The Washington Wizards have been at the forefront of the NBA’s tanking crisis all season. The product the Wizards are putting out this year is so bad that they let Bam Adebayo of all players score 83 points on them in a single game. Washington spent part of the year limiting minutes for its best players in an attempt to increase its ping-pong balls, and not even trading for Trae Youngand Anthony Davis has changed the losing culture this season.
The Wizards should be celebrating any fan who wants to attend a game at the end of another tanking season, but instead they played a cruel April Fools’ prank on one of them during a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
The Wizards brought a fan out for a blindfolded halfcourt shot with the promises of $10K if he made it. The fan badly missed the shot, but because he was blindfolded, the Wizards pretended he made it and had the announcers and various mascots celebrate with him.
When the Wizards finally let the fan watch his shot on the jumbotron, he saw he missed, and the team revealed that it was an April Fools’ Day prank. Watch the video here:
The Wizards made a fan think he won $10,000 in an April Fools prank by pretending he made a blindfolded half court shot 😭 pic.twitter.com/MZEfAiGZKM
“Somebody’s rich,” the in-game host explained after the fan took the shot. A minute later, she changed her tune.
“I really, really hate April Fools’ Day.”
The team did give the fan an autographed jersey and some courtside seats for next season. I guess that’s cool, but $10K is a lot cooler.
It feels like the Wizards just can’t help it from giving themselves and the league a black eye this season. Washington will enter the lottery hoping for some luck to find a new franchise star, but do they deserve it? In our new NBA mock draft, the Wizards fell to fifth while three non-tankers moved up into the top four. That feels appropriate.
Going to a Wizards game is a bad enough way to spend a Wednesday night. Getting turned into the butt of a viral joke for thinking you just won $10K by making an impossible shot is even worse. Shame on the Wizards.
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 1: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on April 1, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1. Incredible Scoring Night
Coming off a rough loss against the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics were almost completely healthy in their matchup against the Miami Heat and they played arguably their best offensive game of the season. Boston scored 147 points on the Heat in this game, the second most points they’ve scored in a game this season and had 6 players finish with double digit points.
They shot 56-96 (58%) from the field which is the third highest percentage they’ve had this season and 21-44 (48%) from three which is the sixth best mark this year. There were times in this game where the Celtics were playing some euphoric basketball. Even when the Heat cut the Celtics lead to 10 points at the end of the third quarter, Boston did not waiver just continued their onslaught on South Beach.
Some may say this is karmic retribution for the Heat stat-padding on the Washington Wizards to get Bam Adebayo his 83 point game earlier this season. I say the Celtics just put out a message to the rest of the teams in the Play-In Tournament of what they could expect in round one of the playoffs this year. We might see some teams try to do everything in their power to avoid Boston this year.
Celtics Shooting Zone Chart (Via NBA.com)
2. Historic First Quarter
When looking at the box score of this game, something stands out that is pretty hard to miss. The Celtics scored 53 Points in the first quarter!
That isn’t an April Fools prank, the Celtics really scored 53 points which is the highest scoring first quarter in franchise history and is tied for the second most first quarter points in NBA history. This is the second highest scoring quarter in Celtics history, only trailing Boston’s 54 point fourth quarter against the San Diego Clippers on February 25th, 1970.
Both Boston and Miami scored 7 straight baskets to open the game and by the first TV timeout, the score was 21-21 at the 6:41 mark of the first quarter. The Celtics took that breather and continued their dominance, finishing the first quarter on a 29-9 run. Boston shot 20-28 (71%) from the field and 11-15 (73%) from three, just an incredible display of basketball by the Celtics.
The Celtics scored 53 points in the first quarter tonight at Miami – the most in a first quarter in franchise history.
Jaylen Brown had a real off shooting game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday so naturally he bounced back with his second highest scoring game of the season. Brown finished with 43 points and 7 assists on 17-29 shooting from the field and 4-10 from three point range.
Not only is this Brown’s 34th 30+ point game of the season which is the most in the Eastern Conference this year, but this performance also put him in some rarified air. Brown is now tied with Larry Bird in the 1989-90 season for the 5th most 40+ point games in a season with his 7th of 2025-26.
Brown was the main catalyst to the Celtics hot start, scoring the first 11 points of the game for Boston and finishing with 20 points on 8-11 shooting. Miami had no answers for Jaylen driving to the basket as he was able to match the break neck speed the Heat were playing with.
We saw Brown continue to dominate Miami with this brand of physical basketball throughout the game. Jaylen and the Celtics made it a priority to attack Tyler Herro on defense and once he got the switch, there was no stopping Brown from getting to his spots.
Brown had his jumper working in this game which is a massive difference from his tough game in Atlanta. His final two buckets of the game were good examples of the shot making that he was putting on display in this game.
4. Triple-Double Tatum
When Jayson Tatum scored 32 points against the Charlotte Hornets in his 11th game of the season, I thought there was no way he was going to top it. That was until his 12th game where he had his first triple-double of the season and 6th of his career including the playoffs. He finished with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists on 9-21 shooting from the field and 4-13 from three.
