of the Play-In which was to incentivize teams to keep competing late in the season. But in this year’s Western Conference, the top 10 in the standings have largely been locked in for weeks now, with little pressure from outside teams due to what he claims is tanking.
Regardless of how it feels, the stakes remain clear.
The Warriors will need to win twice on the road to advance and earn a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, or else, their season comes to an early end once again.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, April 9th:
Warriors News:
What NBA players, coaches and execs are saying about tanking | ESPN
In ESPN’s conversations with dozens of players, coaches and front office executives, a consistent theme emerged: Nobody likes it — “I hate it,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said — but not many deny it is often the most prudent team-building path when stuck near the bottom. Different seasons and different drafts will generate different forms, but everyone agrees it’ll continue until the NBA figures out either the proper rules or punishments to curb it.
“These teams are doing the whole gamut: sitting guys in the fourth, playing analytically bad lineups, drawing up plays for bad shots,” one Western Conference general manager said. “The creativity is impressive and I don’t blame them. It’s the best strategy to get better. Look at all the most promising teams in the league: Thunder, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Hornets. Years of being bad and building up on high picks. It’s painful but worthwhile.”
Steph Curry reveals secret to four-point play success in Warriors’ win vs. Kings | NBC Sports Bay Area
After the win, Curry broke down exactly how he’s able to convert those difficult, contact-heavy shots.
“You have to obviously focus in on the rim,” Curry said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live.” “Sometimes there could be contact or whatnot — I do fall a lot — but those two were just timing, confidence, let it go, absorb the contact and have fun with it.”
That simple formula — focus, timing and confidence — has helped Curry turn chaotic moments into highlight plays throughout his career.
Warriors first Play-In game scheduled for next Wednesday
NBA News:
Starting 5: OKC clinches No. 1 seed, Denver wins 10th straight, Cade returns | NBA
Top Dogs: With the win, the Thunder secure the West’s top seed and the league’s best record, a feat they’ve now pulled off in back-to-back seasons
“It’s extremely important,” said Holmgren on securing the No. 1 seed. “Just knowing that in the event of a Game 7, it’s always gonna be at home. You can’t underestimate how valuable that is … now, we got more to do.”
Seeking 65: At 64-16, OKC is one win shy of the franchise’s first-ever back-to-back 65+ win seasons
NBA determines Kings’ late foul was an error and not tanking
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Warriors Reacts Survey: Do you want Steve Kerr to come back?
The Warriors coach is about to see his contract expire, and there haven’t been any reports of working on a new contract. Even though there’s occasionally been some tension between Kerr and owner Joe Lacob, the simple fact is that Kerr has an open invite to coach the Warriors for as long as Curry is on the roster. Curry very openly does not want to play for any other coach … but of course, it takes two to tango, and Kerr will have to make the decision.
So we’re asking Warriors fans: do you want to see Kerr return next year? Or would you prefer he call it quits, and the organization can bring in a new face?
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Ranking Michigan Basketball’s roster by NBA career potential
For the majority of college basketball players, the final goal is to make it in the National Basketball Association. A very small minority have their dreams become a reality while most go on to do something other than sports. For a team like Michigan that just won the National Championship, the NBA is a realistic dream for a good portion of the roster.
Today, we will power rank the members of the 2025-26 Michigan roster by their pro potential. Keep in mind, we aren’t just ranking the players’ NBA potential next year — we’re talking the long-term trajectory of each players’ future career in the NBA.
Honorable Mention: Howard Eisley Jr., Harrison Hochberg, Charlie May
These players have no shot at the NBA. However any national champion deserves an honorable mention in my book.
13. G Ricky Liburd
Liburd redshirted this season, as he was a late addition to the class and wasn’t a highly sought after prospect. We’ll know significantly more about him next year, but for now, it’s impossible to assess his NBA potential.
12. C Malick Kordel
An international prospect from Germany, Kordel played during garbage time during his first season of college basketball. He was clearly very raw, but at 7-foot-2 and 275 pounds, he has the frame of an NBA center. His need for development prevents him from being any higher on this list.
11. F Will Tschetter
Don’t take Tschetter’s low placement on this list as any disrespect towards one of the pivotal pieces on the national title team. The heartbeat of the program, he embodied the Michigan mantra of “those who stay will be champions.” Unfortunately at this point in his career, we know exactly what his limitations are and so too do NBA scouts. Tschetter was an all-time college basketball character but will likely never see any NBA action.
10. F Oscar Goodman
Goodman was tough to place on this list. The young forward saw more minutes than anyone else on the bench mob and flashed some potential with high flying dunks and blocked shots in garbage time. Depending on Michigan’s activity in the portal, he may be a part of the rotation next year. Given his youth, he could still develop into a fringe NBA type player. Time will tell.
