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Thunder vs. Nuggets Game 6: Jokic got help with Murray, Braun, Strawther stepping up to force Game 7

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets

May 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) and center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Christian Braun (0) in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game six of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

This series had to go seven. Basketball fans deserved it. Denver vs. Oklahoma City has been too close, too back-and-forth, and just too entertaining not to go seven.

That Game 7 takes place on Sunday because Nikola Jokic got the help he lacked in a Game 5 loss two nights earlier. Jamal Murray, playing through an illness that had him listed as doubtful earlier in the day, scored 25, while Christian Braun added a career playoff-high of 23 points and 12 rebounds.

The game was tied 80-80 in the later stages of the third quarter when Denver went on a 10-0 run, and held on from there. The Nuggets won 119-107 to force a Game 7 on Sunday back in Oklahoma City.

This is the second straight series Denver will have to go seven games. The Nuggets comfortably beat the Clippers at home in the last Game 7.

“We just keep finding a way,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said of forcing a second Game 7.

Who found a way was little-used forward Julian Strawther. He sparked the Nuggets’ third-quarter run and finished with a career playoff-high 15 points, all of them coming in the second half.

Denver's biggest concern out of the night was Aaron Gordon, who was seen grabbing his hamstring at points in the fourth quarter and seemed slowed for that stretch. Gordon said postgame he was fine and that recovery for him started immediately.

The advantage they have is two days off in a series that has been every other day up until this point. The older, thinner Nuggets, in particular, were clearly excited about having a couple of days off to rest between games.

The MVPs did their part in this game, with Jokic scoring 29 points with 14 rebounds and eight assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 32 points, with 18 of those coming in the second half despite him having four fouls by halftime.

SGA did not get enough help. Jaylen Williams scored six points on 3-of-16 shooting — he has to be better on Sunday if OKC is going to advance. Chet Holmgren poured in 19.

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Jacob deGrom and Rangers get 1-0 win on Jake Burger's homer against Astros and Hunter Brown

degrom.jpg

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Jacob deGrom went eight innings to win his fourth consecutive start for the Texas Rangers, who got Jake Burger's solo home run off Hunter Brown in a 1-0 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night in an anticipated pitchers' duel that certainly lived up to expectations.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner deGrom (4-1) is having quite a comeback after missing most of the last two seasons following Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old right-hander struck out seven, two of those to end innings with two runners on base, while walking one and giving up five hits.

Brown (6-2), who is 10 years younger that deGrom, struck out nine without a walk while scattering three hits in his first career complete game. The righty was tied for the major league lead in wins and retired the first 12 batters he faced before Adolis García lined a double to left to start the fifth.

Shawn Armstrong worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his second save.

Burger went deep leading off the sixth, a 394-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center for his fourth homer of the season.

Rangers right fielder García made a sliding catch of a sinking liner by Mauricio Dubón for the final out of the seventh when Houston had a runner at second base. García had several nice plays, including a sliding catch near the line after running a long way to open the fourth.

Bruce Bochy got his 2,195th career win to break a tie with Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most by an MLB manager. Bochy, who turned 70 last month, is in his 28th season as a manager, his third in Texas.

Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 1.78 ERA) goes into Friday night having allowed only two earned runs over 25 innings in his last four starts (3-0). Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 15.75) makes only his third start for Houston since the 2022 World Series.

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Bruce Bochy passes Sparky Anderson with 2,195th career win for 6th among all-time MLB managers

bochy.jpg

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Bruce Bochy got his 2,195th career win to break a tie with Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most by an MLB manager when the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 1-0 on Thursday night.

Bochy, who turned 70 last month and is in his 28th season as a manager, has a record of 2,195-2,206 in regular-season games with Texas, San Diego and San Francisco. He has won four World Series titles, three with the Giants and the only one ever for the Rangers two years ago in his return to the dugout after a three-season retirement from managing.

