By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Off-and-On Again UCLA Hoops Peaking at the Right Time
It has been quite the season for the Bruins, both on and off the court.
Most of the headlines this season, beyond the gym, have involved head coach Mick Cronin.
From questioning his squad’s toughness to kicking Steven Jamerson out of a game to doubting his team’s potential, the seventh-year coach has been borderline embarrassing.
Through it all, though, UCLA has persevered and seems to be peaking at the right time.
The Bruins’ tournament resume got a big boost this week after knocking off Illinois on Saturday and dismantling USC on Tuesday night.
Donovan Dent had a big week. Against Illinois, he played 42 minutes, finishing with 14 points, including the game-winner to cap the upset.
He followed that up with a 30-point performance against the crosstown rivals.
More impressively, over the last two wins, he has dished out 22 assists without turning the ball over in 80 minutes of court time.
The two-game winning streak has improved UCLA’s record to 11-6 in Big Ten play and 19-9 overall.
Winners of seven of their last 10 games, the Bruins seem to have righted some of their woes following a tough two-game swing through the State of Michigan.
The trip to the Great Lakes State is certainly no picnic this season as both the Wolverines and Spartans look like legitimate challengers in March.
But a pair of lopsided losses by an average of 26.5 points in the two contests could have signaled the end for UCLA.
Instead, the Bruins got themselves off the mat with a pair of impressive performances.
This UCLA team enters March with seven of its nine losses coming against Quad 1 opponents, and only one of them at Pauley Pavilion.
If Dent can start finding his shooting stroke consistently—especially on threes—it will be a big lift for the Bruin offense.
The senior point guard has connected on only 24.1% of his triples this season.
That makes his performance against the Trojans all the more promising, as he knocked down five of six from distance.
He ranks fifth in the nation with 7.2 assists per game, but his threat to score from outside will open things up more for the likes of Tyler Bilodeau and Trent Perry.
Perry has stepped up recently as the sophomore guard has reached double figures in nine of his last 10 games, while averaging 15.2 points per outing during that stretch.
UCLA’s offense is averaging 78.0 points per game, ranking 136th nationally, but 77.6% of the team’s scoring has come from five players.
The Bruins could use more production from their bench down the stretch.
UCLA does not have any bad losses this season, with a neutral-site loss at the hands of California being the worst on the resume.
That loss could loom large down the stretch as the Bears are a fellow bubble team and the head-to-head result could come into play.
The homecourt overtime loss to Indiana would fall into that same category. But UCLA has a chance to erase all bubble talk with a strong finish to the regular season.
Each of the final three games on the schedule would be Quad 1 wins today.
Trips to Minnesota and USC sandwiched around a visit from Nebraska give UCLA the chance to make a statement before they head to Chicago for the Big Ten Tournament.
The Bruins need to continue their current surge. They are right smack dab in the midst of the huge NCAA bubble, but the opportunity is there to separate themselves from the pack.
UCLA had high expectations heading into the season, and they still have time to deliver on them. This is a talented team with the potential to make a lot of noise in March if they click.
The Bruins seem to be getting hot at the right time, but just how hot remains to be seen.
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
Latest posts by Stephen Vilardo (see all)
Continue Reading
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The New York Yankees started the 2026 season hot, winning their first eight out of 10 games, but since last Tuesday, the bats have gone ice-cold.
The Yankees lost a series to the Athletics and then were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in a series over the weekend.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
New York Yankees Aaron Judge heads to the dugout after striking out during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 11, 2026. (Jason Behnken/AP)
Aaron Judge put the team’s offensive struggles on notice after a 5-4 loss on Sunday.
“We need to simplify some things at the plate,” Judge told reporters via MLB.com. “We’re trying to hit every single pitch we see up there and getting ourselves in some bad counts and bad situations. As a group, if we simplify our approach a little bit, hunt the pitch that we’re looking for and pass the baton, I think we’ll be in a better spot.”