In the first half Tatum was taking and making a ton of three pointers and mid range jumpers since Miami had no one who could match up with him.
Tatum’s shooting splits don’t look the best but those were inflated by a cold stretch in the third quarter but that was when he starting turn up his passing. He had 5 assists in the this quarter where it looked like he was just seeing the game at a different level.
His biggest impact came at the beginning of the fourth quarter after Miami cut Boston’s lead to 10 points at the end of the third. Tatum squashed all momentum that the Heat had with two assists and a long three that pushed the Celtics lead back up to 16 points, essentially icing the game.
5. HAUS3R
After being taken out of the starting lineup on Monday, Sam Hauser made his way back into it with both of the Jays healthy at the same time. There had been some conversation on if Hauser should be replaced in the starting five since he was shooting 31% from three in his prior 10 games but he put all of those conversations to bed in this game, finishing with 23 points on 9-11 shooting from the field and 5-7 shooting from three while being a +23 overall. Sam Hauser also now has the most games in Celtics history with 20+ PTS on 100% TS.
Sam Hauser now has the most games in Celtics history with 20+ PTS on 100% TS. pic.twitter.com/1r3NXfQQiM
This was the best game Hauser has had in a while and it started with his explosion in the first quarter where he had a career high 17 points on 6-6 shooting from the field and tied a Celtics record with 5-5 shooting from three. We have seen countless times in his career when Hauser’s shot is falling, there is no one who is going to be able to slow him or the Celtics offense down.
6. Neem The Dream
Neemias Queta doesn’t get enough credit for all of the hard work that he has put in to being the Celtics starting center this season. He has always been a consistent rock for Boston and this game showed how important he is to this team, finishing with another double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds along with 3 blocks and a team high +28.
Queta’s impact was felt most in the fourth quarter where he and Jayson Tatum were making magic together on offense. Neemi was looking like Hakeem Olajuwon inside on the block, overpowering Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware while also showing off his touch with the floater.
7. White: Silent But Deadly
Derrick White didn’t necessarily light up the stat sheet tonight finishing with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 3-4 shooting but he didn’t need to be loud to show his impact on this game.
The second quarter was where we saw how important Derrick White is to the Celtics. After making an incredible block and scoring two buckets, White was running the fast break with Jaylen Brown where he threw up an alley-oop for Brown to finish the layup. White then ran down all the way to the other side of the floor to stop Pelle Larsson from getting an easy shot at the buzzer.
White’s non-stop hustle and will to win is what makes him so impactful in Boston. Every team in the NBA would be lucky to have Derrick White on their roster and he would immediately elevate their ceiling. We are so lucky to have him.
Ayo Derrick White is legit incredible
Great pass getting JB the oop before the buzzer but then notices there are open Heat players on the other end
Immediately hustles back and stops what would’ve been an open layup
Payton Pritchard was on an incredible run over the last week when the Jays were out, even getting votes to be Eastern Conference Player of the Week. But now with both of them healthy, Pritchard was back to being the spark plug off the bench and he played his role to perfection.
Pritchard finished with 14 points and 4 assists on 5-9 shooting from the field and 4-7 shooting from three while having a +20 in 31 minutes. In this game, Payton was basically tasked as being a spot up shooter for most of his baskets. He was able to feast off of gravity that Brown and Tatum created and it felt like Miami was just fine living it with his shots.
9. Playoff Rotation
Something interesting with the way Joe Mazzulla managed his rotations was the fact that he only used 9 players tonight before garbage time. The top 6 guys being Tatum, Brown, White, Queta, Hauser, and Pritchard all played around 30+ minutes. The other guys that saw run were Baylor Scheierman who played 18 minutes and had 8 points, Luka Garza who had 12 points in 15 minutes, and Jordan Walsh who played 5 minutes.
It felt like Mazzulla was coaching this game like it was a playoff game and with 6 games to go in the regular season, we should continue see the ramp up of the top guys in the rotation while also maybe seeing the finalization of who Joe trusts off the bench.
I think Boston will cut down to an 8 man rotation with only Pritchard, Scheierman, and one of Nikola Vucevic or Garza getting run off the bench and guys like Ron Harper Jr, Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh used as “break glass in case of emergency” guys.
I wonder if tonight was our first look at a potential Celtics playoff rotation. My way of looking at it based on the minutes vs the Heat:
The best part about playing the Miami Heat, is beating the Miami Heat. With their win today, the Boston Celtics have swept the Miami Heat in the season series with a 4-0 record. The Celtics have now won 17 of their last 20 games against the Heat including the playoffs. Boston has also won 10 games in a row on the road in Miami.
The Boston Celtics have now won 17 of their last 20 against the Miami Heat
Every time the Celtics play the Heat I like to reflect on how much they have shaped this franchise. If Boston didn’t defeat them in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Brown and Tatum wouldn’t have gotten that first experience in the NBA Finals. If Boston didn’t lose to them in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, we wouldn’t have seen Brown and Tatum elevate the weak points in their game and become better players. Even if Boston didn’t beat them in the 2024 First Round, we couldn’t truly appreciate the Celtics being immune to the mind games and go on to win the Championship.
