Posts

Posted on

Clippers vs. Nuggets Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for April 29

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview

It’s Tuesday, April 29, and the Los Angeles Clippers (50-32) and Denver Nuggets (50-32) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver.

The series is tied after Aaron Gordon's putback dunk as time expired.

The Clippers are currently 20-21 on the road with a point differential of 5, while the Nuggets have a 4-6 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 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.

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 Clippers vs. Nuggets live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 10:00PM EST
  • Site: Ball Arena
  • City: Denver, CO
  • Network/Streaming: TNT

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 Clippers vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Clippers (-129), Nuggets (+108)
  • Spread:  Clippers -1.5
  • Over/Under: 208 points

That gives the Clippers an implied team point total of 104.42, and the Nuggets 103.64.

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 Tuesday’s Clippers vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

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

Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is betting on Nikola Jokic over 12.5 rebounds...

Thomas: "22 rebound chances per game. He hauled in over 20 last game and 13 in the game prior. The idea that the Clippers' half-court defense is one of the best in the NBA is absolutely true. If Jokic can pull the rebound and move the ball up the court in transition, it makes life easier, hence the max effort on the glass in the last two games."

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 Clippers & Nuggets 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 Denver Nuggets at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 208.

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 Clippers vs. Nuggets on Tuesday

  • The Nuggets finished the regular season with a home record of 26-15
  • Each of the last four matchups between the Clippers and the Nuggets have stayed under the expected total
  • The Clippers have covered in four of their last five games as a road favourite

The Nuggets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a home underdog

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)

Posted on

Adam Silver says NBA considering 'international competition' theme for 2026 NBA All-Star Game

During February's NBA All-Star weekend, much of the chatter in league circles centered on how to improve the product. Or, to put it more bluntly, how to get the players to care about the All-Star Game itself again. All this talk was going on while a large number of viewers at home were drawn to the NHL's 4 Nations Face-off, which had star players going all out on the ice — even dropping the gloves at points — to represent their nation.

Add in the fact that NBC will broadcast next year's All-Star Game and falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and well, we can all see where this is headed. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that an international format — USA vs. the World (Ryder Cup style) — is being discussed. Here is what Silver told Joe Varden of The Athletic.

"Given the strong interest we've seen in international basketball competitions, most recently in last summer's Olympics in Paris, we're discussing concepts with the players' association that focus on NBA players representing their countries or regions instead of the more traditional formats that we've used in the past."

Speaking earlier in the day to the Associated Press sports editors, Silver said:

"It's not lost on us … we'll be in L.A., the home of the '28 Summer Olympics, and we'll be competing in the arena at Intuit, where the basketball competition will take place in the 2028 Olympics. So I think all of those factors, when they come together, it presents an enormous opportunity for us to do something with an international competition instead of the traditional All-Star formats that we've used."

When asked about this format possibility during this year's NBA All-Star weekend, international players generally seemed more enthusiastic about the idea than their American counterparts.

"I would love that. Oh, I would love that," Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete, like having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun. I know those players — obviously I'm missing some guys that I cannot think from the top of my head, going against the best U.S. players. I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format."

"I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Victor Wembanyama said. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."

At the top end, a World team would have as much or more talent than a USA squad — the last six MVPs have been international players, and that will become seven this season, whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) or Nikola Jokic (Serbia) wins it. About a quarter of NBA players are international, and there is concern that at the bottom end of the World roster (spots 10-12) international players could be selected as All-Stars over more deserving American-born players.

While the NBA league office will listen to those concerns, we can all see which way the wind is blowing.

One interesting note, it is possible the 2026 NBA All-Star Game could be an afternoon affair West Coast time, starting earlier than is traditional and becoming part of a massive day of international sports, with the Winter Olympics on the air that evening, something reported by Marc Stein.

Posted on

Alex de Minaur turns on the power to reach last 16 of Madrid Open

  • Australian beats Denis Shapovalov after blackout delay
  • Straight sets win sets up clash with Lorenzo Musetti

Alex de Minaur has charged into the fourth round of the Madrid Open with a powerful performance as electricity returned to Spain.

