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Cavaliers vs Raptors – Game 5 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, best bets for April 29

The home team is 4-0 between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Toronto tied up the series with two straight home wins in Games 3 and 4. The series turns to Cleveland for Game 5 as the Cavaliers plan to keep the home team winning streak alive.

The Cavaliers are second in offensive net rating at home compared to 12th on the road in this series. Donovan Mitchell averaged 31.0 points per game at home and in wins versus 17.5 on the road and in losses. Cleveland will have to improve its assist to turnover ratio, which has ranked bottom three in the NBA during the playoffs.

Toronto won a thriller in Game 4 behind 23 points apiece from Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. Despite shooting 4-of-30 from three (13%) and 32% from the field (31/97), the Raptors were able to squeeze out a 93-89 win. However, Toronto has lost four of its last five road playoff games ahead of Game 5 in Cleveland.

Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

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 courtesy of DraftKings 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 and How to Watch Live: Raptors vs. Cavaliers

  • Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
  • Time: 7:40 PM EST
  • Site: Rocket Arena
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA 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!

Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Raptors

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Cleveland Cavaliers (-380), Toronto Raptors (+300)
  • Spread: Cavaliers -8.5
  • Total: 218.5 points

This game spread opened with Cleveland favored by 9 points and the Game Total set at 215.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Raptors

Toronto Raptors

  • PG Ja’Kobe Walter
  • SG Brandon Ingram
  • SF RJ Barrett
  • PF Scottie Barnes
  • SF Jakob Poeltl

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • PG James Harden
  • SG Donovan Mitchell
  • SF Dean Wade
  • PF Evan Mobley
  • C Jarrett Allen

Injury Report: Raptors vs. Cavaliers

Toronto Raptors

  • Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) has been declared OUT of for the remainder of the first round series

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • None

Important stats, trends and insights: Raptors vs. Cavaliers

  • Cleveland is the second-worst in the NBA ATS at 35-51
  • Cleveland is 44-42 to the Under
  • Cleveland is 18-25, which is the second-worst ATS mark at home 
  • Cleveland is 25-18 to the Under at home
  • Toronto is 52-34 to the Under, ranking tied for third-best
  • Toronto is 28-15 to the Under as the road team, which leads the NBA
  • Toronto is 44-42 ATS and 21-22 ATS as the road team

Rotoworld Best Bet

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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 Wednesday’s Raptors and Cavaliers’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning toward a play on the Cavaliers Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Cavaliers -8.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 218.5

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!

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Islanders Goaltender Ilya Sorokin Named Vezina Finalst

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (29-24-2, 2.68 GAA, .906 SV%, 7 SO) has been named a 2026 Vezina Trophy finalist, the National Hockey League has announced. 

He will be battling against Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (31-18-4, 2.71 GAA, .908 SV%, 2 SO) and Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy (39-15-4, 2.31 GAA, .912 SV%, 2 SO). 

Per the Islanders release:  "Sorokin led the NHL with seven shutouts, while posting a 29-24-2 record, a .906 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average over 55 games (54 starts) in his sixth NHL season. His save percentage ranked sixth and his goals-against average was seventh among goalies with at least 50 appearances. Among all netminders, Sorokin also led in road wins (18), ranked eighth in saves (1,386), ninth in shots against (1,530), tied for ninth in wins (29) and games played (55), and 10th in minutes (3,226). He also paced all goalies in high-danger saves (452) and high-danger save percentage (.864). 

"The Mezhdurechensk, RUS native went 15-5-0 when facing more than 30 shots, including a franchise-record setting streak of 13-0-0 in such games to start the season. His 15 wins in that scenario also led the NHL. He turned aside 44 shots on January 6, the most saves by any NHL goalie in a shutout this season. The performance marked his 26th career shutout, breaking the Islanders' all-time shutout record that had stood for nearly 50 years. His seven shutouts also tied for the most by an Islander in a single season."

According to MoneyPuck.com, Sorokin's 25.3 Goals Saved Above Expected ranked third to Swayman's 28.8. Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson led the league with a 29.3 GSAE. 

Sorokin has never won the Vezina. He was the Vezina runner-up in 2022-23, after posting a 31-22-7 record with a 2.34 GAA and a .924 SV%, adding a league-leading six shutouts. 

Following the season, we asked Sorokin about what it would mean for him to win the Vezina. 

"It's not something to discuss now. There's no chance," Sorokin said the night after the Islanders' season came to an end. "And I never think about this. I think about making the playoffs, and that didn't happen this year. But I think I had a good season, maybe ended a little bit, it went down, but in total, the guys played well. We have a good group here, good, great young guys and great veterans."

Vasilevskiy is the favorite but you never know how these things play out. 