So you see, for as much as the Miami Heat are rivals to the Boston Celtics, in way we should thank them for only making our two best players the best versions of themselves they possibly could be.
However, I like the way Jayson Tatum described playing the Miami Heat a little more at the 2024 Championship Parade Celebration: “They always easy.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 01: Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket against the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on April 01, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before Wednesday night, Boston Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser was mired in a 3-point slump that spanned two months. He shot 33 percent last month and 37.5 percent in February — well below his career 41 percent. Then, in the first quarter against the Miami Heat, he caught fire.
Hauser shot a perfect 6-for-6 to begin, finishing the first quarter with 17 points. That alone surpassed his output in any game since Jan. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets (19 points), and the early makes gave him a noticeable boost to shoot with confidence.
“The first couple go in, the rim looks a little bit bigger,” Hauser told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin postgame. “And shoutout to my teammates for finding me when I was open and getting it to me on time and on target. Just letting it fly out there.”
Without hesitation, Hauser fired away. His first three-pointer came on a late closeout off a pass from Baylor Scheierman. The second, a pull-up in transition, came off a Luka Garza screen. Then the third, off an inbound pass and over a strong contest from Jaime Jaquez Jr., sent Jordan Walsh and Ron Harper Jr. leaping from the bench. Hauser’s scorching start from beyond the arc lifted the offense to historic heights just 12 minutes into Boston’s 147-129 victory in South Beach.
The Celtics scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter, hitting 11 three-pointers. Only the 1969-70 Atlanta Hawks have ever scored more in a single quarter (54) in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55), and ultimately, it helped Boston overcome a challenging Miami environment.
Hauser compared it to a “playoff game,” a feeling he says is consistent whenever the Celtics travel to Miami, even though Boston is on a 10-game winning streak at the Kaseya Center dating back two seasons.
“Every time we come here, it feels like a playoff game,” Hauser said. “So anytime you can win here, it’s pretty cool, and you never know, we might be playing them in a couple of weeks, so it’s good to get these wins under our belt. But we’ve got a lot more to get better at and get ready for it.”
Like the past four playoff matchups over the last six years, the Heat put up a fight. Even when trailing the Celtics by as many as 27 points on Wednesday night, Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell, and Tyler Herro wouldn’t go down without a fight. Miami cut into a 23-point halftime deficit and brought it down to 10 after setting a franchise record with 11 3-pointers in the third quarter — the most in any quarter in Heat history.
Boston’s ability to withstand Miami’s rally traced back to the opening frame.
The Celtics shot 73.3 percent from three in the first quarter because of their ball movement and spacing, making it a matter of converting those looks — albeit at a historic rate.
“We got off to a good start, pace-wise,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I thought we executed pretty well, and there’s times when you execute well, and you get good shot after good shot, and it just kind of happened. Usually, when you’re in moments like that, you start to feel it, and you take poor shots. We didn’t do that. We kept fighting for a good look and the next best look, and I thought that kept the momentum going a little bit.”
Brown, who finished as the game’s leading scorer with 43 points, tipped his cap to Hauser. He noted the effect of help defenders crowding scorers like himself, which leaves Boston’s sharpshooters, including Hauser, open for catch-and-shoot opportunities. The Celtics didn’t miss a chance to capitalize on those.
Brown also acknowledged how Hauser’s development this season has boosted Boston’s offense, coming just in time with just over two weeks to go until the playoffs.
“If you’ve got Sam Hauser on the floor, you really can’t help, and if you do, he’ll make you pay,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media.
“Sam has been shooting the ball really well all season, kind of consistently, and he’s been getting to his middy a little bit. He’s been working on that, so Sam has been in his bag. I wouldn’t say I teach him — maybe it’s influenced, a little influence there — but he’s been doing great. Just continuing to develop his game, and that’s what we like to see.”
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 1: Anthony Gill #16 of the Washington Wizards dunks the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 1, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Wizards accomplished a few things in their 153-131 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the most important of which was moving back to the top of the NBA’s Draft Lottery standings. Their loss, paired with the Indiana Pacers getting a second straight win, puts Washington back into “league worst” status.
Some of their “accomplishments” last night were of the good variety. Anthony Gill hit 8-9 from the floor en route to a career high 21 points. He connected on all three of his three-point attempts, and added six rebounds and six assists.
Anthony Gill dunks during the Wizards loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. (Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Justin Champagnie produced 17 points, 7 rebounds, a steal and 2 blocks in just 21 minutes.
Tristan Vukcevic scored 17 points in 11 minutes and needed just 7 shots to do it.
Their other “accomplishments” were more dubious:
They shot 60.7% on twos, 40.0% on threes (with 16 makes), posted a 125 offensive rating (league average is 115.6 this season), scored 131 points…and lost by 22.
