SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kyle Freeland will be on the mound when the Rockies start the 2026 season on March 27 in Miami against the Marlins.
The Opening Day start will be the fifth of Freeland’s career, which breaks his own record of most in Rockies history.
Freeland, 32, also made the Opening Day start for Colorado in 2019, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Last season, Freeland had a great debut, throwing six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and only two hits against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rockies went on to lose 3-2 after Kameron Misner hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the night.
It was the 14th quality start in franchise history, but the rest of the season didn’t go as well for Freeland, who also didn’t get much run support, as he went 5-17 in 31 starts with a 4.98 ERA.
This spring has been another story, despite Freeland seeing action late with back spasms in February that delayed his spring training debut. Since then, in five innings over two starts, Freeland has a 1.80 ERA. He has given up four hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
The Rockies also made two roster announcements on Tuesday, optioning infielder Adael Amador and RHP Tanner Gordon to the Triple-A Isotopes.
The Rockies announced today that the following players have been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque: – INF Adael Amador – RHP Tanner Gordon
Colorado has 43 active players remaining in Major League camp, including 10 NRIs.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) March 17, 2026
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 12: Former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays Cito Gaston salutes the crowd before a ceremony for former player Jose Bautista where his name is unveiled on the Level of Excellence before the Toronto Blue Jays play the Chicago Cubs in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on August 12, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cito Gaston turns 82 today.
Cito, the player, came up through the Atlanta Braves system and was a September call-up in 1967. He shared the outfield with Hank Aaron.
In 1968, the Padres picked him in the expansion draft. He had one standout season, hitting .318 with 29 homers and 93 RBI, and overall played 11 years as a strong defensive center fielder.
As a Black player coming up through the Atlanta Braves system in the ‘60s, Cito faced challenges shaped by that era. His experiences—both as a player and as the manager who won two World Series with the Jays—suggest his life story would make a compelling book.
He has an 894-837 record as a manager, all with the Blue Jays. He led us to 5 first-place finishes and 2 World Series wins. Interestingly, he only had 26 ejections in his managerial career, often to protect his players. He believed he was more valuable on the bench than watching from the clubhouse.
Cito managed by trusting his players. He didn’t emphasize strategic tricks or the bunt, and reportedly didn’t call hit-and-runs in his second Jays stint. He picked players he liked and let them play.
This management approach has its merits.
Early as a manager, Cito favoured veterans. In his second stint, he relied more on younger players, especially when veterans no longer performed.
Cito liked aggressive, pull-hitting styles. He even convinced John McDonald to commit fully to an all-pull approach. Initially, it led to more home runs, but pitchers soon adapted, resulting in more ground balls.
Cito is number 75 on the all-time win list for MLB managers. And, of course, number one among Jays’ managers.
Turning to another birthday, Scott Downs turns 50 today. He was one of my favourites.
The Cubs drafted Downs in the 3rd round of the 1997 draft. He made it to the majors with the Cubs in 2000, though he was traded to the Twins and back before reaching the majors. Finally, in May of 2000, the Cubs traded him to the Expos for Rondell White. Most of Scott’s time with the Expos was spent recovering from 2 Tommy John surgeries.
He signed with the Jays before the 2005 season.
In 2005, he had a 4-3 record and a 4.31 ERA in 26 games, making both starts and relief appearances. In 2006, he primarily relieved, going 6-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 59 games.
In 2007, Downs contributed as a reliable reliever, pitching in 81 games primarily as a one-out lefty. He compiled a 4-2 record and a 2.17 ERA. Heavy use did not seem to negatively affect his performance that season.
In 2008, he worked his way into the setup role. Cito used him in every game, whether ahead or behind. He pitched multiple innings several times and had one of the best seasons we’ve seen from a setup man, until he twisted an ankle late in the year. He probably should have rested longer, but Cito kept using him, given his previous reliability.
In 2009, he shared closing duties with Frasor, posting a 3.09 ERA. In 2010, as a setup man again, he recorded a 2.64 ERA in 67 appearances.
After the 2010 season, he signed with the Angels. From there, he bounced around to the Braves, White Sox, Royals, and Cleveland.
He played 13 seasons, appearing in 619 games (50 starts) with a 3.56 ERA and 27 saves. With the Jays, he had a 3.14 ERA over six seasons and 347 games.
Downs was known as Snakeface. Some listeners on Jays’ Talk noted that he did not appear intimidating on the mound, prompting broadcaster Mike Wilner to jokingly suggest Downs had a snake tattoo to boost his presence.