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Knicks vs Hawks Same-Game Parlay for Today's NBA Game 6

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New York Knicks fans have already started trash-talking their potential Round 2 opponent, but they seem to be forgetting there’s still at least one more game against the Atlanta Hawks.

My Knicks vs. Hawks predictions aren't punching New York’s ticket just yet. Even with Karl-Anthony Towns stuffing the stat sheet, Atlanta could fight to see another day, especially if C.J. McCollum regains his form at State Farm Arena.

Here are my best NBA picks for Thursday, April 30.

Our best Knicks vs Hawks SGP for Game 6

SGP leg #1: Hawks +2

The Atlanta Hawks looked bad in their Game 5 beatdown. With their backs against the wall, the Hawks return home, where they’ve been a tough team all year.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks haven’t had the same success shooting on the road and have been a poor bet when laying points away from home, going 10-19 ATS as road chalk this season.

SGP leg #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 22.5 points + assists

Karl-Anthony Towns scored a quick 14 points in the opening half of Game 5, then cruised to the finish line, adding just two more over the final two quarters of the blowout.

The 7-footer not only has a scoring edge against the smaller Hawks, but he’s been a conduit for New York’s schemes, setting up his teammates for easy looks from the high post. 

KAT has dished out 16 total assists over the past two contests.

SGP leg #3: C.J. McCollum Over 2.5 threes

C.J. McCollum knocked down nine triples in the first three games of this series before going cold from deep, shooting 0-for-6 from beyond the arc over the last two outings.

He’s also a noticeably better shooter at home, converting at a 40% clip compared to 34% on the road.

Player projections lean toward C.J. sinking three triples in a must-win matchup for the Hawks.

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See our full Knicks vs Hawks Game 6 preview

Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Knicks vs Hawks predictions for Game 6.

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See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.

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Examining Florida Panthers History With NHL Draft Lottery

In less than a week, hockey fans across the globe will tune in to the NHL Draft Lottery.

That’s when we’ll find out the order of the first half of the first round of 2026 NHL Entry Draft, which takes place on June 26 and 27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

Thanks to an injury-laden season like none the franchise had ever seen, the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers find themselves in the Lottery mix.

Florida finished the season with the eighth-worst record in the league.

That means the Panthers first-round selection will either be first, second, eighth, ninth or tenth, depending how the two Lottery draws go.

If Florida wins either of the draws – there is one for the first overall pick and one for the second pick – they’ll move up and select there. According to the NHL, Florida has a 6.0% chance of moving up from eighth to first.

If a team behind the Panthers wins either draw, they would move up and bump Florida back one spot to ninth. If two teams behind the Panthers each win one of the draws, that would bump the Cats back two spots, and they would pick tenth.

This year’s NHL Draft Lottery is set for Tuesday, May 5 and will be broadcast live from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Looking back over the past 30 years of the NHL Draft Lottery (the first lottery draw was held in 1995), the Panthers have some limited history with the league’s ping pong balls.

Be warned, though…it’s not much, and it starts a bit frustratingly.

In 2002, the Panthers won the NHL Draft Lottery, moving up from the third-worst record.

Fast forward two months to the 2002 NHL Draft and the Panthers decided to trade down, swapping picks with Columbus, who had the third overall pick, in exchange for “future considerations” which were that Florida would have the right to swap picks again with the Blue Jackets the following year if they so desired. That didn’t happen, and we’ll get into why in a moment.

Columbus ended up taking Rick Nash first overall while the Panthers selected Jay Bouwmeester with the third pick.

The following season, Florida finished with the fourth-worst record while Columbus finished third-worst, but for the second straight year, the Panthers ended up winning the Draft Lottery.

That meant those “future considerations” would not be needed, as the Panthers would be keeping their 2003 top pick instead of swapping with Columbus.

Once again, the Panthers decided to shop their shiny new first overall selection.

This time, they swapped picks with the Pittsburgh Penguins, again moving down from one to three.

Pittsburgh took goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and the Panthers snagged Nathan Horton.

Perhaps learning from the previous year, Florida also acquired a player (Mikael Samuelsson) and a second-round pick (55th overall, Stefan Meyer) in the trade, while sending Pittsburgh a third-round pick (73rd overall, Daniel Carcillo).

So yeah, the hindsight view says the Panthers could have just kept their picks, selected Nash and Fleury, and who knows what may have happened.

Perhaps ‘the dark ages’ of Panthers hockey, where the team went 12 years between postseason appearances and 26 years between playoff series’ wins, would not have been a thing.

But alas, let’s move on.

It wasn’t for another 11 years that the Panthers would find themselves back in the Draft Lottery spotlight.