The five managers ahead of Bochy on the career wins list, and Anderson, are all in the baseball Hall of Fame. Next ahead of Bochy in fifth place is Joe Torre's 2,326. Connie Mack is the career leader with 3,731 wins, followed by Tony La Russa, John McGraw and Bobby Cox.

Anderson had a 2,194-1,834 record and three World Series titles, two with Cincinnati from 1970-78 and another with Detroit from 1979-95.

Bochy, now in third season in Texas, is 192-177 with the Rangers. He was 951-975 with the Padres from 1995-2006, and had a 1,052-1,054 record from 2007-2019 with the Giants when his three World Series titles there came in a span of five seasons from 2010-14.

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Celtics vs. Knicks Game 6 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 16

It’s Friday, May 16, and the Boston Celtics (61-21) and New York Knicks (51-31) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Celtics owned Game 5 with a 25-point blowout win at home (127-102) amid the loss of Jayson Tatum (Achilles injury in Game 4). Boston is still one game away from elimination and split 1-1 in New York. Derrick White is coming off a game-high 34-point outing on 7-of-13 from three (53.8%), while Jaylen Brown scored 26 points to go along with 12 assists and 8 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson had his second-lowest point outcome of the series with 22 points on 7-of-17 from the field (41.2%), while Josh Hart added a playoff-high 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had his lowest output (19 points) since Game 1 but also dealt with foul trouble as he's had four or more fouls in all five games.

The Celtics are currently 33-8 on the road with a point differential of 9, while the Knicks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. 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.

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Game details & how to watch Celtics vs. Knicks live today

  • Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

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

Game odds for Celtics vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Celtics (+119), Knicks (-142)
  • Spread:  Knicks -2.5
  • Over/Under: 210 points

That gives the Celtics an implied team point total of 104.43, and the Knicks 105.73.

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 Friday’s Celtics vs. Knicks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Knicks to close the series at home with a strong start:

"This has been one fun series to watch and despite two blowouts in the past three games, I think we see a tight contest like we did in Game 3. Four of the Celtics' starting five went a combined 28-of-48 from the field (58.3%) in Game 5 and I don't think that translates as well in MSG. This is a moment that the New York franchise has been waiting on and from the gate, the home crowd will make it a tough environment. With Mr. Clutch on the Knicks side at home, I trust New York with a lead or trailing. I will back the Knicks to win and like the Celtics first quarter team total Under after two strong starts in Games 4 and 5."

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 Celtics & Knicks 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 Boston Celtics at +2.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 210.

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 Celtics vs. Knicks on Friday

  • The Celtics have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents
  • The Over is 12-9 in the Celtics' divisional matchups this season
  • The Celtics have failed to cover in 12 of their 21 matchups against Eastern Conference Atlantic Division teams this season
  • The Celtics have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents

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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Cooper Flagg: 'It was a crazy draft lottery,' is optimistic about his fit in Dallas

When NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum held up the Dallas Mavericks logo Monday night, announcing they had turned their 1.8% chance into the No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg's reaction was understated. To put it mildly. The presumptive No. 1 pick in this draft, he seemed as stunned as everyone else Dallas was going to be his new home, but also he was not reacting excitedly like Victor Wembanyama when he found out he was headed to San Antonio.

Flagg admitted was as caught off guard by the outcome as everyone else, but then spoke highly of Dallas, talking to reporters at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Quotes via Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal:

"It was a crazy draft lottery. It was a cool experience to be there and go through that experience...

"I'm grateful to get this opportunity, or any opportunity to hear my name called on draft night. I'm just really excited for this whole experience. Not everybody gets to go through this, so I just feel really blessed. As far as Dallas goes, they've got a lot of really good pieces."

Among those pieces is fellow Duke player Dereck Lively II.

"To be able to learn from D-Live—that's pretty cool. So I think it would be a really cool opportunity."