Next, former Blue Jay great Danny Ainge turns 67 today. He wasn’t great on the baseball diamond, but he cleaned up in team pickup basketball games. After three seasons and a .220/.264/.269 batting line, he left baseball to play for the Boston Celtics, a good move. He was a far better basketball player than a baseball player. He won two NBA Championships as a Celtics player and another as the Executive Director of Basketball Operations.
Happy Birthday to all three. I hope they each have a great day.
Also, having birthdays:
Raul Chavez turns 53 today. The backup catcher played his last MLB season with the 2009 Blue Jays, hitting .258 with 2 homers.
Scott Brow turns 57. A 1990 7th-round pick, he earned a 1993 World Series ring, made 42 Jays appearances, and had a 5.78 ERA with 2 saves.
Cesar Valdez turns 41 today. He made 7 appearances with a 6.75 ERA for the 2017 Jays, also playing 68 MLB games over four years.
Anthony Kay holds a 2.31 Cactus League ERA, making his fifth start of the Spring. | (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
It feels like just one week ago that I was writing up the previous Spring Training matchup against the A’s because it was! This afternoon, the White Sox are coming off a tough 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers and will look to wake the bats up and bounce back vs the Athletics. Lefty Anthony Kay takes the mound for his fifth start of the spring and has been steady since arriving, carrying a 2.31 ERA across 11 2/3 innings.
Before we get to today’s action, the White Sox have announced the devastating news that righthander Mike Vasil will need to undergo Tommy John surgery and will, unfortunately, miss the entire 2026 season. Vasil joined the South Siders as a Rule 5 draft pick last year, and ended up being one of the top arms out of the bullpen, posting a 2.50 ERA over 47 appearances, racking up four saves with 82 Ks in 101 innings and a 1.25 WHIP.
RHP Mike Vasil will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery in the coming weeks. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, per White Sox
Kay has allowed just three runs on nine hits in Cactus League play, though one thing that would be ideal for him is to cut down on walks. Despite ringing up 10 batters, he’s also walked six and hit one, but to be fair, he’s easing back into MLB life and has consistently reduced his whip each game, down from 1.71 at the beginning of the month to 1.29. Kay pitched his longest game in his last outing (four innings), and allowed just one run on a homer, but looked good overall with his command — four strikeouts with zero walks.
Looking at the offense behind Kay, Korey Lee has stepped up now that Kyle Teel is injured, and he’s ranked 14th in MLB over the last week in OPS (1.452), flashing his power with a .923 SLG with three extra-base hits — a double and two home runs. Another South Sider that has settled in a bit is Luisangel Acuña, who ranks second in MLB in batting average over the last seven days while slashing .571/.625/.643. However, the headline today for the offense is that Munetaka Murakami is back with the Good Guys after the Japanese World Baseball Classic team lost in the quarterfinals, and will start today’s game to get a few more Spring Training reps in before Opening Day. Mune will be playing first and batting in the cleanup spot, and slashed .385/.385/.538 in 13 at-bats with the South Siders prior to joining Team Japan, though he wasn’t as dominant in the WBC, posting just a .654 OPS with one homer and two RBIs.
On the mound for the A’s is righthander Luis Morales, making his fourth start of Spring Training in his fifth game appearance. Morales has tossed 12 innings so far, but hasn’t had the same success as Kay, posting a 6.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts, while his 1.92 WHIP highlights some of his struggles. Morales has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 16 hits and has also walked seven batters. Given that the South Side bats were quiet yesterday, hopefully they can rebound and be more selective at the plate this afternoon.
The good news for Morales is that his offense has been excellent throughout pre-season, as the Athletics have the top Spring Training OPS (.875) and the second-highest slugging percentage (.510) against left-hand pitching. On the bright side, Shea Langaliers will not be playing today as he has been ripping the ball, and holds the top 2.317 OPS in MLB with an insane 1.692 SLG in his last five games (13 at-bats), blasting FIVE home runs in that time along with five RBIs.
Nick Kurtz has been an excellent addition to the A’s and posted a 1.002 OPS in his rookie season last year. He will be leading off today, though his stats haven’t been as powerful during Spring Training. Despite his .171 batting average, he holds a .748 OPS in 41 at-bats and leads the team in walks (nine), showing that he will find ways to get on even if his bat isn’t at 100%.
Today’s game can be listened to via the Athletics radio broadcast, but unfortunately, there is no video broadcast for this one. First pitch is at 3:05 p.m. CT — let’s get a White Sox W!