The Australian No 1 took less than 90-minutes to defuse the big-serving Canadian Denis Shapovalov with a straight sets 6-3, 7-6 win on Court Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Tucker Ruled Out For Game 5; Suter Back In For Blues

St. Louis Blues defenseman Ryan Suter (22) will return to the lineup for Game 5 against the Winnipeg Jets. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The good news regarding St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker is that his season is not done, according to coach Jim Montgomery.

Tucker, who departed Sunday’s 5-1 win in Game 4 against the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury to his right leg when he awkwardly fell backwards and needed help off the ice favoring his right leg with 4:17 left in the third period, did not practice on Tuesday and has been ruled out for Game 5.

The best-of-7 Western Conference First Round series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 slated for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN 101.1-FM).

"He’s day-to-day. He won’t be an option in Game 5," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Tucker, who scored the game-winning goal in Game 4.

It means veteran Ryan Suter, who played all 82 regular-season games and Games 1 and 2 of the series before being a healthy scratch for Games 3 and 4, will return to the lineup and be paired with Nick Leddy.

"He is going back in. I’ve got to give him credit," Montgomery said of Suter. "I’ve got to say it was hard to do when you respect the player so much and what he’s done in the League for years and how much he’s helped us this year. You make a decision and you live with it. But that day I told him, that practice, he was unbelievable. He’s a pro, and I know he’s going to be good for us. It was just a gut feel, and putting him back in, we’re getting our No. 1 penalty-killing defenseman back in.”

The Blues went with Tucker starting in Game 2 when they implemented 11 forwards and seven defensemen before going back to the traditional 12 forwards and six defensemen and made Suter expendable as an extra at the time.

Tucker brought an element needed in a heavy, bruising series. And what does Suter specifically need to bring forward?

“Just to continue to win battles and move pucks north,” Montgomery said. “The strength of his game, which is his brains and his brawn.

“The poise and calmness when games get frantic, he’s an unbelievable voice back there."

* Forwards Brayden Schenn and Robert Thomas did not practice in what Montgomery called maintenance days. But each will play in Game 5.

At practice Tuesday, Nikita Alexandrov and Mathieu Joseph skated in their places.

Posted on

Thomson gives updates on Sanchez, Suarez as Phils consider 6-man rotation

Thomson gives updates on Sanchez, Suarez as Phils consider 6-man rotation  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With his ball club back home, Phillies manager Rob Thomson fielded plenty of pitching questions late Tuesday afternoon. 

Thomson said Cristopher Sanchez is set to start Wednesday vs. the Nationals. Taijuan Walker will take the ball for Thursday’s series finale and the Phillies have yet to make rotation decisions beyond that.

Sanchez exited after two innings against the Mets last time out because of left forearm tightness. He’ll ultimately be bumped back just one day from his usual rotation spot.

“He’s been fine,” Thomson said. “The next day he came in and said he felt fine. He wanted to play catch. We shut that down, but it was just a precaution.”

The Phillies are in the process of determining when Ranger Suarez will join the rotation mix. 

Suarez, who missed the start of this season with lower back stiffness, has made four rehab starts. He pitched 4 2/3 innings Sunday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and threw 78 pitches, allowing one run and striking out eight. Between Single-A Clearwater and Lehigh, Suarez has logged 16 2/3 rehab innings and conceded two runs (1.08 ERA). 

Does he need one more rehab start? 

“Don’t know yet,” Thomson said. “He’s going to throw another bullpen here tomorrow and then we’ll make a decision.”

As for the notion of a six-man rotation once Suarez returns, Thomson indicated discussions are ongoing.

“Possibly,” he said. “We’re kind of walking through that a little bit right now.”

Thomson named the impact on the Phillies’ bullpen as an important factor to consider. Entering Tuesday, the Phillies ranked 29th in MLB with a 5.28 bullpen ERA. Their seven blown saves were tied for the most in the league. 