When the dust settled on the 2013-14 season, Florida finished with the second-worst record in the NHL, ahead of only the lowly Buffalo Sabres.

Then came the Draft Lottery, which saw the Panthers leapfrog Buffalo and slide into the top pick.

This time, Florida hung onto their selection and took defenseman Aaron Ekblad first overall.

It was a decision that has panned out nicely for the Panthers, as Ekblad has become a cornerstone player for the franchise and a big part in Florida’s current championship pedigree.

We’ll have to wait and see whether the Lottery gods once again smile on the Panthers when the ping pong balls are let loose next Tuesday in Secaucus.

While that would be amazing for Florida and their prospects of remaining a Stanley Cup contender for years to come, the rest of the league would likely have some not-so-nice thoughts about the development.

We shall see.

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Photo caption: Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Aaron Ekblad puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

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Dylan Lee gets reinstated from paternity list and Carlos Carrasco gets designated for assignment

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Congratulations are apparently in order for Dylan Lee and his family, as he’s been reinstated from the paternity list after missing Tuesday’s Braves win over the Tigers. Of course, there’s got to be a corresponding move and as it turns out, Didier Fuentes isn’t going straight down. Instead, Carlos Carrasco’s time with the Braves big league squad is over as he’s been designated for assignment by the Braves.

Carlos Carrasco was called up initially after Dylan Dodd ended up going to the IL with a back ailment. He tossed a grand total of one inning during his latest big-league stint with the Braves. It was a scoreless inning where Carrasco retired the Nationals in order to finish off Washington and push the Braves over the line for a series win. Outside of that, Carrasco hadn’t really figured into the plans and now he’s going to go into the DFA cycle like schyoo mentioned in the Feed post above.

I’d say that it’s very likely that Carrasco will pass through waivers and assuming he doesn’t elect free agency, he’ll be back with Gwinnett. It’s a much-lower stakes situation here than with Martín Pérez’s DFA journey but it’s still one where you hope that Carlos Carrasco (or any player, really) can land on their feet no matter what happens. Either way, don’t be shocked if Carrasco ends up back with Gwinnett once this process runs its course.

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Wild going home against Stars with chance to advance in NHL playoffs for 1st time since 2015

Minnesota Wild

Apr 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Minnesota Wild celebrate the win over the Dallas Stars in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jerome Miron/Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

DALLAS — Mats Zuccarello and the Minnesota Wild now are in the position that they try to be in every season in the NHL playoffs.

Things feel a bit different now, with the Wild going home for Game 6 with a chance to eliminate the Dallas Stars and advance to the second round for the first time since 2015.

“I think it’s important just to stay calm. You know, don’t overthink it,” said Zuccarello, the 16-year NHL veteran in his seventh season with the Wild. “Don’t read whatever you guys (media) say about we haven’t gotten out of the first round in a couple of years. Just calm and collected.”

Zuccarello scored the first goal less than four minutes into Game 5 in Dallas, which was the 38-year-old top-line forward’s return from a three-game absence with an upper-body injury. The Wild, in their 12th playoff appearance over 14 seasons, went on to a 4-2 win for a 3-2 series lead.

The only other time Minnesota ever has had a 3-2 series lead was that first round in 2015, when they beat St. Louis in six games. The Wild since have lost nine consecutive playoff series, including to Dallas in 2016 and 2023.

“We’ve got to just look to control our emotions in Game 6 and in front of our home crowd, a place where we had a good feeling leaving last time,” said forward Marcus Foligno said, who is in his ninth season. “I think it’s a little bit different. I think we have a lot of leadership and guys that are experienced. ... It’s a close group but a really hard working group and a confident one right now.”

Wild captain Jared Spurgeon and fellow defenseman Jonas Brodin are the only two current players who have taken part in a postseason series victory in Minnesota. Spurgeon then was a 25-year-old in his fifth of his 16 NHL seasons — all with the same team. Brodin’s status is uncertain for the potential clincher at home after leaving Game 5 with a lower-body injury.

If Minnesota can’t wrap up the powerhouse first-round series at home, where it won Game 4 in overtime, a deciding Game 7 would be in Dallas.

The series winner will advance to play well-rested top-seeded Central Division foe Colorado, which finished off a sweep of its first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Kirill Kaprizov had two assists, two days after his 29th birthday, before an empty-net goal with two minutes left. His second goal in this series was the 17th playoff goal of his career, breaking a tie with Zach Parise for the most in franchise history. His ninth career multipoint playoff game also surpassed Parise.

Matt Boldy, the 25-year-old budding standout, had the tiebreaking power-play goal in the final minute of the second period after having one taken away because of a goalie interference challenge at the end of the first.