It’s St. Patrick’s Day, but we don’t need luck to hit some winners in the NBA player prop markets.
I’ve reached the end of the rainbow and found my three favorite NBA picks for the day, which include Brandon Miller finding us some green on the glass, and the Kings needing the luck of the Irish if they don’t want to get blocked by Victor Wembanyama.
Fading the Miami Heat on the glass is still one of my favorite ways to bet NBA player props right now.
The Heat play at the highest pace and take the most field goal attempts in the NBA. That inherently means a lot of rebounds up for grabs, and not surprisingly, they surrender the third-most opponent rebounds per game.
One of the players creating a buzz around the Hornets is Brandon Miller, and it’s not just with his scoring. Miller is averaging 7.1 rebounds over his last nine games and has hauled down 6+ boards six times over that stretch.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN-South, FDSN-Charlotte
Prop #2: Cam Johnson Over 10.5 points
+100 at bet365
Denver Nuggets wing Cam Johnson is finally starting to find his shooting rhythm again, so this might be one of the last times we see a point total like this for him for a bit.
Johnson has put up totals of 17, 15, and 18 points over his last three games, where he’s shooting 60% from the field, including 47.1% from 3-point range.
Tonight, Johnson and the Nuggets play host to the banged-up Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are missing basically all of their impact players and rank 22nd in defensive rating over their last 10 games.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock
Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks
+115 at bet365
Another one of my favorite player props going in the NBA right now is Victor Wembanyama's blocks.
Sportsbooks just can’t quite fully grasp his ability to protect the rim recently. Wemby has been putting up monstrous block numbers ever since the All-Star break.
The San Antonio Spurs star center is averaging 4.2 blocks per game in his 13 games since coming out of the break, topping 3.5 11 times during that period.
Next, he takes on the Sacramento Kings, who rank 20th in opponent blocks allowed per game since the start of February. The Wemby block party continues tonight.
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Our NBA player prop projections are back for tonight’s primetime matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks, and the model has already identified several standout opportunities.
After breaking down the data and comparing our projections with the current market lines, we’ve pinpointed the spots offering the strongest betting value.
If you’re building your betting card, these are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, March 17.
Cavaliers vs Bucks computer picks for March 17
Cavaliers
Bucks
Mitchell o25.5 points -115
Antetokounmpo u28.5 points -112
Harden o2.5 3-pointers -140
Porter Jr. u6.5 assists -110
Mobley u9.5 rebounds -140
Kuzma u4.5 rebounds -125
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Cavaliers computer picks
Donovan Mitchell Over 25.5 points (-115)
Projection: 27.5 points
Opposing starting shooting guards are averaging 6.2 made field goals per game against the Milwaukee Bucks this season — the fifth-highest mark in the league — making this a favorable spot for Donovan Mitchell.
Mitchell has gone Over his 25.5-point line in four of his last 10 games, and this matchup could give him a strong chance to clear it again.
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James Harden Over 2.5 3-pointers (-140)
Projection: 2.6 3-pointers
The matchup with the Bucks sets up well for perimeter production, as opposing starting point guards have averaged 7.3 three-point attempts per game over the last 10 contests — the fifth-most in the NBA.
That trend creates a favorable spot for James Harden to capitalize from beyond the arc.
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Evan Mobley Under 9.5 rebounds (-140)
Projection: 8.7 rebounds
The Cleveland Cavaliers have played at the fifth-slowest pace in the NBA over their last 15 games, and that tempo could slow even further in this matchup.
Facing the Bucks — who rank as the sixth-slowest offense over their last 25 games — should lead to fewer overall possessions, potentially limiting rebounding opportunities for Evan Mobley.
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Bucks computer picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo Under 28.5 points (-112)
Projection: 26.3 points
At home this season, the Cavaliers have held opposing starting power forwards to just 13.5 points per game — the second-lowest mark in the league — signaling a tough matchup for offensive production.
That’s not an ideal setup for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has gone Under his 28.5-point line in eight of his last 10 games.
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Kevin Porter Jr. Under 6.5 assists (-110)
Projection: 6.2 assists
Due to Cavaliers pace of the game, the slowdown could affect Kevin Porter Jr., who has gone Under his 6.5-assist line in four of his last 10 games.
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Kyle Kuzma Under 4.5 rebounds (-125)
Projection: 3.7 rebounds
Kyle Kuzma has struggled to reach his rebound line recently, hitting the Under in all 10 of his last 10 games at 4.5 rebounds.