“It takes one of your guys out of the bullpen,” Thomson said, “and you have to have some flexibility with your bullpen arms. … Those are things that we’re always talking about — all the things that can influence the decision on whether to go to a six-man rotation.”

Thomson said he was “pretty sure” Andrew Painter would step up to Lehigh Valley for his next rehab appearance. However, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reported Painter will remain with Clearwater for the time being and the Phillies “could move him north in May to a higher-level affiliate.” He’s slated to throw approximately four innings and 60 pitches on Thursday. 

Thomson has said he anticipates Painter totaling around 120-130 innings this season and rising to the big club in midsummer at the earliest.

The 22-year-old prospect tossed three scoreless innings in his last start. Overall, Painter has pitched 7 1/3 innings for Clearwater and allowed two runs (2.45 ERA). He’s struck out 10 and walked one. 

Posted on

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Cam Smith, Caleb Durbin, and Ryan Gusto

As the early season dust has settled and more of the obvious breakout players and impact rookies are unavailable, we need to look a bit deeper to find gems on the waiver wire.

Fear not, because there are still a handful of players that are widely available and have the chance to be difference-makers in both the short and long term.

MLB: New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians
2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani & Bobby Witt Jr. lead Top 300 rest of season ranks
There’s a new No. 1 in Judge, and Roman Anthony makes his Top 300 debut.

Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.

If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire piece on Sunday.

Cam Smith, OF/3B Astros

22% Rostered on Yahoo

Only drafted last summer, Smith surprisingly made the Astros out of camp despite having just 32 total minor league games under his belt. Only five of those games came at Double-A and he’s never taken an at-bat at Triple-A.

Perhaps there was some organizational pressure after he was the centerpiece of their return for Kyle Tucker, but he seemed to prove himself after slashing .342/.419/.711 this spring with four home runs.

The news of his place on their roster sent his draft price sky-high. While he was more of a lottery ticket type of pick outside of the top-300 for most of March, his ADP shot up to right around pick 200 in the few days between his promotion on March 25th and opening day. That was ahead of other seemingly more stable position players like Nolan Arenado, Gleyber Torres, and Jung Hoo Lee.

Then, Smith cratered during his first week in the big leagues. He went 2-for-21 with a 43% strikeout rate all while trying to learn how to play right field on the fly. Rumors were flying around about a possible demotion and he was dropped in many 10 and 12 team leagues.

Since that disastrous first week, he has a .794 OPS across 59 plate appearances with three home runs, eight runs scored, 10 RBI, and a stolen base all while still hitting in the bottom third of Houston’s lineup.

His uptick in production has also come with some genuine skill gains. He’s not swinging and missing as often while making more contact in the strike zone and not chasing many pitches out of it.

cam smith graph.png

Mind you his plate discipline and swing decisions still are not good, but they have been good enough to pull him out of the doldrums and access his very loud tools.

Smith has 95th percentile bat speed, 97th percentile sprint speed, and has performed so well in right field that the Astros are toying around with the idea of trying him out in centerfield.

This is still the same player that was worthy of a borderline top-200 pick whose perception has been hurt by what was a horrible first week of his career despite adjusting to big league pitching without practically ever playing in the upper minors.

A 20 HR, 10 SB season with a fine batting average still seems like it’s in the cards with upside for more. That’s highly valuable at a position as thin as third base with multi-positional eligibility to boot.

Ryan Gusto, SP Astros

21% Rostered on Yahoo

A fellow Astros’ rookie along with Smith, Gusto has already shown he has what it takes to be a highly successful starting pitcher at the major league level.

Unlike Smith, Gusto spent a long time in the minor leagues. Drafted in 2019 out of Florida South Western State Junior College, he threw a total of 363 innings with a pedestrian 4.31 ERA across all levels splitting time as a starter and reliever. He also missed the entire 2021 season due to injury.

He made Houston’s opening day roster as a reliever and was mostly working in a multi-inning role. Then, he was thrust into the rotation after Spencer Arrighetti hit the injured list with a broken thumb.

