Those who tuned into Sunday’s Los Angeles Clippers game may have been alarmed to see a bandaged and bruised Jack Quaid sitting courtside. Fortunately, Quaid was just promoting his new movie “Novocaine,” and the wounds were all fake.
Throughout the game, fans at the Intuit Dome began noticing Quaid was looking progressively worse with each passing quarter. What began as a cast and a sling became a neck brace, a head bandage, a bloody nose and one cast on each arm.
By the end of the fourth quarter, Quaid looked as though all 10 players had landed on top of him while pursuing a loose ball. At least he was still supporting the home team with “Go Clippers” written on one of the casts.
If Quaid was going to sit through a game in which he had to accumulate fake injuries, he could have seen worse. The Clippers pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback and won 111-110 in overtime when Kawhi Leonard knocked down a buzzer-beater. James Harden led Los Angeles with 29 points while Ivica Zubac had a big game, posting 22 points and 14 rebounds.
WATCH: Kawhi Leonard lifts Clippers with buzzer-beater, his first since his iconic playoff shot with Raptors Colin Ward-Henninger WATCH: Kawhi Leonard lifts Clippers with buzzer-beater, his first since his iconic playoff shot with Raptors With that kind of performance in the middle of a playoff push, the Clippers might want to consider bringing Quaid back to play hurt on the sideline every night.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is not one for self-promotion. After back-to-back games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are led by fellow Most Valuable Player candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić kept his comments about the award race succinct.
“This is my third or fourth year in a row so, I’m really — I don’t know, I cannot control it,” Jokić told reporters following Denver’s 140-127 win in Oklahoma City on Monday. “I will say that I think I’m playing the best basketball of my life, so if that’s enough, it’s enough. If not, the guy deserves it. He’s really amazing.”
Jokić, who won the award in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and finished second to the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid in 2023, scored 35 points on 15-for-20 shooting, with 18 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, one block and only one turnover in 40 minutes on Monday. On the season, he is averaging a career-high 28.9 points (No. 3 in the NBA), 13.0 rebounds (No. 3) and a career-high 10.5 assists (No. 2) per game. As well as shooting 3s more often than he did in previous seasons — he’s attempting 5.8 per 100 possessions — he is shooting them more accurately (43%) than ever before.
Leading up to the game, Jokić was listed as questionable due to a right elbow contusion and a left ankle impingement. Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters that, following their 127-103 loss in the same arena on Sunday, he had reached out to Jokić to discuss the possibility of taking the second night of the back-to-back off.
“I gave him [his recent] minutes: 45 minutes, 41 minutes, 39 minutes, 38 minutes, with a really bad ankle and an elbow,” Malone said. “So this is not a rest game; this is, ‘This guy’s beat up with 18 games to go.’ And what I love about Nikola — he was like, ‘Hell no. Come on, man. Coach, I’m playing. That’s not even a conversation. Am I tired? Sure, everybody’s tired. Am I a little beat up? Sure, everybody’s a little beat up. But I want to play.’ And I think part of that was also we lost and he wanted to lead this team and find a way to come in here and get a win today.”
Malone called Jokić a “brilliant person” with a “brilliant mind” and “the best player in the world.” During Monday’s game, Malone said it was “awesome” to see Jokić in the team huddle, holding a whiteboard, “talking to some of our guys about our zone defense.” Unlike Jokić himself, Malone is happy to make the case that the 30-year-old superstar should become the sixth player in NBA history to become a four-time MVP.
“Obviously, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a great player, and if he wins his first MVP, he’s deserving of that,” Malone told reporters. “My thing is this: If you didn’t know that Nikola won three MVPs and I put Player A and Player B on paper and you had no idea that the guy who’s averaging a triple-double, the guy who’s top three in the three major statistical categories, things that no one’s ever done, he wins the MVP 10 times out of 10. And if you don’t think so, I think you guys are all full of shit.”
Malone then laughed. Asked if team records factored into the Player A vs. Player B comparison (as the 53-12 Thunder are 11 games ahead of everybody else in the Western Conference), Malone said they could, but added: “If you want to use that card, I’m all for it, but the one year Nikola didn’t win it, we were the No. 1 seed in the West.”