Flagg also talked about what he learned being on the USA Select team last summer, practicing and scrimmaging against the USA Basketball team that won gold in the Paris Olympics. He got to see up close how hard the best in the game work and how much they prepare, mentally and physically, and he said he took that to heart.

With a front line of Anthony Davis, Lively and Flagg, plus Kyrie Irving (eventually, he will miss most if not all of next season after tearing his ACL in March), there is a path to the Mavericks being a dangerous team — if they can get everyone healthy. The lottery ping-pong balls also bailed maligned GM Nico Harrison out: One of the biggest flaws of the Luka Doncic trade was that Davis was six years older, and with that, Dallas got a lot older. Flagg is 18 and gives the Mavericks a clear path to the future.

Flagg is excited about that future, no matter what his face looked like seconds after the announcement.

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The London Knights Hang On To Win OHL Championship

Easton Cowan (center) and Denver Barkey (left) celebrate with teammates [Luke Durda/OHL Images].

For the second time since 2010, the London Knights are the winners of back-to-back OHL Championships. The Knights took game five of the OHL Final to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup on home ice. 

This year, the Knights took five games to defeat the Oshawa Generals, whom they swept in last year's finals. 

In an immediate divergence from last year, the Generals took game one on the road and started the series confidently. From there, the Knights dominated the series, winning three games in convincing fashion. 

While the Generals put up a fantastic fight in game five, they ultimately fell short, losing 5-2. 

Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson got the scoring started in game five, firing a puck past Austin Elliott from the point. The big blue-liner was one of Oshawa's best players throughout the series, tallying multiple goals at crucial moments.

London's Kasper Halttunen, who scored a pair of goals in the game, got the Knights on the board in the final minute of the period to take things to the intermission tied at one.

Halttunen was awarded the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given to the OHL Playoffs MVP. He scored eight goals in the last three games of the series, recording back-to-back hattricks. He is the first European to win the award.

As was the case in games two through four, London dominated the second period, scoring a pair of goals to take a 3-1 lead. Anaheim Ducks prospect Beckett Sennecke found a big response at the end of the period to make it 3-2. 

London locked things down in the third period, stifling the talented Oshawa offense, which got 18 shots in the final frame.

Halttunen Hattrick Highlights London's Game Four WinHalttunen Hattrick Highlights London's Game Four WinThe London Knights won game four of the OHL Final in dominant fashion, defeating the Oshawa Generals 6-2. A pair of San Jose Sharks prospects factored heavily into the Knights' victory. 

Landon Sim scored a huge goal by following up on Ottawa Senators prospect Blake Montgomery's rush and batting the puck out of the air to make it 4-2. Easton Cowan scored an empty-net goal to make it 5-2. 

The win gave Head Coach Dale Hunter his fifth OHL Championship, tying him for the most in OHL history. 

The last time the Knights won back-to-back championships was during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. It takes a special set of players to win in two consecutive seasons. Notable members of the 2012/13 Knights included Islanders' star Bo Horvat, Leafs' forward Max Domi and Chris Tierney. 

Just like those teams, the 2024/25 Knights were loaded with talent. It feels like it will only be a matter of time before we see these young stars start to step into the NHL.

While the Knights will assuredly take some time to celebrate their victory, they still have unfinished business to attend to. They made it to the Memorial Cup Final last year, where they lost to the Saginaw Spirit. 

Sam Dickinson told The Hockey News earlier in the season that the Memorial Cup was the goal and the standard that this team held itself to. They want to return to that stage, and this time, potentially take home a trophy.

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Tigers at Blue Jays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 16

The Tigers (29-15) travel north of the border this weekend for a series in Toronto against the Blue Jays (21-22).

Jack Flaherty is slated to take the mound in the series opener Friday for Detroit against Bowden Francis for Toronto.

The Jays lost to the Rays Thursday, 8-3. Kevin Gausman got run over allowing six runs in 5.2 innings. Bo Bichette, though, did collect three hits for Toronto.

