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NFL announces key offseason program dates for all 32 teams

Offseason programs will be starting for teams with new coaches next week and the NFL has announced the key dates for all 32 teams.

All teams will open their programs with two weeks of meetings and conditioning work before they can advance to on-field work. That work will include up to 10 organized team activities and a mandatory minicamp. In addition to starting their work ahead of other clubs, teams with new coaches are also permitted to hold a voluntary minicamp.

The dates for all teams are listed below:

Arizona: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 28-30, June 3-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Atlanta: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-11.

Baltimore: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 3, June 5-6, June 9-12; Mandatory minicamp - June 17-19.

Buffalo: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Carolina: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Chicago: First day - April 7; Voluntary minicamp April 21-23; OTAs - May 20-22, May 27-30, June 9-11; Mandatory minicamp June 3-5.

Cincinnati: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 2-4; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Cleveland: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 3-4, June 6, June 16-19; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Dallas: First day - April 14; OTAs - May 19-20, May 22, May 28-30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Denver: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 3-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Detroit: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 28-30, June 3-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Green Bay: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Houston: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 28-30, June 2-3, June 5. Mandatory minicamp - June 10-11.

Indianapolis: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 28-30, June 3-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Jacksonville: First day - April 8; Voluntary minicamp - April 21-23; OTAs - May 19, May 21-22, May 27, May 29-30, June 2-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Kansas City: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 2-4, June 10-13; Mandatory minicamp - June 17-19.

Las Vegas: First day - April 8; Voluntary minicamp - April 21-23; OTAs - May 19, May 21-22, May 27, May 29-30, June 2-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Los Angeles Chargers: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 3-5, June 16-18; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Los Angeles Rams: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12; Mandatory minicamp - June 16-18.

Miami: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27, May 29-30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Minnesota: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 16-18; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

New England: First day - April 7; Voluntary minicamp April 22-24; OTAs - May 19-20, May 22, May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 9-11.

New Orleans: First day - April 14; OTAs - May 20-22, May 27, May 29-30, June 2, June 4-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

New York Giants: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13; Mandatory minicamp - June 17-19.

New York Jets: First day - April 7; Voluntary minicamp - April 21-23; OTAs - May 20-22, May 28-30, June 2-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Philadelphia: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10.

Pittsburgh: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-29, June 3-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

San Francisco: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-11.

Seattle: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 27, May 29-30, June 2, June 4-5, June 9, June 11-12; Mandatory minicamp - June 17-19.

Tampa Bay: First day - April 21; OTAs - May 27-30, June 2-5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Tennessee: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

Washington: First day - April 22; OTAs - May 28, May 30, June 3-4, June 8; Mandatory minicamp - June 10-12.

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Campbell makes Red Sox history with electrifying start to MLB career

Campbell makes Red Sox history with electrifying start to MLB career originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It has been a week to remember for Boston Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell.

The organization’s No. 2 ranked prospect made the Opening Day roster and recorded his first MLB hit in a win over the Texas Rangers. His first big-league home run came two days later.

On Wednesday, the Red Sox announced they signed Campbell to an eight-year contract extension worth $60 million. The 22-year-old second baseman celebrated the occasion with two doubles and a victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Campbell stayed hot on Thursday, helping the Red Sox to an 8-4 win in their series finale vs. Baltimore. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with his second homer of the season:

Through seven games, Campbell leads Boston in hits (10) and doubles (four). He is tied with Wilyer Abreu for the team lead in homers.

The fourth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft has made franchise history with his torrid start to the campaign. According to Elias Sports, Campbell is the first Red Sox player to have at least 10 hits, six extra-base hits, and four walks in their first seven games to start their career.

Those numbers have made Campbell the early odds-on favorite to secure the American League Rookie of the Year award. While he already looks like a star in the making, his own teammates could give him stiff competition for the honor later in the year. Fellow top Red Sox prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are expected to make an impact with the big-league club at some point this season.

The Red Sox will look to earn their third consecutive win Friday when they welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to Fenway Park for their home opener.

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As expected, Philadelphia reportedly will shut Tyrese Maxey down for rest of season

This seems a fitting final note on the 76ers' massively disappointing season.

Philadelphia will formally shut down Tyrese Maxey for the season due to a finger tendon injury, which has been expected but is a story formally broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. While the team has yet to make that official, Charania said Maxey's agent, Rich Paul, confirmed the news. That injury has sidelined Maxey since March 3, and while he has worked toward a return, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of a recent workout, "It went just 'medium.' It didn't like 'Oh, that was great,' you know? So it's just medium, but he's still working."