They let the Sixers shoot 68.8% on twos and 48.6% on threes. Philadelphia made 17 threes.
They allowed a season high 153 points, though it was “only’ their third worst defensive game of the season. Washington allowed even higher defensive ratings to the Boston Celtics back in December, and about 10 days ago to the New York Knicks.
In case you were wondering, Philadelphia’s 153 points was only the fourth most allowed in Wizards franchise history:
162 — Indiana Pacers, March 27, 2025
159 — Houston Rockets, Oct. 30, 2019
157 — San Antonio Spurs, Feb. 25, 2022
153 — 3x — Philadelphia 76ers, April 1, 2026 | Boston Celtics, Nov. 27, 1970 | Cincinnati Royals, Feb. 21, 1962
152 — Atlanta Hawks, Jan. 26, 2020
A few tidbits from that list:
Second year guard Oscar Robertson was on that Royals team. He had 18 points and 17 assists in that game, and the Royals saw eight guys score in double figures.
In that game against the Hawks, current Wizards guard Trae Young had 45 points and 14 assists. The Wizards for some reason started Ian Mahinmi, Thomas Bryant, and Isaiah Thomas. They gave 29 minutes to Ish Smith, 33 to Davis Bertans, and 15 to Anzejs Pasecniks.
In the 1970 contest, Boston’s John Havlicek had a triple-double — 33-10-10. Dave Cowens had 20 points and 14 rebounds. For Washington, Wes Unseld had 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists. Gus Johnson had 22 and 14, though he shot just 7-18. Earl Monroe played just 17 minutes, for some reason.
Back to last night’s game for a moment, I’m not going to delve much into the notebook because they can be summed up in two words: try harder.
This is not just about physical effort, though I think that’s been flagging in recent weeks, and was palpably absent last night. This is also about putting in the mental effort to focus on responsibilities within their system and the situation at hand, and trying to execute.
I get that the Wizards are young and developing. I get that they need to gain experience and get stronger, and that they’re supposed to lose. But I’d still like to see more possession-by-possession compete out of them.
What do I mean by that? Stuff like Bub Carrington trailing Tyrese Maxey out top on a baseline out of bounds play and simply getting out run to the basket for a layup.
Stuff like Justin Champagnie getting switched onto Maxey and then defending with nonsensical crowding, atrocious footwork, and a pointless swipe in the general direction of the ball…leading to a Maxey blow-by dunk.
Of course, sometimes you try and just get beat. On two second half possessions, Gill didn’t help on one Maxey drive despite being low man and in perfect position to get there. A few possessions later, Gill helped hard on a Maxey drive and got to the right spot, but Maxey turned left, attacked the spot Gill had just left, and got a layup. He’s good.
Bright side: only six more of these left.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
76ERS
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
70.2%
60.4%
54.5%
OREB%
28.6%
18.4%
26.0%
TOV%
9.5%
10.5%
12.7%
FTM/FGA
0.141
0.156
0.207
PACE
105
99.3
ORTG
146
125
115.6
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
We have a competitive NBA game tonight when the Phoenix Suns face the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
Charlotte’s defense has been the story this season, and my Suns vs. Hornets predictions and NBA picks expect Charlotte’s defense to lead them to a comfortable victory.
Suns vs Hornets prediction
Suns vs Hornets best bet: Hornets -5.5 (-110)
The Charlotte Hornets have quietly won seven of their last 10, and this team is starting to click.
LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel are all producing offensively at a high level, but what's really turned things around is this Hornets defense.
Charlotte is Top 6 in defensive net rating over the last 10 games, and they do one thing better than anyone right now, and that’s keeping teams off the free-throw line, which matters tonight as the Phoenix Suns love easy points at the stripe.
The Hornets have also defended the three well lately, ranking fourth in opponent 3-point shooting percentage over their last 10 games, another problem for a Suns team dependent on knocking down a ton of threes.
Phoenix is also banged up and thin up front —a bad combo vs. a Charlotte team that’s second in the league in defensive rebounding. No second-chance points mean no safety net.
On top of that, the Suns are coming off a physical road loss in Orlando. This shortened Phoenix roster looked fatigued against the Magic, and that’s not a good look against these Hornets.
Suns vs Hornets same-game parlay
The Hornets are 7-3 in their last 10 and now get a Suns team that’s going the other way, just 3-7 in their last 10, and it has not been good on the road.
Brandon Miller is right around 20 a night over his last five, and this is a matchup he can take advantage of.
They’ve gone Under the total in three of their last five previous meetings, and tonight’s clash should follow that trend.
Suns vs Hornets SGP
Hornets moneyline
Brandon Miller Over 18.5 points
Under 223
Our "from downtown" SGP: Sting like a bee!
Moussa Diabate leads the Hornets with nearly nine rebounds per game and has secured at least 10 rebounds in four of his past six games.
LaMelo Ball has been a sneaky rebounder this season. He averaged five per game in March and has at least five boards in three of his past five games.