Cleveland’s frontcourt is physical and active on the glass, limiting second-chance opportunities for opposing wings and forwards. Kuzma, who isn’t a primary rebounder, will likely see his chances curtailed by their size and positioning.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Bucks tonight
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
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EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the rest of the NHL regular season because of a lower-body injury, the Edmonton Oilers said Tuesday, leaving the back-to-back defending Western Conference champions left to try to hold on to a playoff spot without one of the best hockey players in the world.
He will miss at least the remaining 14 games through April 16.
It was not immediately clear exactly what the injury was or whether Draisaitl will miss any time once the playoffs begin the weekend of April 18-19.
Draisaitl left his team's game Sunday against Nashville after getting bumped hard by the Predators’ Ozzy Wiesblatt during the first period. He did not return.
The Oilers after winning that game sat in third place in the Pacific Division, one point back of Vegas and two behind Anaheim, though the Golden Knights and Ducks each have an extra game left to play.
Draisaitl has been a big part of getting Edmonton to this point. The 30-year-old ranks fourth in the league in scoring with 97 points in 65 games, second on the team behind only Connor McDavid, atop the NHL with 114 points
Draisaitl won the Hart Trophy as MVP in 2020 and was the runner-up last season. Last month, he played at the Olympics and was Germany's leading scorer with seven points in five games.
Draisaitl is the second prominent player to be sidelined for the rest of the regular season. Toronto's Auston Matthews won't play again because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
Back-rower sustained calf injury during Six Nations
Alex Sanderson has warned that Tom Curry’s physical playing style will shorten his career and has suggested England should give him the summer off with the World Cup next year in mind.
The back-rower sustained a calf injury in the warmup for England’s Six Nations defeat by Italy in Rome. Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, said on Tuesday that Curry has a grade-three calf tear and “he’ll be back this season” – but when remains unclear. “With Tom being superhuman the usual layoff times tend to be diminished because of his character and physique,” Sanderson said.
After playing just four teams with losing records over the last 17 games, the Detroit Pistons have four such teams in the next six, starting with a pair of games against the Washington Wizards this week.
The Wizards upset the Pistons on Feb. 6, so Detroit will not be looking past this pair of games.
My Pistons at Wizards predictions and NBA picks call for Detroit to roll to a lopsided cover on Tuesday, March 17.
Washington has lost 12 straight games, going 4-8 ATS. The Wizards have also lost their last 12 games as double-digit dogs, which they’ll be against Detroit.
Star Wizards guard Trae Young went down in the last game and is questionable, although he hasn’t traditionally bounced back quickly.
Detroit has gone 3-6 ATS in the last nine, against a tough schedule that included San Antonio twice and OKC once. The Pistons got Ausar Thompson back last game, and that should be enough to push them over the top.
Pistons vs Wizards same-game parlay
Detroit is No. 16 in pace, but Washington (No. 7) will speed things up. The Pistons have gone Over in the last two games with a points total this high and are riding a streak of four straight Overs. The Wizards have gone Over in four of five and seven of nine.
Jalen Duren has been red hot lately, scoring 20 or more in four of the last five, averaging 22.8 over that span. He’s also hit 45 of 55 shots (.818) in that stretch.
Pistons vs Wizards SGP
Pistons -19.5
Over 232.5
Jalen Duren Over 20.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Surfing the Injury Report
In 13 games against the seven teams with the NBA’s worst records, Cade Cunningham has been in double-digits in assists nine times. He’s also been in double figures four of his last five overall, averaging 12.4 over that span. Getting positive odds on his assists prop is a gift.
Duncan Robinson isn’t a prototypical rebounder, but he’s averaging 2.7 per game and hasn’t been below two in his last five games, averaging 3.4 over that span. Like Cunningham’s assists prop, we’re taking advantage of odds that seem too generous given his recent and overall history.
Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)
Pistons vs Wizards betting trend to know
The Washington Wizards have hit the Game Total Over in 15 of their last 21 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Wizards.
How to watch Pistons vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-Detroit, MNMT
Pistons vs Wizards latest injuries
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Central Division rivals clash for the fourth and final time this season as the Milwaukee Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum tonight.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell tend to rise to the occasion in divisional matchups, and my Cavaliers vs. Bucks predictions set up for both stars to deliver big-time performances.
Here are my free NBA picks for this divisional throwdown on Tuesday, March 17.
Cavaliers vs Bucks prediction
Cavaliers vs Bucks best bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 28.5 points (-115)
At 27.6 points per game, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging his fewest points since the 2017-18 campaign. He’s been limited to 36 games due to injuries, but has scored 29+ in 19 of them.