Judge has also been lethargic at the plate as he’s coming off three American League MVP awards in the last four seasons and some time with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hits a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 12, 2026. (Jason Behnken/AP)
CODY BELLINGER’S ACROBATIC CATCH STUNS FANS AS YANKEES WIN HOME OPENER OVER MARLINS
Through 15 games, Judge is only hitting .218 with four home runs, nine RBI and a double. He was 2-for-10 against the Rays, despite a two-run homer on Sunday.
It was the Rays’ first three-game sweep of the Yankees since 2021.
“We didn’t get a lot of traffic when we needed to in this series,” Judge added. “We had one hit for the majority of the game, and a couple of these games. I think if guys take their walks when they need to and focus on a pitch they can drive, we’ll be in a better spot.”
New York is now 8-7 this season and in a three-way tie for the American League East division lead.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge strikes out during the fifth inning against the Athletics in New York on April 8, 2026. (Heather Khalifa/AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The Yankees return home Monday for a seven-game home stand. The team will welcome the Los Angeles Angels for four games and then turn their attention to the Kansas City Royals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Use DraftKings promo code to get $300 bonus bets for Dodgers-Mets, Paul Skenes props, Blues-Wild on Monday
Paul Skenes is already one of the biggest stars in the sport, and whenever he takes the mound, it feels like a must-see event. Monday is another one of those occurrences when the Skenes and the Pirates take on the Washington Nationals, providing a thrilling player to factor into options to utilize the latest DraftKings promo code to get $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 wager wins. Given his name appeal, it’s no surprise to see Skenes’ MLB player prop totals on the higher side, and with that, the SportsLine Projection Model sees value in backing Skenes Under 6.5 strikeouts at +114 odds for Monday MLB best bets at DraftKings.
The Los Angeles Dodgers host the New York Mets in a battle of the two teams with the shortest MLB futures betting odds to win the National League entering the season, and the model is backing the Mets to cover on the run line as one of its Monday MLB best bets. One of SportsLine’s top experts has also locked in an NHL pick on the Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins:
Check out our DraftKings promo code review for full details.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It was a profitable 35-29 on top-rated MLB money-line picks last season. It also excelled at making home run prop picks in 2025, returning nearly 30 units of profit. Anybody following its MLB betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Monday best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook
- Paul Skenes, Pirates, Under 6.5 strikeouts (+114)
- Blues (+110) to defeat the Wild
- Mets (+1.5) vs. Dodgers (-149)
Combining the three picks into a Monday parlay at DraftKings would result in a payout of +651 (risk $100 to win $651, odds subject to change). Claim $300 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager at DraftKings here:
Paul Skenes, Pirates, Under 6.5 strikeouts (+114)
Skenes has failed to record more than six strikeouts in any of his first three starts this season. The Nationals only struck out 18 times in 27 innings in their three-game sweep over the Brewers, and they’ve only been struck out 20 times over their last four contests. Skenes is averaging one strikeout per inning this season, but he’s only averaging four innings per start. The model projects Skenes for 6.2 strikeouts on Monday, given Washington’s heavy bat-to-ball approach. At plus-money odds for prop betting, the model projects value in fading Skenes’ strikeout total. Back Skenes’ Under at DraftKings here, and claim $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins as a new user:
Blues (+110) to defeat the Wild
“This is another game where I expect a Minnesota Wild team locked into the 3 seed in the Central to rest some key contributors over the final two games,” SportsLine expert Todd Fuhrman said. “While we don’t know who will sit in this game, I actually show value in the dog if the Wild were at full speed. Look for the Blues to potentially close as a short favorite before puck drop on Monday night.” Back the Blues to win at DraftKings here, and claim $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins as a new user:
Mets (+1.5) vs. Dodgers (-149)
Baseball is a funny game. Although the Mets have lost five straight, including being swept at home by the A’s, there’s no reason why they can’t fly cross-country and defeat or play with the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers on Monday. The Mets are starting David Peterson, who was an All-Star last year, and the Dodgers are starting 25-year-old Justin Wrobleski. The Mets had the second-best odds behind the Dodgers to win the National League this season, so this streak of bad baseball likely won’t last the whole season. Last year, the Mets went 2-2 in L.A., and both of their losses came by one run. The model projects the Mets to cover in 61% of simulations. Back the Mets to cover at DraftKings here, and claim $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins as a new user:
Want more MLB and NHL picks on Monday?