Josh Green doesn’t see more than 20 minutes a night, but he’s recorded at least one steal in seven of his previous eight games.
Suns vs Hornets SGP
Hornets moneyline
Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 rebounds
LaMelo Ball Over 4.5 rebounds
Josh Green Over 0.5 steals
Suns vs Hornets odds
Spread: Suns +5.5 | Hornets -5.5
Moneyline: Suns +185 | Hornets -225
Over/Under: Over 221 | Under 221
Suns vs Hornets betting trend to know
The Hornets have cashed the moneyline in 32 of their last 50 games for +19.15 units and a 13% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Hornets.
How to watch Suns vs Hornets
Location
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Date
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Suns+, FDSN-Charlotte
Suns vs Hornets latest injuries
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The Portland Trail Blazers are jockeying for home court in the upcoming play-in tournament, and they battle a New Orleans Pelicans squad destined for the lottery on Thursday night.
Portland has taken five of the last six in this head-to-head matchup, and my Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers predictions see more of the same unfolding tonight.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers best bet: Trail Blazers -6.5 (-110)
The Portland Trail Blazers have it going right now. They went into L.A. on Tuesday and dumped the Clippers, 114-104, making it seven wins in their last nine outings. They're now just a half-game back of the No. 8 seed.
The Blazers are doing it with defense. Over this stretch, they own the NBA’s best scoring defense at 104 points per game, allowing teams to shoot just 44% from the field and 32.3% from 3-point range.
The New Orleans Pelicans fit into what Portland is doing, as they have dropped five straight and are scoring just 107.6 points per game during this slide.
Defensively, the Pelicans are leaking, allowing 122.8 points. They have lost by double-digits in each of their last three, including a 20+ and 30+ point blowout.
They also might be down leading scorer and assist man Trey Murphy Jr, who is dealing with an ankle injury. Bryce McGowens (toe) is also out, while Karlo Matkovic (back) is questionable.
Portland has been a good bet in this head-to-head. Four of their last five wins over the Pels have been by at least 13 points, and they are 6-2 against the spread in the last eight.
The beat should go on this Thursday night.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay
Scoot Henderson has been good from distance of late, nailing at least three triples in three of his last five games.
I like him to stay hot against NOLA, which sees the fourth-most made opponent threes per game.
While I don't care for the Pelicans' win chances, promising rookie Derik Queen deserves more respect than he's getting from the books, who set a very modest scoring line for him here.
Queen has hit double digits in three straight games. He also dropped 17 and 26 points, respectively, in his first two meetings with Portland.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers SGP
Trail Blazers -6.5
Scoot Henderson Over 1.5 3-pointers
Derik Queen Over 8.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Underwhelming efforts
There are a bunch of Unders that look good to me tonight, so I'm combining them in a long shot SGP.
Jrue Holiday led the Blazers in scoring last time out with 30 points, but he’s struggled putting up numbers against New Orleans. He’s gone Under this line in three straight head-to-heads.
Deni Avdija is having a great year, but he’s not grooving right now. While he did pot 28 last time, he went Under this line six straight times before that.
After 12 straight games with double-digit rebounds, Donovan Clingan has now gone way Under the total twice in a row. He’s only grabbed 13 or more rebounds once against the Pelicans in five career games.
Finally, Saddiq Bey has pulled down fewer than five boards in three of his last four games.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers SGP
Jrue Holiday Under 17.5 points
Donovan Clingan Under 12.5 rebounds
Deni Avdija Under 26.5 points
Saddiq Bey Under 4.5 rebounds
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers odds
Spread: Pelicans +6.5 | Trail Blazers -6.5
Moneyline: Pelicans +205 | Trail Blazers -250
Over/Under: Over 232.5 | Under 232.5
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know
The Trail Blazers have hit the 1Q Over in 29 of their last 45 games (+10.45 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers.
How to watch Pelicans vs Trail Blazers
Location
Moda Center, Portland, OR
Date
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Pelicans+, BlazerVision
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers latest injuries
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It’s a light slate across Major League Baseball today, but even with limited MLB player props on the board, a few home run props are clearly standing out.
As always, price drives the card — and today we’re getting both value and form.
Corbin Carroll and Drake Baldwin check both boxes, offering strong market prices to go along with favorable matchups and hot bats, and I've also found value in another NL East bat to go yard tonight too, highlighting my favorite MLB home run props for Thursday, April 2.
UPDATE: Added Soto HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Corbin Carroll
+540
Drake Baldwin
+560
Juan Soto
+470
💲Today's HR parlay
+18025
Corbin Carroll (+540)
On a thin slate, Corbin Carroll at +540 stands out as one of the best HR values. Some books have already moved this closer to +350, which is much more in line with fair value, and this number is starting to follow.
He faces Reynaldo López, who missed most of last season. While he looked sharp in his opener, he still allowed a home run, and left-handed hitters have historically had success against him.
A return to peak form would be a surprise, with THE BAT projecting a 4.63 ERA and weaker HR prevention than other models.