Giannis has historically played well against his division foe, averaging 32.6 points over his last seven matchups with the Cleveland Cavaliers and scoring 30+ points six times.
Cleveland has allowed the 12th-most points in the paint across its last 10 games, and 67.7% of Giannis’ points come from that range.
With no Jarrett Allen tonight, that will allow for the Greek Freak to attack Evan Mobley more and cause havoc in the paint.
Cavaliers vs Bucks same-game parlay
The Cavs have struggled to cover the spread with consistency this season. Cleveland is 7-15 against the spread as the road favorite and 4-14 when favored by 10 points.
The Milwaukee Bucks are 2-1 ATS vs. Cleveland, and I’ll take them to cover as big home underdogs, thanks to the play of Giannis.
The Cavs are 20-13 to the Over on the road and 15-7 as the road favorite. The Bucks have hit the Over in 19 of 34 home games and 12 of 20 games as the home underdog. The teams also hit the Over when they last met on February 25.
Cavaliers vs Bucks SGP
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 28.5 points
Bucks +10.5
Over 229
Our "from downtown" SGP: Superstar saga
Giannis has pulled down 10+ boards in six of his last seven matchups against Cleveland, and with no Allen for the visitor tonight, the Greek Freak can crash the boards with ease.
Milwaukee’s defense has allowed the fourth-most points (120.1) and most 3-pointers per game across its last 10 games. In that span, the Bucks have surrendered the third-most rebounds (46.9) and most assists (30.7).
That's music to the ears of Donovan Mitchell, who has nailed at least four threes in two of three. He's also eclipsed this R+A line in three straight.
Cavaliers vs Bucks SGP
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 28.5 points
Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 9.5 rebounds
Donovan Mitchell Over 25.5 points
Donovan Mitchell Over 9.5 rebounds+assists
Cavaliers vs Bucks odds
Spread: Cavaliers -10.5 | Bucks +10.5
Moneyline: Cavaliers -500 | Bucks +375
Over/Under: Over 229 | Under 229
Cavaliers vs Bucks betting trend to know
The Cavaliers have hit the team total Over in 13 of their last 17 away games (+8.35 Units / 42% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Bucks.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Cavaliers vs Bucks latest injuries
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.
TORONTO -- A pair of New York Islanders rookies are back where it all began. No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition Calum Ritchie will face off against their hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in front of family and friends for the first time in their NHL careers.
Schaefer is from Hamilton, Ontario, while Ritchie hails from Oakville, Ontario.
"It's awesome," Schaefer told local reporters following Tuesday's morning skate. "You are coming back to the roots a little bit. I came to games growing up with my dad and friends and things like that. So just be good to be here, have family be in the building, and things like that."
Schaefer said following Monday's practice that there would be close to 1,000 people in attendance.
One of those guests is his grandmother, Marianne, who is currently in a wheelchair.
"In Ottawa, my grandparents on my mom's side got to come watch me play. And then now my nana on my dad's side will be able to come watch me play," Schaefer said. "I think this actually could be her first NHL game ever. I think it is, and it'll be her first time watching me in the NHL. So I mean, she's come to a couple of minor hockey games going up and things like that, but that'll be pretty, pretty special for me and her for tonight."
While it will be an exciting night for Schaefer, the result matters immensely for the Islanders' playoff race. They begin the night holding down the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, two points back of the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins and one point up on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"Any game from here on out is just a battle, because everyone's in the race for playoffs and things like that," Schaefer said. "So it just makes it that much more fun when it's close to your hometown, with lots of family in the building. But it's just like every other game. We want to get to two points. I mean, we believe in what we've got going on in this room, and we've got something really good. So we're going to keep focusing on what we've got going on and keep trying to get as many wins as we can."
While Ritchie isn't expecting close to 1,000 people, he's amped up to have his people in the stands.
"I'm just glad to have all my family here, my friends," Ritchie said. "It's gonna be a blast. Growing up here, I came to a lot of games growing up, so it's going to be a special night."
How special will it be for Ritchie to skate on Scotiabank ice?
"Yeah, it's crazy. I was at dinner with my parents yesterday. My sister was talking about how crazy it is that I'm playing in this building and in the NHL," Ritchie said. "Growing up as a kid, you come to so many games. It'll be pretty cool to play on the ice tonight."