In three starts since, Gusto has a 3.68 ERA over 14 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts and just two walks. He’s coming off his best start of the season against the Blue Jays where he fell just one out short of a quality start and struck out six batters and allowed one earned run.

Those surface stats are just fine and his spot in the rotation still feels tenuous with Lance McCullers Jr. due back soon from his two-year hiatus and other Astros’ starters on the mend, but he has major league capable stuff.

Mainly, his fastball is a true out-pitch. It’s earned a 31% whiff rate so far despite sitting 94 mph while living at the top of the strike zone. That’s because the pitch has a plus-plus shape with 19 inches of induced vertical break.

That pitch has proved near dominant and provides a tremendous foundation for the rest of his repertoire. He’s been successful while throwing it nearly 60% of the time against left-handed batters with his changeup, curveball, and cutter mixing in at least 10% of the time each.

Against right-handed batters, he reduces his fastball usage some in favor of a quality sinker and sweeper. All in all, his repertoire is deep enough after what can be a dominant fastball and he’s capable of getting anybody out.

This has all coalesced for a 25.6% strikeout rate, 4.4% walk rate and there’s nothing in his profile that says he can’t keep up a similar level of effectiveness. Also, he threw 148 innings at Triple-A last season, so he’s ready to handle a full starters’ workload.

He has test against the Tigers tonight (on Tuesday) and another great start could further cement his place in this rotation. The possibility of losing his role is the only reason he shouldn’t be rostered in most 12-team leagues. One more good start would make that less likely.

Caleb Durbin, 3B/2B/SS Brewers

8% Rostered on Yahoo

Another third baseman who’s been overlooked, Durbin’s call-up last week was a bit overshadowed by the promotions of other, more high-end prospects like Nick Kurtz, Agustín Ramírez, Chandler Simpson, and Luke Keaschall. Yet, he’s performed well enough during his first week in the big leagues to warrant more attention.

First off, he’s playing every day. Oliver Dunn was the Brewers’ regular third baseman through the first few weeks of the season and was demoted to make room for Durbin.

Milwaukee has played 11 games since then and Durbin started 10 of them at third. This is his job if he can perform.

Past that, his calling cards as a minor leaguer were always bat-to-ball ability and speed. Through 10 games, he has a 91.4% contact rate. That’s good for sixth-highest in the majors and is in line with other players known for their contact skillslike Nico Hoerner, Steven Kwan, and Jacob Wilson.

Like those players, he has near the bottom of the league bat speed, but often squares the ball up. He also chases far fewer pitches outside the strike zone than Wilson specifically, who is much more widely rostered despite only being eligible at shortstop and having a history as much less willing base stealer.

Also, with just a small sample of 30 batted ball events, Durbin is pulling a higher rate of his fly balls than the other mentioned high-contact types. That’s encouraging and could mean he has a bit more power potential than other players with this archetype. Just a bit though, the absolute ceiling still looks like 10 homers.

Bottom line, Durbin has all the tools of someone that could run a high batting average when he’s going right and enough power not to kill you in other categories.

On top of that, his speed is very real. He’s in the 89th percentile of sprint speed according to Baseball Savant and has attempted two stolen bases through 10 games played. He was only successful on one of those tries though.

Two attempts in 10 games would put him on pace for around 32 over a full season. That would’ve been the 20th most attempts among all qualified hitters last season, in the same range as Francisco Lindor and Anthony Volpe in terms of stolen base potential.

His roster-rate is too low for someone that could be a big boost in multiple categories that’s eligible at nearly every infield position. Especially given the weakness of both second and third base right now.

Posted on

O’Sullivan opens up lead over Si in World Snooker Championship quarter

  • John Higgins leads Mark Williams 5-3 after first session
  • Zhao Xintong in control with 6-2 lead over Chris Wakelin

Hard competition and enduring happiness are the reasons why snooker’s “Class of 92” have continued to hold the sport’s new generations at bay, according to the seven-times world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan. The 49-year-old eased into a 6-2 lead after the first session of his Crucible quarter-final against Si Jiahui on Tuesday while John Higgins slugged out a 5-3 advantage over Mark Williams.