With the 76ers sitting 13th in the East, 11 games back of even the last play-in spot and more focused on keeping their top-six protected pick, what was the point of bringing back Maxey?

Forced to take on more of a scoring load this season with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing time due to injuries, Maxey broke out and averaged a career-high 26.3 points a game, but injuries limited him to 52 games this season.

Embiid, George and Maxey played just 15 games together this season, with the Sixers going 7-8 in those contests, and the team had a -0.9 net rating when all three were on the court together. While that is underwhelming (to say the least), expect the 76ers to run it back because the contracts of Embiid and George are virtually untradable (especially with Embiid having his knee scoped, again), and the 76ers would not consider trading Maxey. Philly is going to give this another run.

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Penguins Have Monumental Chance At Disrupting Quest For History

Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in Missouri to face the hottest team in the NHL, the St. Louis Blues, winners of ten straight. Interestingly, the Blues last lost a game to the Penguins on March 13. 

After the loss, St. Louis was 31-28-7 with 69 points, two out of the second wildcard spot, with two teams ahead of them. Meanwhile, they had a goal differential of minus-9.

Today, they have a seven-point lead in the wildcard race and are tied with the Minnesota Wild for the top wildcard spot. Moreover, with six games left, they are only seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche in third place in the Central Division. 

Since their last loss to Pittsburgh, St. Louis is 10-0-0, scoring 41 goals and surrendering only 14, for a goal differential of plus-27, bringing their season totals up to plus-18. During this stretch, their power play is 7-for-29 (24%), and their penalty kill is 90.9%. 

Considering how great the Blues are playing, the Penguins can halt St. Louis's march toward rewriting its franchise record book with another win on Thursday night. 

First, the Blues are one win away from tying their all-time win streak of 11 games during the 2018-19 season. Recently, when they collected their 10th win, they tied the 2001-02 team, which also won ten games and held the record for 16 years. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesPittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

Second, St. Louis has won nine straight home games, which is tied for the longest win streak at home, set by the 1990-91 team and matched by the 2019-20 squad. A win on Thursday night would give the 2024-25 team the all-time mark. 

Last time we wrote about the Penguins being party crashers on their road trip in Florida, they mailed in one of the worst back-to-back performances of the season.

Considering they are not mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, they still have something to play for besides pride: to play spoiler, like ending the Blues' historic win streak, which, if extended one more night, would be one of their greatest stretches of hockey all-time.

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The Blues Are The Wild Card Team That No One Wants To Face In The Playoffs

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In both style and substance, the St. Louis Blues look a lot like a team that was pretty successful six years ago.

Since the NHL broke for the 4 Nations Face-Off almost two months ago, the Blues have transformed themselves from hapless deadline seller to legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Going 16-2-2 since the break, the Blues have not only made up an eight-point gap to find themselves comfortably in a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but they've also morphed into a team nobody in the NHL wants anything to do with in the first round of the playoffs.

Blues' Jordan Binnington Rewarded For Stellar MonthBlues' Jordan Binnington Rewarded For Stellar MonthSt. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington has been named the NHL's Third Star of the Month for March. 

Imagine you're the Winnipeg Jets.

You put together an incredible campaign with all kinds of individual and franchise bests and your reward is to face the Blues in the first round. Or you win the Pacific Division, as the Vegas Golden Knights almost certainly will, only to have to face the Blues.

That's not exactly a reward. If anything, it's a punishment.

Here's more in today's video column:

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Magic vs. Wizards Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 3

It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Orlando Magic (37-40) and Washington Wizards (17-59) are all set to square off from Capital One Arena in Washington.

The Magic are currently 17-21 on the road with a point differential of -1, while the Wizards have a 3-7 record in their last ten games at home. Orlando has won all three meetings by at least 15 points versus Washington this season.

