There are three top-10 matchups in Week 1 alone.
Braves at Mets Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 12
It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Braves (51-67) are in Queens to take on the Mets (63-55). Spencer Strider is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Clay Holmes for New York.
The Mets' struggles look to end after a day off. New York has lost seven straight games and are 1-11 in the past 12 games as they prepare to host Atlanta. The Braves are coming off three straight wins over Miami and is 4-1 in the previous five games.
Despite the struggles, the Mets still hold the final NL Wild Card spot and are up 2.0 games on the Reds and 3.0 on the Cardinals.
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 first pitch, 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 Braves at Mets
- Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Time: 7:10PM EST
- Site: Citi Field
- City: Queens, NY
- Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, SNY
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 Braves at the Mets
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Moneyline: Braves (+116), Mets (-138)
- Spread: Mets -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Mets
- Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Spencer Strider vs. Clay Holmes
- Braves: Spencer Strider, (5-9, 4.05 ERA)
Last outing: 9.64 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 11 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts - Mets: Clay Holmes, (9-6, 3.46 ERA)
Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
- Braves: Spencer Strider, (5-9, 4.05 ERA)
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 Braves and the Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Braves and the Mets:
- 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 Atlanta Braves 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 Braves at Mets
- Atlanta is 3-0 in the past 3 games and 4-1 in the last 5
- Atlanta is 3-6 in the past 9 games
- New York is 0-7 in the last 7 games
- New York is 1-11 in the last 12 games
- The Braves have a winning record (4-1) in their last 5 games
- The Under is 20-10-1 in the Braves' divisional matchups this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer head list of prominent players switching schools
After an injury kept him from competing in the College Football Playoff last year, Carson Beck wants to get back to that stage with a different school.
Bradley Beal on joining Clippers: 'I need a ring. I need one bad.'
Bradley Beal had options after he agreed to a buyout with Phoenix that allowed the Suns to waive-and-stretch the remaining money on his contract — Beal was a free agent. Teams from across the league were calling.
Beal chose the Los Angeles Clippers. Why? To win a ring, he told Tamar Sher of KMOV 4 when Beal was back in his hometown of St. Louis.
"I need a ring."
— Tamar Sher (@tamar_sher) August 11, 2025
Bradley Beal speaks about signing with the @LAClippers, his connection to teammate CP3, and why he gives to the next generation of St. Louis talent with @BradBealElite.
Catch the full interview tonight on Sports Sunday after @KMOV at 10. pic.twitter.com/BWCEq6yA9w
"I feel like I've got a new life of rejuvenation for sure, a new hunger."
Beal is stepping into a key role with the Clippers, the one Norman Powell played at a near All-Star level for the team last season: Sharpshooter to space the floor, being a secondary shot creator on the wing next to James Harden, and running the second unit. Beal has come to a team that should win a lot of games: The Clippers were a 50-win team last season and should be improved after adding solid veteran depth around Harden and Kawhi Leonard, such as Brook Lopez as a backup center and John Collins at the four.
But are they contenders? Can Harden be trusted in the playoffs? Will Leonard be healthy?
The other challenge for coach Tyronn Lue will be balancing a deep roster, but one that has some one-way players. For example, do the Clippers start Beal next to Harden for the offense, or start Kris Dunn for the defense? Is Collins the starting four, or does he come off the bench and Derrick Jones Jr. starts because of his superior defense? Lue tried not to play Dunn and Jones Jr. together last season because it ruined the team's floor spacing. Lue has to find that balance again.
Beal has joined a team where he feels comfortable, is going to have a big role, and is going to do a lot of winning in the regular season. However, he may not need to formalize his ring size just yet.
Brewers claim 10th straight game and become 1st team since 2019 with 2 double-digit win streaks
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers became the first MLB team since 2019 with multiple winning streaks of 10 or more games. However, any excitement over that particular accomplishment is tempered by the bigger picture.
The Brewers extended their current win streak to 10 with a 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Earlier in the season, Milwaukee won 11 straight, and with the victory join the Houston Astros (2019 and 1969), Los Angeles Dodgers (2017), Toronto Blue Jays (2015), Atlanta Braves (2013), St. Louis Cardinals (2001), Pittsburgh Pirates (1978), Kansas City Royals (1977) and the New York Mets (1969) as the only teams to have two double-digit wins streaks since MLB expanded in 1969, according to MLB.com.
