SinceAntetokounmpowonhisfirstMVPawardin2018-19,theBucksare39-40withouthiminthelineup,includingtheplayoffs.Milwaukeewent4-5thisseasonwithAntetokounmposidelined.
In73gamesthisseason,Antetokounmpoaveraged30.4points,11.5reboundsandacareer-high6.5assistson61.1%shootingfromthefield.Hefinishedsecondintheleagueinscoring,seventhinfieldgoalpercentageandwastheonlyplayertoaverageatleast30points,10reboundsandfiveassists.
GladwesawJaysonTatumgetrightupafterthisone…pic.twitter.com/FmAR3y3V0R
—CelticsonNBCSportsBoston(@NBCSCeltics)April21,2024Tatum,whorecordedhisfirstcareerplayofftriple-doublewith23points,10reboundsand10assists,explainedthemessagehewantedtosendwithhisresponseduringhispost-gamepressconference.
Martin,forhispart,saidhegotpushedintoTatumandunderstoodwhyBrownreactedthewayhedid.
Inwhatshouldcomeasnosurprise,CelticsheadcoachJoeMazzullahadthemostuniquereaction.
DespitetheabsenceofleadingscorerZionWilliamson(hamstring),theeighth-seededNewOrleansPelicansarelookingtostunthetop-seededOklahomaCityThunderwhentheymeetinGame1oftheirWesternConferencefirst-roundmatchuponSunday.ThePelicans(49-33),whowere30-22againstconferencefoesduringtheregularseason,havewonsixofthepastsevengamesplayedinOklahomaCitysinceDecember2020,includinga110-106winonNov.1thisseason.TheThunder(57-25),whowere36-16againstconferenceopponentsin2023-2024,finishedtheseasonredhot,winningfiveinarow.OklahomaCityis57-25onitshomecourtsincethestartoflastseason,including33-8thisyear.
TheSportsLineProjectionModelsimulateseveryNBAgame10,000timesandhasreturnedwellover$10,000inprofitfor$100playersonitstop-ratedNBApicksoverthepastfive-plusseasons.Themodelentersthe2024NBAplayoffsonasizzling88-58rollonalltop-ratedNBApicksthisseason,returningmorethan$2,600.Anyonefollowingithasseenhugereturns.
Pelicansvs.Thunderspread:OklahomaCity-8.5Pelicansvs.Thunderover/under:215.5pointsPelicansvs.Thundermoneyline:NewOrleans+275,OklahomaCity-348NO:ThePelicansare6-0intheirlastsixgamesontheroadOKC:TheThunderare4-1ATSintheirpastfivegamesPelicansvs.Thunderpicks:SeepicksatSportsLineWhytheThundercancoverPowerforwardChetHolmgrenstartedall82gamesthisseason.Hehasreacheddouble-digitscoringinfourofthepastfivegames,includingregisteringadouble-doubleina121-118winatCharlotteonApril7.Inthatgame,hescored20points,grabbed10rebounds,blockedthreeshots,dishedouttwoassists,andmadetwosteals.Heisaveraging16.5points,7.9rebounds,2.4assistsand2.3blocksin29.4minutes.InthreegamesagainstNewOrleans,heaveraged18.3pointsand11reboundswith2.3assistsandtwoblocks.
ShootingguardJoshGiddeyalsoprovidestheThunderwithoffense.In80games,allstarts,heisaveraging12.3points,6.4reboundsand4.8assistsin25.2minutes.HesurpassedthosetotalsagainstthePelicans.InthreegamesagainstNewOrleans,heaveraged14.7points,7.7reboundsand4.7assists.Hepostedatriple-doubleandtwodouble-doublesoverhisfinalfiveregular-seasongames.InthewinoverCharlotteonApril7,hescored20points,whileadding13assistsand13rebounds.Seewhichteamtopickhere.
SmallforwardHerbertJoneshasplayedin76games,allstarts,andisaveraging11points,3.6rebounds,2.6assistsand1.4steals.Hehasbeensharpfromthefield,connectingon49.8%ofhisshots,including41.8%from3-pointrange,and86.7%fromthefoulline.HehasplayedevenbetteragainstOklahomaCity,whereheisaveraging11.7points,fourrebounds,twoassistsandoneblock.Seewhichteamtopickhere.
SowhowinsPelicansvs.Thunder,andwhichsidehitsinover50%ofsimulationsVisitSportsLinenowtoseewhichsideofthespreadtojumpon,allfromtheadvancedmodelthathasreturnedmorethan$2,600onitsNBApicksthisseason,andfindout.
ThetypicalPPVnamesofWWEeventsmakessenseonSaturdaynight.WWEPaybackissettotakeplaceinPittsburghwithplentyofsuperstarslookingtoexactsomerevengeontheirrivals.ManyofthematchesonSaturdayonrematchesofpastshowdownswherethepersonwholostishopingtogettheedgethistimearound.
BeckyLynchvs.TrishStratus(SteelCageMatch)
LAKnightvs.TheMiz
BrooksretiredfromwrestlinginamessysplitwithWWEin2014beforemakingareturntowrestlingwhenhesignedwithAEWinAugust2021.
ThefollowingMay,BrookswontheAEWworldtitlebutsufferedabrokenfootthatsidelinedhimuntilAugust.Onemonthlater,afterdefeatinginterimchampionJonMoxleyinthemaineventofAllIntounifythetitles,Brooksmadecommentsatthepost-eventpressconferencestatingthatrostermembersandAEWexecutivevicepresidentsTheYoungBucksandKennyOmegahadspreadrumorsabouthim.ThisledtoasituationwhereBrooksandtrainerandfriendAceSteellegitimatelybrawledwiththeBucksandOmega.
AllinvolvedinthebrawlweresuspendedandBrookschosetoundergosurgeryonhistricepaftertearingitinthematchwithMoxley.
BelowishowyoucancatchalltheactiononSaturdaynight.
Guntheristhelongest-reigningintercontinentalchampioninWWEhistory,breakingarecordthatstoodfor35years.GuntherofficiallysurpassedHonkyTonkManonFriday.
GunthersuccessfullydefendedtheintercontinentaltitleagainstChadGableonMondayNightRaw,clearingthefinalhurdlebetweenhimandtherecord.Hehasnowheldtheintercontinentalchampionshipfor455daysandwillextendthatrecordatleastthroughtheweek.
Guntherisalsothelongest-reigningNXTUnitedKingdomchampion,abelthecarriedfor870daysduringhissolereign.
WWEisbringingoneofitsmarqueeeventstoTampaBay.TheorganizationannouncedonWednesdaythatthe37thRoyalRumbleeventwilltakeplaceatTropicanaFieldonSaturday,Jan.27.
ThepromotionwillspendafewdaysintheTampaBayarea,includingtheRoyalRumbleinSt.PetersburgandWWERawinTampaonJan.29.Itmarksthefirsttimesince1995thatTampaBaywillhosttheannualevent.TheareaalsohostedWrestleManiain2021.
Theupcomingeventwillfeaturea30-mananda30-womanRoyalRumblematch,accordingtoapressreleasefromWWE.ThewinnerofeachrumblewillreceivechampionshipmatchesatWrestleMania40,currentlyscheduledforApril6andApril7inPhiladelphia.
Laterbackstage,TheRockembracedCena,similarlyamulti-timeWWEchampionturnedactor.TheformerrivalsheadlinedWrestleMania28andWrestleMania29,going1-1inthetwomatches.