Carroll already has two homers this season, and was the difference in a 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers yesterday. When he’s locked in, he has real MVP-level upside.
Chase Field isn’t a top-tier HR park, but Carroll has already gone deep there twice in three games and gets another strong opportunity at a great price.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Dbacks.TV, BravesVision
Drake Baldwin (+560)
Drake Baldwin is off to a strong start in his sophomore season, leading his team in multiple offensive categories and matching the rest of the lineup with three home runs entering Thursday.
He’s slugging .773 with a 60% hard-hit rate and is hitting in the two-hole. He's already logged five plate appearances in two of his six games, which is more important than it might seem.
Ryne Nelson allowed two home runs in his season debut and relies heavily on contact to get outs — not an ideal profile against a hitter swinging this well.
On a slate with limited late-game options, getting one of the hottest bats at +500 or better is an easy addition to the card.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Dbacks.TV, BravesVision
Juan Soto (+470)
Juan Soto is priced at +470, offering a significant edge — roughly 100 points better than the general market and about 70 points above fair value.
The discount comes from the lefty-lefty matchup against Robbie Ray, but Soto has proven he can handle southpaws. The New York Mets' No. 2 hitter went deep yesterday and has recorded a hit in every game this season, showing strong early form.
He also has some familiarity with Ray, with 10 career at-bats.
It’s not the best power environment, but on a slate with limited late-game options, Soto at +425 or better is a clear add to the card.
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNY, NBCSBA
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 1-8 SU, -2.8 units
Today’s HR parlay
Corbin Carroll
Bet Now +18025
Drake Baldwin
Juan Soto
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a double during the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on April 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second time this season, the San Diego Padres needed to win the third game of a series to avoid a sweep. The Padres did just that with a 7-1 win over the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on Wednesday. Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta bounced back with a critical performance that resulted in five innings of one-hit baseball.
San Diego struggled on offense throughout the series, but the lineup showed signs of life in the third game of the series against San Francisco. The Padres have been lacking in slug throughout the first five games of the season and have ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category. San Diego had 10 hits in the win over San Francisco and five of those were for extra bases (four doubles and one home run). It was a welcome sight for many of the Friar Faithful and probably for manager Craig Stammen and his team.
The Padres entered the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead and Mason Miller had just gotten the final out in the top of the eighth, looking for a four out save. The San Diego offense took all the drama out of the end of the game with a four-run inning that gave the Padres a 7-1 lead heading to the ninth.
Manny Machado started the bottom of the eighth inning with a leadoff double. Ramon Laureano, who had a rest day on Tuesday, homered to make the score, 5-1. Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets walked before Freddy Fermin struck out for the first out of the inning. Bryce Johnson walked to load the bases for Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres leadoff man hit an infield single that could not be handled by Giants pitcher Jose Butto or third baseman Matt Chapman, which allowed a run to score to give San Diego a 6-1 lead. Xander Bogaerts followed with a bases loaded walk to force home a run and push the score to the final of 7-1. The inning ended when Jackson Merrill tapped a ball into fair territory that was fielded by catcher Daniel Susac who touched home and threw to first to end the scoring threat.
Miller came out for the top of the ninth and allowed a single to Luis Arraez before striking out the next three batters to end the game and secure the save. The Padres are off Thursday and will travel to Boston to take on the Red Sox for their Opening Day at Fenway Park on Friday at 11:10 a.m.
Padres News:
The San Diego minor league system is coming to life for the 2026 season with the El Paso Chihuahuas, San Antonio Missions, Fort Wayne TinCaps and Lake Elsinore Storm all in action this week.
Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball took a look at what went wrong for San Diego in the loss to San Francisco in the second game of the series. He focused on the diminished defense in left field as a result of Nick Castellanos getting the start over Ramon Laureano, who was given the day off.
The Padres have gotten off to a 2-4 start to the season, but it isn’t for lack of support from the Friar Faithful. San Diego played six games at Petco Park to start the season and each one was a sellout.
JP Sears made a start for San Diego Triple-A affiliate El Paso and he delivered a solid outing that lasted five innings. Sung-Mun Song continues his rehab assignment with El Paso and went 1-for-5 with an RBI.
Baseball News:
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Bassalo challenged a third strike with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, and the ABS System overturned the called ball by the umpire resulting in strike three and the end of the game in a Baltimore win over the Texas Rangers. It’s the first time a game has ended with an ABS challenge.
The Atlanta Braves (4-2) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (3-3) meet up on ESPN as apart of a four-game slate. Today's matchup is the first of a four-game series between the two.
Ryne Nelson gets the nod for Arizona after allowing four earned runs on two hits, both homers, and three walks to the Dodgers. However, since then, the Diamondbacks are 3-1 and coming off a series sweep of the Tigers where they outscored Detroit 17-11.