Detroit had Thursday off after sweeping the Red Sox in a three-game series in Motown. The Tigers' offense was on overdrive in the series scoring 30 runs over the three games.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Blue Jays

  • Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, SN1, MLBN

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

Odds for the Tigers at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-133), Blue Jays (+113)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Jack Flaherty vs. Bowden Francis
    • Tigers: Jack Flaherty (1-5, 4.61 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 vs. Texas - 3.0IP, 5ER, 4H, 2BB, 4Ks
    • Blue Jays: Bowden Francis (2-5, 5.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 at Seattle - 6.2IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 5Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Blue Jays

  • The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 on the road against American League teams
  • The Tigers' last 3 road games in Toronto have gone over the Total
  • Gleyber Torres has 6 hits in his last 19 ABs (.316)

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

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Tigers and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Tigers and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Mets acquire LHP Jose Castillo from Diamondbacks for cash considerations

The Mets have acquired left-handed pitcher Jose Castillo from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations, the team announced Thursday night.

Castillo, 29, had appeared in five games for the Diamondbacks this season, pitching to an 11.37 ERA across 6.1 innings. His last appearance came on May 11 against the Dodgers, where he allowed three runs over two innings. Castillo was designated for assignment the next day.

The Venezuela native has 45 major league games under his belt across five seasons and two different teams. Prior to this year, Castillo made one appearance each season for the Padres from 2019-23, largely due to various injuries. He missed all of 2024 as he recovered from an ACL injury.

His best season came in 2018, his first, with the Padres. In 37 games, Castillo pitched to a 3.29 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP.

In a corresponding move, the Mets designated RHP Kevin Herget for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Herget made one appearance this season for the Mets back on April 29 against the Diamondbacks. He allowed one run on three hits across two innings.

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Mets Prospect Roundup: Nolan McLean battles through five innings, Ronny Mauricio drives in a run

The Mets have a deep roster of pitching prospects in their system, including Nolan McLean.

McLean, 23, had a successful Triple-A debut last week and was on the bump again for the Syracuse Mets on Thursday night, but it was a different story this time.

In his first Triple-A start, McLean pitched seven scoreless innings, but he could only get through five against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In those five innings, McLean allowed four runs on five hits while striking out four. The biggest issue for McLean on Thursday was his command. He walked six batters and allowed two home runs. The first came in the third on an 82 mph curveball that had too much plate, and the second came in the fourth on a 75 mph curveball that was down and in on left-handed Justin Crawford, the Phillies' No. 3 prospect and son of former major league player Carl Crawford.

McLean retired the final four batters he faced, so there's something to build upon for his next start with Syracuse.

The right-hander took the loss as the IronPigs defeated the Syracuse Mets, 7-3.

Offensively, Syracuse picked up eight hits and Drew Gilbert was in the mix on Thursday. The outfielder went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. The 24-year-old is now slashing .244/.384/.372 with an .848 OPS this season. He also has four home runs and six doubles across Low-A and Triple-A this season.

Jett, Ronny drive in runs for Double-A

Down with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Jett Williams had another solid day at the plate. The shortstop went 1-for-3 with walk and an RBI double to help Binghamton win 5-3 over the Hartford Yard Goats.

After Thursday's performance, Williams is now slashing .280/.374/.490 with an .864 OPS in 29 games with Binghamton. He's also smashed three homers, eight doubles and stolen seven bases in nine tries.

Ronny Mauricio continued his rehab with Double-A on Thursday, playing seven innings at third base while going 1-for-4 with an RBI double. The double came in the eighth on a pitch running up and away from him that the infielder hit over the center fielder's head. Mauricio's double was his second hit (both doubles) with Binghamton in four games since being transferred from St. Lucie.

Ryan Clifford did not have that same success at the plate. Playing as the DH, Clifford went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

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Nationals at Orioles Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 16

This weekend, the Washington Nationals (18-27) travel up I-95 to Baltimore to take on the Orioles (15-27).