You’ve seen some of the model’s Monday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including the NBA, MLB, NHL, and more, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times.
Olympique Lyonnais have returned to winning ways after a nine-game drought, climbing to fifth in the table and keeping their hopes of a Champions League spot alive. Meanwhile in England, Manchester City secured a comfortable win over Chelsea, piling pressure on Arsenal in the title race. The Gunners now lead by just six points ahead of their clash with City next week.
In cycling, Wout van Aert is the new King of the Hell of the North, finally triumphing in the legendary Paris-Roubaix after years of bad luck and disappointment. In tennis, Jannik Sinner has reclaimed the world number one spot, defeating his rival Carlos Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 final.
WWE’s chief of content Triple H has been under fire from fans heading into WrestleMania 42. A recent report has revealed that the head of creative is aware of what people are talking about online, which is mainly focused on the overall quality of storylines.
One of the biggest gripes of the fanbase is the involvement of Pat McAfee, as well as other celebrities, in the Road to WrestleMania 42. Others are not happy about how matches for the biggest show of the year have been built and how some of the most popular stars are not on the card.
Thanks for the submission!
Speaking on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer shared some insight about what is going on backstage in WWE, mainly about Triple H’s feelings about the recent air of negativity online about the product.
“I think he cares more than they let on. They try to act like they don’t listen but then they make all these things and changes so much. My impression is that they outwardly, I mean the company directive is to say that you don’t care. That we don’t listen to these people that are negative. And you know what? You go by the numbers. You can’t listen to people because you could be doing the greatest stuff in the world and people are saying it’s terrible, but if the numbers are saying it’s good then it’s good. But does he listen? Is he aware? Yes, he’s aware and he’s certainly aware that they’ve booed him at certain points over the last couple of months,” Meltzer said. [H/T Cultaholic]
Triple H is currently under a microscope, with fans hoping for an overall better WrestleMania this year. There was plenty of negativity last year after Travis Scott’s involvement in the main event between John Cena and Cody Rhodes.
Triple H to be fired by TKO?
Some fans are already calling for Triple H to be replaced as WWE’s chief of content. TKO has the power to make it happen, but despite the slower ticket sales of this year’s WrestleMania can be attributed to many different factors that are out of Hunter’s control.
However, WWE Hall of Famer Billy Gunn stirred the pot at a recent appearance on Signed by Superstars for a live in-studio signing. Gunn, who was with his New Age Outlaws partner, Road Dogg, revealed that he heard from someone that Triple H might get the boot after WrestleMania.
Road Dogg, who recently left WWE’s creative team, quickly shut down the claim. It should be noted that he’s still under a Legends contract despite his exit last month.
Edited by JP David
It’s WrestleMania season, with WWE’s biggest event of the year closing in once again.
This spring brings the 42nd edition of WrestleMania and a surprising move from WWE, as it returns to Las Vegas just one year after Sin City hosted the last edition of the event. In fact, that move has disappointed many fans, who have also hit out at ticket prices and a lacklustre build to this year’s “Showcase of the Immortals”.
Still, WrestleMania tends to deliver, and WWE has begun to take some big swings in pursuit of winning over fans, such as installing the retired John Cena as this year’s host.
There will also be matches starring key names like Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, while several celebrities will pop up – as is customary. But how much do WWE stars earn at WrestleMania?
Here’s all you need to know.
How much do WWE stars earn?
The specifics of WWE contracts have long been hard to ascertain. However, WWE star-turned-executive Triple H (real name Paul Levesque) told The Athletic in 2022 that $250,000 is the minimum base salary for wrestlers in the company. That figure might have risen since, of course, and it reportedly only applied to members of the Smackdown and Raw rosters – not wrestlers on NXT, which is WWE’s developmental show.