“Honestly, nobody cares about what we have done the past month,” Brewers slugger Christian Yelich said. “It’s all great, but we have bigger goals than winning 74 games or whatever it is. That’s great, but that wasn’t really our goal going into the season. We have bigger aspirations than that.”
Yelich’s home run snapped a 1-all tie and highlighted Milwaukee’s four-run third inning.
“It’s hard to win just one game in the major leagues,” Yelich said. “We’ve done it just by being present, focusing on the current day and not thinking about previous days or what we have ahead of us. Staying present in the moment, talking about, figuring out what we have to do to win that night.”
José Quintana (10-4), Milwaukee’s winning pitcher, is enjoying the ride as the Brewers improved to 30 games over .500 at 74-44 and moved 6 1/2 games ahead of the idle Chicago Cubs (67-50) in the NL Central.
“It’s been fun the way we’ve been playing, all the energy we have around,” Quintana said.
Diamondbacks at Rangers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for August 12
Its Tuesday, August 12 and the Diamondbacks (57-62) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (61-59).
Anthony DeSclafani is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Jack Leiter for Texas.
Trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the Rangers rallied and won in ten innings, 7-6 in ten innings. Jake Burger drove in the winning run to cap the comeback and keep Texas within 2.5 games of the Yankees and the final Wild Card spot.
Lets dive into Game 2 of the series 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 the first pitch, 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 Diamondbacks at Rangers
- Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Time: 8:05PM EST
- Site: Globe Life Field
- City: Arlington, TX
- Network/Streaming: ARID, RSN
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 Diamondbacks at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+126), Rangers (-151)
- Spread: Rangers -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Rangers
- Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Anthony DeSclafani vs. Jack Leiter
- Diamondbacks: Anthony DeSclafani (1-2, 4.20 ERA)
Last outing: August 6 vs. San Diego - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts - Rangers: Jack Leiter (7-6, 4.05 ERA)
Last outing: August 6 vs. Yankees - 2.70 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
- Diamondbacks: Anthony DeSclafani (1-2, 4.20 ERA)
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 Diamondbacks at Rangers
- The Rangers have won 5 of their last 7 home games against the Diamondbacks
- The Under is 68-50-2 in Rangers' games this season
- The Diamondbacks have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.96 units
- Corbin Carroll has hit safely in 5 straight (7-21) and 8 of his last 9 games (11-36)
- Wyatt Langford has hit in 3 straight (3-12)
- Corey Seagar is 8-18 over his 5 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Rangers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Rangers:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Monica Seles adapting to ‘new normal’ after being diagnosed with neuromuscular disease
Former world No 1 received diagnosis in 2022
Disease can affect vision, speaking and swallowing
Monica Seles says she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis – a neuromuscular autoimmune disease – three years ago.
The nine-time grand slam singles champion says she first noticed symptoms of the disease while she was swinging her racket.
Continue reading...Cubs at Blue Jays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 12
Its Tuesday, August 12 and after a day of travel for each of these teams, the Cubs (67-50) are in Toronto to open a series against the Blue Jays (69-50).
Ben Brown is slated to take the mound for Chicago against José Berríos for Toronto.
The Jays sit atop the American League East by 4.5 games. A .500 team on the road, Toronto is dominant at home posting a record of 38-19 this season. One-time leaders in the National League Central, division hopes for the Cubs have been squashed by the white-hot Brewers.
Chicago now trails Milwaukee by 6.5 games.
Lets dive into the series opener 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 the first pitch, 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 Cubs at Blue Jays
- Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Time: 7:07PM EST
- Site: Rogers Centre
- City: Toronto, ON
- Network/Streaming: MARQ, Sportsnet, TBS
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 Cubs at the Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Moneyline: Cubs (+106), Blue Jays (-126)
- Spread: Blue Jays -1.5
- Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Blue Jays
- Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Ben Brown vs. José Berríos
- Cubs: Ben Brown (5-7, 6.04 ERA)
Last outing: August 4 vs. Cincinnati - 2.25 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts - Blue Jays: José Berríos (8-4, 3.89 ERA)
Last outing: August 5 at Colorado - 5.06 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
- Cubs: Ben Brown (5-7, 6.04 ERA)
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 Cubs at Blue Jays
- The Cubs have won four of their last five at AL East teams
- When Jose Berrios takes the mound for the Blue Jays the Over is 14-8-2 (58%)
- The Blue Jays have covered in nine of their last 11 games with Jose Berrios on the mound
- Jose Berrios has struck out at least 5 in 3 of his last 4 starts
- Bo Bichette has hit safely in 8 of 9 games in August (15-40)
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 Cubs and the Blue Jays
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Cubs and the Blue Jays:
- 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 Cubs at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Canadiens Defenseman Named As Top Breakout Candidate
The Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's most exciting teams right now, as they are on the rise and have several promising young players on their roster. After making the playoffs in 2024-25 and following that up with a busy off-season, their goal will be to take another notable step in the right direction this upcoming campaign.