Washington is coming off a win against Sacramento last night to snap a three-game losing streak. Orlando is 5-2 over the last seven games and 2-2 in the previous four.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Magic vs. Wizards live today

  • Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
  • Time: 7:00PM EST
  • Site: Capital One Arena
  • City: Washington, DC
  • Network/Streaming:

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Magic vs. Wizards

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Magic (-971), Wizards (+633)
  • Spread:  Magic -13.5
  • Over/Under: 217 points

That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 114.62, and the Wizards 107.58.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Magic vs. Wizards game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

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

"Since Washington is coming off an upset win over the Kings last night, this is a fade spot to me. It's Orlando or pass, as the Magic needed a comeback versus the Spurs in their last game, but should not need that here."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Magic & Wizards game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orlando Magic on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Wizards at +13.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 217.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Magic vs. Wizards on Thursday

  • The Wizards are 1-4 in their last 5 home games
  • 16 of the Magic's last 19 road trips to the Wizards have gone over the Total
  • The Wizards have failed to cover the Spread in 4 of their last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Magic have won 7 of their last 9 on the road, while the Wizards have lost 5 straight home games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Timberwolves sale from Glen Taylor to Marc Lore, Alex Rodriguez agreed to, moving forward

It was a multi-year process that the current controlling Timberwolves owner, Glen Taylor, tried to stop — and could have dragged out with an appeal of an arbitrator's ruling — but Taylor has decided against the appeal, and the sale of the Minnesota franchise is finally going through.

Taylor has agreed to sell 100% of the Minnesota Timberwolves to Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez for the $1.5 billion franchise valuation agreed to in 2021, a story broken by Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reporters since. The NBA has formally started transferring ownership, including a vote from the Board of Governors (the other owners).

The dragged-out, convoluted process of Lore and Rodriguez buying the team started four years ago. This unique sale process involved Lore/Rodriguez essentially buying the team in installments at a $1.5 billion price tag, with all sides agreeing to this process in 2021.

The dispute arose around the final payment of that sale, which Taylor voided, saying it came after the prescribed deadline. However, Lore and Rodriguez argued that they did turn in the paperwork on time, and the sale agreement allowed for an extension of 90 days to finalize the deal if their financing was in place before the deadline — and it was despite changing financing partners. Rodriguez and Lore argued that Taylor simply had seller's remorse (maybe in part because the value of the franchise skyrocketed in the years after the sale).

The disagreement went to arbitration, and the panel agreed with Lore and Rodriguez. Taylor could have appealed but chose not to. The sides have now agreed to finalize the deal.

Taylor, 83, still turns a healthy profit: He bought the Timberwolves in 1994 for $88 million (keeping the team from a potential relocation to New Orleans).

Among the things the Lore/Rodriguez ownership is expected to do is extend team head of basketball operations Tim Connelly, as well as try to repair the franchise's relationship with its best player ever, Kevin Garnett (who had a feud with Taylor).

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Timberwolves vs. Nets Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 3

It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32) and Brooklyn Nets (25-51) are all set to square off from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Timberwolves are currently 21-16 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Nets have a 2-8 record in their last ten games at home. This is the first of two remaining matchups between the Nets and Timberwolves.

Minnesota has won three straight games and four of the past five contests, while Brooklyn has won the past two games by seven combined points versus Washington and Dallas.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Timberwolves vs. Nets live today

  • Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Barclays Center
  • City: Brooklyn, NY
  • Network/Streaming:

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Timberwolves vs. Nets

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Timberwolves (-935), Nets (+618)
  • Spread:  Timberwolves -13
  • Over/Under: 216 points

That gives the Timberwolves an implied team point total of 113.87, and the Nets 107.09.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Timberwolves vs. Nets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Nets to cover:

"Minnesota is coming off that emotional and wild win in 2OT versus the Nuggets, but they travel across the country from Denver to Brooklyn for this contest. This is a large double-digit spread to cover if you are Minnesota as they just want the win and to continue the road trip. I lean the points with the Nets as a backdoor cover is very likely."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Timberwolves & Nets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Brooklyn Nets at +13.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 216.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Timberwolves vs. Nets on Thursday

  • The Timberwolves have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • 7 of the Timberwolves' last 9 games (78%) have gone over the Total
  • This season the Nets have covered the spread in 28 games against teams with better records
  • The Timberwolves have won 6 of their last 7 away games against teams with losing records

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Walker silences boobirds with 6 shutout innings to complete sweep over Rockies

Walker silences boobirds with 6 shutout innings to complete sweep over Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There were boos every time he took the mound at BayCare Ballpark during spring training.

There were boos on Opening Day when his name was announced for the first time this season at Citizens Bank Park.

And again, there were boos when he was announced as the starting pitcher for Thursday’s series finale against the Rockies.

“It would affect anyone, really,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said about the boos in his office before the game. “But I think he handles it really well.”