MacKenzie Gore is slated to take the mound for Washington against Kyle Gibson for Baltimore.

Both sides limp into this series. The Nationals lost to the Braves on Thursday afternoon, 5-2. It was their sixth loss in their last seven games. C.J. Abrams had two hits Thursday. The Orioles lost three straight earlier in the week to Minnesota and have now lost four of their last five. Chris Paddack threw seven innings of three-hit, shutout ball to earn his second win of the season for the Twins. Ryan O'Hearn collected a couple of hits for the O's in the defeat.

Lets dive into Friday's matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Nationals at Orioles

  • Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, MASN

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

Odds for the Nationals at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Nationals (-110), Orioles (-109)
  • Spread:  Nationals -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Orioles

  • Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: MacKenzie Gore vs. Kyle Gibson
    • Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (2-4, 3.59 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/11 vs. St. Louis - 6.2IP, 4ER, 5H, 3BB, 7Ks
    • Orioles: Kyle Gibson (0-2, 13.11 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 at Angels - 4IP, 5ER, 7H, 3BB, 4Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Orioles

  • The Nationals have lost 8 of their last 10 games
  • In his last 5 home starts Kyle Gibson has an ERA of 8.00
  • Jackson Holliday is 5-28 (.179) over his last 7 games
  • Josh Bell has hit is 4 straight games (4-15)

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

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Nationals and the Orioles

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Nationals and the Orioles:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Baltimore Orioles on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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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White Sox at Cubs prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 16

Friday, the Cubs (25-19) open up a weekend series at Wrigley Field against their crosstown rivals, the White Sox (14-30).

Shane Smith is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Cade Horton for Chicago.

The White Sox were stymied in their efforts to win their third in a row yesterday as they were smacked by the Reds, 7-1. The Sox managed just four hits off Nick Martinez and a couple of Reds' relievers. Miguel Vargas had two of the four hits for Chicago.

The Cubs were off Thursday. They are 12-10 at home this season. Chicago is in first place in the NL Central but are just 4-6 in their last ten games. Nico Hoerner leads the team with a .274 batting average.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch White Sox at Cubs

  • Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Time: 2:20PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: CHSN, MARQ, MLBN

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

Odds for the White Sox at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: White Sox (+186), Cubs (-225)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 12.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for White Sox at Cubs

  • Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Shane Smith vs. Cade Horton
    • White Sox: Shane Smith (1-2, 2.08 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 vs. Miami - 6IP, 0ER, 4H, 0BB, 7Ks
    • Cubs: Cade Horton (1-0, 6.75 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 at Mets - 4IP, 3ER, 4H, 0BB, 5Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of White Sox at Cubs

  • The Cubs have won 3 in a row at Wrigley against the Sox
  • The Cubs are just 10-12 on the Run Line at Wrigley this season
  • Game Totals in White Sox games are 8-2 to the UNDER in their last 10 games
  • Kyle Tucker is 11-49 (.224) in May

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

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the White Sox and the Cubs

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the White Sox and the Cubs:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 12.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Mets at Yankees prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 16

Juan Soto returns to the Bronx this weekend for the first time since signing with the Mets in the offseason as the Yankees (25-18) and the Mets (28-16) square off in a three-game series.

Tylor Megill is slated to take the mound Friday for the Mets against Carlos Rodón for the Yankees.