Jesper Wallstedt, their 23-year-old rookie who has started every game in net over Filip Gustavsson in this series, had 20 saves in Game 5. He has allowed only three goals against the Stars in five-on-five situations, with neither coming that way.

“We’re very confident of where we’re at. ... Now we get to bring the series home,” Wallstedt said. “I’ve never played in a game of that type of magnitude. I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to it so much.”

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Blackhawks Urged To Address Two Big Roster Needs

The Chicago Blackhawks have some decisions to make this offseason. If they want to take that next step and compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, it would not necessarily be surprising if they looked to make some upgrades to their group. 

Due to this, in a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers urged the Blackhawks to add a top-four defenseman and a top-six forward this offseason.

The idea of the Blackhawks adding a top-four defenseman is an interesting one. They have several promising young blueliners on their roster who will be competing for spots on the NHL roster next season. While this is the case, it also could be beneficial for the Blackhawks to add a proven top-four NHL defenseman. 

When it comes to adding a top-six forward, Powers argued that the Blackhawks should bring one in if Roman Kantserov does not sign his entry-level contract with Chicago this offseason and if they don't land either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg in the draft.

The Blackhawks need to give Connor Bedard more help on his wings, so it would make a lot of sense for the Blackhawks to add a proven top-six winger. As for their blueline, it is already crowded, but adding a top-four defenseman could be worth it if it is a player who would help them out significantly. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks address these needs during the summer from here.

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Texas Rangers lineup for April 29, 2026

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Alejandro Osuna #19 of the Texas Rangers whistles from the dugout during a game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field on April 26, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Texas Rangers lineup for April 29, 2026 against the New York Yankees: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Elmer Rodriguez for the Yankees.

It is the final game of this series, and the final game of April. Elmer Rodriguez, a consensus top 100 prospect who has a 1.27 ER in 21 innings at AAA this year, is making his major league debut for the Yankees. Josh Smith gets the day off.

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Jung — 3B

Seager — SS

Pederson — DH

Burger — 1B

Carter — CF

Higashioka — C

Osuna — LF

Duran — 2B

1:35 p.m. Central start time. The game is a pick ‘em.

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NBA shares newest draft lottery proposal with general managers

MARCH 25: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York
NEW YORK CITY - MARCH 25: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on March 25, 2026 at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA has circulated a singular proposal for draft lottery reform to every team’s general managers, according to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania. The league floated three disparate proposals back in March, but appears to have coalesced around one extremely complicated proposal. It’s worth noting that the NBA Player’s Association countered the league suggestions with a much simpler proposal that tied revenue sharing with winning, but the league office unsurprisingly has taken no action to pursue that approach.

Instead, the proposal would expand the lottery to include 16 teams, comprising the 10 teams that miss the Play-In Tournament, the two losers of each conference’s 7-8 play-in matchup, and the four 9-10 seeds. Rather than giving the most lottery balls to the worst teams, the system would instead most heavily favor teams with the 4th through 10th worst records in the league.

Teams that finished with the three worst records would each receive two lottery balls and could not fall below the 12th pick. Teams that finished 4-10 would receive three lottery balls. The 9-10 seeds would receive two lottery balls. The loser of the 7-8 play-in game would receive one lottery ball. Most impactfully, the lottery would be drawn for all 16 picks (as opposed to the current system that only picks the top-four before going in reverse standings order).

The reform also would not allow the same team to receive the first overall pick in back-to-back years, would not allow any team from receiving a top-five pick in three consecutive years, and would not allow teams to protect picks in the 12-15 range.

What do you think about this proposal?

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How the Royals move on from Jonathan India

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Jonathan India #6 of the Kansas City Royals runs off the field after the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Royals announced this week that Jonathan India will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing labral surgery on his left shoulder, an injury that has seemed to plague him since last summer. The Royals originally acquired India hoping he would be the top-of-the-order hitter who could get on base, but his numbers fell off significantly after arriving in Kansas City.

India was a below-replacement-level player for the Royals over the last two years, so almost anyone replacing him would serve as an upgrade. Michael Massey will almost certainly get the first crack at filling in at second base. The 28-year-old was the starter in 2024, when the Royals reached the playoffs, but he has struggled to stay on the field. He shows good power potential and exhibits spectacular defense at times, but he is a very low on-base-percentage hitter, with a career line of .243/.282/.385. This will likely be a make-or-break opportunity for him, as he will be eligible for his second year of arbitration this offseason.

The Royals could also use former first-round pick Nick Loftin at second base, particularly against tough lefties. Loftin has shown the kind of plate discipline in the minors that Massey lacks, but he has hit just .224/.301/.327 over parts of three big league seasons. There’s a chance he follows the Whit Merrifield career path, but his destiny currently seems more like that of a utility bench player.