With all of the young talent the Canadiens have, they certainly have some breakout candidates heading into the 2025-26 campaign. In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Jared Clinton highlighted Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle as a prime breakout candidate for the Original Six club for this upcoming season.
Guhle has been cementing himself as a key part of the Canadiens' blueline due to his strong all-around play, so it would not be surprising in the slightest if he took another step forward next season. His steady play is what helped him land a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension back in July of last year, which begins during the 2025-26 season.
If Guhle hits a new level with his play, his contract could end up aging incredibly well for the Canadiens. When noting that he is still only 23 years old and entering just his fourth NHL season, the possibility of him improving further is certainly there.
In 55 games this past season with the Canadiens, Guhle recorded six goals, 12 assists, 16 points, 104 hits, and a plus-6 rating. Overall, it was another solid year for the left-shot defenseman, and it will be interesting to see how he follows it up during the 2025-26 season from here.
Canadiens New Forward Should Become Big PieceThe Montreal Canadiens have brought in multiple new players this off-season, and forward Zack Bolduc is undoubtedly among the most notable. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux last month. With this, Montreal and St. Louis swapped two 2021 first-round picks in one of the most intriguing trades of the summer. Blackhawks Still Have Important Move To Make
The Chicago Blackhawks have not had as busy of an off-season as they did last summer, but they still have made some moves. They improved their overall depth, as they brought in players like Andre Burakovsky, Sam Lafferty, and Dominic Toninato. They also made a significant move when they signed Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16 million contract extension back in June.
Now that we are in August, things have naturally slowed down in the NHL. While this is the case, the Blackhawks still have an important move to make. At the time of this writing, defenseman Wyatt Kaiser remains a restricted free agent (RFA). With Kaiser being one of the team's most promising young blueliners, there is no question that they need to get him signed to his new deal.
Kaiser quietly had a solid season with the Blackhawks this past campaign, as he recorded four goals, eight points, 54 hits, 93 blocks, and an even plus/minus rating in 57 games. He also noticeably showed signs of improvement as the campaign rolled on, which is certainly encouraging for a Blackhawks club that is looking to take that next step.
With Kaiser having the potential to become a significant part of the Blackhawks' blueline, they should look to get him re-signed before training camp is here. It will be fascinating to see what happens on that front from here.
Blackhawks Goalie Named Top Breakout CandidateWith the Chicago Blackhawks rebuilding, they now have a ton of promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their roster. Brad Marchand looking to follow in Jaromir Jagr’s Florida Panthers footsteps
It was about a decade ago when the Florida Panthers were blessed by one of the NHL’s rare ageless wonders.
For parts of three seasons, including an incredibly fun 2015-16 campaign, Jaromir Jagr showed hockey fans that age was in fact just a number.
At 43 years old, Jagr played on a line with Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, and the trio continuously lifted each other up.
Jagr finished that season with 27 goals and 66 points in 79 games, leading the Panthers to their first Atlantic Division title.
Now here we are, 10 years later, and another future Hall of Famer is aiming to follow in Jagr’s footsteps.
Brad Marchand will be 37 years old when the upcoming season begins, and by the time the playoffs arrive, he’ll be 38.
After being acquired by the Panthers at last year’s Trade Deadline, Marchand was electric for Florida during their run to the Stanley Cup.
He signed a six-year extension with the Cats last month, which would keep him playing in Florida until the same ripe age of 43 that Jagr had his magical season in South Florida.
According to Marchand, who recently spoke to DJ Siddiqi at RG Media, that’s exactly what the plan is.