Down the stretch of the regular season, “this whole MVP thing is really going to pick up,” Malone told reporters. He said he understands that different people have different criteria for the award, and that he “will never negative recruit” against Jokić’s competition.
“Shai is not a good player, [but] a great player, and if he wins it, I’ll actually, you know what, clap my hands and be happy for him,” Malone said. “‘Cause he’s such a great guy who’s a great player and is good for this game. So it’s not Nikola vs. Shai; for me, it’s me promoting my guy because I know what he means to this game. And when you look at it from a historical perspective, he’s doing things that no one’s ever done. And [we’re] also the No. 2 seed in the West, so it’s not like we’re outside looking in, we’re a pretty good team as well.”
It’s not just that both Jokić and Gilgeous-Alexander have both put together MVP-caliber seasons; it’s that they’ve both produced at a level that compares favorably to most MVP campaigns. This is a close race, and, in this voter’s opinion, an even tougher call than any of the previous ones involving Jokić. Gilgeous-Alexander, the betting favorite with about a month left in the regular season, has averaged a league-high 32.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 34.3 minutes per game, and he has paired a career-high usage rate (33.4%) with a career-high true shooting percentage (64.4%).
The Cleveland Cavaliers look to win their 15th game in a row when they battle the Brooklyn Nets in an Eastern Conference matchup on Tuesday night. Brooklyn is coming off a 111-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, while Cleveland defeated Milwaukee 112-100 on Sunday. The Nets (22-42), who have lost seven of their last eight, are 12-21 on the road this season. The Cavaliers (54-10), who are the top seed in the conference, are 29-4 on their home court. Donovan Mitchell (groin) and De’Andre Hunter (illness) are questionable for Cleveland, while D’Angelo Russell (ankle) is out for Brooklyn.
Tipoff from Rocket Arena in Cleveland is set for 7 p.m. ET. Cleveland has won all three meetings this season, including a 110-97 win in their last meeting on Feb. 20. The Cavaliers are 16.5-point favorites in the latest Cavaliers vs. Nets odds from SportsLine consensus, after the line was as high as Cavs -18.5. The over/under for total points scored is 227.5. The Cavs are at -1449 on the money line (risk $1,449 to win $100), while the Nets are at +837 (risk $100 to win $837). Before making any Nets vs. Cavaliers picks, make sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 148-107 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 19-10 (65%) on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has simulated Nets vs. Cavaliers 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Cavs vs. Nets:
Nets vs. Cavaliers spread: Cleveland -16.5 Nets vs. Cavaliers over/under: 227.5 points Nets vs. Cavaliers money line: Cleveland -1449, Brooklyn +837 BKN: The Nets are 4-6 against the spread in their last 10 games CLE: The Cavaliers have hit the money line in 55 of their last 68 games (+36.10 units) Nets vs. Cavaliers picks: See picks at SportsLine Nets vs. Cavaliers streaming: FuboTV (Try for free) draftkings logo rectangle Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly! Claim bonus 21+ (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY) and present in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WY, and WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH and where prohibited. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 3/16/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Data & text rates may apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD).21+ (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY) and present in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WY, and WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH and where prohibited. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 3/16/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Data & text rates may apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD).21+ (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY) and present in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WY, and WV. Void in ONT/OR/NH and where prohibited. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 3/16/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK. Data & text rates may apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). Why the Cavaliers can cover Shooting guard Mitchell (questionable) has scored in double figures in nine consecutive games, including a 15-point, six-assist and five-rebound effort in Sunday’s win over the Bucks. He had 28 points with seven rebounds and five assists in a 139-117 win at Chicago on March 4. In 60 games, all starts, he is averaging 24.2 points, 4.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 31.3 minutes. He is connecting on 45.1% of his field goals, including 38.4% of his 3-pointers, and 81.9% of his free throws.
Veteran point guard Darius Garland is also a big part of the Cleveland offense. In 60 games, all starts, he is averaging 20.9 points, 6.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.3 minutes. He scored 20 points and dished out two assists in a 118-117 win at Charlotte on Friday. He registered a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in a 112-107 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Nets can cover Shooting guard Cam Thomas (hamstring) did not play on Monday against the Lakers but is not listed on Tuesday’s injury report. Thomas leads the Nets with 23.8 points and excels at getting to the charity stripe, averaging 6.2 free throw attempts per night and knocking them down at an 88% clip. He’s produced 23-plus points and six-plus assists in two of his last three outings, and he had 22 points with six dimes in his lone previous matchup versus Cleveland this season.