Should the Royals view this as an opportunity? The team has been seeking to lengthen the lineup, and while the development of Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone has helped, the offense has still struggled at times. Could a replacement for India come from outside the organization?

The league is full of large-market teams that have stumbled out to terrible starts. Two managers have already been fired – Alex Cora in Boston and Rob Thomson in Philadelphia – and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is reportedly on the hot seat. If these teams can’t claw their way back into the race, they could punt on the season and begin selling off assets. Sure, the Royals aren’t much better, but they’re only 2.5 games out of first place right now. Thanks for the mediocrity, AL Central!

Bryson Stott has another year of club control in Philadelphia, so the Phillies seem likely to hang onto him unless they blow the entire roster up. However, Edmundo Sosa is a free agent this winter and hit .276/.307/.469 with 11 home runs in 89 games last year. He has generally been a league-average hitter with good defense and could be valuable in a larger role. The Phillies also have infielder Otto Kemp, who has raked in Triple-A – he hit .310/.417/.570 with 16 home runs in 74 games last year – but that production has yet to translate at the big league level. The 26-year-old may be more of a Quad-A player, but the acquisition cost likely wouldn’t be prohibitive.

The Royals almost certainly don’t want to take on the large contract of a struggling veteran second baseman, but there have been rumors of prior interest in Brett Baty. The 26-year-old is struggling this year, but he hit .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs last season. He has spent most of his time at third base, but he did play 57 games at second last year, and he could provide some positional versatility.

And of course, the Royals could acquire Adam Frazier for a third consecutive year. The Royals just saw the former All-Star during their series against the Angels, but with his team floundering in the standings, they could look to move the veteran. Frazier is off to a good start, hitting .265/.357/.429, and as we saw last summer, the acquisition cost likely wouldn’t be high.

How do you think the Royals should fill the hole at second base? Is it Michael Massey’s spot to lose, or should the Royals aggressively seek an upgrade?

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How did Detroit go from No. 1 seed to verge of elimination?

First-round No. 1 vs. No. 8 seed matchups are supposed to be perfunctory. The No. 8 seed shows some grit, but the talent disparity is too much, and the top seed shows why they earned that spot and cruises into the next round. See Oklahoma City vs. Phoenix as example 1A.

However, the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons find themselves down 3-1 and on the verge of elimination at the hands of the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic — and the Magic deserve this lead. They have been the better team, showing (slightly) better offense, a much better defense, and the Magic have been better coached despite the Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff being voted Coach of the Year by his peers and Jamahl Mosley allegedly being on the verge of being fired.

How did Detroit get here? What is working for Orlando? It's a combination of things — but things that were projected as potential Detroit weaknesses that the organization and lead executive Trajon Langdon consciously chose not to address at the trade deadline. Orlando has taken away Detroit's Plan A, and it really has no Plan B.

Here's how we got here.

Orlando matches Detroit’s physicality

During the regular season, Detroit bullied teams to a top-10 offense in the league. The Pistons led the league in points in the paint, averaging 57.9 points per game. Cade Cunningham would drive into the lane and finish, and Jalen Duren finished second in Most Improved Player voting because he was getting fed the rock and scoring near the rim. Combine that with an elite defense and it was enough to win 60 games.

Detroit had to play this way, it didn't have the shooting, and only 28% of its points came on 3-pointers, the second lowest in the league. Detroit was just more physical and more committed to scoring in the paint than their opponents.
Finally fully healthy, Orlando has the size and physicality to match Detroit, and because the Magic don't fear the Pistons' outside shooters, they can and have packed the paint. Wendell Carter Jr. has been brilliant this series, but it's also a schematic thing from Mosley: the Magic are packing the paint, collapsing to take away lanes on Cunningham's drives, and throwing extra bodies at anyone and everyone inside. Part of the result of that is Cunningham is turning the ball over more; he has 24 turnovers through the last three games, an NBA playoff record for a three-game stretch (it had been 22, held by James Harden and Larry Bird).

Through four games, Detroit's defense has been good enough, holding Orlando to just a 102 offensive rating.

However, the Pistons are averaging less than a point per possession on offense this series. They are scoring 43.5 points per game in the paint, down more than 14 from their regular-season average. There is a counter to that, which brings us to the other key issue.

Detroit lacks shooting, shot creators

In theory, Cunningham could drive into the teeth of the Magic defense, make it collapse, then kick out to open shooters to knock down the 3 — except the Pistons lack shooting. As a team, Detroit is shooting 27.5% from 3-point range in the series. The only Pistons player shooting a decent percentage from 3 is Duncan Robinson at 37% on nearly seven attempts per game, but the problem is that he is a defensive liability who the Magic attack, so it's tough to keep him on the court.