Reynaldo Lopez will start for Atlanta after an impressive 2026 debut. Lopez went 6.0 innings on 77 pitches versus the Royals giving up one earned run on three hits. The Braves won that game 6-2, but have gone 2-2 since then. Atlanta has won both series so far against the Athletics and Royals, 2-1 each.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Brewers at Yankees
Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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 Diamondbacks The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-118), Arizona Diamondbacks (+100)
The Braves' Drake Baldwin is hitting .318 on seven hits over 22 at-bats with three home runs
The Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting .150 with three hits over 20 at-bats, plus six strikeouts
The Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll is hitting .333 with seven hits over 21 at-bats and a team-high eight RBI
The Diamondbacks' Nolan Arenado is hitting .158 with three hits over 19 at-bats, plus six strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Diamondbacks
The Braves are 4-2 ATS this season
The Diamondbacks are 5-1 ATS this season
The Braves are 6-0 to the Under this season
The Diamondbacks are 4-2 to the Over 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Bet 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 Thursday's game between the Braves and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 8.5
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The New York Mets (3-3) and the San Francisco Giants (2-4) meet on MLB TV as apart of a small four-game slate on Thursday. This is the start of a three-game series between the two.
Robbie Ray will start for the Giants as he searches for his first win of the season. Ray went 5.1 innings and permitted two earned runs on five hits against the Yankees in a 3-0 loss. Since then, the Giants are 2-2 and have been outscored 15-14.
David Peterson gets the nod for the Mets after his stellar debut against the Pirates. Peterson pitched 5.1 innings of no run baseball with six hits allowed. The Mets won 4-2 in extra innings, but have gone 1-3 since that point eight total runs scored.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Giants
Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026
Time: 9:45 PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Mets at the Giants
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: New York Mets (-124), San Francisco Giants (+106)
Spread: Mets -1.5 (+136), Giants +1.5 (-164)
Total: 7.5
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Giants
Thursday’s pitching matchup (April 2): David Peterson vs. Robbie Ray
The Mets' Bo Bichette is hitting .111 with three hits over 27 at-bats
The Mets' Juan Soto is hitting .346 with 9 hits over 26 at-bats
The Giants' Patrick Bailey is hitting .111 with two hits over 18 at-bats
The Giants' Luis Arraez is hitting .304 with seven hits over 27 at-bats
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 Braves at Giants
The Mets are 3-3 ATS this season
The Giants are 1-5 ATS this season
The Mets are 5-1 to the Under this season
The Giants are 3-1-2 to the Under 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Giants
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Thursday's game between the Mets and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Mets at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 7.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Making his second regular season start as a Met, Freddy Peralta was very sharp on Wednesday afternoon.
With the series on the line, the right-hander delivered the performance the team was looking for, but his offense couldn’t pick him up and they ended up being walked off by the Cardinals in extras.
Still, it was an encouraging performance from the Mets’ new ace.
Peralta picked up Francisco Lindor after he forgot how many outs there were in the bottom of the first, quickly striking out the next batter to end the inning with just five extra pitches thrown.
He then settled into a groove and retired the next nine batters he faced, picking up three more strikeouts along the way, before allowing the first two to reach with a walk and single in the bottom of the fifth.
The righty was able to work his way out of danger, though, rolling a pair of groundouts and picking up a big strikeout with some help from an ABS challenge.
He put the first two on again in the sixth, but this time recorded just one out before being pulled from the ballgame.
Peralta was visibly frustrated as he wanted to continue on as Carlos Mendoza walked out and signaled toward the bullpen, but after taking some time, he agreed with the decision afterward.
“I like to compete and I always want to stay in the game,” he said. “I knew that part of the situation I wasn’t able to finish was because I gave up a base hit to the leadoff guy -- at the end of the day, I think it was smart by Mendy.”
Huascar Brazoban entered and allowed a two out RBI knock to Nolan Gorman, but limited the damage to just that to keep the game evened at one heading to the top of the seventh.
New York, of course, ended up falling in the 11th but it was a strong effort put forward by Peralta with just the one run allowed on three hits and two walks while striking out seven in 5.1 innings.
"He was really good," Mendoza said. "The changeup usage was pretty impressive, a pitch that he didn’t use until like the fourth in his first outing, but today we went right to it especially with the lefties they had in the lineup.
"There was also life on the fastball, the way he mixed -- he wasn’t afraid to double-up on the changeup and triple-up when he needed to, he got swing-and-misses which made the fastball play a lot more, overall he was just really solid.”
Peralta is lined up to toe the rubber again in Tuesday’s series opener with the Diamondbacks.
Ex-Alpine driver Ocon clashed with Colapinto in China
Alpine have condemned on Thursday online abuse of Franco Colapinto for an incident in the Japanese Grand Prix as well as death threats directed at the Formula One team’s former racer Esteban Ocon over prior events in China.
They also dismissed suspicions from some fans of “sabotage” and claims their Argentinian driver was not being given the same quality equipment as his teammate Pierre Gasly.