Tonight's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday features another thrilling lineup of NBA excitement. The action starts at 8:00 PM ET when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Milwaukee Bucks. Then, at 10:00 PM ET, it's the Philadelphia 76ers vs Denver Nuggets. Live coverage tonight begins at 7:00 PM with NBA Showtime on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch tonight's games. Follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Milwaukee Bucks Game Preview:
Entering tonight's matchup, the Cavaliers currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference. Although they've lost three of their last five games, including a 130-120 loss to the Mavericks on Sunday, Cleveland boasts a 70.8 % win percentage since January 21.
Donovan Mitchell leads the team in scoring (28.2 ppg), assists (5.9 apg), and steals (1.6 spg) this season. The seven-time All-Star is currently fifth in the league in scoring offense (118.1 ppg).
The Bucks are currently 11th in the East and in jeopardy of missing the postseason for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. The health of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will be a key factor in how the Bucks close out the season. Antetokounmpo, who leads Milwaukee in scoring (27.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.8 rpg), is listed as a game-time decision tonight with an ankle injury, following an early exit after an awkward landing in Sunday’s win against Indiana.
Tonight's contest is the fourth and final meeting between the Cavaliers and Bucks this season. Cleveland won two of the first three games.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball coverage will also be available on NBC and Peacock. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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This rollercoaster Minnesota Timberwolves season has hit another dip, and they’ll be without Anthony Edwards for tonight’s bounceback mission against the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix continues to apply pressure in the race for the Top 6 in the West, but my Suns vs. Timberwolves predictions and college basketball picks signal a strong outing for Minnesota, with Julius Randle embracing a bigger offensive role.
Suns vs Timberwolves prediction
Suns vs Timberwolves best bet: Timberwolves -3.5 (-110)
If ever there was a night for the Minnesota Timberwolves' depth to shine through, this is it. They'll have to do it without Edwards, but there’s a lot to like about their 22-12 record at Target Center this season.
The hosts are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these teams, and a defense anchored by Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels should make life tough for Devin Booker.
This is a tricky spot for the Phoenix Suns, who lost in Boston last night, and the visitors are 4-10 SU this year when they have a rest disadvantage.
Suns vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
Julius Randle gets the keys to the Minnesota offense tonight, and he’s still capable of game-winning outings as a No. 1 option. I view his 32-7-6 stat line in Monday’s loss in OKC as a preview of what to expect tonight, and his playmaking will be critical for a Timberwolves squad that’s relied heavily on Ant to create open looks.
Suns vs Timberwolves SGP
Timberwolves -3.5
Julius Randle Over 22.5 points
Julius Randle Over 4.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Paint patrol
Both teams have peppered the Under this season, so this SGP leans into a defensive battle. Gobert is the headliner, ranking fourth in the NBA in rebounds per game, but don’t sleep on Ighodaro, who grabbed eight boards against the Celtics last night.
Suns vs Timberwolves SGP
Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 rebounds
Rudy Gobert Over 1.5 blocks
Oso Ighodaro Over 5.5 rebounds
Under 222
Suns vs Timberwolves odds
Spread: Suns +3.5 | Timberwolves -3.5
Moneyline: Suns +135 | Timberwolves -160
Over/Under: Over 222 | Under 222
Suns vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The Under is 7-2 in Minnesota's last nine games. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Suns vs Timberwolves
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-North, KTVK
Suns vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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Vanderbilt baseball players celebrate a home run by Vanderbilt's Korbin Reynolds (18) during their game against Marist at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. | Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
2pm CT on SECN+.
On the Mound
Tuesday @ 2:00pm SECN+
Vanderbilt #77 Jr. RHP Alex “The Kranz” Kranzler (1-2; 9.49 ERA)
vs. Indiana #28 Grad LHP Conner “Linnsanity” Linn (0-0; 9.28 ERA)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 16: Jalen Johnson #1 reacts with Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena on March 16, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In case you have been stuck under a rock for the better part of three weeks, the Atlanta Hawks have rattled off a recent streak of winning not seen since the days of Paul Millsap and Al Horford.
With their 10th straight win over the Orlando Magic on Magic City Night Monday night, Atlanta has laid claim to the longest win streak since the end of January 2015 — 4,065 days ago from today as I write this on Tuesday.
Clearly, many things are now working for this team that just a few weeks ago sat at 27-31.
Here are my top 10 reasons why the Hawks are streaking.
Jalen Johnson, closer
Jalen Johnson made his first All-Star Game this season, and deservedly so for his absolutely bonkers numbers so far.