Forward Ziaire Williams has also stepped up his play of late due to the multiple injuries suffered by a number of Brooklyn players. In Saturday’s loss to Charlotte, he poured in 19 points, while adding three rebounds and two blocks. He registered a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 129-121 loss to Oklahoma City on Feb. 26. In 24.1 minutes per game, he is averaging 9.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and one steal. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Nets vs. Cavaliers picks SportsLine’s model has simulated Cavaliers vs. Nets and is leaning Under the total, projecting 223 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits over 50% of the time. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.
So who wins Nets vs. Cavaliers on Tuesday, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nets vs. Cavaliers spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
he Celtics and Heat will face off in the No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup in the Eastern Conference, which is also a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals from a year ago. Boston will surely want to exact some revenge against a Heat team that upset them a year ago, and while Miami isn’t a team you should write off, Boston is a far stronger team than it was a year ago.
The Celtics have been the most dominant team all season, as the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have fit in seamlessly and made them stronger on both ends of the floor. Then there’s Jayson Tatum, who turned in another MVP candidate season. It’s easy to see why Boston is heavily favored, but Miami won’t go away easily.
The Heat, proved once again that you can never count them out, even if Jimmy Butler is sidelined, and after an injury-riddled season, they’ll try and upset the Celtics. But if there was ever a team that could pull something like that off, it’s Miami.
As we prepare for the Celtics and Heat matchup, here’s what you need to know ahead of this Eastern Conference first-round series.
Celtics vs. Heat Game 1 Date: Sunday, April 21 | Time: 1 p.m. ET Location: TD Garden — Boston TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (try for free) Odds: Celtics -14; O/U 208.5 Storylines Celtics: This is really Boston’s to lose, not just this game, but the whole series. Miami won’t have Butler, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics should take this game lightly. It’ll be important for Tatum, Brown and Porzingis to make a statement in this game, because it’ll set the tone for the rest of the series. On defense, Boston will have to focus on not letting Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. go off the way they did against the Bulls in the Play-In game.
Heat: Miami will be playing with their backs against the wall without Butler who has an MCL injury and is expected to miss several weeks, but we saw in that win against Chicago that its defense can carry them far. Miami’s done a good job of defending Boston in the past, but with Porzingis now in the mix, it’ll make things tougher for the Heat. Miami’s best bet to try and steal this game is making the Celtics uncomfortable on offense and controlling the pace a bit. The Heat are going into this shorthanded and can’t afford to let Boston to work up a huge lead because Miami doesn’t have the depth to withstand that.
Prediction If Butler were healthy this might be a more compelling series, but with him out I don’t see how Miami stands a chance. The Celtics are just too dominant and have very few weaknesses for the Heat to exploit. The Pick: Celtics -14
We’re getting Round 3 in the first round of the playoffs as the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers will meet in the first round for the third time in four years. This may be one of the most exciting matchups of the first round in either conference, as both teams could make a deep run in the playoffs if they win this series. For the Clippers, they looked like a dominant team earlier in the season as the “Big 3” of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden seemed to be clicking, but they enter the postseason with health questions surrounding Leonard, which could significantly impact this matchup.
Dallas is riding high as the playoffs begin, with the Mavericks having the fifth-best record post All-Star break. Luka Doncic received some late MVP buzz, Kyrie Irving has been playing tremendous and the Mavericks seem to be peaking at the right time.
As we prepare for the Clippers and Mavericks matchup, here’s what you need to know ahead of this Western Conference first-round series.
Clippers vs. Mavericks Game 1 Date: Sunday, April 21 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET Location: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles TV channel: ABC | Live stream: fubo (try for free) Odds: Mavericks -2.5; O/U 223 Storylines Clippers: L.A.’s chances hinge on the health and availability of Leonard. He’s listed as questionable for Game 1 as he’s dealing with knee inflammation, and if he isn’t able to go, it’ll put the Clippers’ backs against the wall at home. Paul George and James Harden are certainly capable of carrying the load on offense, but this team is at its best when Leonard is healthy and performing at a high level on both ends of the floor. Even if he does play, he may not be at 100%, and could run the risk of either worsening the swelling in his knee, or being a liability on the floor.