Although his numbers do not scream greatness, Soto's production but also his mere presence in the Mets' lineup has propelled them to the top of the National League East. No doubt the Yankees would welcome him back into their clubhouse with open arms, but their play has also been stellar to this point in the season as they too stand atop their division.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Mets at Yankees

  • Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: Bronx, NY
  • Network/Streaming: WPIX, YES

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

Odds for the Mets at the Yankees

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Mets (+116), Yankees (-134)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Yankees

  • Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Tylor Megill vs. Carlos Rodón
    • Mets: Tylor Megill (3-3, 3.10 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 vs. Chicago - 4.2IP, 4ER, 7H, 2BB, 7Ks
    • Yankees: Carlos Rodón (4-3, 3.29 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/10 at Athletics - 6IP, 4ER, 8H, 0BB, 10Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Yankees

  • The Yankees have won 9 of their 15 games against NL teams this season
  • Carlos Rodon has an ERA of 3.32 and a WHIP of 1.07 this season
  • The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight games against the Mets
  • Aaron Judge has hit in six straight games (12-25) with 3 HRs and 7 RBIs
  • Paul Goldschmidt is 14-44 (.318) in May
  • Francisco Lindor was held without a hit in his last 2 games against the Pirates after going 15-23 in the his previous 5 games

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

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Mets and the Yankees

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Mets and the Yankees:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Posted on

Who Is A Reasonable Target For Buffalo In Free Agency This Summer?

Patrick Kane (Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Images)

The Buffalo Sabres are heading into the off-season knowing they have some money to spend on free agents -- not as much money as some teams, but right now, they have approximately $21.4 million in salary cap space to use.

Some of that cap space will go to RFA defenseman Bowen Byram, but even with a healthy raise for Byram and Buffalo's other free agents, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams can acquire a veteran or two to help his team's playoff chances next season. But the big question is, who do they spend it on?

Now, please don't answer "Mitch Marner" for that question. Even if Marner does leave Toronto -- and we're now of the opinion that he is going to leave the Maple Leafs -- it's highly-unlikely he'll choose the Sabres as his next home. When you don't make the Stanley Cup playoffs for nearly a decade-and-a-half, you fall down the wish list of most high-end free agents.

So, the question then is, "who is a reasonable target for Buffalo this off-season?" And there are many options for the Sabres to try and lure with a lucrative contract offer.

For instance, would Chicago Blackhawks center Ryan Donato be a fit? He's had a terrific season, with 31 goals and 62 points for the Hawks. And he's earned just $2 million this season, so Buffalo would have to pay him considerably more. But what about Ottawa Senators center Claude Giroux make sense? He's a relative greybeard at 37 years old, but for the right amount of money, he might be convinced to leave the Sens for the Sabres.

As well, there's Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic to consider; he's just 28 years old, but he's had a solid year and would get a significant raise on his current $2.8-million salary. Finally, perhaps native Western New Yorker Patrick Kane could be persuaded to come home for the remainder of his NHL career; he's making $4-million this season with the Detroit Red Wings, so he may be a less-costly alternative.

Sabres Will Be Looking For Hockey Deal In Potential Byram Trade Sabres Will Be Looking For Hockey Deal In Potential Byram Trade There are no certainties when it comes to the Buffalo Sabres this summer, and the speculation regarding defenseman Bowen Byram may simply result in a short-term bridge deal and the 23-year-old walking to unrestricted free agency in 2027, but if that chatter regarding the Sabres potentially trading him is true, the question before GM Kevyn Adams is what do you get back for him.

We could go up and down the list of UFAs, but check for yourself, and feel free to suggest other free agent targets for Buffalo this summer in the comments section below. Some player or another has to take the Sabres' money, but the challenge for Adams is to sell the organization to NHLers, whether they're up-and-comers, players nearing the end of their playing days, or someone in-between.

In any case, it will be fascinating to see what Buffalo can do with their cap space, because the way they spend it could be the difference between ending or extending their playoff drought.

Sabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen ByramSabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen ByramThe Buffalo Sabres have a number of roster dilemmas to address this summer, and the players whose contracts are up pose the biggest problem for GM Kevyn Adams. Defenseman Bowen Byram, who scored a career-high 38 points playing a good chunk of the season with Rasmus Dahlin, is someone with the talent to be a #1 defenseman, but may see his path to that role blocked by Dahlin and Owen Power.