Those numbers bear revisiting: per-game averages of 23.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on 59% true shooting. Only four players in NBA history have ever hit those points, rebounds, and assists per game benchmarks in a season: Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, and Nikola Jokic.
But his biggest contribution of late has been in finishing off opponents within sniffing distance in fourth quarters. Johnson is sixth in the league in points in the fourth quarter on 60.3% true shooting. His real superstar turn may be in taking over when the brightest lights are on him.
Dyson Daniels’ hustle and grit
Dyson Daniels doesn’t need a three-point shot to absolutely wreck opposing teams’ gameplans. So far this season, he’s fourth in deflections per game with 4.2, third in total deflections with 269, and second in loose balls recovered with 62 (all stats per the NBA’s tracking numbers).
Plays like this one last night where he goes all out for the ball are almost a nightly basis:
But these haven’t been the product of simply standing in the corner. Rather, he works hard for these looks by moving off the ball to find openings. Watch him sprint from the strong side corner for this look — an effort level that Desmond Bane simply doesn’t match:
How he does this for 33 minutes a game in 65 games to this point while handling the ball more than ever, giving tons of effort on the defensive end, and generally excelling in a much larger role than he’s ever had, I’ll never know.
The new starting unit gelled immediately
Inserting CJ McCollum into the starting lineup for Zaccharie Risacher raised some eyebrows initially, but the Hawks immediately rattled off on their winning streak ever since. It’s beyond fair to say that move has worked.
With the talk about Charlotte's starters, I haven't seen as much on Atlanta's starters. They are currently the best lineup in the league, outscoring opponents by ~30 pts/100 poss. Last night, it was +22 on 43 poss. – Every starter is better on both sides when with the starters. pic.twitter.com/rEGBCpWfS7
The Hawks are in the middle of a historical season in terms of sharing the ball. Currently, they are second in assist percentage (the percentage of made field goals that are assisted) with 70.2%, second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.13), and tops in assist ratio (the percentage of possessions that ended with an assist) at 20.5%.
The teams’ offensive ethos has been ‘random basketball’ where dribble-handoffs and off-ball screens create tons of confusion for defenses, and the many willing passers on this team have cashed in tons opportunities to create easy looks for each other.
Bench depth
The in-season additions of Gabe Vincent, Corey Kispert, Jonathan Kuminga, and Jock Landale have given the bench many options to mix and match as needed. Gone are the days of the dreaded Keaton Wallace-Luke Kennard-Vit Krejci lineups. Now the Hawks can stagger one of the starting guards with bigger and more physical presences at hand.
Offensive rebounding
The Hawks had difficulties extending possessions early in the season, and it was clear the tradeoff of bodies back in transition defense wasn’t quite worth it. Prior to the All-Star break, the Hawks were 27th in the NBA in offensive rebound rate (the percent of available offensive rebounds secured) at 27.3%
Now, with the likes of Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher crashing the glass relentlessly, post-All-Star break the team has been fourth in the entire league over that stretch with an offensive rebounding rate of 34.4%.
Defensive rebounding
The story is similar on the defensive side of the ball. The week layoff and homestand has helped the Hawks put up more of a physical fight for box outs and positioning on the glass as of late.
The team went from 21st in defensive rebounding rate (68.9%) prior to the break all the way to first in the NBA (76.4%) since. Now that’s what I call a turnaround.
Coaching adjustments
I wrote about Quin Snyder putting Dyson Daniels on Giannis Antetokounmpo when it was clear the matchup was problematic. Two games ago, Snyder inserted Mouhamed Gueye in Jock Landale’s place in the second half bench unit against the Brooklyn Nets.
And last game, he used double big lineups with Jalen Johnson at the 3 (although to not a great effect).
The coaching staff has had to constantly tinker during a season of wild roster turnover, and they’ve now found solution after solution during this latest stretch.
The vibes are immaculate
After every big play, you see locker room vet Buddy Hield and others engaged and cheering. The home crowds in State Farm Arena are providing ample energy.
After the game yesterday, Jalen Johnson said it himself, “I think the best way to describe it is we’re resilient. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. Team has looked different at times. But at the end of the day, we remain together. With us remaining together, that allows us to stack these types of wins, go on a winning streak like this, get a big win like tonight against Orlando. Just the little things that’s we’ve been doing off the court, in practice, have a created a sum. This is the result.”
Jonathan Loaisiga poses for a photo for MLB media day. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
Inspiration.