The Pistons also don't have another shot creator to turn to to help out Cunningham (Daniss Jenkins is shooting 26.1% this series; this is a big stage for him).

Jalen Duren has struggled through four games, averaging just 9.8 points a game on 46.9% shooting (down from 19.5 on 65% in the regular season). Credit Carter for some of that, but Duren has not shown the ability to score in ways other than getting fed and being a bully inside. Bickerstaff has stuck with Durent despite Isaiah Stewart being better this series — as good a defender with 3-point range who has to be respected by defenders, which could open up the paint (or lead to open looks). Bicketstaff has to be willing to make a bold playoff change, and this would be one.

However, Bickerstaff also is playing the cards dealt him. The concerns about the lack of shooting and shot creation were known, but Langdon and company said they wanted to see what this group could do in the postseason, then adjust. They were intentionally quiet at the trade deadline, adding only Kevin Huerter (in the Jaden Ivey trade), and he has played 27 minutes all series.

Now Langdon has his answer, and it's not pretty.

Detroit is still alive and at home tonight, with a chance to extend its season and force a Game 6 back in Orlando. However, those Pistons also have to win three games in a row and have not looked like a team with answers to the questions the Magic are posing.

It's going to have to be more than just out-muscling a team in the paint.

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Red Sox Minor Lines: Kristian Campbell provides rare bright spot

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 12, 2026: Kristian Campbell #28 of the Boston Red Sox runs out a single during the second inning of a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins at Lee Health Sports Complex on March 12, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Worcester: L, 1-10 (BOX SCORE)

It’s notable that Seth Martinez, who struggled out of the gate, was not meant to be the starter in this game. That slot belonged to Jake Bennett, who was scratched earlier in the day. It’s also notable that Toronto is just a three hour ride through the New York State Thruway (our version of the Pike you all know) and Ontario Highway 403 away from Rochester, where the Nationals AAA squad and the WooSox are faring off all week. The big lefty has been preserved as far as innings go this season, but still throws hard and has been unhittable, or, at least, unable to be scored upon.

But, Bennett didn’t play Tuesday, and a bunch of other WooSox did. Though, the bats were really stagnant. The team relied on extra base hits by just Kristian Campbell and Mickey Gasper, and neither scored; that honor was fittingly scored by a sacrifice grounder by Anthony Seigler to score leadoff hitter Nick Sogard, which doesn’t quite sound right. Kristian Campbell’s OPS has been climbing to a respectable level, but it’s easy to highlight him when the rest of the Worcester lineup lacks the punch. Conversely, the Red Wings had no problem scoring on the WooSox, as, in addition to Martinez’s rough start, Noah Song got hit around for six runs in seven outs.

Portland: L, 1-2 (BOX SCORE)

Gage Ziehl shouldn’t have taken the loss going seven innings and allowing just two runs on five hits without walking any Patriots (Yankees AA), but the lackluster Portland bats caused the loss here. Both runs scored were off of home runs, and when you allow two home runs, it makes it tough when you can only muster one run. That’s math! If you’re on Franklin Arias home run watch, he has now reached his longest drought (two games) since he hit his first home run of the season, but he did have the Sea Dogs’ only RBI of the night. It didn’t help, though, that every starter in the lineup contributed to Portland’s 14 strikeouts.

Greenville: W, 12-6 (BOX SCORE)

It looked as though this game would be much different for the Drive in Hub City, aka Spartanburg (Rangers High-A) before Greenville exploded for 7 runs in the bottom of the 8 after allowing 4 runs in the top of the frame. The Drive treated that eighth inning like it was batting practice, teeing off for four home runs and quickly turning a close game into a blowout and allowed reliever Calvin Bickerstaff, who allowed the headache in the first place, to do a type of slamming the door that I’d envision would include hitting the door on your toe and jumping up and down before slamming it a second time.

Salem: : W, 6-0 (BOX SCORE)

Pitching was the real differene maker in this game: the Warbirds (Brewers A) managed just six runners on the night off of Myles Patton and Jacob Mayers, each of whom have looked good in their last couple of appearances. Meanwhile, no one knew it yet, but this game was over by the third batter of the game all the way in the top of hte first as the RidgeYaks’ catcher Luke Heyman hit a two-run shot to put Salem up for good.

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Don Mattingly thought he was done with baseball. The Phillies instead pinned playoff hopes on him.

PHILADELPHIA — Don Mattingly thew in the towel on his managerial career and all but had retired from baseball after he left his bench coach job with Toronto following the World Series.