9. F Winters Grady
Like Goodman, this is entirely based off of projection. Grady played in just nine games this season and wasn’t entirely effective before being shut down due to an injury. However, his recruiting profile suggests that of a sharpshooter who could develop into a three-and-D type of player. He is obviously nowhere near draft boards now, but he’s got the right frame and archetype as that of a bench NBA player.
8. G Elliot Cadeau
I wanted to put Final Four Most Outstanding Player much higher on this list, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger. Elliot Cadeau played some of his best basketball during the NCAA Tournament and will be forever remembered for his performances in the Final Four. However, the NBA is beginning to value height and length more and more as time progresses. He is generously listed as 6-foot-1. Small point guards who aren’t elite three-point shooters are going out of style in the NBA unfortunately.
7. G Nimari Burnett
Like Grady, Burnett displays the archetype of a typical three-and-D type player. Burnett doesn’t thrive when asked to create his own shot, but he could thrive in a bench role in the NBA a la Caleb Houstan if he can become an elite three-point shooter. He was very good but not quite elite in his college career which will prevent him from being drafted. However, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see him invited to the NBA Summer League and try to make a name for himself this offseason.
6. G/F Roddy Gayle Jr.
April Roddy’s ascent from frustrating shooter to lock-down defender and the best dunker on the team will become the stuff of legend over time. In college, Gayle seemed to get more athletic the older he became, which is quite rare. Like Burnett, his lack of on-ball playmaking will hamper his draft status, but several players just like him have latched onto NBA rosters via Summer League invites over the years. It’s not impossible.
5. G L.J. Cason
As we’ve covered extensively, Cason suffered a season-ending injury, which fortunately didn’t derail Michigan’s season. Before the injury, he was playing arguably as well as anyone on the roster. Cason was explosive on the fast break, shot lights out from three, and provided instant offense whenever called upon. While still young and a bit raw, his weaknesses are the types of things that can be corrected over time as there are certainly no physical limitations to his game. Assuming he returns to full health with no lingering side effects, Cason has a very legitimate chance to be drafted to the NBA in the next few years.
4. G Trey McKenney
A former five-star, McKenney led his dream school to the National Championship as a true freshman. That’s the type of thing dreams are made of. Following Cason’s injury, his role exploded as he became the primary backup ball-handler. He also became Michigan’s most reliable shooter in the tournament as evidenced in the Final Four game against Arizona (6-of-9 from three). Next season will likely be his last in Ann Arbor before heading to the NBA, potentially as a lottery pick if things go right.
3. C Aday Mara
Now things start to get serious. Mara was the difference maker for Michigan basketball this season. His rim protection was the anchor of the No. 1 defense in all of college basketball. He’s projected to be a mid-first round pick, which leaves him with a stay-or-go decision. In the NBA’s eyes, he will need to bulk out his incredibly wiry frame. However, his passing is incredible for his size and he possesses a nice shooting stroke despite the limited attempts this year. He will likely be looked at as a top-end developmental pick should he decide to go pro.
2. F Morez Johnson Jr.
Morez Johnson Jr. proved to be much more than just a rim-runner in Ann Arbor this year. He is an incredibly versatile defender, able to stay in front of guards consistently despite being 6-foot-9. He also developed a post game on offense and was much more than just a dunker this season.
At the NBA level, Johnson could contribute right away in a reserve role. He’s got the size and strength to match up physically and is an excellent free throw shooter for the position. Should he declare this offseason, he could be a serviceable big man in the NBA for a decade or longer such as an Isaiah Stewart type player.
1. F Yaxel Lendeborg
No one helped their draft stock more in the NCAA Tournament than Yaxel Lendeborg. The constant knock on his draft stock will be his age — he’ll be 24 before the NBA season starts — but he proved time and again he can impact the game in every facet.
At 6-foot-9, Lendeborg can guard any position on the court. He is elite at finishing through contact, and shot 82 percent from the free throw line and 37 percent from three. Most importantly, he is patient and lets the game come to him. Lendeborg doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make a massive impact on the game, which makes him incredibly valuable. He proved to also be incredibly tough, as evidenced by his play during the National Championship essentially on one leg.
I would expect Lendeborg to be drafted either late in the lottery or just outside of it. Under the right circumstances, he could start in the NBA right away. His age may prevent him from becoming a star in the league, but he has every single tool necessary to become a very, very good NBA player. It will be fascinating to watch his career progression.
Yankees look to turn the page on cold offensive series vs. Athletics: 'We got shut down today'
The Yankees dropped Thursday afternoon’s rubber match against the Athletics by a score of 1-0, with a Ben Rice seventh-inning single as their only hit of the afternoon.
Despite losing two of three to the A’s, the Yankees are still off to a strong start at 8-4, but their offense has disappeared at times, which could be a concerning trend. Thursday’s loss marked the fifth time this season that the Yankees have scored three runs or fewer.