"This contract solidifies that I'm going to play for a long time here, and I have every intention of playing it out," Marchand said in the one-on-one with RG. "Hopefully I can keep up with the young guys here in the next number of years here. It's something I want to hold on to as long as I can. My family loves it."
A happy, healthy and motivated Marchand could really thrive on Florida’s roster.
We saw during the playoffs how strong he looked, growing instant chemistry with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen and turning Florida’s third line into perhaps their most consistent source of offense.
Considering Florida’s top six includes Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett, that’s quite an accomplishment.
It’s part of why Marchand wanted to come to the Panthers in the first place.
As part of the Boston Bruins, Marchand had seen firsthand exactly how strong of a unit Florida had become, both on the ice and off.
It’s something incredibly rare, and with plenty of gas left in the tank, Marchand knew he could make the Panthers even better.
"They enjoy being part of it and being part of the relationships that we build every day," Marchand told Siddiqi. "When you get to be part of an incredible organization like Florida, they make it easy to be around. It was the youngest I have felt in a long time walking into that room, the way they do things and the way they take care of themselves in there, I felt very rejuvenated. I'm excited to be part of it for a long time."
It will be interesting to see how things play out over the coming years with Marchand in South Florida.
The rarity of a hockey player staying in the NHL past 40 does not escape Marchand, or the Panthers, but as an undersized kid from Nova Scotia, the guy they call Marchy has been proving people wrong his entire career.
"They're going to have to kick me out of the league for me to go," Marchand said. "I'm going to play until I can't play anymore. When I heard one of my coaches say that, it always stuck with me. The longer you play, you realize how close you are to the finish. It's like you want to hold on to that as long as you can. That was always my mindset, and it is today. I want to play as long as I possibly can."
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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)
Mets owner Steve Cohen issues vote of confidence ahead of homestand: ‘I still believe in this team’
It’s no secret that the Mets have been scuffling, having lost 11 of their last 12 games, but owner Steve Cohen isn’t losing faith.
With the Mets beginning a six-game homestand (the final game is in Williamsport, Pa., but the Mets are technically the home team against Seattle) on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Braves, Cohen took to X (formerly Twitter) to send a message to the fans.
“We haven’t been playing well but I still believe in this team,” Cohen wrote. “I will be at [Citi Field] the next 3 games rooting the Mets on. LGM”
While the Mets have been struggling to score runs and haven’t seen their starting pitchers go deep into games, the silver lining is that at 63-55, the Mets still currently hold the third and final NL Wild Card Spot, sitting 2.0 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds.
Now 6.0 games behind the Phillies in the NL East standings, the Mets still have plenty of time to play catch-up, especially considering that 13 of the team’s 19 remaining August games are against the sub-.500 Braves, Nationals, and Marlins.
The Mets will also host the Phillies for three games from Aug. 25-27, and then play a four-game set in Philadelphia in September, and both series could go a long way towards determining the NL East champion.
Kevin Durant badly wanted Steph Curry to win 2018 NBA Finals MVP, per ex-player
Kevin Durant badly wanted Steph Curry to win 2018 NBA Finals MVP, per ex-player originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Even after making five consecutive NBA Finals appearances with the Warriors and winning three championships, Steph Curry never was crowned Finals MVP during those dynastic years from 2014 to 2019.
Curry and the Warriors won their first title of the bunch in the 2015 NBA Finals, and despite Curry averaging 26.2 points on 44.7-percent shooting from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range, Andre Iguodala earned the Finals MVP award after his clutch defensive efforts against LeBron James.
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got their revenge the following season as the two teams met again on the big stage, so Curry would have to wait at least another year to finally get his first Finals MVP.
But Golden State landed superstar Kevin Durant that offseason, who helped the Warriors make three more consecutive Finals appearances and win two more titles. Durant hoisted the Finals MVP trophy in both 2017 and 2018, although the second time appears to have been accidental.
Former NBA point guard Quinn Cook, who was a part of that 2017-18 Warriors championship team, recalled that Durant’s mindset was actually to make Curry win his first Finals MVP since Durant had just won the award the year prior.
“When we were in Houston and Toyota Center’s going crazy, and they just made a 9-0 run and we needed a bucket, we’re going to Kevin every single time,” Cook said on “The Player’s Choice” podcast. “And to be honest, Kevin wanted Steph to get that Finals MVP the next year so bad. That’s all he was talking about all season, like I can’t wait until Steph gets his Finals MVP so he can shut up everybody, the naysayers.