The trio have 14 world titles between them and few would dare bet against that number increasing as they continue to cut a swathe through the draw in Sheffield. “There was a big element of [competition] in the early part of our careers,” said O’Sullivan. “If one did well the others wanted to do better.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Three NHL Teams That Should Be Front-Runners For Mike Sullivan

Mike Sullivan (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins did what many expected Monday morning, parting ways with coach Mike Sullivan after more than nine years on the job. 

Sullivan won two Stanley Cups in his first two years on the job in Pittsburgh, and he guided them to the playoffs in each of his first seven years. However, Sullivan failed to guide the Penguins to the post-season in each of the past three years, and they finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division – his lowest finish with Pittsburgh.

Sullivan’s championship pedigree will lead to multiple NHL teams seeking to bring him aboard as their bench boss. While there are currently seven teams seeking to name a permanent coach, there are three front-runners to land Sullivan’s services.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins fired Jim Montgomery early last season, replacing him with interim coach Joe Sacco. But the fact Boston hasn’t removed the ‘interim’ tag from Sacco so far tells you all you need to know about the likelihood of Sacco getting the permanent job in Beantown.

Sullivan makes sense for the Bruins on several fronts. For one thing, Boston is looking at a retool, not a rebuild, so Sullivan could take the B's job knowing Bruins management will be making roster moves to push the team back into the post-season right away. 

Sullivan also cut his teeth as an NHL coach in Boston, coaching the Bruins from 2003 to 2006. Sullivan’s familiarity with the Bruins organization gives Boston an advantage as teams try to bring him on board. Sullivan is also a Massachusetts native who appreciates what it means to coach an Original Six franchise. 

For all those reasons, Boston has to be seen as a front-runner for Sullivan. The Bruins don’t want to miss the playoffs for a second straight season, and while there would be big-time pressure on Sullivan if he took the job in Boston, he would welcome that pressure and is capable of handling the accompanying challenge.

NHL Rumor Roundup: What's Next For The Penguins Following Mike Sullivan's Departure?NHL Rumor Roundup: What's Next For The Penguins Following Mike Sullivan's Departure?The Pittsburgh Penguins made headlines on Monday by announcing they and coach Mike Sullivan agreed to part ways.

New York Rangers

The Rangers gave GM Chris Drury a vote of confidence late last week, signing him to a multi-year contract extension. But the Blueshirts need a new coach after firing veteran Peter Laviolette nearly two weeks ago, and Sullivan could be the ideal replacement for Laviolette. 

Like the Bruins, the Rangers missed the playoffs, but the Rangers also intend to be a playoff team in 2025-26, and Sullivan would probably see Manhattan as an attractive option.

Sullivan also knows what it's like to coach the Rangers, as he was an assistant coach for them from 2009 to 2013. Getting a kick at the can as a head coach would make the Rangers an intriguing opportunity for Sullivan, and money wouldn’t be an object for the franchise.

The Rangers have an elite goalie in Igor Shesterkin, and every coach knows how crucial it is for a team to have a star in net if they intend on going on a deep playoff run. That will be a distinct possibility in New York City next season, and Sullivan could get right back into the playoff mix with the Rangers. 

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers don’t have an organic connection to Sullivan, but given Philadelphia’s arch-rivalry with the Penguins, Sullivan knows the passion Flyers fans have for their team. And Philadelphia is a young team many believe is on the rise, so Sullivan could see them as an attractive destination.

Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere dismissed veteran bench boss John Tortorella late in the regular season, but he shouldn’t be afraid to hire a well-versed replacement in Sullivan, who was part of Tortorella’s staff with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks.

The biggest stumbling block for Sullivan may be the Flyers still rebuilding and lacking a clearly reliable starting netminder, but Briere may be able to sell the job on Sullivan by sharing the plan forward.