However, wrestlers’ wages are boosted by merchandise sales and, it is believed, by cuts of pay-per-view sales as well. Of course, merchandise sales are likely to be significant on a WrestleMania weekend, as well as pay-per-view sales, so 18 and 19 April could be the most lucrative days of the year for most WWE wrestlers.
In 2023, The Mirror reported some of the highest WWE wages as these: Roman Reigns $5m per year; Randy Orton $5m per year; Seth Rollins $3.5m per year; Cody Rhodes $3m per year; Logan Paul $2m per year. These figures reportedly don’t include bonuses.
When is WrestleMania 42?
WrestleMania became a two-night event in 2020, and this year it will take place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. In the US, each evening of action will begin at 4pm PT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET. In the UK, that works out to 12am BST on Sunday and Monday morning.
How can I watch it?
WrestleMania 42 will stream live on Netflix in the UK and most territories worldwide, as part of subscribers’ existing plans (at no additional cost, in other words). In the US, however, the event will air live on ESPN.
Confirmed matches
Night 1
Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and LA Knight vs Logan Paul, Austin Theory and IShowSpeed
Drew McIntyre vs Jacob Fatu
Lash Legend and Nia Jax (Women’s World Tag-Team Champions) vs Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs Nikki Bella and Brie Bella
AJ Lee (Women’s Intercontinental Champion) vs Becky Lee
Seth Rollins vs Gunther
Stephanie Vaquer (Women’s World Champion) vs Liv Morgan
Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Champion) vs Randy Orton
Night 2
Penta (Intercontinental Champion) vs Rey Mysterio vs JD McDonagh vs Rusev vs Je’Von Evans vs Dragon Lee (Ladder Match)
Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi
Sami Zayn (United States Champion) vs Trick Williams
Jade Cargill (Women’s WWE Champion) vs Rhea Ripley
Finn Balor vs Dominik Mysterio
CM Punk (World Heavyweight Champion) vs Roman Reigns
Which celebrities will be involved?
YouTubers Logan Paul and IShowSpeed will compete, even teaming up together, while music star Jelly Roll will also feature in some capacity. The same applies to rapper Lil Yachty, while wrestler-turned-actor John Cena will act as the host of WrestleMania. NFL kicker-turned-sports analyst Pat McAfee is also expected to feature.
As he stood in the pine straw late Sunday afternoon, deep in the trees, wild to the right of the 18th fairway, Rory McIlroy exhaled, rolled his eyes and shook his head, as if to suggest that even he had grown exhausted by the drama. Did it really have to be this hard? Apparently, it did.
After entering the weekend with a six-shot lead and a seeming stranglehold on the tournament, the man trying to become just the fourth Masters champion to defend his title had pressed repeat, all right, reprising the feast-or-famine play that marked his Grand Slam-capping run to victory last year. Much like 2025, the 2026 Masters had become his to lose, and for much of the day Sunday, he appeared intent on doing just that. A stressful par on the 1st hole. A three-putt double-bogey on the 4th to fall behind Cameron Young by two. And then another dropped shot on the 6th, with a birdie on the 3rd sprinkled in along the way.
Throughout the week, McIlroy had said that things felt different this time around, now that he had a green jacket to his name and a lifetime invite to the Masters. And yet what he produced on Sunday was more of the same, a nail-biting, whiplash-inducing thrill ride of spectacular shots and head-scratching mistakes.
Elsewhere on the course, the roars carried echoes of the recent past as well. Justin Rose, who fell to McIlroy in last year’s playoff, went out in 32 to vault in front, only to spring a leak around Amen Corner. Every Rose has its thorn, and it’s official: Justin’s is the Masters.
For a nervy spell on Sunday, McIlroy looked destined for more Masters heartache. Never mind what he said about having the monkey off his back — slumping into Butler Cabin and slipping the green jacket onto someone else’s shoulders would have been a particular kind of torture.