At the end of the sixth inning, as the Phillies were inching their way towards their first sweep of the season, Taijuan Walker celebrated while walking off the mound after striking out Hunter Goodman. He made his way to the dugout and for the first time in a long time, wasn’t met with boobirds. In fact, he was met with 34,097 Phillies fans rising to their feet to applaud his outing.

Six scoreless innings. Three hits. Four punch outs. 74 pitches.

3-1, Phillies.

It’s Walker’s first win since May 11 last season. 327 days. He made 16 starts in the interim.

Even with minimal help offensively, this was Walker’s day. If you’re the 32-year-old, you couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.

After a series of infield mishaps for the Rockies in the second inning, the Phillies found themselves with the bases loaded for the second time in under 24 hours. And just like the former … they weren’t able to bring any runs across the plate.

Well, at least Max Kepler tried. Brandon Marsh grounded out to Rockies Pitcher Antonio Senzatela and with a fielder’s choice to catcher Jacob Stallings, Kepler was initially called safe. After review, the ruling was overturned.

The afternoon of offensive oddities continued in the fourth with J.T. Realmuto. After Realmuto collected his second single of the day, Bryson Stott had what could’ve been a knock into right field, except it hit the Phillies’ catcher on the base path.

Third time is always the charm, right?

Kyle Schwarber led off the fifth inning and should’ve been out on a routine pop up to left fielder and former Phillie, Mickey Moniak. Moniak dropped the ball, putting Schwarber aboard. He scored on a Bryce Harper double two batters later.

Schwarber added a little breathing room with a 444-foot bomb to the second deck in right center field. He’s currently on the longest hitting streak of his career to open the season and is leading the club with four home runs.

These are the games the Phillies need to be winning. Back-to-back series wins, including a sweep, is the expectation when you’re going against subpar teams like the Nationals and Rockies. Now 5-1 on the season, they’re going to face their first big test this weekend with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers coming to town for a three-game series. The Dodgers are currently sitting a pretty 8-0 at the top of the NL West and are coming off of a walk-off win against the Braves. They’ll be hungry for more.

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Is a Hart for Hellebuyck That Far-Fetched?

Photo by Charles LeClaire/USA Today 

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would tell you himself, a Hart Trophy is cool, but the Stanley Cup is his only aspiration.

As as been his mantra since earning his first Vezina Trophy following the 2019-20 NHL season, the now 31-year-old backstop is keen on being the last team standing.

So far this season, he has been the last man standing on the Jets' last line of defence, and has performed exceptionally.

Most have Hellebuyck slotted in for his third Vezina Trophy, and second in a row. 

Again, he wants to prove his doubters wrong with a strong postseason performance for the team that has essentially led the league in a wire-to-wire fashion this year. 

Winnipeg is 51-20-4 on the year, good for 106 points in 75 total games played. The Jets are the only team to have hit the 50-win mark, and sit No. 1 league-wide in terms of points, point percentage and regulation/overtime wins. 

But on flip side of things, Winnipeg started very hot, setting a league record for the best 15-game start to a season, before cooling off just a touch as the year has progressed. Injuries and personnel choices have caught up with the Jets, who sit just one point above Washington for first-place, and just four points over Dallas for first in the Central Division. 

With three of the league's top-five teams coming from the same division Winnipeg calls home, the Jets' final seven contests will carry significant weight.

Having begun their recent three-game west coast road trip with a difficult 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings - to which the Jets went 0-3 against on the season - a rebound vs. Vegas on Thursday night will be critical to the team's final standings placement. But the 45-21-8 Golden Knights are no pushover either. 

Through his 58 games this season, Hellebuyck sits atop the leaderboards in all four major goaltending statistic categories. His 43 wins are seven better than the second-place Andrei Vasilevskiy. While his 2.02 goals against average, .924 save percentage and seven shutouts narrowly top the charts in the other areas. 

Only two goaltenders have ever finished first in all four categories in NHL history, and they both went on to win the Stanley Cup in their respective record-setting years (Jacques Plante - 1958-59, Bernie Parent - 1973-74 Flyers). 

"We know what we have," said Jets coach Scott Arniel. "He's a special goalie, and he can win hockey games for you. He's such a prepared guy, just how he goes about his business, whether it's practices and games. He doesn't like to get scored on. And he really wants to be the best."

Hellebuyck has also become just the third goaltender since the 2000-01 season to put up multiple 43+ win seasons (Martin Brodeur, Evgeni Nabokov). 