To get ahead of the Rangers and Bruins, the Flyers will have to be creative and forceful. But stranger things have happened than Philadelphia hiring Sullivan. A motivated and well-supported Flyers team may be extremely appealing for Sullivan.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Posted on

Stick or twist? England’s selectors weigh up options for Zimbabwe Test

If Zak Crawley’s form is a worry the middle-order is not, but Ben Stokes’s role as an all-rounder remains unknown

It may be viewed as an amuse-bouche before the main course of India in June, but England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe is fast approaching. Selection is imminent – for the four-day match Trent Bridge that gets under way on 22 May and a training camp in Loughborough that precedes it – and after four rounds of the County Championship, the contenders are beginning to take shape.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Saints’ Phil Dowson fears Premiership clubs ‘sleepwalking’ towards financial crisis

  • Director of rugby backs plans for franchise league
  • Expansion would end promotion and relegation

The Northampton director of rugby, Phil Dowson, fears the sport is “sleepwalking” towards another club going bust and endorsed plans for the Premiership to become a franchised league on the basis it would be more appealing to investors.

Premiership and Rugby Football Union executives have drawn up plans for an “expansion” league, akin to a franchise model, that would allow for teams to be added to the current 10 top flight clubs should they meet certain criteria. The RFU chief executive, Bill Sweeney, revealed that there is the possibility of expanding for the start of next season.

Continue reading...
Posted on

NHL Draft Lottery Coming Soon: Where Islanders Stand

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery will be held Monday, May 5.

The time will be announced later this week and will be available to watch on ESPN/Sportsnet/TVA.

The New York Islanders own the 10th-best odds to land the No. 1 pick at 3.5%. 

They have a 3.7% chance of moving into the No. 2 slot, 73.3% to remain at No. 10, and a 19.1% chance to fall out of the top 10, per Tankathon.

Why Mathieu Darche Should Be A Top Candidate For Islanders General Manager PositionWhy Mathieu Darche Should Be A Top Candidate For Islanders General Manager PositionWhen the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders in 2020 and 2021, Julien Brisbois was Tampa's general manager. 

The San Jose Sharks enter with the highest odds to pick first overall at 25.5%, and the Chicago Blackhawks follow at 13.5%.

Michael Misa, Matthew Schaefer, and James Hagens are leading contenders to go first overall.

The 2025 NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles on June 27 and 28.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Posted on

Count On Tavares, Tkachuk Scoring in High-Flying Maple Leafs Game 5 Win Over Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs return home with chance to close out series versus Ottawa Senators in Game 5 on Tuesday

Image

Tuesday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups for the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game that sticks out is the Battle of Ontario between the Maple Leafs and Senators with Toronto looking to advance to the second round with a win. 

The Buds look to close out the series and improve on a 1-11 record in closeout games during the Auston Matthews era. Ottawa looks to stave off elimination and keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 29-12 record on our last 41 picks, including perfect record during Game 1 and 4 of the series. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Best Bets:

  • Leafs ML (-162)
  • Over 5.5 goals (-114)
  • Leafs Score First (-145)
  • John Tavares Over 0.5 points (-174)
  • Brady Tkachuk Over 0.5 points (-132)
  • Tim Stutzle Under 0.5 points (+126)

Offence has been red hot lately with Toronto's big four of Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares and Auston Matthews recording points in every game of the series except for Game 3 in Tavares' case.

Ottawa has simply not had an answer for Toronto's playmakers with nine goals allowed through the first two games that were played in Toronto.

More NHL: Stars' Hintz, Oilers' Nugent-Hopkins Headline Playoff Players Due for Bounce Back Performances

For Game 5, the Maple Leafs return home with a second-round bid on their mind. If they can manage to continue their success at home and keep doing what is making them successful, then they should find a favourable result on Tuesday.

Game 4 of the series will likely appear as an outlier as offence was finally generated from Ottawa winger Tim Stutzle, who scored his first goal of the series and marked his first real point of the series after recording a second assist on a Senators goal back in Game 2. 