Mavericks: This will be Luka Doncic’s third time facing the Clippers, and surely he’ll want to finally get a win against this team. This is perhaps the best team he’s had around him facing L.A., and Dallas could be getting their rookie big man Dereck Lively II back for Game 1, which only adds to the depth the Mavericks have. Lively missed the last eight games of the regular season with a right knee sprain, but he isn’t listed on Dallas’ injury report for Game 1 which is a positive sign. The combination of Lively and Daniel Gafford gives the Mavericks 48 minutes of rim protection, something they’ve never had before.
Prediction Given Leonard’s injury status, I’m going with the Mavericks to win Game 1. I feel like Doncic will want to set the tone for this series, and he’s historically played incredibly well against the Clippers on the road. The Pick: Mavericks -2.5
Now that the 2024 NBA postseason has begun, the basketball betting market is hotter than ever. CBS Sports will be providing daily picks for the duration of the postseason. Sam Quinn will make at least one pick for every game between now and the NBA Finals.
Miami Heat at Boston Celtics This series has some of the most lopsided lines you’ll ever see. The Celtics opened as -8000 favorites. Their sweep line of -110 implied better than a 50-50 chance at sending Miami home without a win. They might do that, but that doesn’t mean the Heat will make this easy. The Heat are 9-3 in their last 12 Game 1s. That is despite starting eight of those series as the lower seed. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is going to come up with some weird wrinkle that stifles Boston for a quarter or two. The Celtics should win. I refuse to pick a blowout in a Spoelstra Game 1. The Pick: Heat +13.5
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers This is a somewhat speculative pick. Given how closely the Clippers guard medical information, there’s a chance we don’t know if Kawhi Leonard is playing until minutes before tipoff. The mere chance to grab the Mavericks at close to a pick ’em if Leonard doesn’t play is valuable, but even if Leonard does suit up, remember, Dallas took three of the four games in Los Angeles the last time these two teams played in the postseason. It’s also fair to wonder how Leonard will handle any rust or pain in this one. Leonard has returned from missing a game or games just three times this season, but in those games, he never topped 24 points and averaged less than 17. Mavericks at -1.5 is a reasonable bet even if the Clippers are at full strength. The chance that they aren’t just makes them even more tempting. The Pick: Mavericks -1.5
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks The Pacers went 4-1 against the Bucks this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo played in all five of those games. This would be relevant against any opponent. It is especially important against the Pacers because Antetokounmpo had separate 54- and 62-point games against Indiana this season. Indiana’s defense is designed to limit 3-point attempts at all costs, and the tradeoff to doing so is very limited rim-protection. Antetokounmpo punishes them for that. The rest of the Bucks? Not so much. The Pick: Pacers -1.5
New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City has one weakness: rebounding. Here’s my overarching prediction for Game 1: the Pelicans try to stifle Oklahoma City’s offense by letting Jonas Valanciunas “guard” Josh Giddey, but really just hang around the rim and beat Chet Holmgren for rebounds. There are adjustments the Thunder can make to that, like starting Isaiah Joe in place of Giddey. That probably isn’t a Game 1 adjustment. Expect Valanciunas to rack up the rebounds against a Thunder team that doesn’t mind conceding them. The pick: Valanciunas over 8.5 rebounds
The 2023-24 NBA season continues with six games on Sunday and NBA daily Fantasy players are trying to dial in their NBA DFS strategies early. The looming in-season NBA tournament and the threat of fines for resting players have led to some stars playing restricted minutes to begin the season. The Lakers, for example, have capped LeBron James’ minutes in his 21st season and it appears that he’ll generally play 28-30 minutes per night to save his body for the postseason.
However, James and the Lakers made an exception in a big matchup against the Suns on Thursday, so might he be worth consideration for your NBA DFS lineups on Sunday against the Kings? Sunday’s NBA DFS player pool features plenty of star power, including James, Victor Wembanyama, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.