Instead, he did what he did last year: playing with a red ass, he put up red numbers, rattling off birdies on 12 and 13 to take command (and then nearly letting it go again when his wedge on the par-5 15th barely made it over Rae’s Creek). He was two clear standing on the 18th tee, the green jacket all but back on his shoulders, if only he could stop being himself for a moment.
He could not. Pulling driver, he flared one far right into the Georgia pines, eliminating any chance of a tidy finish. The groan from the gallery was familiar, almost affectionate. This was vintage McIlroy: maddening, mystifying, marvelous all at once. He hacked out and made bogey, which was good enough. A tap-in for the win and a repeat in more ways than one.
“I just can’t believe I waited 17 years to get one green jacket,” he said afterward, “and I get two in a row.”
With his second Masters, Rory McIlroy has left his demons in the distant dust. He’s chasing history now. It’s going to take a lot of energy to keep up.
Cloud9 remained undefeated and FlyQuest recorded their first win as Week 2 concluded on Sunday of the regular season of the LCS Spring event.
FlyQuest downed Disguised 2-0, and Cloud9 beat the Sentinels 2-1 in the other match of the day.
Eight teams will compete in best-of-three matches in the round-robin regular season before advancing to the playoffs of the League of Legends event, which will be contested in best-of-five matches in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational.
FlyQuest swept Disguised 2-0, winning in 30 minutes and 27 minutes, both on blue. Micheal “Cryogen” Luu, a Vietnamese/American player, had a kill-death-assist ratio of 1-1-17 and Fahad “Massu” Abdulmalek, a Canadian/Iraqi player, had a K-D-A of 11-2-7 for FlyQuest.
Cloud9 won the opener in 33 minutes on blue before the Sentinels drew even with a 34-minute victory on red. Cloud9 took the match in 31 minutes on red. American Eain “APA” Stearns had a 5-1-10 K-D-A and Canadian Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme had a 3-0-12 K-D-A for Cloud9.
Week 3 begins on Saturday with Disguised facing Cloud9, and Sentinels taking on FlyQuest. The Sunday matches are LYON against Shopify Rebellion, and Dignitas versus Team Liquid.
Regular season standings (Win-loss total, map differential)
1. Team Liquid, 2-0, 4-1
2. Cloud9, 2-0, 4-2
3. FlyQuest, 1-1, 3-2
4. LYON, 1-1, 3-3 5. Shopify Rebellion, 1-1, 2-2
6. Disguised, 1-1, 2-3
7. Sentinels, 0-2, 2-4
8. Dignitas, 0-2, 1-4 –Field Level Media
Sports
IPL 2026: Arjun Tendulkar spotted with wife Saaniya Chandhok, sister Sara Tendulkar before LSG vs RCB clash – WATCH | Cricket News
Arjun Tendulkar with wife Saaniya Chandhok and sister Sara Tendulkar (Image credit: X)
NEW DELHI: After a home defeat to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, Lucknow Super Giants will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. LSG are currently placed sixth on the table, with two wins and two losses from four matches.In their previous outing, Lucknow Super Giants managed 164/8 in 20 overs against Gujarat Titans. Chasing 165, Gujarat Titans cruised to 165/3 in 18.4 overs, sealing a comfortable win at the Ekana Stadium on Sunday.Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who did not feature in the playing XI against Gujarat Titans, was spotted at the airport with his LSG teammates. He was seen alongside his sister Sara Tendulkar and wife Saaniya Chandhok.Sara and Saaniya had earlier been present in the stands in Lucknow, cheering for LSG during their clash against Gujarat Titans.Arjun tied the knot with Saaniya in a grand ceremony in Mumbai on March 5, 2026. He is part of the Lucknow Super Giants squad this season, having been bought for Rs 30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction.LSG captain Rishabh Pant admitted that his side fell short with the bat in the loss to Gujarat Titans.“See, definitely not enough runs. There’s nothing. From the fact that they bowled well. I think in a wicket like this, a score like 170 to 180 is a really good score. But, you know, the wicket kept on falling, and they put enough pressure on us to get those wickets going,” Pant said.He added that although LSG had their chances, they failed to capitalise on crucial moments.“There were opportunities in the game. We just couldn’t grab it enough,” he said.Pant, however, backed his batting unit, stressing that it is still early in the tournament and there is no need to panic. He expressed confidence in the experienced players to step up in the coming matches.“See, definitely it’s a great lineup. But the tournament has just started here, you know. We’re not putting pressure on players because, especially the senior guys, they know what to do,” he said.