Prodded by his son, Mattingly decided to give baseball another go, and accepted a job over the winter as Philadelphia’s bench coach, where he would be reunited with his old friend from their New York Yankees days in manager Rob Thomson.

But manage again when the Yankees great known as Donnie Baseball was about to turn 65?

“I don’t think I have the energy for that anymore,” Mattingly said in January.

Mattingly seemed candid about his future at the time because all logic and recent history showed that he was joining a heavyweight World Series contender in Philadelphia. Why even toss around the idea of ever filling out a lineup card again, especially with a high-priced, postseason-tested roster brimming with talent including Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Zack Wheeler?

Fast forward four months and the Phillies’ season has come to this: Mattingly’s last best shot at winning his first World Series ring after more than 40 years in baseball starts with managing one of the worst teams in the National League.

Mattingly indeed is the manager for the rest of the season, taking the interim job hours after the Phillies fired Thomson — and openly flirted with the idea of replacing him with former Red Sox manager Alex Cora — with the stout belief that a championship team beats in the heart of this underachieving roster.

The job either comes with a perk or the potential for awkwardness with Mattingly also the father of his new boss, Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly.

“I know how competitive he is,” Mattingly said. “Him and I are a little different. He looks at things, he’s a little outside the box at times, which I appreciate. It’s helped me grow.”

Also give 11-year-old son Louis Mattingly the bulk of the credit for flipping dad’s decision in the offseason.

Mattingly — who wore a white pinstriped suit in the 1980s Hit Man poster that was a staple in many a 1980s New York kid’s bedroom — is off to a fine start in Philly.

Thomson, who led the Phillies to four straight postseason berths, including the 2022 World Series, still would have his job had Philadelphia regularly played as well at it did in a 7-0 win over San Francisco in Mattingly’s debut.

“I’m going to watch our game,” Thomson said in a video call with reporters shortly before the game. “I really am.”

Thomson surely enjoyed the result — even if it perhaps came with a bit of frustration the Phillies failed to play more consistent complete games throughout April.

Turner became the first Phillie all season with a four-hit game. Jesús Luzardo, just two starts after the lefty allowed nine runs and 12 hits against the Cubs, tossed two-hit ball, struck out eight and walked none over seven shutout innings. He teamed with two relievers for the Phillies’ first shutout of the season.

The Phillies lost 10 straight games and 11 of 12 in Thomson’s final stretch of an otherwise successful tenure. Mattingly kept the coaching staff intact — notably beleaguered hitting coach Kevin Long, who took most of the heat for the Phillies’ woes — and third base coach Dusty Wathan was promoted to bench coach.

“I don’t know if I’m a whole lot different from Rob, honestly,” Mattingly said. “I trust players, I believe in players, I like players. But I want us to play better baseball.”

Mattingly, who managed the Dodgers from 2011-15 and the Marlins from 2016-22, also didn’t seem to mind he was Philadelphia’s second managerial choice.

Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, made it clear Cora was his first choice to succeed Thomson. Dombrowski ran the front office in Boston when Cora managed the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2018. A Philly reunion made sense on paper, though Cora ultimately passed.

“I came to the conclusion that if he took it, I would make a change. I thought he would take it,” Dombrowski said. “Until Monday morning it was apparent from his perspective he wanted to take time with his family. He wanted to be a father first and foremost and so that’s what he had decided.”

The Phillies’ woes stretch way beyond the manager.

From former All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm to second baseman Bryson Stott, the Phillies underperformed for a team with $284.7 million payroll. The Phillies are aging and the rotation was a disaster — which led to the decision to release Taijuan Walker — all part of a recipe for a team that used their most recent win to move to 10-19.

The Phillies, of course, have been here before, notably in 2022 when Dombrowski fired Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start and they went 65-46 the rest of the season under Thomson. The schedule works in Mattingly’s favor to duplicate that run with nine of the next 13 games at home with only the Athletics (out of three other teams) holding a winning record.

Mattingly thought he was out. He’s now all the way back in — and the Phillies’ World Series hopes are firmly pinned on a manager who’s never won one.

“This is not about how I’m going to do,” Mattingly said. “It’s really about club.”

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Rockets vs Lakers Win Probability for Game 5 at Prediction Markets

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The Houston Rockets will look to stave off elimination once more as they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 tonight.

We break down Kalshi’s win probability markets and deliver some Lakers vs. Rockets predictions to help guide your NBA picks for Wednesday, April 29.

Who will win Rockets vs Lakers Game 5?

Rockets win probability:63% (-170)
Lakers win probability:38% (+163)

For the first time in this series, Houston is no longer the favorite, with Los Angeles trading at 63¢ to prevail at home and advance to the second round.