This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On Saturday, McClure highlighted Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Mobley had 33 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three blocks, returning 62 points on DraftKings and 61.3 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
McClure has turned his attention to the beginning of the 2023-24 NBA season on Sunday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Sunday, October 29 For Sunday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is Rockets guard Jalen Green, who is listed at $6,100 on DraftKings and $6,500 on FanDuel. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Green is now in his third season and averaged 22.1 points per game last year to lead the Rockets in scoring.
He shot 41.6% from the floor and 33.8% from the 3-point line, so he’s still somewhat streaky but his shot volume makes him a player with significant upside. Even with the additions of veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, Green is a cornerstone at 21 and you should have some level of exposure to him on Sunday night against Golden State.
Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering 76ers center Joel Embiid ($10,700 on DraftKings and $11,200 on FanDuel). The reigning NBA MVP led the league in scoring (33.1 points per game) and also averaged 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.
He’s coming off a performance where he put up over 60 points on FanDuel and DraftKings on Saturday night against the Raptors. Now he’ll take on a Trail Blazers squad that is off to a 0-2 start after completing overhauling their roster this offseason. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Sunday, October 29 McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Saturday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
After both teams made the playoffs in the Western Conference last season, the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings will go head-to-head in an early-season matchup on Sunday. Each team is off to a 1-1 start with the Kings beating the Jazz but losing to the Warriors over their first two games. The Lakers were beaten soundly by the Nuggets in the season-opener but defeated the short-handed Suns on Thursday. Sacramento has won outright and covered the spread in six of the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these two in-state rivals
Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Sacramento is favored by 2.5 points in the latest Kings vs. Lakers odds from the SportsLine consensus, while the over/under is 235 points. Before entering any Lakers vs. Kings picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model finished the 2022-23 NBA season on a 72-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning nearly $2,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Sacramento. You can head to SportsLine to see its NBA picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Lakers vs. Kings:
Kings vs. Lakers spread: Kings -2.5 Kings vs. Lakers over/under: 235 points Kings vs. Lakers money line: Kings -142, Lakers +120 Kings vs. Lakers picks: See picks here What you need to know about the Lakers Los Angeles is coming off a 43-39 season where it finished seventh in the West and had to earn its way into the 2023 NBA Playoffs through the play-in tournament. However, the Lakers were able to dispatch the Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors on their way to the Western Conference Finals before being swept by the Nuggets.
LeBron James is now in his 21st season and with the in-season tournament and new rules threatening heavy fines for resting players, the Lakers are attempting to cap the superstar’s minutes at 28-30 per night. However, James exceeded that limit to play 35 minutes in a win over the Suns on Thursday and it’s clear that there will be instances where he’s let loose, particularly against fellow contenders in the West.
What you need to know about the Kings The Kings finished as the No. 3 seed last year but were eliminated in the first round by the Warriors in a thrilling seven-game series. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis headline an impressive young roster and Sacramento led the NBA in scoring (120.7 ppg) and offensive rating (119.4) in 2022-23.
The offense looks similarly explosive in the early going, earning a 130-114 win over the Jazz on opening night and then suffering a 122-114 defeat to Golden State on Friday. Fox, Sabonis and Harrison Barnes are all averaging over 20 points per game over the first two contests and they’ll look to push the pace against an aging Lakers roster that they beat in three of four head-to-head matchups last season.
How to make Kings vs. Lakers picks The model has simulated Lakers vs. Kings 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over and it’s also generated a point-spread pick where one side hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
Before LeBron James was breaking the record for most points scored in NBA history, before bellowing CLEVELAND, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!!! after winning his third championship and before he began piecing together a career that could be considered the benchmark for the greatest ever, he was a 18-year-old phenom making his NBA debut.
Twenty years ago to the day, October 29, 2003, James, who was drafted No. 1 overall by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers four months after he finished high school, made his highly anticipated NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings. He finished the night with 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the greatest careers, if not the best, in NBA history.
Even with the enormous expectations and pressure placed on LeBron’s shoulders at the time of his NBA debut, he still surpassed those predictions over the course of 20 years.
During his first stint with the Cavaliers, while he didn’t win a championship in those first seven years, he led an improbable Cavaliers team to the 2007 NBA Finals. His Game 5 performance in the East finals against the heavily favored Detroit Pistons was early proof of the legendary career that was to come. So too was the iconic buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer in Game 1 of the East finals against the Orlando Magic in 2009.