Zuffa Boxing have announced their latest high profile recruit after signing former cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith.
Billam-Smith defeated Lawrence Okolie to win the WBO cruiserweight title back in May 2023, before successful defences against Mateusz Masternak and Richard Riakporhe.
He lost that belt in a unification clash against WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez, before returning to winning ways in April 2025 by defeating Brandon Glanton – who recently fought for the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight title against Jai Opetaia.
That marked Billam-Smith’s last ring appearance, and after spending the last few years working with BOXXER, he will now make the switch to join Dana White’s Zuffa.
Billam-Smith has signed a multi-fight deal with the company and will see his fights broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, something that the Bournemouth man is looking forward to.
“I’m really excited by this opportunity to work with Zuffa and Sky Sports. When two powerhouses in the world of entertainment come together like this, you know it will be a success, and you want to be a part of that.
“This move is about proving I am the best in the world. I can’t wait to get back in the ring, headlining shows, live on Sky Sports.”
Billam-Smith is the second major UK star to team up with Zuffa Boxing, following on from Conor Benn earlier this year, while American-based duo Richardson Hitchins and Edgar Berlanga also recently signed with the promotion.
Perhaps Zuffa’s most impressive fighter is Opetaia, and now that Billam-Smith has joined the ranks, it could lead to a showdown between the cruiserweight duo in the future.
The Brit is currently ranked number 4 with the WBC, 3 with the IBF and 5 with the WBO. Intriguingly, he could be set to be ordered to fight for Opetaia’s old IBF belt, after the Aussie was stripped when the sanctioning body took issue with the Zuffa belt also being on the line in his fight against Glanton.
Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder team owner Clay Bennett and the team hold up the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after being announced NBA Champions at the end of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Oddsmakers really like Oklahoma City Thunder to continue their reign over the NBA and successfully defend their championship.
The Thunder, who concluded the regular season on Sunday with the league’s best record at 64-18 (.780), are the clear favorite to keep the Larry O’Brien Trophy at a range of +110 to +135, according to a survey of sportsbooks on Sunday night.
Conversely, the Portland Trail Blazers, playing beyond the regular season for the first time since the 2020-21 season, have the most convincing to do. The eighth seed in the Western Conference, Portland has a play-in game against the Phoenix Suns and is the biggest underdog to make it all the way and win the NBA Finals, with some odds at +250000.
The odds closely align with the records, as the San Antonio Spurs (62-20, .756) have the second-best odds at +450 to +550.
The Boston Celtics (56-26), fortified by the solid return of star Jayson Tatum from a ruptured Achilles in last year’s playoffs, are the next favorite. The Detroit Pistons (60-22) had the better regular season but perhaps not the track record of recent playoff runs compared to their Eastern Conference rival, who won the NBA title two seasons ago.
DraftKings has the defending champion Thunder at +110, followed by the Spurs at +500, Celtics at +550 and Nuggets at +950.
Then there’s a jump to the Cleveland Cavaliers (+1600), New York Knicks (+1800) and Pistons (+2200).
The longest odds of the 20 teams are for the Trail Blazers at +200000. DraftKings favors the seventh-seeded Suns downing eighth-seeded Portland with a 4.5-point spread in their play-in game on Tuesday in Phoenix.
FanDuel also likes Oklahoma City to repeat as the NBA champion (+115), with San Antonio and Boston next (each at +550), then Denver and Cleveland (each at +1100) and New York (+1800).
Here, Portland is at +75000 along with Phoenix and Miami as the three teams with the longest odds.