Our prediction:Rockets to win

"A few wins, home court, and the promise of Austin Reaves’ return have flipped the script on this series, but I’m not counting out the Rockets just yet. Houston’s defense has improved greatly over the past six quarters, and I think there’s value in them stealing a victory in L.A."

Read more in Jason Logan's full Rockets vs. Lakers predictions.

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Sign up now using our exclusive Kalshi promo code 'COVERS' and get a $10 trading bonus after you trade $10 on any other event contracts — including Rockets/Lakers!

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More Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets

You're certainly not limited to the main game outcome for Rockets vs. Lakers at Kalshi; you also have options to trade on the spread, total, and more, among other NBA odds markets.

You can buy either side of a market — for example, "Yes" on the Lakers -3.5 spread means the Lakers will cover, while "No" means the Rockets will cover — with each side priced based on the implied probability (which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter).

Rockets vs Lakers spread and total at prediction markets

OutcomeYesNo
Lakers -3.554¢ (-117)48¢ (+108)
Over 209.5 points48¢ (+108)53¢ (-113)

Our predictions:Lakers -3.5 — No

"The Rockets' offense has been a mess with Kevin Durant in and out, but Houston decided to get it done with defense in Game 4, and this team has looked much stronger on that side of the ball over the past six quarters. Those stops and turnovers translated into easy buckets, and desperation keeps things close on Wednesday."

Other Rockets vs Lakers prediction markets available

  • Alperen Sengun 25+ points (Yes: 41¢)
  • LeBron James 8+ assists (Yes: 56¢)
  • Amen Thompson 8+ rebounds (Yes: 48¢)

What is Kalshi and how does it work?

Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts," which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Lakers win tonight?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.

How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?

In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.

Why should I wager on Rockets vs Lakers at Kalshi?

Kalshi offers four unique advantages over traditional sportsbooks:

  1. Flexibility: Unlike a "locked-in" bet, you can sell your contract at any time.

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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Pistons vs Magic – Game 5 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 29

The Orlando Magic did the unthinkable and won Game 4, 94-88, pushing the series to Magic up 3-1. Historically, only six No. 8 seeds have won their first round matchups versus a No. 1 and two of them went on to make the NBA Finals. Orlando is one game away from being the seventh No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed.

Both Orlando and Detroit shot below 40% from the field and 30% from three in Game 4. Desmond Bane led Orlando in scoring with 22 points during Game 4, while Paolo Banchero added 18 points, and Franz Wagner dropped 19. The rest of the Orlando Magic combined for 35 points on 12-of-41 shooting (29.2%) and 3-of-18 from three (16.6%).

Cade Cunningham scored 25 points for Detroit and Tobias Harris poured in 20, but no one else on the Pistons scored more than eight points. Take away Cunningham's stats and the Pistons went 3-of-19 from three (15.7%) and 12-of-18 from the free throw line (66.6%). The winner of this series will face the winner of Cleveland versus Toronto. The Cleveland and Toronto series is tied up 2-2 and they play Game 5 tonight.

Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

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 courtesy of DraftKings 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 and How to Watch Live: Magic vs. Pistons

  • Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
  • Time: 7:10 PM EST
  • Site: Little Caesars Arena
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA 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!

Game Odds: Magic vs. Pistons

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-380), Orlando Magic (+300)
  • Spread: Pistons -.5
  • Total: 211.5 points

This game opened Pistons -8.5 with the Total set at 213.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups: Magic vs. Pistons

Orlando Magic

  • PG Jalen Suggs
  • SG Desmond Bane
  • SF Franz Wagner
  • PF Paolo Banchero
  • C Wendell Carter Jr.

Detroit Pistons

  • PG Cade Cunningham
  • SG Duncan Robinson
  • SF Ausar Thompson
  • PF Tobias Harris
  • C Jalen Duren

Injury Report: Pistons vs. Magic

Orlando Magic

  • Jonathan Issac (knee) is listed as DOUBTFUL for Game 5

Detroit Pistons

  • Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 5

Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic

  • Detroit is 45-41 ATS and 22-20 ATS at home
  • Detroit is 46-39-1 to the Under and 23-19 to the Under at home
  • Detroit is 18-19 ATS as a home favorite
  • Detroit is 20-17 to the Under as a home favorite
  • Orlando is 42-46 ATS and 19-23 ATS on the road
  • Orlando is 46-42 to the Over and 23-19 to the Under on the road
  • Orlando is 11-12 ATS as a road underdog and 12-11 to the Under

Rotoworld Best Bet

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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 Wednesday’s Magic and Pistons’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons’ Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons -9.5 ATS
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 211.5

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!

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!

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