Should he continue playing through the remainder of Winnipeg's seven games, Hellebuyck will have the opportunity to break his own personal wins record (44) and even challenge for a place among the all-time leaders (NHL-record 48 wins).

Sure, Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl is having himself a strong season (51 goals and 105 points, great goal scorers come along every year. A season like this one from a goaltender happens once in a blue moon.

The last time it occurred? Carey Price in 2014-15.

His stats?

44-16-6 with a 1.96 goals against average, a .933 save percentage and nine shutouts to his name.

No, Hellebuyck will not catch those numbers, but as is the case with inflation these days, goals are easier to come by in era-adjusted scoring. So Hellebuyck's numbers actually would reflect very similar to those of Price's. 

"We think he should be in the Hart Trophy conversation," said Jets captain Adam Lowry. "It's very rare you see a goalie there, not since Carey Price and I think he should be."

Again, his eyes are not on a Vezina Trophy, a Hart Trophy, a Jennings Trophy, or even a first-place finish. 

Connor Hellebuyck wants the Stanley Cup. And that fire will not be tamed. 

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Trail Blazers vs. Raptors Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 3

It’s Thursday, April 3, and the Portland Trail Blazers (33-43) and Toronto Raptors (28-48) are all set to square off from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

The Trail Blazers are currently 13-25 on the road with a point differential of -3, while the Raptors have a 5-5 record in their last ten games at home. The Blazers won 105-102 on March 16 in Portland versus Toronto. This is the final meeting of the season.

Toronto was on a four-game winning streak before their 19-point loss to Chicago whereas Portland was on a four-game losing streak before their four-point win over Atlanta.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Trail Blazers vs. Raptors live today

  • Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Scotiabank Arena
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming:

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Game odds for Trail Blazers vs. Raptors

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Trail Blazers (-123), Raptors (+103)
  • Spread:  Trail Blazers -1.5
  • Over/Under: 225 points

That gives the Trail Blazers an implied team point total of 112.91, and the Raptors 112.13.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Trail Blazers vs. Raptors game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Blazers to cover and win:

"Portland and Toronto are both on the outside looking in of the play-in tournament, but I think the Blazers at least have a real chance. The Raptors would need to win out with some help to make the play-in whereas Portland is 2.0 games back of the final spot. This is a winnable game for the Blazers and a good spot to grab two straight wins. It's Portland or pass."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Trail Blazers & Raptors game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Raptors at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Trail Blazers vs. Raptors on Thursday

  • The Trail Blazers have won 9 of their last 10 games as favorite
  • The Over is 12-8 in the Raptors' last 10 home games and the Trail Blazers' last 10 on the road combined
  • The Raptors have covered in 4 of their last 5 games
  • The Raptors have covered in 8 of their 9 matchups against Western Conference Northwest Division teams 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 NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Jamion Christian returns from overseas to replace Phil Martelli Jr. as Bryant’s basketball coach

Bryant has hired Jamion Christian to replace Phil Martelli Jr. as its men's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday. Christian will move to the Rhode Island school after spending the last two seasons as coach of Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian Professional Basketball League. Christian also has had prior head coaching jobs at George Washington, Siena and Mount St. Mary’s.

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Some diehard baseball fans in sports-crazed Sacramento welcome Athletics and hope they stay awhile

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Van Thompson walked through the busy concourse shortly before first pitch and sang along to the national anthem, a white Athletics ball cap in hand covering his heart.

Susan Falcon took her dog out on the other side of town near a bustling coffee shop and raved about the positive vibe the A’s have brought to California’s sports-crazed capital city in such a short time.

On the fly, former minor league pitcher Jarod Pavese packed up two of his three daughters and the boyfriend of one and headed north from Southern California’s Riverside County for a last-minute spring break trip to cheer their Chicago Cubs in the series finale.

“It was very spontaneous. We try to be as spontaneous as we can but not really,” 17-year-old high school senior Gianna Pavese said, sitting with her boyfriend Gavinn Schulze, dad and 12-year-old sister Kat in row 10 of section 104 on a sunny spring day. “It’s really exciting. It was just spur of the moment.”

Despite some kinks still to be worked out, the A’s relocation is providing fans who might not regularly go to games a big new opportunity to see the big leagues live.