I expect the Maple Leafs to put the clamps on the German winger once again and play a solid defensive game after getting out to an early lead. 

The Buds have scored six first period goals this series and should get another one here as Senators netminder Linus Ullmark has struggled to stop the bleeding with 15 goals allowed through four games.

The member of Toronto's big four with the best value is Tavares, who has continued his hot streak into the postseason with three goals. He has been playing alongside Nylander, who has also been hot and should set up for another offensive night for the line. 

Senators' captain Brady Tkachuk has felt the pressure of the playoffs and has responded well with points in three straight games and is surprisingly still listed at a decent value to get on the board. 

Ottawa won't go down quietly and Tkachuk will certainly be a factor for the Senators in this one. Due to Stutzle's struggles in the series, he's been pulled off Tkachuk's line and it hasn't slowed the Arizona native down. 

More NHL: Bolts, Golden Knights Present Last Call For Massive Betting Values

Posted on

Sacramento Kings reportedly to remove interim tag, hire Doug Christie as head coach

Doug Christie is Kings' owner Vivek Ranadive's guy. The latest piece of evidence showing Christie's favorite child status among ownership and some team management members came on Tuesday.

The Kings are about to remove the interim tag and make Christie the head coach in Sacramento. The news of Christie's hiring is not a surprise and is a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It's a great narrative. Christie was the popular starting point guard in Sacramento in the early 2000s who has come back "home" to be the head coach. The Kings went 27-24 after Christie took over last season, winning some close games early on that they had not under the deposed Mike Brown, but also not looking appreciably better than under their previous coach. While they advanced to the Play-In Tournament, the Kings were eliminated there for the second consecutive year.

After the All-Star break, under Christie (and with key changes to the roster after the trade deadline), the Kings went 12-15 with a bottom-10 defense in the league.

The real challenge in Sacramento falls not on Christie but on Scott Perry, who has taken over as general manager and head of basketball operations. He needs to provide clarity on the team's direction, both in the short and long term. Perry is now counting on Christie to be part of the stability for this franchise going forward.

Not long after Brown was fired (and it was handled clumsily by ownership), face-of-the-franchise De'Aaron Fox asked for a trade. As part of the deal that sent Fox to San Antonio, Sacramento brought in another scorer in Zach LaVine to pair with Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. That becomes the first big question for the Kings: Can they win enough with that trio as their core? The Kings had a -3.5 net rating when those three were on the court together last season. Plus, Sabonis said he wants to sit down with ownership and get a sense of the club's plans and direction. Like Fox before him, Sabonis wants consistency and to see a coherent, reasonable plan to build out the roster.

Perry has work to do to find a new point guard and some defenders to add to this roster if Sacramento is going to compete for a playoff spot in next season's still deep Western Conference. He has financial flexibility and the full non-tax mid-level exception to use.

Whatever roster Perry puts together, Christie will be the coach.

Posted on

Athletics at Rangers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Athletics (15-14) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (15-14). Jacob Lopez is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Jacob deGrom for Texas.

The Athletics won game one of the series yesterday, 2-1. JP Sears pitched 5.2 innings, giving up one run on five hits and striking out seven batters.

Patrick Corbin was on the mound for the Rangers. He gave up two runs on seven hits, while striking out five batters.

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 Athletics at Rangers

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 8:05PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: Victory+, Rangers Sports Network, NBCSCA

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 Athletics at the Rangers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Athletics (+172), Rangers (-205)
  • Spread:  Rangers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Rangers

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Jacob Lopez vs. Jacob deGrom
    • Athletics: Jacob Lopez, (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing (vs Texas Rangers, 4/22): 1.2 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Rangers: Jacob deGrom, (0-1, 3.33 ERA)
      Last outing (vs Athletics, 4/24): 5.1 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Rangers

  • The Athletics have a winning record (10-4) in matchups against American League teams this season
  • The Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom has an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.07 when starting this season
  • The Rangers have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.14 units

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Athletics and the Rangers

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 Tuesday's game between the Athletics and the Rangers:

  • 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 Oakland Athletics 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)