“We’ve got to start honing in on the pitching side of things, and we’re wanting to see guys commanding the baseball, commanding their secondary stuff, attacking the zone, filling up the zone.” — Torey Lovullo, 7 March
To the extent that Torey Lovullo’s comment reflects Diamondbacks’ pitching that is less than what it’s got to be, (and he is a straight-shooter), bullpen battles are incendiary. Spring training may add fuel to the fires. Let’s look at spring training data through 10 March.
Approach.
To increase comparability between pitchers, pitches are segregated into fastballs, breaking balls, and off-speed pitches.
To shed light on “filling the zone’ and ‘commanding the baseball’, let’s look at two things. First, what percentage of pitches are in the attack zone, and what percentage of pitches are in the combined attack zone / shadow zone per Baseball Savant? Second, what percentage of those pitches do not become balls in play? Instead, they are called strikes, whiffs, foul balls, and sometimes called balls (based on umpire judgement).
After this comparison, to add insights the pitchers will be also compared on more common (and all-inclusive for all pitch types) measures such as on-base percentage (OBP), slugging (SLG), wOBA, and hard hit percentage (HH%).
Compared two bullpen pitchers, who were acquired in the off-season.
The two pitchers were Jonathan Loaisiga and Kade Strowd. There are good reasons to be confident that Loaisiga will be on the opening day roster per this AZ Snake Pit article.
5 Bullpen Metrics. Kade Strowd’s hard hit percentage is one of the best in the Majors. In 2025 Strowd was better than Loaisiga in 4 of 5 metrics, per this AZ Snake Pit article.
For a second time, comparing those 5 metrics (in spring training through 10 March instead of last season), the picture is very different. The two pitchers were close to equal, with possibly Loaisiga having a slight edge. The following table shows the five metrics:
Filling the Zone. In spring training through 10 March, Loaisiga had higher percentages of fastballs and breaking balls that filled the zone. Also, Loaisiga when fastballs and breaking balls filled the zone, Loaisiga had less of those become balls in play. Details are in the following table.
4 Pitching Metrics. In addition, in spring training Loaisiga was better than Strowd in four more common metrics. For details see the following table.
Based on the comparisons, both pitchers are great with Loaisiga showing best in spring training.
Compared three left-handed bullpen pitchers.
Let’s look at Brandyn Garcia, Mitch Bratt, and Kohl Drake. Although the last two players were optioned to the minors on 8 March, the comparison may shed light on which pitcher is more likely to be called up if Garcia is injured or traded. Although Bratt and Drake might eventually be rotation pitchers, that doesn’t preclude them being called up to pitch in the bullpen.
Filling the Zone. Perhaps surprisingly, in spring training the three pitchers filled the zone close to the same percentages for both fastballs and breaking balls. Looking at whether those pitches became balls in play, there were differences. For fastballs, they were all great, but for in the attack zone they ranked Garcia (best), Drake, and Bratt. For in the combined attack zone and shadow zone, the rankings of Drake and Bratt switched. For breaking balls, Garcia and Bratt were great, with Drake at the bottom. Details are in the following table. It includes data from spring training through 10 March.
4 Pitching Metrics.
In spring training, Garcia had by far the best OBP, SLG, and wOBA. Bratt had the best HH%. So that may be a factor in why Garcia looks like he will be on the opening day roster.
Comparing Bratt and Drake, Bratt had the better SLG and HH%, while Drake had the better OBP. About equal was wOBA.
Details are in the following table. It includes data from spring training through 10 March.
Based on the comparisons, during the season it’s not clear to me whether I would call up Bratt or Drake. Maybe it would depend on which team the Diamondbacks were playing against, with one having the better matchups against opposing batters.
Looked at Philip Abner.
Despite being a left-handed He was not included in the 3-pitcher comparison. Last season, after an incredible rise from a+ to AA to AAA to MLB, he pitched 3.2 innings in the Majors with a 4.91 ERA.
Details are in the following tables. They include data from spring training through 10 March.
Summary.
Bullpen battles are incendiary, with filling the zone a factor.
Arguably, Jonathan Loaisiga and Kade Strowd will be in the opening day bullpen. Based on several comparisons, both pitchers are great with Loaisiga showing best in spring training.
Brandyn Garcia will likely be the left-handed pitcher in the bullpen on opening day.
If the team goes with two left-handed pitchers in the bullpen, Philip Abner could be in the bullpen on opening day.
Based on the comparisons, during the season it’s not clear which left-handed pitcher (Bratt or Drake) will be called up if needed.
Brandon Miller
Cam Johnson
Victor Wembanyama
Cavaliers
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