After its 57-year Oakland run ended last September in a painful split for fans — many of them lifelong A’s supporters — the club has insisted this stay in West Sacramento will be temporary until a new stadium in Las Vegas is supposed to be ready in 2028. The A’s even declined to adopt the Sacramento in its official name while here for the next three years — they are simply the Athletics, with no city attached.

That hasn’t squashed curiosity or enthusiasm so far.

Bryan Haywood of Bozeman, Montana, attended his first-ever major league game at age 46. He and friend and fellow Montanan Chris Anderson of Livingston made the trip to Sacramento.

“It was amazing,” Haywood said.

Thompson lives in Sacramento and is a big fan of the NBA’s Kings. He wanted to show his support for the new team in town.

“I came with an A’s fan,” he said. “I’m a Kings fan, I just came to support the cause.”

Falcon has spoken to plenty of people who plan to cheer the A’s, or already have for years and finally get to do so from right nearby.

“Sacramento loves the A’s, they’re elated, they’re so excited, they’re going to wear the colors, they’re going to show up, they’re going to do everything,” she said. “They will be there.”

Business partners Dan Niccum and Ken McGuire are crossing their fingers the A’s never leave their new Northern California home. They plan to hold onto their four second-row seats however long the club stays. Niccum doesn’t expect the A’s to relocate to Las Vegas anytime soon — because “it’s a pipe dream what they’re doing in Vegas right now” — even though the A’s say that will be for the 2028 season.

“They’re here for at least four or five years, and so we’re here for the duration,” Niccum said. “We are excited to be here.”

How visiting teams feel about playing in a minor league park and how it tests the patience of A’s players over time remains to be seen. There were 12 home runs hit, eight by Chicago.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, for one, hardly wants to be one to speak out negatively about the A’s new Northern California home. Swanson prefers to be supportive of the situation, to see the glass half-full and just be grateful to play at this level. Even if there are many kinks to be worked out after the initial homestand at Sutter Health Park, where the visiting team’s clubhouse is through an opening in the center-field wall.

Swanson’s dear friend since their college days at Vanderbilt is A’s pitcher Tyler Ferguson, so the Cubs infielder has heard plenty about the progress at Sutter Health Park.

Attendance for the initial three-game set at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento was 31,556 after the opener Monday had a sellout of 12,119.

“Obviously they’ve done as much as they can in order to make it as best as it can be. Obviously give everyone props for being able to make it happen,” Swanson said. “We all think it might be easier than it is but it’s not and everyone’s doing the best they can.”

He took time out of his pregame routine to sign some autographs. And Swanson figures opposing players might as well stay positive and supportive because there’s nothing that can be changed at this stage regarding the A’s playing in a minor league ballpark. The club will share the venue with the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats.

Yet many A’s fans are far from ready to let go of nearly six decades of memories in the East Bay. And for the home opener, some sported T-shirts reading “I’d Rather Be At the Oakland Coliseum.”

Manager Mark Kotsay hopes some of them eventually will eventually make the 85-mile trek north. Even after a forgettable first series in which the A’s were outscored 35-9.

“I definitely feel the energy. It’s tough for them to love us after we performed the way we did,” Kotsay said. “But I do think that this city is excited. There’s a lot of excitement to bring baseball to this part of California that Major League Baseball hasn’t been. ... We also want those that are still in Oakland to make that drive two hours north and come watch us as well.”

A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler sat on the podium in a makeshift press conference room with the A’s logo behind him on a banner that also said Las Vegas. Butler is in it for the long haul and looks to be a face of the franchise for at least the immediate future, having signed a seven-year, $65.5 million contract.

So far, he appreciates how the city has embraced the A’s. From popular restaurants, welcoming hotel staff, to supporters on the Sacramento State college campus and folks on the street, there’s plenty of chatter about the team.

The iconic yellow Tower Bridge visible beyond right field lit up in green for the first night game in spirit of the new team in town and to give a festive green-and-gold A’s vibe.

“Pretty quiet, low-key city, but I’ve figured out that there’s a lot of stuff to do, a lot of good places to eat at. I haven’t fully explored all of those places yet,” Butler said. “I’m hoping to, but it feels like it’s a nice, cool, low-key city. What I’ve gotten from it is that they really love their sports teams. We’re another sports team coming here so I’m pretty sure they’ll show out tonight and show us a lot of love.”