The Mavericks were 1-3 this past week and did not move from 13th place in the West. They split their short road trip to the Pacific Northwest with a loss in Denver (142-135) and a win in Portland (100-93). They then got blown out twice with losses at home to Minnesota (124-94) and in Milwaukee (123-99). Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 20.5 points per game. Marshall and P.J. Washington both missed the last two games.
Grade: F
It is hard to sugarcoat the barf stew that the Mavericks are right now. They eclipsed 101 points once this week and played two of the least competitive games of the year. The physicality allowed has clearly taken a jump as the refs prepare for the postseason, which has effectively given Cooper Flagg his first taste at playoff officiating. This has resulted in 11-of-38 shooting for him the last two games, and it’s played no small part in Dallas getting run off the floor in both contests.
At the very least, the Mavericks are now in sole possession of the sixth-best odds for the top pick in the draft, which comes with a 37-ish percent chance to move up to the top four. The Mavericks have just two games this week, at home against the Magic and the Lakers. A third Luka Doncic homecoming should provide a much-needed serotonin boost as Dallas will likely limp to the finish line.
Straight A’s: John Poulakidas
Full stop, the Mavericks should sign John Poulakidas. He may not have crazy statistics, but I have seen enough. We knew he was a knock-down shooter off the catch, but the creation of his own shot in limited opportunity is something new and exciting. He has the step-back in his bag and can attack a closeout if he needs to. Cooper Flagg needs shooting around him, and if they decide to move on from their current wings, Poulakidas can provide a much-needed utility.
Currently Failing: Seller’s remorse
Mark Cuban was recently on a podcast where he dropped a plethora of not-so-inspiring quotes. The first one that made the rounds expressed his regret, not for selling the team, but for selling it specifically to Miriam Adelson & Co. If you connect the dots from the beginning, this outcome was inevitable. Cuban’s vision for a casino-arena venue was never rooted in reality, as Texas does not have legal gambling or the right politicians in office to push for it. That left Cuban selling to a family that he had little in common with and an understanding that the team governor he was handing the keys to couldn’t even correctly name the NBA Finals. It was always going to be a disaster, and Cuban confirmed this out loud for the first time. The trade that sent Doncic to Los Angeles was ultimately an extension of that disconnect.
Extra Credit: Cooper Flagg
It is hard to give anyone credit for anything right now, but I don’t think it should be taken for granted that Cooper Flagg is playing back-to-backs. The NBA has a toxic rest culture, and in a league where uncertainty is both the selling point and the downfall, Flagg is providing a steady reason to tune in to the Mavericks nightly. Like they say, “it ain’t much, but it’s honest work.”
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 1: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets attempts to field the ball against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eleventh inning at Busch Stadium on April 1, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
One day after getting shut out, the Mets could only muster one run in the finale to drop the series against the Cardinals. All their offense came off a solo home run by Juan Soto that followed Francisco Lindor getting picked off. They still had a chance to redeem themselves in both the tenth and eleventh but they could not even push the ghost runner across. The pitching remained solid but this offense has been putrid outside of Opening Day and hopefully they packed their bats for the next series in San Francisco.
Keith Hernandez is on the IL with a back issue and will miss calling the next five games, but Todd Zeile came to the rescue to fill in calling the games with Gary Cohen.
A rather earnest young Mets fan from Manchester, U.K is vowing to run a mile for every Mets home run hit this season.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 01: Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) of the Atlanta Braves reacts after being picked off first base in the first inning during an MLB game against the Athletics on April 01, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Watching the Braves’ first six games of the year, it’s hard to really seize on any one thing that cements their identity as distinct from other teams, or the Braves teams that have come before. Not that these things have to come in the first six games, and sometimes, even if they do, it’s not clear that they’re going to be a throughline for the entire season. But, it’s certainly possible — Nick Markakis’ Opening Day walkoff in 2018 was I guess an early sign of the ridiculous team of destiny that particular Braves squad was going to be, the Braves clobbered their opponents in three of their first four games in 2023, Sean Murphy got hurt on Opening Day 2024, the 0-7 start to 2005, you get the idea.
This team so far, though… I don’t know. Any ideas? They’re top ten offensively in both outputs and inputs, but that’s come due to a lot of walks and barely any strikeouts… and the guys that are walking a ton aren’t hitting, except for Drake Baldwin. I guess “Team of Drake Baldwin” is an early contender, as he’s been scorching through these first two series. Another standout aspect so far has been the defense, but that’s about it. The Braves are also a top-ten pitching team, but not in a remarkable way, unless you factor in the defensive contribution to run prevention. And, of course, there’s a potential identity to be mined in “has absolutely no idea what they’re doing on the bases,” but I hope they course-correct there soon.
There’s also the overarching narratives of the pitching staff being barely held together, but that at least hasn’t gotten worse yet. Reynaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes both looked rough here and there, but the Braves didn’t really suffer for it, not yet — and Bryce Elder had a patented Good Elder (Bryce Eldar) start.
Anyway, I guess you can make your predictions here. How will we remember this team in terms of what it did, whether on the field or off?
Corbin Carroll
Drake Baldwin
Juan Soto