The next era of LeBron’s career, which started when he joined the Miami Heat in 2010 and was a highly controversial move at the time, is where he saw his most success. It’s where he earned his first two championships, in back-to-back fashion. As well as two of his four league MVP trophies, also in back-to-back seasons. LeBron’s Miami era is also where he was viewed as a villain for “The Decision,” where his words “I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” simultaneously broke the hearts of Cavaliers fans and ignited a Heat fanbase for years to come.
But after all that sunshine and success, LeBron sought a new challenge. So he returned home to Cleveland, but this time with significantly more help in the form of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. In what should be considered LeBron’s greatest accomplishment of his career, he led the Cavaliers to a 2016 championship over the juggernaut Golden State Warriors after being down 3-1 in the series. It was a redemption moment for LeBron and the city of Cleveland, and his block of Andre Iguodala in the waning moments of Game 7 to help win the title for the Cavs is amongst the greatest moments in NBA Finals history.
After those four years with the Cavaliers, LeBron’s next — and current — era began with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. Though his legacy is still being written with L.A., he’s already led the team to a championship in 2020, and became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history by breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record last season. He carried the Lakers to an unlikely Western Conference finals last spring, and he could very well do the same again next spring when he’ll be 39 years young.
While LeBron’s durability has been tested the most during his Lakers stint, he’s still performing near peak levels every time he puts up a monster performance. And while most players are nearing the end of their careers as they enter Year 20, LeBron has said multiple times his goal is to play with both of his sons in the league before he retires.
It’s been an illustrious two decades for LeBron, a career that even the best prognosticators couldn’t have predicted 20 years ago on this day when “The Chosen One” was suiting up for the first game of his career. Sunday night, LeBron will suit up for his 1,706th game against the same team that kickstarted his career, the Kings. It’s a full circle moment for James, who at 38 years old and 20 years in the league is still writing his legacy.
The Denver Nuggets (2-0) travel to play the Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0) in a Sunday afternoon showdown. This is the first of four matchups between Northwest Division foes. In 2022, Denver won three of the four regular-season outings. Both teams are off to a 2-0 start, making Sunday’s showdown a pivotal matchup early in the season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The Nuggets are 3.5-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Thunder odds according to the SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 230. Before making any Thunder vs. Nuggets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five seasons. The model finished the 2022-23 NBA season on a 72-39 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning nearly $2,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nuggets vs. Thunder and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Thunder vs. Nuggets:
Nuggets vs. Thunder spread: Denver -3.5 Nuggets vs. Thunder over/under: 230 points Nuggets vs. Thunder money line: Denver -166, Oklahoma City +140 OKC: The Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last six games DEN: The Nuggets are 16-4 in their last 20 games against OKC Nuggets vs. Thunder picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Nuggets can cover Forward Aaron Gordon is an athletic two-way presence in the frontcourt. Gordon has been excellent at cutting and finishing around the rim. The Arizona product plays defense at a high level and will take on the opposing team’s best offensive player. He’s averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. On Oct. 24 versus the Lakers, Gordon had 15 points, seven boards, and five assists.
Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope complements his teammates very well due to his ability to play off the ball and space the floor as a knockdown shooter. The Georgia product also plays outstanding defense and will jump into passing lanes. Through two games, he’s averaging 14 points, two rebounds, and four steals per game. In the win over the Lakers, he totaled 20 points and three steals. See which team to pick here.
Why the Thunder can cover Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has tremendous size and feel for the game in the backcourt. Gilgeous-Alexander gets to his spots on the floor with ease and has exceptional body control at the rim. The 25-year-old is leading the team in scoring (32.5), assists (7), and steals (3) to go along with eight rebounds per game. In Friday’s win over the Cavaliers, he finished with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists.
Power forward Chet Holmgren has impressive length (7’1) with a knack for piling up blocks and rebounds. Holmgren hovers around the basket on both ends but can step out on the perimeter to knock down jumpers. The Gonzaga product is first on the squad in rebounds (8.5) and blocks (3.5) with 13.5 points per game. In his last outing, Holmgren notched 16 points, 13 rebounds, and seven blocks. See which team to pick here.
How to make Thunder vs. Nuggets picks SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 238 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model’s NBA picks at SportsLine.