FanDuel takes the next step by putting odds on the finalists, with a Celtics-Thunder matchup the favorite (+330), which follows the conference breakdown of the overall winner odds.
The Thunder represent the Western Conference in the top four favored matchups, against the Cavaliers (+550), Knicks (+850) and Pistons (+900). Those predicting a Celtics-Spurs final can get +1000 odds, and Cavs-Spurs at +1500.
The longest odds are +75000 for Cavs-Warriors, Knicks-Lakers, Knicks-Clippers, Knicks-Warriors and Pistons-Lakers.
Take the extra step and pick the matchup and winner, and that’s the Thunder over the Celtics at +500. A Boston series win over Oklahoma City is at +1200 odds.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, is favored to repeat as NBA Finals MVP at +135. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is next at +500.
BetMGM likes the Thunder to win it all at +135, followed by the Spurs (+450), Celtics (+550), Nuggets (+1000) and Cavaliers (+1400). The Trail Blazers have the longest odds at +250000.
NBA FINALS WINNER ODDS (DraftKings)
Oklahoma City (+110)
San Antonio (+500)
Boston (+550) Denver (+950)
Cleveland (+1600)
New York (+1800)
Detroit (+2200) Houston (+6000)
Minnesota (+9000)
Atlanta (+13000)
Philadelphia (+17000) Charlotte (+17000)
Los Angeles Lakers (+25000)
Toronto (+25000)
Orlando (+35000) Phoenix (+60000)
Los Angeles Clippers (+70000)
Miami (+70000)
Golden State (+80000) Portland (+200000)
–Field Level Media
Crypto World30 seconds ago
ECB Sets Cautious Path for Tokenized Capital Markets in New Bulletin
Entertainment2 minutes ago
Netflix’s Lazy ‘Jaws’ Ripoff Fails To Hook Critics Despite Streaming Success
Sports5 minutes ago
Aaron Judge says Yankees need to ‘simplify’ approach amid offensive slump
-
Politics3 days agoUS brings back mandatory military draft registration
-
Fashion3 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Veronica Beard
-
Sports3 days agoMan United discover Nico Schlotterbeck transfer fee as defender reaches Dortmund agreement
-
Tech6 days agoHow Long Can You Drive With Expired Registration? What Florida Law Says
-
Politics1 day agoWorld Cup exit makes Italy enter crisis mode
-
Crypto World4 days agoCanary Capital Files SEC Registration for PEPE ETF
-
Business3 days agoTesla Model Y Tops China Auto Sales in March 2026 With 39,827 Registrations, Beating Cheaper EVs and Gas Cars
-
Politics3 days agoMalcolm In The Middle OG Turned Down ‘Buckets Of Money’ To Appear In Reboot
-
Crypto World5 days agoBitcoin recovers as US and Iran Agree a Ceasefire Deal
-
Fashion6 days agoLet’s Discuss: DEI in 2026
-
NewsBeat17 hours agoPep Guardiola and Gary Neville agree over Arsenal title problem that benefits Man City
-
Business3 days agoOpenAI Halts Stargate UK Data Centre Project Over Energy Costs and Copyright Row
-
Business2 days agoIreland Fuel Protests Enter Day 5 as Blockades Spark Shortages and Government Prepares Support Package
-
Politics3 days agoLBC Presenter Mocks Trump Over Iran War Failures
-
Crypto World3 days agoFederal judge blocks Arizona from bringing criminal charges against Kalshi
-
Tech4 days agoA version of Windows 10 released a decade ago is now eligible for additional security patches
-
NewsBeat1 day agoJD Vance announces ‘no agreement’ with Iran over nuclear weapons fear
-
Entertainment5 days agoAlfred Hitchcock’s 10 Most Suspenseful Masterpieces, Ranked
-
Entertainment3 days agoA ‘Bridgerton’ Star’s New Survival Thriller Is a Must-Watch on Netflix This Weekend
-
Business3 days agoIMF retains floor for precautionary balances at SDR 20 billion
You must be logged in to post a comment Login