Manager Aaron Boone said after the game that while there have been other times when the Yankees have had opportunities but couldn’t cash in, Thursday’s loss was a case where A’s starter Jeffrey Springs was simply at the top of his game, allowing one hit over his 7.0 masterful innings.
“Look, we got shut down today,” Boone said. “The previous games where we’re struggling scoring, I feel like we’re getting the traffic and we’re having quality at-bats. Today was a day where we got beat. We just didn’t generate much, we didn’t hit a lot of balls on the screws at all, and didn’t create much traffic.
"We’ll get this thing going. We’ve got a few guys, obviously, struggling to get on track a little bit. Hopefully we’ll get things going down inside [in Tampa].”
Springs, who doesn’t feature overpowering velocity, kept the Yankees guessing with his fastball-changeup mix, while also working in a sweeper and slider. He struck out six and walked two, lowering his season ERA to 1.47.
“Stayed very unpredictable, I thought, with both, did a good job of really mixing, but really commanded the four-seam in and out and then sets up his changeup really well, obviously gave us some problems,” said Boone.
“I feel like he was just keeping everybody a little off-balanced,” said Rice, who broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the seventh. “It looked like guys were just a little bit late, a little bit under on the fastball, a little early on the offspeeds. His changeup was working well, so just tough to get a good piece of it.”
Up next, the Yankees head to Tampa for a three-game series with the Rays, starting on Friday night, where they’ll look to get the bats going.
As a team, the Yankees have had just two hits since the first inning of Wednesday's 3-2 loss.
“Of course, the results haven’t been there for us the last couple of games, but I think we’ll be alright,” Rice said, “and I think the quality of at-bat is still there, so just gotta keep rolling.”
Indian Premier League cricket 2026: Cameron Green innings in Kolkata Knight Riders loss v Lucknow Super Giants, news, video
Youngster Mukul Choudhary played the innings of his life, smashing seven sixes on his way to an unbeaten 54 to haul Lucknow Super Giants to a dramatic, last-ball, three-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Thursday (Friday AEST).
A month by month breakdown of the Phoenix Suns
The Suns are currently sitting at 44-36 with just a couple of games left to play. Boy, has this season flown by.
The Suns have locked in the 7th seed and will host the Clippers or Blazers on April 14th at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Now, let’s take a quick look at how we got here in a more zoomed-out perspective, month by month.
- October — 2-4 (.333)
- November — 10-5 (.667)
- December — 7-5 (.583)
- January — 11-5 (.688)
- February — 4-7 (.364)
- March — 8-8 (.500)
- April — 2-2 (.500)
October was weird. A few close losses and some unfortunate endings had them off to a slow start. Then, the Suns had themselves a very strong winter, compiling a 28-15 record in November, December, and January. February was the only “ugly” month, and luckily, it was cut short due to the ASB. They entered the All-Star Break with a 32-23 record, and have since gone 12-13.
The injuries started to pile up in February (even more so than they already were), and things began to spiral a bit. Nothing dramatic, they still weathered the storm, but instead of making a push into the top 6 as we all hoped earlier in the season, they remained in the play-in. It just goes to show you that it truly is a marathon. That is still a massive win relative to expectations entering the season, after many experts had them finishing as one of the worst teams in the association.
And now, here we are in April. The madness and chaos of late-season basketball, where teams are gearing up for one last push for seeding or a tune-up for the playoffs.
For the Suns, it’s about entering the postseason healthy. Last night was not an ideal start to that goal, as Jalen Green and Jordan Goodwin both left the game with leg injuries. Their immediate status is to be determined.
It’s time to let the young guys shine in these final two games. Maluach, Fleming, Dunn, Oso, even Brea… let them loose.
We now await the Clippers or Blazers, who are one game apart from each other in the final stretch, and their head-to-head game on Friday will likely determine who gets the 8th seed. It’s almost like a play-in for the play-in.
The final two games of the regular season (for the Suns) before the play-in begins will come on the road in Los Angeles against the Lakers and in Oklahoma City against the Thunder. It’s unlikely any of those teams take these games too seriously. The Lakers have more to play for as they’re fighting for home-court advantage in the first round, but they, too, are limping into the finish line.
It will be interesting to monitor how the rotations look in these last two games, especially considering Jordan Ott’s quote last night, stating:
“We’ll continue to assess how our guys come out of this back-to-back and then we’ll plan accordingly the best we can. Balancing rhythm versus rest, especially with a group that doesn’t have a ton of reps on the floor together.”
Book hinted that one of the games could be a rest day for himself, which makes sense given they are locked into the 7th seed at this point.
I’m in the camp that you just gotta get everyone as healthy as possible heading into that game next Tuesday, regardless of the lack of reps.