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Moody, Podziemski pride themselves on not being Warriors' weak links

Moody, Podziemski pride themselves on not being Warriors' weak links originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES – On the far end of the UCLA men’s basketball practice court at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center, Steph Curry still is working following Warriors shootaround, more than seven hours prior to their game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Draymond Green is getting shots up on the same hoop. So is Jimmy Butler, with the rest of the team shooting on the opposite end or at a side hoop. Curry, Green and Butler are the center of the Warriors’ solar system. They aren’t surrounded by fellow stars in the starting lineup, but key components who can keep everything in sync or throw the Warriors out of whack. 

Since Butler’s arrival from the Miami Heat, the former has been the story of a resurgent Golden State squad. Curry has been rejuvenated. Green has stated his Defensive Player of the Year case, with an equally competitive comrade to lean on. 

The rest of the Warriors’ usual starting five when at full strength is made up of Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, two 22-year-olds shining in their own regard. 

“We make sure when teams look at us, they don’t look at us as the weak links out there,” Podziemski said. 

They haven’t been. The Warriors are 18-5 since Butler made his team debut on Feb. 8 in Chicago, and one of those losses came in a game he missed as an injury precaution. None of the five losses have been with Curry, Podziemski, Butler, Moody and Green all in the starting lineup. 

After beating the Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday night, the Warriors jumped to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and improved to 12-0 using that starting five, giving them perhaps the best group in the NBA. Their 12-game win streak together is the longest by any team in the league this season, passing the Oklahoma City Thunder’s five-man unit of Cason Wallace, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein that had an 11-game win streak together from Dec. 3, 2024 through Jan. 5, 2025. 

“It’s been pretty simple since Jimmy’s gotten here,” Podziemski said. “We got really high-IQ guys in the starting lineup and guys kind of just know how the floor is supposed to look, what shots you’re going to get it and it all meshes good.”

Adding Butler next to Curry has simplified everything for the Warriors, particularly for Moody and Podziemski. 

“It’s a good flow out there on the floor,” Moody said. “Playing through Jimmy, playing through Steph opens a lot of things up.”

Podziemski has played 19 games in the Butler era, missing five to a lower back problem. In that span, Podziemski has averaged 13.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Moody hasn’t missed any action, averaging 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game with Butler on the Warriors. Both have seen their defensive responsibilities increase, too. 

With Andrew Wiggins gone as part of the Butler trade, Moody has individually taken on the challenge of defending the opposition’s top scorer. Though he’s only shooting 33.9 percent on 3-pointers in the past eight weeks with Butler in the fold, Moody’s defensive intensity has shined, as has Podziemski’s on plenty of occasions. 

Each player has averaged at least a steal per game for the new-look Warriors. 

“We know Jimmy and Steph do so much for us offensively,” Podziemski said. “Me and Moses have taken on the challenge of guarding the best guys every night and making it easier on the other guys.” 

The quintet technically has played 14 games together, producing a 120.3 offensive rating and 102.4 defensive rating in 133 minutes, giving the group a 17.9 net rating. There have been 20 five-man lineups in the NBA that have played at least 100 minutes together since Butler’s first game in a Warriors jersey. The Curry-Podziemski-Butler-Moody-Green lineup has the sixth-best offensive rating during that duration, plus the third-best defensive rating and third-best net rating. 

“We’re just trying to win games,” Moody said. “When it comes down to the stretch, whatever it takes. Young guys, old guys, everybody’s really just all-in, putting everything they got on the floor and trying to come out with wins.” 

Golden State’s Big Three – Curry, Green and Butler – combined to score 92 of the Warriors’ 134 points against the Grizzlies. Moody (10 points) and Podziemski (eight points) accounted for 18 points. Yet they came through in the clutch for the Warriors when it mattered most. 

Podziemski flew in for a wild tip-in, using his off-hand to save a missed three from Curry, putting the Warriors ahead by five points with a little over a minute left. Moody sealed the game, hitting a wide-open three of his own from the left corner, increasing the Warriors’ lead to eight points at the 40-second mark of the fourth quarter. 

“We understood what was at stake going into that game,” Podziemski said. “We both didn’t play particularly well offensively throughout the course of the game, but when it mattered most, we stepped up and made plays. His corner three, my tip-in at the end. It’s a good feeling as a young guy to have Steve trust you out there when it matters most.” 

No weak links. 

More weight is placed upon the shoulders of Curry, Green and Butler than anybody else. The play of Podziemski and Moody has provided a sense of relief, as well as added trust for what should be a brawling sprint to the regular-season’s finish line, before the pressure really turns on.

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