“But I think in Game 2 [of the Finals], that’s when Steph broke the record, he had nine 3s. And then Game 3, we were struggling, Steph was struggling, and Kevin just accidentally walked into 40 [points]. And then you just look at the numbers statistically, I think Kevin had a triple-double in Game 4. He wasn’t even as aggressive; that’s just how good he is. He just accidentally got the Finals MVP back-to-back.”
Curry had a 29-point Game 1 and then backed it up with a historic 33-point Game 2. But the sharpshooter struggled in Game 3, finishing with just 11 points on an uncharacteristic 3-of-16 shooting from the field and 1 of 10 from distance in nearly 40 minutes of action.
Durant’s 43 points kept the Warriors alive, though, as Golden State still came out on top with a narrow 8-point victory. And while the Warriors still won the game, Curry knew his shot at securing Finals MVP went out the door with his poor performance.
Curry bounced back in Game 4, knocking down seven 3s and finishing with 37 points. But Durant was awarded the Finals MVP for being the Warriors’ most consistent player.
That one stung Curry for years, but four seasons later, he led the Warriors back to the NBA Finals and finally got his Finals MVP trophy after Golden State defeated the Boston Celtics in 2022.
Now that he’s finally added Finals MVP to his résumé, he’d rather just compete and win another championship in his remaining NBA years with less care for who is crowned Finals MVP.
Penguins Exciting Prospect Named Top Breakout Candidate
The Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of young players to keep an eye on next season as they continue their retool. They will certainly be hoping that their most notable prospects end up taking big steps forward in their development in 2025-26.
In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Ryan Kennedy discussed one breakout candidate for each team in the Metropolitan Division. When it came to the Penguins, Kennedy went with forward Rutger McGroarty.
When noting that McGroarty is the Penguins' top prospect, it is easy to understand why Kennedy views him as a prime breakout candidate for Pittsburgh in 2025-26. The 21-year-old forward has all the tools to emerge as a legitimate top-six forward, and it would be huge if he could become just that for the Penguins next season.
McGroarty appeared in his first eight NHL games this past season with Pittsburgh, where he recorded one goal, two assists, three points, and 12 hits. He spent the bulk of it at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, however, where he had 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games. It was a solid first year for the 2022 first-round pick, and it will be interesting to see how he builds off it in 2025-26 from here.
Overall, there is a lot to like about McGroarty's game, and it is hard not to feel excited about his future. When looking at the Penguins' current roster, he has a real shot of competing for a spot in their top six, so it could very well be a big year for the Lincoln, Nebraska native.
Ex-Penguins Defenseman Signs PTO With New TeamThe Minnesota Wild have announced that they have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson to a professional tryout (PTO). Phillies at Reds prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 12
Its Tuesday, August 12 and the Phillies (69-49) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (62-58).
Ranger Suárez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.
Kyle Schwarber smashed his 42nd home run of the season as part of a four-run eighth inning as the Phillies rallied late for a 4-1 win over the Reds. Taijuan Walker did not get the win but was solid allowing a single run over six innings for Philadelphia. With the win the Phillies lead is now six games over the Mets in the National League East while the loss dropped the Reds to two full games behind the Mets for the final Wild Card in the National League.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Phillies at Reds
- Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Time: 6:40PM EST
- Site: Great American Ball Park
- City: Cincinnati, OH
- Network/Streaming: NBCSP, FDSNOH
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 Reds
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
- Moneyline: Phillies (-154), Reds (+128)
- Spread: Phillies -1.5
- Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Reds
- Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Ranger Suárez vs. Brady Singer
- Phillies: Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA)
Last outing: August 6 vs. Baltimore - 7.11 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts - Reds: Brady Singer (9-9, 4.53 ERA)
Last outing: August 7 at Pittsburgh - 9.82 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
- Phillies: Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA)
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Reds
- The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 against NL Central teams
- Each of the last 3 games between the Reds and the Phillies have stayed under the Total
- The Phillies have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.50 units
- Kyle Schwarber has 2 hits in his last 19ABs over his last 5 games but both hits were HRs
- Ranger Suarez has struck out at least 5 in 9 of his last 11 starts
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 Phillies and the Reds
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Phillies and the Reds:
- 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 Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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